Arthur remained involved for a time to oversee the appointment of new management and the introduction of independent procurement controls.

The sale that had collapsed never returned, but the business continued operating under a smaller, more cautious plan.

Employees who had nothing to do with the questionable payments still needed wages and health insurance.

I was glad the company had not simply disappeared.

Its workers had never been my enemies.

One afternoon, an envelope arrived at my apartment.

It contained a short letter from a woman named Nina, a former purchasing analyst at Whitmore.

She had learned through the investigation that I was the person who raised the early concern.