The case is not gold and the works won't run." I had been caught in the game after all.

The whole show had been put on for me.

The men who did the bidding the first day were "with the show." Their scheme was to get a real bid from me.

When I failed to bite, they rung down the curtain and waited for the next come-on.

The show was staged again for me the following day, and that time they got me.