The Murder Book

'Well, I'm nice and focused, now, Craig. Get up.' Milo backed up the command with a wave of the 9mm. Wondering what he'd do if Bosc complied because walking the guy outside to the rental car, even that short distance, would be risky in full daylight. Even in L.A., where a block was likely to be as devoid of people as one of Schwinn's nature photos.

'Please,' said Bosc. 'Don't do this, we're both-'

'Outsiders, yeah, yeah. How are you an outsider, Craig?'

'I'm artistic. Into different stuff than the typical morons in the department.'

'Cinematography?' said Milo.

'Drama- acting. I was in a rock video a few years back. The Zombie Nannies. Played a highway patrol chippie. Before that, I did a nonunion commercial for the transit authority. And art- paintings. I like art, man. Your typical department moron is into riding Harleys and pumping iron and drinking beer, I'm hitting the museums. I dig classical music- went to Austria couple of summers ago, to the Salzburg festival. Mozart, Beethoven, all that good stuff. You see what I'm trying to say? It's because I understand the art community that I get where you're coming from.'

'I'm an artist.'

'In a sense you are. Without the people in your community, art would go dead. It would be a fucked world, man- come on, don't do this. This is stupid, we're both worthwhile, we both have lots to live for.'

'Do we?'

'Sure,' said Bosc, voice smoothing at the nuance of calm in Milo 's reply. 'Just think about it: There's lots of good stuff waiting for both of us.'

'Why,' said Milo, 'do I think you've taken a hostage negotiation course?'

Bosc smiled uneasily. 'You're dissing me, but I'm being real with you. Fine, I can dig that. I dissed you, played with your head, you're entitled. But focus on this: At this very moment I'm being realer than anyone you'll ever meet.'

Milo approached the sofa from one side, took hold of Bosc's T-shirt. 'Get up, or I'll shoot you in the kneecap.'

Bosc's smile dropped like a stone down a glacier hole. 'You take me out there, and I scream-'

'Then you'll die screaming.'

He yanked and Bosc stumbled to his feet and Milo marched him toward the door.

Bosc said, 'I give you credit, man, switching wheels the way you did. I thought I knew all the tricks, but you were too quick for me, I give you credit, give you full credit. Only there's something you don't know.'

'There's plenty I don't know, Craig,' said Milo. Figuring the guy was bargaining for time- another negotiation trick. If only he knew he was expending needless energy. Because eventually, he'd be let loose. What choice did Milo have? The question was where and when. And Bosc would reward the largesse with instant hatred and an overpowering bloodlust for revenge. Given Bosc's position in the department, he'd be very likely to do serious damage, and Milo knew he was screwed.

In big trouble, just as Bosc had gloated. But what choice had there been? Continue flopping around as others yanked the strings, Mr. Meat Puppet?

He shoved Bosc toward the door. Bosc said, 'No, I mean something you should know right now. Specifically. For your own sake.'

'What's that?'

'You've gotta let me go, first.'

'Right.'

'I mean it, man. At this point, I've got nothing to lose, so you can do what the fuck you want to me and I'm not gonna tell you. Because why would I squander my last chip? Come on, make it easy for both of us and I'll tell you and save your friend's ass and we'll both forget any of this happened and be square.'

'My friend,' said Milo. Thinking: Rick? Jesus, it had been Rick Bosc tailed initially, Rick's car Bosc boosted. All these years he'd managed to keep Rick out of this world, and now.

He jammed the gun hard into the small of Bosc's back. Bosc gasped, but kept his voice cool. 'Your shrink friend Delaware. You switched cars, but he didn't. Still driving round in that green Caddy. I put a satellite tracer on it days ago, know exactly where the dude goes. It feeds into a computer, and I get the data, I know where the feed is. And let me tell you, man, he's been a traveling fool. Did he tell you he was gonna improvise?'

'Where'd he go?'

Long silence.

Milo poked even harder. Used his other hand to clamp the back of Bosc's neck.

'Uh-uh, no way,' Bosc gasped. 'You can fucking blow out my spine, do whatever bad stuff you want, but I'm not giving up my trump card. And something else. And this is the main issue: I'm not the only one knows where the dude is. Other people know, by now. Or they will, real soon. The bad guys. 'Cause the plan was to tell them, leave them one of those anonymous phone calls. We fucking set up your buddy, man. Not to hurt him, necessarily, just to use him, to get everyone together. Converging, you know? It was supposed to be perfectly timed, you were supposed to be in on it, too. That's what I was doing at your place today. I was gonna have another try at tagging your car, then you'd be called, too. To motivate you. But you weren't home, so I figured I'd try you later.'

'Bullshit,' said Milo. 'You were settled in for the night, work was the last thing on your mind.'

'Bullshit, yourself, I'm a night owl, fucking Batman-Dracula, come alive when the sun goes down. The plan was perfect, only you screwed it by being too smart and switching cars, and now Delaware's out in the cold, man, and if you want to help him, there's only one thing you can do and you better do it quick.'

Milo twirled Bosc around, clamped Bosc's gullet at arm's length, aimed the gun at Bosc's groin.

'Go ahead,' said Bosc. 'Do your thing. I'm gonna hold on to my dignity.'

Staring back defiantly.

Sincere.

If the word could be applied to the bastard.

CHAPTER 40

Bert said, 'Yes, Aimee, the world is nice. Now how about you and I go over to the cafe, see if we can bake up something.'

Aimee smiled, kissed Bill on the forehead, and padded out of the room without a glance at me. Bert said, 'We'll be back in a short while. I'll bring you a sugarless brioche, Bill. Alex, what can I get you?'

'I'm fine.'

'I'll get you something. You may be hungry later.'

I sat on the bed, opposite the wheelchair. 'Good to meet you, Mr…'

'We're the Bakers, now,' said Bill. 'It was as good a name as any, and it made Aimee smile. Because one thing she could always do was cook and bake.'

'Bill Baker.'

He grinned and rolled his head. 'Sounds like a rich white man, huh? Bill Baker, attorney. Bill Baker, businessman.'

'It does have a ring to it,' I said.

'It does, indeed.' He grew serious. 'Before we start, I need you to know something. My Aimee, she's like a kid. Always been different, always been scorned. I used to scorn her, like everyone else. Back when I was pushing dope and her brothers used to buy product from me. I liked selling to them because it was a nice change of pace for a South Central junkie. I'd meet them up in the hills above Bel Air, and it was so gorgeous, nothing like my usual