| A man dressed in only his underwear and holding a baseball bat leaned over the railing on the second floor landing. He peered down trying to make out who I was but the shadow from the staircase obscured my face. |
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| MACE: | It's all right, Mr. Phipps. It's just me. |
| PHIPPS: | Who's me? |
| He started coming down the staircase to get a closer look. |
| PHIPPS: | Is that you, Broade? I thought you were still out of town. |
| MACE: | I just got back. I thought I'd get my mail but it seems like someone painted over the damn mailboxes. I can't get this thing open. |
