Chapter 14 - NATALIE’S PORTAL
Digital records answered part of the forgery question.
Northstar’s family-care portal had two logins.
Linda.
Natalie.
The copied signature file was uploaded from Natalie’s account.
Device:
Natalie’s laptop.
Secondary authentication:
Text to Linda’s phone.
Linda had approved codes.
Did she know what documents they authenticated?
Not always clear.
Natalie’s emails were clearer.
To Mom:
Need code.
Linda:
For Sophie?
Natalie:
Yes.
Linda sends six-digit number.
Another:
Natalie:
Code again. Megan authorization expired.
Linda:
Has she signed new?
Natalie:
She told me it’s fine.
Linda:
Okay.
My mother had not asked me.
But Natalie was the one directly asserting consent.
Then Rebecca found the source signature.
A permission form I signed two years earlier allowing Natalie to pick Sophie up from summer camp.
Same image.
Copied.
I remembered sending her a PDF.
I had given her the raw material.
Not permission.
“What happens now?” I asked.
“Northstar freezes family reimbursements.”
“Good.”
“They’ll conduct an internal review.”
“Good.”
“Potential civil recovery.”
“Good.”
“And depending evidence, referral for fraud.”
I stopped.
Natalie was my sister.
“Okay.”
The word hurt.
Rebecca noticed.
“You can love somebody and still let facts go where they go.”
May you like
“I know.”
I did not yet.
