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e was spotted in his staff car cruising past the Post Headquarters； then he went up to Bethany Hill where he lives。〃
〃I see。 And was it mon knowledge that Mrs。 Kent was out of town？〃
〃Yes； sir； it was。〃
〃And I assume at least one MP patrol cruises Bethany Hill each evening。〃
〃Yes； sir。 At least one each night。〃
〃And what was the word on Randy Six that night？〃
She suppressed a smile。 〃Well 。。。 no visitors； and no one saw his staff car leave the driveway all night。 But he could have left in his POV and no one noticed。〃
Or he could have used his wife's car； though I didn't see any car in his driveway when I drove past this morning。 But there was a garage out to the rear of the property。 I said to Baker； 〃You understand the nature of these questions？〃
〃Oh； yes。〃
〃This will not bee part of the office conversations。〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Okay； thanks。 Have someone send in coffee and donuts or something。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 She turned and left。
Cynthia and I sat in silence a moment； then she said； 〃That was a good idea。〃
〃Thanks； but I can't place a lot of confidence in office scuttlebutt。〃
〃But this is MP Headquarters。〃
〃True。〃 I said； 〃You see why I'm annoyed at Kent。 The stupid bastard has bee a laughingstock in his own mand。〃
〃I see that。〃
〃I mean； forget morality if you want。 You never； never diddle where you work。 People laugh。〃
〃I'll bet they laughed at us in Brussels and Falls Church。〃
〃I'm certain they did。〃
〃How embarrassing。〃
〃Right。 I hope you learned your lesson。〃
She smiled； then looked at me。 〃What were you trying to establish with Baker？ That Kent is the butt of office jokes？〃
I shrugged。
She said； 〃The distance from Bethany Hill to rifle range six is about five or six miles。 You could drive there in under ten minutes； even if you did the last few miles without lights； because there was bright moonlight that night。〃
〃The thought had occurred to me。 And you could drive from Beaumont House to range six in a little over ten minutes； if you pushed it。〃
She nodded。 〃Facts to keep in mind。〃 She looked at the medical file in front of her and said； 〃What do you make of this psychiatrist's report？〃
I replied； 〃Ann Campbell had suffered some sort of trauma and wasn't sharing it with anyone。 What do you think？〃
〃Same。 There's not much to go on in this report； but I'd guess that the problem was not stress or fatigue； but a single event that traumatized her and led somehow to her betrayal by her father。 In other words； Daddy was not there for her when whatever happened； happened。 Does that all fit？〃
〃Seems to。〃 I thought a moment； then said； 〃I keep thinking that it's sexual； and that it's something to do with a guy who had one or two more stars than Daddy； and that Daddy backed off and convinced his daughter to do the same。〃
〃Something like that。〃
I added； 〃We have to get her service academy file； but I would not be at all surprised if we found it contained nothing relevant to what Moore said。〃
The coffee came in a big stainless…steel galley pitcher； with a plastic tray of donuts； cold； stale； and greasy。 Cynthia and I dug in and talked awhile。
The phone had been ringing almost constantly； but Specialist Baker or someone else had been picking up。 This time； however； when the phone rang； the inter buzzed； and Specialist Baker said； 〃Colonel Hellmann。〃
〃I'll take it。〃 I put the phone on two…way speaker so Cynthia could hear and speak； and said into the microphone； 〃Brenner and Sunhill； sir。〃
〃Ah； we speak of little else here。〃
Karl actually sounded light this morning； which throws me off a bit。 I replied； 〃Is that so？〃
〃It is。 Are you both well？〃
Cynthia replied； 〃Very well； Colonel。〃
〃Good。 I've received some plaints about your behavior。〃
I replied； 〃Then you know we're doing our job。〃
He replied； 〃I know you're starting to annoy people； which is sometimes an indication that you're doing a good job。 But I called to see if you know that the case is being taken out of your hands。〃
〃Yes； sir； we know。〃
〃I did what I could to keep it a CID matter； but the FBI has more influence than I do。〃
〃We may have this case pleted soon； anyway；〃 I assured him。
〃Really？ Well； I hope you can wrap it up within the next fifteen minutes； because the FBI has jumped the gun and the task force has already arrived at Fort Hadley。〃
〃They should stay out of our way until 1200 hours tomorrow。〃
〃They should； but you'll trip over a few of them。〃
I said； 〃I get the impression you're relieved to be out of this。〃
〃What gives you that impression； Mr。 Brenner？〃
〃Your tone of voice； sir。 You sound happy。〃
There was a pause； then he said； 〃You should be happy； too。 Nothing good could e of this case for you or for the CID。〃
〃That's not how I decide what cases to take。〃 Actually； it was； sometimes。 But sometimes you took a case because you felt it was your duty to do so； or because you felt a personal attachment to it； or simply because you wanted to be the person to catch a particularly nasty bad guy。 I informed Karl； 〃I'm going to solve the case and bring credit and glory on all of us。〃
〃Well； I respect that； Paul。 I do。 On the other hand； the potential for discredit and disaster is great。〃 He added； 〃The FBI has given us an out。 The idiots want the case。〃
〃So do the two idiots here。〃
Karl changed the subject and said； 〃Forensic tells me you have a suspect。 A Colonel Moore。〃
〃We have an individual who was at the scene of the crime。 He is a suspect； yes。〃
〃But you haven't arrested him。〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃They want you to。〃
〃Who are they？〃
〃You know。 Well； do what you think best。 I never interfere。〃
〃Hardly ever。〃
〃Any more suspects？〃
〃No； sir； but I was just about to dial 1…800…SUSPECT when you called。〃
Silence； then； 〃Ms。 Sunhill； in your report you said the rape may have in fact been a consensual act。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃So that might indicate that the perpetrator was a friend。 Wouldn't it？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃But not her superior officer； Colonel Moore； who was apparently at the scene？〃
Cynthia glanced at me； then replied； 〃It's bee very plex； Colonel。〃 She added； 〃Captain Campbell had many boyfriends。〃
〃Yes； I'm hearing that。〃 He added； in a rare moment of prehension； 〃It's a mess out there； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Hellmann said； 〃Paul； you haven't made contact with Major Bowes yet。〃
〃No； Colonel。 Major Bowes may be part of the problem here。 That's only hearsay； but you might think about calling him back to Falls Church for a chat。〃
〃I see。〃 He stayed silent a moment； then said； 〃The CID doesn't need that。〃
〃No。〃
〃Are you engaging in damage control？〃
〃No；〃 I replied； 〃that's not my job。〃 I added with some satisfaction； 〃I think I mentioned to you that this was going to be a sensitive case。〃
Silence； then； 〃I only care about the reputation of my officers。〃
〃Then get Bowes out of here。〃
〃All right。 Can you fax me a report before 1800 hours？〃
〃No； Colonel； there will be no further reports。 We're extremely busy trying to find a murderer。 We'll report to you in person as soon as they boot us out of here。〃
〃Understood。 Is there anything here we can do for you？〃