King of Swords

This way's better. We can pin what we want on him and make it stick. Dead men tell no tales and all that.

'Look, I'm sorry I didn't warn you about it, but I wanted you goin' in there with a clear head. Mind on the job,' Eldon said.

Max didn't know what was pissing him off more — what he'd just witnessed, or the fact that Eldon was so fucking matter of fact and even jovial about it.

'How's Liston?'

2M 'What do you think, Eldon? He's never seen this kind of shit first hand before,' Max said, 'so he's kinda confused.'

'Confused?' Eldon frowned.

'Yeah, you know. His right and wrong compass is all fucked up.'

'He gonna be a problem?'

'No.' Max shook his head. 'Joe's a hundred per cent solid.

With you all the way. I mean, he ain't got a death wish, right?'

Eldon smirked at that. 'You're upset, ain't you?' he said.

'You could say that, yeah,' Max said, drawing hard on his Marlboro. 'What went down today was wrong.'

' Wrong? No, it wasn't wrong, Max. It was right. Wrong was that guy. He was a piece of shit. Brought young Colombian girls over here and gutted 'em like they was kingfish. Hell, why am I even tellin' you this? You know. It was you who picked him outta the book.'

'It's still murder.'

'Huh?' Eldon stepped closer to him and craned his head down a little, looking Max right in the eye. 'I can't believe I'm hearin' this. From you, of all people. You a little shell shocked, Max? You got amnesia? Macon PD have three unsolved murders on their books — three kiddie rapers with double tap entry wounds in their heads.'

'That was different.'

'Oh? How so?'

'They were guilty but you made me let 'em go because their faces didn't fit whatever political agenda you and the Turd Fairy were workin' to that month.'

'But you still popped 'em.'

T was doin' the job you wouldn't let me do the right way.

Those guys? They preyed on defenceless children. I gave the kids and their heartbroken families justice. Justice you denied 'em!'

'denied them justice? Bullshit! Those families got fucken'

216 I justice, Max! You see them complainin' in court? They didn't give a flying fuck it was the wrong guy.'

“Cause they didn't know?

'Rutyou got the real perps, Max. And the creeps we put away? They hurt kids too. So what's the fucken' problem?

Two for the price of one. And you're talkin' to me about justice? I say what we're doin' here is justice — justice at its purest. Those fuckers all deserved to go down. Octavio Grossfeld sliced girls up, Max. Young girls, with families too. He was a scumbag. He got what was comin' and good fucken' riddance!'

We weren't even gonna arrest him for that,' Max said bitterly but weakly, feeling the protest drain out of him.

Eldon was right: he wasn't in any kind of position to protest, and there was even a warped truth in what he was saying.

'Look, Max,' Eldon put his hand on his shoulder, all fatherly and concerned, 'you're upset 'cause I didn't keep you in the loop. Is that it? It was a last-minute call. You and Liston'll get the credit, don't worry. It's still your baby.'

Fuck that, Max thought, looking away, over to the sea.

'What about Marisela Cruz?'

Who?'

'The mule who was gonna testify against Grossfeld?'

'What about her? Things have changed, so the deal's off.

She'll be charged and go to prison.'

'But I promised her . . .'

'Not in writing you didn't. Verbal promises ain't worth shit. Who was with you when you talked to her? Pete?'

Max nodded yes.

'He'll deny the whole thing.'

'What about her baby?' Max almost whispered. He felt sick and dizzy. He dropped his cigarette on the ground and stamped it out.

'Her kid'll be born here and fostered or adopted. Best

thing for it. Would you wanna grow up in Colombia? I wouldn't.'

'That's fucked up,' Max said, disgusted. 'Can't you at least deport her?'

'Not my call.'

'Bullsbitr Eldon was taken aback by Max's fury, but only for a second.

'We send that girl home, know what'll happen? She'll be back on the next plane over, and the one after that too.

And then maybe she'll bring her baby along for the ride.

You know they use babies to get coke in here, right?' Eldon said.

'Forget it then,' Max said. 'I want off this case.'

' What did you just say?' Eldon's face tightened.

'You heard me.' Max looked him straight in the eye.

'Ain't gonna happen.' Eldon shook his head.

'No? Then I'll quit.'

'The fuck you will!' Eldon snarled.

'Watch me,' Max said coldly and turned to go.

Eldon grabbed him by both shoulders and spun him around so fast he lost his balance and stumbled, and his cigarettes and Zippo fell out of his breast pocket.

'Now you listen Eldon seethed, face flushed, eyes small and fierce, wart turquoise going on purple, index finger jabbing at Max's face. ' run this division. You work for me. I decide who stays and who goes. Not you. The only place you go is where I tell you.

'You wanna walk outta here, Max? Fine, fuck off. But you'll be taking Liston with you. And I'll make sure he knows that his arrogant little prick of a partner was willing to wreck his life over some spic mule.