Plot

An insurance agent enlists Tony's help to investigate the "smoke and mirrors" theft of a highly guarded Egyptian cat statue.

Simon Russell has as the centerpiece of his new exhibit the Ramses Cat appraised by local expert Derek Sheffield at $3 million for insurance purposes. Legend has it that there is a curse attached to the cat. It is on display against the wishes of Mssrs. Hassid and Mustufa, who believe the cat's rightful place, as an object of worship, is back in Egypt. Despite what seems to be the impenetrable security system installed by Larry Ford - known as the best in the business - the cat is nonetheless stolen right under security's nose. Hassid and Mustufa, who were in the museum at the time of the theft, are the lead suspects. Shortly following, Sheffield is found dead, seemingly mauled by a large cat, bringing up the possibility of the curse at play. Suzanne Kelly, representing Trans-Republic, the insurance company underwriting the statue for the museum, asks Tony for his professional advice if the cat could have disappeared as part of a magical illusion. After examining the security system, Tony knows how the cat disappeared and at least one of the people involved. Tony has to piece together the entire puzzle quickly as the curse of the cat seems to be striking again, with Tony a potential target.—Huggo

At the Russell Museum, a guard points out to owner Simon Russell that they had over a thousand visitors for the opening day exhibit. Russell looks at the display of the silver Egyptian Rameses Cat's Eye statue and the guard tells him that they'll be turning on the security systems any minute. The owner leaves the room and the guard closes the security gate.

As Russell leaves, Hassid and his assistant Mustafa approach him. Hassid offers his congratulations, but Russell doesn't want to hear them and says that he doesn't want to listen to another of Hassid's harangues. Hassid offers him one million dollars to purchase the statue, and Russell tells him that the Cat isn't for sale. The Egyptian says that Russell is a foolish man for ignoring their warnings and displaying the Cat, and insists that the Cat belongs in Egypt and promises that one way or another, it will be returned.

The security engineer, Larry Ford, comes over, and insists on showing Hassid the security systems. He has the guard notify the police that they're testing, then drops a matchbook on the floor of the display room. The pressure-sensitive plates set off an alarm, and Ford says that the controls are at the local police station. He explains that the case holding the Cat has four separate locks and each lock has its own independent alarm system. Russell and Ford leave, and Hassid and Mustafa follow them. Hassid insists that Russell shouldn't place his faith in alarms, and the Cat doesn't belong in the museum and won't stay. Russell insists that art should be shared with all. The guard runs up and tells Russell that the Cat is gone. Ford says that there must be something wrong with the alarms, and Hassid smugly sets of the floor plates with a handkerchief.

At the Castle, Tony is performing his show. Mark and Greg Wilson go up, and Dominick tells Tony that there's a young lady out front. He gives Tony the woman's message, from Suzanne Kelly, that she's with Trans-Republic Insurance Company and wants to talk to Tony about the theft of the Cat. Tony meets with Suzanne, who says that her company insured the Cat for $3 million. The police and the company's investigators have come up with nothing, and she wonders if an illusion was responsible. Suzanne suggests that otherwise the curse of the Cat has come to pass.

A woman, Leila Russell, offers an imprisoned black leopard a gloss. She then goes to her room and puts the gloss on her lips. Leila comes down and kisses the apartment owner, Derek Sheffield, and says that she'd love to stay but said she'd be home. They agree to meet the next day and once Leila leaves, Sheffield goes to get some manuscript pages from an upstairs room. The leopard comes in through a window and kills Sheffield.

Hassid is at a Middle Eastern club. Leila calls him and says that she can get him the Cat for $1 million. He says that he can get the money together in thirty hours, and Leila hangs up.

Suzanne takes Tony to the museum and explains that the only two people who didn't belong there when the Cat was stolen were Hassid and Mustafa. As far as the company investigation has shown, they don't have the Cat. Ford is there checking out the case, and Suzanne introduces Tony to him. Ford says that he hasn't come up with anything, Tony picks one lock, but picking a second one recloses the first one.

