by Tripp Ellis
"An anonymous tip, eh?” she asked, full of skepticism.
35
I was back to square one with nothing to go on. All of my leads washed out.
I dreaded my next call, but I told Haley I’d keep her informed. I was about to dial her number when she called first. "Hey, is that your friend, Jack, that was attacked? I just saw on the news. Is he okay?"
"He's in critical, but stable condition."
"Oh, my God. That's terrible. Is he going to be okay?”
“That's anybody's guess right now. But, the doctors are optimistic."
"Do you think it is connected to my grandfather's case?"
"I think so.”
"I was going through boxes of Warren's papers, and I found something curious. Do you have time to come over and take a look?"
"Sure, I'll be right there."
I hung up the phone and zipped over to Warren's house. I parked the bike at the curb and strolled to the front door. Haley heard me pull up and was waiting in the doorway.
"It might be nothing, or it might be something,” she said.
I followed her through the house to the kitchen where she had a stack of papers on the breakfast table.
"These are photographs of medical records from patients at the assisted living facility. It looks like Pappy took pictures on his cell phone, then printed them out. There are stacks and stacks of them."
I looked over the records which included invoices and billing statements.
"Look at these charges.” She pointed to one of the statements. "It's outrageous. Just about every one of these patients was given a specific genetic test to diagnose a condition that they didn't have. Medicare was billed $16,000 for this test." She flipped through the pages. "Here it is again, and again, and again. They billed $1900 for a walker. $795 for a toilet seat riser. $4500 for a knee brace. $5400 for a back brace." Haley flipped through a few more pages. "This woman was billed for a CAT scan, MRI, x-rays, 3D CT scan, and a musculoskeletal ultrasound, all in one week."
My eyes widened at the amount of some of these charges.
"That facility is committing Medicare fraud. They are most likely prescribing devices that aren’t medically necessary, and perhaps weren’t even provided. I think Pappy found out, and they killed him." She looked at me with terrified eyes. "I know it sounds crazy, but—“
"You don't have to convince me. I agree. He must have sneaked into the office and photographed all these records."
"I checked his phone records," Haley said. "He made several phone calls to the state regulator."
"And nothing happened," I said. I stood there for a moment, processing the information. "Have you told anyone else about this?"
Haley shook her head.
"I don't think it's safe for you to stay here anymore."
"I'm with you on that one.”
"We’ll load these records into your car. I've got a guest room on the boat, or we can take you over to the Seven Seas. Wherever you'd feel safer."
"You've got a gun, so I'm sticking with you."
I put the papers back in the bankers box and grabbed it by the cut out handles.
"My car is in the driveway," Haley said. She rushed ahead of me and pulled open the back door.
I stepped outside, then rounded the corner to the driveway. That's when a glimmering blade slashed toward me.
I blocked the knife with the box. The blade stabbed through the cardboard and into the stack of papers. I shoved the box against the attacker, driving him into Haley's SUV.
He slammed against the door and bent the mirror.
The box tumbled away, and papers went flying. The wind carried them in all directions.
The guy wielding the knife wore a black ski mask, black shirt, and black pants. He pushed off the car and lunged toward me swinging the shiny blade.
I drew my pistol, took aim, and squeezed off two rounds. The 9mm hammered against my palm, and smoke wafted from the barrel. The two bullets slammed into the man's chest with a thunk. The blast knocked him back against the car, and he slid down the quater panel. The knife fell from his hand as his grip went slack. He coughed and choked and spit blood from his mouth. His hands clutched at the gaping wound in his chest, but he couldn't stem the tide.
After a moment, his eyes went blank, and he slumped. The last of his blood oozed from the pits of flesh in his chest.
I moved close, kicked the knife away, then felt for a pulse in his neck.
His heart had been turned into ground beef. Pulverized by the 9mm hollow points. There was no doubt about it—he was dead.
The whole thing happened in the blink of an eye, and Haley looked on in horror. Frozen at the back door, with wide eyes and pale skin.
I pulled off the man's ski mask. I didn't recognize his face. With my cell phone, I took a picture and texted it to Isabella. I knew she would be able to run the image through a facial recognition database and come up with a name.
Haley started to gather up the papers that were dancing on the wind.
I called Denise and told her what transpired. Before long, the area was forming with patrol cars and emergency vehicles. Red and blue lights flickered. A crowd of neighbors gathered around.
The news crews weren’t far behind.
Daniels stormed onto the scene with a scowl on his face. He looked at the dead body, then his hard eyes glanced to me. "What part of administrative leave do you not understand?"
I shrugged. "I was here on personal business."
His eyes narrowed. He didn't buy it for one second.
36
“You know that guy you arrested for video voyeurism? Zeke?” Denise said, poking her head into Daniels’s office.
I sat across the desk from Daniels, explaining our theory, showing him Warren’s photos, and listening to him rant.
Haley sat beside me.
“Yeah, what about him?” I asked.
“Well, he wants to make a deal.”
“So?” Daniels grumbled.
