The colonel is trying to find out more, but it's iffy.

The evidence was murky, but the colonel had at minimum tried to cover up the killing.

Admittedly, this wasn't the sort of job a colonel should try to handle.

I listened as the colonel tried a different approach.

A maid said the colonel tried to hide under a bed.

There was another pause as the colonel on the other end of the phone tried to find something else to say.

The colonel realized where this conversation was going and tried to recover.

The colonel tried to smile but made a bad job of it.

"Well, the colonel may try to stop him from going."

"I believe the colonel is trying to round up those people in the camp with medical experience."