In Focus (2009) Read Online Free

what to say to that, then shrugged. ‘I’m not good at choosing men to date. I’ve had a couple of bad experiences since my husband and I divorced.’ She smiled suddenly. ‘But you don’t need to worry. It was an amicable split in the end and I won’t bore you with tales of how rotten my ex was.’
    He inclined his head. ‘Neither will I because I’ve never actually got as far as marriage.’
    She was surprised at that. Was he gay? He didn’t seem gay, just very relaxed in his skin, as Jo would have said.
    Daniel walked her out to her car without needing to be asked, which was another mark in his favour.
    By the time she got home, she was wondering if she really wanted to bother dating anyone but knew if she backed out now, Renée would kill her. Anyway, she’d probably have a pleasant evening with Daniel and it could end there if she chose, which she probably would.
    She backed into her parking bay, checked there was no one else around and hurried to the lift, relieved as always when it arrived quickly. This was supposed to be a safe area, accessible only by residents who had the remotes that controlled the wire mesh barrier gate, but you never knew who could break the code and get in.
    It irked her that she was always so nervous after dark, but she wasn’t going to any counsellor over something so minor, whatever Renée said. She was doing all right – more than all right – and didn’t intend to rock the boat. She had a good job, a nice flat and a few close friends she really cared about.
    It was enough.
    Edward took Pete along to a demonstration of the finished computer program the following week. Al and Debbie had prepared regressions of themselves to start off with, then one of Edward.
    ‘Do one of me now!’ Pete said. ‘We could start off with that on the show.’
    They watched as the photo of Pete the man was regressed into a teenager.
    ‘That’s me!’ he crowed. ‘That’s just what I was like! Go on. Make me younger.’
    They obligingly turned him into a child of about eight.
    ‘Can you turn me into a baby?’
    ‘It’s not very accurate with babies. They change too much. The lowest we can get with any accuracy is about two or three, and even at that age the success rate is markedly lower.’
    ‘Do a three-year-old, then.’
    He studied the resultant photo, head on one side. ‘That’s great! It’s actually very like me. We’ll use it on the first show to give people a taste of what your software can do.’
    Edward watched the two youngsters – well, they seemed young to him – nudge one another and exchange quick, delighted glances.
    ‘Do you want to see what you’ll look like when you’re older?’ Al asked.
    ‘Hell, no! I don’t even want to think about that.’ Pete glanced at his watch. ‘Got to go now. Fran will kill me if I’m late. Edward, will you see to all this?’ He waved one hand at the computer screen.
    ‘Yes.’ Naturally Pete didn’t pick up on his annoyed tone of voice. Lately his cousin only seemed to see himself – a self-image more influenced by his publicity than by reality – and he’d always been a bit lazy about details like the legalities and financial arrangements for using the program.
    To Edward’s surprise, the two developers would only agree to lease the software, not sell it to him. They were more business savvy than he’d expected, for all they looked like refugees from a Sixties hippy commune. He didn’t want to cheat them but he did want to make sure no one else in the entertainment industry could use their software while Pete wanted it, because if things went well, the new segment might have the potential to be franchised across the world, which would benefit all of them.
    It took a while to sort everything out, and of course it then had to go to the various lawyers, but he was happy with the ground rules they’d established.
    Since he’d come in Pete’s car, Edward decided to stroll back to the office to pick up his own vehicle.