Blackmail

by John Charles

  Nervous and unsure, he told Jay of Cindy’s request and made his way to the conference room. When he entered, he saw two familiar faces. Dana and Hal sat at the conference table along with several people he didn’t know. “Um, hi. Cindy said I was to report here.”

  Hal stood and shook Karl’s hand. “I’m glad to see you under more pleasant circumstances. This is Nicholle Galasyn, an FBI investigator on the case and this is John Abbute, the district attorney for the state. You already know Dana Lambertson, your attorney.”

  “Take a seat,” said Dana as she pulled out the chair next to her. “We want to discuss some very important things with you.”

  Karl sat and listened as Dana explained why they were there. “We all think you were naively suckered into this situation by Waverley. He blackmailed you to do the things you did. Nevertheless, you did commit several crimes. One of which is mail fraud which carries a ten year minimum prison term.”

  As Dana said that, Karl’s eyes went wide and he slumped forward resting his head on the table. “Oh my god, I had no idea. I might as well be dead then. You know what will happen to me if I go to jail for ten years,” he whispered.

  “Yes, young man, we do and that’s why we are here today, so just listen to what Dana has to say, okay?” said John.

  Dana laid the entire plan out for Karl. If Karl agreed to be a witness for the state, he would only be charged with one count of industrial theft, which carries a prison term of 18 months.

  “What do I have to do?” asked Karl.

  “Honestly testify against Waverley,” said John. “We have a pretty cut and dry case against him for attempted murder but the blackmailing and industrial espionage case has some loose ends. If you agree to answer all and I mean all of our questions, under oath, we know we can put Waverley behind bars for a very long time.”

  “So for doing that you’d promise that I’ll only go to jail for 18 months?”

  Dana was quick to interject, “We cannot promise Karl, but we’ve spoken to the judge and he assures us that he will agree to the plea bargain if you fully cooperate. Do you want some time to think about this?”

  “No, 18 months is better than ten years. As long as you are there to guide me Dana, I’ll do it.”

  “Ferris has paid my fees until the end of this case, so I will definitely be there to defend you. You will need to make a deposition under oath and meet with the judge to get this started. The sooner you do that, the better.”

  “I’ll ask Jay for tomorrow off, if that works for all of you,” said Karl in a very shaky voice. “I’ll have to get a hotel room, though I don’t want to drive both ways in one day.”

  “No, we can do it at our offices here in town and do a teleconference with the judge,” said Hal as he and Nicholle stood. “We’ll meet you at the FBI offices on Main Street at 9 AM. You know where that is Karl?”

  “I’ll be with you throughout the interview,” said Dana as she stood. “Relax Karl, this will all work out for the best.”

  Everyone left the conference room leaving Karl sitting and shaking in fear. He lowered his head to his arms on the conference table. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to grasp how his life had changed. 18 months in jail. They’ll rape me every day and I won’t have anything to say about it. God, how am I going to get through this alive? My life is ruined.

  Chapter 16

  Waverley’s arraignment for murder, blackmail, industrial espionage and mail fraud made headlines. As a public company, Waverley Pharmacon had stockholders around the world, who immediately placed orders to sell their shares. Hits on the Waverley web site were so intense they brought down the server. The company was in a downward death spiral as soon as the word of Waverley’s deeds became public.

  In an emergency meeting, the board of directors stripped Waverley of his position as Chairman and CEO of the company. The board suspended his voting rights until a satisfactory outcome of the trial, and suspended trading of company stock on all exchanges for 48 hours to allow the nervous impulse sales to die down.

  Bail requests denied, Chad Waverley found himself in a maximum-security prison awaiting trial. His attorneys were less than sympathetic to his pleas for help. Having lived with his impulsive and nasty attitude for years, they decided they would no longer submit to him. Chad Waverley was alone with no one to get him out of trouble for the first time in his life.

