# IV: “Maybe That Ain’t So Foolish!” explained — Continental Op Stories

> Chapter companion for Continental Op Stories by Dashiell Hammett.

## What happens

The Continental Op and Detective Sergeant O'Gar exhaust conventional leads in the Gantvoort murder case, interviewing residents along possible routes and finding no witnesses. A telegram reveals Madden Dexter is in New York with power of attorney, denying knowledge of the murder. The Op re-evaluates the nine clues, concluding they are deliberate misdirections, and decides to pursue a new angle: a rival suitor for Creda Dexter's affections.

## Themes in this chapter

### Crime and Detection

The chapter focuses on the systematic investigation of the Gantvoort murder, including clue analysis and re-evaluation.

### Deception and Identity

The Op concludes that the clues are deliberate misdirections, suggesting a fabricated identity for the killer.

## Character check-ins

### The Continental Op

Leads the investigation, re-evaluates clues, and decides to pursue a rival suitor angle.

### Detective Sergeant O'Gar

Assists in the investigation, enumerates the nine clues, and agrees to the new approach.

### Charles Gantvoort

Questioned again with his wife and servants; no new information obtained.

### Bernard Gilmore

Mentioned as the dead man; his shoe and collar buttons were taken as clues.

### Madden Dexter

Arrives in New York with power of attorney; denies knowledge of the murder.

### Creda Dexter

Referred to as 'the Dexter kitten'; her potential rival suitor becomes the new focus.

## Key lines

> That list was faked up, put in the wallet with the clippings and twenty dollars—to make the play stronger—and planted in the road near the car to throw us off-track.

The list in the wallet was a deliberate fake, placed there with clippings and cash to mislead the investigation.

_The Op identifies the list as a planted clue, shifting the investigation's direction._

> I'm looking for a man whose name isn't Emil Bonfils, and whose initials aren't either E or B; who isn't French, and who wasn't in Paris in 1902.

The Op is now searching for someone who does not match the profile suggested by the planted clues.

_The Op decides to ignore all previous clues and pursue a completely different suspect profile._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iv-maybe-that-ain-t-so-foolish
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/continental_op_stories_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters