Sometimes life can send you some mighty big curved balls.

My grandparents have just died within 20 days of each other. I was at their home with my Grandma, after my Grandpa died. My brother told my Grandma to move into a retirement home, sell the property and give him the money. His brother, meaning me, does not need it. I did not realise they knew the attitude of my brother. Just before my Grandma died she said quietly to me. “We have put our wishes into a tight legal document that your brother will wish he did not take such a harsh attitude with me. When I go you open ‘my father’s’ safe over there, to which we have lost the keys, and the contents are all yours. I have that in my will. I just ask you don’t open it before I go.”

I did agree. 4 days later Grandma went to sleep for the last time. Officially it was a heart attack. We all know it was a broken heart. They were yin and yang.

Five days later my brother instructed the solicitors to sell the property for whatever he could get and send him the proceeds. He did not even come down for the reading. He was instructed that nothing could be done until 30 days after his Grandfather died and the first will was read. I was allowed to stay in the house. He tried to get a court order to get me removed. That failed as I was in residence before he died due to his illness. He demanded an advance copy of the will, again, via the courts. Again that failed. I hate to be his legal person. Hopefully they are paid before taking any actions.

A friend of mine, Ian, is a registered safe cracker and opened the safe for me, in front of my grandparents’ legal representatives. Inside was some gold bullion worth around $1,250,000 in today’s money. I did insist this was recorded. Together with a letter addressed to me as first, eldest son. Inside was a legal document for a property at Texas which included Texas Hill and surrounding area approximately 1,000 square miles. This document also included mineral rights over the property. That is how old the property document was. I was set for life. It was handed down from first son to first son only. My brother could not contest it. It did mention the gold and it was my monies until the legal paperwork was complete. The property came with a nice 6 bedroom ranch style home on top of the hill.

I suppose I should tell you about myself. I am 26, investor, 170cm slim build, I enjoy photography and hiking. Light brown hair and I am a bit of a loner. I do enjoy females but I am a quiet person and seem set in my ways. I am currently unattached. My parents died when I was 20 and as they died without a will, their estate was exchanged into cash and split 50/50 between my brother and I, at his insistence. I invested my monies into 5 houses with mortgages. One of my properties, a developer, urgently needed it to get a development application (DA) approved.
He offered me a small amount of funds, less than I paid for it. So I asked for the total of my mortgages across all of my properties. He tried to negotiate me down. I refused. He promised me the monies on the DA approval, but I refused. He finally paid me fully. I paid out my mortgages. On appeal he lost his DA. I have 4 good mortgage free properties across the city, 3 leased, earning me a good tidy income. My brother squandered his money on wine, women, songs and big noting himself in the papers. He is 13 months younger than me.

I attended the will reading with a young male person I did not know. I stopped the reading until he was identified. He finally revealed himself as the legal representative for my brother’s legal firm but did not have the correct written paperwork signed by the brat. He was called out of a meeting to sign and have the document legally witnessed before the will reading could continue. He did state the waste of time was at the cost of the estate. It was quickly rebuffed as he did not sign the correct paperwork and therefore it was his cost, not the grandparents’. Anyway, on to the Will reading. My grandparents sent to the legal people a monthly summary of contact between the four of us. This was important.

The Will was divided into contacts over the last three years in percentage of minutes between Grandparents and Grandchildren. If we telephoned them, the amount of minutes was recorded times (x) 2. If they called us it was x1. If we visited by invitation x1, by surprise x2, on birthdays x4. They kept a detailed record of visits. If we visited, requesting funds -1, demanding -3. I never realised he did this for I never requested financial funds from my grandparents.

The end result of the divide was I got 97% of my grandparents estate, he got 3%. The next provision was each party was to pay for their own legal costs. We could overrule this provided we both agree (no chance). He was out of pocket already. Any legal challenge cannot use the estate funds. His legal representative requested a copy and left the office immediately. I had to pay him some $192,000 and before I left the legal office, a demand came in from his legal people demanding his funds be paid to their trust account within 48 hours. For some reason my grandparents’ solicitors recommended that I do this as soon as possible. I had the cash so I did, through their trust account. Later I did find out he owed them a lot more and he got nothing. That was the last I heard of my brother. The estate was valued at over $6.6 million. I did keep the family home and contents at the request of Grandpa.

