Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

Wells had with D'Angelo before the shooting started. On that tape, Wells verbally ID'd Frampton doing a walk-on in the film and D'Angelo confirmed it."
    "Good heavens," April murmured. "That's better than we ever could have expected."
    "Don't break open the champagne. It goes downhill from here. The Feds arrested Frampton early this morning on pornography charges before Miami could make their move on the accessory to homicide charge, but he was free again almost immediately. He's too prominent a citizen to be denied his rights, and no matter how high the judge set the bail, he could afford it."
    "But won't he still have to be tried?" Holly asked.
    "Normally, yes, but there's more. Somehow, between the time that the evidence was sorted and the snuff film was to be viewed in the state attorney's office, it was exchanged for a blank one. The physical evidence of the homicide is gone."
    April sighed aloud. "I haven't had a chance to hear or read much news lately. Do you think Jerry Frampton was behind switching the film?"
    "Certainly possible that he'd have someone in his pocket who could handle a detail like that. Unless someone involved has an attack of conscience, there's no proof. David Wells is now the only person left alive who saw that film. His testimony will be needed to back up the audio. Regardless of that testimony, though, with D'Angelo dead, it won't be too hard for Frampton's attorney to poke holes in it."
    Holly noticed how Bobbi's intent gaze followed the conversation, but she was in her meek personality that morning and not offering comments one way or another.
    Fear tinged Holly's voice as she made herself ask, "Is David going to make it?"
    Rachel raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you care?"
    Holly was shocked by her callousness. "It's because of me that he went down there. I had no idea he'd be risking his life when I passed him the lead."
    Rachel gave an indifferent shrug. "He took the risk to get a big story. Instead he got himself shot in the head. Sometimes the end justifies the means."
    "Rachel, please. The news said he was critically wounded. I need to know how bad it is."
    "It doesn't sound promising. He's in intensive care at Jackson Memorial in Miami—probably the best place in the south to be if you have to get yourself shot. The last report was he was still unconscious and under guard."
    Holly stiffened. "Under guard? But—Oh my god. They think Frampton might try to make sure he never wakes up. Is that it?"
    Rachel nodded and all four lapsed into a dejected silence.
    April reached over and patted Holly's knee. "Remember what you just said to me about Cheryl. It was his decision to follow up on the lead you gave him. Nothing you did put him in jeopardy."
    "I suppose you're right, but, I don't know, maybe if I had been more honest with him—"
    "I told you so," Bobbi/Roberta interrupted in her aggressive voice as she whipped off her glasses. "You're going to have to do something about her, April."
    Holly glanced from one to the other, and her stomach released a bit more acid as she realized Bobbi was referring to her. "I have to go," Holly announced abruptly and stood up. Even Bobbi reacted with surprise. "I can't sit here, wondering, waiting for a third party to let me know how he is. I have to go down there."
    April rose and took Holly's hands in hers. "This is more than just a guilty conscience, isn't it?"
    Holly's resigned sigh was her answer.
    "You truly care about him, don't you? You let down the walls and discovered you could feel again. Don't you see what a milestone that is?"
    Holly lowered her gaze, but left her hands in April's. "I didn't want to ever be this vulnerable to a man again."
    "Love isn't a weakness, Holly. Emotion—any emotion—is a strength. You just have to learn how to channel it. Let it work for you instead of against you. When you allow yourself to feel, you can be anything, do anything you wish. Tell me, just now, weren't you thinking that if you went to his side, somehow you could make him better?"
    "I don't know what I was thinking. I just feel so helpless."
    "Then go to him, give him your new strength, bring him back to testify against the man who hurt you."
    Holly blinked. She hadn't been thinking of her revenge at all, but apparently it hadn't left April's mind.
    "However, before you go," April said, releasing Holly's hands, "let's have the talk you came up here for." She waited for Holly to be seated again. "I can understand how you must be concerned