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〃No； thank you； Colonel。〃
He looked at me and said； 〃Fire away。〃
I opened fire。 〃Were you sexually involved with Ann Campbell？〃
〃No。〃
〃Do you know anyone who was？〃
〃Colonel Kent has told you he was。 I won't mention any other names since to do so seems to put them on your suspect list。〃
〃Okay； let's go right to the list…do you know of anyone who might have had a motive for killing her？〃
〃No； I don't。〃
〃Did you know that General Campbell's junior aide； Lieutenant Elby； was infatuated with her？〃
〃Yes； I did。 That's not unmon； nor was it unwise of him to pay attention to his manding officer's daughter。 They were both single； attractive； and officers。 Marriages actually evolve from these situations。〃 Colonel Fowler added； 〃I give the young man credit for balls。〃
〃Amen。 But did she return his attentions？〃
Colonel Fowler thought a moment； then replied； 〃She never returned any man's attentions。 She initiated all the attention； and ended it when it pleased her。〃
〃That's a rather startling statement from you； Colonel。〃
〃Oh； please； Mr。 Brenner； you know all of this by now。 I'm not trying to protect her reputation from you two。 The woman was a 。。。 God； I wish I could e up with the right word 。。。 more than a seductress； not a tease…she delivered…not a mon slut 。。。〃 He looked at Cynthia。 〃Give me a word。〃
Cynthia replied； 〃I don't think we have a word for what she was； except perhaps avenger。〃
〃Avenger？〃
Cynthia said； 〃She wasn't the victim of rumor； as you first tried to suggest； and she wasn't promiscuous in the conventional sense； and neither was she clinically a nymphomaniac。 She was； in fact； using her charms and her body to exact a revenge； Colonel； and you know it。〃
Colonel Fowler did not seem pleased with this evaluation。 I suspected that Colonel Kent had given him only an edited briefing of what he'd told us and failed to include the fact that Ann Campbell's sexual behavior had a specific purpose； and that the purpose was to make Daddy look like a horse's ass。 Colonel Fowler said to Cynthia； 〃She did hate the Army。〃
Cynthia replied； 〃She hated her father。〃
Fowler seemed； for the first time； unfortable。 The man was a cool customer； and his armor was tried and tested； and so was his sword； but Cynthia just informed him that his rear was exposed。 Fowler said； 〃The general truly loved his daughter。 Please believe that。 But she had developed an obsessive and unreasonable hate for him。 In fact； I spoke to an outside psychologist about it； and though he couldn't analyze the dynamics from afar； he did suggest that the daughter might be suffering from a borderline personality disorder。〃
Cynthia mented； 〃From what I've heard so far； it doesn't sound so borderline。〃
〃Well； who the hell knows what these people mean？ I couldn't follow all he was saying； but it es down to the fact that the children of powerful men who try to follow in the father's footsteps bee frustrated； then go through a period of questioning their own worth； then eventually to preserve their ego they find something they can do well； something very different from their father's world； where they will not be in direct petition with him； but something that society considers important。 Thus； according to this psychologist； many of them wind up in social work； or as teachers； even nurses or some other nurturing profession。〃 Colonel Fowler added； 〃Including psychology。〃
I remarked； 〃Psychological warfare is not exactly a nurturing profession。〃
〃No； which is where this analysis diverts from the norm。 This psychologist told me that when the son or daughter remains in the father's world； it's often because they want to harm the father。 They can't pete； they won't or can't go off on their own； so they stay close to the source of their anger and engage in what amounts to guerrilla warfare； ranging from petty annoyances to major sabotage。〃
He thought a moment； then added； 〃They do this because it is the only way they can avenge…yes； as you said； Ms。 Sunhill…avenge themselves over these imagined injustices or whatever。 In Captain Campbell's case； she was in a unique position to do this。 Her father couldn't fire her； and she had developed a power base of her own。 Many sons and daughters who have these feelings against their father； according to this psychologist； engage in promiscuous behavior； drunkenness； gambling； and other antisocial acts that they know will embarrass the authority figure in his world。 Captain Campbell； perhaps as a result of her knowledge in the field of psychology； took it a step further； and apparently sought to seduce the men around her father。〃
Colonel Fowler leaned across the table and said to us； 〃I hope you understand that Ann's behavior was irrational； and that it had nothing to do with her father's behavior toward her。 We all have imagined enemies； and when it's a parent； no amount of parental love or caring can overe that anger in the child's mind。 This was a very disturbed woman who needed help； and she wasn't getting it。 In fact； that son…of…a…bitch Moore was fueling the flames of her anger for his own sick purposes。 I believe he wanted to see how far he could push and control the dynamics of this situation。〃
No one spoke for a full minute； then Cynthia inquired； 〃Why wasn't some drastic action taken by the general？ Isn't this the man who led an armored task force to the Euphrates River？〃
Colonel Fowler replied； 〃That was easy。 Handling Ann Campbell was not so easy。 Actually； the general considered such action about a year ago。 But according to the professional advice I was getting； had the general intervened by having Colonel Moore transferred； for instance； or having Ann ordered into therapy； which he could do as a mander； the situation may have gotten worse。 So the general listened to this advice and let the situation take its own course。〃
I mented； 〃And it wouldn't have done the general's career much good to pull rank on Moore and his daughter； and thereby admit there was a problem。〃
Colonel Fowler replied； 〃It was a very delicate situation。 Mrs。 Campbell 。。。 Ann's mother thought that the situation would improve if Ann was left to vent her irrational anger。 So it was a standoff。 But the general had decided to act； just a week ago。 But then 。。。 well； it was too late。〃
〃How；〃 I inquired； 〃did the general decide to act？〃
Colonel Fowler thought a moment and replied； 〃I don't know if telling you anything further is relevant to this case。〃
〃Tell me and I'll decide。〃
〃Well 。。。 all right； then。 The general； a few days ago； gave his daughter an ultimatum。 He gave her options。 Option one was to resign her mission。 Option two was to discontinue her duties at the school and agree to some sort of therapy of the general's choice…inpatient or out。 Option three； the general informed her that if she turned down those options； he would have the staff judge advocate investigate her misconduct and draw up charges for a general court…martial。〃
I nodded。 Somehow； I felt； this ultimatum； if it was true； precipitated what happened on rifle range six。 I asked Colonel Fowler； 〃How did she respond to this ultimatum？〃
〃She told her father she'd have an answer for him within tw