“What do we do?” Theo asked.
Carter thought hard before saying, “We stick to the plan.”
“Forget the plan, Carter—we have to rescue Mr. Vernon!” Ridley snapped.
“We can do both,” Carter said, a glimmer in his eye. “Remember what the carnival psychic, Madame Helga, said? If you work together and stay true to one another, nothing will bar you. If we stick to the plan, we can prove Bosso is the thief, and Mr. Vernon goes free. It’s the best way. You’re going to have to trust me on this.”
The misfits were hiding backstage when Bosso’s show began. The Pock-Pickets opened with the same song and dance to introduce Bosso, who then transformed roses into dandelions. “It’s the exact same show he performed at the big top,” Ridley noted. “No points for originality here.”
Bosso went through his entire routine with gusto.
“Such a wonderful crowd!” Bosso cheered, his crooked smile the only indication that he might be hiding something. “I have shown you wonders, but it is time for something else to razzle and dazzle you. I would like to introduce you to the real star of the show… the world’s largest diamond: the Star of Africa!”
Four security guards came out with a black metal box the size of an adult man’s fist. They set it on a table next to a glass podium rising several feet over the stage. When they opened the box, an “Ooooooh” ran through the massive audience.
Gently, Bosso picked up the diamond. A darkness twinkled in his eye.
Carter recognized the look. It was pure greed.
Misdirection was at play here, but Carter wasn’t sure which direction he should be looking. He noticed the glass podium rising several feet over the stage—there was a mechanism in it that would make the diamond vanish. It was all explained in the book Mr. Vernon had given him.
“Found in 1905, the Cullinan Diamond was presented to King Edward VII of Great Britain on his sixty-sixth birthday,” Bosso said as he placed the beautiful sparkling gem on the glass podium. “It was cut into several diamonds, the largest of which is here before you: the Great Star of Africa. As you can see, there is nothing quite like it. It is beyond beauty and beyond value. It is my humble honor to include it in my show today.”
The audience clapped, ready for more. “What are you going to do?” a man hollered from the middle of the audience. Carter looked over and realized that the man was Bosso’s own security guard, only he wasn’t wearing his creepy clown makeup anymore.
“Why, make the diamond disappear, of course!” Bosso said. The security guards seemed suddenly alarmed. “Don’t worry, don’t worry! I’ll put it back!”
Everyone laughed—everyone except the misfits.
“Now, I’d like everyone in the audience to keep their eyes on the Star of Africa,” Bosso said. “Don’t look away. Focus, focus, focus…”
Bosso pulled out a purple sheet and threw it over the diamond. Only for a second. He pulled the sheet back and the diamond was gone.
“Where is it?” Bosso smiled. “Why, all around you, of course! Look up and see the diamond dust.” Silver glitter sprinkled down over the audience.
“Now, as much as I would like you all to keep it—HA!—I suppose I must bring it back.…” Bosso rubbed his hands together. “Count with me, friends. On the count of three. One… two… three!”
There was a blast of flame and smoke from the podium, and the diamond appeared again, a spotlight striking it. Rainbow reflections exploded across the stage. The audience gasped and then broke into another thunderous round of applause.
“Guards, I suppose you’ll be wanting this back?” Bosso said.
The four security guards walked toward the diamond. Carter squinted and noticed that some of the luster of the diamond was gone. This wasn’t the real Star of Africa. This was the fake. The real diamond had been switched out during the act, just as the misfits suspected. Carter knew what he had to do.
Suddenly the lights in the entire theater went out, and the world was plunged into darkness.
“Guards! Police!” Bosso yelled in the pitch black. “Someone is stealing the diamond! Seal the doors, bar the exits, let no one leave. Wait… I… I have him!”
The sounds of a struggle echoed from the stage. There was a crash of breaking glass. People gasped in fear and excitement.
“We have him!” Bosso roared.
Conveniently, the lights came back on.
Bosso, the Walrus, and the Spider-Lady were holding a struggling Mr. Vernon facedown on the stage. The fake diamond was on the floor, mere feet away.
“We have the culprit in custody!” Bosso said to the crowd. “Police, arrest this man. He tried to steal the Star of Africa!”
Bosso, out of breath, raised his hands to the crowd. “Well, I hadn’t expected that ending to my show. But who doesn’t like a little added excitement? Crisis averted, ladies and gentlemen.”
“Thanks to you!” the Spider-Lady said. “You’re a hero! You stopped that wild man.”
The audience cheered with approval. Bosso bowed as people stood, clapping harder.
“I am humbled and honored,” Bosso said, taking another bow. “Thank you! Thank you!”
Without inspecting it properly, the guards shoved the diamond into its black case and locked it tight. Several policemen led Mr. Vernon off stage in handcuffs.
“The show’s not over yet,” Carter whispered to the others. “Let’s get the real show started.…”
NINETEEN
“Let’s hear it for our hero, B. B. Bosso!” Olly and Izzy said as they strolled out onto the stage behind Bosso.
Bosso seemed confused. He looked to the Walrus and the Spider-Lady, but both shrugged, just as puzzled.
“Come on, keep on clapping!” Olly shouted to the crowd.
“That’s right!” Izzy added. “Give our hero a warm welcome!”
“Welcome?” Olly said. “But the show’s over.”
“Is it?” Izzy asked, scratching her head. “I could have sworn the show was just beginning.”
“I wouldn’t mind that at all,” Olly said. “Who wants more?”
The crowd cheered as Bosso’s fake smile began to crumble. The Walrus growled at Olly and the Spider-Lady glared at Izzy. But neither of them could do anything in front of the crowd. They backed toward the edges of the stage.
“What’s wrong, Bosso? You look worried,” Izzy said. “Surely you don’t want to disappoint your fans.”
“Of… of course not,” Bosso stuttered.
“He’s not worried,” Olly said, poking Bosso in the belly. “He’s hungry! I’d be hungry too after a show like that.”
“I could use a bite to eat myself,” Izzy said, taking Bosso’s hand and leading him to the center of the stage. Then she pulled out an umbrella and opened it. “But I’m worried about the weather. It looks cloudy with a chance of breakfast.”