  Karl entered the FBI building on Main Street not sure what to do or where to go. A pleasant looking receptionist saw his uncertain glances at the directory and offered help. “Are you looking for someone in particular?”

  “Yes, I’m here for a deposition with Hal,” he paused, “I don’t know his last name,” he said with an embarrassed look.

  “Sure, you’re looking for Hal Sansone. Have a seat. I’ll let him know you are here. What is your name?”

  Karl introduced himself to the receptionist and took a seat on the edge of a chair in the waiting room. His nervous fidgeting and wringing of his hands were obvious to the receptionist and to the guards looking at the security screens.

  Hal approached Karl and said, “Good morning. Are you ready to help Waverley secure his position behind bars for years?”

  “Um, I guess. I’m so scared Mr. Sansone. I don’t want to go to jail. Is there anything I can do to prevent that from happening?”

  “You don’t have to be that formal with me. My name is Hal, Karl. Your fate is up to how much you help us and how the judge feels during your trial. If he is sympathetic to your situation, he has the privilege of allowing a shorter sentence, but I cannot make that decision for him.”

  Hal led the nervous young man through the reception area to the metal detectors. “Place everything from your pockets into this container and step through the detector.” After Karl passed through, Hal returned his possessions and led him to the elevators. When they reached the fifth floor, Hal led Karl to a room that looked like it was from a movie sound studio.

  Have a seat here, Karl. Nicholle, Dana and I will be off to the side during your deposition. Dana has reviewed and approved the questions so just answer them honestly. He left Karl alone while he went to get Dana and Nicholle.

  The room had a small table in the middle, several cameras opposite the table directed at his seat, a microphone on the table and lights aimed at him. He was more nervous than when he arrived earlier.

  Dana stepped through the door and placed her hand on Karl’s shoulder. Relax you’ll be fine. I’ve looked at all the questions and frankly, they are not threatening to your case. So answer them honestly and let the judge know you are willing to help the state put Waverley behind bars for a very long time.

  Once everyone was seated, a technician started the cameras, lights and sound equipment. Hal identified everyone present and started asking questions. At first, Karl was nervous, being in front of cameras and lights, and had difficulty answering the questions. Hal and Dana encouraged him to expand on his answers. After a few minutes, Karl relaxed and started to talk more freely.

  When Hal asked how Waverley got Karl into this situation, Karl got very nervous again. “Um, he found out I was gay and said that no respecting pharmaceutical company would hire me. He threatened to out me and blacklist me if I didn’t help him.”

  When Nichole put the large loose-leaf binder on the desk showing all of Karl and Waverley’s texts, Karl said, “You tapped my phone? You knew this was happening and just sat back? Why didn’t you help me? How could you let this happen?” His anger showed in his voice and his actions. The cameras were still recording. He turned toward the interviewers and angrily said, “You set me up, didn’t you? If you had all this information and came to me back then, my cousin would not have been shot and I wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”

  Hal tried to calm him down to no avail. “No, I’m not going to calm down. You used me?”

  Hal backtracked and told Karl that they did tap his phone, but he was already in too deep for anyone to stop what was happening. “If we had
done anything back then, Waverley would have gotten off with a slap on the wrist. He probably would have blackmailed you again considering how he proceeded this time. Continue to answer the questions and you can be sure he will be behind bars for a very long time.”

  He’ll be behind bars and so will I. If you had stopped this back then, I would not be facing a jail sentence. I want the judge to know that you used me. Dana, if I go to jail, I’m suing the FBI. Make sure this stays on the video or I will seek out the judge myself,” said an angry Karl.

  Although Karl answered the balance of Hal’s questions, his attitude was that of an angry and disillusioned young man. No one was happy with the present situation. When the deposition was completed, Karl asked for a few moments with his attorney.

  Dana, I’m serious. I was set up and used by these people. If you don’t do something to help me, I will go after Hal, Nicholle and the FBI if it takes my entire life.”

  “I’ll do everything I can to get the judge to understand all the circumstances in the case.”

