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⭐️ Contest #346 Shortlist!

Crime Drama

Written in response to: "Tell a story with a series of calls, emails, and/or text messages." as part of Final Destination.

Got a sec?

No

Not really

Urgent?

Kinda

Yes

Definitely

In mtg

Email?

Feels safer on signal

Jeez

Fine

Or phone?

Cant

Mtg???

LEAVE

Wut mtg

Can’t

Steve is here

Pickering all staff

Scene of the crime

Not funny

Kinda is

Fine

hat up

*what

Hrd Kelly giving evidence

That not expected

Ya

Where u hear

Jill

His secretary?

Yup

If other jill not so bad

True

Crap

Bad timing

Wut u say

Asked if she thot Steve rlly corrupt

Trying to head off

What she say

Yes.

Man

Shed know

Yup

Nos where all the bodies buried

Liteereally

That not all

Tell me

Jill throwing K under

C hrist

He started this hol thing

Well …

You know what I mean

Why cudnt he just kp his mouth shut

Right?

Everyone did

Including him

As long as he got his

Until now

Yup

Wait

Wait wait wait

?????

Bill? Stil there?

Jill throwing Kelly under?

Yup

That why he giving evidence

Of corse

Crap

Crapidy crap crap

Hs going to throw all us under

He can

Kelly thre?

No

Shud be tho

Bad sign

Yep

But why Jill tell u

We had that thing last year

Til Bonnie found out

Don’t remind me

So she still like u?

Dog

Ha!

More like revenge

Gloating

Full of surprises that one

Did not see this coming

If only youd kept yer pants on

If if if

If Steve hadn’t taken that money

You all did

????

We all did

Every time

If K hadnt told Patti

Ambitious prick

As if he gets Steves job if he brings him down

Snowball’s chance

Guy’s an idiot

Re: We all did

Anotehr if

Ducking patti

She got her share

And some

No doubt

U know what shes thinking, right

Yep

She vp

Next in line for prez if Steve goes down

When we all go down

F that

This all goes down, she gs down too

Thad be sweet

✔️

I’ll see to it

Ok, lets stay calm

Wot Jill rlly know

????

Plenty

U sure

I mean really

She just a sec

Yep

Showed me what she sent cops

Some of it

Smirk on her face whole time

ATTACHMENT:

It’s not like I thought Steve or any of them took bribes, or made side deals in their own favour, or embezzled, or anything like that. Not at first.

At first, it was just the big dinners out, the luxury hotels, the business class flights whenever they wanted. Corporate Lincoln Navigator sitting in the driveway, even if most days they were flying here and there and everywhere. And expensed cabs, too drunk to drive half the time. Like they deserved it.

It went to their heads. That’s how I see it. They started to feel like they deserved it, and then expected it. They claimed all their per diems, got me to do it for them, really, then expensed every meal and every drink. The per diem went in their pockets like a second paycheque.

They just loved buying dinners and drinks for everyone. A round for the house on the corporate card. That’s how they pulled you in, got everyone in on the scam. Buy you a nice steak, a few drinks, and no one rats you out. Not that they were inviting me along any more.

They all got to feel like they deserved it for working so much – like they didn’t know how tough the job was when they fought so hard to get it.

Not long before they’re fudging expenses, double claiming stuff, claiming things they shouldn’t. I know. I do Kelly’s expenses. Too lazy to do his own fraud. Too arrogant. I started keeping my own copies.

Then the envelopes starting arriving. Steve dropped them off for Kelly. I couldn’t believe it. Big lumpy things. And the booze.

Crap

What is this

Her diary?

Her statement to the cops

Really?

Yup

Part of it

Wrote it up and walked it in

Jesus

Still just her opinion

At this point

Maybe not over yet

True but

There motre

ATTACHEMENT:

Re: Windsor

Randy,

I hope all is well. How are the kids?

The package arrived this morning, Much appreciated. Steve brought it down himself. Crown Royal a nice touch. We’ll crack it open next time.

I’ve talked to the Windsor folks. All set there, smooth as silk. Jim Song and Bill Wright really helped, as promised. I told you it’d be as easy as Pickering, didn’t I?

Next up, I think we said Brampton, but starting to think Oakville might be more ripe. Any thoughts? I’m open.

Maybe we can discuss it over some of that Crown Royal!

Looking forward to working more with you in the future.

Cheers

- Kelly

Jesus

How stupid is K

Just up and emails the guy

And drops both of us in it

Jill says he tried deleting it, but she saved it

And a bunch more

As well

Crap

Did not see this coming

So you said

She was there when the money came in?

Apparently

Were shur she saw it?

Told me she did

Ds it matter

Feel like we’ll find out

Enuf to spook K anyway

Figure he’s cutting a deal as we speak

Making like he;s the victim

Dbt thatll play

Jerkface

Who?

K or J?

Both I gues

True

O crap

What

Steve leaving

Takign a call

Hiw he look>

Mad

Walking fast

Everyone watchinghim

Can u see him

Whats he dg

On the phone

Pacing

Rubbing his forhead

Craps

Yep

Glaring at me now

Crap

Itx happening

Uh oh

Someone at the door

Don’t answer

Their pounding on door

Jesus

DON’T ANSWER

It the cops

Crap

Crap crap crap

DO NOT ANSER

Jim?

JIM?

Hello?

U there?

What the hell is happening?

???????

I can help you

“Thank you, Mr. Song. No more questions. Your honour, I present this Signal exchange as evidence of a conspiracy - for which Mr. Song is currently facing separate charges - to hide the crimes we have spent the past week unravelling. Had police not forced open the door, this exchange would have auto deleted shortly thereafter. I submit this exchange as Exhibit Number 12.”

“I call as my next witness Detective Bill Wright.”

Posted Mar 21, 2026
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16 likes 5 comments

Lyone Fein
21:31 Mar 30, 2026

This had me feeling so tense! Good job.

Reply

Aria Liune
20:28 Mar 30, 2026

This is a wonderful story. I also would never have tried to tell a story through online messages, and you packed so much information into the tiny texts! Well deserved shortlist!

Reply

Tommy Goround
19:13 Mar 29, 2026

Wow zers.
Engrossing
Loved the typos & appreciated the power problem with expense accounts.

The spend is real.

(Clapping)

Reply

Eric Manske
20:15 Mar 28, 2026

Nice work on this. Definitely not something I would attempt. Congrats on being on the shortlist!

Reply

John Rutherford
19:32 Mar 27, 2026

Congrats

Reply

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