Chapter 10: Astounding Performance

The stage of the Parmentier Theatre, downtown, was the scene for the next performance of the Astounding Gillstrom. Victoria Leon had accepted Gregg's invitation to see the show. As usual, the climax of the show was to be an illusion in which a member of the audience was asked to step into a cabinet with Maxine, and the two would be made to disappear. It had proved a great success with the audience responding with gasps when the trick appeared to go wrong and first one then the other of the women would be seen disappearing before both vanished and then were made to reappear. The trick had been Maxine's idea; she had by far the better sense of how to work an audience. Gregg had been happy to go along with her ideas and now they both felt it suited their purposes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Gregg announced with a flourish as Maxine wheeled the cabinet to its precisely set marks in the middle of the stage. "For this final trick I need the assistance of a member of the audience. Normally I ask for a volunteer but I see tonight that the delightful Ms Victoria Leon is in the theatre and I wonder if she would honour the stage with her presence."

Sitting in the third row of the stalls of the Parmentier Theatre, Victoria wasn't at all sure that she liked the idea of delivering herself up to the hands of her prime suspects. But her fame as a result of her brave opposition to the robberies had made her a popular figure and the audience applauded loudly. Still, she reasoned, there's not much harm I can come to in front of 500 people, is there? As Victoria got to her feet and waved to the crowd there was a surge of applause that continued as she took the steps up to the stage.

"What on earth are you going to get me to do, Gregg Gillstrom?" she whispered as she got to the stage. Maxine could feel herself clenching her fists as Victoria leant close to Gregg's ear. She forced herself to relax. There would be plenty of opportunity later to amuse herself at Ms Leon's expense.

"It's simple, Maxine will help," Gregg said before turning to the audience. "Ladies & gentlemen, not just one vanishing lady but two. Your appreciation please."

Gregg went through his usual patter, showing the girls around the cabinet, wheeling it this way and that and spinning it around, opening and closing doors just to prove there was nothing unusual at all about it. Finally Maxine waved to the audience and so did Victoria as Maxine led the way into the cabinet.

"It seems a shame, I know, Ladies and Gentlemen, to make two such delightful creatures disappear." Greg carefully fastened the catches of the cabinet. "But that is the lot of we magicians..." Gregg waved his hands at the box. "Sim Sim Salabim!" there was a flash and a cloud of smoke as Gregg turned to the audience with a gesture of triumph. He threw the door open, feigning surprise when only Maxine had disappeared. He repeated the exercise, this time Maxine had returned but Victoria had gone. On the third occasion, finally both girls vanished. The audience that had been laughing louder with each of Gregg's "misfortunes" broke into loud applause. "Thank you, thank you," Gregg acknowledged. "Let's hope I have more luck in getting them back!" The audience laughed again.

Gregg turned the cabinet around once more, opened and closed the doors again and pushed the cabinet back to the centre of the stage. "Now ladies and gentlemen, I must concentrate if I am to bring our two ladies back." Gregg furrowed his brow and lowered his head, apparently deep in magical thought. A few moments passed. "Sim, sim, salabim!" he called once more and another flash and cloud of smoke seemed to indicate that he had indeed succeeded. He flung the doors of the cabinet wide open. Instead of the two women inside, a helpless Maxine - tightly bound in ropes and gagged with a knotted cloth - toppled forward from the cabinet and fell to the stage.

The audience knew immediately from Gregg's response that this wasn't part of the trick. He ran to Maxine's side, trying to help her. He pulled the gag from her mouth as the curtain started to descend. "Quick," Maxine spluttered. "Call the police, someone's kidnapped Ms Leon."