The Truth Healer: A Riveting Spiritual Psychic Thriller

by J Gabriel-Smith

  ‘Then I do not know why I have received it, and who would want me to think of going back there?’ Lucy questioned, in dismay.

  ‘I really do not know dear….unless it was another holiday company that has tracked your details for marketing.’ Brenda responded sympathetically.

  ‘Yes maybe…well I am sorry for my outburst.’

  ‘It is fully understandable my love. I just wish I could help more…has the investigation not come up with anything solid then?’

  ‘No, unfortunately it has come to a dead end, so it is very hard for us at the moment.’

  ‘I am sorry to hear that, and I am sorry I haven’t been in touch for a few months. I just thought you may need some space to try and move on with your life.’

  ‘That’s ok. You were a great support for me when I needed it, and I don’t think I could have got through the first few months without your encouraging support. I felt I had a deep connection with you somehow, as you were the first person I went to after Rosie went missing. I will never forget how comforting you were to me.

  ‘Ah dear, that is so lovely to hear. Look if you need anything further from me, you know I am always here for you don’t you.’

  ‘Yes thank you, that is very kind of you Brenda. I’ll ring you again soon…. bye then.’

  Lucy put down the phone and wandered back into the lounge, before looking blankly at her half rolled aqua wall. She felt strange talking to Brenda again. She had been their security blanket during the first few harrowing months, with her warm kind words always on the end of the phone. But now her voice just seemed to bring back that pain, anxiety and fear she felt the night Rosie had gone missing. She felt guilty admitting it, as Brenda was such a lovely caring person, but not having spoken to her for a while had in a way helped her to move on, as the link to that holiday was no longer there.

  Why oh why did that letter have to come today? She was just starting to motivate herself again and was enjoying the thought of redecorating. Now her enthusiasm had dissipated like a crestfallen daffodil. All she could think of was Bernie’s and how that much loved holiday camp was going to keep taunting her forever.

  She tried to resist the urge to go through their Isle of Wight holiday photos, but her craving eventually won the battle. Lucy didn’t develop the photos for the first year after the holiday as it just brought her more pain looking at them. However, as time went by, she felt she should celebrate every last moment she had with Rosie, so she finally relented and got them printed out.

  As she turned each page of the photo album, she came to the night of the puppet show and what would have been their last night together. Rosie looked so happy playing with her new friend Katrina. Lucy still found it so strange that the police drew a blank on Katrina. …there were still so many unanswered questions.

  Her mind wandered back to the boat at the harbour in Denning. What if there was something in it? What if Rosie had been taken by boat somewhere? She knew the police had searched all possible abduction avenues from The Isle of Wight, but she wanted more answers.

  As she stroked Rosie’s hair in the picture, she felt a burning desire to go back there again herself and look around the holiday camp for any clues as to what could have happened to Rosie. With Sam away and Tom working late she had the perfect opportunity to. She could tell Tom she had a friend that needed to see her for advice. She knew he wouldn’t question her, as he was busy with work lately.

  After pacing back and forth to the kitchen she decided to do it. She just had to. She phoned Tom, and as expected, he was fine with it, so she ran upstairs to the bedroom, packed an overnight bag, threw it in the car and drove to Portsmouth.

  *****

  As Lucy sat in her robust red mini waiting to drive onto the ferry, she couldn’t quite believe that the last time she was in this queue, they were all here as a family. All four of them. Sam and Rosie probably bickering about something, but all of them excited to get to Bernie’s. She didn’t know what she was going to do when she got there, but she just knew she needed to go there again. She booked into ‘The White Bear’ pub B&B in Shanklin, where she managed to get a last minute booking. It’s thatched roof was a comforting welcome, and as she opened the wooden hatched door to her room, the jar of homemade cookies and abundant tea tray, were a sight for her sore and tired eyes.

  She sat on the bed wearing her complimentary slippers, sipping an earl grey tea and pondered what to do next. After deliberating, she decided to call Brenda, as it was too late in the afternoon to go to Bernie’s now. Although it was painful hearing her voice, Lucy realised she was going to have to face that pain if she was ever going to find her little girl again.

