The Concrete Blonde (hb-3)

background packets, as he read about Nicole Knapp, the seventh victim, Bosch saw the pattern within the pattern. He had somehow missed it before. All of them had. The task force, Locke, the media. They had put all the victims into the same classification. A whore is a whore is a whore. But there were differences. Some were streetwalkers, some were higher up the scale as escorts. Within these two groups, some were also dancers; one was a telegram stripper. And two made livings in the pornography trade-as had the latest victim, Becky Kaminski-while taking outcall hooking assignments on the side.
    Bosch took the packets and photos of Nicole Knapp, the seventh victim, and Shirleen Kemp, the eleventh victim, off the table. These were the two porn actresses, known on video as Holly Lere and Heather Cumhither, respectively.
    He then paged through one of the binders until he found the package on the lone survivor, the woman who had gotten away. She, too, was a porn actress who took outcall sex jobs. Her name was Georgia Stern. Her video name was Velvet Box. She had gone to the Hollywood Star Motel to meet a date arranged through the outcall service she advertised in the local sex tabloids. After she arrived, her client asked her to undress. She turned her back to do this, offering a show of modesty in case that was a turn-on for the client. She then saw the leather strap of her purse come over her head and he began choking her from behind. She fought, as probably all the victims had, but she was able to get free by driving an elbow into her attacker’s ribs, then turning and delivering a kick to his genitals.
    She ran naked from the room, all thought of modesty long gone. By the time police went back in, the attacker was gone. It was three days before the reports on the incident filtered their way to the task force. By then the hotel room had been used dozens of times-the Hollywood Star offered hourly rates-and it was useless as far as gathering physical evidence went.
    Reading the reports on it now, Bosch realized why the composite drawing that Georgia Stern had helped a police artist sketch was so different from the appearance of Norman Church.
    It had been a different man.

    * * *

    An hour later, he turned one of the binders to the last page, where he had kept a listing of phone numbers and addresses of the principals involved in the investigation. He went to the wall phone and dialed the home of Dr. John Locke. He hoped the psychologist had not changed his number in four years.
    Locke picked up after five rings.
    “Sorry, Dr. Locke, I know it’s getting late. It’s Harry Bosch.”
    “Harry, how are you? I am sorry we didn’t get to talk today. It was not the best circumstance for you, I’m sure, but I-”
    “Yes, Doctor, listen, something’s come up. It’s related to the Dollmaker. I have some things I want to show you and talk about. Would it be possible for me to come there?”
    There was a lengthy silence before Locke answered.
    “Would that be about this new case I’ve read about in the paper?”
    “Yes, that and some other things.”
    “Well, let’s see, it’s nearly ten o’clock. Are you sure this can’t wait until tomorrow morning?”
    “I am in court tomorrow morning, Doctor. All day. It’s important. I’d really appreciate your time. I’ll be there before eleven and be out before twelve.”
    When Locke didn’t say anything, Harry wondered if the soft-spoken doctor was afraid of him or just didn’t want a killer cop in his home.
    “Besides,” Bosch said into the silence, “I think you’ll find it interesting.”
    “Very well,” Locke said.
    After getting the address, Harry packed all the paperwork back into the two binders. Sylvia came into the kitchen after hesitating at the doorway until she was sure the photos were packed away.
    “I heard you talking. Are you going to his place tonight?”
    “Yeah, right now. In Laurel Canyon.”
    “What’s going on?”
    He stopped his hurried movement. He had both binders stacked under his right arm.
    “I... well, we missed something. The task force. We messed up. I think all along there were two, but I didn’t see it until now.”
    “Two killers?”
    “I think so. I want to ask Locke about it.”
    “Are you coming back tonight?”
    “I don’t know. It will be late. I was thinking about just going to my place. Check my messages, get some fresh clothes.”
    “This weekend is not looking good, is it?”
    “What—oh, yeah, Lone Pine,