“Fine!” Jacob said. “I’ll get out of your life then!”
He scrunched his face up as if he was trying to make something happen.
A snort of laughter escaped from Grace. “You look like you need the toilet.”
“Shut up, I’m concentrating!”
Grace sat on the bed and watched Jacob as he pulled all sorts of faces.
After a minute he flung his arms in the air and said, “Looks like you’re stuck with me.”
Grace nodded. “We’d better do something about it, you can’t stay here forever. We’ll go see Steve. He’s a lawyer and I could do with a bit of legal advice. It says on his website that the first hour is free.” She looked at her watch. “We’d better hurry up, his office closes soon.”
“What are you going to say about me?” Jacob asked.
Grace sighed. She stood up and said, “I’ll think of something on the way there. Come on, we’ve got a bus to catch.”
Jacob’s face lit up. “Do buses fly?”
Chapter 16
They soon discovered a problem. Grace left the shop and expected Jacob to be at her side. When he wasn’t she gingerly called out to him, not wanting to catch the attention of any passers-by.
There was no answer so Grace went back into the shop. She immediately saw Jacob inside, his face grief-stricken. “I can’t leave! It’s like a force-field is stopping me!”
Grace frowned and thought for a moment. Then she said, “Perhaps you’re attached to your belongings, you might have to be near them to travel anywhere.”
“Do you think so?” Jacob asked. “Are you going to try to take something with us?” He gave a sudden laugh. “You’re going to look ridiculous walking down the street with my bed cover tucked under your arm.”
Grace shot him a withering glance. “I’ll obviously take something smaller. How about those cassettes of yours? If you don’t mind, I can give them away to Steve.”
A hurt look crossed Jacob’s face. “Give my music away? I’m not sure about that, those cassettes are valuable, you could sell them.”
As gently as she could Grace told him that they didn’t use cassettes any more. She explained about MP3 players. Jacob didn’t believe her so she showed him her own.
“Impossible! How can you fit thousands of songs on that? Do I look stupid?” Jacob said.
Grace turned her music on, then she showed him her listed albums. Jacob’s look changed from disbelief to awe.
“Cool,” he said. He tried to reach out for it but his hand passed through.
“Can I take the cassettes then?” Grace asked.
Jacob gave a sad shrug. “I suppose so.”
Grace collected the cassettes and put them in her handbag. She stepped out onto the pavement. Jacob took a step forward and joined her. He grinned, “Your plan worked. Now what?”
“Now we get the bus. I can’t talk to you in public, people will think I’m talking to myself. You can talk to me but if I need to reply I’ll type you a text and you can read it.”
“Eh?” Jacob said.
Grace took out her phone and told him what it was.
“Looks like something from Star Trek. Wait! Can it transport you? Or beam you up somewhere?” Jacob asked, his face lit up like a Christmas tree.
Grace didn’t like to burst his bubble, but she did so anyway. She showed him how it worked and what a text looked like. She didn’t use text abbreviations, she didn’t think he was ready for that yet.
They headed towards the bus stop. Jacob walked slightly behind her, taking in all the new sights, and old sights.
“I can’t believe that hairdressers is still there! My dad goes there. And my mum’s being going to that butchers for years.”
Grace felt Jacob’s mood change. She looked back at him. Sadness filled his face.
“My mum and dad, what’s happened to them? Do you think they’re dead? Is that why my stuff was in storage?”
Grace made a show of looking in the shop window where Jacob had stopped. It was full of home brewing equipment. She quickly typed a text and held it up. Jacob was staring straight ahead and didn’t notice. She coughed and muttered, “Text!”
Jacob blinked and brought his attention back to her. He read the text and nodded. “Yeah, we can ask Steve about that, good idea. Why are you looking at beer making kits?”
Chapter 17
Jacob was quiet on the bus journey, he sat in the empty seat next to her. Grace sent a silent prayer requesting that no one would sit next to her. Other than muttering a few disdainful comments about what people were wearing, and how awful their hairstyles were, Jacob didn’t say much.
