“What’s he doing?” Gandle asked.

“Just watch,” Bosch said.

At the counter the customer said something to Li and the store owner reached up to the overhead storage rack and pulled down a carton of Camel cigarettes. He put them on the counter and then put the can of beer into a small brown bag.

The customer had an imposing build. Though short and squat, he had thick arms and heavy shoulders. He dropped a single bill on the counter and Li took it and opened the cash register. He put the bill in the last slot of the drawer and then counted several bills out as change and handed the money across the counter. The customer took his money and pocketed it. He put the carton of cigarettes under one arm, grabbed the beer and with his remaining free hand pointed a finger like a gun at Li. He pumped his thumb as if shooting the gun and then left the store.

Bosch stopped the playback.

“What was that?” Gandle asked. “Was that a threat with the finger? Is that what you’ve got?”

Ferras didn’t say anything but Bosch was pretty sure his young partner had seen what Harry wanted them to see. He backed the video up and started to replay it.

“What do you see, Ignacio?”

Ferras stepped forward so he could point to the screen.

“First of all, the guy’s Asian. So he’s not from the neighborhood.”

Bosch nodded.

“I watched twenty-two hours of video,” he said. “This was the only Asian who came into the store besides Li and his wife. What else, Ignacio?”

“Watch the money,” Ferras said. “He gets back more than he gives.”

On the screen Li was taking bills out of the cash register.

“Look, he puts the guy’s money in the drawer and then he starts giving him money back, including what the guy gave him in the first place. So he gets the beer and smokes for free and then all the money.”

Bosch nodded. Ferras was good.

“How much does he get?” Gandle asked.