He had benefited from signing papers he never properly examined, and his ignorance had protected the people hurting Walter.

When I saw Vincent again, he was sitting in Joan’s reception area without an entourage.

He asked whether I wanted to hear what the audit had found.

I said he could tell me, provided he did not use it to bargain for affection.

He accepted the condition.

‘We are correcting the books,’ he said.

‘There will be repayments if they are required.

Some of the contracts I signed should never have existed.