La Photographie Moderne

by Neil Crenner

lighthouse, there must be a clue somewhere that you can't see from afar. He lay there and went back to sleep.

  Sixish

 

  He awoke and the TV was turned down, he looked up and heard Didier making noise in the kitchen. It stopped, he put his head back down and grabbed the remote to turn up the volume. Didier came into the room.

  "Hey why didn't you wake me?"

  "You were sleeping soundly. I didn't want to wake you. "

  "Why not?"

  "You need to rest, you have been through a shock. You're convalescing."

  "I feel great. Maybe it's the drugs the doctor gave you."

  "I haven't taken any of those pills."

  "Okay doctor Reason."

  "Don't make fun. I don't like drugs. They make you feel bad after they make you feel good."

  "Well I will have to agree with you there. Now let's eat, it's ready."

  "I'm coming. Just need my robe." Reason got up and slipped on his robe and followed Didier into the kitchen.

  "It smells good."

  "Orange flavor chicken and lo mien noodles, just as you ordered."

  They ate in silence for a few minutes, and the Reason exclaimed, "The negatives. Where are they?"

  "Over there on the counter." Didier pointed.

  "Oh I can't wait, I have to look at them now." Reason said as he got up and went to look at the negatives. He took them back to the second bedroom and opened a desk and pulled out a small light table, flipped it on and started looking at the negatives. He grabbed a magnifying lens and started to look at them thru it. There above the door was the sign, it read: MXVXVM. What did it mean. "Hey Didier, come take a look at this. Hurry up."

  "What is it?" Didier came into the room.

  "It's the clue that will solve the mystery. Take a look."

  He handed the lens to Didier. "What am I looking for?"

  "Just look at that and tell me what you see."

  "I see a lighthouse, old and worn out. I see a sign above the door."

  "What does it say?"

  "I think it says MXVXVM."

  "Yes that's what I thought too. What do you think it means? Could it be Greek or Latin?"

  "I am not sure. I will have to look it up. Maybe we can do that after we finish eating, now let's go back to the kitchen. I don't like cold Chinese food."

  "Okay, we can finish eating. What could that sign possibly mean? Why would someone try to kill me to get it?" Reason pondered out loud and rhetorically.

  "Oh Reason what conspiracy theory are you talking about now? You don't believe someone would try to kill you to get some negatives do you?"

  "Oh yes, because these negatives have the clue. MXVXVM. I am so excited. How did we get mixed up in this?"

  "Mixed up in what? It was a hit and run, I don't see how you read into this. Unless there's something you know that you haven't shared with me?"

  "No, I haven't had any visions for some time now. If I had I would tell you. At least I think I would tell you, depending on what the vision was."

  "Well I am glad to hear that, but I don't understand what you're talking about, someone trying to kill him." He smiled and then pushed his plate aside. "You need to rest for the next couple of days. You get so excited over a negative."

  "You'll take care of me?"

  "Yes. Just don't get to spoiled. After we are back to normal, my mother is coming to visit. She will be here next week."

  "Well when did this happen?"

  "She called me yesterday and told me he wants to come as soon as possible, she hates being there alone."

  "She'll love it here, I can't wait to meet her."

  "Yes I hope so. I am going to ask her to live with me."

  "Oh that is so sweet of you. I am sure she will want to."

  "I hope I can handle it."

  "You will be able to."

  "I know she'll love you Reason," Didier winked.

  "Okay, I'm finished. Now we can look at the encyclopedia. Hopefully we can find something about it in there." With this Reason got up and went to the living room to get the encyclopedia. He was going to find out what that name meant and he knew it. He didn't. He would go online in the morning and do a search.

  He fell asleep in Didier's arms, Colbert at the foot of the bed on her pillow. He dreamt of the accident, but it was different. He had no brakes and couldn't stop. Then he was running in the dark, from something. He awoke, and reached over to feel Didier. He smiled and was glad that Didier was there. Tomorrow he would go to the downtown library and look it up, that would be fun. The gallery would have to be closed for a few more days. He would stop by in the morning and post a sign in the window, then start researching at the library.

  Chapitre 23

  The next day.

