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Scam Me If You Can part 1

Scam Me, If You Can

Volume 1

Takano Masamune

Chapter 1: First try

***

“I’m sorry for being late… the loan sharks called again.” The man sat down at the table looking disheveled. His appearance was handsome, his black hair looked stunning, perfectly complementing his dark brown eyes. “You’d think I would have gotten used to being threatened but I guess not…” He showed a pained smile.

“Really? That’s horrible… here…” The woman sitting across from him looked terribly worried. “I know it’s not going to be enough but just as long as you can pay the interest rate… it’s going to be alright…” She spoke in a careful and gentle manner.

“I… can I really accept that?” The man asked while leaning forward, the large stack of money he was handed surely contained at least five thousand dollars.

“Please… so that when we get married you won’t have any debt, so we can live a good life together.” The woman spoke softly as she nudged closer.

“I promise to do my best… for you, I’ll do anything.” The man spoke through tears as he squeezed the woman’s hand…

*

*

*

“So… um… what was that sob story all about?” Jennifer asked as she leaned back into her chair, her long hair being pulled into a high ponytail. She wore a police uniform, glancing over the interrogation table her eyes landed on the story teller.

“Did you ask how I came into this line of work? Being a conartist. I’m just answering your question.” The girl of average stature remarked as she shrugged her shoulders. She sighed. “It was so difficult being tricked by a low life like him, I had to get back at him.”

“By scamming him back? And thousands of others as well?” The police officer questioned while crossing her arms.

“Yeah! It’s revenge you know? And that character development thingy that happens in books!” The woman replied while smiling brightly and twirling her shoulder length blond hair.

“Never mind that… tell me your name once more, and let’s continue.” Jennifer didn’t seem to be in the mood for small talk.

“Eh, again? Didn’t you write it down the first time?” The blond woman asked while staring at the other but it was no use so she relented. “My name is Madelin Tsivotski, I’m a conartist. Or should I say the best one there is?”

“The best of the best don’t get caught.” A male police officer entered the room with a neutral expression on his face.

“Sergent Hopkins, I am in the middle of an interrogation-” Jennifer was interrupted at the man pointed the door to her.

“I’ll be taking over from here, thanks for your hard work.” Edward Hopkins, a man of few words and a stern expression, he always carried himself with dignity and his word was law.

“I was told not to allow male officers because-” Jennifer once more couldn’t even complete her sentence as the man gave her a warning glare.

“She can’t seduce me, now leave.” Edward’s words made the woman rush out in a hurry. Jennifer didn’t wish to know what would happen if she were to aggravate a superior.

“Oh, is that why she was here instead? Because she’s a woman? I go either way you know…” Madelin’s eyes followed the man as he sat down opposite of her. “So what’s the next question, or am I free to go already?” She titled her head to the side slightly.

“Why ask, is there someone you’re waiting to bail you out of here?” Edward asked while leaning forward, his hands on top of the table.

“Hm… who knows?” Madelin refused to reply as she leaned back into her chair. She observed the man in front of her. “You’re rather handsome, better looking than most police officers with their beer bellies and mouths filled with donuts.” She remarked while smiling brightly. “Ah, but it’s too bad you wouldn’t fall for a criminal like me…”

“Madelin, you are suspected of robbing the CEO of GM Engineering, manipulating stock funds within his company and buying them out at the lowest prices…” Edward read out loud the document that was on top of the table.

“Eh? Suspected means you have no proof right? And also what’s wrong with being an investor? I simply buy stocks that I think will be profitable and sell when I think they’ve reached their high. How is that against the law?” Madelin explained while tilting her head to the side. “Also it’s that CEO that gave me those expensive presents he should have kept for his wife, is it really my fault he’s a s**t husband? It’s not robbery if he gave them to me.” She continued.

“So you refuse to admit it?” Edward looked conflicted for a moment. “Just a second ago you were more than eager to introduce yourself as a conartist-”

“The best conartist!” Madelin chimed in.

