“The fact that Margate is out only to blackmail Garland, and that he has not a single photograph of the government plans.”
“But why didn’t she inform Garland himself, in that case, instead of confiding in the priest?”
“She may have had no opportunity,” Nick pointed out. “She may have made the discovery that very evening. She may have been threatened by Margate and others engaged in the scheme.”
“I see,” Chick nodded.
“She could frame up a plausible reason to visit the priest, perhaps, and take a chance that she could save Garland by doing so,” Nick went on. “This is consistent with her recent appeals to him, and she would have been eager to do him such a service. She went out to expose the whole business to Father Cleary, I think, and was probably seen and followed by Margate and his confederates. They afterward killed the priest and got away with the girl, that nothing should prevent their getting the money expected from Garland.”
“But how do you account for the letter written by the girl?”
“She was lured into writing it.”
“When?”
“That very evening, Chick, after Margate learned that she was wise to his game,” Nick continued to explain. “She probably did not know that he had discovered the fact and suspected that she might expose him.”
“I see.”