The guard comes in and calls Suzanne away. Ford tells Tony that the locks have to be unlocked in the correct sequence, and he says that Suzanne's bosses have been raking her over the coals because they blame her for the theft. She underwrote the policy and gave the final approval for the security system, and it's the first time she's pulled herself together since her husband died. Suzanne comes back and notes that the new security system was expensive, and Ford excuses himself. The insurance agent gives Tony the guard schedule he asked for, and Suzanne says that despite the fat premium the Cat brought in, she'll be the scapegoat for the Cat's theft.

Tony has no ideas how the theft was made, but wondered who paid for the security. Suzanne says that Russell did because it was the only way he could get anyone to underwrite the policy. The Cat was appraised by a local expert, Sheffield.

At Sheffield's home, Lt. Jack Kendricks and his men are investigating the crime scene as Russell looks on. Tony arrive and Kendricks knows him. Kendricks introduces Tony to Russell, then tells Tony that Sheffield died the previous night, torn apart by a large cat. Russell figures someone is trying to make it appear the curse of the Cat has become a reality, and Kendricks says that they have Hassid under surveillance but can't arrest him without evidence despite Russell's suspicions.

Russell tells Tony that Sheffield never had the Cat statue while he was appraising it, and examined it in Russell's home. The owner doesn't recall if Sheffield was present when the Cat was placed into the case, and invites Tony to his home later so they can talk there.

Later, Leila-Russell's wife--and Ford finish their tennis date and join Tony and Russell where they're sitting next to the pool. When Russell explains that Tony is a magician brought in by Trans-Republic, Leila bursts into laughter and wonders if it's that hard to make something disappear. Tony makes a tangerine and a glass disappear from beneath a napkin to show it isn't that hard to make something vanish. He explains that locks and chains are just diversions, and Ford insists that the locks and the case weren't mere diversions. Tony says that he needs someone to open the case, and Ford offers to do so when he return to the museum later that afternoon.

Leila excuses herself and Ford goes with her. Russell talks about his wife's childlike qualities, and says that someone is using the Cat for dangerous purposes. As Tony drives off, Ford sees him go. He's with Leila and tells her that Tony is leaving, and she says that she knows a lot about Tony's tastes. Leila says that she put on a good act for Tony and tells Ford to stay on his toes, and Ford assures her Tony will never put together how they pulled the thief. The woman tells Ford that she hopes there will be no surprises and puts a loaded gun in Ford's jacket pocket.

Later, Leila gives the leopard more of the scent of her special lip gloss.

Dominick goes to the museum with Tony, and Dominick figures that a human fly was the thief. Tony tells him that such a theft isn't possible as he examines the opened case, and Ford comes in. The magician says that it took him a half hour to figure out the lock sequence and open the case. Suzanne comes in and says that Trans-Republic let her go. She came to the museum to see the scene of her great debacle. Dominick invites her and her daughter to the Castle so he can make them a meal.

Suzanne leaves and Dominick suggests that holograms were used. Tony tells him it isn't possible because it's not how holograms work, but he does know how it was done. He refuses to tell Dominick, but does tell him that Ford was involved. Tony wonders if Ford did it alone, and now he's going to find out where Ford got a large refrigerator. He says that the refrigerator is a big clue and walks off, leaving a puzzled Dominick.

Ford calls Leila and tells her that Tony knows what they've done. Leila says that all it means is that they'll have to leave town earlier than they planned, and she'll meet him at his office at 10 that night.

Tony checks the piping beneath the display room.

That night in the building where he has his office, Ford gets into an elevator. The elevator opens on a lower floor, and when Ford gets out, the leopard kills him. He draws the gun Leila gave him earlier and shoots the leopard, only to discover the gun is loaded with blanks. The leopard kills Ford as he flees back into the elevator, and it goes up to where Leila is waiting.

