Jo’s adviser arrived with a folder, a calculator and a single question for the neighborhood fund.
“Does the support depend on what she says at the hearing?”
“No,” Leah answered.
Anik opened the ledger. Contributions for Jo’s legal and professional advice were recorded separately from the festival-loss fund. No donor had attached a condition requiring her to support the team’s interpretation. Jo could use the money for advice and still decide not to testify.
The adviser, a woman named Nika, read the note and asked Hassan to repeat his understanding. He had contributed twice and was sitting near the door with his invoice folder.
“I want her to tell the truth,” he said. “If that means she says the move cost me money for no reason, I’ll be angry. I won’t ask for the donation back.”
“Good,” Nika said. “Anger isn’t a condition.”
Jo met Nika privately. Sera waited outside with Tessa and a paper cup of tea. She had brought the original survey notes but left them in the folder until Jo asked for them.
