“And then Richter asked my husband if he’d heard from Detective Sheehan. My husband said, ‘About what?’ and Richter said for the payoff for putting Harris’s prints on Stacey’s book. My husband laughed. He said there was no payoff. He then told Richter what I had told him during the trial, about my having been to that car wash. When he was done telling it, they both laughed and my husband said, and I remember this so clearly, he said, ‘I’ve been lucky like that all my life . . .’ And that’s when I knew. He did it. That they did it.”

“And you decided to help Howard Elias.”

“Yes.”

“Why him? Why didn’t you go to the police?”

“Because I knew they’d never charge him. The Kincaids are a powerful family. They believe they are above the law and they are. My husband’s father put money into the pockets of every politician in this town. Democrat, Republican, it didn’t matter. They all owed him. And besides, that didn’t matter. I called Jim Camp and asked him what would happen if they ever found somebody else besides Harris that they thought took Stacey. He told me they’d never be able to try him because of the first case. All the defense would have to do was point to the first trial and say that last year they thought it was somebody else. That was enough for reasonable doubt right there. So they’d never go ahead with a case.”

Bosch nodded. He knew she was right. Going to trial against Harris put hair on the cake forever after.

“This might be a good point to take a break for a couple minutes,” he said. “I need to make a phone call.”

Bosch turned the tape recorder off. He got his cell phone out of his briefcase and told Kate Kincaid that he was going to check out the other side of the house while he made his call.

As he walked through the formal dining room and then into the kitchen Bosch called Lindell’s cell phone. The FBI agent answered immediately. Bosch spoke quietly, hoping his voice wouldn’t carry into the living room.

“This is Bosch. It’s a go. We’ve got a cooperating witness.”

“On tape?”

“On tape. She says her husband killed her daughter.”

“What about Elias?”

“Haven’t gotten there yet. I just wanted to get you people going.”

“I’ll put out the word.”

“Anybody been seen yet?”

“Not yet. It looks like the husband is still at home.” “What about Richter? He’s involved. She’s giving me stuff on him.”

“We’re not sure where he is. If he’s at his home, he hasn’t come out yet. But we’ll find him.”

“Happy hunting.”