Lisa chuckled in herself at their daily schedule as she went inside and locked the door behind her. Their daily schedule was so standard, from breakfast to coffee, from coffee to lunch, from lunch to dinner, from dinner to coffee and cake, and from there to night. It seemed like armor, but it didn't feel like it. She knew she could confidently stay away once, for whatever reason. In fact, she loved having her new family around her a few times a day.

She grabbed her cell phone and looked up Ellen's practice number. Through her secretary, she got her on the phone. Ellen sounded happy, happy to speak to her again. For a moment Lisa was silent about that, it touched her. But then she quickly returned to the subject for which she was calling. She told briefly what she had done with the recordings she had found in Henk's house, of the rituals she had discovered, and mentioned that she wanted to file a lawsuit against the perpetrators. "Can you help me with that, Ellen?"

"Pooh, it's quite something! I don't know if I can, I'm actually more of a lawyer for the simple things, like divorce lawsuits." She chuckled, "Listen to this, simple things, you should know how easily they can turn into personal warfare! But your subject is definitely not my specialization. On the other hand, I'm enormously attracted to it, I don't know why, it actually confuses me for a moment. Tell you what, why don't I come over to your place tonight and talk it through quietly? Then I'll have the rest of the day to myself to figure out in between, why I'm attracted to your lawsuit. Would that suit you, tonight?"

"Gladly, I'd be delighted," Lisa replied happily. "And if it becomes clear to you, that you should be my lawyer in that case, I would really love that! Honestly, I'm hoping for that. But don't let that push you over the edge, you really have to be sure for yourself that you have to throw yourself into this, otherwise you'd better recommend me to a colleague of yours."

"You're a nice girl, Lisa! And I mean that in all sincerity, I really like you! And I'll take your advice, I'm going to find out if I should go ahead with this. In any case, you'll see me show up tonight. Is about 7 o'clock a good time for you? Or would you prefer a little later?"

"Make it 7 o'clock, that works out fine. And then something else. Alexander was going to do that auction of the furnishings for Henk’s house. It's funny, I always think of that house as Henk's house, even though I lived there myself for a few years. Apparently I did not feel as much at home there as I thought I did at the time! But back to Alexander... An officer from here and an officer from the region there are working on arranging police protection for me. But I think Alexander could be in danger too. Those papers from those rituals are almost certainly still in Henk's office, and those perpetrators know that too, I assume. Do you feel where I'm going with this?"

"Without a doubt! If they hear that Alex is going to auction off those contents, they will try in some not-so-pleasant way to get those papers to safety, and it will be at the expense of Alex's safety. I'll point it out to him, and advise him to arrange for police security as well."

"That's what I meant," Lisa replied, "only different from what you have in mind. Martin, that agent from here, who recommended for Alexander to hire a private agency for security, because quite often wrong types can get into police security, infiltrate he called it."

"I've heard of that too yes, they've trained as security guards, therefore know the tricks of the trade, but use that for the wrong side, for the perpetrators. If they end up in such a group of security guards, the victim is anything but safe! I will pass that on to him as well. But what about you? How are they going to fix that with you?"

"Ha, nice of you to ask," Lisa responded, "while I was telling you, I was wondering that too. I'll give Martin a call in a bit to see if he knows more yet. To be honest, for myself, I feel more like security guards from a private agency, too. Certainty just can't be built in... hey, why am I saying that? That just suddenly came to my mind."

"It's true what you say, but the more dangerous the situation is, the more important it is to try to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible. Lisa, I'm going to call Alex right away, you ask Martin. I hope you can tell me more tonight!"

"Good, I will. See you tonight Ellen!"

Lisa ended the call, sighed deeply a few times and plopped down on the couch. Then she keyed in the police number and asked for the station where Martin worked. She was redirected and asked if she could speak to Martin. She couldn't, because he was on his way somewhere.

No problem, thought Lisa, he also gave me his mobile number, I'll see if I can reach him on that.

A little later she got hold of Martin. She told him that she had spoken to Ellen and that Ellen had wondered whether she shouldn't hire a private security agency.

Martin chuckled, "You had to know, Lisa...I'm at such an agency right now. When it popped into my mind yesterday after the conversation with Marcel, I knew immediately who I could turn to. I just presented it to this lady here, and she's willing to go to work for you. Wait, I'll just give her my cell phone, and she can probably explain to you what she wants to get rid of."

Lisa heared a friendly female voice a few moments later, "Hello Lisa, special that you are calling just at this moment! My name is Marieke van Velzen. Martin has just outlined to me the situation, of the past period, and of your situation at the moment and your plans for a lawsuit. I don't know you, but I feel through his story that you are extremely brave, a strong woman, right through everything you have been through! I would love to meet you to discover together what you need and what I can offer you. Shall we make an appointment soon, that I come to you?"

Lisa let it sink in for a moment. Brave was what the unknown woman called her. "Brave? I hadn't thought of it that way. I see myself more as determined, I want justice to be done, for myself, but especially for all women in the same kind of circumstances. Anyway, that doesn't matter, maybe I'm brave too." Lisa chuckled, "And about an appointment, I would love that. Ellen, who might become my lawyer, is coming tonight at 7. Do you think it would be convenient to combine that?"

"Let me think...is it her first consultation with you?"

"Yes, I've only told her very roughly over the phone what's going on."

