Chapter 13 - Unmasking the Hospital Insider
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The picture changed everything.
Dr. Richard Hayes wasn't just a corrupt executive taking a cut of Austin's healthcare fraud.
He was the architect who had built the playground for them in the first place.
I called Agent Torres and Detective Vance immediately, showing them the photo and the fraudulent hardware invoices Kathleen had discovered.
"Let's look at Dr. Hayes's personal background," Agent Torres said, bringing up federal background databases on his secure tablet.
After twenty minutes of cross-referencing public records, Torres let out a low whistle.
"Look at this," Torres said, turning the tablet screen toward me.
Twenty-five years ago, before Dr. Hayes became the Chief Medical Officer, he ran a private orthopedic clinic in downtown San Diego.
My father, David Wellman, had worked as his primary office accountant.
When my father died suddenly of a heart attack twenty years ago, his life insurance payout—five hundred thousand dollars—was deposited directly into an account managed by Dr. Hayes's clinic.
"My father didn't die of a heart attack," I breathed out, the realization dawning on me with crushing weight.
"We can't confirm that yet," Vance said gently. "But what we can confirm is that Dr. Hayes has been funneling money to your mother, Amanda, ever since your father passed away."
"He was paying her hush money," I realized, my blood running cold. "My father found out about Dr. Hayes's illegal billing twenty years ago... and when my father died, Amanda took his place!"
"She didn't just raise Austin to be a fraud," Agent Torres added grimly. "She trained him to take over the family business."
"We need to go to hospital headquarters right now," I said, grabbing my crutches and standing up despite the sharp pain in my knee.
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"Monica, you're injured," Vance warned.
"I'm the lead forensic auditor on this case, Detective," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "And I'm going to finish this."
