I was ready for a complete run-through but knew I needed a break. I’d long ago recognized the importance of allowing time between practice sessions. And food as well. All part of being a professional, Aunt June would have said.
I took the back stairs to the kitchen, grateful for the hidden passageway because I didn’t want to see Elizabeth or Kroy. Carmela stood next to the dishwasher carefully stowing dirty dishes into the racks and gave me a sour look when I came through the door. “Don’t let me interrupt,” I said.
She snorted and turned away.
I found a plate and fork, crossed to the refrigerator, and helped myself to only obvious leftovers. I took my loot upstairs and ate everything I’d stacked on my plate. Now I understood why Kroy called Carmela “Miss Carmel Candy.” She had a dour personality, but could she ever cook.
I did one more run-through and nailed it. Or at least didn’t mess up even once. Time to stop and get some rest. I’d practice more tomorrow, maybe tweak the pacing. I fell into bed and slept without dreams until some small hour of the morning when memory of my real job brought me wide awake. I was supposed to get information from Kroy’s computer. If Kroy hadn’t locked his office, I had a good shot right now at plugging in the device and getting copy of his hard drive.
I pulled on some sweats, grabbed my dirty plate for an excuse to be downstairs if people were still up and headed cautiously down the staircase. I paused at the foot of the stairs. The outdoor porch light cast a dim glow into the foyer, but otherwise everything was dark and quiet. I felt my way in the dark from the foot of the stairs down the hall to Kroy’s office. I’d just reached out for the doorknob when the hallway flooded with blinding light. I jerked around and dropped the plate. It shattered on the white marble tiles.
The giant figure of Kroy’s bodyguard loomed at the end of the hall. He held a gun in his hand and pointed it at me. “What’re you doing?”
“Connie! You nearly scared the life out of me.” I bent to gather up the shards of broken china.
“What’re you doing?” he repeated.
“I was just bringing my dirty plate back to the kitchen.” I kept my head down and continued to clean up the broken plate with shaking hands.
“Kitchen’s at the end of the other hall.”
“I got turned around in the dark. I was trying to be quiet. I didn’t want to disturb anyone, but I guess I wasn’t quiet enough.”
“You set off the motion detector alarm.”
“Mr. Kroy never mentioned motion detectors to me.” I balanced all the broken pieces with the larger ones on the bottom.
“No one’s supposed to be downstairs after Mr. Kroy turns on the motion detectors.”
I sighed. No point repeating myself. Kroy apparently hadn’t hired Connie for his mental acuity. But that could work for me if he bought my story about looking for the kitchen. I stood up and faced him. He still had the gun leveled at me. “Would you mind not pointing that at me?”
He lowered the gun.
“I feel like I really messed up, setting off the alarm, waking you up, and then breaking a piece of china. I hope Mr. Kroy doesn’t get too mad at me.”
“He will if you don’t clean it up real good. There’s a broom and dustpan in the kitchen.” He led me down the hall to the kitchen and pointed to the broom closet. I put the broken plate in the trash, burying it a bit so it wouldn’t be too obvious to Carmela, then went back to sweep up all the tiny bits under Connie’s watchful eye. When he was convinced I’d swept up every last piece, he let me dump the last of it and go back upstairs.
“Good night,” I said. “Sorry I woke you.”
He grunted in reply and waited until I was at the top of the stairs before dousing the lights. I sank down onto the bed. That was a close call. My heart was still beating faster than normal. It hadn’t occurred to me that Kroy would have motion detectors. Lucky for me that Connie was fast to respond to the alarm, or he’d have found me in the study and I’d never have convinced him I was just looking for the kitchen. Lucky too that it had been Connie and not Kroy. I’d never have fooled him about my intentions. What if Connie felt he had to tell Kroy? As paranoid as Kroy was, he’d think I was after something in his study. Maybe I’d use my “who, me?” face again. It had worked once. I rolled over and stuffed the pillow under my head. Better to concentrate on the real problem. How was I going to get into Kroy’s study unseen for ten minutes? What if he had other kinds of detectors that I didn’t know about? I tried to imagine what those might be, but couldn’t keep my focus. Elizabeth’s laughter continued to break into my thoughts and the reminder that I’d never know who my father was. Why had I been so stupid to hang onto that belief all these years?
