George even produced a photograph of himself standing on the roof beside the workers.

But Arthur tracked down the retired contractor, and the old man recognized his company’s stamp but not the signature, and, more importantly, his firm’s records proved it had not even been operating in the city on the date the contract claimed.

The photograph, though, was real.

George had been there during the roof repair.

He simply had not paid for it.

My Aunt Ellen had hired and paid the crew herself, in cash, before she passed away.