They arrived back at the hotel and decided to mull over their findings in the hotel lounge. They knew they had to make some quick decisions at it was now Sunday and Tom was due back to work on the Tuesday. If they were going to get any further with their search, they probably would need to go onto Hungary….unless they had wrongly suspected Jozsef Halasz.
Tom decided to ring his work and book the following week off, which thankfully they were fine with, as he had worked so much overtime lately. They also rang Sam’s grandparents to ask if they could look after him the following week. They made out Tom’s work project was taking longer than they had expected.
‘I feel so bad lying don’t you Tom.’
‘I know, but we have to do this, and Sam loves staying with them ….he much prefers my mum’s cooking to yours!’
‘Oi you, ha ha……but yes, that’s true...my healthy offerings are not as enticing as your mum’s cakes.’ Lucy grinned.
As Lucy got out her notebook, a waitress they had chatted to a few times came over.
‘Hello again, how are you enjoying your stay?’
‘Oh yes…lovely thank you.’ Lucy answered, looking up.
‘Have you been on the Sound of Music tour yet?’
‘No, we haven’t I’m afraid…we are actually here to visit a few people.’ Lucy replied, struggling for an explanation.
‘Ah …you have friends here in Austria?’ she asked, with her friendly welcoming eyes.
Lucy looked at Tom for help.
‘No, actually we are here to do some research.’ Tom continued.
‘Oh what sort of research?’ she asked surprised.
‘Well….it is hard to say this ….but our daughter went missing from England a couple of years ago, and our research had led us to believe she was taken to France, and then onto here and maybe Hungary.’
The waitress paused, with a look of empathy. ‘I am so sorry to hear that, that must be awful for you both.’
‘Yes, it has been.’ Lucy said quietly.
‘Where have you been looking?’ the waitress asked.
‘We had a contact in Grizburg, but then we have also just come back from the Sinti village in Vurgenz, as we believe there might be a link there.’ Tom answered.
‘Did you find anything?’
‘Not really….they were not very friendly…not that we would expect them to be as we were on their property. There were a few things that caught our eye, but nothing firm.’ Lucy disclosed.
‘The Austrian native community have not had a good relationship with the Roma or Sinti community in the past, but things are changing and they are not bad people. They have always had a poor reputation, but some of it has been unfair. I do not doubt though that there are bad apples everywhere so it may be possible that they had some involvement.’
‘I know, we do not like to generalise about people, but unfortunately we have found evidence linking one of our suspects to one man living in the Sinti community. Not the whole community.’ Tom added.
‘One of my colleagues from the kitchen was actually from the Sinti community there, but she moved away due to family problems, and she has done really well here. I could ask her a few questions. It will be delicate, but I can see what I can find out.’
‘Oh would you?… that would be so fantastic, thank you…sorry I do not know your name.’
‘It’s Hannah.’ she smiled. ‘I will call your room if I find out anything.’
‘Great thank you.’ Lucy replied gratefully.
‘How lovely of her to help us Tom.’ Lucy said.
‘I know it would be amazing if she could.’
That afternoon Lucy and Tom were watching the news on the tv in their room, when there was a knock at the door. They both looked at each other in anticipation. Tom got up to answer the door, while Lucy jumped off the bed and quickly smartened up her hair.
‘Hello.’ Tom announced.
‘Hello, are you are free for me to come in and talk with you?’ Hannah inquired.
‘Yes, most definitely, it is so lovely of you to have come.’ Tom declared, welcoming her into their room.
‘I have brought someone with me….this is Julia.’ she said, beckoning her to join her in the room.
‘Hello, pleased to meet you.’ Lucy acknowledged her, nodding.
‘Please come and sit down.’ Tom requested, pulling out some chairs for them, while Lucy and Tom perched on the bed.
‘So I have discussed your case with Julia, and although at first she was reluctant to discuss her family, she understands that you must be suffering a great deal of pain, so she has agreed to talk. Her English isn’t perfect, so I will help where I can.’
‘Ok thank you.’ Lucy responded, starting to well up in anticipation of what she was about to say.
