The figure was exactly three hundred thousand dollars.

That precision made the gift feel both more intentional and more frightening.

“Arthur kept records,” she said, opening a ledger.

“He wasn’t improvising.”

There were records of withdrawals over several years, the land sale, property taxes, and the account from which the funds had come.

The accountant said more tax and estate questions remained.

Bennett advised us again that we should not consider the money available to spend until the administration and reporting obligations were handled.

I listened carefully, writing notes in a small spiral pad.