Read Online The Phantom Photographer: Murder in Marin Mystery - Book 3 (Murder in Marin Mysteries) by Martin Brown - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Martin Brown
Ads: Link
slung his camera over his shoulder, ready to tell Sheila, should they meet, that he was there grabbing a bite before a nearby photo shoot that was slated to start at eight.
Once inside, he walked quickly to the elevator and rode to the third floor, where, because of the hotel’s open atrium design, Michael had an excellent view of the entire lobby. He carefully scanned the registration area and the business people standing with cocktail glasses, gathered around the coy pond. Then he found her, seated in the hotel lobby’s lounge, a popular destination because they offered two for one drinks from five to eight every evening. Sheila was relaxed and smiling as she patted the hand of the man sitting opposite her. He, like her, was dressed in business attire.
Who was he? Michael lifted his camera and balanced its telescopic lens with his right arm, which was supported by the safety rail that wrapped each of the hotel’s floors. People with cameras photographing the center expanse of the hotel was a common site, although the size of Michael’s camera suggested that he was more passionate about photography than most.
The man Michael was staring at through his lens was a distinguished late forty- something to Sheila’s late thirty-something. After just a couple of minutes of considering the numerous business people he had met doing monthly photo shoots at chamber and Rotary gatherings, he was reasonably convinced that Sheila’s close friend was not someone he knew from Novato. Well, fortunately, he had the equipment to get a close up profile of his face from over two-hundred feet away. Someone, he thought, must know this guy.
After finishing a second drink and choosing not to order another round of doubles, they left their table and walked toward the elevators. Michael felt fine about running into Sheila in the hotel’s lobby, but in the middle of one of the guest floors, perhaps near the room where he assumed their tryst would take place, was entirely too awkward. Of course, the chance was remote in a hotel with many floors, but to play it safe, Michael quickly ducked into a stairwell and waited there for a few minutes before exiting and taking an elevator down to the lobby.
Now what? He wondered. It was unlikely that Sheila and her gentleman friend would be in the lobby in the next hour, so Michael wandered into the hotel’s restaurant and ordered the Friday night special, an all you eat shrimp marinara pasta.
Full after two and a half helpings, Michael looked at his watch. It was nearly nine. They’ve been at it for well over an hour, he thought. Michael walked out to his car and moved up to a closer spot, many of which were available now that happy hour was over and there were only a handful of diners left in the restaurant.
He backed into his spot, giving him an excellent view of the hotel’s front lobby. While the exit was well-lit, his car, parked eighty feet away, was not. He didn’t know about her gentleman friend, but he reasoned that Sheila had a family to get home to and now, two hours after they left the bar, it was reasonable to assume their passion was played out. Approximately three hours after he had followed Sheila into the hotel, she left with the same distinguished man he had photographed her sharing drinks with at the hotel bar. They nodded, shook hands, looked about, and then kissed passionately in what appeared to be a quiet parking lot. Michael caught their kiss on film. He followed her home, mindful of keeping a respectful distance, splitting off a half mile from her home and then circling back around to confirm that Sheila was now home with her family. He then headed to his own home, fully satisfied that he had done a good night’s work.
He played solitaire on his nearly new IBM PC, which came with an impressive 512K processor. Around eleven-thirty, he got into bed, clicked off the light, and went to sleep, wondering, who was Sheila’s lover?
Michael had to wait
Once inside, he walked quickly to the elevator and rode to the third floor, where, because of the hotel’s open atrium design, Michael had an excellent view of the entire lobby. He carefully scanned the registration area and the business people standing with cocktail glasses, gathered around the coy pond. Then he found her, seated in the hotel lobby’s lounge, a popular destination because they offered two for one drinks from five to eight every evening. Sheila was relaxed and smiling as she patted the hand of the man sitting opposite her. He, like her, was dressed in business attire.
Who was he? Michael lifted his camera and balanced its telescopic lens with his right arm, which was supported by the safety rail that wrapped each of the hotel’s floors. People with cameras photographing the center expanse of the hotel was a common site, although the size of Michael’s camera suggested that he was more passionate about photography than most.
The man Michael was staring at through his lens was a distinguished late forty- something to Sheila’s late thirty-something. After just a couple of minutes of considering the numerous business people he had met doing monthly photo shoots at chamber and Rotary gatherings, he was reasonably convinced that Sheila’s close friend was not someone he knew from Novato. Well, fortunately, he had the equipment to get a close up profile of his face from over two-hundred feet away. Someone, he thought, must know this guy.
After finishing a second drink and choosing not to order another round of doubles, they left their table and walked toward the elevators. Michael felt fine about running into Sheila in the hotel’s lobby, but in the middle of one of the guest floors, perhaps near the room where he assumed their tryst would take place, was entirely too awkward. Of course, the chance was remote in a hotel with many floors, but to play it safe, Michael quickly ducked into a stairwell and waited there for a few minutes before exiting and taking an elevator down to the lobby.
Now what? He wondered. It was unlikely that Sheila and her gentleman friend would be in the lobby in the next hour, so Michael wandered into the hotel’s restaurant and ordered the Friday night special, an all you eat shrimp marinara pasta.
Full after two and a half helpings, Michael looked at his watch. It was nearly nine. They’ve been at it for well over an hour, he thought. Michael walked out to his car and moved up to a closer spot, many of which were available now that happy hour was over and there were only a handful of diners left in the restaurant.
He backed into his spot, giving him an excellent view of the hotel’s front lobby. While the exit was well-lit, his car, parked eighty feet away, was not. He didn’t know about her gentleman friend, but he reasoned that Sheila had a family to get home to and now, two hours after they left the bar, it was reasonable to assume their passion was played out. Approximately three hours after he had followed Sheila into the hotel, she left with the same distinguished man he had photographed her sharing drinks with at the hotel bar. They nodded, shook hands, looked about, and then kissed passionately in what appeared to be a quiet parking lot. Michael caught their kiss on film. He followed her home, mindful of keeping a respectful distance, splitting off a half mile from her home and then circling back around to confirm that Sheila was now home with her family. He then headed to his own home, fully satisfied that he had done a good night’s work.
He played solitaire on his nearly new IBM PC, which came with an impressive 512K processor. Around eleven-thirty, he got into bed, clicked off the light, and went to sleep, wondering, who was Sheila’s lover?
Michael had to wait
Similar Books
