Now You See It... Part 53

the bottle, which clattered into the sink but didn't break; (he noise made all of us twitch.

"Jesus, I was pouring Scotch," he said. He stared at them, a broken man. "Jesus Christ Almighty. Scotch."

Clouds were thickening now. The room was filled with long, dark shadows- Rumbling thunder continued. Periodic lightning flashes bleached the sky, making me blink. (I think... but then, I don't really know if I twitched either.)

Harry had picked up a new bottle of brandy and was opening it.

As he did, the Sheriff began to edge toward the guillotine^ features set, bradng himself for me sight of Max's severed head (perhaps twitching, the awful image presented itself) in the basket. Oh, G.o.d, please let it be an effect, I begged. Not a real guillotine.

Harry poured himself a gla.s.s of brandy and lifted it to- ward his lips wifh a palsied hand.

As Ca.s.sandra cried out hoa.r.s.ely, the gla.s.s jerked in his grip and he flung the brandy across his shirtfront-

The Sheriff had lurched back with a hiss of astonishment

I felt rage and relief (and bowel stress) simultaneously.

Max had just stood up.

His head, need I add, intact.

"You were quite correct 'old friend,' " he said to Harry, smiling thinly. "Everything in this room is a trick."

His soft laugh was a chilling one. It faded as he looked at me.

"Mea culpa once again. Padre," he said. "I simply couldn't resist one more go at him. After all, remember what he did ... not only to me, but to you."

I didn't know if that was adequate motivation for what he'd done to Harry, but I said nothing. (As per usual.)

Harry seemed beyond rage now, so traumatized by

178 Richard Mathewn

everything he'd experienced that he was unable to even ad- dress my son-

Instead, he turned to Ca.s.sandra.

"Get your things," he said in a strained voice- Ca.s.sandra started. "What?"

Harry grimaced, his teeth on edge.

"I presume you aren't planning to stay here with this ma- niac," he said.

Ca.s.sandra looked caught off guard (I wondered why.) "TO be all right "she said.

"All right?" Harry gaped at her, incredulous- "The man is insane!"

Yes, I think he may have been.

Ca.s.sandra tried to answer Harry, but he cut her off, his voice agitated.

"You can't possibly intend to stay here with him after what he's done!" he cried.

"I agree with him," me Sheriff broke in.

"I-" Ca.s.sandra looked confused. I didn't understand it;

then.

"Come on, get your things," Harry interrupted. "You can't stay here. That would be ridiculous."

All of us were looking at Ca.s.sandra now. Was Max as perplexed by her reluctance? Was Plum?

"Come on, babe," Harry insisted. "You know you have to leave."

"I really mink you'd better, Mrs. Delacorte," me Sheriff told her. Sheriffly again.

"All right." She turned toward the entry hall.

"Wait/' said Max.

She turned and looked back at him.

He sighed, surrendering.

"All right," he said. "I give up. I'll do the Vegas show exactly as you want."

Now You See It.. 179

Somehow, all the shocks I'd been exposed to in the previ- ous hour diminished before the shock of this.

After all that, he was actually selling out the act?

"Well talk about updating the set." he was continuing, twisting this new knife in my heart. "We'll simply-"

He broke off suddenly with a sound suspiciously like the

birth of a sob.

Turning away, he walked to the picture window over- looking the lake, his movements infirm, those of a defeated old man. And that I hated to see.

Standing before the window, he shuddered with a deep

breath.

"Just don't leave me," he said- "Try to understand."

He nibbed his eyes slowly, tiredly.

"I know I can't undo this afternoon," he said. "But blame it on me weakness of a man who sees his life disintegrat- ing."