Chapter 12 - Fraud Division
The following Thursday, Arden and I sat across a polished mahogany conference table on the fourteenth floor of the Rhodes State Office Tower in downtown Columbus.
Assistant Attorney General Marcus Vance was a sharp, fifty-year-old prosecutor with graying temples, a spotless charcoal suit, and three thick binders labeled *STATE OF OHIO v. WALLACE VOSS, GRANT VOSS, ET AL.*
“Mrs. Whitcomb, Mrs. Voss,” Vance said, sliding two glasses of ice water across the table. “I want to thank you both for your patience. Financial crimes of this magnitude take time to untangle, but your documentation—particularly the original promissory note and the Ravenna bank records—made our work remarkably straightforward.”
Arden sat beside me, her hands folded neatly in front of her. She was wearing a simple woolen sweater and her teaching badge clipped to her lapel. “What happens to the house, Mr. Vance?”
Vance opened the first binder. “The Delaware equity loan has been officially classified as a fraudulent conveyance under Ohio Revised Code 1336.04. Because Grant forged your signature and used a fraudulent notary to execute the quitclaim rider, the Delaware fund has zero legal standing against the Elmridge Drive title. The judge signed an order yesterday morning vacating the secondary lien entirely.”
Arden let out a long, shuddering breath. It was the sound of a woman who had been holding her breath underwater for six years finally breaking the surface.
“And the primary Chase mortgage?” I asked.
“The primary mortgage remains valid,” Vance explained. “However, because Leona’s cognovit lien was properly filed and recorded prior to the fraud disclosures, Leona holds the primary junior encumbrance. Arden, with your teacher's salary and Leona’s co-signature, Chase has already agreed to refinance the remaining balance of ninety-four thousand dollars into your name alone, at a fixed three-point-eight percent interest rate. Grant’s name has been completely excised from the deed.”
Arden reached out and squeezed my hand under the table. Her fingers were warm and steady.
“And Grant?” Arden asked softly. “What is he facing?”
Vance leaned back in his leather chair, his pen tapping the edge of the indictment sheet.
“Grant is currently being held on two hundred and fifty thousand dollars bond at the Portage County Jail. His charges include: attempted aggravated arson, grand theft by deception, two counts of third-degree identity fraud, and one count of tampering with government records. Wallace is facing six counts of commercial bank fraud in Franklin County.”
Vance closed the folder with a solid, echoing thud.
“Grant’s court-appointed attorney approached my office yesterday afternoon seeking a plea agreement. They offered full restitution for the eight thousand four hundred dollars stolen from Leona’s business card, provided we drop the arson and identity fraud charges down to misdemeanors.”
I looked Vance dead in his eyes.
“What was your answer, Mr. Vance?”
Vance offered a small, razor-sharp smile. “I told them that in Portage County, folks don't trade arson and grand theft for eight thousand dollars. The State of Ohio is taking this to trial, Mrs. Whitcomb. Unless Grant wants to plead guilty to all felony counts as charged.”
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“Let him plead,” I said, standing up from the conference table. “Or let twelve people from Ravenna hear about how he kicked a grandmother to the floor on Thanksgiving dinner before he tried to burn down her life. I think our neighbors will understand the situation just fine.”
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