Except for a brief foray into the kitchen, I stayed in my room the next day and practiced. In between run-throughs I put the money Kroy had given me into the secret spaces in my cape that Aunt June had designed. A few thousand dollars stiffened the stand-up collar even more, and most of the remaining bills fit smoothly into the wide hem.
I tried on the dresses Elizabeth had left for me. They were both more low-cut than what I usually wore, but not impossibly so. She’d left some shoes as well. I put those on with the skimpy dress and practiced again to make sure I was completely comfortable. I took a shower, washed my hair, and took a nap. Or tried to.
Elizabeth came in without knocking, followed by a man and a woman I’d never seen before. “Get up. Get up,” she ordered. “Giancarlo and Pam are here to do your hair and makeup.”
I jumped up from the bed. “That’s okay. I can do my own makeup, and there’s nothing to be done with my hair.”
“Don’t argue with me,” Elizabeth said and directed Giancarlo and Pam where to set up. “They need to hurry and get you done so they can do me. Ashley completely refused anything. Wouldn’t even open her door.” She pushed me into a chair and backed away to watch. “You can do something with that hair, can’t you Giancarlo? Don’t even try to straighten it. That would take too long. Just put some product on it. Tame it into something less feral.”
I submitted. I always hated this kind of fuss, but Giancarlo and Pam were very fast and professional. And I had to admit quite good at their jobs. Looking good would make the audience receptive to me and my act. And that would keep me on Kroy’s good side, if he in fact had a good side. If Connie ratted me out about last night, Kroy could well decide he couldn’t trust me. And it didn’t take a vivid imagination to guess what would happen to someone he’d given super secret information to if he felt she wasn’t to be trusted. So I didn’t go downstairs until Elizabeth knocked the second time on my door, sounding very exasperated. “Valentine, you’re keeping everyone waiting.”
I’d packed all my gear and change of clothes. If things went well, I’d come back here and try to copy Kroy’s hard drive. But if they didn’t go well, I needed an escape plan or two, which meant I’d keep my gear close at hand.
I could see Kroy, Elizabeth, Connie, and a heavy-set man in a chauffer’s hat standing in the foyer. I descended the stairs slowly and waited for Kroy to spot me. When he did, I got the double-take I’d hoped for. Nothing like a low-cut dress and some well-applied make up to distract attention.
The chauffer met me halfway up the stairs. “Here, miss, I’ll take that,” he said and relieved me of my gear.
When I reached the foot of the stairs, I did a twirl and asked, “What do you think?”
“Beth did a great job,” Kroy said.
Elizabeth looked me up and down with a critical eye. “You’re not wearing your necklace.”
“I want to wear the one Rico gave me. I feel it will bring me luck tonight. Here you go.” I handed her the velvet box. “I think Ashley should wear it.”
“Where is Ash, anyway?” Kroy asked. “We can’t be late tonight.”
“Here I am,” Ashley said from the top of the stairs. We all turned and looked at her
and stood in frozen amazement for several seconds. She had dyed her hair vivid red and styled it into a wind machine side sweep effect. She wore full anime regalia, from the lace-edged striped knee-high socks to the micro-mini pleated plaid skirt, to the white blouse and school tie, to the painted design on her face.
Kroy spoke first. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Going to the gala,” Ashley said as she descended the stairs.
“Not looking like that, you’re not. I thought I made it clear no more crazy hair colors. You’re grounded. No gala. No nothing. Go to your room.” He didn’t raise his voice, but his rage was a palpable presence.
Ashley seemed about to stand her ground then spun around and ran back upstairs. Her departure was punctuated by the slam of her bedroom door.
“All right,” Kroy snapped, “let’s go.”
