Texas: On Christmas Day Wife Castrated & K!lled Husband For Secret Affair With Her Sister
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These details seemed insignificant, but they added up to a picture that Kayla didn’t want to see.
Leona brought plates of food to the table.
Dinner was simple.
Fried chicken, potatoes, salad.
The family ate in silence, exchanging only occasional short phrases.
Otis asked Isaiah about work.
Isaiah replied that everything was fine, although the warehouse had cut back on hours.
Leona complained of pain in her legs.
Zara was silent, poking at her plate with her fork.
Kayla barely touched her food.
She felt the tension building inside her, the walls of this house pressing down on her.
She wanted to leave, but she knew it was impossible.
Not now.
After dinner, Leona offered coffee.
Everyone moved to the living room.
Otis turned on the TV, but the sound was muted.
Leona sat down on the sofa next to Zara.
Isaiah settled into an armchair.
Kayla remained standing by the window, looking out at the dark street.
We need to discuss Christmas, Leona began.
Her voice was firm, brooking no argument.
I want us all to gather here on the 25th together as a family.
Isaiah nodded without looking up.
Of course, Mom, we’ll be there.
Leona looked at Kayla.
Kayla, will you be there, too? Kayla turned away from the window.
She could feel all eyes on her.
She wanted to say no, wanted to come up with some excuse, but the words stuck in her throat.
“Yes,” she finally replied.
“We’ll be there.
” Leona nodded with satisfaction.
Zara smiled.
Otis continued to watch TV as if the conversation had nothing to do with him.
Okay, said Leona.
I’ll cook the turkey.
Zara will help me with the side dishes.
It’ll be just like before.
Isaiah nodded again.
Kayla returned to the window, trying not to show what was going on inside her.
The thought of spending Christmas in this house with these people was unbearable.
She felt something break inside her, but she kept her face impassive.
They sat in the living room for another hour, exchanging small talk.
Leona talked about the neighbors.
Otis muttered something about the television news.
Zara was silent, occasionally glancing at Isaiah.
Kayla counted the minutes until they could leave.
Finally, Isaiah got up from his chair.
“It’s time for us to go,” he said.
We have to get up early tomorrow.
Leona walked them to the door.
She hugged her son, then awkwardly touched Kayla’s shoulder.
Zara stayed in the living room, waving goodbye.
Isaiah and Kayla got into the car.
The door closed behind them and the porch light went out.
Isaiah started the engine and slowly pulled out of the driveway.
They drove in silence for the first few minutes.
Kayla stared out the window, watching the dark streets float by.
Isaiah drove intently, his face tense.
“I don’t want to celebrate Christmas with them,” Kayla said finally.
Isaiah glanced at her quickly.
“What?” I said, “I don’t want to go to your parents’ house for Christmas.
Let’s celebrate together.
Just you and me.
” Isaiah was silent, gripping the steering wheel.
I already promised my mom.
You can call and cancel.
Kayla, it’s Christmas.
Mom wants us to be together.
And I want us to be together.
Is that too much to ask? Isaiah sighed.
He knew it was useless to argue.
Kayla was stubborn when it came to his family.
And to be honest, he wasn’t eager to spend the whole day with his parents either.
He loved them, but the atmosphere in that house was always heavy.
“Okay,” he said finally.
“I’ll call mom tomorrow and tell her we’re not coming.
” Kayla nodded without looking at him.
She felt relieved, but it was mixed with something else, a feeling she couldn’t name.
She knew Isaiah had lied to her today.
She knew there was something between him and Zara that he was hiding.
She had known it for a long time, but couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.
They drove home in complete silence.
Their apartment was in a small residential complex on the outskirts of town.
The building was old with cracked walls and rusty railings on the stairs.
They had lived there for 5 years since they got married, and every year they promised themselves they would move to a better place.
But money was always spent on other things and the move was postponed.
Kayla went into the bedroom without taking off her coat.
Isaiah stayed in the living room, turned on the TV, and sat down on the sofa.
He wasn’t watching the screen.
His thoughts were far away.
He thought about talking to his mother tomorrow, about how to explain to her why they weren’t coming.
He thought about Zara, about how she looked at him tonight.
He thought about Kayla and how she was drifting away from him every day.
Isaiah took out his phone and dialed his mother’s number.
Leona answered after the third ring.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Her voice was alert.
“Mom, about Christmas,” Isaiah began.
“Kayla wants us to celebrate together.
She asked me not to come to your place.
” There was a long silence on the other end of the line.
“I see.
” Leona finally said.
Her voice had turned cold.
Tell Kayla I understand.
Mom, don’t be upset.
She just wants to spend the holiday alone with me.
I’m not offended, Isaiah.
Do as you wish.
Leona hung up.
Isaiah sat with the phone in his hand, feeling guilty.
He knew his mother was upset, but he also knew he couldn’t refuse Kayla.
Not now.
when she was barely talking to him.
He turned off the TV and lay down on the sofa, still fully clothed.
Sleep did not come.
He lay with his eyes open, listening to the silence of the apartment, thinking about how everything was not going as it should.
The morning of December 24th was gray and cold.
Isaiah woke up on the sofa with a stiff neck.
Kayla had already left for work without waking him up.
He got up, took a shower, and got ready for work.
The workday dragged on slowly.
