“No, I really didn’t expect it at all,” he said.
He walked out and stepped into a green-and-white bandit-chaser. He slammed into first and he was doing forty around a corner and fifty down a narrow street and fifty-five around another corner. He switched on the siren and a horse became frightened and a peddler started to curse as tomatoes went splashing over the side of his wagon. Only then did Elrick slow down.
Elrick finally parked the coupe and stepped out. He walked along a line of four-story tenements and then he looked up at an address. The front door was open and Elrick walked into a dark hallway and went up two flights of steps. An old woman came out of a room and looked at him hatefully.
“Whatchoo want?”
“I’m looking for a Miss Gladys Melvin.”
“She not live here. She move.”
“When?”
“I no know.”
Elrick pushed the cap back on his head and returned the old woman’s bitter gaze with a scowl.
“Show me that girl’s room or I’ll lock you up.”