 In order to protect Wald's reputation, Marlowe sets things up to make it look as if Steelgrave committed suicide, though the police are not fooled.When Marlowe returns to his home, he finds Orfamay there searching it, but he tells her he has already destroyed the photographs and the negatives.Wald arrives too, and a heated confrontation between them reveals that Orfamay knew about Orrin's blackmailing scheme and wanted to stop him for his own safety – the reason for which she hired Marlowe – but that she had subsequently told Steelgrave, in return for one thousand dollars, where to find Orrin.