Trunk Music

records showed that in the last ten months he had not been anywhere but Los Angeles and Las Vegas. If he had been operating a skim fund, he’d have to have had access to it. If the money wasn’t here, then it was over there. And since Veronica had not left the house before today, Bosch also concluded that she didn’t have the money yet.
    The phone rang and interrupted these thoughts. Bosch climbed up from the couch and answered the phone in the kitchen so he wouldn’t disturb Eleanor’s viewing of the movie. It was Hank Meyer calling from the Mirage but it didn’t sound like Hank Meyer. It sounded like a scared boy.
    “Detective Bosch, can I trust you?”
    “Sure you can, Hank, what’s the matter?”
    “Something’s happened. I mean, something’s come up. Uh, because of you I know something I don’t think I should know. I wish this whole thing…I don’t know what to-”
    “Hold on, hold on, Hank. Just calm down and tell what it is that’s wrong. Be calm. Talk to me and we’ll fix it. Whatever it is, we’ll fix it.”
    “I’m at the office. They called me at home because I had a flag on the computer for that betting slip that belonged to your victim.”
    “Right.”
    “Well, somebody cashed it tonight.”
    “Okay, somebody cashed it. Who was it?”
    “Well, you see, I put an IRS flag on the computer. Meaning that the cashier was supposed to request a driver’s license and get a Social Security number, you know, for tax purposes. Even though this ticket was worth only four thousand I put the flag on it.”
    “Okay, so who cashed the slip?”
    “A man named John Galvin. He had a local address.”
    Bosch leaned over the counter and pressed the phone tightly to his ear.
    “When did this happen?” he asked.
    “At eight-thirty tonight. Less than two hours ago.”
    “I don’t understand, Hank. Why is this upsetting to you?”
    “Well, I left instructions on the computer for me to be contacted at home as soon as this slip was cashed. I was contacted. I came in and got the information on who cashed the slip so I could get it to you ASAP and then I went directly to the video room. I wanted to see this John Galvin, you know, if we got a clear picture of him.”
    He stopped there. It was like pulling teeth getting the story out of him.
    “And?” Bosch said. “Who was it, Hank?”
    “We got a clear picture. It turns out I know John Galvin but not as John Galvin. Uh, as you know, one of my duties is to interface with law enforcement, maintain relations and help when I can whenever there-.”
    “Yes, Hank, I know. Who was it?”
    “I looked at the video. It was very clear. John Galvin is a man I know. He’s in Metro, a captain. His name is-”
    “John Felton.”
    “How’d-”
    “Because I know him, too. Now listen to me, Hank. You didn’t tell me this, okay? We never talked. It’s best that way. Safest for you. Understand?”
    “Yes, but…but what is going to happen?”
    “You don’t have to worry. I’ll take care of it and no one at Metro will ever know about this. Okay?”
    “Okay, I guess. I-”
    “Hank, I’ve got to go. Thanks, and I owe you a favor.”
    Bosch hung up and called information for the number of Southwest Airlines at the airport in Burbank. He knew Southwest and America West handled most of the flights to Las Vegas and they both flew out of the same terminal. He called Southwest and had them page Roy Lindell. While he waited, he looked at his watch. It had been more than an hour since he had talked to Lindell, but he didn’t think the agent was in as much of a hurry as he had intimated on the phone. Bosch thought he had just said that to get off the phone.
    A voice came on the line and asked who he was holding for. After Bosch repeated Lindell’s name, he was told to hold and after two clicks Lindell’s voice was on the line.
    “Yeah, this is Roy, who’s this?”
    “You son of a bitch.”
    “Who is this?”
    “John Galvin is John Felton and you knew it all the time.”
    “Bosch? Bosch, what are you doing?”
    “Felton is Joey’s man in Metro. You knew that from being on the inside. And when Felton does things for Marks, he uses the name John Galvin. You knew that, too.”
    “Bosch, I can’t talk about this. It’s all part of our in-”
    “I don’t give a shit about your investigation. You have to figure out whose side you’re on, man. Felton has got Veronica Aliso. And that means Joey Marks has got her.”
    “What are you talking about? This is