Kallista knew something was wrong from the way her husband kissed her. The kiss was deeper, more passionate, more searching than usual. Also his tongue had the flavor of alcohol. Not that she could do anything about it. She was already locked onto the big wheel, legs, wrists, and neck shackled. “Let’s make it something special tonight,” Manfred whispered in her ear, and before she could blink, he ripped her flimsy costume from her body.

“There you have her,” Manfred announced to the audience. “My most beautiful wife, naked as the day she was born. And here, waiting for her, hoping for a taste of that delicious flesh, five Turkish knives, each one sharp as sin.”

Manfred held up a knife, not Turkish, Kallista knew, but the blade glinted in the spotlights.

“Five knives, one for each of the five deadly sins.”

No one from the audience corrected him.

“Or is it the Fifth Commandment I’m thinking of?” He laughed. An evil laugh, punctuated by a hiccup. “Maybe I’d better take the Fifth on that. The Fifth Amendment. Or a fifth of vodka. Or both.”

“Honey,” Kallista whispered. Manfred pretended not to hear.

“Normally I throw from ten paces,” Manfred continued. “But tonight I’m feeling especially bold. Fifteen paces, and not a step less.”

“Honey, don’t you think—”

“Shut up!” Manfred snapped. “You don’t want to ruin my concentration. It’s true, I have nerves of steel. Nerves to match the blades of my Turkish knives. But tonight...”

Manfred took a deep breath. “Tonight ... Where was I? Tonight...”

“Please,” begged Kallista.

“Yes, tonight, I’ll fling five knives at my dearly beloved. Never before have I so much as nicked her. But—”

He whirled and threw the first knife. Kallista screamed. The audience screamed. The knife slammed into the wooden wheel, two inches from her bare right breast. Kallista knew something was wrong. The distance knife to breast was never more than an inch. The trick was in the powerful electro-magnets placed strategically behind the board. Had Manfred forgotten to turn them on?

Manfred turned to the audience. “You see, earlier today, not more than an hour ago, I learned something. A life’s lesson, you might call it. Life being the key word. I learned that my lovely wife, my beauteous bride, my brave darling Kallista—isn’t she adorable?—I learned with my own two eyes and ears, that Kallista was unfaithful. I saw her in the act, ladies and gentlemen. I saw her fucking—well, I won’t name him. He’s already met his maker. And soon, yes, very soon, my darling Kallista will join him.”