Deadly Magic (15 page)

Grace hoist
ed herself up onto the stage. Craning her neck, she looked up toward the ceiling. It was dark, but she could just make out a parapet far above.

She look
ed around at the empty theater. The stage manager, who had let her in, said that Dragovich was running late. It couldn’t hurt to take a peek, she thought, walking to the heavy curtain and peering behind it. She noticed the stage door that she had walked through that night to find Lily’s body dangling from the ceiling.

She hurri
ed to it. As quiet as she could, she twisted the knob and went backstage. She tiptoed down the corridor a few feet and then turned the corner.

If her bearings were correct
, she should be just behind the stage. She looked up. There was no sign of the scaffolding. She passed some rather large boxes lying against the wall and walked the length of the corridor. At the far end, against the wall was a ladder. If this leads to the parapet above, then Tabitha is off the hook, she thought. After all, Tabitha was running in this direction, not away from it. She wouldn’t have had enough time to reach the ladder before Lily fell. Grace reached for the rung above her head.

Snap.

Grace whirled around, her heart beating fast. She looked in both directions, but there was no one in sight. Holding her breath, she waited for some sound to indicate that she had been caught, when none came and no one appeared, she turned back around and climbed up the ladder. She eventually came to small landing and another set of stairs.

Dropping to her hands and
knees, she looked over the ledge. There was no one there. Sighing in relief, she stood up and walked toward the stairs. A large shiny black box about seven feet tall stood next to the stairs. Very carefully, Grace opened the double doors. There was a small black hook just above her head protruding from the back of the box. She grabbed the hook and pulled. The back popped open. She stepped inside the box and peered out the back. Just a wall.

She stepp
ed out of the box, closed the doors, and took the first step up the stairs. She cringed as they creaked and groaned with every step. Every few steps she looked back behind her and waited. When no one appeared, she chided herself for being so nervous.

The steps eventually l
ed to a narrow scaffold that stretched over half of the stage. She stepped on the scaffold and made her way to the center, gripping the metal railings tightly as she walked. When she came to the end, she looked over the railing at the stage below. Feeling slightly nauseous, she lifted her eyes and looked straight ahead.

Four large metal pulleys hung in front of her. The scaffolding and pulleys were hidden from the audience by a long black curtain.

Attached to the railing was another, smaller hook with a thin metal wire attached. Grace reached forward and grabbed the hook. Threads of purple silk still clung to the metal wire. She dropped the hook and started to reach for a pulley when she heard a creak.

Taking a deep breath, Grace stood perfectly still.

When no other sound came from below, Grace blew out the breath she had been holding. She reached out a hand for the pulley.

The scaffolding moved a little, as more creaks could be heard from below.

Someone was coming up the stairs.

Grace look
ed around helplessly. The only method of escape was a straight drop to the stage below. She gripped the railing tighter, and waited.

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

Whoever was
coming
up was taking their own sweet time about it.

For what seem
ed like an eternity, Grace waited. Finally, she saw the top of a blond head appear over the steps.

Grace blew out the breath she had been holding.
“Kyle!”

Startl
ed, Kyle jumped back a little. He caught the stair railing before he could tumble down the stairs.

“
What are you doing up here?” Grace whispered. “You scared me half to death.”

Climbing the rest of the stairs up, Kyle stepp
ed out onto the scaffolding. Taking a deep breath, he laid a hand over his heart. “Scared you? I think I’m having a heart attack. What are you doing up here?”

“
I asked you first.”

He carefully walk
ed over to her. “I wanted to check out the murder scene. I mean, I figured since I was here in all.” He smiled. “You too?”

She grinn
ed back. “Since I was here.” Her grin faltered as she looked at him. “Why are you here?”

“
Belle and the others are stuck in traffic. She said to meet you here.” He slid past her, accidentally knocking her forward. Gripping her shoulders, he pulled her back against his body. “Sorry about that,” he said, moving her back to the center of the scaffolding. Reaching forward, he grabbed the metal wire and examined it. He looked over at her. “I just don’t get it.”

“
Join the club.”

He dropp
ed to his haunches and reached forward to grab a rope hanging from the ceiling. It was just out of his reach. With one hand, he gripped the railing, dropped his head under the railing, and leaned forward. His body angled over the stage.

Grace jump
ed forward and grabbed him by his belt. “Are you crazy?” she asked, pulling him back.

Back on the scaffold, he sat down, with his legs dangling over the stage. He held the rope in his hands.
“I honestly don’t see how she was murdered.”

