Free The Lincoln Lawyer: A Novel by Michael Connelly Page A

on the site.”
    She arranged her liaisons through a website which carried photos, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of escorts.
    “Did he say where he was from?”
    “No. He was Mexican or Cuban or something. He was sweaty from using.”
    “When he gave you the coke, did you see if he had any more?”
    “Yeah, he had some. I was hoping for a call back… but I don’t think I was what he was expecting.”
    Last time I had checked her ad on LA-Darlings.com to see ifshe was still in the life, the photos she’d put up were at least five years old and looked ten. I imagined that it could lead
     to some disappointment when her clients opened their hotel room doors.
    “How much did he have?”
    “I don’t know. I just knew he had to have more because if it was all he had left, he wouldn’t have given it to me.”
    It was a good point. The glimmer was getting brighter.
    “Did you screen him?”
    “’Course.”
    “What, his driver’s license?”
    “No, his passport. He said he didn’t have a license.”
    “What was his name?”
    “Hector something.”
    “Come on, Gloria, Hector what? Try to re—”
    “Hector something Moya. It was three names. But I remember ‘Moya’ because I said ‘Hector give me Moya’ when he brought out
     the coke.”
    “Okay, that’s good.”
    “You think it’s something you can use to help me?”
    “Maybe, depending on who this guy is. If he’s a trade-up.”
    “I want to get out.”
    “Okay, listen, Gloria. I’m going to go see the prosecutor and see what she’s thinking and see what I can do for you. They’ve
     got you in here on twenty-five thousand dollars’ bail.”
    “What?”
    “It’s higher than usual because of the drugs. You don’t have twenty-five hundred for the bond, do you?”
    She shook her head. I could see the muscles in her face constricting. I knew what was coming.
    “Could you front it to me, Mickey? I promise I’d—”
    “I can’t do that, Gloria. That’s a rule and I could get in trouble if I broke it. You’re going to have to be in here overnight
     and they’ll take you over to arraignment in the morning.”
    “No,” she said, more like a moan than a word.
    “I know it’s going to be tough but you have to nut it out. Andyou have to be straight in the morning when you come into court or I’ll have no shot at lowering your bond and getting you
     out. So none of that shit they trade in here. You got that?”
    She raised her arms over her head, almost as if she was protecting herself from falling debris. She squeezed her hands into
     tight fists of dread. It would be a long night ahead.
    “You’ve got to get me out tomorrow.”
    “I’ll do my best.”
    I waved to the deputy in the observation booth. I was ready to go.
    “One last thing,” I said. “Do you remember what room the guy at the Travelodge was in?”
    She thought a moment before answering.
    “Yeah, it’s an easy one. Three thirty-three.”
    “Okay, thanks. I’m going to see what I can do.”
    She stayed sitting when I stood up. Soon the escort deputy came back and told me I would have to wait while she first took
     Gloria back to her dorm. I checked my watch. It was almost two. I hadn’t eaten and was getting a headache. I also had only
     two hours to get to Leslie Faire in the DA’s office to talk about Gloria and then out to Century City for the case meeting
     with Roulet and Dobbs.
    “Isn’t there somebody else who can take me out of here?” I said irritably. “I need to get to court.”
    “Sorry, sir, that’s how it works.”
    “Well, please hurry.”
    “I always do.”
    Fifteen minutes later I realized that my complaining to the deputy had only succeeded in her making sure she left me waiting
     even longer than had I just kept my mouth shut. Like a restaurant customer who gets the cold soup he sent back to the kitchen
     returned hot with the piquant taste of saliva in it, I should have known better.
    On the quick drive over to the Criminal Courts