(drumroll) (audience gasps) - Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Now I'm sure like all of you, I like to start my day in the same fashion.

Wake up, read the morning paper, have a nice cold glass of milk.

Now, of course, I make sure that I never, ever dare... waste... a single... drop.

(gasps and applause) Thank you.

- How dare you do this to me?

- I told you, it's over!

- I don't believe you!

- Keep your voices down.

- Don't ever tell me what to do, Merlini.

I'm the headliner, you're the warm-up act for the warm-up act.

Mind your place.

- Go to hell, you pompous ass.

- Stop it, both of you.

- Now, this... is a silver dollar.

It is one ounce of virtually 100% silver.

Feels good in the hand, but even better in the air.

(exclamations) (applause) Thank you.

(applause) Are you okay?

- She's fine.

- I wasn't talking to you.

- Celeste, are you okay?

- Thank you, Winnie, but I'm fine.

- Just don't forget to smile.

- What a stupendous display of close-up magic from the incomparable Ben Sellers and his assistant Winnie.

And now, gentle friends, we bring to the stage the man you've all been waiting for, a man so imbued with mystical powers he could beat the very Devil himself in a contest of conjuring!

A man who will be known as the greatest magician of his time-- Please welcome to the stage a modern maven of the Grand Illusion...

The Great Van Zant!

(cheers and applause) - Thanks first to Merlini and Sellers for warming up for me tonight.

I promise your evening is about to get a lot more... magical.

(exclamations) Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our final trick of the evening.

The most deadly of all my grand illusions.

I bring you-- the Flaming Swords!

Once I have bound my wife's wrists together, I will seal her away in this cabinet... ...where she will have minutes to escape a calamitous, catastrophic, cataclysmic doom.

My love, are you sure I can't talk you out of this?

- I am sure, my love.

- Then let the Gods of Magic smile upon her!

(audience gasps) (exclamations) (exclamations) Have I killed my true love?

Or have the Gods smiled upon her?

But look!

There she is!

But look, there she is!

(murmurs) (horrified screams) - What have you done?

What have you done?

(upbeat jazzy music) - So what happened?

- Without revealing any secrets, I'll say a technical issue caused Celeste to become trapped inside the cabinet.

The Great Van Zant had no idea.

- What have the police said about it?

- It's only been a few days, so they've yet to make a determination.

Ongoing investigation, et cetera.

But in the meantime, they've released Van Zant, thank God, and he's back at work inventing a new finale.

- How can we help?

- If I let you inside my circle of trust, you must promise to keep everything I say absolutely secret.

- Well, we are known for our discretion.

- So I've heard.

I am plagued by a most horrid suspicion about Celeste's death.

- You think foul play was involved?

- I don't know.

But if there was some form of chicanery involved, it would take a magician to pull it off.

- Did you tell the police your theory?

- Yes, but to no avail.

I have no proof and the detective has no imagination.

- Let me guess.

Detective Greyson.

- Smith.

Why do you ask?

- It's not important.

We'll take the case, but we're gonna have to get close to the magicians in question.

Get inside their "circle of trust."

- What do you propose?

- Van Zant needs a new assistant.

- You know what happened to the last one, right?

- It will never work, Miss Drake.

You need to know the craft of magic, and you need to have very fast hands.

- Well, I don't know a lot about magic.

But...

I am a quick study.

And-- Your watch.

- Quick hands.

When can you start?

- Right away.

Why don't you check in with Flo, see if she can look at Celeste's body and find anything unusual.

- Will do.

- Since I'm going undercover, you will be in charge of the investigation.

- So I'll be the boss.

It's about time.

- Welcome to the Magic Mansion.

By day, a social club for magicians.

By night, a magical cabaret.

The first of its kind.

- I've always wanted to visit.

But it's better than I imagined.

- Five years ago, I set out to create a place where Magi could share their ideas and further their craft.

But jealousy and infighting corrupted my utopia.

- Well, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

- Indeed.

I chose three magicians to highlight the three schools of magic.

Merlini, the mystical mesmerist.

Sellers, the dashing close-up artist, whose hands are always quicker than your eye.

