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。。。 I mean； whoever did it drove those stakes very deep； and tied those knots 。。。 so I said to her I'd be right back 。。。 and I went to the car and to the humvee； but I couldn't find anything to cut the ropes 。。。 so I went back to her and told her 。。。 I told her 。。。 I said that I'd drive up to Bethany Hill and get a knife from Colonel Fowler 。。。 Bethany Hill is less than ten minutes from range six 。。。 In retrospect； I should have 。。。 well； I don't know what I should have done。〃
Again I nodded。 I asked him； 〃And while you were trying to untie the ropes； you spoke； of course。〃
〃Just a few words。〃
〃But surely you asked her who had done that to her？〃
〃No 。。。〃
〃General； surely you said something like； 'Ann； who did this？' 〃
〃Oh 。。。 yes； of course。 But she didn't know。〃
〃Actually；〃 I informed him； 〃she wouldn't say。〃
The general looked me in the eye。 〃That's correct。 She wouldn't say。 Perhaps you know。〃
〃So you drove back along Rifle Range Road toward Bethany Hill。〃
〃That's right。 And I called on Colonel Fowler for assistance。〃
〃Did you know that there was a guard posted at the ammo shed about another kilometer in the opposite direction？〃
〃I don't know the location of every guard post at this fort。〃 He added； 〃I doubt I would have gone there anyway。 I certainly didn't need a young man to see my daughter like that。〃
〃Actually； it was a woman。 But that's irrelevant。 What I'm wondering is why you made the U…turn with your headlights off； sir； and why you proceeded for at least a few hundred meters with them off。〃
He must have wondered how I knew this； then he probably realized I'd interviewed the guard。 Finally； he replied； 〃To be honest with you； I didn't want to attract attention at that point。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Well； would you？ If you just left your daughter tied naked to the ground； would you want anyone else involved？ I had it clear in my mind that I had to go to Colonel and Mrs。 Fowler for help。 Obviously； I didn't want this incident to bee public。〃
〃But the incident； sir； was a crime； was it not？ I mean； didn't you think she'd been molested by some madman or several madmen？ Why would you wish to keep that private？〃
〃I suppose I didn't want to embarrass her。〃
Cynthia spoke up。 〃Rape should not be embarrassing to the victim。〃
General Campbell replied； 〃But it is。〃
Cynthia asked； 〃Did she indicate to you in any way that she was willing to lie there while you went and got Colonel and Mrs。 Fowler？〃
〃No； but I thought it was the best thing。〃
Cynthia inquired； 〃Wasn't she frightened out of her mind that the rapist or rapists would return while you were gone？〃
〃No 。。。 well； yes； she did say to hurry back。 Look； Ms。 Sunhill； Mr。 Brenner； if you're suggesting that I did not take the best course of action； then you're probably correct。 Perhaps I should have tried harder to get her loose； perhaps I should have put my pistol in her hand so she could try to protect herself while I was gone； perhaps I should have fired the pistol to attract the attention of MPs； perhaps I should have just sat there with her until a vehicle came along。 Don't you think I've thought about this a thousand times？ If you're questioning my judgment； you have a valid point。 But do not question my degree of concern。〃
Cynthia replied； 〃General； I'm not questioning either。 I'm questioning what actually went on out there。〃
He started to reply； then decided to say nothing。
I said to him； 〃So you drove to the Fowlers； explained the situation； and they went back to assist Captain Campbell。〃
〃That's correct。 Mrs。 Fowler had a robe and a knife to cut the ropes。〃
〃And you didn't see your daughter's clothes anywhere at the scene？〃
〃No； I didn't。〃
〃Did you think to cover her with your shirt？〃
〃No 。。。 I wasn't thinking very clearly。〃
This was the man who； as a lieutenant colonel； led a mechanized infantry battalion into the besieged city of Quang Tri and rescued an American rifle pany who were trapped in the old French citadel。 But he couldn't figure out how to aid his daughter。 Obviously； he had no intention of offering her aid and fort。 He was royally pissed…off。
I asked him； 〃Why didn't you acpany the Fowlers； General？〃
〃I wasn't needed； obviously。 Only Mrs。 Fowler was needed； but Colonel Fowler went along； of course； in case there was trouble。〃
〃What sort of trouble？〃
〃Well； in case the person who did that was still around。〃
〃But why would you leave your daughter alone； tied； naked； and exposed if you thought there might be any chance of that？〃
〃It didn't occur to me until after I was back on the road。 Until I was nearly at the Fowlers' house。 I should point out that the drive to the Fowlers took under ten minutes。〃
〃Yes； sir。 But the round trip； including your waking them and them getting dressed and driving back； would take close to thirty minutes。 After waking them and asking for their assistance； the natural response of any person…a father； a military mander…would be to race back to the scene and to secure the situation until the alerted cavalry arrived； to use a military analogy。〃
〃Are you questioning my judgment or my motives； Mr。 Brenner？〃
〃Not your judgment； sir。 Your judgment would have been excellent if your motives were pure。 So I guess I'm questioning your motives。〃 Normally； you don't question a general about anything。 But this was different。
He nodded and said； 〃I suppose you both know more than you're letting on。 You're very clever。 I could see that from the beginning。 So why don't you tell me what my motives were？〃
Cynthia responded to that and said； 〃You wanted to make her squirm a little。〃
The fortifications had been breached； to continue the military metaphor； and Cynthia charged right through。 She said； 〃In fact； General； you knew that your daughter was not the victim of some rapist； that she hadn't been attacked while waiting out there for you。 But； in fact； she and an acplice called you； played her message； and got you out there for the sole purpose of you and Mrs。 Campbell finding her in that position。 That； sir； is the only logical explanation for that sequence of events； for you leaving her there alone； for you going to the Fowlers and telling them to take care of it； for you staying behind in their house and waiting for them to return with your daughter and with her humvee； and for you not reporting a word of this until this moment。 You were very angry with her for what she did。〃
General Campbell sat there； deep in thought； contemplating； perhaps； his options； his life； his mistake a few nights ago； his mistake ten years ago。 Finally； he said； 〃My career is ended； and I've drafted a resignation that I will submit tomorrow after my daughter's funeral。 I suppose what I'm thinking about now is how much you have to know to find the murderer； how much I want to confess to you and to the world； and what good it would do anyone to further dishonor my daughter's memory。 This is all self…serving； I know； but I do have to consider my wife and my son； and also the Army。〃 He added； 〃I'm not a private citizen； and my conduct is a reflection on my profession； and my disgrace can only serve to lower the morale of the officer corps。〃
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