demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第74部分

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；　then　continued。　〃She　said　she　had　a　rope　around　her　neck　。。。　and　I　could　strangle　her　if　I　wanted　to　。。。　or　I　could　cover　this　up　like　I　did　once　before　。。。　I　could　e　and　untie　her　and　take　her　away　。。。　take　her　to　Beaumont　House　。。。　to　her　mother。　She　also　said　I　could　leave　her　there；　and　the　MPs　or　the　guards　or　someone　would　find　her；　and　she'd　tell　the　MPs　everything。　Those　were　my　choices。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃And　did　you　go　to　her　and　try　to　untie　her；　as　you　told　us　you　did？〃
　〃No　。。。　I　couldn't。　I　didn't　go　near　her　。。。　I　didn't　try　to　untie　her　。。。　I　just　stood　near　the　car；　then　。。。　I　pletely　snapped。　My　anger　and　rage　at　all　those　years　of　trying　to　make　things　right　got　the　best　of　me　。。。　I　shouted　back　at　her　that　I　didn't　give　a　damn　what　they'd　done　to　her　ten　years　ago　。。。　I　told　her　I　was　going　to　leave　her　there　and　let　the　guards　or　the　MPs　find　her；　or　the　first　platoon　who　came　out　to　fire　on　the　range　or　whoever；　and　that　the　whole　world　could　see　her　naked　for　all　I　cared；　and…〃　He　stopped　in　mid…sentence　and　looked　down　at　the　floor；　then　continued。　〃I　told　her　she　couldn't　hurt　me　anymore；　and　then　she　started　shouting　this　Nietzsche　junk…'whatever　hurts　you　makes　me　stronger；　what　does　not　destroy　me　makes　me　stronger；'　and　so　on。　I　said　that　the　only　hold　she　had　over　me　was　my　rank　and　my　position；　and　that　I　was　resigning　from　the　service；　and　that　she　had　destroyed　any　feelings　I　had　for　her　and　that　she　had　more　than　equaled　the　score。〃
　The　general　poured　himself　some　water　from　a　carafe　and　drank　it；　then　continued；　〃She　said　that　was　fine；　that　was　good　。。。　'Let　someone　else　find　me…you　never　helped　me　。。。'　Then　she　started　to　cry；　and　she　couldn't　stop　crying；　but　I　thought　I　heard　her　say　。。。　she　said；　'Daddy'　。。。〃　He　stood。　〃Please　。。。　I　can't　。。。〃
　We　stood　also。　I　said；　〃Thank　you；　General。〃　We　turned　and　made　toward　the　door　before　he　began　crying；　but　a　thought　came　into　my　head；　and　I　turned　back　to　him　and　said；　〃Another　death　in　the　family　won't　solve　anything。　It's　not　the　manly　thing　to　do。　It's　very　cowardly。〃　But　his　back　was　toward　us；　and　I　don't　know　if　he　even　heard　me。
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…NINE
　
　I　drove　out　of　the　Post　Headquarters　parking　lot；　went　a　few　hundred　meters；　then　pulled　off　to　the　side　of　the　road。　A　sort　of　delayed　reaction　to　the　interview　came　over　me；　and　I　actually　felt　shaky。　I　said；　〃Well；　we　know　now　why　the　lab　people　found　dried　tears　on　her　cheeks。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃I　feel　sick。〃
　〃I　need　a　drink。〃
　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃No。　We　have　to　finish　this。　Where's　Moore？〃
　〃He'd　damned　well　better　be　someplace　on　post。〃　I　put　the　Blazer　into　gear　and　headed　toward　the　Psy…Ops　School。
　On　the　way；　Cynthia　said；　as　if　to　herself；　〃But　in　the　end；　the　general　did　not　abandon　his　daughter　this　time　the　way　he　did　at　West　Point。　He　left　her　on　the　rifle　range　in　a　fit　of　rage；　but　somewhere　on　the　road；　he　realized　that　this　was　the　last　chance　for　both　of　them。〃
　She　thought　a　moment；　then　continued；　〃He　probably　considered　turning　around；　but　then　he　thought　about　what　he　would　need…a　knife　if　the　rope　needed　to　be　cut；　clothing；　a　woman's　presence。　Those　attentions　to　detail　that　are　drummed　into　us　overcame　his　shock　and　confusion；　and　he　drove　to　Bethany　Hill；　to　the　one　man　on　this　post　that　he　could　trust。〃　Cynthia　paused；　then　asked；　〃When　the　Fowlers　got　there；　I　wonder　if　they　thought　that　the　general　strangled　her？〃
　I　replied；　〃It　may　have　crossed　their　minds。　But　when　they　got　back　to　the　house　and　told　him　she　was　dead　。。。　they　must　have　seen　the　shock　and　disbelief　on　his　face。〃
　Cynthia　nodded。　〃Would　they　。。。　should　they　have　cut　her　loose　and　taken　the　body　away？〃
　〃No。　Colonel　Fowler　knew　that　moving　the　body　would　only　make　matters　worse。　And　I'm　sure　that　Colonel　Fowler；　with　his　military　experience；　could　determine　that　she　was　definitely　dead。　And　as　to　any　suspicion　that　he　himself　killed　her；　I'm　sure　he　blessed　the　moment　when　he；　the　general；　or　Mrs。　Fowler　herself　suggested　that　she　go　along。〃
