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point.’’
    ‘‘Anyway, the file could have been tabled for a while, but this guy’s son-in-law happens to work at the Bureau, and he made enough noise to get one of our accountants to look into it. Sure enough, the old guy is right. The yield is off, and it’s been off for three of the past six months.’’
    ‘‘How many people receive pensions from that fund?’’
    ‘‘About six thousand,’’ Dutch said.
    I whistled. ‘‘Times five and a half dollars every month—that’s big money over the long haul.’’
    ‘‘Exactly,’’ he said with a wink at me. ‘‘Which is why the case ended up with me. I’ve been going through all the people who have both direct and indirect access to the fund, but whoever’s been pulling from it has been doing a great job of covering their tracks. The guy you describe here sounds exactly like Max Goodyear. I interviewed him early on and thought he seemed a little nervous—but most people do get nervous when they’re sitting across from me.’’
    ‘‘Oh, the things you do to people,’’ I said and fanned myself.
    Dutch threw a potato chip at me. ‘‘Goodyear’s one of the financial advisers assigned to the pension fund,’’ he continued. ‘‘But his personal bank records keep coming back clean. There’s been no spike in activity, either up or down. The guy owns a modest house, drives a Volvo, pays his bills on time, and doesn’t cheat on his wife.
    ‘‘Also, as far as we can tell, he doesn’t have direct access to the fund, which would mean that if you’re right, and he’s been gambling it away, he’s got to have an accomplice.’’
    I smirked. ‘‘ If I’m right,’’ I repeated.
    Dutch stood and picked up our plates from the table. ‘‘I’d love to sound more confident, Edgar, but we’ve been all over his personal finances and there’s nothing out of the ordinary.’’
    I felt a little buzz in the back of my mind as my radar kicked back on. ‘‘Does Goodyear have any family besides his wife? Like children?’’
    ‘‘Nope. Just him and the missus,’’ Dutch said, setting the dishes in the sink.
    ‘‘Huh,’’ I said, puzzling that one over. ‘‘You sure?’’
    Dutch turned around, leaned against the sink, and crossed his arms. ‘‘Yeah. At least, that’s what I remember. You thinking I should double-check?’’
    ‘‘Yes. There’s something off. He’s got a kid, Dutch, and that’s your missing link.’’
    ‘‘Okay, I’ll look into it. In the meantime, if you get any thoughts on Goodyear’s accomplice, jot ’em down, okay?’’
    ‘‘Gotcha,’’ I said and grinned at him. Just then my cell went off. I answered after glancing at the caller ID ‘‘Hey, Candice.’’
    ‘‘Afternoon!’’ she said jovially. ‘‘Are you ready to swing by your office and talk figures?’’
    ‘‘I’ll be there in ten,’’ I said and clicked off.
    Dutch came over to me and wrapped me in his arms for a quick snuggle. ‘‘I need to get back to work too,’’ he said as he kissed the top of my head. ‘‘Thanks for your help, sweethot,’’ he added in his best Humphrey Bogart voice.
    I squeezed him and let go. ‘‘You can pay me back by taking me shoe shopping this weekend,’’ I said. ‘‘Right after we get you that haircut.’’
    ‘‘Can’t I just give you my credit card and tell you to keep it under fifty dollars?’’
    I laughed. ‘‘Where do you think I shop for shoes? Bucky’s Bargain Barn of Flip-flops?’’
    ‘‘I like flip-flops,’’ he said as he hung an arm over my shoulder and walked me to the door. ‘‘They’re sexy.’’
    ‘‘Ah,’’ I said. We paused on the front step. ‘‘Well, then, if you get excited over flip-flops, just wait till you see me in a pair of Jimmy Choos.’’
    ‘‘You’re turning into your sister,’’ he said, and gave me another smooch on the cheek. ‘‘Which reminds me—she called while you were napping.’’
    ‘‘Thanks,’’ I said, getting