Bad Business Quotes

“What we have here,” I said, “is a roomful of culprits, with varying levels of culpritude.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“O’Mara sat back down and crossed his legs effortlessly. His freshly creased slacks were the color of butterscotch. His wing-tipped loafers were burgundy. He wore no socks. He had on a starched white shirt, open at the throat, and a blue blazer with brass buttons. My clothes must never fit that well, I thought. I’d be overwhelmed with sexual opportunities, and never get any work done. I promised myself to be careful.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Darrin and Lance,” he said. “The love that dare not speak its name?” I drank some beer. “This will give rise to considerable speculation on our part,” I said. “I thought it might,” Hawk said. “That’s why I wanted two pizzas.” “I’ll get right on it,” I said and reached for the phone.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Attitude?” I said. “After I got you this lucrative gig?” “Go track down a criminal,” Marty said. “Okay,” I said. Adele smiled at me, though I think Marty had replaced me in her affections, or Vinnie, or maybe both. Inconstancy, thy name is Adele.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“went to see Quirk in his new high-tech office in the new high-tech police headquarters. “Wow,” I said. “You must be catching a lot more crooks now.” “We got so many,” Quirk said, “they’re asking us to slow down a little.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“The fact that one thing precedes another doesn’t mean one thing causes another.” “Oh,” she said. “I know all that. But do I want to risk getting killed for some fucking formal logic rule?” “No,” I said. “You don’t.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Belson had finished his Boston cream and was now selecting a strawberry-frosted donut with multicolored sprinkles on it. “You’re going to eat that?” I said. “Sure.” “You got no taste in donuts, Frank.” “I must have,” Frank said. “I’m a cop.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Are you trying to compromise my manhood?” I said. “Oh, yeah, that,” she said. “Now and then I forget.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“We finished breakfast and got our luggage. Susan carried my small overnight bag. I carried her big bag, and her smaller one, and the one that contained her makeup, and one she referred to as the big poofy one, and a large straw hat she had worn to the beach, which didn’t fit into anything. “Why don’t you get a bellman,” Susan said.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Absolutely,” Susan said. “It certifies that you’re pussy whipped.” “I brought you.” “I rest my case,” Susan said.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“So you think it’s an accident?” “No.” “Couldn’t you have said that to start?” “I have a Ph.D.,” Susan said. “From Harvard. If I had done postdoctoral work I wouldn’t be able to speak at all.” “Of course,” I said.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Susan was holding a glass of pinot grigio, from which she had, in theory, been drinking for an hour and ten minutes. It was down nearly half an inch. She took another sip, and swallowed, looking at the room. Her lips were slightly parted, the residue of wine making them gleam. I knew that jumping over there and sitting on her lap was unseemly. I fought the impulse back. “We only assume something to be an accident when all other explanations fail,” she said. “Wow,” I said. “Is that the royal we? Or are you talking about you and me?” “You and me,” she said. “I only use the royal we for state occasions.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Everyone there was from Kinergy, except me and Susan. “Breathtaking,” Susan said, “isn’t it.” “Think of the pressure,” I said. “Do I look like a winner? Am I dressed right? Am I talking to the right people? Have I signed up for the right activities? What if I’ve signed up for sailing and it turns out that only losers sign up for sailing?” “You can smell the fear,” Susan said. “And the greed.” “That too,” I said. “We have penetrated to the heart,” Susan said, “of corporate America.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“went to see Elmer O’Neill at his office in a converted gas station in Arlington. The gas pumps were gone, but the low concrete pedestal on which they’d once sat was still there. “I see what you mean about low overhead,” I said when I went in. “Overhead any lower,” Elmer said, “and I couldn’t stand up straight.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“. O’Mara sat back down and crossed his legs effortlessly. His freshly creased slacks were the color of butterscotch. His wing-tipped loafers were burgundy. He wore no socks. He had on a starched white shirt, open at the throat, and a blue blazer with brass buttons. My clothes must never fit that well, I thought. I’d be overwhelmed with sexual opportunities, and never get any work done. I promised myself to be careful.