A Darkness More Than Night

brings me to tip number two. And that is, if I were you, I would be in that courtroom today long before the judge comes in and starts things. You see those guys standing down there? They’re going to miss it, Jack. You don’t want to be like them.”
    Bosch left him there. He nodded to the deputy on the courtroom door and was allowed in.
    Two deputies were walking David Storey to his place at the defense table as Bosch came into the courtroom. Fowkkes was already there and Langwiser and Kretzler were seated at the prosecution table. Bosch looked at his watch as he came through the gate. He had about fifteen minutes before the judge would take the bench and call for the jury.
    He went to the prosecution table but remained standing. He leaned down and put both palms on the table and looked at the two prosecutors.
    “Harry, you ready?” Langwiser began. “Today’s the day.”
    “Today’s the day but not because of what you think. You two would take a plea on this wouldn’t you? If he copped to Jody Krementz and Alicia Lopez, you wouldn’t go for the needle, right?”
    They both looked at him with blank stares of confusion.
    “Come on, we don’t have a lot of time before the judge comes out. What if I could go over there and in five minutes get you two murder ones? Alicia Lopez’s family would love you for it. You told them you didn’t have a case.”
    “Harry, what are you talking about?” Langwiser said. “We floated a plea. Twice. Fowkkes shot it down both times.”
    “And we don’t have the evidence on Lopez,” Kretzler added. “You know that – the grand jury passed. Nobody, no -”
    “Listen, you want the plea or not? I think I can go over there and get it. I arrested Rudy Tafero for murder this morning. It was a setup orchestrated by Storey to get to me. It backfired and Tafero is taking a deal. He’s talking.”
    “Jesus Christ!” Kretzler said.
    He said it too loudly. Bosch turned and looked over at the defense table. Both Fowkkes and Storey were looking at them. Just past the defense table he saw McEvoy take a seat in the media gallery that was closest to the defense table. No other reporters had come in and sat down yet.
    “Harry, what are you talking about?” Langwiser said. “What murder?”
    Bosch ignored the questions.
    “Let me go over there,” Bosch said. “I want to look in Storey’s eyes when I tell him.”
    Kretzler and Langwiser looked at each other. Langwiser shook her shoulders and waved her hands in exasperation.
    “Worth a try. We were only holding death as an ace in the hole.”
    “Okay then,” Bosch said. “See if you can get the clerk to buy me some time with the judge.”
    Bosch stepped around the defense table and stood in front of it so he could look equally at Fowkkes and Storey. Fowkkes was writing something on a legal pad. Bosch cleared his throat and after a few moments the defense attorney slowly looked up.
    “Yes, Detective? Shouldn’t you be at your table preparing for -”
    “Where’s Rudy Tafero?”
    Bosch looked at Storey as he asked it.
    Fowkkes looked behind him to the seat against the rail where Tafero normally sat during court sessions.
    “I’m sure he’s on his way,” he said. “We have a few minutes.”
    Bosch smiled.
    “On his way? Yeah, he’s on his way. Up to super max at Corcoran, maybe Pelican Cove if he’s lucky. I really wouldn’t want to be a former cop doing my time in Corcoran.”
    Fowkkes seemed unimpressed.
    “Detective, I don’t know what you are talking about. I am trying to prepare a defense strategy here because I think the prosecution is going to fold its tent today. So, if you don’t mind.”
    Bosch looked at Storey when he responded.
    “There is no strategy. There is no defense. Rudy Tafero was arrested this morning. He’s been charged with murder and attempted murder. I’m sure your client can tell you all about it, Counselor. That is, if you didn’t know already.”
    Fowkkes stood up abruptly as though he were making an objection.
    “Sir, it is highly irregular for you to come to the defense table and -”
    “He cut a deal about two hours ago. He’s laying it all out.”
    Again Bosch ignored Fowkkes and looked at Storey.
    “So here’s the deal. You’ve got about five minutes to go over there to Langwiser and Kretzler and agree to plead to murder one on Krementz and Lopez.”
    “This is preposterous. I am going to complain to the judge about this.”
    Bosch now looked at Fowkkes.
    “You do