The Truth Healer: A Riveting Spiritual Psychic Thriller Read online

Lucy scribbled down the numbers while Tom gathered up the paperwork to put back in the box. ‘What’s this?’ Tom queried, reaching for a small black notepad that had fallen under the dividers. He flicked open the pages.

  ‘Anything?’ Lucy asked, looking up hopefully.

  ‘No…….oh one minute?’ Tom reached the back page of the book, where several names were listed, and in particular a Jozsef and an Emil. A telephone number was alongside each name.

  ‘See if these two numbers marry up with the ones on the phone bill.’

  Lucy took the piece of paper and compared the numbers. ‘Yes…..they match!…we’ll definitely be able to track them down now.’ Lucy beamed. ‘….the third number isn’t written down in there is it?

  Tom looked through the notepad again thoroughly ‘No, unfortunately not.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter, I will ring Marianne as I think she may be able to help us track down Emil’s surname and address, and a name for the third number. I will get her to double check that Jozsef‘s number is the same as the one we already had for Jozsef Halasz. We already have his address.’

  ‘I wonder if they have a professional job…..alongside their criminal one, that is.’

  ‘There wasn’t anything obvious in the house…..look to see if there is anything else in the file…any bank statements or salary slips?’ Lucy directed.

  Tom searched through the paperwork on the floor again. ‘No salary slips no….let’s look at this bank statement………there seems to be a larger payment each month from a G.D.C.’

  Lucy looked over his shoulder ‘That could be his employer…it doesn’t give us a lot to go on does it?’

  ‘No, unfortunately not.’

  ‘Wait, what’s that?’ Lucy said, reaching into the box file to retrieve a card that had slipped between the dividers. As she pulled it out and turned it over, it was a business card.

  ‘Golden Dreams Casino.’ Tom read out loud ‘…and look Luce, at the bottom, Laurenz Felbiger, Managing Director.’

  ‘So….he has a profession.’ Lucy acknowledged, staring at the card, ‘…apart from his sick one .’

  Tom nodded. ‘Yes, it looks like it…..I suppose that should be our next port of call then.’

  Lucy fell back against the bed. ‘I’m not sure what we are going to do when we get there though.’

  ‘I guess we will figure it out along the way…for now though, we need to decide what we are going to do with this file….should we put it back?’ Tom asked.

  ‘I think we are going to have to, as if he goes to find it and notices it’s missing, he will get alarmed and possibly notify the other members. Let’s take detailed photos of it all, and we will take it back this evening, as hopefully he will not be back until tomorrow.’

  *****

  Lucy and Tom pulled up outside Laurenz Felbiger’s house again. It was 8.45pm, but only starting to get dark.

  ‘Here, take the gloves again.’ Lucy instructed.

  ‘The coast is clear, let’s get this over and done with.’ Tom said, putting them on.

  They both scurried head down past the bush by the side of the house, and through the side gate.

  ‘Hold this.’ Tom said, passing the box file to Lucy, while he moved the bin from the top of the hatch door.

  ‘Sshh can’t you do it more quietly.’ Lucy pleaded.

  ‘I’m bloody trying to be as quiet as I can!….you try lifting this thing quietly.’ Tom snapped.

  ‘All right, all right….no need to get angry’ Lucy whispered firmly.

  Tom lifted up the hatch door and shone his torch down the steps. ‘You wait here and I’ll put it back.’

  ‘I just want to get something from down there.’ Lucy replied.

  ‘What do you want to get now?!…leave it Luce, we’ve got enough.’ Tom scolded, getting more frustrated.

  ‘No, it’s important.’

  ‘Ok, well hurry up. Stay close behind me.’

  Tom placed the box file back behind the books where they had found it, and headed back to the steps out.

  ‘What’s that?’ Tom asked, looking at the object in Lucy’s hand.

  ‘I wanted to take the top that Anna Gerber was wearing, as it could be useful for DNA.’ Lucy replied.

  But it wasn’t only for that…she now felt a sense of attachment to Anna after hearing her story from Marianne….especially as Rosie may have gone through the same horrific journey that she had.