Both Lucy and Tom sat forward and listened as Julia began.
‘I grew up in Sinti village in Vurgenz.’ she started, looking nervously at Hannah.
‘It’s ok …carry on.’ Hannah encouraged her, laying a reassuring hand on Julia’s knee.
‘I…I enjoy be child ….play with other children….but….not with family.’ Julia said, looking down.
‘Why is that?’ Lucy asked softly, trying to regain eye contact.
‘Because of my …..my father…..he was very bully…you know? To both me and mother. I was much frightened to speak him. I was only me…how do you say?’ she asked, looking over to Hannah.
‘An only child.’ Hannah intervened.
‘Yes ..only child, so I had no person talk to.’
‘How about your mother?’ Lucy asked gently.
‘My re..lat..ions with mother diff..difficult. I love her ..very much, but I….I could no stay…not watch what involve with.’ Julia sat shaking her head.
‘What do you mean…involved with what?’ Lucy asked.
Julia looked at Hannah. ‘It’s ok Julia, you need to explain.’
‘My mother no really bad person……she just terrify of ..of my father. She o…o..bey every word, even if no agree. She get trap and could no find way out.’
‘Trapped into doing what?’ Lucy pushed softly.
‘My in..instruc..tion always same….keep quiet …say I see nothing or bad beating for me and mother.’ Julia paused, before taking a deep breath. ‘I was ten….. when first ‘cousin’ come stay. She was pretty young girl…seven years ….. from my Swedish Roma family..anscheinend..how do you say?’ she asked, looking again at Hannah.
‘Apparently’ Hannah interjected. ‘I think she is saying that they were not really from her Swedish Roma family.’
Lucy nodded, starting to feel sick to her stomach at what Julia was about to reveal.
‘Yes ..ap..par..ently…I think no really from Swedish family. I could no speak with girl as no speak Swedish but I notice how she no look happy with us. She look kind of frighten, but...but I think it because she did no know us. My father told me girl’s name Mia, but she never look at me when I call it. I also found strange that my mother colour hair brown when stay with us as she no stay long.’ Julia explained, rubbing her hair to demonstrate.
‘Dyed her hair?’ Lucy questioned.
‘Yes dye hair….then after two day, Uncle Laurenz come collect young girl. It sad watch, as girl clung to mother tight….even though only stay short time. I never heard her again and father said no talk about her in house.’
‘So did anything else happen with your father?’ Lucy asked, keen to hear as many details as possible.
Julia paused again, before continuing. ‘Yes….the next year, one more young girl come stay…a new ‘cousin.’ This time from French Roma family. The same happen as before. She stay two day and was collect by ‘Uncle Laurenz’. I thought it strange her name also Mia and mother colour hair brown again. I was eleven year this time and me be vermute..how do you say?’ she asked, again turning to Hannah.
‘Suspect.’ Hannah offered,
‘Yes sus..pect of what happen. I start feel no nice about it but…. could no talk no pers
on, so I wait five more year in parent home… still have more ‘cousin’each year…then I could no more watch happen. By time I sixteen, and father bring new frighten ‘cousin’ in house, I …schwor mir….’ she said, looking at Hannah.
‘I vowed that.’ Hannah translated.
‘I vow..ed that I no let this Mia be give to dirt hands of Uncle Laurenz. So…I wait until father leave house for drink whiskey, and mother sleep, then run with girl. I leave vill..age hold girl.’ she explained, holding out her arms as if carrying the child.
She continued ‘I no seen leave and run next field. We stay in hut one night ..to think what do next. I bring food for few day and blank..et. I think go police next day. …but we both sleep, and then hear ‘grrrr grrrr dog wake us. My father come with big dog to find us.’
‘Oh no, what happened next?’ Lucy gasped, dreading the answer.
Julia looked down, ‘I was beaten…..he nearly kill me, but my mother cry stop. He told me leave and no come back, and say I see no more of Sinti family. I did no care though …I just glad to be away from him and what he do.’
‘So what about your mother?’ Lucy asked.
