The detective did not bother to tell the woman that Michael Gladwin and Michael Haymond were the same individual for he felt that the less she knew the easier it would be to carry out a plan which was forming in his mind.
Penny had supposed that her father would go directly to Herman Crocker, confronting him with the evidence. Instead, Mr. Nichols bided his time. He held several conferences with the Kendon police force.
During his frequent absences from the cottage, Penny, Susan and Michael were left to keep watch of Mrs. Masterbrook. The housekeeper was never allowed to talk with anyone by telephone or to greet persons who chanced to come to the door. While she had given her promise not to disclose anything, Mr. Nichols preferred to take no chance.
"This is the set-up," he told Penny as they held secret session. "I have arranged so that Jay Kline mysteriously recovered his package of letters——"
"But Dad——"
"It is the only way to trap him, Penny. With the letters in his possession, he'll meet Herman Crocker tonight by the footbridge. When Crocker pays over the hush money, police will arrest them both."
"I'd love to see the big roundup," said Penny eagerly.
"You shall," Mr. Nichols promised. "You've earned the right."
That night long before the appointed hour, Penny, her father and several plain-clothes men were waiting in the bushes for the arrival of Kline and Herman Crocker.
Jay Kline was the first to reach the footbridge. He appeared to be very nervous and smoked one cigarette after another. Now and then he would light a match and glance at his watch.