Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

while I was a senior. He was a professor at Dominion and was aware of some of the incidents involving the fraternity, but not what the women were doing about it. Cheryl's husband is somewhat younger than she is and supported her decision to testify."
    Rachel gave a nasty laugh. "Considering the allowance she gives that boy-toy of hers, he better support her decisions."
    April shot Rachel another frown as she continued. "Samantha, the attorney, is not only married, but the reason she's not here is because she just gave birth to their third child. Our seventh member, Paula Marconi, is also married with two children. Paula's our computer wizard. The system hasn't been made that can keep her out. Both of them told their husbands about the rapes, but not what they've done to get even."
    April picked up a thick, expandable folder that had been leaning against her chair, pulled a sheet of paper out, and passed it to Holly. "You can keep this."
    Holly scanned the paper, which bore the fifteen names she had first seen years ago, but now, all had lines drawn through them except four: Adam Frankowicz, Jerry Frampton, William O'Day, and Timothy Ziegler.
    April gave Holly a moment, then said, "Hopefully, Tim Ziegler will be scratched soon. Adam Frankowicz has been working for an oil company in Saudi Arabia for the last several years, so he's been out of our reach, but the latest report says he's being transferred back to New York soon. Bobbi's been compiling a file on him for years. It was just a matter of being patient. If you know anything about professional football, you know William O'Day is extremely popular. His celebrity status has kept him safe from any aggressive investigation until now."
    April removed a large envelope from the folder and set it in the center of the table. Holly could easily read the name Jerry Frampton on the neatly typed label.
    "Was Erica right, Holly? Did Jerry Frampton hurt you too?"
    Holly met April's understanding gaze and nodded. "Yes. Jerry and... and Tim Ziegler, but it was Jerry that—" The words she would have said choked her and she tried others. "It was the year before... before what happened to all of you. They were juniors and I was freshman. Jerry had to repeat a class I was in and he hired me to tutor him." Again she found it impossible to say more. "I'm sorry. I really am. I thought—you were all so open with me—but I can't."
    "It's all right, Holly," April said. "Nobody's pushing you. If you change your mind, anytime, just call me. In the meantime, why don't you take that envelope home with you and go through it when you feel up to it. We're almost ready to close in on Frampton, but there's one step left. If you'd like to pull the last string, that would be rather appropriate, since you seem to be one of his first victims."
    Erica gave Holly one of her half smiles. "There is nothin' quite so healin' as bein' an integral part of the retribution process. Ah highly recommend it."
    "But he abused all of you—"
    "Yes," April interrupted. "And each of us had a hand in putting his file together. You don't have to do anything. Just take a look at what we've come up with. Then call me if you want to be involved in bringing King Stud down to peasant level. But keep in mind, as long as your attackers go unpunished, you'll always feel like a victim. Once you take action against them, they'll no longer have any power over you."
    They talked a little more about how the rapes had affected their lives and how they were still trying to cope with the leftover anxieties and fears. Repeatedly, Holly heard how talking about what had happened was the first step. She understood what they were saying and empathized with them completely, yet in her mind, these women were strangers. If she were ever to open up to anyone, she felt it should be her parents first, then Philip.
    "By the way," Erica said as they were all leaving. "There's a reporter in the lobby who's been tryin' to get an interview with me. Y'all may want to steer clear of any good lookin' man wantin' to speak to you on your way out."
    * * *
    David had to force himself to sit still when the express elevator doors opened. He watched the same four women exit that he had seen go in, but no Mrs. Donner. Abiding by his earlier decision, he prepared to follow one of them and try to get a few questions answered.
    Like a wolf sniffing out a wounded doe, he immediately noticed how the tall redhead's walk was not as steady as it had been earlier. With