  ‘Oh ok….yes, probably a good idea. Come on, let’s get out of here for good now.’

  Back in their hotel room for the night, they collapsed on the bed, both shaken and shattered by what the day had uncovered.

  ‘I need a stiff drink after today.’ Lucy declared.

  ‘I know, I’ll go and get some drinks from downstairs and bring them back up.’ Tom offered, walking towards the door.

  ‘My hero…thank you!’ Lucy said, blowing him a kiss.

  Lucy checked her phone whilst waiting for Tom. She’d had a text message from Marianne, so she decided to ring her.

  ‘Hi Marianne, it’s Lucy…I’ve just seen your text message.’

  ‘Hi Lucy, I just wondered how you were getting on….did you go to Laurenz’s house?’

  ‘Yes, we went today…..it was awful Marianne…..we found a box of children’s clothes in the cellar, along with a box file containing lots of young girl’s photos. We also found some names and numbers that could be key to our investigation.’

  ‘Oh really?….what were they?’

  ‘One was for a Jozsef, which we are presuming is Jozsef Halasz, so we have his full name already, but there was another name, Emil. We found telephone numbers linked to these two.’

  ‘Ok….but you have the details of Jozsef Halasz already don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, but I just want to double check the number we have is for Jozsef ‘Halasz’ in particular and we need his full address… and do you think you would be able to ask your friend if they can help with an address and surname for this Emil, if I give his telephone number?’

  ‘I’m not sure …I will ask her.’

  ‘We also found a third number which does not have a name against it. Could you ask her to look up this too?’

  Marianne paused ‘Yes ok.’

  ‘Thank you, you will be a life saver if you could….I will e-mail you the details’

  ‘Ok…I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.’

  After Lucy put down the telephone to Marianne, she couldn’t help but feel she was being less forthcoming than she had been previously. Maybe her husband was listening to her conversation. Anyway as long as she got the information, that was all that mattered right now.

  ‘Here we go sweetheart, our much needed refreshments.’ Tom announced, walking back into the room.

  ‘You dreamboat you….I need this so badly after today.’ Lucy said reaching out for the glass Tom had poured out for her. Her stress started to ease with every solacing sip of the decadent Pinot Noir she had become accustomed to. She knew it only offered a temporary relief from her living nightmare, but it had seen her through her darkest hours over the past two years.

  ‘Mummy will find you Rosie, mummy will find you.’ she said to herself, glancing over at the crumpled heart print top poking out of her bag.

  Chapter 22

  Chloe drove out of Salzburg airport, after catching the early bird flight. She wanted to arrive before Lucy and Tom so she could gain her bearings around the town. After deterring Lucy from using the detective agency, Chloe had watched the footage of Lucy receiving a phone call from Marianne, which seemed to motivate Lucy to book her trip to Austria.

  As she drove through the green mountainous terrain, the serenity of it was ruined by the deep sense of anxiety bubbling up inside of her. She felt very alone on this trip without Diana, but she knew it was something she would have to deal with. Tatiana and Diana were on the end of the phone if she needed them, and, of course, she had Josh. She would ring him when she arrived at the hotel.

  Af
ter a short drive, she could see the sinuous Salzach River twisting itself around pretty coloured buildings in shades of pale blue, yellow, peach and green. They looked like magical fairy castles with their steeples poking out.

  ‘Please let me find the hotel easily.’ she mumbled to herself. After a few wrong turns, she eventually saw a metal white swan jutting out from a building. ‘Yes!…there it is….now ..where do I park?’ She saw a sign directing guests to an underground car park, so she followed it round and parked below the hotel.

  As she made her way up to the entrance, she looked on admiringly at the flowers adorning each balcony.

  ‘Danke…thank you.’ she nodded to a member of hotel staff who greeted her on the way in.

  The hotel staff were very accommodating and helped her take her bag to her room

  ‘Here we are madam. Let us know if you need anything.’

  ‘Ok thank you very much.’ Chloe replied, walking into her room.