Connie moved ahead of us and opened the door. Another large man stood outside. The chauffeur hurried to open the doors of the limo and the second man followed us. Connie watched us get in the limo, then closed the door of the house.
“Connie’s not coming?” I asked.
“Have to leave someone on the property. Everyone will know that no one is home. Makes me a prime target.”
He seemed to have forgotten about Ashley. We drove in silence to the hotel, but as we pulled into the drive to the main entrance, Elizabeth smiled and said brightly, “All right, boys and girls, show time!”
We were quickly ushered through the foyer and into the ballroom. Although beautifully decorated with huge vases of flowers everywhere and brilliantly lit, it felt empty. There were only about fifty people hanging around the bar and the buffet table. You’d never guess that this was supposed to be a gala. But as soon as Kroy walked in, the energy level amped up to high. He went from person to person, shaking the men’s hands and kissing women’s cheeks. He had a way of seeming to focus on that one person, although I could tell he was aware of everyone on the periphery. I was introduced simply as “Beth’s daughter.” I put on my performer’s face as well, and smiled, nodded, and spoke in all the right places as we trailed Kroy from person to person and group to group.
Kroy’s arrival served as a signal for the festivities to begin. A small band took the stage and began playing jazz classics. The lighting subtly shifted to brighter on the band and the buffet and dimmer elsewhere. And almost as quickly, the room filled with people. As part of Kroy’s entourage, I had freedom to scan the crowd while I smiled and nodded and pretended to listen to Kroy’s bull. The two bodyguards who escorted us to the gala stayed nearby but not intrusively. A third guard, apparently sent by Bulgari specifically to look out for Elizabeth’s necklace had looked very relieved when she handed over the necklace I’d rejected. I spotted a number of other outrageously jeweled women who probably had their own jewelers’ reps keeping an eye on the goods.
Kroy caught my eye and with a jerk of his head, directed me to a place outside of the current group. “Listen up. I’m going to talk to the crowd now, do the slideshow and I want you ready to go on right after that. Your stuff is in a room right next to the ladies’ restroom behind the stage, so you can change undisturbed. Okay?”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
“But pay attention. Never get too far away from me. I just got the first phone call that they’re shipping the product out tonight.”
“Okay.”
I watched Kroy take the stage and give his set spiel about the children worldwide suffering from AIDS and how his foundation guaranteed that every cent donated went to purchasing and delivering the drugs that would save the children’s lives. He put just the right degree of intensity and sincerity into his talk. Altogether very convincing, if I didn’t know better. As he spoke, faces of the affected children were projected onto a huge screen behind him—horrific images of pain and suffering. The hypocrisy of it all made my stomach heave.
I turned to head for the changing room, when Elizabeth crossed my path. “Are we all good?”
I had to laugh. “Not an adjective I’d have chosen for the two of us. But I’m with you on your plan, if that’s what you mean.”
“Timing is crucial,” she said. “It’s all set for the moment you finish your little magic act. I’ll be over by the north exit, so you’ll have to get to me quickly.”
“Okay. Can do.”
A group of women called to her. “Must go talk to the ladies,” Elizabeth said and was quickly swept up in a throng of women in designer dresses and bling.
I had nearly reached the changing room when I was accosted a second time. “Valentine.” I turned.
“Uncle George. What a surprise to see you.” Surprise hardly covered it. Stunned was more like it.
“I’m certain it is, since you’ve done your best to avoid me. I must have left ten messages for you and you didn’t have the good manners to answer any of them.”
“I’m sorry. I lost my phone. I haven’t been able to contact anyone.”
“I see,” he said. “Fortunately for me, while waiting for you to return my call, I had time to read the local paper and saw the society news about this fund-raiser put on by Mr. Kroy. I had good reason to believe that Betty would be here as well. And I see that I was correct.”
“So you’re here to what—find Elizabeth and tell her that you forgive her? Seriously?”
“Yes, that’s my goal. I know she’s here, and even though it’s quite a throng of people, I know I’ll have my chance.”