‘I miss her much and I frighten he kill her as he very angry man…but my mother too scare to leave.
Hannah put a reassuring arm around Julia’s shoulder, before turning to Lucy and Tom. ‘Julia has not ever spoken about this before as it is a life she wants to leave behind, and she has also been worried about any repercussions from the Sinti community if she did. She admitted to me that she had seen publicity of several missing children on the tv but she chose to blank it out…up until now that is. Luckily, she has started to turn her life around and has been working with us now for nearly two years so she feels a stronger person.’
Lucy sat with her hands over her mouth trying to take it all in.‘I am so so sorry you have had to endure all of that at such a young age. It must have been horrific for you, but you have been extremely brave to pull through it and make a life for yourself here. I can not believe you tried to save one of the little girls as well.’ Lucy stood up to give Julia a hug, but she shied away initially, not used to affection. She instead nodded gratefully for her caring words.
The next question Lucy and Tom wanted to ask was hanging glaringly over them, before Tom summoned up the courage to ask it. ‘So Julia, if we showed you some photos, do you think you would be able to identify any of the girls?’
Unfortunately, much to Lucy’s dismay, Julia suddenly became visibly upset and sat shaking her head. Hannah put her arm around her before trying to encourage her to speak. ‘It is ok Julia, you have been amazing so far. You want to help Lucy and Tom find out what happened to their little girl don’t you?’
Julia nodded her head slowly before wiping her nose with a tissue.
‘I understand if it is too painful for you.’ Lucy sympathised, but she couldn’t hide her disappointment from Tom.
Julia looked up at Lucy and slowly held out her hand to see the photos.
‘Really…are you sure?’ Lucy asked.
‘Yes, she is ok now.’ Hannah responded.
Lucy clicked on her photo gallery, and up came the photos from Laurenz’s box file. She gestured for Julia to come and sit alongside her, and as Lucy swiped across each one, Julia nodded, acknowledging their familiarity each time, before a tear finally dropped onto the screen.
‘This hard to see… bring back lots bad memory me.’
‘I know, we are sorry, but we really do appreciate what you are doing for us.’ Lucy said.
Julia nodded again.
‘Do you remember which girl was the first one to visit?’ Tom asked.
Julia slowly swiped to a girl wearing a pink love hearts top.
Lucy fought back her tears as she uttered the words ‘Anna Gerber.’
Hannah looked up in recognition of the name. ‘Is this the same Anna Gerber that was all over the news a few years ago?’
‘Yes, we are afraid so.’ Tom disclosed.
‘You have to go to the police!’ Hannah exclaimed.
‘Polizei!’ Julia panicked.
‘It’s ok Julia, you will be safe here with us…but you have to see that the police must know that we have a picture of Anna Gerber and where it came from….it is crucial evidence.’ Hannah said, calming her down.
Julia looked fearful, before reluctantly agreeing ‘Ok…I know you right.’
Lucy turned to Hannah. ‘We will go to the police very soon. We are so worried though that if they become involved and raid the suspects we have discovered so far, the other true ring leaders we still have on our radar may go underground, which may lose us our chance of finding Rosie, Anna and the other girls. We know they may not still be alive, but we have to hope and pray there is a chance they are. Now you are aware of this Hannah, we will keep you updated on our movements, and I promise we will contact the police in the next few days. Please bear with this.’ Lucy begged, looking pleadingly into her eyes.
Hannah rubbed her hands together uncomfortably, before conceding. ‘Ok, I will wait for you to tell the police then….but yes ….please definitely keep me informed as I am not sure how long I can live with this myself, now that I know potentially who took Anna.’
‘Thank you Hannah.’
Julia swiped Lucy’s pictures across one more time and flinched. Her face suddenly turned to one of hatred.
‘What is it?’ Lucy inquired, looking over at the photo.
‘This man …my father, and this man… Uncle Laurenz.’ Julia announced vehemently, pointing firstly to the man on the left, and secondly to the man in the middle.’
Lucy sat up straight, startled by Julia’s revelation. ‘What is your father’s name?’
‘…Emil Janos.’
