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〃Yes； if it were Colonel Fowler alone； he'd be in a bad position。〃
I considered a moment； then said； 〃So we know that； aside from the victim； four other people were out there…Colonel Moore； the general； and Colonel and Mrs。 Fowler。 And we don't think any of them was the murderer。 So we have to place a fifth person out there during that critical half…hour window of opportunity。〃 I added； 〃That person； of course； is the killer。〃
Cynthia nodded。 〃Maybe we should have asked General Campbell if he had any idea who it was who arrived during that half hour。〃
〃I think he believes it was Colonel Moore。 If he thought it was anyone else； he'd have told us。 I don't think it has occurred to him that Moore was the acplice； not the killer。 Bottom line； I just couldn't push the guy any further。〃
〃I know。 I hate to interview a victim's family。 I get all emotional 。。。〃
〃You did fine。 I did fine。 The general did fine。〃
I pulled into the Psy…Ops School； but Moore's car was not in its reserved spot。 I drove around； past the school's dining facility； but we didn't see the gray Ford。 I said； 〃If that SOB left post； I'll put his ass in a meat grinder。〃
An MP jeep pulled up alongside me； and our old friend； Corporal Stroud； was in the passenger seat。 〃You looking for Colonel Moore； Chief？〃
〃None other。〃
Stroud smiled。 〃He went to see the provost marshal to get his restriction lifted。〃
〃Thanks。〃 I turned around and headed toward main post。 I said to Cynthia； 〃I'm going to nail his ass to the wall。〃
〃What happened to the meat grinder？〃
〃That； too。〃
I drove to main post； and； as I approached the provost marshal's building； I noticed that the news media were still there。 I parked on the road directly in front of the main doors； and Cynthia and I got out and climbed the steps。 We entered the building and went directly to Kent's office。 His clerk said he was in conference。
〃With Colonel Moore？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
I opened his door； and there in Kent's office …was Colonel Moore； Kent； and another man in uniform； a captain。 Kent said to us； 〃Well； I guess I'm glad you're here。〃
The third man stood； and I saw by his branch insignia that he was a JAG officer…a lawyer。 The man； whose name tag said Collins； asked me； 〃Are you Warrant Officer Brenner？〃
〃I'll ask the questions； Captain。〃
〃I guess you are；〃 he said。 〃Colonel Moore has requested that he be represented by counsel； so anything you have to say to him…〃
〃I'll say to him。〃
Moore was still sitting in front of Kent's desk and was pointedly not looking up。 I said to Moore； 〃I'm placing you under arrest。 e with me。〃
Captain Collins motioned for his client to remain seated and said to me； 〃What is the charge？〃
〃Conduct unbeing an officer and a gentleman。〃
〃Oh； really； Mr。 Brenner； that's a silly； catch…all…〃
〃Plus； Article 134； disorders and neglects； and so forth。 Plus； accessory after the fact； conspiracy； and making false statements。 Plus； Captain； you are on the verge of Article 98； nonpliance with procedural rules。〃
〃How dare you？〃
I asked Kent； 〃Do you have two sets of cuffs handy？〃 Colonel Kent looked worried now。 He said； 〃Paul； we have some questions of law and fact here。 You can't arrest…well； you can； but I'm in the middle of a conversation with a suspect and his lawyer…〃
〃Colonel Moore is not a suspect in the murder； so there's no reason for a conversation； and if there were a reason； I'd be having the conversation； not you； Colonel。〃
〃Damn it； Brenner； you've gone too far…〃
〃Colonel； I'm taking my prisoner out of here。〃 I said to Moore； 〃Stand up。〃
Without a glance toward his lawyer； he stood。
〃e with me。〃
Cynthia and I left Kent's office with poor Colonel Moore in tow。
We escorted him down the corridors and into the holding cells。 Most of the cells were empty； and I found an open door right next to Dalbert Elkins。 I gave Moore a little nudge into the cell and slammed the door shut。
Dalbert Elkins looked at Moore； then at me； and said in a surprised tone； 〃Hey； Chief； that's a full colonel。〃
I ignored Elkins and said to Moore； 〃You're charged with what I said before。 You have the right to remain silent； you have the right to counsel of your choice。〃
Moore spoke for the first time； reminding me； 〃I have counsel。 You just threatened to arrest him。〃
〃Right。 And anything you say may be held against you in a court…martial。〃
〃I don't know who did it。〃
〃Did I say you did？〃
〃No 。。。 but 。。。〃
Dalbert Elkins was following all this closely。 He said to Moore through the bars； 〃Colonel； you shouldn't get a lawyer。 It makes him mad。〃
Moore glanced at Elkins； then turned his attention back to me。 〃Colonel Kent informed me that I was restricted to post； so I had no choice but to seek counsel…〃
〃Now you're worse than restricted。 You're confined。〃
Dalbert said； 〃They're letting me out。 Restricted to barracks。 Thanks； Chief。〃
I ignored Elkins and said to Moore； 〃I have hard evidence that puts you at the scene of the crime； Colonel。 There are enough charges against you to put you in jail for ten or twenty years。〃
Moore reeled backward as if I'd hit him； and he sat heavily on the cot。 〃No 。。。 I didn't do anything wrong。 I just did what she asked me to do 。。。〃
〃You suggested it。〃
〃No！ She suggested it。 It was her idea。〃
〃You knew fucking well what her father did to her at West Point。〃
〃I only knew about a week ago…when he gave her his ultimatum。〃
Elkins looked at Cynthia and asked her； 〃What did he do to you？〃
I said to Elkins； 〃Pipe down。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
I said to Moore； 〃I want you out of this Army。 I may let you resign for the good of the service。 That depends on how cooperative you are。〃
〃I'm willing to cooperate…〃
〃I don't care if you're willing or not； Colonel。 You will cooperate。 You will fire your attorney。〃
Elkins began to second that； but thought better of it and sat down on his cot。
Moore nodded。
〃What were you wearing out on rifle range six？〃
〃My uniform。 We thought it would be best； in case I ran into any MPs…〃
〃Those shoes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Take them off。〃
He hesitated； then took them off。
〃Give them to me。〃
He handed them through the bars。
I said to him； 〃I'll see you later； Colonel。〃 I said to Elkins； 〃How's my buddy？〃
He stood。 〃Fine； sir。 They're letting me out tomorrow morning。〃
〃Good。 If you run； you die。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
I walked away from the cells； and Cynthia followed。 She asked； 〃Who was that other guy？〃
〃My buddy。 The reason I'm here at Hadley。〃 I explained briefly； then went into the office of the lockup sergeant。 I identified myself and said to him； 〃I have a Colonel Moore in lockup。 Have him strip…searched and give him only water tonight。 No reading material allowed。〃
The sergeant looked at me wide…eyed。 〃You have an officer in lockup？ A colonel？〃
〃He may not have access to counsel until sometime tomorrow。 I'll let you know。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
I put Moore's shoes on his desk。 〃Have these tagged and delivered to hangar three at Jordan Field。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
We left and headed toward our office。 Cynthia said； 〃I didn't know you were going to lock him up。〃
〃Neither did I until I saw the l