Part 269 (1/2)

that for later. ”Do you want him to?”

Now she did smile. Dawn had come, and with it, the safety of morning.

”I've often wondered if psychiatrists are just gossips.”

”Okay, we'll pa.s.s on that one. Can I make a suggestion?”

”All right.”

”Get your camera, go out and take pictures today. Drew took a number of

things from you. Why don't you prove to yourself that he didn't take

everything?”

EmmA WASN'T SURE why she took Katherine's advice. She could think of

nothing she wanted to photograph. People had always been her favorite

subject, but she'd s.h.i.+ed away from them for so long. Still she had to

admit it felt good to have the camera in her hand, to toy with lenses,

to plan a particular shot.

She spent the morning focusing on palm trees and buildings. The shots

wouldn't win any prizes, she knew, but the mechanics of photography were

relaxing. By noon she'd used up two rolls and wondered why she'd waited

so long to enjoy something she loved.

She wasn't sure why she pointed the car in the direction of Michael's

house. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, too pretty to spend alone.

She hadn't taken a picture of him since that first one years before.

Conroy would make an interesting subject. Those were all easy excuses.

She settled on them as she pulled up in front of his house.

Though his car was there, he didn't answer for so long she thought she'd

missed him. The dog had begun to bark on her first knock and now could

be heard howling and scratching on the other side of the door. She

heard Michael swear at him and grinned.