A short while later, they stood in front of the receptionist at the lawyer’s firm where Steve Roberts worked.
Grace explained for the third time that they didn’t have an appointment but it was urgent, and no, she couldn’t tell the receptionist what it was about.
The gleam in the receptionist’s eyes made Grace think the woman was thoroughly enjoying being unhelpful.
“I can only reiterate what I’ve just told you, Mr Roberts is extremely busy and is only available by appointment. I can book you in for two weeks on Monday,” the woman said. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
“Silly cow, she doesn’t look sorry at all,” Jacob grumbled. “Just push past her and run in to Steve’s office. You’re bigger than her, you can easily knock her over.”
“Thanks,” Grace mumbled.
“You’re welcome,” the woman said, thinking the thanks was for her. “The exit door is to your left.”
Grace sighed and turned away. Jacob stood in front of her, his arms held forward like a barrier. “You’ve got to see him now! I can’t wait for two weeks on Monday! Knock that snooty cow over!”
Grace passed through Jacob, feeling a slight chill as she did so. She headed towards the exit. She wasn’t happy about having to wait two weeks either but what could she do? She wasn’t the type to argue with an evil receptionist. She was too much of a wimp.
The office phone rang as Grace put her hand on the handle of the exit door. She heard the receptionist say, “I’ll check in the postroom, I won’t keep you a minute.”
Jacob appeared at Grace’s side and hissed, “Don’t move!”
Grace stood frozen in mid-step. She heard the click clack of the receptionist’s shoes as she walked away.
“She’s gone! Now’s our chance. Run!”
Grace’s heart began to beat faster. She glanced behind her and saw that the receptionist’s desk was empty.
“Run! Run!” Jacob chanted in her ear. “Quick! Steve’s office is down this way.”
Fighting all her good upbringing Grace spun around and ran down the hall towards a line of doors. She spotted one with Steve’s name on it and flung it open. She leapt inside and slammed the door behind her.
“What on earth? Who are you?” the man behind the desk stood up and glared at Grace.
“Steve! Steve Roberts! You fat old man!” Jacob burst out in delight. He ran over to him and looked him up and down. He turned back to Grace and said, “He hasn’t got wooden legs! He’s got a massive tummy though. Ha! I can’t believe it! Steve Roberts!”
Grace tried to regain her composure. It wasn’t easy with Jacob bounding around Steve like a playful puppy. It would be so much easier if Steve could see Jacob.
Steve put his hands on his ample hips and in a louder voice he said, “Who are you? And how dare you burst into my office unannounced? If you don’t explain yourself I shall be forced to call security.”
Jacob collapsed into hoots of laughter. “Steve! You’re so funny, acting all grown up!”
Grace stepped forward. “I really must apologise but there’s something important I have to tell you, well, discuss with you.”
Steve’s expression changed slightly. He pointed at Grace and said, “Don’t I know you? Your face looks familiar, have you been on the TV? Or in the papers?”
Grace had but she wasn’t going to g
et into that just now. She shook her head.
Steve’s look hardened. “Then I’m definitely calling security.” He reached for the phone on his desk.
Grace opened her handbag and grabbed the cassettes. She flung them on to Steve’s desk.
He dropped the phone receiver and collapsed in to his chair, the colour drained from his face.
He looks like he’s seen a ghost, Grace thought.
She knew how he felt.
Chapter 18
“Where...where did you get those?” Steve asked, his voice weak.
Grace sat opposite him and said, “My brother and I bought a storage locker this morning, we found them inside.”
A sudden panic rushed through Grace. How was she going to explain the connection between Steve and the cassettes? There was no way she was going to tell him she could see ghosts.
A lie quickly came to her. “There was some paperwork with the things that we found. We know that they used to belong to a boy called Jacob Paster.”
Steve automatically mumbled, “Paster, not like the food but as in faster.”
