Don’t Look Behind You

under [my care.] To present times, the Plaintiff has not reappeared, and the minor children have been maintained by me.
    “The Plaintiff, Joann E. Hansen had, for some time prior to her disappearance, been nervous, upset, and distraught, and seemed discontented with our life, including our marital relationship. I repeatedly attempted to reconcileany differences and maintain a wholesome and pleasant family relationship and environment. At no time did I give the Plaintiff any reason to be fearful for her well-being and safety, nor did I ever in any manner threaten the Plaintiff.
    “The disappearance of Joann E. Hansen was most surprising and shocking to me. It was not until the preparation of statements of financial condition for the United States Treasury Internal Revenue Service that it came to my attention that the Plaintiff—who handled the collection of income from rental properties—had apparently withheld approximately $8,000, which funds were received and receipts written, but are unaccounted for in deposits made and were never in my hands.
    “I believe that Joann E. Hansen is presently alive and upon her past actions, together with her emotional instability, I further believe that she chose to desert me and our three minor children for reasons known only to her to live elsewhere and not proceed with the divorce action.”
    Putting a halo on his own head, Bob Hansen ended his affidavit by saying that he had been managing all the property involved and that his “prudent business acumen” had retained and/or increased the property values.
    Since no one knew where Joann Hansen was, or even if she was alive or dead, Duncan Bonjorni decided to proceed with the divorce in absentia. He arranged for Donald Eide to serve as Guardian Ad Litem to represent Joann’s interests.
    Legally, it didn’t matter that she wasn’t there to testify.
    Superior Court Judge Story Birdseye said he found the divorce case between the Hansens interesting since Joann Hansen had disappeared shortly after she filed for divorce.
    “Whether she is living or not, no one can say. If [Joann’s attorneys] discontinue their motion, the parties would remain married, and if Mr. Hansen dissipated the present community estate, leaving nothing for Mrs. Hansen when—and if—she returns, they might be subject to criticism.”
    Judge Birdseye declared that he felt justified in concluding that Joann had suffered violence at her husband’s hands, and “sufficient personal indignities” to establish grounds for divorce.
    “Accordingly, I will terminate the marriage by awarding a decree of divorce to the plaintiff.”
    Bob Hansen had already withdrawn his cross-complaint for divorce.
    The judge was in a difficult position. Since Joann Hansen was missing, he couldn’t award custody or visitation to her. Neither did he deny them. He said that they must all wait to see what Joann’s mental condition was if she ever came home.
    As for the division of property, Judge Birdseye considered Bob’s demand for every single piece of property, all contracts, all vehicles, and the used furniture they had owned.
    Donald Eide, speaking for Joann, asked for the small white house behind the veterinary clinic, the WillowsApartments with the ten small rental units, a $3,000 contract on one rental house, and legal fees of less than $1,000 owed to Duncan Bonjorni.
    Judge Birdseye ruled that the community estate—minus the mortgages and encumbrances Bob Hansen presented—was worth $70,000. Since Bob was raising Nick, Kandy Kay, and Tyler, he got 60 percent of the estate, and Joann was awarded 40 percent. Her share was $27,740, and it came as a lien against certain properties if Bob should sell them. In essence, she got a small house and a barn that was located on the Green River in Kent, Washington.
    If Joann Hansen never returned, her share was to be held in trust for her children.
    Patricia Martin maintains that if she could have, Joann would have shown up to get her share of the Hansen estate so she could take care of her kids.
    “Tracking her social security number,” Pat said, “we found that she never took a job over all those years. Her social security number didn’t show up anywhere.”
    When people choose—for whatever reason—to leave of their own volition, they invariably leave a paper trail: money missing from their bank accounts, applications for employment, driver’s licenses, gas card records. It isn’t that easy to just disappear.
    Joann