1 Depth of Field Read Online Free Page B

backed up online, but wouldn’t you know it, my laptop was also in the shop, and I had been too cheap to get the data plan on my cell phone. As soon as I got a free moment, I intended to phone the sheriff to see if he would release at least the laptop to me. If my business was on hold for the time being, and I couldn’t develop any film, digital work could go on.
    “Your pictures should be safe in my office, Peony. Don’t worry. Just like I told everyone else, this is a minor setback in terms of the photos. I’m sure the police are doing all they can to bring the person responsible for Alvin’s death to justice.”
    I didn’t mean to display censure in my tone, but she seemed to read some. “Of course, you’re right. I’ll wait to hear from you about the pictures. Do the police know who did it?”
    “I’m not sure what they know, but I’ll do all I can to help. Well, the phone is beeping in my ear with another call. I’ll be sure to contact you as soon as I know something.”
    “Thanks so much.”
    On it went until John Brinlee phoned. “Makayla, I wanted to talk to you about an advertising spread.”
    I had come to the end of my rope, and something snapped. “Don’t you think I’ve had enough, John? I discovered a dead body in my shop this morning, not hours ago. Wouldn’t you think that’s a lot for a person to take in? Can’t this have waited until tomorrow? And if you just wanted to know about the investigation, I’m sure the police station will be happy to take one more pointless call just like this one!”
    The line went silent, and I slapped a hand over my big fat mouth. Why had I let my temper get the best of me? What had I been thinking attacking a potential client that way? John wasn’t one of my customers, and here I had lit into him like a mad woman. Sure, these were extenuating circumstances, but really.
    “I’m so sorry, John,” I began, fingers crossed he wouldn’t be so angry as to spread news of my awful attitude all around town. “You didn’t deserve that.”
    I scrambled for words to explain myself, but there were none. So I prepared to beg his forgiveness. At last he spoke, and his voice was calm, oddly enough. “Who died, Makayla?”
    I blanked. “Huh?”
    “I am the one who has to apologize,” he said. “I’ve been in meditations all morning. I haven’t even left my office to greet my wife and daughter for the day yet. Inspiration struck for drumming up more business, and since I’d had your card on my desk from last week, I thought I would give you a call before the day’s activities distract me.”
    Had he truly not heard? I couldn’t believe it. Even if he had shut himself away, wouldn’t someone, his wife maybe, have broken in on him to share the news? “Alvin Aston was found dead in my studio this morning.”
    I didn’t want to admit again that I had been the one to stumble upon Alvin just in case he had missed that part of my little tirade, but John seemed less focused on me and more worried about some personal anguish. Perhaps they had been good friends, or he knew Alvin as a member of the gym. “No, this can’t be. Not Alvin.”
    “I think—” I had begun to say the police were looking into the matter, but the line went dead. Just like that. No good-bye.
    When the ringing started up once again, I silenced it and switched off both the sound and the buzzing. Then I changed clothes from slacks and a blouse to jeans and a T-shirt. I stuffed my phone in my pocket, grabbed a little money and my keys then left the apartment. Time to just zone out and enjoy a solitary walk. Instead of heading in the direction where I worked, I went the opposite direction along Main Street. After a stint of various apartment complexes and side streets, I began to hit stores again. These were more specialty shops and clothing stores, a cobbler, a drug store, and a smaller storefront gym. One would think they would lose in the competition against John and Allie Kate Brinlee’s