Murder By Misdirection

Pro shivered and looked at Luther through half-closed eyes.

“Pro?” a voice said nearby.

Pro pulled her hand free and turned to see Max walk over.

“Hey,” Luther said, “you’re that guy from the theater.”

“Yes! You were the man who stopped Lovell from getting away.” Max held out his hand and Luther shook it.

“Has anyone ever told you that you look like that guy from Vegas?”

“You mean Max Marvell?”

“Yeah, that’s the guy,” Luther said.

“That’s who I am!” Max announced.

“Really?” Luther beamed. “I saw that TV special you did ten years ago—”

The two men began to talk, and Max pulled a chair over to their table and began to do a coin routine. The pair of them were engrossed and ignored Pro completely.

“Uh, Max, we’re on a date,” Pro coaxed.

“This will only take a minute,” Max said.

“Yeah, do that again,” Luther said, caught up in Max’s trick.

Pro stood and headed inside to the ladies room. She pulled out her phone and called her mother.

“Yes, sweetie,” Elisha answered.

“Max is doing tricks for my date!” Pro raged.

“That’s nice, dear.”

“I thought you two were spending time together! Can’t you keep him busy?”

“Honey, we are taking it slow. I believe that was your advice.”

“But, Mom,” Pro snapped, and then lowered her voice. “Tonight’s the night!”

“What night?”

Pro wanted to smash her phone. “Are you thick

? The night. The first night! Luther and me doing—y’know.”

“Oh, honey, that’s wonderful.”

“No, it’s not. Max is ruining it!”

“Well, what do you want me to do?” Elisha replied.

“Call him! Invite him over, get him out of my hair.”

“You told me that I should take it slow,” Elisha chided.

“Well, I have taken it too slow, and he’s interfering! Call him, tell him you have to see him, I don’t know, tell him your loins ache for him.”