La Photographie Moderne

by Neil Crenner

A.M. in the morning last week. I was woken out of bed by the alarm company."

  "This is amazing! What do you think of it?"

  "I have a suspicion. I will tell you over lunch tomorrow. So make sure you keep those negatives in a safe place."

  "Oh, don't worry; I have them locked up at my uncle's house."

  "Okay, then tomorrow around noon."

  "I'll be there."

  "Bye."

  "Okay bye," Reason hung up the phone and was very disturbed by this new bit of info. Who wants these negatives? And why do they want them? There must be something more to this than we know. I have got to call Didier. He dialed Didier's number and the receptionist said he was in a meeting and would take a message. Every time I call him, he's busy. That hunk does work sometimes. Reason chuckled to himself. He went back to work looking for negatives to send out to the reps. Who and why?

  The bell chimed and someone just walked in. He got up from his desk and went out front. "Hello, how are you today?" It was the man from the party last night, with the dark hair and goatee. Reason mouth almost dropped open.

  "Hello, I am just fine. I am just browsing, if that's okay?"

  "Oh sure, take your time," Reason sat down at the front desk and looked like he was busy writing something down. He kept glancing at the man from last night. He was strolling up and down the place, looking as if he knew what he wanted, but couldn't find it.

  "I believe my wife was in hear a few of weeks ago, you were having a sale?"

  "Oh yes, yes I was."

  "She saw a picture of an old lighthouse near the beach. She told me about it and wanted it for her birthday. Did you sell it?"

  "Oh that piece, actually I did."

  "Do you mind if I ask who it was who bought it?"

  "He said he was a traveling salesman," Reason had to think quickly, "He came in and was looking around, and as soon as he saw it, he had to have it."

  "Oh that's too bad, did he give his name? Or where he was from?"

  "No, actually he didn't. He paid cash for it."

  "I am sorry to sound so noisy, but my wife had her heart set on that photograph."

  "Oh I am sorry."

  "No, no that's perfectly alright, well thank you for your time. I appreciate it. My wife will be very disappointed to hear this."

  "I had that photo for about three years and no one bought it."

  "Oh that long, hmmm. Okay thank you again." The man walked out of his shop in a hurry, not looking back. Reason stood up to peer out the front door to see if he could catch a glimpse of the man, a black town car. Who drives a black town car? Why is everyone interested in that photograph? He decided to pick up the negatives himself from Trevor.

  He picked up the phone and rang him. "Trevor, I need to pick those negatives up today."

  "Oh okay. What's the rush?"

  "I will tell you later. Where will you be, at your place or your sisters?"

  "I will meet you at the Coffee shop on 7th Avenue and Cherry in about 20 minutes. Is that okay."

  "Sure, sure."

  "See you then." Reason locked the front door and went out the back. He hopped in the Jaguar and drove off. 'Shoot, I needed to call Didier; I will call him at the coffee shop.'

  10 minutes later.

  Inside the coffee shop, the sign said seat yourself. He took a seat near the front window. When the waiter came he ordered coffee and then asked where the pay phone was.

  "Over there sir, by the restrooms," pointing behind her.

  "Thanks." He got up and went to the payphone. He was trying to remember Didier's work number. What is it? what is it? He always made a point to remember certain numbers immediately if they were important. This was. He dialed the number only guessing, it began to ring.

  "Yes, is Didier in?"

  "One moment please."

  "Hello this is Didier Gauthier."

  "Didier, its Reason."

  "Well hello, did you talk to Trevor?"

  "Yes I did and there is something going on. I am her at the Coffee Shop waiting for him right now. I need to get the negatives of the lighthouse back from him."

  "Why? What happened?"

  "Well this guy came into my shop last night and was asking about the photograph of the beach house, he said his wife had come in a few weeks back and seen it."

  "Well that is odd."

  "Then he wanted to know who bought it and where they were from, so I told him I sold it to a traveling sales man."

  "Well that was smart."

  "Then he left in a hurry. So I phoned up Trevor and told him I needed those negatives today."

  "Well yes, that was smart too. What do you think is in the photo that has any relevance to all this."

  "I don't know, but when I get back to my gallery, I am going to look them over with the high-powered, magnifying glass. I will be able to see everything on them."

  "Okay, well let me know what you find, I have another meeting in a few minutes."

