No Love Lost

Tony walked into the bathroom and rinsed the blood off his hands. Looking down at his clothes, he realized he needed to change as he had Marcie’s blood all over him.

He thought he had planned this so well and yet, in the heat of the moment, he had lost control and stabbed her 21 times. His intention was to make it look like a botched home invasion and robbery, but his anger and hate for Marcie had taken over and he just kept driving the knife into her.

She lay on the kitchen floor, her blue yoga pants had been torn and her socks were on the floor in a puddle of blood.  Her once beautiful blonde hair was matted and stuck to her head. The blouse that had looked so pristine this morning was now torn open, buttons scattered all over the floor. The walls were splattered with her blood and the puddle on the floor continued to grow as Marcie continued to bleed.  “Just die”, Tony yelled.

Tony and Marcie appeared to have the perfect marriage. High school sweethearts who went to Iowa State together and married during their Junior year. They had settled in West Bownton and purchased a small ranch house at the end of a cul-de-sac. Tony had fallen in love with the house immediately when he saw the 3-car garage. Marcie needed some convincing that this was the right home for them, but eventually she saw that it was perfect.

Things had gone along pretty much at a normal pace for a marriage. Hills and valleys, fights and make up sex, neighborhood parties and evenings alone with a glass of wine by the fire pit. Then in 2004, everything changed.

He met Janine by chance in the coffee shop. She seemed to be there every morning at the same time as Tony.  He made it a point one day to get in line behind her and strike up a conversation.

Janine was a high power attorney at the law firm on the fifth floor of the building where his accounting firm was located.  It started out innocent enough with coffee in the morning, an occasional lunch and moved on to drinks after work. Tony told Marcie he was working late, but she became suspicious when his paycheck didn’t reflect the overtime.

The ultimatum came about 5 months later when Janine had enough of being the side chick.

“You tell her now or I’m gone, Tony.”

“Janine, please, give me a little more time. I have an idea.”

Janine slumped and said “Fine. One more month and then I’m history if Marcie’s not.”

Tony’s mind started to race. He didn’t want to lose Janine and he certainly didn’t want Marcie anymore. What now?

The thought of every murder mystery he had ever read ran through his mind. “I could do this if I plan it right,” Tony thought.

It took two weeks for Tony to put his plan together and then he called Janine.

“I’m gonna do it tonight.” Marcie will be history by morning.

“What are you planning? Janine asked, a tinge of surprise in her voice.

“A failed home invasion and burglary. They will leave her for dead and I’ll be free,” Tony exclaimed.

Janine gasped.  “This isn’t what I meant by getting rid of Marcie, you idiot. I want nothing to do with this and I will turn you in if anything happens to her.”

Tony slammed down the phone.  I’m going to do it anyway.  I have to get rid of her.  Janine will come around, Tony thought.

Tony had broken the glass slider and let himself into the kitchen surprising Marcie from behind.  She never saw it coming.

Now, as he was cleaning up and getting ready to leave, a police car pulled up out front. “Damnit to hell, Janine turned me in.”  He slipped quietly out the back and drove to Janine’s home.  What was one more murder?  He slit Janine’s throat from ear to ear and left the house.

Last call for boarding was at 6:20. Tony climbed aboard the train and disappeared.