Now You See It

by Jane Tesh

  Reg signaled frantically. “Commercial’s over.”

  Sheila put her hands on her hips and loomed over Camden. “Get off my set.”

  He wasn’t intimidated. “Stop telling people lies.”

  “I don’t have to take this from you or anyone. My husband pays your girlfriend’s salary.”

  “Camden.” Ellin’s voice held a note of warning.

  He reluctantly left the set, his best go-to-hell look wasted as Sheila turned back to the camera. I couldn’t hear what Ellin said to him offstage, but judging from her arm waving and his glowering expression, it was a pretty fierce argument.

  He came back to me. “I’ve got to do some serious damage control.”

  “You’ll get your chance.”

  He paused. “Hang on. What did she just say?”

  We turned our attention to the Deadly Sheila. She held her arms up and out in the overly dramatic gesture my actor friends call “milking the giant cow.”

  “That’s right! Not only will I heal your souls, but also your bodies. Greater things are coming! Be sure to watch the PSN for more news about this exciting psychic event. Until next time: I’ll be watching the stars for you.”

  As soon as Reg finished with the commercials, Camden went to his church friends.

  “Celia, I hope you won’t take what Sheila said seriously. It was only for entertainment. You know everyone understands what happened.”

  She patted his hand. “Cam, dear, I know you have the same gift, but Sheila told me my husband is happy, and that’s what I wanted to hear.”

  He turned to Mabel Greene. “You know you can’t eat anything you want.”

  “I know,” she said. “I was curious to see what she’d say.”

  “And Lloyd, if you don’t leave a will, your family is going to tear apart. Please reconsider.”

  Of the three, Johnson seemed shaken by Sheila’s prediction. “That’s my business, and I’ll thank you to keep out of it. Ladies, are you ready to go?”

  “We’ll see you Sunday, Cam,” Mabel said, and they left.

  Sheila came off the set toward Camden like a runaway train. “All right, you little jerk. What do you mean by undermining my authority?”

  He stood his ground. “What authority? You’re wrong and you know it.”

  “I saw you talking to those people. You have no right to interfere. This is my show.”

  Ellin found herself in the unlikely position of peacekeeper. “Sheila, Cam was only trying to help.”

  “He can help by leaving.”

  Camden wasn’t through. “What do you mean by healing bodies as well as souls? You’re not planning some psychic surgery, are you?”

  “It’s none of your business what I’m planning, and unless you want all of these people fired, you’ll get out right now.”

  Faced with Ellin’s pleading eyes, Camden let Sheila win this round. “I’ll see you later then, Ellie.”

  We went out to the car and Camden vented some anger by kicking the tires. “I can’t believe she told people those things.” He’d almost used up his voice, so he sounded like a squeaky toy.

  “I can’t believe she’s immune to your boyish charm.”

  “She’d like to kill me.”

  “I don’t have to be psychic to see that. I also don’t have to be psychic to see she’s going to make life harder for Ellin if you interfere. I’m going to ask Dirk a few more questions. You’d better stay here.”

  “Yeah, I’d better save what little voice I have. I’m sure Ellie will be coming by the house later.”

  Back inside the studio, I found Dirk sitting in the first row of empty seats in the audience. He looked kind of lost. I knew he couldn’t be lost in thought. Maybe he was planning his next magical illusion. I sat down beside him.

  “What’s up, big guy? How about showing me another trick?”

  “Yeah, sure.” He pulled his pack of tacky cards from his pocket.

  “You said you auditioned Saturday at the Magic Club. Are you sure that’s the last time you were there?”

  Like WizBoy, Dirk had to scrunch up his face in order to squeeze out a memory. “No, I went back another day. Didn’t do any good. That woman still wouldn’t hire me.”

  “When did you go back?”

  As he clumsily shuffled the cards, several fell to the floor. He picked them up. “Sunday. No, Monday. They were closed on Sunday.”

  “Monday morning?” I would’ve remembered seeing him.

  “First thing when they opened. Nine, nine thirty.”

  So he was gone by the time I arrived. “You tried out, got turned down, and left? You didn’t hang around?” It was too much to hope he’d seen something useful.

  “There was no need to hang around.”

  “Do you remember who else was there?”

  “The skinny guy and that red-haired woman, and she was in a real bad mood. She looked mad enough to kill somebody. I even asked her what was wrong, trying to be nice, and she told me to get out.”

  Was it possible Rahnee had killed Taft and all her tears were part of an act?

  “After I tried out, I stopped by the bar to get me a drink, and this guy came in with his bird act. I don’t like birds, and his dog was real mean, so I left.”

  “Those were the only people you saw? What about the bartender?”

  “Nobody was there. I helped myself to a drink. They owed me, you know?”

  I’m not sure how he figured that. “Okay.”

  “Yeah, I’m not going there again,” Dirk said. “I’ve got a better trick in mind.”

  I looked interested, but he wasn’t going to tell me. “It’s gonna be a secret. It’s gonna fool everybody.”

  “Well, good luck with that,” I said.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Magic Man

  By the time Camden and I arrived at the Magic Club, Kary and Omar the Ring Master were already on stage. We sat down at the bar and watched as Omar went through his act step by step, pausing to show Kary which ring or hoop he wanted and how to hand it to him.

