A Darkness More Than Night - Michael Connelly [147]
“Detective Bosch, have you thought any more about what we talked about? I’ve got to start writing my story today.”
Bosch didn’t slow his pace. He knew that once he got into the courtroom he wouldn’t have a lot of time.
“Rudy Tafero,” he said.
“Excuse me?”
“He was your source. Rudy Tafero. I figured it out this morning.”
“Detective, I told you that I can’t reveal —”
“Yeah, I know. But, see, I’m the one who’s revealing it. Anyway, it doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
Bosch suddenly stopped. McEvoy walked a few steps past and then came back.
“Why not?” he asked again.
“Today’s your lucky day, Jack. I’ve got two good tips for you.”
“Okay. What?”
McEvoy started pulling a notebook from his back pocket. Bosch put his hand on his arm to stop him.
“Don’t take that out. The other reporters see that, they’ll think I’m telling you something.”
He gestured up the hall to the open door of the media room where a handful of reporters were loitering and waiting for the day’s court session to begin.
“Then they’ll come over and I’ll have to tell them.”
McEvoy left the notebook in place.
“Okay. What are the tips?”
“First of all, you’re full of shit on that story. In fact, your source was arrested this morning for the murder of Edward Gunn as well as the attempted murder of Terry McCaleb.”
“What? He got —”
“Wait. Let me talk. I don’t have a lot of time.”
He waited and McEvoy nodded.
“Yeah, Rudy got popped. He killed Gunn. The plan was to put it on me and spring it on the world during the defense case.”
“Are you saying that Storey was a part of —”
“Exactly. Which brings me to tip number two. And that is, if I were you, I would be in that courtroom today long before the judge comes in and starts things. You see those guys standing down there? They’re going to miss it, Jack. You don’t want to be like them.”
Bosch left him there. He nodded to the deputy on the courtroom door and was allowed in.
Two deputies were walking David Storey to his place at the defense table as Bosch came into the courtroom. Fowkkes was already there and Langwiser and Kretzler were seated at the prosecution table. Bosch looked at his watch as he came through the gate. He had about fifteen minutes before the judge would take the bench and call for the jury.
He went to the prosecution table but remained standing. He leaned down and put both palms on the table and looked at the two prosecutors.
“Harry, you ready?” Langwiser began. “Today’s the day.”
“Today’s the day but not because of what you think. You two would take a plea on this wouldn’t you? If he copped to Jody Krementz and Alicia Lopez, you wouldn’t go for the needle, right?”
They both looked at him with blank stares of confusion.
“Come on, we don’t have a lot of time before the judge comes out. What if I could go over there and in five minutes get you two murder ones? Alicia Lopez’s family would love you for it. You told them you didn’t have a case.”
“Harry, what are you talking about?” Langwiser said. “We floated a plea. Twice. Fowkkes shot it down both times.”
“And we don’t have the evidence on Lopez,” Kretzler added. “You know that — the grand jury passed. Nobody, no —”
“Listen, you want the plea or not? I think I can go over there and get it. I arrested Rudy Tafero for murder this morning. It was a setup orchestrated by Storey to get to me. It backfired and Tafero is taking a deal. He’s talking.”
“Jesus Christ!” Kretzler said.
He said it too loudly. Bosch turned and looked over at the defense table. Both Fowkkes and Storey were looking at them. Just past the defense table he saw McEvoy take a seat in the media gallery that was closest to the defense table. No other reporters had come in and sat down yet.
“Harry, what are you talking about?” Langwiser said. “What murder?”
Bosch ignored the questions.
“Let me go over there,” Bosch said. “I want to look in Storey’s eyes when I tell him.”
Kretzler and Langwiser looked at each other. Langwiser shook her shoulders and waved her hands in exasperation.
“Worth a try. We were only holding death as an ace in the hole.”
“Okay then,