“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
“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
“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.”
“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.
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
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.”
