The stick had found leverage below the dead person’s chin. But it quickly slipped off and the face submerged again. Dark water lapped over the side of the tub and both of the police officers stepped back again.

“Let’s get out of here,” Eckersly said. “Or we’ll never get it out of our noses.”

He handed the nightstick back to Bosch and pushed past him to the door.

“Wait a second,” Bosch said.

But Eckersly didn’t wait. Bosch turned his attention back to the body and dipped the stick into the dark water again. He pulled it through the water until it hooked something and he raised it up. The dead person’s hands came out of the water. They were bound at the wrists with a dog collar. He slowly let them back down into the water again.

On his way out of the house, Bosch carried the stick at arm’s length from his body. In the backyard he founth=yard hed Eckersly standing by the garage door, gulping down fresh air. Bosch threw the slip he had used to breathe through over the clothesline and came over.

“Congratulations, boot,” Eckersly said, using the department slang for rookie. “You got your first DB. Stick with the job and it will be one of many.”

Bosch didn’t say anything. He tossed his nightstick onto the grass-he planned to get a new one now-and took out his cigarettes.

“What do you think?” Eckersly asked. “Suicide? She took the pooch with her?”

“Her hands were tied with the dog’s collar,” Bosch said.

Eckersly’s mouth opened a little but then he recovered and became the training officer again.

“You shouldn’t have gone fishing in there,” he said sternly. “Suicide or homicide, it’s not our concern anymore. Let the detectives handle it from here.”

Bosch nodded his contrition and agreement.