We ordered lunch and told the waiter to hurry the order because we needed to get back to court. While we waited I checked with Cisco on our witnesses and he said we were good to go in that department. I then asked him to hang around after court and see if he could follow the Germans out of the courthouse and stay with them until they reached their hotel. I wanted to know where they were staying. It was just a precaution. Before the trial was over, they were not going to be very happy with me. It was good strategy to know where your enemies were.

I was halfway through my grilled-chicken salad when I glanced through the window into the waiting room. It was a grand mixture of architectural designs but primarily it had an art deco vibe to it. There were rows and rows of big leather chairs for travelers to wait in and huge chandeliers hanging above. I saw people sleeping in chairs and others sitting with their suitcases and belongings gathered close around them.

And then I saw Bosch. He was sitting alone in the third row from my window. He had his earbuds in. Our eyes held for a moment and then he looked away. I put my fork down and reached into my pocket for my cash. I had no idea how much Mad Housewife cost per glass but Lorna was into her second round. I put five twenties down on the table and told the others to finish eating while I stepped out to make a phone call.

I left the restaurant and called Bosch’s cell. He pulled his plugs and answered it as I was approaching the third row of seats.

“What?” he said by way of a greeting.

“Frank Morgan again?”

“Actually, Ron Carter. Why are you calling me?”

“What did you think of the story?”

I sat in the open seat across from him, gave him a glance but acted like I was talking to someone far away from me.

“This is kind of stupid,” Bosch said.

“Well, I didn’t know whether you wanted to stay undercover or—”

“Just hang up.”

We closed our phones and looked at each other.

“Well?” I asked. “Are we in play?”

“We won’t know until we know.”

“What’s that mean?”

“The story is out there. I think it did what we wanted it to do. Now we wait and see. If something happens, then, yes, we’re in play. We won’t know we’re in play until we’re in play.”

I nodded, even though what he had said made no sense to me.

“Who’s the woman in black?” he asked. “You didn’t tell me you had a girlfriend. We should probably put coverage on her, too.”

“She’s my jury reader, that’s all.”

“Oh, she helps you pick out the cop haters and antiestablishment types?”