Chapter 14 - The first investigation was not police
Ben suggested a forensic accountant.
I resisted.
“Isn’t that dramatic?”
“Maybe.”
Then we hired one for a limited review.
Her name was Janice Boyd.
She did not wear a black suit and slam evidence folders onto tables.
She wore reading glasses on a chain.
She asked for PDFs.
Lots of PDFs.
Her job was not:
Prove Mom stole.
Her job:
Classify what happened.
Direct gifts I knowingly sent.
Payments made from my card by Diane.
Transfers to Rachel.
Reimbursements returned.
Expenses plausibly tied to Grandma before her death.
We adjusted the total downward.
Important.
My midnight spreadsheet had included things unfairly.
Two airline tickets were for a family trip I had agreed to cover.
A $1,100 medical payment was Grandma’s.
Several grocery charges were authorized.
The clean total of money I had transferred or paid for Rachel and her household over six years:
Approximately $43,900.
Diane’s personal or unclear authorized-user spending after excluding agreed expenses:
About $8,600.
Total support benefiting Diane or Rachel that I had not fully understood:
Roughly $52,500.
Still substantial.
Lower than my angry first estimate.
May you like
Accuracy felt less satisfying than outrage.
It was also stronger.
