The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw (22 page)

'Imran and I must unravel some age old mystery about time travel. It's all very complicated but I think we're getting there. I dreamed about it last night, which helped.'

Lana nodded, 'Cool.'

'We'd better go see if we can find Nisha. Good luck guys,' said Emma as they turned away and headed to the dining room for a quick cup of tea first.

As they opened the door, the aroma of strong coffee filled their nostrils. Rupert sat lounging on one of the long black leather sofas that perched against the far wall, while Ava and Eleanor stood facing him chatting.

'Hi girls,' Eleanor said, barely turning to see who it was.

'Hi Eleanor, Rupert, Ava,' they said practically in unison which made them giggle as they walked over to the kettle.

'It's only just boiled,' Ava smiled.

'Thanks.'

With mugs of tea in their hands, they turned and walked towards the other sofa, sitting down and relaxing for a brief break.

'... and then Ava heard them say it was located in Greenwich. When we got there, I was able to walk straight in without being spotted, taking the photo you wanted and getting out before the security guards could notice anything strange had happened,' Rupert continued.

Eleanor's face lit up with a huge grin, 'Well then, congratulations. You are the first Watchers here to complete your task. Well done. I'm really rather impressed.'

Ava beamed at Rupert who stood up and high-fived her.

'Excellent!' he said, loudly.

'Already?' asked Lana, 'You've completed your task already? We've barely even started!'

'There's no hurry, Lana. All I ask is for the tasks to be completed. It doesn't matter how long it takes. Well, within reason of course. As long as you've done it before you return home,' she smiled.

Lana sighed dramatically as Emma stood up, 'Well, let's not waste any more time then. Eleanor do you know where Nisha is?'

'Yes, Habika took her and Penny to the National Archives in Kew. They won't be back for a while yet. Anything I can do?'

Emma shook her head, 'No thanks, Eleanor. We could really use Nisha's skills.'

'Oh I understand,' she winked before adding, 'I shall leave you to it. I've got lots of work to do myself.'

Eleanor smiled at them before turning and walking out of the dining room, leaving the Watchers alone.

'So, why do you need Nisha's skills?' asked Rupert who had plonked himself back on the sofa like he owned the place.

'It's just for our task, that's all.'

'Which is?' he asked.

'Rupert, maybe they don't want to tell us,' Ava scolded.

'Of course they do. It's written all over their faces. See...' he said, sitting up and pointing at Lana's forehead, 'I want to tell Rupert and Ava about our task. It's right there in black ink,' he laughed at his own joke.

Shaking her head but smiling, Lana took the final gulp of tea before leaning back. Finally giving in to his questions, she began to tell them what they had been entrusted to do.

'... but he disappeared when we were shopping...'

'No surprise there. I would have done the same,' Rupert interrupted.

Lana glared at him before Emma continued, 'I noticed that he seemed to have been forgetting things before he disappeared though. It was weird.'

'And you think he's hiding at a cemetery?' Ava asked, intrigued.

'Possibly, although after this morning, we're not so sure. We looked all over for him in two of the largest cemeteries around but there was no sign of him,' Emma sighed.

'But if he is losing his memory, perhaps he just doesn't know who you are? Maybe that's why he won't reveal himself to you?' Ava suggested as she rubbed her dimpled chin.

'That's a possibility, I guess. We're hoping Nisha can help,' Lana replied.

'Good idea,' Rupert interjected. 'Well, we're here with nothing to do if you need any help,' he smirked.

'Thanks for rubbing it in, Rupert,' Lana said as she pulled the small cushion out from behind her back and threw it at him.

'Thanks though,' she added with a cheeky grin.

CHAPTER THIRTY

It was two minutes to midnight. Emma and Lana stood shivering, not with cold but with apprehension. Standing amid a multitude of gravestones, they waited for Nisha to arrive. When she'd finally returned from the National Archives earlier that afternoon, she'd been delighted to have been asked for assistance and had suggested they meet at midnight at another local churchyard, Abney Park.

