grimaced. 'If you can believe it, I meant it in the nicest way possible.'
Her eyes were closed, but she felt Graves approach, the temperature in the air dropping dramatically as he drew nearer to her.
'No offense taken,' the ghost replied. 'You have another headache, Mrs. Ferrick?'
She slitted her eyes open and saw that he was leaning forward to study her. Though a ghost, Leonard Graves was still quite handsome. He was a man out of time, a man of another age, but he had rugged, determined features that reminded her of Denzel Washington… only transparent. Julia couldn’t believe she was thinking such things about a dead man and chalked it up to insanity caused by the pain inside her head.
'It’s Julia, Doctor, and yes, I’ve got a hell of a headache.'
Danny stood, holding a piece of the dresser top in his hands, and looked at her with concern. 'She gets them when she’s stressed out. Mom, do you want us to pull the curtains and let you lie down for awhile?'
'No, I’ll be fine. Maybe a couple of Aleve from my purse will.. '
'Squire often gets tension headaches,' Graves stated. 'And I’ve developed a slightly unusual, yet effective technique that helps to diminish his pain.'
She began to feel herself growing nauseous. 'Does it involve sacrificing a virgin or cutting the head off a chicken?' She ventured a tremulous smile.
The ghost chuckled. 'Surprisingly, it doesn’t.'
'Would I be a candidate for this treatment, or does it only work on trolls?'
'Squire is a hobgoblin,' Graves said. 'Quite different from trolls actually, far better hygiene, and, yes, if you’re willing, you would be a candidate.'
'I’m willing,' she croaked, the acid in her stomach churning from the intensity of the ache in her skull.
'All right,' the ghost said. 'If you’d be so kind as to remain seated and lean forward.'
Julia did as she was told. The headache was coming on hard and fast now, and the pain was such that if Graves had said that a very sharp axe would now be needed, she would have helped him search for it.
'Now don’t be alarmed, you’re going to feel something a little strange.'
The icy sensation at the back of her neck was almost pleasant, at first numbing, but then it grew intensely warm. Five points of heat pressed on the cluster of pain inside her skull. Though her eyes were closed, Julia suddenly understood what Dr. Graves was doing to her; she could see it in her mind. He had put his hand — his ghostly fingers — inside her head and was taking her headache away.
'That should do it,' the doctor said, as she slowly straightened.
Julia opened her eyes and ran a cautious hand along the back of her neck. 'It’s gone,' she said, not without a little surprise. 'That’s incredible.' She smiled. 'I feel great.'
Danny stood beside the apparition of the former adventurer. 'Not bad for a freak, huh, Ma?'
'Most headaches are caused by constriction of blood vessels inside the skull,' Graves explained. 'A little hot and cold therapy applied directly to the clusters is usually enough to alleviate the symptoms.'
'I feel as though I should write you a check or something,' Julia said, relishing the relief from her agony.
'The only payment I ask is that you extend the trust you gave to me to the others of this household.'
What he was asking her to do was likely to pain her far more than any headache ever could, but deep down she knew that it was indeed best for Danny. Besides, how could she be steered wrong by the one of the world’s most famous scientists and adventurers? Ghost or not, this was Dr. Leonard Graves. Not trusting him would be like calling Elliot Ness a crook.
Julia smiled at the comparison, these two men from the annals of twentieth-century American history.
'You’ll have to call me every other night,' she told her son.
Danny nodded. 'I can do that.'
'And I want to be able to visit. Nothing crazy, just to be able to see that you’re doing all right.'
'That can be arranged as well,' Graves responded. 'I’ll see that you are given a key. And you’ll have a guest room at your disposal whenever you like.'
'So does that mean I can stay?' Danny asked.
'Let’s just say I’m willing to try it,' Julia answered, trying to quell a slight twinge of unease.
There came a knock at the door, and it swung open. Squire ambled into the room without an invitation.
'Sorry to interrupt. Hey, love what you’re doing with the place,' he said sarcastically, nodding his potato shaped head at the dresser. 'Fuckin’ kids today,' he added with a disgusted grumble.
'What can we do for you, Squire?' Graves asked, distracting hobgoblin from glowering at the boy.
'Mr. Doyle wants to see everybody in the study.'
Danny pointed to himself.
'You, too, horny Joe,' the hobgoblin said, turning to leave. 'Go a little easier on the furniture downstairs, would ya?'
Danny followed Squire into the hall. 'I’ll talk to you later,' he called, waving to Julia, leaving her alone with Graves.
She didn’t know how to feel. 'I love you, Ma,' she muttered as she stood up from the bed looking for her purse, preparing to leave.
'Mrs. Ferrick… Julia,' Leonard Graves said. She found her pocketbook and slung the strap over her shoulder, turning toward the ghost. He smiled at her reassuringly, raising his hand to hold a forefinger and thumb slightly apart. 'Only a little bit of trust.'
'It’s the least I can do,' she answered with a smile, and then watched as his body became even more immaterial, dropping down through the floor until he was gone.
Leaving her alone with the weight of her decision.
From the window of his study, Conan Doyle watched Julia Ferrick leaving his home and striding purposefully toward her car, which sat in one of the few legal parking spaces in the affluent Beacon Hill neighborhood of Louisburg Square. His sight was perfect again, perhaps even a bit better than that. He was glad that he had decided to pay Fulcanelli more than was necessary for his efforts; the chemist had outdone himself.
He let the heavy curtain fall back into place and turned just as young Daniel Ferrick entered the room. Eve and Clay, the eldest of his menagerie, sat side by side on the sofa. Dr. Graves stood behind them with his arms crossed, not quite as translucent as usual. Graves was focused at the moment on the substantial world. Danny glanced around for a moment, an odd expression on his face as he regarded the furniture, before sitting himself on the floor, his back against the sofa.
The only one who had yet to arrive was Ceridwen, and Conan Doyle felt his pulse quicken at the thought of her. Silly git, he chided, surprised that the Fey sorceress could still have such an effect upon him after so long. What had been between them once was no more. They had become allies again, but it went no further. Must be getting soft in my old age.
Squire entered the room carrying a long serving tray, laden with a pitcher of ice water flavored with lemon slices, red grapes, crackers, and a selection of cheeses. He set the tray down upon a wheeled cart just inside the door.
'Have you seen Ceridwen, Squire?' Conan Doyle asked.
The goblin snatched up a piece of cheese from the tray and popped it into his mouth. 'Saw her on the top floor about ten minutes ago and told her there was a powwow,' he said, chewing noisily. 'She was still working on reestablishing that doorway between the house and Faerie, ironing out the wrinkles and all. Said she’d be right along.'
Conan Doyle nodded. It was powerful magic she was attempting alone, and he wondered if the sorceress might require his assistance. As soon as this meeting was concluded, he would seek her out.
From a cabinet of dark wood, he retrieved a crystal decanter of scotch and a glass tumbler. 'May I interest any of you in something with a bit more bite?'
Clay declined as he rose and went to fill a plate with crackers and grapes.
'I’ll love a jolt, thanks,' Eve said from the couch.
'Me, too,' Danny added.
Graves glared down at the boy from where he hovered. 'I think not,' he said coldly.
'It was worth a try,' the boy shrugged, getting up and going to the cart for some water.
'I’ll pass,' Squire said, perching on the edge of the loveseat with a plate stacked with cheese. 'Make it a point
