The Truth Healer: A Riveting Spiritual Psychic Thriller

  The Truth Healer

  J.Gabriel-Smith

  Copyright © 2016 J.Gabriel-Smith

  Second Edition

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored, in any form or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13:978-1534672925

  ISBN-10:1534672923

  In Dedication to:

  My wonderful mum and dad, Jacqueline and Malcolm Gabriel, who are now together in heaven. Their love, support and encouragement was eternal, and I know they would be very proud that I have finally completed my first novel.

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to give special thanks to my husband Leaon, for his loving belief in me, and for listening patiently to me as I talked about my book continuously. I would also like to thank Cath, Jimmy and my wonderful friends for their kind and supportive words.

  Finally, I would like to give a big thank you to my Publisher, for giving me some amazingly helpful feedback on my first draft. As a first time novelist, I found this to be invaluable in making my final edit.

  PROLOGUE

  International Psychic Convention, Brazil.

  ‘Welcome Ladies and Gentleman.’ José Cardoso, Chairman of the International Psychic Committee, announced. ‘I have invited you here today, as I have some very exciting news to share with you.’

  There was a low hum in the room, as the most esteemed psychics in the world, waited in anticipation of what was about to be disclosed.

  ‘After years of our dedicated work with the Spiritual World and the police, we have reached a breakthrough with The Higher Power Commission. Up until now, we have only been able to help the police with solving crimes via messages received from the victim’s family members in Spirit, or from our own Spirit Guides. Although this has helped in some cases, these messages are often unclear, which means there are still many unsolved crimes that we have been unable to give the police specific answers to.

  However, after years of listening to our desperate pleas, The Higher Power Commission, have finally agreed to step in and divulge the truth as to what actually happened in cases which have been unsolved for lengthy periods of time. They previously refused as they felt that our lives on Earth are a journey to be experienced, for better or worse, and if the latter is the case, we would get the opportunity to experience a more rewarding one, in our next life time. Karma, if you like. They have now though, come round to our way of thinking, and recognize that the victims’ families own life journey’s are unfairly stalled until they have closure from the pain of unknowing, which inadvertently leads them to cease fulfilling their own lives on Earth.’

  The buzz in the room was electrifying. It is what they had all hoped for, but never imagined they would ever see in their lifetime.

  José Cardoso continued. ‘There is one condition though. The families have to discover the truth for themselves. The Spirit World can not be seen to be meddling directly, so they have agreed to divulge the truth in stages. By doing this, a trail can be laid down for the families, that will lead them to the truth organically. This way they can build a clear case to charge the perpetrators involved, which will be upheld in the Court of Law.’

  ‘So who will be laying down this trail?’ Benedict Abraham, from England, asked.

  ‘I was coming to that. I can now exclusively reveal that I, along with The Higher Power Commission, have specifically chosen yourselves to be elite members of The Truth Circle.

  As Truth Masters, you will each be required to establish individual Headquarters in your own countries, and your mission will be to recruit Truth Healers to work on specific unsolved crimes.’

  ‘So how will we know what cases to work on?’ Agneta Hansen, from Denmark, questioned.

  José nodded in acknowledgement of her query. ‘You will all research your own country’s unsolved cases, and I imagine you all have some you are working on with the police right now. Once you have the details, you will have the ability to communicate with The Higher Power, to discover the truth, as to what really happened.’

  José walked around the room handing out a declaration for them all to sign. ‘The Truth Circle is a strictly private and confidential organization, and must never be discussed with anyone outside of The Truth Circle, unless you believe a candidate is worthy of joining us as a Truth Healer. I will therefore need you to repeat the following statement with me, and sign to confirm you have accepted it’s oath.’

  ‘I hereby confirm that I fully understand the meaning and purpose of The Truth Circle.

  I certify that knowledge of The Truth Circle is for chosen members only, and therefore it must remain a secret to any persons outside of The Circle, which includes family members and loved ones. This is for their protection, as well as for the protection of myself and The Truth Circle.’

  The newly enlisted Truth Masters looked around the room with pride.

  ‘Thank you all again for coming today. We will stay in regular contact, to discuss how our missions are progressing. Now, let the process of healing people’s lives begin!’ José rejoiced.

  2015

  Chapter 1

  Chloe Messenger awoke from another unsettled sleep. The blurred images had been haunting her dreams for months. They had started intermittently, but were now occurring more frequently. At first she had brushed them aside, putting them into her mental box of nonsensical dreams, but now they were becoming clearer. Two young girls curled up together. Voiceless faces had now developed into moving pictures, where she could hear the distinctive sound of whimpering.

  She knew, deep down, that her dreams could be linked to the case of the missing girl from The Isle of Wight. Not just because she had been watching it on the tv, but because Chloe’s dreams often reflected what was going on in the real world, and her premonitions usually came true. She had never discussed her premonitions with anyone before, apart from with her best friend Lola. Her mother’s rules, whilst growing up, made sure of that.

