The Blackmailer Part 2

Below is Part 2 of my story, The Blackmailer. For Part 1 please visit http://newauthoronline.com/2013/06/08/the-blackmailer-part-1/

 

There was a knock on the office door

“Come in” Charles said.

The door opened admitting Pamela, Charles’s secretary and a man who he had never met before.

“This is Mister Thompson the gentleman with clothing designs to show you” Pamela said.

“Ah yes. Please to meet you” Charles said extending his hand. Mister Thompson’s Grip was virtually non existent. His limp clammy hand sat like a wet fish in Charles’s strong grip. Charles gut reaction was to reach for one of the tissues which stood in a box on his desk and wipe his visitor’s perspiration off his hand. It was with great difficulty that he restrained himself from doing so.

“Please take a seat. Can I offer you tea or coffee?”

Mister Thompson shook his head.

“Thank you Pamela, I’ll call when I’ve finished” Charles said. Pamela smiled and closed the door as she returned to her office. Charles was a good boss, generous and kind to a fault Pamela thought as she sat down at her desk.

“You told Pamela when you called that you have an innovative and unique design for women’s clothing in which you think my company might be interested”.

“Oh you will be interested in what I have”

“In what you have? The company only deals in the manufacture of clothes so if your designs are for anything other than garments you will, I am afraid need to take your business elsewhere” Charles said a look of puzzlement flitting across his face.

Wordlessly Mister Thompson passed a bulky envelope across to Charles. Charles extracted a number of photographs. He stirred in puzzlement at the first picture which showed a young girl in school uniform.

“The company doesn’t sell school uniforms although, I suppose that we might consider doing so if my marketing people are convinced that there is a market out there. Did you get your daughter to model the uniform?”

“Don’t you recognise her?”

“Recognise her?” Charles said his brow creasing in perplexity.

“Look at the other photographs”.

Charles placed the picture of the schoolgirl on his desk and turned to the next photograph. It showed a double bed with a couple having penetrative sex. The girl’s face and that of her companion where clearly visible. it was the same girl as in the previous picture and, oh sweet Christ the man was undoubtedly him.

“How did you get these? How old is she?” Charles asked pointing to the girl.

“It doesn’t matter how I got them. The girl has not long turned sixteen. Funny how you didn’t recognise her with her clothes on isn’t it. See here (he said handing a document to Charles) that is a birth certificate”.

Charles took the document. His hands shook so violently that he could hardly keep the paper steady enough to decipher the words. The certificate showed that Amanda Jenkins (the girl known to Charles as Mandy) was indeed sixteen. Charles was shocked to the very core of his being. The girl had been in a bar and with that plastering of make-up he had assumed, quite naturally that she was at least 18-years-old and, more likely in her early 20’s. He knew that the age of consent was sixteen so he haden’t broken any laws, that did not however stop the feelings of guilt. He would never knowingly have slept with such a young girl and the fact that he had done so made him feel physically ill. What would the board think? They might well ask for his resignation if the facts became public, however as the major shareholder in the company he could, Charles felt weather the storm What about Catherine? His marriage was already on the rocks but this would no doubt be the final straw which broke the cammal’s back.

“Get out” Charles said rising to his feet.

Mister Thompson didn’t move.

“Get out or I’ll have you thrown out” Charles said his face turning red with anger.

“So you are happy for it to become public that you get your kicks from screwing 16-year-old schoolgirls?”

“I haven’t broken any laws. She is above the age of consent. Now get out or I’ll personally kick you out!”

“Like so many other people you don’t know the law Mr Myers. The girl is, indeed legal, however under the Sexual Offences Act 2003it is illegal to pay for sex with a person who is over the age of consent but below 18-years-of-age. You have committed a criminal offence and, if it comes out you will in all probability go to prison. Look here is a photograph of someone who looks remarkably like you handing over £800 to the young lady” Mister Thompson said flicking through the photographs until he came to one which showed Charles giving  the money to Mandy.

The colour drained out of Charles’s face and he sank back into his chair.

“But I didn’t know. I genuinely didn’t know that she was only sixteen”.

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse. The courts take a very dim view of those who exploit child prostitutes and girls and boys aged 16-18 are considered children under the law. Lets not talk of courts though, I’m sure that we, as civilised human beings can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement”.

“You want money?” Charles felt stupid as soon as the words left his mouth. Of course this despicable piece of pond life wanted money, why else would he have taken those filthy pictures. “How much do you want?” Charles asked.

“Half a million and don’t tell me that you can’t afford it because, quite frankly I know you can”.

Charles did some rapid calculations. He could afford the sum in question but it would mean selling company shares or one of the paintings which hung in his home. Shares would be best but how did he know that, having paid Mister Thompson or whatever his real name was, the man wouldn’t come back asking for more.

“And that will be the end of it? You will destroy all the photographs?”

“Yes, once I have the cash you can have all the photographs and the computer disks”.

Charles knew that even if Mister Thompson did provide the photographs and any medium on which copies where stored such as USB drives he could never be sure that the pictures where not still sitting on a computer hard drive somewhere, however he was trapped, he had no choice other than to exceed to the blackmailer’s demands.

I’ll need a week or so to get the money. I will have to sell some shares”.

“You have until Friday. I’ll come to your office then”.

Charles nodded. Mister Thompson gathered up the photographs and returned them to their envelope.

“I guess our business is concluded”

Charles reached for the extension on his desk

“Pamela show Mister Thompson out please”

Pamela entered and Mr Thompson followed her out of the room.

“I hope that it was a productive meeting” Pamela said smiling at Mister Thompson as they travelled down in the lift.

“Indeed, very productive” he responded with a smile.