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“And, of course you have agreed to continue.” “Well, the pay is good, and she did cry—you know how I hate crying—and I’m sort of curious about who killed her husband while I was outside watching.” Susan smiled. “What?” I said. “Even if the pay were bad and she didn’t cry,” Susan said. “You think I’d do it just because I’m curious?” “Without question,” Susan said. “You shrinks think you know everything,” I said. “Am I right?” Susan said. “Yes.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“But procedure is procedure,” I said. “Un-huh.” “Why I left the cops,” I said. “You left the cops because they canned your ass for being an insubordinate fucking hot dog,” Healy said. “Well, yeah,” I said. “That too.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“It was 5:30 in the morning. Healy and I were drinking coffee out of thick white mugs at the counter of a small diner on Route 20. I felt the way you feel when you’ve been up all night and drunk too much coffee. If I still smoked, I would have drunk too much coffee and smoked too many cigarettes and felt worse. It wasn’t much in the way of consolation. But one makes do.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“I do,” I said. “I know I frighten a lot of men,” she said. “You know—beautiful, educated, rich. Men feel threatened.” “I’m trying to be brave,” I said. “I think you are really good-looking too,” she said. “Guys at the gym are always telling me that,” I said. “It’s hard being alone,” she said. “And being a woman. I’m counting on you.” “Little lady,” I said, “you’re in good hands.” “Are you laughing at me?” “With,” I said. “Laughing with.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Do you have a diagnosis?” “It’s what in my profession we call characterological.” “Which means you haven’t an explanation.” “Basically yes,” Susan said. “It’s simply how you are.” “You sure?” “Yes.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Do you do divorce work?” the woman said. “I do,” I said. “Are you any good?” “I am,” I said. “I don’t want likelihood,” she said. “Or guesswork. I need evidence that will stand up in court.” “That’s not up to me,” I said. “That’s up to the evidence.” She sat quietly in my client chair and thought about that. “You’re telling me you won’t manufacture it,” she said. “Yes,” I said.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“How do you do,” I said. “My name is Spenser.” “Of course I know your name,” she said. “How do you think I got here?” “I thought you looked up handsome in the phone book,” I said. “And my picture was there.” She smiled for the first time that morning. “Well,” she said. “Maybe you are a little bit handsome in a rough sort of way.” “Tough,” I said. “But sensitive.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“I don’t know. She says she knows he’s cheating. But she adds nothing of substance to the accusation.” “Doe she have much of substance?” “In this case?” “In any case,” I said. Frampton shook his head slowly. “Marlene is a client,” he said. “It is unbecoming an attorney to discuss his clients’ personal quirks.” “Heavens,” I said. “Integrity?” “One finds it in the most unlikely places,” Frampton said.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“A veritable circle jerk,” Susan said. “Wow,” I said, “you shrinks have a technical language all your own, don’t you?” “Bet your ass,” Susan said. “Do you know the identity of the third snoop?”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Makes both of us good,” Susan said. “We are hounds for the truth.” “Woof,” I said. We sat with our shoulders touching and our backs to the land, and ate our lunch, and drank our wine, and felt the pull of the ocean’s implacable kinesis. “Should we walk back to the White Barn and have a nap?” I said. “And afterwards a swim in the pool, and cocktails, and dinner?” “Is ‘nap’ a euphemism for something more active?” Susan said. “The two are not mutually exclusive,” I said. “No,” Susan. “But it’s important that they don’t coincide.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“I called Hawk on his cell phone. “Where are you?” I said. “Not your business,” he said. “What are you doing.” “Very not your business,” he said. “Oh that,” I said.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“both practicing restraint.”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business

“Pearl eyed a man and woman walking by in funny hats. Her whole body stiffened with the desire to bark at them. Mine too. But we had both been urged repeatedly not to, and we were”
― Robert B. Parker, Bad Business