  She tentatively dialled her number and prayed she was still at work. ‘Hello, is that Brenda?’ she asked hopefully

  ‘Yes it is, who’s calling?’

  ‘Ah great, Brenda it is me again…Lucy.’

  ‘Ah dear are you ok?…it must have been so upsetting for you this morning.’

  ‘Yes it was, but it has actually spurred me on to do a bit of research of my own. I jumped on the ferry and am now in Shanklin!’

  ‘Really!?….you don’t hang around do you dear?…..what sort of research are you going to do?’ Brenda asked flabbergasted.

  ‘I just want to have a good look round myself, and answer a few questions that are going on in my own head. I know the police have been great, but I still can’t understand how they have drawn a complete blank.’

  ‘Well, just you be careful on your own, you don’t want to be upsetting yourself too much.’

  ‘Yes I will…I was wondering if you could meet me for lunch tomorrow?…. it would be nice to see a friendly face.’ Lucy asked.

  ‘Yes of course, lovey, it would be a delight to see you dear.’

  ‘Is 12.30 pm ok at McCullens down by the port?’

  ‘Yes perfect, will look forward to it.’

  Lucy was relieved she was meeting Brenda…even just to sound off some ideas and get her thoughts on what happened. After phoning home, she had a bath and got into bed, finally satisfied that she was doing something proactive to find Rosie.

  The following morning Lucy woke up early. She didn’t get a lot of sleep worrying about whether she would find out anything substantial, as she didn’t want to go back disappointed. As she ate her breakfast in the pub dining area, she noticed a couple of the staff looking over as if they recognised her. She had experienced it a lot since Rosie went missing, as there had been so much tv coverage, but it never got any easier. She couldn’t bear that look of sorrow that everyone had for her. Although she knew they were just showing empathy, she felt she had spent the last two years being a victim, with a dark cloud casting a shadow over her wherever she went.

  She quickly took a last bite of toast and rushed back to the safety of her room. It was only 8.30am but she couldn’t hang around any longer. She needed to make headway with her research, so she grabbed her bag and coat, and checked out. She could only stay for one night without Tom getting suspicious, so it was imperative she found out as much information as possible that day.

  As she pulled up outside Bernie’s in her car, she could feel her stomach tighten and a hatred infiltrate her whole body. What once was a place of wonderment and joy filled with happy memories, was now a place that filled her with fear. She found it difficult to even get out of the car, but as she did, she could hear children’s laughter as they were out for their early morning bike rides with their parents. Lucy had a stab of jealously seeing these families whole and complete. Their hearts weren’t torn out, destroyed, never to be the same again. Lucy’s life was like theirs two years ago. Theirs was a happy movie, whereas hers had turned into a horror. She still couldn’t understand why this had to happen to their family. Why them? What had they done so wrong to deserve this? Lucy always use to think things happen for a reason, but there was absolutely no good reason in what had happened to Rosie, and no amount of searching would find one.

  As Lucy made her way over to
the arcade where she had last left Rosie, she noticed how calm everywhere was. Apart from a few bike riders, not everyone was up and about yet. The arcade was practically empty, so she wasn’t going to get a lot of clues from there yet, but it gave her a chance to scan the area. As she entered the arcade, there in front of her was the infamous two pence slot machine. The machine that stole the attention of her little girl, but sadly for not long enough. Lucy touched the glass, imagining placing her hand over Rosie’s. She felt it was the closest she was going to get to Rosie’s last moments. It was so cruel that one moment she was having the time of her life, and then suddenly it was snatched away so cruelly.

  She slowly moved around the arcade, taking in all of the machines…the car racing, the lucky dip, fruit machines, and foosball tables. She couldn’t understand how Rosie and Katrina could have just disappeared into nowhere…they must have been distracted by something. As she moved towards one of the side exits, she found herself outside, surrounded by fun fair rides. The bumper cars, twister, a carousel, and mini crazy golf. Tantalisingly scattered in between the rides, were an array of sweet stalls, candy floss stands and hot food vans. Flashing lights were already illuminating the fairground, and the stalls and rides were already manned, despite it only being 9.30am.

