demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第97部分

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s　still　yellow　。。。　side　by　side　。。。　We　picked　up　her　bare　footprints　there　and　there；　and　we're　extrapolating　the　rest；　which　are　blinking　to　show　the　extrapolation。　Same　with　his。　Okay？〃
　I　glanced　at　Kent。　〃Okay？〃
　He　stared　at　the　screen。
　Seiver　continued。　〃Okay；　they　stop　at　that　pop…up　target；　and　she　lies　down　。。。〃　A　spread…eagled　stick　figure；　in　red；　appeared　on　the　screen　at　the　base　of　the　target。　〃We　see　no　more　of　her　footprints；　of　course；　but　after　Moore　ties　her　up；　he　leaves；　and　we　can　see　where　he　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　road。〃　Seiver　added；　〃Colonel；　your　dogs　picked　up　his　scent　in　the　grass　between　the　road　and　the　latrines。〃
　I　mented；　〃This　is　the　sort　of　visual　display　that　impresses　a　court…martial　board。〃
　Kent　said　nothing。
　Seiver　continued；　〃Okay；　at　about　0217　hours；　General　Campbell　shows　up　in　his　wife's　car。〃
　I　looked　at　Kent；　who　seemed　no　more　surprised　by　this　revelation　than　by　the　revelation　that　Colonel　Moore　had　met　Ann　Campbell；　staked　her　out　on　the　ground；　and　left　her。
　Seiver　continued；　〃It's　a　problem　getting　a　general　to　give　you　his　boots　or　shoes　that　he　wore　to　the　scene　of　the　crime；　but　I　suspect　that　he　never　got　more　than　a　few　yards　from　the　road　and　did　not　approach　the　body。　Okay；　they　talk；　and　he　leaves　in　the　car。〃
　I　said　to　Colonel　Kent；　〃Are　you　following　this？〃
　He　looked　at　me；　but　again　said　nothing。
　Cynthia　prodded　him。　〃Colonel；　what　we're　saying　is　that　neither　Colonel　Moore　nor　General　Campbell　killed　Ann。　This　was　an　elaborate　setup；　planned　with　military　precision；　sort　of　a　psychological　trap　for　the　general。　She　was　not　meeting　a　lover　out　there；　as　some　of　us　suspected；　nor　was　she　jumped　by　a　maniac。　She　was　getting　back　at　her　father。〃
　Kent　did　not　ask　for　an　explanation　of　that；　but　just　stared　ahead　at　the　screen。
　Cynthia　explained；　〃She　had　been　gang…raped　when　she　was　a　cadet　at　West　Point；　and　her　father　had　forced　her　to　remain　silent　and　had　conspired　with　high…ranking　men　to　cover　it　up。　Did　you　know　any　of　that？〃
　He　looked　at　Cynthia；　but　gave　no　indication　that　he　understood　a　word　of　what　she　was　saying。
　Cynthia　said；　〃She　was　re…creating　what　had　happened　to　her　at　West　Point　to　shock　and　humiliate　her　father。〃
　I　didn't　think　I　wanted　Kent　to　know　all　of　that；　but　in　Kent's　present　state　of　mind；　perhaps　it　was　just　as　well　that　he　did。
　I　said　to　Kent；　〃Did　you　think　she　was　out　there　to　act　out　a　sexual　fantasy？〃
　He　didn't　reply。
　I　added；　〃Such　as　having　a　series　of　men　e　along　to　rape　her？〃
　Finally；　he　replied；　〃Knowing　her；　a　lot　of　people　thought　that。〃
　〃Yes。　We　thought　that；　too；　after　we　found　that　room　in　her　basement。　I　guess　you　thought　that；　too；　when　you　first　saw　her　out　there　on　the　ground。　It　looked　to　you　like　an　Ann　Campbell　script；　and　it　was。　But　you　weren't　reading　it　right。〃
　No　response。
　I　said　to　Cal；　〃Go　on。〃
　〃Right。　So　the　general　leaves；　then　here　we　see　this　set　of　prints　。。。　these　are　your　prints；　Colonel　。。。　the　blue…〃
　〃No；〃　Kent　said；　〃mine　came　later。　After　St。　John　and　my　MP；　Casey；　got　there。〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　Cal　replied；　〃yours　came　before　St。　John's。　See　here；　we　have　your　print　and　St。　John's　print　superimposed　。。。　The　plaster　cast　verifies　that　St。　John　stepped　on　your　footprint。　So　you　got　there　before　he　did。　No　doubt　about　that。〃
　I　added；　〃In　fact；　Bill；　when　you　got　there；　after　the　general　left；　Ann　was　alive。　The　general　went　off　and　got　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Fowler；　and　when　they　returned　to　the　scene；　Ann　Campbell　was　dead。〃
　Kent　stood　absolutely　motionless。
　I　said；　〃Your　wife's　Jeep　Cherokee；　with　you　in　it；　was　spotted　by　one　of　your　MPs　at　about　0030　hours；　parked　in　the　library　lot　across　from　Post　Headquarters。　You　were　again　spotted；〃　I　lied；　〃driving　in　the　direction　of　Rifle　Range　Road。　We　found　where　you　turned　off　onto　Jordan　Field　Road　and　hid　the　Cherokee　in　the　bush。　You　left　tire　marks　and　hit　a　tree。　We　have　matched　the　paint　on　the　tree　to　your　wife's　Jeep；　and　have　seen　the　scrape　on　the　Jeep。　Also；　we　found　your　footprints；〃　I　lied　again；　〃in　the　drainage　ditch　along　Rifle　Range　Road；　heading　south；　toward　the　scene　of　the　crime。〃　I　added；　〃Do　you　want　me　to　reconstruct　the　entire　thing　for　you？〃
