Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

he was about to be punished.
    Comprehension flickered in Ziegler's eyes, and he again glanced at the closed bedroom door, but he passed out before he could put a voice to any thoughts.
    Ziegler's body was adjusted so that he was slouched down in the armchair with his legs stretched out in front of him. It took a little more effort to tug his slacks and briefs down his legs.
    The visitor donned a vinyl rain poncho and removed another item from the tote before realizing what had been forgotten. Luckily, a suitable tool was stored in the bar.
    Using the ice tongs to raise the male organ from Ziegler's body, the visitor switched on the battery-operated carving knife. With the double serrated blades operating at high speed, justice was swiftly delivered.
    As Ziegler's life blood pumped from his body, the severed penis was stuffed into his mouth and a bloody testicle placed over each eye. In case that message wasn't clear enough, a white cardboard sign was propped on his chest. Black stick-on letters formed the words:
    Just punishment for a rapist
    * * *
    At nine-fifteen p.m., Rachel Greenley received a phone call from her supervisor, informing her of a new assignment. She was to head up the team investigating the murder of Timothy Ziegler.
    "Naturally, this is to remain confidential for the time being. I need you to meet me at the Kessler Hotel as soon as you can get here," Matt said. "And Rachel, I need you clearheaded."
    "No problem, sir. I'm sober as the proverbial judge." Rachel hung up the phone before allowing herself to react. The incredible irony of it was too beautiful not to share. Before she left her apartment, she made two phone calls, but neither of her friends answered. Where the hell were they?
    * * *
    Philip's call woke Holly Saturday morning long before her alarm went off. "Did you hear the news?" he asked instead of greeting her. A hoarse mumble was her answer. "Senator Ziegler was murdered last night."
    "What?" Holly drew herself upright in bed.
    "Someone killed the new HUD secretary, although details haven't been released yet. A secret service agent was first on the scene and apparently they were able to keep it under wraps most of the night. Can you imagine? While guests were celebrating his appointment downstairs, he was getting stiff up in his room."
    "Philip! That's not funny."
    "I know. It just struck me as an extreme case of poetic justice that right after his colleagues saw fit to reward him in spite of everything they'd heard, he's now in the hands of the one judge who knows the truth."
    Holly rubbed her eyes, uncertain why Philip thought she needed to be awakened by such morbid news, or why he sounded so satisfied by it. "I'm still half asleep, Philip, but I'll turn on the news as soon as I get out of the shower."
    "I thought perhaps you'd like me to take you out to breakfast."
    "Thanks, but I'll have to pass. I have an appointment to get my hair done for the benefit dinner tonight."
    "All right. I'll see you later then. Is six-thirty good for me to pick you up?"
    "That'll be fine." As Holly hung up, she thought it was odd of Philip to ask her out to breakfast when they would be going out that evening.
    It wasn't until she was standing under the hot spray that the purpose of Philip's call truly sunk in.
    Timothy Ziegler had been murdered! One of the men featured in the nightmare that had disrupted her sleep last night was now dead and would soon be buried. Questions of how and why popped into her head, but Philip had said details hadn't been released.
    So why had he called so early? Just to let her know that a man who had gotten away with a crime would no longer be freely walking the earth? Or was it more than that? Could Philip have guessed the connection between her and Ziegler? What if he had looked at the list of names in her briefcase the other day, then talked to her father, and somehow pieced it all together?
    That was incredibly farfetched. If Philip had seen Ziegler's name, he would have mentioned it by now, and she hadn't given her parents any names. She didn't think her mother's guessing the name Jerry would be enough. Besides that, Bernie was a strong supporter of his state senator. He had even spent some time talking to Ziegler at a rally once. No, there was no way Philip could have concluded that she had any personal interest in Ziegler's fate, other than empathizing with Cheryl Wallace.
    As soon as she had the thought, she realized that had to be it. The other night Philip had