Transcript of conversation between Veena Lion and Suzanne Hingston, community relations manager of the Villas at Elfreth’s Alley
VEENA LION: Let me make myself clear. I work for District Attorney Eliott K. Mostel. So unless you and your management company want me to come back with a subpoena and a small army of investigators…
SUZANNE HINGSTON: We take our residents’ privacy seriously. And shouldn’t a police detective be interviewing potential witnesses?
LION: The district attorney’s office routine employs its own investigators.
HINGSTON: Well, you don’t even have a warrant. I know that much. I checked.
LION: Okay, fine.
HINGSTON: What are you doing? Oh, wait—do you have a warrant in there? Listen, I’m not trying to start something with the DA or anything—
LION: Calm down. This is not a warrant. This is five hundred dollars cash. I’ll wait if you want to count it.
HINGSTON: I don’t need to count it.
LION: But you’re not taking it either.
HINGSTON: I’m seeing only half a warrant there.
LION: Ah. (Pause) You know, used to be I could buy some cooperation with only a quarter of a warrant.
HINGSTON: The times they are a-changing.
LION: Just make sure it’s a full warrant’s worth of information, Ms. Hingston.
HINGSTON: Thank you. (Pause) Her name is Rosalind Cline. She used to work as a hostess in one of those big casinos in Atlantic City. Don’t ask me which one, because I don’t know. All I know is she’s still back and forth to AC all the time. I think she’s there more than she’s here.
LION: Wouldn’t her employment history be in her rental application?
HINGSTON: If she were the one paying the bills, sure. But a private company takes care of it.
LION: Go on.
HINGSTON: What do you mean, go on? What else is there? I hardly know her, and you’d have to pay me a hell of a lot more than a grand if you want me opening up her personal files.
LION: I don’t need her files.
HINGSTON: What, then?
LION: Just tell me about her.
HINGSTON: I don’t know what you mean. Who cares what I think about her?
LION: When you see her walk through the lobby, what goes through your mind? Pretend I paid you a thousand dollars to tell me the truth.
HINGSTON: (Pause) Honestly? I think, Who does that bitch think she is?
LION: Well, that was candid.
HINGSTON: It’s not just me. Everybody here hates her. She’s a lousy tipper. And I don’t care how good-looking you are, that doesn’t give you permission to treat people like dirt. Swear to Christ, some of the people in this place are horrible human beings.