按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Colonel Kent said； 〃This guy was a sick puppy。〃 He added； as if I didn't get it； 〃I mean； he did it to her right there on the rifle range； with that pop…up guy sort of looking down at her。〃
If only the pop…up guy could talk。 I turned and looked around the area。 Some distance behind the bleachers and the fire control towers was a tree line in which I could see latrine sheds。 I said to Colonel Kent； 〃Have you searched the area for any other possible victims？〃
〃No 。。。 well 。。。 we didn't want to disturb evidence。〃
〃But someone else may also be dead； or alive and in need of assistance。 Evidence is secondary to aiding victims。 Says so in the manual。〃
〃Right 。。。〃 He looked around and called to an MP sergeant。 〃Get on the horn and have Lieutenant Fullham's platoon get down here with the dogs。〃
Before the sergeant could respond； a voice from the top of the bleachers said； 〃I already did that。〃
I looked up at Ms。 Sunhill。 〃Thank you。〃
〃You're wele。〃
I wanted to ignore her； but I knew this wasn't going to be possible。 I turned and walked onto the rifle range。 Kent followed。
As we walked； Kent's stride got a bit shorter； and he fell behind。 The two MPs there were at parade rest； pointedly looking away from the ground upon which lay Captain Ann Campbell。
I stopped a few feet from the body； which was lying on its back。 She was naked； as Kent had indicated； except for a sports watch on her left wrist。 A few feet from the body lay what we call a mercially purchased undergarment…her bra。 As Kent had also said； her uniform was missing from the scene。 Also missing were her boots； socks； helmet； pistol belt； holster； and sidearm。 More interestingly； perhaps； was the fact that Ann Campbell was spread…eagled on her back； her wrists and ankles bound to tent pegs with cord。 The pegs were a green vinyl plastic； and the cord was green nylon； both Army issue。
Ann Campbell was about thirty and well built； the sort of build you see on female aerobic instructors with well…defined leg and arm muscles and not an ounce of flab。 Despite her present condition； I recognized her face from Army posters。 She was quite attractive in a clean…cut way； and wore her blond hair in a simple shoulder…length style； perhaps a few inches beyond regulations； which was the least of her problems at the moment。
Around her neck was a long length of the same nylon cord that bound her wrists and ankles； and beneath this cord were her panties； which had been pulled over her head； one leg of the panties around her neck； so that the cord did not bite directly into her neck； but was cushioned by the panties。 I knew what this meant； but I don't think anyone else did。
Cynthia came up beside me； but said nothing。
I knelt beside the body and noted that the skin appeared waxy and translucent； causing the powder blush on her cheeks to stand out sharply。 Her fingernails and toenails； which had only a clear lacquer on them； had lost their pinkish color。 Her face was unbruised； unscratched； and without lacerations or bite marks； and so were the parts of her body that I could see。 Aside from the obscene position of her body； there were no outward signs of rape； no semen around the genitals； thighs； or in the pubic hair； no signs of struggle in the surrounding area； no grass or soil marks on her skin； no blood； dirt； or skin under her nails； and her hair was mostly in place。
I leaned over and touched her face and neck； where rigor mortis usually sets in first。 There was no rigor； and I felt her underarms； which were still warm。 There was some livor mortis； or lividity； that had settled into her thighs and buttocks； and the lividity was a deep purple color； which would be consistent with asphyxia； which in turn was consistent with the rope around her neck。 I pressed my finger against the purplish skin above where her buttocks met the ground； and the depressed spot blanched。 When I took my finger away； the livid color returned； and I was reasonably certain that death had occurred within the last four hours。
One thing I learned a long time ago was that you never take a witness's statement as gospel truth。 But so far； Sergeant St。 John's chronology seemed to hold up。
I bent over further and looked into Ann Campbell's large blue eyes； which stared unblinking into the sun。 The corneas were not yet cloudy； reinforcing my estimate of a recent death。 I pulled at one of her eyelids and saw in the linings around the eye； small spotty hemorrhages； which is presumptive evidence of death by asphyxia。 So far； what Kent had told me； and the scene that presented itself； seemed to port with what I was discovering。
I loosened the rope around Ann Campbell's neck and examined the panties beneath the rope。 The panties were not torn and were not soiled by the body or by any foreign substance。 There were no dog tags under the panties； so these； too； were missing。 Where the ligature； the rope； had circled the neck there was only a faint line of bruising； barely discernible if you weren't looking for it。 Yet； death had e by strangulation； and the panties lessened the damage the rope would normally have done to the throat and neck。
I stood and walked around the body； noting that the soles of her feet were stained with grass and soil； meaning she had walked barefoot for at least a few steps。 I leaned down and examined the bottom of her feet； discovering on her right foot a small tar or blacktop stain on the soft fleshy spot below her big toe。 It would appear that she had actually been barefoot back on the road； which might mean she had taken off her clothes； or at least her boots and socks； near the humvee and was made to walk here； fifty meters away； barefoot or perhaps naked； though her bra and panties were near the body。 I examined her bra and saw that the front clasp was intact； not bent or broken； and there were no signs of dirt or stress on the fabric。
All this time no one said a word； and you could hear the morning birds in the trees； and the sun had risen above the line of white pines beyond the berm； and long morning shadows spread across the firing ranges。
I addressed Colonel Kent。 〃Who was the first MP on the scene？〃
Kent called over the female MP nearby； a young PFC； and said to her； 〃Give your report to this man。〃
The MP； whose name tag said Casey； looked at me and reported； 〃I received a radio call at 0452 hours advising me that a female body had been found at rifle range six； approximately fifty meters west of a humvee parked on the road。 I was in the vicinity and I proceeded to this location and reached the scene at 0501 hours and saw the humvee。 I parked and secured my vehicle； took my M…16； and proceeded onto the rifle range； where I located the body。 I felt for a pulse； listened for a heartbeat； tried to detect breathing； and shined my flashlight into the victim's eyes； but they did not respond to the light。 I determined that the victim was dead。〃
I asked her； 〃Then what did you do？〃
〃I returned to my vehicle and called for assistance。〃
〃You followed the same path to and from the body？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did you touch anything except the body？ The ropes； the tent pegs； the undergarments？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Did you touch the victim