Lucy and Tom both had a feeling she was going to say his name, but they wanted her to say the words to be sure.
‘There is one other photo we need to show you.’ Tom added, with slight reservation, before looking at Lucy for confirmation.
She paused, before shakily replying ‘I am not sure I can do this.’
‘Come on Luce, we have to?’ Tom urged.
Both Hannah and Julia nervously looked on as Lucy clicked on her last photo of Rosie. As her angelic face filled the screen, Julia let out a gasp.
‘Oh no, you have met her haven’t you!?’ Lucy cried, trying to hold back her tears.
Julia slowly nodded, before pointing at the picture. ‘She is girl I…..’
‘…Rescued…..that was her wasn’t it? She was the girl you left your home with?’ Lucy surmised despairingly.
‘Yes.’ Julia muttered, ‘that was the girl.’
‘So ….what happened to Rosie after your dad beat you?’ Tom asked, apprehensively.
‘I no sure…I unconscious for all day… but I remember hear voices next morning so I think my father call Uncle Laurenz to come get …. Ro..sie, as she no there next day. I did though hear my father talk Vienna and Budapest when he speak Laurenz.’
Lucy collapsed into Tom’s lap. ‘Oh our beautiful little girl must have been so frightened, where is she Tom, where is she?!’
‘I don’t know sweetheart, but we will find her.’ Tom comforted her, trying to remain calm himself.
‘I think we should leave you now, but you know where we are if you need us.’ Hannah interjected.
‘Yes, I’m sorry.’ Lucy said, pulling herself together. She stood up and threw her arms around Julia, holding her in close. ‘Thank you so much you lovely adorable girl….this means the world to us.’
Julia didn’t shy away this time. ‘That ok….I better now tell you.’ They held onto each other tightly, both of them now relinquishing their deep pain, in that moment of comfort.
Once Hannah and Julia had left the room, Lucy and Tom felt completely overwhelmed and drained by what they had found out.
‘To think about what that poor girl had to live with at the hands of her father is shocking.’ Tom said, in disgust.
‘I don’t think I’m goin
g to get the image of Rosie out of my head now, with that man.’ Lucy recoiled.
‘I know darling, me either……we have to be strong though if we are going to find her, or at least find out what happened to her. Anyway, I think we have found out enough here for now. I think we should drive to Vienna tomorrow and look for this casino. We might be able to find out more about Laurenz Felbiger.’
Lucy nodded ‘Yes …let’s hope so.’
Later that evening, Lucy booked them into Hotel Magdalena, and estimated that it would take them three hours to drive there from Salzburg. After a long chat with Sam and their parents, they polished off another bottle of wine to help them sleep, as they knew the alarming developments of the day would undoubtedly haunt their dreams.
As Lucy lay there drifting off to sleep, something made her think about Katrina. They hadn’t found any photos of her amongst those found in the box file. Lucy had forgotten to show Julia a photo of Katrina.
She often thought about how odd it was that Katrina’s parents didn’t have her plastered all over the news as missing, which made her start to question if Katrina was missing at all. Had she instead been sent to groom Rosie in preparation for the abduction. The police had suggested it was a possibility. Lucy hadn’t really spoken to her that much, and never met her parents. In fact, the more thought she gave it, the more certain she was that Katrina was involved. Instead of offering her beloved Rosie the hand of friendship, she instead lured her into the hands of evil. How could she do that? Why would she do that? Lucy just hoped she got to find out.
Chapter 24
After returning from her hot pursuit of the stubbled man to Vurgenz, Chloe fell onto the bed, back in her room. She could hear Lucy and Tom trying to open something. They appeared to be wrestling with some sort of lock. They must have got it from the house, she thought.
Chloe had raced back to the hotel, after the wrench of witnessing a young girl being taken against her will. She could have been the lady’s own flesh and blood, as she had read that poverty stricken Roma families often sold their children for money, promising them they would have ‘a better life’ abroad. She could, of course, have not been. The child could have been abducted from another family altogether.
The Truth Healer: A Riveting Spiritual Psychic Thriller Page 25