Chapter 6 - The Middle of the Night Call
Helen didn't panic.
She had worked in medical billing and insurance compliance for fifteen years; she spent her working life hunting down fraudulent claims and paper trails.
She picked up her phone and dialed Marcus Vance, her cousin and a prominent corporate attorney in downtown Columbus.
Marcus answered on the third ring, his voice alert despite the late hour.
"Helen? What's wrong?"
"Marcus, I need you to listen to me very carefully," she said, her voice turning as sharp and clear as broken glass.
"I am standing in my kitchen surrounded by counterfeit luxury hardware, an illegal manufacturing shop in my garage, and a ledger detailing three hundred thousand dollars of fraud."
Marcus went completely silent for five seconds before exhaling deeply.
"Where is Robert?"
"He's in Cleveland at a casino hotel with a twenty-four-year-old girl, spending money he stole from the nurses at my hospital."
"Do not touch anything else in that garage, Helen," Marcus commanded immediately.
"Do not delete any text messages, do not confront him over the phone, and do not call the local police department yet."
"Why not the police?" Helen asked, glancing toward the darkened yard.
"Because Chief Miller’s wife bought a bag from Robert three weeks ago, didn't she?" Marcus asked pointedly.
"If the local department gets involved before we secure state federal immunity for you, you could be named as a co-conspirator before breakfast."
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"Pack a bag with your personal documents, take that ledger, and drive to my office right now," Marcus said.
"We are going to file an emergency divorce petition and a voluntary whistleblower deposition with the federal trade commission before Robert checks out of that hotel."
