The Amazing Harvey
Page 27
As soon as they drove off, Hannah and I walked down the street.
She said, “Good job in there.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t sure he’d buy the ‘out of L.A.’ bit. I guess he was desperate enough.”
“You made him desperate enough. And you handled his death threat really well. I thought we’d have to crash in before you got the admission.”
I felt my face flush. “Um, thanks.”
A few steps later, I clapped my hands, startling her. “This deserves a celebration. I know another jazz club—”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I—”
I hurried ahead, making a gesture for her to follow. “C’mon. Do something for fun besides a Mensa puzzle.”
Hannah stepped in front of me, forcing me to stop. She said, “If you had shut up, you’d have heard me say, ‘I don’t want to go to a jazz club. I’d rather take one of your other suggestions.”
She grabbed the handle of her car door and said, “Let’s go ride the bumper cars at the Santa Monica pier.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
If you’re standing in a bookstore, don’t read this, because it will spoil the book.
You should, however, buy the book, then read this at the end.
I come by magic legitimately. It’s been my serious hobby (on and off) since I was six years old and watched Mark Wilson’s magic show on local TV in Dallas, Texas. When I was little, my mother would leave me at Douglas Magicland, the local store, for hours at a time. I would talk to the staff and dream about tricks I couldn’t afford. I was always appreciative that Mom let me hang out there for so much time. It didn’t occur to me until years later that she was using the store as a free babysitter.
When I got older, I became a magician member of the very real Magic Castle that’s described in the book. That meant I had to pass a performance test, which made me incredibly nervous.
Incidentally, all the tricks that Harvey does are real.
It is scientifically accurate that a bone-marrow transplant changes the recipient’s DNA. If you don’t believe me, look it up on the Internet. However, it only changes the DNA of the recipient’s bloodstream. That’s why Harvey’s blood sample in the DNA database matched the donor’s semen. Had they taken a cheek swab from Harvey, his DNA wouldn’t have matched Caldwell’s. That would have gotten Harvey off the hook, but it wouldn’t have convicted Caldwell—he would have claimed that he’d had sex with Sherry but hadn’t killed her. Thus, Harvey’s getting him to confess was crucial to hanging Caldwell (though Mrs. Caldwell might have administered her own form of justice after learning about the other woman).
The City of Hope is a wonderful hospital, with one of the most successful bone-marrow-transplant programs in the world, and I’m grateful for the hospital’s assistance. Its motto, which sums up the spirit of its environment, is quoted on the iron gate described in the text: There Is No Profit in Curing the Body if in the Process We Destroy the Soul.
Overeaters Anonymous is a real organization, and you can find information about it on the Internet. It consists of people who, without profit motive (it charges no dues or fees), help each other with food issues, whether the issue is overeating, anorexia, or bulimia. I’m thankful for the help of several OA members who, according to the traditions of the program, must remain anonymous. Their stories are truly inspiring, including that of a woman who lost over two hundred and fifty pounds and kept it off for more than thirty years.
By the way, the answer to the caterpillar problem here is, in fact, an average speed of four and a half. Assume the caterpillar goes nine inches in each direction. It takes one hour to get there but three hours to get back (it can only go three inches per hour on the return trip). So it traveled eighteen inches in four hours. Eighteen divided by four equals four and a half.
I first want to thank Barry Krost and Steve Troha for believing in Harvey, and Brendan Deneen for his incredible support and vision. I’m also grateful to the following folk who generously shared their expertise: Captain Ray Peavey (retired) of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for his help with homicide-investigation procedures; Blair Berk and Richard Hirsch for their help with criminal law issues; Dean Gialamas, Director, Orange County Sheriff, Coroner Forensic Services, and Bruce Houlihan, for their help with DNA tests and practices; Dr. Ed Ritvo for his help with autism and life in general; Dr. Eva Pressler for her help with pediatric medical issues; Dr. Steve Forman, Jill Kendall (no relation to Harvey), Sharon White, and Britta Buccholz of the City of Hope for their help with the bone-marrow-transplant program; Jack Palladino for his private detecting skills; and Brad Meltzer for his advice and support.
I especially want to thank Sol Stein, my writing coach and friend.
And most of all thanks to my wife Shana, my love and my soul mate, and our growing family: Danny, David, Rona, Josh, Lindsey, Jordan, Benjamin, Talia, Ollie, Tobey & Tina.
ALSO BY DON PASSMAN
All You Need to Know About the Music Business
The Visionary
Mirage
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With a lifelong interest in magic, DON PASSMAN is listed as one of the top attorneys in the country. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and practices with the Los Angeles firm of Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown, specializing in the music business. A serial obsessive, he has counted as his hobbies not only magic, but also guitar, five-string banjo, poker, chess, backgammon, dog training, and real-estate investment. Don is the author of the nonfiction bestseller All You Need to Know About the Music Business and two novels, The Visionary and Mirage.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
THE AMAZING HARVEY. Copyright © 2014 by Don Passman. All rights reserved. For information, address Picador, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover design by Lisa Pompillo
Cover illustration: Michael Koelsh, magician © Buyenlarge/Superstock; Sequined lapel © Sootra/Shutterstock.com
The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:
Passman, Donald S.
The amazing Harvey: a mystery / Don Passman.—First Edition.
p. cm.
“A Thomas Dunne Book.”
ISBN 978-1-250-04187-6 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-3914-4 (e-book)
1. Magicians—Fiction. 2. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3566.A774A83 2014
813'.54—dc23
2013033838
e-ISBN 9781466839144
Minotaur books may be purchased for educational, business, or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or write specialmarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: February 2014