Chapter 3 - The Power of Steam Compels You

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CHAPTER 3

Joshua pulled his aetherial eyepiece out of his pocket, which allowed him to view the dead, while Nessy had one of her devices handy. Wallace needed no assistance to see spirits. He wasn't a medium, couldn't talk directly to the ghosts, nor could he channel anything, but his special sight came in handy, especially in this line of work.

"Is there truly a spirit there?" Rachel asked.

"See for yourself," Nessy said, moving so the entire family could view her handheld device.

The Fergusons gasped not only in surprise, but in obvious recognition.

"Why, that's the awful man who accused us of stealing from him," Rachel said to her husband.

"Indeed."

Interesting, Wallace thought. Something like that could keep a spirit from not only crossing over, but also drive it to haunt a specific person or family.

"Were the accusations true?" Joshua asked.

Both Bart and Rachel said, "Of course not," while acting scandalized by the question. Acting being the key word, as they were obviously hiding something. Wallace had plenty of practice in reading people's emotions -- it was a necessity when more often than not reported hauntings were hogwash -- and he could see that the two elder Fergusons might not be out-and-out lying, but they certainly weren't telling the complete truth.

What was even more interesting was the reaction of their kids. Abel looked about to say something, but Molly put a hand on his forearm, stopping him. If they couldn't get this ghost captured right quick, maybe Wallace could get Abel alone to learn what he knew.

"We're not here to judge," Joshua said. "We need to know such things to aid our investigation."

"No," Bart said with force. "It was a stark raving mad accusation from a lunatic."

"What is there to investigate?" Rachel said. "We all saw the horrible thing. Capture it and banish it from our lives."

"That'd be ideal," Nessy said. "Except you can see our equipment is still packed up. Can't exactly nab it, let alone banish it, without our goodies."

"Besides," Wallace said, "it's gone for now. I can sense it somewhere close, still in the house, but I couldn't tell you where. That's why we need to investigate. Facts can get us to drive it out here into the open."

"The spirit is the villain here, not us," Bart spat, while his wife nodded enthusiastically beside him.

"Okay, okay, let's all calm down," Joshua said. "We're on your side here. Why don't you folks explain what happened. What did it do to cause you to get in touch with Madam Halifax, and what drove her to contact us?"

Nessy reached into the compartment in the thigh of her metal leg. She lost her real one in an accident when they were children. Clunky prosthetics were a reality of most of her life, but once she had enough skill, she fashioned the leg she now wore. It moved so naturally that most people couldn't tell it wasn't her real appendage. In fact, he had no doubt, based on their lack of reaction, the Fergusons thought she merely reached into a pouch on the side of her work trousers. Instead, she slipped her hand through a concealed slit in the pants and into her leg.

She pulled out a small audio recording device, another of her own inventions. It wasn't much bigger than an average ten-piece copper novel. A thimble-full of water, which turned to steam, fueled it to spin a small wax disc inside. While it did, a special phonographic needle dug into the disc, recording the very sound itself. While the recording time was limited to no more than ten minutes, it usually provided plenty for their interviews. Plus, Nessy always carried a few extra wax discs, and it only took a moment to load a new one, while a refueling of water took even less.

Rachel started. "We first noticed strange occurrences a few months ago, things we all believed to have logical explanations. Unseen footsteps, objects out of place, doors and windows closing on their own, and other such things."

"I couldn't believe how drafty the place was getting, especially since I never felt any of the gusts, just spots of cold," Abel said.

"And I figured the walls and floors were wearing a bit thin," Molly added.

"No chance of that," Bart said. "This place is as solid as the day she was built. I guessed the servants were becoming careless, or the few machines we have were in need of tune-ups."

"This went on for a while," Rachel said. "It came to a point where we couldn't deny what was happening, and a medium was needed. Madam Halifax came highly recommended, but something happened mere seconds into her séance."

"What?" Wallace asked.

The Fergusons looked at one another, as if all were trying to find the right words. Abel was the first to discover his voice.

"An explosion of sorts. It threw us all back from the table, but there were no burns or scorch marks on anything."

"Madam Halifax left post-haste," Bart added. "All she said was that she'd get you here as quick as possible."

"And here we are," Nessy said.

"Has anything happened since the séance?" Wallace asked.

Rachel shook her head. "It's been silent."

"But eerily so," Molly said. "Like the thing is around, but it's doing nothing more than watching us."

As the Fergusons talked, the Ghost Wranglers had unpacked most of their equipment. Wallace was about to start the investigation proper to see if there was anything more when a loud crash sounded from somewhere in the house. They all jumped.

"The cellar," Rachel said, and they all rushed for it. Once down the stairs, they found a large shelf holding pickled and canned fruits and vegetables on the floor, many of the jars shattered.

"Could an explosion in the mine cause shaking enough to do this?" Joshua asked.

"No," Bart said. "It was bolted to the wall. If it were loose, someone would have noticed."

"We do run a successful mercantile, after all," Abel said.

"Yes, we know how to keep shelves sturdy," Molly added.

Wallace studied first the wall, and then the shelf. The unit had definitely been yanked out. This was not the work of a mere spirit. No, not at all. 

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