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〃You son…of…a…bitch…〃
〃Ms。 Sunhill is not here。 May I take a message？〃
〃Where is she？〃
〃In the shower。〃
〃You bastard。〃
Why was this guy getting so bent up if they were getting a divorce and he had a girlfriend？ Well； men are funny； and they still feel proprietary toward their wives； even when they're finalizing a divorce。 Right？ No； something was not right； and I had the distinct feeling I'd made a big boo…boo。
Major Sholte said to me； 〃Your ass is grass； Brenner； and I'm the fucking Grim Reaper。〃
Interesting metaphor。 I asked him； 〃Are you and Cynthia in the process of a divorce？〃
〃Divorce？ Who the fuck told you that？ You put that bitch on the phone。〃
〃Trial separation？〃
〃Put her on the goddamned phone。 Now！〃
〃Hold on。〃 I laid the phone on the bed and thought about things。 Life really sucks sometimes； then it gets better and you get optimistic again； and your heart lightens up a little and you get a little spring back in your step； then somebody pulls the rug out and you're on your ass once more。 I picked up the phone and said； 〃I'll have her call you back。〃
〃You fucking well better； you rat…fucking； mother…fucking…〃
I hung up and went back into the mon bathroom。 I slipped off my robe and got into the shower。
Cynthia stood in the doorway and called out over the water； 〃I phoned the Psy…Ops School and confirmed that Colonel Moore spent the night there。 I left a message for him to meet us at the provost office in an hour。 Okay？〃
〃Okay。〃
〃I laid out your uniform。 We should wear our uniforms to the service。〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃I'm going to change into uniform。〃
〃Okay。〃
I could see her through the glass； walking across the bathroom into her own room。 Her door closed； and I shut off the shower and got out。
By 0800 hours； we were dressed in the A uniform； and we were in my Chevy Blazer； pulling up to the provost building。 Cynthia asked； 〃Is something bothering you？〃
〃No。〃
I had another cup of coffee in our office and went through phone messages and memos。 Colonel Moore showed up looking a bit ragged； but dressed in his A uniform for the funeral。 He had acquired a pair of dress shoes somewhere。 Cynthia offered him a seat。 Without preliminaries； I said to him； 〃Colonel； we have reason to suspect that Colonel Kent murdered Ann Campbell。〃
He seemed surprised； almost stunned； and didn't reply。
I asked him； 〃Does it fit？〃
He thought about that for a long moment； then replied； 〃He was being a problem； but 。。。〃
〃What did Ann say to you about him？〃
〃Well 。。。 that he was calling her at all hours； that he wrote her letters； dropped in on her unexpectedly at home and in the office。〃
And so on。 I asked him； 〃On the night she was murdered； when you called her at Post Headquarters； did she say he'd been around to see her or that he'd called her？〃
He thought a moment； then answered； 〃As a matter of fact； she did tell me that she wouldn't be using her BMW that night； which was the original plan。 She told me to look for a humvee instead。 She said that Bill Kent was annoying her again and that she'd be less conspicuous in a humvee； and that she wanted him to see her car in the headquarters lot all night。 This presented a problem because her car had a wired…in phone； and I had a portable phone； and we intended to stay in touch as she drove out to the range。 But it wasn't a major problem； and she drove out with the humvee and we rendezvoused on schedule。〃
Cynthia asked him； 〃Did she mention Kent when you met？〃
〃No 。。。〃
〃Did she mention that she'd been followed？〃
〃No 。。。 Well； she said she saw one vehicle behind her； but it turned off toward Jordan Field。〃 He added； 〃She felt that everything was all right； and I placed the call to her father on my portable phone。〃
Cynthia said； 〃Then you went out on the rifle range？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃After you were done； you waited by the latrine shed to be sure it went as planned。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did it occur to you；〃 Cynthia asked； 〃that Colonel Kent might be a likely person to e on the scene？〃
He pondered that a moment； then replied； 〃I suppose it crossed my mind。 He seemed to be hounding her。〃
〃And it never occurred to you that he did follow her and possibly murdered her？〃
〃Well 。。。 now that I think about it…〃
I said； 〃You're some sharp detective； Colonel。〃
He seemed put off by that and replied； 〃I thought it was the general who 。。。 Well； I didn't know what to think。 My first thought when I heard she'd been murdered was that her father had done it 。。。 but it also occurred to me that her father had simply left her there； and some other person 。。。 some maniac 。。。 happened along 。。。 I just never thought in terms of Kent 。。。〃
〃Why not？〃 I asked。
〃He 。。。 he's the provost 。。。 a married man 。。。 he loved her 。。。 but； yes； now that you mention it； it does fit。 I mean； from a psychological point of view； he had bee obsessed and irrational。 Ann could no longer control him。〃
〃Ann；〃 I pointed out； 〃had created a monster。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did she understand that？〃
〃On one level。 But she wasn't used to dealing with men she couldn't control。 Except her father； and perhaps Wes Yardley。 In retrospect； she didn't pay enough attention to Bill Kent。 She misjudged。〃
〃She failed Abnormal Psych 101。〃
He didn't respond。
〃Okay； what I want you to do is go back to your office and write it out。〃
〃Write what？〃
〃Everything。 A full account of your involvement in this matter。 Deliver it to me at the chapel after the service。 You have almost two hours。 Type fast。 Don't mention a word of this to anyone。〃
Colonel Moore got up and left； looking； I thought； like a faint shadow of the man I'd met just the other day。
Cynthia mented； 〃This case looked hard； and we all worked hard； but the answer was literally under our nose the whole time。〃
〃That's why it was hard to see it。〃
Cynthia made small talk for a few minutes； and I made big silences。 She kept looking at me。
To avoid any unpleasantness； I picked up the phone and called Colonel Fowler at Post Headquarters。 He took my call immediately； and I said to him； 〃Colonel； I'd like you to take the shoes that you and Mrs。 Fowler wore out to rifle range six and destroy them。 Secondly； get your story straight with General Campbell。 You never went out to the range。 Third； get Mrs。 Fowler in a car or on a plane immediately after the funeral。〃
He replied； 〃I appreciate what you're saying； but I feel I have to reveal my involvement in this。〃
〃Your manding officer's wish is that you don't do that。 A general's wish is his mand。〃
〃It's an illegal mand。〃
〃Do everyone a favor…yourself； your wife； your family； the Army； me； the Campbells…forget it。 Think about it。〃
〃I'll think about it。〃
〃Question…did you take her West Point ring？〃
〃No。〃
〃Was there a bayonet stuck in the ground when you got there？〃
〃Not in the ground。 The handle was stuck in her vagina。〃
〃I see。〃
〃I removed it and disposed of it。〃
〃Where？〃
〃I threw it off the Chickasaw River Bridge。〃 He added； 〃I suppose you'd have liked to check it for fingerprints。〃
〃I would have； yes。〃 But in fact； Kent would not leave a print behind。
〃I apologize。 It was a gut reaction。〃
〃