  ‘Don’t talk nonsense!’ her mother would admonish, whenever she mentioned the special friends that came to visit her in her room. She was told strictly, ‘Never discuss this with anybody, do you understand?!’

  As Chloe grew older and demanded to know why she was so dismissive of the people that Chloe was seeing, her mother broke down and confided that she had grown up with Chloe’s grandmother having ‘the gift’, or ‘the curse’, as her mother saw it. Having ‘the curse’ of being able to communicate with the ‘other side’. However, because of this, her mother had to bear the torment of cruel playground mocking. ‘My mum says your mum is a witch…..does she have a cauldron?’ they would chant. And her mother thought they were right. She hated the spooky séances that Chloe’s grandmother held in their dining room. It left a chill in the air, and she was left petrified and unable to sleep.

  After hearing about what her mother had to endure, and how much pain it had brought her, Chloe completely understood why she felt how she did. That is why Chloe chose to push aside any psychic abilities she possessed, in spite of the discreet whisperings from her grandmother when she came to stay. ‘I know you have ‘it’…do not be ashamed to use it’ she would say. Chloe had too much respect for her
mother though to betray her, so she left ‘her gift’ boxed up. That was, however, until her mother’s passing.

  She had never explored her abilities before, but now, more than ever, she was being given the green light. The most important visitor had given Chloe her surprising reassurance. Yes, her mother had appeared in her dreams. Firstly, as a smiling smoky outline, but over the past couple of years, she could hear her mother’s voice saying she had her blessing. Her blessing to use ‘her gift’. The feeling was getting stronger and stronger, until she could almost feel her mother nudging her towards it.

  She had mixed feelings though, about receiving this blessing, as she would much rather her mother was still alive with her, on Earth. She longed to rewind her life back to before that tragic telephone call. The last memory she had of her mother was hugging her goodbye after a treasured day out together. She could still feel the warmth of her embrace, when the telephone rang. It was the police, informing her that her mother’s car had been hit by a lorry. She hadn’t made it.

  Chloe had refused to accept it at first. The police must have got the wrong person. How could it have been her mother, she had only just left her alive and well that afternoon.

  She remembered falling back into the armchair, choosing to momentarily ignore that the telephone call had even happened. That way, nothing would have changed. The dagger would no longer be piercing through her heart. She would still have been admiring her new clothes in the mirror. Her mother would still have been at home preparing dinner for her father. Her life would still have been intact, with a positive future to look forward to.

  However, Chloe knew that she had to face reality, as it not only involved her, but her father and younger sister too. She had been the first one to be contacted as her sister lived abroad, and the police hadn’t managed to contact her father. She was always chastising him for never taking his bloody phone out with him.

  After having to break the crippling news to both of them, Chloe had managed to remain strong for the first few weeks, but she eventually stopped functioning. She found she could no longer do her job, which led to her employer giving her two months leave to try and assemble some sort of normality back into her life.

  That normality didn’t happen initially though, as she chose to bury her pain in a succession of alcohol fuelled parties. Her friend’s wedding being no exception. With the bride marrying a Met officer, Chloe managed to royally embarrassed herself, by ending up in a heap on the dance floor, to lots of disapproving glances.

  Luckily for her, one handsome Detective Chief Inspective Josh Anderson came to her rescue. He drove her home, put her to bed, and picked her up for breakfast the next morning.

  Two years on, they are now living together in non-matrimonial bliss.

  ‘Morning.’ Josh mumbled, reaching to turn off his alarm clock.

  Chloe turned to meet his half opened eyes. ‘Morning.’

  ‘You were murmuring again in your sleep.’ Josh said yawning. ‘…did you have another one of your bad dreams?’

  Chloe grimaced. ‘Yes it was horrid…the little girls were playing at first, but then they became really fearful and started to sob.’

  Josh reached out his hand to Chloe, ‘Are you sure you are not having them because you’ve been thinking about the missing girl from the Isle of Wight?’

  ‘Maybe.’ Chloe replied, knowing full well it could be.

  ‘You are always asking me how the team are getting on with it at work.’

  ‘I know…..it’s only because I feel so sorry for her poor parents when they are on tv desperate to find new leads. It must be devastating to still be searching after all this time.’

  Josh nodded in agreement. ‘I know, it is tragic, but the team having been working relentlessly to find her.’

  Chloe leaned forward to stroke Tinker. Her beloved silver marbled tabby cat always knew when she needed her soothing purrs of comfort. ‘It’s just so frustrating that somebody out there knows the truth.’

  ‘Well, that’s what we will hopefully find out. Now.. I need to get in the shower! I’ve got an early meeting with the Chief this morning.’ Josh groaned, leaping out of bed.

