Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly Read Free Book Online Page B

network, and a triad relationship would be included in that.”
    Ferras just stared at Chu for a long moment.
    “Whatever,” he finally said. “Over here I think we call that bullshit. The vic had lived here almost thirty years. I don’t care what they call it in China. Over here it’s extortion.”
    Bosch admired his young partner’s adamant reaction. He was contemplating joining the fray, when the phone on his desk rang and he picked it up.
    “Bosch.”
    “This is Rogers downstairs. You’ve got two visitors, both named Li. They say they have an appointment.”
    “Send them up.”
    “On the way.”
    Bosch hung up.
    “Okay, they’re on their way up. This is how I want to play this. Chu, you take the old lady into one of the interview rooms and go over her statement and have her sign it. After she signs it I want you to ask her about the payoff and the guy on the video. Show her his photo. And don’t let her play dumb. She’s got to know about it. Her husband had to have talked about it.”
    “You’d be surprised,” Chu said. “Husbands and wives wouldn’t necessarily talk about this.”
    “Well, do your best. She could know a lot whether she and her husband talked about it or not. Ferras and I will talk to the son. I want to find out if he’s paying protection at the store up in the Valley. If so, that could be where we grab our guy.”
    Bosch looked across the squad room and saw Mrs. Li enter but she was not with her son. She was with a younger woman. Bosch raised his hand to draw their attention and waved them over.
    “Chu, who is this?”
    Chu turned around as the two women approached. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t know. As the two women got closer Bosch saw that the younger woman was in her midthirties and attractive in an understated, hair-behind-the-ears sort of way. She was Asian. She was dressed in blue jeans and a white blouse. She walked a half step behind Mrs. Li with her eyes cast down on the floor. The initial impression Bosch got was that she was an employee. A maid pressed into service as a driver. But the deskman downstairs had said they were both named Li.
    Chu spoke to Mrs. Li in Chinese. After she responded, he translated.
    “This is Mr. and Mrs. Li’s daughter, Mia. She drove her mother here because Robert Li is delayed.”
    Bosch was immediately frustrated by the news and shook his head.
    “Great,” he said to Chu. “How come we didn’t know there was a daughter?”
    “We didn’t ask the right questions yesterday,” Chu said.
    “You were the one asking questions yesterday. Ask Mia where she lives.”
    The young woman cleared her throat and looked up at Bosch.
    “I live with my mother and father,” she said. “Or I did until yesterday. I guess now I live with just my mother.”
    Bosch felt embarrassed that he had assumed she spoke no English and she had heard and understood his annoyed response to her showing up.
    “Sorry. It’s just that we need all the information we can get.”
    He looked at the other two detectives.
    “Okay, we are going to need to interview Mia. Detective Chu, why don’t you continue with the plan and take Mrs. Li into an interview room to go over her statement. I will talk with Mia and, Ignacio, you wait for Robert to show up.”
    He turned back to Mia.
    “Do you know how long your brother is delayed?”
    “He should be on his way. He said he was going to leave the store by ten.”
    “Which store?”
    “His store. In the Valley.”
    “Okay, Mia, why don’t you come with me, and your mother can go with Detective Chu.”
    Mia spoke in Chinese to her mother and they proceeded toward the bank of interview rooms at the back of the squad. Bosch grabbed a yellow legal pad and the file containing the print off the camera video before leading the way. Ferras was left behind.
    “Harry, you want me to start with the son when he gets here?” he asked.
    “No,” Bosch said. “Come and get me. I’ll be in room two.”
    Bosch led the