Isaiah repaired equipment, carried heavy parts, talked to colleagues, but his thoughts were far away.
When his shift ended, he got in his car and drove off.
But instead of turning toward home, he headed in the other direction.
He drove down familiar streets that led to his parents’ house.
He knew he was doing the wrong thing, but he couldn’t stop.
Isaiah parked near Leona and Otis’ house.
His parents’ car wasn’t in the driveway.
He knew his father had gone to the neighbors and his mother was working late.
Zara should have been home.
He called her on the way and she said she was waiting for him.
Isaiah got out of the car and walked to the door.
He didn’t knock.
He knew the door would be open.
He pushed it open and went inside.
Zara was standing in the living room.
She was alone.
Her hair was down and she was wearing loungewear.
When Isaiah came in, she smiled.
I didn’t think you were coming, she said.
Isaiah closed the door behind him.
He walked over to her and they embraced.
It wasn’t a brother sister hug.
It was a hug between two people doing something they shouldn’t.
They kissed.
Isaiah felt her body beneath his hands.
Felt his own body respond.
It was wrong.
He knew that, but he couldn’t stop.
They were bound by something that had begun long ago, long before he married Kayla.
Something that should have stayed in the past, but had returned and consumed them both.
They spent over an hour together.
Then Isaiah got dressed and left.
Zara stayed in the house alone, watching his car disappear around the bend from the window.
When Isaiah returned home, Kayla was already there.
She was cooking dinner in the kitchen.
He walked in, said hello as usual, and kissed her on the cheek.
She didn’t ask anything, and he didn’t say anything.
They ate dinner in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
The evening passed as usual.
Kayla read a book in the bedroom.
Isaiah watched TV in the living room.
They hardly spoke.
When night came, they went to bed in the same bed, but there was a wall between them that neither of them tried to break down.
Isaiah closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, but his thoughts wouldn’t let him rest.
He thought about Zara, about Kayla, about the lies that surrounded his life.
He thought that all this couldn’t go on forever, that sooner or later the truth would come out.
But he didn’t know what would happen tomorrow.
December 25th began quietly.
Kayla woke up before Isaiah as usual.
She got up, took a shower, and went to the kitchen.
The apartment was cold.
The heater couldn’t cope with the frost that crept in through the old windows.
Kayla turned on the coffee maker and sat down at the table, looking out the window at the gray morning.
Today was Christmas, but there were no decorations in their apartment.
No tree, no garlands, no presents.
Kayla didn’t see the point.
For her, Christmas was always just a day to get through.
Isaiah sometimes suggested buying at least a small tree, but she refused.
Why pretend they were a happy family when they weren’t? Isaiah came out of the bedroom around 10:00 in the morning.
He looked tired as if he hadn’t slept all night.
He poured himself some coffee and sat down opposite Kayla.
They drank their coffee in silence, not looking at each other.
Merry Christmas, Isaiah finally said.
Merry Christmas, Kayla replied.
They said nothing else.
Isaiah went into the living room and turned on the TV.
Kayla stayed in the kitchen, scrolling through her phone, reading news that didn’t interest her.
She felt something dark and heavy growing inside her, something that had been trying to break out for a long time.
The day dragged on slowly.
Isaiah dozed on the sofa.
Kayla sat in the bedroom pretending to read.
In fact, she was thinking.
She was thinking about what she knew, about what she had seen, about what she had felt.
A few weeks ago, Kayla noticed a strange message on Isaiah’s phone.
He had left his phone on the kitchen table when he went to take a shower, and she couldn’t resist looking at it.
The message was from Zara.
Just a few words, but they were enough.
I miss you.
Come over when you can.
Kayla felt something inside her turn.
She put the phone back and went to her bedroom trying to calm down.
Since then, she had been watching.
She noticed when Isaiah left work later than usual.
She noticed when he came home smelling of someone else’s perfume.
She noticed how he looked away when she asked questions.
And she knew he was cheating on her.
But with whom? The suspicion came gradually, like a slow poison.
Kayla remembered how Zara looked at Isaiah at her parents’ house.
She remembered how they sat next to each other, how their fingers accidentally touched.
She remembered how Isaiah defended his sister when Kayla once said something unpleasant about her.
All these little things added up to a picture that was both disgusting and unbelievable at the same time.
Kayla didn’t believe it.
She didn’t want to believe it, but then she found proof.
Two weeks ago, she checked her bank statements and discovered that Isaiah had withdrawn money in the area where his parents live at a time when he should have been at work.
She called the warehouse and found out that he had left early that day, saying he wasn’t feeling well.
Kayla realized she needed to find out more.
She started searching and then she stumbled upon information that turned her world upside down.
She found out that Zara had HIV.
Kayla felt a wave of horror wash over her.
If Zara was sick, and if she was sleeping with Isaiah, then he could be infected, too.
And if he was infected, then so was she.
Kayla signed up for a blood test without telling Isaiah.
The results came back a week ago.
Positive HIV infection.
Kayla sat in the doctor’s office listening to explanations and recommendations, but she didn’t hear a thing.
She could only think of one thing.
Isaiah had infected her.
Isaiah, who slept with his sister, Isaiah, who betrayed her in the most disgusting way.
She didn’t say anything to him.
She returned home and continued to live as usual.
