“No help with the condo-conversion.”

Scowling, he walked faster. “That building screwed me. Financed it with other properties, shoulda known better than to invest in that piece of shit. Then I got short, rates are getting worse, the banks not gonna lend unless they got you by the — the paperwork get all — crazy time it take this damn city to get something done. What the hell do you care? You want know about Dale Ass-kissey? That’s the story. Period.”

I said, “How’d he come to rent from you?”

“Referral.”

“From who?”

“What’s the difference?”

We walked until Gigi grew fascinated with the scents emanating from a trash can on the corner of Sixty-ninth.

“Go, already,” said Korvutz. “Dog.”

I said, “Who referred Bright to you?”

“Again?”

“What’s the big secret?”

“I didn’t even want new tenants. You convert, you need it empty. Bright get guaranteed no-hassle, I say what the hell, okay. That’s my problem. Soft heart.”

Gigi moved from the trash can. We covered another half a block before I said, “Who guaranteed him?”

“This is a big goddamn deal, huh?”

“Sonia Glusevitch?”

Korvutz licked his lips. “You know Sonia?”

“I know she’s your cousin and she served on the board with Dale.”

“Cousin,” he said, as if learning a new word. “Her mother’s second husband is nephew of one of my stepsisters.”

“She knew Dale and recommended him.”

Reluctant nod.

“Was she involved with him?”

“Sonia was married.”

“Same question,” I said.

“I don’t nosy in other people’s business.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Look,” said Korvutz, “Sonia come to me, say she got friend need a place. I say six months, tops.”

“That could’ve fit Dale Bright’s needs perfectly.”

“What you mean?”

“He moves around,” I said.

“Good for him.”

“There’s no record of him after he left your building. Any idea where he went?”

“I should know?”

“Where’d Sonia meet him?”

“That I know,” said Korvutz. “Doing a show.”

“What kind of show?”

“Sonia want to be actress. That time, she has terrible English, she a little better now. One year I’m here from Belarus, I’m talking perfect. Two years, I got the Puerto Rican Spanish, five years I’m talking to Chinese people. Hasta luego ying chang chung.”

“Sonia has no gift for language.”

“Sonia?” Chuckle. “What they say, not swiftest knife in pantry?”

“But she thought she could act.”

“Wanna be big star.”

“Movies or stage plays?”

“Even now,” said Korvutz, “she go to classes at the New School. Paint pictures, make pots, ashtrays, candleholders.”

“Artistic.”

“Live off divorce money, you got time take lessons.”

“Rich ex.”

“Plastic surgeon. He do her boobies, like what he do, marry her, get to look at it all the time.”

“What’s his name?”

“Who remembers?”

“He marries your cousin and you don’t remember?”