Finally, he closed his notebook.
"Miss Loretta, these books are remarkably thorough."
She stared.
For a moment, she seemed unable to understand the compliment.
Then she whispered, "Thank you."
Charles looked toward the griddle.
"How many meals do you serve on an ordinary day?"
She explained the breakfast, midday, and evening schedules.
He calculated the approximate demand.
Then looked toward her again.
"You've been doing this with how many workers?"
Loretta hesitated.
"Usually myself. Occasionally a helper."
Charles stared.
Then he looked toward the reinforced bench.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Finally, he asked, "Why wasn't staffing increased?"
Loretta looked toward her ledger.
"I requested help several times."
Charles nodded.
"Do you have copies?"
She opened another section.
There they were.
Three written requests.
Each acknowledged by Pritchard.
None approved.
Charles studied them.
Then he closed his notebook.
"I believe the management of this operation requires substantial changes."
Loretta felt something tighten in her chest.
She had waited eighteen months to hear someone in authority acknowledge the problem.
Now that it had happened, she wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or angry.
So she simply nodded.
And waited for the records to finish speaking.
Pritchard was removed from responsibility for the camp's accounts pending the company's full review.
Bram lost his authority over the mine's work assignments after the independent inspection identified serious failures in the handling of reported hazards.
The decisions didn't automatically establish criminal guilt.
The financial discrepancies and the fire still required separate examination.
But the company could no longer justify allowing either man to continue controlling the same processes while the questions remained unresolved.
Several workers were relieved.
Others remained cautious.
They had seen managers replaced before, only to discover that the system beneath them hadn't changed.
Charles Whitcomb understood the concern.
He established clearer procedures for documenting work hours, equipment deductions, and payments made to suppliers.
Arthur Finch received authority to keep unsafe areas closed until properly inspected.
And the company began correcting the wage records where errors could be established.
The process was slow.
Some miners had lost documents.
Others disputed charges from months earlier.
And several accounts required reconstruction from surviving records.
But progress was being made.
Thomas Rusk received corrected information showing wages that had been withheld through unsupported deductions.
Daniel Mercer learned that several charges against his account should not have been imposed.
Other workers began receiving explanations they'd requested for months.