Los Angeles Police Department officer Harry Bosch arrives at Boston Logan Airport on a red eye flight to begin an investigation into the murder of Letitia Williams—a 15-year-old cold case murder from 1990. Meanwhile, a 12-year-old girl named Chiffon Henderson seemingly vanishes out of thin air one night from her home in the projects of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. Patrick Kenzie investigates Chiffon’s disappearance, and has a conversation at a bar with Chiffon’s bus driver Dontelle. Dontelle leads Patrick to the bus driver he replaced, Edward Paisley, who was arrested for tipping a bus he drove while driving drunk. Meanwhile, Harry arrives at Edward’s home to find out more about Letitia Williams, and stakes out Edward’s residence from his car. Harry notices a man also on a stakeout—Patrick. Patrick confronts Harry, and reveals that he is an independent contractor. As the two attempt to figure out each other’s connection to Edward Paisley, Patrick reveals that the principal of Chiffon’s school had found that Edward had been charged for sexual abuse of minors in Cuba and Costa Rica. Harry reveals the Letitia Williams case: in 1990, Letitia was abducted from her home at night. The screen of her windows was cut, and her body was found by an observatory a day later. She was sexually assaulted then strangled; the case was shelved after all leads brought investigators to dead ends. Patrick and Harry decide to work together to forcibly enter Edward Paisley’s home. They descend into Edward’s basement—Patrick goes right, while Harry goes left. Patrick finds Edward’s “man-cave,” filled with sports paraphernalia and memorabilia. Harry enters a tunnel and finds Chiffon wrapped in cords and a blue tarp. As Edward is about to attack Harry with a carving knife, Patrick attacks Edward with a signed baseball bat. Edward collapses, and Patrick and Harry rescue Chiffon. Patrick and Harry shake hands over their successful teamwork. As Patrick is an independent contractor, he leaves the scene, afraid of the consequences of breaking and entering, and possible death of Chiffon’s abductor. They call 911, so that Edward can receive medical attention for his head trauma.