Nancy had been lost in thought. It was a spell her friends were well used to. She was sitting motionless, her eyes level but not focused on anything. When Nancy spoke again her voice seemed measured and distant.
"Do you remember what Mr. Saxton said? You just can't tell much from a document printed by a computer printer these days. They're just about impossible to trace. So why would anyone go to the trouble of producing a blackmail letter, if there is a blackmail letter, in an old-fashioned way like cutting letters from a newspaper or magazine? It doesn't make much sense. It's like something from a mystery novel."
"Maybe the blackmailer likes reading mystery novels. That could be a clue," joked George.
Nancy went on. "The thing about doing it this way is that it leaves a newspaper which serves as evidence, evidence that incriminates a person. And why would someone burn the newspaper, but not completely? They could have crumpled it into a ball and dropped it into the ocean. Then even if it was found, no one would know who it came from."
"You're saying that the blackmailer created the note and planted the newspaper here to bring suspicion onto someone else?" Ivy tried to follow Nancy's line of thought.
"Yes, that's it. So, then you have an explanation for the break-in. Nothing was stolen because the purpose of the break-in was to leave something here, the newspaper and the burnt page."
Mr. Podmore was wide-eyed with surprise and relief. "It's just as I've been saying. I know nothing about blackmailing or a note."
"Jesse," Nancy commanded sharply, "can we see the bottoms of your shoes?" He nonchalantly swung them out from under the table and rested them, crossed, on top of the table. "I can see a couple of tiny slivers of glass embedded in the soles."
"Jesse!" cried Ivy, unable to suppress a sudden surge of emotion.
The constable came over to examine the shoes. "Young man, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"You're a sharp one, Nancy. But you know I'm not going to admit to anything, except the breaking and entering. I stand by my story. I can easily explain the break-in, officer. I came looking for the bags of drugs that Podmore clearly stole from Eberhart. I didn't realize this building was alarmed. Once the alarm went off I had no time to look around, of course."
The constable considered this for a moment. "Yes, well, that fits in with the rest of your statement."
Nancy was determined to continue with her explanation. "We saw that there had been bags of something, call it contraband, in the fireplace of the prospector's cabin, and they had been removed. I'm supposing that Jesse, as he was returning to Mr. Fisk's house, happened to see Eberhart going to the cabin, followed him, and watched him as he took the bags out of their hiding spot. Jesse passed a note to Eberhart, threatening to expose him. Eberhart dropped off the cash at the appointed time and Jesse picked it up. Jesse then fabricated the story about wrestling with Eberhart. If he had been tackled by a big guy like Eberhart, as he said, you would expect him to be pretty sore and bruised, but he seems perfectly fine. He also made up a note to explain his presence at the cave and to throw me off the scent."
The constable looked a little puzzled. "No offence,miss, but I'm partial to straightforward explanations of the facts. Now this young man says that these drug smugglers had a falling out with one another, and I'm inclined to believe him. Fancy theories may be all the fashion down south, but I prefer to keep things simple." Then he added, "Say, what was that about a cabin?"
Nancy heaved a deep sigh. "It's a long story and I've already told it to Cpl. Robinson. You can read it in the file. By the way, I've thought of a way of deciding between my fancy theory and Jesse's story, if you're interested." He gestured for her to continue. "If I'm right, Jesse's note would say something like, 'I saw you with bags of something you shouldn't have in your possession. Pay me off or I'll tell the police.' If Podmore created the note it would be, 'I have some bags that you're missing. Pay me off if you want them back.'" The constable was rapidly scribbling notes and nodding. "Unfortunately," Nancy went on, "it's highly unlikely that Eberhart would admit to being blackmailed or keep the note."
Nancy turned to where Jesse was still seated. "Jesse, you could have been off the island by now, with the money," she said. "But you wanted to tweak our noses, you had to try to frame Mr. Podmore. You had to show you were cleverer than us."
"Jesse, you took the money too?" asked a disbelieving Ivy. Jesse looked away and remained silent.
"Young man," said the constable, "I'm going to have to arrest you and take you to our detachment at Medwell Bay on Haine Island where we'll get a full statement from you. I'll leave it to others to decide what you can be charged with. If what this young lady says is correct then you've planted evidence which is public mischief according to the Criminal Code. Breaking and entering for the purpose of public mischief is of course also an offence."
The constable was soon on the telephone to his headquarters. Jesse was sitting expressionless at the diner table. The girls made their departure.
"Nancy," said George, "you've got to make them believe your ideas."
"We haven't reached the final chapter yet," was all Nancy said.
"What gets me," said George, "is that blackmail is like a perfect crime. You make an anonymous threat. The victim leaves the money. The criminal picks up the money and gets out of there. Neither wants to make the crime public. All the evidence would be destroyed. There would be nothing for detectives like us to work on."
"I have to agree with you," said Nancy. "It's convenient for us that criminals want to make it complicated. That way there are spots where you can see through the lies."
Nancy, aware that she had thoughtlessly used the term 'criminal' for Jesse, turned to look sympathetically at Ivy, who she thought was looking a little sad and bewildered.