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〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did you touch anything except the body？ The ropes； the tent pegs； the undergarments？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Did you touch the victim's vehicle？〃
〃No； sir。 I did not touch the evidence beyond determining that the victim was dead。〃
〃Anything else you want to mention？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Thank you。〃
PFC Casey saluted； turned； and resumed her position。
Kent； Cynthia； and I glanced at one another； as if trying to see what the others were thinking； or feeling。 Truly； moments like this try the soul and bee indelibly burned into the mind。 I have never forgotten a death scene； and never want to。
I looked down at Ann Campbell's face for a full minute； knowing I would not see it again。 This is important； I think； because it establishes a munion between the living and the dead； between the investigator and the victim。 Somehow it helps…not her； but me。
We went back to the road and walked around the humvee that Ann Campbell had driven； then looked inside the driver's side window； which was open。 Many military vehicles have no ignition keys； only a starter button switch； and the switch on the humvee was in the off position。 On the front passenger seat was a black leather nonmilitary…issue handbag。 Cynthia said to me； 〃I would have gone through the bag； but I didn't want to do that without your permission。〃
〃We're off to a good start。 Retrieve the handbag。〃
She went around to the passenger side； and； using a handkerchief； opened the door； took out the bag with the handkerchief； then sat on the lower bench of the bleachers and began laying out the contents。
I got down on the road and slid under the humvee； but there was nothing unusual on the blacktop。 I touched the exhaust system at various points and found it slightly warm in spots。
I stood； and Colonel Kent said to me； 〃Any ideas？〃
〃Well； a few possible scenarios e to mind。 But I have to wait until forensic gets finished。 I assume you called them。〃
〃Of course。 They're on their way from Gillem。〃
〃Good。〃 Fort Gillem is outside Atlanta； about two hundred miles north of Hadley； and the CID lab there is a state…of…the…art operation that handles all of North America。 The people who work there are good； and like me they go where they're needed。 Major crimes are still relatively rare in the Army； so the lab can usually muster the resources it needs when a big one es down。 In this case； they'd probably show up with a caravan。 I said to Colonel Kent； 〃When they get here； tell them to be very curious about a black smudge on the sole of her right foot。 I want to know what it is。〃
Kent nodded； probably thinking to himself； Typical CID bullshit。 And he might well have been right。
〃Also； I want you to do a grid search。 Let's say two hundred meters in each direction from the body； excluding an area fifty meters immediately around the body。〃 This would mess up any footprints； but there were hundreds of bootprints in the area of the rifle range anyway； and the only ones I was interested in were those within fifty meters of the body。 I said to Kent； 〃I want your people to gather up anything that isn't natural flora…cigarette butts； buttons； paper； bottles； and all that； and record the grid where they found it。 All right？〃
〃No problem。 But I think this guy got in and got out clean。 Probably by vehicle； just like the victim。〃
〃I think you're right； but we're creating files。〃
〃We're covering our asses。〃
〃Right。 We go by the book。〃 Which was safe and sometimes even effective。 Bottom line on this one； though； I was going to have to get real creative； and I was going to piss off a lot of important people。 That's the fun part。
I said to Kent； 〃I need Captain Campbell's personnel and medical files sealed and in your office before noon。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃And I need an office at your place； and a clerk。〃
〃One desk or two？〃
I glanced at Cynthia。 〃I guess two desks。 But I'm not mitting to this yet。〃
〃Don't blow smoke up my ass； Paul。 You in or not？〃
〃I'll see what they say at Falls Church。 Okay； delay notifying the public information officer until about ten hundred hours。 Send two guys to Captain Campbell's office and physically remove her desk； furniture； and all her personal possessions； and have everything locked up in your evidence room。 And have Sergeant St。 John and PFC Robbins remain in the provost marshal's office until I can see them。 I don't want anyone speaking a word of this until they've spoken to me。 And it is your unpleasant duty； Colonel； to pay an official call on General and Mrs。 Campbell at their home。 Go unannounced and with an appropriate chaplain and a medical officer in case anyone needs a sedative or something。 They may not view the body at the scene。 Okay？〃
Kent nodded and let out a long breath。 〃Jesus Christ 。。。〃
〃Amen。 Meanwhile； instruct your people not to say a word about what we found here； and give forensic a set of disqualifying fingerprints from PFC Casey； and disqualifying bootprints from everyone here at the scene； including yourself； of course。〃
〃Right。〃
〃Also； tape off the latrine sheds and don't let anyone use them。 Also； the latrines are off limits to forensic until I have a chance to check them out。〃
〃Okay。〃
I walked over to Cynthia； who was now putting everything back in the handbag； still using a handkerchief。 〃Anything interesting？〃
〃No。 Basic stuff。 Wallet； money； keys； and everything appears intact。 Here's a chit from the O Club。 She had dinner last night。 Salad； chicken； white wine； and coffee。〃 She added； 〃She was probably there in the dining room about the same time we were having a drink。〃
Kent had joined us and he asked； 〃You two had drinks together？ You know each other？〃
I replied； 〃We had drinks separately。 We are nodding acquaintances。〃 I asked Cynthia； 〃Campbell's address？〃
〃Off post； unfortunately。 Victory Gardens on Victory Drive in Midland。 Unit forty…five。〃 She added； 〃I think I know the place…a town…house plex。〃
Kent said； 〃I'll call Chief Yardley…that's the Midland police chief； and he'll get a court order and he can meet us there。〃
〃No。 We'll keep this in the family； Bill。〃
〃You can't go search her off…post house without a civilian search warrant…〃
Cynthia handed me the keys from Ann Campbell's bag and said； 〃I'll drive。〃
Kent protested； 〃You can't go off post without civilian authority。〃
I detached Ann Campbell's car keys from the key chain and gave them to Kent； along with the victim's handbag。 〃Find out where her car is and impound it。〃
As we walked toward Cynthia's Mustang； I said to Kent； 〃You should stay here to direct things。 When you write your report； you can write that I said I was going to the Midland police。 I'll take responsibility for my change of mind。〃
〃Yardley is a tough； redneck son…of…a…bitch；〃 Kent informed me。 〃He'll get your ass； Paul。〃
〃He has to stand in line and wait his turn。〃 To get Kent squared away so he didn't do anything stupid； I said； 〃Look； Bill； I have to have first look at Ann Campbell's place。 I have to remove anything that might embarrass her； her family； the Army； or her military colleagues and friends。 Right？ Then we'll let Chief Yardley have his shot at the house。 Okay？〃
He seemed to