The volunteer had saved emails.

She had also retained a spreadsheet that documented the original donation designations before a later version changed them.

It wasn’t proof of every allegation, but it gave investigators something concrete to compare with bank records.

Ruth listened without interrupting.

When we finished, she said the words I’d been waiting to hear.

“I kept thinking I must have misunderstood.

But there are other people who noticed things, too.”

It wasn’t about persuading her that she had been right all along.