The Janney family is a wealthy one - the older couple are discreet and polite. Their daughter is arrogant and shallow. The daughter's marriage has broken up and it is an unpleasant scene when Chapman Price leaves. The story builds up with threatening letters, and then a robbery - a big one which for various reasons are kept quiet. The detective work continues and unknown to each other three sets of detectives are working the case. The kidnap and ransom of Bebita the little girl who is the grand daughter of the Janneys however is not something that can be kept quiet despite the Janneys wanting it to be so. This is where our Miss Maitland gets dragged in unwittingly and unwillingly. Faced with charges of kidnap and ransom she is not willing to defend herself and the story slowly unravels as to why she takes this stance. (Goodreads)