I suppose he could have been an orphan who lived a very clean life. Try sanitary. Hell, try sterile.

Some people do. What about Allen?

Brendan‘s voice changed, grew deeper, richer, the vowels resounding with resonance and meaning, the consonants crisp in contrast. Kate knew that tone. Someone‘s cart bumped her in the butt. It was another book lover, and she moved over to a deserted corner between the bicycles and the garden tools. Ah, well now, Mr. Allen, Brendan said, rolling out the words like GM would a new car, if they hadn‘t gone belly-up by then. Mr. Richard Henry Allen, native of Minnesota, L‘etoile du Nord.

Okay, Kate said.

The Star of the North, the state motto. State bird the common loon, but state flower the showy lady slipper.

When Brendan had something really juicy he liked to milk it for all it was worth. Kate leaned against a stack of wheelbarrows and prepared to wait him out. Okay. Official state song? Hail, Minnesota.‘

Kate closed her eyes and hung her head.

Minnesota‘s exports were up thirteen percent in the last quarter. Their number-one biggest trading partner? Canada. Australia‘s way down there at sixteen. Brendan—

They‘re pretty industrious, Minnesota. Never mind what Garrison Keillor says, they‘re not all Norwegian bachelor farmers. Some of them are Norwegian bachelor geeks. They exported over a billion dollars in computer and electronic goods last year, three-quarters of a billion in machinery, and a quarter of a billion in chemicals. He paused. You still there, Kate?

Never mind me, Brendan. There‘s a hoe here I‘m thinking of using to cut my throat.

He chuckled. It sounded less than avuncular. I found our boy‘s bank account in Minneapolis. Brendan always got proprietary when he liked them for something. Kate opened her eyes. Did you?

I did. He used a different name but his own Social Security number. Guess he wanted to be sure he was eligible to collect those benefit checks come sixty-two. He was thinking ahead, our boy, just not far enough ahead of me.

And?

And the account shows regular direct deposits from the Suulutaq Mine. One every two weeks, same amount every time.

After all this there had to be more. And?

And, Brendan said, there are other deposits.

Where from?

First you want to know how much.

Oh. Kate was silent for a moment. Oh. Okay. How much?

You know if you‘re moving large chunks of cash around you have to report anything over ten grand.

Yeah.

These amounts varied between seven and nine thousand, so I‘m thinking our Mr. Allen knew that, too.

Where‘d the money come from? And how often?

Well. Brendan cleared his throat. I don‘t know yet, Kate. The amount was funneled through a lot of banks, different ones each time, and half the time including an offshore bank. Four times a month. Almost like a salary, except the amount changed every time.

They listened to each other think for a few moments. Someone was paying him off, Kate said.