American Justice Part 1

They're lined up around the block." LaVerne looked out the window. The guests attending the Grand Opening of the Starzinsky Elder Lifestyle Improvement Center were dressed to the nines, despite the black puddles of slush on the sidewalk. The only flaw in this picture was the man sprawled out in a pile of wet cardboard across the street. He had been there for as long as she could remember. The crusted blood and his broken face marked him as something to avoid.

LaVerne still couldn't believe how smoothly things had gone during this year, transforming the Star Ortho-Surg Clinic into this welcoming home of an innovative program for the community. The federal auditors had taken most everything, except the lease on this prime real estate right across from the Verizon headquarters. It was LaVerne's quick thinking that had brought the Verizon Retirees Assoc. together with the community leaders to fund the project.

Dr. Tony Star took a fast look in the back seat of his classic Mercedes. "The Russians won't miss a couple of hip replacements here, a few knee repairs there." He paid them plenty for the referrals their No-Fault scam provided. He knew he'd be basking in the sun, spending the cash that was now stashed in the Mercede's boot, long before the Courier News caught wind of the Attorney General's investigation into fraud at the clinic.

Dr. Star was lost in a fantasy where an ice cold Mohita was being brought to him by a nubile young native girl. No more Russian Mule Sweat for him, after he collected on this last procedure. Lieutenant Dan had great insurance.  The seconds pins, Dr. Star used on the Lieutenant's son, wouldn't hold up for any fancy footwork, but the savings were paying for Dr. Star's Cessna. He thought he remembered something about the kid going to college next year anyway.     

Author; Caryn Isaacs