Chapter 9 - The Last Page
The last page of Ryan’s binder became one of the most important exhibits.
Not because handwriting was dramatic.
Because it explained everything.
If Mom signs deed, stop logging.
Below:
If no deed, proceed guardian.
Then:
Need Dr support.
Then:
Melissa maybe witness that Mom goes outside.
He had considered asking my neighbor to confirm “wandering.”
Melissa laughed when investigator told her.
“I would have told them he took her out.”
Exactly.
Then a date:
August 9 — deed conversation.
I remembered.
Ryan put unsigned joint-survivorship deed on table.
“Sign and we can stop fighting about house.”
I said no.
That night he did not put me in kennel.
Next morning, safety log entry:
Mother increasingly paranoid about property.
Then:
August 11 — refused caregiver agreement.
That night kennel.
Then:
August 14 — Dana letter received.
Kennel.
Pattern.
The prosecutor, Assistant County Attorney Lauren Brooks, explained she would likely use these entries to show coercive purpose.
No need argue every household incident.
The case would focus.
Then Ryan’s attorney proposed plea.
Before trial.
Terms:
Ryan would plead to felony unlawful restraint/abduction-related count, domestic violence/assault, financial exploitation/theft count, and admit misuse of authority.
Recommended effective prison around four years, restitution, no-contact.
Ryan refused.
He believed he could explain.
He wrote my sister June from jail? He was out on bond? Wait after initial arrest, likely held briefly then released with no-contact and financial charges later maybe bond. He could be free pretrial in apartment. Let's set he was released on bond with GPS? No need. He writes from rented apartment. He told aunt:
“Mom is being manipulated by Melissa and Dana.”
Same narrative.
June called me.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Ryan says neighbor started this.”
“No.”
“Can I visit?”
“Yes.”
My sister flew from Arizona.
First time in two years.
She saw house.
Empty guest room.
No kennel.
Then she asked:
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was ashamed.”
“Of him?”
“Of needing help.”
She cried.
We had both inherited that from our mother.
Then June admitted Ryan had called her months earlier.
“He asked if dementia ran in family.”
I stared.
“What did you say?”
“No.”
Then:
“He said you were forgetting things.”
“What things?”
“He said you left stove on.”
I never.
“He said you got lost driving.”
I stopped driving only after hip surgery, but never lost.
June had told him:
“Get her evaluated.”
Reasonable.
Ryan later told her:
“She refuses because she knows.”
He had been building audience.
Then June showed texts.
Ryan:
If Mom gets worse I may need guardianship.
June:
Only if doctor says.
Ryan:
She won’t cooperate.
This was four months before final night.
Then another:
House upkeep is too much for her anyway.
There.
June never agreed.
But she had believed partly.
That hurt.
She apologized.
I said:
“You only had what he told.”
Then corrected:
“You could have called me.”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
Good.
No automatic absolution.
Then trial date set.
Ryan still refused plea.
His defense retained neuropsychologist to review records.
The expert could not diagnose dementia without examination and did not.
He said some log behaviors could be consistent with cognitive impairment if true.
“If true.”
Melissa’s video made many not true.
Then Ryan decided to testify at pretrial guardianship? Already no. Criminal trial maybe later.
Before trial, civil financial accounting continued.
Parker Property Ventures $18,400 returned to restitution escrow by court order after Ryan stipulated traceable.
Parker Landscape equipment sold by secured creditors/business liquidation.
After liens, about $21,000 remained attributable to Ryan’s equity.
Some potentially available restitution.
Ryan’s personal savings around $7,000.
Total recoverable maybe $46k.
The questionable financial exploitation around $62.6k.
Not full.
Then bank agreed to waive certain HELOC fees/interest during fraud dispute but principal remained.
Balance reduced by applying $18,400 immediate restitution? Criminal restitution not yet conviction. Civil settlement could apply. Dana negotiated escrow.
I still faced about $43,600 principal.
The house remained worth $420k.
Not losing home.
But debt.
Then I realized Ryan had not only tried to take house.
May you like
He had successfully put a mortgage back on a home Thomas and I spent twenty-five years paying off.
That was the consequence I could not emotionally forgive yet.
