Ransom: A One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer Kidnapping Story

Harry: The Con Artist

Five Days Later

Harry: The Con Artist

I shrugged on my leopard-printed coat and slipped my sunglasses onto my head. After, I placed my camera perfectly around my neck so it hung over my chest.

"I'll be getting money like hell today," I told myself in the mirror.

I placed extra film strips in my pocket and slipped a few leather bracelets around my wrist. I would say I looked the part, and the only way to play it off was if I was subtle, that was the key.

I walked out of my closet and slung my "camera bag" around my shoulder.

After making sure to lock the door, I set out on my walk to the park which was only a mile and a half away and it was a nice day, so I liked to walk, and I didn't have a car.

Making sure to look and play the part, I snapped a couple of "pictures" of the trees and scenery of people walking and sitting on benches. A few times I pretended to adjust the zoom of the camera, and when the park was in my sight, I replaced the film and stuffed the old, useless film no pictures into my bag.

I spotted my targets: a couple sitting on a bench, a young girl sitting on the hill admiring the the park and sky, and a mother playing with her children.

I went to the couple first. "Hello," I said politely. They nodded at me, a little aggravated that I interrupted them, but hey, I'd lead them to think it was for something worthwhile. People are so gullible.

"I was just noticing how cute of a couple you two are and since I come to the park every once in a while to take pictures of the scenery and of the people, would you like a few photos? I have some extra film here and I charge thirty pounds a roll, fifteen for half," I squeaked, putting on a fake, disguised voice.

They politely refused so I egged them on a bit.

"Are you sure? You won't regret it. I have people saying how much they love having the photos enlarged and hung on their walls, and you two are so beautiful that you could be models," I lied, they didn't sense the malice in my eyes.

They finally agreed and I told them to stay where they are and act natural. "Just ignore me, pretend that it's just your normal day at the park.

They went back to their conversation. I walked around, pretending to look for certain angles I wanted the "pictures" at.

You could hear the snap of my camera several times. The camera was real, but it only used to take pictures. It's so old now that it won't copy onto the film. Perfect prop for my scam.

I clicked a couple more times and estimated that I had taken enough pictures to maybe use about half a film.

I told the couple that I had finished and they watched me take out the film from the camera, reach into my bag to grab a manilla folder, put the film flat inside, and hand it to them.

"This is only half a film," I told them, "so it'll be fifteen pounds."

"Don't you think that's a little high?" The man asked.

I held back my eye roll and lied politely, "Not when you are looking for a job."

The girl lightly smacked the man. "Give him his money, he's given us pictures, maybe we can use them in our Christmas photos!" A lightbulb went off in her head. To bad there will be no pictures, I thought.

Luckily the man had cash with him, they had just gotten ice cream, they explained. I thanked them profusely when he handed it to me. "Thank you for the pictures, I'm sure they will be lovely when they develop," the girl said sweetly.