The Floating Lady Murder by Daniel Stashower Read Free Book Online Page B

mountain! Stranger still, it was believed that this handsome conjuror possessed the ability to change places with any being of his choosing—at the merest snap of his fingers! With such a skill at his command, it was thought that young Ari might even be able to switch places with the king himself!”
    I knew my brother well enough to realize that he had some sort of plan in mind, but I couldn’t for the life of me fathom what it might be. One thing was clear: the lulling monotone that had earlier threatened to send Mr. McAdow into a slumber was having the opposite effect on Boris. The lion had stopped prowling. Its eyes were locked on my brother. Worse, as Harry edged yet closer, the beast appeared to take a sudden interest in the fragrance of my brother’s shoes. The animal lowered its head menacingly, sniffed the air once or twice, and emitted a low, steady growl. Incredibly, this appeared to be exactly what my brother had desired. He smiled, and backed away toward the forward lip of the stage. The lion took a lazy step toward him. All right, Harry, I thought to myself. You have his attention. Now what?
    “One day,” Harry continued, “young Ari learned of another wizard who made his home in the faraway land of France. His name was Bautier de Kolta, and he possessed many remarkable abilities.”
    My ears pricked up—this was a departure from the script.
    “Young Ari particularly admired the innovative Monsieur de Kolta’s Vanishing Lady illusion, in which one of the magician’s comely young assistants seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye! If only young Ari could duplicate this feat, all might yet be well. Perhaps this would allow him to rise above his difficulties.”
    I turned to Collins, who had been standing behind me watching my brother with open-mouthed fascination. “This theater has a Pritchard hole, doesn’t it?” I asked.
    He turned and blinked rapidly, as though roused from a daydream. “Yes. Yes, of course!”
    “Downstage center?”
    Collins nodded.
    “Where’s the release?”
    “Just—just over there,” he said, pointing to a spot behind the curtain pulleys. “The red handle. Is that what he’s trying to do? Do you think it could possibly—?”
    “Tell the wrangler to get down there with the ether ball. The timing will have to be absolutely perfect. Everything will have to happen at once. I’ll work the release. You get my brother out of there.”
    “Get him out of there? But how?”
    I pointed upward toward the ungainly Floating Lady pendulum device. “Use that.”
    “That’s crazy! You’ll get him killed!”
    “It was his idea.”
    “What? But—?”
    “ ‘Rise above his difficulties.’ That’s what Harry said. I have no idea why he finds it necessary to speak in veiled references— it’s not as if Boris can understand him—but that’s his plan. He wants you to use the pendulum to lift him to safety.”
    “But the lion—how will—”
    “Harry will manage it. Move along!”
    Collins made for the rear exit, then turned back towards me. “We’ll need a signal! How will I know when to spring it?”
    “Harry will signal from the stage! He’ll give the count of three.”
    Collins shook his head, his face filled with doubt.
    “It’ll work!” I insisted. “Get into position!”
    I turned back to the stage. “What’s that you say?” Harry was saying to the lion. “You wish to hear more about the bold young Ari and his astonishing abilities? Very well, my attentive friend. As it happens, this young wizard had a bride by the name of Wilhelmina, and she was said to be the most pulchritudinous young woman in all the land. Her beauty was so great that even King Yar, with all his wealth and power, was known to be jealous of young Ari and his bride.”
    Harry continued to edge backward. Boris, for his part, appeared to be growing more alert with each passing moment. Once or twice the lion jerked its head to the side, eyeing a group of assistants at the back wall,