On visiting my new property, from Grandma, I noticed some rough people leaving it in a 4 wheel drive. I followed them at a distance to a pub in town. They talked about how they found another vein of gold and that should keep the boss happy. It’s a pity that the assay person took so much.

I left the pub and called on a tough security company I knew. Walking past the secretary and some tough nut staff I entered the owners office. Sitting down I put my feet on his polished desk. His staff all looked at me with horror. He looked at me whilst he finished his phone call. He stopped all the staff coming towards me. He finished his call and put his feet on the desk, the first time his staff had ever seen him do it. John said roughly, “And what do you want?”
I answered “You, to do some honest work for once.”
John answered “Long time no see Alf, what can I do for you mate. Long time no see?” We removed our feet off the desk and shook hands.

I explained about my inheritance and the talk I heard at the pub. He smiled, “Stay with me overnight and we will visit your place in the morning and I’ll have a few guys with me. Vicky, we have a friend staying tonight. Guys come in here” They came in, all ready to do their bosses orders.”Meet Alf, this man, yes man, was the only person willing to help me out a few years ago and help set up this business. Any requests from Alf, consider it an order from me, yes an order. Without him I would not be here today. That is how valuable he is to me. He has a problem on his property and tomorrow we are going to help him out. Understand?”
They all replied “Yes sir.” with a look of surprise.
John continued “Now introduce yourselves and mention your speciality please. He is a planner.”

The guys all introduced themselves and became really friendly. I outlined my problem and asked “I need some initial ideas guys, nothing is off limits yet unless it’s we visit the moon!” That created a laugh and in the next 45 minutes it became a productive meeting with quite a few ideas and a lot of up in the air unknown until we did a scout. Vicky did a Google search and came up with a roadway and mine entrance, different to the house roadway and mine entrance. We decided to hit it at 7am. Some of the crew did some food and gear planning.

John, Vicky and I went to the home and checked it out. It was in good nick and had been vacated around 2 months ago. They did leave some furniture. Vicky said “Alf, I have never seen the crew get around anyone like you today, even with John’s instructions?”

John replied. “You did not listen to his first request, it was ‘I need some initial ideas guys’ he was asking, not telling, the guy’s area of expertise and they felt pleased to input. I have seen Alf use that method in team building in the past. Now how many other people do you expect I would allow them to put their feet on my desk?”
Vicky stated “Until today none.”
I replied “And if you look tomorrow I did not leave any marks either. It’s a sign between us, we need help and we are asking a trusted friend.”
Vicky replied “Wow anyone else and you would have blasted them John?”
John replied “Yes because I am not indebted to them like I am to Alf and I don’t mean money.”
Vicky answered “Wow, I’ll take it one day you will tell me!”
John replied “One day.” Returning to John’s home we ate a meal and slept ready for an early morning.

At 6am I collected my small camera and some warm clothes for going into the mines. The outside temperature was 38c. Inside a mine it can be around 5c. Depending on its depth. Vicky collected some food she ordered from a snack bar for 12 people. Enough to feed us for the day. She was coming with us as she had mining experience. Her sister did the shop secretary work for the day.

When we arrived, from the house, we heard some screaming, a female screaming and a person laughing “Come on bitch open up get you drink of piss?”
John held Vicky and whispered “wait?” We heard a noise behind us and I noticed one of the people from the pub last night carrying a can of fuel. He did not see us.
He yelled out “Hold the cow for me, my balls are busting, Bud will start the air in five minutes from Now? Bud Five minutes”
A voice yells back “Fucking 5 minutes OK. Then I get the bitch!” I looked at John. He looked at one of his men and just nodded. He moved so silently for a big person, even though I saw him move, I did not hear him. Vicky was angry. I put my fingers to my lips and hands together in prayer. She looked at John and back at me and nodded, letting her shoulders drop. The other men all looked at John and me doing the same.

