Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin

For a moment I was tempted to let Aahz’s disguise drop. Then I looked at the crowd again and decided against it. It wasn’t a group to joke with.

“Now, some folks bought the charms because they were gullible, some as a gag, some of us because . . . well, because everyone else was buying them. But we all bought them, just like we bought your story that they had to be individually made and you needed the money in advance.”

“That was all explained at the time,” Aahz protested.

“Sure it was. You’re great at explanations. You explained it just like you explained away those two times we caught you trying to leave town.”

“Well… we … uh,” Aahz began.

“Actually,” I interrupted, “we were only….”

“Well, we’ve had enough of your explanations. That’s what we told you three days ago when we gave you two days to either come up with the charms or give us our money back.”

“But these things take time….”

“You’ve used up that excuse. Your time was up yesterday. Now do we get our money, or….”

“Certainly, certainly,” Aahz raised his hands soothingly.

“Just give me a moment to speak with my colleague.”

He smiled at the crowd as he took me by the arm and drew me away.

“What are we going to do, Aahz?”

“Now we run,” he said calmly.

“Huh?” I asked intelligently.

I was talking to thin air. Aahz was already legging it speedily down the street.

I may be slow at times, but I’m not that slow. In a flash I was hot on his heels.

Unfortunately, the crowd figured out what Aahz was up to about the same time I did. With a howl they were after us.