And of course, the modern maven of the Grand Illusion, The Great Van Zant.

- Gee, I wonder which one's the headliner.

- He insisted his poster be twice as large.

- What I don't understand is if Celeste knew the trick was going wrong, why didn't she call out to him?

- The music was at a crescendo, and the cabinet is virtually sound-proof.

- So if she did call out... - No one heard her cries.

Poor thing.

- Did Celeste have any enemies?

- None that I know of.

- So who'd want to kill her?

- I can't think of anyone who'd want to harm Celeste.

I wish I could say the same of her husband.

- Van Zant has enemies?

- One doesn't reach the summit of one's profession without incurring the jealous wrath of lesser rivals.

- Is it possible this has more to do with the ending of Van Zant's career than killing Celeste?

- More than possible, my dear.

Magic is a cutthroat world.

- Who has access to the cabinet?

- The backstage is a closely guarded space.

The only people with access are myself, the two assistants, The Great Van Zant, Merlini and Sellers.

- I'll need to speak with each of them.

- There's no need to speak to Van Zant.

I assure you he is not to blame.

- Well, that remains to be seen.

(knock at door) - If I wanted an escape artist, I'd book Houdini.

- The Flaming Swords is finished.

I'm trying to come up with ideas for a new finale.

Who's she?

- Your new assistant.

Emily Blake.

- Don't tell me you hired someone without even talking to me.

- I didn't want to overburden you, dear boy.

And I know Celeste is irreplaceable, but she would want us to carry on into the future.

- The future?

So what happens if the police decide to come and lock me up?

- Have faith, Van Zant.

They'll determine your innocence post-haste, but we must be ready to resume performances.

I'll allow you two to get acquainted.

- You're pretty enough.

- Thank you.

I think.

Let me get these chains out of the way for you.

You know, I just finished a six-month stint assisting the Great Thomson in London.

- Never heard of him.

- He's incredible.

He taught me so much.

- Hm.

And what pearls of wisdom did the Great Thomson share with you?

- The cardinal rule of magic.

Every single illusion is based on one simple principle.

- And what is that?

- Misdirection.

- Well played.

(knock) - Hope I'm not interrupting.

- How can we help you, Miss-- - Trudy Clarke.

I'm a PI.

I was hired by Oswald to look into the incident.

I'll need to speak with Mr. Van Zant.

- Don't touch anything.

- Wanted to introduce myself.

I'm Winnie Hudson.

I assist Mr.

Sellers.

- Pleasure to meet you.

Emily.

- I see you've met Van Zant.

He can be a bit... what's the word?

- Prickly?

- That's it.

Prickly.

- I suppose it's understandable, just having lost his wife.

- Sure.

- You don't sound so sure.

You can tell me.

Assistant to assistant.

- Van Zant could be awfully mean to Celeste.

He was yelling at her that night before going on stage, and I mean yelling.

- You don't think-- - Just watch yourself, honey.

- Thanks for the tip.

- Are you asking if I tried to kill Celeste?

- I'm just trying to figure out what happened.

- What kind of magician would intentionally kill his assistant in front of a packed house?

- Interesting that you call her your assistant, not your wife.

- Can we speed this along?

I have a new finale to come up with.

- Did you check the equipment before you went on stage?

- No, that was Celeste's job.

She handled all of that.

- So she should have noticed something was wrong with the cabinet.

Why didn't she?

- I don't know.

I honestly don't.

- Do you know of anyone else who would've tampered with the cabinet?

- I can think of a couple.

One's named Sellers, the other's Merlini.

- Celeste was everything you'd want in an assistant.

Beautiful, of course.

Fast hands.

Fluent with stagecraft.

Infinitely smarter than her husband.

- You're not a fan of his.

- Besides Van Zant's obvious failings as a magician, he's even worse as a man.

- I don't respect him, but I don't resent him.

- Why don't you respect him?

- The magicians I respect, like Thurston or Blackstone, they invent their own tricks.

- And Van Zant doesn't?

- Some of the simpler tricks, sure.

But the one that made his career...?

- The Flaming Swords?