Tony is performing at the Castle and afterward gets a call from Leila. She says that her husband asked her to call Tony and have him come to discuss something. Tony drives over and the butler directs him to a room. He goes into Leila's room and finds her waiting for him on her bed, and she pours drinks. Tony points out that Russell isn't at the house, and asks where he is

A man siphons the gasoline out of Tony's Corvette.

Leila says that she's sorry she and Tony got off to a bad start, and asks Tony if she has anything to tell Russell. Tony tells her that he's made little progress but it will deliver a blow to Ford's reputation. Leila tells him that Ford is beyond carrying and asks if the Cat was stolen by magic, and Tony tells her that it was.

The man at the Corvette sabotages the car phone.

Leila freshens her lip gloss and asks Tony if he's going to show her his magic trick. He declines and she kisses him. Tony pulls away and reminds her of her husband, and leaves. As he drives away, the Corvette stops because it's running on empty. When he calls for car service, Tony discovers the car phone doesn't work. Tony walks to the nearest gas station, and the released leopard follows him. It finally runs at Tony, and he runs until he comes to a phone booth. He opens the door and the leopard, jumping at him, lands inside. Tony slams the door shut, trapping the leopard inside,

Leila calls Hassid and he demands to know who he's dealing with before he pays $1 million for the return of the Cat. Leila refuses to divulge her identity and gives Hassid an address to meet her at.

Tony returns to the Russell house. Leila's hired hand, Derek, comes out. He pulls out a car from the garage and goes back inside, and Tony hides in the trunk as Derek comes back with Leila. She's holding a cylindrical case, and both of them get in the car. They drive to an empty building where Hassid and Mustafa are waiting, and after they park Derek gets out of the car and meets with the two Egyptians. Hassid has a case with the money, and opens it to reveal the contents.

As Leila gets out, Tony emerges from the trunk and hides among some nearby boxes. Hassid and Mustafa confirm that the Cat is authentic, and they're standing in a puddle of water. Tony strips the wire from a nearby work light. He puts the wire into the war, shocking the two men unconscious.

Hal draws his gun, and Tony turns on a forklift, sending it toward a pile of boxes. When Hal shoots at it, Tony comes up behind him and knocks him out. He kicks the gun away and Leila sarcastically applauds Tony's performance. Tony confirms that Hassid and Mustafa are just stunned, and gets the Cat. Russell turns on the overhead lights and tells Tony to leave it there while wielding a shotgun.

Leila takes the statue back, and Tony confirms that Russell was going to collect $1 million from Hassid and $3 million on the insurance payoff. While Leila goes up to the balcony where Russell is standing, Russell tells Tony that his grandfather built the Russell fortune, but Russell and his father frittered it away. Russell says that Leila came up with the idea to use the curse to get rid of their partners.

Tony asks to do one final trick to make it sporting, and Russell agree. The magician produces a playing card and throws it through a window, setting off an alarm. He then ducks into a nearby card, avoiding Russell's shots. Russell reloads and comes down with his wife, and Tony ducks behind some boxes. He tosses a lit piece of flash paper into Russell's face, blinding him, and takes the shotgun. The police arrive outside in response to the alarm.

Later at the museum, Tony tells Kendricks, the insurance company representative Timmons, and Dominick that Sheffield authenticated the Cat. The "Cat" put into the case was a replica made out of frozen mercury. When they tore up the floor to install the pressure plates, it gave Ford the opportunity to install a cooling line from the museum's AC unit to the case. That let him keep a temperature within the case of 35 degrees below zero. When an accomplice turned off the coolant, the mercury melted and ran down the side into a catch basin inside of the pedestal the case was on. Kendricks asks why the case didn't ice up, and Tony explains that Ford used a chemical on the glass.

Later at the Castle, Tony meets with Suzanne. She thanks him for the finder's fee and for getting her her job back with Trans-Republic, and she tells Tony that she didn't take her old job back. Tony says that she earned the fee by satisfying her professional curiosity and it's a magician's second strongest drive.