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〃Really？〃
〃Really。 Plus a dunning letter for my car loan； and antiwar literature from a peace group in San Francisco。 Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed。 Actually； I had no bed。 Goes to show you。 Things could be worse。〃
〃Things could be better。 We'll have a good weekend。〃
〃Looking forward to it。〃
CHAPTER THIRTY…TWO
We arrived back at the provost marshal's building。 The media had decamped； and I parked in a no…parking zone on the road。 Carrying the printouts of Ann Campbell's diary； we went inside the building。
I said to Cynthia； 〃We'll speak with Colonel Moore first； then see what Ms。 Kiefer has found。〃
As we walked toward the holding cells； Cynthia observed； 〃It's hard to prehend that the man who runs this whole place could be a criminal。〃
〃Right。 It kind of messes up the protocols and the standard operating procedures。〃
〃Sure does。 How do you feel about that bootprint？〃
〃It's about all we've got；〃 I replied。
She thought a moment； then said； 〃But we've got motive and opportunity。 Though I'm not certain about our psychological profile of the killer or Kent's will to act。 Also； we have almost no circumstantial evidence。〃 She added； 〃But after having drinks with him； I think our intuition is correct。〃
〃Good。 Tell it to the FBI。〃
I asked the lockup sergeant to acpany us； and we went to Colonel Moore's cell。 Moore was sitting up in his cot； fully dressed except for his shoes。 Dalbert Elkins had pulled his chair up to the mon bars and was talking to Moore； who was either listening very intently or had gone into a catatonic trance。
They both saw us approaching and both stood。 Elkins seemed glad to see me； but Moore looked apprehensive； not to mention disheveled。
Elkins said to me； 〃Still set for tomorrow； Chief？ No problem？〃
〃No problem。〃
〃My wife says to say thanks to you。〃
〃She does？ She told me to keep you here。〃
Elkins laughed。
I said to the MP sergeant； 〃Will you unlock Colonel Moore； please？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 He unlocked Moore's cell and asked me； 〃Cuffs？〃
〃Yes； please； Sergeant。〃
The MP sergeant barked at Moore； 〃Wrists； front！〃
Moore thrust his clenched hands to his front； and the sergeant snapped the cuffs on him。
Without a word； we walked down the long； echoing corridor； past the mostly empty cells。 Moore； in his stockinged feet； made no echoes。 There are few places on this earth more dismal than a cell block； and few scenes more melancholy than a prisoner in handcuffs。 Moore； for all his intellectualizing； was not handling this well； which was the purpose。
We went into an interrogation room； and the sergeant left us。 I said to Moore； 〃Sit。〃
He sat。
Cynthia and I sat at a table opposite him。
I said to him； 〃I told you that the next time we spoke； it would be here。〃
He didn't reply。 He looked a little frightened； a little dejected； and a little angry； though he was trying to suppress that； since he realized it wouldn't do him any good。 I said to him； 〃If you'd told us everything you knew the first time； you might not be here。〃
No reply。
〃Do you know what makes a detective really； really angry？ When the detective has to waste valuable time and energy on a witness who's being cute。〃
I verbally poked him around awhile； assuring him that he made me sick； that he was a disgrace to his uniform； his rank； his profession； his country； and to God； the human race； and the universe。
All the while； Moore stayed silent； though I don't think this was an expression of his Fifth Amendment right to do so as much as it was his accurate estimate that I wanted him to shut his mouth。
Cynthia； meanwhile； had taken the printouts of the diary and had gotten up and left for most of the verbal abuse。 After about five minutes； she came back without the printouts； but she was carrying a plastic tray on which was a Styrofoam cup of milk and a donut。
Moore's eyes flashed to the food； and he stopped paying attention to me。
Cynthia said to him； 〃I brought you this。〃 She set the tray down out of his reach and said to him； 〃I've asked the MP to unlock your cuffs so you can eat。 He'll be here when he gets a moment。〃
Moore assured her； 〃I can eat with my cuffs on。〃
Cynthia informed him； 〃It's against regulations to make a prisoner eat with wrist manacles； chains； cuffs； and such。〃
〃You're not making me。 I'm perfectly willing to…〃
〃Sorry。 Wait for the sergeant。〃
Moore kept looking at the donut； which； I suspected； was the first mess hall donut he'd ever shown any interest in。 I said to him； 〃Let's get on with this。 And don't jerk us around like you did the last few times。 Okay； to show you how much shit you're in； I'm going to tell you what we already know from the forensic evidence。 Then you're going to fill in the details。 First； you and Ann Campbell planned this for at least a week…from the time her father gave her the ultimatum。 Okay； I don't know whose idea it was to re…create the West Point rape〃…I stared at him and saw his reaction to this； then went on…〃but it was a sick idea。 Okay； you called her at Post Headquarters； coordinated the times； and drove out to rifle range five； where you pulled across the gravel lot and behind the bleachers there。 You got out of your car； carrying the tent pegs； rope； a hammer； and so forth； and also a mobile phone； and maybe the tape player。 You walked along the corduroy trail to the latrines at rifle range six； and perhaps called her again from there to confirm that she'd left Post Headquarters。〃
I spent the next ten minutes re…creating the crime for him； basing my narrative on forensic evidence； conjecture； and supposition。 Colonel Moore looked duly impressed； very surprised； and increasingly unhappy。
I continued； 〃You called the general's red phone； and when he answered； Ann played the taped message。 It was then； knowing you had about twenty minutes or so； that you both began to set the stage。 She undressed in or near the jeep in case someone came along unexpectedly。 You put her things in a plastic bag which you left at the humvee。 Correct？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃She kept her watch on。〃
〃Yes。 She wanted to keep track of the time。 She could see the watch face； and she thought that would be reassuring somehow as she waited for her parents。〃
Odd； I thought； but a lot less odd than the scene that presented itself to me the first time I saw her naked and staked out； wearing a watch and nothing else。 In fact； I had e a long way since that morning； when I thought I was looking at the work of a homicidal rapist。 In truth； the crime had taken place in phases； in stages； and the genesis of the crime was a decade old； and what I saw was not what it seemed to all the world to be。 What I saw was the end product of a bizarre night that could have ended differently。
I said to Moore； 〃By the way； did you notice if she had her West Point ring on？〃
He replied without hesitation； 〃Yes； she did。 It was a symbolic link to the original rape。 It was engraved with her name on the inside； of course； and she intended to give it to her father as a token of some sort…as a way of saying that the bad memories that it symbolized were in his possession； and she did not want to be reminded of them again。〃