John man came back with the other robber with his hand over his mouth and his arm painfully up his back. John and I moved towards him and quietly asked “If you want to live quietly answer our questions, don’t yell out or we’ll drop you inside the mine shaft and leave you for the next 30 days. Do you understand?” The wet patch in his jeans told us he understood together with his nodding head. I asked, “Using your left hand, how many people in the mine?” 4, “How many females?” 1, “Any guns?” shaking of his head. “Blasting power?” Nodding, “Chargers?” Shaking looking up the hill.
John’s man loosen his mouth grip, “They are in a box up the hill, in the tree hollow.”

One of John’s other men went to the hollow and found them. He relocated them closer to the house and returned within 2 minutes. This person was very forthcoming with information including the name of the assay agent Bruce and Mr Bobby, the man who employed them. John smiled knowing his name as he was well known but tried to block John in many expansion. Now he knew why.

When asked about the female, he advised she was a scrubber they picked up one morning on the way here to use. She has been down there for three to four months and used by them for fucking and toilet relief. When asked about food she was expected to eat and drink what they excreted, otherwise she starved. John immediately looked in the direction of Vicky and she was mentally told to stay. How she did it, I do not know as I was ready to kill them.

One of the mine men yelled out “Turn the fucking air and lights on!”
I answered, “Yell out, it’s not turning over again.”
He yelled out “It fucking not working again, looks like water?” The man behind him punched him and knocked him out. We hid as the man came out of the entrance towards the motor hut.

He was held and tied up with an oily rag in his mouth. Again we hid. Two other men came out asking “What the hell is fucking happening today?” When they saw their mate tied up, they were captured and tied up like him. Finally the last robber came up cursing about the loss of mining time with the piss poor generator. He was not happy to see his workmates all tussled up like piglets. We got him to show us the mine site and the girl.
I told Vicky to sit with the girl but not to move her yet.
She looked at me with horror. John said “Obey him.”

The other guy showed us the working and the new line of gold. We returned to the girl. He did not have the key to take off the shackles. One of the men went to get some tools. I stripped the girl of her clothes. I tied some cloth over her eyes. Looking all over her body I took pictures. Vicky was giving me dirty looks, I could feel them.
I said, “Vicky remove the clothes from this creep ready to dress this girl please. Do not tear them off please.” She did as instructed.
Removing the cloth over her eyes. I dressed the girl saying “We are friends, and we are going to help you but if we take you out of here without precautions we could make you go blind. I have photographed your body as is for other reasons. I have to blindfold you and cover your skin as much as possible. You have been held underground for three to four months and abused. I am taking you to my house on the hill to talk further. My name is Alf. You are?”
She whispered “Ashley.” after a few attempts. I held her
I asked, “Do you have any family?”
Ashley answered softly,”Cousin Celia nurse.”
Again I held her “That is enough for now. Vicky the girl who was with you and I will help you out of this mine shaft. You might feel some males other than me hold you or lift you, they are part of Vicky crew and are the good guys. We need to get you into the house and get you well. Vicky. Release your anger on it?” Pointing to the nude male.

She swiftly kicked him between the legs and stomped on his balls. She looked at me “Thanks!”

After blindfolding Ashley again. We removed the chain from Ashley but not the shackle or lock. I used a cloth to avoid any further damage to her body. We carried her to the entrance and up the shaft. Once outside, between the men shading her and tears in their eyes over her treatment, she was soon in my home. I got one of the men to board up the window with a sheet of ply to block sunlight. He knew what and why he was doing. He did the same to the adjoining bathroom without being asked. We removed the lock and shackle, leaving them at the front door. At home I asked Vicky to get some clothes for her in the form of t-shirts, blouses, skirts, track suits enough for 10 days at present. Together with some food for me. I gave her $2,000. Ashley will eat some of my food for the next week. Could she bring my clothes from their house to my home here please.

