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“What do we get?”

“The settlement means you get four hundred thousand paid out over five years, less the fifty that will go to me. So seventy K a year for five years. You could buy a boat, go see the northern lights, do whatever you want to do with it.”

“I don’t want to do anything with it. You can take your share, but I don’t want mine.”

Haller started to laugh, then realized that Bosch was serious.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “We’ve been fighting this fight for two years.”

“I didn’t do it for the money,” Bosch said. “I did it for Charlie Lamb.”

“I get that, but if there is no punishment, there is no justice.”

“Yeah? Who pays for this justice?”

“Ultimately, the taxpayers.”

“Most of them weren’t even alive when this went down.”

“It’s the way it works. The county was responsible. It should have protected those children. It should have protected you. But it didn’t. It looked the other way. Now it has to pay.”

“Well, I don’t want it. Give mine back.”

“What about Maddie? You could give it to her. Put it in a savings account for when… you’re no longer around.”

“I’ve already got things set up for her. You’re my lawyer, right? You work for me on this.”

“Yes, you know I do.”

“I appreciate what you’ve done, and I want you to get paid, but I don’t want the money. So do what I ask.”

“All right. I think you’re making a mistake, but all right.”

“There is something I do want, though.”

“Okay, what’s that?”

“A copy of the discovery.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want everything they turned over to you lawyers. That’s why I joined the lawsuit.”

“That might be a problem.”

“How so?”

“It was sealed as part of the settlement. Very common in cases involving minors and sexual assault.”

“But you have it, correct?”

“I do, yes, but under the settlement, I have to delete all files.”

“Don’t I have to sign off on this settlement?”

“You do. That’s why I’m here.”

“I’m not signing off until I get a look at the discovery.”