But something inside her had broken.
She felt hatred growing inside her, filling every cell of her body.
She wanted to scream, cry, hit him, but she remained silent.
She waited.
She didn’t know what exactly, but she felt that the moment would come when everything would come out.
And that moment came today.
Around 3:00 in the afternoon, Isaiah got up from the sofa and went out to smoke on the balcony.
Kayla watched him from the bedroom.
He stood leaning on the railing, looking at the empty street below.
His face was pensive.
Kayla wondered what he was thinking about.
About her, about Zara, or just about how to escape from it all.
When Isaiah returned to the apartment, he went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
There was almost nothing in it.
They had forgotten to buy groceries before the holiday.
“We need to go to the store,” he said, turning to Kayla.
Go yourself,” she replied without looking up from her phone.
Isaiah paused, then nodded.
“Okay, I’ll go.
” He put on his jacket and left the apartment.
Kayla heard the front door slam and his footsteps fade down the hallway.
She was alone.
Kayla got up and went to the kitchen.
She opened the knife drawer and took out the largest knife.
It was heavy with a wide blade.
She held it in her hand, feeling the cold metal.
She didn’t know why she had taken the knife.
She just wanted to feel that she was in control, that she could do something that would change everything.
Then she put the knife back in the drawer and closed it.
She sat down at the table and waited for Isaiah to return.
He came back 40 minutes later with a bag of groceries.
Chicken, potatoes, salad, vegetables, a bottle of wine.
He put everything on the table and looked at Kayla.
I thought we could make a normal dinner, a Christmas dinner.
Kayla nodded.
Okay.
They started cooking together.
Isaiah peeled the potatoes.
Kayla chopped the vegetables.
They worked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Isaiah tried to strike up a conversation several times, but Kayla responded with monosyllables, and he fell silent.
When dinner was ready, they set the table.
Kayla took two plates and two glasses out of the cupboard.
Isaiah poured the wine.
They sat down across from each other.
For the first few minutes, they ate in silence.
Kayla barely touched her food.
She drank wine, staring at her husband.
Isaiah chewed, staring at his plate.
His face was tired and indifferent.
He didn’t even try to keep up the conversation.
He just ate as if he were fulfilling a duty.
Isaiah, Kayla said finally.
He looked up.
Yes.
Do you remember how we met? Isaiah frowned, surprised by the question.
Of course, I remember.
At the bus stop, it was raining and you were soaked through.
You gave me your jacket.
Yes.
And you said you’d return it the next day.
But I didn’t.
Isaiah smiled faintly.
No, you said you lost it, but I knew you were lying.
Kayla took a sip of wine.
I wanted to see you again, so I kept the jacket.
I knew they were silent.
Kayla looked at Isaiah, and there was something sad in her eyes.
When did everything change, Isaiah? When did we stop being happy? Isaiah put his fork down on his plate.
I don’t know, Kayla.
Probably gradually.
We just grew apart.
Or you grew apart because you found someone else.
Isaiah’s face tensed.
What are you talking about? Kayla put her glass on the table.
Her hand was shaking.
I need to tell you something.
He waited.
I know about you and Zara.
Isaiah froze.
The fork fell from his hand and landed on the plate with a dull thud.
His face turned pale.
What did you say? I know you’re sleeping with her.
I know it’s been going on for a long time.
Isaiah was silent.
He looked at Kayla and there was something like fear in his eyes.
Kayla, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Don’t lie to me.
Kayla’s voice became loud, almost a scream.
Don’t you dare lie to my face.
I know.
I’ve seen the messages.
I know where you go when you say you’re staying late at work.
You’re sleeping with your sister.
Your sister Isaiah.
Do you realize what a despicable person you are? Isaiah tried to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.
He sat there clutching the edge of the table, his face white as chalk.
It’s not what you think, he finally managed.
It’s It’s complicated.
Complicated? Kayla laughed, but there was no joy in her laughter.
It’s not complicated, Isaiah.
It’s disgusting.
You and her are perverts.
You’re sick.
Kayla, please.
It started a long time ago before you.
We tried to stop, but but what? You couldn’t? Kayla stood up from the table.
You married me, promised me fidelity, and you kept sleeping with your sister.
Every time you said you were going to your parents house, you were actually going to her.
Isaiah stood up, too.
I didn’t want to hurt you.
I really love you.
Shut up.
Kayla grabbed the table to keep from falling.
Don’t talk to me about love.
You don’t know what that is, Kayla.
And you know what’s the worst part? Kayla leaned forward, looking him straight in the eye.
Zara is sick.
She has HIV and you got it from her and then you gave it to me.
Isaiah opened his mouth but didn’t make a sound.
He looked at Kayla as if he didn’t understand what she was saying.
What? He whispered.
I have HIV.
Isaiah, I got tested a week ago.
Positive.
You infected me.
You and your dirty sister killed me.
Isaiah grabbed the back of the chair.
His legs buckled.
No.
No.
That can’t be true.
I didn’t know.
Zara didn’t tell me.
Of course she didn’t.
Kayla moved closer because she didn’t care.
She didn’t care about you or me or anyone.
She just wanted to sleep with her brother and she didn’t care what came of it.
Isaiah shook his head.
Tears began to roll down his cheeks.
I didn’t know.
I swear I didn’t know.
