There was a small plastic bucket next to him. There were a few weeds inside, but not many. “I never thought of you as a gardener,” I said. He responded as if he knew I was standing behind him all the time, didn’t even turn his head. “A man needs to keep busy,” Donatucci said. “Here.” He offered his arm. I moved quickly to his side and helped him to his feet. I was prepared to assist him to a couple of lawn chairs overlooking the garden, but he shoved my arm away. “I can walk,” he said. Still, I was surprised by how ancient he seemed. I knew he was old when I first met him. That was nearly eight years ago. He had asked many questions, and even though he didn’t like my answers, he eventually handed over a check for $3,128,584.50—my compensation for capturing an astonishingly enterprising embezzler and returning the money he stole to the insurance company. I saw him again when he recruited me to help recover the Jade Lily, an artifact stolen from a Minneapolis art museum.
