demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第94部分

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　She　looked　out　the　side　window　and　didn't　respond。
　I　glanced　at　Karl　in　the　rearview　mirror　and　saw　that　he　was　a　bit　taken　aback　at　my　curtness。　I　said　to　him；　〃The　deceased's　West　Point　ring　had　been　missing　throughout　the　investigation；　but　I　noticed　it　on　her　finger。〃
　〃Really？　Perhaps　it's　a　substitute。〃
　〃Could　be。〃
　Cynthia　glanced　at　me；　but　didn't　say　anything。
　We　passed　Beaumont　House；　then；　later；　the　Psy…Ops　School；　then　skirted　around　Bethany　Hill　and　found　ourselves　on　Rifle　Range　Road。
　It　was　noon；　and　the　sun　was　so　hot　I　could　see　heat　ripples　rising　from　the　blacktop。　I　said　to　Colonel　Hellmann；　〃The　CID　is　officially　relieved　of　this　case　as　of　now。〃
　〃I've　gotten　us　another　hour　as　a　result　of　my　presence　here；　and　I　can　get　us　another　hour　more。〃
　Lucky　us。　〃That's　good；〃　I　replied　with　zero　enthusiasm。
　I　followed　the　long　line　of　vehicles　onto　Jordan　Field　Road；　and　we　passed　the　MP　booth；　where　two　unfortunate　MP　corporals　were　standing　in　the　sun；　saluting　every　car　that　went　by。
　More　MPs　were　directing　the　vehicles　to　wide　expanses　of　ample　parking　on　the　concrete　in　front　of　the　hangars。　I　drove　around　awhile　until　I　saw　Kent's　staff　car　parked　near　hangar　three。　I　parked　close　to　it；　and　we　all　got　out　and　followed　the　crowd　to　a　designated　assembly　area。　The　body　is　usually　interred　at　this　point；　of　course；　but　in　this　case；　the　body　was　to　be　flown　to　Michigan　for　burial；　and　the　Air　Force　had　generously　provided　air　transportation；　a　big；　olive…drab　C130　that　sat　on　the　concrete　apron　nearby。
　As　I　suspected；　people　who　had　not　attended　the　chapel　service　had　e　to　Jordan　Field；　including　a　hundred　or　so　enlisted　personnel　in　uniform；　some　of　the　curious　from　Midland　and　the　surrounding　area；　plus　veterans　groups　from　town；　and　the　remainder　of　Fort　Hadley's　four　hundred　or　so　officers　and　spouses。
　Everyone　was　assembled；　including　the　band；　the　color　guard；　the　firing　party；　and　the　honorary　pallbearers。　The　drummer　began　beating　a　slow；　muffled　march；　and　the　six　casket　bearers　appeared　from　between　two　hangars　wheeling　the　caisson　to　a　spot　near　the　open　tailgate　of　the　C…130。　Those　in　uniform　saluted；　and　those　in　civilian　attire　put　their　right　hands　over　their　hearts。　The　caisson　was　positioned　in　the　patch　of　shade　under　the　tail　of　the　C…130。　The　drumming　ceased；　and　everyone　lowered　their　arms。
　It　was　not　only　brutally　hot；　it　was　windless；　and　the　flags　never　stirred　unless　one　of　the　color　guard　moved　the　staff。　The　short　ceremony　proceeded。
　The　honorary　pallbearers　took　the　edges　of　the　flag　that　was　draped　over　the　casket　and　held　it　waist…high　over　the　casket　as　Chaplain　Eames　said；　〃Let　us　pray。〃　At　the　conclusion　of　the　mittal　service；　the　chaplain　intoned；　〃Grant　her　eternal　rest；　O　Lord；　and　let　Your　perpetual　light　shine　upon　her。　Amen。〃
　The　seven…member　firing　party　raised　their　rifles　and　fired　three　volleys　into　the　air；　and　as　the　final　volley　trailed　away；　the　bugler；　stationed　near　the　casket；　sounded　taps　into　the　quiet　air。　I　like　this　bugle　call；　and　it　is　appropriate；　I　think；　that　the　last　call　that　a　soldier　hears　at　night　has　been　chosen　to　be　played　over　his　or　her　grave　to　mark　the　beginning　of　the　last；　long　sleep；　and　to　remind　those　assembled　that　as　day　follows　night；　so　will　the　final　taps　be　followed　by　the　great　reveille　to　e。
　The　pallbearers　folded　the　flag　and　gave　it　to　Chaplain　Eames；　who　presented　it　to　Mrs。　Campbell；　who　looked　very　dignified。　They　spoke　a　moment　as　everyone　stood　motionless。
　It　must　have　been　the　sun；　I　suppose；　as　well　as　the　rifle　volleys；　the　bugler；　the　associations　with　Fort　Hadley　and　Jordan　Field…but　whatever　it　was；　my　mind　went　back　to　the　summer　of　1971；　to　the　White　Camellia　Motel；　of　all　places；　a　swinging　spot　on　the　highway　outside　of　Midland；　and　I　recalled　a　midnight　pool　party　there　at　which　no　bathing　suits　were　required。　My　God；　I　thought；　how　young　we　were；　and　how　we　stood　that　town　on　its　ear…thousands　of　us　full　of　hormones　and　alcohol。　But　we　were　not　your　typical　carefree；　callous　youths　with　no　thought　of　the　future。　Quite　the　opposite…the　future　hung　over　every　thought；　every　word；　every　frenzied　sexual　encounter。　Eat；　drink；　and　be　merry；　we　said；　because　the　body　bags　were　piling　up　at　Jordan　Field。
