Free Flashfire by Deborah Cooke Page B

pay—could get ugly. “Sure. There’s often more money offered for shots of reclusive celebrities.” Cassie smiled and firmly tried to close the subject. “I work freelance. I choose my own jobs. We all do. I can’t answer for every other photographer and his or her choices. I try to make choices I can live with.”
    Which was exactly what she had done recently, which was the core of the problem. That, however, wasn’t JP’s business.
    Stacy was watching Cassie, probably having guessed something from her friend’s tone, but Cassie looked away. She wasn’t ready to talk about her crisis of faith yet.
    And certainly not in front of JP.
    The conversation died as the waitress brought Cassie’s wine. She thought she might just disappear with it, so these two could get back to their private conversation.
    “And so?” Stacy prompted, leaning closer to Cassie. “Did he tell you what you wanted to know?”
    “Who?” JP asked.
    Stacy told the story when Cassie might have swept it aside. “Cassie asked the illusionist Lorenzo where she could find one of those dragon shape shifters that have been mentioned on TV.” She nodded with excitement and sipped her drink. “It was amazing.”
    JP swallowed a smile, his eyes twinkling as he lifted his drink to his lips. Cassie interpreted that as skepticism and smiled at him. “I know,” she said. “It’s crazy. The whole dragon shape-shifter gig has to be a trick, but Lorenzo pulled a great one.”
    JP put down his glass. “I don’t understand.”
    “His answer was ‘Right here!’ ” Stacy contributed, flinging her hands up in an echo of Lorenzo’s move. Fortunately, she’d already put down the pink drink. “Then he turned into a dragon and flew over the crowd. It was incredible!”
    “It was an illusion,” Cassie said. “I’m sure he does it every night and twice on Wednesdays.” She took a sip of her wine, hoping Stacy didn’t feel compelled to share the rest of what had happened.
    JP frowned. “But I don’t understand,” he said. “I saw his show the other night. He didn’t turn into a dragon.”
    “It was the big finish,” Stacy insisted. “After he got out of that tank, then answered three questions.”
    JP shook his head. “No. He disappeared in a pillar of starlight. That was the big finish. There was no dragon. I would have remembered that.”
    No dragon?
    Cassie and Stacy exchanged a glance. “Maybe it was an addition to the show,” Cassie suggested, sensing that wasn’t the answer.
    “A new trick,” Stacy agreed with a nod. “We were just the first to see it.”
    “Do you think so?” JP asked. “I thought these shows ran for years, essentially the same, then were renamed or even relocated when the performance changed.”
    He was right. Cassie thought about the magnitude of the illusion and couldn’t imagine that it would just be added into the act without fanfare. Lorenzo seemed to have a flair for publicity.
    “Ah, look at the time. No wonder I’m hungry. Would you ladies join me for dinner?” JP asked, his gaze fixed upon Stacy.
    Cassie got the message and declined his invitation, but Stacy accepted with a smile. There was no sign of the waitress, so Cassie said she’d stay to finish her wine. JP gave her some cash to cover the bill for all of their drinks, plus a nice tip.
    He wasn’t cheap, which was a good change for Stacy.
    Stacy tucked her arm into JP’s elbow as they walked away and Cassie watched him lean closer, put his hand over hers, say something that made her smile. And maybe he was a bit of a gentleman, too. Stacy could use a bit of that.
    Stacy gave Cassie a fingertip wave and smiled; then they were lost in the throng.
    Maybe Cassie had judged him too quickly.
    She sipped her wine and wondered some more about the dragon.
    The obvious conclusion was insane. There had to be another logical explanation.
    And Cassie would find it.

Chapter 4
    “A nother round?” the waitress asked, startling Cassie.
    “No,