Just like any other day, Mark started to put on his suit. He had just shaved his red hair and beard after a shower. He chose his blue shirt and dressed nicely in his suit. He noticed that he had put on a little weight, his pants were getting tight. He thought he should start a diet.
Just as he was about to leave the house, his cell phone rang.
''Mark.''
"Yes, how can I help you?''
"I know what happened in Central Park in 2007 with that woman. If you want your family to know, have 30 grand ready in your bank account by tonight. I'll call you back. If you go to the police, your whole neighborhood will know what happened.''
"Who are you?
''....''
Mark realized the phone was off. He began to wonder if this was a joke. Maybe some of his friends who were with him that day had decided to play a joke on him. It was impossible for him to find out who was calling because he was calling a hidden number. It also didn't sound like his friends. He listened again with the recorder app to make sure it was not a friend. The voice was different...
Not caring, he decided to leave the house and go to work. He put on his black shoes and tied the laces nicely. He took one last look in the mirror and straightened his red hair and checked his beard. He left the house and set off.
He staggered towards the subway. An unforgettable memory of that day. As he walked and walked through the crowds, he thought about the day he would never forget, and how someone would call him on the phone to remind him of it.
He got on the subway and there was nowhere to sit. He grabbed his phone and checked his bank account. He had saved a lot of money. 198,000 dollars to be exact. For years he had been just saving and putting money aside by playing the stock market. He felt close to his goal because he had a big investment to make. By the end of the year he would have all the money he needed.
Just then his phone rang.
Unknown secret number.
''Mark''
"Who am I talking to?
"Mark, I know that the wound on your leg was inflicted by the girl who pulled a knife on you that day in retaliation. If you don't want your dirty deed to be exposed, you'd better be ready to transfer all the money in your account by the time the banks close tonight. Bring it to Central Park in cash. I'll call you back.''
"The girl"? What girl? ''
"Don't pretend you don't know, Mark. ''
''....''
Mark started to get nervous. Sweat was pouring down his forehead. The subway had already reached his stop. He quickly stepped outside and loosened his tie to get some air. Then he called the phone company and said that he had received a call from an unknown number and wanted to know the number. But the phone company said that was not possible. Mark began to feel like he was losing control of his life. It was a man, not a girl, who had stabbed him in the leg that day, but if they spread the word that it was a girl, it was going to get very messy very quickly. Mark couldn't let that happen.
He walked quickly to his workplace and entered one of the skyscrapers and stepped on the 13th floor. After traveling in the elevator with people he didn't know, he got off at his floor. He went to his office without even saying good morning to his coworkers.
He called the bank and gave orders to have all the money ready. He was to come and withdraw the money after noon. He couldn't take that risk. Just then his phone rang again, and he picked it up before he had a chance to close the curtains in his glassed-in office.
''Mark. Good. You called the bank. Be at the bench in Central Park at 4 p.m. where you always rest after a jog. ''
"How do you know all this? ''
''Mark. You're in the palm of my hand.''
''...''
Just as Mark was hanging up the phone, he noticed a friend from the IT department walking past the door and called out to her.
''Mary! Her Mary! Can you come in, there's something wrong with my phone?
'' Of course, Mr. Mark''
Mary was a woman in her 40s with thick glasses and short blond hair who liked to wear sweaters. When she entered the room, the heavy smell of perfume made Mark's nose itch.
''Mary. Someone keeps calling me. I just called the bank on a company phone, but he even noticed that and called me back. I don't know what to do, he's threatening me.''
''Mark, calm down. The only people who can listen are the IT department. Let me get on the computer.''
'' Okay, here you go.''
'' "Is your computer password still Mark123?''
'' Yes.''
"Change your password first, it's very simple and I've warned you many times. Anyway.''
"Mary was using her magic fingers to see who might be listening in on Mark's line. For Mark, what Mary was doing on the computer was like spell. Mary snapped her fingers with the loose rings.''
'' Here it is. Jonathan. He listened to you.''
'' John? What do you mean? Is he the one who threatened me?''
'' Honestly, I don't know about the threat, but you should confront him. He's online right now. Should I send him here or should you come downstairs.''
"John is someone who has been a friend of mine for years. He should come here. It's too crowded down there.''
Mark picked up his work phone and called John. He said he needed to come to his office urgently. Mary left the office smiling and a few minutes later John arrived.
''Mark? What's up, buddy?
"John. Someone called me and threatened me and asked for my money in the bank. Only a few people know that this money exists. I've been thinking about who it might be...'' he began, but he didn't say that he and Mary had tracked him down.
John pretended to be surprised, but Mark could tell from his facial expressions that this was theater.
"John, this man also knows where I jog. ''
''How come, they've followed you, man, be very careful, give me the money and get rid of him! ''
"Do you remember when I told you about the incident in 2007? Mark put his hands on his chin and watched his friend carefully.''
'' Yes, you had a fight with a punk homeless woman in that park and she stabbed you in the leg because you wouldn't give her money. What about that?''
'' John, she wasn't a woman. He was a man. And my girlfriend at the time was with me that night. She can confirm that was a man, police records are also for a man.
''
The look of shock on John's face was unmistakable. He had been caught.
'' John, that was a mistake. Then Mary and I looked into who might be tapping my phones and we found you, John. Why would you do such a thing?''
'' Mark it is not me this is a mistake...''
'' Dude, don't insist any more. If even we found this, the police will find it. Why did you do such a thing? I won't report you if you explain it to me nicely.''
John took a deep breath. He knew it was time to confess.
"Mark... Yes, I called and threatened you, I need money... You know my brother is sick. His medication and surgery--''
"John. I know your insurance covers this. If you keep lying to me, I'm going to end your career." and he showed me his phone and John was shocked once again to see that the voice recording app was on.
''Mark, if you give this to the police, I'm finished.''
"I know. Why do you want money? ''
'' I lost at gambling. The Mafia is threatening me. ''
"Good. Okay, I got what I need, you can get out of my office.''
''Mark...''
'' "See you in court. ''
Mark was incredibly angry. He would never forgive his friend for threatening him and then lying to his face. He immediately called his lawyer and told him everything that had happened. He gave his lawyer all the recorded calls from the voice recording program that was already on his phone.
Then the court process took a few weeks. It was an easy case.
Mark won the case. John was out of a job. He also claimed $50,000 in emotional distress and damages.
The $50,000, the money that John had saved and that Mark knew about, was in Mark's account 3 weeks after this incident.
Mark immediately resigned from his job and gave one month's notice. Thanks to John, he had quickly earned the money he needed for the bar he was going to open in Miami.
This story was inspired by and written for: The Ink Well Fiction Prompt #115 Phone Call. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!