The city at night was dark, with the lights being the only streetlights. The Museum of Gold was also dark. Except for lasers to prevent possible thefts. A glitch made them visible, and maybe that is why the next morning Alex was assigned to solve the theft of the Golden Dollar, a nine-foot tall solid gold statue of the Dollar sign.

            “So you didn’t know the lasers were visible?” The tall figure of Alex, police detective, towered over Mr. B, the museum owner. He said, “I was in China two days ago, and this is my first visit to the museum. Ask the security people, or the hippie.” Alex was startled. “You let hippies in at night?” Mr. B nonchalantly said, “ I trust him fully, but you can interrogate him if you want. His name’s Sam.” Alex took some fingerprints and went out to talk to the hippie.

            “So why are you always allowed inside?” Alex asked the somewhat properly suited hippie called Sam. “I clean everything here. The floors, the exhibits, even Mr. B’s clothes!” Alex asked him about the lasers being visible last night. Sam was surprised. “So you’re saying they should be invisible?”

            Inside the museum a young man was pestering Mr. B. “Sir, I’ll solve this case before the policeman does! Believe me!” To shoo him off, Mr. B said, “If you solve the case before he does, I’ll pay.” “Certainly I will.” As the man left, the man’s gold rings gleamed.

            The fingerprints turned out to be the security head’s. Alex said with confidence, “I know that you are innocent.” “How do you know?” “If you had a hand in this, you would have turned off the lasers instead of just making them visible. The culprit waited for the right time to strike. I think it might be Sam.” Just then the security head cried out, “I want to tell you something. Last night someone took away my keycard, but I didn’t see him.” At that moment, the other detective came in, “Hello, I’m Ben, and I will solve the case before you, officer. By the way, there are fingerprints of the hippie on the door.” He flashed his gold watch as he left.

            Alex was questioning Sam at home. “I did not go to the security room, and I do not have the keycard!” “Then why were your fingerprints on the door?” Sam countered, “I’ve heard there’s a technique to copy other’s fingerprints. Isn’t there such a technique?” Sam left, and Alex contemplated. Sam had a point. Thieves are modern nowadays. Alex is stuck. He needs help. He went to Ben’s house for advice. Ben is not at home. A window is open. Careless. Alex looked inside. Within his grasp on a table was the keycard and a remote. Is Ben the villain? Alex ran to the museum.

            “How could you make remote controlled cameras? Show me the footage!” No footage from one AM to two AM. “I have a plan.”

            Next morning’s newspaper report: The Golden Dollar has been found! The culprit was dumbfounded, whoever it was. Nearly 12AM in the night, Ben was in the museum. He saw the Golden Rupee and the Golden Euro, but didn’t care. In front of him was an empty glass case of the Golden Dollar. “The newspaper was wrong; I still have it!”

            “The newspaper was right”, was Alex’s reply, “Oh, and you’re arrested!”