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〃Paul？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃That was Ms。 Sunhill on the line。〃
I thought it might be。 I said； 〃She has no business going over my head…〃
〃I reprimanded her； of course。〃
〃Good。 You see why I don't…〃
〃I told her you don't wish to work with her； and she claims that you are discriminating against her because of her sex； her age； and her religion。〃
〃What？ I don't even know her religion。〃
〃It's on her dog tags。〃
〃Karl； are you jerking me around？〃
〃This is a serious charge against you。〃
〃I'm telling you； it's personal。 We don't get along。〃
〃You got along very well in Brussels； from what I've been told。〃
Fuck you； Karl。 〃Look； do you want me to spell it out？〃
〃No； I've already had it spelled out for me by someone in Brussels last year and by Ms。 Sunhill a minute ago。 I trust my officers to behave properly in their personal lives； and； while I don't require that you be celibate； I do require that you be discreet； and that you don't promise yourself； the Army； or your assignment。〃
〃I never did。〃
〃Well； if Ms。 Sunhill's fiancé had put a bullet through your head； you would have left me with the mess。〃
〃That would have been my last thought as my brain exploded。〃
〃Good。 So you are a professional； and you will establish a professional relationship with Ms。 Sunhill。 End of discussion。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 I asked him； 〃is she married？〃
〃What difference does it make to you？〃
〃There are personal considerations。〃
〃Neither you nor she has a personal life until you conclude this case。 Anything further？〃
〃Did you tell Ms。 Sunhill about your rather odd experiment？〃
〃That's your job。〃 Karl Gustav hung up； and I sat a moment； considering my options； which boiled down to resigning or pushing on。 Actually； I had my twenty years in； and I could put in my papers anytime； get out with half pay； and get a life。
There are different ways to end an Army career。 Most men and women spend the last year or so in a safe assignment and fade away into oblivion。 Some officers stay too long； fail to make the next grade； and are asked to leave quietly。 A fortunate few go out in a blaze of glory。 And then there are those who go for that last moment of glory and crash in flames。 Timing is everything。
Career considerations aside； I knew that if I pulled out； this case would haunt me forever。 The hook was in； and； in fact； I don't know what I would have said or done if Karl had tried to take me off the case。 But Karl was a contrary and counter…suggestible son…of…a…bitch； so when I said I didn't want the case； I had the case； and when I said I didn't want Cynthia； I had Cynthia。 Karl is not as smart as he thinks。
On the desk in my new office were Captain Ann Campbell's personnel and medical files； and I flipped through the former。 These files contain a soldier's entire Army career； and they can be informative and interesting。 Chronologically； Ann Campbell entered West Point some twelve years before； graduated in the top ten percent of her class； was given the traditional thirty…day graduation leave； and was assigned； at her request； to the Military Intelligence Officer Course at Fort Huachuca； Arizona。 From there； she went to graduate school at Georgetown and received her master's in psychology。 Her next step was to apply for what we call a functional area； which in this case was psychological operations。 She pleted the required course at the John F。 Kennedy Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg； then joined the 4th Psychological Operations Group； also at Bragg。 From there； she went to Germany； then back to Bragg。 Then the Gulf； the Pentagon； and finally Fort Hadley。
Her officer efficiency reports； at first glance； looked exceptional； but I didn't expect otherwise。 I found her Army test battery of scores and noted that her IQ put her into the genius category； the top two percent of the general population。 My professional experience has been that an inordinate number of two…percenters wind up on my desk as suspects； usually in homicide cases。 Geniuses don't seem to have much tolerance for people who annoy them； or hinder them； and they tend to think they are not subject to the same rules of behavior as the mass of humanity。 They are often unhappy and impatient people； and they can also be sociopaths； and sometimes psychopaths who see themselves as judge and jury and； now and then； as executioner； which is when they e to my attention。
But here I had not a suspect； but a victim who was a two…percenter； which could be a meaningless fact in this case。 But my instinct was telling me that Ann Campbell was a perpetrator of something before she became a victim of that something。
I opened the medical file and went directly to the back； where psychological information； if any； is usually placed。 And here I found the old psychological evaluation report； which is required for entry into West Point。 The reporting psychiatrist wrote：
This is a highly motivated； bright； and well…adjusted person。 Based on a two…hour interview and the attached testing results； I found no authoritarian traits in her personality； no delusional disorders； mood disorders； anxiety disorders； personality disorders； or sexual disorders。
The report went on to say that there were no apparent psychological problems that would prevent her from fulfilling her duties and obligations at the United States Military Academy。 Ann Campbell was a normal eighteen…year…old American girl； whatever that meant in the latter part of the twentieth century。 All well and good。
But there were a few more pages in the psychological section； a short report dated in what would have been the fall semester of her third year at West Point。 Ann Campbell had been ordered to see a staff psychiatrist； though who had ordered this； and why； was not stated。 The psychiatrist； a Dr。 Wells； had written：
