Chapter 8 - The Original Document
Eleanor met us at her office that evening.
She placed the original document on the table.
It was unmistakably Lauren's signature.
But there was something else.
A second signature.
The witness.
I looked closer.
Then I felt my stomach drop.
"Who is this?"
Eleanor answered.
"Martin Hale."
Jared stared.
"Martin witnessed it?"
"Yes."
"Then why did he tell us the trust was legitimate?"
"Because he was involved."
I leaned back.
Suddenly, the entire story looked different.
Martin hadn't simply failed to notice the fraud.
He had helped create it.
Eleanor opened another file.
"There is more."
Inside was a corporate registration.
Victor Sloan's name appeared beside Martin Hale's.
I looked at Jared.
"Your attorney and Victor are partners."
Jared shook his head.
"That's impossible."
"Nothing is impossible when the paperwork exists."
Eleanor pointed to another document.
"Three years ago, Martin transferred control of several entities to Victor."
I studied the dates.
Three years ago.
Exactly when Lauren began receiving my $8,000.
This wasn't random.
It was coordinated.
I stood.
"We need the storage facility."
We drove there after dark.
The building was nearly empty.
Daniel had obtained access information.
Inside a metal storage unit, we found boxes.
Dozens of them.
Bank records.
Contracts.
Tax documents.
Copies of passports.
Property deeds.
And photographs.
Jared opened a box.
"Dad."
I walked over.
Inside were photographs of Lauren meeting Victor.
Repeatedly.
Over several years.
There were photographs of Martin too.
And then I found something that made my hands go cold.
A photograph of Diane.
She was leaving the hospital.
Victor stood across the street.
I stared at the image.
"When was this taken?"
Daniel checked the metadata.
"Nine years ago."
Diane had still been alive.
"Why was he watching her?"
Nobody answered.
I opened another box.
Inside were medical records.
Diane's records.
I began reading.
Then I noticed a physician's name.
Dr. Samuel Price.
I remembered him.
He had treated Diane.
But the records contained something strange.
A second set of billing codes.
Repeated procedures.
Procedures Diane never received.
I looked at Daniel.
"Medical fraud."
He nodded.
"That's what I think."
Jared stared at the papers.
"Are you saying someone billed insurance for treatments Mom never received?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Money."
I looked at the date.
Nine years ago.
Then another thought struck me.
The $1.2 million settlement.
Perhaps it hadn't been the result of Diane's illness alone.
Perhaps the settlement existed because someone had been manipulating her medical care.
I turned to Eleanor.
"Who represented the hospital?"
She looked at the file.
"Martin Hale."
The room went silent.
Jared whispered:
"My God."
I closed the box.
"We're done looking."
Daniel looked confused.
"Done?"
"We have enough."
"Enough for what?"
"Enough to bring this to federal investigators."
Jared looked at me.
"What about Lauren?"
I looked toward the boxes.
"She committed crimes."
"But she was manipulated."
"Both can be true."
We left the storage facility.
Halfway home, Jared's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
"Who is this?"
He listened.
Then looked at me.
The caller spoke for several seconds.
Jared hung up.
"What happened?"
"Victor."
"What did he say?"
Jared's voice was quiet.
"He says if we go to the police, Lauren disappears."
I stared ahead.
"And?"
"He says he'll make sure we never find her."
May you like
I looked at my son.
"Then tomorrow morning, we go to the police."
