The Self-Working Trick (and other stories) by John Gaspard

Author:John Gaspard [Gaspard, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby via Indie Author Project

“Are you performing or practicing?”

I looked up to see Mark Kelly standing in front of me. Until a few moments ago, I had thought I was the only one in the bar.

“With me, it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference,” I said. “What can I get you?”

He waved this away. “No time, on my way to a meeting,” he said. “I just wanted to stop by and thank you and your uncle for your help on that painting thing.”

“The Hitler painting?”

“That’s the one,” he said with a grin. “You both were absolutely right. I turned in my report. The company leaned on the police and—one search warrant later—they uncovered the modified shredder.”

“Harry was right: the gallery owner couldn’t bear to toss it out. It was a work of art.”

Kelly shrugged. “Or else he’s just lazy or stupid. Or both. But they found the shredder, they found the original painting, and he confessed to having staged the whole thing. Fraud charges are pending.”

“Your client has to be happy about that.”

“Who knows. He’s in insurance. How happy can he ever hope to be?”

I laughed. “I’ll let Harry know that you stopped by.”

“One other thing,” Kelly said as he gestured toward the wall behind me. “Is there any chance I can buy that off of you?”

I turned. He was pointing at the counterfeit bill detector, which I’d placed next to the cash register. I’d left it there after our earlier meeting. It was easier than going to the trouble of walking next door and finding a place for it on that messy gag gift shelf.

“As a memento?” I suggested.

“Something like that.”

“Here, why don’t you take it, on the house,” I said as I grabbed the small machine and handed it to him across the bar. “As it turns out, people who use cash to buy drinks don’t find this thing as funny as you might think.”

“Go figure. Thanks!” He hefted the box in his hand as he headed toward the door.

With nothing else to do and no one to talk to, I did what I should have been doing for the past hour.

I picked up my deck of cards and began to practice.

As expected, it was slow going. Improvements, when they came, were at best incremental.

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