Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

victimized."
    "Well, then," April said, "let's hope this whole thing is solved in a few days and we can all stop worrying."
    Holly wanted to be relieved of that worry desperately enough so that she told herself that she believed April and that none of the Little Sisters was a murderess. But she couldn't ignore the feeling that they weren't completely innocent either.
    Her anxiety over David's condition took precedence over all else, however, and as soon as Rachel finished her update, Holly intended to leave.
    Bobbi spoke before she could do so. "As long as we're together, I have some positive news. Adam Frankowicz is back in New York. It may take a little while to do any damage, but I've initiated action against him for tax evasion. I guarantee you he'll be a lot poorer by this time next year."
    Finally, Holly simply excused herself to make a call. A few minutes later she had reservations on a flight to Miami out of Washington, D.C.'s, National Airport that afternoon. She could make it if she hurried.
    Retrieving her bag from the upstairs bedroom, she couldn't help but think about the woman secluding herself up in the attic. Part of Holly wanted to go up and try to talk to Cheryl, tell her she understood firsthand how she felt. The more logical side of her brain argued that she couldn't spare the time, and besides, April was much more qualified than she. Her interference might do more harm than good.
    Holly had been looking forward to spending more time with April, but now all she could think of was how fast she could get away.
    She made the proper apologies and promised to come back another weekend, inching her way toward the front door with each word. Just as it looked like she would be free to depart, Rachel offered to "see her to her car."
    "I just wanted to make sure you didn't get the wrong impression in there," Rachel said as Holly unlocked her car door and placed her bag in the back seat.
    Holly assumed she was trying to apologize for suggesting she could be the killer. Her assumption was wrong.
    "I didn't want to bring you into the Society. And I don't trust you. Whether your joining us right before Ziegler was murdered is relevant or not, I think you're trouble. As long as you keep your mouth shut, I'll leave you alone, but if you say anything to anybody about us, I promise you, I'll turn this case around on you so fast you won't have time to take a piss. And just so you understand that I'm perfectly capable of proving you're the killer, no matter how innocent you are, I'm going to let you in on another secret."
    Holly tucked her hands beneath her arms in a defensive manner that hid how badly she was trembling. She wanted to drive as far and fast as possible, but she also wanted to hear the secret.
    Rachel moved close enough for Holly to smell alcohol on her breath. "April needs to believe that all of us have obeyed the rules she set down for going after the fifteen men, and we let her have that consolation. But the truth is, there have been times when one or two of us have had to bend the rules to break the man."
    Holly sifted through the implied confession until she began to understand.
    "Think about it," Rachel said and walked back to the house.
    Holly thought about it all the way to Washington, but it only took the first few seconds to figure out what Rachel meant. If Rachel wanted to, she could fabricate proof of someone's guilt or destroy evidence of a person's innocence, in the same way the snuff film had been eliminated. Bobbi could do the same through the IRS. And surely, with the computer wizard's help, Erica could play havoc with a company's market value and create any number of difficulties for its owner.
    That was the secret they were hoarding so carefully. She recalled Bobbi mentioning that she could lose her job. It would be a wonder if she didn't end up in jail if she had done something unethical regarding any of the men's tax returns.
    Rachel could be planning to ensure that one of the women suspects was arrested, or she could just as easily make it look like Holly was the guilty party. Of course, there was the possibility that one of the suspects was the killer, but Holly wasn't at all certain. In her mind, Rachel was still the likeliest candidate. She had the motive, means and personality, and if she didn't commit the crimes, she could very likely be protecting the real murderess—particularly if it was Erica.
    Just because Rachel said Erica was in California when O'Day was killed didn't