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terrogate Moore； and if you think he didn't kill her； then ask him for his list of suspects。 That bastard knew everything about her； and if he tells you it is privileged information； let me know and I'll put a pistol in his mouth and tell him he can take the information to the grave with him。〃
〃I might be a little more subtle。〃 I informed him； 〃I'm trying to get Moore's office padlocked until I can get clearance to bring it here。〃
〃You should just put the damn cuffs on him。〃 Kent looked at me and said； 〃Anyway； you see why I didn't want the local CID guys in on this。〃
〃I guess I do now。 Were any of them involved with her？〃 He pondered a moment； then replied； 〃The CID mander； Major Bowes。〃
〃Are you certain of that？〃
〃Ask him。 He's one of your people。〃
〃Do you and Bowes get along？〃
〃We try。〃
〃What's the problem？〃
〃We have jurisdictional problems。 Why do you ask？〃
〃Jurisdictional meaning criminal activity； or meaning something else？〃
He looked at me； then replied； 〃Well 。。。 Major Bowes had bee possessive。〃
〃He didn't like to share。〃
Kent nodded。 〃A few of her boyfriends got that way。 That was when she dumped them。〃 He added； 〃Married men are real pigs。〃 He thought a moment； then said； 〃Don't trust anyone on this post； Paul。〃
〃Including you？〃
〃Including me。〃 Kent looked at his watch。 〃Is that it？ Did you want to see me for something in particular？〃
〃Well； whatever it was； it's not real important now。〃
〃Right。 I'm going home。 You can reach me there until 0700； then I'll be in my office。 Where can I find you tonight if something es up？〃
Cynthia replied； 〃We're both in the VOQ。〃
〃All right。 Well； my wife's probably been trying to call me from Ohio。 She'll start thinking I'm having an affair。 Good evening。〃 He turned and left； making the long walk with a lot less spring in his step than when he'd entered。
Cynthia mented； 〃I can't believe this。 Did he just tell us that Ann Campbell slept with most of the senior officers on post？〃
〃Yes； he did。 Now we know who those men were in her photos。〃
She nodded。 〃And now we know why this place seemed so strange。〃
〃Right。 The suspect list just got real long。〃
So； I thought； Colonel Kent； Mr。 Clean； Mr。 Law and Order； broke nearly every damned rule in the book。 This brittle； stuffy man had a libido； and it led him right to the dark side of the moon。 I said to Cynthia； 〃Would Bill Kent mit murder to safeguard his reputation？〃
Cynthia replied； 〃It's conceivable。 But I think he was indicating that his secret was public knowledge； and his career was just waiting for General Campbell to have a chance to ax it。〃
I nodded。 〃Well； if not to avoid disgrace and humiliation； as it says in the manual； then how about jealousy？〃
She thought a moment； then said； 〃Kent is also indicating that his relationship with Ann Campbell was just sport for him。 A little lust； but no emotional involvement。 I can believe that。〃 She saw that I wanted more from her； and she pondered a moment； then added； 〃On the other hand； the motive he assigned to Major Bowes…possessiveness and； by extension； jealousy may not be true and may actually be what Bill Kent himself felt。 Remember； this guy's a cop； and he read the same manual we did。 He knows how we think。〃
〃Precisely。 Yet； I find it hard to think of that guy as passionate； jealous； or emotionally involved with any woman。〃
〃I know。 But it's the cool ones who burn hot at the center。 I've seen his type before； Paul。 Authoritarian； control freaks； conservative； and obsessed with rules and regulations。 It's a mechanism they use because they're frightened of their own passions； and they know what lurks beneath the neat suit or uniform。 In reality； they have no natural checks and balances on their behavior； and when they spin out of control； they're capable of anything。〃
I nodded。 〃But maybe we're getting too psychobabbly。〃 She shrugged。 〃Maybe。 But let's keep an eye on Colonel Kent。 He's got a different agenda than we do。〃
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Cal Seiver said he was finished with Ann Campbell's study； or what was once her study； so I sat on her sofa and played another videotape of her psy…ops lecture series。 Around me； the men and women of the forensic laboratory went about their occupation of examining the microscopic particles of a person's existence； the type of stuff that other people called dirt…hairs； fibers； dust； fingerprints； smudges； and stains。
In and of themselves； hairs； fibers； prints； and all that were innocuous； but if； for instance； a set of fingerprints was lifted from a liquor bottle in Ann Campbell's cupboard； and if the prints turned out to belong to； say； Colonel George Fowler； then the possibilities were two： he gave the bottle to her and she took it home； or he was in her home。 But if Fowler's prints were found； say； on the mirror of her bathroom； that would be presumptive evidence that he was actually； in the bathroom。 In fact； however； the latent…fingerprint section； using prints on file； had not yet matched any known prints to the ones they'd found； except mine； Cynthia's； Ann Campbell's； and Colonel Kent's…which could be explained two ways。 Eventually； they would match prints to Chief Yardley； and again； Yardley； being one of the polluters of the stored evidence； had an explanation。 They'd find Moore's prints； too； but as her boss and neighbor； that was meaningless。 And since we had no further access to things like Ann Campbell's bathroom mirror or her shower； those kinds of prints； which were very suggestive； were not going to be found by us； but by Chief Yardley； who would have the whole house dusted by now。 And any prints he didn't like； such as his son's； would disappear。
Knowing who had been in her house might eventually lead to her killer in a conventional； plodding type of homicide investigation； and knowing who was in her basement boudoir would give me a list of men who suddenly had a lot to lose unless they cooperated fully。 But that room remained sealed for now； and that might be a false； though very scenic trail to follow。
Knowing who was at the crime scene was more to the point； and we were close to establishing that Colonel Charles Moore was there； though when he was there and what he was doing there needed clarification。
Colonel William Kent。 Now； there was a man who suddenly had a career problem； not to mention the little chat he'd eventually have to have with Mrs。 Kent。 Thank God I don't have those kinds of problems。
Kent had made what amounted to a confession of sexual misbehavior； dereliction of duty； and actions unbeing an officer； to name just three charges that the JAG office could e up with。 People often do this in a murder investigation； like making a small sacrifice on the altar of the goddess of Justice； hoping that the goddess will accept it and go someplace else to find a human blood sacrifice。
Cynthia's estimation of Kent was interesting because literally no one would think that William Kent was a passionate； possessive； or jealous man。 But in some instinctive way； she saw or sensed something that I never did。 What we knew now was that Kent had had sexual relations with Ann Campbell。 And I don't believe Kent is into spor