Free Harry Houdini Mysteries by Daniel Stashower

the Great Houdini. I merely attuned my mind to Mr. Clairmont’s psychic—”
    “It’s a carnival trick,” I said.
    Harry shot a withering look in my direction. “Dash, why do you insist upon—”
    I ignored him. “We’ve been doing that one since we were in short pants. Of course, we used dirt instead of cigar ash. All you have to do is write the word on your arm with a thin piece of soap. The dirt sticks to the soap and the word shows up plain as day. That’s what Harry was doing when he stepped away to ‘gather his spirit forces.’ He simply went to the washroom to find some soap.”
    “Clever,” said Biggs, “but that hardly explains how he knew what Kenneth was thinking. How could he possibly have known that Kenneth would choose his father’s middle name?”
    “A simple matter,” Harry said. “Nothing more than a convergence of energies.”
    “Probability,” I amended. “Remember Harry’s instructions?He wanted you to think of a single word. He mentioned maiden names and honeymoon destinations—thereby ensuring that you wouldn’t make either of those two choices. But Harry knew that the mention of those two possibilities would turn your mind down similar avenues. The two most likely considerations in that instance would be your father’s middle name or his place of birth. These are the two answers that show up time and again.”
    “Extraordinary!” cried Clairmont. “Now that you mention it, I very nearly did select Father’s place of birth. Now I wish I had. That would have confounded you, Houdini.”
    Harry sighed and rolled back his other shirtsleeve. As he rubbed a second handful of cigar ash onto his forearm, the word “Albany” rose up from the dark smear.
    Clairmont roared with laughter. “Bravo, Houdini!”
    Biggs appeared nonplussed. “But now you’ve run out of arms, Houdini. Suppose he hadn’t chosen either of those two words?”
    “Harry would have improvised,” I said. “He’d have distracted you with a deck of playing cards, then scrawled the word onto the face of one of the cards and brought it into play when you weren’t looking.”
    “It rarely happens, though,” Harry said.
    “But how in the world did you know Mr. Clairmont’s middle name?” Biggs asked. “I couldn’t have told you what it was—I didn’t know myself until tonight. And I certainly wouldn’t have known where he was born.”
    I looked at my brother. “How did you know, Harry?”
    He shrugged. “Do you recall the two older gentlemen who exchanged greetings with Mr. Clairmont earlier? I happened to notice that they were leaving as I excused myself from the table. I simply caught up with them and struck up a conversation. I doubt if they even realized that I had extracted any information from them.”
    Clairmont let out another roar of laughter. “You are precisely the man I need, Houdini! The two of you must join us for Mr.Craig’s séance tomorrow evening. I’m certain your presence will greatly enliven the proceedings. If nothing else, I can promise you a fine dinner with plenty of wine—” he checked himself. “And minerals for you, of course, Mr. Houdini. Will you come?”
    Harry and I glanced at one another. “We’d be delighted,” I said.
    “We have no other pressing business on hand at the moment,” Harry added.
    “Excellent! I shall look forward to receiving you at—”
    “What about the balance?” Harry asked.
    Clairmont stubbed out his cigar. “The balance?”
    “If Dash and I both attend, there will be two extra sitters at Mr. Craig’s séance. Mediums are quite particular about such things. He is sure to object if the numbers are out of balance.”
    Clairmont considered the problem. “Well, I’m quite certain that Brunson, our butler, will be only too pleased to surrender his place. That frees one chair. As to the other...Biggs...I am afraid I must withdraw—”
    “On one condition,” said Biggs. “You must agree to meet me here afterwards and give a full