Chapter 96 Deceptive Old Man
The hospital lobby smelled of floor wax and old coffee, and the bright fluorescent lights made everything look washed out as Sarah and Alex pushed through the glass doors.
Sarah did not wait for the receptionist to look up, she headed straight for the surgical waiting area with a fast, determined stride that showed she was ready to handle whatever mess Joseph had created.
They found Mark sitting in a hard plastic chair in the corner, he was wearing his work jacket and he had his arms crossed, and he looked more annoyed by the disruption to his evening than he did traumatized by seeing his father.
A man in a brown sheriff's uniform was standing in front of him with a notebook in his hand, and he was listening as Mark spoke in a low, blunt tone that did not contain a single hint of hesitation or doubt.
"I am twenty-two years old, I have a registered business address, and I have not lived under that man's roof or accepted a cent of his money since I was eighteen," Mark said, his voice was a steady line of logic that seemed to pin the officer to the spot.
"He told the intake nurse that you were his primary dependent and that his recovery costs were covered under a family trust held at the Vane estate," the sheriff replied, he looked at his notes and then at Mark with a confused expression.
"He lied to the nurse because he knows he has no insurance, and he used my name because he thought he could trick the hospital into billing a trust that he has no legal claim to," Mark told him, and he stood up as Sarah and Alex reached the corner.
"My mother is here now, and she has the divorce decree from a year ago that proves he has zero custodial rights and zero financial links to either of us."
"Is there a problem, Officer?" Sarah asked, she stepped into the circle and her presence was immediate and authoritative, her smart eyes moving from the sheriff to her son.
"Mrs. Hayes, your ex-husband tried to file a fraudulent insurance claim using your son’s information, he told us there was a custodial agreement that made the Vane estate responsible for his long-term care," the sheriff explained, he looked relieved to see an adult who wasn't currently staring him down.
"There is no agreement, and there is no trust for Joseph Hayes, he was a temporary contractor for the Harrington Group who was terminated for cause before his accident," Alex said, he stepped up beside Sarah and his voice carried that hard, corporate edge that made the sheriff close his notebook.
"If he continues to use the Vane name or my family’s assets to cover his bills, we will be filing charges for identity theft and attempted fraud."
"I think I have enough here to clear the report, I’ll tell the hospital administration that they need to look elsewhere for a guarantor," the sheriff said, and he gave them a quick nod before heading back toward the main desk.
Mark let out a long breath and looked at his mother, and he looked like a man who had just finished a long day at a difficult job site. He wasn't shaking, and he didn't look like he needed a hug, he just looked like he wanted to go home and forget that the hospital existed.
"He’s in room four-twelve, Mom, he’s awake and he’s still trying to convince the nurses that he’s the victim of a huge misunderstanding," Mark said, he handed her a small plastic visitor’s pass. "He asked for you, but I think he just wants to see if he can get you to sign the discharge papers so he has a place to stay."
"I am going in there, but I am not staying for more than three minutes, and I am definitely not signing anything," Sarah told them, she took the pass and looked at Alex. "Wait here with Mark, I need to do this alone so he knows there is no one else coming to save him."
"I’ll be right here," Alex said, he squeezed her hand once, a restorative gesture that gave her the final bit of grounding she needed.
Sarah walked down the long, quiet hallway of the surgical ward, the sound of her boots muffled by the linoleum, and she found room four-twelve at the very end of the hall. She pushed the door open and saw Joseph lying in the bed, his legs were elevated and there were tubes running into his arm, and he looked smaller and thinner than he had when he was trying to ruin her business. He looked up when she entered, and a small, hopeful smile touched his lips, a look that Sarah had seen a thousand times during their marriage when he was about to ask for a loan to cover a gambling debt.