The Mystery at Maypenny's

She wanted to ask what David Maypenny would have done to them if Sergeant Molinson— and John Score—hadn’t been around, but she decided it would be better if Honey didn’t know.
    “What were you going to say, Trix?” Jim asked.
    Trixie yawned broadly. “Never mind,” she replied sleepily.
    Back home, Trixie let Brian and Mart give their parents the story of the night’s happenings. When they were finished, her father turned to her, a stern expression on his face. Trixie was too tired to dread the coming lecture, however. Seeing her drooping eyelids, Peter Belden sighed. “You’d better get some sleep,” he said. “We’ll discuss this further tomorrow morning.”
    Trixie nodded silently and half-stumbled up the stairs to her room. Moments later, as she was drifting off to sleep, she felt a twinge of sadness as she remembered that though her ordeal was over, Mr. Maypenny’s worst moment was yet to come.

    The next morning, Brian, Mart, and Trixie drove to the Manor House in Brian’s jalopy to pick up Honey and Jim. Honey came out of the house alone.
    “Jim isn’t coming with us,” Honey said with a frown as she settled into the backseat next to Trixie. “He was very mysterious about where he was going. All he would say was that he had more important things to do than listen to us being scolded by Sergeant Molinson for the umpteenth time.”
    “I don’t think that’s very mysterious,” Trixie said ruefully. “I’d miss the scolding, too, if I could.”
    When the four Bob-Whites entered Sergeant Molinson’s office, they found it already crowded with people. Looking around, Trixie saw the sergeant, John Score, Mr. Maypenny, Dan Mangan, and a man she didn’t know.
    Mr. Maypenny smiled at Honey and Trixie. Oh, woe, Trixie thought. He still doesn’t know about his nephew. I wish I didn’t have to be around when he finds out.
    “Good morning,” Sergeant Molinson said cheerfully. “I hope you had a good night’s rest. Now, if you’ll be seated, I will fill you in on the story behind what happened last night.”
    Trixie looked at the policeman suspiciously, wondering why he seemed so glad to see them— and why he was offering information instead of his usual warning not to get involved in police business.
    “First of all,” the sergeant said, gesturing toward 202
    the stranger in the room, “I’d like you to meet David Maypenny.”
    “Wh-What?” Trixie stammered, looking from the sergeant to the stranger to Mr. Maypenny,' who was still smiling happily.
    “That’s right,” Molinson said. “This is Mr. Maypenny’s real nephew.”
    “Then who is—” Trixie gestured vaguely, not knowing what to call this man she had thought of as “David Maypenny.”
    “He’s an imposter,” Sergeant Molinson said. “His real name is Lawrence Howard, and he’s wanted for fraud in five states.”
    “Ahhh,” Trixie breathed. Suddenly she realized why Sergeant Molinson was so cheerful this morning. Capturing a man who was wanted in five states would make any policeman happy.
    “Wh-What did he do in all those states?” Honey asked fearfully.
    “He’s never been charged with a violent crime,” the sergeant told her reassuringly. “But the crimes he’s committed are about as low as they can get. It’s the same scheme he tried to pull here in Sleepyside.
    “He preyed on lonely old people with no families. He’d get some information about them, then pose as a long-lost relative. He’d convince them that they should turn over their property and money to him, so that he could take care of them in case of an emergency. Then he’d vanish, leaving them broke.”
    “That’s horrible!” Honey breathed.
    Sergeant Molinson nodded. “It is that,” he said. “Fortunately, he stashed most of his money away—maybe he wanted security for his own old age—so we’ll be able to return some of it to his victims.”
    “None of what you’ve said explains why Howard planted those poisoned ducks,” Brian pointed out.
    Molinson nodded. “You’re right. That wasn’t part of his usual pattern. But most of his con jobs were nickel and dime stuff compared to the money he stood to make by selling Mr. Maypenny’s land to International Pine. Apparently, when his usual soft sell didn’t work, his greed made him desperate enough to do something a little more dramatic.”
    There was silence in the office for a moment as everyone put the pieces of the puzzle together in their minds.
    “I still have two