- Despite what he claims, I'm positive he didn't invent it.

The design, the build, it's... far too complex for Van Zant.

- Well, if he didn't, who did?

- I've heard whispers about a kind of black market for tricks.

Apparently there's this "mystery man"...

I guess he's a kind of broker.

- What's his name?

- Frost.

That's all I know about him.

- Let's move quickly, Mary.

I don't want the coroner finding us sneaking a peek at our most famous resident.

- Trudy said we had to look for anything... unusual.

- How about getting killed by two flaming swords?

That's pretty unusual.

- Poor girl.

What a way to go.

She was just doing her job.

- Okay, this is unusual.

Look at her wrists.

They were bound with ropes, and no apparent tissue damage.

If you were trapped in a cabinet and knew you were about to die-- - You'd struggle like the dickens to get out.

So where's the rope burn?

- Mind if I come in?

- Who are you?

- Detective Greyson.

And you are...?

- Emily Blake.

- Emily Blake.

You know, I could swear that we've seen each other before.

- I would remember a face like yours.

- I will take that as a compliment.

- Where's Detective Smith?

- Gout.

Real nasty case.

I'm taking over for him.

My condolences for your loss.

I'm gonna need to see the magical apparatus.

- There is such a thing as the magician's code of secrecy.

- Yes.

My badge trumps your code.

- Shall I come along?

- No, stay here.

Don't touch anything.

- Yes, stay here.

Don't touch anything.

(He chuckles.)

The apparatus hasn't been moved since the accident?

- Detective Smith ordered us to keep the cabaret locked.

I can promise you no one's been in or out.

- Okay.

Okay.

Show me how it works.

I'll be your assistant.

- First, I tie your wrists with rope.

Then I lead you inside the cabinet.

- Okay.

- The trick is when I close the door, it releases a gear system below which should open the trap door.

- Except it didn't open.

- Due to mechanical failure.

- So why is it open now?

- Detective Smith used a crowbar so he could take a look down below the apparatus.

- I'm gonna need to take a look down there.

So under normal circumstances, the trap door would open and Celeste would jump down.

What happens next?

- She would use that blade on the table there to cut through the rope on her wrists.

And then she would run through that tunnel there, under the stage, and pop up behind the audience for the reveal.

- Practical design.

You got a background in mechanics?

- No, I have a background in magic.

- Yes, I suppose you would.

- So these are the gears in question.

Any idea why they would've stopped working?

- Wear and tear, I suppose.

We've done the trick hundreds of times.

- There's no backup, in case the trick malfunctions?

- There is a way for Celeste to open the door from inside.

- So why didn't she?

- I don't know.

- You know, Van Zant, there's a lot of things you don't know.

I would expect that a husband would be a little more curious about why his wife died.

There's scoring here on the gears.

And fine metallic dust... Looks to me like something metallic was jammed right in here.

This was sabotage.

- I had nothing to do with that.

- I bet you didn't.

- Gears broke with force, so the object must have flown... ...somewhere over here.

(upbeat jazzy music) - So that's what the saboteur used to jam the gears and kill Celeste?

- How come the cops didn't find it?

- Good question.

I think it flew clear when the gears jammed.

- Carson City Morgan silver dollar.

That's the same coin Sellers uses.

- So is he our saboteur?

- Not the smartest move, using your signature coin to commit a murder.

- Bet he didn't expect anyone to find it down there.

Let me talk to Sellers, see what I can find out.

- I'll talk to Winnie.

If Sellers was planning something, maybe she knows about it.

Did you guys find anything on Celeste's body?

- Seems like she didn't struggle with her ropes much.

Strange, right?

- Merlini told me that Van Zant was shouting at her before they went on.

- That's no way to treat to your wife.

- Actually, he refers to Celeste as his assistant, not his wife.

- Sounds like a close marriage.

- At this point, I don't think we can rule anyone out.

- Speaking of magic tricks, there's a bit of a mystery surrounding who invented it.

- It wasn't Van Zant?

- Sellers doesn't believe so.

He thinks that Van Zant bought it from a mysterious "broker" for magic tricks named Mr.

Frost.

