The Night Fire

31

Bosch had risen early to complete his assessment of the five investigative tracks abandoned in the Montgomery murder case. He wanted to finish before he needed to leave the house to back up Ballard at Dulan’s soul food restaurant.

The night before, after Ballard had left, he had reviewed the fourth branch of the investigation and found that it needed follow-up. It revolved around a ruling Judge Montgomery had made in a civil dispute. It started when a Sherman Oaks man named Larry Cassidy began marketing a lunch box that he claimed to have invented. The lunch box had insulated hot and cold compartments, but what made it stand out was its clear plastic window on the inside of the lid; a parent could slip a note or photo behind it for their child to see at school lunchtime.

Sales of the lunch box were moderate until Cassidy’s wife, Melanie, started appearing on the Home Shopping Network cable channel to hawk the boxes for $19.95 each. She was going to the HSN studios in Tampa, Florida, twice a month to sell the boxes and was moving thousands of them during each appearance. Cost of manufacture was low and after HSN’s cut, the couple were making almost $200,000 a month. That’s when Cassidy’s ex-wife, Maura Frederick, demanded a share for being the one who designed the box while still married to Cassidy and raising their son, Larry Jr.

Cassidy refused to share even a small percentage of the income generated by the so-called Love for Lunch box and Frederick sued him. He countersued, claiming her suit was a malicious money grab for something she had no right to.

At an evidentiary hearing, Judge Montgomery had both sides proffer their stories on the inspiration for the product’s invention. Cassidy provided original drawings dated well after his divorce from Frederick, as well as the patent application he had filed, and receipts from a plastic manufacturer that produced the first mock-ups of the colorful lunch boxes from the design sketches.

Frederick produced only a notarized statement from her son, Larry Jr., now seventeen years old, in which he said he remembered finding notes and cards and drawings from his mother in the Star Wars lunch box he carried to school as a young boy.

Montgomery dismissed Frederick’s lawsuit and held for Larry Sr., ruling that while Frederick’s actions of long ago certainly might have inspired the Love for Lunch invention, her involvement stopped there; she took on none of the risks or creative aspects in the manufacture and sales of the product. He likened it to someone who used to prop their phone against a book or other object for viewing the screen suing the manufacturer of phone attachments that prop the devices for viewing. Frederick could not be the only parent who ever put a note in a lunch box for their child.

It all seemed cut-and-dried and Bosch initially wondered why the case was included as a potential avenue of investigation in the Montgomery murder. But then he read a report stating that Larry Cassidy Sr. and his new wife, the public face of Love for Lunch, had been found murdered in Tampa, where they had gone to tape an HSN spot. The couple were found shot to death in a rental car in the empty parking lot of a country club, not far from a restaurant where they enjoyed dining while in town. Both had been shot in the back of the head by someone who had been in the back seat of the car. It was not a high-crime district and the assassinations remained unsolved as of the time Montgomery was murdered in Los Angeles. A copy of a probate filing in the case documents showed that Larry Jr. was the heir to his father and to the money earned by the Love for Lunch business. Larry Jr. still lived in the home of his mother, Maura Frederick.

LAPD detectives Gustafson and Reyes included the case in their list of potential avenues of investigation under the theory that if Frederick was involved in the murder of her ex-husband and his new wife, her anger toward the couple might have also extended to the judge who ruled against her. They made initial efforts to interview Maura Frederick, but those efforts were blocked by an attorney representing Frederick and then dropped altogether when Herstadt was arrested and charged in the judge’s murder.

Bosch put the name Maura Frederick on his list beneath the name Clayton Manley. He thought she should be given a fuller look.

Now, with a mug of morning coffee on the table before him, Bosch took up the final strand of the original investigation. This was the third civil action that had caught the investigators’ attention. It again involved a lawsuit and a countersuit. This time the dispute was between a well-known Hollywood actor and his longtime agent. The actor accused the agent of embezzling millions of dollars over his career, and now that that career was on the wane, he wanted a full accounting and the return of everything that was stolen.

