Almost Lost. Блейк Пирс

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      As they were heading toward the bus stop, Cassie heard music and noticed a crowd of people had gathered in the cobblestone town square.

      “What do you think they’re doing?” Madison noticed the activity at the same moment Cassie’s head turned.

      “Can we have a look, Cassie?” Dylan asked.

      They headed across the road to find that there was a pop-up entertainment show in progress.

      In the north corner of the square, a three-piece live band was playing. In the opposite corner, an artist was creating balloon animals. Already a line of parents with young children had formed.

      In the center, a magician, formally dressed in a smart suit with a top hat, was performing tricks.

      “Oh, wow. I absolutely love magic tricks,” Madison breathed.

      “Me, too,” Dylan agreed. “I would like to study it. I want to know how it works.”

      Madison rolled her eyes.

      “Easy. It’s magic!”

      Just as they arrived, the magician completed his trick, to gasps and applause, and then as the crowd dispersed, he turned to face them.

      “Welcome, good people. Thank you for being here on this lovely afternoon. What a fine day it is. But tell me, little lady, are you not a bit cold?”

      He beckoned Madison forward.

      “Cold? Me? No.” She stepped forward, half smiling in wary amusement.

      He held out his empty hands and then moved forward and clapped them close to Madison’s head.

      She gasped. As he lowered his cupped hands, in them was a small toy snowman.

      “How did you do that?” she asked.

      He handed her the toy.

      “It was on your shoulder all along, traveling with you,” he explained, and Madison laughed in amazed disbelief.

      “So now, let’s see how quick your eyes are. This is how it works. You bet me—any amount you like, as I move four cards around. If you can guess where the queen lands, you double your money. If you can’t, you leave empty-handed. So, would you like to place your bet?”

      “I’ll bet! Can I have some money?” Dylan asked.

      “Sure. How much do you want to lose?” Cassie rummaged in her jacket pocket.

      “I want to lose five pounds, please. Or win ten, of course.”

      Aware that a new crowd was gathering behind her, Cassie handed Dylan the money and he paid it over.

      “This should be easy for you, young gentleman, I can see you have a quick eye, but remember, the queen is a wily lady and she has won many battles.

      “Watch carefully as I deal four cards. See, I am placing them face up, for total disclosure. This is almost too easy. It’s like giving the money away. The queen of hearts, the ace of spades, the nine of clubs, and the jack of diamonds. After all, as they say about marriage, it starts off with hearts and diamonds, but by the end all you need is a club and a spade.”

      There were roars of laughter from the audience.

      The magician’s allusion to marriage going bad had Cassie glancing nervously at the children, but Madison didn’t seem to have understood the joke, and Dylan’s attention was fixed on the cards.

      “Now, I turn them over.”

      One by one he deliberately flipped the cards face down.

      “And now, I move them.”

      Swiftly, but not too fast, he shuffled the four cards. It was a challenge to follow but by the time he stopped, Cassie was fairly sure that the queen was on the extreme right.

      “Where is our lady queen?” the magician asked.

      Dylan paused, then pointed to the card on the right.

      “Are you sure, young sir?”

      “I’m sure.” Dylan nodded.

      “You have one chance to change your mind.”

      “No, I’ll stick with that one. She’s got to be there.”

      “She’s got to be there. Well, let us see if the queen agrees, or if one of her consorts has managed to spirit her away into hiding.”

      He flipped the card over and Dylan let out an audible groan.

      It was the jack of diamonds.

      “Dammit,” he said.

      “The jack. Always ready to cover for his queen. Loyal to the end. But our queen of hearts, the emblem of love, still eludes us.”

      “So where’s the queen?”

      “Where indeed?”

      Cassie had noticed, while he shuffled the cards around, that there was one he hadn’t touched at all—the one on the far left. That had been the ace of spades.

      “I think she’s there,” she guessed, pointing to the card.

      “Ah, so here we have a clever lady, pointing to the one card she knows it couldn’t possibly be. But you know what? Miracles happen.”

      With a flourish, he uncovered the card—and there was the queen.

      Laughter and applause rang through the square and Cassie felt a surge of delight as Dylan and Madison high-fived her.

      “What a pity you didn’t put money on it, my lady. You would have been richer now, but that’s the way it goes. Who needs money, when love has chosen you?”

      Cassie felt her cheeks redden. If only, she hoped.

      “As a memento, you may have the card itself.”

      He dropped it into a paper bag and sealed it with a sticker before handing it to Cassie, who put it in the side pocket of her purse.

      “I wonder what would have happened if I’d chosen that card,” Dylan remarked as they walked away.

      “I’m sure it would have been the jack of diamonds,” Cassie said. “That’s how he makes his money, by switching the cards when people bet.”

      “His hands were so fast,” Dylan said, shaking his head.

      “They must be naturally good and then train for years on top,” Cassie guessed.

      “I suppose they would have to,” Dylan agreed, as they reached the bus stop.

      “It’s also misdirection, but I’m not sure how that applies when there are four cards so close together. But it must work somehow.”

      “OK, let’s practice. Try and misdirect me, Cassie,” Madison asked.

      “I СКАЧАТЬ