Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
King
Billowing velvet curtains the color of dried blood hang over a stage.
Jim stands in front of the curtain, looking dapper in a black tux and top hat.
A spotlight lands on him, and he smiles at those of us in the audience as he struts across wooden boards that have been trodden on by some of the greatest magicians to ever visit Vegas.
I’m back in a suit, and while it feels fantastic, I’m much more aware of how stuffy these clothes are. It’s fine for events and dinners, but I have a feeling the comfortable clothing is here to stay.
If I live long enough to enjoy that change.
“Welcome, Sinners,” Jim says. His lapel mic picks up his voice, which comes in clear as crystal through the speakers. “After spending the day exploring the sights and sounds of Las Vegas, you now have a wonderful night in store, full of magic and mystery.”
If I never have to take Josie to Vegas again, it will be too soon. We spent all morning walking the Strip, then all afternoon playing slots and cards.
But then again, if I get to take Josie to Vegas again, it would be a small blessing. It would mean we succeeded and that there was a future to be had and plans to be made.
Jim pulls a white-tipped wand from his interior pocket and flings it to the side. Nothing happens, so he tries again. On the third try, silk flowers finally spring from the tip, though they don’t so much spring as flop.
Undeterred, he pushes right into his next trick. “You just never know what sort of fun surprises we might have in store! All sorts of things might pop up.”
He steps to the edge of the stage and pulls off his hat, then pushes his hand deep inside. When he pulls it out again, a few of the women let out a scream. Gary faints. Eve turns her head and blocks her eyes with her hand. Even I feel a little taken aback by the ghastly sight.
In his hand, Jim holds up a rabbit. A very limp rabbit. Its head flops forward as he takes a bow, and Cat starts dry heaving.
“I don’t think I much like this sort of magic trick,” Ice Pick says with a scowl. “It’s better when the rabbit ain’t dead, Jim.”
Jim looks from Ice Pick to the Rabbit. He stands upright again. “No! It’s not dead!”
He wiggles the limp body at us as if that will convince us he didn’t accidentally leave it crammed in that hat a little too long. My god, has it been in there since the start of the bloody trip? It’s so thin.
Eve covers her mouth.
Josie buries her face in my lapel and says something about needing more therapy. The dark red hair piled on her head in a gorgeous updo tickles my nose.
“It’s fake!” Jim shouts. He tosses the rabbit into the audience, and Cat and Kindra scream and jump away as the body lands on them.
Jim crosses his arms over his chest. “Do you really think I’d put a live rabbit in a hat?
How inhumane! It’s just a very convincing replica.
Spared no expense, I assure you. I didn’t even use real fur. ”
Quinn purses her lips and sits a little straighter as she raises the rabbit, and now that we’re closer to the creature, it’s clear that it’s fake. “How were we supposed to know, Jim? It was way too convincing from far away. It was fucking horrific.”
Everyone agrees. Even Grim seems put off.
Jim apologizes and assures us the game will be much more fun. And best of all, it doesn’t involve any fake animals this time.
We breathe a collective and very audible sigh of relief.
The lights dim a little, and the curtain rises. Behind Jim, staff members begin wheeling a large glass tube to the center of the stage.
Jim places his top hat on his head again, then walks toward the audience.
“People love magic, but more than that, they love the thrill of potential death. Not their own, of course, but they salivate at the thought of watching a tragedy befall someone else. Tonight, you’ll witness the magic show of your dreams, where everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. ”
Josie sits forward a bit, literally on the edge of her seat. Her green eyes gleam with anticipation. I’m a little excited myself. I designed the event, after all. What’s Vegas without a magic show?
Jim designed the acts, however, so there’s no telling what’s in bloody store.
A man is led onto the stage. He wears a tiny red speedo, and his hands and feet are secured by cuffs.
He steps up to the tube and gets inside without a fight.
He’s been promised an out if he survives, but I doubt he’ll hold his breath long enough for this trick.
I smirk to myself as they secure his feet to a short chain in the bottom.
To ensure he won’t float into the air pocket once they fill the tube with water, of course.
“Can I get a volunteer from the audience?” Jim says, and Josie’s hand shoots into the air. “You there, the pretty redhead. Would you join me up here?”
