Allie Had Never Seen So Many Zeros!

 The quiet usually sarcastic Allie was talking nonstop. She was talking and laughing even as they walked in the door of the crab shack that Josh had spotted. "I have never in my life seen so many zeros! The last zero I saw was my old boyfriend that ate the last piece of pizza I had in my refrigerator. I can see him now walking out the door saying, "See ya!" What a loser. Thanks for stopping at the general store here because I didn't even have a handbag. I now have money to put in my wallet," she giggled. Josh grinned at her and said, "Will you quiet down, Miss Heiress? You really don't want everyone hearing that you are the newest millionaire in town do you?"

Allie covered her mouth and said, "I just can't help it. It seems like yesterday I found myself talking to the spider that was weaving a web in the upper corner of my dingy apartment. She was the only one that hung around. I was to be evicted in three days. I had no job, no money, and no friends. My mother had passed away and I thought she was the only family I had. Then all of a sudden I find out I have an Uncle Bill whom I had never heard of, a dude ranch, a Jeep, a little camper and two thousand dollars. Unbelievable. I keep saying that over and over, don't I?" she giggled.

Josh grinned and thought to himself, "Oh, Allie, if you only knew how many zeros you could add onto your bank account. Somehow I need to get myself to the assay office in Springfield. I just have to get myself a car to get back home." He looked up and saw Allie staring at him, "What? Do I have butter running down my chin?" She laughed and said, "No, I just misjudged you and I am so sorry. Just because your dad is a jerk doesn't make you one." Josh smiled back and said, "True, now don't take this the wrong way, but I do have to be gone for a few days. I have to go back to Springfield and take care of some business. I promise, yes, I promise to be back as soon as I can, okay?"

Allie frowned, but only for a second. "Yes, of course, you can. I won't be mad, but I will miss you. I have some things to do at the house too. One of them is to finish looking at the old journal and the pictures and stuff. Maybe I can find the actual history of my ranch. Wouldn't it be fun if I found out who the original owners were a hundred years ago? Don't choke. I just think it would be interesting. I really would like to go visit that old miner and make sure he was the one that put all that money under the wall paper and the hundred dollar bills! Wow! I still can't get over it. I will keep busy so you go do what you need to do. Oh how are you going to get there? Maxine said she had your birth certificate, do you believe her? This whole little town is a soap opera if you ask me, " she said as she ate her lunch. "Boy, this is good. I'm livin' high on the hog now that I'm rich." Josh put his fingers to his mouth and said, "Shh. Not wise to be broadcasting your business." Allie grinned and put her finger to her mouth and acted like she was zipping her mouth shut. But it was too late.

Lill was watching the young couple with interest. She  had stopped at the cafe while her old Jeep was getting fixed before she left town. She couldn't believe it when she saw Allie and Josh walk in the door. She was trying to hear everything they were saying, but she caught enough to realize that the girl was not poor! She had lots of money. She was the one that should have that money and she was going to make sure that she had a piece of that pie. She had dreams, lots of dreams and now they would all come true. She had an idea. She decided to tell Josh that his mother wasn't dead, but alive and well. Soon to be wealthy. But she did not hear him tell Allie that he was leaving town for a few days.

Josh asked Allie if she would drop him off at the small town where Mike's shop was. He needed a car. If Mike didn't have one he had a feeling he could get him one to rent. His car was at home. It sure would be easier to fly. He hugged Allie goodbye and assured her he soon would be back to help her get the ranch up and running to help both young and older people. It was not going to be a ranch for rich people, but one that made people happier, stronger, and willing to make new and different friends. "What a wonderful concept! Not to make money. K.R. would never understand that," he thought.

When Allie dropped Josh off at Mike's shop she stopped at the grocery store and bought a hundred dollars worth of groceries. "Well, I've never done that before. I now have Oreos and milk. And Captain Crunch! I love Captain Crunch. That was fun. When I get home I'm going to put these away, make myself a yummy snack of Oreos and cold milk. Then I'll see what I can find upstairs to answer some unsolved mysteries."

When she got upstairs she went into her study where the big desk was and the journal, but she couldn't find the journal. "Where did I put that thing? I could have sworn I picked it up off the floor and put it back on the desk. Well, there are a few drawers that I haven't gone through. Maybe I can find some old pictures. This is such fun." She continued opening drawers and came up empty. She was so disappointed. She had decided to give up and happened to notice something sticking out of the bottom of one of the drawers. "Hmm, well aren't you just the cutest thing? This picture is really old. Now where did I put that picture that was labeled Maggie 1865. I think this picture looks like about the same age. Yes! Good I did put this away because she has the same name as Mom. So many questions and no one to ask. Well, maybe tomorrow I will go see that old miner. He just might have some answers for me."

Allie was getting tired, "Boy, this being a millionaire is tiring, she giggled. I think I will hit the hay. I don't have to sleep in a barn or the street or a shelter. I have a home with a nice soft bed. I still can't believe it. If I wake up tomorrow morning and I still have three hundred dollars in my wallet and food in the refrigerator I might believe it." She yawned as she walked down the hall to her bedroom. She noticed that the quilt was kind of rumpled, but as she got closer to the bed she saw an envelope laying next to her stuffed toy unicorn. Last Will and Testament. You have got to be kidding me. Okay, now I know this place is haunted." She looked around and even peeked in the closet. Nothing. She walked back to the bed and picked up the thick envelope. As she read the pages the tears ran down her cheeks. It did indeed name her as the heiress to the ranch if her mother no longer was alive. He left this ranch to Mom? Why did she never even say his name? He must have loved his sister to leave her everything he had. Uncle Bill, I don't know if you can hear me, but thank you isn't good enough. I don't even deserve a little bit of what you have given me, but I will try to make others happier when they leave this place than when they first arrived. You or someone has left me enough money to fund this place for a good many years. Well, I sure can't sleep now." She picked up the will and carried it downstairs with her. She was going to watch television for awhile. "Maybe watching television will help me settle down and get some sleep. I have so much to do these next few days. Days? Weeks! Months and lots of years. Thanks again Uncle Bill where ever you are."

Lill grinned as she saw the light go out upstairs in the house. "Lookie here. Josh even left a ladder up against the house. This should make it easy beans. I hate all these weeds and stuff growing up this side of the house. Yuk. She didn't lock the windows silly girl.  Okay now I will just take a quick look around and pick up a few things, she laughed to herself. I deserve this. Hopefully she left her purse where I can see how much cash she has. Oh this is even better. She's sound asleep and there is Bill's will on the coffee table. I will just help myself to this little goodie. K.R. I thought you did better work than this. Bill was on to you and your sneaky little tricks. Well, it's all mine now. Without this, she will have to go to court to get ownership of this ranch. In the meantime, I will just take this little bank book and buy me a brand new Jeep and trash this pile of junk out there. This little book is my trip out of here. See ya later! That's a laugh. See ya never!"

Uncle Bill's ghost didn't stop her. Seeing Lill a bitter middle aged woman made him sad. He and Lill used to be really close friends.  "Let it be. Let it be. Allie will be fine, I made sure of that. I guess I'd better go get that necklace after all. Looks like she's going to need it, if the bank gives Lill all the money. If they are on their toes, they will catch that Lill's signature is not the same, but if there's a newbie on duty it could all be gone in a flash. I know for a fact they won't give all of it to her, but they sure could give her a big chunk. I should have made copies of that will. Dog gone it! Well, what will be will be. Sweet dreams, little one. All will be well."