Chapter 7

"Sorry I'm late," Duncan apologized as he entered Bay Street Antiques.

"That's okay," Prue replied. "There's still some good light left for pictures. Have a good visit with your friend?"

"A very good visit," Duncan said removing his coat. "I ran into Phoebe at the hotel."

"Oh, yeah. She mentioned meeting someone for lunch there," Prue said thinking quickly.

"Right," Duncan said. "So what are you photographing today?"

"Thought I'd go to Fishermen's Wharf. Lots of atmosphere and tourists," Prue said retrieving her knapsack full of camera equipment from the back room. "See you tomorrow."

"Good luck at the Wharf."


After finally finding a parking spot, Prue looped her camera around her neck, slung her knapsack over her shoulder and walked to the Wharf. Although many San Franciscans tended to avoid the Wharf, she always liked the dynamic spirit of the place. She arrived

just in time to take a few shots of the fishing boats coming back to port. Losing herself in the masses, Prue snapped pictures of whatever captured her interest.

She walked toward Pier 39, a former cargo pier that was converted into a shopping/entertainment complex. It also housed a wonderful double-decker Venetian carousel. Deciding to try something different, she bought a ride on the carousel. She sat down on a red carriage figuring it would be problematic to work her camera while on a horse. When the merry-go-round began to turn, she started taking pictures at random.

After getting a few shots of the riders and horses, she began taking a few shots of the spectators watching the carousel. Looking through the viewfinder while she spun in circles was starting to make her dizzy. She was about to lower her camera when she caught something at the edge of her vision. She reflexively pushed the shutter button then realized what, or rather whom, she saw.

It was her mother.

Her camera thudded against her chest as she dropped it. Grabbing her knapsack, she got to her feet and ran opposite to the merry-go-round's rotation trying to keep her mother in sight. Rapidly losing ground, she turned and ran the other way.

Leaping off the carousel, she scanned the crowd for her mother. When she didn't see her, Prue climbed up some stairs for a better view but still had no luck. She rushed back down and plunged through the crush of people.

She searched for about thirty minutes before giving up. Dejectedly, she made her way to the dock's railing. She was beginning to doubt herself. It couldn't have been Mom, Prue thought, could it? She opened her knapsack and took the camera off her neck. Memories of the carousel ride flicked through her mind. She remembered pressing the shutter button when her mother appeared in the viewfinder. She froze realizing what that meant. She put her camera in her bag and ran to her car.


Piper was in the dining room going over some P3 paperwork when she heard the front door slam.

"Prue? Phoebe?"

"Can't talk now," Prue yelled as she ran downstairs to her developing lab.

Must have taken some good pictures, Piper thought as she went back to her paperwork.


It was two hours before Prue emerged from the basement. She found her sisters in the kitchen. Piper was cooking as usual while Phoebe was setting the table.

"How did your day go?" Piper asked bringing the bowl of pasta primavera to the table.

"It was strange," Prue replied grabbing the salad as they sat down for supper. "I think I saw Mom."

"What?" Piper exclaimed her cutlery clanging against her plate as she dropped her knife and fork.

"I saw Mom," Prue repeated. "At least, I think it was her. I was on the carousel at Pier 39 taking some pictures when I saw her through the viewfinder. I couldn't get off the ride fast enough to find her. I thought I might've taken a picture of her, but when I developed the film, she wasn't in any of the shots."

"What did she look like?" Phoebe asked.

"I just had a glimpse," Prue said, "but she was wearing a long flowing white dress, and she looked ragged like something was wrong."

"And nothing showed up in your pictures?" Piper asked.

"Nothing," Prue answered frustratedly.

"Was she wearing the amber brooch?" Phoebe asked.

Prue tried to recall exactly what she saw. "I don't know. I can't remember. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"How did the stakeout at the St. Regis go?" Piper asked.

"More or less a dud," Phoebe admitted. "I stayed there for about two hours. Then Duncan showed up, and we had coffee."

"Did he ask why you were there?" Piper questioned.

"Yeah, I told him what I told the hotel staff. That I was working on a sociology assignment."

"Uh-oh. I told him you were meeting someone for lunch." Prue said inwardly cringing. Silence descended upon the kitchen for a moment.

"There's no reason why I couldn't have done both," Phoebe said. "Anyway, I thought I saw the woman in my vision, but Duncan got in the way, and I lost her. I can't even be sure if it was her so I don't know if it would be worth going back."

"So what's our next move?" Piper asked.

"We wait, I guess," Prue replied.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Piper said.