Page 66 of The Best Trick

This was interesting! Harold had definitely pretended that he didn’t know about Wilson’s fake appraisals! I tried to have a poker face, though.

“So do you think that Harold knew what Wilson was up to with the appraisals?” Zeus asked. “Do you think he suspected?”

“He had to suspect, judging from his reaction to seeing that violin with such a high price tag,” Ferdinand said.

“So their relationship was strained?” Zeus asked.

“They weren't really close. On paper, they had a lot in common. Similar stores, both violinists, they both gravitated toward the early Romantics. But they were seriously different people. It’s not like they did holidays together. Harold had his kids and their families. Wilson and Clarice tended to do friend holidays.”

We headed out.

“That was weird,” I said as soon as we were out the main door. “Which brother is the blowhard? Experts cannot agree!”

Zeus put out a hand, stopping us. Across the street was a car that hadn't been there before. Empty from the looks of it.

Odin swore under his breath.

“Ice, if you see me press my palms together, I want you to look excited. You know when you brighten up, like you have a secret that you’re having trouble keeping?”

“What are you talking about?” I demanded.

“Or like, when we're playing poker and you have all aces, but you don't want anybody to know. Make a face like that,” Zeus added.

“Wait, what?” I protested. “Should I be insulted right now?”

“No, it’s cute,” Odin said. “You’re the most transparent person when you are excited about a secret.”

“Oh my god!” I complained, following them over.

It turned out the car wasn't empty. Alfred stepped out of it.

Zeus leaned against it. “Checking up on us?” Zeus asked. Thor and Odin and I came up beside him.

“This is an important investigation that I’m in charge of. I'll do what I want. How'd it go in there?”

“Do you know what I think?” Zeus said. “I think you want to find that dog first.”

“My interest is in the results,” Agent Alfred said.

“Same as us,” Zeus said.

“I think your interest is in cashing Denko’s checks.” Alfred squinted at Ferdinand's building. “Seriously? The musician friend? You do know that you only have a few days, right?”

“All you need to know is that we’re making headway. We're gonna find that dog.” Zeus sounded incredibly confident.

I kept my face blank, waiting to see whether Zeus was going to give the signal. Meanwhile, I was definitely thinking that it was a good sign that Alfred thought we were working for money instead of the elusive exculpatory tackle bag o’ evidence. I don't know why; maybe it showed that the tackle bag might really be real. Something Denko needed to keep a secret.

“So what happened in there?” Alfred asked.

Here, Zeus pressed his palms together. I knew what he was doing. I imagined that I had an amazing secret, and I made the face.

“What happened is us working the angles,” Zeus said.

“But Ferdinand?” Alfred asked, looking at each of us. It’s here he noticed the face.

“Just our process,” Zeus said. “We like to be thorough, even when there is a ticking clock. That's all you need to know.” With that, he turned and walked off toward out Uber. I followed him, as did Thor and Odin.

“Very good,” Odin mumbled under his breath. “Definitely worth letting you know about that tell of yours.”

---