Evermore (Emily Chambers Spirit Medium Trilogy #3)(62)

"He come once to check on that body."

"Body?" I whispered. "What body?"

"The one under there." He indicated the floor where he'd been sitting.

"Is it a man? A young man, tall?"

He nodded. "Dark hair, trousers, and a white shirt. When I first found it, I talked to 'im, but 'e didn't answer back. Must be dead too."

I put the lamp down and rushed to the table and pushed. George and Louis joined me then Adelaide and Celia. We all pushed and the table crashed into the one next to it, knocking over jars and implements. I got down on my knees and scrabbled at the edges of the boards, but they didn't budge.

"Here." Lord Preston loomed over me, a chisel in his hand. He wedged it under one of the boards and cranked it. The board lifted and I ripped it all the way up as he moved on to the next one.

We all crowded around, lifting boards, tossing them aside. Slowly, slowly, inch by inch, Jacob's body was revealed.

"It's him!" I cried when I saw his face.

"My boy." Lord Preston dropped the chisel. His wife was on her knees, stroking Jacob's cheeks, her tears falling into his dirty hair.

I shut out the sounds of tears and gasps of wonder, and concentrated on the words Mrs. Stanley had made us all recite. There wasn't even time to pray that we weren't too late. "Come back to us," I chanted and touched Jacob's hand as she'd instructed me to do. "Return to this your body." The body twitched as if he were waking from sleep. My heart raced, but I did not allow myself to hope. Not yet. "Draw breath." Jacob's chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath. "Heart, beat."

Adelaide put her ear to his chest. "It beats!"

"My God," Lord Preston muttered, taking hold of Jacob's other hand. "My boy."

"Wake up," I finished, "and live."

Jacob's eyes opened. He blinked. The fingers on the hand I was holding clasped mine. Then he smiled. "Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again."

His mother sobbed into his shoulder and had to be gently removed by Adelaide so that Jacob could sit up. He hugged his mother and sister then finally his father. Lord Preston's shoulders shook and he held his son for a very long time. I wanted to let the four of them enjoy their reunion and tried to step back, but Jacob would not release my hand. His grip tightened.

I looked around at my sister and father, at George. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Even the boy spirit looked emotional, although he could not cry with either sadness or happiness anymore. I beckoned him over and he knelt beside me.

"Thank you." I kissed the top of his head.

He smiled. "I was waitin' for 'im to come back, that man what killed me." He shrugged. "He's gone, you say?"

"He is."

He sighed. "No point me stayin' then."

"Is there anything I can do for you here?" I asked. "Anyone I can talk to who may want to know what happened to you?"

His mouth twisted in thought. "Tell my brothers and sisters what 'appened. They might be wonderin'."

"You have brothers and sisters?"

"Not real ones. They're orphans, like me. We stick togever, we do. Did. They live in Cuttler Lane in the basement of a burnt out buildin'. Whistle short three times and they'll come to you." He smiled and doffed his cap. "Thanks, miss."

"Thank you for your help."

I watched him fade away until he was gone.

"Let's get you home," Lady Preston said to Jacob.

They helped him to stand and his father caught him when he faltered. His legs were weak and no doubt stiff after months of not being used.

"We'll send for Dr. Trentham as soon as we get home," Lady Preston said, holding Jacob. His father held him from the other side and between them they walked slowly away. My hand slipped from his and I folded my arms over my aching chest. I watched him go, wanting desperately to be with him, speak to him, hold him.

But I did not. He needed to be with his family. There would be time for us later.

"Lord Preston," Celia called. "The police must be notified. Mr. Price is dead, shot. It's unclear who did it," she said vaguely, "but I think it may have been by his own hand."

"I'll speak to the police in the morning," Lord Preston said.

"After we get our stories straight. I'll not have my family interrogated."

"I think we'll be able to leave them out entirely."

She thanked him and we watched them go. Only Adelaide hung back. She suddenly grabbed George and kissed him fiercely on the lips. He dropped the lamp and it went out. Thank goodness her parents were preoccupied and not looking.

Adelaide tore herself away then ran after them. George watched her go, a silly smile on his face. Louis picked up the broken lamp and chuckled.

"Young love," he said. "I remember that."

"So do I," Celia said, watching him from beneath her lashes. "It was so long ago."

"Not to me. It feels like yesterday." Louis swung the lamp and followed Jacob and his family out. We all did.

George locked the store room door then the larger warehouse door behind us. I watched as the drivers and footmen stared open-mouthed at Jacob. His father opened the coach door for him, but Jacob didn't climb the steps.