GERARD WHITEFORD

The Man Who Saw the Con Coming

For nearly 50 years, Gerard Whiteford has inspected food-manufacturing facilities. He's worked his way from rookie inspector to supervising Central Florida's region.

He has also perfected one particularly useful professional skill:

Looking much easier to fool than he actually is.

So when Myra Gantry and company stage their little production designed to persuade Gerard that Uncle Mario's Icy Adult Pops operation deserves approval, Gerard recognizes the con almost immediately.

And lets them keep going.

Why spoil everybody's fun?

But the quiet man behind the inspector's clipboard has lived a life Myra knows nothing about. After losing his wife in a car accident, Gerard raised their daughters—then only three and five—alone. Money was tight. He worked side jobs. But somehow Dad was still in the front row whenever his girls needed him.

They're grown now, with families of their own.

And Dad still shows up.

The morning after the inspection, a guilt-ridden Myra arrives at Gerard's home carrying breakfast, coffee and a confession. She begs him not to approve something she now believes was obtained dishonestly.

Gerard tells her the truth.

He knew all along.

He investigated them—including talking with Helena—and discovered something more important than their deception: why they were doing it.

Gerard believes in rules.

He's just lived long enough to understand the difference between following the rules and understanding the people standing in front of you.

And Myra suddenly has considerably more to think about than a food-manufacturing permit.