The Delta Princess

by John M. Floyd

About the Author: John M. Floyd's work has appeared in more than 300 different publications, including AHMM, EQMM, Strand Magazine, The Saturday Evening Post, and three editions of The Best American Mystery Stories. A former Air Force captain and IBM systems engineer, John is also an Edgar and Shamus finalist, a four-time Derringer Award winner, the 2018 recipient of the Edward D. Hoch Golden Derringer Award for lifetime achievement, and the author of nine books.

Excerpt

Luke Grayson woke up to the steady chirp of crickets and a tapping on the sole of his boot. He sat up and blinked in the weak glow of two lights: one a streetlamp twenty feet from the bench where he’d been sleeping and one a full moon hanging in the sky to the south.

“You can’t sleep here,” a voice said. “Private property.”

He saw two young men about his age standing over him, one with a scraggly beard and the other holding a hunting knife by its blade. Beard Man wore an oversized, flat-billed baseball cap that made him look like an idiot, and Knife Man had an earring the size of a half dollar. Luke realized it was the knife’s handle that had tapped the bottom of his boot.

“It’s a bench in a grocery store parking lot,” Luke said, wiping his eyes.

“Don’t matter.” Knife Man flipped the weapon over and gripped its handle. “You’re trespassing. Fine’s a hundred dollars.”

“I don’t have a hundred dollars. And you don’t look like a cop.” Luke glanced at the end of the bench. “Where’s my bag?”

“Right here,” Beard Man said, pointing to the pavement behind him. “You don’t got the fine, we’re taking it with us. Whatever you got in your wallet too. Stand up.”

Luke let out a sigh. This wasn’t the first time for this kind of thing, and wouldn’t be the last—but it still made him tired. He rose from the bench, clenched both fists, planted his feet …

“Billy?”

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