Gladys registered mock sweetness. “Now ain’t that just lovely!” Suddenly the mock sweetness changed into nothing but bitterness.
“Look, copper. I don’t know what brings you up here, so I’m askin’ you again. What’s the wire?”
“Gladys, you got this all wrong,” Elrick said. “I’ve known you since you were a little girl. I’ve watched you grow up. When you used to sing down at Renzelli’s—” He paused and leaned toward her slightly and watched the whiteness increase itself, watched the lower lip shivering.
“Yeah, you said that already. Let’s move along.”
“Well, I was interested in you, Gladys. Just like I’m always interested in the young people around this neighborhood. So I decided to pay you a visit.” He looked around the room. “The place sure has changed.”
“Yeah.” Gladys was watching him suspiciously.
“I was thinking about your boy friend,” Elrick said. “What was his name? Oh, yeah — Vince Mazzione. Whatever became of him?”
“He’s still around.”
“And Lou?”
“I see him once in a while.”