If I had known what would you have done? Kayla stopped a step away from him.
Stopped seeing her? Don’t make me laugh.
You couldn’t stop.
You’re addicted to her, to your own sister.
It’s not that simple, Kayla.
You don’t understand.
What don’t I understand? Explain it to me, Kayla almost shouted.
Explain how you can sleep with your sister and still pretend to be a normal person.
Explain how you can come home every day and kiss the wife you infected with a deadly disease.
Isaiah was silent.
He couldn’t find the words.
Anything he could say would sound pathetic and meaningless.
When did it start? Kayla asked more quietly.
When did you start sleeping with her? Isaiah didn’t look up.
A few years ago.
I was 28.
She was 18.
My god.
Kayla backed away.
She was 18.
You seduced your own sister when she was 18.
It wasn’t like that.
We both shut up.
Kayla covered her ears with her hands.
I don’t want to hear it.
I don’t care how it happened.
I don’t care who started it.
It’s disgusting.
Isaiah tried to approach her, but she backed away toward the table.
Don’t come near me.
Don’t you dare touch me with your filthy hands.
Kayla, I’ll do whatever you say.
I’ll break up with Zara.
I’ll never see her again.
We’ll start over, you and me.
Kayla looked at him and there was contempt in her eyes.
You think we can just start over? You think I can forget what you did? that you slept with your own sister, that you infected me with HIV.
We’ll get treatment.
There are medications now.
People live with it.
I don’t want to live with it.
Kayla shouted.
I didn’t want this.
I wanted a normal life, a normal husband, children, a future, and you took all that away from me.
Tears began to stream down her cheeks.
She stood with her arms wrapped around herself, her body shaking with sobs.
“You killed me, Isaiah.
Maybe not right away, but you killed me.
You took my life away.
” Isaiah stood there, not knowing what to say.
He saw the pain in her eyes, heard the despair in her voice, and he knew she was right.
He had destroyed her, destroyed their marriage, ruined everything.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Please forgive me.
Kayla looked up at him.
You and her are perverts, she said slowly, enunciating each word clearly.
You’re sick, dirty perverts.
And I don’t want to breathe the same air as you anymore.
She turned toward the table.
Her hand reached for the knife lying next to the plate.
She grabbed it and clenched it in her hand.
The blade glinted in the lamplight.
Isaiah saw the knife and took a step back.
Kayla, put that down.
Why? She looked at him, her gaze empty and distant.
Why should I put it down? You ruined my life, Isaiah.
You took everything from me.
Why should I just stand here and do nothing? Kayla, please.
Isaiah raised his hands, trying to calm her down.
Let’s talk.
Let’s sit down and discuss this calmly.
I’ll do whatever you want.
I’ll leave Zara.
I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right.
You can’t make it right.
Kayla shook her head.
You can’t give me my health back.
You can’t erase what you did.
You can’t change the fact that you slept with your sister.
It will stay with me forever.
Isaiah took a step back, his back hitting the refrigerator.
Kayla, I understand that you’re angry.
You have every right to be, but please don’t do something you’ll regret.
Regret? Kayla sneered.
The only thing I regret is marrying you, believing your words, thinking you loved me.
I love you.
I always have.
Liar.
Kayla stepped forward, clutching the knife.
You’re incapable of love.
You can only use people.
Me, Zara, everyone.
Isaiah tried to get around her to reach the door, but Kayla blocked his way.
Where are you going? She asked.
Are you going to run away like you always do? Kayla, let me go.
Let’s both calm down and then we’ll talk.
No.
Kayla shook her head.
We’ll talk now.
You’ll answer for everything you’ve done.
Isaiah looked into her eyes and saw something he had never seen before.
Hatred.
Pure unadulterated hatred.
And he knew she wouldn’t stop.
That something would happen today.
Something terrible.
“Kayla,” he whispered.
“Please.
” But Kayla wasn’t listening anymore.
She looked at him and her eyes were determined.
She knew what to do.
She knew how to end it all.
The morning of December 26th was cold and cloudy.
Leona Marorrow woke up early as always.
She lay in bed listening to her husband’s quiet breathing beside her.
Otis was still asleep and she didn’t want to wake him.
She got up, put on her robe, and went to the kitchen.
Christmas passed quietly.
Isaiah never came.
Leona was hurt, though she tried not to show it.
She made dinner for herself, Otis, and Zara, but it felt like there were two people missing at the table.
Zara was also quiet, hardly speaking.
Leona noticed that her daughter looked unhealthy and pale, but she didn’t ask any questions.
Now, the next morning, Leona couldn’t shake her feeling of unease.
She picked up the phone and dialed Isaiah’s number.
The phone rang, but no one answered.
She called again.
Again, silence.
Leona frowned.
Isaiah always answered her calls, even when he was busy.
She called a third time, and again, no one picked up.
Her anxiety grew.
Leona went to the bedroom and woke Otis.
Otis, wake up.
Isaiah isn’t answering his phone.
Otis opened his eyes and looked at his wife.
Maybe he’s still asleep.
At 10:00 in the morning, he always gets up early.
You know that.
Otis sat up in bed, rubbing his face.
Maybe his phone is dead.
I called three times.
Something’s wrong.
I can feel it.
Leona got dressed, wrote a note saying she was going to Isaiah’s, and left the house.