The call of a hooting owl, followed by a deep creaking sound made Lana practically jump into her sister's arms, making Emma chuckle nervously.

The girls stood looking around, imagining eerie shadows dancing in the moonlight when it was really just the trees swaying in the breeze.

When a deep throaty laugh made them bolt from where they stood, Lana soon came to a standstill when the laughter changed to one that was much more recognisable.

'Liam Hawkes, that is so not funny,' she shouted with her arms crossed, stamping her foot.

'Aw man, that was so funny,' he said from behind the tree where he'd been hiding. Stepping out from the shadows, Liam appeared, grinning widely. Lana couldn't be angry for long though and she rushed into his arms, kissing him and hitting him at the same time.

'Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' he laughed.

Stepping out gingerly from behind him was Diarmuid, who grinned sheepishly as Emma laid her eyes on him.

'You too?' she laughed. 'That was cruel,' she said as he walked over to her, apologising before he enveloped her in a big hug and planted a kiss firmly on her lips. Their first real kiss. Emma literally melted into his arms, thoroughly enjoying the moment, forgetting about where they were and what they were about to do. But the sound of footsteps and someone clearing their throat broke them out of their loved up trance.

The four of them turned to face Nisha and Penny, Moira, Imran, Cassie, Elliott, Ava and Rupert.

'Oh wow, we weren't expecting the whole group to turn up,' smiled Emma, who felt herself blush from head to foot.

'There was no way we were going to miss out on a midnight trip to a churchyard,' said Rupert with a grin. 'Besides, considering we already finished our task...' he stopped, smiling, for added effect before continuing, 'We figured we'd nothing better to do.'

'Oh grow up already,' Lana said, punching him softly on his shoulder as he came closer.

'Sorry guys, but they overheard me telling Penny about tonight and I guess the word spread...' Nisha apologised.

'Although this is totally creepy, I think it's kind of cool that we're all out together for a change,' Emma said happily, quickly getting over her embarrassment at being caught mid-kiss with Diarmuid.

'Absolutely. This should be fun,' Diarmuid said, a little unsure, causing the rest of them to laugh.

'Shall we go and find somewhere to sit down so we can make a start?' suggested Nisha as they walked towards the old chapel and further into the woodland area, where it grew steadily darker.

'A little light would be nice,' said Lana to Emma who instantly began glowing ever so slightly, before Diarmuid did the same as they walked hand in hand.

'Oh I forgot you could do that too,' squealed Lana, clapping her hands like a delighted child.

'We mustn't light the place up too much. We don't want to attract any attention,' said Cassie, as Emma and Diarmuid both dimmed themselves a little. The group began to walk past the old decaying chapel and down a long windy pathway, covered on either side by overgrown ivy, which spread across the ground and over gravestones like protective wiry fingers.

Eventually they came to a clearing. Nisha stopped and looked across to her right. 'Over there, let's head over there,' she said a little spookily.

Lana glanced at Emma, who in turn glanced up at Diarmuid. Nobody said a word, they just stopped behind the Indian girl, waited for a moment and then followed closely behind. They continued walking until they came upon a monument of an angel, one of many within the old abandoned cemetery. Nisha plonked herself down beneath it and leaned back to get more comfortable.

'Sit down,' she told everyone quietly, before she closed her eyes for a moment. 'Can you dim the lights a bit more please? I'm not sure if they'll come through if it's too bright.'

Diarmuid and Emma did as they were told. The fact that Nisha had said 'they' instead of 'him' preoccupied Emma a little.
How many ghosts would there be?
Diarmuid, noticing Emma shiver to his side, put his arm across her shoulders protectively, making her feel much better.

'We have come to speak to the spirit of the young man who goes by the name of Josiah Grimshaw. Josiah, show yourself,' Nisha said firmly.

