Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

some reluctance, he gave up the pleasure of trailing the sexy blonde for easier quarry. All four moved across the lobby and headed out the front doors as if someone was chasing them, and within seconds, David was.
    He couldn't believe his luck when the redhead decided to walk instead of ride. Perhaps she thought some exercise beneath the August sun would sweat some of the booze out of her system. As she headed down the sidewalk, he quickly made note of the identification number of the taxi cab the mouse got into, then took off before he lost sight of Red.
    She hadn't had that much of a head start, but she managed to make it hard for him to keep an eye on her for the next couple blocks. It was almost as if she knew she was being followed and performed a few maneuvers through the crowd that might have thrown off a less determined hunter. At the intersections, she didn't wait for the proper signal before dashing across the street. David had no choice but to challenge the traffic right behind her.
    The mystery of how someone who appeared so tipsy could move skillfully enough to throw off the average tail was solved a block later when she hustled into the building that housed the FBI. David reached the female guard posted at the entrance doors seconds behind her, but Red was already out of sight. His charm couldn't wheedle a name out of the guard, but he had seen Red flash her identification card as she flew by. The fact that she was instantly recognized combined with her carrying a concealed weapon told him she was probably an agent. His curiosity was definitely tweaked.
    * * *
    Bobbi's head had started pounding even before the group went their separate ways. She knew what the warning sign meant and, during the short cab ride to the IRS building, she practiced the control techniques April had taught her, but the need to submit was much too strong.
    I can handle this, Roberta, Bobbi insisted.
    No, you can't, a stronger voice replied in Bobbi's head. But I can. Go to sleep, Bobbi.
    Again Bobbi concentrated on maintaining her identity and forcing Roberta into the background. Because of April's help, Bobbi understood about Roberta from a psychological standpoint, but neither comprehension nor control techniques were enough to keep Roberta subdued when she truly wanted out.
    As a shy child, Bobbi had invented Roberta to blame for any wrong she was accused of, in an attempt to avoid a beating, or to be out of body when it was inevitably delivered. In later years, when she was most frightened, she often fantasized about being a strong, aggressive girl like Roberta. Unlike Bobbi, Roberta was brave enough to fight back and always had the perfect comeback to an insult. Roberta wasn't afraid of anything or anybody—and the more dangerous something was, the more it appealed to her.
    Sometime during her gang rape, Roberta had become as real as Bobbi had ever been.
    Bobbi sat at her desk and strained her eyes to focus on the numbers on the form before her. Finally, she removed her glasses and put them in her purse.
    There. That's much better, Roberta thought. She never understood how Bobbi could stand wearing those annoying bifocals. Contact lenses were so much nicer, but, as usual, Bobbi had left those at home.
    Within minutes, Roberta had told one of Bobbi's coworkers that she was feeling ill and was outside hailing another taxi.
    Roberta didn't know how or why, or even care, but when she was in charge, Bobbi slept, unaware of what Roberta was doing. When Bobbi was in control however, Roberta remained alert in the shadows. On the way to their apartment, she considered everything discussed over lunch.
    She despised the way Bobbi had just sat there instead of supporting Rachel's opinions. Tim Ziegler should be castrated. Or at least brought down a few notches. Next to cutting his balls off, what she really wanted to do was step forward and add her accusations to Cheryl's but she had promised Bobbi not to do that.
    Suddenly an idea came to her and immediately made itself at home in her mind. She might have agreed not to confront Ziegler publicly, but she had made no such promise about privately. It would take some planning, but she thought it might be fun to pay him a visit before he left town, and Bobbi and her friends would never be the wiser.

Chapter 3

    Holly felt some of her confidence return the moment she stepped into the old office building that housed Earth Guard on its fifth floor. When Philip first set up the nonprofit