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n't going to touch that one。 However； I could make discreet inquiries； and maybe； just maybe； Mrs。 Campbell could be delicately questioned on the subject of her daughter's relationship with her father。 What the hell； I had my twenty years in。
On the other hand； as Kent suggested； why dig up muck that had nothing to do with the homicide at hand？ But who's to know what muck you needed and what muck you didn't？
So； did the general kill his daughter to stop her fury； or to shut her up？ Or did Mrs。 Campbell do it for the same reasons？ And what was Colonel Moore's role in this？ Indeed； the more muck I raked up； the more the ladies and gentlemen of Fort Hadley got splattered。
Cynthia came up to me and forced a piece of donut in my mouth。 Obviously； we were on the verge of something more intimate than sharing a car； a bathroom； and a donut。 But to tell you the truth； at my age； at two in the morning； Private Woody wasn't going to stand tall。 Cynthia said； 〃Maybe the JAG Office will give you those videotapes when the case is closed。〃
〃Maybe I'd rather have the tapes in her basement。〃
〃Don't be disgusting； Paul。〃 She continued on the subject； as women will do； 〃It's not healthy； you know。〃
I refused to respond。
〃When I was a teenager； I fell in love with James Dean。 I'd watch Rebel Without a Cause and Giant on late night TV； and cry myself to sleep。〃
〃What an astonishing admission of necrophilia。 What's the point？〃
〃Forget it。 Here's the good news。 The tire tracks on rifle range five were made by Colonel Moore's car； or what we're pretty sure is his car。 The prints on Moore's hairbrush； which we assume were made by Moore； match two prints on the tent peg； at least six prints on the humvee； and one in the male latrine； also in the latrine； in the sink trap； was another hair that matched Moore's hair。 Also； all the fingerprints on the trash bag are Moore's and Ann Campbell's； and ditto the prints on her boots； holster； and helmet； suggesting that they both handled those items。 So your reconstruction of the crime； the movements and actions of Ann Campbell and Colonel Moore； seem to port with the physical evidence。 Congratulations。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃So does this guy hang？〃
〃I think they shoot officers。 I'll check before I speak to Colonel Moore。〃
〃Case closed？〃
〃I'll check that with Colonel Moore。〃
〃If he doesn't confess； will you go to the judge advocate general with what we've got？〃
〃I don't know。 It's not an airtight case yet。〃
〃No；〃 Cynthia agreed； 〃it's not。 We have your theory of the wrong times of the headlights； for one thing。 We can put Moore at the scene of the crime； but we can't put the rope in his hands at the time of death。 Also； we don't know his motive。〃
〃Right。 And without motive； you've got a tough job with a jury。〃 I added； 〃There's also the possibility it was an accident。〃
〃Yes； that's what he's going to say if he says anything。〃
〃Right。 He'll have a dozen of his shrink buddies explain to the court…martial board about sexual asphyxia； and how it was a consensual act； and how he misjudged her physical state while she was having an orgasm and he was stimulating her。 And the officers on the court…martial board will be pletely grossed…out and fascinated。 Eventually； they'll have reasonable doubt； and they'll have to agree that the physical evidence does not support an act of violent and forcible rape。 They'll believe it was a good time gone bad。 And I don't think they can even find for manslaughter。 You have two consenting adults engaging in kinky sex； and one of them inadvertently causes the death of the other。 The charge is reckless endangerment； if even that。〃
Cynthia mented； 〃Sex crimes are tough。 There're all sorts of other things involved。〃
I nodded； recalling a CID case； not my own； where a guy was into high…colonic enemas； and the woman administering them gave him one too many； and the guy's intestine burst； leading to death by hemorrhaging and infection。 The crew at Falls Church and the boys in the JAG Office had a good time with that one； but in the end decided not to prosecute。 The woman； a young lieutenant； was asked to resign； and the man； an older sergeant major with a chest full of medals； was given a military funeral with honors。 All for the good of the service。
Sex。 Ninety percent of the human sex drive es from the mind； and when the mind is wrong； the sex is wrong。 But if you have consent； you don't have rape； and if it was or could have been an accident； you don't have murder。 You have someone in need of serious counseling。
Cynthia asked me； 〃So？ Do we make an arrest？〃
I shook my head。
She said； 〃I think that's the right decision at this point。〃
I picked up the telephone and dialed Colonel Fowler's number。 A sleepy woman answered。 I identified myself； and Fowler got on the line。 〃Yes； Mr。 Brenner？〃 He sounded a little annoyed。
I said； 〃Colonel； I've decided I don't want Colonel Moore's office padlocked or the contents confiscated at this time。 I wanted you to know。〃
〃Now I know。〃
〃You asked me to let you know about arrests； and I've had second thoughts about placing him under arrest。〃
〃I didn't know you intended to arrest him； Mr。 Brenner； but if you rethink it again； will you please wake me up later so I can keep score？〃
〃Of course。〃 This was fun。 I liked a man with a dry sense of humor。 I said to him； 〃I called to ask you not to mention this to anyone。 It could jeopardize the case。〃
〃I understand。 But I will report this to the general。〃
〃I suppose you have no choice。〃
〃None whatsoever。〃 He cleared his throat。 〃Do you have any other suspects？〃
〃Not at the moment。 But I have some good leads。〃
〃That's encouraging。 Anything further？〃
〃I'm starting to turn up evidence that Captain Campbell 。。。 how shall I put this 。。。 ？ That Captain Campbell had an active social life。〃
Dead silence。
So I continued； 〃It was inevitable that this would e out。 I don't know if this relates to her murder； but I'll do my best to keep this in perspective and to minimize the damage to the fort and the Army if this information should bee public； and so on。〃
〃Why don't we meet at； say； 0700 hours at my house for coffee？〃
〃Well； I don't want to disturb you at home at that hour。〃
〃Mr。 Brenner； you are borderline insubordinate and definitely pissing me off。 Be here at 0700 hours sharp。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 The phone went dead。 I said to Cynthia； 〃I'll have to speak to the Signal Corps people about the phone service at Fort Hadley。〃
〃What did he say？〃
〃Colonel Fowler asks that we join him for coffee； 0700； his house。〃
She looked at her watch。 〃Well； we can get a little sleep。 Ready？〃
I looked around。 Most of the hangar was in darkness now； and most of the cots were filled with sleeping men and women； though a few diehards were still at it； bent over typewriters； test tubes； and microscopes。 〃Okay； half a day today。〃
As we walked through the hangar； I asked Cynthia； 〃Did they find her West Point ring in that bag of clothes？〃
〃No； they didn't。〃
〃And it hasn't turned up in her household possessions yet？〃
〃No； I asked Cal about it。〃
〃Odd。〃
〃She may have lost it；〃 Cynthia said。 〃Maybe it's being clean