Summary

Bascombe owns two rental homes, adjacent to one another in a quiet black neighborhood. Frank starts his day off by going to collect the rent for one of them. The McLeods, a mixed-race couple, are the tenants. Often times, Larry McLeod acts somewhat aggressively to Frank when he comes to collect their money, and sometimes the McLeods do not answer the door, even though it is clear they are home.

He makes a stop at his office, and then goes to pick up the Markhams to show them a potential residential property. Joe and Phyllis Markham are moving from Vermont, but are unable to afford the kind of house they really want. Up to this point, they have already looked at forty-five homes, but Frank is hoping the home he has in mind today is the right one. Upon arrival, Frank notices Joe is in a...