"What makes Iago evil? some people ask. I never ask." Chap. 1, p. 3

"Benny called for a round of Cuba Libres, a drink I have never known anyone but my mother and father and Benny Austin to order, and I gave him some chips to play for me and went to the ladies' room and never came back." Chap. 1, p. 6

"I mean maybe I was holding all the aces, but what was the game?" Chap. 1, p. 10

"If Freddy Chaikin thought she carried trouble with her he would avoid her, because trouble was something no one in the city liked to be near." Chap. 6, p. 22

"Whether or not Carter could afford the rent, whether it was a month like this one when he was making a lot of money or a month when they lawyers were talking about bankruptcy, the boy came twice a week to vacuum the pool and...