Zara was still asleep in her room.
Leona didn’t wake her up.
Her old car had trouble starting in the cold.
But after a few minutes, she was driving through the deserted streets toward her son’s apartment.
The road seemed endless.
Leona gripped the steering wheel, trying to calm herself, telling herself that everything was fine, that she was just overreacting.
But the anxiety wouldn’t let go.
The drive took 20 minutes.
Leona parked near the apartment complex where Isaiah and Kayla lived.
The building looked gloomy with peeling paint and rusty balconies.
She climbed the stairs to the second floor and approached her son’s apartment door.
She knocked.
No one answered.
She knocked again louder.
Silence.
Leona tried the handle.
The door was unlocked.
That was strange.
Isaiah always locked the door.
Isaiah,” she called, pushing the door.
“It’s me, Mom.
Are you home?” Silence.
Leona entered the hallway.
The apartment was dark and quiet.
She walked forward and looked into the living room.
It was empty.
The TV was off.
There was a pillow on the sofa as if someone had recently slept there.
“Isaiah, Kayla,” Leona called again.
There was no answer.
Leona felt her heart beat faster.
She walked further down the hallway and stopped at the kitchen door.
Something was wrong.
She could feel it with her whole body.
She slowly pushed the door open and went inside.
And then she saw it.
Isaiah was lying on the floor between the table and the refrigerator.
His body was motionless.
His face turned to the side.
A dark pool had spread around him.
Blood.
So much blood.
Leona screamed.
It was a long, piercing scream that escaped her throat before she could hold it back.
She grabbed the door frame to keep from falling and continued to scream as she stared at her son’s body.
Her legs buckled.
Leona sank to the floor, leaning her back against the wall.
Her hands were shaking.
She couldn’t take her eyes off Isaiah, off his open, lifeless eyes, off the blood that had soaked into the lenolium, off the wounds on his body.
No, no, no, she whispered.
God, no.
Isaiah, son.
She didn’t know how long she sat there.
A minute, maybe two.
Then instinct took over.
Leona grabbed the phone with trembling hands and dialed 911.
She could barely hear what the dispatcher was saying.
She just screamed into the phone that she had found her son dead, that she needed help, that she needed the police.
“Calm down, ma’am,” said the dispatcher.
“Help is on the way.
Stay on the line.
Don’t touch anything.
Are you safe?” “I I don’t know.
There’s no one here.
Just him.
Just my boy.
Leave the apartment and wait outside.
The police will be there in a few minutes.
” Leona wanted to get up, but she couldn’t.
Her legs wouldn’t obey her.
She sat on the floor in the hallway, staring into the kitchen where her son lay and cried.
The phone fell from her hand.
The police arrived 12 minutes later.
Two patrol officers entered the apartment first.
They found Leona in the hallway sitting on the floor in shock.
One of the officers stayed with her while the other went into the kitchen.
A minute later, he returned his face gray.
“Call the detectives,” he said into his radio.
“We have a murder.
” The officer helped Leona up and led her out of the apartment.
He sat her down on a bench near the building and gave her a glass of water.
Leona drank without tasting it, her hands still shaking.
“Ma’am, did you find the body?” the officer asked.
Leona nodded, unable to speak.
When was the last time you saw your son alive? On the 23rd, she whispered.
He was at our dinner.
And his wife, where is she? I don’t know.
I haven’t seen her.
The officer wrote this down in his notebook.
Several more police cars pulled up to the building.
Leona watched as officers entered and exited the apartment, stretching yellow tape around the entrance.
The detectives arrived half an hour later.
Bryce Coleman and Naomi Reeves had been partners for three years.
Coleman was a tall man with short hair and a tired face.
15 years on the force had taught him not to show emotion, but he still felt the weight of every murder he investigated.
Reeves was younger, more energetic, with a sharp mind and quick reactions.
9 years in the homicide department had given her experience, but not hardened her.
They entered the apartment and headed straight for the kitchen.
Forensic technicians were already at work photographing the crime scene and collecting evidence.
Coleman and Reeves put on gloves and began their examination.
Isaiah Marorrow’s body lay on the floor between the table and the refrigerator.
Multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.
There was blood everywhere.
Coleman crouched down next to the body, carefully examining the wounds.
He counted at least seven stab wounds.
But the most shocking thing was something else.
The victim had been castrated.
“This is revenge,” Reeves said, standing next to him.
“People don’t do things like this for no reason.
” Coleman nodded.
He stood up and examined the rest of the kitchen.
On the table were two plates of uneaten food and two glasses, one of which had been knocked over.
Wine spilled onto the table and dripped onto the floor.
A Christmas dinner that ended in murder.
Time of death? Coleman asked the medical examiner who was leaning over the body.
Preliminary last night between 6:00 and 10.
I’ll be more precise after the autopsy.
Coleman walked over to the sink.
There was a knife there, partially washed.
There were traces of blood on the blade.
He pointed the knife out to the forensic scientist.
Take it for analysis.
Check the fingerprints.
Reeves meanwhile went into the other rooms.
She examined the bedroom.
The wardrobe was open and some of the clothes were missing.
The cosmetics that were usually on the bedside table were gone.
Something was also missing from the bathroom.
Everything indicated that someone had quickly gathered their belongings and left.
