Blackmail

“Are you blackmailing me?  I really can’t believe you.”  Bryant slammed his library books down onto the table.  He kept slamming and muttering even as the other library patrons threw him dirty looks for making the slightest bit of noise. 

“I know what I saw and I know it was you.”  I slowly got up and followed him out the side door of the library.  I knew where he had parked because I had followed him to campus.  I hoped he was heading toward the campus police, but after a few hours of watching him study, I knew he wasn’t planning to.  At least not today. 

Bryant had nearly destroyed me and everything I believed in.  All I wanted was for him to confess.  I had seen him the week before walking away from Professor Bench’s office.  Professor Bench was my all-time favorite professor and I often got into deep religious conversations with him.  I was fascinated with world religions and hoped one day to write a book and Professor Bench was in full support of my idea even though I was still 21. 

But after Bryant left Professor Bench’s office that day, my favorite professor retired abruptly, citing health issues.  Professor Bench would no longer return my emails and withdrew from my life.  My trust eroded as time went on and I had to know what Bryant and said and done.  I knew he had conned Professor Bench into leaving and I had to find out.  No matter what.