“Is that necessary?”

“Yes,” I said.

Marcus nodded.

“Independent advice is appropriate.”

Arthur looked away.

Julia opened her folder.

The first document concerned the investment portfolio.

Its value had been approximately eighty million dollars when the charitable commitment was announced.

The original hospital pledge provided for forty-eight million dollars in charitable funding under documented stages and conditions.

The remaining thirty-two million dollars in investments had not been included in that completed commitment.