Chapter 2 Summary

During the week that follows the attack, Morris is injured badly enough not to be able to descend the stairs to work. Ida cannot work all the time because she has bad legs and feet. This leaves the grocery store vulnerable, which it is already anyway because there is hardly any clientele. Ida notices a man watching the store from across the street, from the candy store. Sam Pearl talks with this man, identified as Frank Alpine.

While Morris is laid up in bed, the Polish lady who comes at 6:00 in the morning for her roll and milk has taken the goods without help, but when Morris comes down the next day, she pays him for what she's taken. That day Frank Alpine comes into the store and talks to Morris. He has a cup of coffee and explains that he is looking...