The final story reveals that the Old Man himself is a criminal, due to some of his trademark knotted rope being found at crime scene, and thereby implies that he may be the mysterious "Bill Owen" the police are unable to locate.
The narrative ultimately uncovers that the Old Man is a criminal due to the presence of his characteristic knotted rope at the crime scene, which raises the possibility that he might be the mysterious "Bill Owen" that the police are unable to identify.