Grace sat down next to him.
“Someone must have been up here waiting for her.”

“
But she would have seen them when she came up the steps. If it was someone she didn’t know, surely, she would’ve turned around, gone downstairs, and called security.”

“
Maybe it was someone she knew,” Grace pointed out reasonably. “Someone she trusted. Or maybe they came up behind her.”

“
But how did the murderer wrap the silks around her neck? She would have put up a fight.” Kyle pointed to the stage below. “Dragovich has a direct line of sight. If two people were fighting up here, he would have noticed. I just don’t see how she could have been killed.”

“
Maybe she was killed below and carried up the steps.”

Kyle shook his head. He point
ed to the stairs at the other end of the scaffold. “Those steps maybe, but not the ladder below. It would have been too difficult. Too risky.”

She took the rope from his hand and look
ed at the pulleys in front of her. “I wonder—”

“
Perhaps you two would like to join me down here?” Grace cringed as Ilya Dragovich’s voice rang throughout the empty theater. “If you’re done, that is. I don’t want to interrupt whatever it is you two are doing.”

She look
ed past Kyle’s knees. Dragovich was on the stage looking up. She smiled and waved. Her greeting was not returned.

♣ ♦ ♥ ♠

“Um, stresswoo, um stoowoo—no wait that isn’t it—stausswoo—” Kyle said, his voice pitched an octave higher than his regular speaking voice.

Dragovich simply star
ed at Kyle and slowly shook his head.

“
Wait, I’ve got it. Straussdoochua—”

“
I think what he’s trying to say is we’re so very sorry, Mr. Dragovich.” Grace had been repeating the same words since coming down the ladder, but she didn’t think it could hurt to say them again and again. “Very, very sorry.”

Stubbornly
, Kyle shook his head. “No. I’m trying to say hello. Belle’s been teaching me. She says I’m really—” He abruptly stopped speaking when the older man picked up a rather large dagger and began tapping it against the edge of the desk.

Grace watch
ed as he balanced the tip of the dagger on the desk, with only one finger on top of the handle, shaped in the form of a dragon’s head. He dropped his finger and smiled at her as the dagger stayed in place. “What, exactly, were you two doing up there?”

Kyle and Grace exchang
ed looks.

“
That just seems like a rather strange place for a rendezvous. Surely, there’s more comfortable—”

“
No.” Grace quickly shook her head. “No. It’s not what you’re thinking,” she said, awkwardly laughing. “No. He’s my assistant.”

“
Then what were you doing up there?” he repeated slowly.

Grace bit her lip
. Reluctantly, she explained why they both went up to the scaffolding.

“
Lily committed suicide,” he said matter-of-factly.

“
Are you so certain?”

“
No,” he admitted. “But very few people knew she was going to be here that night. Anyone who’s ever seen my act knows Tabitha usually comes down the silk after the chest rises. Only my daughter, Tabitha, and myself knew she would be taking Tabitha’s place in that particular illusion. And only we three and a few stage hands knew how the illusion was performed.” He held up one finger. “And none of us had any reason to kill Lily.”

“
That’s not exactly true.” She glanced over at Kyle who was standing by the large built in bookcase.

“
Really?” he asked, picking the dagger back up and turning it over in his hand. “Belle loved Lily. She was like another mother to her after my wife died.”

Both of their heads turn
ed, as a bookshelf collapsed. Kyle was leaning into the shelf, attempting to hold it up with his shoulder. “Sorry. It’s okay. I’ve got it,” he threw over his shoulder.

Grace look
ed back at Dragovich who was still staring at Kyle, softly shaking his head.

“And Tabitha’s only worked for me for less than a year.
She barely knows Lily.”

“
What about you? What was your relationship with Mrs. Straker?”

Ilya dropp
ed the knife he was playing with onto his desk. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the chair. “Lily was my wife’s best friend. When Juliet died, Lily was a great help to me. Especially with the children.”

“
I’ve heard a rumor that you two were rather close until you had a falling out at some magician’s conference.”

The sound of several large books hitting the floor caused her to wince.
She didn’t bother turning around. She could hear Kyle muttering sorry from behind her.

Dragovich
either didn’t notice or didn’t care. His eyes narrowed. “You’ve been talking to Harcourt. He loves telling that story. If you must know Lily and I did not have a falling out.” Ilya sighed heavily before reluctantly saying, “Lily had a very forceful personality.”

“
Meaning?”

