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“Yeah,” her father said, all s of Wonder Wish it paid better”

“I liked the two people ent on before you,” Pro said, and she brought her voice low as if i a secret “They can read minds”

This caused hi Prophecy

“They can’t read minds, pumpkin,” Max chuckled “It’s all a trick”

Pro scrunched up her face and crossed her arms “But I saw them do it, Daddy”

“It’s a two-person mentalist act,” Max said dismissively “They just coded each other the answers”

“They did what?”

Max smiled and relaxed “I’m sorry, pumpkin, I didn’t explain it well” He bent down, opened his arms, and picked Pro up to settle her on his hip “C’mon, I’ll tell you how it is done”

“Aonna know the sucrets, Daddy?”

“The secrets, yes Because I want you to grow up and know that when people say they can read minds, it’s all pretend”

“Like a fairy story, Daddy?”

“Yes,” Max said, and carrying the little girl, he walked over to a bookcase and extracted a thick hardcover book with his free hand He then sat on the couch and put Prophecy on his lap

“What’s the book, Daddy? Are there pictures?”

“This is the Kellock book about Harry Houdini,” Max explained and opened to a page of the yellowing book to show a black-and-white picture of the famed conjuror

“Does he do what you do, Daddy?” Pro asked, and snuggled close to her father, the smell of his aftershave in her nose It ical