Chapter 14

We stopped at the BBQ shack; Mam and Betty Ann drove in right behind us. I asked, "Do you want to eat here or just get some to take home?"

Mam responded, "Ya'll get it and bring it home, we'll meet ya there."

We tried to figure how much to get and finally just got three family meals knowing that it wouldn't go to waste with all of us there to eat it. Pap, I and Harry sat and drank iced tea while the food was being prepared.

"How much did ya be a transferin' into Bobby's account?" Pap asked.

"A million."

"Did you be a tellin' him how much you were sending."

"Not in so many words but I think Susan might have overheard me."

Harry looked at me and then Pap and finally just could not keep himself out of the conversation. "You gave Bobby a million dollars?"

"I didn't give him a million dollars Harry, I gave him access to it in case he needs to have it on short notice."

"Where did you get a million dollars?"

"Now Harry, don't be lookin' a gift horse in the mouth. He's head of the clan, and he is doing exactly what he said he would be a doin'."

"But he just gave Bobby a million dollars." The excitement of that was obvious in his voice.

"Harry, one day I will set down and tell you the entire story, of how I came to have so much. And I meant it when I said I would use it all to save you."

He just looked at me like, he was in shock. Pap was just smiling and drinking his tea. I excused myself to visit the rest room. Once I was back the food was ready; we paid for it and headed back to the car. We were about five miles down the road when Pap said, "When did you want to finish buying Hap and Rachel's place? I stopped in and told them you were ready to do it."

"Damn, I need to call the investment people and have them send another two million to Bobby's trust account."

You would have thought I shot Harry. "You're buying their place for two million, and you're doing it all for cash?"

"Harry, it's only money when you have it. When you don't it's not the end of the world, but it can feel like it." Pap just grinned at me.

We were to the driveway so Pap turned in and drove up to the house. I looked around out of habit before I got out and then helped carry the food into the house. Once inside I went to the phone and got my wallet out to get the phone number for the office. They were still open when I called, and they took care of setting up the transfer. It would go out tomorrow and be in Bobby's account on Friday.

The food was out of the containers and everyone was waiting for me to sit down before dinner would be eaten. It was a feast without much table talk. We wouldn't have to worry about leftovers. I got up with the men to head out to the porch. Cletus stayed while Harry, Connie and Tammy went down to take care of the animals.

Jana came out with our teas while Pap was lighting up his bowl. After handing everyone their glasses she came over and sat in my lap. "We have a surprise for you later," she whispered in my ear, and then we shared a lustful kiss. She got up and headed into the house.

Cletus was the one to start tonight's discussion. "I take it the mating up was a success."

"Now what gave you that idea Cletus?" I grinned at him.

"Why nothing, nothing at all." Then he grinned back at me.

"So Pap, I didn't want to upset Bobby but do you think he can go to war and win against the District Attorney?"

"If it be comin' to that he will give it his all but I'm a thinkin' he is outgunned."

"Those were my thoughts exactly. But I didn't want to upset him with all of us in there. We need to have another meeting with just you, me and Bobby."

"I was figurin' as much."

Cletus had been taking in our answers to the questions about what was happening. We gave him the details about what we knew or didn't know and about my taking guardianship of Harry. Then he asked, "So what are you going to do then?"

"We have done most of what we can until the inquest on Monday."

"I got some paperwork about my having to attend that."

"Sounds right, from what I understand everyone directly involved has to attend."

"Did you see any requests for anyone else to attend Pap?"

"Only ones that got any mail about it was Cletus and Harry, his came addressed to Betty Ann."

"Since Harry is a minor that would make sense. It does seem strange that only those two received notification, we need to ask Bobby about that and who needs to attend."

"I can be a callin' him in the morning about it then."

"So Cletus, how is the farm running?"

"It quit running and just sits here now."

"Cletus, keep your day job this comedy gig isn't cutting it." That got Pap to chuckle.

"Everything is running fine. Not many changes in a couple of days around here."

"I won't say that. I left here with one mate, came back with three. The sheriff came and took my property. And now we don't have any idea about what is happening with Harry on Monday."

"Like I said, just quiet time down on the farm."

We just sat back then and waited for the others to get back from the barn. I thought the women would be inside discussing the events today while the Harry and the girls would be doing the same in the barn.

"You be a knowin' the money you're a movin' is going to have the rest of them talkin'."

"Think I should have a clan meeting in the morning about it then?"

"I'm thinkin' it might be best. You can't be a keepin' it hidden and they need to be knowin' that it shouldn't be talked about."

"I'll tell my mates about it all then tonight."

"Always best to have them a knowin' before you tell the rest."

"What are you talking about?" Cletus asked.

"Cletus, you will find out in the morning but just like you made all of that money on the stock of the company I owned. I made money in that buyout too."

