AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brent’s voice filled the air. “But you killed Tanner and Mystique. There was no reason to—”
“You’ll do as I say or the same thing will ‘appen to you.”
Max clicked the button. “Shall I play the part where you came to Brent after his show, strangled him, and hung him up? Come now, once they analyze the writing on the mirror, they will see that it was written by a left-handed ma
n.”
In a fast move, Lovell pulled the gun from Carson’s holster and held it up to the man’s head.
“It don’t matter. I wanted to be rid of Tanner and Mystique, but I have the plans and I can go anywhere in the world and sell them. Now everyone step away or the cop gets it.”
Lovell backed his way up the stairs with a look of triumph in his eyes.
As he headed up the aisle, a leg jutted out and tripped him.
As Lovell stumbled, a large, bald black man rose from his seat like a phoenix and fell hard upon him, pinning him to the ground. He used his powerful arms to hold the hand with the pistol against the stairs.
Pro gasped. It was Luther!
Instantly, uniformed officers descended upon the fallen criminal, disarmed him, and cuffed him as they pulled him to his feet.
Pro ran up the stairs to Luther. “Omigod! Are you all right?”
“Fine,” Luther said with a grin. ”Hope it was okay that I stepped in.”
“You were amazing,” Pro said in awe. Chu was suddenly by her side, and she needed to focus on business.
“Sergeant,” Pro said. “I need to arrange transport for two prisoners.”
Carson was still angry that his weapon had been confiscated by Lovell. “Yes, ma’am. But don’t think we are letting the charge of assault upon a police officer go.”
“I fully expect you to file charges,” Pro said. “Tom could you please handcuff our other prisoner?”
Chu gave a nod and walked back to Max, who turned around so Chu could fit the restraints on his wrists. A person stood up and began to clap.
Then another person got up…and another. Soon the entire audience was on their feet and applauded as Lovell and Max were escorted to a waiting police car.
22. Ambitious Card
The next morning, Max woke up in a cell at Midtown North Precinct. He stretched and yawned, wishing there was a way he could conjure a bit of coffee.
The evening was spent going over and over his story and why he’d become suspicious of Lovell from the email message about being “one ahead of TM.”
He explained that that was what clued him, because the words “one ahead” meant that the initials were the previous letters of the alphabet, SL. He’d also been aware that Sam was an interested buyer, but he became the new middleman. Max also explained to Pro that he believed that Williams had given Lovell the plans in case his apartment was searched and that Max had an idea where they could be.
“So how did this ‘bug’ in Brent’s dressing room work?” demanded Chu.
“It’s wireless, self-contained, and used a special radio frequency, which went directly to the recorder I had. It was triggered to turn on and start recording the moment anyone made a sound in the room.”
“Pretty neat,” Chu admitted.
“Sorry I couldn’t help Brent,” Max explained. “But, although the listening device recorded Lovell killing him, I didn’t know until I listened to it during the intermission, and by then it was too late.”
Pro frowned. “You could have warned us it might happen.”
“I honestly didn’t think Lovell would go that far.”
By midnight, the tired Pro and Chu finally had Max taken to a cell with the promise from the magician that he wouldn’t pick the lock. In spite of that assurance, Pro had his shoes confiscated in case that was where his picks were kept. However, Max made no trouble. He just lay in bed and caught some shuteye.