  She sat down on the bed and rested her head against the blue check cushioned headboard. ‘At least it’s coordinated.’ she muttered to herself in amusement, observing the matching curtains.

  After emptying her suitcase out onto the bed, she hung up her clothes and quickly freshened up, before ringing Josh.

  ‘Hi babe, you got there ok then?’ Josh answered.

  ‘Yes all good…..I’m sharing a room with Christy,’ Chloe squirmed ‘..and the rest of the gang are split over six rooms…there are twelve of us in all.’

  ‘Sounds like you are going to have a fab time…..what have you got lined up for tonight?’

  ‘Oh….I think we are going for dinner first, and then on to some bars.’ Chloe cringed as she delved further into her lies.

  ‘Who’s the bride again?’

  ‘Stella….she was on my course at uni.’

  ‘That’s right….I’ve never met her have I?’

  ‘No….sadly not.’

  ‘Well, take lots of photos….and I guess I will see her at the wedding.’

  ‘Err…yes will do……and yes I guess you will.’ Shit, shit, shit…why didn’t I think of that! ‘So…err…how about you….what are you working on today?’

  ‘Not too much, just a bit of admin. I’m waiting on my next case.’

  ‘That’s good.’

  ‘Anyway, I don’t know how you managed to get up so early this morning?’

  ‘Why?’ Chloe asked, confused.

  ‘You were tossing and turning again last night, mumbling all sorts….were you dreaming about those girls again?’

  ‘Yes sorry …did I keep you awake?…I haven’t had them for a while, but they came back with a vengeance last night. I’m ok though.’

  ‘Ok darling, I’d better let you get back to your friends. Text me to let me know you are ok.’

  ‘Yes will do…love you.’

  ‘Love you too.’

  Josh mentioning her dream again, brought the images back to her. They hadn’t been as frequent since she had joined the The Truth Circle. Maybe the dreams were a way of getting her involved with it in the first place. Last night, however, was a different story. They had come back fuller, and more distressing. She only had an image of one girl now. A blonde haired girl. Her face was blurred, but she was cowering in a corner crying. Chloe hoped it wasn’t Rosie, but her gut instinct told her it was. It had got to the stage where she had started to dread going to sleep at night, afraid of where the story would end.

  One comfort she had though, was the presence of Harry. In the midst of her angst, he had made his reassuring visits known to her. Firstly, Chloe would feel his arrival. A sudden shiver running down her spine, followed by the warmth of his hand on her shoulder. She would then often find a white feather at her feet, and lately, she had started to hear his faint whisper, ‘Chlo..ee….Chlo..ee’. But the last tell-tale sign though, was when she was packing for the trip.

  She had felt something rattling in the back zip pocket of her case, so she reached down inside, and there, at the bottom, was the bracelet she wore as a child. She still had it, but she usually kept it safely in her jewellery box. It was the same bracelet Harry had lain out on her dressing table when she was a little girl. The one he had found to stop her getting into trouble with her mother. This was the defining the moment….the moment when she knew it was definitely Harry.

  After her telephone call to Josh, Chloe walked back over to the bed and pulled out her map of Salzburg. She pin pointed where Laurenz Felbiger’s house was, which, after keying the details into her phone, was about a twenty-five minute drive away. She also checked the map, and it was along a main road for most of the way, with only the last ten minutes on smaller roads.

  Chloe estimated that Lucy and Tom would arrive around 3pm, which gave her time to grab some lunch, so she picked up her key and made her way out of the hotel.

  Alter Markt, the main square, was only around the corner, so she decided to head there first. She was glad to see a parade of al fresco cafes, so after selecting the most popular one with green stripe parasols, she sat down and ordered some traditional goulash.

  She was enjoying herself just people watching and taking in the quaint pastel coloured Burgher houses surrounding the square. Many tourists were perusing the bustling fruit and flower stalls, whilst smelling the decadent aromas spilling out from the nearby chocolate and bakery shops.

  After an hour and a half, she decided to make her way back to the hotel to wait for Lucy and Tom. It was now 2pm so she thought it would be best if she sat and waited for them outside the hotel.

