When my laptop went missing, I was annoyed. It contained my life, my plans, my dreams, my hopes. To imagine that all this was now in some unknown persons hands was unnerving and unsettling.
Naturally, as a safety measure, I changed all my bank account details, renewed my credit cards and warned people with whom I have frequent contact.
But I couldn't change the huge volume of personal information, thoughts, confessions, innermost plans and debates to which they gained immediate access.
Knowing what was on my laptop, it didn't surprise me when I soon received an anonymous email making demands.
The blackmail amount was for ten thousand pounds sterling. My suspicion was that it would be the first of many demands probably rising in value as the blackmailer gained confidence.
The message was simple.
"I know what you have done. Remember, murderers get life inprisonment and there is more than enough evidence in your personal diary to convict you. You have until the end of next week to pay me ten thousand pounds sterling, after which you will not hear from me again. If you don't pay, I will send your files to the police and you can suffer the consequences. I will also send your diary to the national newspapers, just for fun, and, after that, you can say byebye to your wife during your prosecution you debauched old fart."
Of course I didn't have any option and, when details of the place where I was to meet the blackmailer came in a subsequent email, I withdrew the money from my local bank branch and waited to be met as instructed.
It was a frightening experience and the blackmailer came mob handed. Standing there alone was terrifying, knowing that at any moment they could have stabbed or shot me. They checked the money, sneered at me, laughed, turned and went.
To cut a long story short, there was eventually a prosecution and the whole sordid business came out in the newspapers.
In his summing up, the judge said the following words that I will remember for ever:
"You have been convicted of a heinous crime of which you should be deeply ashamed and for which I will sentence you to the maximum term allowed by the law."
The sound of the slamming courtroom doors seemed to repeat the long prison sentence handed down by the Judge through the disinfectant laden courtroom air again and again.
Those who come across a confession to murder, should check the person's profession before turning to blackmail.
Who'd believe a laptop confession from an international fiction author? Certainly the police didn't and the blackmailers were apprehended just after the money was handed over.
I even got my laptop back.
Probably one day I'll write it up as a flash fiction too.
Could life ever get better?
The End
Bye for now
Rob
(Rob Hopcott - free online author)
Enjoyed this? You may also enjoy Undiscovered Beauty - my flash fiction very short story about art, artists, communication and mistrust.
This short flash fiction very short story about murder, blackmail, extortion and justice is copyright Rob Hopcott 2008, all rights reserved. All characters and places in this short flash fiction murder and blackmail story and other free on-line humor, short stories, flash fictions, science fictions, micro-fictions, sudden fictions, post card fictions or very short stories on this site, are fictitious and no reference is intended to any person or organization, living or otherwise.
3 comments:
Your comments are welcomed :-)
Brilliant!
Have you had any books published Rob?
Have a good week!
Thanks for your kind words, Martin. I value them greatly :-)
All my writing is published on-line and free to read. It saves all the time wasting of chasing around after publishers and agents and then, when the book comes out at least two years later, traipsing around TV and radio studios, trying to remember all the details of the plot.
Over the years, millions of people have read my stories on-line, I've made a few bob from advertising and some very good friends, which is reward enough in itself :-)
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