It looks like the wife ran away, Reeves said, returning to the kitchen.
She packed her things and left.
Coleman looked at the body.
So, we have a prime suspect.
They left the apartment.
Leona was still sitting on the bench, hugging herself.
Coleman walked over to her and sat down next to her.
Mrs.
Marorrow, I’m Detective Coleman.
I’m very sorry for your loss.
I know this is difficult for you, but I need to ask you a few questions.
Leona nodded, wiping away her tears.
Her face was swollen from crying.
When was the last time you saw your son? On the 23rd, Leona replied horarssely.
He came over with his wife for dinner.
We agreed to celebrate Christmas together, but then he called and said they wouldn’t be coming.
Kayla wanted to stay home.
Kayla is his wife? Yes, Kayla Marorrow.
Do you know where she might be now? Leona shook her head.
I don’t know.
I thought she was here with Isaiah, but when I walked in, she wasn’t there.
Only he was.
Were they having marital problems? Leona paused, then nodded.
I don’t know the details.
Isaiah didn’t tell me, but I could see they weren’t getting along.
Kayla was always cold and distant.
She never liked our family.
Did she ever show any aggression, threaten your son? No, nothing like that.
She was just unhappy.
Always unhappy.
Coleman wrote in his notebook.
Tell me about your son, what he did, who we hung out with.
Leona wiped her tears and began to talk.
Isaiah worked as a mechanic at an industrial equipment warehouse.
He had almost no friends.
He was a withdrawn person.
He spent most of his time at work or at home.
Sometimes he would visit his parents and his wife.
How long had they been married? 5 years.
They met at a bus stop.
They got married a year later.
Did he have any other relationships? Before or during the marriage? Leona fell silent.
Her face became tense.
I don’t know about that.
Coleman sensed that she was hiding something but decided not to press her.
He asked a few more questions about Isaiah’s daily routine and habits.
Leona answered, but her voice grew quieter and Coleman realized she needed time.
“Is there anyone else I need to interview?” he asked.
“Close relatives, friends.
” My husband, Otis, and my daughter, Zara, she’s Isaiah’s sister.
“Where are they now?” “At home? I left them there.
” Coleman nodded.
“Okay, we’ll need to talk to them.
Can you go home? Can someone drive you?” Leona shook her head.
I drove here.
In your condition, it’s best not to drive.
An officer will take you home.
Leona didn’t argue.
One of the patrol officers walked her to his car and drove her home.
Coleman and Reeves stayed at the crime scene for another hour, watching the forensic team work and gathering information.
When they were done, Coleman called headquarters and gave a description of Kayla Marorrow.
She was wanted as the prime suspect in her husband’s murder.
The detectives then drove to Leona and Otis’ house.
They had to interview the rest of the family to find out what they knew about Kayla and Isaiah.
The Marorrow house looked as gloomy as it had two days ago.
Coleman parked the car on the side of the road and he and Reeves got out.
Otis opened the door before they had a chance to knock.
His face was grim, his eyes red.
He led them into the living room without saying a word.
Leona sat on the sofa with her head in her hands.
Zara sat next to her, pale and quiet.
When the detectives entered, she looked up at them with tearfilled eyes.
Coleman and Reeves introduced themselves.
They sat down across from the family.
“I’m very sorry,” Coleman began.
I know how hard this is, but we need to ask a few questions to find the person who did this.
Otis nodded.
His hands rested on his knees, clenched into fists.
When was the last time you saw Isaiah? Coleman asked.
The 23rd, Otis replied.
He was here for dinner.
And then then nothing.
He called and said he wouldn’t be coming for Christmas.
Why? He said his wife wanted to celebrate just the two of them.
Coleman looked at Zara.
And you, Miss Marorrow, did you know about your brother’s problems? Zara was silent.
She stared at the floor, not looking up.
Miss Marorrow, Coleman repeated.
I don’t know anything, she whispered finally.
Isaiah didn’t talk to me about his problems.
How often did you talk to him? Rarely.
He was busy with work.
Coleman felt she was lying, but he couldn’t figure out why.
He decided not to press her for now.
Do you know Kayla, your brother’s wife? Zara nodded.
Yes.
What was she like? Zara paused.
Quiet, reserved.
She didn’t really like our family.
Did she ever say anything bad about your brother? No, she just kept to herself.
Coleman asked a few more questions, but the answers were the same.
No one knew anything.
No one saw anything.
Zara barely spoke, answering only in mono syllables.
Leona cried quietly, pressing a handkerchief to her face.
Otis sat with a stony face, showing no emotion.
Reeves stood up and walked to the window.
She looked out at the street, then turned back to the family.
If any of you remember anything important, any detail, call us,” she said, handing Leona her business card.
Leona took the card with a trembling hand and nodded.
Coleman and Reeves left the house.
They got into the car and sat in silence for a while.
What do you think? Reeves asked.
I think his wife killed him and ran away.
The only question is why, Coleman replied.
And where she is now? Maybe infidelity possibly or money or something else.
We need to find her and find out.
They returned to the station.
Coleman began checking Kayla’s bank accounts, her calls, her messages.
Reeves questioned Isaiah’s colleagues at the warehouse, trying to find out if he had been having an affair.
By the end of the day, they had little information.
