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〃Right。〃 I hung up and sat on the floor； opening my suitcases and looking for my robe。 That bastard Yardley had stuffed everything together； including dirty laundry； shoes； and shaving gear。 〃Bastard。〃
〃Who？〃
I looked over my shoulder and saw that Cynthia was back in the room； wearing a silk kimono and drying her hair with a towel。 I said； 〃I'm looking for my robe。〃
〃Here； let's get you organized。〃 And she began sorting and hanging things in the closet； and folding things； and so on。
Women have this incredible knack with fabrics； and they make it look easy； but I can't even get a pair of pants to hang straight on a hanger。
I felt a little silly in my undershorts； rooting around on the floor； but I finally found my robe jammed into the duffel bag； and I slipped it on as the phone rang。 I said to Cynthia； 〃Kiefer calling back。〃
I picked up the phone and said； 〃Brenner here。〃
But it was not Kiefer； it was Cal Seiver。 He said to me； 〃Paul； I studied that footprint chart until I went blind； and I studied plaster casts until I got a hernia。 I can't find any further evidence that Colonel Kent was at the scene earlier than he says he was。 I figured； since we know what we're looking for now； I could have the footprint team do it again tomorrow； but this rain is a washout。〃
〃Did you leave the tarps and pavilion there？〃
〃No。 Maybe I should have； but Colonel Kent said he'd take care of scene security and cover the whole area with rolled canvas。 But I was out there a little while ago； and there's no canvas down； and not even an MP to secure the scene。 The crime scene is ruined； polluted。〃
〃Yup。 Sure is。〃
〃Sorry。〃
〃No problem。 Did you get the cast off to Oakland？〃
〃Yeah。 Chopper to Gillem； and they'll find a military flight to the left coast。 I'll hear something by morning。〃
〃Fine。〃
〃You still want the latent…footprint team？〃
〃What do you think？〃
〃I think it's all muck out there。〃
〃Okay； forget it。 We got lucky enough for one case。 Where's Grace？〃
〃Glued to her screen。 She wanted me to tell you that she pulled up a recent letter from the deceased to Mrs。 William Kent…you were interested in Kent。〃
〃Still am。 What did the letter say？〃
〃Basically； it said that Colonel Kent was making more of a platonic friendship than he should； and would Mrs。 Kent be so kind as to speak to her husband before she…Captain Campbell…had to make an official plaint。 Captain Campbell suggested counseling for the Kents。〃 He added； 〃Wouldn't want one of those to go to my wife。〃
〃What was the date of the letter？〃
〃Hold on。〃
I watched Cynthia separating underwear from toilet articles。 That bastard Yardley。
Cal came back on the line。 〃Ten August。〃
That would be eleven days ago； and I assumed that Mrs。 Kent had decamped Bethany Hill upon receipt of that letter。 Obviously； too； the letter was written as a result of Kent's unscheduled visit to Ann Campbell's house； not to mention his bad manners in throwing her boyfriend of the evening out； and raping his hostess。 My goodness。 So Ann Campbell had decided to do something about Kent； but she was handling unstable explosives； and that letter was the detonator。 I said to Cal； 〃Need a printout of that。 Hold it for me。〃
〃Right。 Also； three gentlemen of the Federal Bureau of investigation arrived about a half hour after you left。〃
〃Were they charming？〃
〃Couldn't have been nicer。 plimenting me on the setup here； congratulating me on every fucking fingerprint I took。 They poked around and grilled me for about an hour。 Grace played possum on a cot。 One of the guys was messing with the puter； but the disk was in the cot with Grace。〃 He added； 〃They said they'd be back in the morning with their own forensic people。〃
〃Okay。 Turn it all over to them at noon。 Anything else？〃
〃Nope。 It's late； raining； too wet to plow； and I'm too tired to dance。〃
〃Right。 Get on the footprint guy in Oakland。 This case is hanging on the question of who stepped on whose bootprint。 Talk to you tomorrow。〃 I hung up and briefed Cynthia while I helped her get me straightened out。
I've had live…in friends on occasion； and I enjoy the presence of a woman in the house for brief periods of time。 They fall into two categories： the organizers and the slobs。 There's probably a third category…the naggers； who try to get you to do things； but I've never run into one of those。 Oddly； I have no preference regarding organizers or slobs； as long as they don't try to pick my clothes for me。 Basically； all women are nurturers and healers； and all men are mental patients to varying degrees。 It works fine if people stick to their fated roles。 But nobody does； so you have six or seven good months； then you discover exactly what it is you hate about each other； then you run the moving…in and unpacking tape in reverse and watch the door slam。
Cynthia folded the last pair of socks and said to me； 〃Who does your laundry and ironing？〃
〃Oh； I have a sort of housekeeper。 Farm woman； keeps an eye on things when I'm gone。〃
〃Are you the helpless type？〃
〃Well； yes； with fabrics and stuff； and needles and thread； but I can field…strip an M…16 rifle blindfolded and have it together again within three minutes。〃
〃So can I。〃
〃Good。 I have one at home you can clean for me。〃
The phone rang； and I motioned to Cynthia to answer it。 It was Kiefer； and I went into the bathroom and dried my hair with a towel。 Cynthia had laid out my toilet articles； and I bed my hair； brushed my teeth； and slipped my shorts off under my robe。 Second greatest feeling in the world。
I ditched the shorts in the trash can and went back into the bedroom。 Cynthia was sitting at the edge of the bed； listening on the phone； her legs crossed； rubbing her foot with her free hand。 Cynthia； I noted in passing； had good legs。
She looked up and smiled at me； then said into the phone； 〃Okay； thanks。 Good work。〃 She hung up and stood。 〃Well； Kiefer turned up one interesting tidbit。 Seems that Mrs。 Kent drives a black Jeep Cherokee； and that Mrs。 Kent is known in MP radio circles as the Bat Lady； and the Jeep is called the Batmobile。 Kiefer heard one reference on the master radio tape to the Batmobile。 An unidentified MP on mobile patrol said； 'Niner…niner； Batmobile with Randy Six parked in library lot。 Heads up。' 〃 Cynthia added； 〃That's a typical officer…in…the…area kind of warning to the troops。 Also； in case you never noticed； the library is across the road from Post Headquarters。〃
〃Right。 What time was that？〃
〃At 0032。 And at about 0100； Ann Campbell left Post Headquarters； got into the humvee； and drove out to rifle range six。〃 Cynthia asked me； 〃What was Kent doing in his wife's car across the street？〃
〃What every lovesick jerk does。 Just sitting there watching the light in the window。〃
〃Maybe he had something more malevolent in mind。〃
〃Maybe。 Could be； though； that he was just trying to decide if he should go into the building and say hello。 Or he was waiting for St。 John to leave on some business。 Or he was waiting for the object of his desire to do the same； which she in fact did。〃
Cynthia tucked her feet under her； sort of like the lotus position。 I don't know how people can sit like t