Claim Book Novels & Stories

“I’m in it, too.” The enforcer always caught the frequency Kan was broadcasting. They’d hunted together for a decade, and now they were taming a ghost together. Kan forced himself to move, the friction of his exit a slow, wet slide that made Timothy hiss. He levered himself up just enough to catch the younger man’s gaze. “That leash is gone, Timothy. I’m calling off the bounty. You’re off the Nash clock.” Timothy’s breathing was a wrecked stutter. “One month,” he managed, his eyes glassed over but sharp with a lingering defiance. “I stay thirty days. No promises after the clock runs out.”

Clara called me back within two hours. "Maeve." Her voice had the warmth back in it, all the careful measured quality of the previous call gone. "I owe you an apology. This should never have been allowed to get this far without us verifying the claim first. The documentation is completely clear, the design is yours, there is no question." A pause. "The prize money transfer is going through today. You'll have it by tomorrow morning." I sat down on the edge of Jane's couch and let out a long slow breath. "Thank you, Clara."

"They were wrong about what it was." "What was it?" "Insurance," she said. "Your father's." I looked at her for a moment. The photograph on the desk that I had not looked at directly was of two women, younger, outside somewhere with a lot of light. I looked at it now. One of them was Ada. The other one I recognised from compound records as a woman who had been removed from the payroll fourteen months ago under administrative restructuring. Fen. Not just a dependency. A relationship with a history long enough to have survived what the compound had done to it.

The hospital’s administrative office was stark and cold, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead as Kayla stared at the paper in front of her. The numbers swam before her eyes – $75,000 immediate deposit required for emergency surgery. “But her insurance was supposed to cover this,” she said, her voice shaking as she looked at the administrator. “We were told everything was approved.” “I’m sorry, Ms. Reeds,” the woman said, her tone flat with professional distance. “The claim was denied this morning. Our records show a lien was placed on all payments related to your mother’s care – someone with significant financial influence filed paperwork blocking coverage.”

“What?” Adrian taps a small section of text. Marcus reads it slowly. “Processing delay due to… claim withdrawal.” He looks up. “Wait. The claim was withdrawn?” Adrian nods once. “Yes.” Marcus frowns. “By who?” Adrian’s voice drops lower. “The person who filed it.” My pulse spikes. “Margaret.” Adrian nods. “Yes.” Marcus stares at the screen. “Hold on. You’re telling me she forged the policy… set up the beneficiary… then cancelled the payout herself?”

She called me after receiving the message. I chuckled. “Yes, Mom. I can't accept him cheating my parents. I've sent the name of one of the best health insurance providers. You'll find it easy to file a claim. Take care of it right away, Mom.” “Thank you, Camari,” Mom said, touched. “I'll ask your dad to arrange it in the morning. Take care of yourself.” “Take care,” I replied.

“Certainly. Ms. Tully had a life insurance policy worth $800,000. The beneficiary was her daughter, Claire Hugh-Vermont.” “And what can you tell us about the claims made on this policy?” “After Ms. Tully’s passing, a claim was made by Mr. Hugh. He provided documentation, including hospital records of Ms. Claire and a death certificate of Ms. Tully, to process the claim, insisting that they need it for Claire’s hospitalization, and Claire could not make the withdrawals, hence as her legal guardian he was capable to do it.” “Were there any irregularities in these documents?”

I drifted into the furnace. The flames passed through my spirit—no heat, only a tearing sensation that felt almost like release. All the illness, the suffocation, and the despair were gone in an instant. Half an hour later, Jamie came out holding a cheap white plastic box. It was still warm. "Charles is so light," he muttered. Mother said nothing. She was staring at her phone. A new message had just come in: [XX Insurance] Your claim has been received. An investigator will visit within three business days for verification.

I scream before he can walk away without telling me the truth for once. “Every girl that comes into this school is up for claim on her first day. That means that the guy that claims her gets to nail her first, and then she is a free game to anyone. I claimed you, but you are way too much trouble for what is sure to be a horrible lay. So I give up my claim on you. You are at their mercy now.” He turns and walks away like he was having a normal conversation. I look at Mason silently asking if it’s true. He looks down and can’t seem to meet my eyes.

I tried again to convince him that it wasn’t me. “Well, according to Eli, he has video footage of the girl leaving your house. Channel five. I suggest you check it out and let me know as soon as your memory comes back, or I will have to come and pay your pretty little mate a visit.” His anger was clear as the line died and Leah switched on the television. We caught the tail end of the report and I felt the fury burn deep inside.