A Hollywood dispute would not normally become the stuff of murder investigations, but the actor’s lawsuit contained allegations that the agent was a front for an organized-crime family — and that he had used his position in Hollywood to siphon money from clients and launder it through investments in film productions. The actor said he had been threatened with violence by the agent and his associates, including a visit to his home — the address of which was a carefully guarded secret — by a man who said the actor would get acid thrown in his face and his career ruined if he persisted with the lawsuit or attempted to change agents.

In a case that spanned the entire three years that Montgomery occupied his bench in civil court, the judge ultimately ruled in favor of the actor, awarding damages of $7.1 million and voiding the contract between actor and agent. The case was included in the Montgomery murder investigation because at one point in the long proceedings Montgomery reported to court authorities that his wife’s pet cat had turned up dead in their front yard by what appeared to be foul play. The animal had been slashed open from front legs to back and did not appear to have injuries that could be attributed to a coyote, even though Montgomery and his wife lived in the Hollywood Hills.

An investigation of the incident pointed toward the dispute between the actor and his agent because of the threats alleged in the action by the actor. But no connection was found between the cat killing and the case, or any other case Montgomery was handling.

Gustafson and Reyes put the case on their list of possibles but carried it no further. Bosch agreed that it was the least likely of the five tracks of potential investigation. Despite the fact that the actor won a rich settlement and the dissolution of his contract with the agent, no harm had come to him in the time since the case was resolved and he had made no complaint of further threats. It seemed unlikely that anyone would go after Montgomery while leaving the actor alone and paying him the awarded judgment.

Bosch was now finished with his review of the murder book and had only two names on his follow-up list: Clayton Manley, the attorney Montgomery had publicly embarrassed, and Maura Frederick, to whom the judge had denied creative and financial rights in the Love for Lunch product.

He wasn’t particularly fired up about either one. They bore a further look, but both were long shots and the individuals involved did not nearly reach the level of suspect in Bosch’s mind.

And then there were the aspects of the case (and even possible suspects) not included in the discovery version of the murder book. Bosch had been on both sides of this. A murder book was the bible. It was sacred, yet there was something ingrained in every homicide detective to hold back and not give everything you’ve got to a defense attorney. He had to assume that Gustafson and Reyes had acted in such a way. But knowing that meant nothing. After what Gustafson had said to Bosch in court after the Herstadt case was dismissed, would he be willing to reveal anything else about the case to him? Would Reyes?

Bosch was pretty sure the answer was a resounding no. But he had to make the call or he would never know for sure.

He still remembered the main number at Robbery-Homicide Division by heart. He expected that he always would. He punched it in on his cell phone and when the call went through to the secretary he asked for Detective Lucia Soto. He was immediately connected.

“Lucky Lucy,” he said. “It’s Bosch.”

“Harry,” she said, with a smile he could hear in her voice. “A voice from the past.”

“Come on, it hasn’t been that long, has it?”

“Seems like it.”

Soto was Bosch’s last partner in the LAPD. It had been more than three years since he had retired, but they had crossed paths several times since.

“So I should be whispering,” Soto said. “You’re sort of persona non grata around here these days.”

“Is that because of the Montgomery case?” Bosch asked.

“You guessed that right.”

“That’s the reason I’m calling. I’ve gotta make a run at Gustafson and Reyes. They might have dropped the case because they think they had the right guy. But me, not so much. I’m still working at it and I don’t know either one of them. Which one of them do you think would be more receptive to a call from me?”

There was a short silence before Soto responded.

“Hmm,” she said. “That’s a good question. I think the answer would be neither one of them. But if my life depended on it, I would try Orlando. He’s more even and he wasn’t lead. Gussy was and he’s taken what happened pretty hard. If he had a dartboard at his desk he’d have your photo on it.”

