Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

him the answers he was seeking. But her obvious fear combined with her show of indifference had clouded his brain.
    Instinctively, he knew a traditional apology would not be sufficient to wipe out the damage he'd done. Considering the dead ends he'd run up against with this story, he definitely needed another chance with Holly Kaufman.
    Though he knew there was a connection between Donner and Wallace, he had yet to find a similar tie between them and Holly or Greenley. Valerie had yet to get him a roster of students enrolled at Dominion when Wallace and Donner were there.
    A general background check showed the four of them were born in different states—Holly was a year older than the others—and had graduated from different colleges, and so far, there didn't seem to be any organization they all belonged to. The fact that they seemed to have so little in common was the one element that would drive David until he uncovered the reason for their meeting.
    In the meantime, he still couldn't identify the other two women he had seen at the hotel, the mouse and the other blonde. Although he had caught the call number of the cab the mouse had taken, and his contact there had been willing to look up the details on that fare, where she had been dropped off didn't narrow down her destination.
    He had no choice but to find a way to make amends to Ms. Kaufman. Tim Ziegler's murder was incentive enough to convince him to bend a few of his personal rules about women if he had to.
    * * *
    Holly frowned at the calendar on her kitchen wall. Friday. She had promised April she would call every Friday, but what would she say?
    That Timothy Ziegler's murder had frightened her into not wanting to get further involved with the Little Sister Society? There was some truth to that, but she had already come to the conclusion that she could carry out the assignment given her without having to associate with the entire group of damaged women.
    That she had changed her mind about wanting retribution against Jerry Frampton? There was no truth to that at all. If anything, before her disastrous encounter with David Wells, she had begun to imagine how exciting it would be to track the reporter's investigation and how satisfying it would be if he uncovered something horribly detrimental that Frampton would then be suitably punished for. She had heard revenge is sweet, and she already had acquired an interest in finding that out for herself.
    The real truth was, she had nothing substantial to report to April, as she had hoped to have by now, and she was embarrassed about that. Almost as embarrassed as she was over her miscalculation with David Wells.
    Since April had suggested she use David as practice for dealing with other men, it wouldn't be out of the question to discuss with her what had happened. She would probably be very understanding and have some reassuring comments, but Holly wasn't yet accustomed to sharing her problems so easily.
    No, she didn't want to call April until she had made a decision about a reporter. There was no question she had to eliminate Wells. As crude as he was, he had effectively demonstrated that she was no match for him. Her amateurish ploys to lure him to her had achieved nothing but a severe case of comeuppance.
    All in all it was a good thing he had seen through her act. He made her feel something she had never expected to feel again, nor did she want to. Sexual desire had made her a helpless victim once before and that was one time too many.
    Of the other reporters she was considering, there were two that came close to matching Wells' qualifications and credentials—one was a happily married man and the other was a razor-tongued woman whom Holly had always avoided. She wouldn't be able to believably establish a relationship with either of them that would allow her to remain close throughout an investigation of Frampton. Wells would have been perfect, if he had not been so astute, so egotistical... so much more man than she was woman.
    It appeared that her only choice would be to pass on the information she had to one of the two less perfect reporters, then hope a story appeared in the newspaper. It didn't sound nearly as satisfying as going along for the ride, but it seemed to be the only option left to her.
    She interrupted her mental debate to check the news before heading to the office. Timothy Ziegler's murder had taken a back seat to other stories within forty-eight hours. Friday morning, the weather held