James took notes on a yellow legal pad in the small, precise handwriting of a man who had learned early that clarity on paper prevents confusion in court. When I finished, he set down his pen. The Ohio Lottery Commission requires that winning tickets above a certain threshold be claimed in person at their Columbus office.
He said for a prize of this size, they would also require identity verification, a signed claim form, and in many cases, a brief waiting period for processing. If Derek hasn’t claimed it yet, we may have a window. How do we find out if he’s claimed it? I can make some inquiries. More importantly, Margaret, I need you to go back to Garfield’s pharmacy today.
I need you to speak with Mrs. Garfield directly and I need you to find out whether your purchase can be documented. Security footage, transaction records, anything that places you as the buyer of that specific ticket on that specific date, I nodded. I had already been thinking about Garfields and the signature on the ticket. I asked.