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〃You're wele。〃
I wanted to ignore her； but I knew this wasn't going to be possible。 I turned and walked onto the rifle range。 Kent followed。
As we walked； Kent's stride got a bit shorter； and he fell behind。 The two MPs there were at parade rest； pointedly looking away from the ground upon which lay Captain Ann Campbell。
I stopped a few feet from the body； which was lying on its back。 She was naked； as Kent had indicated； except for a sports watch on her left wrist。 A few feet from the body lay what we call a mercially purchased undergarment…her bra。 As Kent had also said； her uniform was missing from the scene。 Also missing were her boots； socks； helmet； pistol belt； holster； and sidearm。 More interestingly； perhaps； was the fact that Ann Campbell was spread…eagled on her back； her wrists and ankles bound to tent pegs with cord。 The pegs were a green vinyl plastic； and the cord was green nylon； both Army issue。
Ann Campbell was about thirty and well built； the sort of build you see on female aerobic instructors with well…defined leg and arm muscles and not an ounce of flab。 Despite her present condition； I recognized her face from Army posters。 She was quite attractive in a clean…cut way； and wore her blond hair in a simple shoulder…length style； perhaps a few inches beyond regulations； which was the least of her problems at the moment。
Around her neck was a long length of the same nylon cord that bound her wrists and ankles； and beneath this cord were her panties； which had been pulled over her head； one leg of the panties around her neck； so that the cord did not bite directly into her neck； but was cushioned by the panties。 I knew what this meant； but I don't think anyone else did。
Cynthia came up beside me； but said nothing。
I knelt beside the body and noted that the skin appeared waxy and translucent； causing the powder blush on her cheeks to stand out sharply。 Her fingernails and toenails； which had only a clear lacquer on them； had lost their pinkish color。 Her face was unbruised； unscratched； and without lacerations or bite marks； and so were the parts of her body that I could see。 Aside from the obscene position of her body； there were no outward signs of rape； no semen around the genitals； thighs； or in the pubic hair； no signs of struggle in the surrounding area； no grass or soil marks on her skin； no blood； dirt； or skin under her nails； and her hair was mostly in place。
I leaned over and touched her face and neck； where rigor mortis usually sets in first。 There was no rigor； and I felt her underarms； which were still warm。 There was some livor mortis； or lividity； that had settled into her thighs and buttocks； and the lividity was a deep purple color； which would be consistent with asphyxia； which in turn was consistent with the rope around her neck。 I pressed my finger against the purplish skin above where her buttocks met the ground； and the depressed spot blanched。 When I took my finger away； the livid color returned； and I was reasonably certain that death had occurred within the last four hours。
One thing I learned a long time ago was that you never take a witness's statement as gospel truth。 But so far； Sergeant St。 John's chronology seemed to hold up。
I bent over further and looked into Ann Campbell's large blue eyes； which stared unblinking into the sun。 The corneas were not yet cloudy； reinforcing my estimate of a recent death。 I pulled at one of her eyelids and saw in the linings around the eye； small spotty hemorrhages； which is presumptive evidence of death by asphyxia。 So far； what Kent had told me； and the scene that presented itself； seemed to port with what I was discovering。
I loosened the rope around Ann Campbell's neck and examined the panties beneath the rope。 The panties were not torn and were not soiled by the body or by any foreign substance。 There were no dog tags under the panties； so these； too； were missing。 Where the ligature； the rope； had circled the neck there was only a faint line of bruising； barely discernible if you weren't looking for it。 Yet； death had e by strangulation； and the panties lessened the damage the rope would normally have done to the throat and neck。
I stood and walked around the body； noting that the soles of her feet were stained with grass and soil； meaning she had walked barefoot for at least a few steps。 I leaned down and examined the bottom of her feet； discovering on her right foot a small tar or blacktop stain on the soft fleshy spot below her big toe。 It would appear that she had actually been barefoot back on the road； which might mean she had taken off her clothes； or at least her boots and socks； near the humvee and was made to walk here； fifty meters away； barefoot or perhaps naked； though her bra and panties were near the body。 I examined her bra and saw that the front clasp was intact； not bent or broken； and there were no signs of dirt or stress on the fabric。
All this time no one said a word； and you could hear the morning birds in the trees； and the sun had risen above the line of white pines beyond the berm； and long morning shadows spread across the firing ranges。
I addressed Colonel Kent。 〃Who was the first MP on the scene？〃
Kent called over the female MP nearby； a young PFC； and said to her； 〃Give your report to this man。〃
The MP； whose name tag said Casey； looked at me and reported； 〃I received a radio call at 0452 hours advising me that a female body had been found at rifle range six； approximately fifty meters west of a humvee parked on the road。 I was in the vicinity and I proceeded to this location and reached the scene at 0501 hours and saw the humvee。 I parked and secured my vehicle； took my M…16； and proceeded onto the rifle range； where I located the body。 I felt for a pulse； listened for a heartbeat； tried to detect breathing； and shined my flashlight into the victim's eyes； but they did not respond to the light。 I determined that the victim was dead。〃
I asked her； 〃Then what did you do？〃
〃I returned to my vehicle and called for assistance。〃