  Chloe was dreading her day ahead at work. She had struggled more and more to conjure up passion for the job that she had once loved.

  Since losing her mother two years previously, the world of fashion just didn’t seem important anymore. She had worked at Pearl and Healey as a fashion buyer for the last ten years, and there was a time when she had been excited to get in on a Monday morning to see the sales figures, but now those Monday’s just filled her with fear. Her sales had plummeted, and the pressure to improve sales had piled on, sending her into a downward spiral of despair.

  ‘Come on, your turn!’ Josh called out, poking his ahead around the door from the bathroom.

  ‘Urghh, do I have too…’ Chloe sighed, pulling the duvet up over her face, ‘I really can’t face it.’

  ‘Yes babe, afraid so. I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you think. Anyway I’ve told you, if you dislike it so much, you should leave.’

  ‘I know, I know….but to do what?’

  ‘Well you spent all that time qualifying to be a Reiki practitioner….why don’t you put it to good use and start up that as a business. You’ve been practicing on enough people.’ Josh gently scolded, towel drying his hair.

  ‘It’s just the getting started that’s hard….and the money.’ Chloe said, launching herself up into sitting position.

  ‘I’ve told you, I’ll support you if it’s really what you want to do. It’s better than having to look at your miserable face every Monday morning.’ Josh laughed, throwing his towel at her dishevelled mop of morello cherry hair.

  ‘Oi you cheeky…I’m not that bad.’ she protested, throwing it back at him.

  That was one of the things Chloe loved about Josh. He could always make her laugh, no matter how bad a day she was having.

  She was sure her mother had sent him to her….still looking out for her from up above.

  ‘So are you coming to taekwondo with me this week?’ Josh asked, fastening his shirt and pulling on his jacket.

  ‘Yes I suppose so…you promise not to be so rough on me though?’ Chloe pleaded.

  ‘Ok promise, but it’s good for you to protect yourself. There are some pretty nasty people out there Chlo. Anyway you’re getting pretty good at it. You floored me last week!’

  ‘Yes that’s true!.…you’ve obviously taught me well. I know what to do if you misbehave now.’ Chloe smirked.

  She looked on admiringly as Josh ran his fingers through his hair. It was now more of a soft black hair, since it had been lightened with a peppering of grey around his temples. His deep brown eyes oozed kindness, which she lapped up, and his 6’1” physique always made her feel petite, even though at 5’8” she wasn’t especially small.

  ‘Come on lazy bones!’ he said, winking at her as he caught her gazing at him in the mirror.

  ‘Ok ok.. I’m getting in the shower now!’ she laughed.

  Josh grabbed her for a kiss as she went past, ‘Right I’m off, I’ll see you tonight.’

  ‘Ok sweetheart, see you later!’

  *****

  After dragging herself into the shower, and conjuring up some much needed enthusiasm for the week ahead, Chloe finally made it to work.

  ‘Hi everyone…good weekends?’ Chloe announced.

  ‘Morning Chlo…yes good thanks, although still recovering!’ Fran replied, lifting her head up from her computer. ‘How about you?’

  ‘Yes good …spent yesterday with Josh at one of his cycling events, so a bit weary myself…….how about you Em?’

  ‘Had a nice quiet one baking cakes…was bliss.’ she replied smiling.

  ‘So come on Fran, give it to me, how are the sales?’ Chloe asked, dreading the answer.

  ‘Well, do you want the good news or the bad news?’

  ‘The good news.’

  ‘They are better than last week.’


  ‘Ok that’s good, so what’s the bad.’

  ‘They are still pretty crap overall!’

  ‘Great! I just love Monday mornings!’ Chloe grumbled, sinking down into her chair.

  Chloe didn’t know how much more of this gloom she could take. She was sure there was some outside force pressurising her to change direction in her life. She had tried everything to make the sales better on her department, but nothing seemed to work, which made her think that this wasn’t what she should be doing anymore.

  Josh kept telling Chloe she should start up her own business, but she was scared to leave the security of her job. Although she didn’t actually know how secure it was anymore, and she wasn’t sure that if she didn’t leave soon, she might be pushed anyway.

  Chloe strongly felt the need for some guidance, and the place that she always went to seek solace was her local Spiritualist Church. It had been her comfort since losing her mother and although she knew she was getting messages from her in her sleep, she hadn’t completely honed her skills, so she liked to visit more experienced mediums to help her decipher the messages.

  Chloe was known there now, and she had spoken to them about the feelings and visions she had been getting. They had been very encouraging and had been trying to get her to enroll on their Psychic Development Workshop days but she had been too frightened.

  She wasn’t sure if she actually wanted to open herself up to clearer messages. Something now though, deep inside, was pulling her towards it, so she decided to take the plunge and book herself on to one that weekend. They had been advertising it for the last month, and for the first time, she felt she was ready.