  “And present each item to the audience first, like this, and turn it so they can see it’s a real hoop without any breaks or slots. Yes, that’s it. Excellent. You have lovely stage presence, Kary. I can tell you’re used to finding the light.”

  “All those pageants had better be good for something,” she said.

  The lights on stage were not the special colored lights, but even so, Omar looked regal and handsome and Kary, of course, glowed.

  Jilly came up behind us. “Drinks for you guys?”

  “No, thanks,” I said. “We’re here to watch the audition.”

  She heaved a wounded sigh. “I don’t know why he didn’t ask me to be his assistant. I’m way better than that girl.”

  I could tell that “girl” was not the word she wanted to use. “Omar’s not a headliner, though, is he? I’d hold out for a star attraction if I were you.”

  She gave Kary another look and went back to the bar.

  “I’m surprised she has the energy to be jealous,” Camden said.

  “Oh, she’s still smarting because her dad used to be a magician but gave it up before the two of them could take the magic world by storm.”

  “He quit? Any idea why?”

  “The Lord told him to.”

  “Oh, ‘Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery.’”

  “See, I knew you’d have just the right verse.”

  “Deuteronomy 18:10.”

  “I knew that, too.”

  “I don’t think the Lord was talking about card tricks.”

  On stage, Omar showed Kary a few simple dance steps, which she had no trouble picking up. “And then hand me each silk. With a little flourish, if you please.”

  What Omar called
silks were multicolored scarves with tiny gold threads and beads that sparkled in the light.

  “That’s a nice effect,” Camden said.

  “Yeah, it’s the light that does it. I’ve been noticing that.”

  Kary must have done exactly what Omar wanted because when he finished, he thanked her and shook her hand. “I’ll give you a call this evening.” He packed up his hoops and rings and scarves, gave us a wave, and left. Kary came to the bar, all smiles.

  “Wasn’t that fun? I think I’ve got the job.”

  “You looked great,” Camden said. “Very professional.”

  She glanced at Jilly, who’d moved even further down the bar. “And I think I may have ruffled a few feathers.”

  “Don’t worry about her,” I said. “She’s not happy with anybody.”

  “I tried to talk to her, but she said she was busy. WizBoy’s not here, and neither is Rahnee.”

  “No problem. Let’s go. Where are you parked?”

  “In the next block.”

  “Learn anything from your Baby Love informant?” I asked as we walked her to her bright green Festiva.

  “I told her I was looking for parents for my baby. There’s a Baby Love meeting tonight, and she said I could come along with her. It will be a good way to get some inside information.”

  Camden took her hand and held it for a long moment. He and I have an odd telepathic link that he doesn’t have with Kary, but he can usually tell if something drastic was going to happen in her future.

  “This meeting’s okay.”

  “Thanks, Cam. You know I’m going anyway.”

  “Yep. This was for Randall.”

  She gave me a grin. “Don’t wait up, David.”

  “You know I will.”

  ***

  At 302 Grace, I recognized the old blue Toyota in front of the house. As soon as I parked the Fury, Bart got out minus Binky and his Baffling Birds.

  “Randall, I thought of something that might help you.”

  “Great. Come on in.” I introduced Camden and explained about his laryngitis.

  “You got any lemon and honey? That’ll fix it up,” Bart said.

  Camden shook his head and whispered, “Coke.”

  “Great. I could use a shot myself.”

  We went inside, and I showed Bart where to hang his coat on the halltree. We gathered around the kitchen counter. Camden took three Cokes out of the fridge and handed them around.

  “So what’s up?” I asked.

  Bart took a drink. “Well, I’ve heard that the box is dangerous. In the wrong hands, it could be deadly.”

  “What exactly are you talking about?”

  “You ask the Finch boys where they got it? How they got it?”

  “No.”

  “From another group of magicians. The Willow Creek Brothers of the Sacred Arts. It was a going-out-of-business sale.” Camden and I must have both looked skeptical. “I’m telling you so you’ll find out what happened to Taft. I used to belong to the Willow Creek Brothers. I saw what the box did to them. When I tried to tell Lucas, he cried sacrilege. He said I couldn’t talk that way about something that belonged to Houdini. Houdini! Just because the box has got an ‘H’ on it doesn’t mean it belonged to Houdini.”

  “Tell me why this box is dangerous.”

  “Hard to explain. It’s got powers. With the right people, it can work miracles. The wrong people handle it, you’ve got disaster.”

  Camden and I looked at each other. “I don’t believe that,” I said.

  “You don’t have to. People believe it, so it works. Don’t you know that’s the basic principle of magic? Deep down, people want to believe in magic, even if their brains tell them it’s only a trick. People are ready to believe. They want to believe.”

  “Then, deep down, they must want to be swindled, too.”

  “You and old Harry Houdini would’ve gotten along fine. You know he spent the last years of his life exposing fake mediums and frauds.”

  “Any idea who’d want to steal the box?”

  “That box belongs in a museum. Safest place for it.”

  “What can you tell me about a magician named Jolly Bob?”

