The Truth Healer: A Riveting Spiritual Psychic Thriller Read online

  This was her only escape opportunity…her chance to get the hell out! She rushed towards the front door and carefully lifted up the latch. She was too scared to look back.

  To her relief, the door opened easily and she was able to creep out, gently closing the door behind her. She ran towards her car, losing her flip flop behind mid flight. Urghh!….she had to get it. Luckily she just managed to seize it off the driveway before the newspaper boy headed to the front door.

  Diana was frantically waving, sitting behind the steering wheel. Chloe flung her car door open, leapt in and didn’t look back as they sped off round the corner. Still shaking from what had just happened, Diana pulled up in next road to let Chloe recover.

  ‘Oh God! That was the most frightening experience I’ve ever had Diana!..I am glad you warned me, as I might not have heard them at first.’

  ‘I must admit that was a close shave. I haven’t had that before. |You can give yourself a big pat on the back…you did it, well done!’

  ‘I did didn’t I!…I’m just glad that is over.’

  Despite the fear she had encountered, she was now left with a glorified sense of victory. She had done it! Now at least it would make her task ahead a lot easier to monitor.

  The following day, after getting over the shock of what had happened the day before, Chloe made her way over to Lucy’s house again. The National Geographic had arrived and the trafficking story was boldly on the front cover. Lucy couldn’t fail to notice it.

  She watched Lucy on the camera streaming from her car and waited until she could see her on her own. When it was safe, Chloe sidled up to the front door and posted the magazine through the letter box. She immediately heard Brandy barking at the door so swiftly made her way back to her car and drove around the corner again.

  She turned on her tablet and could immediately see Lucy go to the door to pick it up, but after a swift glance at the packaged magazine, she just threw it on the coffee table. ‘Oh no, please look at it.’ Chloe willed her, but Lucy just carried on with what she was she doing.

  Chloe then saw Lucy put her coat on and head for the front door. ‘Oh bloody hell!’ she cursed. What if she just left it for Tom and he filed it away? What if Brandy ripped it up? What if it got buried underneath lots of other magazines? She couldn’t believe that her day spent wading through articles and ordering the magazine may amount to nothing.

  A disappointed Chloe decided to head home. There was nothing she could do about it now. She’d just have to wait and see, and just pray that her plan would prove fruitful.

  ‘Hi sweetheart, you’re home early.’ Chloe greeted Josh, as he came in the front door.

  ‘Yes I know, I managed to get away early. Anyway so are you, what have you been up to today?’ he asked, throwing his jacket onto the kitchen chair, and opening a can of beer from the fridge.

  ‘Oh err, I had a couple of clients today who seemed to be pleased with their treatments.’ she replied, nodding trying to encourage his acceptance.

  ‘Great…it’s good to see you so happy….you even seem different in a way.’

  ‘Do I?… well I suppose I have been engrossed in this new job, so my mind hasn’t been where it has been.’

  ‘So, seeing as we are both back, how about nipping out for some dinner?’

  Chloe was reluctant as she was desperate to know if Lucy had picked up the magazine, but she couldn’t neglect Josh.

  ‘Yes great, darling.’ she said, half heartedly.

  All through the meal Chloe kept thinking of Lucy and what she was doing. She felt bad half listening to Josh, but he seemed happy enough. She would just have to be patient and hope Lucy was taking up the trail she had left for her.

  Chapter 15

  Lucy came off the phone elated by what Brenda had found out, but also slightly shaken at the same time, as it was looking more and more like these Hungarian workers had something to do with Rosie’s kidnap.

  She stared over at her laptop knowing that more questions needed to be answered. After making herself a strong coffee, she opened it up to continue her research. As she reached out for her mug, she had to shake off a magazine that had got stuck to the bottom of it. After finally freeing it, she took a backward glance at the ring stained specimen and ripped it from it’s packaging. She initially saw the title. It was a National Geographic. That’s odd, she thought, she hadn’t ever seen Tom reading it….he must have started to order it.

