demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第69部分

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n　or　to　the　East　German　border；　or　who　knows　where。　But　he'd　always　tell　me　。。。　This　time　he　just　said　he'd　be　back　in　an　hour　or　so。　He　put　on　civilian　clothes　and　left。　I　watched　him　pull　away　and　noticed　that　he　used　my　car。〃
　〃What　kind　of　car　is　that；　ma'am？〃
　〃A　Buick。〃
　Cynthia　nodded　and　said；　〃Then　at　about　four　or　four…thirty　in　the　morning；　the　general　returned　home　and　told　you　what　had　happened。〃
　She　stared　off　into　space；　and　for　the　first　time　I　could　see　the　face　of　a　tired　and　heartsick　mother；　and　I　could　only　imagine　what　toll　these　years　had　taken。　Surely；　a　wife　and　mother　could　not　have　countenanced　what　a　father　and　husband　had　done　to　their　daughter　in　the　name　of　the　greater　good；　in　the　name　of　career　advancement　and　positive　public　images。　But　on　some　level；　she　must　have　e　to　terms　with　it。
　Cynthia　prompted；　〃Your　husband　came　home　about　four…thirty　A。M。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　I　was　waiting　up　for　him　。。。　here　in　the　front　room。　When　he　walked　in　the　door；　I　knew　my　daughter　was　dead。〃　She　stood。　〃And　that's　all　I　know。　Now　that　my　husband's　career　is　ended；　all　we　have　left　is　the　hope　that　you　can　find　who　did　this。　Then　we　can　all　go　on　and　make　our　peace。〃
　We　stood　also；　and　Cynthia　said；　〃We're　doing　our　best；　and　we　thank　you　for　putting　aside　your　grief　to　speak　to　us。〃
　I　said　that　we　could　find　our　way　out；　and　we　made　our　departure。
　Outside；　on　the　way　to　my　vehicle；　I　said；　〃The　general's　career　ended　ten　years　ago　in　Keller　Army　Hospital　at　West　Point。　It　just　took　some　time　for　it　to　catch　up　with　him。〃
　〃Yes；　he　not　only　betrayed　his　daughter；　but　he　betrayed　himself　and　his　wife。〃
　We　got　into　the　Blazer　and　I　pulled　away　from　Beaumont　House。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…SEVEN
　
　What　did　you　speak　to　Lieutenant　Elby　about？〃　Cynthia　asked　as　I　drove。
　〃Love　and　marriage。〃
　〃Yes；　I　heard　that　piece　of　enduring　wisdom。〃
　〃Well　。。。　you　know；　he's　too　young　to　settle　down。　He　had　proposed　marriage　to　Ann　Campbell。〃
　〃Marrying　Ann　Campbell　is　not　what　I'd　call　settling　down。〃
　〃True。〃　I　briefed　Cynthia　on　my　short　conversation　with　Elby；　and　added；　〃Now　the　poor　bastard　is　being　shipped　to　Guam。　That's　what　happens…like　in　those　old　Greek　plays　when　a　mortal　has　carnal　knowledge　of　a　goddess。　They　wind　up　insane；　turned　into　an　animal　or　some　inanimate　object；　or　get　banished　to　Guam　or　its　Aegean　equivalent。〃
　〃Sexist　nonsense。〃
　〃Right。　Anyway；　I　get　the　feeling　that　the　family　dynamics　among　the　Campbells　was　so　pathological　that　love　and　happiness　could　never　flourish；　and　God　help　anyone　who　got　caught　in　their　misery　and　pain。〃
　She　nodded。　〃Do　you　think　they　were　all　right　before　she　was　raped　at　West　Point？〃
　〃Well　。。。　according　to　Colonel　Moore；　yes。　I　think　that's　an　accurate　picture。　And　speaking　of　pictures；　I'm　thinking　back　to　that　photo　album　we　found　in　Ann's　house　。。。　If　you　think　about　the　pictures　as　before　and　after…before　and　after　the　rape　in　the　summer　between　her　first　and　second　year　at　West　Point…you　can　see　a　difference。〃
　〃Yes。　You　can　almost　pinpoint　any　family　tragedy　that　way　if　you　know　what　you're　looking　for。〃　She　added；　〃Those　men　who　gang…raped　her　had　a　little　fun　and　went　on　with　their　lives；　and　they　never　thought　about　the　human　wreckage　they　left　behind。〃
　〃I　know。　We　both　see　that　if　we　stay　around　long　enough　after　an　act　of　violence。　But　usually　we　can　get　some　justice。　In　this　case；　nobody　called　the　cops。〃
　〃No；　not　then。　But　we're　here　now。〃　She　asked　me；　〃How　do　you　want　to　handle　General　Campbell？〃
　〃I'd　like　to　rough　him　up。　But　I　think　he's　already　paid　the　supreme　price　for　his　great　mistake。　I　don't　know　。。。　tough　call。　Play　it　by　ear。　He's　a　general。〃
　〃Right。〃
　The　Post　Headquarters　parking　lot　was　nearly　empty；　but　there　were　a　few　cars　left；　including　the　general's　olive…drab　staff　car。　There　was　also　a　humvee；　a　few　of　which　are　usually　authorized　for　Post　Headquarters；　and　I　assumed　that　the　one　sitting　in　the　hangar　at　Jordan　Field　had　been　replaced。