I stripped off and took the clothes off Ashley. In the shower I washed her gently, removing some four months of grime and shit. I washed her around five times including her hair about 7 times. After drying I carried her to the bed and covered her with a sheet and blanket. She was away with the faeries. About an hour or so later Vicky arrived with a heap of shopping and clothes. We put the shopping away and left the clothes on the dining table.
She sat down. “Initially I was angry with you with what you were doing to Ashley, but John told me in the shops, Even he was not happy but when you explained to her, in front of us, what and why you did it. It explained your actions and if we did what we wanted to do, we would have made her future worse. Where is she now?”
I replied “When you left I had a shower with her and washed off the grime. I washed her about 6 times and her hair 7 times. Towards the end she was falling asleep in the shower which was what I wanted. I carried her to bed. Come on I’ll show you?”
Vicky, seeing Ashley asleep in the bed, could not believe it was the same girl who some hours ago we removed from the mine. I did notice that even in sleep she moved her hand to hide the light over her eyes.

Outside her room I put a blanket over her door to block the light. Vicky said “John wants to know what to do about the robbers. Technically as they were stealing from your property under the old title system you can direct the courts. The boys found some 15 ounces of gold mined by the five robbers that could be 15 years in jail with no parole. If they testify they were paid by Mr Bobby and have some proof, he can go down with them. By the way, thanks for allowing me to release my anger.” I smiled.
Replying “I would like to see them jailed with no parole and if Mr Bobby was in the courtroom and they stated he paid them, he would have to answer the charge immediately, under oath, Bible. I don’t want to see Ashley put through the court system unless she wants to. However that is one of the reasons I did take the pictures at the time. I could feel your daggers by the way, however you now know the reason. Now how can we trace this Celia?”
Vicky mentioned “Let’s ring the hospital?”
We rang the local hospital switchboard and advised Celia was working at the private hospital.
I rang Celia at the hospital and asked when her shift finished as I wished to speak privately to her. She advised in an hour. I gave my address and she agreed to come around.

On arrival, Vicky and I spoke to her about Ashley. She immediately advised she was missing, they were cousins and only family. I explained who I was and my inheritance. Who Vicky was and her partner John. She knew John from a previous encounter and had a good experience with him. Vicky immediately rang John and put him on the phone to Celia. They chatted and Celia said “Well John said to completely place my trust in you Alf.”

I said “John, Vicky, his crew and I found Ashley today, but she is not in a good way and cannot be taken to hospital. She has been in a mine shaft for 3-4 months, no sunlight, no food and used as a sex toy and toilet of 5 men. I have her here in one of my bedrooms complete in the dark to protect her skin and more importantly her eyes. I have washed her with very mild soap to clean the grime away. At present she is sleeping. You will not recognise her from the last time you saw her to the treatment the robbers did to her. Come with us but please, hold your emotions, until we return from the room.”
We entered the bedroom and Celia’s hand went straight to her mouth. I pulled her away from the room and held her outside the room until she stopped crying. One minute she was hugging me the next semi thumping me, then hugging me. I asked “Cuppa?” She nodded. Vicky made us all one.

As we sat down she was shaking as she drank her coffee with four sugars. Vicky put in four.
Vicky mentioned “Alf has done a wonderful role in making her comfortable to the way we found her. We just wanted to carry her out. He stopped us. We stripped one of the robbers of his clothes to dress Ashley and blindfolded her. We carried her here. Made the bedroom/bathroom dark and he washed her until she fell asleep. I purchased some new clothes, guessing her current size until she starts to eat and put on some weight.”

Celia asked “Can I see her again please?” I held her hand and took her in the room Vicky held the door open and let some light in. Celia whispered “She has lost so much weight.”
I said “Give her a kiss and say everything will be OK now, she is safe.” Celia did that, giving her two kisses. She grabbed my hand as we walked out.
At the table Celia asked “Can I come again to see her please?”
I smiled “You can come anytime to see her please. I will need some medical help for her and I am not sure what help is needed. There will be eyes, skin, nutrition, rehab etc. But I do know, at this stage, a hospital is too bright and noisy for her.”
She asked “Yes I tend to agree and too many questions. Well can I possibly rent a room here from you, my lease is due in a month and I would like to be closer to Ashley. I have the medical info you need and contacts?”

