The Better Half

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Tonight was the big night. Richard had waited so long for this. Emily had finally said “yes”. He prepared the bed, fluffed the pillows and readied the mattress. He went over to the cupboard and brought the red velvet sheets. He thought about the woman he was going to make love to, as he spread the sheets. He went into the living room, opened the second drawer of his dresser and picked up the bouquet. He plucked every single petal off of every rose and flung them onto the velvet covered mattress.

Then he went over to the mirror on the wall and slid it upwards. It came right out of its frame. He took the small video camera out of the frame on the wall, checked it and placed it back in. This was going to make him rich. These kinds of tapes, if authentic, could cost millions and he knew it. Tonight was special.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Richard baby, I’m so sorry dear. I will be a bit late, honey.” It was Emily.

“Oh, ok. Why? What happened? ” He was disappointed, still didn’t give up hope.

“It’s just this little thing I’ve to take care of at work dear. I’ve got an extra shoot at the set, but don’t worry,
I’ll make it up to you when I get home, sweetie.”

He loved it, when she called him sweetie.

“Oh alright, you naughty girl! How late are you going to be?”

“Umm, just about an hour. Is that okay?”

“Yeah sure dear!”

He heaved a sigh of relief. This was still on. He was still going to be rich, only an hour later. But he could wait. He had waited patiently for so long, what was an hour, compared to that.

He rested on the sofa in the living room.

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The door clicked. Samuel woke up with a start. It was Emily.

“Did my honey-bunny doze off waiting for me?” She said in a playful childish voice.

He looked at her with contempt. He was livid. How dare she go out with that loser of a guy?! He had to make her realize, what she had done to him, by going out with Richard.

She went to the bathroom, without giving him a second glance, to freshen up.

He got up and went over to his dresser. He knew what had to be done. This was not his first time. He had struck before, too. This was going to be a piece of cake.

“Oh-My-God! You did this for me?” She had just walked into the bedroom to change.

He did not answer. He walked in behind her. She looked breath-taking in her black negligee. Too bad she had to look so beautiful before it was to be done. He took the .45 colt from behind him, underneath the jacket in the jeans and took aim.

She saw him pointing the revolver at her and tried to scream, but it was too late. The deed had been done. The crime had been committed. Samuel walked away from her apartment into the darkness.

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Two days later, the local police came in knocking at the door.

Richard opened the door.

“Richard? Richard Grayson?” the police constable asked.

“Yes? May I help you?” he asked, a bit puzzled. He had gone through the ordeal of answering their questions just yesterday.

“Sir, you are under arrest for the murder of Emily Reyes. You have the right to remain silent and anything you say…”

“What?! That is preposterous! I did not do anything! I already answered all your questions. Now, what is all this
about?” He was confused.

“Sir,” said the constable silently, “In the light of newly found strong evidence, we have proof that you killed Ms.Emily”

“What?! What evidence?” He said, even more confused and bewildered at the sudden turn of events.

The video was taken from the memory chip in the camera, and shown to him. Just as he saw the gruesome killing, he was taken aback and he passed out. It was the last time anyone saw Richard.

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It was Samuel who woke up the next day, in the holding cell of the police station, thinking ‘She got what she deserved.’