Mrs
Mrs
Dubois, I’m very sorry, but I have some bad news for you
Your husband’s body was found this morning
Tyrone Dubois is dead
Chanel froze for a few seconds
She just stared at Everett
unblinking as if she didn’t understand the words
What? She finally exhaled
What did you say? Your husband is dead
We found his body this morning
I’m very sorry
Chanel covered her mouth with her hand
Her breathing became ragged
She shook her head as if refusing to believe it
No, that’s impossible
How? What happened? He was murdered
We are investigating the case
Mrs
Dubois, we need to ask you a few questions
Chanel stood up and paced around the room, wrapping her arms around herself
She was trembling
Killed? He was killed? Oh my god
Reena waited a moment, giving the woman time to process the information
Then she asked gently, “Mrs
Dubois, when was the last time you saw your husband?” Chanel sank back onto the sofa as if her legs could no longer support her
The day before yesterday morning, he left for work
In the evening, he texted me to say he was running late
He said he’d be back late
I went to bed and when I woke up in the morning, he was gone
I thought he might be
She faltered
Where could he be? Everett prompted her
Chanel looked up at him
Her eyes were filled with tears
But there was something else there, too
anger, pain, disappointment
With his mistress, she said quietly
I knew he was cheating on me
I’d known for several weeks
I saw them together on the security camera footage
He brought her to our house and slept with her in our bed
Her name is Aaliyah
Aaliyah Concincaid
The detectives exchanged glances
Chanel was telling them everything herself without any pressure
“Did you talk to your husband about this?” Reena asked
No, I wanted to
I planned to talk to him that evening when he sent a message saying he would be late, but he didn’t come home and now he never will
Mrs
Dubois, where were you the night before last? Everett asked directly
Chanel looked at him, not looking away
I had a book club meeting
We meet every other Thursday
I was there from 8:00 p
m
to midnight at Jennica St
Clair’s, my friend’s house
There were five of us
You can check
We will
Everett nodded
Give us the names and contact information of everyone who was there
Chanel stood up, walked over to the table, and wrote five names and phone numbers on a piece of paper
She handed it to Everett
The detectives spent the next few hours calling the book club members
Jennica St
Clare confirmed her alibi
Yes, there was a meeting
Yes, Chanel was there from 8:00 p
m
They discussed the book, drank wine, and talked
Chanel was the last to leave around midnight
The other three women confirmed the same thing
All the details matched
Tyrone’s time of death was between 11 p
m
and midnight
Chanel was at the meeting at that time with five witnesses
Her alibi was ironclad
Everett and Reena sat in the car outside the station analyzing the situation
“She couldn’t have killed him,” said Reena
“Her alibi is flawless
Five witnesses who aren’t close enough to each other to lie in a coordinated way
Maybe it wasn’t her at all, Everett said thoughtfully
Maybe Tyrone had other enemies, debts, conflicts at work
We need to check his finances, his connections
Reena nodded
The case has only just begun
So far, we have more questions than answers
The detectives returned to the station feeling like they had reached a dead end
A wife with an ironclad alibi
A mistress in shock
A victim killed with particular cruelty
Someone wanted Tyrone Dubois to suffer
But who exactly remained a mystery? The investigation stalled on the third day
Everett Holloway and Reena Okafor checked all the obvious leads
Tyrone’s financial records showed no large debts or suspicious transactions
His co-workers described him as an ordinary employee with no enemies
and his phone records revealed no threatening calls or messages
Everything pointed to a crime of passion, but the prime suspect had a solid alibi
The detectives decided to go back to basics, to the crime scene and its surroundings
The industrial area where Tyrone’s body was found was a semi-abandoned area with warehouses, workshops, and a few residential buildings
The area was quiet, especially at night, and people there were used to minding their own business
Everett and Reena began a methodical tour of the area, knocking on doors, showing Tyrone’s photo, and asking if anyone had seen anything suspicious on the night of the murder
Most residents shook their heads
Some refused to open their doors at all
One elderly man said he had heard some noise around midnight, but didn’t think anything of it
There was always something going on in this neighborhood
Luck smiled on them in the afternoon when they knocked on the door of a small house three blocks from where the body had been found
The door was opened by a man in his 50s wearing overalls with the tired face of someone who had just returned from a shift
“Detectives,” he asked, looking at their badges
“Is this about the dead guy they found by the warehouses?” “Yes, sir,” Everett nodded
“We’re interviewing everyone in the neighborhood
Did you notice anything unusual on Thursday night or Friday morning? Maybe you saw unfamiliar cars or heard something?” The man scratched his chin thoughtfully
Well, I work the night shift, so I usually sleep during the day, but that night I was at home, couldn’t sleep for some reason
Around 11:00, I went out on the porch to smoke and I saw a white van driving down the street
It was driving slowly, as if the driver was looking for something
Reena took out her notebook
A white van
Do you remember the model? The license plate number? I can’t tell you the model
I don’t know anything about cars
It was just a van, a regular cargo van
I couldn’t see the license plate
It was dark, but I remember it because the car drove back and forth twice
Then I went back inside
I don’t know where it went after that
