Jude follows the mugger down a long covered staircase to the street. The mugger heads toward 321 Prospect Place. The streets are lined with old apartment buildings. Many windows are boarded up and several buildings are clearly dilapidated. Jude sees two men standing on the corner, slamming a piece of heavy machinery onto the pavement.
Jude hears Gospel music coming from a "storefront church" and notices a sign, "SISTER TAYLOR, MEDIUM, SPIRIT READER, ADVISOR. "Contact the dearly departed. $20.00"." He looks up to a third story window and sees a similar sign with day-glow arrows pointing to the entrance on the street. He seems curious, but then realizes that the mugger is nearly halfway down the block. He turns and rushes after him.
Jude and the mugger approach a tenement building at 321Prospect Place.
Jude follows the Mugger into the building and watches as he opens the mail box for APT. 4D. The name scribbled across it is Brandon Foster. There's no mail.
"Dammit!" Brandon says before he closes the mailbox.
"Fucking loser." Jude snorts.
Jude enters Brandon's apartment. It is a squalid affair. Peeled paint chips litter the floor. The bed is unmade. Vodka bottles and bags of pretzels are on his bed. Brandon pulls open a drawer in a small nightstand and drops in the keys to Connor's loft. Jude sees Connor's wallet. His driver's license, bank ID, and a photo of him and Connor are there, too. Furious, Jude lunges for Brandon but then holds his punch, knowing it will have no effect.
"God this fucking sucks!" He says.
He turns instead to a window and, like the ghost on the subway, smashes it with his fist. Nothing happens.
"Damn! I need to learn how that ghost did that."
Brandon dials the phone. Someone comes on the line.
"Who are you calling you snake?" Jude asks him.
"He came home…..I couldn't get it….Give me a couple of days….I'll go back."
He hangs up. Jude stares at him in wild confusion.
"Get what? Who the fuck are you? What were you doing at Connor's? What the hell's going on?"
Willie grabs a bottle of wine from inside the nightstand and lies down. After a moment he reaches over and takes Connor's photo from the drawer. He studies it slowly.
"I can't believe I'm admitting this, but he is a good looking guy. I need his regimen."
Jude stands by the door in a state of motionless rage. There is nothing he can do.
"What do you want from us? Stay away from him! You hear me?! STAY AWAY FROM CONNOR, OR YOU WILL REGRET IT!"