Trunk Music

Iverson’s arm to stop him.
    “Eleanor Wish? You’re bringing in Eleanor Wish?”
    He didn’t wait for Iverson’s reply. He broke away from the man and charged into Felton’s office. The captain was on the phone and Bosch paced anxiously in front of the desk waiting for him to hang up. Felton pointed at the door but Bosch shook his head. He could see Felton’s eyes start to smolder as he told whoever was on the other end of the line he had to go.
    “I can’t talk right now,” he said. “You don’t have to worry, it’s under control. I’ll talk to you.”
    He hung up and looked at Bosch.
    “What is it now?”
    “Call your people. Tell them to leave Eleanor Wish alone.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “She had nothing to do with this. I checked her out last night.”
    Felton leaned forward and clasped his hands together as he thought.
    “When you say you checked her out, what does that mean?”
    “I interviewed her. She had a passing acquaintance with the victim, that’s it. She’s clean.”
    “Do you know who she is, Bosch? I mean, do you know her history?”
    “She was an FBI agent assigned to the L.A. bank robbery squad. She went to prison five years ago on a conspiracy charge stemming from a series of burglaries involving bank safe deposit vaults. It doesn’t matter, Captain, she’s clean on this.”
    “I think it might be good to sweat her a little bit and take another go at her with one of my guys. Just to be sure.”
    “I’m already sure. Look, I-”
    Bosch looked back at the office door and saw Iverson hanging around, trying to listen in. Bosch walked over and closed the door, then pulled a chair away from the wall and sat right in front of Felton’s desk and leaned across to him.
    “Look, Captain, I knew Eleanor Wish in L.A. I worked that case with the bank vaults. I…we were more than just partners on it. Then it all turned to shit and she went away. I hadn’t seen her in five years until I saw her on the surveillance tape at the Mirage. That’s why I called you last night. I wanted to talk to her but not because of the case. She’s clean. She did her time and she’s clean. Now call your people.”
    Felton was quiet. Bosch could see the wheels turning.
    “I’ve been up most of the night working on this. I called your room a half dozen times to bring you in on it but you weren’t there. I don’t suppose you want to tell me where you were?”
    “No, I don’t.”
    Felton thought some more and then shook his head.
    “I can’t do it. I can’t cut her loose yet.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because there is something about her you apparently don’t know.”
    Bosch closed his eyes for a moment like a boy expecting to get slapped by an angry mother but steadying himself to take it.
    “What don’t I know?”
    “She might’ve only had a passing acquaintance with your victim, but she’s got more than that with Joey Marks and his group.”
    It was worse than he expected.
    “What are you talking about?”
    “I put her name up for discussion with some of my people last night after you called. We’ve got her in a file. On numerous occasions she has been seen in the company of a man named Terrence Quillen who works for Goshen who works for Marks. Numerous times, Detective Bosch. In fact, I’ve got a team out looking for Quillen now. See what he has to say.”
    “In the company of, what does that mean?”
    “Looked like strictly business, according to the reports.”
    Bosch felt like he’d been punched. This was impossible. He had spent the night with the woman. The sense of betrayal was building in him but a deeper gut sense told him she was true, that this was all some huge mix-up.
    There was a knock on the door and Iverson poked his head in.
    “FYI, the others are back, boss. They’re puttin’ them in the interview rooms.”
    “Okay.”
    “You need anything?”
    “No, we’re fine. Close the door.”
    After Iverson left, Bosch looked at the captain.
    “Is she arrested?”
    “No, we asked her to come in voluntarily.”
    “Let me talk to her first.”
    “I don’t think that would be wise.”
    “I don’t care if it’s wise. Let me go talk to her. If she’ll tell anybody, she’ll tell me.”
    Felton thought a moment and then finally nodded his head.
    “Okay, go ahead. You get fifteen minutes.”
    Bosch should have thanked him but didn’t. He just got up quickly and went to the door.
    “Detective Bosch?” Felton said.
    Harry looked back from the