"We"ll deal with you anon," she told me. "Maybe put you in me freezer with your son."
208 Richard Math-on
A dazzling smile. "We"ll see, old man," she said.
She started toward the entry hall.
She was almost to the doorway when from a comer of her eyes, she saw (as I did) a movement on the surface of the globe.
She stopped and turned around, looking in that direction-"
The outer layer of the globe was rolling downward, re- vealing the gla.s.s globe underneath. Harry"s head again? I thought. What would be the point of that?
Max"s.
His lips drawn back in an amiable smile
"While I realize," he said, "that the chance of your ever seeing mis is small indeed, at the same tune, I have taken the precaution, as a good magician should, of preparing an alternative ending."
Despite my grief, I felt a glow of warmth at that. He"d never forgotten.
"Accordingly, I have in)ected through the cork and wrap- ping of the apparently unopened bottle in the ice bucket a tasteless, slow-acting but extremely efficacious poison."
Ca.s.sandra started. Then her lips jerked back in a barking laugh of triumph.
"You really did poison it, you son of a b.i.t.c.h," she said.
"m addition," Max"s head went on, "I have also injected the same poison into every champagne bottle under the bar-resealing the cases, of course.
"This in the event that you suspect the bottle in the ice bucket and use another one."
Ca.s.sandra stiffened with dread. While in the heart of the ancient vegetable, a cheer erupted. Bravo, Sonny!
"I know you love your favorite champagne after any kind of personal triumph," Max"s head continued.
He paused.
"Not that you will ever have the chance to drink it," he said. "You"ll be hanging in the freezer, dead. Still-"
Now Y- S- tt.. 209
The head smiled cunningly.
"-who knows?" it said.
It was either a choice coincidence or (more likely) the burst of shock which had flooded her system mat caused Ca.s.sandra to feel me poison for the first time at that very moment.
She began to weave, one hand pressed against her stom- ach.
"No," she said.
She stared in unbelieving shock at Max"s head as it com- pleted its statement.
"If it comes to it, however," it said, "bw voyage, Ca.s.san- dra. Despite your wondrous machinations-whatever they have been, and I"m sure they were impressive-you have lost the game, as well as I."
As Ca.s.sandra gaped at me head, the outer layer of the globe rolled back up, and once again it was an antique image of the world.
Ca.s.sandra tried to make it to the telephone.
She couldn"t. Her legs began-to lose the power to support her.
"Brian!" she called. "Brian!"
She lurched toward the desk, but never reached it, in- stead pitching forward to me floor.
There she lay gasping, legs drawn up, agony stabbing at her insides. (It seemed apparent by the way she clutched at her stomach.)
I doubt if, in all (hat pain, she could have summoned a single thought about her husband"s final victory.
And I doubt that I could ever have killed her. I felt too sorry tor her,
And her wasted life.
What else could I do?
It was over. Nothing more could possibly take place.
And yet it did.
210 Richard MathMM
Both Ca.s.sandra"s eyes and mine moved to the desk chair.
It was turning by itself.
It stood mere, reversed, for several moments.
Then a curl of white smoke drifted upward from behind its back.
Ca.s.sandra gaped at it. I gaped at it, How could Max possibly be alive?
The chair turned back.
My brain felt numb.
Sitting in it, smoking a cigar, was Sheriff Plum.
Ca.s.sandra made a sound of dazed confusion. She could make no sense whatever of me Sheriff"s appearance. Nor could I.
Still, he might save her lifel