Chapter 3 - The Second Bill
Ethan thought it meant medical fraud.
That would make sense.
Claire had discovered somebody billing Sophie’s insurance twice.
Maya worked in medical administration before marrying Ethan.
Maybe she was involved.
Simple.
Too simple.
Daniel pulled records.
Sophie’s amputation, hospital stay, rehab and first prosthetic had generated nearly $310,000 in billed charges.
Insurance paid less.
Nothing unusual for complex care.
Then one provider appeared repeatedly:
Northbridge Pediatric Mobility.
The company that supplied Sophie’s prosthetic components.
Claire had complained about them before death.
Ethan vaguely remembered.
“Something about invoices.”
Daniel found email.
Claire to Northbridge:
Why is Sophie’s device being billed through two separate patient IDs?
Northbridge response:
Administrative correction.
Then second email.
Claire:
No. One ID belongs to my daughter. Who does the other belong to?
No reply.
Patient ID ending 442.
Sophie’s ended 441.
Sequential.
Maybe duplicate file.
Then Daniel found payments under 442.
Not for Sophie.
For another child.
Same age.
Same device type.
Same dates.
Name redacted due privacy.
Someone had used Sophie’s insurance authorization to cover another child’s prosthetic.
Fraud.
But potentially compassionate fraud?
Maybe an uninsured child.
Who arranged?
Northbridge employee.
Then Claire’s notes:
The second child exists. This isn’t an accounting error.
Ethan read twice.
Claire had met her?
Apparently.
A girl.
Same approximate height as Sophie.
Then:
Her mother says they were promised anonymity.
Who promised?
Unknown.
Then Maya’s name appeared.
Before Ethan met her, Maya Reynolds worked at Northbridge in billing compliance.
She had processed several of Sophie’s early claims.
Ethan felt sick.
He met Maya eighteen months after Claire died.
At a charity fundraiser for children needing mobility devices.
Had that meeting been coincidence?
Maybe not.
He confronted her through attorney.
Maya admitted working at Northbridge.
She insisted she never handled Sophie personally.
Records showed her login approved adjustment on patient 442.
“What child was 442?”
“I can’t disclose medical information.”
“You’re not employed there anymore.”
“Still private.”
“Why did Claire hide something in Sophie’s prosthetic?”
Maya went silent.
Then:
“Because Claire didn't understand what she found.”
“What did she find?”
Maya whispered:
“Something that could have taken mobility devices away from hundreds of kids.”
Ethan frowned.
Now fraud might be larger.
But if Claire wanted expose fraud, why hide evidence inside daughter’s leg?
Then Daniel obtained a photograph from Claire’s old cloud drive.
Claire stood beside Sophie’s prosthetist.
Behind them:
Maya.
Three years before Claire died.
Ethan stared.
May you like
Maya had known Claire.
Long before Maya claimed she ever met the family.