  As she discarded the last of it’s polythene rapper, there, staring her in the face, was the main feature story. ‘Child Trafficking Across Europe….The Horrifying Reality’. The words jumped off the page, taunting her and propelling her to open it. She couldn’t believe this was happening. It was as if someone up there was pushing her to progress on her search for Rosie.

  She hesitantly turned to the article and read the words over and over again. It made her feel sick. It was more of what she had read on the internet, but it still hit her hard as she read about girls aged nine being married off, with premium prices being paid for these young girls. Children were seen in such a different light in these other countries. She was appalled at how they could be treasured and nurtured in some countries, but be seen as transactions in others.

  As she read through the article, it mentioned how it was rife in nearly all European countries, such as France, Spain, Austria, Romania, but also in Africa and India.

  Lucy still felt Rosie would more likely have be taken to Europe as the abductors were less likely to be stopped by road, than through an airport. As she read on, she felt a sudden stabbing pain in her chest, as it went on to cover a traumatising familiar story. A young girl, aged seven, went missing from a campsite in Arrineux, France. She was captivated by the enormity of it, as it completely echoed Rosie’s story. She was playing by the pool one afternoon, and then, when out of sight of her parents for a few minutes, she just vanished.

  According to the article it was five years ago and she had never been found. Her parents must be broken people….just as she and Tom are, she thought. ‘Arrineux….Arrineux’, she repeated over and over, ‘…where have I heard that name.’ She sat staring out of the window willing herself to remember where she had heard it. Then it came to her!…she rushed to the telephone.

  ‘Brenda, Brenda I have found out something you will never believe!’ Lucy exclaimed impatiently.

  ‘What, what is it?’ she replied, handing over the keys to some new arrivals.

  ‘I have found an article in a magazine on child trafficking, and it mentions a young girl, aged seven, that went missing from a campsite in France five years ago…and guess which town?’

  ‘I don’t know, tell me?’

  ‘Arrineux.’

  ‘Arrineux’ a confused Brenda responded….‘I don’t know…..’ she trailed off, before slowly remembering…‘…that’s the place Julie mentioned wasn’t it?’

  ‘Yes exactly. It just can’t be a coincidence. I have to go there Brenda.’

  ‘Hang on Lucy, you have to be careful now, it could be dangerous.’

  ‘I know, I know. I don’t really want to go alone. I don’t suppose you would be able to come with me would you?’ Lucy asked hopefully.

  ‘Oh I don’t know Lucy. I have work here, and I’m not sure if we are getting a bit ahead of ourselves.’

  ‘Oh please Brenda. You are the only person who knows what is going on and who I can trust. I promise I won’t put us in danger. I will just look around and ask a few casual questions to start with. I will go to the police eventually, but when I have sufficient evidence to go back with.’

  Brenda paused….‘Ok I will come, but I can only go for three days. After tomorrow I have Thursday and Friday off, so we could go then and I can be back at work on Monday.’

  ‘Thank you Brenda, I will always remember what you have done for me.’

  ‘That’s ok dear. Just let me know the flight and hotel details, and I will tell Bill that I am going off to a spa or something.’

  ‘Good thin
king…I’ll tell the same to Tom, and Sam is going to his grandparents tomorrow until Saturday, so he will be ok.’

  After putting down the phone to Brenda, Lucy glanced over at the cover of the magazine. ‘Hang on…that’s strange.’ she mumbled. The magazine was a year old. Had Tom secretly ordered it because of the trafficking article? Was he doing his own research after all?

  If that was the case, Lucy wasn’t ready to disclose to Tom what she had been up to, or about her plan. She knew she would need to present him with hard facts before he would agree for them to proceed with their own detective work.

  So, if the magazine article was a year old, then the Swedish little girl went missing six years ago, not five. Maybe it was too long a time for them to be linked, but she at least had to find out. The Hungarian workers mentioning Arrineux was just too much of a coincidence.

  Lucy took a deep breath before phoning Tom. She really hated lying to him, but she knew he wouldn’t let her go if he knew the truth. Her motherly instincts were kicking in though, and nobody was going to stop her. She had to find out if the campsite was a crucial lead.

  ‘Hi darling…is everything ok?’ Tom asked, slightly alarmed by her midday call at work.

