Copyright © 2006 Daniel I. Russell
All rights reserved, Wild Child Publishing.
Beacon showed Georgina into the first doorway on her left. It led directly into the studio, a wide room containing various light stands and backgrounds with a row of large windows overlooking the grounds.
Those windows... That view...
One wall had been papered with a design of shelves and books, obviously for academic photographs. In the corner, surrounded by umbrellas on poles to block unwanted light, lay a pile of crumpled blankets.
Imogen. Poor thing...
She tried to banish thoughts of what could have just occurred in this very room. The scent of sweat mixed with other musty and sweet smells assailed her nasal passages. The urge to gag caught her off guard. Georgina quickly walked over to the windows, trying to stop her mind seeing the terrible images. She looked through the panes, noticing the immaculate rose bushes that ran along the border of a black wrought iron fence below the window. Vicious spikes lined the top and pointed to the heavens like tribesmen's spears.
"Admiring the view?" asked Beacon from behind her. She jumped. She didn't realise he was so close. His breath tickled the back of her neck. She shivered.
If he touches me... If he so much as brushes his hand against me I'll...
"Yes," she replied shortly.
"Let's see if we can find those negatives then, eh?"
He walked over to the opposite corner of the room. Up against the wall, a large, dark wood chest of drawers reached shoulder height. Beacon removed a golden key from his trouser pocket. Georgina saw that each drawer had a tiny keyhole at its centre. Beacon unlocked the top drawer, opened it and peered inside. He riffled through the contents, eventually pulling out a small blue envelope. Her heart hammered with disgust. With his back to her she could easily just step forward and...
"Here we are!" He turned sharply and smiled. "Stevenson, J."
He almost bounded back to the windows, slid open the cardboard envelope and pulled out several strips of photographic film. Stopping beside Georgina, Beacon took one between his fingertips and held it up to the light that streamed through the glass. His piggy eyes squinted behind his thick frames; his tongue poked from the side of his mouth.
"Ah," he said. "These are just the test shots. You wouldn't be interested in any of these."
"Why not?" asked Georgina, holding out her hand. "Can I see?"
"Certainly," said Beacon handing over the negative. "They are just a few shots I take to find the right focus and check the levels of lighting. Also helps to settle the model in."
Georgina looked at the tiny black and brown images. They were indeed normal shots of Jess leaning against the window, though some appeared blurred.
"This is more like it," said Beacon, handing her another strip. "The photographs I sent you all came from this set."
Georgina took the second strip and held them against the window. Beacon was right. He inched closer to her, and Georgina stepped away lest he touch her in any way.
"You probably want to order copies from that set," said Beacon. "Those photographs are by far the more superior." He put the remaining negatives back into the envelope.
"Mr. Beacon, I would still like to see the rest."
He looked down at the envelope in his hand.
"These? Mrs. Stevenson, I assure you..."
"Let me see them!" said Georgina, a little sharper than she planned.
"Okay," said Beacon, handing over the envelope. "Take your time. I'll just pop downstairs and see if my next appointment has arrived." He turned and walked through the studio, disappearing through the open door.
Georgina released a long moan and leaned back against the window frame as her legs gave way.
Keep it together, woman! You came here with a purpose!
She removed the rest of the negatives from the envelope, inhaling deeply to steady her nerves. She had no idea what she might find. One by one, she held them up to the light. Each one seemed fine. Normal pictures of her child. She stuffed them all back inside the envelope and looked around the studio.
The drawers!
Keeping her hearing attuned for returning footsteps, Georgina walked over to the large chest and began to search through the top drawer. It was full of similar blue envelopes in alphabetical order. She examined the contents of several of them, but only found standard negatives inside.
She looked over her shoulder to check the doorway. It was empty with no sounds of Beacon returning.
She carefully put back the envelopes and tried the next drawer down. It was locked. Pulling the key out the top drawer, she tried it in the next. Despite her shaking hands, she managed to fumble the key into the hole. It turned.
Georgina pulled the drawer open, gasped, and clamped her hands over her mouth.
The drawer was full to brimming with what must be hundreds of developed photographs. From the depths of the drawer, numerous faces peered back at her, all young girls.
"No..." cried Georgina from behind her hands.
She reached inside, picked up a photograph and lifted it out.