The Harry Bosch Novels Vol Ii Part 124

"Be my gues', Chet. I can always get what I need from my car. Know what I mean?"

He said Chet Chet the way some white people say the word the way some white people say the word n.i.g.g.e.r. n.i.g.g.e.r.

"Sure. I know what you mean."

They waited for the elevator in silence. Once they were inside and descending Entrenkin spoke.

"Does that gun match?"

"It's the same kind. Ammo's the same. We'll have the lab check it, but I sort of doubt he would have kept it around if he killed Elias with it. He's not that stupid."

"What about his car? He said he could get anything from his car."

"He didn't mean his car car. He meant his crew. His people. Together they're a car, driving somewhere together. It's a saying that comes from county lockup. Eight people to a cell. They call them cars. What about Pelfry? You know him?"

"Jenkins Pelfry. He's a PI. An independent. I think he's got an office over in the Union Law Center in downtown. A lot of the civil rights lawyers use him. Howard was using him on this."

"We have to talk to him then. Thanks for telling us."

There was annoyance in Bosch's voice. He looked at his watch. He figured it was too late to try to run down Pelfry.

"Look, it's in the files I gave you," Entrenkin protested. "You didn't ask me about it. How was I to know to tell you?"

"You're right. You didn't know."

"If you want, I could put a call -"

"No, that's okay. We've got it from here, Inspector. Thanks for your help with Harris. We probably wouldn't have gotten up there to see him without you along."

"You think he had anything to do with the murders?"

"I'm not thinking anything yet."

"I seriously doubt he's involved."

Bosch just looked at her, hoping his eyes conveyed that he believed she was treading into areas where she had neither expertise nor a mandate to be.

"We'll give you a ride back," he said. "Your car at the Bradbury?"

She nodded. They were crossing the lobby to the doors.

"Detective, I want to be kept apprised of the case and any significant developments."

"Fine. I'll talk to Chief Irving in the morning and see how he wants to do that. He might prefer to keep you informed himself."

"I don't want the whitewashed version. I want to hear it from you."

"Whitewashed? You think that whatever I tell you won't be white whitewashed? I'm flattered, Inspector."

"A poor choice of words. But my point being I would rather hear it from you than after it has been processed by the department's management."

Bosch looked at her as he held the door.

"I'll remember that."

19

Kiz Rider had run the telephone number from the Mistress Regina web page through the criss-cross directory contained on a CD-ROM in the squad room computer. The phone was a.s.signed to an address on North Kings Road in West Hollywood. This did not mean that the address would be where they would find the woman, however. Most prost.i.tutes, late-night ma.s.seuses and so-called exotic entertainers used elaborate call-forwarding systems to make it hard for law enforcement agencies to find them.

Bosch, Rider and Edgar pulled to the curb at the intersection of Melrose and Kings and Bosch used his phone to call the number. A woman answered after four rings. Bosch went into his act.

"Mistress Regina?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"My name is Harry. I was wondering if you were available tonight?"

"Have we had a session before?"

"No. I saw your web page and thought ..."

"Thought what?"

"I thought I might want to try a session."

"How advanced are you?"

"I don't under -"

"What are you into?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'd like to try it out."

"You know there is no s.e.x, right? No physical contact. I play mind games with people. Nothing illegal."

"I understand."

"Do you have a secure phone number that I can call you back at?"

"What do you mean secure?"

"I mean no pay phones!" she said harshly. "You have to give me a real number."

Bosch gave her his cell phone number.

"Okay. I'll call you back in one minute. Be there."

"I will."

"I will ask for three-six-seven. That is you. You are not a person to me. You do not have a name. You are simply a number."

"Three-six-seven. I understand."

He closed the phone and looked at his partners.

"We'll know if it worked in about a minute."

"You sounded nice and subservient, Harry," Rider said.

"Thank you. I try my best."

"You sounded like a cop to me," Edgar said.

"We'll see."

Bosch turned the car on, just to be doing something. Rider yawned and then he had to. Then Edgar joined in.

The phone rang. It was Mistress Regina. She asked for him by number.

"You can come to me in one hour. I require a donation of two hundred dollars for a one-hour session. Cash only and in advance. Is that understood?"

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Uh, yes, Mistress Regina."

"That's very good."

Bosch looked over at Rider, who was in the front pa.s.senger seat, and winked. She smiled back at him.

Regina gave the address and apartment number. Bosch turned the overhead light on and looked over at Rider's notes. The address he had just been given was the same one Rider had but the apartment number was different. He told Regina he would be there and they ended the call.

"It's a go. But not for an hour. She uses a different apartment in the same building."

"We gonna wait?" Edgar asked.

"Nope. I want to get home and get some sleep."

Bosch turned the car onto Kings Road and cruised a half block up until they found the address. It was a small apartment building made of wood and stucco. There was no parking anywhere so he pulled into a red zone in front of a fireplug and they got out. He didn't really care if Regina had a front apartment and saw the slickback. They weren't coming to make an arrest. All they wanted was information.

Apartments six and seven were in the back of the building anyway. Their doors were side by side. Bosch guessed the woman who called herself Mistress Regina lived in one apartment and worked in the other. They knocked on the work door.

And got no answer.

Edgar hit the door again, harder, and this time kicked it a couple times as well. Finally, a voice was heard from the other side.

"What is it?"

"Open up. Police."

Nothing.

"Come on, Regina, we need to ask you some questions. That's all. Open the door or we'll have to break the lock. Then what are you gonna do?"

It was a baseless threat. Bosch knew he had no legal power to do anything if she didn't want to open her door.

Finally, Bosch heard the locks turning and the door opened to reveal the angry face of the woman Bosch recognized from the photo print he had found in Howard Elias's office.

"What do you want? Let me see some ID."

Bosch badged her.

"Can we come in?"

"You're LAPD? This is West Hollywood, Mister. You're off your turf."

She pushed the door closed but Edgar reached a strong arm up and stopped it. He pushed it all the way back open and stepped in, a mean look on his face.

"Don't you be closing the door on my face, Mistress Regina."

Edgar said her name in a tone that indicated that he was subservient to no one. Regina stepped back to allow him s.p.a.ce to enter. Bosch and Rider followed him in. They stepped into a dimly lit landing with stairs going up and down from it. Bosch looked down the stairs to his left and saw them retreat into complete darkness. The stairs going up led to a lighted room. He moved to them and started up.

"Hey, you can't just barge in here like this," Regina said, but the protest was leaving her voice. "You need a warrant."

"We don't need anything, Mistress Regina, you invited us in. I'm Harry-or make that three-six-seven. We just talked on the phone, remember?"

She followed them up the stairs. Bosch turned and got his first full look at her. She was wearing a sheer black robe over a leather corset and black silk underwear. She wore black stockings and spike-heeled shoes. Her makeup consisted of dark eye liner and glaring red lipstick. It was a sad caricature of a depressing male fantasy.

"Been a long time since Halloween," Bosch said. "Who are you supposed to be?"

Regina ignored the question.

"What are you doing here?"

"We have questions. Sit down. I want to show you a picture."

Bosch pointed to a black leather couch and the woman reluctantly went to it and sat down. He put his briefcase down on the coffee table and opened it. He nodded slightly to Edgar and started looking for the photo of Elias.

"Hey, where's he going?" Regina cried.

Edgar had moved to another set of stairs that led up to a loft.

"He's insuring our safety by making sure you don't have anybody hiding in the closet," Bosch said. "Now take a look at this picture, please."