Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

that night, no one could place her at the hotel. Case closed.
    The more she pondered it, the more she was convinced that Rachel's drinking was the real problem. It was probably making her paranoid and she wanted to get everyone else as frightened as she was. If anything, she was the one who'd better have an alibi. Holly specifically recalled her saying she wanted to castrate Ziegler. Maybe that was what her advice to them was really about. Rachel wanted to scare everyone enough to make certain no one repeated what she had said.
    Holly even began to wonder if the information Erica had passed on was accurate. There hadn't been a single hint of it in any news coverage she'd heard. More than likely, the whole description of the castration had only been a wishful delusion of Rachel's. And Erica and Bobbi/Roberta seemed to be taking too great a delight in the details for Holly's peace of mind.
    If it had happened that way, though, she could see how Cheryl could instantly become a suspect on the basis of motivation. For her sake, she hoped someone could verify that she'd left the city and stayed away.
    As Holly got ready for the benefit dinner, she made up her mind to have nothing further to do with the three of them. Neither the uncomfortable meeting nor Ziegler's death changed her mind about going ahead with the Frampton matter, however. Thoughts of revenge had taken root in her mind and sprouted shoots of anticipation. She would simply limit her communication to April.
    Holly made one last check in the full-length mirror. Hair and makeup, perfect. Teeth, nice and white. The black silk Japanese-style sheath showed off her figure without being the least bit revealing. Only the right side slit from ankle to mid-thigh gave a teasing glimpse of black-stockinged flesh. Her lips and fingernails were a subdued shade of rose and the only jewelry she wore was the one carat diamond stud earrings Philip had given her for her birthday several years ago.
    Though she normally played down all her natural attributes, dressing up that night was a gift to Philip for his incredible patience. Everyone who was anyone would be at the benefit dinner and they would all see Philip walk in with a desirable woman on his arm. Even if she couldn't give him the real thing, no one but the two of them would know that.
    As she walked into the living room where he awaited her, his fawning reaction assured her she had achieved the proper balance of sensuality and remoteness.
    * * *
    David frowned at his image in the mirror. He hated having to wear a monkey suit, no matter how good he looked in it. Yet his instincts told him it would be worth it tonight. Somehow, before the evening was over, he would have made a connection with the aloof Ms. Kaufman.
    Tim Ziegler's hints at a deeper story had taken on monumental proportions the moment David heard about his death. His first thought was that he wouldn't be able to get the names, dates and other details Tim had promised. The second thought was that the senator may have died because of those details.
    If he went with that supposition, it meant Cheryl Wallace or Erica Donner could have been involved in his murder, which in turn brought up the possibility that the women who met with Donner could know something as well. Questions flitted around in his head like lightning bugs, but there were too many unknowns to guess at answers just yet.
    His original plan to openly question Donner or one of the other women to see how they might react was too blatant under the new situation. More subtlety was called for, and subtlety took time. The most efficient route seemed to be to establish a relationship with one of the women and work the story from the inside. After he reached this conclusion, it had taken him two seconds to decide that Holly was his best choice, particularly since he hadn't been able to get to Donner or Wallace, the FBI and IRS agents would be too suspicious of his motives, and he hadn't been able to come up with any identity for the other blonde.
    Aside from the obvious, however, he sensed a certain feminine vulnerability in Holly that he was rather good at homing in on. Following up on Ziegler's lead could prove to be quite pleasurable, in fact.
    He simply had to remember that the woman could be a murderess.
    * * *
    Holly and Philip's entrance into the hotel ballroom where the dinner was being held was noticed by more than a few people and their progress through the room was impeded by greetings and