“Well it’s quite obvious you’ve never done this before, isn’t it? You were never a dancer or acrobat, I take it?”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“That’s pretty obvious. Pity. Most illusionists’ assistants can do all the acrobatic moves. The odd cartwheel or split never hurts. But there’s nothing we can do about that.”

“Teach her the signals, Harry,” Bess said. “That’s the most important thing she needs to know.”

“Signals?” I asked.

Harry paced uncertainly. “I’m not sure about this, honeykins. Giving away our secrets to a stranger—to someone we hardly know?”

“I told you, I knew her family when she was a little kid,” Bess said. “They were good to me.” She certainly lied very smoothly. There was no trace of hesitancy in her voice.

“Yes, but that was a long time ago. You’re out of touch for years, then she pops up again, out of the blue, she doesn’t have an inkling about how to move onstage, and suddenly she wants to be my assistant.” He was staring hard at me. “I don’t believe she ever had anything to do with the business, if you want my opinion. So how do we know she’s not some kind of plant?”

“What do you mean?” Bess demanded.

“I mean how do we know she’s not working for a rival illusionist trying to get his hands on our secrets?”

“She’s not working for any rival illusionist, Harry, I promise you.”

“How can you promise me? You’ve been out of touch with her for years!” Harry was yelling now, his face red with anger. “And if she’s not working for a rival, how do we know she’s not one of these damned female newspaper reporters. If we show her our stunts you might find them printed all over tomorrow’s front page for all the world to see. ‘How I out-tricked Houdini into revealing his secrets.’ Is that what you want, Bess?”

“I assure you I’m not—” I began, but he cut me off.

“I’m not buying it, Bess. I’m not giving away things we’ve worked on for years.”

“But you promised to give her a try, Harry. You promised.” She was sounding close to tears now.

“I said that yesterday because I didn’t want you making a scene at the clinic, but it never felt right to me. And you know what? It doesn’t feel right now. I don’t trust her. I’m not doing it, Bess. I’ve made up my mind and that’s that.”

“And if I don’t come back into the act for a while?” Bess’s voice was yelling too now.

“Then I’d rather go it alone. Or maybe I’ll find a new assistant.”

“Oh, no!” Bess said, sitting bolt upright. “I’m not having you working with a strange girl, Harry. I know what you’re like.”