9 Dragons

Pacific. Bosch’s phone buzzed and he answered without looking, expecting the caller to be Haller with news about the meeting with the Hong Kong detectives being over.
    “Harry, it’s Dr. Hinojos. We’re waiting for you.”
    Bosch had forgotten. For more than thirty years he had simply moved with an investigation when it was time to move. He had never had to think about anybody else.
    “Oh, Doctor! I’m so sorry. I completely-I’m on my way to pick up a suspect.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “We got a break and I had to-is there any way that Maddie could stay with you a little while longer”
    “Well, this is…I suppose she could stay here. I really just have administrative work the rest of the day. Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
    “Look, I know this is bad. It looks bad. She just got here and I left her with you and forgot. But this case is the reason she’s here. I have to ride it out. I’m going to grab this guy if he’s home and come back downtown. I’ll call you then. I’ll come get her then.”
    “Okay, Harry. I could use the extra time with her. You and I are also going to need to find time to talk. About Maddie and then about you.”
    “Okay, we will. Is she there? Can I speak to her?”
    “Hold on.”
    After a few moments Maddie got on the line.
    “Dad?”
    With one word she imparted all of the messages: surprise, disappointment, disbelief, terrible letdown.
    “I know, baby. I’m sorry. Something’s come up and I need to go with it. Go with Dr. Hinojos and I will be there as fast as I can.”
    “All right.”
    A double helping of disappointment. Bosch feared it would not be the last time.
    “Okay, Mad. I love you.”
    He closed the phone and put it away.
    “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said before Chu could ask a question.
    “Okay,” Chu said.
    The traffic opened up and they made it into Venice in less than a half hour. Along the way Bosch took another call, this one the expected one from Haller. He told Harry that the Hong Kong police would bother him no further.
    “That’s it, then?”
    “They’ll be in touch about your ex-wife’s body, but that’s it. They’re dropping any inquiry into your part in this.”
    “What about Sun Yee?”
    “They claim he is being released from questioning and that he faces no charges. You will need to contact him, of course, to confirm.”
    “Don’t worry, I will. Thank you, Mickey.”
    “All in a day’s work.”
    “Send me the bill.”
    “No, we’re even, Harry. Instead of billing you, why don’t you let my daughter meet your daughter? They’re almost the same age, you know.”
    Bosch hesitated. He knew that Haller was asking for more than a visit between the two girls. Haller was Bosch’s half brother, though they had never met as adults until they crossed paths on a case just a year before. Hooking up the daughters meant hooking up the fathers, and Bosch wasn’t sure he was ready for that.
    “When the time is right we’ll do it,” he said. “Right now, she’s supposed to start school tomorrow and I’ve got to get her settled in here.”
    “Sounds good. You be safe, Harry.”
    Bosch closed the phone and concentrated on finding Henry Lau’s residence. The streets that made up the neighborhoods at the south end of Venice were gridded in alphabetical order and Quarterdeck was one of the last before the inlet and Marina del Rey.
    Venice was a bohemian community with uptown prices. The building where Lau resided was one of the newer glass-and-stucco structures that were slowly crowding out the little weekend bungalows that had once lined the beach. Bosch parked in an alley off Speedway and they walked back.
    The building was a condominium complex and there were signs out front advertising two units for sale. They entered through a glass door and stood in a small vestibule with an inner security door and a button panel for calling up to individual units. Bosch didn’t like the idea of pushing the button for unit 11. If Lau knew police were at the building entrance, he could escape through any fire exit in the building.
    “What’s the plan?” Chu said.
    Bosch started pushing the buttons for the other units. They waited and finally a woman answered one of the calls.
    “Yes?”
    “Los Angeles police, ma’am,” Bosch said. “Can we speak with you?”
    “Speak to me about what?”
    Bosch shook his head. There was a time when he would not have been questioned. The door would have been immediately