Somehow it hurt more than another lie.

PART 8: A Gift Was Not the Only Expense

The finance department had already begun a scheduled internal review before my appointment.

I asked the board’s audit committee, not my own office, to decide whether the events that morning warranted broadening its scope.

The committee retained an outside forensic firm.

Connor’s spending authority was restricted while the review proceeded; those interim measures were not findings of guilt.

Three days later, Judith shared a preliminary report.