“But now you’re refusing to admit to your crimes?” Edward questioned her, keeping his composure in this maddening circumstance.

“Look Edward, don’t get me wrong, it’s true I’m a con artist but I’m not really doing anything illegal, am I? Not once did I ask that CEO for any insider information, not once did I go out of my way to give him hopeless promises of love for him to win me over… It was all on him for beign a dumb man.” Madelin shrugged again.

“So you’re admitting to it after all!” Edward seemed a bit aggravated at that point but then.

“Please release the suspect Seargent Hopkins.” A strong domineering voice sounded from a speaker within the room.

“The interrogation isn’t over yet, sir.” Edward stood up and lowered his head.

“It is now, we’ve acquired enough information to put the CEO behind bars for fraud instead.” The strong voice sounded once more. Madelin carefully stood up and dusted off her dress.

“Took you guys long enough!” Madelin said while easily breaking free of her hand cuffs. “It’s so stuffy in here, consider opening a window once in a while.” She complained as she dragged her fingers through her dyed blond hair.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Edward quickly got out of the interrogation room only to be faced with his superior looking down at him.

He didn’t explain anything so Madelin chimed in ever so enthusiastically. “Don’t you get it? I work for the police!” She remarked while walking a circle around Edward. “You must be reaaaaally new if you don’t know me, let’s get acquainted soon!” She suggested.

Edward’s entire face flushed red as he walked after his superior. “Why wasn’t I made aware of this ordeal!?” He asked him with a great anger within his voice.

“Close the door behind you.” His superior ordered him as they were now left alone in his office.

“I just don’t understand, I was transferred recently but still isn’t this something that-” Edward’s cool and calm exterior seemed to only be for in front of people as he was now the exact opposite of his usual demeanor.

“Edward! Calm down this instant!” The man spoke in a harsh tone as he then sat down and sighed heavily. “You shouldn’t make a fuss over something like this, that woman is more vital to the police’s operation than you might imagine.” He spoke in a quiet voice as if it was a top secret that no one should ever find out about.

“That one? Isn’t she just your average conartist?” Edward questioned as he sat down opposite the man.

“Not at all… her ability to gather and process information is beyond our understanding… she probably has a better grasp of the inner working of the criminal world than any one of us ever will…” The man continued as he took off his hat, revealing his dark brown hair and a single completely white patch of gray hair. “She’s not the easiest to deal with but she’s important so do your best… not to go bald or get gray hair like me, alright?” He spoke in a more friendly manner.

In truth Edward and his superior were son and father. However they didn’t allow the rest of their collegues to find that out.

“Dad, do you really believe a girl that was dumped and scammed once is capable of gaining such insight?” Edward asked as he slammed his hands on the man’s desk.

“Oh? That story she told is completely false… in fact she was never scammed in the first place, there is no record of a marriage proposal either so that’s probably false as well.” The man explained as he placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “If you can’t even figure that much out on your own then maybe you should go back to the countryside, how about it son?” He suggested with the warmth of a worried father.

“You know I can’t do that…” Edward turned his back and walked out of the office. His hand was shaking. “…fuck… he had to mention it…”

The reason he was sent here wasn’t just because they needed more people in the central office but because of a scandal that happened back to his hometown…

“If only I could forget it as well…” Edward muttured under his breath then felt a hand touch his.

“Wow, you really are hot!” Madelin said while smiling brightly at him. “It took you a while inside, did he get mad at you?” She asked with an incredibly concerned tone.

“Didn’t you leave? What are you still doing here?” Edward questioned with an angered voice but he tried to remain calm as he’d been doing before.

“Haha, you’re angry! That’s no good, and here I thought we could have some real fun together!” Madelin continued with a cheerfy tone of voice.

“I have no interest in sleeping with the likes of a criminal.” Edward warned her.