“He says he’s got footage of a local doctor hiring a hitman to kill Warren. It’s the same man that attacked Tyson. Wants the charges dropped in exchange. The DA is reviewing the footage now. And Zeke has been put in protective custody.”
“I want to see that footage ASAP,” Daniels growled.
“I’m on it,” Denise said, then pulled the door closed as she left.
"My contact got an ID on the hitman," I said. "He is a freelancer from New York. I can almost guarantee you that the doctor who hired him is the same one who signed off on these fraudulent procedures. Dr. Gardner."
Daniels frowned. "And I was just about to move my dad into that place." He paused for a moment. "This is big. If what you say is true, and Warren did call the state regulator, there's no telling how deep this fraud goes. I'm going to contact the FBI, Department of Justice, Health and Human Services, and anybody else I can think of. We’ll put together a joint task force and bust this thing wide open."
I liked the sound of that.
Daniels pointed at me. "But you! You stay out of this. Worry about your own legal troubles right now."
A frown twisted on my face. I didn't like sitting back and watching from the sidelines. Maybe I was just an adrenaline junkie?
Haley and I left Sheriff Daniels's office. We strolled through the busy department, and Denise waved me over to her desk.
"I got the footage from the DA. He sent a link.” She pulled it up on her computer screen and we watched the high-definition footage.
The man who attacked me had a conversation in a hotel room at the Seven Seas with Dr. Gardner—the same doctor that attended to Eugene when we visited the C-KALF. He had the same perfect smile, square jaw, and dark hair. He handed the hitman a duffel bag full of money.
"I need you to make it look like an accident, or a burglary," Gardner said.
"No problem," replied the hitman, sifting through the cash.
"I need you to search the house. He knows details about our operation. We’ve
got surveillance footage of him in the office making copies of billing statements and invoices. Find those." Gardner paused. "You don't have any problem killing the elderly, do you?"
The hitman looked at him flatly. "It's all the same to me."
"His name is Warren Russell."
That was all I needed to see. My blood boiled. I sure was jealous I was going to miss out on the action. I wanted to see that scumbag’s face when they slapped the cuffs on his wrists.
Haley watch the video, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Denise handed her a tissue, and she wiped the moisture away from her red, puffy eyes. "How can people be so cruel?"
I put my arm around her and tried to comfort her. "Don't worry. Gardner is going to pay. One way, or another."
We left the station, and Haley followed me back to Diver Down. She said she would feel more comfortable staying on the boat with me until this whole thing was wrapped up.
"Wow, this is a really nice boat," she said as we strolled down the dock.
"Better enjoy it while it lasts. I don't think it's going to be around for long."
Her face crinkled with curiosity.
"Long story. Cash flow is about to be a problem."
She frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that."
We crossed the gangway and stepped into the salon. Buddy bounced up and down like a maniac, barking. Haley knelt down and petted him, and the little Jack Russell instantly melted her heart.
He had a way of doing that.
I gave her a tour the boat and showed her to the VIP guest suite. "I really appreciate this. This is very kind of you. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me, and for Warren."
"It's my pleasure. I'm just glad we were able to figure this thing out."
"I'd like to go to the hospital and see your friend Jack."
"I've got to pick up Jack's daughter from the airport this afternoon. But I figured we'd swing by the hospital on the way back. You’re welcome to join, if you'd like."
Haley nodded.
"Are you hungry?"
"Starving."
We strolled to Diver Down and took a seat at the bar. I introduced her to Madison and Harlan, and we ate lunch. Afterward, we had a little time to kill, so we strolled back to the boat.
There was a man waiting on the dock by the Vivere, holding an envelope. "Tyson Wild?"
I hesitated to answer. Anytime someone needed to identify me before speaking, I figured it was bad news.
37
The man handed me an envelope, and said, “You’ve been served."
I clenched my jaw, and my fist tightened around the envelope.
The man scurried away quickly.
I tore open the bad news. It was a notice of a wrongful death suit brought by the hitman's family.
I wanted to scream.
The guy attacks me, kills countless others, and I'm the one who get sued?
"That's total bullshit,” Haley said.
We boarded the boat. I crumpled up the notice and threw it in the trash. "I don't know about you, but I could use a drink."
A thin smile tugged her plump lips.
“I’ve got whiskey, beer, and rum?"
"I'll have what you're having."
I stepped into the salon and went straight for the whiskey. I poured two glasses, then returned to the aft deck. We took a seat in the lounge.
I lifted my glass, “To Warren."
Haley smiled. "To Warren."
We clinked glasses, and I sipped the smooth whiskey.
I looked out over the water, tried to let all of my troubles melt away. Nothing was certain. I didn't know if Jack would make it. I didn't know how much longer I would be able to call the Vivere home.
There were a lot of things in flux.
Worrying wouldn't change the outcome of anything. I tried to detach from it all and just live in the moment.
"You never told me what you did for a living?" I asked.
“Don’t laugh. I write steamy romance novels.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I can do it anywhere. As long as I have a laptop or an iPad.”
“That’s great. I’d love to read some of your work.”
