worked Hollywood together many years ago. But you know that already. As nice as it is to touch base with an old colleague, I can’t say I enjoyed anything about the conversation I had with my old friend Jake.”

“You called him, too.”

“While you were in here with the doctor.”

“So then what do you want from me? You got the story from him, what’s left?”

Irving drummed his fingers on the tabletop.

“What do I want? What I want is for you to tell me that what you are doing, what you have been doing, is in no way connected to what has happened to Lieutenant Pounds.”

“I can’t, Chief. I don’t know what happened to him, other than that he’s dead.”

Irving studied Bosch for a long moment, contemplating something, deciding whether to treat him as an equal and tell him the story.

“I guess I expected an immediate denial. Your answer already suggests that you think there might be a correlation. I can’t tell you how much that bothers me.”

“Anything is possible, Chief. Let me ask you this. You said Brockman and his crew were out chasing other leads—I guess avenues is what you said. Are any of these avenues viable? I mean, did Pounds have a secret life or are they just out there chasing their tails?”

“There’s nothing that stands out. I’m afraid you were the best lead. Brockman still thinks so. He wants to pursue the theory that you hired a hitman of some sort and then flew to Florida to establish an alibi.”

“Yeah, that’s a good one.”

“I think it stretches credibility some. I told him to drop it. For the moment. And I’m telling you to drop what you are doing. This woman in Florida sounds like the kind of person you could spend some time with. I want you to get on a plane and go back to her. Stay a couple weeks. When you come back, we’ll talk about going back on the homicide table at Hollywood.”

Bosch was unsure whether there was a threat in all that Irving had just said. If not a threat, then maybe a bribe.

“And if I don’t?”

“If you don’t, then you are stupid. And you deserve whatever happens to you.”

“What is it that you think I’m doing, Chief?”

“I don’t think, I know what you’re doing. It’s easy. You pulled the book on your mother’s homicide. Why at this particular point in time you’ve done this, I don’t know. But you’re out running a freelance investigation and that’s a problem for us. You have to stop it, Harry, or I’ll stop you. I’ll shut you down. Permanently.”

“Who are you protecting?”

Bosch saw the anger move into Irving’s face as his skin turned from pink to an intense red. His eyes seemed to grow smaller and darker with fury.

“Don’t you ever suggest such a thing. I’ve dedicated my life to this depart—”

“It’s yourself, isn’t it? You knew her. You found her. You’re afraid of being dragged into this if I put something together on it. I bet you already knew everything McKittrick told you on the phone.”

“That’s ridiculous, I—”

“Is it? Is it? I don’t think so. I’ve already talked to one witness who remembers you from those days on the Boulevard beat.”

“What witness?”

“She said she knew you. She knows my mother knew you, too.”

“The only person I am protecting is you, Bosch. Can’t you see that? I’m ordering you to stop this investigation.”

“You can’t. I don’t work for you anymore. I’m on leave, remember? Involuntary leave. That makes me a citizen now, and I can do whatever I goddamn want to do as long as it’s legal.”

“I could charge you with possession of stolen documents—the murder book.”

“It wasn’t stolen. Besides, what if you bullshit a case, what’s that, a misdemeanor? They’ll laugh you out of the city attorney’s office on your ass with that.”

“But you’d lose your job. That would be it.”

“You’re a little late with that one, Chief. A week ago that would’ve been a valid threat. I’d have to consider it. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m free of all of that bullshit now and this is all that matters to me and I don’t care what I have to do, I’m doing it.”

Irving was silent and Bosch guessed that the assistant chief was realizing that Bosch had moved beyond his reach. Irving’s hold over Bosch’s job and future had been his leverage before. But Bosch had finally broken free. Bosch began again in a low, calm voice.

“If you were me, Chief, could you just