Bill Black

Chapter 2

Bill Black / Bill — aliases: Case in point

Bill Black arrives with his wife, bringing lasagne and expressing admiration for Ragle's contest success. He engages Vic in professional pleasantries, defends his tight-fitting fashion as adaptive, and offers a Freudian interpretation of Vic's physical symptoms. He later dismisses the possibility of flying saucers as weather balloons or meteors.

Chapter 5

Bill Black

Bill Black discovers a note listing calls to disconnected field numbers, investigates with Stuart Lowery, and visits the Gumm/Nielson house to confront Vic and Ragle about the anomalous phone book and magazine. He becomes visibly agitated by their claims regarding Marilyn Monroe, confiscates the phone book to hide his fear, and later panics after Lowery learns of the entries for 'Ragle Gumm Inc.' contained within it.

Chapter 9

Bill Black

Bill Black reads a telegram about a missed truck and Ragle Gumm, feigning calm before his wife Junie. He admits responsibility for Ragle's disappearance to deflect her accusations and describes his own state as 'adult fear' rather than guilt.

Chapter 11

Black / Bill Black — aliases: Mr. Black

Bill Black hears city trucks parking outside his office and meets with Mr. Neroni. He learns that Ragle attended the Civil Defense class and realizes that Ragle may be recovering his sanity and planning to escape.

Chapter 14

Bill Black / Bill — aliases: Major William Black

Bill Black arrives at Margo's house with a suitcase, revealing that he is a Major in the Strategic Planning board and that he is married to Margo. He explains that their entire household was constructed to house Ragle. He stays the night waiting for Ragle to return, but leaves in the morning after a phone call, having given up hope.