Green’s brows ascended to twin inverted Vs. “That’s a good reason for Costain to hang it on the Greek,” he objected, “but not the other way around.”
“Wait a minute. You don’t get it.” Solly’s face split to a wide grin. “I happen to know this Demetrios has tried to let Costain have it in the back a couple times, only it went wrong, an’ Costain didn’t even tumble to who it was. I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
“Why didn’t you tell Costain?”
Solly stared hard at his empty glass.
Green smiled faintly. “Did Demetrios pay off?”
Solly nodded sheepishly. Green rapped on the bar and the bartender filled both glasses.
“It’s just like it always is,” Solly croaked philosophically. “Costain was crazy jealous of everybody except the right guy, an’ distrusted everybody except the guy who was holding the knife.”
“Where did Costain live? Some place on West Ninetieth, wasn’t it?”
“Uh-huh. Three thirty-one.”
Green picked up his change and Solly gulped both drinks and they went out and started across the slippery sidewalk towards the cab.