“Okay,” Bosch said. “Good to know. Do you see Reyes in the squad right now?”

“Uh... yes. He’s at his desk.”

“What about Gustafson?”

“No. No sign of him.”

“You wouldn’t have a direct line for Reyes handy, would you?”

“There’s always a catch with you, Harry, isn’t there?”

“What catch? I’m just looking for a phone number, no big deal.” Soto gave him the number and followed it with a question.

“So, what’s it like working for the other side?”

“I’m not working for the other side. I’m doing this thing right now for myself. That’s it.”

His tone must have been too strident. Soto backed off with the small talk and asked in a perfunctory tone if there was anything else Bosch needed.

“No,” Bosch said. “But I appreciate your help. Who you working with these days?”

“I’m with Robbie Robins. You know him?”

“Yeah, he’s a good man. Sound detective, reliable. You like him?”

“Yeah, Robbie’s okay. I like his style and we’ve cracked a couple good ones.”

“Still working cold cases?”

“As long as they let us. Word is the new chief wants to close down cold case, put more people on the street.”

“That would be a shame.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, good luck, Lucia. And thanks.”

“Anytime.”

They disconnected and Bosch looked at the phone number he had just written down for Detective Orlando Reyes. He didn’t think Soto would give him a heads-up about Bosch calling but he decided to call right away.

“Robbery-Homicide Division, Detective Reyes. How can I help you?”

“You can start by not hanging up. This is Harry Bosch.”

“Bosch. I should hang up. You want my partner, not me.”

“I talked to your partner. I want to talk to you now.”

“I got nothin’ to say to you, man.”

“You and Gustafson, you still think you had the right guy?”

“We know we did.”

“So you’re not working it any longer.”

“Case is closed. We didn’t get the result we wanted — thanks to you. But the case is CBA.”

“So then where’s the harm in talking to me?”

“Bosch, I got here after you left but I heard about you. I know you fought the good fight and did some good work. But that’s in the past now. You’re history and I gotta go.”

“Answer one question.”

“What?”

“What did you hold back?”

“What are you talking about?”

“In discovery. I got the murder book you two turned over but you held something back. It always happens. What was it?”

“Goodbye, Bosch.”

“You know Clayton Manley’s alibi was cooked, right?”

There was a pause and Bosch was no longer worried about Reyes hanging up.

“What are you talking about?”

“He knew Montgomery was going to get hit, so he goes to Hawaii and keeps receipts for every penny he spent. Lots of selfies, including one predawn on the charter boat — within an hour of the judge getting hit. That didn’t strike you guys as bullshit?”

“Bosch, I’m not talking about the case with you. You want to go after Clayton Manley, have fun. But don’t expect us to back you on it. You’re on your own.”

“What about Maura Frederick? Pretty little wife number two selling Maura’s invention and making millions? If that isn’t motive, I don’t know what is.”

Bosch heard Reyes laughing over the phone. Bosch had been trying to get a rise out of him with his provocative statements, but he wasn’t expecting laughter.

“You think it’s funny?” Bosch said. “You’re letting her get away with murder.”

“I guess this is what happens when you don’t have a badge no more,” Reyes said. “Check your computer, Bosch. Google it. Tampa PD cleared that murder a month ago and Maura Frederick had nothing to do with it. You owe me, man. I just saved you some big-time embarrassment.”

Bosch seethed with humiliation. He should have checked the Florida case for an update before throwing it in Reyes’s face. He managed to gather himself and throw back something else.

“No, Reyes, you still owe me,” Bosch said. “I saved you from convicting an innocent man.”

“Bullshit, Bosch,” Reyes said. “A killer walks free because of what you and that asshole lawyer Haller have done. But it doesn’t matter because we’re done here.”

Reyes disconnected and Bosch was left holding a dead phone to his ear.

32

Bosch got up from the table and went into the kitchen to make more coffee. He was still stinging from the rebuke Reyes had hit him with. He had no doubt about his actions regarding Jeffrey Herstadt, but it stung when a representative of the police department he had invested three decades of his life in dismissed him so harshly.

