8The Illusion of the Disappearing Act
by
BJ Thompson
Chapter 1
Sport jacket draped over his arm and still knotting his tie, Joe Mannix emerged from the doorway of his office to the outer office of 17 Paseo Verde. He received a call from Jerry Anderson less than a half hour ago asking for this early morning meeting.
He moved straight to the coffee pot. This early in the day he needed a cup of coffee even if he had to make it himself. Before he could get the water in the pot, his office door rattled with someone knocking. He admitted Jerry Anderson and a balding man he didn't know, but somehow felt he'd seen before.
"Jerry, long time, no see." A year ago Jerry and Peggy had ended their relationship. Joe guessed the breakup was prompted by Jerry's frequent absences caused by his being an on-call pilot for Anthony Blake, the world famous magician. He never asked Peggy what happened. He kept his hands off her private life and she did the same for him.
"Joe, Max Pomeroy."
"The columnist. I thought I recognized you." Joe shook Max's hand and shuttled them into his office. "I love your column. I can't wait to see who you're going to piss off next." The coffee would have to wait.
"Mr. Mannix, thank you for meeting with us outside of your normal business hours."
Joe rounded the corner of his desk and threw his jacket on the back of his desk chair. As was normal for his clients, especially those who woke him out of a sound sleep, they squirmed in their seats. Max spoke again as Joe settled into his chair.
"We came to you because we're concerned about Anthony Blake."
"And . . .?"
"Joe, he's missing," Jerry said.
"Why come to me? LAPD has a department devoted to finding missing persons."
"When the missing person is Anthony Blake, well, let's say we prefer discretion. We're not positive he's missing and we want to keep this quiet."
"Max, how can you say that?" Jerry said. "Tony missed a charity performance last night."
"Wait, start at the beginning, if there is one. So when was the last time you saw Blake?" Joe asked.
"It's been almost thirty-six hours. He said he was going to the warehouse to work on his new illusion."
"I take it that you've already searched there?"
"That's the first thing we thought of. That while he was practicing his illusions something went wrong and he was injured and unable to call for help. No Tony. His car wasn't there either." Jerry answered.
"What's the license plate on that?" Joe pulled out a pad of paper and a pen to take notes.
"S-P-I-R-I-T," Jerry spelled.
"Spirit? What type of car?"
"A 1974 white Corvette Stingray with a t-top, tan interior."
"So he wasn't at this warehouse. Are there other places he goes?
"The Castle, it's a magician's club. He goes out to eat at different restaurants when we're in town. His plane, he lives on it."
"Yeah, I remember hearing about that." Joe leaned back in his chair rocked a bit as he thought. "So far no ransom note. Has he done this before?"
"No," Jerry answered.
"Yes," Max countered. "This was before you became his pilot. He disappeared three times but never for more than twenty-four hours. He returned with no explanation of where he'd been or why."
"What makes this different?"
"The fact that he missed a performance and we've both called his car phone and gotten no answer," Jerry said.
"What's the car phone number?"
Max answered, "KL5-5780."
"Any enemies? A girl he sawed in half and couldn't get back together? Any man who can make objects and people, including himself, disappear is not going to be easy to find. And you're supposing he wants to be found. What would happen if I start looking for him and he returns again with no explanation?"
"This feels wrong."
"I agree with Jerry. He would never purposely miss a performance."
"Okay, I'll look into this. I may need help tracking his bank accounts. Do either of you have access to those?"
"I'll have his accountant alert you to any credit card charges or bank account activity. Of course, if Tony returns . . ." Max's voice trailed off. He didn't like keeping secrets from Tony.
"I'll make like I was never involved."
"Thanks, Joe." Jerry said.
Max stood and offered Joe his hand. "Anything else I can do to help. Jerry knows how to get in touch with me while I'm in Los Angeles. Thank you, Mr. Mannix, Jerry said we could come to you." Joe shook his hand again and walked with him to the outer office with Jerry trailing behind.
"Wait'll you get my bill. Jerry, will you be at the plane? I'd like to take a look."
"We're parked at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport, the private plane entrance. I'll be there getting the plane ready for a trip to New York just in case Tony returns or you find him."
Max waited for Jerry at the front door. "Jerry?"
"I'll be there in a second." Jerry said to Max. He glanced at Peggy's desk. "Peggy around?"
"It's a little early for her."
"I guess it is."
Joe waited. He realized the urgency for this early morning meeting may have been for Jerry to avoid seeing Peggy.
"Well, tell her I said 'hi' to her and Toby."
"Okay. Anything else?"
"Uh, no."
"I'll see you at the plane." Joe said. Jerry nodded and left the office.
Joe finished making the coffee, grabbed the phone directory and returned to his desk. When he heard the key turn in the lock to the front door, he assumed it was 8:45 AM. He knew Peggy would be surprised to see the coffee brewing and him sitting at his desk rummaging through the Yellow Pages. He generally arrived in his office from his upstairs apartment about 9:05.
"Morning, Peggy." He didn't shift his attention from the phone directory.
"Good morning. What's going on to get you up this early?"
"Is the coffee ready yet?" He heard the tapping of her heels against the floor tiles and the tinkling of a spoon stirring the creamer into a mug. He took his coffee black.
"Jerry was here." He watched her hand tremble when she placed one of the mugs on his desk. "He's a client."
"Jerry Anderson?"
"Do you know another Jerry?"
"Of course, there's the bag boy at the grocery store and then there's . . ."
"I get the picture. He said to say 'hi' to you and Toby." He handed her the notes he had taken. "See what you can track down on Blake's car. And there doesn't seem to be an address or phone number for The Castle in phone book. See if you could track that down. I forgot to get that from Jerry."
"Sure, Joe. What's going on? Why did Jerry hire you?"
"Anthony Blake is missing and he and Max Pomeroy want it kept quiet."
"Missing?"
"As in A-W-O-L. Get moving on that car info."
Joe played with the pen on his desk. He listened to the phone clicks as Peggy dialed her contacts at the DVM and waited for her to finish her inquiry. A person doesn't disappear and then return without explaining no matter who he is. "Peggy, what's your opinion of Blake?"
"You've met him."
"Once, after a performance. When you and Jerry were together . . ." He hated reminding her of their past relationship. ". . . you were around him more."
She appeared in the door way between their offices. "I got the impression he was running even when he wasn't running."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know how else to say it." She leaned on the door frame. "Like he was ready to escape at any minute. Jerry mentioned that he was once imprisoned in Costa Verde on an espionage charge."
"Nice place, Costa Verde."
"You've been there?"
"Yeah, once with a gun to my head." Peggy raised her right eyebrow. Joe knew that signaled that she wanted to know more. "It's one of those short, long stories. I'll fill you in some other time."
The phone rang; Peggy ducked into the outer office to answer the phone at her desk. "Mr. Mannix's office . . . thanks, Gloria. Next lunch is on Joe."
"Well?"
"Tony's car was towed by A & A Tow Service, 1016 N Alvarado."
Joe grabbed his coat. "You know the drill – planes, trains, buses, rental cars. I need to know if he's left town."
"Right."
"After this, I'll be out at his plane trying to find a man who really knows how to disappear."
