Chapter 8: The Worst Thing He Did
She met Daniel Forsythe the next morning.
Patricia had insisted on choosing the location — a coffee shop two blocks from the Miami field office of the SEC, which Patricia described as a deliberate choice.
"If he's legitimate, he'll understand why," she said.
"If he objects, we learn something."
He didn't object.
He was already seated when Elena arrived.
The grey jacket.
Mid-fifties.
A careful, tired face that had the look of someone who had been carrying something heavy for a long time.
"Mrs.
Voss," he said.
"Thank you for coming."
"Mr.
Forsythe." She sat down.
"Why have you been watching my husband?"
"Because he's been doing to other people what he did to you," Forsythe said.
"And I've been trying to prove it for thirteen months."
He opened a manila folder on the table between them.
"Voss Capital Holdings was established four years ago," he said.
"Officially it's a private investment vehicle.
In practice, it's been used to receive and redistribute funds from at least six client accounts at Aldren Group — clients who believed their money was going into legitimate investment instruments." He turned a page.
"Julian was the relationship manager for all six accounts.
He had discretionary authority.
He used it."
Elena looked at the documents.
Account numbers.
Transfer dates.
Amounts.
"How much?" she said.
"Across four years, approximately two point three million dollars."
She looked up.
"Your husband is not just hiding assets from you," Forsythe said.
"He has been systematically defrauding elderly clients.
Three of them are retired.
One is a seventy-four-year-old widow in Connecticut who put her entire savings into what she believed was a conservative bond fund." He turned to that page.
"Her name is Margaret Ellison.
She has $4,200 left in her account.
She had $340,000 eighteen months ago."
Elena sat very still.
"Why did you come to me?" she said.
"Because my SEC complaint has been under review for eight months and Julian knows it exists.
He's been careful.
He's been moving money and restructuring the account in ways that make the trail harder to follow." Forsythe leaned forward slightly.
"But he doesn't know that I kept a second copy of the original account records before I was terminated.
Records that predate his restructuring.
Records that show exactly what the accounts looked like before he started cleaning them." He closed the folder.
"I need someone with legal standing to help me get those records in front of the right people quickly.
Your divorce attorney already has a court order pending on that account.
If she amends it to request the full transaction history —"
"She can hand it directly to the SEC," Elena said.
"And to the FBI financial crimes unit." Forsythe nodded.
"Yes."
Elena looked at the folder on the table.
She thought about Margaret Ellison and her $4,200.
She thought about Julian on the plane, his hand on her arm, his voice dropping low.
*We can handle this privately.*
"Give me the records," she said.
She called Patricia from the sidewalk outside.
"He has the original account records," she said.
"Before Julian restructured.
Patricia, there are six victims.
One of them is a seventy-four-year-old widow.
Two point three million dollars over four years."
Patricia was quiet for a full three seconds.
"Elena.
I need you to listen to me carefully.
Do not go back to your hotel room alone.
Go somewhere public and stay there until I call you back.
I need to make two phone calls."
"Who are you calling?"
"First, my contact at the FBI field office in Miami." A pause.
"Second, I'm calling Julian's attorney to inform him that the scope of our legal action has changed significantly." Her voice was very steady.
"Julian is going to find out within the hour that this is no longer a divorce proceeding.
I want you somewhere safe when he does."
Elena looked up and down the street.
The morning was bright and warm and ordinary.
"Patricia," she said.
"He sent me that text.
*This is going to get very messy for you.*"
"I know."
"He knew this was coming."
"Yes," Patricia said.
May you like
"Which means he's been preparing.
And we need to move faster than he does."