　I　recalled　two　infantry…school　buddies　who　had　been　detailed　to　unload　body　bags　here　for　a　month　or　so。　And　one　day；　they　got　orders…not　to　Vietnam；　but　to　Germany…and　they　kept　reading　the　orders　and　made　everyone　else　in　the　barracks　read　them；　as　if　they　had　gotten　a　lawyer's　letter　telling　them　they　were　heirs　or　titled　nobility。
　There　appeared　to　be　some　cause…and…effect　relationship　between　unloading　bodies　from　Vietnam　and　not　being　one　yourself；　so；　all　of　a　sudden；　hundreds　of　infantrymen　were　volunteering　for　the　ghoul　detail；　hoping　to　get　their　tickets　punched　for　Germany　or　some　other　good　place。　And　so　I　unloaded　bodies　at　Jordan　Field；　too；　but　the　assumption　that　the　Army　was　sensitive　to　the　feelings　of　body　handlers　turned　out　to　be　untrue；　I　got　my　orders　saying；　〃You　are　hereby　ordered　to　report　to　Oakland　Army　Base　for　further　assignment　to　Southeast　Asia。〃　Even　the　Army　didn't　use　the　〃V〃　word。
　I　came　back　to　the　present；　which　was　no　less　burdensome　than　the　past。　I　saw　the　general　and　Mrs。　Campbell　speaking　to　a　few　people　who　had　e　forward；　including　family；　the　Fowlers；　and　the　general's　aide；　Captain　Bollinger。　The　casket；　I　noted；　was　gone；　and　had　been　carved　up　the　tailgate　of　the　transport　plane　during　my　mental　absence。
　Suddenly；　the　four　turboprops　fired　and　exploded　into　action；　giving　off　a　deafening　roar。　Then　the　general　saluted　those　around　him；　took　Mrs。　Campbell　by　the　arm　as　John　Campbell　took　her　other　arm；　and　they　walked　up　the　inclined　tailgate　of　the　aircraft。　For　a　moment；　I　thought　they　were　entering　the　aircraft　to　say　a　final　good…bye；　but　then　it　occurred　to　me　that　they　had　picked　this　time　to　leave　Fort　Hadley　for　good；　and　to　leave　the　Army　forever。　In　fact；　the　tailgate　rose　up　and　locked　into　place。　A　ground　controller　signaled　the　pilots；　and　the　big　aircraft　moved　off　the　apron　onto　the　taxiway。
　Most　everyone　was　surprised；　I　think；　by　this　sudden　departure　of　the　Campbells　on　the　same　aircraft　that　was　bearing　their　daughter's　body　to　Michigan。　But　on　second　thought…and　it　seemed　as　if　everyone　had　that　second　thought　simultaneously…it　was　the　best　thing　for　the　Campbells；　for　the　fort；　and　for　the　Army。
　Everyone　watched　as　the　C…130　lumbered　down　the　runway；　picked　up　speed；　then；　about　four　thousand　feet　from　where　everyone　stood；　it　rose　off　the　ground；　silhouetted　first　by　the　tall　line　of　green　pines；　then　by　the　blue　sky。　As　if　that　were　the　signal　everyone　needed；　the　crowd　broke　up；　and　the　color　guard；　firing　party；　band；　pallbearers；　and　others　marched　in　formation　to　the　waiting　buses。
　Vehicles　began　starting　up　behind　me；　and　I　turned　and　walked　toward　them；　Cynthia　and　Karl　on　either　side　of　me。　Cynthia　was　dabbing　at　her　eyes　with　a　handkerchief。　She　said　to　me；　〃I'm　not　feeling　very　well。〃
　I　gave　her　my　car　keys。　〃Sit　in　the　air…conditioning　awhile。　I'll　meet　you　in　hangar　three　when　you're　up　to　it。〃
　〃No；　I'll　be　all　right。〃　She　took　my　arm。
　As　the　three　of　us　walked　to　the　vehicle；　Karl　said　to　me；　〃Paul；　I　ask　that　you　go　in　for　the　kill　now。　We　don't　have　any　time　left；　and　we　have　no　choice。〃
　〃It's　true　that　we　have　no　time；　but　I　do　have　a　choice。〃
　〃Do　I　have　to　make　this　a　direct　order？〃
　〃You　can't　order　me　to　do　something　that　I　think　is　tactically　incorrect　and　may　jeopardize　the　case　for　the　FBI。〃
　〃No；　I　cannot。　Do　you　believe　it's　incorrect　for　you　to　confront　Kent　at　this　time？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then？〃
　Cynthia　said　to　Karl；　〃I'll　confront　him。〃　She　looked　at　me。　〃In　the　hangar；　right？〃
　I　didn't　reply。
　Karl　said　to　her；　〃Fine。　Mr。　Brenner　and　I　will　wait　in　the　vehicle　for　you。〃
　Having　shown　enough　petulance；　I　grunted；　〃All　right；　I'll　do　it。　I'm　up　to　my　ass　in　trouble　anyway。〃
　Cynthia　motioned　up　ahead；　and　I　saw　Kent；　with　two　junior　officers；　walking　toward　his　staff　car。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Wait　ten　minutes；　then　join　me。〃
　I　c