I wrote that down too.

It was a small professional satisfaction: being able to change a conclusion because the information changed, without feeling that I had lost an argument.

I sent the revised note, closed the file, and went to Harper, who had begun calling for attention from the next room.

Later, when I returned to the desk, the client had acknowledged the correction.

There was no apology required for asking the original question.

The work had done what it was supposed to do.