Only Once

Margie ripped the knife through the Italian leather car seat with a vengeance. She then started in on the tires, not skipping one. By the time she had spent her rage, the entire car was destroyed.

She still wasn’t satisfied, but couldn’t think of anywhere else to vent her anger. Jacob and his tramp were already taken care of and Marcus, Jacob’s best friend and confident, was in London. 

When two girls rounded the corner into the alley, Margie decided she would just wait for Marcus’s return. She never was very patient though so hoped he would be back soon.

***

“Are you going to be alright, Mr. James?” the detective asked Marcus.

“No, I’m not going to be alright, you ass. I just found my best friend slashed to death.”

“I’m sorry, Sir, I know this must be hard for you,” the detective said through gritted teeth. “But we need your help to find the person responsible for Mr. Parker and his girlfriend’s death.”

“She’s not his girlfriend,” Marcus told the detective. “At least not in the sense you’re talking about.”

“Explain please.”

“Jacob was dating Margie, but seeing Janet here on the side.” Marcus shook his head before adding, “He was always so proud of himself. Having sweet little Margie to take care of him at home and sexpot Janet to tend to other matters.”

“Maybe we should have a talk with Margie,” the detective said and took out a notebook. 

Marcus gave the man Margie’s address, but also told him he couldn’t imagine her doing anything like this. “She was always so docile. Jacob treated her like a doormat and she seemed to enjoy it.”

“We’ll still check her out. You never really know what will make a person snap.”

***

Margie watched the cops drop Marcus off at a downtown motel. She waited until the last car left, and then walked to the front desk and bribed the clerk for Marcus’s room number. 

“Who is it?” Marcus asked at her knock.

“The manager. I need you to sign some paperwork, Sir.”

“I thought the cops were taking care of all tha…” Marcus was saying as he opened the door. “Margie?”

“Hello, Marcus,” Margie said and pushed him back into the room, quickly closing the door.

“The police are looking for you, Margie,” Marcus told her and the whispered, “Jacob is dead.”

“Yeah, and his little slut is too,” Margie replied. 

The smile on her face chilled Marcus. “Did the cops talk to you already?” he asked, and started backing away from her.

“Not yet. I’ve been waiting to talk to you first.”

“Me? I was out of town. I have no idea who killed them.”

“Oh, I know who killed them,” Margie said. 

Marcus couldn’t believe his ears. He grabbed Margie by the shoulders and shook her. “If you know, you have to tell them so they can get the bastard,” he demanded.

He tried to move out of the way of Margie’s first thrust with the knife, but since it came as such a surprise, he wasn’t quick enough. “That would be the bitch, not bastard,” she told him while he lay bleeding on the floor at her feet.

“Why?” Marcus managed to ask.

“Because you only make a fool of me once,” Margie replied. She then bent over him and started stabbing. 

“Only once.”