The Overlook

Hadley’s unit on this already and perhaps he can open up the channels of communication. We have been kept out of the loop on these things in the past. I can raise the flag, put in a call to the director.”
    To Bosch it sounded like the chief was going to go to bat for him.
    “You know what reflux is, Detective?”
    “Reflux?”
    “It’s a condition where all the bile backs up into your throat. It burns, Detective.”
    “Oh.”
    “What I am telling you is that if I make these moves and I get that window open for you, I don’t want any reflux. You understand me?”
    “I understand.”
    The chief wiped his mouth again and put the napkin down on his torn bag. He then crumpled it all into a ball, careful not to spill any powdered sugar on his black suit.
    “I’ll make the calls but it’s going to be tough. You don’t see the political angle here, do you, Bosch?”
    Bosch looked at him.
    “Sir?”
    “The bigger picture, Detective. You see this as a homicide investigation. It is actually much more than that. You have to understand that it serves the federal government extremely well with this thing on the overlook being part of a terrorism plot. A bona fide domestic threat would go a long way toward deflecting public attention and easing the pressure in other areas. The war’s gone to shit, the election was a disaster. You’ve got the Middle East, the price of a gallon of gasoline and a lame-duck president’s approval ratings. The list goes on and on and there would be an opportunity here for redemption. A chance to make up for past mistakes. A chance to shift public attention and opinion.”
    Bosch nodded.
    “Are you saying that they might try to keep this thing going, maybe even exaggerate the threat?”
    “I’m not saying anything, Detective. I am just trying to broaden your perspective. A case like this, you have to be aware of the political landscape. You can’t be running around like a bull in a china shop-which in the past has been your specialty.”
    Bosch nodded.
    “Not only that, you have local politics to consider,” the chief continued. “You have a man on the city council who lies in wait for me.”
    The chief was talking about Irvin Irving, a longtime commander in the department whom the chief had forced out. He’d run for a city council seat and won. He was now the department’s and the chief’s harshest critic.
    “ Irving?” Bosch said. “He’s just one vote on the council.”
    “He knows a lot of secrets. It’s allowed him to start building a political base. He sent me a message after the election. It was just two words. ‘Expect me.’ Don’t turn this into something he can use, Detective.”
    The chief stood up, ready to go.
    “Think about it and be careful,” he said. “Remember, no reflux. No blowback.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    The chief turned and nodded to his driver. The man went to the door and held it open for his charge.

THIRTEEN
    BOSCH DIDN’T SPEAK until they were out of the parking lot. He decided that by this time of day the Hollywood Freeway would be overrun by the morning commute and surface streets would be better. He believed that Sunset was the fastest way downtown.
    Ferras only made it two blocks before asking what had happened in the doughnut shop.
    “Don’t worry, Ignacio. We both still have our jobs.”
    “Then, what happened?”
    “He said you were right. I shouldn’t have jumped command. But he said he would make some calls and try to open things up with the feds.”
    “Then I guess we’ll see.”
    “Yeah, we’ll see.”
    They drove in silence for a while until Bosch brought up his partner’s plan to ask for a new assignment.
    “You still going to talk to the lieutenant?”
    Ferras paused before answering. He was uncomfortable with the question.
    “I don’t know, Harry. I still think it would be best. Best for both of us. Maybe you work best with female partners.”
    Bosch almost laughed. Ferras didn’t know Kiz Rider, his last partner. She never went along to get along with Harry. Like Ferras, she objected every time Bosch went alpha dog on her. He was about to set Ferras straight, when his cell phone started buzzing and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was Lieutenant Gandle.
    “Harry, where are you?”
    His voice was louder than usual and more urgent. He was excited about something and Bosch wondered if he had already heard about the Donut Hole meeting. Had the chief betrayed him?
    “I’m on Sunset. We’re heading