Did you see the driver? No, it was too dark and too far away
Just a silhouette behind the wheel
That’s important information, Everett said
Thank you
If you remember anything else, give us a call
He handed him his business card
Back in the car, the detectives discussed the new lead
A white van in the area on the night of the murder, said Reena
It could be a coincidence, but it’s worth checking out
We need to request surveillance camera footage from all the roads leading to that area
They spent the next few hours at the station reviewing the CCTV footage
Most of the cameras were private, belonging to shops or gas stations, and the quality of the recordings left much to be desired
But on one of the cameras located at an intersection about a kilometer from where the body was found, they found what they were looking for
The recording was dated that same Thursday at 11:42 p
m
The screen showed a white van driving through the intersection toward the industrial area
The quality was too poor to make out the driver, but the license plate was partially visible
“There it is,” Reena muttered, zooming in on the image
“Can you read the number?” Everett squinted, staring at the blurry picture
The first three characters are clear
The rest is unreadable, but that might be enough to search the database
Let’s run a search for white vans with partially matching numbers in Philadelphia and the surrounding area
The database returned a list of 23 vans
The detectives began checking each owner
Most were companies, plumbers, electricians, delivery services
A few were private individuals
Each one required verification, which took time
By evening, they had reached the 17th name on the list
Lamont Brooks, 39 years old, owner of a white Ford van registered 6 years ago
Address: An apartment on the outskirts of town in a less than desirable neighborhood
Reena dug deeper into the name and discovered a criminal past
Lamont had been convicted 8 years ago for burglary, served 2 years, and was released on parole
In recent years, he had been doing odd jobs and was officially unemployed
Another one, Reena sighed
A conviction for theft, but that doesn’t make him a murderer
There are thousands of white vans in the city
We can’t waste time on pointless checks
Everett nodded
I agree, but since we’ve started, let’s see it through to the end
We’ll go see him tomorrow morning and ask him a few questions
If his alibi is solid, we’ll cross him off and move on
But Reena continued to stare at the computer screen, her fingers tapping on the keyboard
She always relied on her intuition, and something about that name made her want to dig deeper
“Wait,” she said suddenly
“Lamont Brooks
” “Brooks, I think I found something
” She opened the file with the information they had gathered about Chanel Dubois during their investigation
education, places of employment, acquaintances, relatives, and there it was under education
Franklin High School, class of 2005
Reena quickly searched the school archives
They had been digitized and were accessible to the police
The list of graduates from 2005
Chanel Dubois
Yes, on the list
And here’s another name
Lamont Brooks
Everett,” Reena said quietly
They went to the same school
Chanel and Lamont Brooks classmates
Everett turned sharply to her
“What? See for yourself
Class of 2005, Franklin High School
Both are on the list
They know each other
” The detectives exchanged glances
A random coincidence had turned into a lead
“First thing tomorrow morning, we’re going to see him,” Everett said decisively
And this time we’re going to ask some tough questions
Morning found Everett and Reena at a dilapidated apartment building on the outskirts of Philadelphia
The building looked depressing
Peeling paint, broken windows on the first floor, trash in the entrance
The detectives climbed the narrow staircase to the third floor, which smelled of mold and something sour
Lamont’s apartment was at the end of the hallway
Everett knocked
No answer
He knocked again louder
Lamont Brooks
Police, open the door
There was a noise from inside
Then the sound of shuffling feet
The door opened on a chain and a man’s face appeared in the crack, unshaven with red eyes, smelling of alcohol
“What do you want?” he asked horarssely
“Mr
Brooks, I’m Detective Holloway
This is Detective Okaphor
We need to talk to you
Open the door
” “Do you have a warrant?” Lamont muttered
We don’t need a warrant to talk to you, but if you don’t open it voluntarily, we can get one very quickly, especially considering your criminal record and connection to the murder investigation
” Lamont froze
He stood motionless for a few seconds, then slowly removed the chain and opened the door
The apartment was in terrible condition
Dirty dishes on the table, empty whiskey bottles on the floor, clothes scattered everywhere
The air was stale and heavy
Lamont himself looked no better than his surroundings
in a dirty t-shirt and wrinkled pants barefoot with the shaky hands of an alcoholic
“Sit down somewhere if you can find a place
” He waved his hand toward the sofa, which was covered with a pile of rags
The detectives remained standing
“Mr
Brooks, where were you on the night of Thursday to Friday last week?” Everett began immediately
Lamont scratched his head, clearly struggling to think
“Hell if I know
at home probably or at the bar
I don’t remember
Your white van was seen near the crime scene that night, Reena said
Explain what you were doing there
What crime scene? I wasn’t anywhere
My van is in the yard
I haven’t used it in a week
Mr
Brooks, we can verify that
If you’re lying, it will only make things worse for you
Lamont nervously licked his lips
His eyes darted around
Listen, I don’t know what you’re talking about
I didn’t kill anyone if that’s what you’re talking about
I live a quiet life
I don’t bother anyone
Everett took a step closer, his voice hardening
Do you know Chanel Dubois? You went to school with her
