The doorman fulfilled his primary job description and Korvutz walked through. He pointed south, kept moving, still holding the dog.

Small man but he pumped his legs fast.

I caught up. The Pomeranian yapped happily. Licked my hand.

Korvutz said, “Everyone thinks you’re a great guy.” Small man with a big baritone. In the comparative quiet his accent was more pronounced.

“Kids and dogs,” I said. “Sometimes they’re good judges of character.”

“Bullshit,” said Korvutz. “I had rottweiler, love everyone, the worst scumbags.”

“Maybe this dog’s smarter.”

“Gigi,” said Korvutz. “That’s her name.” He fastened a pink leash to the dog’s rhinestone collar, put her down.

“Like in the movie?”

“My wife like the movie.” Shaking his head.

Gigi raced. We covered a block. Korvutz waited as Gigi explored a lamppost.

I said, “Thanks for seeing me.”

No answer.

“Sorry for ruining your dinner.”

“It not you, it woulda been something else. My daughter. She love the place, but she not ready for it.”

“Too much pressure to be quiet.”

“Sometime Elena get what they call overstimulated.”

“I meant what I said. Cute kid by any standards.”

Korvutz stared at me. “You really a shrink?”

“Want to see my license?”

He laughed. “She my only one. Got married late.”

The dog pulled on the pink leash. Korvutz said, “Okay, okay,” and allowed her to lead.

Ten steps later: “That guy Bright really kill someone?”

“Maybe a bunch of people.”

“Crazy.”

“You never suspected him for the Safrans?”

He held up a palm. “Eh-eh, them I don’t talk about, no way. Brought me nothing but bullshit.”

“All I’m concerned with is Bright—”

“Bright I meet twice? Okay? Only thing I remember is he’s a big ass-kisser. Mr. K. this, Mr. K. that. Back then my buildings got four hundred fifty tenants, four seventy-five. I’m supposed to give a shit ‘Mr. K.’?”

“What’d he ass-kiss about?”

“Trying to be my best friend, like I don’t know when I’m being rimmed.” Korvutz slowed, watched as the dog sniffed another post. Rearranged his eyeglasses. Gigi changed her mind. We resumed walking. “She take her time doing the business. C’mon, dog. I got homework to do.”

I repeated my question.

Korvutz said, “Bright had ideas. My benefit. ‘Have a tenant board, Mr. K., gonna make things smoother.’ I thought it was bullshit.”

“But you agreed.”

“Someone wanna help, it’s no skin off. I’m figuring Bright’s gonna ask for something, I want, I say no. Turns out it was nothing.”

“He never asked for anything?”

“Go figure.”

“No break on the rent?”

“Hey,” said Korvutz, “that I do before.”

“How much of a discount did you give him?”

“Who remembers — maybe coupla thousand total.”

“Goodness of your heart,” I said.

Korvutz turned to me. “Like I said, I met him twice. He want to help out, why not? In the end, it don’t help. Stupid tenant board.”