school. After earning his JD, he went to work for the City Attorney’s Office in the contracts department. That was where he stayed until his father ran for city council and won. George quit working for the city and opened up shop as a consultant for hire, using his experience and connections to his father and others in local government and bureaucracy to give his clients access to the halls of power.
George Irving had a wide range of clients, including towing firms, taxi licensees, concrete suppliers, building contractors, city office cleaners and code-enforcement litigators. He was a man who could plant the request in the right ear at the right time. If you wanted to do business with the city of Los Angeles, a man like George Irving was the one to see. He had an office in the shadow of City Hall, but the office was not where the work was done. Irving roamed the administrative wings and council offices of City Hall. That was where his work was done.
The widow Irving reported that her husband’s work brought them a very nice living. The house in which they sat was valued at more than $1 million, even factoring in the downturn in the economy. The work also had the propensity to bring him enemies. Unhappy clients, or those competing for the same contracts as his clients—George Irving didn’t operate in a world above contention.
“Did he ever speak about any business or person in particular being upset with him or holding a grudge?”
“No one that he spoke to me about. He has an office manager, though. I guess I should say he did have an office manager. She would probably know more about this area than I would. George didn’t share a lot of that with me. He didn’t want me to worry about it.”
“What is her name?”
“Dana Rosen. She’s been with him a long time—going back to the City Attorney’s Office.”
“Have you spoken with her today?”
“Yes, but not since I learned . . .”
“You spoke with her before learning your husband was deceased?”
“Yes, when I got up I realized he had not come home last night. He wasn’t answering his cell, so at eight o’clock I called the office and talked to Dana to see if she had seen him yet. She said no.”
“Did you call her back after you learned of your husband’s death?”
“No, I didn’t.”
Bosch wondered if there was a problem or jealousy between the two women. Could Dana Rosen be the woman Deborah thought her husband took drives at night to meet?
He wrote the name down and then closed his notebook. He thought he had plenty to start with. He hadn’t covered all the details but this was not the time for a long Q&A session. He was confident that he would be coming back to Deborah Irving. He stood up and Chu followed suit.
“I think this is enough for now, Deborah. We know it is a difficult time and you want to be with family. Have you told your son?”
“No, Dad did. He called him. Chad’s flying down tonight.”
“Where’s he going to school?”
“USF—the University of San Francisco.”
Bosch nodded. He had been hearing about the school because his daughter was already thinking about the next level of education and had mentioned it as a possibility. He also remembered that it was where Bill Russell had played college ball.
Harry knew he would want to talk to the son but didn’t mention it to Deborah. There was no need to have her thinking about it.
“What about friends?” he asked.
“Was he close to anyone?”
“Not really. He really only had one close friend and they hadn’t seen much of each other lately.”
“Who was that?”
“His name is Bobby Mason. They knew each other since the police academy.”
“Is Bobby Mason still a cop?”
“Yes.”
“Why hadn’t they seen each other lately?”
“I don’t know. They just hadn’t, I guess. I’m sure it was just a temporary lull in the relationship. I assume that’s the way men are.”
Bosch wasn’t sure what her last words were meant to convey about men. He didn’t have anyone in his life he would consider a best friend but he always thought he was different. That most men had male friends, even best friends. He wrote Mason’s name down, then gave Deborah Irving a business card with his cell phone number on it and invited her to call anytime. He said he would be in touch as the investigation progressed.
Bosch wished her good luck and then he and Chu left. Before they reached the car, Irvin Irving came out the front door and called to them.
“You were just going to leave without checking with me?”
Bosch handed the keys to Chu and told him to back the car out of the driveway. He waited until he and Irving were alone before speaking.
“Councilman, we need to get something straight here. I’m going to keep you informed but I don’t report to you. There’s a difference. This is a police investigation, not a city hall investigation. You were a cop but you’re not anymore. You’ll hear from me when I have something to report to you.”
He turned and started walking toward the street.
“Remember, I want an update by the end of the day,” Irving called after him.
Bosch didn’t respond. He kept on walking like he didn’t hear.
8
Bosch told Chu to drive north toward Panorama City.
“We’re up here,” he said. “We might as well go get a look at Clayton Pell. If he’s where he’s supposed to be.”
“I thought the Irving case was the priority,” Chu said.
“It is.”
Bosch offered no further explanation. Chu nodded but had something else on his mind.
“What about something to eat?” he asked. “We worked right through lunch and I’m starving, Harry.”
Bosch realized he was hungry, too. He checked his watch and saw it was almost three.
“The halfway house is way up Woodman,” he said. “There used to be a pretty good taco truck that parked on Woodman at Nordhoff. I had a trial a few years ago at the San Fernando Courthouse and my partner and I used to hit that truck every day at lunch. It’s kind of late but if we’re lucky he’ll still be there.”
Chu was a semi-vegetarian but usually liked the idea of Mexican food.
“Think they’ll have a bean burrito on that truck?”
“Most likely. If not, they’ve got shrimp tacos. I’ve had them.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He goosed the car’s accelerator.
“Was that Ignacio?” Chu eventually asked. “The partner, I mean.”
“Yeah, Ignacio,” Bosch said.
Bosch contemplated the fate of his last partner, who was murdered in the back room of a food market two years earlier while working the case that introduced Harry to Chu. The two current partners maintained silence the rest of the way.
The halfway house that Clayton Pell was assigned to was in Panorama City, which was the expansive neighborhood at the geographic center of the San Fernando Valley. Spawned by post–World War II prosperity and enthusiasm, it was the first planned community of Los Angeles, replacing miles of orange groves and dairy lands with the seemingly unending sprawl of inexpensive and prefabricated tract housing and low-rise apartments that soon defined the look of the Valley. Anchored by the nearby industries of the General Motors plant and the Schlitz brewery, the development represented the epoch of Los Angeles autotopia. Every man with a job and a commute. Every home with a garage. Every view a panorama of the surrounding mountains. Only American-born white people need apply.
