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〃No。 But we got real close there。〃
We found the house； a good…sized brick structure with standard green door； green trim； and green shutters。 A Ford station wagon and Jeep Cherokee were parked in the driveway。 American…made vehicles are not de rigueur for high…ranking officers； but it's not a bad idea； either。
We parked on the street； got out of Cynthia's Mustang； and proceeded up the front walk。 It was still cool on the hill at 0700 hours； but the hot sun was slanting in at a low angle under the trees； and it felt like another one of those days in the making。
I said to Cynthia； 〃Colonels with enough time in grade and time in service to be a general； such as Colonels Fowler and Kent； are extremely sensitive to career…limiting problems。〃
Cynthia replied； 〃Every problem is an opportunity。〃
I said； 〃Sometimes every problem is a problem。 Kent； for instance； is finished。〃 It was exactly 0700 hours and I knocked on the green door。
An attractive black woman； wearing a nice aqua summer dress； opened the door and forced a smile。 Before I could announce ourselves； which is customary； she said； 〃Oh 。。。 Ms。 Sunhill and Mr。 Brenner。 Correct？〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃 I was willing to forgive her for recognizing the younger and obviously lower…ranking warrant officer first。 Civilians； even colonels' wives； sometimes got it wrong； and to be honest； rank among warrant officers is like virginity among prostitutes： there ain't none。
We stood there awkwardly a moment； then she showed us in and escorted us down the center hall。
Cynthia said to her； 〃This is a beautiful home。〃
She replied； 〃Thank you。〃
Cynthia asked her； 〃Did you know Captain Campbell well？〃
〃Oh 。。。 no 。。。 not well。〃
Which was a rather odd reply。 I mean； how could General Campbell's adjutant's wife not know General Campbell's daughter？ Clearly； Mrs。 Fowler was distracted； forgetting all sorts of little social courtesies that should be second nature to a colonel's wife。 I asked her； 〃Have you seen Mrs。 Campbell since the tragedy？〃
〃Mrs。 Campbell？ No 。。。 I've been 。。。 too upset 。。。〃
Not as upset as the victim's mother； however； and that was a sympathy call that should have been made by now。
I was about to ask another question； but we reached our destination； a screened porch in the rear of the house where Colonel Fowler was speaking on the telephone。 He was already dressed in his green A uniform； his shirt buttoned and his tie snug； though his jacket was draped over a chair。 He motioned us into two wicker chairs opposite him at a small table； and we sat。
The military is perhaps the last American bastion of fixed and clearly defined social customs； rank； responsibilities； and required courtesies； and in case you needed guidance； there's an entire six…hundred…page book for officers； explaining what your life is and should be about。 So when things seem a little askew； you start wondering。
Mrs。 Fowler excused herself and disappeared。 Colonel Fowler was listening on the phone； then said； 〃I understand； sir。 I'll tell them。〃 He hung up and looked at us。 〃Good morning。〃
〃Good morning； Colonel。〃
〃Coffee？〃
〃Please。〃
He poured two cups of coffee and indicated the sugar。 He began without preamble； 〃I've encountered very little discrimination in the Army； and I can speak for other minorities when I say that the Army is； indeed； a place where race and religion are not a factor in advancement or in any other area of Army life。 There may be racial problems among the enlisted personnel； but there is no systemic racial discrimination。〃
I wasn't sure where this was going； so I put sugar in my coffee。
Colonel Fowler looked at Cynthia。 〃Have you experienced any discrimination based on your sex？〃
Cynthia hesitated； then replied； 〃Perhaps 。。。 yes； on a few occasions。〃
〃Have you ever been harassed because of your gender？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Have you been the subject of rumors； innuendos； or lies？〃
〃Maybe 。。。 once that I know of。〃
Colonel Fowler nodded。 〃So you see that I as a black man have had fewer problems than you as a white woman。〃
Cynthia replied； 〃I know that the Army is less accepting of females than of males。 But so is the rest of the world。 What is the point； Colonel？〃
〃The point； Ms。 Sunhill； is that Captain Ann Campbell had a very difficult time here at Hadley。 If she had been the general's son； for instance； and had fought in the Gulf； Panama； or Grenada； she would have been idolized by the troops as so many sons of great warriors have been throughout history。 Instead； the rumor going around is that she fucked for everyone on post。 Excuse my language。〃
I offered； 〃And if Captain Campbell had been the son of a fighting general who came home covered with glory and fucked all the female personnel on post； he'd never have to buy another drink in the O Club。〃
Colonel Fowler looked at me。 〃Precisely。 We have that odd double standard for men and women that we would not tolerate if it were racial。 So if you have some hard information concerning Captain Campbell's sexual conduct； I'd like to hear it； though I don't care if it's true or not。〃
I replied； 〃I'm not at liberty to reveal my sources at this time。 My only interest in Captain Campbell's sexual conduct is how or if it relates to her murder。 I have no prurient interest in her sex life as an entertaining sidelight to her rape and strangulation out there on the rifle range。〃 Actually； of course； she wasn't raped； but I wasn't giving out free copies of the autopsy。
Colonel Fowler said； 〃I'm sure that's true； Mr。 Brenner； and I didn't mean to question your professional ethics。 But you'd damned well better keep that connection in mind and not let your investigation bee a witch…hunt。〃
〃Look； Colonel； I appreciate your distress； and the distress of the deceased's family。 But we're not talking about rumor and innuendo； as you suggested。 We're talking about hard facts that I have。 Ann Campbell had not only an active sex life； which in her position in this man's Army is not solely her business； but she led a potentially dangerous sex life。 We can argue about double standards all morning； but when I hear that a general's daughter slept with half the senior married officers on post； I think of suspects； not tabloid headlines。 The words 'slut' and 'whore' don't pop into my detective's mind。 But the words 'blackmail' and 'motive' do。 Do I make myself clear； sir？〃
Colonel Fowler must have thought so； because he was nodding； or perhaps he was agreeing with some thought in his head。 He said to me； 〃If you make an arrest； do I have your assurances that only the minimal amount of this information appears in your report？〃
I had half a mind to tell him about Ann Campbell's hidden store of sexual delights and how I had already promised myself to minimize the damage。 I said； 〃The evidence in Captain Campbell's house could have and should have been shared with Chief Yardley。 But Ms。 Sunhill and I took a precautionary move to ensure that anything in the house of an unmarried； attractive female officer that would be embarrassing to her family or the Army did not wind up as a public amusement。 Actions speak louder than words； and that's the only assurance I can give you。〃
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