Smiling “That would please me as I have limited clothing here as well. My home is in the city and my main clothes are in my grandparents home 50km away. I do need to collect. This way we can arrange that at least one person is always here with Ashley until she gets stronger.
Vicky stated “I don’t mind helping, as well Alf. I can always get my sister to look after the shop for John and I. I see you do care for people, Celia my boyfriend John is, as you know a rough nut with a soft centre once you know him. He told all the other men yesterday if Alf asks for assistance or directs actions, consider it a direct order from him. I don’t know what he has done for John but John holds Alf in very high regards and trust.”
Celia replied “Yes I got the same from John when I talked to him. Trust Alf.”

Vicky laughed “Look we have made him blush.” Celia laughed. I got up and walked away to the main bedroom. Then another bedroom. I checked the bedroom next to Ashley and it had an ensuite.
I called Celia. “Here is your bedroom and ensuite, next to Ashley. Move in whenever you are ready. Now I have not looked around the house fully. We only came here last night and I’m moving in today. Um. Can you stay here today and night. That will give me the time to go and get my clothes. Vicky can you request John to station a guard over this house and one over the mine for the next few days, and make sure he sends me the invoice, better still you send me the invoice without him finding out. You know what he is like and I don’t want him to have any unnecessary money drain on his business at present.”

Vicky smiled “He has already told me not to bill you anything.”
I asked, “Can he carry all of my requests?”
Vicky replied, “um sort of?”
I smiled. “I can pay with no problem. You make out the invoice, for today, for everyone including your hours. Another for my house security for say two weeks, four men, 24/7 hours. Knowing your men today, they would want to know the condition of Ashley anyway.” Celia looked at me
Vicky laughed “That they would. OK not telling John I will arrange and deliver them here.”
I gave her my business card and one to Celia. “No. Send it to my email address and I’ll bank it directly under the invoice number.” She smiled.
Celia said. “Well give me an hour to collect my clothes from home. I have finished my shift today and I don’t need to return for 3 days. I am so happy to know Ashley is alive.” She gave both of us a kiss and cuddle and left for her home.

Vicky said “Are you sure you have the funds to pay Alf?”
I answered “I have just inherited this land and around $6m from my grandparents. Yes I have the money to pay and cash in the bank. I just don’t want John to go into debt financially for me. I value his friendship too much for that. I just know he would do that.”
Vicky replied “Yes he would. There are not many people John would do that for so you two must have something special to look out for each other.” She gave me a cuddle. “If there is anything I can do for you, let me know especially on the female line, like today, for Ashley.” She returned to John.

I finally walked around the house inside and out. It was quite a nice home Ranch style, with an underground area the size of the house consisting of a theatre room, games room with a full size snooker table, Gymnasium fully equipped with weights, walk in larder, wine storage with a lot of wine bottles, storage areas and some other locked rooms. I returned to the ground floor, checked on Ashley, still sleeping, and made myself a sandwich.

Celia returned with her clothes and other items. I helped move them into her room. She had some food items from her flat. I showed her the kitchen. We walked around the house including the underground. She was impressed with the theatre, gym and the games room. I said “I will be away at least 3-4 hours, if there are any problems, ring John or myself. I have had a sandwich but please help yourself. I don’t expect Ashley to wake up until tomorrow. If she does keep her in the dark and cuddle her back to sleep. She can have water and in need use the toilet in her bathroom but no lights. She has no underwear but she is sleeping with a towel as a nappy.”
Celia replied “I shall look after her Alf, you collect your things and I will see you soon.” she gave me another kiss and a cuddle with wet eyes. “Drive safely please.”

It took me five hours to get my clothes, clean out the fridge and cupboards of open packets and some tin items I did like. I mentioned to a neighbour about a problem I have to solve and would be coming back hopefully weekly. I gave him the on-forwarding address. He was pleased to help. He did not like my brother and would call the police if he attended, then me. I smiled and thanked him.

