“Which assistant?”

“Vivian Sloane.”

Vivian had served as my chief of staff until the previous spring, when she left unexpectedly after a disagreement with my general counsel over vendor approvals.

At the time I had been irritated by the departure but too absorbed in a pending acquisition to ask questions.

Helen reached for her handbag.

“I have something that might help.”

She produced an old receipt and a photocopy of an envelope bearing my office address.

Meredith recognized it at once.