Free The Magician's Bird by Emily Fairlie Page A

completely irrational.
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    â€œI don’t care! Just because she had the bird doesn’t mean she killed him!” Laurie felt like throttling Bud. He was always such a downer.
    â€œYou mean the bird he never went anywhere without?” Bud said drily.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œYou mean the bird that disappeared when he was murdered?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œYou mean the bird that’s been hidden in her secret room that NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABOUT?” Bud crossed his arms.
    â€œYeah.” Laurie crossed hers too.
    â€œYeah, I can see why you’d think she’s innocent.” Bud rolled his eyes. “Look, I don’t like this either, Laurie, but face facts! It’s PROOF, okay?”
    Laurie shook her head. “Sorry, but I’m going to need a little more than that.”
    â€œUh, Laurie?” Misti’s voice was tentative. She was sitting on the floor next to the cabinet holding a small carved box. “You might want to take a look at this.”
    â€œWhat’s that?” Laurie grumbled. She wasn’t going to let herself be sidetracked.
    â€œJust look. This box was in the same cabinet with the bird, down on the shelf with the ledgers.” Misti held it out to Laurie.
    Laurie took it slowly. Misti looked sad and apologetic,like she was just about to kick Laurie’s dog but felt really bad about it. It gave Laurie a sick feeling.
    Laurie looked into the box. There wasn’t much stuff in there, just an ancient wallet-type thing and some boring-looking documents.
    Laurie pulled out the wallet and looked at Misti. “You are not serious.”
    â€œI’m really sorry, Laurie.” Misti blinked and looked away.
    Laurie put the box down on the coffee table next to the Marchetti Bird and opened the wallet. There were a couple of ancient-looking dollars, a library card, and a driver’s license. And a membership card to the Society of American Magicians. Belonging to Mr. Alphonse Marchetti.

PART FOUR
HARD EVIDENCE
    Bud fanned out the cards on the coffee table like he was in a casino. “Okay, so we’ve got a driver’s license made out to Alphonse Marchetti. A membership card for some club in Washington, D.C., signed by Alphonse Marchetti. The Society of American Magicians membership card, signed by society president Houdini for member Alphonse Marchetti. And some kind of business card thing, with a picture of Magician Alphonse Marchetti and the Marchetti Bird. I don’t see that there’s any doubt that it’s his wallet.”
    Laurie didn’t move; she just sat slumped in the chair, glaring at Bud’s card arrangement. “Okay, fine, but she could have stolen it. Didn’t LeFranco say she’s a thief? Maybe she was a notorious pickpocket.” Laurie wasn’t willing to give in yet. She knew what it was like to be framed. If Betty Abernathy had had her way when they found the treasure, she and Bud would be sitting in jail cells right now.

    Bud threw up his hands in disgust, almost smacking Misti in the head by mistake. He stood up. “You talk to her, Misti. She’s not listening to me.”
    Misti picked up the membership card and inspected it. It was dated 1926 and looked even older than the rest of the stuff. “Is that the real Houdini? The Harry Houdini’s real signature? This must be worth something.”
    Laurie made a weird noise in the back of her throat. “Everything in here is worth something, Misti! Look around! I don’t know why you guys are so convinced she’s a murderer. Everyone thought she was insane last year, remember? And that wasn’t true. There’s got to be some explanation.”
    Laurie went back to slumping and stared at the floor. This was the last thing she’d expected to find out when she suggested they do some investigating. She wished they’d never found the stupid room.
    â€œOkay, how’s this?” Bud said, sitting down again.