High Life, Low Life 5e163m

High Life, Low Life ‘summary Private investigator, Nat Marley, met old woman, the homeless Annie Clayton, at Grand Central station, New York. She suffered a heart attack while they’re talking on the street. Marley istered emergency resuscitation. Annie was taken to Bellevue Hospital and later she told Marley she wished to make a will. The next day, Marley was summoned to Mrs Whittaker, an elderly widow, at the opulent Century Apartment on Central Park. When she read the story of Marley saving Annie’s life, she wanted to make him sole beneficiary in her will. This incurred the displeasure of her spooky maid, Martha. Marley wanted no part in this. Annie asked her friend Leona to take Marley to collect a box from her underground home. At the hospital, Annie showed Marley a photo of her lost son Jackie as a teenager, asking Marley to find him before she dies. Later, Marley learnt more about the Whittaker family. Marley was the spitting image of the late Tom Whittaker. Mrs Whittaker led a reclusive life and she has alienated her son and daughter. Marley’s colleague, Joe Blaney, discovered the old lady was besotted with Marley. The search for Jackie took Marley to the East Village, where he learnt that Jackie used to work for a taxi business run by Mr Wiseman, which Joe Blaney discovered to be a cover for a stolen goods operation. Jackie was in hiding from his old boss. Journalist Ed Winchester showed Marley an old story about Ernst Weissmann (Wiseman) and Jackie Clayton being acquitted of handling stolen goods. Marley tip off Captain Oldenberg at police headquarters about Wiseman Cabs. Marley was called to Whittaker’s apartment. Mrs Whittaker has died. Marley was struck by Martha’s indifferent attitude to her dead employer. Marley was suspicious but he couldn’t prove anything. Marley met the son, Charlie Whittaker and explained that he didn’t wish to be the beneficiary of his mother’s will. Meanwhile, Stella, Marley’s personal assistant, had located Jackie’s workplace in Chelsea, but it was an abortive attempt. The next day, Charlie Whittaker summoned Marley. Martha had disappeared with Mrs Whittaker’s money and she had trashed the apartment. Marley was sure that Mrs Whittaker had been murdered, and the police were called. Charlie hired Marley to find Martha. Meanwhile, Marley found a home address for Jackie. Marley and Joe finally cornered him and took him to the hospital to be reunited with his mother. At Century Apartments, Marley found clues indicating Martha could have been gambling with Mrs Whittaker’s money in Atlantic City. The autopsy results on Mrs Whittaker were inconclusive;: verdict- natural death. Marley needed a confession from Martha. She was found in a casino, where she confessed to murder under pressure from Marley. Later that night, Annie finally died. Oldenberg asked Marley to approach Jackie-the deal would be a clean record if he testified against Wiseman. Martha wasn’t charged with the murder for lack of hard evidence, but was charged with left. At the reading of Annie’s will, it transpired that Tom Whittaker was actually Jackie’s father. Thus, Jackie Clayton, Charlie Whittaker and his sister, Betty Osborne, were related. Annie had kept a gift of stock certificates from Tom Whittaker, which prove valuable. The story ended a year later with the opening of the Annie Clayton Center in Harlem, a safe refuge for homeless women, tly funded by Charlie Whittaker, Betty Osborne and Jackie Clayton, in memory of their mothers.