“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Sam Lloyd.” Evie looked hopefully toward the street, where the doorman stood with his arm raised.
“I’m sure you do. Don’t worry—I won’t blow your cover. But I need something from you in return.”
“Have you given up petty theft in favor of blackmail now?”
“This isn’t for me. It’s for your uncle. He’s gonna lose the museum, Evie, if we don’t pull a rabbit out of a hat.”
“I don’t see how that’s any of my concern.”
“We need you for the Diviners exhibit. If you mentioned it on that radio show of yours and showed up as the guest of honor, we could guarantee a big opening—maybe enough to pay the tax bill before the collector puts the whole place up on the auction block.”
Evie’s eyes flashed. “Why should I help Will? I risked my life to help solve the Pentacle Murders, and then he tried to ship me back to Ohio. That was the thanks I got. Maybe it’s time to stop pulling rabbits out of hats every month, Sam. Maybe it’s time for Will to give up that old museum.”
“It’s his life’s work, Sheba.”
“Then he’ll find a way to save it, if it means that much to him.”
Sam shook his head. “You’re a real hard-hearted Hannah, Evie O’Neill.”
Evie wished she could tell Sam that if that were true, hers wouldn’t ache quite so much. She’d done the right thing by pushing Jericho away and toward Mabel. Hadn’t she?
A gentleman in a dark suit sidled up to Evie. “Could you sign this for me, Miss O’Neill? I’m a big fan.”
“Of course. To whom shall I make the inscription?” Evie said, taking her elocution-shaped vowels for a walk.
“Just an autograph is fine, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“No trouble at all,” Evie said, pronouncing it “ah tall” and liking the sound of it. She put the last flourish on the inscription. “There you are.”
“I can’t tell you how much this means to me,” the man said, taking it from her, but Evie didn’t hear. It’s about time, Evie thought as she saw T. S. Woodhouse strolling across the street.
“Well, if it isn’t the Sweetheart Seer!” he said around a mouthful of chewing gum. He blew a bubble and it was all Evie could do not to pop it.