Chapter 8 - You Can’t Afford to Leave
Colin’s lawyer hated the voicemail.
Not because it proved a crime.
Because juries, judges, custody evaluators, and human beings understand plain language.
She’ll understand she can’t afford to leave.
Stephen Marsh tried to contextualize.
Colin had meant:
Raising twins on two households would be expensive.
True.
Divorce is expensive.
Childcare is expensive.
Housing is expensive.
But then:
The hidden reimbursement account.
The spreadsheet.
The forged access form.
The child withdrawals.
The timing.
Context became pattern.
Then Colin’s deposition in divorce.
Rachel asked:
“When did you create the Household Efficiency Model?”
“About three months after twins were born.”
“Why?”
“Budgeting.”
“Why assign value to Natalie’s labor?”
“To quantify contribution.”
“Why?”
“Because we needed to understand whether staying home made sense.”
“Did Natalie know?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I planned to show her later.”
“Why add WIFE HOUSING?”
He looked uncomfortable.
“It was a cost allocation.”
“Who owns marital home?”
“Both of us.”
“Who pays mortgage?”
“Joint account.”
“Then why charge Natalie for housing?”
“Because my income funded most of joint account.”
Rachel did not argue.
She let answer sit.
Then:
“Did Natalie’s unpaid care allow you to continue working full time?”
“Yes.”
“Did she care for twins at night?”
“Yes.”
“Did she suspend retirement contributions?”
“Yes.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
Then:
“Did you and Natalie jointly agree she would stay home until approximately nine months?”
“Yes.”
There.
Then child accounts.
“Did Natalie authorize you to add yourself?”
“I believed yes.”
“How?”
“She told me to handle paperwork.”
“Did she tell you to upload her old signature?”
“No.”
“Did she personally sign agent authorization?”
“No.”
“Did you upload signature image?”
“Yes.”
“Did you enter code sent to her phone?”
“Yes.”
“Did she know?”
“No.”
Silence.
Then:
“Why?”
“I was managing finances.”
“Why not ask?”
“She was overwhelmed.”
“Was she competent?”
“Yes.”
“Was she unconscious?”
“No.”
“Then why not ask?”
Colin stared.
“Because she would overreact.”
There.
Then withdrawals.
“Did you tell her?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Same reason.”
Then brokerage.
“Did you use child account funds to invest?”
“Temporarily.”
“Did investments lose money?”
“Yes.”
“Did you restore?”
“Eventually.”
“After discovery?”
“Yes.”
Rachel stopped.
Good.
Then custody evaluator.
Dr. Samuel Ortiz.
He interviewed both.
I wanted him to hate Colin.
That would have been easier.
He didn’t.
His preliminary assessment:
Colin displayed controlling financial behavior and poor insight into coercive dynamics.
He acknowledged childcare demands but minimized emotional labor.
He had no evidence of direct physical harm to babies.
He could perform basic care when observed.
During supervised visits:
Changed diapers appropriately.
Fed.
Soothed Owen.
Needed coaching handling both simultaneously.
Arrived on time.
No substance abuse.
No unsafe driving.
Recommendation:
Continue supervised/monitored visits temporarily while domestic violence and financial cases proceed, then consider expansion if treatment and behavior improve.
No parental rights termination.
Good.
Then first visit report.
Ruby cried for twenty minutes.
Colin became visibly frustrated.
Supervisor asked if needed break.
He said:
“No. I can handle my daughter.”
Then adjusted.
Walked.
She settled.
That was good.
I hated that it was good.
But Ruby deserved a father who could improve.
Then criminal financial case.
Prosecutor offered a plea package:
Forgery/use of false financial authorization.
Unauthorized access to custodial accounts.
Restitution already substantially restored.
Possible probation plus short custody depending judge.
No grand larceny millions.
Colin refused initially.
Then bank audit trail.
Then laptop metadata.
Then his deposition admission:
He uploaded my signature and used my code without telling me.
His criminal lawyer requested new conference.
Meanwhile domestic battery case.
He also reconsidered.
He wanted global resolution.
Before plea, though, something happened.
Not violence.
Money.
Our mortgage payment bounced.
I panicked.
Joint account had enough two days earlier.
Then $6,400 transferred out.
Court temporary order prohibited unusual transfers.
Where?
Colin’s tax account.
He claimed estimated taxes.
But he was W-2 employee.
No quarterly tax need.
Rachel filed emergency motion.
Bank records showed money moved to pay the criminal defense retainer.
That was not automatically forbidden if reasonable legal expense, but temporary order required notice.
He had hidden transfer.
The judge was furious.
Ordered funds restored from Colin’s separate account.
Attorney fees to be handled transparently.
Then told Colin:
“Mr. Pierce, court orders are not suggestions you optimize around.”
For the first time, Colin looked genuinely afraid.
May you like
Not of prison.
Of a system that did not care how good his spreadsheet was.