Jacob let out a whoop of delight. “He remembers me!”
Grace continued with her lie. “Your name was on a scrap of paper next to the cassettes, with your old address. I managed to track you down online, I wasn’t sure if you were the right Steve Roberts, the one who knew Jacob Paster.”
Steve didn’t seem to be paying much attention to her story. He gazed at the cassettes as if they held some sort of magical power. He said, “Jacob, my best friend. He was mad about music, we both were. That was a million years ago.”
“What happened to him? Is he still alive?” Grace hated lying but she had to find out as much as she could for Jacob’s sake.
Steve didn’t look away from the cassettes. “He died in a car accident. We were on our way to a concert. What a waste of a life.”
Grace prodded a bit more. “Was he driving?”
Steve snapped out of his trance and looked at Grace. “Why do you want to know?”
Grace swallowed. She didn’t like the angry look on Steve’s face, she didn’t blame him, it was none of her business.
Before she could speak Steve clicked his fingers and said, “I know who you are! You’re the daughter of that drunken driver, the one that killed himself and his wife, he tried to kill you too!”
Chapter 19
Grace jumped up and shouted, “That’s not true! My dad didn’t drink! He wouldn’t drink and drive. It was an accident!”
Steve stood and held his arms up in a calming manner. “I’m sorry, I know how facts can get twisted by the press. I didn’t mean to upset you. Please, sit down. I know all about car crashes and gossip. Let me tell you what happened to me and Jacob.”
Grace’s eyes stung, her heart thudded against her chest. A familiar panicky feeling threatened to overtake her. She felt the urge to run away.
Jacob stood at her side. She felt a coldness on her arm, she looked down to see that Jacob was touching her. He looked at her with concern and said, “I’m sorry to hear about your mum and dad, Grace. We can go, if you want.”
Grace took a deep calming breath and sat back down. It never got easier. She looked up at Steve, and then at Jacob. She wasn’t the only one who had suffered. She tried to smile. “Sorry about that. I’d like to hear about Jacob, thank you.”
Steve began to explain. He said he had only passed his driving test the week before the car crash, he wasn’t a confident driver and didn’t feel happy about driving on the motorway.
“But Jacob was so keen to get to the concert, I couldn’t let him down. He’d made a special cassette, just for the journey,” Steve said. He looked back at the cassettes. “No way! There it is! I didn’t know that it had survived. Anyway, Jacob kept telling me to hurry up but I was afraid to. Then a lorry shot out from the left hand side, I panicked and lost control of the car. Everything slowed down as we skidded across the lanes. When we stopped we were upside down. That’s the last thing I remember. The next thing I knew was that I was in hospital. No one told me about Jacob for a while, I think they were waiting until I was strong enough.”
Grace nodded, she knew that feeling. Frankie sometimes still treated her as if she were a fragile piece of china that was going to break.
Steve looked past Grace and across his office. “I feel so guilty over what happened, Jacob died because of me.”
Jacob went over to Steve and said, “It wasn’t your fault! It was mine, I put you off your driving because I shouted at you. Grace! Tell him!”
Grace looked at the desk. She wasn’t ready to admit to anyone that she could see ghosts. She looked back at Steve and said, “I felt guilty about the crash that killed my parents. It was my car and Dad was driving. He wasn’t used to it. We were going out for a birthday meal, my birthday, and he insisted on driving. I could tell as soon as we set off that he wasn’t comfortable, he couldn’t control the car.”
Steve brought his attention back to Grace. “Forgive me for bringing this up again, but it was reported that your father had been drinking and that he was over the limit before he set off. It wasn’t your fault that he couldn’t control the car.”
Grace vehemently shook her head. “My dad wasn’t a big drinker, he would never drink and drive. I can’t explain what happened and why the medical reports showed what they did. I need to dig further into it, I just don’t feel up to it yet. But my point is, that I feel guilty, just like you.”
Steve said, “But it wasn’t your fault.”
“And do you truly believe that your car accident was your fault?” Grace probed.