Cadet Campbell has been remended for therapy and/or evaluation。 Cadet Campbell claims 〃There is nothing wrong with me。〃 She is uncooperative； but not to the extent that I can forward a delinquency report on her to her manding officer。 In four interviews； each lasting approximately two hours； she repeatedly stated that she was just fatigued； stressed by the physical and academic program； anxious about her performance and grades； and generally overworked。 While this is a mon plaint of first… and second…year cadets； I have rarely seen this degree of mental and physical stress and fatigue in third…year students。 I suggested that something else was causing her stress and feelings of anxiety； perhaps a love interest or problems at home。 She assured me that everything was fine at home and that she had no love interest here at the academy or anywhere。
I observed a young woman who was clearly underweight； obviously distracted； and； in general terms； troubled and depressed。 She cried several times during the interviews； but always got her emotions under control and apologized for crying。
At times； she seemed on the verge of revealing more than mon cadet plaints； but always drew back。 She did say once； however； 〃It doesn't matter if I go to class or not； it doesn't matter what I do here。 They're going to graduate me anyway。〃 I asked if she thought that was true because she was General Campbell's daughter； and she replied； 〃No； they're going to graduate me because I did them a favor。〃
When I asked what she meant by that； and who 〃they〃 were； she replied； 〃The old boys。〃 Subsequent questions elicited no response。
I believe we were on the threshold of a breakthrough； but her subsequent appointments； originally ordered by her mander； were canceled without explanation by a higher authority whose name I never learned。
My belief is that Cadet Campbell is in need of further evaluation and therapy； voluntary or involuntary。 Lacking that； I remend a psychiatric board of inquiry to determine if Cadet Campbell should be given a psychiatric separation from the academy。 I further remend a plete medical examination and evaluation。
I digested this brief report； wondering； of course； how a well…adjusted eighteen…year…old had turned into a depressed twenty…year…old。 The rigors of West Point could easily explain that； but obviously Dr。 Wells wasn't buying it； and neither was I。
I leafed through the file； intending at some early date to read it from cover to cover。 As I was about to close the folder； an errant scrap of paper caught my eye and I read the handwritten words： Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not bee a monster。 And when you look long into the abyss； the abyss also looks into you。…Nietzsche。
What that quote was doing there； I don't know； but it was appropriate in the file of a psy…ops officer and would have been appropriate in the file of a CID man as well。
CHAPTER NINE
I did not need to be； nor did I want to be； Sergeant Franklin White any longer； especially since Sergeant White had to salute every snot…nosed lieutenant he passed。 So I made the half…mile walk to the Infantry Training Brigade and retrieved my pick…up truck； then headed out to Whispering Pines to change into civvies。
I drove past the post armory； but didn't see Sergeant Elkin's POV parked in the lot。 I had this unsettling thought that Elkins was going to consummate the deal behind my back and take off for parts unknown； leaving me to explain how I let a few hundred M…16s and grenade launchers get into the hands of Colombian banditos。
But first things first。 I left post and got onto the highway。 The drive to Whispering Pines took about twenty minutes； during which time I reconstructed the events of the morning from the time the phone rang in the armory。 I do this because my employer； the United States Army； is big on chronology and facts。 But in a murder investigation； what you see and when you saw it is not the whole game； because by the nature of the act of murder； the crucial things happened before you got there。 There is sort of a spirit world that coexists with the world of empirical observation； and you have to get in touch with that world through the detective's equivalent of the séance。 You don't use a crystal ball； though I'd like one that worked…but you do clear your mind and listen to what isn't said and see things that aren't there。
That aside； Karl needed a written report； so I drafted one in my mind： Further to our phone conversation； the general's daughter was a whore； but what a magnificent whore。 I can't get her out of my mind。 If I had been obsessively in love with her and found out she was fucking for everyone； I would have killed her myself。 Nevertheless； will find son…of…a…bitch who did it and see that he faces a firing squad。 Thanks for the case。 （Signed） Brenner。
That might need a little work。 But it's important； I think； to admit to yourself the truth of how you feel about things。 Everyone else is going to lie； posture； and dissemble。
Regarding that； I thought about Cynthia。 In truth； I couldn't get the woman out of my mind。 I kept seeing her face and hearing her voice； and I was right then missing her。 This is presumptive evidence of a strong emotional attachment； perhaps a sexual obsession； and； God forbid； love。 This was worrisome； not only because I wasn't ready for this but because I wasn't sure how she felt。 Also； there was the murder。 When you get handed a murder； you have to give it everything you've got； and if you don't have much left to give； you have to draw on psychic energy that you've been saving for other things。 Eventually； of course； there's nothing left to borrow； and people like Cynthia； young and filled with a sense of duty and enthusiasm； call you cold； callous； and cynical。 I deny this； of course； knowing I'm capable of emotions and feelings； of love and warmth。 I was sort of like that in Brussels last year； and look at what it got me。 Anyway； murder deserves one's undivided attention。
I looked out the windshield as I approached Whispering Pines Trailer Park。 Up ahead； on the left； I saw a county road crew making a blacktop repair； and I recalled two and a half decades ago when I saw my first Georgia chain gang。 I don't think they use chain gangs on the roads anymore； and I hope they don't。 But I recall the sight vividly； the prisoners； filthy and bowed； their ankles connected by chains； and