Page 92 of The List


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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21

9:03A.M.

LEE ANDHUGHES MET IN THE BOARDROOM.LEE HAD DECIDED ONits assured privacy after De Florio telephoned last night and expressed an urgent need to talk. A speakerphone sat on the conference table.

“Jon, you there?” Lee asked the beige box. “Where are you?”

“Inside a guesthouse at Hickory Row.”

“Tell Larry what you told me last night.”

De Florio went over what he’d witnessed at Bozin’s house and his conversation afterward.

“And your assessment?” Lee asked.

“Mr. Bozin definitely needs watching.”

“Quite a change in attitude from the other day.”

“I see no reason why Reed and Walker would be at Mr. Bozin’s house.”

“Maybe it’s just like Chris explained,” Hughes said. “He was trying to find something out.”

Lee was not persuaded. “And what could he find out? Chris knew the deal was done. There was no need to have any conversations with Reed or Walker. And I doubt seriously if Reed was going to ask Chris’ opinion on what the list is.”

“I agree,” De Florio said. “There is also one other observation. Mr. Bozin did not feel well. He was in obvious discomfort.”

“Anything particular?” Lee asked.

“When he rose from the chair he experienced a sharp pain in his abdomen and almost lost his balance.”

“I’ve noticed that Chris seems to have thinned lately,” Hughes said. “I just attributed it to exercising or dieting. He’s always been a nut about that.”

“Mr. Bozin indicated the situation was a minor medical problem. Nothing serious.”

“Maybe we should check a little further,” Lee said. “We’ll get back to you, Jon. Keep us informed of any further developments.” He clicked off the speakerphone. “Can you access the medical insurance records from here?”

“What are we looking for?”

“Any claims by Christopher Bozin.”

Hughes turned to the computer and punched the keyboard. A minute later, he announced, “On Bozin’s policy a claim was filed two days ago by a Dr. Darrin Edwards for diagnostic tests and an office visit.”

“How much?”

“One thousand eight hundred and forty-two dollars, which includes lab work done in-house.”

“How do we find out more?”

“I can request our claims handler verify the treatment.”

Even though the company was self-insured, it had proven too expensive to process claims in-house. Instead, the task was subcontracted to an outside firm. Still, all payments had to be approved by the accounting department before being forwarded.

“How long will it take to check this out further?” he asked.

“Beats the hell out of me. I’ve never done it before.”

12:00P.M.