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‘BOSCH’: Investigating episode 4.10 ‘Book of the Unclaimed Dead’

The Bosch season 4 finale brings some closure for Harry on multiple levels.

Harry finds the truth about the murders of both his mother and Howard Elias. Maddie makes a big decision about her future. Also, the father daughter duo finds a way to let Eleanor go.

Jun Park helps Chief Irving gets the last word with the mayor. Latonya makes a decision about her relationship with J. Edgar, saying they cannot permanently be back together as a couple.

Harry delivers evidence that will allow justice to be served in the Black Guardian case. Plus, Harry gives Chuck Deng evidence revealing that Special Agent Griffin may not be so special after all.

There is so much to digest in the final episode of Bosch season 4. There is satisfaction in justice being served, but there is some heartache in the episode as well. Let’s take a closer look at ‘Book of the Unclaimed Dead’.

Searching for more evidence

The episode opens with Harry showing J. Edgar the emergency exit from the old rail line that opens yards from Angels Flight. He explains that the passageway would allow Walker to get to the crime scene and back to the hotel in approximately 20 minutes.

The task force has been working diligently to find evidence to support the claim of Gabriella Lincoln that Bradley Walker murdered Elias. They have found a viable scenario with the tunnels but still need solid evidence to tie Walker to the murder. There is some hope in the crushed phone that Harry found in the tunnels, but J. Edgar points out that they really need to find the gun.

Flight and fight

Harry gets a call from Detective Moy saying Eddie Vang, Eleanor’s shooter, has been spotted at a pool hall. Edgar and Bosch arrive on the scene with Moy and find Vang’s dead body in the trunk of a card. The business card Harry gave to Shiwei Chen is conspicuously lodged in Vang’s mouth.

Bosch rushes to the runway where Shiwei Chen is leaving on a flight back to China. Harry implores the FBI to stop him from leaving. Edgar reminds them that Chen is behind two murders.

Chen departs, and Special Agent Jay Griffin arrives on the scene. Griffin tells Harry that Chen was storing money in the U.S. to fund terrorist activity and praises Eleanor for helping to prevent danger to the U.S. Chuck Deng assures Harry that Chen will face dire consequences when his bosses learn that their crimes have been exposed.

This does not appease Harry who still blames Griffin for Eleanor’s death. Harry slugs Griffin and a scuffle ensues. Griffin says he will “let this one slide” and tells the agents to escort Harry away.

As Harry leaves, Chuck tries to defend Griffin. Harry gives Chuck Griffin’s cell phone, which he J. Edgar swiped during his altercation with Griffin.

(Update: Eagle-eyed fan and viewer @sistateacher pointed out that it was actually J. Edgar who pocketed Griffin’s phone during the scuffle.)

He says the phone logs will prove that Griffin was the catalyst behind Eleanor’s death. Harry tells Chuck that Griffin forwarded Eleanor’s video to a contact in China, which then resulted in Chen’s retaliation against Eleanor.

The next day Harry tells Maddie that her mother’s killer has been murdered. He fills her in on the bigger picture with Chen. Maddie tells Harry she has decided to attend Chapman University.

The two visit the grave site of Harry’s mom. Maddie is sad that her grandmother was one of the unclaimed dead.

Two sides to every coin

Snyder and Harry revisit the personal items that Howard Elias had on his person the night of the murder. Snyder notices that the mysterious wedding ring has an odd bevel on the interior. Bosch notices that the quarter fits nicely inside the ring’s perimeter. There is something unusual about the coin, though.

Harry compares the quarter to one that Snyder gets from her purse. He sees that the front and back surfaces of Elias’ coin are not aligned symmetrically. He puts the ring and coin together and bangs it on the table. The faux coin opens to reveal a secret compartment and a camera card.

Harry makes a delivery

Snyder wants to see what is on the camera card, but Bosch tells her it is best for her to not involve herself.  Harry reviews the excruciating footage that clearly implicates both Frank Sheehan and Terry Drake in the Black Guardian case.

Harry delivers the camera card to Alex Kaplan, Howard’s associate who is now handling victim Michael Harris’ case. Special Master Honey Chandler arrives on the scene. She learns that the card has been found and asks Bosch if he watched it. He denies watching it, saying that would be inappropriate handling of evidence.

Harry tells Kaplan that he will need the attorney to confirm the existence of the tape when the Elias murder goes to trial. Kaplan agrees. Harry also suggests that Chandler find a way to assist Kaplan in Harris’ case.

Another key point of this scene is the reminder that money can never undo the damage inflicted upon Harris. Money will not fix everything, but Harry says maybe it can help.

Robertson explores future, revisits past

Detective Jimmy Robertson talks with Newton Lt. Bob Torres about the D3 opening for which he has applied. Robertson tells Torres that he has some colleagues he would like to bring over with them. Torres mentions a start date for the following month, especially after the “glowing rec” for Robertson. Jimmy assumes the recommendation was from Billets, but it surprised to learn that it was from Terry Drake.

