demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第84部分

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　〃I'm　saying　that　when　the　Fowlers　found　her　dead；　and　saw　that　the　means　of　freeing　her　was　right　there　between　her　legs；　if　you　will；　they　realized　that　the　general　had　lied　to　them；　that　the　general　had　not　tried　to　free　her；　as　I'm　sure　he　told　them　he　did。　That；　in　fact；　as　General　Campbell　told　us　truthfully　in　the　second　version；　he　had　kept　his　distance　from　her；　and　they　had　shouted　to　each　other。　So　when　the　Fowlers　saw　the　bayonet；　they　realized　that　the　general　could　have　freed　her；　but　did　not；　and　as　a　result；　she　was　dead。　Not　wanting　to　tell　him　this；　or　have　him　find　out　through　the　official　report；　they　took　the　bayonet　and　discarded　it。　This　was　another　favor　they　were　doing　for　him；　but　they　weren't　doing　us　any　favors。〃
　Cynthia　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Yes；　that's　probably　what　happened。〃　She　looked　at　me。　〃And　her　West　Point　ring？〃
　〃Beats　the　hell　out　of　me。〃
　〃The　Fowlers　again？〃
　〃Possible。　Another　favor；　though　I　don't　get　it。　Maybe　the　killer　took　it　as　a　sentimental　remembrance。　I　don't　think　MP　Casey　or　St。　John　would　do　something　so　ghoulish；　but　you　just　never　know　what　people　are　going　to　do　in　the　presence　of　a　dead　body。　Then　again；　maybe　the　general　got　a　little　closer　to　his　daughter　than　he　said。　He　took　the　bayonet；　considered　cutting　her　loose；　then　changed　his　mind；　took　her　ring　off；　and　told　her　she　was　dishonoring　her　uniform；　or　lack　of　same；　and　left…then　had　a　change　of　heart　and　drove　to　the　Fowlers。　Who　knows？　Who　cares　at　this　point？〃
　〃I　do。　I　have　to　know　how　people　act；　what　goes　on　in　their　hearts。　It's　important；　Paul；　because　it's　what　makes　this　job　more　than　what's　in　the　manual。　Do　you　want　to　bee　like　Karl　Hellmann？〃
　I　forced　a　smile。　〃Sometimes；　yes。〃
　〃Then　you'll　never　again　be　able　to　determine　a　motive　or　understand　who　is　good　and　who　is　evil。〃
　〃Sounds　okay　to　me。〃
　〃Don't　be　contrary。〃
　〃Speaking　of　motives；　of　good　and　evil；　of　passion；　jealousy；　and　hate；　let's　give　this　stuff　a　quick　read。〃
　We　read　for　a　while　and　discovered　what　William　Kent's　sexual　preferences　were；　but　more　important；　I　discovered　that　Ann　Campbell　considered　him　a　growing　problem。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Here's　an　entry　from　last　month。〃　I　read　aloud；　〃　'Bill　is　being　possessive　again。　I　thought　we　solved　that　problem。　He　showed　up　here　tonight　when　Ted　Bowes　was　here。　Ted　and　I　hadn't　gone　downstairs　yet；　and　Bill　and　he　had　a　drink　in　the　living　room；　and　Bill　was　nasty　to　him　and　pulled　rank　on　him。　Finally；　Ted　left；　and　Bill　and　I　had　words。　He　says　he's　prepared　to　leave　his　wife　and　resign　his　mission　if　I　promise　to　live　with　him　or　marry　him　or　something。　He　knows　why　I　do　what　I　do　with　him　and　the　other　men；　but　he's　starting　to　think　there's　more　to　it　with　us。　He's　pressing　me；　and　I　tell　him　to　stop。　Tonight；　he　doesn't　even　want　sex。　He　just　wants　to　talk。　I　let　him　talk；　but　I　don't　like　what　he's　saying。　Why　do　some　men　think　they　have　to　be　knights　in　shining　armor？　I　don't　need　a　knight。　I　am　my　own　knight；　I　am　my　own　dragon；　and　I　live　in　my　own　castle。　Everyone　else　are　props　and　bit　players。　Bill　is　not　very　cognitive。　He　doesn't　understand；　so　I　don't　try　to　explain。　I　did　tell　him　I'd　consider　his　offer；　but　in　the　meantime；　would　he　only　e　here　with　an　appointment？　This　put　him　into　a　rage；　and　he　actually　slapped　me；　then　ripped　off　my　clothes　and　raped　me　on　the　living　room　floor。　When　he　was　done；　he　seemed　to　feel　better；　then　left　in　a　sulk。　I　realize　he　could　be　dangerous；　but　I　don't　care；　and；　in　fact；　of　all　of　them；　he's　the　only　one　except　for　Wes　who　has　actually　threatened　me　or　hit　me；　and　it's　the　only　thing　that　makes　Bill　Kent　interesting。'　〃
　I　looked　up　from　the　paper；　and　Cynthia　and　I　exchanged　glances。　Clearly；　Colonel　Kent　was　dangerous。　There's　nothing　more　dangerous　than　a　prim　and　proper　stuffed　shirt　who　falls　in　lust　and　gets　obsessed：　I　was　about　to　read　another　printout　aloud　when　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door；　and　it　opened。　I　expected　to　see　Wan…ant　Officer　Kiefer；　but　it　was　Colonel　Kent；　and　I　wondered　how　long　he'd　been　standing　there。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY…THREE
