21. BLAKE
BLAKE
“Stacy, is it?” I ducked into what had to be the most depressing basement office in Mercy Harbor.
The redhead spun so fast that her glasses nearly flew off. “Dr. Morrison? I mean … you’re actually …” She fumbled with her frames. “What can I do for you?”
“Heard you’re the billing wizard around here.”
“I … manage the department, yes.” Her cheeks turned the same shade as her hair.
“Perfect. Need you to look up a patient.” I leaned against her desk, pretending not to notice how she edged her chair back. “Tessa Kincaid.”
After I spelled it out and rattled off her birth date, Stacy’s fingers flew across the keyboard like she was defusing a bomb.
“Here’s what I need.” I dropped my voice. “Every bill that goes to her address? Show a discount. After insurance, make her portion exactly 1.64%. You’ll send the difference to me.”
“I … what?” She blinked owlishly behind those frames.
“The hospital won’t lose a dime. I’ll cover it. I’ll come down each week and pay the bill in person.”
The words in person did something to her pupils. She turned to her screen, clicking through menus. “We could just zero it out …”
“No. She’d notice that. Same with round numbers. Trust me, 1.64% is specific enough to make her think it might be legit.”
“But won’t she still?—”
“If she calls to question it? Feed her something about income brackets or insurance adjustments. Pull it off, and there’s a bonus in it for you.”
The look she gave me was downright predatory. Christ. Maybe I should’ve specified cash bonus.
“We’ll make it work, Dr. Morrison.” She practically purred my name.
I straightened, already heading for the door. “Perfect. And, Stacy? This conversation never happened.”
Now it was time to run more tests and figure out what was wrong with Tessa.