demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第52部分

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　Fowler　had　clearly　had　enough　and　said；　〃I　don't　think　I've　ever　had　a　conversation　like　this　in　my　life。〃
　I　replied；　〃You've　probably　never　been　involved　in　a　homicide　investigation。〃
　〃No；　I　haven't；　and　if　you　would　make　that　arrest；　this　investigation　would　be　over。〃
　〃Actually；　it　would　continue　right　up　to　and　through　a　court…martial。　I　don't　make　many　mistakes；　Colonel；　but　when　I　think　I　may　have；　I　don't　mind　working　hard　to　expose　my　own　errors。〃
　〃I　mend　you；　Mr。　Brenner。　Perhaps；　though；　Colonel　Moore　can　satisfy　your　doubts。〃
　〃He　can　try；　but　he　may　have　his　own　version　of　events。　I　like　to　have　everyone's　version　so　I　can　make　a　better　evaluation　as　to　the　quality　of　the　bullshit。〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃
　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃Did　Captain　Campbell　have　any　brothers　or　sisters？〃
　〃There　is　a　brother。〃
　〃What　can　you　tell　us　about　him？〃
　〃He　lives　out　on　the　West　Coast。　Some　place　with　a　Spanish　name。　Can't　think　of　it。〃
　〃He's　not　military？〃
　〃No。　He's　。。。　he　has　explored　many　careers。〃
　〃I　see。　You've　met　him？〃
　〃Yes。　He　es　home　most　holidays。〃
　〃Does　he　strike　you　as　suffering　from　the　same　problems　you　suggested　his　sister　was　suffering　from？〃
　〃To　some　extent　。。。　but　he　chose　to　distance　himself　from　the　family。　That's　how　he　deals　with　it。　During　the　Gulf　War；　for　instance；　when　some　California　TV　station　wanted　to　interview　him；　they　couldn't　find　him。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃Would　you　describe　him　as　alienated　from　his　parents？〃
　〃Alienated？　No　。。。　just　distant。　When　he's　home；　they　all　seem　quite　happy　to　see　him；　and　then　sad　that　he's　left。〃
　〃And　how　was　the　relationship　between　brother　and　sister？〃
　〃Very　good；　from　what　I　could　see。　Ann　Campbell　was　very　accepting　of　him。〃
　〃In　regard　to　his　。。。　what？　His　life…style？〃
　〃Yes。　John　Campbell…that's　his　name…is　gay。〃
　〃I　see。　And　did　General　Campbell　accept　this？〃
　Fowler　thought　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃I　think　he　did。　John　Campbell　was　always　discreet…never　brought　male　lovers　home；　dressed　pretty　much　mainstream　and　all　that。　I　think　if　the　general　hadn't　had　his　hands　full　with　his　daughter　and　her　indiscretions；　he　might　have　been　more　disappointed　in　his　son。　But　pared　to　Ann；　John　is　a　solid　citizen。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Cynthia　said。　〃Do　you　think　that　General　Campbell　perhaps　pushed　his　daughter　into　a　traditional　male　role…I　mean　West　Point　and　the　Army…to　make　up　for　his　son's　lack　of　interest　in　those　pursuits？〃
　〃That's　what　everyone　says。　But；　as　with　most　of　life；　things　aren't　that　pat。　In　fact；　Ann　was　a　very　enthusiastic　cadet　at　West　Point。　She　wanted　to　be　there　and　she　did　very　well。　After　her　four…year　active…duty　obligation；　she　stayed　in。　So；　no；　I　don't　think　the　general　pushed　her　or　coerced　her；　or　withheld　affection　from　her　as　a　child；　if；　for　instance；　she　showed　no　interest　in　going　to　the　Point。　That's　what　this　psychologist　suggested；　but　it　was　very　much　the　opposite。　Ann　Campbell；　as　I　remember　her　in　high　school；　was　a　tomboy；　and　a　good　candidate　for　a　military　career。　In　fact；　she　wanted　to　continue　the　tradition。　Her　father's　father　was　a　career　Army　officer　as　well。〃
　Cynthia　thought　a　moment；　then　reminded　him；　〃You　said　she　hated　the　Army。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　I　said　that；　but；　as　you　pointed　out；　it　was　her　father　she　hated。〃
　〃So　you　were　in　error　when　you　said　that？〃
　〃Well　。。。〃
　It's　always　good　to　highlight　a　lie；　even　a　small　one；　during　an　interrogation。　It　puts　the　suspect　or　witness　on　the　defensive；　where　he　or　she　belongs。
　Colonel　Fowler　sought　to　correct　his　original　statement　and　said　to　Cynthia；　〃She　originally　liked　the　Army。　I　can't　say　with　certainty　how　she　felt　about　it　recently。　She　had　too　much　anger；　and　she　had　other　motives　for　staying　in　the　service。〃
