Trunk Music - Michael Connelly [156]
“It means the chief is offering you a break,” Irving said. “He wants to see how things fall out over the next day or two. Each of you is to come to work tomorrow and proceed with the investigation where you can. We talked with the DA’s office. They’re willing to file on Powers. Get the paperwork over there tomorrow first thing. We’ve put the word out and the chief will take it to the media in a couple hours. If we’re lucky, we’ll get this guy before he finds the woman or does any other damage. And if we’re lucky, you three will probably be lucky.”
“What about Veronica Aliso, aren’t they going to file on her?”
“Not yet. Not until we have Powers back. Goff said that without Powers, the taped confession is worthless. He won’t be able to use it against her without Powers on the stand to introduce it or her being able to confront a witness against her.”
Bosch looked down at the floor.
“So without him, she walks.”
“That’s the way it looks.”
Bosch nodded his head.
“What’s he going to say?” he asked. “The chief, I mean.”
“He’s going to tell it like it is. You people will come out okay in some parts, not so okay in others. Overall, it’s not going to be a good day for this department.”
“Is that why we’re getting hit for two months? Because we’re the messengers?”
Irving looked at him a long moment, his jaw clenched, before answering.
“I’m not going to dignify that with a reply.”
He looked at Rider and Edgar and said, “You two can go now. You’re finished here. I need to discuss another matter with Detective Bosch.”
Bosch watched them go and prepared for more of Irving’s ire about the last comment. He wasn’t sure why he had said it. He knew it would bait the deputy chief.
But after Rider closed the door to the office, Irving spoke of another matter.
“Detective, I wanted you to know that I’ve already talked to the federal people and we’re all squared away on that.”
“How is that?”
“I told them that with today’s developments it has become pretty clear — make that crystal clear — that you had nothing to do with planting evidence on their man. I told them it was Powers and that we were terminating that particular aspect of our internal investigation of your conduct.”
“Fine, Chief. Thanks.”
Thinking that was it, Bosch made a move toward the door.
“Detective, there is one other thing.”
Bosch turned back to him.
“In discussing this matter with the chief of police, there is still one other aspect that bothers him.”
“And what is that?”
“The investigation started by Detective Chastain brought in ancillary information about your association with a convicted felon. It’s troubling to me, too. I’d like to be able to get some assurance from you that this is not going to continue. I’d like to take that assurance to the chief.”
Bosch was silent a moment.
“I can’t give you that.”
Irving looked down at the floor. He was working the thick muscles of his jaw again.
“You disappoint me, Detective Bosch,” he finally said. “This department has done a lot by you. So have I. I’ve stood by you through some tough spots. You’ve never been easy, but you have a talent that I think this department and this city certainly need. I suppose that makes you worth it. Do you want to possibly alienate me and others in this department?”
“Not particularly.”
“Then take my advice and do the right thing, son. You know what that is. That’s all I’m going to say on that.”
“Yes, sir.”
“That’s all.”
When Bosch got to his house, he saw a dusty Ford Escort parked at the curb out front. It had Nevada plates. Inside the house, Eleanor Wish was sitting at the table in the small dining room with the classified ads section of the Sunday Times. She had a lit cigarette in the ashtray next to the paper and she was using a black marker to circle want ads. Bosch saw all of this and his heart jumped into a higher gear. What it meant to him was that if she was looking for a job, then she might be digging in, staying in L.A. and staying with him. To top it all off, the house was filled with the aroma of an Italian restaurant, heavy