A killer walks free because of you.

Those words hurt enough for Bosch to want to take another look at his actions to see if he had taken a wrong turn somewhere.

He checked his watch. He had an hour before he needed to get on the road to meet with Ballard. She had sent a message setting a rendezvous point at a gas station before she would go into Dulan’s to spy on the meeting between Elvin Kidd and Marcel Dupree.

Bosch refilled his cup and went back to the dining room table. He decided he would do exactly what Reyes suggested: he would Google the Tampa case and get the latest update.

Before he got the chance, his cell phone buzzed. It was Mickey Haller.

“About that thing we talked about at lunch during the trial,” he said, “when do you want to do the video?”

Bosch’s mind was so deep into his review of the Montgomery investigation that he had no idea what Haller was talking about.

“What video?” he asked.

“Remember, CML?” Haller said. “Chronic myeloid leukemia? I want to take a video deposition with you and get rolling on that, send out a demand letter with the video.”

Now Bosch remembered.

“Uh, it’s gotta wait a bit,” he said.

“Why is that?” Haller said. “I mean, you came to me with it. You know, make sure Maddie is covered. Now it’s gotta wait?”

“Just a bit. I have two different cases I’m working. I don’t have time to sit for a video. Give me about a week.”

Bosch thought of something as he mentioned the cases.

“It’s your life,” Haller said. “I’m here when you’re ready.”

“Hey, listen,” Bosch said. “I don’t know if this will happen but I might end up going to see another lawyer. Not because I want to hire him but I want him to think I do. I might mention this case — the CML thing — and he might ask why I chose him. All right if I tell him you recommended him? Then if he checks with you, you cover for me and let me know.”

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“It’s complicated. His name is Clayton Manley. All you need to do if he calls is say yes, you recommended him to me.”

“Clayton Manley — why is that name familiar?”

“He was an early-on suspect in the Montgomery killing.”

“Oh, yeah. I knew it. You’re working that case, aren’t you? You think Manley’s the killer?”

Bosch was now regretting having brought up the half-formed idea. “I’m reviewing the murder book — at least what you got in discovery,” he said. “I may want to size up Manley with a ruse. That’s where you would come in.”

“The case is over, Harry,” he said. “We won!”

“You won, but the case isn’t over. I have it directly from the LAPD that they aren’t doing anything with it because they still say it was Herstadt. It’s case closed over there and that means nobody’s doing a damn thing to find the real killer.”

“Except you now. You’re a dog with a bone, Bosch.”

“Whatever. Are we good on the Manley thing? In case it happens?”

“We’re good. Just don’t hire him for real.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

They disconnected and Bosch got back to his Google search. He quickly found and pulled up a story from the Tampa Bay Times on the arrest of two suspects in the killing of Larry and Melanie Cassidy.

Bosch read through the story a second time and came away as convinced as the Tampa police apparently were. Reading between the lines, he guessed that Fields had flipped and was hoping to avoid a murder charge by laying the killings squarely on his partner, Cardozo. It seemed obvious that someone was talking or they would not have had the details about the fender bender and the abduction at the traffic light.

Other stories followed in the weeks after the arrest story, but Bosch didn’t need to read them. What he knew already scratched Maura Frederick off his list.

But Clayton Manley was still on it, and Orlando Reyes had not said anything about him when he rejected talking to Bosch earlier.

Bosch grabbed his phone and hit Redial. This time he decided on a different tack with Reyes.

The unsuspecting detective answered promptly. “Robbery-Homicide Division, Detective Reyes. How can I help you?”

“You can start by telling me why you dropped Clayton Manley.”

“Bosch? Bosch, I told you, I’m not talking to you.”

“I checked out Tampa and you were right: Maura Frederick is in the clear. But that was just a deflection, Reyes. You need to tell me why you dropped off Manley or you’re going to have to tell it to a judge.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Are you crazy?”