- He sounds very shady.

- Apparently he keeps a very low profile.

But I was able to twist Oswald's arm to arrange a meeting with him.

- Why don't you two go talk to this Frost and see what you can find out?

- A top secret mission.

I can't wait.

- Recognise this?

- Well, let me see.

That is a Carson City Morgan silver dollar.

My signature.

- What if I said it was used to sabotage the Flaming Swords?

- Anyone who knows what they're doing could use this coin to jam it in the gears.

- Who said anything about gears?

- Look.

See the scoring along the edges?

Clearly it was jammed into something metallic.

I just took a guess.

- A lucky guess.

- Okay.

Watch this.

Ready?

- Where'd it go?

- Check your purse.

- How did you do that?

- Magic.

Now, if I can make that coin appear and disappear at will, why would I leave it in some incriminating place?

- Who is it?

- Emily.

Your assistant.

- Go away!

I'm inventing!

- Don't say I didn't warn you.

- You did warn me.

You're so lucky, working for Mr.

Sellers.

I bet he never yells at you.

- Never.

No, he's a real gem, I tell ya.

- Does he ever get jealous?

- Of who?

- Mr. Van Zant, of course.

Must be hard working in his shadow.

- I'll tell ya, Mr.

Sellers was set to be the headliner before Van Zant showed up with this "Flaming Swords" business.

- That must have made him pretty upset.

- Well, sure.

Not that he talks about it.

He's a bit... what's the word?

- Secretive.

- That's it.

Secretive.

Real secretive.

- You think he has something to hide?

- Honey, everyone at the Magic Mansion has something to hide.

- Mary, what's wrong?

- Nothing's wrong, Flo.

Why do you ask?

- You haven't made a peep in almost 15 minutes, and that's an eternity in Mary time.

- Alright, don't make fun-- I'm just a bit scared.

- Ah, well, don't let a little fog throw ya.

- No, it's not that, it's... Alright, it goes back to Harriet Sim's birthday party in the third grade.

Her parents, they hired a magician and he made this rabbit disappear, but then he couldn't make it reappear.

- What happened to the rabbit?

- It got away and ran out into the street where it was crushed under the wheels of a passing cart.

Ever since then I haven't been able to look at a magician without feeling scared.

- Well, here's your opportunity to get over your magic phobia.

- This is it?

- Yeah, here we are.

It's the right address.

- But Flo, there's no sign or name on the door.

This feels sinister.

- Oh, it'll be fine.

The bell is silent.

Strange!

(gasping) Ha, ha, ha!

C'mon, scaredy-cat.

Ooh, it doesn't want to let us in!

Ha, ha!

See, Mary?

There's nothing to be afraid of.

- No, Flo, there are a few things.

Where should I begin?

What is this thing?

- Good afternoon.

(gasping and laughing) Who are you?

- Flo Chakowitz.

This is Mary Shaw.

We're with Drake Private Detectives.

- Are you Mr.

Frost, by any chance?

- Yes, I am.

And you must be the two ladies that Oswald told me about.

How may I help you?

- We heard you know something about The Flaming Swords.

- What of it?

- We heard that you may have sold it to the Great Van Zant?

- Do I look to you like the proprietor of your local magic shop?

- No?

- I do not "sell" magic tricks.

I'm a middleman between the magician and the inventor.

Some people would call me a broker; I prefer the word "facilitator."

But of course, in order to be good at my business, I'm also a practitioner of the craft.

(gasping) And it means I know a good trick when I see one.

And The Flaming Swords is a very good trick.

The sort of trick that any magician would sell his soul for.

- So did you "facilitate" the sale of The Flaming Swords to Van Zant?

- No, I was not involved with The Flaming Swords.

That was created by Van Zant alone.

He is an unparalleled genius of magic.

- Sounds like you know him well.

- No, I never met him.

But I understand he is a wonderful man, and so dedicated to that beautiful wife of his.

God rest her soul.

And now if you'll excuse us?

I have other business to attend to.

- Flo, we've gotta help that rabbit.

- No, it'll be fine.

Let's get out of here.

- What on earth is this hideous thing?