Jimmy meets with Terry Drake for some grub from a food truck. Robertson says that he is sorry for assuming Frankie killed Elias. He brings up their shared history at Rampart, how Drake turned on some cops while Jimmy stood behind Drake.

Drake commends his former partner’s character. Drake continues to claim that Sheehan was not guilty of Black Guardian. He suggests that Bosch is lying about Sheehan’s confession.

Then Robertson brings up the incriminating camera footage from Black Guardian, footage that showed both Drake and Sheehan committing the horrendous torture. Robertson tells Drake he regrets not reporting him at Rampart. He suggests that Black Guardian and the Elias murder may have never transpired if Drake was held accountable all those years ago.

Robertson walks away leaving Drake speechless. He has no defense.

A quiet protest and good coffee

Billets and her officers notice that there are not nearly as many participants as expected for Sunday’s protest at the police station. Mayor Ramos is scheduled to arrive for a photo op.

Meanwhile, Irving’s girlfriend Jun Park meets with reporter Laura Cooke on the chief’s behalf. Cooke hesitates to speak with Jun, but Jun tells her that the coffee is really good there.

Jun gives the reporter some food for thought off the record. Jun suggests that Laura investigate the possibility of a few different things:

  • that the mayor and Bradley Walker are trying to sway Chief Irving to take Bosch off the Elias murder investigation
  • that the police refuse to wrongfully charge innocent Sheehan
  • that the Mayor and Walker seem to have an unusually close relationship

Laura asks Jun if this all has to do with the Elias murder, to which Jun reminds Laura that she is the reporter.

Before leaving, Laura remarks that the coffee is indeed good. This is just my personal interpretation, but I perceived that comment as a nod to Laura validating Jun’s remarks.

Irving’s stare

The mayor’s motorcade arrives at the protest. He is too embarrassed to go through with the photo op when he sees only a small crowd gathered.

He becomes further enraged when Jen Kowski shows him an article suggesting impropriety with campaign funds received from Bradley Walker. Chief Irving and Jun’s collaboration with reporter Laura Cooke worked. Just wait until Mayor Ramos finds out that Walker is on the hook for Elias’ murder!

Chief Irving arrives at the protest and asks Washington to pull up alongside the Mayor’s vehicle. He lowers the window, gives the mayor a long stare, then turns away and closes the window. No words necessary. It is an epic response to all the mayor’s efforts to undermine Irving.

The confrontation

The task force considers luring Walker with a call from Lincoln’s phone. They discover that the phone is gone. Harry has taken it and sent a text to Walker to lure him to the tunnels. The message reads “TF dogs and grid srch dtla tunnls tnight”.

Billets has asked Edgar to help Bosch keep the Elias investigation and his mother’s murder separate. Edgar believes Harry is acting alone and calls Maddie to find out where Harry is. Maddie uses the GPS app to determine Harry’s location, which happens to coincide with the tunnels.

Walker enters the tunnels from the hotel. Harry is there waiting to follow him. Meanwhile, J. Edgar enters from the emergency exit on the other end. Harry tails Walker through the tunnel and watches Walker retrieve the murder weapon from its hiding place.

Bosch tells Walker to drop the gun, accuses him of all the murders, and says he will end up in solitary at Pelican Bay.

Walker taunts Harry and crushes the flash light. Walker fires a shot and Harry ducks. Harry creates a diversion by tossing a rock. Harry corners Walker and holds a gun to his head.

Walker confesses and taunts Harry further saying hateful things about his mother. Harry shows restraint. J. Edgar steps forward and retrieves the murder weapon confirming that he heard everything. Walker claims his confessions will not hold up in court because Harry had a gun to his head.

Harry needed to hear Walker admit to his mother’s murder even if not convicted. Now he knows.

Jerry says they have all they need to tie him to Elias with the murder weapon. J. Edgar escorts a hand-cuffed Walker away to be charged with Howard Elias’ murder.

A final goodbye

In a very moving scene, Harry and Maddie spread Eleanor’s ashes at Borrego Springs at sunset. A beautiful but haunting song, “Farewell” by Rosie Thomas, plays in the background.

There is indeed much closure at the end of Bosch season 4, but as expected several questions remain as well.

  • What will Jerry and Latonya’s relationship look like going forward upon her declaration that they cannot be a full-fledged couple?
  • Will Robertson take the job at Newton?
  • How will Harry be affected when Maddie leaves for college?
  • What changes does Chief Irving have in store for the department?
  • Will we see more of Frankie Sheehan, Millie Elias, and Desiree Zealy?

Thankfully, we know that there will be a fifth season of Bosch and that the writers are hard at work creating another captivating group of episodes. Michael Connelly announced that the fifth season will draw upon his novel Two Kinds of Truth.

More Bosch on the way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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