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Cutler nodded, a silent confirmation that he wasn’t too worried about the steps Bosch had taken, legal or not. At least at the moment he wasn’t.
“Were you really going to let him walk in exchange for the weapons?” Bosch asked.
“Is that what he told you?” Cutler asked.
“He made the claim, yeah.”
“That is a gross exaggeration. He was never going to walk away clean from this. I guarantee that.”
It sounded to Bosch like Cutler was revising history, because now, after the recovery of the missiles, offering a deal to Novak didn’t look like such a good move.
Bosch remembered that he had the satellite phone in his pocket and pulled it out. He handed it to Cutler.
“Somebody named Fedir called him from Ukraine,” he said. “The number’s on there. Novak told me two different things. He said the missiles were going to Ukraine to use against the Russian fleet. But earlier he’d said they were gifts for Putin.”
“Gifts for Putin?” Cutler said. “Is that how he said it?”
“Yes, that’s what he said.”
“Gifts for Putin is an organization in the Czech Republic that sends arms to Ukraine. Legally. Our intel is that the Spolu is a contributor. If Russia isn’t stopped at Ukraine, the CR could be next.”
Bosch nodded as he remembered Novak telling him there was no buyer for the weapons and that Bosch didn’t know shit. It looked like Novak had gotten that right.
“Okay, I’m going to evacuate now,” Bosch said.
“I think you should stick around,” Cutler said.
“Mr. Cutler, I haven’t slept in about thirty-six hours. I’m going home to my bed. Call me tomorrow if you need me.”
Bosch started toward the Mercedes. Cutler followed him.
“Harry, one thing,” he said.
He was back to calling him Harry now.
“What’s that?” Bosch asked.
“Just a reminder about confidentiality,” Cutler said. “I know you’re a private citizen, not a law enforcement officer, but we want to continue to keep this investigation on the down-low. Permanently.”
“Does that mean the explosion at the port will never be revealed as caused by Hellfire missiles stolen from a California military base?”
“Most likely, but that’s a call that will be made by Justice in Washington.”
“Does that guy they have running the FBI at the moment have something to do with that call?”
“I’m sure he does, since three of the men we lost worked for him.”
“Makes you want to dig up J. Edgar and bring him back.”
“I’m not going to get into that. I’m apolitical.”
“But you’re talking about the truth being politically embarrassing to that guy and the Justice Department.”
“I don’t think that’s what this is about, Bosch. Revealing that our stocks of high-grade weapons were compromised could be a threat to national security. That’s the chief concern here.”
Cutler was back to calling him Bosch. That was quick.
“National security, got it,” Bosch said. “Always the chief concern. I’ll tell you what, Mr. Cutler, I’ll keep your secrets if you do something for me.”