- It's called "Mesmer's Ring."

I thought you could use it in your act.

See?

- I'm a mentalist, Oswald.

I don't need props.

Let me show you just how easily I can mesmerize you.

- No, no, last time I let you do that, I ended up giving you a raise.

- Perhaps our new assistant would like a demonstration of mesmerism.

- Well, perhaps another time, Mr. Merlini.

- As you wish, mademoiselle.

- Uh, Merlini, you're sure I can't convince you just to give this a try?

- Wow.

Impressive.

What's your secret?

- What kind of magician would I be if I shared my secrets?

Even with such a beautiful woman.

We haven't met.

I'm Ben Sellers.

- Emily Blake.

- It's a pleasure.

You're Van Zant's new assistant.

I trust you're settling in alright?

- Well, I haven't seen much of him.

He's been busy inventing his newest trick.

- Ah.

Well, wish him luck.

- You know, Winnie told me that you were set to headline the show before Van Zant came along.

That must've stung a bit.

- I suppose.

Why do you ask?

- I'm just curious is all.

Do you mind if I ask you something a bit personal, Ben?

- Of course.

- Well, Van Zant hasn't exactly welcomed me with open arms.

He's been downright rude, to be honest.

I'm sure he wasn't that way with his wife... - I wouldn't be so sure about that.

- See, that's just it.

I heard that the two of them were arguing right before they went on stage that night.

Do you know what it was about?

- Well, that night I did hear her say something along the lines of "it's over."

Poor Celeste, she was so upset.

You know, Winnie and I tried to cheer her up, but... Are you okay?

- She's fine.

- I wasn't talking to you.

- Celeste, are you okay?

- Thank you, Winnie, but I'm fine.

- Just don't forget to smile.

- It didn't help.

She just was so glum on stage, you know?

Just blank.

Just like... just not herself.

You know, enough about that.

Why don't I pour us a couple of cocktails, whaddaya say?

- Oh, uh...

Rain check?

- Tell you what.

I'll do even better than that.

I'd love to take you out for dinner.

- It's a date.

- Alright.

- Just the man I'm looking for.

Ben Sellers.

Detective Greyson.

I'm investigating the death of Celeste Van Zant.

I'd like you to come with me, ask you a few questions.

- Well, I... had nothing to do with it.

- Good to hear.

Get your things.

You two looked awful cozy.

- What do you have on Sellers?

- I went back to see the apparatus.

Based on the scoring and the fine silver metallic dust, I would say that the gears were jammed with one of these.

- A Carson City Morgan silver dollar.

- Sellers' signature.

- Isn't it a possibility that the culprit used this as a bit of misdirection?

- It's possible.

A good investigator runs down all his leads.

- It's a bit obvious.

- You know, Drake, you don't have to make things so complicated.

Sometimes the answer you're looking for is right in front of your nose.

- Thanks for the tip.

- Anytime.

Alright, Sellers, let's go.

- Greyson brought him in for questioning?

- I think he's barking up the wrong tree.

- Me too.

Think he got the wrong guy.

Mary, how did you and Flo make out with Frost?

- He's a suspicious character if I ever met one.

- Did he mention anything about selling the trick to Van Zant?

- Frost said he had nothing to do with The Flaming Swords.

According to him, Van Zant is a wonderful man, a magic genius and a devoted husband.

- Clearly he doesn't know Van Zant.

- Stragely enough, that's what Frost said.

Apparently, they've never even met.

- Sellers confirmed that Celeste was acting out of character that night.

- Can't blame her with that marriage.

- Let's go check with Flo.

- Narcotics?

Cocaine?

Morphine?

- Nope.

Clean as a whistle.

- But her behaviour was so odd.

Why didn't she struggle with the ropes?

- Or just open the cabinet from the inside.

It just doesn't add up.

- Maybe she was under the influence of something.

- How do you mean?

- Maybe she was hypnotised.

- So the killer sabotaged the trick to trap Celeste inside the cabinet.

- But they needed to make sure that she would be compliant, so hypnosis is the perfect solution.

- I always thought hypnosis was just some parlour trick.

