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； eureka； a diary。 But here； in this place； so far； I felt I had mistakenly broken into the realtor's model unit。
The last room on the ground floor was a study lined with books； in which sat a desk； sofa； and armchair。 There was also an entertainment console that held a TV and stereo equipment。 On the desk was a telephone answering machine with a blinking light； but we left it alone for the moment。
We gave the study a thorough search； shaking out the books； looking in and under the desk drawers； and finally reading book titles and CD titles。 Her taste in books ran to military publications； a few cookbooks； health and fitness books； no fiction or literature whatsoever。 But there was a plete collection of Friedrich Nietzsche； and a large collection of titles on psychology； which reminded me that we were dealing with a person who not only was a psychologist but worked in a very arcane branch of this field； to wit： psychological warfare。 This might develop into one of the most relevant aspects of this case； or the least relevant。
Heart and hormones aside； all crimes and criminal behavior begin in the mind； and the call to action es from the mind； and the concealment of the crime pletely occupies the mind afterward。 So we eventually had to get into the minds of a lot of people； and that's where we would learn about the general's daughter； and learn why she was murdered。 With a case like this； when you knew why； you could usually figure out who。
Cynthia was flipping through CDs and announced； 〃Elevator music； a few golden oldies； some Beatles and classical stuff； mostly Viennese guys。〃
〃Like Sigmund Freud playing Strauss on the oboe？〃
〃Something like that。〃
I turned on the TV； expecting that it would be tuned to a fitness or news channel。 But instead it was on the VCR channel。 I rummaged through the videotape collection； which consisted of a few old black…and…white classics； a few exercise tapes； and some hand…labeled tapes marked 〃Psy…Ops； Lecture Series。〃
I put one of them in the recorder and pushed the play button。 〃Take a look。〃
Cynthia turned around and we both watched as Captain Ann Campbell's image filled the screen； dressed in battle fatigues and standing at a rostrum。 She was； indeed； a very good…looking woman； but beyond that she had bright and alert eyes that stared into the camera for a few seconds before she smiled and began； 〃Good morning； gentlemen。 Today we are going to discuss the several ways in which psychological operations； or psy warfare； if you wish； can be used by the infantry mander in the field to decrease enemy morale and fighting effectiveness。 The ultimate objective of these operations is to make your job as infantry manders somewhat easier。 Your mission…to make contact with and destroy the enemy…is a tough one； and you are aided by other branches of the Army； such as artillery； air； armor； and intelligence。 However； a little…understood and too…little…used tool is available to you…psychological operations。〃
She went on； 〃The enemy's will to fight is perhaps the single most important element that you must calculate into your battle plans。 His guns； his armor； his artillery； his training； his equipment； and indeed even his numbers are all secondary to his willingness to stand and fight。〃 She looked out over her off…screen audience and let a moment pass before continuing。 〃No man wants to die。 But many men can be motivated to risk their lives in defense of their countries； their families； and even an abstraction； or a philosophy。 Democracy； religion； racial pride； individual honor； unit and interpersonal loyalty； the promise of plunder； and； yes； women 。。。 rape。 These are among the historical motivators for frontline troops。〃
As she spoke； a slide projection screen behind her flashed images of ancient battle scenes taken from old prints and paintings。 I recognized 〃The Rape of the Sabines；〃 by Da Bologna； which is one of the few classical paintings I can name。 Sometimes I wonder about myself。
Captain Campbell continued； 〃The objective of psychological warfare is to chip away at these motivators； but not to tackle them head…on； as they are often too strong and too ingrained to be changed in any significant way through propaganda or psy…ops。 The best we can hope to do is to plant some seeds of doubt。 However； this does not crack morale and lead to mass desertions and surrender。 It only lays the groundwork for stage two of psy…ops； which is； ultimately； to instill fear and panic into the enemy ranks。 Fear and panic。 Fear of death； fear of grotesque wounds； fear of fear。 Panic…that least understood of all psychological states of mind。 Panic…a deep abiding； free…floating anxiety； often without any reason or logical basis。 Our ancestors used war drums； war pipes； bloodcurdling shouts； taunts； and even breast beating and primal screams to induce panic in the enemy camps。〃
The image on the screen behind her now looked to be a depiction of a Roman army in full flight； being chased by a horde of fierce…looking barbarians。
She continued； 〃In our pursuit of technical excellence and high…tech solutions to battlefield problems； we have forgotten the primal scream。〃 Ann Campbell hit a button on the rostrum and a high…decibel； bloodcurdling scream filled the room。 She smiled and said； 〃That will loosen your sphincter。〃 A few men in the classroom laughed； and the microphone picked up some guy saying； 〃Sounds like my wife when she climaxes。〃 More laughter； and Captain Campbell； reacting to the remark； laughed too； an almost bawdy laugh； pletely out of character。 She looked down a moment； as if at her notes； and when she looked up again； her expression had returned to business and the laughter died down。
I had the impression she was playing the crowd； getting them on her side the way most male Army instructors did with an off…color joke or an occasional personal ment。 Clearly； she had reached out and touched the audience； had shared a moment of sexual plicity and revealed what was beneath the neat uniform。 But only for a moment。 I turned off the VCR。 〃Interesting lecture。〃
