Janelle scowled. “I wish someone would tell me what’s going on.”
I glanced to Polly. “You wanna tell her, or should I?”
“I can do it,” Polly said softly.
“Do what?” Janelle asked. “What in the heck are you talking about, Polly?”
Polly lifted her chin. “I betrayed our friendship. I… I had sex with Archie.”
Widening her eyes, Janelle squeaked. “What did you say?”
“It’s true,” Polly said. “We had sex and… and he wanted me too. He didn’t just want you; he wanted m… me too.”
“Are you crazy?” Kobe growled. “Why are you telling her that?”
Anger sparked in Polly’s eyes. “Because it’s the truth. She needs to know what kind of man Archie was.”
“I don’t believe you,” Janelle whispered. “You’re lying.”
“No.” Polly shook her head vigorously. “I’m not lying. In fact… I’m… I’m carrying his… b… baby.”
That revelation threw me, but I had to hide my shock. If that were true, that gave her a huge motive for murder.
Kobe rasped, “You’repregnant?”
Polly nodded, her expression borderline defiant. “That’s right.”
Janelle looked on the verge of tears. “I don’t understand. Why? Why would you do that to me?”
Polly’s timid demeanor slipped, and malice rippled over her thin face. “Because you don’t always get to have everything.”
“I don’t understand,” Janelle wailed. “What is happening?”
Kobe put his arm around her shoulders, glaring at Polly. “Are you insane? Janelle has been your best friend since grammar school.”
“Why would you defend her?” Polly said in a high-pitched voice. “You… you were tossed aside just like me.”
Kobe shook his head. “No. I screwed up, and Janelle moved on. That’s different.”
Polly’s face quivered. “Maybe you don’t mind being a doormat, but I do.”
“You slept with my fiancé,” murmured Janelle. “You betrayed me.”
“You had everything,” shrieked Polly, eyes bugging. “Why couldn’t I have one goddamned thing? Huh?Why?”
I cleared my throat. “If you were so madly in love with Archie, why did you kill him?”
Janelle gasped. “What?”
Wincing, Polly kept her gaze on me. “That… that wasn’t what I wanted.”
“You mean it’s true?” Janelle said, looking horrified. “You killed Archie?”
Polly gritted her teeth. “I didn’t mean to.”
“But that’s what happened,” I said quietly.
“I wanted to be a family. Why couldn’t he understand that?”