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“Sure,” Hinojos said. “After my appointment.”
She came over and they embraced. She kissed him as the phone in his pocket started to buzz.
“Is that your phone, or are you just happy to see me?” she asked.
“Funny,” Bosch said. “Both.”
“I’ll call you later. I’ll make dinner tonight. My place.”
“I’ll be there.”
Bosch took the call as Hinojos went back inside the house.
“They’re talking to him,” Shear said.
“What do you mean?” Bosch said.
“Novak’s been talking to Cutler, negotiating a deal.”
“What kind of deal?”
“The weapons for his freedom. He claims he still has them.”
“A deal on all federal charges?”
“On all crimes committed anywhere heretofore.”
“That’s crazy. First of all, Cutler has no authority to negotiate for the state. We think we might have Novak on Wonderland. There was DNA on that pipe we found at the warehouse. If it matches one of the victims, he’s cooked.”
“I’m only telling you what I’m hearing, and it’s a universal, all-charges-past-and-present type of deal. And you can’t do anything with this, Harry. It will be my ass because they’ll know I told you.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t. Is he doing this through his lawyer?”
“There’s a lawyer involved, but Novak called Cutler directly. He’s got an encrypted satellite phone. So far, no go on the trace. The call bounces all over the world before getting to Cutler.”
“So he could be anywhere.”
“That’s right.”
Bosch could feel the outrage building inside of him.
“They lost four people at the port,” he said. “They’re willing to let him walk on those?”
“They might have no choice, Harry. If those weapons are deployed domestically, we’re looking at another 9/11. You saw what happened to that cargo container. The only way out of this mess is to find the fucker and the missiles before the deal goes down.”
Bosch looked out across the pass toward Lakeridge Drive.
“I gotta get back, Harry,” Shear said.
“Okay,” Bosch said. “One more thing. What are the chances of you getting me that number?”
“What number?”
“Novak’s satellite phone.”
Shear laughed in a forced way.
“You don’t ask for a lot, do you?” he said. “The chances are zero, my friend. That would cost me my job.”
