Page 48 of Resurrection Walk

Landon turned to look at him. She smiled but not in a way that invited further comment on her reading choices.

“When she was a teenager,” Bosch said. “It’s a tough job.”

She looked at him again.

“And how did she turn out?” she asked.

“Pretty great,” Bosch said. “She went into law enforcement.”

“Then you must worry about her.”

“All the time.”

Landon’s eyes dropped to the book Bosch was holding.

“I loved that book,” she said.

Bosch looked down to see what he had grabbed. It wasTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. He had never heard of it. He had not been in a bookstore since before the pandemic.

“I heard it was good,” he said. “I’ll give it a try and then give it to my daughter.”

“She’ll like it,” Landon said. “I’m not so sure about you.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s about three people but it’s also about developing video games and the creativity it involves.”

“Hmm. Well, sounds like something at least Maddie will like.”

He noticed that Landon smiled at the mention of the name but did not reveal that it was also her own name.

“Why don’t you go ahead of me,” she said. “I have a lot here and you just have the one.”

“You sure?” Bosch said. “I don’t mind —”

“No, go ahead, because I’m also going to ask them to order a book for me.”

“Thank you. That’s very nice of you.”

She stepped back and he moved up in the queue just as the customer ahead finished her purchase and left. Bosch put the book down on the counter, and the cashier scanned it. He paid with cash. He turned back to Landon, held up the book, and said, “Thanks.”

“I hope she likes it,” Landon said.

Bosch exited and then took a position leaning against a wall by the stairs up to the parking lot. He opened the book he had just bought and started reading. A few minutes later, Landon came out of the store with a bag containing all her purchases. Bosch looked up from his book and Landon quickly turned away, probably thinking he was going to make an awkward attempt at some sort of pickup.

“You’re Maddy, right?” he said.

Landon stopped in her tracks at the foot of the stairs.

“What?” she said.

“Or is it Madison?” Bosch asked.

He pushed off the wall and closed the book.

“Who are you?” Landon said. “What do you want?”

“I’m a guy trying to get an innocent woman out of prison,” Bosch said. “So she can raise her child.”

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