按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃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 lawyer。 Well； everyone wanted me to arrest him。〃
〃Yes； but for murder。 And you don't put a missioned officer in a mon lockup。〃
〃Silly custom。 If he goes to Leavenworth； this is good training。〃 I added； 〃Besides； people talk better when they've tasted jail。〃
〃Right。 Not to mention a strip…search and no rations。 The regulations say he has to have at least bread and water。〃
〃In each twenty…four…hour period。 Meanwhile； I haven't had a decent meal myself in forty…eight hours。〃
〃You're going to be officially criticized for the way you've handled this。〃
〃That's the least of my problems at the moment。〃
We entered our office； and I flipped through the phone messages。 Aside from the news media； there weren't many calls。 No one wanted to speak to me anymore。 There was； however； a message from the worried Major Bowes of the CID； the worried Colonel Weems of the staff judge advocate's office； and the anxious Colonel Hellmann。 I called Hellmann at his home in Falls Church； where his wife assured me that I was interrupting his dinner。 〃Hello； Karl。〃
〃Hello； Paul；〃 he said in his jovial manner。
〃Thanks for the fax；〃 I said。
〃Don't mention it。 Don't ever mention it。〃
〃Right。 We've spoken to General and Mrs。 Campbell； as well as to Mrs。 Fowler。 Cynthia and I can reconstruct nearly everything that happened that evening from about the time Captain Campbell had chicken for dinner at the O Club； to the time she reported for duty officer； to the time she took the humvee out ostensibly to check the guard posts； right up to and including the murder and beyond the murder； to dawn and to me being involved in the case。〃
〃Very good。 Who killed her？〃
〃Well； we don't actually know。〃
〃I see。 Will you know by noon tomorrow？〃
〃That's the program。〃
〃It would be good if the CID could solve this case。〃
〃Yes； sir。 I'm looking forward to a promotion and a raise。〃
〃Well； you'll get neither。 But I will get that letter of reprimand out of your file as you politely requested。〃
〃Terrific。 Really good。 You may get another to take its place。 I arrested Colonel Moore； had him thrown in the lockup here； strip…searched； and put on water。〃
〃Perhaps you could have just restricted him to post； Mr。 Brenner。〃
〃I did； but then he ran off and got a JAG lawyer。〃
〃That's his right。〃
〃Absolutely。 In fact； I arrested him in front of his lawyer； and almost arrested the lawyer for interfering。〃
〃I see。 What is the charge； if not murder？〃
〃Conspiracy to conceal a crime； actions unbeing； being an asshole； and so forth。 You don't want to discuss this on the phone； do you？〃
〃No。 Why don't you fax me a report？〃
〃No reports。 Maybe Warrant Officer Kiefer can fax you a report。〃
〃Oh； yes。 I hope she's being helpful。〃
〃We didn't know we had a third partner。〃
〃Now you know。 I actually called you because the CID mander there called Falls Church； and he's rather upset。〃
I didn't reply。
〃Major Bowes。 You remember him？〃
〃We've never met。〃
〃Nevertheless； he's making all sorts of threats。〃
〃Karl； there are about thirty officers on this post； almost all of them married； who were sexually involved with the deceased。 They're all going to threaten； beg； plead； cajole； and…〃
〃Thirty？〃
〃At least。 But who's counting？〃
〃Thirty？ What is going on out there？〃
〃I think it's something in the water。 I'm not drinking it。〃
Cynthia stifled a laugh； but too late； and Karl said； 〃Ms。 Sunhill？ Are you there？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Just picked up。〃
〃How do you know that thirty married officers were sexually involved with the deceased？〃
Cynthia answered； 〃We found a diary； sir。 Actually； a puter file。 Grace got into the deceased's puter。〃 She added； 〃The officers include most of the general's personal staff。〃
There was no reply； so I said； 〃I think we can control this if that's what they want in the Pentagon。 I'd suggest transfers to thirty different duty stations； followed by individual resignations at varying intervals。 That wouldn't draw any attention。 But it's not my problem。〃
Again； no response。
Cynthia said； 〃General Campbell intends to resign tomorrow after his daughter's funeral。〃
Karl spoke。 〃I'm flying down tonight。〃
I replied； 〃Why don't you wait until tomorrow？ There's an electrical storm here； tornado warnings； wind shear…〃
〃All right； tomorrow。 Anything further？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃We'll speak tomorrow。〃
〃Looking forward to it。 Enjoy your dinner； sir。〃
He hung up and we did the same。
Cynthia mented； 〃I think he likes you。〃
〃That's what I'm afraid of。 Well； how about a drink？〃
〃Not yet。〃 She pushed the inter and asked Ms。 Kiefer to e in。
Kiefer entered with her own chair； now that we were all equals； and sat down。 She inquired； 〃How's it going； guys？〃
〃Fine；〃 Cynthia replied。 〃Thanks for sticking around。〃
〃This is where the action is。〃
〃Right。 I'd like you to go through all your MP patrol reports for the night of the murder。 Listen to the tapes of the radio transmissions； check the desk sergeant's log； see if any traffic or parking tickets were issued that night； and talk to the MPs who had duty that night； but be discreet。 You know what we're looking for。〃
Kiefer nodded。 〃Yes。 Cars and people where they're not supposed to be after about 2400 hours。 Good idea。〃
〃Actually； you gave me the idea when you told us about Randy Six。 That's the sort of thing that could be significant。 See you later。〃
We left Ms。 Kiefer in our office。 In the hallway； I said to Cynthia； 〃You may have something there。〃
〃I hope so。 We don't have much else。〃
〃Drink？〃
〃I think you should go talk to Colonel Kent。 You've been very rough with him。 I'll wait for you out front。 Ask him to join us for a drink。 Okay； Paul？〃
I looked at Cynthia a moment； and our eyes met。 It seemed from her tone of voice and her demeanor that she wanted more from Kent than his goodwill。 I nodded。 〃Okay。〃 I went toward his office； and Cynthia continued on toward the front lobby。
I walked slowly toward Kent's office； my mind going faster than my legs。 Colonel William Kent…motive； opportunity； the will to act； a strong presumption of innocence； but a weak alibi。
Position determines perspective。 Or； to put it more simply； what you see depends on where you're standing。 I'd been standing in the wrong place。 I'd been standing too close to William Kent。 I had to step back and see Kent from a different angle。
It had been gnawing at me for the last two days； but I couldn't bring myself to say it； or even think it。 Kent had invited me to take the case； and that had put me in a certain mind…set。 Kent was my only on…post ally at Fort Hadley。 Everyone else was a suspect； a witness； a promised officer； or a victim of sorts。 Kent had belatedly confessed to being promised； too； but only because he thought I'd eventually discover something regarding him and Ann Campbell； and he may also have suspected that Cynthia and I had found the room。 In fact； if I thought about it； Burt Yardley probably told Kent that the door of the room had been glued shut； and t