# Dick Foley — Continental Op Stories character guide

> Dick Foley in Continental Op Stories by Dashiell Hammett.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Dick, Rick, Foley

**First appearance:** 0000-arson-plus

## Snapshot

A Continental operative who rents front apartments and trails whistlers through Market Street dives, then reports back with the dry precision of a man who's been rained on.

## Who they are

Foley is the Op's reliable second set of eyes, the man who tails The Whistler from Big Fat Thomson's to the Glenway and back, and who gets handed the swarthy shadower when the Op needs Carey's tail turned inside out. He grumbles about jumping in and out of taxis but does the work, and his reports are the quiet machinery that keeps the Op's guesses honest. Without him the case would be all instinct and no corroboration.

## In the story

### [Bodies Piled Up](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/bodies-piled-up)

Shadow specialist for the agency; shadows Orrett and reports his activities to the Op.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iv)

Receives the woman from the Op.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vi)

Reports on Mrs. Estep's inactivity; instructed to watch her flat instead of shadowing her.

### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/xi)

Assigned by the Op to tail Kilcourse; described as a skilled shadow.

### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/xii)

Reports losing track of a suspect but is instructed to try again with a car handy.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vi)

Sent to Sacramento to investigate the abandoned Locomobile.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vii)

Shadows Raymond Elwood and later surveils the yellow house with the Op; spots Myra Banbrock entering the house through a cellar window.

### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/x)

Tasked with escorting Myra Banbrock home.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iii)

Assigned to shadow Dummy Uhl; signals the Op after the shooting.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iv)

Mentioned as having shadowed Dummy Uhl to Waverly Place.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/v)

Rents an apartment near the Irvington and trails The Whistler to the Glenway Apartments.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vii)

Mentioned as having failed to shadow The Whistler the previous night.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/i)

Originally slated for the job but was unable due to a black eye.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iii)

Sent with Jack Counihan to North Beach to pick up leads.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vii)

Assigned to shadow Angel Grace Cardigan.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iv)

Calls the Op with a stammering message to come to Harbor Hospital.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/v)

Rescues Angel Grace from the bay; provides a description of the man she met the previous night; is tasked with tailing Carey's shadower.

### [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vi)

Reports tailing Sam Arlie, identifies him as a barber, and later reports Arlie's murder by Carey.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vii)

Reports on tailing Carey and the shooting of Arlie; assigned to shadow Carey continuously.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/viii)

Mentioned as riding in one of the trailing cars for backup.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/characters/dick_foley
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/characters