3
At 3:50 p.m. Susan saw her client out and buzzed her secretary to inquire about phone messages and other important memos that might have come in during her 50-minute session.
"Just one message, Doctor," answered Dana Brodie, Susan's and Don's present secretary. "From your sister, Dee. Would like you to call her when you get a break this afternoon."
"Thanks, Dana," Susan replaced the receiver. Knowing Dee loved to talk for extended periods of time, Susan opted not to return her sister's call at present. She wondered how it was that Dee was unable to comprehend what little time she had to spare when dealing with a full, daily practice. Besides, her next client was a new referral, and she wanted to be up to speed with the newcomer's history.
In her mid-sixties, new client Hannah Olsen had been widowed in the last year. She had received a good and fair amount from her late husband's life insurance, but had been bilked out of most of it by a crafty con artist. Hannah now felt incapable of making good financial decisions, and was seeking to overcome this fear.
Susan sighed to herself. She'd be doing a show on the vulnerability of the elderly and their finances on Monday. She sincerely hoped she might help inform people and provide them with a means to identify a trickster when he or she began their games. It was too late for Hannah Olsen, but hopefully not too late for others in her position.
Susan thought abruptly of what initiated her interest in how people are made victims of scams. It had sprouted out of concern for her mother, Emily, who after years of depression, anger and feelings of betrayal from her bitter divorce, had finally relented and agreed to date again. In the beginning, most of the dates had been friendly affairs with lonely widowers who missed having female companionship. Emily had not minded at all, as she herself was not ready to become serious about anyone. But one man in particular seemed to spark an interest in Emily, and he seemed as equally interested in her.
Part of Susan was still wistful about a reunion and reconciliation between her estranged parents. The other part was happy for her mother, as it meant that she was comfortable being in a new relationship apart from ex-husband Charles. Her attitude changed, however, when Susan began to suspect the man, Eric Norton, was not as sincere as he appeared to be. Small and seemingly inconsequential details about his social and business life didn't add up. Susan felt Eric was working a confidence scheme, and that Emily was his unwitting victim. Concerned that her mother might not believe Eric was attempting a swindle, Susan asked her friend, retired FBI agent Chris Ryan to investigate. Chris owned his own security firm and Susan sometimes sought his help on private investigative matters.
Chris turned up several interesting pieces of information regarding 'Eric Norton', formerly Eric Namath, formerly Anton Riley. Anton Riley had been suspected but never charged in several 'sweetheart' swindles. His subsequent aliases were also under suspicion by authorities. However, none of his victims, whether identified or not, had cared to press charges. In most cases, Chris had explained to Susan, the ones who have been scammed never press charges because they fear embarrassment, or loss of independence.
Presenting this information as gently as she could to Emily, Susan was relieved when her mother dispatched Eric, making it clear she was not going to fall victim to his schemes. It was a little later that Emily admitted to Susan that she was about to help finance a 'golden opportunity' as Eric had put it, money which Emily would undoubtedly have never seen again.
That incident made Susan aware of the prevalence of scam artists, especially the victimization of elderly persons, and decided to use her radio show as a means of informing her listening audience. Susan hoped to help others before they got to the point Hannah Olsen had reached, and was grateful her mother had been willing to trust her findings about 'Eric'.
The intercom buzzed, and Dana announced that Hannah had arrived for her session. Glancing at her file again, Susan hoped she might be able to bring Hannah back to a point where her shattered confidence and sense of independence was restored.