  ‘Yes, sorry for phoning you at work, but my friend Melissa has called and asked if I would go to a spa with her this Thursday for a couple of nights…she’s got a special deal and is worried the offer may go if she doesn’t book it now.’ Lucy screwed up her face, cringing that she was weaving such a lie. Tom had heard of Melissa, but he didn’t know her, so she knew she was safe to say she was with her.

  ‘It is a bit sudden, but I guess Sam is at his grandparents, so you are free. You have been a bit stressed since Cornwall haven’t you, so I think it would do you good.’

  ‘Thank you sweetheart, I do feel I need it. Ok I’ll tell her to go ahead and book it.’

  ‘Ok see you tonight. Love you.’

  ‘Love you too.’

  Lucy felt immense guilt as she made the booking for the hotel in Arrineux, but was relieved she had taken decisive action. She booked Brenda and herself into Hotel Les Lavandes for Thursday 6th and Friday 7th August, and onto the 10.35am flight to Paris. They had decided to depart from Southampton as it was be easier for Brenda to get to there from The Isle of Wight.

  She printed off everything she could about the area, including a map of how to get to Arrineux from Paris, and booked them a hire car for when they arrived there. Luckily she had driven abroad before on various holidays so she didn’t have a problem with it and, by the look of it, it was just one straight road all of the way. A straight road, that she prayed, would lead to some invaluable answers.

  Chapter 16

  After successfully excusing herself from Josh on another work related trip, Chloe drove out of Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, towards the A4 to Arrineux.

  Chloe had viewed the footage of Lucy having a telephone conversation with Brenda about the Hungarian workers, and about some sort of note. She had then watched Lucy rip open the packaging of the National Geographic and stare at the cover. It seemed to have the desired effect, as she then rushed to phone Brenda and pleaded with her to go to France with her, and in particular Beaux Arbres campsite. After Brenda agreeing, and Lucy getting the all clear from Tom, she booked their trip to France. Chloe’s plan was working.

  ‘Are you sure you are ok driving out here?’ Diana asked supportively.

  ‘Yes I’m fine…or I will be once I get going. I’ve driven abroad quite a few times…mainly for work. On my buying trips to LA we use to hire a car…although they drive a bit slower out there!’

  ‘It sounds so glamorous going to LA for work!’

  ‘I know, it sounds it doesn’t it….and yes there were times when it was amazing, and I got to go to some fabulous places, but I got to a stage where I knew it wasn’t for me anymore. I suppose I felt it wasn’t my true calling, as they say.’ Chloe grinned, glancing over towards Diana who was opening up a bag of sweets.

  ‘And now you have found your true calling as one of us!’ Diana smiled.

  ‘Yes I think I have……..and now I am on a scary road to who knows where!’

  ‘You will be ok. You have to trust that we are being looked after. I heard you mention your’s is Harry.’ Diana asked, unwrapping a boiled sweet for Chloe.

  ‘Oh….you mean my Guardian Angel?’ Chloe replied, feeling slightly awkward….‘Yes that’s right …Harry. He use to come and see me as a child but my mum didn’t like me talking to him, so he vanished from my life. That was up until the last couple of months. He must have known I was going to need him again.’

  ‘I am sure that was the case.’

  ‘So who is yours?….do you know who your Guardian Angel is?’

  ‘Yes, Victor….or Vic, as I call him. I have been in contact with him my whole life. My mother was very open to him, as I come from a long line of mediums, so they were all very accepting. He has helped me out of a couple of sticky situations during my times in The Truth Circle.’

  ‘In what way?’ Chloe asked, overtaking a lorry in front of her.

  ‘Well, one time, I got locked in a basement of an apartment. I was planting some evidence in there when the door slammed shut. I had left the key on the outside so had no way of getting out. The owners were due back, so I had started to become hysterical, when all of sudden the door swung open. I was hesitant at first, as I thought someone had arrived home, but as I crept out, there was no-one there. Later that evening, I could hear Vic in my ear saying ‘I told you I would be there for you.’

