In the second installment of Eric's story, Vincent catches a fleeting glimpse of Eric at the conclusion of the press conference, a fleeting image that lodges in his mind. Later, his mood darkens as he witnesses Sebastian, Cassie's former protégé, offering her comfort. Cassie's pleas for Vincent's assistance in the search for Edgar fall on deaf ears as he coldly rejects her, claiming the urgency of his workday. His mind is fixated on securing Edgar's puppet for the show, seeing it as a potential lure for the missing child.
Meanwhile, Michael delves into Edgar's past, inquiring with his teacher about any clues that might lead to his whereabouts. Among the missing child's drawings, he stumbles upon a haunting portrayal of Edgar fleeing his home with an unidentified figure. The revelation deepens his suspicions about The Lux and Kennedy's cryptic allusion to the number "8". However, Cripp urges him to abandon such speculative musings.
As Vincent arrives at work, he finds the crew engrossed in a new puppet, and his pent-up emotions erupt into an angry outburst. His colleague Ronnie retaliates with barbs about Vincent's negligence in allowing his son to walk to school alone. After the dust settles, Vincent unveils his design for Eric to Lennie, but his vision fails to resonate. Nevertheless, Vincent pleads with him, hoping that if Edgar glimpses Eric on the show, it might prompt him to return home. Moved by Vincent's desperation, Lennie resolves to present the idea to their superiors.
Later, Vincent pitches the concept of Eric to one of the executive producers, who remains skeptical but agrees to convene the team to hear his presentation on Friday. In a drunken stupor, Vincent blurts out a question to Lennie, asking if he had taken his son since he had always been fond of him. Lennie brushes off the drunken ramblings and returns to his work.
At the NYPD, Michael's investigation into George Lovett, the building superintendent, takes an intriguing turn. He discovers a criminal record in George's past, prompting a deeper probe. Inside George's home, Michael notices jars filled with candy and a children's magazine, clues that heighten his suspicions. Together with other officers, they descend into the boiler room, where they stumble upon chalk drawings, a tricycle, and a juice box, evidence that suggests a sinister connection to the missing Edgar.Meanwhile, Cassie distributed flyers adorned with Edgar's image, and to her surprise, Alexander Gator unexpectedly snatched one. As she continued handing out flyers at the subway station, Cassie's heart skipped a beat when she spotted a woman clad in her son's distinctive red jacket. Mistaking her for Edgar, Cassie frantically chased after her, but the startled woman fled in panic. In the meantime, Cassie watched with horror as George's arrest flashed across the television screen.
George's lawyer, Miss Clark, stormed into the NYPD, berating George for falsely accusing another innocent Black man. Despite George's record for raping a minor, she insisted that the charge had been overturned nine years ago. Nevertheless, Michael remained resolute, stating that he was doing his best with the evidence at hand.
During questioning, George revealed that Edgar had taken a liking to hiding in his apartment whenever his parents argued, finding solace in the sanctuary it provided. He confirmed that his blood type was O, matching the stain on the shirt, but Edgar's blood type was A-positive, a crucial detail that didn't align.
As Vincent spoke with Michael, his attention was diverted by the commotion emanating from Eric. He struggled to believe that George could be guilty, while Cassie remained open to any explanation that might lead to the truth.
Upon returning home, Cassie flipped on the TV to catch an interview with Richard Costello, a reputed advocate for the homeless in the city. The interview soon sparked a heated argument between Vincent and Cassie, with Vincent defending his decision to allow Edgar to visit George's apartment and Cassie accusing him of taking money from his parents. Vincent was adamant that he didn't want to be beholden to people who had never shown any interest in Edgar's welfare.
When Vincent mentioned his idea of getting Eric on the show, Cassie thought he had lost his mind. She then pressed him about the cut on his forehead from the day Edgar disappeared and inquired about his blood type. Vincent evaded the question, saying only that he intended to return the check to his mother. Cassie, overcome by nausea, vomited for the second time that day.On the subway, Eric eagerly informed Vincent of his intention to secure him a spot on the show, hoping it would entice Edgar to return home. Arriving at his parents' abode, he handed back their check, only to be observed by his mother engaging in a conversation with himself, reminiscent of his childhood antics. She gently admonished him, urging him to resume his medication. As he exited, a fleeting glimpse of his father caught his eye, engrossed in a conversation about one of his properties.
Meanwhile, Michael visited George in his holding cell, presenting him with Edgar's drawing, depicting a Black man fleeing the house with a child. George sneered, finding no resemblance to himself in the illustration. He expressed disgust that Michael would even suggest he was a pedophile.
Elsewhere, a woman, clad in what appeared to be Edgar's jacket, traversed an area populated by homeless individuals. She encountered a man named Yuusuf, whose features closely resembled the man in Edgar's drawing. Yuusuf retrieved a missing person poster of Edgar and a rope from the plastic bag proffered by the woman. Assuring her that the rope would suffice, she inquired if she would be part of his plan.
Upon returning home, Michael found William, weak and struggling alone in the shower. Gently lifting him to the couch, Michael noticed various items in the house marked with differently colored stickers. Yellow indicated items meant for him, while green designated those for Caroline. Avoiding the topic of William's declining health, Michael turned away, his heart heavy with the weight of unspoken truths.
The detective made his way back to The Lux, eager to interrogate Gator about the recording he had obtained during his previous visit. However, Gator steadfastly maintained his innocence, insisting that he now adhered strictly to the law. He led Michael to the rear of the establishment, introducing him to the child of one of their employees, who occasionally resided there. Additionally, he revealed the actual bourbon that TJ had alluded to, as a testament to his honesty.
While Gator was busy attempting to clear his name in Michael's eyes, Sebastian silently passed by, carrying a tray laden with food, unnoticed by either party.
After this encounter, Michael received another one of the numerous calls he had been receiving from Marlon Rochelle's distraught mother. Her son, a young Black man, had been missing for nearly a year, and she berated Michael and the NYPD for seemingly forgetting about his disappearance.
Meanwhile, Vincent was busy preparing for his crucial pitch, while Michael intently watched the recording of Edgar walking to school on the fateful morning he vanished. He observed George returning to his apartment as Edgar departed, but his attention was also drawn to Vincent, who appeared to be chasing after him.
Elsewhere, Cassie delved into Edgar's birth records, searching for clues about Vincent's blood type. Her search yielded a surprising revelation - Vincent's blood type was O-positive, identical to the blood found on Edgar's shirt. With this critical information in hand, she hurriedly placed a call to Michael.
Elsewhere in the city, Yuusuf strode purposefully, carrying a rope and plastic bag, heading somewhere with a determined gait.