　
　I　gathered　up　the　printouts　and　slipped　them　in　a　folder。　Kent　stood　there　and　watched　but　said　nothing。
　Kent　had　his　helmet　on；　what　we　call　cover　in　the　military。　You're　usually　uncovered　indoors；　unless　you're　armed；　then　you　must　be　covered。　Interesting　regulation　probably　having　to　do　with　keeping　your　hands　free　if　you're　armed；　or　letting　people　know　at　a　distance　that　you're　armed。　Kent；　in　fact；　was　wearing　his　sidearm。
　So　was　I；　and　so　was　Cynthia；　but　ours　were　hidden；　and　we　didn't　have　to　wear　hats　to　give　us　away。
　The　office　was　dark；　lit　only　by　two　desk　lamps；　and　I　could　hardly　see　Kent's　features　from　where　I　was　sitting；　but　I　thought　he　looked　sort　of　grim；　perhaps　subdued；　and　I　remembered　that　he'd　gone　to　the　chapel　to　view　the　body。
　He　spoke　in　a　quiet；　almost　toneless　voice。　He　said；　〃Why　was　Specialist　Baker　snooping　around？〃
　I　stood　and　replied；　〃She's　not　snooping　around。　She's　gathering　some　items　that　I　asked　for。〃
　〃This　is　my　mand。　Anything　you　need；　you　ask　me。〃
　Quite　right；　actually。　Except；　in　this　case；　the　items　had　to　do　with　the　mander。　I　said；　〃It　was　just　a　minor　administrative　thing；　Colonel。〃
　〃Nothing　in　this　building　is　minor。〃
　〃Well；　parking　and　traffic　tickets　are　minor。〃
　〃Why　do　you　need　those？〃
　〃It's　a　standard　procedure。　You　must　know　that　it's　to　establish　if　any　vehicles　were　anyplace　that…〃
　〃I　know　that。　And　you　wanted　MP　patrol　reports；　the　desk　sergeant's　log；　and　tapes　of　the　radio　transmissions　for　that　night。　Are　you　looking　for　any　vehicle　in　particular？〃
　Actually；　yes。　Your　vehicle。　But　I　replied；　〃No。　Where　is　Baker？〃
　〃I　relieved　her　of　her　duties　and　ordered　her　out　of　the　building。〃
　〃I　see。　Well；　I'm　going　to　ask　you；　officially；　to　rescind　that　order。〃
　〃I've　assigned　you　another　clerk。　I　will　not　tolerate　any　breach　of　internal　security　by　anyone；　for　any　reason。　You　have　broken　the　rules；　and　perhaps　the　law。　I'll　take　this　up　with　the　staff　judge　advocate　tomorrow。〃
　〃That's　certainly　your　right；　Colonel。　Though　I　think　Colonel　Weems　has　other　things　on　his　mind　at　the　moment。〃
　Kent　seemed　to　know　what　I　was　talking　about　and　replied；　〃The　Uniform　Code　of　Military　Justice　is　not　dependent　on　any　single　individual；　and　everyone　here　is　subject　to　that　law；　including　both　of　you。〃
　〃That's　very　true。　I　take　full　responsibility　for　what　Baker　did。〃
　Cynthia　stood　now　and　said；　〃It's　actually　my　responsibility；　Colonel。　I　ordered　Baker　to　do　that。〃
　Kent　looked　at　her　and　replied；　〃All　you　had　to　do　was　ask　me　first。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Having　taken　the　offensive；　Kent　continued　his　attack；　though　he　seemed　to　have　no　enthusiasm　for　it。　He　said　to　me；　〃I　didn't　say　anything　when　you　had　Colonel　Moore　confined　to　jail；　but　I　will　make　an　official　report　regarding　your　treatment　of　him。　You　don't　treat　officers　that　way。〃　Obviously；　Kent　was　thinking　into　the　future；　and　his　plaint　had　nothing　to　do　with　Colonel　Moore。
　I　replied；　〃Officers　don't　usually　act　that　way。　He　abused　his　rank；　his　profession；　and　his　office。〃
　〃Nevertheless；　he　could　have　been　restricted　to　post　and　given　suitable　quarters　until　an　official　inquiry　was　pleted；　and　charges　remended　or　not　remended。〃
　〃You　know；　Colonel；　I　personally　think　that　the　higher　you　are；　the　harder　you　should　fall。　Young　enlisted　personnel　who　screw　up　because　of　ignorance；　immaturity；　or　high　spirits　get　the　book　thrown　at　them。　I　think　that　mature　officers　who　screw　up　should　be　made　an　example　of。〃
　〃But　rank　still　has　its　privilege；　and　one　of　those　privileges　is　that　an　officer　should　not　be　subject　to　pretrial　confinement；　Mister　Brenner。〃
　〃But　when　you　break　the　law；　your　punishment　should　be　in　direct　proportion　to　your　rank；　your　job；　and　your　knowledge　of　the　law。　An　officer's　rights　and　privileges　carry　a　heavy　responsibility；　and　any　breach　of　duty　and　discipline　should　carry　a　proportionately　heavy　punitive　burden。〃　I'm　talking　about　you；　Bill；　and　you　know　it。
　He　replied；　〃A　soldier's　past　performance　has　to　be　factored　into　that。　If　a　person　has