I would keep it for her when she was old enough to read the whole thing without thinking it was a bill she had created.

PART 6 — The Accounting They Had to Give

The first complete statements changed the way the meetings sounded.

Before that, Richard could describe my questions as guesses drawn from incomplete copies.

His attorney could fairly point out that a transfer wasn’t proof of misuse.

Now there were source records, account histories, supporting requests, and documents establishing what the administration required.

The accountant kept making the same careful distinction, even when the record became less comfortable for Richard.