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She continued； 〃In our pursuit of technical excellence and high…tech solutions to battlefield problems； we have forgotten the primal scream。〃 Ann Campbell hit a button on the rostrum and a high…decibel； bloodcurdling scream filled the room。 She smiled and said； 〃That will loosen your sphincter。〃 A few men in the classroom laughed； and the microphone picked up some guy saying； 〃Sounds like my wife when she climaxes。〃 More laughter； and Captain Campbell； reacting to the remark； laughed too； an almost bawdy laugh； pletely out of character。 She looked down a moment； as if at her notes； and when she looked up again； her expression had returned to business and the laughter died down。
I had the impression she was playing the crowd； getting them on her side the way most male Army instructors did with an off…color joke or an occasional personal ment。 Clearly； she had reached out and touched the audience； had shared a moment of sexual plicity and revealed what was beneath the neat uniform。 But only for a moment。 I turned off the VCR。 〃Interesting lecture。〃
Cynthia said； 〃Who would want to kill a woman like that？ I mean； she was so alive。 So vital and so self…assured 。。。〃
Which may be why someone wanted to kill her。 We stood in silence a moment； sort of in respect； I suppose； as if Ann Campbell's presence and spirit were still in the room。 In truth； I was quite taken with Ann Campbell。 She was the type of woman you noticed； and once seen； was never forgotten。 It wasn't only her looks that grabbed your attention； but her whole demeanor and bearing。 Also； she had a good mand voice； deep and distinct； yet feminine and sexy。 Her accent was what I call Army brat…a product of ten or twenty duty stations around the world； with an occasional southern pronunciation taking you by surprise。 All in all； this was a woman who could mand the respect and attention of men； or drive them to distraction。
As for how women related to her； Cynthia seemed impressed； but I suspected that some women might find her threatening； especially if their husbands or boyfriends had any proximity to Ann Campbell。 How Ann Campbell related to other women was； as yet； a mystery。 Finally； to break the silence； I said； 〃Let's finish this business。〃
We went back to our search of the study。 Cynthia and I both went through a photo album we found on the shelf。 The photos appeared to be entirely en famille： General and Mrs。 Campbell； a young man who was probably the son； shots of Daddy and Ann in mufti； uncle and aunt types； West Point； picnics； Christmas； Thanksgiving； ad nauseam； and I had the impression her mother put the album together for her daughter。 This was documentary proof positive that the Campbells were the happiest； most loving； best adjusted； most socially integrated family this side of the Father； Son； and the Holy Spirit； with Mary taking most of the snapshots。 〃Pablum；〃 I said。 〃But it does tell one something； does it not？〃
〃What？〃 asked Cynthia
〃They probably all hate one another。〃
〃You're being cynical；〃 she said。 〃And jealous；〃 she added； 〃because we don't have families like this。〃
I closed the album。 〃We'll soon find out what's behind their cheesy smiles。〃
At this point； the enormity of what we were doing seemed to hit Cynthia and she said； 〃Paul 。。。 we have to question General Campbell 。。。 Mrs。 Campbell 。。。〃
I replied； 〃Murder is unpleasant enough。 When it's rape and murder and it doesn't appear random； and the victim's father is a national hero； then the idiots who are going to examine the victim's life had better know what they're getting into。 Understand？〃
She contemplated this a moment and informed me； 〃I really want this case。 I feel 。。。 you know 。。。 some affinity for her。 I didn't know her； but I know life wasn't easy for her in this man's Army。〃
〃Spare me； Cynthia。〃
〃Well； really； Paul； how would you know？〃
〃Try being a white man these days。〃
〃Give me a break。〃
〃Now I remember what we used to fight about。〃
〃Neutral corners。〃
We walked to opposite sides of the room； though not the corners； and continued our search。 I looked at the framed things on the wall…Ann Campbell's West Point diploma； her Army mission； training certificates； mendations； and a few other Department of the Army and Department of Defense certificates； including one that recognized her contribution to Operation Desert Storm； though the nature of the contribution was not specified。 I cleared my throat and said to Ms。 Sunhill； 〃Did you ever hear about Operation Bonkers during Desert Storm？〃
She replied； 〃Not that I recall。〃
〃Well； some smart cookie in psy…ops had this idea of dropping hard…core porno photos on the Iraqi positions。 Most of those poor bastards had not seen a woman in months or years； so this psy…ops sadist wants to bury them in photos of hot； pink flesh； which will drive them bonkers。 The idea goes all the way up to the joint mand； and it's a definite winner； a go； until the Saudis hear about it and go ballistic。 You know； they're a little tight and not as enlightened as we are about bare tits and ass。 So the thing was squashed； but the word was that the idea was brilliant and could have shortened the ground war from four days to fifteen minutes。〃 I smiled。
Cynthia replied frostily； 〃It's disgusting。〃
〃Actually； I agree in theory。 But if it saved one life； it might have been justified。〃
〃The means do not justify the ends。 What's the point？〃
〃Well； what if the idea of the porno bombardment had e from a woman instead of some male pig？〃
〃You mean Captain Campbell？〃
〃Certainly that idea came out of the Special Operations School here。 Let's check it out。〃
Cynthia went into one of her contemplative moods； then looked at me。 〃Did you know her？〃
〃I knew of her。〃
〃What did you know of her？〃
〃What most everyone else knew； Cynthia。 She was perfect in every way； made in the USA； pasteurized and homogenized by the Public Information Office； and delivered fresh to your doorstep； creamy white and good for you。〃
〃And you don't believe that？〃
〃No； I don't。 But if we discover that I'm wrong； then I'm in the wrong business and I'll resign。〃
〃You may wind up doing that anyway。〃
〃Most probably。〃 I added； 〃Please consider how she died； how bizarre it was； and how unlikely it would be for a stranger to have gotten the drop on a soldier who was alert； bright； armed； and ready to shoot。〃
She nodded； then said as if to herself； 〃I have considered what you are suggesting。 It's not unmon for a female officer to lead two lives…public rectitude and private 。。。 whatever。 But I've also seen women； rape victims； married and single； who led exemplary private lives and who wound up as victims by pure chance。 I've also seen women who lived on the jagged edge； but whose rape had not a thing to do with their promiscuity or the crazies they hung out with。 Again； it was pure chance。〃
〃That's a possibility； and I don't discount it。〃
〃And don't be judgmental； Paul。〃
〃I'm not。 I'm no saint。 How about you？〃
〃You know better than to ask。〃 She walked over to where I was standing and put her hand on my shoulder； which sort of took me by surprise。 She said； 〃Can we do this？ I mean together？ Are we going