Chapter 9 - The Families Who Left
Sarah Klein did something Thomas had not expected.
She contacted the three families who had withdrawn from Elise’s placements.
Not to shame them.
To understand.
The Carsons agreed to speak.
Mrs. Carson cried.
“We loved her.”
Thomas believed her.
“Then why leave?”
“The packet.”
“I know.”
“There was a note.”
Thomas had not heard.
“What note?”
Mrs. Carson retrieved a scanned copy.
You should understand that Elise’s biological history may involve serious neurological conditions not yet disclosed. Her current file understates the burden.
No signature.
False implication.
Spina bifida was not proof of hidden family neurological disease.
The note amplified fear.
The Meyers had received a similar message.
And a call.
The caller introduced himself as “a representative of biological family interests.”
He warned:
“Any permanent placement may become contested.”
Not illegal to warn if true.
But there had been no active contest.
The Parkers had the attorney letter.
All three contacts pushed the same theme:
Elise is more trouble than you know.
Thomas remembered her first words.
I’m too much trouble.
Someone had taught her that through adults leaving.
Sarah obtained court permission to subpoena telecom and document records related to known letters.
Brighton Legal Services turned out to be a mailbox company.
Payment came from an LLC.
GV Advisory Holdings.
Graham Voss was manager.
There.
The first direct link.
Voss’s attorney claimed he contacted prospective families to protect Noah Mercer’s potential estate interests from premature adoption.
Sarah stared at Thomas when she read.
“That is nonsense.”
“Legal nonsense?”
“Potentially worse.”
Voss had known Elise existed.
He had known where she was.
He had interfered with placements.
He had told Mara there was no estate claim.
Then spent years preventing a permanent family from getting close enough to ask.
Why?
His formal answer:
To preserve biological family rights pending paternity.
But he never initiated paternity.
He did the opposite.
Sarah filed amended claims for breach of fiduciary duty, concealment, and interference with beneficiary rights.
The probate judge ordered Voss removed as trustee pending final findings.
A corporate fiduciary took control.
The Lawson Atlantic board removed him from committees and began process for board removal.
Thomas did not vote.
Conflict.
Then Voss made his first settlement offer.
Elise’s reserve would transfer in full.
No challenge to paternity.
Voss would waive fees.
In exchange:
All parties release fiduciary claims.
No investigation of Northbridge investments.
Confidentiality.
Thomas read and asked Sarah:
“What do you think?”
“I represent Elise. Eight point four million is already likely hers if we win.”
“So no reason to release.”
“Correct.”
“What about time?”
“Trials take time.”
Elise’s money could stay protected meanwhile.
No need for rush.
Sarah rejected.
Voss responded with another media leak.
This time an old photograph of Thomas and Noah arguing at a construction site.
Caption source claimed:
Lawson and Mercer had bitter dispute weeks before Mercer’s death.
Thomas remembered.
They had fought over design delays.
Normal.
But public narrative began:
Thomas profits from Noah’s death.
Now seeks Noah’s daughter.
Clare said:
“Do we fight?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Elise is not PR strategy.”
Good.
The adoption agency independently reviewed complaints and found no basis to halt process.
Home study completed with conditions:
Accessible residence.
Continued grief counseling.
Medical training.
Ongoing support plan.
Clare’s consent remained essential.
Maya Ellis met her separately.
“Do you want to adopt Elise?”
Clare sat silent a long time.
Then:
“Yes.”
“Because Thomas does?”
“No.”
“Because she’s Noah’s daughter?”
“No.”
“Because you lost Emma?”
Clare cried.
“Partly.”
Maya waited.
Clare continued:
“And because when Elise wakes up, she checks whether people came back. I want to be someone who comes back.”
Maya wrote.
That answer was not perfect.
It was enough.
The transition placement was approved for six weeks after Elise’s surgery.
The day Mrs. Dupont told Elise, she did not smile.
She asked:
“For how long?”
Mrs. Dupont answered:
“First thirty days, then review.”
Elise nodded.
“Okay.”
Thomas expected more.
Later, Nurse Ada whispered:
May you like
“She packed Bear.”
That was the celebration.
