[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

them to tie me up, and how long for me to get loose. If I don't get loose before the time it takes them to
tie me up, they'll split ten-thousand dollars."
"Are you serious? You'd pay that much if you fail?"
"I won't fail."
"Then you'll tell me how you do it?"
Dimitri laughed. "There's no trick. Three people can tie me anyway they want and I'll get loose.
In fact, I'll challenge your brothers and let them do the tying and do it opening night."
"You're serious? You'll offer my brothers ten-thousand dollars if they tie you so you can't get
loose?" Maddy asked, thinking Dimitri had seriously underestimated the strength and ability of Adam,
Marc and Tyler, all good with lassoing and tying stock.
"Dead serious," Dimitri replied. "I'll offer the challenge to the audience in general, and when the
volunteers stand, make sure your brothers are among them so you can select them and bring them on
stage."
It came to Maddy that this was probably along the lines of marketing himself at a place where
people came to gamble. Dimitri had enough money so ten-thousand dollars wasn't a big loss, and the
publicity would be worth it because it would bring in more people, who would, in turn, hope the
challenge would be offered again. "Fine then, I'll tell my brothers and see what they say." Which was
a no brainer. There was no way they'd pass up a chance to pit their macho, cowboy images against a
nightclub performer. "Meanwhile, do you want me to round up some boots and jeans so you can start
getting acquainted with Tut?"
"Not today," Dimitri replied. "I'll be heading to Portland in a half hour to see about last minute
preparations for a little publicity stunt."
Maddy eyed him with curiosity. "What kind of stunt?"
"Something in a box. It'll be on the ten o'clock news tomorrow night if you want to watch."
Hearing muffled laughter, Maddy glanced around and saw that Tyler had joined Adam and Marc.
They were all looking their way and smiling, and obviously joking among themselves about Dimitri.
Catching the direction of Maddy's gaze, Dimitri glanced around.
Feeling a need to explain her brothers' adolescent behavior, Maddy said, "Don't mind my
brothers. They think magicians are all about puffs of smoke and a whole lot of sensationalism."
Dimitri smiled in amusement. "Then you might have them watch the news tomorrow night. They'll
see a whole lot of sensationalism, but they might also see a little bit of magic." With that, he turned
and headed for his cabin, leaving Maddy wondering what kind of 'little publicity stunt' he had
planned. From what she'd seen of Dimitri so far, to him there was no such thing as something little.
Her brothers were also right when they said magicians were all about sensationalism, and
tomorrow night they'd have a chance to see just how sensational Dimitri could be. From what Genie
said, he was a chip off the old block, and right now Sebastian the Illusionist performed to sold-out
audiences, and there was no question that Dimitri was determined to take a good portion of the
limelight from his father.
CHAPTER 3
Maddy had not intended on her brothers being present when the ten o'clock news would come on,
but when she told Adam, Marc and Tyler about Dimitri's ten-thousand dollar challenge, all three
laughed it off, but planned to be at the Coyote to take Dimitri on, seeming to think winning the bet was
a slam dunk. Maddy secretly hoped they'd lose, if only to prove to the three of them that Dimitri
wasn't the wussy they'd pegged him to be.
She hadn't yet told them she'd be working at the Coyote as Dimitri's assistant, and it seemed her
parents hadn't said anything to them either, but she knew that was because her folks had been involved
with other things and hadn't had a chance to get into it with them. But they would.
Emily and Kit stayed home with the kids and planned to watch Dimitri's stunt on their own TVs,
but since Tyler and Rose who was nine months pregnant and counting didn't have a TV in their
newly-built cedar yurt, they were both there, sitting on the couch nibbling on each other, like they did
most of the time. Adam and Marc stood behind the couch, in clear view of the TV, looking amused,
but also curious.
Maddy's parents were sitting together in their double recliners, both of them reading, but she [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]