  The library was very large and foreboding, an old building from the early 1930's, made of brick and mortar. It had a faint musty smell. There were tall shelves that held old books that looked like they were ancient. The floor was marble, which actually caused an echo when you walked. How could you be quiet while walking on marble?

  Reason went to the history department to find out about the area where the lighthouse was. He would find out who the owner was and maybe track down some family member. This task was not easy, he didn't know the exact address of the lighthouse, or even the city. He found a map and it looked like national forest was all around the area that he thought the lighthouse might be. He asked the librarian about the national park system, and he gave him a reference book to look at.

  The area was national forest, except for about 250 acres right on the beach. This was completely surrounded by forest. He knew it had to be the area, although he was not 100% sure. He found that the property was being held by the state. This really got him excited. Whoever owned the land must have died and didn't leave it to any family members. The house that sat empty for all those years was someone's, but whose?

  He made some notes of the names and then photocopies of the area. He wanted to get home and rest. He had already gone by the gallery and left the note on the door, closed due to a family emergency, his own.

  He laughed when he thought about it. He was home in about 20 minutes and immediately changed into his pajamas and slippers. He put some water on the stove to boil for some hot tea. He went to the computer and signed on to America Online and entered the name of the national forest.

  Maybe there was current information about it online he thought. He found none. The teapot was whistling, so he shut down the computer and went to make tea. He would find a good movie on TV and take a nap.

  He was dozing when the phone rang, "Hello."

  "Hey babe, how you doing?" Reason loved to be called babe.

  "I went to the library and found that the property where the lighthouse is in the states hands. It was never claimed by any relatives after the death of the owner, which I didn't find out their name. A national forest surrounds the property which is 250 acres. What do you think?"

  "Very good sleuthing, have you been reading Sherlock Holmes lately?"

  "As a matter of fact I was reading Mr. Holmes last week. Well it was so much fun, but I spent two hours and that's all I found out. Nothing about the word MXVXVM."

  "Don't worry, I am sure you'll be able to find out more about this mystery by week's end. How are you feeling today?"

  "Oh much better, still a bit sore on the noggin, but otherwise I feel great. I might even go to the gallery tomorrow for a few hours."

  "You should rest this week, after all my Mother is coming next week, and I want you to be fully recovered."

  "I will take it easy just for you, Didier."

  "Now that's what I want to hear."

  "Will you be over tonight?"

  "Yes around six o'clock, is that fine?"

  "Yes, great. I'll have dinner ready."

  "No, just take it easy, get some rest and I'll bring dinner from a restaurant."

  "Surprise me."

  "I will."

  "Wonderful." />
  "Okay, bye."

  "Later babe." Reason hung up the phone. He drank his tea on the sofa and flipped the channel to Turner Classic Movies, the movie was Trouble in Paradise from 1932. He loved the actress, Miriam Hopkins.

  83 minutes later.

  Colbert started licking his hand. "Colbert, are you hungry? What time is it? He looked over to the clock on the mantel. 5:49 p.m., Didier will be her soon he thought. He went to the kitchen and started to open the can of dog food for Colbert. After this he went and brushed his teeth and got into the shower, he wanted to feel refreshed when Didier arrived. He would dress in a soft cotton t-shirt, and some loungers. He combed his hair and heard the door bell ring. Right on time he thought.

  "Hey babe, how are you?"

  "I am fine and yourself?"

  "I just showered and dressed, so I feel great."

  "I need a shower, here's dinner. Chicken Salad, with Italian dressing."

  "Great. I can wait if you want to shower first. I can make us some fresh ice tea."

  "Decaf for me."

  "Okay, that'll work for me too."

  "Hurry then, I'm hungry." With that he gave Didier a slap on the shoulder.

  Ten Minutes later.

  "This salad is great, where did you get it?"

  "A small eatery near work. I am glad you enjoy it. I love their dressing. So tell me more about the mystery."

  "Well I found out that there is a winery, very old, been there a hundred years, and a huge house on it and the family all died out and it wasn't left to anyone."

  "Juicy." Didier said with a smile.

  "Oh the best part is that we need to find out about the sign above the door. The lighthouse must have been the beach house, or a guest house or the servant's house. Although maybe it was someone's secret get away, for romance or to hide." Reason said with