The Eli Marks Short Mystery Bundle by John Gaspard

Author:John Gaspard [Gaspard, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Gaspard

THE LAST CUSTOMER

THE LAST CUSTOMER

by John Gaspard

* * *

I thought he was going to be my last customer.

Which was a bit ironic, because after a long day in the shop, he was also my first customer. Such is the sad life of a brick and mortar magic shop in this day of on-line browsing and shopping.

At the moment, though, I was in a bit of a fog, trying to decide if the customer’s shaggy hair would best be described as dishwater blonde or sandy brown. In this midst of what I’m guessing you would call a transaction, the bell over the shop’s entrance tinkled. The last customer and I looked at the door as it it swung open and for a moment I thought it might have just been the wind, as no one was immediately visible in the doorway. Then I glanced down and saw a kid. He might have been seven or eight or nine or ten—I really have no concept of the standard height-to-age ratio with kids these days. But he looked young.

“We’re closed,” I said, working hard to take any unintended tone out of my voice.

“The sign in the window says Open,” the kid said, glancing around the shop, a little wide-eyed at all the magic tricks, posters and miscellanea that gave Chicago Magic its old-world charm. At least, that’s what I chose to think. He also might have been looking at all the clutter and dust.

“I haven’t gotten around to flipping the sign,” I said, glancing at the customer to see if this interruption was having any sort of impact on his mood. He seemed as stunned at the kid’s moxie as I was.

“Well, then, you’re open,” the kid said as he stepped further into the shop. “This won’t take long, anyway. I need your help and I need it pronto.”

The door swung shut behind him and I exchanged a look with the customer. He nodded a quick assent.

“Okay,” I said. “What’s the problem?”

The kid took a deep breath. “I need to make a tuba disappear,” he said. “Like, now.”

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