〃You followed the same path to and from the body？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did you touch anything except the body？ The ropes； the tent pegs； the undergarments？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Did you touch the victim's vehicle？〃
〃No； sir。 I did not touch the evidence beyond determining that the victim was dead。〃
〃Anything else you want to mention？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Thank you。〃
PFC Casey saluted； turned； and resumed her position。
Kent； Cynthia； and I glanced at one another； as if trying to see what the others were thinking； or feeling。 Truly； moments like this try the soul and bee indelibly burned into the mind。 I have never forgotten a death scene； and never want to。
I looked down at Ann Campbell's face for a full minute； knowing I would not see it again。 This is important； I think； because it establishes a munion between the living and the dead； between the investigator and the victim。 Somehow it helps…not her； but me。
We went back to the road and walked around the humvee that Ann Campbell had driven； then looked inside the driver's side window； which was open。 Many military vehicles have no ignition keys； only a starter button switch； and the switch on the humvee was in the off position。 On the front passenger seat was a black leather nonmilitary…issue handbag。 Cynthia said to me； 〃I would have gone through the bag； but I didn't want to do that without your permission。〃
〃We're off to a good start。 Retrieve the handbag。〃
She went around to the passenger side； and； using a handkerchief； opened the door； took out the bag with the handkerchief； then sat on the lower bench of the bleachers and began laying out the contents。
I got down on the road and slid under the humvee； but there was nothing unusual on the blacktop。 I touched the exhaust system at various points and found it slightly warm in spots。
I stood； and Colonel Kent said to me； 〃Any ideas？〃
〃Well； a few possible scenarios e to mind。 But I have to wait until forensic gets finished。 I assume you called them。〃
〃Of course。 They're on their way from Gillem。〃
〃Good。〃 Fort Gillem is outside Atlanta； about two hundred miles north of Hadley； and the CID lab there is a state…of…the…art operation that handles all of North America。 The people who work there are good； and like me they go where they're needed。 Major crimes are still relatively rare in the Army； so the lab can usually muster the resources it needs when a big one es down。 In this case； they'd probably show up with a caravan。 I said to Colonel Kent； 〃When they get here； tell them to be very curious about a black smudge on the sole of her right foot。 I want to know what it is。〃
Kent nodded； probably thinking to himself； Typical CID bullshit。 And he might well have been right。
〃Also； I want you to do a grid search。 Let's say two hundred meters in each direction from the body； excluding an area fifty meters immediately around the body。〃 This would mess up any footprints； but there were hundreds of bootprints in the area of the rifle range anyway； and the only ones I was interested in were those within fifty meters of the body。 I said to Kent； 〃I want your people to gather up anything that isn't natural flora…cigarette butts； buttons； paper； bottles； and all that； and record the grid where they found it。 All right？〃
〃No problem。 But I think this guy got in and got out clean。 Probably by vehicle； just like the victim。〃
〃I think you're right； but we're creating files。〃
〃We're covering our asses。〃
〃Right。 We go by the book。〃 Which was safe and sometimes even effective。 Bottom line on this one； though； I was going to have to get real creative； and I was going to piss off a lot of important people。 That's the fun part。
I said to Kent； 〃I need Captain Campbell's personnel and medical files sealed and in your office before noon。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃And I need an office at your place； and a clerk。〃
〃One desk or two？〃
I glanced at Cynthia。 〃I guess two desks。 But I'm not mitting to this yet。〃
〃Don't blow smoke up my ass； Paul。 You in or not？〃
〃I'll see what they say at Falls Church。 Okay； delay notifying the public information officer until about ten hundred hours。 Send two guys to Captain Campbell's office and physically remove her desk； furniture； and all her personal possessions； and have everything locked up in your evidence room。 And have Sergeant St。 John and PFC Robbins remain in the provost marshal's office until I can see them。 I don't want anyone speaking a word of this until they've spoken to me。 And it is your unpleasant duty； Colonel； to pay an official call on General and Mrs。 Campbell at their home。 Go unannounced and with an appropriate chaplain and a medical officer in case anyone needs a sedative or something。 They may not view the body at the scene。 Okay？〃
Kent nodded and let out a long breath。 〃Jesus Christ 。。。〃
〃Amen。 Meanwhile； instruct your people not to say a word about what we found here； and give forensic a set of disqualifying fingerprints from PFC Casey； and disqualifying bootprints from everyone here at the scene； including yourself； of course。〃
〃Right。〃
〃Also； tape off the latrine sheds and don't let anyone use them。 Also； the latrines are off limits to forensic until I have a chance to check them out。〃
〃Okay。〃
I walked over to Cynthia； who was now putting everything back in the handbag； still using a handkerchief。 〃Anything interesting？〃
〃No。 Basic stuff。 Wallet； money； keys； and everything appears intact。 Here's a chit from the O Club。 She had dinner last night。 Salad； chicken； white wine； and coffee。〃 She added； 〃She was probably there in the dining room about the same time we were having a drink。〃
Kent had joined us and he asked； 〃You two had drinks together？ You know each other？〃
I replied； 〃We had drinks separately。 We are nodding acquaintances。〃 I asked Cynthia； 〃Campbell's address？〃
〃Off post； unfortunately。 Victory Gardens on Victory Drive in Midland。 Unit forty…five。〃 She added； 〃I think I know the place…a town…house plex。〃
Kent said； 〃I'll call Chief Yardley…that's the Midland police chief； and he'll get a court order and he can meet us there。〃
〃No。 We'll keep this in the family； Bill。〃
〃You can't go search her off…post house without a