Chapter 5 - DR. KESSLER REMEMBERED A DIFFERENT WOMAN
Naomi contacted Dr. Jonathan Kessler through counsel.
His response came within twenty-four hours.
He insisted he had evaluated Claire.
Clara—Claire, he corrected himself in the follow-up—had attended three telehealth consultations.
Dates.
Times.
Billing records.
Clinical notes.
Claire stared at the information.
“That’s impossible.”
Naomi looked at her.
“Let’s not use impossible yet.”
The first appointment occurred on a Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.
Claire checked her calendar.
She had been at a commercial-property meeting in Hartford.
Twelve people were there.
The second appointment happened while Claire was in Boston with Margaret.
The third occurred during a charity-board retreat in Vermont.
She could establish all three.
Naomi requested details.
Dr. Kessler’s office produced intake forms.
The forms listed Claire’s date of birth.
Her insurance information.
Her address.
Her medications.
Her father’s death.
Her uncle’s dementia.
Information Ryan knew.
Information Margaret knew.
Then came the video-session logs.
Naomi paused.
“The appointments were audio only.”
Claire stared.
“Why?”
“The notes say the patient reported camera problems.”
Margaret covered her mouth.
The doctor had never seen the person claiming to be Claire.
“Did he record the calls?” Claire asked.
“No.”
“So anyone could’ve done it.”
“Someone who knew your information.”
Margaret looked sick.
Claire said nothing.
They requested voice information.
None existed.
Kessler’s office admitted the verification process had been inadequate.
The doctor himself called Naomi.
He sounded shaken.
“The person knew extensive personal history.”
“Did she sound thirty-five?”
“I can’t reliably age a voice.”
“Did she discuss financial competence?”
“Repeatedly.”
“Who referred her?”
Kessler paused.
“Diane Foster.”
Margaret stood.
“I knew it.”
Claire felt cold.
Diane had been a psychiatric nurse practitioner before retiring five years earlier.
She knew clinicians.
She knew medical language.
She knew exactly how to make concerns sound credible without making extreme claims.
Naomi asked:
“Did Diane participate in the sessions?”
“Not directly.”
“Did she speak with you beforehand?”
“Yes.”
Kessler sounded increasingly uncomfortable.
“She said Claire was resistant to treatment and embarrassed about her symptoms.”
Margaret whispered, “That’s why he accepted audio.”
Claire looked at her.
Her mother suddenly understood the handwriting on the envelope.
Diane had not merely mailed Ryan a copy of the letter.
She had created the pathway to the doctor.
Claire stood.
“I’m calling her.”
Naomi said, “No.”
Claire turned.
“Why?”
“Because if she helped fabricate medical records, you do not give her warning to clean up.”
Claire hated the restraint.
She obeyed.
That evening Diane called Margaret instead.
“Ryan says Claire has gone completely off the rails.”
Margaret put the phone on speaker.
Claire sat across the room silently.
Diane continued.
“You need to get her evaluated before she ruins herself financially.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Diane.”
“What?”
“Who spoke to Jonathan Kessler pretending to be my daughter?”
Silence.
Claire watched her mother’s face.
Diane finally whispered:
“Margaret, you don’t understand what Ryan was trying to prevent.”
Claire’s pulse jumped.
Not I don’t know what you mean.
Not denial.
A defense.
Margaret’s voice broke.
May you like
“What did you do?”
Diane hung up.
