Chapter 6 - The Counter-Attack
Two weeks passed.
The initial shock of the dining room ambush had settled, but Logan and Helena were not going down without a fight. Cornered, facing public humiliation and financial ruin, they hired a notorious, aggressive divorce attorney named Richard Croft—a man famous in South Florida for dragging out legal battles until his opponents exhausted their savings.
On a humid Tuesday morning, Arthur Vance and I sat in a high-rise conference room in downtown Miami for a court-ordered mediation session.
Across the long glass table sat Logan, Helena, and Richard Croft.
Logan looked exhausted, wearing a off-the-rack suit, while Helena sat beside him in dark sunglasses, her arms crossed tight against her chest, refusing to make eye contact with me.
Richard Croft tossed a heavy leather folder onto the glass table.
"Let's skip the pleasantries," Croft began, his voice raspy from decades of courtroom yelling. "My clients are prepared to settle this matter today, provided Mrs. Mercier-Montgomery agrees to reasonable terms."
"We are listening, Mr. Croft," Arthur Vance said calmly, opening his notepad.
"We are demanding fifty percent of the valuation of Lumina Dining Group LLC," Croft announced boldly. "Furthermore, we are seeking thirty thousand dollars a month in temporary spousal support for my client, Logan Montgomery, along with full ownership of the Brickell commercial lease hold."
I almost laughed out loud.
"Is this a joke?" Arthur Vance asked, leaning back in his chair with an amused smile. "Your client committed grand larceny against my client's business. We have open police reports filed with the State Attorney."
"Those police reports are civil disputes between married partners, Vance!" Croft shot back, slamming his hand on the table. "Logan Montgomery contributed four years of uncompensated brand management and promotional labor to Lumina! He brought high-profile clientele—including his mother’s extensive social network—to that establishment! Under Florida equity laws, he is entitled to a sweat-equity share of the appreciation value!"
Helena smirked behind her dark sunglasses, nodding in agreement. "He made that restaurant famous. Nobody knew who Camille was until my son brought her into our circle."
Arthur Vance didn't flinch. He slowly pulled out a second, even larger folder from his briefcase and slid three specific documents across the glass table directly toward Richard Croft.
"Sweat equity is an interesting argument, Mr. Croft," Arthur said smoothly. "So let's examine Mr. Montgomery’s 'contributions' to the business."
Arthur pointed to the first document.
"Exhibit 1: Timecard audit records from Lumina’s security system spanning thirty-six months. In four years, Logan Montgomery logged a grand total of forty-two hours of physical presence on Lumina property—thirty-eight of which were spent sitting at the bar drinking complimentary liquor."
Logan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking at the floor.
"Exhibit 2," Arthur continued, pointing to the second page. "A formal audit prepared by the State Department of Revenue. It appears that during his brief time handling Lumina’s promotional ledger, Mr. Montgomery submitted six falsified tax exemption certificates for personal luxury purchases, which constitutes felony state tax fraud."
Croft’s aggressive expression faltered slightly. He looked down at the state tax audit seal, his brow furrowing.
"And finally, Exhibit 3," Arthur said, laying down a certified bank statement from an offshore account in the Cayman Islands. "An undisclosed personal bank account registered under the name Helena Montgomery Trust, which received sixteen small, structured wire transfers totaling $84,000 directly from Logan’s personal account over the last twelve months."
Helena froze. Her head snapped toward Arthur, her mouth opening in terror.
"You see, Mr. Croft," Arthur smiled coldly. "Helena wasn't just a guest enjoying free meals. She was actively receiving stolen business capital laundered through her son. If this goes to trial, we won't just be discussing divorce—we will be filing a federal civil RICO lawsuit against both Logan and Helena Montgomery for systematic business extortion."
Richard Croft closed the leather folder. He turned his head slowly, looking at Helena and Logan with a look of utter, professional disdain.
"Is this true?" Croft whispered to his clients.
Logan swallowed hard, unable to speak. Helena pulled off her sunglasses, her eyes filled with tears of pure rage and panic.
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"We... we need a ten-minute recess," Croft announced quietly, pulling his chair back.
"Take twenty, Richard," Arthur replied smoothly. "When you return, my client’s offer is simple: Logan signs an absolute waiver of all business claims, surrenders all rights to spousal support, agrees to full financial restitution of the $84,000 over five years, and the state tax audit stays between us and the prosecutor."
