Claim Book Novels & Stories

"But I'm not promising anything." "That's all I'm asking. A trade agreement. Legitimate. Something that keeps us independent." A pause, and then, quieter: "Please. You're our last option." I should have said no. I should have hung up and gone back to the version of my life where wolves were a closed door I'd bricked shut myself. Instead I thought about Caelum's hand on my chest. About a folder full of things I didn't understand. About a mother I might finally have a reason to grieve properly, if I could find out what actually happened to her.

Dressed in black, I stood by the memorial table and said nothing. A few days later, I was in our rented apartment, going through my mother’s belongings. Tucked inside the lining of an old suitcase was a yellowed insurance policy. It was an accidental death policy that my mother had been talked into buying by a salesperson while she was cleaning the supermarket where she worked. The beneficiary column had my name on it. The coverage amount was a full fifty thousand dollars. That same afternoon, the insurance company sent a text message confirming that the claim had been approved.

“What do you want?” “Simple,” she said. “You sign over your claim to the inheritance, and this all disappears. The lawsuits, the media circus, the inspectors, everything.” I let out a bitter laugh. “You think you can threaten me into walking away?” “Oh, I don’t threaten, dear. I guarantee.” She reached into her handbag and slid another envelope across the table. “Your mother’s insurance claim,” she said softly. “Do you know what happens when fraud is detected in a medical account? They cancel coverage. Retroactively. All of her bills, every treatment, suddenly due in full.”

"Who's in charge of processing insurance expense claims? I'm here to collect payment." "Over here." Alicia raised her finger before taking a seat. Peggy placed the documents in front of Alicia. With a forced smile, she spoke coquettishly, "Miss, I'm here to claim my expense. Could you handle it?" After glancing at the documents, Alicia replied, "I'm sorry, but these documents don't meet the requirements." "How do they not meet the requirements? Mr. Garland signed these documents himself. Don't you recognize his signature?" Peggy's voice turned shrill.

"Well, often times grief and arrangements delay such things but, no worries. The claims have been set up, and all you need to do is come in a sign a few papers then we can begin our process. Normally that takes less than thirty days. We try to be as expedient as possible. We know that a lot of people depend on the claim money to pay bills and survive while in transition. However, in your case, it is a little bit of a situation we are in considering the circumstances of both claims and also the fact that they died rather simultaneously." Mr. Kawasaki was speaking so quickly and seemed excited about something and Chloe was getting more confused by the second. "Excuse me; both claims did you sa

"It is a share class." Ben made a strangled financial sound from the table room. Aaliyah whispered, "Oh, I hate rich people magic." The golden receipt-sheets rose from Susan's hands and circled Haley. Not Katherine. Haley. At the table, the empty chair turned toward her livestream projection. The docket rewrote. EMERGENCY CLAIM: ATTENTION CLASS. POTENTIAL HOLDER: HALEY STERLING. OFFER: CROWN OF VOLUNTARY WITNESS.

“But it’s just Faith Thomas these days.” Mary proceeded to fill her in. She was sure Faith had received the sad news by now, blah blah, the data her office had received indicated no reasons why the claim could not immediately be paid out as prescribed in the policy. They just needed to confirm her mailing address and would be overnighting her papers to sign, and upon those pages being returned to the company, the policy proceeds of two million U.S. dollars in a certified check would then be sent overnight. Faith confirmed her address, ended the call, and sat on her bed, hands shaking.

He started glowering murderously at me, as if trying to rip me to pieces. Just then, Keith handed Ms. Ross a tablet and calmly reported, "I've checked, Ms. Ross. Mr. Hurst did indeed submit a reimbursement claim to the finance department yesterday. I also found that another one of his claims is currently being processed."

Marcus frowned. “A clause?” Stephen nodded. “In the contract you rejected.” “I never signed it ” Stephen looked at me. “They don’t care.” Grayson’s expression hardened instantly, but his thumb moved gently over my hand like he was reminding me he was still there. “Explain. Now.” Stephen swallowed. “If Carter ever needed leverage they could activate it.” My body went cold. “Activate what?” Stephen said it quietly. “A claim.” I blinked. “A claim?” “They could legally or illegally tie you back to them.”

I start, desperately searching for a lie but coming up with none. Adiran leans into me heavily, his face pressing into my hair. “In your defense?” He mocks earning a scowl from my downturned face. “What did you do?” Shoving my hands deep into my pockets, I kick another stone. “I stole.” The warmth of Adiran’s eyes cools ever so slowly, “Ari--” “It was only bread.” I retort, shoving my hands deep into my pockets in search of something to hold. “Besides,” nocking an eyebrow, I turn to him, “it’s not like they ever notice.”