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〃Right。 But you're exceeding your authority。〃
〃But not my power。〃
〃Take it easy。 It's not personal。〃
〃Okay 。。。 I'm just angry。 I mean； what the hell is the officer code about？ We've sworn to do our duty； to uphold high standards of morality； integrity； and ethics； and we've agreed that our word is our bond。 So now we find out that about thirty guys threw it all away； for what？〃
〃Pussy。〃
I couldn't help but laugh。 〃Right。 Pussy。 But it was pussy from hell。〃
〃We're not so pure； either。〃
〃We never promised our duty。〃
〃This is a murder case； not an ethics inquiry。 One thing at a time。〃
〃Right。 Send in the clowns。〃
Cynthia called Baker on the inter and said； 〃Send in the 。。。 civilian gentlemen。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
Cynthia said to me； 〃Now calm down。〃
〃I'm not angry at those bozos。 They're civilians。〃
The door opened； and Specialist Baker announced； 〃Chief Yardley and Officer Yardley。〃
Cynthia and I stood as the Yardleys； dressed in tan uniforms； came into the office。 Burt Yardley said； 〃Don't appreciate bein' kept waitin'。 But we'll let that slide。〃 He looked around the small room and mented； 〃Hell； I got holdin' cells bigger an' nicer than this。〃
〃So do we；〃 I informed him。 〃I'll show you one。〃
He laughed and said； 〃This here's my son Wes。 Wes； meet Miss Sunhill and Mr。 Brenner。〃
Wes Yardley was a tall； extremely lean man of about twenty…five； with long swept…back hair that would have gotten him in trouble on most police forces； except the one he was on。 We didn't shake hands； but he did touch his cowboy hat and nod to Cynthia。
The southern male doesn't usually remove his hat indoors when he's calling on inferiors or peers； because to arrive with his hat literally in his hand is to admit he's in the presence of social superiors。 It all goes back to plantation houses； gentlemen； sharecroppers； slaves； white trash； good families and bad families； and so on。 I don't quite get it； but the Army is heavy on hat rules； too； so I respect the local customs。
Lacking enough chairs； we all remained standing。 Burt Yardley said to me； 〃Hey； I got all your stuff packed nice and neat in my office。 You e on down and pick it up any ol' time。〃
〃That's very good of you；〃
Wes sort of smirked； and I wanted to bury my fist in his bony face。 The guy looked hyperactive； sort of jiggling around； like he was born with two thyroids。
I said to Burt； 〃Did you bring the government property with you？〃
〃Sure did。 Don't need no trouble with the government。 I gave it all to your little girl out there。 That's sort of a peace offering； Paul。 Can I call you Paul？〃
〃Sure thing； Burt。〃
〃Good。 And I'm thinkin' about lettin' you into the deceased's house。〃
〃I'm real pleased； Burt。〃
〃Now； you want to talk to my son about this business？〃 He looked at Wes and said； 〃Tell these people everything you know about that girl。〃
Cynthia said； 〃She was a woman； an officer in the United States Army。 Specialist Baker is also a woman； a soldier in the United States Army。〃
Burt did a little bow and touched his hat。 〃I'm song； ma'am。〃
I really felt like pulling my Glock on these two yahoos； and I would have painted them red in a heartbeat； except that I had a short deadline on this case。
Anyway； Wes started his spiel。 〃Yeah； I was seein' Ann now and then； but I seen other women； too； and she was seein' other men； and neither of us took it real personal。 The night she was killed； I was ridin' patrol in North Midland； midnight…to…eight shift； and I got about a dozen people who seen me； includin' my partner and gas station guys； 7…Eleven guys； and like that。 So that's all you got to know。〃
〃Thank you； Officer Yardley。〃
No one spoke for a few seconds； then Cynthia asked Wes； 〃Are you upset over Ann Campbell's death？〃
He seemed to think that over； then replied； 〃Yes； ma'am。〃
I asked him； 〃Can I get you a sedative or something？〃
Burt laughed and said to his son； 〃Forgot to tell you； boy； this here guy's real funny。〃
I said to Burt； 〃I'd like to speak to you alone。〃
〃Anything you got to say； you can say in front of my boy。〃
〃Not everything； Chief。〃
He looked at me a moment。 〃Well 。。。〃 He said to his son； 〃I'm gonna leave you alone with this young lady； Wes； and you behave now。〃 He laughed。 〃She don't know what a mover you are。 Probably thinks you just fell off the turnip truck。〃
On that note； Burt and I left the office； and I found an empty interview room。 We sat across a long table； and Burt said； 〃Damned reporters out there are gettin' too damn nosy。 Startin' to ask about these rumors that the general's daughter got around。 Understand？〃
I didn't recall a single question of that nature from the press； but I said； 〃Law officers don't engage in speculation in front of the press。〃
〃Hell； no。 Me and the general get along fine； and I wouldn't want to see his girl talked about after she's dead。〃
〃If you're leading up to something； Chief； spit it out。〃
〃Well； it occurs to me that maybe people think the Army CID pulled a fast one on me； and when y'all catch this guy； my organization won't get no credit。〃
Double negatives annoy me； but Burt Yardley annoyed me more。 I said； 〃Rest assured； Chief； your department will get all the credit it deserves。〃
He laughed。 〃Yeah； that's what I'm afraid of； son。 We need to get involved in this here case。〃
〃Take it up with the FBI。 They're in charge as of tomorrow。〃
〃Is that a fact？〃
〃Sure is。〃
〃Okay。 Meantime； you write a nice report sayin' how the Midland police helped you。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Why？ Because you're runnin' around talkin' about subpoena'n' my records； because the goddamn reporters are askin' questions about my boy's involvement with the deceased； because you're startin' to make me look like a damn fool 'cause I don't know shit； and because you goddamn well need me。〃 He added； 〃You're goin' to make things right。〃
The man was obviously annoyed； and I really couldn't blame him。 There is a strange symbiotic relationship between an Army post and the local munity； especially in the South。 At its worst； the relationship seems like one of an army of occupation ensconced in the defeated old Dixieland。 At its best； the locals realize that most of the officers and enlisted personnel are southerners themselves； and the post is no more intrusive than a big auto factory。 But big auto factories don't have their own laws and customs； so the reality is somewhere in between。 Anyway； in the spirit of cooperation； I said to Burt Yardley； 〃I'll introduce you to the FBI man in charge when I know who it is and give him a glowing report of your assistance and acplishments。〃
〃That's real decent of you； Paul。 You write somethin' out； too。 Bill Kent's doin' that right now。 Why don't we call him in here； and we'll have that big sit…down your little assistant there talked about。〃
〃I don't have a lot of time for big sit…downs； Chief。 You'll be involved in the continuing investigation to the fullest extent possible。 Don't worry about it。〃
〃Why do I think you're bullshittin' me； Paul？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃I'll tell you why。 'Cause you don't think I got one goddamn thing you want； and you don't give nothin' for nothin'。 Fact is；