  Chloe was enthralled by her story, when she suddenly had to slam on the brake as a car sped by, narrowly missing her wing mirror. ‘Jeez!’ Chloe shrieked. ‘What the hell!’

  ‘Whoa!…they drive like maniacs over here!‘ Diana exclaimed, hanging onto the dashboard. ‘Are you ok?’

  ‘Yes, I am now….I was so enthralled by your story it took me by surprise!’ Chloe sighed….‘that really is a lovely story though. I do feel confident Harry would be there for me too.’ she added, recovering from her fright.

  ‘Maybe he just was!’ Diana laughed. ‘So was Josh ok with you going away again?’

  ‘Yes, I said I was going to a yoga retreat in France as part of my Reiki development….‘to nourish my soul!’. He doesn’t really understand what it is all about, so he just nodded and said fine. He is just glad that I am a lot happier since leaving my last job, and he is always so busy at work, he doesn’t really mind if I have to go away with work.’

  ‘That’s great he is so understanding. My husband wasn’t unfortunately. He was very possessive, and I found it more and more difficult to make up excuses as to where I was going. He thought I was having an affair in the end, and got quite heavy handed with me, demanding to know who it was. Obviously there wasn’t anybody, but I ended up telling him I wanted to leave him anyway. I was unhappy with him, and it just meant I could throw myself in to my work as a Truth Healer. I am so much happier now, and you never know, I might end up with another Truth Healer…who knows?...that way it doesn’t mean I have to run around secretively.’

  Chloe could see Diana’s eyes glaze over. She was obviously trying to put a brave face on about it. ‘Oh I am sorry to hear about your husband treating you like that. It sounds as though you were destined to leave him anyway.’

  ‘Yes, I truly believe I was.’

  ‘Well, I’m glad I have met you, and despite the seriousness of this trip, it’s been nice getting to know each other a bit better.’

  ‘It certainly has…it has been a while since I have had company on one of these trips…it makes a very lovely change.’ Diana said cheerfully.

  After a two hour drive, Chloe and Diana finally arrived at Hotel Les Lavandes.

  ‘Look at those gorgeous lavender bushes.’ Diana commented, as they carried their bags into the hotel.

  ‘I know they are lovely aren’t they…..it’s a nice size hotel too. Not too big, but not too small either….we don’t want to r
isk bumping into Lucy. I am worried she may recognise me from Cornwall and think I am stalking her…..which I am of course!!!’

  ‘Ha ha…that’s true! Now let’s get to our room, I need to freshen up.’ Diana replied.

  As Diana took a shower, Chloe laid out her toiletries onto the white rococo dressing table, and hung up the few clothes she had brought with her into the wardrobe. She then walked over to the window and glanced out over the expansive lake surrounding the hotel. The serenity of it temporarily calmed her nerves but as she turned back to look into the room, she felt her nervous tension return. It was lovely having the company of Diana, but it was still her mission, and one in which she had to take the lead.

  Unable to relax, she hunted down the kettle and found some English breakfast teabags. ‘Do you fancy a tea?’ Chloe called out to Diana.

  ‘Yes great thanks.’ Diana replied, walking out of the shower room, wrapped in a towel.

  ‘Feel better?’ Chloe asked.

  ‘Yes a lot better…..I didn’t have a chance to shower before I left, as I woke up late!’

  ‘I’ll just have a quick freshen up after we’ve had a cuppa, and then we can head out and look around the area.’

  ‘I suppose we’d better check in with Tatiana, I’ll send her a text to let her know we have arrived ok.’ Diana said, reaching for her phone.

  ‘Good idea, I’d better let Josh know I’ve arrived safely at ‘my yoga retreat’.’ Chloe added, feeling slightly remorseful about her further betrayal.

  After eventually leaving their hotel room, Chloe and Diana made their way down to reception. Chloe spotted the ‘Places to visit while in Arrineux’ leaflets, so picked one up.

  ‘Here we go, this lists all of the main attractions. We may as well familiarise ourself with the area while we wait for Lucy and Brenda to arrive.’ Chloe suggested. ‘Shall we head over to L’eglise Saint-Paul d’Arrineux…it looks like it is one of the main features of the village?’