Or had she already died and was Cole keeping her image here?

Although for the context, we prefer to keep the original image.

To keep our image up, we kind of need those guys.

I kept the image of her vivid, courageous face in my mind all day.

She couldn't keep the image of his filthy, cracked hands from her mind.

If he could keep her image with him, then perhaps he would be all right.

The scene was nearly identical to the first, and rather than struggle with keeping the image in the glass.

Keep the image, but replace the cigarette with a fan.

She could have kept the blond hair, the hat and the image forever.

I have tried to keep our image that way.