Kayla’s last transaction was on the 24th when she withdrew $100.
Her phone was off.
No leads.
Coleman called Kayla’s friend, Jenna Wells.
Do you know where Kayla Marorrow might be? No, Jenna replied.
Her voice was tense.
What happened? Her husband is dead.
We’re looking for Kayla.
Silence on the other end of the line.
Oh my god.
Jenna finally whispered.
I can’t believe it.
Kayla said they were having problems, but I didn’t think When was the last time you spoke to her? A few days ago.
She said she was going to spend Christmas with her husband.
Nothing else.
Did she mention where she might go if she wanted to leave town? No.
She has no relatives here.
Her parents died a few years ago.
If she contacts you, let us know immediately.
Coleman hung up.
There were no leads.
Kayla was gone and no one knew where she was.
The day ended without progress.
Coleman and Reeves stayed at the station late into the evening, checking every lead, but everything led to a dead end.
When Coleman finally got home, it was past midnight.
He went to bed but couldn’t sleep.
He thought about the case, about Kayla, about where she might be hiding.
He knew that sooner or later they would find her.
People can’t hide forever.
But the question was, how soon would that happen? December 27th began with rain.
Coleman sat in his office reviewing the forensic reports.
There were few clues at the crime scene.
The fingerprints belong to the victim and his wife, which was to be expected.
There were no signs of forced entry or the presence of third parties.
The murder weapon, a kitchen knife, was found in the sink, partially washed.
It had traces of the victim’s blood and Cayla Morrow’s fingerprints on it.
Reeves entered the office with a cup of coffee in her hand.
Any news? Forensics confirmed that the knife belonged to the kitchen set in the apartment.
Kayla’s fingerprints are on the handle.
Everything points to her.
What about a motive? It’s unclear at this point.
We need to find her and question her.
Reeves sat down at her desk across from Coleman.
They worked in a small office cluttered with files and documents.
The window overlooked the parking lot and through the dirty glass she could see the rain pounding on the asphalt.
Coleman called Kayla’s work.
Her boss said she hadn’t been in since December 23rd when she left for the Christmas holiday.
No messages, no calls.
Coleman asked for a list of her colleagues and friends.
The boss promised to send it.
They checked Kayla’s bank accounts.
The last transaction was on December 24th when she withdrew $100 from an ATM near a supermarket.
After that, there was no activity on the account.
Her phone was turned off and her GPS wasn’t working.
She knew what she was doing.
Reeves said she turned off her phone and isn’t using her card.
She was preparing to run away.
Coleman nodded.
It was obvious.
Kayla Marorrow didn’t just run away in a panic.
She planned to disappear.
By noon, they had a list of Kayla’s friends and acquaintances.
Coleman and Reeves began calling them one by one.
Most of them didn’t know where she was and were shocked by the news of the murder.
One of her friends, Rachel Hunt, said that Kayla had mentioned she was going to leave town, but didn’t say where or when.
Did she say anything about problems with her husband? Coleman asked.
“Yes,” Rachel replied.
She said Isaiah was cheating on her.
She suspected he had another woman.
Did she say who it was? No.
She just said she would find out and then make him regret it.
Coleman wrote this down in his notebook.
The motive was becoming clearer.
Betrayal, jealousy, revenge.
That explained the brutality of the murder.
After lunch, Coleman drove to the warehouse where Isaiah worked.
He needed to talk to the victim’s co-workers, find out if he was having an affair, if he had said anything about problems at home.
The warehouse was a large, cold room filled with boxes and equipment.
Workers moved between the racks carrying heavy parts.
The manager, a man in his 50s with a rough face, showed Coleman into his office.
Isaiah was a good worker, the manager said.
quiet, efficient, never late, never skipped work.
Did he have any friends among his co-workers? Not really.
He kept to himself.
He came in, did his job, and left.
Did he ever talk about personal problems, about his wife? The manager shook his head.
No, he rarely talked about anything other than work.
Coleman questioned several other workers, but the answers were the same.
Isaiah was a reserved man who did not share his personal life with his colleagues.
No one knew about his marital problems.
Back at the station, Coleman found that Reeves had already checked the surveillance cameras near Isaiah’s house.
The footage showed Kayla leaving the apartment with a bag at around 900 pm on December 25th and getting into a car and driving away.
No one had seen her since.
Check the road cameras, Coleman said.
see which way she went.
Reeves began reviewing footage from cameras on the main streets.
It was long, tedious work, but after two hours, she found footage from a camera on the highway.
Kayla’s car was heading north toward the suburbs.
She could have stopped somewhere along the way, Reeves said.
A motel, a gas station, anything.
Coleman called several motel in the area.
He described Kayla and asked if they had seen her.
Most of the managers said no, but one of them, a man from a cheap motel on the outskirts, said that a woman matching the description had stayed there on the evening of the 25th.
She paid in cash and stayed one night.
When did she leave? On the morning of the 26th, around 8.
Did she say where she was going? No, she just handed in her keys and left.
Coleman hung up the phone.
Kayla had stayed at the motel for one night, then disappeared again.
He checked the cameras near the motel, but they weren’t there.
The trail had gone cold again.
In the evening, just as Coleman and Reeves were about to leave, the station received a call from the front desk.
Zaramaro had arrived and wanted to speak to the detectives investigating her brother’s case.