The rest of the group bent their heads down and listened for the approach of well, anything really. But nothing happened. The owls continued to hoot and the trees continued to sway as the breeze made them shiver in the semi-darkness.

'Josiah Grimshaw, we just want to talk. Are you there?'

Suddenly, a bright light flashed beside the angel monument, making Diarmuid and Emma lose concentration. Their light went out in an instant.

'Emma!' scolded Lana who sat between her and Liam.

'What the hell was that?' screeched Penny.

'Shhhh,' muttered Nisha, as she asked Josiah to show himself.

Again there was a momentarily flash of light.

'Who wishes to speak to Josiah Grimshaw?' asked a deep, unfamiliar voice in the darkness.

Nisha gulped before speaking, 'My name is Nisha Singh.'

'And who are you, Nisha Singh? And who are your followers?' asked the voice which seemed to move around the group, causing a temporary wave of fear to flow through them.

Nisha smiled before she continued, 'They are not my followers, they are my friends and we are here to speak to Josiah. His friends are among us.'

'His friends?' said the voice.

'Yes, Emma Jane and Lana Beth Morgan. Josiah came to London with them, from his birthplace of Andilyse Island. They wish to talk to him, that's all. And who are you?' she asked confidently. 'Might you consider showing yourself?'

'You are a brave soul, Nisha Singh.'

A flash of light temporarily blinded them all. When their sight was returned to normal, Penny shrieked at the sight of a deathly pale middle-aged man with a hole in his head, standing in between her and Nisha.

'Wh....wh....who are you?' Penny gulped, unable to move.

'I am Granville Houston, who are you?' he asked back.

'P..P...P....Penny Vega.'

'A pleasure to meet you, Penny Vega,' he said with a curt nod of his head. 'And who might you be?' he asked as he looked over towards Imran.

'Imran, Sir, Imran Chaudri,' he whispered.

'Hi,' Rupert interrupted, 'I'm Rupert Henson. I'd shake your hand but, I guess that would be impossible,' he said with a broad smile, as if talking to dead people happened all the time.

'Rupert eh? A good old fashioned name. And you?'

'Elliott Drake.'

'Elliot Drake,' said Granville, stroking his chin and looking towards the heavens. 'I knew me an Elliot Drake once. Evil man, evil,' he tutted. 'I hope you're not related. And who might you be?' he said pointing towards Ava.

Gulping loudly, Ava had difficulty opening her mouth to speak.

'That's Ava Burton and Moira Lynn, this is Cassie Stanton, over there is Liam Hawkes and Diarmuid O'Connor. This is my sister Emma Jane and I'm Lana Beth Morgan,' said Lana, getting bored of all the introductions. 'We'd really like to speak to Josiah please. Can you help us or not Mr Houston?' she said in a strong tone.

The ghost burst out laughing. 'Why I never,' he chuckled, 'That's the first time a good lady has spoken to me so curtly in over a hundred years. What a breath of fresh air. It's a pleasure to meet you Lana Beth and your sister and the rest of you. But I'm sorry to say that I don't know any Josiah... Grimshaw, did you say?' he asked as Lana nodded. 'Nah, no Josiah passed through here lately. Unless....' he said, stopping for a moment to rub his chin again.

'Unless what Mr Houston?' asked Nisha.

'There was an odd chap here the other day. Didn't know where he was going or where he'd been. Couldn't remember his name at all. First ghost I ever met who couldn't remember his own name. Strange that was.'

'That must have been him,' said Emma, breathlessly. 'Do you know what happened to him? Do you know where he went?'

Granville shrugged his shoulders. 'I got bored of him after a while and left him to it. He's probably still wandering around here somewhere.'

'Could you try and find him for us?' asked Elliott.

'I could try but what's in it for me?' he replied.

The group suddenly went quiet, as they all looked across at each other, unsure what to say.

'Perhaps we can help you cross over, Mr Houston,' offered Ava.