“So then our guy used picks.”

“Looks that way.”

Bosch nodded.

“Um, one more thing, Brax. The saxophone. He has to keep pawn records, right?”

“He has to keep them and we get copied as well. The pawn detail. They compare pawn inventories to stolen-property reports. You know, look for matches.”

Bosch reached over and lifted the saxophone off the desk.

“So then how can I find out who pawned this?”

Braxton seemed mildly taken aback.

“What’s it got to do with all of this?”

“Nothing, as far as I know. But I want to find out who pawned it.”

“It shouldn’t be too hard. The guys in the detail keep everything separated by store.wited by s In shoeboxes. They could just look through the box for Three Kings. Depending on how far back they go, it might be in there.”

“What would work better, if you call them or I call them?”

“They’re not going to like it either way, but let me take a crack at it.”

“Thanks, man.”

Bosch looked at his watch. It was almost noon.

“And tell them we’d like to hear back on it today.”

“I’ll tell them but I doubt they’ll make any promises. It’s Christmas Eve, Harry. People are trying to get home early.”

“Just tell them it’s important.”

“To you or the case?”

Bosch didn’t answer and eventually Braxton went back to his desk to make the call. Bosch looked through the three burglary reports again. When he finished he got up and went down the back hallway to the interview rooms. Instead of going into 3, where Servan was, he went into 4 and looked through the mirrored glass at the pawnbroker. He was sitting at the table with his arms folded and his eyes closed. He was either sleeping or meditating. Maybe both.

He left the room and went back to the homicide table. He sat down and picked up the saxophone again. He liked handling it, the feel and weight of it in his grasp. Knowing that the instrument could produce a sound that echoed all the sadness and hope of humanity gave him pause. Again, he remembered the day on the ship. Sugar Ray bobbing and weaving through “The Sweet Spot” and a few other tunes. Bosch fell in love with the sound that day. It felt like it had come from somewhere deep within himself. He was not the same after that day.