Chapter 72: Ginger
"Welcome home, Ginger," Frank and the crew said as they brought the elderly lady they had secretly taken from the nursing home back to their house.
Regardless of her actual name, she was now known as Ginger.
During the car ride back, they had spent enough time with the old lady to at least become familiar faces to her.
"Oh my goodness," Ginger exclaimed as she surveyed the house.
"What is it?" the group asked cautiously, fearing she might regain her full faculties, which would render their efforts useless.
"Nothing, it's just that everything here is exactly as I remember it," she replied with a smile, as if she had truly returned to her own home.
"Ginger, we've kept everything just as it was," Fiona said, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sweetheart, I can see that. Look over there, that's the bookshelf my brother Norman made," Ginger said, clearly confused but content.
The group prepared a room for her, with Debbie enthusiastically assisting and bonding with the elderly lady.
"Let me freshen up, and then I'll make us a delicious dinner," Ginger offered, exceeding Frank and the others' expectations.
However, fooling the social security workers required more than just having a confused elderly lady present; the house needed to show signs of her residency.
Debbie spent time with Ginger, jotting down her stories to ensure they had consistent answers for any government inquiries.
They borrowed a camera from Kevin's place, taking pictures of each family member with Ginger, creating a family album. They even staged some photos, like birthday celebrations, to add authenticity.
They developed the photos overnight, placing them in frames and albums around the house, preparing for the visit the next day.
"Half an hour until they arrive. Is everyone ready?" Fiona said as she and Debbie helped Ginger prepare breakfast.
"Maple furniture is best maintained with linseed oil," Ginger remarked, oblivious to the nervous atmosphere.
'Knock, knock.' The door sounded.
Opening the door, they found Abby from the social security office, accompanied by a stern man in a trench coat.
"Miss Gallagher, I was here yesterday. Today, as promised, I'm here for a follow-up visit. This is Agent Salinger from the federal office," Abby introduced.
"Please, come in," Fiona welcomed them.
The two entered, inspecting the house and immediately noticing Ginger seated on the sofa.
Abby was visibly taken aback, surprised to see an elderly lady actually present.
She had come armed with solid information, enough to put Frank behind bars. Her visit was not based on mere suspicion; deploying resources required concrete evidence.
Her investigation showed no record of a Virginia Louise Gallagher in any Wisconsin nursing home system, and Ginger's pension had been withdrawn in Chicago for the past twelve years, with no elderly resident in the Gallagher home.
This visit was meant to be conclusive. Abby had brought the federal agent to make an arrest.
Yet, to her astonishment, an elderly woman was indeed there.
Abby glanced suspiciously at Frank and Fiona, then scanned the house, noting the family photos.
"Mrs. Gallagher, my name is Abby. I have a few questions for you," Abby stated loudly, addressing Ginger.
Due to common hearing issues among seniors, Abby raised her voice.
Ginger jumped at the volume.
"My name is Abby, and I have a few questions," she echoed Abby's words.
Abby was momentarily stunned.
"You know how it is, old age," Frank said, tapping his head.
"Mrs. Gallagher, how old are you?" Abby asked.
"I don't remember," Ginger replied.
"Our records indicate you're 93," Abby noted.
"How are you feeling?" Abby continued.
"Wait, I suddenly remembered, Rick and I danced the cha-cha one night," Ginger responded, completely off-topic.
Abby was at a loss for words.
Frank felt reassured watching Abby's futile exchange with Ginger.
Abby couldn't extract any useful information from the muddled Ginger.
Indeed, Abby left with nothing substantial, filling her report with guesses.
Despite suspecting Ginger was a stand-in, Abby lacked evidence to claim she was fake. Without a confession from Ginger, Abby's hands were tied.
The federal agent stood silently throughout, his role being to arrest, and with no arrest to make, he was just an observer.
"I'll be back for a follow-up in six months. Here's her check," Abby said, handing over an envelope. Legally, with proof of life, the government had to continue disbursing benefits.
At 93, Ginger's pension had been paid for years, a financial loss for social services.
"At her age, she won't be around much longer. Let's go," Abby said, leaving reluctantly, her words revealing her frustration.
"Yay!!" Frank and the others cheered as Abby and the agent departed.
"Oh, and I once danced with Kebo, the first 'black stick' I ever tasted," Ginger reminisced from the couch.
With the social security visit over, they packed Ginger's things to return her to the nursing home.
She had only been gone a day, so it wasn't an issue. A prolonged absence would have raised alarms.
Abby's visits every six months meant they could bring Ginger back from the nursing home in time for each check.