“Ehh!? Sleeping together? Isn’t that s****l harassment office?!” Madelin cried out in horror as she held onto her breasts. “You’re such a naughty person to ask me something like that… I wanted us to be partners first and then do dirty stuff later~” She winked at the man suggestively…

At that moment Edward realized this woman was more of a pain in the ass than he could ever imagine…

Chapter 2: Well played

***

“Ahh… you’re such a pervert and everyone here thinks you’re cool, calm and collected!” Madelin continued until the man placed his hand on her mouth.

“Quiet down already.” Edward demanded and the woman smiled.

“Careful, cause if you do that, your colleagues might become even more suspicious~” Madeline’s quiet voice carried a slight amount of malice within it.

“What is it that you actually want?” Edward asked her, they’d moved to a café outside the police station after he changed out of his work clothes.

“I told you already! I want to be partners with you cause you’re hot.” Madeline said while drinking her black coffee. Contrary to her gentle and sweet appearance she had quite the distain for sweets.

“I have no reason to agree, this is probably just another one of your schemes, isn’t it?” Edward questioned her, his demeanor remained stone cold as if he was speaking to someone less than human.

“Ah,… I really like that… the way you ignore me and act like you don’t want me. Makes me wonder what your face will look like when you’re completely blinded by lust, an expression contorted by deep emotions… ugh…” Madeline looked like she was getting hot and heated at the very thought of it.

“I hate perverts like you.” Edward remarked with a click of his tongue.

“Who said I was?” Madelin looked a bit upset for a moment there.

“What’s with you…? It’s like you’re bypolar or something, constantly changing your mood.” Edward looked a bit disgusted by her at that moment.

“Hm… I wonder, do you have a lover Mr. Stone face?” Madelin’s words seemed to strike a cord with the man sitting opposite of her.

“That’s none of your business…” Edward’s hand began shaking again, he kept it under the table so it wouldn’t be noticed by the woman.

“Ah, I get it, I get it!” Madelin pulled back showing her hands as if she was under arrest again. “I won’t try to make a pass at a man that loves his woman this much!”

“It never seemed to bother you before…” Edward remarked as he glared at her.

“Oh, you mean the CEO? Obviously he’s not like you, he didn’t give a s**t about his brilliant wife and child… that man was a piece of s**t in every regard. On top of embezzlement from the company to buy all his mistresses expensive things, he made his wife suffer a lot… I can’t forgive a man like that.” Madeline spoke as she held onto the cup and finished her drink in one go.

“You don’t even realize you’re the one that ruined his marriage… because of you he-” Edward paused as he heard a loud crash from opposite of him.

Madeline’s expression had changed as she’d pushed her now empty cup of coffee on the ground. “That so? It’s my fault?” She asked him, the look in her dark brown pupils made them look almost completely black at that moment. “I’ll tell you because you obviously don’t know, but I wasn’t his only mistress, I only became one because of his wife, she hired me.”

“What? That’s ridiculous.” Edward was taken aback. “Why would anyone…?”

“Because she knew… us women… we always know if our beloved is cheating on us… so she wanted to pay him back in interest for what he did. He was the one that ruined their family first, I was just there to save his wife from the fallout.” Madeline said as she looked up and smiled once more at the man as if warning him. “So don’t you dare ever say I was responsible for her suffering, I am always on the woman’s and children’s side, you see?”

At that moment Edward had never imagined he could see such a delicate woman, look so fierce…

“But… how did your actions affect the outcome. That CEO is still going to be imprisoned and his wife will be questioned for sure as an accomplice.” Edward spoke with her in a harsher tone than before, he now realized he might have been underestimating this woman just a bit.

“Hm? No way, since she got hurt the most, right? She lost everything for that pig to continuously take and give to other women. She’s not a suspect at all, in fact she’s going to get some good compensation money because of all this. I made sure of it as well.” Madeline explained enthusiastically.

“So it was part of your plan from the very beginning…” Edward glanced down at the mess made, one of the waiters quickly picked up a broom and got rid of the shards of porcelain on the ground.