Halloween Murders

"It's because of Marsha. As long as I felt she loved me, I could block out the adultery. But everything changed."

"What do you mean?"

"After Art Russell Sr. died, Marsha took a job as secretary to Art Jr., and things seemed to go better. I looked in the last couple of planners and she wasn't having sex with clients anymore. She had meetings, but I didn't see 'HS' next to the names. However, I noticed she was meeting with her boss quite often.

"As I mentioned, he recently divorced his wife. It made me wonder if Marsha had taken up with him. This summer our youngest graduated from college, and is on her own. We have no more kids at home, and some have moved to other states.

"I got home early one day. Marsha must not have heard me pull into the garage. I looked at the telephone out there and noticed the light was on. That meant that Marsha was using it. I picked it up and listened.

"She was talking to Art, and told him that now the kids were all gone from home she was going to leave me so she could marry him. I was devastated. I put up with her all those years because I loved her, and now she was going to leave me."

He turned to look at his wife once more. Marsha gasped but didn't say anything. I could see the hurt in his eyes.

"I heard her tell Art she was going to wear a wedding dress to the Halloween party and that he should wear a tuxedo. He told her that after the party they were going to tell me about the divorce. She kept repeating to him how much she loved him and couldn't live without him. That's when I decided to end his life since he was ending mine.

"In the weeks following that phone call, I changed the beneficiary on all my insurance. I transferred whatever funds I had to my kids. I had my lawyer change my will. Of course, I knew that half of everything we owned together would go to Marsha. But my half would be divided among the kids. If they wanted to give it to their mother, it would be their choice."

"Dexter, I'm still surprised you let Marsha live."

"It's because of her love for Art Russell."

"I don't understand," I replied.

"I saw a show on TV where a man was asked why he killed the lover instead of his wife. His reply was that if he shot her, she would have a moment of pain. If he killed the one she loved, then she would have a lifetime of pain," Dexter explained.

"You see, she's doesn't have Art anymore. And the world knows what a slut she has been. So she will have a lifetime of pain."

"What about you? After this, you' ll be going to prison and more than likely on death row for a number of years. You'll be living through the pain also."

"No, that's not going to happen," he said as he held up his gun.

"Dexter, you promised you wouldn't shoot anyone else. Aren't you a man of your word?" I asked, trying to talk him out of shooting anyone, including himself.

He reached into his sports bag and pulled out a hypodermic needle. In a flash, he jammed it into his own heart.

"Marsha, I have always loved you. Now you can explain it all to the kids," Dexter said as he dropped the gun and fell to the floor.

I reached over and pulled out the needle, but it was too late. Dexter Manowitz took his own life the same way he took the lives of his wife's lovers.

Marsha screamed out again. But everyone just looked at her and shook their head. Her sister was the only one trying to calm her down. I opened the door and the swat team escorted everyone out. The paramedics covered Dexter's body, and later took it to the morgue.

In the months that followed, the story remained in the news. Marsha's life was a living hell. She had to sell the house and move out of town. She even took her maiden name back so no one would know who she was.

Her kids wanted nothing to do with her. They felt that it was her fault their dad acted the way he had. None of them signed anything over to her.

As for me, the department gave me credit for catching the 'Halloween Killer'. I didn't deserve any honors but the mayor wanted to make headlines. I often wonder how many other men are like Dexter. He was willing to put up with a cheating wife because he loved her.

Epilogue:

It's been a year since the mayhem that took place last Halloween. Art Russell's ex-wife got the business back. He had never transferred ownership and half was hers anyway.

I was sitting at my desk getting ready to go home when I received a call. A woman was found with a hypodermic needle in her chest, but she was still alive. I couldn't believe it as I rushed to the address.

It was Marsha Dunworthy, formerly Marsha Manowitz. As I got there, they were putting her into the ambulance. A neighbor watering her lawn got the license plate number of the vehicle leaving Marsha's place. The whole department was out looking for it.

When they stopped the car, they discovered it was Jack Randle's wife. He was one of the men who had slept with Marsha.

"She was responsible too. She ruined my marriage and my family, and needs to pay for what she did. I don't understand why they never charged her with anything."

Charged with attempted murder, Beverly Randle is now waiting for her court date. As for Marsha Dunworthy/Manowitz, she is in a coma. The doctors don't know if she will ever come out of it. The poison that Beverly used ate at her brain cells but left her heart ticking fine.

I guess now we will just wait till next Halloween and hope there are no more copycats killings.

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Thank you for reading my story. Please understand that this is just a story and that not all people would react the same. Most men would not have acted like Dexter.

Comments are welcome and appreciated

DG Hear