Steve looked into the distance again. He sighed. “I suppose not, but it’s hard to let go of the guilt.”
“I know,” Grace said.
Steve suddenly smiled. “We should make a pact, no, make that a legal agreement. We should both agree to let go of our guilt. What do you say?”
“A legal agreement?” Grace asked.
Steve stood up and straightened his jacket. He held his hand out and said, “An informal legal agreement, so to speak. We’ll shake on it.”
Grace didn’t move. Her guilt was fresh, could she really let it go that easily?
Jacob was at her side. He said, “You have to do it, for Steve’s sake and your own.”
Grace stood up, her legs felt weak as she held her hand out. Steve gripped it firmly. Warmth flowed from his hand and in to Grace’s body. She took a sharp intake as a feeling of pure peace washed over her. She could almost see her guilt floating away.
“You look like a heavy weight has been lifted from your shoulders,” Steve said. He grinned. “I feel like that too. Isn’t that silly? Holding on to guilt when we shouldn’t? I feel years younger! Do you know what I feel like doing? Playing these music cassettes at full blast!”
Jacob jumped onto the desk and started to play an air guitar.
Grace couldn’t help but laugh.
Steve loosened his tie and opened a drawer in the desk. “I’ve still got a cassette player somewhere. Stay and listen if you like, or have you got to be somewhere?”
Grace felt light-headed and wanted to get out in to the fresh air. She said, “I have to go but could I ask you for some legal advice? Please?”
“Of course,” Steve said as he pulled out a dusty cassette player.
Grace briefly told him about Eddie Tominski and the loans her dad had left her and Frankie with.
Steve gave a low whistle. “I wouldn’t cross Eddie Tominski for all the chocolate in Belgium. Nasty piece of work but clever with it. I’ve known other lawyers who’ve tried to get their clients free of him, some of them ended up in the hospital, the lawyers not the clients. My best advice is to try and clear the debt as soon as you can. If you really get stuck I can try to help but my fees would only add to your debt I’m afraid.”
Grace said, “Thanks anyway.” Frankie had taken legal advice too about Eddie and had been told the same thing. She remembered Jacob asking about his parent
s. She asked Steve about them.
He told her that they were still alive, they were utterly devastated after Jacob’s death, it took them years to lead a normal life again. He had no idea about why they’d put Jacob’s belongings in a storage unit. “They moved house a few years ago, we keep in touch through Christmas cards. Perhaps they felt ready to let his things go. I could ask them.”
Grace looked at Jacob, he shook his head.
Grace said, “No, thank you anyway. I’d better go.” She walked towards the door. Steve called after her, “Have a look through Jacob’s things. You never know, you might find those famous coins of his, he was convinced that they were worth something!”
Chapter 20
Grace was alone on the bus ride home. She assumed that she had done what she needed to with Steve, to help him release his guilt. Was that all she needed to do? Is that why Jacob was hanging around as a ghost?
Grace had an uneasy feeling that she couldn’t shake. It had seemed too easy. But if Jacob hadn’t come with her on the bus then maybe he was supposed to stay with Steve and the cassettes.
A small smile played on her lips as she remembered Jacob playing his air guitar. As soon as Steve had pressed play on his machine he had done exactly the same. It was a bittersweet scene to see the two friends reunited, one that would never grow old, and one that was trying to recapture his youth.
Grace leant her head against the bus window. The guilt that she had carried around since the car crash had stayed away since she shook hands with Steve. She wished she knew the true facts behind the crash. No matter what anyone said she knew Dad would never have put them in danger. She’d spoken to Frankie about it, he agreed with her, but he’d also said that Dad must have been under a lot of pressure with all the debts he was amounting, the debts they only found out about after his death.
Grace knew her dad would never have resorted to drinking. She closed her eyes. What if she was wrong?
Jacob's Coins: A Cozy Ghost Mystery (Storage Ghost Mysteries Book 1) Page 4
