Part 2 - The Heart Music

[Mr. Handy]

"He probably went that way," says Jacqueline, pointing at the fallen bin. "Let's go that way."

[SunlessNick]

The indicated direction is away from 133rd Street, which also means away from the direction any police or other emergency services are likely to come. The alley come out on the much narrower 132nd, mostly made up of tenements.

There's no sign of Locke right or left - the ends of the street are Seventh and Eighth Avenues - if he's made it to them, or gone into one of the buildings, there's no way to catch up with him.

There is however another alley ahead, and if he went that way, you might still catch up him, burdened as he is by his horn.

OOC,Ellis's Dex 40, Jacqueline's 65; rolled 1D100 three times 65, 38, 48.

It's quickly apparent that at least one bin in the alley opposite has been knocked, and there's a crate that looks like it's been kicked or tripped over. You're both able to navigate the obstacles yourselves, making it all the way down it without tripping over anything yourselves, At the far end, you emerge onto 131st. It's also a narrow tenement street, but much shorter, and as you reach it, you see movement rounding a street corner to your right.* Too quick to be entirely sure it's him, but it's unlikely to be anyone else.

* In terms of location, think of it as a "7.5" avenue that runs between 131st and 130th.

[Mr. Handy]

"This way," says Jacqueline, already running after the fleeing figure.

[SunlessNick]

OOC,Another set of chase rolls: 82, 00, 44.

Maybe Jacqueline is impelled by the vision of the globes of light, and what it told her about the music, or maybe she has the fitness of a habitual dancer. Either way she makes it to the corner just in time to hear a door close. There's no one in the street, and she's pretty sure that Locke couldn't have made it all way to the far end soon enough to be out of sight.

It's hard to pinpoint which building the sound of the door came from, but Jacqueline has the impression it was on the far side. There are only four tenements on that side of the street that have lights on.

[Mr. Handy]

"I heard one of these doors close," Jacqueline tells Ellis when he catches up to her. "It's probably one of the ones with a light on, but I'm not sure which one. The door was shut before I could see it."

[HoneyDog]

Ellis looks around.

"I don't think we can just walk in to someone's home. Maybe we should come back during the day, and ask around about Locke."

[SunlessNick]

Ellis position is logical, and at least you have narrowed down where to ask questions tomorrow.

in the morning, the incident at the Nest has made New York's newspapers. Unsurprisingly, the mainstream press is talking about a riot, "Negro tempers becoming inflamed" - no deaths are reported, but the police express confidence of making arrests in the near future. Harlem's local papers don't tell a very different story, they just don't automatically blame the black people - the Negro World includes an interview with a patron who describes a vision similar to yours, leading the journalist to speculate about a gas leak.

It is Tuesday, leaving you with the choice of whether to visit the street (let's call it Clarke Avenue) early in the morning before he has to teach, or early in the afternoon when school closes up.

[Mr. Handy]

"Let's go back early in the morning," suggests Jacqueline. "Memories will be fresher, and the trail won't be as cold."

[SunlessNick]

You're both able to get to Clarke Avenue early in the morning, though it leaves your muscles a bit sore and tired (though his presumably will be as well).

Between you you're able to recall which four houses had the lights on.

How do you want to approach them?

[Mr. Handy]

"Shall we knock on each of the four doors and ask about Walter Locke, describing him if they don't know him?" asks Jacqueline. "We can also ask if they were aware of any disturbance last night."

[HoneyDog]

“He might open the door! We don’t want to let him know we’re onto him. I’ve got an idea.”

He looks around to see if there are any kids around.

[SunlessNick]

There are indeed some kids around.

[HoneyDog]

Ellis takes a dollar out of his pocket as he approaches the kids.

“Hi there” he says, holding up the dollar. “Do any of you know if a horn player lives there?"

He indicates the building with his thumb.

[Mr. Handy]

Jacqueline is surprised that Ellis is offering so much, but she knows that it is a good plan.

[SunlessNick]

“Hi there” he says, holding up the dollar. “Do any of you know if a horn player lives there?"

The boy pauses a moment, then says, "Not there, but there's a few live there" - he points at one of the other candidate buildings - "there's one comes out and plays on the doorstep sometimes."

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," says Jacqueline. "Did you notice anything unusual last night?"

[SunlessNick]

"What time? Mom makes me go to bed at seven."

"I can stay up till eight," an older boy boasts.

"I woke up in the night," a girl with them puts in. "I thought I heard a noise." Checking which is her house shows she lives next door to the one the boy indicated as the hornmen's residence.

[Mr. Handy]

"What did the noise sound like?" asks Jacqueline.

[SunlessNick]

"A bang," she says.

[HoneyDog]

"Does he live with anyone else?" Ellis asks.