The Conjure Man Dies: A Mystery Tale of Dark Harlem

Later that morning, Bubber Brown walks down the streets of Harlem in a good mood. The song “I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal You” is playing, and he soon feels uneasy. He walks to the police station but decides to walk past it. Near an apartment building, he sees two men get in a fight over a woman and the woman’s man shoots the other. This disturbs Bubber, who then walks back to the precinct and reflects that this is the second death he’s seen. He remembers the sight of the death moon and the superstition about moon signs.

He enters the precinct to talk to Jinx and is permitted to see him by the lieutenant. Bubber tells Jinx that he saw two murders and that he is sure he will see another one. Jinx says that Bubber betrayed him to save himself from jail, but Bubber tells him that he kept himself from jail so that he could use his detective skills to free Jinx. Though Jinx is doubtful and worried that his assault charge will imprison him for 20 years, Bubber promises to find evidence that Frimbo’s assistant attacked Frimbo by the following day.