The Guilty One
Detective Niki Carter was frustrated as she interrogated Aaliyah Randolph. Her partner was in the interrogation room across the hall with Ashley Randolph, Aaliyah’s identical twin. It was possible that they had planned to murder Ashley’s fiancé together. However, given their strained relationship, it didn’t seem likely.
Digital drawing of an interrogation room with twin shadows overlaying the room.
“Give me a moment.” Niki excused herself and left the room. She went to the viewing room across the hall and knocked on the one way glass signaling her partner, Detective Williams, to step out of the room. He entered the viewing room less than a minute later.
“Initial thoughts?” She asked him.
“She seems to be holding something back, but I don’t think she’s our killer. She keeps asking if Theo is okay and gets angry that we are keeping her here and away from him.”
“Could be an act to throw us off.” Niki turned to look at Ashley. The twins were identical in appearance, but Ashley had a small scar on her chin from a horrible car accident she had when she was a teenager. She also walked with a limp, also as a result of the accident. Outside of those two things, it was hard to tell the two apart. Unfortunately, those differences didn’t help them know which one was the guilty one.
Niki opened the door and said, “Let’s put them in a room together and see if we can get one of them to confess, or at least get enough information to figure out which one we are after. I’ll go grab Aaliyah and bring her over here. We’ll leave them alone in the room for a few minutes to see if something useful is said. When we come in, we’ll show them the security footage to get the conversation going.”
Five minutes later, the tension in the room was thick and heavy. The twins sat on the same side of the table, both ramrod straight. Finally, without looking at her sister, Ashley said, “You shouldn’t have come. Why did you come? To ruin my wedding? Couldn’t stand the broken twin getting married before you?”
Aaliyah didn’t even flinch at the acidic words. “Your fiancé is in the hospital and you want to know why I came to attend my bitter little sister’s wedding?”
“You’re only five minutes older.” Ashley rolled her eyes.
“Anyway little sister. I came because Mom nagged me until I said I would. For the record I couldn’t care less that you are getting married before me and the only one who thinks you are broken is you. Also, for the record,” Aaliyah looked at the two-way mirror. “I did not try to kill Theo.”
“I never thought you did. I can’t believe anyone would. He is such a good guy.” Tears filled Ashley’s eyes and she quickly swiped them away.
Still looking at the mirror, Aaliyah said, “I don’t think you did either, but since we are the only ones from the wedding party that are here, I wish they would tell us why they are so sure it’s one of us so that we can explain to them why it’s not.”
“This is unbelievable, I am supposed to be getting married today. Instead, Theo is in the hospital fighting for his life and I’m being accused of stabbing and trying to kill him. Kalis said she would stay by his side for me, but it should be me taking care of him, and I’m stuck here.” Ashley slapped the table for emphasis.
This isn’t getting us anywhere,” Niki said to Detective Williams as they watched from behind the mirror. “Let’s head in.”
Minutes later they sat across from the sisters and pulled up the security video. Together they watch a woman wearing a hoodie pulled down over the top half of her face limp to a hotel door and let herself in with a card key. Detective Williams fast forward until the door opened and the same woman rushed out and limped quickly out of the room. He then stopped the video.
“That could have been anyone. What made you immediately think it was one of us?” Aaliyah asked them.
“Would anyone have a key to Theo’s room?” Niki asked, looking directly at Ashley then at Aaliyah, “The twin sister might be able to get it when her sister isn’t looking, and she certainly would know how to imitate her twin’s limp.”
“Why would I want to kill the man I love and am about to marry? And why would Aaliyah? We might not get along but we don’t hate each other.”
“I hear the animosity between you escalated when Theo met Aaliyah and started to date her only to dump her for you Ashley. Maybe Aaliyah here never got over him or forgave him.” Niki knew she was tossing a Hail Mary but it was worth a try.
Aaliyah and Ashley finally looked at one another. “Is she serious?” They said together. Aaliyah looked back at Niki. “I’m not sure who told you that, but we met Theo on the same night at a dinner party. Yes, he came up to me and flirted, but Theo isn’t my type. He is Ashley’s so I walked him over to her and introduced them.”
“Like I said, we don’t hate each other and the animosity you mentioned is because she has lorded the fact that she is the perfect twin ever since my accident. She is a constant reminder of how things could have been if I didn’t have the accident.” Ashley looked down at the table as she spoke.
Aaliyah didn’t respond to Ashley’s confession, instead she asked. “Other than that ridiculous theory for motive, do you have anything concrete to hold us? Because if you don’t, we are leaving so my sister can go be with Theo.”
“One other thing.” Detective Williams reversed the video until it was at the part where the woman in the video swiped the key card. He zoomed in on the woman’s wrist and the bracelet she was wearing. “Does that look familiar?” he asked, looking down at both of their wrists with the matching gold bracelet and infinity diamond charm.
Surprise registered on both their faces, but neither said a word. Detective Williams decided to go all in. He stood and walked around the table and said, “Ashley Randolph you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Theo Sanderson.” He pulled out his handcuffs.
“What? No!” Aaliyah and Ashley shouted, both standing. Aaliyah reached out to grab Ashley’s hand and that’s when something caught Niki’s attention. “Do you two normally wear your bracelets on your left wrists?”
They both looked down at their wrist. “We are both right handed, so yes we do.” Aaliyah answered for them.
“Did anyone else have access to your bracelets last night?” Niki asked,
“I never take mine off,” Ashley said.
“Neither do I. We had these made right after the three of us graduated from college.” Aaliyah touched the bracelet as if it were her good luck charm.
“Three? Who else has that bracelet?” Niki asked.
“Our friend Kalis does. We were inseparable in college. I’m not as close to her now, but she and Ashley are still best friends. She’s at the hospital waiting to sit with Theo after his surgery.” Aaliyah said.
“Would Kalis happen to be left-handed?” Niki asked.
“Yes she is, what made you ask?” Ashley looked at her with confusion.
“Give me one minute.” Niki said, hopping up and rushing from the room.
An hour later the twins were released and Kalis was arrested.
Aaliyah and Ashley could not believe it, and when they saw her being brought in. Ashley asked her, “Why?”
Kalis’ eyes filled with hate and she snarled, “You two are so self-centered. I invited you to that dinner party so I could introduce you to Theo. The guy I was interested in. I have loved him since the day he and I met. Then the pretty princesses come along and he forgot all about what we had. First hitting on you Aaliyah, not knowing you are too perfect for anyone. Then when he couldn’t have you, he settled for Ashley. He tossed me aside like I was nothing and neither one of you bothered to ask who was the guy I wanted you to meet that night. If I hadn’t forgotten to switch my bracelet to the other wrist, one of you would have gotten what you both deserve.”
Niki took Kalis by the arm and led her to booking. She had spent a day frustrated by the fact that she couldn’t figure out which of the twins had done the crime, when the guilty one had been at the hospital waiting for a second chance.