Now You See It Read Online Free PDF

his.
    “How
are
you, pal?” asked Harry.
    “Very well, old friend,” Max answered. “And you?”
    “Not complaining,” Harry replied.
    Max smiled at him; a tired smile, I thought. “You’ve been lying in the sun,” he said.
    “You know me, Max,” said Harry with a grin. “A little sun, a little run. Keeps the blood in motion.”
    Max reached up to touch Harry’s hair. “Plugs flourishing, I see,” he teased.
    Harry chuckled, obviously not pleased to have his implants mentioned. I wished I could have laughed aloud. I hadn’t known about them.
    “Not bad, anh?” said Harry, pretending that he wasn’t displeased.
    At which point in the procedure, who should stride into the room but Brian? As himself now naturally, hair dark, male clothes, his resemblance to Cassandra nonetheless apparent. “Hi,” he said to Harry, smiling.
    “How you doin’, kid?” Harry responded. He extended his right hand and Brian squeezed it in momentary greeting.
    “Fine,” said Brian. “How are you?”
    “Couldn’t be better,” Harry said.
    “Good,”
said Brian.
    Their politesse was total sham. Harry had nothing but contempt for Brian, whom he regarded as a no-talent leech, a gofer to the bone. Brian, in turn, loathed Harry for a number of reasons which will presently emerge; I have to follow the rules of proper story-telling, don’t I?
    At any rate, they smiled and spoke most pleasantly to one another. Absolute hypocrisy.
    It was going to be that kind of day.

    Brian removed a slip of paper from his shirt pocket and handed it to Max. “Everything you want on here?” he asked.
Everything I have to go-fer?
I added in my mind.
    Max put his glasses on and perused the list. He nodded. “I believe so. Aren’t you a little late departing, though?”
    Brian shook his head. “Train doesn’t leave for thirty minutes.”
    “You off?” asked Harry, totally disinterested, I knew, but maintaining his pose of sociability—an agent’s skill.
    “Have to pick up props in Boston,” Brian told him.
    “Ah-ha.” Harry nodded. “Have a good trip, then.”
    Brian nodded. “Thank you.” He turned to Cassandra. “We’d better go,” he said.
    “Be right with you,” she replied. “Wait in the car.”
    “All right.” Once more, Brian smiled at Harry. “Nice to see you again,” he said.
    “The same,” said Harry, reciprocating the lie.
    “See you later, Max,” Brian said.
    Max did not reply but raised one languid hand. I didn’t really know what he thought of Brian. I had always assumed that, however kindly disposed he might be to his young brother-in-law, he could not have had too much respect for him. How little respect I found out later.
    Brian walked to the doorway and exited into the entry hall.
    As he did, Cassandra turned to Max with a look of grave concern. “Harry told me you asked him to come here,” she said. “I hope—”
    She broke off, sighing. “Well, you know what I hope,” she added.
    Moving to Max, she kissed him on the left cheek, then regarded him anxiously. “It can all be what it was,” she said.
    Max smiled at her. “Let’s see what happens,” he told her.
    Never had a harrowing event-to-be been heralded with such offhandedness.
    Cassandra looked at him as though she hoped to penetrate his eyes and see into his very thoughts. Then, with an evanescent smile, she turned toward the doorway. “See you in a little while,” she said. She glanced at Harry. “I’ve driving Brian to the station,” she explained.
    “Good.” He nodded. “Give the boss and me a chance to talk.”
    Another fleeting smile from her. “Will you still be here when I get back?” she asked.
    “How long?” he responded.
    “Less than an hour.”
    “I imagine so,” said Harry. “Though I
do
have to get back to Boston by early evening.” (The well-laid plans …)
    Cassandra nodded and left, closing the door, Harry and Max watching her departure.
    After she was gone, Harry smiled at Max. “Quite a gal