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n this case； your superiors betrayed you。 They had no right to ask that of you。〃
〃I know。 They know。 All that talent； experience； and brainpower； and there we were meeting in a motel room in upstate New York in the middle of the night； like criminals talking ourselves into a pletely dishonorable and stupid decision。 But we're human； and we make bad decisions。 However； had we truly been men of honor and integrity； as we said we were； we'd have reversed that bad decision no matter what the cost。〃
I couldn't have agreed more； and he knew it； so I didn't say it。 I said instead； 〃So for two years； you and your daughter engaged in close…quarter hand…to…hand bat。〃
He smiled grimly。 〃Yes。 It turned out to be not a healing process at all。 It was war； and she was better prepared for it than I was。 She had right on her side； and that made for might。 She beat me at every turn； while I offered to make peace。 I thought； if she won； she'd accept my apology and sincere regrets。 It tore me apart； as a father； to see what she was doing to herself and her mother。 I didn't care about myself any longer。 But I was also concerned for the men she was using 。。。〃 He added； 〃Though in some odd way； I was happy just to have her around on any terms。 I missed her； and I miss her now。〃
Cynthia and I sat quietly and listened to him breathe。 Clearly； the man had aged ten years in the last few days； and probably another ten in the last two years。 It struck me that this was not the same man who had returned in triumph and glory from the Gulf not so long ago。 It was amazing； I thought； how even kings and emperors and generals could be brought down by domestic discord； by the wrath and fury of a wronged woman。 Somehow； amid all the sophistication and diversions of this world； we forgot the basics： take care of business at home first； and never betray your blood。
I said to him； 〃Tell us about rifle range six； and then we'll leave you； General。〃
He nodded。 〃Yes 。。。 well； I saw her there on the ground； and 。。。 and I 。。。 I honestly thought at first that she'd been assaulted 。。。 but then she called out to me 。。。 she said； 'Here's the answer to your damned ultimatum。'
〃I didn't understand at first what she was talking about； but then； of course； I remembered what they'd done to her at West Point。 She asked me where her mother was； and I told her that her mother didn't know anything about this。 She called me a damned coward； then she said； 'Do you see what they did to me？ Do you see what they did to me？' And I 。。。 I did see 。。。 I mean； if her purpose was to make me see； then she achieved her purpose。〃
〃And what did you say to her； General？〃
〃I 。。。 just called out to her 。。。 'Ann； you didn't have to do this。' But she was 。。。 she was wild with anger； as though she'd pletely lost her sanity。 She yelled out for me to e closer； to see what they did to her； to see what she'd suffered。 She went on like that for some time； then she said since I'd given her some choices； she was going to give me some choices。〃 General Campbell paused a moment； then continued。 〃She said she had a rope around her neck 。。。 and I could strangle her if I wanted to 。。。 or I could cover this up like I did once before 。。。 I could e and untie her and take her away 。。。 take her to Beaumont House 。。。 to her mother。 She also said I could leave her there； and the MPs or the guards or someone would find her； and she'd tell the MPs everything。 Those were my choices。〃
Cynthia asked； 〃And did you go to her and try to untie her； as you told us you did？〃
〃No 。。。 I couldn't。 I didn't go near her 。。。 I didn't try to untie her 。。。 I just stood near the car； then 。。。 I pletely snapped。 My anger and rage at all those years of trying to make things right got the best of me 。。。 I shouted back at her that I didn't give a damn what they'd done to her ten years ago 。。。 I told her I was going to leave her there and let the guards or the MPs find her； or the first platoon who came out to fire on the range or whoever； and that the whole world could see her naked for all I cared； and…〃 He stopped in mid…sentence and looked down at the floor； then continued。 〃I told her she couldn't hurt me anymore； and then she started shouting this Nietzsche junk…'whatever hurts you makes me stronger； what does not destroy me makes me stronger；' and so on。 I said that the only hold she had over me was my rank and my position； and that I was resigning from the service； and that she had destroyed any feelings I had for her and that she had more than equaled the score。〃
The general poured himself some water from a carafe and drank it； then continued； 〃She said that was fine； that was good 。。。 'Let someone else find me…you never helped me 。。。' Then she started to cry； and she couldn't stop crying； but I thought I heard her say 。。。 she said； 'Daddy' 。。。〃 He stood。 〃Please 。。。 I can't 。。。〃
We stood also。 I said； 〃Thank you； General。〃 We turned and made toward the door before he began crying； but a thought came into my head； and I turned back to him and said； 〃Another death in the family won't solve anything。 It's not the manly thing to do。 It's very cowardly。〃 But his back was toward us； and I don't know if he even heard me。
CHAPTER TWENTY…NINE
I drove out of the Post Headquarters parking lot； went a few hundred meters； then pulled off to the side of the road。 A sort of delayed reaction to the interview came over me； and I actually felt shaky。 I said； 〃Well； we know now why the lab people found dried tears on her cheeks。〃
Cynthia said； 〃I feel sick。〃
〃I need a drink。〃
She took a deep breath。 〃No。 We have to finish this。 Where's Moore？〃
〃He'd damned well better be someplace on post。〃 I put the Blazer into gear and headed toward the Psy…Ops School。
On the way； Cynthia said； as if to herself； 〃But in the end； the general did not abandon his daughter this time the way he did at West Point。 He left her on the rifle range in a fit of rage； but somewhere on the road； he realized that this was the last chance for both of them。〃
She thought a moment； then continued； 〃He probably considered turning around； but then he thought about what he would need…a knife if the rope needed to be cut； clothing； a woman's presence。 Those attentions to detail that are drummed into us overcame his shock and confusion； and he drove to Bethany Hill； to the one man on this post that he could trust。〃 Cynthia paused； then asked； 〃When the Fowlers got there； I wonder if they thought that the general strangled her？〃
I replied； 〃It may have crossed their minds。 But when they got back to the house and told him she was dead 。。。 they must have seen the shock and disbelief on his face。〃
Cynthia nodded。 〃Would they 。。。 should they have cut her loose and taken the body away？〃
〃No。 Colonel Fowler knew that moving the body would only make matters worse。 And I'm sure that Colonel Fowler； with his military experience； could determine that she was definitely dead。 And as to any suspicion that he himself killed her； I'm sure he blessed the moment when he； the general； or Mrs。 Fowler herself suggested that she go along。〃
〃Yes； if it were Colonel Fowler alone； he'd be in a bad position。〃
I considered a moment； th