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Now bright and early on Tuesday morning, Pro was getting up at her mother’s where she’d spent the night. She had gone directly to Elisha’s so she could tell her mother that Max was safe and in custody.
Pro woke facing the fact that she had to go down to the precinct and resign.
They had caught the killer, and she didn’t want to give up her career, but there was no way anyone would let Max’s escape be excused. Her taking the blame would save the others from losing their jobs.
After showering and dressing, Pro joined her mother for a cup of coffee. Elisha was watching some morning news show, and Pro really was not in the mood.
“Momma, do you have to have that thing blaring?”
“Honey I like to stay informed…”
“I know, it’s just that—”
All at once, the footage from Max’s escape was on the television, and Pro sighed. “Not again.”
But the image shrank into a small box at the bottom of the screen, and a female reporter was speaking to Mayor Jonas DeMayo.
“So, Your Honor, there has been a lot of controversy about this footage of a man escaping from a holding cell in the Midtown North Precinct late last week.”
“Yes, Carole,” the mayor said, showing his million-dollar smile. “And as many of you know, that escapee was none other than famed magician Max Marvell, who is also a personal friend.”
“There has been a lot of speculation about that over the weekend,” Carole said, with an eye to the camera.
“What hasn’t been told is that this was a test, requested by myself and our police commissioner,” the mayor said, all polished sincerity. “We wanted to make a series of training videos to expose the techniques used by criminals to escape custody. I was lucky that Max was in town and willing to be our ‘go-to-guy’ for this, the first in a series of daring escapes that we can use to train our officers.”
“So the officers were aware this was happening?” Carole asked.
“No, this was totally on a need-to-know basis,” Mayor DeMayo said. “But it gave us a tremendous teaching tool we can use for years to come.”
“Thank you, Your Honor, for coming by today to explain,” Carole said and faced the camera. “So there you have it, Max Marvell’s daring escape was a planned—”
Elisha clicked off the television. “You think that’s what really happened?”
Pro was still catching her breath. A smile came across her face. “Not for a second, but it means I don’t have to quit!”
Elisha smiled. “I’m so glad, honey. And the murder is solved, isn’t it?”
“All except where the plans are. Momma, I gotta go see Max. And for once, I know where he is.”
All but running to the subway, Pro was at the precinct in twenty minutes. She headed for the holding cells and there was Sergeant Palos.
“He ain’t there, Pro. Mayor called and told us to release him,” Palos said. “I gotta ask, were you in on the test or did they keep you in the dark as well?”
“I was as surprised as the next person,” Pro replied. “I’ll see if I can track Max down.”
She headed into the bullpen, and there was Max sipping on a coffee at the chair next to her desk. He gave a salute with the cardboard cup. “Hey there! Did you hear the news?”
Pro drew close and looked around to make sure no one was listening. “How did you arrange that?”
“I called Jonas yesterday before I met you at the theater. I told him how much a training video would help, and that it was a great way to turn the bad publicity into good publicity. After all, he is a politician.”
“Max, I could kiss you,” Pro said.
Max took a sip from his cup. “Good, I’m making progress. So, have you received a warrant for Sam Lovell’s shop?”
“It’s in the works. What’s the rush?”
“Because I want to show you where the plans are. And if they are in police custody as evidence, I don’t have to worry about anyone stealing my trick.”