This was one very strange man. I was glad to have an excuse to get away. “I’m about to perform a magic act, but I have to change first. If you wait out front you can catch it. Sorry, I really do have to dash.” I hurried off before he could say anything else, found the changing room and ducked in before anyone else could waylay me.
I locked the door and turned around.
“Hi, Valentine,” Rico said. He was lounging on a sofa and looking even more gorgeous than I remembered. He’d shaved, but still needed a haircut. He was dressed in black tie that clearly wasn’t a rental.
I put my hands on my hips. “Special Agent Rico DiSera, I believe? Or do they have a different title for lying rat bastards? What do you want?”
“To give you your phone.” He held out a phone to me. I didn’t take it. “They passed your message along. We’ve been pretty worried about you. I couldn’t tell you who I was because it would have put you in more danger than you’re already in.”
“Yeah, right,” I said. “You can leave the phone and go. I have to change. I’m just about to go on.”
“I don’t blame you for being angry at me. Were you able to copy Kroy’s computer?”
“Not yet. And I may not need to. Kroy has taken me into his confidence.”
“Look, just forget it. I don’t think you should go back there. It’s too dangerous.”
“I don’t work for the FBI, so stop giving me orders. And I mean it. Get out. Now.”
He slowly rose to his feet. “You look absolutely stunning.”
“Whatever,” I said as rudely as possible.
“And you’re not leaving here tonight without me.”
“Dream on. But do it outside.”
He left the room. I had to hurry to get into my other dress. I didn’t have time to do any of my usual prep work before there was a light tap on the door and a voice telling me it was time.
I pulled my cape on and fastened it, took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders and opened the door. I came to the small stage from behind and out of view of the audience just as I’d planned. The stage helper attached the lavalier mike to the front of my dress. Kroy finished introducing me and retreated down the steps. I didn’t look at him as he passed me. I’d already transformed myself into the Great Valentina.
I began speaking before I ascended the steps so that the audience couldn’t locate where the voice was coming from. �
��Do you ever stop to think that we are all, every one of us, linked together?” I paused a beat. “And how can that be?” Another pause. “Because first came the big bang.” At the word “bang” I tossed the smoke bomb onto the stage. The audience gave a gratifying gasp. I stepped onto the stage and stood with my head down and cape wrapped around me and waited for the smoke to clear. I raised my head, tossed my cape open and over my shoulders, and began tossing a small ball from hand to hand while holding four more, two in each hand. “And matter took form in the shape of particles, like quarks, and neutrinos,” I tossed a second ball into the air and juggled the two. “And electrons, and muons and tauons,” I said adding a ball to the juggled rotation as I named each particle. “And, as everyone knows, I’m talking about the Standard Model of particle physics.” A few giggles here and there from the audience. “And you also know that the Standard Model can predict the behavior of all subatomic particles.” I paused in my patter, and, as I juggled, I tossed each ball higher and higher. “With one…very…big…exception.” I paused again. “The model can’t predict how particles respond to gravity.” I covered my head with my arms and all the balls fell on me one by one and bounced away. That got the big laugh I was looking for.
“So they came up with a new theory.” I pulled the end of a cord from my inner pocket, taking my time. “What if particles aren’t separate entities after all, but simply different manifestations of one basic object—a string?”
I continued to pull the cord from my pocket. After a few yards had appeared I gave the audience a mock look of surprise that it was taking so long. Then I shrugged my shoulders and rolled my eyes, all while the unending cord piled up at my feet. The audience was with me and laughter sprinkled around the room as the rope continued to pile up on the floor. I scanned the room, making eye contact with as many people as I could, pulling them into the fun and making it personal. Finally I gave an exaggerated sigh of exasperation, reached into another pocket, produced a pair of giant scissors, and cut the cord. “I apologize for the drastic measures, but I can’t keep you here all night, can I?” I approached the edge of the little stage and handed the scissors out to a young woman who stood closest to the stage. “Do me a favor and hang onto these for a minute, would you? In case I need them again.”
The Magician's Daughter Page 21
