thornhill goes to kaplan's hotel in chicago and sees kendall. he goes to her hotel room. she asks him to leave him alone and leaves. he follows her to an art auction. he sees her with vandaam and vandaam's men. vandaam buys a mexican purépecha sculptur. thornhill draws attention to himself so he can escape vandaam's men. the police take thornhill, but they give him to "the professor." the professor is an agent and tells thornhill that kaplan does not exist and is just a way to distract vandaam from kendall. thornhill agrees to play the role of kaplan.