- Me too, but clearly we need to know more.

- I'll talk to Oswald, he's an expert in all things magic.

- I think it's time to investigated Merlini, the Mansion's resident hypnotist.

I'll do some digging.

- Frankie, one of the gals at the station was hypnotised by Merlini at the Magic Mansion and she said he made her bark like a chicken and cluck like a dog.

Just please be careful.

- I'll keep my wits about me.

(upbeat jazzy music) Love letters.

It was Celeste.

- Well, Merlini is one of the best hypnotists in the world.

If anyone could pull it off, it would be him.

- But how does it work exactly?

- Hm.

It would require a few sessions, to give her instructions to follow.

Then, at the right time, he'd cue her and she'd fall into the trance and do his bidding.

- Who's in that photo with Van Zant?

- That is my one and only photo of Mr.

Frost.

An enigmatic individual, to say the least.

- You three look pretty comfortable.

- Indeed.

We three share a deep and abiding passion for the conjurer's art.

- Funny.

Frost said he never knew Van Zant.

- Well, that is a bit odd.

You can see from the photo they're well acquainted.

- Why would Frost hide his connection to Van Zant?

- All I can say is, Mr.

Frost is a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

- Merlini and Celeste were having an affair?

- Torrid, too, according to these letters.

- Seems like quite a read.

But if he's so passionate about Celeste, why would he kill her?

- Take a look at these.

They're all from the last few days.

- She broke it off with him.

- Maybe that's what Celeste meant when she said "it's over."

- We need to look into this more.

- Yeah.

I need to get these back before he notices.

- I'm gonna pay a visit to Mr.

Frost.

He lied about not knowing Van Zant.

- Well, don't go alone.

I hear he's shady.

- Didn't mean to startle you.

- I was just looking for you.

You offered to mesmerise me earlier.

I thought I'd take you up on the offer.

- Then take a seat.

Place both of your feet firmly but comfortably on the ground.

And I want you to listen very carefully.

Look at my finger.

And now close your eyes.

Open your eyes again.

Now follow my finger with your eyes.

You'll find it very difficult to keep your eyes open as I move my finger... - Thanks for coming, Mary.

- Well, I realised you can't just get over an irrational fear, you have to face it and conquer it.

- Deal's done, Frost!

- The deal still stands!

- Two magicians fighting, what's going to happen?

- What do you think, they're going to fire lightning bolts at each other?

- I don't know!

- Take it, but not a penny more!

- Think you're rid of me, well, think again, because I know the truth!

- Quick question.

- I thought you were under.

- Not quite.

Could I be made to do something that I wouldn't normally do?

- Depends, really.

Now watch my finger-- - Depends on what, exactly?

- The mesmerist's skill, the subject's suggestibility, the specific orders being given-- can I continue?

- Sure.

- As I move my finger, you will find it very diff-- - For example, could I be made to do something harmful?

- I give up.

You are what we call in the trade "a hard case."

- I'm sorry, Merlini.

- Not everyone can be induced.

Winnie's also a hard case.

- You tried to hypnotise Winnie?

- She wanted to learn.

- Anyone else?

What about Celeste?

- Why do you ask?

- I'm just curious.

- Who hired you for this job?

- Oswald.

- And what did he hire you to do?

- To be Van Zant's assistant.

- I do more than hypnotism in my act, I also do telepathy.

Mind-reading.

- It's not possible to read people's minds.

- But it is possible to read faces and know when a person's lying.

It's called a "tell".

Do you know yours?

- Who says that I have one?

- Everyone has a tell.

Good day, Emily.

- You let Merlini hypnotise you?

- He calls it mesmerising.

- I don't care what he calls it, you don't let a mind-controlling murderer mind-control you!

- Alleged mind-controlling.

And I was completely under control.

- Fine.

Did you find out anything about the affair?

- Nothing.

He completely clammed up.

What about you and Mary?

Did you get anything on Frost?

- We saw him tussling with Van Zant.

- Tussling over what?

- Money, apparently.

Frost said he knew the truth about him and Van Zant threw a bag of cash at him.

- Sounds like blackmail.

- But what does he have on him?