“There’s something missing about Clayton Manley from the murder book, something not in discovery, and if I put that idea in Haller’s ear he’s going to run with it and he’s going to drag you and your dumbshit partner into court to talk about it with the judge.”

“You’re the dumbshit, Bosch. There’s nothing. We got the DNA hit on that nutjob and that was it. Game over. We didn’t need to do anything else on Manley.”

“It’s in the chronology, Reyes. Actually, it’s what’s not in the chrono. The interview with Manley came a week before the DNA hit, but there’s nothing on Manley in the chrono that week after you talked to him. You aren’t going to convince me — or Haller or the judge — that you did nothing on Manley that week. He was a solid suspect. At least a person of interest. So what happened? What did you leave out of discovery? What happened the week before the DNA came back?”

Reyes said nothing — and that was when Bosch knew he had struck a nerve. His bluff was on the nose. Gustafson and Reyes had taken the Manley angle another step but had left it out of the discovery version of the murder book they handed over to the defense.

“Talk to me, Reyes,” Bosch said. “I can contain it. You don’t and you get Haller up your ass. If he smells any money in this he’ll sue you, the department, the city — it’ll blow up and you get blown up with it. You want that? You’re new to RHD. You think they’ll keep you around if you get tainted with this?”

He waited and Reyes finally broke.

“Okay, listen, Bosch,” he began. “Detective to detective, I’ll give you something and you do whatever the fuck you want with it. But it won’t add up to anything because your nutjob was the guy. He fucking did it.”

“Just give it to me,” Bosch said.

“You have to protect me. No Haller, no fucking lawyers.”

“No Haller, no lawyers.”

“Okay, the only thing we left out of discovery was that we started out with Manley by running down every lawyer in that firm.”

“Michaelson and Mitchell.”

“Right, every lawyer. We wanted to see who we were dealing with, what other clients they were representing. It’s a big powerful law firm and we had to step carefully. We put all the lawyer names in the county courts computer and got all their cases in the last ten years. It was a lot. But we got one hit of interest.”

“Which was?”

“About five years ago Michaelson and Mitchell represented Dominick Butino. Got him off on a weapons beef — witness changed his story. And that was it. Then the DNA came in on Herstadt and we dropped it. It didn’t mean anything anyway.”

Bosch knew the name. Dominick “Batman” Butino was a reputed organized-crime figure from Las Vegas who had business interests in Los Angeles. Bosch now knew exactly what Gustafson and Reyes had done. They had DNA directly linking Herstadt to the Montgomery killing. They weren’t going to put something in discovery — a certified mobster — that would allow the defense to create any sort of jury distraction.

They didn’t want Haller building a potential third-party-culpability case by pointing to a lawyer who had threatened and sued Montgomery, and whose firm represented a notorious organized-crime figure. Butino’s nickname did not come from the superhero but from his alleged use of a baseball bat to collect money owed to him.

It was a classic anti-discovery move by the cops. And it may have inadvertently hidden the real killer.

“Which lawyer?” Bosch asked.

“What?” Reyes said.

“Which lawyer in the firm represented Butino?”

“William Michaelson.”

A founding partner. Bosch wrote it down.

“So, you never talked to Manley about this?” he asked.

“Didn’t need to,” Reyes said.

“Did he ever know he was being looked at, that he was a suspect?”

“No, because he wasn’t a suspect. He was a person of interest for about five minutes. You’re acting like we dropped the ball on this but we didn’t. We had a DNA match, a suspect documented to have been in the vicinity, and then we had a confession. You think for one second we were going to spend another minute on Clayton Manley? Think again, Bosch.”

Bosch had what he needed but couldn’t end the call without throwing something back at Reyes.

“You know what, Reyes, you were right about what you said before,” he said. “A killer is out there walking free. But not because of anything I did.”

He disconnected the call.