Cynthia said； 〃Who would want to kill a woman like that？ I mean； she was so alive。 So vital and so self…assured 。。。〃
Which may be why someone wanted to kill her。 We stood in silence a moment； sort of in respect； I suppose； as if Ann Campbell's presence and spirit were still in the room。 In truth； I was quite taken with Ann Campbell。 She was the type of woman you noticed； and once seen； was never forgotten。 It wasn't only her looks that grabbed your attention； but her whole demeanor and bearing。 Also； she had a good mand voice； deep and distinct； yet feminine and sexy。 Her accent was what I call Army brat…a product of ten or twenty duty stations around the world； with an occasional southern pronunciation taking you by surprise。 All in all； this was a woman who could mand the respect and attention of men； or drive them to distraction。
As for how women related to her； Cynthia seemed impressed； but I suspected that some women might find her threatening； especially if their husbands or boyfriends had any proximity to Ann Campbell。 How Ann Campbell related to other women was； as yet； a mystery。 Finally； to break the silence； I said； 〃Let's finish this business。〃
We went back to our search of the study。 Cynthia and I both went through a photo album we found on the shelf。 The photos appeared to be entirely en famille： General and Mrs。 Campbell； a young man who was probably the son； shots of Daddy and Ann in mufti； uncle and aunt types； West Point； picnics； Christmas； Thanksgiving； ad nauseam； and I had the impression her mother put the album together for her daughter。 This was documentary proof positive that the Campbells were the happiest； most loving； best adjusted； most socially integrated family this side of the Father； Son； and the Holy Spirit； with Mary taking most of the snapshots。 〃Pablum；〃 I said。 〃But it does tell one something； does it not？〃
〃What？〃 asked Cynthia
〃They probably all hate one another。〃
〃You're being cynical；〃 she said。 〃And jealous；〃 she added； 〃because we don't have families like this。〃
I closed the album。 〃We'll soon find out what's behind their cheesy smiles。〃
At this point； the enormity of what we were doing seemed to hit Cynthia and she said； 〃Paul 。。。 we have to question General Campbell 。。。 Mrs。 Campbell 。。。〃
I replied； 〃Murder is unpleasant enough。 When it's rape and murder and it doesn't appear random； and the victim's father is a national hero； then the idiots who are going to examine the victim's life had better know what they're getting into。 Understand？〃
She contemplated this a moment and informed me； 〃I really want this case。 I feel 。。。 you know 。。。 some affinity for her。 I didn't know her； but I know life wasn't easy for her in this man's Army。〃
〃Spare me； Cynthia。〃
〃Well； really； Paul； how would you know？〃
〃Try being a white man these days。〃
〃Give me a break。〃
〃Now I remember what we used to fight about。〃
〃Neutral corners。〃
We walked to opposite sides of the room； though not the corners； and continued our search。 I looked at the framed things on the wall…Ann Campbell's West Point diploma； her Army mission； training certificates； mendations； and a few other Department of the Army and Department of Defense certificates； including one that recognized her contribution to Operation Desert Storm； though the nature of the contribution was not specified。 I cleared my throat and said to Ms。 Sunhill； 〃Did you ever hear about Operation Bonkers during Desert Storm？〃
She replied； 〃Not that I recall。〃
〃Well； some smart cookie in psy…ops had this idea of dropping hard…core porno photos on the Iraqi positions。 Most of those poor bastards had not seen a woman in months or years； so this psy…ops sadist wants to bury them in photos of hot； pink flesh； which will drive them bonkers。 The idea goes all the way up to the joint mand； and it's a definite winner； a go； until the Saudis hear about it and go ballistic。 You know； they're a little tight and not as enlightened as we are about bare tits and ass。 So the thing was squashed； but the word was that the idea was brilliant and could have shortened the ground war from four days to fifteen minutes。〃 I smiled。
Cynthia replied frostily； 〃It's disgusting。〃
〃Actually； I agree in theory。 But if it saved one life； it might have been justified。〃
〃The means do not justify the ends。 What's the point？〃
〃Well； what if the idea of the porno bombardment had e from a woman instead of some male pig？〃
〃You mean Captain Campbell？〃
〃Certainly that idea came out of the Special Operations School here。 Let's check it out。〃
Cynthia went into one of her contemplative moods； then looked at me。 〃Did you know her？〃
〃I knew of her。〃
〃What did you know of her？〃
〃What most everyone else knew； Cynthia。 She was perfect in every way； made in the USA； pasteurized and homogenized by the Public Information Office； and delivered fresh to your doorstep； creamy white and good for you。〃
〃And you don't believe that？〃
〃No； I don't。 But if we discover that I'm wrong； then I'm in the wrong business and I'll resign。〃
〃You may wind up doing that anyway。〃
〃Most probably。〃 I added； 〃Please consider how she died； how bizarre it was； and how unlikely it would be for a stranger to have gotten the drop on a soldier who was alert； bright； armed； and ready to shoot。〃
She nodded； then said as if to herself； 〃I have considered what you are suggesting。 It's not unmon for a female officer to lead two lives…public rectitude and private 。。。 whatever。 But I've also seen women； rape victims； married and single； who led exemplary private lives and who wound up as victims by pure chance。 I've also seen women who lived on the jagged edge； but whose rape had not a thing to do with their promiscuity or the crazies they hung out with。 Again； it was pure chance。〃
〃That's a possibility； and I don't discount it。〃
〃And don't be judgmental； Paul。〃
〃I'm not。 I'm no saint。 How about you？〃
〃You know better than to ask。〃 She walked over to where I was standing and put her hand on my shoulder； which sort of took me by surprise。 She said； 〃Can we do this？ I mean together？ Are we going to screw this up？〃
〃No。 We're going to solve it。〃