The Narrows

kind of GPS was it?" Rachel asked.
    "Rachel," Dei cut in quickly. "You're an observer, remember?"
    "A Gulliver," I said. "I don't remember the exact model. The sheriff's report is on the boat. It actually wasn't Terry's. It was his partner's."
    "Do you know the partner's name?" Dei asked.
    "Yeah, Buddy Lockridge. Don't you remember him from the movie?"
    "I didn't see it. Do you know anything more about the history of this GPS device?"
    "Buddy told me he won it in a poker game. It had a lot of good fishing spots marked on it. He was pissed off when it got stolen, thought it was another fishing guide who took it."
    I could tell by their reactions that I was hitting every pitch. The GPS was important. It had not been taken simply as a cover. I was wrong about that. It took me a minute but then I put it together.
    "I get it," I said. "That's how you found this place, isn't it? Backus sent you people the GPS with this place marked. He led you here like he did with Terry."
    "This is not about us," Dei said. "It's about you."
    But I glanced at Rachel and saw the confirmation in her eyes. I took the next jump and figured it had been sent to her. That was why she was here as an observer. Backus called her out, just as he had called out Terry.
    "You said Terry was the first agent Backus mentored in the unit. Who was the second?"
    "Let's move on," Dei said.
    Rachel didn't answer but she gave me that slight smile that looked so sad with those dead eyes. She was telling me I had it right. She came after Terry McCaleb in the mentoring program.
    "I hope you are taking appropriate precautions," I said quietly.
    Dei opened the file on the table.
    "That's actually no business of yours," she said. "Now, there are some things in your notes here I want to ask you about. First of all, who is William Bing?"
    I looked at Dei. She thought that it was my file and my notes.
    "I don't know. Just a name I came across."
    "Where?"
    "I think Terry had written it down. I haven't figured out who it is yet."
    "And this reference to the triangle theory, what does it mean?"
    "What does it mean to you?" "Mr. Bosch, don't annoy me. Don't play cute."
    "Cherie?" Rachel asked.
    "What?"
    "I think those are probably Terry's notes."
    Dei looked down at the file and realized Rachel was right. I looked at Rachel like I was hurt that she had ratted me out. Dei closed the file abruptly.
    "Right. Of course."
    She looked up at me.
    "You know what that means?"
    "No, but I think you'll tell me."
    "It means we'll take it from here. You can head on back to L.A. now."
    "I'm not going to L.A. I'm going to Las Vegas. I have a place there."
    "You can go wherever you want but stay away from this investigation. We are officially taking it over."
    "You know I don't work for any police department, Agent Dei. You can't take anything over from me unless I want you to. I'm a private operator."
    She nodded like she was understanding of my situation.
    "That's fine, Mr. Bosch, we'll be speaking to your employer later today and you'll be unemployed before sunset."
    "I'm just trying to make a living."
    "I'm just trying to catch a killer. So understand me, your services are no longer required. Stay away from it. You're out. You're finished. Can I be any clearer?"
    "Think maybe you could put it in writing, too?"
    "You know what, I think you should get out of here and go home while you still can. Tom, would you get Mr. Bosch his license and keys and escort him to his car?" "Gladly," Zigo said, his first word uttered in the motor home.
    I reached for the file but she snatched it away from my grasp.
    "And we'll be keeping this."
    "Sure. Happy hunting, Agent Dei."
    "Thank you."
    I followed Zigo toward the door. I glanced back and nodded to Rachel and she did the same to me. I think I saw a trace of light enter her eyes.

CHAPTER 20
    THE THREE AGENTS WERE Still talking about Bosch when the helicopter lifted off the desert floor and they began the forty-minute journey back to Las Vegas. The three agents wore headphones so they could communicate with each other despite the noise of the rotor wash. Dei clearly remained annoyed with the private detective and Rachel thought that maybe Cherie felt that somehow Bosch had gotten something over on her. Rachel remained amused. She knew they hadn't seen the last of Bosch. He had seen-it-all-twice eyes, and that nod at the end told her he wasn't going to just fold up his tent and go home.
    "What about the triangle theory?" Dei said.
    Rachel waited for