　〃Yes；　if　it　were　Colonel　Fowler　alone；　he'd　be　in　a　bad　position。〃
　I　considered　a　moment；　then　said；　〃So　we　know　that；　aside　from　the　victim；　four　other　people　were　out　there…Colonel　Moore；　the　general；　and　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Fowler。　And　we　don't　think　any　of　them　was　the　murderer。　So　we　have　to　place　a　fifth　person　out　there　during　that　critical　half…hour　window　of　opportunity。〃　I　added；　〃That　person；　of　course；　is　the　killer。〃
　Cynthia　nodded。　〃Maybe　we　should　have　asked　General　Campbell　if　he　had　any　idea　who　it　was　who　arrived　during　that　half　hour。〃
　〃I　think　he　believes　it　was　Colonel　Moore。　If　he　thought　it　was　anyone　else；　he'd　have　told　us。　I　don't　think　it　has　occurred　to　him　that　Moore　was　the　acplice；　not　the　killer。　Bottom　line；　I　just　couldn't　push　the　guy　any　further。〃
　〃I　know。　I　hate　to　interview　a　victim's　family。　I　get　all　emotional　。。。〃
　〃You　did　fine。　I　did　fine。　The　general　did　fine。〃
　I　pulled　into　the　Psy…Ops　School；　but　Moore's　car　was　not　in　its　reserved　spot。　I　drove　around；　past　the　school's　dining　facility；　but　we　didn't　see　the　gray　Ford。　I　said；　〃If　that　SOB　left　post；　I'll　put　his　ass　in　a　meat　grinder。〃
　An　MP　jeep　pulled　up　alongside　me；　and　our　old　friend；　Corporal　Stroud；　was　in　the　passenger　seat。　〃You　looking　for　Colonel　Moore；　Chief？〃
　〃None　other。〃
　Stroud　smiled。　〃He　went　to　see　the　provost　marshal　to　get　his　restriction　lifted。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　I　turned　around　and　headed　toward　main　post。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃I'm　going　to　nail　his　ass　to　the　wall。〃
　〃What　happened　to　the　meat　grinder？〃
　〃That；　too。〃
　I　drove　to　main　post；　and；　as　I　approached　the　provost　marshal's　building；　I　noticed　that　the　news　media　were　still　there。　I　parked　on　the　road　directly　in　front　of　the　main　doors；　and　Cynthia　and　I　got　out　and　climbed　the　steps。　We　entered　the　building　and　went　directly　to　Kent's　office。　His　clerk　said　he　was　in　conference。
　〃With　Colonel　Moore？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　I　opened　his　door；　and　there　in　Kent's　office　…was　Colonel　Moore；　Kent；　and　another　man　in　uniform；　a　captain。　Kent　said　to　us；　〃Well；　I　guess　I'm　glad　you're　here。〃
　The　third　man　stood；　and　I　saw　by　his　branch　insignia　that　he　was　a　JAG　officer…a　lawyer。　The　man；　whose　name　tag　said　Collins；　asked　me；　〃Are　you　Warrant　Officer　Brenner？〃
　〃I'll　ask　the　questions；　Captain。〃
　〃I　guess　you　are；〃　he　said。　〃Colonel　Moore　has　requested　that　he　be　represented　by　counsel；　so　anything　you　have　to　say　to　him…〃
　〃I'll　say　to　him。〃
　Moore　was　still　sitting　in　front　of　Kent's　desk　and　was　pointedly　not　looking　up。　I　said　to　Moore；　〃I'm　placing　you　under　arrest。　e　with　me。〃
　Captain　Collins　motioned　for　his　client　to　remain　seated　and　said　to　me；　〃What　is　the　charge？〃
　〃Conduct　unbeing　an　officer　and　a　gentleman。〃
　〃Oh；　really；　Mr。　Brenner；　that's　a　silly；　catch…all…〃
　〃Plus；　Article　134；　disorders　and　neglects；　and　so　forth。　Plus；　accessory　after　the　fact；　conspiracy；　and　making　false　statements。　Plus；　Captain；　you　are　on　the　verge　of　Article　98；　nonpliance　with　procedural　rules。〃
　〃How　dare　you？〃
　I　asked　Kent；　〃Do　you　have　two　sets　of　cuffs　handy？〃　Colonel　Kent　looked　worried　now。　He　said；　〃Paul；　we　have　some　questions　of　law　and　fact　here。　You　can't　arrest…well；　you　can；　but　I'm　in　the　middle　of　a　conversation　with　a　suspect　and　his　lawyer…〃
　〃Colonel　Moore　is　not　a　suspect　in　the　murder；　so　there's　no　reason　for　a　conversation；　and　if　there　were　a　reason；　I'd　be　having　the　conversation；　not　you；　Colonel。〃
　〃Damn　it；　Brenner；　you've　gone　too　far…〃
　〃Colonel；　I'm　taking　my　prisoner　out　of　here。〃　I　said　to　Moore；　〃Stand　up。〃
　Without　a　glance　toward　his　lawyer；　he　stood。
　〃e　with　me。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　left　Kent's　office　with　poor　Colonel　Moore　in　tow。
　We　escorted　him　down　the　corridors　and　into　the　holding　cells。　Most　of　the　cells　were　empty；　and　I　found　an　open　door　right　next　to　Dalbert　Elkins。　I　gave　Moore　a　little　nudge　into　the　cell　and　slammed　the　door　shut。
　Dalbert　Elkins　looked　at　Moore；　then　at　me；　and　said　in　a　surprised　tone；　〃Hey；　Chief；　that's　a　full　colonel。〃
　I　ignored　Elkins　and　said　to　Moore；　〃You're　charged　with　what　I　said　before。　You　have　the　right