Chapter 10: What the Judge Decided
Elena flew home to Boston three days later.
Maya was waiting at Diane's house with the drawing — a crayon house, green garden, two figures in the yard that might have been a woman and a girl, or might have been anything.
Maya had written *For Mom's Studio* in careful letters across the top.
Elena held it for a long time.
"Do you like it?" Maya asked.
"I love it," Elena said.
"It's going on the wall."
She did not explain to Maya what was happening.
Maya was ten.
She knew her parents were having a difficult time.
She did not need to know the rest yet.
The weeks that followed were not quiet.
Patricia filed the full divorce petition.
Julian's attorney filed responses, objections, motions.
The federal investigation moved at its own pace, separate from the divorce, and Patricia coordinated carefully with the U.S.
Attorney's office to ensure the two proceedings didn't interfere with each other.
Julian called twice more.
Elena let both calls go to voicemail.
He left no messages.
Douglas Mercer sent a written settlement proposal six weeks after Miami.
Elena and Patricia sat across from Mercer and a second attorney at Patricia's conference table on a Tuesday morning in November.
Mercer opened the meeting.
"My client is prepared to make a full and fair settlement offer to resolve the marital estate dispute without further litigation."
"We're listening," Patricia said.
"Full transfer of the Gloucester property.
Restoration of the joint accounts to pre-transfer balances.
Primary residential custody of Maya with liberal visitation for Mr.
Voss.
And a waiver of any claim to Voss Capital Holdings on the grounds that it constitutes a business asset predating the marriage."
Elena looked at Patricia.
Patricia looked at Mercer.
"The federal investigation has already established that Voss Capital Holdings received transfers from the joint marital investment account on four separate occasions.
Judge Calloway has already ruled it a marital asset under dispute.
So that waiver isn't on the table." She set down her pen.
"What else does your client have?"
Mercer glanced at his colleague.
A small, tight look.
"Mr.
Voss is prepared to offer fifty percent of the net value of Voss Capital Holdings as currently assessed by the court-appointed financial examiner."
"Sixty-five percent," Patricia said.
"Given the nature of the concealment and the financial examiner's finding that Mrs.
Voss's contributed income was the primary source of the joint account from which the Holdings account was seeded."
A pause.
"Sixty," Mercer said.
Patricia looked at Elena.
Elena nodded once.
"Sixty percent," Patricia said.
"Full Gloucester transfer.
Full joint account restoration.
Primary residential custody with structured visitation.
And a written acknowledgment, signed by Mr.
Voss, that the transfers constituted dissipation of marital assets."
Mercer's jaw tightened slightly.
"The acknowledgment."
"Yes."
Another pause.
Longer.
"I'll need to consult with my client," Mercer said.
"Of course," Patricia said.
"We'll need your answer by Friday."
Julian signed on Thursday.
Elena was in her studio when Patricia called.
She was standing at her drafting table, reviewing a set of plans for a new client — a young couple renovating a Victorian house in Cambridge.
She had taken on three new clients in the past month.
Her business was growing again, steadily, on its own terms.
"He signed," Patricia said.
Elena set down her pencil.
"All of it?"
"All of it.
Including the acknowledgment." A pause.
"The federal matter is separate and ongoing.
That's not resolved.
But the divorce settlement is done."
"What happens to him with the federal case?"
"That's not in our hands anymore.
The U.S.
Attorney's office will make that determination.
Forsythe is cooperating fully.
The six client accounts have been identified.
Restitution proceedings for the victims have begun." Patricia paused again.
"Margaret Ellison's attorney contacted me last week.
She wanted to thank you."
Elena was quiet for a moment.
"I didn't do it for thanks," she said.
May you like
"I know," Patricia said.
"That's why it mattered."