　〃I　think　I　have　that　clear　now。〃　She　asked　him；　〃Can　you　give　us　some　idea　of　the　relationship　between　Ann　Campbell　and　her　mother？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　considered　this　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃They　had　a　decent　relationship。　Mrs。　Campbell；　contrary　to　what　some　people　think；　is　a　strong　woman；　but　she's　chosen　to　defer　to　her　husband　in　terms　of　his　career；　his　various　postings　around　the　world；　including　ones　where　she　could　not　acpany　him；　and　in　terms　of　entertaining　people　she　may　not　personally　care　for；　and　those　sorts　of　things。　I　use　the　term　'chosen'　because　that's　what　it　is…a　choice。　Mrs。　Campbell　is　from　the　old　school；　and　if　she　makes　a　mitment　to　the　marriage；　she　will　stick　with　it；　or　leave　the　marriage　if　she　changes　her　mind。　She　will　not　gripe　and　plain　and　sulk　as　so　many　modern　wives　do　today　who　want　to　have　their　cake　and　eat　it；　too。〃
　He　glanced　at　Cynthia；　then　continued；　〃She　will　not　embarrass　her　husband　with　breaches　of　conduct；　she　will　take　the　good　with　the　bad；　she　will　recognize　her　own　worth　as　a　wife　and　partner；　and　will　not　get　a　job　selling　real　estate　downtown　in　a　pathetic　attempt　to　declare　her　independence。　She　does　not　wear　the　general's　stars；　but　she　knows　that　he　would　not　be　wearing　them　either　if　it　weren't　for　her　help；　dedication；　and　loyalty　over　the　years。　You　asked　me　about　Ann's　relationship　with　her　mother；　and　I　told　you　about　Mrs。　Campbell's　relationship　with　her　husband；　but　now　you　can　figure　out　the　answer　to　your　question。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Yes；　I　can。　And　did　Ann　try　to　change　her　mother's　behavior　or　philosophy？〃
　〃I　think　she　did　at　first；　but　Mrs。　Campbell　basically　told　her　to　mind　her　own　business　and　stay　out　of　her　marriage。〃
　Cynthia　mented；　〃Good　advice。　But　did　it　strain　their　relationship？〃
　〃I'm　not　very　attuned　to　mother…daughter　relationships。　I　came　from　a　family　of　four　boys；　and　I　have　three　sons　of　my　own。　I　can't　fathom　women　in　general　and　I've　never　seen　a　mother…daughter　relationship　up　close。　But　I　know　they　never　did　things　together；　such　as　shopping　or　tennis　or　planning　parties。　But　they　would　dine　together；　alone；　at　times。　Is　that　good　enough　for　you？〃
　Cynthia　nodded；　then　asked；　〃Did　Mrs。　Fowler　know　Ann　Campbell　well？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　replied；　〃Fairly　well。　It　es　with　the　social　territory。〃
　〃And　of　course　Mrs。　Fowler　knows　Mrs。　Campbell　well；　so　perhaps　I　can　speak　to　Mrs。　Fowler…about　the　mother…daughter　relationship。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　hesitated　for　a　beat；　then　replied；　〃Mrs。　Fowler　is　very　upset；　as　you　may　have　noticed。　So　unless　you're　insisting；　I'd　have　to　say　wait　a　few　days。〃
　Cynthia　inquired；　〃Will　Mrs。　Fowler　be　available？　Or　is　she　so　upset　that　she　may　go　somewhere　for　a　rest？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　looked　at　Cynthia　and　replied；　〃As　a　civilian；　she　can　e　and　go　as　she　pleases；　if　I　read　your　subtext　correctly。〃
　〃You　do　read　me　correctly；　Colonel。　I　don't　want　to　have　to　get　a　subpoena。　I'd　like　to　speak　to　her　today。　I　don't　have　a　few　days；　as　it　turns　out。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　took　a　deep　breath。　Obviously；　we　were　more　than　he'd　bargained　for　and　he　wasn't　used　to　this　kind　of　pressure　from　subordinates。　I　think　the　fact　that　we　were　in　civilian　clothes　helped　him　put　up　with　this　crap　and　kept　him　from　throwing　us　out；　which　is　why　the　CID　often　chooses　mufti　for　the　dirty　stuff。　Fowler　replied；　finally；　〃I'll　see　if　she's　up　to　it　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Cynthia　replied。　〃It　would　probably　be　better　if　she　spoke　to　us；　rather　than　her　having　to　speak　to　the　FBI。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　got　the　message　and　nodded。
　I　asked　him；　〃For　the　record；　Colonel；　can　you　tell　me　your　whereabouts　on　the　night　that　Captain　Campbell　was　killed？〃
　He　smiled　and　said；　〃I　thought　that　was　the　first　question　you　were　supposed　to　ask。　Well；　where　was　I？　I　worked　until　about　1900　hours；　then　attended　a　going…away　party　for　an　officer　in　the　grill　at　the　O　Club。　I　excused　myself　early　and　was　home　by　2200　hours。　I　did　some　paperwork；　made　some　calls；　and　Mrs。　Fowler　and　I　retired　at　2300　hours。〃
　It　would　be　silly　of　me　to　ask　him　if　Mrs。　Fowler　would　verify　that；　so　I　asked　instead；　〃And　nothing　unusual　happened　during　the　night？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃And　you　awakened　at　what　time？〃
　〃At　0600　hours。〃
　〃And　then？〃'
　〃Then　I　showered；　got　dressed；　and　was　at　work　at　about　0730　hours。〃　He　added；　〃Which　is　where　I　should　be　now。〃
　〃And　you　called　Captain　Campbell's　house　at　about　0800　hours　and　l