　Cynthia　and　I　stood　in　the　parking　lot　to　the　right　of　the　headquarters　building；　and　I　said；　〃She　walked　out　that　side　door　at　about　0100　hours；　got　into　one　of　the　humvees；　and　drove　off　to　confront　the　ghosts　of　the　past。〃
　〃And　the　ghosts　won。〃
　We　walked　around　to　the　front　of　the　headquarters　building。　The　two…story；　dark　brick　structure　vaguely　resembled　a　public　school　built　in　the　1930s；　except　that　the　walk　was　lined　with　spent　105mm　howitzer　shell　casings；　each　one　sprouting　flowers；　which　was　unintentionally　ironic。　Also　on　the　lawn　were　old　field　artillery　pieces　from　different　eras；　a　graphic　display　of　the　progression　of　the　boom　factor。
　We　entered　the　front　doors；　and　a　young　PFC　at　the　information　desk　stood。　I　told　him　we　had　an　appointment　with　General　Campbell。　He　checked　his　appointment　sheet　and　directed　us　down　a　long　corridor　toward　the　rear　of　the　building。
　Cynthia　and　I　walked　down　the　deserted；　echoing　corridor　with　the　spit…shined　linoleum　floor。　I　said　to　her；　〃I've　never　arrested　a　general　before。　I'm　probably　more　nervous　than　he　is。
　She　glanced　at　me　and　replied；　〃He　didn't　do　it；　Paul。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃I　can't　picture　it；　and　if　I　can't　picture　it；　it　didn't　happen。
　〃I　don't　remember　that　in　the　manual。〃
　〃Well；　in　any　case；　I　don't　think　you're　allowed　to　arrest　a　general　officer。　Check　the　manual。〃
　We　came　to　a　sort　of　second　lobby；　which　was　deserted；　and　straight　ahead　was　a　closed　door　with　a　brass　plate　that　said；　〃Lt。　General　Joseph　I。　Campbell。〃
　I　knocked　on　the　door；　and　it　was　opened　by　a　female　captain　whose　nametag　read　Bollinger。　She　said；　〃Good　evening。　I'm　General　Campbell's　senior　aide。〃
　We　shook　hands　all　around；　and　she　showed　us　into　a　small　secretarial　area。　Captain　Bollinger　was　about　thirty…five；　chunky；　but　friendly…looking　and　animated。　I　said　to　her；　〃I　don't　think　I've　ever　heard　of　a　female　aide　to　a　male　general　since　Ike's　lady　friend。〃
　She　smiled　and　replied；　〃There　are　a　few。　The　general's　other　aide　is　a　male；　Lieutenant　Elby。〃
　〃Yes；　we've　met　him。〃　It　occurred　to　me　that　if　Lieutenant　Elby　was　a　pawn　in　the　game　between　father　and　daughter；　then　Captain　Bollinger　was　certainly　not；　she　was　not　seducible　by　Ann；　and　she　was　also　homely　enough　for　Mrs。　Campbell's　requirements。　It　really　sucks　at　the　top。
　Captain　Bollinger　escorted　us　into　an　empty　outer　office　and　said；　〃The　general　has　allocated　all　the　time　you　want。　But　please　understand　that　he's　。。。　well；　he's　just　plain　grief…stricken。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃We　understand。〃
　I　also　understood　that　this　interview　was　scheduled　for　after…duty　hours　so　that　if　it　got　messy；　the　troops　wouldn't　be　around　to　see　or　hear　it。
　Captain　Bollinger　knocked　on　a　nice　oak　door；　opened　it；　and　announced　us　as　Warrant　Officers　Brenner　and　Sunhill。　She　stepped　aside　and　we　entered。
　The　general　was　standing　and　came　forward　to　greet　us。　We　exchanged　quick　salutes；　then　shook　hands。
　General　Campbell　indicated　a　grouping　of　upholstered　chairs；　and　we　all　sat。　Generals；　like　CEOs；　have　varying　degrees　of　seating　in　the　office；　but　generals　also　have　the　option　of　letting　you　stand　at　attention　or；　if　they're　being　nice；　at　parade　rest　or　at　ease。　But　Cynthia　and　I　were　being　shown　far　more　courtesy　than　our　rank　required。　It　must　have　had　something　to　do　with　the　fact　that　we'd　just　heard　two　confessions　of　criminal　conduct　from　two　wives；　to　wit：　accessory　after　the　fact；　and　conspiracy。　But　perhaps　he　just　liked　us。
　He　asked；　〃Would　either　of　you　like　a　drink？〃
　〃No；　thank　you；　sir。〃　But　in　truth；　the　cannon　had　sounded　and　the　flag　was　down；　and　in　the　Army　that　is　the　equivalent　of　Pavlov's　starving　dogs　hearing　the　dinner　bell。
　No　one　spoke　for　a　minute　or　so；　and　I　looked　around　the　office。　The　walls　were　white　plaster；　and　the　trim　and　moldings　were　natural　oak；　as　were　the　desks；　tables；　and　so　forth。　The　area　rug　over　the　oak　floor　was　a　red　Oriental；　probably　picked　up　overseas。　There　was　not　much　in　the　way　of　war　trophies；　souvenirs；　framed　certificates；　or　any　of　that；　but　on　a　small　round　table　in　the　corner　was　a　blue　cape　laid　out　like　a　tablecloth　on　which　lay　a　sheathed