  Lucy decided to get a coffee and wait until it got a bit busier as she had nothing to really go on at this stage. She gave Tom and Sam a call to see how they were and let them know that she was ok. She didn’t like lying to them but she had to do this. She would tell Tom eventually but she needed something concrete to go back to him with first. Lucy sat wracking her brain for two hours whilst the arcade and the fairground started filling up. She decided to go for another walk around the area to survey the people, when a voice suddenly spooked her.

  ‘Flower for a lovely lady?’

  Lucy turned around, clutching her chest. ‘Oh, you made me jump!’ Lucy shrieked, breaking out into a smile as she was confronted by a big red nose, large white outlined lips and a red unruly wig. It was man dressed up as a clown. He was a wearing a comical blue jumpsuit with a multi coloured stripe collar, and big yellow clown shoes.

  ‘You seemed a bit down and lost, so I thought you needed cheering up.’ the clown remarked, bowing down and presenting her with a plastic pink flower.

  ‘Oh err thank you, that is very nice of you.’ Lucy responded, feeling slightly embarrassed….‘I’m ok, I’ve just got a few things on my mind.’

  ‘Anything I can help you with?’ he asked, putting his flower back in his pouch.

  ‘No, really it’s ok, you’ve made me smile, so that has helped.’

  ‘Ok, well I’ll leave you be, have a good day missy.’ the clown chuckled, as he skipped off to spread some more joy.

  Lucy smiled as she watched the clown move onto a family showing off his juggling skills. The children were laughing, and Lucy noticed how other children were dragging their parents over to him to watch as they passed by. She remembered how both Sam and Rosie loved clowns. Tom and her had taken them to the circus when they were on holiday in France. They loved every minute of it and they were in fits of giggles at the clown act. Rosie in particular asked for a clown outfit one Christmas.

  It then started to occur to Lucy that maybe that clown was around the day Rosie went missing. Maybe she saw him through the exit of the arcade and ran out to talk to him. Lucy’s heart started to race. That could have been it! What if it was the clown that distracted Rosie!

  She had to find out if the clown remembered anything about that day, so she hurriedly rushed through the crowds of people. She could only just see the tip of his curly hair in the distance.

  ‘Excuse me, excuse me, oh sorry excuse me!’ Lucy cried, as she rushed through bumping into the crowds of people that seemed to have amassed. Finally she caught up with him and managed to tap him on the shoulder.

  ‘Hello, hello, sorry it’s me again.’ an out of breath Lucy managed to blurt out.

  ‘Hello again, are you ok?’ he replied, slightly surprised to see her again so quickly

  ‘I’ve realised you may be able to help me.’ she said, rummaging through her bag for her camera.

  ‘Ok I really hope I can.’ The clown peered over her shoulder as she flicked through the photos.

  ‘My little girl went missing from here two years ago…here, this is a photo of her, her name is Rosie, I am hoping you might remember her…..see, she loved clowns and I think maybe she may have come running out of the arcade to see you.’ Lucy speedily relayed, nodding encouragingly, hoping for confirmation.

  ‘Oh no you poor dear, I did read about your little girl……so she hasn’t been found then?’ he responded sympathetically

  ‘No, unfortunately the case has come to a halt, so I am trying to investigate it myself further.’

  ‘Well, I’m afraid I only started working here just after your daughter went missing, but they have always had a clown here so maybe the previous one may know something. You would have to check with the office.’

  ‘Oh right.’ Lucy’s flame of hope had been royally extinguished. ‘Ok thank you for your help anyway.’ she replied walking away disillusioned.

  ‘No problem young lady, and I hope you find your missing daughter.’ he added, trying to put on his best clown face, which now even for him, proved difficult.

  ‘Thank you.’