Returning to Texas, Celia hugged me saying Ashley had not stirred. Two men had walked about, she rang John and he confirmed they were his men doing their security role, after he spoke to Vicky. I laughed. We put the food stuff away and Celia helped to organise my clothing, I think it was because she was lonely. She made a nice lasagne for dinner with a simple salad with the leftover salad items from Grandma and her house. It was nice. We had some tea. We both did not take sugar and found out it’s because where we worked it was generally none around. Actually in my case it was because I forgot to buy it. We retired after talking for about 3 hours.

Sometime during the night Celia climbed into bed with me. I woke up as she was spooning me. I used the toilet. Checked on Ashley, still asleep, and made some coffee. 15 minutes later Celia joined me for some coffee. “I felt cold last night and I was not sure if you had any extra blankets so I joined you. You were warm and cuddly. I fell asleep feeling safe. Sorry about that.”

I answered “Other than you left me with no bed room after I got up to use the toilet and checked on Ashley. I decided to get a coffee before planning any further action on getting some bed space back.” I was smiling at her. She laughed. We heard a moan from Ashley’s room.

On entering her room she was sitting up. She had been sick and had made a toilet mess of herself. Celia and I cuddled her. I said first “No problem, you are now safe and you have to retrain your body. I will wash you again whilst your cousin Celia will change your bed.”
Celia kissed and hugged her. “Yes we will nurse you to good health. Go with Alf to clean up and I change the bed. We love you kiddo.” She held the both of us and cried.

I took her to the bathroom. The daylight did creep into the room. I could see the translucence of her skin and thinness of her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror. She stopped dead still as I undressed her. I undressed myself and got the shower going. Moving her in I washed her all over again like yesterday only this time it was twice. Drying her off, she turned to the mirror again saying “I’m ugly.”
I kissed her head “No, beautiful, just a bit skinny at this stage. Please be careful walking in the house. I don’t want you to go outside in the bright sun. Not so much for your skin but your eyes. It can make you blind. Please call out if you want to come out of your room, either me, Celia or Vicky will always be around. There are men wandering around this property. They are some of the men who found you with me and want updated reports. They are concerned about you as well. You now have plenty of unconditional love around here.” Celia came into the shower after changing her bed. It was a mess. She had a quick shower. We put a t-shirt and dress on Ashley and some dark sunglasses allowing her into the kitchen. The light of the fridge hurt her eyes.

I said “If any light of any kind hurts your eyes, tell us immediately. I never gave a thought to the fridge light. Today it is overcast. When you have had enough, tell us and we will return you to your room. You will be on sloppy foods until your stomach is ready for more. This plastic bucket is your friend during drinks and food. Feel sick just use it. Here is some vegetable juice watered down 15 to 1, hopefully we will get down to the recommended rate of 5 to 1 shortly. Just have what you feel like.”
She started to sip it. Celia tasted a bit of it, pulling a tight face “Wow you drink this stuff?”
I answered “John and I did for 2 weeks after an accident we were left dead for. This is watered down for our Ashley. Her body has to recover slowly. I believe by day five she will be a lot stronger with having some of this and other juices over the hospital junk food. Day seven mash potatoes and poached eggs.” Ashley’s eyes lit up on that. I smiled, “Day seven is the target then!” she nodded.
Ashley finished her drink and asked just to look outside. Taking her to the lounge room I opened the double doors. We noticed she did a double breath in. A good sign.

One of the security guards saw her and stood still in her view. Ashley looked at me “He is one of the men who found you, can he say hello?” She nodded. I waved him up.

He said “Good to see you around Miss, we are all rooting for your good health. If you need anything, just call on us. I’ll let the others know I have seen you and you do look a lot better Miss.”

Ashley said softly “Thank you.” She looked at Celia, “My room please.” Celia took her to her room.
I asked “Your name again mate?”
He replied “Larry sir.”
I answered “Thank you for those kind words Larry, this is the first time she has been up and now knowing she has friendly people around will be good.”