"If it's okay for her, then I'll come tonight too. Such a first consultation is often still a bit general, but on the other hand it might be good to get to know each other already. Although I suspect that I already know Ellen. Is it Ellen Hendriks?"

"Yes, it is!" responded Lisa in surprise.

"Great girl she was, and I'm sure she still will be! When we were in high school, we got to know each other by traveling together. And then we started law school together. We sat together in the first more general year, then I went into security and she became a lawyer. Tell you what, how about I give her a call myself about tonight?"

"Good idea, do you still have her number?"

"Maybe I do, but I don't know if she still uses it. Just give me the number to her office."

Marieke scribbled the number of Ellen's office that Lisa passed to her, on a notepad.

"Great, thanks! If I get a hold of her, I'll even ask for her private number. Good to pick up this old contact again, if she wants it too. How about we agree that if you don't hear from me, you'll see me tonight?"

Lisa thought that was a fine plan and gave her the address of Bloemenhof and the description to their house. She felt happy and relieved as she finished the conversation. It seemed like the right people were coming together to take up this case!

She was startled when Margreet knocked on the window. Was it time for coffee again? She grabbed her coat and went outside.

"Time flies when you experience beautiful things!" she greeted Margreet, and told her what had happened.

Margreet drew the same conclusion as she herself had done: "It feels like the right people are being pulled together to support you. Like they're getting a signal from inside that they should."

"Well still the judge," Lisa thought, "we do need a fair judge. I've heard there aren't many of those around."

"Did you expect that from cops, security guards and lawyers?" asked Margreet. "There's scum in there too, those shady guys with bad intentions. Keep your spirits up Lisa, let's just assume we get a fair judge. Maybe Ellen can work something out. So far, at least, it looks like you're getting a wall of the right people around you."

Lisa nodded thoughtfully and sighed happily, "It does indeed seem that way, extraordinary!"

.

Lisa had barely finished her coffee when her cell phone began to sing. "I'll take it in the washroom," she said to Sjaak and walked quickly over there.

"Ha Lisa, it's Alexander speaking. Ellen just called, told me what was going on. Heavy stuff! And thanks for thinking of my safety too. I'll take care of that later. John, that realtor, has already taken his pictures. I had already picked up the keys from him, but just called him about the situation anyway. He's also going to go after a private security guard for the times he goes to that house with viewers. He wondered how the viewers would react to it, whether it wouldn't scare them off. Well, of course I don't know, we'll have to wait and see. In any case, he is aware of it. And tonight Ellen is going to see you, I understand. Then I continue tonight with the preparations for the auction. To dot the i's and cross the t's! Oh, sorry Lisa, I'm rambling on. How are you doing in the meantime?"

Lisa burst out laughing, "Fine, actually miraculously fine. I experience no fear, and the people here on the grounds don't seem to be afraid either. I've collected all the information the judge needs on the laptop. I'm going to buy an USB stick so I can put everything on there for the court."

"Sounds good! And I'm glad about that! I don't know when we'll speak again, so for now I wish you the best of luck for that court case. Let those bastards hang!"

Lisa shot into laughter, to which Alexander apologized, "Sorry Lisa, that may have been rude for a moment, but I really think they're real assholes."

"You're absolutely right, Alexander, I'm just not used to people using words like that yet. Honestly it does me good, you show with it how you feel about the situation. So thank you! And you good luck with the auction!"

"Thanks Lisa, have a great day!"

"You too!"

Ending her conversation, she walked back to the kitchen for another cup of coffee. Margreet urged her to also tell the others how it had all gone today, how the right people seemed to be coming together. Lisa smiled and reported back, including her little conversation with Alexander. The others also liked how he articulated his feelings about the situation.

"Nice Lisa, really nice how it's going so far. I hope Ellen will do it, I think she is the right person to defend you," Annerieke thought.

Huib nodded, he had the same idea.

Lisa agreed with Margreet that she would go with her this afternoon. "I need a USB stick or something similar, to put everything on for the judge. Would there be a store in the village where you could buy something like that?"

"I saw them at Action the other day," Margreet recalled. "But do you know that there are also Internet programs that allow you to send such larger files?"

"Yes, I know that, but somewhere I feel that I shouldn't do that. No one should get the data, and on the Internet things do tend to go wrong."

"I see, you're right. Smart move by you!"

"Smart lady, smart moves!" laughed Sjaak, "I like my smart lady with her smart moves!"

As they set their mugs on the counter, everyone laughed along with him.

"You're a lucky man, Sjaak!" said Huib, "But keep in mind, I'm an even bigger lucky man!"

"If we are going to start like this," Simon added, "I am the biggest lucky guy, don't forget that!"

He pulled Annerieke into his arms and began kissing her passionately. The youngsters pretended to think that was just a weird and dirty thing to do and ran off, cheering.

"So, they're gone, we have the place to ourselves," Simon whispered.

"Yes, but this is as far as I go, not here in the kitchen!" Annerieke sounded very decided.

Simon let go of her, grinning. "Not here? Shall we go home then?"

Annerieke looked at the cake for a moment, which had already cooled down quite a bit. She put it in the refrigerator.

"Well, let's forge the iron while it's hot," she said mischievously. Longing for each other, they left the guest house behind and headed home!

To chapter 171. My soul is like a well, a fountain

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