Was it?
“Thank you! Thank you, residents and visitors of Mineral Wells!” the Pock-Pickets cried out in unison. “Come to B. B. Bosso’s Carnival and stay for his magic show at the big top at the end of the night! And if you want to be truly amazed, come to his Finale Fantastic tomorrow night at the Grand Oak Resort—where you can also see the world’s largest diamond! One night only! It’s not to be missed!”
Carter turned to leave when a voice from the crowd rose up.
“Wait, do not go!” A brown-skinned boy in a tuxedo with a white bow tie stepped to the front of those gathered around the stage. “Is that the end of your performance?”
“That’s the spirit!” one of the Pock-Pickets said. “How ’bout an encore, gang?”
The four started snapping their fingers, but the boy held up his hand. “Please,” he said, “do not sing another note. My ears cannot take it.”
Carter thought the boy was part of the act until he saw irritation and confusion flashing across the singers’ faces.
Stepping on stage, the boy reached inside his pants pocket. He jiggled his hand as if looking for keys or spare coins, then produced a violin bow, far too long to have fit inside a pocket. The bow was exquisitely constructed of dark polished wood with tapered black ends and strung with a ribbon of silvery horsehair. Carter’s curiosity was snagged. The boy knew stage magic too. But how did he fit that bow in his pocket?
“You wanna play something?” said the tall Pock-Picket. “Be our guest!” The foursome began to hurry off, but the boy pinned their bag of loot to the ground with his foot.
“Hey, get your own tips, kid!” the Pock-Picket with the scruffy face hissed.
“I do not want your money,” the boy said. “And my name is not ‘kid.’ My name is Theo Stein-Meyer, and I wager that you will stay for my act.” Theo’s hair was short and dark, his eyes were thoughtful, and his long nose had a regal look to it.
Carter arrived in the front row just in time to see a violin slide out of Theo’s tuxedo jacket and into his left hand. Carter was good at sleight of hand, but Theo’s moves were astounding. He immediately wished he could watch the move again in slow motion.
Theo lifted the violin to his shoulder, rested his chin on its edge, and began to play. The money sack began to move. It seemed to dance in sync with Theo’s violin music. The crowd began clapping again. Carter stared at the money bag shuffling away. It reminded him of Vernon’s move that morning, making the playing card dance. But how did they do it? It wasn’t magic; it had to be some kind of trick.
“There is a unique connection between each of us and our possessions,” Theo said as he played, his eyes fluttering nearly shut, as if under a spell. Carter couldn’t tell if the boy was acting or if he really believed what he was saying. “When a beloved object is lost, it longs to return to its owner.”
The bag jerked across the stage until it leapt off and onto the ground. Theo walked after it, the spectators moving aside to let him pass. The restless bag of loot came to attention in front of the tall woman, like a dog wanting to be pet.
“Ma’am,” said Theo, playing more quietly, “have you lost something?”
The tall woman looked inside the bag and shook her head no. The crowd became confused and began to whisper. The violinist began to sweat. But Carter understood.
Theo was trying to help those who’d been robbed. But he mistakenly assumed the Pock-Pickets had placed the stolen goods in their loot bag. Carter eyed the singers, noticing a lollipop stick peeking out from a Pock-Picket’s back pocket.
Carter wondered about the violinist. Why had Theo been trying to help a bunch of townspeople by foiling the pickpocketing singers? He obviously knew a little magic himself, but what was in it for him?
It’s none of my concern, Carter tried to tell himself. But was that true anymore? As the crowd began to mumble and ask questions, the violinist turned pale. The Pock-Pickets started stalking toward Theo with red faces. The boy had stumbled onto the trouble that Carter had been trying to avoid.
“Keep playing!” Carter suddenly yelled, surprising himself. He made eye contact with the boy in the tuxedo and gave him a reassuring nod. Nervously, Theo began to play again, and the sack began dancing along with it.
Carter pretended to dance, then bumped into each of the Pock-Pickets, one after the other. “Isn’t this music great?” he shouted at them. The singers didn’t notice what Carter was doing—he was pickpocketing the Pock-Pickets.
One Pock-Picket’s pockets picked. Two Pock-Picket’s pockets picked. Three Pock-Picket’s pockets picked. Four Pock-Picket’s pockets picked. Say that four times fast.
Go on… I’ll wait.
Carter winked at Theo to keep going. Continuing to dance through the crowd, Carter bumped into the tall woman, slipping her pearl bracelet back onto her wrist, he barreled into the shy man, slipping his watch back onto his wrist, and he knocked into the pigtailed girl, plopping the lollipop back into her mouth.
Puh-lopppp!
But the earrings? Carter had no idea how earrings worked. How could he put those back on without the woman noticing?
Theo met his eyes, and both boys knew they had an understanding. Theo danced the money bag back onto the stage, finishing out his song. “Thank you, kind audience, for allowing me to play.” As he took a bow, Theo tossed his violin high into the air.
The entire crowd gasped, looking up.
As gently as possible, Carter slipped the earrings into the lady’s handbag.
Theo caught the violin with ease, and everyone began to applaud.
Patting their pants, the Pock-Pickets finally realized that Theo and Carter had outsmarted—and out-pickpocketed—them. The singing quartet glared daggers at the two boys as they slunk away from the gazebo with only their bag of tips.
Theo and Carter shrugged, then burst into laughter. They were so distracted that neither noticed the slim woman dressed in a slinky black dress and a pillbox hat with a weblike veil over her face. She stared at them, her fingers twitching like spider mandibles chewing a meal.
EIGHT
“The singing thieves have been foiled,” Theo said, moving away from the crowd and toward the curb. “Thanks to you.”
“I was just following your lead, Theo,” Carter admitted. “How’d you know what they were planning to do?”
“I had no clue,” said Theo. “I was passing by, stopped to watched, and then noticed their sneaky game. If not for you, I would have made a fool of myself.” He gave Carter a quick nod of gratitude. “I could have sworn they put the stolen objects in the bag. No matter. We saved the day. Since you know my name, would you mind sharing yours?”
“Carter.”