“Your game’s up, Joe Jeffery,” he said in a hard, metallic voice. “We’ve got you cold. I’ve been waiting a long time to get even!”
Ronald stared at him a full instant and then, with a dazed expression, sank limply down into the nearest chair.
“You win,” he muttered weakly.
Doris ran quickly to Jake and caught him by the arm.
“Who is this man?” she cried eagerly.
“The police know him well enough,” Jake grunted. “There’s a reward of five thousand out for him!”
“Five thousand!” Iris gasped. “But what has he done?”
“Swindled folks out of their hard earned money. He’s been workin’ his little game for years!”
“And to think he might have robbed us, if it hadn’t been for Doris!” Azalea murmured. “Oh, what silly fools we’ve been!”
“You weren’t the first to be taken in by him, ma’am,” Jake responded. “He’s a slick one. Took me in once, but this is where we’ll square accounts.” He indicated Cora and Henry. “Who are these folks? Friends of his?”