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marks； you know； uneven wear； cuts in the leather； different brands of heels…〃
〃I think you told me that once；〃 I reminded him。
〃Yeah。 We've got to take disqualifying sole prints from everybody； but I have to tell you； the area probably had dozens of prints already； and this range is covered with scrub brush and grass。〃
〃I see that。〃
〃I hate outdoor crime scenes。〃 He pulled out a handkerchief； took off his BDU cap； and mopped his sweaty pate。
I informed him； 〃New memo from the Pentagon； Cal。 You are not short and bald…you are a vertically challenged man of scalp。〃
He looked at Cynthia。 〃You got to work with this guy？〃
〃He's trying to bug me； not you。 I just gave him a lecture on sensitivity。〃
〃Yeah？ Don't waste your time。〃
〃Precisely；〃 agreed Cynthia。 〃Did you get the stuff I sent you on the Neely case？〃
〃Yeah。 We did a DNA match on the semen we had from her vagina； and the stuff you sent over yesterday from the confessed rapist。 Same stuff； so you got a true confession。 Congratulations。〃
I added； my congratulations and inquired of Cal； 〃Any traces of semen on this victim？〃
〃I ran an ultraviolet light over her； and there're no traces of semen。 We took vaginal； oral； and anal swabs； and we'll know about that in a half hour or so。〃 He added； 〃The latentprints people have already done the body； the humvee； her handbag； the tent pegs； and ropes。 The photographers are nearly done； and I have the serology people in the vans now with the blood； saliva； and orifice samples。 The chemistry people are vacuuming trace evidence from the body； but I have to tell you； I don't even see a stray hair on the body； and what lint there is probably came from her own underwear and clothes。 I also brought along a team from the tool marks lab； and they're examining the tent pegs and rope； but it's standard…issue stuff and the pegs are old and used； and so is the rope。 So； to answer all your questions； we don't have a physical clue for you yet。〃
Cal tends to be negative。 Then later； he tells you that after hours of hard and brilliant lab work； he's got something。 The secret to being a legend is to make the job look harder than it is。 I do that once in a while myself。 Cynthia doesn't get it yet。 I asked Cal； 〃Have you removed the tent pegs？〃
〃Just the one near the left ankle to get at an anal sample； and to determine if there's any dirt on the peg that's different from the dirt it's stuck in now。 But it seems like all red Georgia clay。〃
〃I want you to determine if either of the tent pegs near the wrists could have been pulled out by the victim if she were free to do so。 Also； see if either of the knots on the wrists is a slipknot。 Also； I would like you to tell me if you think she had or could have had either end of the ligature in her hands。〃
〃Now？〃
〃Please。〃
Cal turned and walked away。
Cynthia said to me； 〃If none of those things are true or possible； then we can rule out an autoerotic fatality。 Correct？〃
〃Correct。〃
〃Then we look for a perpetrator。〃
〃A perpetrator or an acplice。 It still looks like it started out as fun。〃 I added； 〃That is not for public dissemination。〃
〃Obviously。〃 She said； 〃I don't mind seeing the body again。 I know what we're looking for。〃 She followed the tarpaulin trail to the pavilion and disappeared into the crowd as she knelt beside the body。 I turned and walked back to the road and stood beside the humvee。 I looked up the road toward the guard post where PFC Robbins had stood； but I could not see the ammo shed from a kilometer away。 I turned and looked down the road toward the direction we had e from and saw that the road made a right…hand bend； so that if a vehicle stopped about a hundred meters away； at rifle range five； its headlights might not be seen from where Bobbins had been standing。 There was something about the times of the headlights that bugged me； and I had to consider the possibility that the first headlights that Robbins saw were not necessarily those of Ann Campbell's humvee…because if they were； what was Ann Campbell doing between the time she left Post Headquarters at 0100 hours and the time Robbins saw the first headlights at 0217 hours？
Cynthia and Cal approached； and Cal informed me； 〃The tent pegs are solid in the clay。 A guy with surgical gloves almost got a hernia pulling them out。 The knots have been classified as granny knots； and you can barely untie them even using a mechanical aid。 As for the ligature； the ends do reach her hands； but if you're asking for my opinion； I don't think she could have pulled them herself。 You looking for an autoerotic accident？〃
〃Just a thought。 Between us。〃
〃Yeah。 But it looks like she had pany last night； though we haven't found any traces of her pany yet。〃
〃Where was the bare footprint？〃
〃About halfway between the road and the body。 About there。〃 He pointed to where one of his people was taking a casting of a print。
I nodded。 〃How was the rope cut？〃
Cal replied； 〃pression cut。 Like an ax or cleaver； maybe on a wooden surface。 Probably not done here…the tool mark guys checked the bleacher seats for cuts。 Most likely； the lengths were precut and brought here。〃 He added； 〃Like a rape kit；〃 but resisted the temptation to say words like 〃premeditated〃 or 〃organized rapist。〃 I like people who stick to their area of expertise。 In fact； what looked like part of a rape kit was more likely bondage paraphernalia from the victim's own storehouse of equipment。 But it was best if everyone kept thinking rape。
Cal said to me； 〃You wanted to know about the black smudge on her right foot。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Ninety…nine percent sure it's blacktop。 Know for sure in about an hour。 I'll match the smudge to the road here； but it won't be conclusive。〃
〃Okay。〃 He asked me； 〃How'd you pull this case？〃
〃I begged for it。〃
He laughed； then said； 〃I wouldn't want to be in your boots。〃
〃Me neither； if you found my bootprints in the humvee。〃 He smiled； and it seemed he was enjoying my pany； so I reminded him； 〃If you botch anything； you should think about where you can live on half pay。 A lot of guys go to Mexico。〃
〃Hey； if I botch anything； I can cover my ass。 If you botch anything； your ass is grass； and Colonel Hellmann is the lawn mower。〃
Which was an unpleasant truth。 I informed him； 〃The victim's office； household goods； and personal effects are in a hangar at Jordan Field； so when you're through here； go there。〃
〃I know。 We'll be done here by dark； then we'll do an all…nighter at the hangar。〃
〃Was Colonel Kent here？〃
〃Just for a few minutes。〃
〃What did he want？〃
〃Same as you； without the wisecracks。〃 He added； 〃Wants you to see the general。 Did you get that message？〃
〃No。 All right； Cal； I'm at the provost marshal's office。 All reports and inquiries go to me or Cynthia directly； sealed and marked 'Confidential。' Or you can call or drop by。 My clerk is Specialist Baker。 Don't discuss this case with anyone； not even the post provost marshal。 If he asks you anything； refer him to me or Cynthia。 And instruct your people to do the same。 Okay？〃
Cal nodded； then asked； 〃Not even Colonel Kent？〃
〃Not even the general。〃
He shrugged。 〃Okay。〃
〃Let's go look at the latri