  An angry and upset young man left the FBI building. He was in no condition to go back to work so he went home, grabbed his gym clothes and went for a workout.

  Dana contacted Ferris and told him what happened. She made him understand why Karl was upset and that he may become a very hostile witness. “We never intended this to go as far as it did, Dana. More than once, Damien and Bennett said they would not trade Karl for Waverley. Do you have any suggestions?”

  “This is a mess Ferris. If Karl becomes a hostile witness, his actions could hurt the Waverley trial as well as your company. I’ll see what I can do, but I make no guarantees”

  Ferris needed to think. He needed to make things better, so he walked down the hall into Andrea’s office. “We have a problem.”

  Wanting to avoid further confrontation, Karl decided not to return to Valentech. He didn’t know how he would support himself while waiting for his trial, but he was not going back to the people who put him in this situation.

  Both Ferris and Andrea called Karl, but he refused to answer their calls and deleted their voicemails. He couldn’t face them knowing how they used him. They were no better than Waverley in his mind.

  Dana’s request for a meeting caught Karl off guard. “Why. Has anything happened?”

  “Well, actually yes, something has happened and I don’t want to discuss it over the phone. Meet me at that sandwich shop you like and I’ll explain everything.

  *****

  “How are you doing? I’m not working right now so I don’t have the money to visit you. But I will as soon as I can.”

  Randy was recovering quickly. His therapy sessions were going well and he was due to be released in a few days. “I’m on sick leave so how about I come to visit you when I’m released. I’d really like to see you coz. The faster we get passed this, the happier I’ll be.”

  “I’d like that, too. Like I said, I’m not working so I have plenty of free time, but no money.”

  “Don’t worry about money. We can just hang like we used to do.”

  Karl used his daily gym sessions to keep his mind focused on anything but the court cases. He knew his life would be different, but didn’t want to dwell on the options he now faced. Even with Dana’s assurances that things would be all right, he worried about spending time in jail. He had a strong body and even stronger mind, but he knew what happened when someone like him was behind bars. Just the thought of it made him shudder in fear.

  When Randy arrived, Karl threw himself into Randy’s arms apologizing once again. “I never expected this to get so out of control. How can I make it up to you?”

  Randy hugged his cousin as if nothing happened. “I want to know what really happened. You’ve given me bits and pieces but not everything. So let’s grab something to eat while you tell me the story.”

  They sat on the couch with lunch while Karl told Randy the entire story from the first day he met Chad Waverley to the meeting with Dana at the sandwich shop. “So that’s everything. Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

  Randy stayed quiet until Karl finished. “Wow that is something I’d expect to see on TV, not to hear from my cousin. Do you trust this Dana person?”

  “What choice do I have? It’s either her or some public defender. I’d rather take my chances with someone who has her experience and the ear of the judge.”

  Just then, Karl’s phone rang. He looked at the phone and said, “It’s Bennett, again. He’s called everyday but I won’t answer the call. He leaves voicemails saying he really wants to talk to me, but I don’t want anything to do with anyone at Valentech.”

  “You’re going to have to face them sooner or later, you know. I bet Damien, Bennett and Andrea will be called as witnesses. Are you going to ignore them till then?”

  “Well, I had thought about doing just that. Even in the courtroom, I don’t have to speak to them.”

  “Let’s listen to his voicemail.” The cousins listened as Bennett pleaded with Karl to talk. He said he was really sorry for what happened and wanted to help in any way he could.

  “Call him.”

  “What? Are you crazy? He was part of this scheme, just like all the others.”

  “Did you ever think that he had no choice in the matter? He works for Valentech and probably wanted to keep his job. Didn’t you just say that Damien and Bennett quit after some falling out with Ferris? I’d bet it was over this,” said Randy as he lay on the couch. “I’d give him a call and at least listen to what he has to say,” he said as his eyes closed.