  Lucy wandered back to the table she had been sitting at previously and got another coffee. She still had forty-five minutes to wait to meet Brenda. As she sat with her coffee, she started to scan the rides within the fun fair. There were a variety of different people working the rides, varying from girl and boy students wanting to make a bit of cash in their holidays; to men that looked like they had been residents there their whole life in the way they worked the rides so confidently; to the over exuberant attendants that whipped the children up into a frenzy of excitement as they twisted faster and faster on the rides.

  Lucy’s attention, though, was drawn to a couple of the workers on the bumper cars that were chatting with one another. They were of darker appearance to the other attendants. One had dark medium length wavy hair with a squat nose, and was wearing a dark grey logo t-shirt hanging over some ripped blue jeans. The other one had dark slightly longer hair tied back in a short pony tail with a longer crooked nose, and was wearing a maroon coloured stripe t-shirt hanging over black jeans. They didn’t really seem interested in making the children have a good time at all, whereby the other attendants seemed to converse with them and make them giggle. Lucy wondered how long they had worked there for. She couldn’t really remember taking much notice of them when she was on holiday there before, but she really wished she did now.

  After half an hour, Lucy finished her coffee and made her way over to McCullens where she had agreed to meet Brenda. As she entered the restaurant, she noticed Brenda was already sitting at the table. As she caught sight of Lucy, she came out from behind the table and pulled her in for a generous hug.

  ‘Ah dear, it is so lovely to see you.’ she said, cupping Lucy’s face in between her hands, and kissing her warmly on the cheek

  ‘It is so lovely to see you too Brenda. It is so good to have a friend here and someone to talk to.’ Lucy said, welling up.

  ‘So how have you been?’ Brenda asked, guiding Lucy to sit down.

  ‘Ok …one minute I think I am getting through it ok, and then.. boom.. something comes smacking back in my face which throws me into a spin again.’

  ‘I am sure it will keep doing that for a while, but you have always got to keep faith that you will find out what happened.’

  ‘I know, and that is what keeps me going. We went to Cornwall on holiday and I flipped out seeing lots of children playing away from their parents, and then just as I got over that, the letter from Bernie’s lands of my doorstep.’

  ‘I really do not know where that came from, as honestly we have not sent any letters out at all.’

  ‘Well, it made me come back here anyway, and maybe there
was a reason for that.’ Lucy replied resolutely.

  Brenda gestured for them both to look at the menu. ‘Come along let’s order and then you can tell me all about your trip so far.’

  ‘Yes great….I’ll just have the fish and chips and a tea.’

  Brenda called over the waiter. ‘Fish and chips, with tea twice please.’

  They both smiled at the waiter and waited for him to leave before they carried on.

  ‘So what have you found out so far?’ Brenda asked.

  ‘Not a lot yet, but something made me think this morning.’ Lucy said, leaning in.

  ‘What was that?’ Brenda replied, moving the menus to one side so she had a clear view.

  ‘The funfair clown came up to me this morning.’ Lucy laughed as she said it, as it sounded so ridiculous saying it out loud ‘…and it made me question whether Rosie saw him through the arcade exit and ran out to him, as she adored clowns.’

  ‘Well it sounds like a possibility….did you ask him if he recognised Rosie?’

  ‘Yes I did, but unfortunately he only started working there just after Rosie went missing.’

  ‘Oh that’s a shame.’ Brenda added, pouring them both out a tea from the pot.

  ‘So I wondered if you could find out who was employed as the clown before him, as he might remember something?’

  ‘Yes, I can surely look…I don’t remember off the top of my head, but I will check.’

  ‘Thank you Brenda.’

  As they sat eating their lunch, Lucy’s thoughts went back to the dark haired looking men working the bumper cars. ‘Brenda…do you know the workers on the funfair very well?’

  ‘Not very well no, the turnover is quite high each year, so I can never remember all of their names…why do you ask?’

  ‘It’s just I noticed you have a variety of workers….not all from The Isle of Wight.’