  "Okay, bye."

  "Okay bye."

  Reason hung up the phone and went back to his table. What is taking Trevor so long? He poured the cream into his coffee and added the sweetener. Hmmm, that is so good. He sipped the coffee and stared out the window looking for Trevor. Where was he? He was anxious. He wanted to look at those negatives as soon as possible.

  Trevor came walking thru the door, he was wearing black jeans and a leather coat on, with some black shoes. Reason waved at him.

  "So what is the rush Reason?" As he sat down in the booth opposite him.

  "I am telling you Trevor someone wants those negatives really bad. They broke into my gallery to get them. Where are they?"

  "I have them right here in my coat pocket," Trevor reached in and pulled out an envelope, "Here you go."

  Reason took them and slipped them inside his shirt pocket.

  "Why does someone want these negatives? Is this connected to the painting I made you with them?"

  "Yes I believe so, but how and why I don't know. There must be something in the negatives that people want."

  "What could it be and what for?"

  "I don't know and the less you know the better off you are." The waiter came and asked if they were ready to order. Trevor ordered a grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup.

  "That does sound good, I'll have the same thing," Reason added when Trevor finished.

  "Coffee, iced tea?" The waiter asked Trevor.

  "Iced tea, thank you." He left them.

  Reason noticed that this Trevor was not the same guy who had come into his gallery a few months ago. More self-esteem? Less inhibition? Success changes people alright.

  Today the man who I saw at your opening last night came into my gallery and was asking about the photo of a lighthouse. He said that his wife had seen it a few weeks back and wanted it for her birthday."

  "Wow! So what did he look like?"

  "Well last night, he was wearing these black slacks, a mock turtle neck. Slick back black hair, a goatee."

  "That's the man who said they were newlyweds and wanted to buy the lighthouse piece!" Trevor exclaimed. "He came into your gallery today?"

  "Yes. I gave that photograph to Didier, who by some coincidence is tangled up in this mess as well."

  "Oh really, how? Trevor looked like he was dying to know.

  "Well I am not sure, and neither is he. But, I am going to find out."

  "This is so exciting, I can't wait to tell my uncle."

  "No! Trevor, you can't tell anyone about this. Someone broke into my gallery to get those negatives, and to find out who my customers are."

  "Okay! I won't. I can keep it a secret."

  "Okay, please do." Just then the waiter arrived with their food. They ate in mostly silence, Trevor seemed famished, he devoured the sandwich and then the soup. "Sorry, sometimes I woof my food down. A habit I learned while in the military."

  "You were in the military?"

  "Yes I did a 3 year stint, loved it."

  "I would
never dream that you would be in it."

  "I got to travel all over the world, even if it was on a ship. I want to do it again soon too."

  "Sell some more pieces." Reason winked at him.

  "Okay, I am done, have to run, I'll call you."

  "Rushing off so soon?"

  "I have to get back to the camera shop. I took an early lunch, my uncle always wants to eat at the exact same time every day, if not he gets upset."

  "Off with you, and remember what I said, don't tell anyone."

  "I won't," as he walked out the door and towards his car.

  Reason sat there and ate the rest of his lunch and sipped on his coffee. He didn't want to go back to the gallery. An odd feeling gripped him when he was there now. He finished up and paid the waiter. He felt a little dread walking back to his car.

  5 minutes later.

  He glanced in his rear view mirror and saw a black town car. Is that the guy from earlier? His heart raced. Was he following me? He decided to take a main street, to get passed the traffic. He turned onto Hwy 1. It was the opposite direction of his gallery but he would lose him on this. He looked again and he was gone. He kept looking in his rearview mirror. Is he still following me?

  Nothing then he made a turn off on Hot Springs road. He didn't see any cars on the street. He was a wreck. Why was that guy following him? From nowhere an old gray car came out of the alleyway. Reason hit the brakes and tried to avoid it. It came right at him slamming into the side of his Jaguar, pushing it to the other side of the street. The airbags went off and Reason was unconscious. He blacked out.

  Chapitre 22

  Later on.

  Reason was coming too. He was hurting so bad. He opened his eyes and saw white, white everywhere. Then he heard a voice.

  "Are you awake? Are you awake?" He tried to speak, but he couldn't move his mouth. He felt heavy and a pain on the side of his head. He fell back onto