  Letting Randy sleep, Karl walked to the kitchen and returned Bennett’s call. As soon as Bennett answered, he said, “The only reason I’m calling you is my cousin insisted I hear you out. So what gives?”

  Rather than talk on the phone, Bennett asked to meet both Karl and Randy. He wanted to help. Karl agreed to meet the following day, after Bennett finished work.

  Chapter 17

  Randy accompanied Karl to the gym the following morning. “I’m not supposed to do anything strenuous yet, but I can spot you. It’s good to be here even under these circumstances.”

  Karl did his usual workout still feeling angry about what happened and guilty that his cousin was shot by Waverley. After finishing his routine, Karl took Randy to his sandwich shop for lunch. “I had to explain why I wanted Swiss and potato bread the first time I came here. Now they just ask if I want my usual,” he explained on the walk.

  “I’ve not had that in years. I remember when your mother made it for me the first time. I looked at her as if she was from another planet, but it became my favorite too.” The cousins laughed as they reminisced their youth together.

  After lunch, they walked around town until Randy said he had to stop. “I’m really beat. They said it would take a couple of months for me to get back to my former self.”

  Randy slept until Bennett arrived. After tense introductions, Randy said, “How can you sleep at night knowing what you did? Not only did you allow this to happen, you participated in the scheme to entrap Waverley and put my cousin in jail.”

  The look on Bennett’s face showed he was in a bad place. Stopping and starting several times, he finally said, “Neither Damien or I wanted this to happen. We told Ferris we wouldn’t trade you for Waverley. Hal and Nicholle convinced us that you would not be incriminated. We certainly didn’t expect Waverley to shoot anyone.”

  “I thought you liked me. Was that just a ploy to get me further entrapped? Said Karl angrily.

  “I do like you. In fact, I like you a lot,” said Bennett in a shy, quiet voice.

  “What about Damien? I thought you and he were a thing, or was I wrong?”

  Bennett looked from Karl to Randy and back. “Damien and I are in love with each other. We hope to be more than just lovers and get married. That said if he were not in my life, I certainly would have considered dating you, Karl. I find you attractive, sexy and intelligent – all the traits I enjoy in a lover.”

  “I h
ear a but coming,” said Randy as he watched the banter.

  “As I said, I am in love with Damien. He is the man I want to be with. I’m sorry Karl.”

  Karl looked at Bennett with lust in his eyes. He wanted what Damien had and knew he couldn’t have it. “Well, I don’t want to have anything to do with you, Damien or anyone else at Valentech. You could have stopped this before it got out of hand. Instead, you plotted against me and took advantage of everything you said you liked in me. So why are you here Bennett?”

  “We didn’t plot against you. Everything we did was to get Waverley to get caught red handed.”

  “You really expect me to believe that?”

  “I came to apologize. I know it’s too late for that, but I never wanted this to happen at all. Please understand that Damien and I quit Valentech when we first found out what was happening.”

  “But you went back and became part of the trap. Why would you do that?” asked Randy as he watched his cousin’s anger rising.

  “Like I said, we were told you would not be harmed in any way. I guess we believed when we should have run from the situation.”

  “Ferris has been trying to contact me. Do you know what he wants besides to say he is sorry?”

  “No, I’ve not told anyone I was coming here tonight, not even Damien. You might give him a chance. He’s not a bad guy.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? How can you say that? That prick buried Karl so deep in this mess it will take years for him to climb out. You have to be on drugs to believe he didn’t know what was happening?” screamed Randy. “You know what? You all deserve each other. You’re all delusional.”

  “You can take a message back to your god, Bennett. Tell him to stop trying to contact me. I don’t want whatever he’s selling.” Karl and Randy then escorted Bennett to the door.

  By the time he got to Damien’s apartment, Bennett was more flustered then he imagined he would be. This entire situation was wrong. He didn’t know what to do.

  Damien saw the sad, uncertain face on his lover and asked, “Why the long face? You said you had somewhere to go. Did something happen?”