  “Does a comic act for the kids, pulls balloons out of their ears, stuff like that. Used to be a headliner, but now he mainly fills in. That store of his takes most of his time. Collects stuff, so he’d probably be interested in the box. I sure as hell don’t want it. I think I’ve made that plain.” He turned to Camden. “You got another Coke?”

  Camden got up to get it when Ellin came into the kitchen.

  “If you’re drinking, get one for me,” she said. “It took me forever to calm Sheila down.”

  “Sorry, honey.” He popped the top of a can of soda and handed it to her.

  “Thanks. As much as I love having you at the studio, you’d better stay away until she’s gone.”

  “And have her ruin peoples’ lives? I don’t think so.”

  “Cam, please. I’ll do what I can, okay? And your voice sounds awful. Have you been to the doctor?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did he say?”

  “I’m not supposed to talk.”

  “Well, then, let me do the talking and let me handle Sheila.” She glanced at Bart, who’d been listening avidly. “And you are?”

  He got up and bowed. “Bart of Bart, Binky, and His Baffling Birds, at your service, ma’am, should you need a real magician.”

  She was not impressed. “I’ve got all the magicians I need, thank you. I’ve even got things disappearing.”

  “Disappearing?” I said.

  “Some items have been stolen from peoples’ desks. We think somebody’s sneaking in during filming. That’s all I need. As soon as I finish my drink, I’ve got to get back.”

  “You can hire me to solve the mystery.”

  “Maybe later, Randall. Sheila’s the main issue right now.”

  Camden managed to crank out another sentence in his raspy voice. “And tell Sheila to stop giving bad psychic advice.”

  “Look, I don’t like this any more than you do, but I can’t risk losing the PSN. You know what the network means to me.”

  “Start a new network,” I said.

  “With what? Beans? I just have to put up with her nonsense for this season.”

  “Seventy-five shows, Reg said. Sheila can do a lot of damage in seventy-five shows.”

  “Maybe she’ll get tired of it. Maybe she’ll find a new hobby. I can’t think of anything else to do right now.” She took one more drink and set the can on the counter. She gave Camden a kiss. “I never thought I’d say this, Cam, but don’t come to the studio. Let me take care of this.”

  “I won’t if you promise you’ll make her stop.”

  “You heard what she said. She’s moving on to psychic healing. That can’t be any worse.”

  Camden just looked at her.

  “Or maybe it can,” she said. “At any rate, it’s my problem. Stay here and take care of your voice. In fact, you ought to go upstairs right now and get some rest. Come on.”

  She took his arm and herded him up the stairs. After a few minutes, she came back down and out she went.

  Bart whistled. “That’s one fierce little woman.”

  “You’re too kind.”

  “That’s the last we’ll see of her, then.”

  “Oh, no. She likes to make you think she’s gone.”

  “Misdirection.”

  At first, I thought he was giving Ellin a title. “Miss Direction?”

  “The central principal in the art of magic. It’s not what you see, it’s what you think you see. Observe.” He took a handkerchief from his pocket and fluttered it. “If I want you to look in a particular direction, I look in that direction. If I look you in the
eye, you’ll meet my gaze, and if something happens that is more intense, you’ll automatically look at that. A large movement always draws attention from a smaller movement.” He made a sudden gesture with the handkerchief, and by the time I’d glanced over and back, a red ball appeared in his other hand. “Look at the wrong thing at the right time, that’s the key.”

  Fancy had done the same thing. Now I was so intent on the red ball, I missed his next move. Two red balls appeared in his other hand. “Very good, but still, it’s all sleight-of-hand. It’s not really magic.”

  “It can be whatever you want it to be.” He put the balls in his pockets. “Well, I’d better be going. You’ve got my card, right? Let me know if you find the box.”

  “Where would I find the Willow Creek Brothers if I need to talk to them?”

  “They have a temple in Piney Woods off Route Sixteen.”

  Bart let himself out and I went to my office. I looked at my list. Rahnee Nevis, WizBoy, Jilly, Lucas Finch, Jolly Bob, and now Bart, who seemed way too interested in the box, cursed or not, plus I needed to go to Charlotte and talk to the Wizards and Amazing Mages. I could be going off in hundreds of misdirections.

  I called Rahnee and asked if Jolly Bob had helped with auditions on Saturday.

  “Did he say that?” she said. “No, he didn’t help. I don’t need his help.”

  “He also said he performed at the club.”

  “No, he knows I don’t care for his clown act.”

  “Clown act?”

  “Goofy stuff that wouldn’t fool a child.”

  “So he wasn’t there?”

  “He stopped by on Saturday to give me the usual grief about selling the club. I told him my usual answer and asked him to leave.”

  “I thought the store was his life.”

  “He hates that store. He hates dealing with the kids. He wanted to buy the club from the original owners, but I outbid him.”

  “Well, no wonder he warned me away from you.”

  “Did he tell you I’m ruining the club by letting everyone perform and ignoring the real talent?”

  “That’s it. Sounds like he’s got a real grudge.”

  “You mean bad enough to start killing off my acts? My God, I’d hate to think that!”

  “Well, how angry was he when you outbid him?”