Chapter 17 - The Web Collapses
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Over the next three days, the state presented a mountain of crushing evidence.
Kathleen Hilliard took the stand, weeping as she detailed how Austin had abandoned her and used her identity to open fake medical companies.
Naomi Millican testified about Austin's attempt to extort her wealthy family.
Dr. Richard Hayes—who had entered a guilty plea two weeks earlier in exchange for a reduced federal sentence—took the witness stand for the prosecution.
He pointed his finger directly at Amanda and Austin.
"Amanda Wellman approached me twenty years ago after her husband died," Dr. Hayes testified into the microphone. "She told me that if I gave her family a cut of our hospital billing overrides, she would keep silent about the billing discrepancies her late husband had documented."
"And what was Austin Wellman's role?" the prosecutor asked.
"When Austin turned twenty-five," Hayes explained, "Amanda brought him into the operation. Austin was the one who physically forged patient signatures and collected the cash distributions."
At that moment, Austin snapped.
He jumped out of his chair at the defense table, knocking his water glass onto the floor, and screamed at Dr. Hayes.
"You lying old bastard! You were taking half the money!" Austin roared, his face turning purple with rage. "I did all the dirty work while you sat in your fancy corner office!"
"Order in the court!" the judge shouted, slamming his gavel repeatedly.
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Guards tackled Austin to the ground, pinning his arms behind his back as he thrashed violently on the carpet.
Amanda buried her face in her hands, weeping hysterically as the entire courtroom witnessed her golden son's final, pathetic meltdown.
