Resonable Doubt

by Catherine Anderson

  "Oh, I wish he could. He'd be over the moon."

  "A picture! I'll take a picture so we can give it to him up at the hospital. One of you, standing beside it. Good idea?"

  "A great idea!"

  He started for his truck, stopped and snapped his fin­gers. "Damn! My camera's in town at my folks' house."

  "I've got one of those instant jobs. We could use that."

  Tyler rolled his eyes. "I suppose I can condescend to use it for one picture. Go get it."

  A few minutes later, Breanna posed beside the chest, smiling up at Tyler.

  "Lift one of the bags and hold it open." He stepped sideways and clicked the shutter. "Another big smile, Bree."

  "Get the picture, moron. You're not using your Leica."

  Tyler tugged the photo from the slot, tossing it onto the ground. The puppy bounded up. "Nah, get back, you snoopy little mutt." Tyler rescued the picture and held it between his thumb and forefinger while he snapped an­other. "Okay, lady, climb out and watch yourself appear."

  Breanna scrambled from the hole to stand beside him. Peering over his arm, she watched the images darken. "Oh, it's good, don't you think? Not bad for this light."

  "An expert took it." Tyler turned the photo, his smile fading. "A little foggy in one corner." He held up the other, handing her the first. "Oh, this one's clear. Dane'll love it. That smile on your face says it all, sweetheart."

  Breanna wasn't looking at her smile. She stared at the corner of the picture, at the foggy spot Tyler had seen, which was now becoming more sharply defined. A frown pleated her brow. "Tyler, who's that man?"

  What man?"

  "This man, the one behind me in the picture!"

  He glanced over, then did a double take. His eyes riveted on the corner of the photo. "That isn't—well, it looks sort of like a man, but it's just a bad exposure."

  Breanna's mouth went dry. "It looks like a—" She licked her lips. "It's a miner, Tyler. You can see his slickers. And his headlamp."

  Tyler leaned closer. "Sure can, can't you?" His gaze moved to her pale face. "Honey, it's just a trick of the light. You know how you can see things in clouds if you look? It's the same principle."

  Breanna studied the blurred image for a long moment, then lifted her gaze to the treasure chest. Coaly was off to the right, sniffing the foundation of the barn, the puppy on his heels. A shiver ran up her spine. "Tyler, you don't think it could be—?"

  "No ma'am, I don't." He took her firmly by the arm. "Talk about clear out into the twilight zone! That's crazy. John Van Patten's ghost? Come on, get real." "Nobody believed in his treasure, either. And there it is! "It's just a bad photo, taken with a cheap camera. Come on, let's get that gold stowed someplace and take the pic­tures in to Dane."

  Breanna took one more look at the photo, then sighed. "It is just a patch of blur when you look close, isn't it?" "Yup, and that's all it is."

  As the words trailed off Tyler's lips, he glanced at the barn. Coaly barked, wagged his tail, then sat on his haunches to emit a long, mournful howl.