Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

doing anything with her but talking, if you'll promise to keep me posted."
    "Will do," David said with a wink and returned to his desk. Now that he knew who the blonde was, where she worked and what she was interested in, it was a simple matter to call her secretary and make an appointment to interview Ms. Kaufman for an article on recycling or landfills. After that, he could let nature take its course.
    Much to his surprise, Earth Guard's secretary pitched him his first strike. After he asked for the interview, she put him on hold to check the calendar. It took so long, David instinctively knew that the woman was discussing him with her boss and that the lady was leery of what he really wanted. His assumption was proved accurate when the secretary informed him that Ms. Kaufman's schedule was full for the next week, but that he could get any information he needed for his article from Mr. Sinkiewicz. Insisting that he preferred to speak to the woman who was considered an expert on the subject got him nowhere with the stiffly polite secretary.
    He supposed she really could be that busy, but his nose was twitching. Someone in her position should always want to have the ear of a reporter from the Herald . Whatever her reason, it didn't bode well for getting her to confide in him about why she met with those other women at the hotel.
    David acknowledged that standard approaches weren't going to work this time. What he needed was a side door to slip through. He called Christine and asked if she knew of any social functions that Holly Kaufman would be expected to attend.
    "As a matter of fact, there's a major benefit Saturday night. Plenty of politicians and industrialists, lots of guilt combined with an excess of money. There's no way she or Sinkiewicz would miss that kind of opportunity to schmooz."
    David knew he couldn't afford to miss such an opportunity either. "What would it take to get seated at her table?"
    "Invitations are available to anyone willing to part with the minimum thousand-dollar donation, but I might be able to get that waived for a member of the press. As to the seating, I might have to twist an arm or two."
    "Name your price."
    Laughing, Christine said, "I just want to be there when the princess of garbage puts you out with the rest of the trash."
    "Oh, ye of little faith. You've got a deal."
    Christine told him when and where to pick her up. "By the way, it's black tie and I expect a wrist corsage."
    * * *
    Holly had hoped to get out of the office without having to give Philip any explanation of her evening's plans. Originally, she had intended to have him come to her apartment for a candlelight dinner, but her brief conversation with April that afternoon had forced her to alter the plan. The only time the psychiatrist could give her was this evening, since she had to leave town tomorrow, and she didn't want to discuss the matter over the phone.
    Considering the odd looks Philip had been giving her all day, she should have known he wouldn't be that easy to avoid. The second after she closed the clasp on her briefcase, he appeared in her doorway with an optimistic grin.
    "Ready to go? I know we didn't make plans to go out tonight, but if you'd like, we could try that Thai restaurant that just opened."
    "I'm sorry, I can't." She got as close to the truth as she could. "A friend of mine from college called me this afternoon. She's in town for the night and I promised to meet her for dinner."
    His smiled faltered. "I always enjoy meeting your friends. I'd be glad to treat both of you."
    She stood up to leave but he remained in her path. His eyes held the same pleading expression she had noticed yesterday when she told him she was going home to see her parents. "That's sweet but it wouldn't be fair. We'd bore you to tears with all our girl-talk. But I do have something I want to discuss with you... in private. Could I come by your house later?"
    "Of course," he said, stepping aside for her to pass, but his smile hadn't returned.
    Hoping to allay his concern, she kissed his cheek and promised, "I won't be too late." She felt him staring at her as she walked away and reassured herself that the plans she had for this evening would soon restore his faith in her.
    As soon as she and April were settled in the restaurant Holly had suggested, April asked, "Did you hear the closing statements of the Senate hearing today?"
    "No, I didn't have a minute to spare."
    April sighed. "It wasn't good. They've torn Cheryl