The Drop - Michael Connelly [128]
“So,” Chu said. “Did you get her number?”
“Just drive,” Bosch said.
41
On Wednesday morning Bosch and Chu decided they would go to court to witness the first step of the judicial process involving Chilton Hardy. Though they were not needed for the proceedings involving Hardy’s first appearance on the murder charge, Bosch and his partner wanted to be there. It was rare in homicide work that an investigator brought to ground one of the true monsters in the world, and Hardy was one of them. They wanted to see him shackled and displayed, brought before the People.
Bosch had checked with the MDC and knew that Hardy was on the bus that transported white inmates. It was the second bus scheduled for departure. This would put off his appearance in court until at least ten. It gave Harry time to drink a coffee and glance at the stories the investigation had generated in the morning papers.
The phones in the cubicle kept ringing unanswered as journalists and producers left a series of messages seeking comment or inside access to the ongoing investigation. Bosch decided to get away from the noise and head over to the courthouse. As he and Chu stood and put their jackets on—without conferring they had both come dressed in their A suits—Harry could feel the eyes of the squad room on them. He went over to Tim Marcia’s desk and told him where they were going. He said that they would be back directly after Hardy’s appearance unless the prosecutor assigned to the case wanted to talk to them.
“Who got the case?” Marcia asked.
“Maggie McPherson,” Bosch said.
“Maggie McFierce? I thought she was up in the Valley.”
“She was. But now she’s in major crimes. It’s a good break for us.”
Marcia agreed.
They took the elevator down and there were reporters waiting outside the PAB. A few of them recognized Bosch and that started the stampede. Bosch brushed them off with no comment and he and Chu headed to the sidewalk. They crossed First and Bosch pointed to the monolithic Times Building.
“Tell your girlfriend she did a good job with the story in today’s paper.”
“I told you, she’s not my girlfriend,” Chu protested. “I made a mistake with her and it’s been corrected. I didn’t read the story but whatever she got, she got without my help.”
Bosch nodded and decided he would finally let up on Chu about it. It was behind them now.
“So how’s your girlfriend?” Chu asked, jabbing back at Bosch.
“My girlfriend? Uh, as soon as I meet her I’ll ask how she’s doing and let you know.”
“Come on, Harry. You gotta go for that. I saw the look, man.”
“Didn’t you just fall in and out of the shit by allowing a work relationship to become something more than a work relationship?”
“Your situation is something totally different.”
Bosch’s cell buzzed and he pulled it and looked at the screen. Speak of the devil, it was Hannah Stone. Bosch pointed to the phone as he answered it so Chu would know not to say anything in background.
“Dr. Stone?”
“I guess that means you’re not alone.”
There was stress in her voice.
“No, but what’s up?”
“Um, I don’t know if it means anything but Clayton Pell didn’t come back to the facility last night, and it turns out that he didn’t go to work when he left here after signing the statement for you.”
Bosch stopped on the sidewalk and took a moment to compute this.
“And he’s still not back?”
“No, I just found out when I came in.”
“Did you call his work?”
“Yes, I talked to his boss. He said Clayton called in sick yesterday and never showed. But he left here right after you left. He said he was going to work.”
“Okay, what about his PO? Was he informed last night?”
“Not last night. I just called him before calling you. He said he hadn’t heard anything but would do some checking. Then I called you.”
“Why did you wait until this morning? He’s gone almost twenty-four hours now.”
“I told you; I just found out. Remember, this is a voluntary program. We have rules and everyone must abide by them when they’re here, but when someone takes off like that, there’s really very