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〃I see。 And you discussed this with the general； man…to…man？〃
〃Yes； I did； a few weeks ago。 He seemed happy； but he told me to take a month to think it over。 He said that his daughter was a very headstrong young woman。〃
〃I see。 And then recently you received orders to go to someplace on the other side of the world。〃
He looked at me； sort of surprised。 〃Yes 。。。 Guam。〃
I almost laughed； but didn't。 Though he was my superior； he was young enough to be my son； and I put my hand on his shoulder。 I said to him； 〃Lieutenant； you could have been the best thing to happen to Ann Campbell； but it wasn't going to happen。 You got caught in a power struggle between General and Captain Campbell； and they moved you up and down the board。 Somewhere in the back of your mind you understand this。 Get on with your life and your career； Lieutenant； and the next time you think about marriage； take two aspirin； lie down in a dark room； and wait for the feeling to pass。〃
Unfortunately； Cynthia returned at that very moment and gave me a nasty look。
Lieutenant Elby seemed confused and irritated； but something was clicking in his brain。 He looked at his watch and said； 〃Mrs。 Campbell will see you now。〃
We followed Elby into the hallway； and he showed us into a large； sort of Victorian parlor at the front of the house。
Mrs。 Campbell rose from her chair and we went to her。 She was wearing a simple black dress； and as I got closer I could see the resemblance to her daughter。 At about sixty years old； Mrs。 Campbell had made that transition from beautiful to attractive； but it would be another ten years at least before people would begin using the neutral and sexless expression 〃a handsome woman。〃
Cynthia took her hand first and went through the condolences。 I also took her hand and did the same。 She said； 〃Won't you be seated？〃 She indicated a love seat near the front window。 We sat； and she took the love seat opposite。 Between us was a small round table on which sat a few decanters of cordials and glasses。 Mrs。 Campbell was drinking tea； but asked us； 〃Would you like some sherry or port？〃
Actually； I wanted the alcohol； but not if I had to drink sherry or port to get at it。 I declined； but Cynthia said yes to sherry； and Mrs。 Campbell poured one for her。
Mrs。 Campbell； I was surprised to discover； had a southern accent； but then I remembered seeing her on television once during the Gulf War； and I recalled thinking what a politically perfect pair they were： a rock…hard general from the Midwest and a cultured lady from the South。
Cynthia made some light chatter； and Mrs。 Campbell； for all her grief； kept up her end of the conversation。 Mrs。 Campbell； it turned out； was from South Carolina； herself the daughter of an Army officer。 June Campbell…that was her name…was； I thought； the embodiment of everything that was good about the South。 She was polite； charming； and gracious； and I recalled what Colonel Fowler had said about her； and I added loyal and ladylike but tough。
I was aware that the clock was ticking； but Cynthia seemed in no hurry to get to the nasty stuff； and I assumed she had decided it wasn't appropriate and/or had lost her nerve。 I didn't blame her at all。 But then Cynthia said； 〃I assume Mrs。 Fowler； or perhaps Colonel Fowler； called you before we arrived。〃
Good shot； Cynthia。
Mrs。 Campbell put her teacup down and replied in the same quiet tone of voice she'd been conversing in； 〃Yes； it was Mrs。 Fowler。 I'm so glad she had the opportunity to speak to you。 She's been very upset and feels so much better now。〃
〃Yes；〃 Cynthia replied； 〃it's often that way。 You know； Mrs。 Campbell； I'm assigned mostly to cases of sexual assault； and I can tell you that when I begin questioning people who I know can tell me something； I can almost feel the tension。 It's sort of like everybody is wound up； but once the first person speaks up； it begins to unwind； as it has here。〃
This was Cynthia's way of saying that once the code of silence is broken； everyone falls all over one another to go on the record as a government witness。 Beats the hell out of being a suspect。
Cynthia said to Mrs。 Campbell； 〃So from what Mrs。 Fowler tells me； and from what Mr。 Brenner and I have discovered from other sources； it appears that the general received a call from Ann in the early morning hours； asking him to meet her on the rifle range； presumably to discuss something。 Is that correct？〃
Another shot in the dark or； to give Cynthia some credit； a very good guess。
Mrs。 Campbell replied； 〃The red telephone beside the bed rang at about one forty…five A。M。 The general immediately answered it； and I woke up as well。 I watched him as he listened。 He never spoke； but hung up and got out of bed and began getting dressed。 I never ask him what these calls are about； but he always tells me where he's going and when he expects to be back。〃 She smiled and said； 〃Since we've been at Fort Hadley； he doesn't get many calls in the middle of the night； but in Europe； when the phone rang； he'd fly out of bed； grab a packed bag； and be off to Washington or to the East German border； or who knows where。 But he'd always tell me 。。。 This time he just said he'd be back in an hour or so。 He put on civilian clothes and left。 I watched him pull away and noticed that he used my car。〃
〃What kind of car is that； ma'am？〃
〃A Buick。〃
Cynthia nodded and said； 〃Then at about four or four…thirty in the morning； the general returned home and told you what had happened。〃
She stared off into space； and for the first time I could see the face of a tired and heartsick mother； and I could only imagine what toll these years had taken。 Surely； a wife and mother could not have countenanced what a father and husband had done to their daughter in the name of the greater good； in the name of career advancement and positive public images。 But on some level； she must have e to terms with it。
Cynthia prompted； 〃Your husband came home about four…thirty A。M。〃
〃Yes 。。。 I was waiting up for him 。。。 here in the front room。 When he walked in the door； I knew my daughter was dead。〃 She stood。 〃And that's all I know。 Now that my husband's career is ended； all we have left is the hope that you can find who did this。 Then we can all go on and make our peace。〃
We stood also； and Cynthia said； 〃We're doing our best； and we thank you for putting aside your grief to speak to us。〃
I said that we could find our way out； and we made our departure。
Outside； on the way to my vehicle； I said； 〃The general's career ended ten years ago in Keller Army Hospital at West Point。 It just took some time for it to catch up with him。〃
〃Yes； he not only betrayed his daughter； but he betrayed himself and his wife。〃
We got into the Blazer and I pulled away from Beaumont House。
CHAPTER TWENTY…SEVEN
What did you speak to Lieutenant Elby about？〃 Cynthia asked as I drove。
〃Love and marriage。〃
〃Yes； I heard that piece of enduring wisdom。〃
〃Well 。。。 you know； he's too young to settle down。 He had proposed marriage to Ann Campbell。〃
〃Marrying Ann Campbell is not what I'd call settling down。〃
〃True。〃 I briefed Cynthia on my short conversation with Elby；