　He　shook　his　head。
　I　said；　〃Given　the　amount　of　evidence…including　the　evidence　for　motive；　which　is　the　diary　entries；　the　letter　to　your　wife；　and　other　evidence　of　your　sexual　involvement　and　obsession　with　the　deceased…given　all　that；　plus　this　forensic　evidence　and　other　evidence；　I　have　to　ask　you　to　take　a　polygraph　test；　which　we　are　prepared　to　administer　now。〃
　Actually；　we　weren't；　but　now　or　later　it　didn't　really　matter。　I　said　to　him；　〃If　you　refuse　to　take　the　test　now；　I　have　no　choice　but　to　place　you　under　arrest；　and　I　will　get　someone　in　the　Pentagon　to　order　you　to　take　the　polygraph。〃
　Kent　turned　away　and　began　walking　back　toward　the　layout　of　Ann　Campbell's　house。　I　exchanged　glances　with　Cynthia　and　Cal；　then　Cynthia　and　I　followed。
　Kent　sat　on　an　arm　of　an　upholstered　chair　in　the　living　room　and　looked　down　at　the　carpet　for　a　while；　staring；　I　suppose；　at　the　spot　where　he'd　raped　her　on　the　floor。
　I　stood　in　front　of　him　and　said；　〃You　know　your　rights　as　an　accused；　of　course；　and　I　won't　insult　you　by　reading　them。　But　I'm　afraid　I　have　to　take　your　weapon　and　put　the　cuffs　on　you。〃
　He　glanced　up　at　me；　but　didn't　respond。
　I　said；　〃I　won't　take　you　to　the　provost　building　lockup；　because　that　would　be　gratuitously　humiliating　to　you。　But　I　am　going　to　take　you　to　the　post　stockade　for　processing。〃　I　added；　〃May　I　have　your　weapon？〃
　He　knew　it　was　over；　of　course；　but　like　any　trapped　animal；　he　had　to　have　a　last　growl。　He　said　to　me　and　to　Cynthia；　〃You'll　never　prove　any　of　this。　And　when　I'm　vindicated　by　a　court…martial　board　of　my　peers；　I'll　see　to　it　that　you're　both　brought　up　on　charges　of　misconduct。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　replied。　〃That　is　your　right。　A　trial　by　your　peers。　And　if　you　are　found　not　guilty；　you　may　well　decide　to　bring　charges　against　us。　But　the　evidence　of　your　sexual　misconduct　is　fairly　conclusive。　You　may　beat　the　murder　charge；　but　you　should　plan　on　at　least　fifteen　years　in　Leavenworth　for　gross　dereliction　of　duty；　misconduct；　concealing　the　facts　of　a　crime；　sodomy；　rape；　and　other　violations　of　the　punitive　articles　contained　in　the　Uniform　Code　of　Military　Justice。〃
　Kent　seemed　to　process　this；　then　said；　〃You're　not　playing　very　fair；　are　you？〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃I　mean；　I　voluntarily　told　you　about　my　involvement　with　her　in　order　to　help　find　her　killer；　and　here　you　are　charging　me　with　misconduct　and　sexual　crimes　and　then　twisting　the　other　evidence　around　to　try　to　show　that　I　killed　her。　You're　desperate。〃
　〃Bill；　cut　the　crap。〃
　〃No；　you　cut　the　crap。　For　your　information；　I　was　out　there　before　St。　John；　and　when　I　got　there；　she　was　already　dead。　If　you　want　to　know　what　I　think；　I　think　Fowler　and　the　general　did　it。〃
　〃Bill；　this　is　not　good。　Not　at　all。〃　I　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　said　to　him；　〃Be　a　man；　be　an　officer　and　a　gentleman…be　a　cop；　for　Christ's　sake。　I　shouldn't　even　be　asking　you　to　take　a　lie…detector　test。　I　should　just　be　asking　you　to　tell　me　the　truth；　without　me　having　to　use　a　lie　detector；　without　me　having　to　show　you　evidence；　without　me　having　to　spend　days　in　an　interrogation　room　with　you。　Don't　make　this　embarrassing　for　any　of　us。〃
　He　glanced　at　me；　and　I　could　see　he　was　on　the　verge　of　crying。　He　looked　at　Cynthia　to　see　if　she　noticed；　which　was　important　to　him；　I　think。
　I　continued；　〃Bill；　we　know　you　did　it；　you　know　you　did　it；　and　we　all　know　why。　There's　a　lot　of　extenuating　and　mitigating　circumstances；　and　we　know　that。　Hell；　I　can't　even　stand　here　and　look　you　in　the　eye　and　say　to　you；　'She　didn't　deserve　that。'　〃　Actually；　I　could；。　because　she　didn't　deserve　it；　but　just　as　you　give　a　condemned　man　any　last　meal　he　wants；　so；　too；　you　give　him　anything　he　wants　to　hear。
　Kent　fought　back　the　tears　and　tried　to　sound　angry。　He　shouted；　〃She　did　deserve　it！　She　was　a　bitch；　a　fucking　whore；　she　ruined　my　life　and　my　marriage　。。。〃
　〃I　know。　But　now　you　ha