I stand and follow Josie to the edge of the stage, where I help her up. Then I go back to my seat to enjoy the first act. I can only hope she gives me an encore when we get back to the RV. Watching her strut across the stage in that short black dress is doing something vile to me.
Now I just want to do something vile right back.
Jim takes her hand and leads her to a table in the back. At the same time, the staffers hoist a large hose over the edge of the tank. Water spills into the tall tube, and the Cattle looks petrified.
He should have considered that before trying to drug a group of women.
“Our lovely assistant is in charge of deciding when to drop the keyring into the tank,” Jim says.
He turns to Josie. “How much time will you give him to free himself from the water-torture cell that Houdini made famous? There are over fifty keys, but only one of them will release the chain fastening his feet to the floor.”
Jim produces a key from his pocket and hands it to Josie. Then he hands the massive keyring to her. She nearly drops it, not anticipating how much weight would be behind so many keys.
“The key I handed you is the only one that works. Slide it anywhere on the ring, but don’t let him see!”
With a grin, Josie faces away from the audience and the glass tube. She begins choosing where to affix the key to the ring, staying secretive. The Cattle’s not paying any attention, though. He’s too focused on the water rising above his knees.
Aven leans closer on my right side. He taps my arm, so I lean into him.
“Hey, I wanted to apologize for being a whingy little prick the other night. It’s not your job to fill the gap my sperm donor left behind. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”
“Don’t apologize. Your father made a mistake by cutting you out of his life, and I just feel honored to be part of it now.” My stomach clenches. “In his stead,” I add.
Aven nods, oblivious to my blunder. He eases back into his seat and takes Quinn’s hand into his lap. I think that’s the end of it, but then he leans over again.
“That place we’re going in California . . . would it happen to have any lakes?”
I smile as a bit of pride wells in me. “Yes, actually. The trip started at Jim’s lake house and will end at mine. It’s just a little fishpond, though. Something to look out at when I’m having my morning coffee.”
“Oh, so you don’t fish it, then.”
“Haven’t had a chance to try it out yet. Are you so inclined? I have several rods at the house. You and Quinn are welcome to stay for as long as you’d like after the trip.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose,” he says.
I look back at Josie on the stage as she turns around and jingles the key ring. “Oh, I won’t be there.”
Or maybe I will be. Maybe Aven will use my warm entrails as bait after he and Bennett have dismembered me.
“That’s a shame,” he says, and when I look back at him, I see that his face has fallen. “I was kind of hoping we could go together. Kind of connect one-on-one. I’m better there than in a group setting.”
He gets that from me.
“After all, if you want to be my stand-in da, you gotta take your boy fishing.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it, pal. It was a child’s idea.”
“No. It’s a great idea, and I’d love to. Perhaps we can throw out the line a few times before the final event where you meet your real father. Who knows? You might not want to take me fishing after that.”
“I’ll take you up on it,” he says, “but no worries about what’ll happen when I meet Carter. I’ll get my retribution and finally move on.”
He sits back again, looking a little happier this time. Meanwhile, I feel like I just ate concrete and washed it down with sulfuric acid. The weight in my guts pulls me down.
Everyone lets out a little cheer, and I focus on the stage again.
Josie climbs the stairs beside the water tank and holds the keys over the top of the tube.
The water is up to the Cattle’s chin now, with no signs of stopping.
In less than a minute, he’ll be fully submerged and without oxygen.
Josie holds his salvation in her delicate hand.
He yells something up at her, but we can’t hear what he says. The thick glass catches his voice and holds it close. Josie hears him, though, and she smiles and shakes her head.
Jim looks out at us, ever the showman. “He’s pleading for Josie to drop the keys. He says he’s very sorry and won’t do it again.”
Josie says something, and Jim laughs.
“She said that we’ll make sure he won’t.” Jim laughs again, throwing his head back this time, and the small audience of Sinners echoes his joy.
The water rises, and the Cattle tips his head back to keep his nose and mouth within reach of precious oxygen. Josie dangles the keys, then drops them onto his face. They slide off his cheek and drift to the bottom of the tank.
“Whoops! I think her fingers slipped,” Jim says.