Free The King of Swords (max mingus) by Nick Stone

were dark brown and shiny, like giant kidney beans dipped in thick chocolate.
    'What you growin'?'
    'They ain't for me, they're for my mother.'
    'What? You got one?' the cop said, looking at the seeds once more and putting them back in the tube.
    'Very funny,' Carmine replied. 'Look. We can do us a deal here, man. You gimme back the tube and the rest of my shit and let me get on outta here; you can keep the money.'
    The cop looked at him and right then Carmine flinched because he swore the thunderous look the cop gave him was a prelude to another punch.
    'I could bust you right here and now for attemptin' to bribe a police officer,' the cop said. 'What's your name? Tell me the truth or I'll take you in.'
    'I ain't got to tell you nothin', 'cause I ain't done nothin', 'cept in your imagination. Y'all bent out of shape 'cause you see a black man drivin' a nice car, wearin' nice clothes and gettin' hisself some fine-ass pussy,' Carmine said angrily.
    'You got me all wrong. I ain't got nothin' against black folk. Quite the contrary,' the cop said. 'I just hate pieces of shit like you. See, I only exist because you exist. My role in life is to make your life constant fuckin' hell, and your role in life is to suffer or die-preferably the latter after a lot of the former.' The cop picked up Carmine's car keys. 'On your feet.'
    Carmine got up and almost fell over. The pain in his gut was so intense he had to look to make sure he wasn't bleeding. He was sure the bastard had fucked him up inside.
    The cop made him get in the car and cuffed his hands to the steering wheel.
    He popped the trunk and rummaged inside. He didn't find anything besides cleaning products, cloths, a jack and a spare tyre. He looked in the glove compartment and found his licence and registration.
    'Carmine Des-a-moures,' the cop read out. 'Kind of name's that?'
    'It's a name. What's yours?'
    'None of your business.'
    'Suits you.'
    The cop studied the licence for a long moment, probably trying to see if it was fake or not. It was the real deal, but the cop didn't look convinced. He tossed it into the car and uncuffed Carmine.
    'Remember me and remember this: I am going to be in your shit for the duration. I catch you tryin' to recruit girls again I'll bust you for real, and I'll see to it you share a cell with some redneck ass bandido who turns you out so much you'll shit a whole watermelon with a smile on your face,' he said, tossing Carmine his wallet, lighter and aftershave bottle. 'Now go.' He stabbed his finger towards the exit.
    'What about my seeds, man? You don't need 'em,' Carmine pleaded.
    'Which part of "go" did you miss, shitstick?'
    'Motherfucker!' Carmine spat as he started up the car.

7
    M ax found a payphone on 5th Street and called Striker Swan.
    Striker was Billy Ray Swan's uncle. He'd done ten years for armed robbery. He'd been a serious badass before he'd gone away. He'd met his match behind bars and the experience had changed him from the inside out. He'd been rehabilitated of his worst excesses but he still wasn't doing straight time, making his living mostly running hot cars in and out of the state, yet the violence he'd been notorious for in his youth never re-entered the frame.
    He'd loved his little nephew more than he'd loved anyone in his whole life-except, perhaps, for his sister-in-law Rachel on that one hot night when Billy Ray was conceived, or so people said. The two did look more than a little alike, even though that could just have been the Swan family genes. Whatever the reality, Striker had been the most broken up by the kid's murder.
    Swan answered the phone at the fifth ring. Max spoke to him through a handkerchief over the receiver and in the only accent he could make fly-Jimmy Carter Jiowja.
    'Striker?'
    'Yeah,' Striker answered in a yawn. 'Who's this?'
    'Never mind that. I got me a message to give you. Dean Waychek, guy that killed lil' Billy Ray? Wanna know where you can find him?'
    Max didn't wait to hear the answer. He