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personnel live off post on his turf； and ninety percent of the civilian workers on post live in Midland。 When we get a list of suspects； we'll need Yardley。〃
〃Maybe。 But I think every suspect will wind up on government land at some point。 If not； we'll kidnap them。〃
Kent shook his head； which seemed to stir his brain； and he asked； 〃Hey； did you see the general yet？〃
〃No。 Am I supposed to？〃
〃He wants to see you； ASAP。 He's home。〃
〃All right。〃 The bereaved have many things on their minds； but talking to the investigating officer is not usually one of them。 But a general； I suppose； is another species of human being； and General Campbell； perhaps； had a need to make things happen； to show he was still in mand。 I said to Kent； 〃I just saw Cal Seiver； the forensic OIC。 You met him？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Kent。 〃He seems to have things under control。 Has he e up with anything？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃Have you？〃
〃I have a preliminary list of possible suspects。〃
Kent looked almost startled。 〃Already？ Who？〃
〃Well； you； for one。〃
〃What？ What the hell are you talking about； Brenner？〃
〃My suspects are everyone who had contact with the crime scene and/or the victim's town house。 Forensic will pick up traces； footprints； and fingerprints of those people； and I have no way of knowing if those traces were left before； during； or after the crime。〃 I added； 〃The preliminary suspects； then； are Sergeant St。 John； PFC Casey； who responded to the call； you； any other MPs who were at the scene； Cynthia； and me。 These are not likely suspects； but I have to deal with the forensic evidence。〃
Kent said； 〃Then you'd better start getting alibis。〃
〃Okay。 What's yours？〃
〃All right 。。。 I was home in bed when I got a call from my duty sergeant。〃
〃You live on post； correct？〃
〃Correct。〃
〃What time did you get home？〃
〃At about midnight。 I had dinner in town； then went to the office； worked late； then went home。〃
〃Your wife can verify that？〃
〃Well 。。。 no； she's visiting her parents in Ohio。〃
〃Ah。〃
〃Oh； fuck off； Paul。 Just fuck off。〃
〃Hey； take it easy； Colonel。〃
〃You know； you think you're funny； but you're not。 There's nothing funny about making a joke about murder and murder suspects。〃
I looked at him and saw he was truly agitated。
He continued； 〃There's going to be enough 。 of that crap as it is。 Enough rumors； whispering； finger…pointing； and suspicion。 We don't need you here making it worse。〃
〃All right；〃 I said； 〃I apologize。 But I assumed that three law officers could speak their minds。 Nothing we say is leaving this hangar； Bill； and if we speculate； or even make a few idiotic remarks； we understand that it's between us。 Okay？〃
But he didn't look mollified； and he snapped at me； 〃Where were you last night？〃
I said； 〃Home alone in my trailer until about 0430 hours。 Got to the post armory around 0500 hours。 No witnesses。〃
〃A likely story；〃 snorted Kent； who seemed inordinately happy that I had no alibi。 He turned to Cynthia； 〃And you？〃
〃I got to the VOQ about 1900 hours and wrote my report on the Neely case until about midnight； then went to bed； alone； and was awakened by an MP knocking on my door at about 0530 hours。〃
I mented； 〃I've never heard three weaker alibis in my life。 But； okay； we'll let them stand for now。 The point is； this post is like a small town； and the deceased's circle of friends； family； and acquaintances includes the top echelons of this munity。〃 I said to Kent； 〃You wanted somebody on this case who was an outsider。 Correct？〃
〃That's right。 But don't push it； Paul。〃
〃Why did you have an MP summon Ms。 Sunhill？〃
〃Same reason I called you。 Out…of…town talent。〃
It occurred to me that out…of…town talent was another way of saying； 〃We want two investigators who don't have a clue about the dirt that everyone here knows about。〃 I asked Kent； 〃How well did you know Ann Campbell？〃
He hesitated a moment； then chose the words 〃Fairly well。〃
〃Would you expound？〃
Clearly； Colonel Kent； who outranked me and was himself a cop； was not pleased。 But he was a professional and therefore knew what was required of him。 He forced a smile and said； 〃Should we read each other our rights？〃
I smiled in return。 This was awkward； but necessary。
He cleared his throat and said； 〃Captain Campbell was stationed here about two years ago。 I was here at the time and so were General and Mrs。 Campbell。 The Campbells invited me to their home with a few other officers to meet their daughter。 Our work areas were not related in the usual sense； but as a psychologist she was interested in criminal behavior； and I was interested in the criminal mind。 It's not unusual for a law enforcement officer and a psychologist to have mon interests。〃
〃So you became friends？〃
〃Sort of。〃
〃Lunch？〃
〃Sometimes。〃
〃Dinner？ Drinks？〃
〃Once in a while。〃
〃Alone？〃
〃Once or twice。〃
〃But you didn't seem to know where she lived。〃
〃I knew she lived off post。 But I've never been to her house。〃
〃Has she been to yours？〃
〃Yes。 A number of times。 For social functions。〃
〃Does your wife like her？〃
〃No。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃You figure it out； Brenner。〃
〃Okay。 I figured it out。〃 Cynthia had the good sense to not join in my interrogation of a high…ranking officer； so I turned to her。 〃Any questions for Colonel Kent？〃
Cynthia replied； 〃Just the obvious one。〃 She looked at Kent。
He said； 〃I was never intimate with her。 If I had been； I would have told you from minute one。〃
〃One hopes so；〃 I said。 I asked him； 〃Did she have a steady boyfriend？〃
〃Not that I know of。〃
〃Did she have any known enemies？〃
He thought about that； then replied； 〃Some women didn't like her。 I think they felt threatened。 Some men didn't like her。 They felt 。。。〃
〃Inadequate？〃 Cynthia prompted。
〃Yes。 Something like that。 Or maybe she was a little cool with some of the younger； unmarried officers who had the hots for her。 But as for real enemies； I don't know of any。〃 He hesitated； then added； 〃Considering how she died； I think it was a lust murder。 I mean； there are women who you might have healthy sexual or romantic fantasies about； but Ann Campbell； I think； provoked rape fantasies in some men。 I think somebody just went for it。 After the rape； the guy knew he was in a world of serious trouble。 Maybe Ann taunted him； for all we know。 I wouldn't put it past her。 The guy thought about life in Leavenworth and strangled her。〃 Kent looked at me and Cynthia。 〃A lot of guys are pulled around by the one…eyed； heat…seeking monster； and it leads them right to hell。 I've seen too much of that on this job。 So have you。〃
True enough。 But in this case； I was focusing more on the thing that the monster was seeking。 I asked Kent； 〃Well； do you know if she dated？ Was she sexually active？〃
〃I don't know if she was sexually active。 I only know one unmarried officer who dated her…Lieutenant Elby； one of the general's aides…but she never discussed her private life with me； and her behavior never came to my attention professionally。 On the other hand； you have to wonder what she did for fun。〃
〃What do you think she did for fun？〃
〃What I would do in her situation。 Keep my profession