Chapter One
“I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.” George Burns.
What you’re about to read is a rather special investigative case I handled for a friend, and may help explain why marriage vows don’t include the word ‘trust’.
My name is John Bradstone, and for the past 40 years I’ve run a detective and security agency for executives in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
My friend, Charles Winters, had just gone through a divorce when he hired my firm to look into it. Yes, that’s right, he wanted us to investigate everything after his divorce had finished. My firm doesn’t accept divorce cases, but Charles was an old friend and so I agreed to look into the matter.
Charles was 24 years old when he met his now ex-wife Elspith. He was also a millionaire thanks to his grandfather, who left Charles a large stock portfolio in trust until he turned 21.
Elspith was 26 years old when Charles and her first met. She was working as a carhop at the White Spot on Lougheed Highway in Burnaby, and quite friendly. Charles eventually asked her out.
Elspith was married when she met Charles, and had been waiting six years for her divorce to finalize. Elspith got her divorce the year she and Charles met, and married Charles the next year.
Charles was a third-generation Vancouverite. His grandfather, John, emigrated from England to Vancouver in the late 1800’s, and started a construction company. John expanded the business to include importing and exporting.
Charles’ father ran the family businesses until he sold all but the property rental company in the late 1950’s. Charles’ father wanted to spend more time with his family, so he purchased 15 acres of property on Panorama Ridge in Surrey and moved the family there in 1960.
The family travelled extensively when Charles was young. Every spring they would spend two weeks in Palm Springs, summer in California or Arizona, and did so until Charles was 14.
The family would visit Disneyland every year, and Knotts Berry Farm. They would travel for a month or so every summer, visiting cities, towns, and villages throughout the western United States.
Charles’ mom would insist upon visiting museums and art galleries, which Charles eventually got to enjoy after several years of utter boredom being dragged from one museum to another.
Although Charles’ father was a multi-millionaire when he retired, the family weren’t snobbish. Except for the fancy cars, luxurious home and pool, and the freedom to live as you wish which money can bring, Charles grew up with the same attitude of his school mates and his father; work hard, don’t be a show-off, respect others.
Charles was a little rich kid without the ‘I’m better than you’ attitude of some of his wealthy friends.
Charles was never in want of everything, although his father didn’t spoil him and insisted he work for any money. Charles took over the family business when his father retired, which consisted of renting properties the company had acquired.
He was somewhat shy and quiet, dating just a few girls in high-school and university. His first love was a girl he met in high school named Mary-Beth Ramsbottom.
It was an easy life for Charles, much easier than most of his friends, and a completely different life growing up than Elspith.
Elspith grew up in a small home, built piece by piece by her father as he earned the money. She shared the same bedroom as her younger brother, until she was 15 years old. She never travelled to the United States or outside British Columbia, and struggled with the ridicule of others because of her being overweight.
Elspith, growing up poor and seeing others getting everything she couldn’t possibly have, rebelled by turning to drugs and alcohol for relief from her pains.
It’s no surprise that Elspith, broke and running from a failed marriage, felt envious of Charles’ lifestyle when she met him, and perhaps saw him as her saviour.
It was easy to uncover most of the events of the divorce. During my initial interview with Charles, he provided a list of names of people he’d known during their marriage and whom he suspected helped Elspith.
“Which husband talks the most?” I asked.
“That would be Annie Childless’ husband, Douglas. He can’t keep his mouth shut. Always wants to be the big shot, the star.” replied Charles.
“What does he do?”
“He’s unemployed. He works doing odd jobs in the movie industry when he can. He pretty much stays at home and drinks.”
“Does he think he’s a ladies-man? I asked.
“He thinks he’s Sean Connery.”
*************** About this story **************
A thieving wife, Elspith Winters, loots their joint bank accounts then convinces her friends her husband is having an affair in order to cover her tracks. Despite the years of planning she did in preparing for her Final Decree, she never once considered being outwitted by a smart female lawyer.
A story of one hellish divorce, based in part on real events, and a cautionary tale for both men and women.
"Final Decree. A Dead Dog Divorce" is available at most online retailers, including Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and Amazon among others. $1.99
