Bridgett had been given unusual authority, but the larger culture encouraged personal loyalty over accountable decisions.

“You can change that,” she told me.

“Not alone,” I answered.

We spent the afternoon discussing practical changes: written job descriptions, consistent hiring procedures, clear purchasing authority, confidential reporting routes, and independent review of complaints involving senior leaders.

No one proposal was glamorous.

That reassured me.

At home, I hung the clean dress at the back of my closet.

The stain had disappeared, leaving only a faint crease near the collar.