At the mention of Chanel’s name, Lamont’s face changed
Fear flashed in his eyes
Chanel? Yes, I remember her
So what? We haven’t been in touch since graduation
Not in touch? Reena asked
Then explain why your van was near the place where her husband’s body was found
Why do you get nervous when we mention her name? I’m not nervous, Mr
Brooks
We can make this easy or difficult
Everett crossed his arms over his chest
Right now, we only have questions, but if you continue to lie, we’ll take you to the station, get a search warrant for your apartment and your van, and believe me, we’ll find what we’re looking for
DNA, blood stains, evidence
They always remain no matter how thoroughly the criminal cleans up
You’re a former thief, Lamont
You know how the system works, so decide right now
Are you going to cooperate, or do you want to make life difficult for yourself? Lamont stood there, trembling all over
Sweat beaded on his forehead
He walked over to the table, plopped down on a chair, and covered his face with his hands
Damn it, he exhaled
Damn, damn
Damn
The detectives remained silent, giving him time
Finally, Lamont raised his head
His eyes were filled with despair
“She paid me,” he said quietly
“Chanel paid me
$15,000
Half up front, half after
I didn’t want to
I swear to God, I didn’t want to do it
But I have debts
They threatened to break my legs if I didn’t pay them back
” and she she offered me a way out
Reena turned on the voice recorder on her phone
Tell us everything from the beginning
When did she approach you? Lamont sighed heavily
3 weeks ago, maybe a little more
She found me through old classmates, got my phone number, she called and said she wanted to meet
I was surprised we hadn’t talked in a hundred years, but I went
We met at a cafe on the outskirts
She looked strange, tense, angry
She said she knew about my lifestyle and that she had a job for me
She said her husband was cheating on her and she wanted revenge
At first, I thought she just wanted to scare him or something like that
But then she explained everything
What exactly did she want? For me to kill him, kill him and castrate him, cut off his penis, and take it to the girl he slept with
She said it should be a message that they both had to pay for what they did to her
Everett felt the tension in the room reach its peak
Did you agree? Not right away
I said it was crazy that I wasn’t a killer
But she offered money, 15,000
I was desperate
You understand? I needed that money
And she was so confident, so calm
She said she had a plan that I wouldn’t get caught
What plan? She said she’d be out with her friends all night, that she’d have an alibi, that she’d give me the keys to the house, her lover’s address, everything I needed
I was supposed to come when the husband was home alone, kill him, do what she asked, and take the body far away from the house, then take the organ to that girl
And you agreed? Reena stated? Lamont nodded, staring at the floor
Yes
God, I hate myself for it, but I agreed
She gave me 75,000 right away
Said I’d get the rest when I did everything
That Thursday, we met in the evening around 7:00
She gave me the keys to the house, the address, and said her husband would be home alone after 10:00
Then she left for her meeting, and I went there
What happened next? Lamont covered his face with his hands, his voice trembling
I arrived around 11:00
I entered the house through the back door using the key
He was in the living room watching TV
I approached him from behind and hit him on the head with the bat I had brought with me
He fell
He was conscious but stunned
I I did what she said
First, I took him to a safe place and castrated him
Then, I just waited for him to bleed to death
He was dying for about 20 minutes, maybe more
It was horrible
I can still hear his moans
Silence fell over the room
Even the detectives, who had seen a lot, were shocked by such cander and cruelty
Then I wrapped the body in a tarp and dragged it into the van
I drove it to the industrial zone and left it behind the containers
I packed the organ as she instructed and took it to the girl’s address
I left the box at the door
I returned home
She transferred the rest of the money to me the next day in cash and we met in the park
Where’s the money now? Everett asked
I’ve already paid off most of my debts
I drank the rest away
Everett and Reena exchanged glances
The confession was complete
The case was closed
Lamont Brooks, you are under arrest for the murder of Tyrone Dubois, Everett said, taking out his handcuffs
You have the right to remain silent
Anything you say can be used against you in court
You have the right to an attorney
Lamont did not resist
He obediently allowed himself to be handcuffed and led to the car
An hour later, the detectives and their support team arrived at Chanel Dubois’s house
Everett rang the doorbell
Chanel opened the door, surprise written all over her face
Detective Holloway, is something wrong
Chanel Dubois, you are under arrest for organizing the murder of your husband, Tyrone Dubois, Everett said calmly
We have a confession from the hitman and evidence of your involvement
Chanel’s face froze
She stood motionless for a few seconds, then slowly turned around, holding out her hands for the handcuffs
She didn’t scream, cry, or try to deny it
She just silently allowed herself to be handcuffed
The detectives led her to the car
Chanel sat in the back seat between two officers
The car started moving
Chanel looked out the window at the streets of Philadelphia passing by
Her face was expressionless, like a mask
There was no fear, no remorse, only emptiness
Somewhere deep inside, where love and hope once lived, there was now nothing left
The car turned toward the police station
Chanel continued to stare out the window, not looking away
She knew that her life had ended the moment she saw the video of her husband’s infidelity
Everything else was just a logical consequence