- Proof that he killed his wife?

- Whatever he has on Van Zant, we need to find out what it is.

- What's going on in here?

Did you come up with a new trick?

- Yes.

- Can I see it?

- No.

Because you're fired.

- What?

- Van Zant and I don't always see eye to eye, but one thing we can agree on?

- The magician's code of secrecy.

- You broke the code, Frankie Drake.

Give my regards to your associate, Trudy Clarke.

And by the way-- you touch your suprasternal notch when you lie.

That's your tell.

- Trudy, I'm sorry I was such a scaredy-cat last time.

- No, you were fine.

- Thank you for saying that, but I've made up my mind.

I'm gonna be brave.

- Good for you.

- Well, that's strange.

- Mr.

Frost?

Anyone in here?

- Are you sure this is a good idea, Trudy?

- What happened to you being brave?

- You're right.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

(screaming) - I haven't spoken to Frost in months.

- I know you paid him off, Van Zant.

What did he have on you?

- I don't know what you're talking about.

I have to work.

- Just have a few more questions-- - Goodbye.

- Good luck with your trick.

- You wanted to see me?

- Yes, Winnie.

I wanted to show you my new trick.

Would you please close the door and lock it?

- Of course, Mr. Van Zant.

- You're not welcome here, Drake.

You broke the code.

- I think you broke a couple yourself, Merlini.

Like the one about coveting thy neighbour's wife.

- So that's what you were doing in my dressing room.

- You know you should really be more careful about hiding your love letters.

What if Van Zant found out?

Maybe that's exactly what you wanted to happen.

- Guess again.

- You're lying.

- Is that right.

- Everyone's got a tell.

(sighing) - Look.

Celeste was never going to leave the bastard of her own volition.

- So you thought if Van Zant found out, her hand would be forced?

- I was a fool.

She chose Van Zant over me.

Not because she loved him.

She could hardly stand the sight of him.

- So why did she stay?

- She said it was "a complicated financial obligation."

- What does that mean?

- I didn't ask.

She didn't tell.

Magi's code and all that.

- I don't think Merlini did it.

- Me neither.

- So then Van Zant killed Frost.

- Sounds like a solid theory, but how does that connect to Celeste?

(door opens) - Gals!

Ooh!

So...

I snuck a peek at some of the files on Greyson's desk, and...

I'm a bit out of breath.

- It's okay, Mary.

What did you find?

- Turns out Frost was named as a suspect in a theft about five years back.

- What's he accused of stealing?

- That's where it got a bit murky.

It said was an unusual sort of theft, but nothing more.

- I think it's time we took a look at Frost's warehouse.

- Again?

- So an inventor goes to Frost with an idea for a brilliant new illusion.

- Let's call it The Flaming Swords.

- Frost sees that the idea is special.

- The kind of trick you'd "sell your soul for."

- He gets greedy.

Decides to cut the inventor out and steals the idea.

- The inventor files a theft report with the police-- - That's where it gets tricky.

How do you prove someone stole your idea?

- He takes the stolen idea and makes a secret deal with Van Zant.

- There's gotta be some sort of record of that.

- I haven't seen any records anywhere.

- Let's keep looking.

(gasping) - Magicians and their secrets.

- Now, like every death-defying trick, you first start by proving it's real.

(gasping) - This is strange.

Frost has a file on Celeste Van Zant.

- It's a contract.

Celeste and Van Zant promised 50% of their earnings to Mr.

Frost for the rest of their lives.

- What on earth did they get in return?

- And now, with the flick of a switch, the magic trick blade is released-- and... Voilà!

The Magic Guillotine.

- It's amazing, Mr. Van Zant.

- It's gonna put me back on top.

- Hey, gals, take a look at this.

- It's a blueprint for the Flaming Swords.

- Martha Hudson... - Sellers' assistant is Winnie Hudson.

- They must be related.

- She's out to settle the score.

- Could it be that Winnie hypnotised Celeste?

- "Don't forget to smile."

That must be the cue.

- We need to find her.

- I saw her with Van Zant.

He's showing her his new trick.

- That was an incredible demonstration, Mr. Van Zant.

