Nico waited by the stage entrance to the tent waiting for the elephant to finish tapping out numbers with his foot. He was wearing all black as usual but had added the glittery eye stuff the carnival owner had insisted he wear for his performance.
The elephant was led off stage by his handler as the audience applauded.
"And now we have the one, the only NECROMANCING NICO!"
Nico took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. He put on his theatrical voice to speak. "Ladies, Gentlemen and spirit from beyond welcome." He paused letting a silence settle over the crowd.
"Do any of you wish to speak to a loved one from beyond the grave." He moved slowly then turned suddenly, eyes locking onto a little girl in the front row. "You!" - Of corse this had been planned Nico couldn't tell who had a spirit they wanted to talk to and no on ever came forward till they believed. - "It's your brother."
The traipse artists daughter gasped. "How did you know?" She was a good actress.
"He want's to tell you something." Nico pretended to be concentrating on listening to a spirit. "He, Jonathan, wants you to know that he's sorry for the car accident and he's sorry you nearly died too."
"But.. but how could you know about the accident?.. and his name?"
"He is going, say your farewells." Nico looked at the spot where the spirit wasn't and muttered something under his breath."
The crowd was silent except for the girl. "No! Jonathan come back. It was really him wasn't it, no one else could possibly know about the accident." Nico thought she was overplaying it a it but it seemed to fool the crowd.
A middle aged balding man stood up. "My wife, Suzanna, can you..." He choked and trailed off.
Nico was glad he'd been given a name. That's usually all he needed, the spirits always seemed to be close to their loved ones. He murmured a chant under his breath and closed his eyes raising his hands dramatically. He felt stupid doing it but it all added to the show and was apparently more believable then when he normally summoned a spirit.
When the spectre appeared he began to ask the routine questions. "What would you like to tell your husband? Do you have any information or last requests you wish to share?...