Coleman and Reeves went downstairs.
Zara was sitting in the reception area, clutching a bag on her lap.
She looked even worse than yesterday.
Her face was pale, her eyes red and swollen.
When she saw the detectives, she stood up.
“I need to talk to you,” she said quietly.
Coleman led her into the interrogation room.
Reeves sat down next to her.
Coleman turned on the tape recorder on the table.
“Miss Marorrow, tell us why you came here.
” Zara took a deep breath.
Her hands were shaking.
I have something to tell you.
It’s about my brother and me.
Coleman waited.
Zara stared at the table, not looking up.
Isaiah and I had a relationship, she finally said.
It lasted several years.
We We were together as a couple.
Coleman and Reeves exchanged glances.
This was an unexpected confession.
Are you saying you had an intimate relationship with your brother? Reeves clarified.
Zara nodded, still not looking up.
Yes, I know it’s wrong.
I know it’s terrible, but it’s true.
How long did it last? About 3 years.
It started before he married Kayla.
Then we tried to stop, but we couldn’t.
We kept seeing each other.
Did Kayla know about it? I don’t know.
Maybe.
Isaiah never told me that she knew, but I think she might have guessed.
Coleman wrote in his notebook.
This changed the picture of the case.
Tell me more, he said.
When did it start? How often did you meet? Zara wiped away her tears.
It started when I was 18.
I don’t know how it happened.
We just kissed one day and then it went further.
We met secretly when our parents weren’t home or he would come to my place when I was renting an apartment.
And it continued even after he got married.
Yes, I knew it was wrong.
I tried to stop but I couldn’t.
I loved him.
Not as a brother, but as as a man, Reeves frowned.
Did your parents know? No.
No one knew.
We were very careful.
There’s something else, Zara continued.
Her voice trembled.
I’m sick.
I have HIV.
I found out 2 years ago.
I didn’t tell Isaiah right away.
I was afraid, but then I realized he could have been infected too by me.
Reeves looked at Coleman.
This was a critical admission.
Did you continue to see him knowing you were sick? Zara began to cry.
I tried to stop.
I tried, but I couldn’t.
I thought that if I took my medication, the risk would be lower, but I knew it was wrong.
I knew I was putting him in danger.
When did you tell him about your illness? Never.
I never told him.
I was a coward.
I was afraid he would leave me, that he would blame me.
Coleman leaned back in his chair.
The picture was becoming increasingly grim.
Incest, HIV, infidelity.
The motive for murder was becoming obvious.
“Where did you get this disease?” Reeves asked.
“How did you become infected?” Zara wiped away her tears.
from an ex-boyfriend.
It was 4 years ago.
I was dating a man.
He was sick, too.
But he didn’t tell me.
By the time I found out, it was too late.
And you didn’t tell Isaiah about it when you continued your relationship with him? No, I was too scared.
I thought that if I didn’t say anything, it would somehow go away.
But I knew that sooner or later, he would find out.
Do you think Kayla found out about your affair with Isaiah and that he got it from you? Coleman asked.
Zara nodded.
Yes, I think she found out and I think that’s why she killed him.
She wanted revenge for the betrayal, for the disease, for everything.
When was the last time you saw Isaiah? Reeves asked.
On the 24th.
He came over during the day when my parents were out.
We spent an hour together, then he left.
What did you talk about? Nothing in particular.
He was pensive, distant.
I asked if everything was okay, but he said he was just tired.
Did he mention Kayla? No, we never talked about her.
It was as if as if she didn’t exist when we were together.
Coleman looked at Zara.
She sat with her arms wrapped around herself, crying quietly.
He felt a mixture of pity and disgust for her.
She was both a victim and a perpetrator.
She loved her brother with a forbidden love and infected him with a deadly disease.
“Why did you decide to tell us this now?” Reeves asked.
Zara wiped her tears.
“Because I feel guilty.
I am responsible for my brother’s death.
If I had stopped seeing him, if I had told him about the disease earlier, this would not have happened.
Kayla would not have found out.
Isaiah would be alive.
And you want us to find Kayla? Yes.
I want her to answer for what she did, but I also want her to know the truth.
I want everyone to know that I’m just as guilty.
Coleman turned off the recorder.
Miss Marorrow, your testimony is very important to the investigation.
We’ll contact you if we need anything else.
Zara nodded and left the room.
Coleman and Reeves remained seated at the table.
This changes everything, Reeves said.
Now we know the motive.
Kayla found out about her husband’s affair with his sister, learned that he had infected her with HIV, and killed him in a fit of rage.
But where is she now? Coleman stood up.
We have to find her.
The longer she’s on the loose, the less chance we have of catching her.
They intensified their search.
They checked every motel and hotel within a 100 miles.
They questioned bus and taxi drivers.
They sent out a description and photo of Kayla to every police station in the state, but there were no results.
Kayla Marorrow had vanished into thin air.
Coleman also checked medical records.
He confirmed that Zara was indeed HIV positive and had been taking anti-retroviral drugs for 2 years.
Isaiah had also been recently diagnosed, although there was no record of him starting treatment.
Perhaps he didn’t know about his diagnosis or had only found out very recently.
December 28th passed without any breakthroughs.
Coleman and Reeves worked late into the night checking every lead, every call.
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