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！
in about two seconds。' 〃 Grace said； 〃Do I hear heavy breathing on the line？〃
〃That's Cynthia；〃 I assured her。 〃Is that the end of the entry？〃
〃No； she goes on to say； 'I took his clothes off； and we showered together。 He was anxious to get going and kept apologizing for ing so fast。 I made him lie down on the bed naked and put a silly pig mask on his face； then took two shots with a Polaroid and gave one to him； and we joked about it； and he was too polite to ask for the other photo； but you could tell he was nervous about the whole thing。 I told him I'd like to see him again and assured him that this was our little secret。 He got dressed； and I showed him upstairs to the front door。 I was still naked。 He looked panicky； like he was afraid to even go outside and be seen leaving my place； and he definitely wasn't going straight home with his heart still pounding and his knees shaking。 Finally； he said that he didn't want to see me again； and would I mind getting that photo； so I went into my crying routine； and he hugged and kissed me； and I had to wipe lipstick off his face。 He left and I watched him from the window； racing to his car and glancing over his shoulder。 The next time； I'll ask him to bring me a case of wine and see how fast he can run up the walk with that in his hands。' 〃
Grace said； 〃This has got to be made up。〃
〃Grace； you will not breathe a word of this to anyone； you will not print out a word of anything； and you will guard those puter passwords with your life。 Understand？〃
〃Understand。〃
I thought a moment； then said； 〃Correction。 Print out a few Burt Yardley meetings； put them in a sealed envelope； and have them sent to me here； ASAP。〃
〃Understood。〃 She said； 〃There are over thirty different men mentioned here over a two…year period。 Do single women sleep with thirty different men in twenty…four months？〃
〃How would I know？〃
And the way she describes these encounters 。。。 my Lord； she's got a problem…had a problem…with men。 I mean； she makes them abuse her； but she's controlling them and thinking they're plete fools。〃
〃She was right about that。〃 I said to her； 〃Pull up recent entries for Colonel Weems and Major Bowes and tell me if it's hot stuff。〃
〃Okay 。。。 hold on 。。。〃 She said； 〃Here's Weems； 31 July； this year 。。。 Yes； very steamy stuff。 You want me to read it？〃
〃No； I can't handle much more。 How about Bowes？〃
〃Right 。。。 4 August； this year 。。。 wow！ This guy is weird。 Who is this？〃
〃Our local CID man。〃
〃Oh 。。。 no！〃
〃Yes。 Mum's the word。 Speak to you later； Grace。〃 I hung up。
Cynthia and I sat silently for a moment； then I said； 〃Well 。。。 if I was a married colonel； the general's new operations officer； and the general's beautiful daughter invited me over for a drink 。。。〃
。。Yes？〃
〃I'd run。〃
〃Which way？〃
I smiled； then said； 〃Couldn't he have held out for more than twenty minutes？〃
Cynthia mented； 〃You know； Paul； I understand from my experience in rape cases that some men have difficulty controlling their urges。 But you guys should try to think with the big head； not the little head。
〃A rising cock has no conscience； Cynthia。〃 I added； 〃In the case of Sam Davis； don't blame the victim。〃
〃You're right。 But I think she was a victim； too。 This is not about sex。〃
〃No； it's not。 It's about Operation Trojan Horse。〃 I thought a moment； then said； 〃Well； we can assume that Burt Yardley knows where the basement playroom is。〃
〃Probably；〃 Cynthia agreed。 〃But I doubt that she brought Wes Yardley down there。〃
〃That's true。 He was the boyfriend。 He had no real power； on or off post； and he isn't married； so he couldn't be promised or blackmailed。 But I wonder if Wes knew about his old papa dipping into the same honeypot。〃
〃You have a way with words； Paul。〃
Specialist Baker came in and informed us； 〃Police Chief Yardley and Police Officer Yardley are here to see you。〃 I replied； 〃I'll let you know when I want to see them。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Someone from the CID detachment at Jordan Field will be here shortly with an envelope。 Bring it in as soon as it arrives。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 She left。
I said to Cynthia； 〃We're going to have to separate Burt and Wes at some point。〃
〃Right。〃
I stood。 〃I have to go see a buddy of mine in the lockup。〃 I left the office and followed a maze of intersecting corridors to the holding cells。 I found Dalbert Elkins in the same corner cell where I'd put him。 He was lying on the cot； reading a hunting and fishing magazine。 They hadn't given him a uniform； and he was still in his shorts； T…shirt； and sandals。 I said； 〃Hello； Dalbert。〃
He looked up； then sat up； then stood up。 〃Oh 。。。 hi 。。。〃
〃They treating you okay； buddy？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃You mean； yes； sir。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did you write a good confession？〃
He nodded。 He looked less frightened now； and more sulky。 It is my policy； shared by most CID criminal investigators； to visit the people you've locked up in jail。 You make sure the MPs or the stockade guards are not abusing them； which unfortunately happens in military confinement from time to time。 You make sure their families are okay； they have some money for sundries； have writing materials and stamps； and you give them a friendly ear。 I asked Elkins about all these things； and he assured me he was not being mistreated； and he had everything he needed。 I asked him； 〃You want to stay here； or do you want to go to the stockade？〃
〃Here。〃
〃You can play baseball in the stockade。〃
〃Here。〃
〃Are you being cooperative with the CID guys？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Do you want a lawyer？〃
〃Well 。。。〃
〃You have a right to be represented by counsel。 You may have a JAG lawyer at no expense to you； or you may hire a civilian attorney。〃
〃Well 。。。 what do you think？〃
〃I think if you get a lawyer； you'll make me very angry。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Do you feel like the dumbest； sorriest son…of…a…bitch who ever lived？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃You're going to make it right。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃My name is Warrant Officer Brenner； by the way。 I was just kidding about that Sergeant White stuff。 If you need anything； or your family wants to contact anyone； you ask for Brenner。 If anyone messes you around； you tell them you're being watched over by Brenner。 Okay？〃
〃Yes； sir 。。。 thanks。〃
〃I won't be around too much longer； but I'll get you another CID guy to watch after you。 I'll try to get you out of jail and confined to barracks； but I'm going to tell you； Dalbert； if you run away； I'll e and find you； and kill you。 Understood？〃
〃Yes； sir。 If you get me out of here； I'll stay put。 Promise。〃
〃And if you don't； I'll kill you。 Promise。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
I went back to my office； where Cynthia was reading Ann Campbell's personnel file。 I called the local CID and got hold of a Captain Anders。 We discussed Dalbert Elkins awhile； and I remended confinement to barracks。 Anders seemed hesitant； but agreed if I would sign a remendation for release。 I said I would and asked to speak to Major Bowes。 While I waited； I wondered； Why do I stick my neck out for people I put in jail？ I have to find a new line of work； something not so exciting。
As I scribbled out a remendation for release from confinement；