Page 101 of Deadly Designs

Aja Blue glared at Dirk. “That’s what he toldyou?”

“Yes. Dirk wrote the pilot for the new show andeverything.”

That was one reason the project had been booted tothe curb. His writing skills were atrocious. He was used todirecting people having creepy sex, not creating dialogue. Theother reason—the biggest one—was that FamCam, the family-orientednetwork that had carried their original series, wanted nothing todo with a child star turned stripper and porn queen.

“Did you even read it?” Aja Blue had, and it’d madeher gag. She’d have refused if FamCam hadn’t done so first.

“Well, no, but Dirk told me it was clever and funny,and I believe him. Because of you, it will never get made now.”

Aja Blue almost flinched at the venom in Polly’svoice. Dirk had poisoned her mind as well as her body. “Dirk liedto you, Polly. He should’ve told you they flat rejected his pitch.I was never consulted on the decision, so it had nothing to do withme.” She withheld the part where Melvin Sark declared Polly wouldnever appear on his network again, ABAPT reruns notwithstanding.They made FamCam a ton of money, after all. Mel was a first-classhypocrite.

Polly shook her head. “No, it’s your fault. Dirkwouldn’t lie to me.”

“You think I would, Polly? We’ve been friends forover two decades. Remember when you broke your leg, and I sat withyou, watching Disney movies and playing board games? We ate icecream and popcorn.”

Aja Blue could see Polly’s determination wavering.“Dirk said you had to pay for ruining our lives.”

“Dirk did that when he convinced you to star in hismovies.” She almost choked on the last word. “Remember when you hada crush on Billy Bender but were too shy to talk to him? I got youtwo together.”

“He only pretended to like me to be near you.”

Oh shoot, she’d forgotten that part. Billy had turnedout to be a slimy snake. “What about when we dressed up likeTweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum for Halloween that year? We had so muchfun.”

“You made me be Tweedle Dum.”

Ugh, this was not going as planned. “Rememberstealing the golf cart and riding around the studio lot until wegot caught?”

Polly chuckled. Maybe she was getting through to her.“You took the blame and got in trouble.”

“In all fairness, it was my fault.” They bothlaughed, and Aja Blue took her hand. “I would never lie to you,Polly. I did not kill the reboot.”

Polly looked from Dirk to Aja Blue and back.“Dirk?”

“Don’t listen to her, baby. She’s a liar. She’d sayanything to turn you against me. Don’t forget, I’ve got yourmedicine right here.” He patted his shirt pocket. And by medicine,he meant drugs. Polly was practically salivating. It broke AjaBlue’s heart.

“While this reunion has been touching and all, here’swhat’s going to happen. Since you are to blame for me losingeverything, you will give me all your money.”

Fat chance. She’d die first. “How could you possiblythink I was responsible for the feds shutting down your business?Do you think I have that kind of pull? That’s all on you.”

“If you’d left my star actress alone, she wouldn’thave been restless, and I could’ve focused on my company. Becauseof you, my attention was diverted, and my empire crumbled.”

“Really? I thought it was the syphilis outbreak.”

The blow was unexpected, and pain exploded in AjaBlue’s face. Polly gasped and shrank back as if she’d been therecipient of Dirk’s pugilism before. No doubt she had. Aja Blueblinked back tears, wishing she’d kept her mouth shut and waitedfor Christian before agreeing to visit Polly. She should’ve knownher old friend couldn’t quit her boyfriend slash pimp slashpusher.

Aja Blue refused to give Dirk what he wanted, andthat would anger him. She needed to string him along until shecould figure out how to get the gun away from him. Maybe it was afool’s mission, but she was determined to save herself. She had avery important reason to live, and he was currently in a hospitalbed, waiting for her to return.

“Polly, look at me.” Her friend was stilllaser-focused on Dirk’s shirt pocket.“Polly!”

She squeaked and spun to Aja Blue.

“One last time, I have never lied to you. Never. I’veonly wanted what was best for you. Let me help you, Polly.”

Polly chewed her lip. Aja Blue reached out a hand,and Polly grasped it like a lifeline.

“What the hell, Polly?” Dirk bellowed. “It’s you andme against the world, baby. Now get over here.”

“No.”

---