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“Nephrectomy. Removal of a kidney. But that doesn’t mean he had kidney disease. He could have donated a kidney. I mean, I’d have to look at the medical records or get somebody more qualified to look, but—”
“Oh, shit. We didn’t—I need to call Harry Bosch. Darcy, you’re a genius. I’ll call you later. And thanks so much for giving up your weekend for this.”
Ballard disconnected. She immediately called Bosch and started unzipping her wet suit as she waited for him to answer.
“Ballard. What’s up?”
“Good and bad news. The DNA from Hastings does not match the case DNA.”
“Is that the good or bad news?”
“The bad. The good news is that he could have donated a kidney to a friend or relative. And that person would be the one with kidney disease and could be our new suspect.”
Bosch was silent.
“Harry?”
“Just thinking. We don’t have much of a choice. We have to go to Hastings.”
“Follow the kidney.”
Ballard smiled but heard no reaction from Bosch.
“That was supposed to be funny, Harry.”
“Yeah, I know. So, where are you?”
“Well, I was about to go paddling. I’m in Malibu.”
“Do you want to wait till tomorrow?”
“Not really. We have new momentum. Let’s go see him.”
“If we can find him.”
“Well, we know where he lives and works and where he’s been shacking up. I can also just call him.”
“I think it would be better if he doesn’t know we’re coming. You never know, he could call somebody if he knows why we’re coming.”
“Agreed.”
“When?”
“I can get back in an hour. I’ll change, drop off the dog, and then come get you. Let’s say noon.”
“I’ll be ready.”
They disconnected and Ballard finished peeling off her wet suit. She looked at Pinto in his crate.
“Sorry, boy,” she said. “Mom’s gotta go to work. We’ll come back next week and get on the water. I promise.”
She threw her wet suit into the back of the SUV and put her sweats back on over her one-piece. She turned and looked back at the ocean. She saw the silhouette of Catalina emerging on the horizon through the marine layer. It was going to be a clear and hot day.
“Damn,” she said.
32
BALLARD AND BOSCH went to Hastings’s house first and found no one home. From there, they went west to Sunset Plaza and the home of Rita Ford. The black Tesla that Bosch had previously followed was there, parked in the same spot at the curb on St. Ives as before.
