Now You See It... Part 37

Ca.s.sandra drew back in alarm as Max walked up to her.

Reaching down. he jerked apart the front of her blouse, revealing her large, bra.s.siere-cupped b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Max! I thought in shock.

Ca.s.sandra gasped and s.n.a.t.c.hed at me blouse to cover herself, her face hardened with fury.

A startled Plum was gaping at the sight.

"How's that for misdirection, Grover?" asked my son.

"At the moment you got an eyeful of my wife's knockers, I could have walked a purple elephant past you without you seeing it."

He glanced at me. "Forgive me. Padre," he said. "I was only making a point."

Ca.s.sandra was fastening her blouse now, an odd expres- sion on her face, no longer furious, but grimly thoughtful.

"You didn't have time, did you?" she asked.

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Max elevated his eyebrows. "Pardon?"

"You didn't have time to put the body anywhere out- side/" she said. "It has to be in the house."

Plum stared at her in confusion.

And Harry's voice was heard.

"Well, it took you long enough to guess that, babe," he said.

chapter 17.

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he Sheriff looked around in startlement.

"Who said that?" he asked.

Ca.s.sandra moved abruptly to me globe and s.n.a.t.c.hed off the red silk scarf.

She jolted with shock (as, somewhere in my dead bod, I did too)/ grimacing exaggeratedly.

Plum stared at the globe in revulsion.

Inside was Harry Kendal's head, now hacked off at the neck, veins and arteries dangling/ features gray and blood- less, eyes staring.

"What the h.e.l.l is that?" asked Plum- He twitched as the head responded.

"Hi there. Sheriff," it said. "Harry Kendal here. Well, not exactly here. Part of me is elsewhere. My body's cabbing back to Boston with a different head on it. Plastic. Stuffed with shredded contracts-Delacorte's, of course; all can- celed. Head looks pretty good. First cla.s.s. Hat fits perfectly.

I doubt if anyone will notice."

134 Richard Mathecon

The head turned. Harry's dead eyes seemed to look di- rectly at Ca.s.sandra.

"Hi, babe," he said. "Remember the Ess.e.x House? Room Five-twenty-five? Hanh? Hanh? Did I give good head or didn't I?"

The head emitted a hideous, gargling laugh, the gray lips drawn back sharply. Oh, Max, I thought.

Then the eyes fell shut, the face of the head went still.

"You filthy, s.a.d.i.s.tic son of a b.i.t.c.h," Ca.s.sandra said.

I almost agreed with her-

Max smiled at Plum and gestured toward the globe.

"Holography," he said, "A wonderful invention. En- abling us to bring new life to old illusions."

He looked at me. "H only you could have had it. Padre!"

he said.

As Ca.s.sandra and the Sheriff stared at him in silence, he removed the remote control from the pocket of his smoking jacket (odd name for the apparel of a man who didn't smoke, it occurred to me) and pressed a b.u.t.ton.

The globe cover slid back into place, and he lay me re- mote control on top of the desk.

Plum turned and walked toward me entry hall.

"Don't leave the premises," he ordered- "I'll be back in less than an hour with a warrant."

"Warrant?" Max looked taken aback.

"To tear your G.o.ddam house apart," the Sheriff said.

"No need," Max told him instantly. "I confess. I did kill Hairy Kendal."

My reaction was mixed. Surprise at his sudden, unex- pected confession. Relief that it was over with.

After he spoke, a peal of thunder sounded, not too far away.

"How's mat for timing?" Max inquired, pleased. "I even work the weather into my act"

The Sheriff looked repelled.

Now You Sea It- 135

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"Your act?" he said-

"Don't misunderstand," responded Max, his pleased ex- pression gone. "I really did kill Harry Kendal."