  After an agitated forty-five minutes, Chloe could see a man and a woman heading hand in hand towards the front of the hotel. She could just about make out Lucy’s familiar green jacket, and the steadfast walk of Tom, who was smartly dressed as ever, in his reliable beige chinos and nautical navy blue jumper.

  Chloe quickly delved into her bag whilst they walked past her. As soon as she saw them disappear into the front entrance, she slowly following behind. She overheard the receptionist directing Lucy and Tom to room number 7, which was good for Chloe as she had been put into room number 10, which was only along the corridor.

  As they disappeared off upstairs, Chloe was left at odds at what to do next. She knew they wouldn’t go to Laurenz’s house that afternoon, as they would surely want to rest.

  She really needed to listen in on what they were planning at this point, so she opened up her bag and stared at the box Tatiana had given her. It was a small listening device. Now that she knew Lucy and Tom’s room number, she could sneak it into their room, but she didn’t have a clue how.

  She went back upstairs to her own room and examined where she could put it. After a scour around, she found a discreet place under the dressing table she could plant it. Now she just had to figure out a way to get it into their room while they were out.

  Chloe watched along the corridor, and after an hour, both Lucy and Tom left their room. She decided to follow them out of the hotel first, in case they did plan on driving to Laurenz Felbiger’s address that day, but as Chloe guessed, they appeared to walk off into town, so she ran back up the stairs to their floor.

  ‘Come on Chloe, you can do this.’ she spurred herself on. She noticed there was a maid in one of the utility rooms on her floor. ‘Right, here goes.’

  ‘Hallo…..hello….English?’ Chloe tentatively asked.

  ‘Yes, can I help you?’ the maid answered.

  ‘Would you mind putting an extra towel in room 7?’

  ‘Ah yes, no problem madam, one minute.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Chloe replied, before walking off and hiding around the corner.

  After a few minutes, Chloe watched the maid collect a new towel from the utility room, and head towards Lucy and Tom’s room. As the maid entered the room, Chloe briskly followed her in, and called out ‘Thank you!….just forgot to get something!’ before swiftly sticking the device under the dressing table.

  The maid initially looked startled, but was totally oblivious
to what had gone on and just smiled. Chloe sped out of the room with her heart racing ten to the dozen, and ran straight back into hers.

  She did it!…she bloody did it! God she was getting good at this! A couple of months ago, she would never have had the confidence to do what she was doing, and now she felt as ingenious as James Bond!

  Chloe had just started to drift off on the bed, when she was awoken by some voices. As she came to, she realised it was Lucy and Tom arriving back. ‘Fantastic, it’s working.’ she thought.

  Chloe listened in on them fretting about what they had to do the next day. She too, wasn’t comfortable with it, but she thought how petrified they must have been feeling, not knowing what lay in that house.

  By 9pm Lucy and Tom, had turned in for the night, so Chloe turned out her lights and hoped she would get at least some sleep before the big day tomorrow. A sleep that didn’t involved further images of what lay ahead.

  The following morning, Chloe nipped to breakfast early, after hearing that Lucy and Tom were planning on leaving to find Laurenz Felbiger’s house at 10am. She could hear the fear in their voices as they questioned whether they were doing the right thing, but Tom reassured Lucy that they were only going to spy on him for a while, and were not going to approach him at this stage. Chloe was half relieved to hear him say it, but she knew they would be required to do more than just watch.

  She decided to go and wait for them in her car at 9.30am to avoid missing them, and by 10.15am Lucy and Tom finally appeared and got into their car. Keeping their car in sight all the way to their destination, she pulled up a few cars down from where Lucy and Tom had parked. All three of them just watched the house for over an hour, when suddenly the door to the house opened and a dark haired man with a generous amount of stubble walked out, got into his car and drove off down the road.

  Chloe straightened up in her seat, and could feel her heart pumping faster. She could see Lucy gestating at Tom to follow him, and after a few seconds of appeared indecision, Tom accelerated off to try and catch him.