Drake surveyed the room with a grim expression. “And while we’re on the subject, I apologize for the accommodations.”
“Not a problem.” Alice sat down on the bed, leaned back, and braced herself on her hands. “I’ve lived in worse places. You saw that apartment I was renting in Crystal City. This is a real step up. It’s . . . cozy.”
He watched her through his glasses. “I was apologizing for the lack of privacy, not the lack of luxury.”
“Oh, well, that can’t be helped. You heard the woman at the front desk. This is the last available room. We’re lucky we’re not going to be sleeping on the floor in the lobby. What do you say we go downstairs to the tavern and get some dinner? Don’t know about you but I’m hungry.”
Drake seemed to relax. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Also, I could use a drink.”
“That, too, sounds like an excellent idea.”
THE TAVERN ON THE FIRST FLOOR WAS LIT WITH AMBER lanterns and crowded with locals who were spending the night at the inn. The mood was that of a community under siege, Alice thought. In spite of the fact that almost every table was filled, a dark, subdued atmosphere pervaded the rustic space. Some of the booths and tables were occupied by families. The parents talked in hushed tones. The kids were unnaturally quiet.
A boy who appeared to be about thirteen sat at a table with a woman who looked the right age to be his grandmother—a young grandmother. She was blonde with a fit, athletic figure and she wore a police uniform complete with a mag-rez pistol. There was another person at the table, a young man in his early twenties. He, too, wore a uniform with a patch embroidered SBPD.
The kid brightened when Alice walked in with Houdini on her shoulder.
“Hey, look, the lady has a dust bunny,” he said to a friend.
The other youngsters in the restaurant turned around to look at Alice. The little ones jumped up and came running.
“Can we pet him?” a small, dark-haired girl asked eagerly.
“What’s his name?” an older boy asked.
Sensing that he had an audience, Houdini went into high-rez cute mode. He bounced a little and chortled a greeting.
Alice found herself surrounded by a small throng of excited children. She took Houdini off her shoulder and set him on the back of a chair.
“His name is Houdini,” she said. “And I don’t think he would mind if you pet him.”
Drake looked at her. “You and Houdini entertain the kids. I’ll get us some food.”
He went to the counter to put in an order. There was a harried-looking cook laboring over an old-fashioned stove that was operating off an ancient amber-fueled generator.
The kids gathered around Houdini’s chair. The small girl reached out to give him a tentative pat. Houdini chirped encouragingly.
“Houdini is a magician,” Alice said. “He can disappear.”
“Yeah?” The boy who had been sitting with the police officers looked skeptical. “Will he do it for us?”
“I think so, if you ask him nicely. What’s your name?”
“Devin Reed. That’s my grandmother over there. She’s a police officer. Her name is Myrna Reed. And that’s Officer Willis with her. They’re in charge because the chief is gone for a while.”
Alice glanced at Myrna, who nodded and gave her a grateful smile. The adults in the room were quietly scared, Alice thought, and trying not to show it for the sake of the children.
She turned back to the small audience and put a hand on Houdini. “What do you say, Mr. Houdini? Will you do your vanishing act for us?”
Houdini chortled happily.
“That means yes,” Alice said.
She kicked up her talent, generating a little energy through her hand.
There was a collective gasp when Houdini vanished. He chortled again. The sound, coming as it did out of thin air, caused an excited murmur to run through the crowd. Alice realized it wasn’t just the kids who were watching now. Several of the adults in the room were also paying attention.
“How did he do that?” Devin asked. “Tell us how the trick works.”
“Professional magicians never give away their secrets except to students of the art who are serious about becoming professional illusionists,” Alice said. “Besides, if you knew how it worked, it wouldn’t be any fun. Houdini, please reappear.”
She lowered her talent. Houdini popped back into view.
“Can he make other stuff disappear?” one of the kids asked.
“Oh, sure,” Alice said. She picked up a spoon and held it out to Houdini. They had done the trick many times before. He gripped the end of the spoon in one paw. Alice kept her hold on the other end and generated a little energy. The spoon vanished.
A chorus of oohs and aahs swept through the crowd of youngsters. There were more suggestions from the audience.
“Make the dish vanish,” someone said.
“No, make the whole table disappear,” the dark-haired girl pleaded.
Alice and Houdini went to work. Together they made the saltshaker, the small bouquet of artificial flowers, and a paper napkin vanish. When Drake started back toward the table with a tray of pizza and a couple of beers, Alice decided to go for the wow factor. She positioned Houdini on the table.
“Mr. Houdini will now make the table vanish,” she intoned. “Leaving him suspended in midair.”
The kids waited, breathless with anticipation. Alice heard several chairs scrape on the floor as a number of adults moved closer for a better view.
“Are you ready?” Alice asked.
There was a chorus of yesses.
She touched the table. “Mr. Houdini, please make the table vanish.”
Houdini chortled and bounced up and down. He knew the applause line. Alice sent a heavy pulse of energy through her fingertips. The table vanished, leaving only Houdini and the artificial flowers.
The kids shouted with glee. Houdini was in the zone now. He dashed in circles around the top of the table, looking as if he was running in midair. He paused to pull one of the artificial flowers out of the little vase. He waved the flower madly at his audience, who responded with gleeful shouts.
Drake stopped a few steps away and met Alice’s eyes. He smiled.
“And the crowd goes wild,” he said.
Alice lowered her talent. The table popped back into view. There was a round of applause, much of it coming from the adults.
“But how does he do it?” a boy asked.
“I told you, Houdini’s a professional magician,” Alice said. “He has his secrets. But between you and me, I’m pretty sure it’s just a trick of the light.”
Drake set the tray of pizza and beer down on the table. He gave one of the slices to Houdini, who set to it with his usual enthusiasm for anything edible. Alice took her seat and reached for a slice.
She was about to take a bite when Devin’s grandmother stopped at the table.
“I’m Myrna Reed,” she said.
There was a short round of introductions.
“I’d say welcome to Rainshadow,” Myrna said, “but I imagine that, under the circumstances, you’d both rather be anywhere else but here. The chief told Officer Willis and me to expect you. He said the two of you were going to help out with the problem in the Preserve. I just wanted to say thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Alice said. “But I’m not the one who is going to fix whatever is going down inside the Preserve. Drake and his brother are the magicians on that job. I’m just the box-jumper.”
Myrna frowned. “Box-jumper?”
“The magician’s assistant.” Alice glanced at Houdini, who had devoured his pizza and was now table- hopping madly around the room, enjoying his stardom. “Pretty much the same job that I have with Houdini.”
Myrna smiled. “What you did just now with the kids, that was good. They loved it. The parents appreciated
