Page 14 (1/2)

Chapter One

Sos like oil and water Orange juice and toothpaste

Wizards and television

Spotlights glared into my eyes The heat of theh the pancake ehand had slapped on hts on top of caan to play, and the studio audience began to chant, "Lah-REE, Lah-REE, Lah-REE!"

Larry Fowler, a short man in an immaculate suit, appeared fro to the stage, flashing his porcelain s the hands of a dozen people seated at the ends of their rows as he passed them The audience whistled and cheered as he did The noise e, and I felt a trickle of sweat slide down over my ribs, beneath my white dress shirt and

It isn't like I have stage fright or anything, see Because I don't It was just really hot up there I licked my lips and checked all the fire exits, just to be safe No telling when you hts and noise made it a little difficult to keep up my concentration, and I felt the spell I'd woven around me wobble I closed ain

In the chair besideman in his late forties, dressed in a suit that looked a lot better than mine Mortimer Lindquist waited calmly, a polite smile on his face, but muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "You okay?"

"I've been in house fires I liked better than this"

"You asked for this ered over shaking a young woman's hand "Showboat"

"Think this will take long?" I asked Morty

He glanced beside hiuests I guess this one could go for a while They shoot extra material and edit it down to the best parts"

I sighed I'd been on The Larry Fowler Show just after I'd gone into business as an investigator, and it had been a ainst the tide of infamy I'd received from association with the show "What did you find out?" I asked

Mort flicked a nervous glance at me and said, "Not much"

"Come on, Mort"

He opened his lanced up as Larry Fowler trotted up the stairs and onto the stage "Not now Wait for a commercial break"

Larry Fowler pranced up to us and puerated enthusiasm "Welcome to the show," he said into a handheld microphone, then turned to face the nearest camera "Our topic for today is 'Witchcraft and Wizardry-Phony or Fabulous?' With us in order to share their views are local medium and psychic counselor Mortimer Lindquist"

The crowd applauded politely

"And beside hio's only professional wizard"

There was a round of snickering laughter to go with the applause this time I couldn't say I was shocked People don't believe in the supernatural these days Supernatural things are scary It's e that no one can reach out with ic and quietly kill you, that vampires exist only in ical dysfunctions

Completely inaccurate but much more comfortable