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son as soon as they boot us out of here。〃
〃Understood。 Is there anything here we can do for you？〃
Cynthia replied； 〃Yes； sir。 We have some information that Captain Campbell and her father had a serious falling…out while she was in her second year； at West Point。 Whatever happened then is possibly related to this case。 It's possible that what happened may have been public； or at least well known at the academy； or perhaps in the civilian munity around West Point。〃
〃All right； I'll put some people on it immediately。 Academy records； local newspapers； people who were there at the time； and I'll contact the Criminal Investigation Records Depository in Baltimore。 Correct？〃
〃Yes； sir。 And speed is very important；〃 Cynthia reminded him。
I said to him； 〃We're sort of circling around some sensitive issues； Karl； but eventually we have to go right to the heart of the problem。 I'm talking about the general。〃
〃Understood。 Do what you have to do。 I'm behind you。〃
〃Right。 Do you want to stand in front of me？〃
Silence again； then； 〃I'll fly down if you wish。〃
Cynthia and I glanced at each other； then I said； 〃We appreciate that； Karl； but if you just hang tough with the boys in the Pentagon； we'd like that。〃
〃I'll do what I can。〃
〃Thanks。〃
He asked； 〃Are you two working well together？〃
Neither Cynthia nor I responded immediately； but then she said； 〃Very well。〃
〃Good。 There's nothing like intense heat to forge a strong working team。〃
I said to Cynthia so that Karl could hear； 〃Tell him you apologized to me for Brussels； and that it was all your fault。〃
She smiled； then said into the speaker； 〃That's correct； Colonel。〃
〃Noted。 I'll get back to you ASAP with the West Point information if I have any luck。〃
〃Fine。〃
〃On another subject； I'm not pleased with your handling of the arms deal case。〃
〃Then turn it over to the FBI。〃
Silence； then； 〃I have your personnel file in front of me； Paul。 You have over twenty years in。〃
〃I can't live on full pay。 How am I going to live on half pay？〃
〃I'm concerned for you。 I don't like to lose good men； but I can sense that you're tired。 Do you want a staff job here in Falls Church？〃
〃You mean in the same building with you？〃
〃Consider your options。〃 He added； 〃I'm here if you just want to talk。 Good luck。〃 He hung up and I shut off the speaker and said to Cynthia； 〃He sounded almost human。〃
〃He's worried； Paul。〃
〃Well； he should be。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY…FOUR
We spent the next hour going through the paperwork on the desk； returning and making phone calls； including trying to pin down Colonel Fowler regarding the appointments with his wife； Mrs。 Campbell； and General Campbell。
I called Grace Dixon； our puter expert； who had flown in from Falls Church and was at Jordan Field trying to get Ann Campbell's PC to give up its files。 〃How's it going； Grace？〃
〃Going fine now。 Some of the puter files were encrypted。 We finally found a list of passwords in her home study…Inside a cookbook…and I'm pulling up all sorts of things。〃
I motioned to Cynthia to pick up the other receiver and said to Grace； 〃What kinds of things？〃
〃Some personal letters； a list of people and phone numbers； but the major entry is a diary。 Pretty steamy stuff； Paul。 Names； dates； places； sexual practices and preferences。 I guess that's what you're looking for。〃
〃I guess so。 Give me some names； Grace。〃
〃Okay 。。。 hold on 。。。 Lieutenant Peter Elby 。。。 Colonel William Kent 。。。 Major Ted Bowes 。。。〃 And on she went； reading off about two dozen names； some of which I knew； such as Colonel Michael Weems； the staff judge advocate； Captain Frank Swick； the medical officer； and Major Arnold Eames； the head chaplain； of all people； and some of whom I didn't know； but they were all military and probably all in some way in the general's immediate or extended retinue。 But then Grace read； 〃Wes Yardley； Burt Yardley…〃
〃Burt？〃
〃Yes。 I guess she liked the family。〃
Cynthia and I glanced at each other。 I said to Grace； 〃Right 。。。 and you didn't e across the name of Fowler？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃Charles Moore？〃
〃Yes 。。。 but he appears only as someone she has sessions with。 I guess he's a shrink。 This diary goes back about two years and begins； 'Report for duty at Daddy's fort。 Operation Trojan Horse begins。' 〃 She added； 〃This is really crazy stuff； Paul。〃
〃Give me an example of crazy。〃
〃Well； I'll read this 。。。 It's the last entry 。。。 Okay； I'm reading from the monitor。 It says； '14 August…invited Daddy's new operations officer； Colonel Sam Davis； to stop by my house for a get…acquainted drink。 Sam is about fifty； a little heavy but not too bad…looking； married with grown children； one of whom still lives with him on Bethany Hill。 He seems to be a devoted family man； and his wife； Sarah； whom I met at the new officer reception； is quite attractive。 Sam got to my house at 1900 hours； we had a few stiff drinks in my living room； then I put on some slow music and asked him to help me practice a new dance step。 He was nervous； but he'd had enough drinks to give him courage。 He was wearing summer greens； but I'd put on a white cotton shift； sans bra； and I was barefoot； and； within a few minutes； we were nuzzling； and the guy had 。。。 the guy had 。。。' 〃
〃Grace？〃
〃 'Had an erection 。。。' 〃
〃Ah…ha； one of those。〃 Grace Dixon is a middle…aged； matronly woman； a civilian employee with a happy home life； and most of her work is done for the CID's Contracts Fraud Unit； so it's usually numbers and double entries that she's after。 This was a real treat for her。 But maybe not。 〃Go on。〃
〃Okay 。。。 where was I？〃
〃Erection。〃
〃Yes 。。。 'and I made sure I brushed it with my fingers； then he finally took the initiative and slipped my shoulder strips off； and I wiggled out of the shift and we danced； with me in my panties。 Sam was somewhere between ecstasy and fainting out of fear； but I took him by the hand and led him into the basement。 Drinks included； the whole seduction took less than twenty minutes。 I showed him into my room in the basement and slipped off my panties 。。。' 〃
〃You still there； Grace？〃
〃Yes 。。。 my goodness 。。。 is this real or fantasy？〃
I replied； 〃For Sam Davis； it started as adventureland and went right to fantasyland。〃
〃She takes all these men into the basement。 She has some sort of room down there with sexual devices 。。。〃
〃Really？ Go on。〃
〃Oh 。。。 let's see 。。。〃 She continued reading from the monitor； 〃 'I put on some music in the room； then knelt down and unzipped his fly。 The guy was hard as a rock； and I was afraid he was going to e if I just touched it。 I told him he could do anything he wanted to me and told him to look around the room to see what interested him。 He was so hot he was just trying to pull his pants off； but I told him I wanted him to stay dressed； to make me his slave； to order me around； to use the strap on me or whatever； but it was his first time and he wasn't very cooperative about my needs。 Finally； he just bent me over the bed； and； with his pants down； he entered me vaginally from behind and came in about two seconds。' 〃 Grace said； 〃Do I hear heavy breathing on the line？〃
〃That's Cynthia；〃 I