“They get pretty dirty,” she said with a naughty grin.
“I can handle dirty.”
“After this experience, I may start writing mysteries.”
We shared a laugh.
Later that afternoon, we picked up Scarlett from the airport. She greeted me with a hug and terrified eyes. I introduced her to Haley, and we zipped over to the hospital. Scarlett burst into tears as she stepped into the Neuro ICU and saw Jack.
He was barely recognizable.
Scarlett moved to the bed and held Jack’s hand. The ventilator wheezed, and his heartbeat blipped on the monitor.
Scarlett struggled to hold back the tears. “Dad. It’s me, Scarlett,” she whispered, taking his hand.
She waited for a sign, a slight squeeze of the hand, a grunt—anything to acknowledge her presence.
Jack didn’t respond.
Scarlett’s eyes filled again, and she sobbed. “You’re going to be okay, Dad. I know it. Just hang in there. Please be okay!” she pleaded.
It was hard to watch. A lump grew in my throat, and an elephant stepped on my chest. I put my arm around Scarlett and said, “He’ll pull through. Not even cockroaches can outlive Jack.”
Scarlett said she would stay at the hospital the entire night. She wouldn't leave Jack's side. Haley and I brought her dinner from the cafeteria before leaving, and I told her to call me if she needed anything during the night.
We headed back to the Vivere. I took Buddy for a run, then settled in for the evening.
In the morning, the FBI, along with the Sheriff's Department, and Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General raided C-KALF. All of their computers, hard drives, and records were confiscated. The general manager, Todd, was arrested along with several members of the staff.
Dr. Gardner was still at large.
It would take several weeks to sort through the whole scheme. The network of corruption had spread to the hospital that referred patients, and the state regulator who overlooked complaints. It was one of the largest busts in the state’s history with estimates as high as $72 million in fraudulent billing. Todd and Dr. Gardner had made a not so small fortune.
I watched the evening news coverage on TV as I sat in the bar at Diver Down. Emma Steele broke the story. A picture of Gardner flashed on the screen. "And the doctor responsible for it all is still at large. If you have any information on the whereabouts of this man, please contact the Coconut County Sheriff's Department, or your local FBI office, immediately."
The phone number for the FBI and the Sheriff’s Department flashed on the screen.
“You’re slipping, Tyson," Harlan said. "You don't usually leave loose ends."
"It's not over, yet," I assured.
"Where do you think Gardner is?" Haley asked.
"I don't know. He's looking at multiple counts. Conspiracy to commit murder. Medicare fraud. When they catch him, he's going away for a long time.”
"This isn't going to feel resolved if he gets away," Haley said.
"He's not going to get away if I have anything to say about it."
I relied on Isabella once again. As much as I hated to keep asking favors from her, I had no choice. When we spoke, I laid it on thick. “It's for a good cause. You'll sleep easier knowing you helped get one more scumbag off the street."
"What do you need?" she asked.
"Track a cell phone. Tell me if the perp has any offshore bank accounts. Any property in his name. If I were Gardner, I'd be getting out of the country as fast as possible. Let me know if he turns up anywhere."
"Will do," Isabella said. She paused. "By the way, I'm still working on your situation in Los Angeles."
"I appreciate that."
"I'll let you know what I find out." Isabella hung up.
We ate
at the bar, and I ordered a cheeseburger to go, for Scarlett. Afterward, Haley and I headed up to the hospital to bring Scarlett dinner and see Jack.
To my surprise, Jordyn was sitting in the room with Scarlett.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Can't a girl see a friend in the hospital?" Jordyn replied.
"I didn't think you cared," I said.
She huffed. "I may be a little wild, but I have a heart. I had fun partying with you guys. I mean, before I made an ass out of myself."
"So, you're admitting to making an ass out of yourself?"
"I'll admit when I screw up.” She sighed. “I guess I kind of, sort of, owe you an apology."
"Kind of?"
"I shouldn't have called you an asshole the other day at Wetsuit. You were just trying to diffuse the situation."
I gave her a skeptical glance.
"I'll be cool now. I promise! Do you still hate me?"
She made a pouty face and tried to look innocent. Of course she bounced slightly, jiggling her breasts for added encouragement.
"I guess we are cool now," I said.
"Yay!" Jordyn jumped up and down, bobbling in delightful ways.
"Jordyn's going to come see me in Los Angeles. We're going to have so much fun,” Scarlett said.
"Oh, no you're not."
Scarlett scowled at me.
"Don't be a party pooper," Jordyn said.
I gave Jordyn a stern look. "You are a bad influence. Do not corrupt her."
Jordyn rolled her eyes. "I can't corrupt anyone who doesn't want to be corrupted."
"Why don't you put your charms to good use and go talk dirty into JD's ear? That might initiate a healing response."
"Sugar, I can make a dead man walk," Jordyn said with a devious sparkle.
She sauntered over to the bed, leaned over the rail, and whispered something in Jack's ear.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but his pulse increased slightly.
After a moment she sauntered back in my direction. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. That doctor guy that you are looking for. I think I may know where he is."
38