I'd love to see how it all looks when you perform it.

- You want me to have a go at it, do you?

Why not?

Strap me in.

You know, I can't thank you enough, Winnie.

- I am happy to assist until you can find a full-time replacement.

- I don't mean only for that, I mean for coming up with the idea for this trick.

- Well, I had a good teacher.

My mother was an amateur magician.

And inventor.

- Was?

- Died a few years ago.

Never able to achieve her dream of becoming a magician.

- Well, let's face it, the world isn't ready for lady magicians.

- Funny.

That's what the male club owners always said to her.

- Ah!

What are you doing?

- Trust me, it'll go easier this way.

- Have you gone mad?

Let me out!

- That's the sound of me disengaging the trick blade.

So when the guillotine falls, so will your head.

- No!

No!

- Whatever it is you're gonna do, don't do it.

- Stay back, or I cut this rope and he dies.

- You don't want to do this, Winnie.

- I need to finish this.

- I know what happened.

Frost stole the trick from your relative Martha-- - My mother.

- Then sold it to Celeste and Van Zant.

Now you wanna get revenge.

- That's it in a nutshell.

- What I don't understand is why use Sellers' coin to jam the gears?

Why make him look guilty?

- What's the key to any magic trick?

- Misdirection.

- Nice way to use the trap door.

- All that magic training paid off.

- What?

You're not gonna let me out?

- You're the magician.

Do it yourself.

- We were playing small clubs, just getting by.

Celeste said that we needed to find one big trick.

- So she went to Frost and you two bought the Flaming Swords.

- We didn't have any money to pay for it at the time, so we made an arrangement.

- 50% of your earnings for the rest of your career.

- You sold your souls.

- That's what I said to Celeste, but she could be very persuasive.

- Classy move, putting the blame on your dead wife.

- Frost stole the idea from Martha Hudson.

And she had to raise Winnie all by herself.

- She could have used that money.

She died a few years later.

- Van Zant.

I hereby renounce your membership at the Magic Mansion.

Your privileges are permanently revoked.

You are banished for life.

The first of many changes to come to the Mansion.

- Looks like you're on the road back to Utopia.

- Thank you, Miss Clarke.

And Miss Drake.

Don't know how I can ever truly repay you for all that you've done.

- Well, we wouldn't say no to a couple of free tickets.

- Of course!

You've both done a great service to the Magic Mansion.

- Well, it's our pleasure.

But you should really keep a better eye on your watch.

(chuckling) - Quick hands.

- Ben?

- I heard I might find you here, Emily.

Or should I say Frankie.

- Thank you.

So I hear congratulations are in order.

- Yes, I am the new headliner at the Magic Mansion.

Wish it happened under different circumstances, but... - I'm happy for you anyway.

- Thank you.

Me too.

So I came by to see if you... maybe wanted to help me celebrate?

- I am with my girls tonight.

How about tomorrow?

- It's a date.

- Nothing like a glass of whiskey to celebrate the end of another case.

Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop.

- But you did anyway.

- Yeah.

I did.

So, hot date with a magician, huh?

I never quite figured you for the type who'd go for all that flash.

- Well, he's got a lot more than flash.

- I'm sure he is a man of substance and moral character.

- Is that jealousy that I hear?

- Come on.

You can do better than that.

Hm?

- You know, Greyson, you don't always have to make things so complicated.

Sometimes what you're looking for is right in front of your nose.

- Thanks for the tip.

- Anytime.

- See ya around, Frankie Drake.

- See ya around.

(whooping and laughing) - My goodness.

- Looks like you got your hands full, and it's not with drinks.

- Nothing I can't handle.

- She's fightin' them off with a stick!

Now that's a gal after my own heart.

- Tonight is about us.

- Here's to Mary finally overcoming her magic phobia.

- Well, I don't know about that.

I'm no Merlini, but I don't see any magic shows in my immediate future.

- A toast.

To another case solved by the Drake Private Detective agency.

- And to the three best friends a gal could have.

- Aw, cheers!

- Cheers!

- Cheers!

Closed Captioning by SETTE inc.