demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第82部分

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can　eat。　He'll　be　here　when　he　gets　a　moment。〃
　Moore　assured　her；　〃I　can　eat　with　my　cuffs　on。〃
　Cynthia　informed　him；　〃It's　against　regulations　to　make　a　prisoner　eat　with　wrist　manacles；　chains；　cuffs；　and　such。〃
　〃You're　not　making　me。　I'm　perfectly　willing　to…〃
　〃Sorry。　Wait　for　the　sergeant。〃
　Moore　kept　looking　at　the　donut；　which；　I　suspected；　was　the　first　mess　hall　donut　he'd　ever　shown　any　interest　in。　I　said　to　him；　〃Let's　get　on　with　this。　And　don't　jerk　us　around　like　you　did　the　last　few　times。　Okay；　to　show　you　how　much　shit　you're　in；　I'm　going　to　tell　you　what　we　already　know　from　the　forensic　evidence。　Then　you're　going　to　fill　in　the　details。　First；　you　and　Ann　Campbell　planned　this　for　at　least　a　week…from　the　time　her　father　gave　her　the　ultimatum。　Okay；　I　don't　know　whose　idea　it　was　to　re…create　the　West　Point　rape〃…I　stared　at　him　and　saw　his　reaction　to　this；　then　went　on…〃but　it　was　a　sick　idea。　Okay；　you　called　her　at　Post　Headquarters；　coordinated　the　times；　and　drove　out　to　rifle　range　five；　where　you　pulled　across　the　gravel　lot　and　behind　the　bleachers　there。　You　got　out　of　your　car；　carrying　the　tent　pegs；　rope；　a　hammer；　and　so　forth；　and　also　a　mobile　phone；　and　maybe　the　tape　player。　You　walked　along　the　corduroy　trail　to　the　latrines　at　rifle　range　six；　and　perhaps　called　her　again　from　there　to　confirm　that　she'd　left　Post　Headquarters。〃
　I　spent　the　next　ten　minutes　re…creating　the　crime　for　him；　basing　my　narrative　on　forensic　evidence；　conjecture；　and　supposition。　Colonel　Moore　looked　duly　impressed；　very　surprised；　and　increasingly　unhappy。
　I　continued；　〃You　called　the　general's　red　phone；　and　when　he　answered；　Ann　played　the　taped　message。　It　was　then；　knowing　you　had　about　twenty　minutes　or　so；　that　you　both　began　to　set　the　stage。　She　undressed　in　or　near　the　jeep　in　case　someone　came　along　unexpectedly。　You　put　her　things　in　a　plastic　bag　which　you　left　at　the　humvee。　Correct？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃She　kept　her　watch　on。〃
　〃Yes。　She　wanted　to　keep　track　of　the　time。　She　could　see　the　watch　face；　and　she　thought　that　would　be　reassuring　somehow　as　she　waited　for　her　parents。〃
　Odd；　I　thought；　but　a　lot　less　odd　than　the　scene　that　presented　itself　to　me　the　first　time　I　saw　her　naked　and　staked　out；　wearing　a　watch　and　nothing　else。　In　fact；　I　had　e　a　long　way　since　that　morning；　when　I　thought　I　was　looking　at　the　work　of　a　homicidal　rapist。　In　truth；　the　crime　had　taken　place　in　phases；　in　stages；　and　the　genesis　of　the　crime　was　a　decade　old；　and　what　I　saw　was　not　what　it　seemed　to　all　the　world　to　be。　What　I　saw　was　the　end　product　of　a　bizarre　night　that　could　have　ended　differently。
　I　said　to　Moore；　〃By　the　way；　did　you　notice　if　she　had　her　West　Point　ring　on？〃
　He　replied　without　hesitation；　〃Yes；　she　did。　It　was　a　symbolic　link　to　the　original　rape。　It　was　engraved　with　her　name　on　the　inside；　of　course；　and　she　intended　to　give　it　to　her　father　as　a　token　of　some　sort…as　a　way　of　saying　that　the　bad　memories　that　it　symbolized　were　in　his　possession；　and　she　did　not　want　to　be　reminded　of　them　again。〃
　〃I　see　。。。〃　My　goodness；　this　was　a　unique；　if　somewhat　troubled；　woman。　And　it　occurred　to　me　that　there　was　some　sort　of　psychosexual　thing　between　father　and　daughter　that　was　buried　deep　down　there；　and　probably　Moore　understood　it；　and　maybe　all　the　Campbells　understood　it；　but　I　damned　sure　didn't　want　to　know　about　it。
　I　exchanged　glances　with　Cynthia；　and　I　think　she　had　the　same　thought　that　I　did。　But　back　to　the　crime　in　question。　I　said　to　Moore；　〃Then　you　both　walked　out　on　the　range；　picked　a　spot　at　the　base　of　the　closest　pop…up　target　about　fifty　meters　from　the　road；　and　she　lay　down　and　spread　her　arms　and　legs。〃　I　looked　at　him　and　asked；　〃How　does　it　feel　to　be　thought　of　as　a　handy　eunuch？〃
　He　showed　a　flash　of　anger；　then　controlled　it　and　said；　〃I　have　never　taken　sexual　advantage　of　a　patient。　No　matter　how　bizarre　you　may　think　this　therapy　was；　it　was　designed　to　help；　to　act　as　a　catharsis　for　both　parties。　The　therapy　did　not　include　me　having　sex　with；　or　raping；　my　patient　when　she　was　tied　up。〃
