Blackmail (summary)
The story takes place in the hotel. It is about a hit-and-run accident caused by the Duke and Duchess of Croydons.One night, the duke had gone to a night club and the duchess reaches the club to find her husband. On their way back the duchess hits a woman and her daughter and both the woman and her daughter died on the spot. However, in the accident the headlight and the trim ring of the car had damaged. The couple are hiding out in the hotel from their responsibility for the gruesome hit-and-run accident which had been the highlight of the newspaper as the famous hit-and-run case. Nevertheless, a detective called Ogilvie, gets hint of it and tries to blackmail the duke and duchess.
What Ogilvie says suggests that he know everything about the accident or crime. And the purpose of Ogilvie’s coming is blackmail. With deep consideration, the couple decide to escape from incrimination to avoid loss of nobility and reputation, and compromise to the detective. The plan of Duchess is to make Ogilvie drive the car with the accident traces to Chicago in the north to avoid police investigation. She offers to pay Ogilvie more than double the amount he asked for.Facing the enormous lure, Ogilvie succumbs to the requirement, and startsto change hisdemeanorand tone.