curtains to make sure not a single sunbeam entered the room. Finally he spoke, "I have spent my entire life studying the science of possession—"
Wesley interrupted him, "There is no science about it."
"But perhaps there is!" said Phineas, opening up his arms, inviting them to see the possibilities. "What is science? A controlled, recorded sequence of events which leads to the same outcome over and over again. What we have here is a woman who came into contact with this urn, and responded with possession. Another woman came into possession of this urn, and now you say she is possessed, too? Will she go on the same rampage? If we gave it to your friend Mrs. O'Hare, would she respond in kind? What are the variables? What is it about this object that turns its owner to such evil?"
"I assure you I have no idea," said Wesley. "But can you endanger people's lives for this answer?"
Phineas sat down. "But perhaps no one needs be endangered at all."
"What?" said Wesley. "What could you possibly mean?"
"You, Mr. Lowenherz, are a medium of some repute."
Wesley shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "This is true."
"What if this power this... spirit... seeks not to destroy at all but merely to be heard? What if in reaching out to the spiritual plane, we could end this curse for all time?"
"What are you getting at?" asked Wesley, clearly perfectly aware of the direction of this conversation.
"A séance," said Phineas. "A simple joining of hands around a circle. Let us see if we can contact this creature, find out what it wants, find out if it will merely attach itself to another object, or if in fact, it is bound to this heart and all that it requires is to be returned to its body."
"Could we not return it to its body, and if that fails to stop the murders, then attempt a séance?" asked Clara.
"But think of all the time lost in trying to find the new master, the new owner of the offending object. Think of all the lives you put at risk by not investigating this matter fully."
"I hardly think..." began Wesley.
Phineas held up his hand. "I see that you have some misgivings. Let me tempt you. Hold this séance. Speak to this otherworldly creature. Satisfy my curiosity. And when it is done, the urn shall be yours."
"It is a great risk," said Clara, looking worriedly at Wesley.
"And what risk is there?" asked Phineas. "We know the person you believe the spirit has possessed, my dear Pauline. When she arrives, we can take necessary precautions. All of the deaths occurred because the members there were taken unaware. We shall have complete control of the situation. And once we discover from this spirit exactly what it needs to be led to rest, the problem shall be no more. Surely this is a much safer course than blindly setting about the same task and learning that with your one chance, you did it wrong. Surely."
His logic was persuasive. Wesley leaned forward, "Fine. We shall do it."
Phineas stood. "Good! Good! Let us not delay! I shall speak to Pauline tonight, and by tomorrow this entire matter shall be put to rest."
Wesley and Clara rose and made their goodbyes. Once out on the street, Clara looked at Wesley like she had never seen him before in her life. "Why would you place me at such great risk?" she asked.
"Whatever do you mean, Clara?" Wesley asked confused.
"You do not speak with ghosts," she pointed out. "I do."
Wesley seemed defeated. "I know, my darling, I know. But we shall not be using your skill at all."
"What?"
"This is the only way to secure that heart. Think. He promised that we shall have the heart after this experience. So, we go and I shall say that the spirit demands the heart be returned to the body. We regain the heart, and that shall be that."
Clara could not believe that Wesley could be so thick headed. "But don't you see? Whether you put words in the spirit's mouth or not, that does not change the fact that
Wesley interrupted him, "There is no science about it."
"But perhaps there is!" said Phineas, opening up his arms, inviting them to see the possibilities. "What is science? A controlled, recorded sequence of events which leads to the same outcome over and over again. What we have here is a woman who came into contact with this urn, and responded with possession. Another woman came into possession of this urn, and now you say she is possessed, too? Will she go on the same rampage? If we gave it to your friend Mrs. O'Hare, would she respond in kind? What are the variables? What is it about this object that turns its owner to such evil?"
"I assure you I have no idea," said Wesley. "But can you endanger people's lives for this answer?"
Phineas sat down. "But perhaps no one needs be endangered at all."
"What?" said Wesley. "What could you possibly mean?"
"You, Mr. Lowenherz, are a medium of some repute."
Wesley shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "This is true."
"What if this power this... spirit... seeks not to destroy at all but merely to be heard? What if in reaching out to the spiritual plane, we could end this curse for all time?"
"What are you getting at?" asked Wesley, clearly perfectly aware of the direction of this conversation.
"A séance," said Phineas. "A simple joining of hands around a circle. Let us see if we can contact this creature, find out what it wants, find out if it will merely attach itself to another object, or if in fact, it is bound to this heart and all that it requires is to be returned to its body."
"Could we not return it to its body, and if that fails to stop the murders, then attempt a séance?" asked Clara.
"But think of all the time lost in trying to find the new master, the new owner of the offending object. Think of all the lives you put at risk by not investigating this matter fully."
"I hardly think..." began Wesley.
Phineas held up his hand. "I see that you have some misgivings. Let me tempt you. Hold this séance. Speak to this otherworldly creature. Satisfy my curiosity. And when it is done, the urn shall be yours."
"It is a great risk," said Clara, looking worriedly at Wesley.
"And what risk is there?" asked Phineas. "We know the person you believe the spirit has possessed, my dear Pauline. When she arrives, we can take necessary precautions. All of the deaths occurred because the members there were taken unaware. We shall have complete control of the situation. And once we discover from this spirit exactly what it needs to be led to rest, the problem shall be no more. Surely this is a much safer course than blindly setting about the same task and learning that with your one chance, you did it wrong. Surely."
His logic was persuasive. Wesley leaned forward, "Fine. We shall do it."
Phineas stood. "Good! Good! Let us not delay! I shall speak to Pauline tonight, and by tomorrow this entire matter shall be put to rest."
Wesley and Clara rose and made their goodbyes. Once out on the street, Clara looked at Wesley like she had never seen him before in her life. "Why would you place me at such great risk?" she asked.
"Whatever do you mean, Clara?" Wesley asked confused.
"You do not speak with ghosts," she pointed out. "I do."
Wesley seemed defeated. "I know, my darling, I know. But we shall not be using your skill at all."
"What?"
"This is the only way to secure that heart. Think. He promised that we shall have the heart after this experience. So, we go and I shall say that the spirit demands the heart be returned to the body. We regain the heart, and that shall be that."
Clara could not believe that Wesley could be so thick headed. "But don't you see? Whether you put words in the spirit's mouth or not, that does not change the fact that
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