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！
〃Why？〃
〃Part of the script； Paul。 Sex offenders have incredibly involved fantasies that they perfect in their minds； things that have a strong sexual meaning for them but for no one else。 Making a woman strip； then walk naked carrying her own clothes to a place where he intends to rape her may be his unique fantasy。〃
〃So you know this stuff？ I'm not in sole charge of perversions。〃
〃I'm familiar with pathological sex acts and criminal deviations。 I don't know much about consenting sexual perversions。〃
I let that one alone and pointed out； 〃The line between the two is a bit thin and indistinct on occasion。〃
〃I don't believe that Ann Campbell was a consenting partner。 Certainly； she didn't consent to being strangled to death。〃
〃There are many possibilities；〃 I mused； 〃and it's a good idea not to get married to any of them。〃
〃We need forensic； we need the autopsy； and we need to question people。〃
We？ I looked out at the landscape as we drove in silence。 I tried to recall what I knew about Cynthia。 She was originally from rural Iowa； a graduate of the state university； with a master's in criminology； which she received at some civilian university through the Army's Technological Enhancement Program。 Like a lot of women； as well as minorities that I've known in the Army； the military offered more money； education； prestige； and career possibilities than they would have hoped for back on the farm； in the ghetto； or whatever disadvantaged background they came from。 Cynthia； I seemed to recall； expressed positive views toward the Army…travel； excitement； security； recognition； and so on。 Not bad for a farm girl。 I said to her； 〃I've thought about you。〃
No reply。
〃How are your parents？〃 I inquired； though I never met them。
〃Fine。 Yours？〃
〃Fine。 Still waiting for me to get out； grow up； get hitched； and make them grandparents。〃
〃Work on growing up first。〃
〃Good advice。〃 Cynthia can be sarcastic at times； but it's just a defense mechanism when she's nervous。 People who've had a prior sexual relationship； if they're at all sensitive and human； respect the relationship that existed； and perhaps even feel some tenderness toward the ex…partner。 But there's also that awkwardness； sitting side by side as we were； and neither of us； I think； knew the words or the tone of voice we should adopt。 I said again； 〃I've thought about you。 I want you to respond to that。〃
She responded； 〃I've thought about you； too；〃 and we fell into a long silence as she drove； head and eyes straight ahead。
A word about Paul Brenner in the passenger seat。 South Boston； Irish Catholic； still don't recognize a cow when I see one； high school graduate； working…class family。 I didn't join the Army to get out of South Boston； the Army came looking for me because they'd gotten involved in a large ground war in Asia； and someone told them that the sons of working…class stiffs made good infantrymen。
Well； I must have been a good infantryman； because I survived a year over there。 Since that time； I've taken college courses； pliments of the Army； as well as criminology courses and career courses。 I'm sufficiently transformed so that I don't feel fortable back in South Boston any longer； but neither do I feel fortable at the colonel's house； watching how much I drink and making small talk with officers' wives who are either too ugly to talk to or too good…looking to stick to small talk。
So there we were； Cynthia Sunhill and Paul Brenner； from opposite ends of the North American continent； different worlds； lovers in Brussels； reuniting in the Deep South； having just had the mon experience of looking at the naked body of a general's daughter。 Can love and friendship flourish under those circumstances？ I wasn't putting money on it。
She said； 〃I was sort of startled to see you last night。 I'm sorry if I was rude。〃
〃No ifs about it。〃
〃Well； then； I apologize unequivocally。 But I still don't like you。〃
I smiled。 〃But you'd like to have this case。〃
〃Yes； so I'll be nice to you。〃
〃You'll be nice to me because I'm your superior officer。 If you're not nice； I'll send you packing。〃
〃Cut the posturing； Paul。 You're not sending me anywhere； and I'm not going anywhere。〃 She added； 〃We've got a case to solve； and a personal relationship to straighten out。〃
〃In that order。〃
〃Yes； in that order。〃
CHAPTER FOUR
Victory Drive； formerly Pine Hollow Road； had been renamed during World War II in a frenzy of Orwellian name changing。 It was once a two…lane country road heading south out of Midland； but by the time I saw it first in 1971； it was being a mixture of garden apartments and mercial garishness。 Now； almost a quarter century later； there wasn't even a hint of Pine Hollow Road。
There is something uniquely ugly and depressing about mercial strips in the old South； great expanses of parking lots； motels； fast…food places； discount stores； car dealers； and what passes for nightclubs hereabouts。 The old South； as I remember it； was perhaps not so prosperous； but it was picturesque with its tiny gas stations with the Coke cooler next to the fish…bait cooler； the sagging pine houses； the country stores； and the baled cotton bursting from sheds along the railroad sidings。 These were the things that grew organically out of the soil； the lumber from the forests； the gravel roads from nearby quarries； and the people themselves a product of their environment。 These new things seem artificial； transplanted。 Convenience stores and shopping strips with mammoth plastic signs and no relationship to the land or the people； to history； or to local custom。
But； of course； the new South had embraced all of this； not quickly； as we had done up North； but embraced it nonetheless。 And in some strange way； the garish mercial strip was now more associated with the South than with anywhere else in the country。 The carpetbaggers have finally taken over。
Within fifteen minutes of leaving the post； we arrived at Victory Gardens and parked the Mustang near unit forty…five。
Victory Gardens was actually a pleasant sort of place； prised of about fifty attached town houses around a central courtyard； with landscaping and ample parking。 There were no signs that said； 〃Officers Only；〃 but the place had that air about it； and the rents probably approximated the off…post quarters' allowance for lieutenants and captains。 Money aside； there are unwritten rules about where officers may live off post； and thus； Ann Campbell； daughter of a general and good soldier that she was； had not gone to the funky side of town； nor had she opted for the anonymity of a newer high…rise building； which； in this town； is somewhat synonymous with swinging singles。 Yet； neither did she live in her parents' huge； government…issue house on post； which suggested that she had a life of her own； and I was about to discover something about that life。
Cynthia and I looked around。 Though the Army workday starts early； there were still a few cars parked in front of the units。 Most of them had the blue post bumper stickers signifying an officer's car； and some had the green bumper sticker of a civilian post employee。 But mostly； the place looked as de