In her sewing room, the little machine sat beneath a dust cover.

Mom opened the bottom drawer and felt under the wooden frame.

A manila envelope was still taped there.

Inside lay a photocopy of the document she’d seen at Miriam’s office, along with a handwritten page titled AMOUNTS OWED.

The numbers ran down the sheet: $18,000, $7,500, $32,000.

Next to several entries appeared the initials of donors Ruth recognized from the gala.

There was also a reference to a bank account she had never opened.