"How much?"

"More than a hundred million after taxes I think."

"You're that rich and Pap baptized you with Betsy, funny how Pap wasn't fazed about the money."

"I don't think Betsy knew I had that much money either." That got him and Pap laughing.

Shana came back out with refills for our tea. Then the others came up from the barn and the rest of the women came out from the house. My plans for a clan meeting were being changed due to the facts about the money being shared.

I stood up and walked into the house. They all followed me. I sat down and they all sat around the table with me. "It seems we need to have a clan meeting."

"We would all like to know Steve," Lana said.

"Then let's have the meeting, and you can all ask the question that is no doubt burning in each of your minds."

"Baby, I have never asked but with what you're doing for Harry and buying Hap and Rachel's place..."

"Do you want to know how much money we have baby, and have all of them know also?"

"Yes."

"Let me start out by saying that I have all of this money because of Lana. If anyone has a problem with us having it then it's all her fault, don't blame me, I'm just a city boy." That got a laugh out of them and took some of the edge off.

"The short story is that when the company sold, I owned and had options on ten million shares of stock. Those shares sold for fourteen dollars per share. The financial advisers have not finished with the taxes yet, but I would say that Lana and I are worth over one hundred million dollars. And now that includes Jana and Shana, since we are mated up."

Looking around the table there was silence, Pap, Mam and Betty Ann didn't seem as fazed by it. No doubt about his words of wisdom about sharing with your mates was what he preached and practiced. It was Cletus who broke the silence.

"Steve, I want to talk to you about a raise." That got the house laughing again.

Once the laughter died down, I said, "Cletus, I'm fresh out of money to give you a raise, but I will change your title and print you some business cards." Pap gave the loudest laugh and everyone else snickered.

Betty Ann spoke up with what I was sure the rest of them wanted to ask. "Steve, with all of that money; why do you want to live here?"

"Angels, Betty Ann, Angels. This farm produces the best Angels in the whole wide world and where they are, I am."

I could see Tammy was in a quandary, and I would need to talk to her about this new revelation. Nothing like stirring the pot some more but facts are facts and they all needed to know the facts.

"Now, while I have told all of you it is of the highest importance that we keep this quiet." I got head shakes in agreement from everyone.

The meeting ended as I was being escorted by the Angels to the bedroom. But we didn't stop at what was our bedroom and headed to the back.

I had not explored the house past our room. So when they led me to a back bedroom I was lost. Then we walked in and there was a king-sized bed in the bedroom we entered. It took up the room and made it tight to get around in the room, but it was a king bed. "This is the surprise I told you about. Pap, Mam and Betty Ann traded rooms with us. They gave us the bed as a mating up present. Mam said they would get us the rest of the bedroom set once we moved to the new place," Jana said.

"Moved to the new place?"

"Don't go calling it that again, or you won't get t' be treated like the devil by us Angels." Lana said.

"Yes dear."

"We have to christen this bed, and it is big enough for all of us," Shana said.

Even with a king-sized bed it was a tight fit, but I was thoroughly treated like the devil. I got turned every which way but loose and that wasn't the half of it. The way that they enjoyed one another only served to elevate my libido. The rooster let me know it was morning, and it felt good to be home with all of us in the bed. The only problem was getting untangled from two of them.

Once I did the next issue was finding a bathroom. There was a door in the room, so I hoped that meant there was a bathroom behind that door. There was and I found some of our things crowded in there. I opened the door and the others had not moved so I went back in and took my shower. Shined and polished, I walked back in the room to find Shana and Jana looking at me. "Good morning my loves." I leaned down to kiss each of them. They decided that since I was freshly washed why not have some fun. Who was I to complain when any of my mates want to love on me?

So I made it to the porch just a few minutes before they called us in for breakfast. I got the knowing look from everyone but Harry. Jana and Shana got down after we had started to eat. Jana's hair was still wet, and I would guess that Shana would need to take her shower after breakfast.

We were back on the porch when Lana came to sit on my lap. "You should finish your clan meeting."

"Not much more to say about it dear."

She kissed me and left to go back inside.

"So Cletus any plans for today?"

"We need to work on fixing the old truck."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, just that it's older than Pap, I think," as he said it he grinned at Pap.

"Do you think it would be better if we had a new one?"

"A truck or Pap?" He laughed at his own joke.

"I'll be givin' you a new one Cletus," Pap said.

"No, Pap seems to be working fine this morning. We might want a new truck though," I said.

"Any idea of what you would like to get?"

"What can I get?"

"What do you need it to do?"

"I don't know. Haul stuff from here to there. It would be nice if it could pull a trailer."

"Well, I'm just a city boy and have no idea what it needs to do and what size it need to be. In fact, I have no idea about any of the equipment that we might want to replace or upgrade."