Title: "Queen of Martyrs"
Directed by: Phil Abraham
Written by: Eric Overmyer and Tom Bernardo
Air Date: March 11, 2016
Previous: Follow the Money
Next: Everybody Counts
Guest Starring: Leisha Hailey
"Queen of Angels" is the 9th episode of the second season of Bosch.
In the immediate aftermath of the violent shootout that ended the previous episode, Veronica Allen is in jail. Harry Bosch interrogates her, but she proclaims her innocence and, in the absence of Carl Nash, there is little evidence linking her to the murder of her husband. Harry then shows Veronica the security cam recording of Layla leaving the bank right after the murder—her name was on the box so she was able to go right in and get the $4 million.
Carl Nash is still on the loose, last seen near the Angeles National Forest, when he got rid of the woman he kidnapped. In fact, Nash is holed up in some remote wooden house in the woods. He unwraps the bandage he hastily slapped over his leg, and sees that his wound is getting infected. In need of help, Nash goes to an old acquaintance, one Catherine Cross, a "large animal veterinarian". Catherine cleans his wound and gives him antibiotics and pointedly does not ask what the hell is going on. Apparently she's an old acquaintance and an ex-girlfriend, since after she bandages up the bullet wound, they kiss.
Edgar interview O'Grady, the only member of Nash's crew captured alive. She tells the detectives that Riley was the shooter in the Allen and Arcenaux murders (which she also participated in) and the likeliest shooter for the George Irving death. She gives up Carl Nash, but she doesn't know where he is.
While rifling through her husband's papers, Veronica finds a receipt for $1.1 million in bearer bonds. She goes to visit the shady bond trader who sold Tony Allen the bomds, but he doesn't have them.
Irvin Irving meets Mayor Ramos, who appoints him acting chief of police. Later, Irving meets his wife Connie. She congratulates him on the job he always wanted, and then tells him she's filing for divorce.
Bosch and Edgar head off to the Armenian church where Layla was going to get married. Veronica, who beat them there, confronts Father Tabakian. When he refuses to either give the $400K Layla gave him to Veronica, or tell Veronica where Layla is, Veronica flies into a rage. Bosch and Edgar arrive moments later to find Veronica spattered with blood and Father Tabakian lying dead on the floor. She's arrested for murder.
Up in the Angeles Forest, Carl Nash bids Catherine a melancholy goodbye.
Back at Hollywood station, Annette McKay, the old lady who's been trying to contact Bosch for months, finally gets through to him. She says she knows who killed his mother.
Tropes:
- Answer Cut: Bosch, frustrated at the escape of Nash, says "The guy could be anywhere." Cut to the isolated cabin in the mountains where Nash is struggling with his bullet wound.
- As You Know: As Catherine dresses Nash's wound she says "You are lucky it missed your femoral."note Nash provides the necessary exposition by saying "I'm lucky you're a large animal veterinarian."
- Blood-Splattered Wedding Dress: It isn't a wedding dress, it's a woman's white blouse and skirt. But the effect is the same, as a shocked and blood-spattered Veronica walks out of Father Tabakian's office just as Bosch and Edgar show up.
- Closest Thing We Got: With a nasty leg wound that's getting infected, Nash goes the only place he can—his old girlfriend the veterinarian.
- Headbutt of Love: Nash and Catherine do this as he leaves, both well aware that they probably won't see each other again.
- I'd Tell You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You: Nash makes another veiled reference to the trouble he's in and then says "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Catherine isn't at all amused, saying "I hope that was a joke."
- Literal Metaphor: After Bosch notes that when they caught Veronica she had blood on her hands, Edgar says "hence the expression, caught red-handed."
- Open Heart Dentistry: Carl Nash gets an old friend, a lady vet, to tend to the gunshot wound in his thigh.
- Proud Beauty: Weiss makes a rather thinly veiled suggestion to Veronica that, in return for him protecting her from the wrath of the Mafiya, she'll be his lover. Veronica, who isn't at all surprised, says "If I were you I'd want me too."
- Title Drop: Weiss reports that Layla was planning to get married at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs church, which is why Veronica goes there to confront Father Tabakian.