“
Lily was my wife’s best friend. She was there at our wedding and for each of my children’s births. She was a major part of our life. And after Juliet died, Lily was a great help. She basically took charge. She got us back home. She got the children enrolled in school. She took them to their recitals, games, and activities. She took care of all of us. I was grateful. I needed her. I believed my children needed her, but . . .” He looked over at Kyle who was still trying to put the shelf back into place. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to Grace. “They became resentful. They felt that Lily was trying to replace their mother. It wasn’t true, but they were both young. Lily and I agreed that it would be best if she left. It worked out for the best. Everyone just needed some time apart. Belle, especially, started to miss her once she was gone.”

“
What happened in England?”

“
Like I said, Lily had a very strong personality. She felt her way was the right way and didn’t like being told differently. She thought she knew how to raise my children better than I did. It caused some friction, but we were both adults and we handled our problems like adults. We had some arguments, but when it became clear that my children were becoming confused, she stepped aside. She loved them a great deal. And they loved her.”

“
If there were no problems, then why didn’t she join your show when you came out of retirement?”

“
I asked her to, but she said she was happy with Harcourt. Now if you’re done cross examining me . . .” he said starting to rise.

Grace walk
ed over to the posters on the wall. She caught Kyle out of the corner of her eye, picking up a glass skull. “London, Paris, Vegas. You seem to be doing well for yourself.”

Somewhat bemused, h
e leaned back in his chair. “Yes, I do quite well for myself. What are you getting at?”

“
I was just curious as to why Lily gave you over fifty thousand dollars in the last year.”

Dragovich look
ed at her strangely. “Lily didn’t give me any money.”

“
Lily gave you three checks in July totaling fifty thousand. It doesn't appear that you need the money. I was just curious as to why.”

Dragovich star
ed at her for a moment, his forehead creased in a frown. He leaned forward suddenly. “When did you say this happened?” For the first time, the magician seemed confused and lost for words. Grace was just about to answer his question when his expression changed from confusion to rage.

The sound of glass breaking behind her caus
ed her to close her mouth.

Swearing in Russian, or at least, she assum
ed he was swearing, Dragovich slammed his hand on his desk and stood up.

Before she had a chance to react, she felt Kyle’s hand slip around her waist.
With his other hand, he grabbed one of hers and pulled her out the door. He dragged her from the dressing room to the theater, as Dragovich continued to shout to them from his office door.

Kyle didn’t stop until they were outside and standing on the sidewalk.
“Well, I think that went well, considering you practically accused the man of murder.”

“
Me?” she asked, shivering at the sudden change of temperature. She looked up at the gray sky and the snowflakes falling to the ground. “I was just asking questions. You were the one destroying his office.”

“
I didn’t destroy anything . . . Well, that crystal skull, but I don’t think that’s what made him mad.”

Grace reach
ed up a hand to point at Kyle’s chest. “You . . .” A spot of red on her sleeve caught her attention.

Blood.

She reached for Kyle’s hands. A trickle of blood ran down one finger. She reached for her purse slung across her body. Pulling out a tissue, she dabbed at the injury, eliciting a hiss from her patient. “I don’t think there’s any glass in it.” Pressing down she held the tissue firmly against his finger. She glanced at his handsome face hovering a few inches from her own. Refocusing her eyes on his hand, she asked, “Could you understand anything he was saying?”

He shook his head.
“It didn’t sound anything like hello, how are you, my name is Kyle, where is the restroom, I'm an American. That’s pretty much all I know at this point.”

Grace smil
ed. “I wonder how much that crystal skull costs? Maybe, Straker won’t take it out of our pay.”

“
You think he’ll cover the cost?”

Grace glanc
ed back up. She shook her head. “Probably not. I saw something similar in the Magic Shoppe today. If we both pitch in we might be able to replace it.”

“
I’m the one who broke the thing. I’ll take care of it,” he said softly. He bent his head closer to hers. He looked like he was about to say something when his eyes shifted up and over. All of a sudden, his demeanor changed. Taking a couple of steps back, he pulled his hand from hers rather abruptly.

Grace turn
ed around. Ethan was standing behind them. To her surprise, he seemed rather more amused than angry or jealous. She wasn’t sure whether to be happy about that or not. Before she could decide, Belle and Michael came running up.

“
Why aren’t you two at the loading dock?” Belle asked breathlessly. At least she assumed it was Belle, since she couldn’t really see her under her stocking cap, earmuffs, two scarfs, and red pea coat.

Ethan crossed his arms.
“I’m rather wondering that myself.”

Kyle spoke first.
“We were talking to Dragovich.”

Belle turn
ed to Grace. “Did you pick out one of the spare sofas?”