　〃You're　one　hell　of　a　guy；　an　absolute　paragon　of　professional　standards。　But　let　me　not　get　myself　all　pissed…off　again。　What　I　want　to　know　from　you　is　what　happened　after　you　tied　the　last　knot。　Talk　to　me。〃
　〃All　right　。。。　Well；　we　spoke　a　moment；　and　she　thanked　me　for　risking　so　much　to　assist　her　in　her　plan…〃
　〃Colonel；　cut　the　self…serving　crap。　Continue。〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　on。　〃I　walked　back　to　the　humvee；　collected　the　plastic　bag　of　clothes；　and　also　my　briefcase；　which　I　had　used　to　carry　the　tent　stakes　and　rope；　and　which　now　held　only　the　hammer；　then　I　went　to　the　latrine　sheds　behind　the　bleacher　seats　and　waited。〃
　〃Waited　for　what？　For　whom？〃
　〃Well；　for　her　parents；　of　course。　Also；　she　was　concerned　that　someone　else　might　e　by　first　and　see　her　humvee；　so　she　asked　me　to　stay　until　her　parents　got　there。〃
　〃And　what　were　you　supposed　to　do　if　anyone　else　showed　up　first？　Hide　your　head　in　the　toilet　bowl？〃
　I　felt　Cynthia　kick　me　under　the　table；　and　she　took　over　the　interview。　She　asked　Moore；　nicely；　〃What　were　you　supposed　to　do；　Colonel？〃
　He　looked　at　her；　then　at　the　donut；　then　at　her　again　and　replied；　〃Well；　I　had　her　pistol　in　the　plastic　bag。　But　。。。　I　don't　know　exactly　what　I　was　supposed　to　do；　but　if　anyone　else　came　along　and　saw　her　before　her　parents　did；　I　was　prepared　to　see　that　no　harm　came　to　her。〃
　〃I　see。　And　it　was　at　this　point　that　you　used　the　latrine？〃　Moore　seemed　a　little　surprised；　then　nodded。　〃Yes　。。。　I　had　to　use　the　latrine。〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃You　were　so　scared；　you　had　to　piss。　Right？　Then　you　washed　your　hands　like　a　good　soldier；　then　what？〃
　He　stared　at　me；　then　directed　his　reply　to　Cynthia。　〃I　stood　behind　the　latrine　shed；　then　I　saw　the　headlights　on　the　road。　The　vehicle　stopped；　and　when　the　driver's　side　door　opened；　I　could　see　it　was　the　general。　In　any　case；　it　was　full　moonlight；　and　I　recognized　Mrs。　Campbell's　car；　though　I　didn't　see　her。〃　He　added；　〃I　was　afraid　that　General　Campbell　might　not　take　his　wife　along。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Well　。。。　without　Mrs。　Campbell；　the　situation　had　the　potential　to　get　out　of　hand。　I　never　thought　that　the　general　would　be　able　to　approach　his　own　daughter；　naked　。。。　I　was　fairly　certain　that；　if　it　were　only　those　two；　the　sparks　would　fly。〃
　Cynthia　looked　at　him　a　long　moment；　then　asked；　〃Did　you　stay　around　for　the　exchange　between　General　Campbell　and　his　daughter？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃We　decided　that　I　should　not。　As　soon　as　I　was　sure　it　was　the　general；　I　threw　the　plastic　bag　with　her　clothing　onto　the　latrine　roof；　then　I　hurried　back　along　that　log　trail。　It　was　about　a　five…minute　walk　back　to　my　car；　and　I　couldn't　be　certain　how　long　this　exchange　between　the　two　was　going　to　last。　I　wanted　to　get　my　car　on　the　road　and　head　back　toward　post　as　soon　as　possible；　which　I　did。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃And　did　you　see　any　other　vehicle　on　the　road　as　you　were　driving　back　to　post？〃
　〃No；　I　did　not。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　glanced　at　each　other；　and　I　looked　at　Moore。　I　said　to　him；　〃Colonel；　think。　Did　you　see　any　other　headlights　going　in　either　direction？〃
　〃No。　Absolutely　not。　That's　what　I　was　concerned　about　。。。〃　He　added；　〃I　was　certain　I　wasn't　seen。〃
　〃And　you　saw　no　one　on　foot？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Did　you　see　or　hear　anything　when　you　were　at　rifle　range　five　or　six？　How　about　at　the　latrine；　the　humvee；　on　the　trail？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃No。〃
　〃So　after　you　left；　someone　killed　her。〃
　〃Yes。　I　left　her　alive。〃
　〃Who　do　you　think　killed　her？〃
　He　looked　at　me；　sort　of　surprised。　〃Well；　the　general；　of　course。　I　thought　you　knew　that。〃
　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　〃Why？　You　know　what　happened。　You　know　that　my　part　was　only　to　help　her　re…create　the　rape　scene　for　her　parents　to　see。　He　got　there…I　saw　him　with　my　own　eyes…and　later　that　morning　she　was　found　strangled。　Who　else　could　have　done　it？〃
　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃What　did　she　expect　her　parents　to　do？　What　did　she　say　to　you　about　that？〃
　Moore　thought　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃Well　。。。　I　think　she　e