Chapter 4 - THE HOUSE BECOMES A SCENE
County police obtained a warrant after Emily’s statement and animal-control findings supported probable cause.
The dining room was photographed.
Cookware preserved.
Remaining food collected for testing.
Garage examined.
I did not go inside.
Emily did not either.
Adrian met me at a child-advocacy center.
“We need to separate cases.”
“What does that mean?”
“Possible animal cruelty is local/state.”
I nodded.
“Child abuse, coercion, emotional harm—also primarily state jurisdiction.”
“And you?”
“Healthcare fraud, wire transactions, false claims involving federal funds.”
“Why did you go there?”
“Because your photograph may document retaliation against a federal-benefit recipient during an active fraud investigation.”
I looked at him.
“Retaliation?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Good.
Facts first.
“The timing concerns us.”
“What timing?”
He hesitated.
“Emily has a functional-support reassessment in seventeen days.”
“I know.”
Her annual program review.
Usually boring.
“How does that matter?”
“The claims submitted by your in-laws characterize Emily as unable to function safely without continuous adult supervision.”
I almost laughed.
“She goes to school.”
“We know.”
“She spends nights at friends’ houses.”
“We know.”
“She feeds Max, tracks her medication schedule, knows how to use rescue call buttons.”
“Exactly.”
My stomach tightened.
“What happens if the reassessment says she doesn’t need the services Patricia is billing?”
“The services stop.”
Money.
Of course.
“How much?”
“Combined federal reimbursements and trust caregiver payments currently average about eleven thousand dollars per month.”
I stared.
“Eleven thousand?”
“Yes.”
“For taking care of my daughter?”
“On paper.”
May you like
They were paid more to pretend to care for Emily than many families earned working full time.
And I had no idea.
