Free Now You See It by Jane Tesh Page B

someone let him borrow their key, or let him in. For some reason, he decided to try to escape from the trunk, which should be easy, since there’s a special latch that works from inside. Something went wrong, and he suffocated. If this is what happened, the medical examiner should find signs of his struggle. If someone hit him on the head or choked him and put him in the trunk, there’ll be signs of that, too. But when I saw him, it looked as if he’d curled up inside for a nap, which makes me think maybe someone got him to take one or more of his sleeping pills, or got him drunk, or some combination of the two, and said, ‘Let’s see your new trick,’ and closed the lid, hoping he’d run out of air before he woke up.”
    â€œBut all of that brings me back to why someone would murder him,” Lucas said.
    â€œThat’s what I’m going to find out.” I motioned to the stack of books. “Let me borrow some of these books about Houdini. Maybe there’s something about that box that set someone off. Maybe it’s more valuable than you thought.”
    He handed me several books. “I can’t get my brother back, but if you could find the box, it would be some small consolation to me.”
    â€œI’ll do my best. Rahnee said Taft would come by the club on Mondays to practice before work. Where did he work?”
    â€œAt Shepherd Missions.”
    â€œI’ll talk to the people there. Any other friends, acquaintances?”
    â€œJust those of us in the magic community.”
    â€œOne other question. When you hid the box or when you went to look for it, did you cut or scrape yourself on the cinder block?”
    He shook his head. He rubbed the ends of his fingers and held them out. “The block’s a little rough, but I didn’t cut my hands. I know exactly how to push on it to make it open.”
    A thief or someone in a hurry might have had more difficulty. “Thanks.”
    Camden had made a slow circle of the room and came back to Lucas. He shook his hand. “Again, my sympathies, Lucas.”
    â€œPlease find out what happened.”
    â€œAnything?” I asked Camden as we left the house.
    â€œJust grief,” he said.

Chapter Seven
    In the Morning of the Magicians
    Camden and I went by Transformation and Company but the shop wasn’t open until Wednesday, and Jolly Bob didn’t answer his phone. Tuesday morning, I got on the phone and eliminated several people off Rahnee’s list. Half of the auditionees had been from out of town and left Parkland before noon on Saturday. Three more had gone to audition for a club in Fayetteville. The owner could vouch for them. According to their answering machines, Wendle the Wonderful had gone to his beach house in North Myrtle; The Amazing Janica had flown to California to see her mother; Tammy and Her Ten Talented Assistants were performing on a cruise ship in Bermuda; someone named Fancy didn’t answer her phone; and The Mystic Maria could be reached at the Richmond Dance and Supper Club, two shows daily, at seven and ten.
    Fortunately, halfway through my message, The Mystic Maria picked up her phone. She had a booming voice, which didn’t seem very mystic to me, but what do I know about show business? In the background, I heard an old pop song, “We’ve Got Magic To Do.”
    â€œMister Randall, what can I do for you? I’m booked for two months, but after that, I have some time slots available.”
    â€œI’m investigating the death of Taft Finch.”
    â€œDon’t know him, sorry.”
    â€œHe performed at the Magic Club Saturday night. You had an audition for Rahnee Nevis that day. I was hoping you might have seen or heard something that could help.”
    â€œWhat did he look like? Was he auditioning, too? There was quite a crowd Saturday. Can’t say that I’d remember any of them.”
    â€œHe was a tall, well-dressed man