“Okay, Two Small, let’s talk,” he said. “All I know here is what’s in the bag. It says you’re a drug dealer, and that’s how we have to charge you.”

Bosch saw Washburn flex the muscles in his thin shoulders and hang his head down. Bosch checked his watch.

“But don’t get all anxious about that, Two Small. Because the weed is the least of my worries. It’s just something I’m going to be able to hold you with, because my guess is that a guy who doesn’t pay his child support isn’t going to have enough dough to put up a twenty-five-grand bond.”

Bosch raised the bag containing the weed again.

“This will keep you inside while I work out this other thing I’ve got on my plate.”

Washburn looked up.

“Yeah, bullshit. I’ll be out. I got people.”

“Yeah, well, people seem to disappear when it’s time to put up money.”

Bosch turned and looked at Gant.

“You ever notice that, Jordy?”

“I have. People seem to scatter, especially when they know a brother is going down. They think, why bother putting up a bond if he ain’t goin’ nowhere but the slam?”

Bosch nodded as he looked back at Washburn.

“What is this bullshit?” Washburn said. “Why you on me, man? What I do?”

Bosch drummed the fingers of one hand on the table.

“Well, I’ll tell you, Two Small. I work in downtown and I wouldn’t come all the way down here just to bust somebody’s chops on a dime bag. See, I work homicide. I work cold cases. You know what that means? I work old cases. Years old. Sometimes twenty years old.”

Bosch gauged Washburn for a reaction but didn’t register a change.

“Like the one we’re going to talk about.”

“I don’t know nothing about no homicide. You got the wrong motherfucker there.”

“Yeah? Really? That’s not what I heard. I guess some people have been talking some shit about you, then.”

“That’s right. So, take that shit outta here.”

Bosch leaned back as if maybe he was considering following Washburn’s order, but then he shook his head once.

“No, I can’t do that. I got a witness, Charles. Actually, an ear witness—you know what that is?”

Washburn looked away when he answered.

“The only thing I know is that you’re full of shit.”

“I got a witness who heard you cop to the crime, man. She said you told her. You were acting like a big man and told her how you put the white bitch against the wall and popped her. She said you were real proud of it because it was going to grease you right into the Sixties.”

Washburn tried to stand up but his bindings pulled him right back into his seat.

“White bitch? Man, what the fuck you talking? Was that Latitia you talking about? She’s full a shit. She’s just trying to cause me trouble on account I ain’t paid her in four months. Her lyin’ ass will say anything.”