Page 100 of Deadly Designs

Polly chewed her thumbnail.“No. It’s agentlemen’s club.”

In other words, she was going to be a stripper. AjaBlue had tried to talk her out of it, even offering to loan hermoney. Polly was sure she’d be discovered there . . . and she hadbeen. By Dirk Haines. It’d been the beginning of Polly’sdownfall.

Dirk’s barked command for Polly to get Aja Blue’scell phone snapped her back to the present. “I don’t have one.”

“Oh, come on,” he sneered, making his disgusting faceeven uglier. “Everyone has one these days.”

“Well, I don’t. It was stolen.”

“I don’t believe you. Check her, Polly.”

Polly reached for her, but Aja Blue stopped her witha sharp look and channeled her inner Presley Parrish. “Touch me,and I will break your arm in half.”

Polly seemed taken aback but challenged, “Youwouldn’t dare.”

After setting her up to be held at gunpoint by herpsychotic boyfriend, she absolutely would. “Try me.”

Polly stared at her as if gauging her seriousness.Then her hand shot out, and she snatched the phone from Aja Blue’spocket before she could react. It was apparent larceny wasn’t newto Polly.

“Give that back.”

She reached for it, but Polly tossed it to Dirk. AjaBlue gritted her teeth when he dropped it to the ground and stompedhis booted foot on the screen.

“The hell?”

She smirked when nothing happened. COBRA Securitiesphones were virtually indestructible. He tried again, jumping upand down on it. Then he grabbed a pillow from the bed, stuck hisgun in it, and pulled the trigger. The sound was muted, but shestill jumped. So did Polly. She didn’t see the phone survivingthat. Feathers drifted in the air as Dirk tossed the pillow aside.He nodded in approval. Then he booted the ruined phone under thebed.

“Thanks a lot, Polly.”

Polly wiped a finger under her nose. Aja Blue didn’tknow this Polly. She wasn’t the same person she’d been before.Everyone changed; that was a given in life. But Polly’stransformation had not been for the better. “How are yourparents?”

That caused a reaction. Her glossy eyes widenedbriefly before a mask slipped over her face. Instead of answering,she shrugged.

“I can tell you if you’d like.” She didn’t wait forPolly’s approval. “Your mother spends most of her days volunteeringon committees, and she’s on medication for high blood pressure.Your father had to retire on disability from an accident at work,but he’s still active with the local Moose Lodge. Both worry aboutyou constantly and would be overjoyed to get a phone call fromyou.” Aja Blue made sure to check on them from time to time.

Polly’s eyes had welled with tears, and she darted alook at Dirk, who scowled.

“Quit filling her head with nonsense. They disownedher a long time ago.”

Aja Blue ignored him and almost faced Polly, but shedidn’t trust him not to shoot her in the back. Better to keep himin sight, even if he made her skin crawl. “That’s a lie. Theydidn’t agree with some of your life choices, but they have alwaysand still love you.”

Polly was looking at Dirk again. She didn’t make amove without his approval. He’d gained entire control of her life.Aja Blue tried a different tactic to get through to her friend.

“Why do you think I betrayed you? You know I wouldnever do that.”

Polly’s once-plump, rosy cheeks were now gaunt andsallow. Her chapped lips lifted in a sneer. “You always wereselfish, Aja Blue. Always. You stole the awards and roles Ishould’ve won.”

“I didn’t steal them. They were given to me.”

“I wonder how.”

The snarky tone almost had her slugging Polly in thegut, but she would not resort to her level. Sheesh, there was thatviolent streak again. Maybe she needed to take up boxing since shewanted to punch people. “I was a child.”

“Doesn’t matter anymore. Besides, Dirk told me whatyou did.”

Aja Blue narrowed her eyes at the disgusting weaselwith his greasy black hair and cheesy mustache. He was such acliché, and it wasn’t even funny. He reminded her of SnidelyWhiplash, from the oldRocky and Bullwinkle Show. What Pollyever saw in him, she’d never know. “What did Dick tell you?”

Polly either didn’t hear her dig or chose to ignoreit. “You refused to do theAja Blue and Polly Tooreboot.”She rubbed her nose again, something she’d been doing frequently.“They’re the in thing now, you know. All the old shows are doingit, and they’re successful. We could’ve been too. It would’ve beenmy comeback.” Now Polly was sniffing and twitching. Aja Blue was noexpert on the subject, but she thought Polly might be in the throesof withdrawal.

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