The Narrows

can't get released from confidentiality. How does that sound?"
    "You need a phone?"
    "I have one. I just don't know if it works out here."
    "It will. We put up a repeater."
    "That's nice. You guys think of everything."
    "Make your call."
    "I need to do it in private."
    "Then we'll leave you here. Five minutes, Mr. Bosch."
    I was back to Mr. Bosch with her. That was an improvement. "Actually, I would rather you wait here while I took a walk out in the desert. More private that way."
    "Suit yourself. Just do it."
    I left Rachel standing at the counter staring at the photo and Dei at the table looking at the file. I was escorted out of the RV and out to the open desert near the makeshift helicopter landing pad. Zigo stopped and let me walk on out by myself. He lit a smoke and kept his eyes on me. I pulled out my phone and checked the screen showing my last ten calls. I chose Buddy Lockridge's number and called it. I knew I had a good shot at reaching him because bis phone was a cell.
    "Yeah?"
    It didn't sound like him.
    "Buddy?"
    "Yeah, who is this?"
    "It's Bosch, where are you?"
    "I'm in bed, man. You always call me in bed."
    I looked at my watch. It was past noon.
    "Well, get up. I'm putting you to work."
    His voice immediately took on an alertness.
    "I'm up. What do you want me to dp?"
    I tried to quickly put together a plan. On the one hand I was annoyed with myself for not bringing McCaleb's computer with me, but on the other hand I knew that if I had brought it, then it would be in the bureau's hands now and not much use to me.
    "I need you to get to The Following Sea as fast as you can. In fact, take a helicopter and I'll pay you back. Just get over there and get on the boat."
    "Not a problem. Then what?" "Go on Terry's computer and into the photos. Print out the front and side shots of Shandy. Can you do that?"
    "Yeah, but I thought you already printed-"
    "I know, Buddy, I need you to do it again. Print those out, then go up into the file boxes on top. I forget which box but one of them has a file on a guy named Robert Backus. It's a-"
    "The Poet-yeah, I know which one."
    Of course you do, I almost said.
    "Okay, good. Take the file and the photos and bring them to Las Vegas."
    "Vegas? I thought you were in San Francisco."
    For a moment that confused me but then I remembered how I had lied to him to throw him off my track.
    "Changed my mind. Bring it all to Las Vegas, check into a hotel and wait for my call. Make sure your phone is charged. But don't call me, I'll call you."
    "How come I can't call you when I get in?"
    "Because in another twenty minutes I may not have this phone. Get moving now, Buddy."
    "You're going to pay for all of this, right?"
    "I'll pay. I'll also pay you for your time. You're on the clock, Buddy, so get moving."
    "All right, I'm on it. You know, there's a ferry in twenty minutes. I could take that and save you a bunch of money, you know."
    "Take a chopper. You'll beat the ferry by an hour. I need that hour."
    "Okay, man, I'm gone."
    "And Buddy? Don't tell anybody where you're going and what you're doing."
    "Right." He hung up and I checked Zigo before disconnecting. The agent had on dark glasses now but it appeared he was watching me. I faked like I had lost the signal and yelled hello a few times into the phone. I then closed it and reopened it and called Graciela's number. My luck was holding. She was home and answered.
    "Graciela, it's Harry. Some things are happening and I need your permission to talk with the FBI about Terry's death and my investigation."
    "The FBI? Harry, I told you I couldn't go to them first. Not until I-"
    "I didn't go to them. They came to me. I'm out in the middle of the desert, Graciela. Things I found in Terry's office led me out here and the FBI was already here. I think it is safe to talk. I think the person they are looking for here is the one who hurt Terry. I don't think this is going to come back on you now. I think I should talk to them, tell them what I've got. It might help catch this guy."
    "Who is it?"
    "Robert Backus. Do you know the name? Did Terry mention it?"
    There was silence while she thought about it.
    "I don't think so. Who is it?"
    "A guy he used to work with."
    "An agent?"
    "Yes. He was the one they called the Poet. Did you ever hear Terry talk about the Poet?"
    "Yes, a long time ago. I mean, three or four years. I remember he was upset because I think he was supposed to be dead but it looked like he wasn't Something like that."
    It must