Page 12 of Resurrection Walk

“That’s it,” Haller said. “I’m done for the day and you can take me home.”

Bosch checked the dash clock. It wasn’t yet two, and this would be an early work stop. He didn’t put the car in gear. He waited and soon Haller realized why.

“Oh, right,” he said.

He got out and then got back in, this time in the front seat, moving the Anthony Marcus file to the dashboard.

“You come up with anything on this case?” he asked. “Looked like you did most of the talking on that call.”

“I think so,” Bosch said. “Gave her a pathway, you could say.”

“Well, good. I hope it didn’t darken your soul, having to do that.”

“A bit. But I’ll deal with it. Just remember, that was a one-off, Mick, and it was easy. But I’m going back to the haystack now.”

“Which is exactly where I need you. Find me the needle.”

Bosch checked the side-view, pulled away from the curb, and headed toward Haller’s home. After a few minutes of silence, Bosch spoke.

“On that Ochoa negotiation with the city attorney, what do you stand to make from that?”

“Well, we have a sliding rate for all such cases. We get a standard twenty-five percent of the first million, goes up to thirty-three on a prorated scale. Most lawyers have a flat rate of a third or higher all the way through. Me, my cut gets bigger only if the check gets bigger.”

“Not bad when it’s a slam dunk like that one looks to be.”

“It’s never as easy as it looks.”

“But with the haystack, you’re not doing it for that second-level payout, right?”

“It’s strictly pro bono on all the work we do up front. Now, if we get somebody out, I’m happy to represent them in a suit for damages and compensation at my usual rate. But that’s pie-in-the-sky money. In most cases compensation is limited by state caps. So could there be money down the line, yes. But this is not a moneymaking operation. Why do you think I was going over cases with Lorna? I need to put gas in the tank. I need paying cases so you can work the haystack.”

“I just wanted to be sure, that’s all.”

“Well, you can be. The deal I made with Ochoa was made before all the letters started coming in, and it was Hayley who suggested I create my own little innocence project. The only difference is the real Innocence Project takes donations to the cause. I don’t.”

“Got it.”

They dropped back into silence until Bosch started up the hill on Fareholm. He passed Haller’s house and turned around at the top, then came back down and parked at the curb by the stairs to Haller’s front door.

They both got out.

“Thank you, Harry,” Haller said.

“What are you going to do?” Bosch asked.

“Well, I haven’t had a half day off like this in months. I don’t want to waste it. I might go over to Wilshire and hit the range.”

“You play golf?”

“Taking lessons.”

“And you’re a member at Wilshire?”

“Joined a few months ago.”

“Good for you.”

“What’s that mean, that tone?”

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