Chapter 15 – Almost Kidnapped

Angelica

Hector invited me to his house for supper. Maria planned to cook mini-quesadillas, refried beans and fried rice. She prepared Cherry Cinnamon Flan for dessert.

After supper Hector handed me a soccer ball. passed a metal serving spoon to Maria and retrieved a football for himself. He said, "Each of us have an item in our hands. In this game we each must talk about the article for five minutes. A lag of five seconds count as a strike against you. Three strikes and you are out. The winner has two or less strikes. There are many things in the box. The person to your left selects the item for you if you want to change.

Little lights blinked accompanied with a beeping noise. With in a few seconds three men with masks and guns bursts through the kitchen door.

The soccer ball remained in my hand. I dropped the ball to my right foot and kick it to the man's nose on the right. The soccer ball smashed his nose and blood covered his face as he slipped to the floor. His gun flew from his hand as he collapsed onto the floor.

Hector completed a short pass to the forehead of the man on the left. The football hit the bad-guy between the eyes. He dropped his gun as he twisted to the floor.

Maria slung the spoon toward the man in the middle. The spoon struct his chin. He fell backwards. A blast issued from his gun as he as he descended. The bullet creased my upper left arm. Hector loped over and slid the trio's guns out of reach.

Hector spun around, whisked a bottle of medicinal alcohol and a piece of cotton. He soaked the cotton with the alcohol and wiped the blood from my arm. He placed a gauze pad on my arm and secured it with white tape.

A minute later several gun shots discharged from outside. A man shouted from the door, "Mr McGhee, everything OK in there?"

"Yes, Richard, how about outside?

"Daniel's down. He took two in the chest."

"Call the Sherriff's office. Have them send an ambulance to my house. Tell them we have three tied up inside."

"We have three dead criminals on the grown, sir."

Hector went outside to check on Daniel. He returned a few minutes later. He said, "The ambulance is taking Daniel to the Humboldt Hospital. The Deputy Sherriff ordered another Ambulance for the three bodies, and an additional deputy's car for the detainees.

Hector introduced Chief Deputy Harvey McGhee, his uncle, to me. I told Hector that I remembered his uncle. Statements and pictures were taken.

Hector asked, "Do you want to return home, or journey to the hospital with me?

I chose the hospital with him. Susan, Daniel's wife, stood in the waiting room. Hector hugged her and said, "I'm sorry." She informed him they took Daniel to surgery. The nurse called every fifteen to twenty minutes updating her on the progression of the operation. Thirty minutes lapsed and the doctor entered the waiting room. The color drained from his face and he went ridged. He said, "We ran out of options."

Susan screamed, "No! No! No! She came over and beat on Hector's chest and shouted, "He gave his life to save you." Her face distorted and she collapsed in his arms. She remained there for a half hour with her chest heaving, breathing labored and tears flowing.

"I told him not to take this job as a bodyguard, but he didn't listen. Now Danny lost his father and I lost my husband."

Hector said, "He stood tall as a great man. He lived as a hero."

"He survived the war in Vietnam to be killed at home. I'll hate you the rest of my life."

I remained silent on the way home. Her words shocked me. I envisioned Hector as a wicked man. He dropped me off at home and said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"I don't think so. You are gross. That man died because of you. His family is destroyed as of result of your selfishness."

Tears tracked down Hectors face.

I avoided him at school. I stayed home from church. Graduation day was the last I saw Him. He came by the house. Mom and Dad expressed, "She doesn't want to see you."

I continued to be bombarded by Hector. Finally, I received a full scholarship from the University of Tennessee – Tennessee Governor's Class A Scholarship. It paid for everything – tuition, books supplies, room, board, a new typewriter and $200.00 stipend a month for incidentals. Dad had the old truck painted, repaired, and air conditioner replaced.

The university accepted me in their creative writing program. I learned how to write novels, screen plays and advertising. Two months into the first semester I met Jacob Golden a third-year pre-med student. He was funny and we were compatible. He asked me to marry him during my sophomore year, and wanted me to move with him to where he would attend medical school. He claimed we could live in an apartment and I would not have to work because he had a trust fund. I turned him down. I wanted a career in writing.

Dad kept in touch with Hector who served in Vietnam and received the Purple Heart. My lips curled tight at the mention of his name. I recognized he warranted better than my criticism.

Dad said Hector was a hero, and the Army discharged him because of his wounds. He had to walk with a walker otherwise he would fall. However, his businesses kept running during his absence. He took the helm and ran them better than previously.

I expressed I maintain unconcerned about him.

My Junior year found me starting several novels and finishing none.

I wrote a forty thousand word novella my Senior year titled, "The Girl From Cotton Road." The story was fiction, but was based on my experience at McGhee's Corner.

Jacob Golden Sent me a card or letter once a week. He visited me once each quarter. He said, "I'd come more often, but the schedule in medical school doesn't permit me to visit you more often."

The Summons

I received a registered letter the second half of my Junior year from Charles McGhee, Jr, Attorney at Law. He requested me to appear for reading of Attachments A, B, C, D, and E. of Horacio McGhee's will and that portion of Agnes McGhee's will held entrust by Horacio McGhee or his representative Charles McGhee, Jr.

cc. Anna McGhee, Hector McGhee, Henry McGhee, Horace McGhee Walter McGhee, Angelica McGhee, Joseph (Joey) McGhee, Harvey McGhee and Harold McGhee

The date for the reading was scheduled the first day of spring break.

We gathered at Momma McGhee's Café and General Store. The location puzzled me for Hector's father reading of the will. However, all were present.

The will contained over two hundred pages of details but were summarized in three pages.

Attachment A:

The attorney handed Anna the owner of Momma McGhee's Café and General Store four pieces of paper. In turn she presented a birth certificate to Hector, Henry, and Horace revealing Mother - Anna McGhee and Father - Horacio McGhee.

Anna read the last sheet:

I only claimed Hector as my son, when in fact all three of you are my sons and Anna is your mother. I convinced Hector that my first wife, Rebeca, was his mother. When the three of you were born. Anna experienced severe physical and mental problems. Her memory lost the fact that she had three sons. The attorney informed her yesterday that she was your mother.

I convinced my brothers that an unknown mother had abandoned you and left the three of you at my back door. Each of us took one of you to raise as our own sons. I was a coward. Many occasions I could have corrected the facade and told the truth, but I neglected to share it. I could have told Anna when she recovered from her problems. I did marry her while hiding the truth. In a way I experienced my own set of emotional disabilities. I became a monster.

I recruited a good management team to run my businesses. They trained Hector to take over the affairs of McGhee Enterprises. I speculated he would increase the worth of my holdings. Mr. Charles McGhee will explain the worth of my assets at my death and the increase created under Hector's leadership.

Attachment B:

The initial worth of McGhee Enterprises is $1,897,273.19 - Hector is 15 years old. Today the value is $3,943,877.32 – Hector is 21 years old.

Attachment C – Distribution

Anna - $250,000.00

Hector -

Henry - $1,231,292.44

Horace - $1,231,292.44

Attachment D – Held entrust for Angelica and Joseph Mc Ghee.

Source – Agnes McGhee, Grandmother of Angelica and Joseph McGhee

The original amount $500,000.00

Current value – principle and interest = $650,000.00

Distribution

Angelica - $325,000.00

Joseph - $325,000.00

Attachment E – Disbursement of land and property

Each of the following will receive 350 acres as per instruction to my brothers Walter, Harvey, and Harold.

Hector, Henry, Horace, Walter, Harvey, and Harold.

Additional Allocation - Hector to receive the produce distribution center with 25 acres and three Green houses with 25 acres. Hector also receives the house, garage, storage building, and six rental houses on McGhee Lane.

I converted my new found wealth less Tennessee inheritance tax to a interest bearing account.

I participated in an internship at Donelson Advertising in Nashville between my Junior and Senior year. They recruited me as a writer and junior editor upon graduation. I accepted with a big smile on my face. Jacob continued to send me either a letter or card each week.

Dad and Mom came to my graduation. I imagined I noticed Hector at my graduation. He exhibited a big grin on his face. However, the crowd pushed him out of the stadium with the flow.