Chapter 9

Albert sat in the comfortable leather chair, he saw Mr. Allen standing, now, on the other side of the desk. He heard him speaking. The words, however, sounded distant, muted. All Albert could do was to concentrate on breathing, and this proved to be a challenge for him at this precise moment. Mr. Jordan sat beside him, looking at Albert with concern etched in his face. Finally Mr. Allen looked up and smiled when he noticed how pale Albert looked.

Mr. Allen loved his job. And today, watching Albert was his reward. He set the executors instructions that he had been reading from, onto his desk and took another moment to study the look on Albert's face. Then he turned and walked over to the credenza. He poured a glass of ice cold water from the shiny silver carafe and brought it over to Albert, who took it from him gratefully and sipped it slowly.

People all react to shock differently, and Mr. Allen had seen it all. He knew that Albert would need a few minutes to let his mind sort through what he had just read in his father's message, and the uncertainty of what was about to happen next. There was no hurry. Mr. Allen sat back in his chair and waited, measuring the reaction in Albert's countenance. Albert had such an expressive face, Mr. Allen observed with a smile. He knew this would be great to watch. And he was right. At this point in his career, Mr. Allen considered himself a pseudo psychologist; he was always on hand to help his clients and their families work through their mixed emotions.

After the initial shock wore off, Albert was able to resume normal breathing, and his coloring came back. The finality of his father being gone still weighed heavily on his heart. But the pure joy of knowing that his father loved him, that his father was proud of him, that his father had always been mindful of him, although from a distance, meant so much to him. All at once the burdens of so many years of insecurity were instantly being lifted from Albert's shoulders.

Mr. Allen was pleased with what he was witnessing. Of all of the reactions that he had ever observed, this was by far one of the best he had ever seen. Because he could sense that Albert was grateful for the gifts he had already received from his father. In fact, Mr. Allen concluded that from Albert's reactions, the personal letter and treasure box full of memories from his father were the greatest gifts he could have ever received at this point in his life. It was obvious that Albert understood the loss that underscored whatever gain he might end up with. He would have gladly accepted what he had already received for what it was, a gift from his father. Mr. Allen couldn't help but be touched at the sight of Albert accepting these small gifts from his late father with such humility and love. And Mr. Allen couldn't wait to continue his responsibilities as executor of the estate, as he knew that Albert's life was about to change forever.

The daily grind didn't change much for Joe Morelli. After all, 'dirty' cops were still 'regular' cops on the outside, so there was nothing unusual about Joe Morelli doing paper work in his office at the Trenton PD today. It would be easy for anyone to walk in and ask to speak to him, but Hector was well aware of the fact that even if Joe Morelli was only playing the role of a dirty cop, there was the very real chance that other cops in the precinct were not playing at all, they truly were bad cops, so he had to be careful. Tony had told Jake that he did not trust the cops, and until they could talk to him, Hector was going to be very cautious. But he had to talk to Morelli, because if his theory was correct, then the only way they would be able to speak with Tony was if they went through Joe Morelli first.

Joe Morelli. The thought of having to deal with this individual yet again brought a new dynamic to this case. RangeMan had a history with him, they knew he was good at what he did, and they respected him professionally. But on a personal level, Stephanie had broken off her relationship with him for good now, and this would be the first time any of them had worked with him since that had happened. It could be a little bit awkward for everyone involved, but Hector needed to get permission to speak privately with Tony, and unfortunately, Morelli was the gate-keeper for making this possible. Hector also realized that although he had been working closely with Albert on this case, his approaching Tony himself was the one thing he could not do. His teardrop tattoos announced loud and clear that he had once been part of a gang. Tony would probably be reluctant to talk to anyone with that kind of perceived connection. Albert needed to be the one he worked with. And Hector recognized there was only one way for them to do it. It had to be through Joe Morelli.

Of all of the Rangemen, Hector was the last one Joe expected to contact him. He had worked with Lester and Bobby and Tank. And of course he knew Ranger, but Hector had always worked under the radar. He always stayed in the background, and Joe hadn't even been aware that he could speak English; he assumed that all he could speak was Spanish. But to Joe's surprise, Hector turned out to be quiet eloquent. He was detailed and precise and explained exactly what they needed. And Joe agreed. He was somewhat relieved that Rangeman had decided to help Tony. It would make things so much better to have a 'third party' come in and take over, preserving Joe's cover. He liked Tony, the kid had potential. He now had to trust Ranger's men to do what was best for him. Arrangements were made with Tony's parents to have Albert become Tony's legal counsel and as such, he would have permission to come talk with him.

Joe paid Tony one last visit. Tony was glad to see him. Being isolated, stuck in Juvenile Hall for an extended period of time, was not his favorite thing. It did leave him with time to think, way too much time to think. He thought about Jake, he had begged him for help, now he realized how stupid that was. He thought about Nicki. He really missed her, and he just hoped that she knew how much she meant to him. His mind played back the scene when he last saw her. She had followed him to the diner. He told had her not to, he told her that she needed to leave him alone and forget about him. He knew that she didn't realize it, but if anyone in the gang knew he liked her, she could become a target. The last thing he wanted was to be leaving her behind, in order to protect his cousin, only to have Nicki put in harm's way.

Tony had only wanted to protect her, to know she would be safe, but the look in her eyes that day nearly killed him then, and was breaking his heart thinking about it now. Tony was grateful for Joe's visit. Joe filled in some of the blanks for him, about what had happened since the night he was arrested. And as far as he knew, the plan had worked; no one knew that he was here primarily to get away from the gang. He didn't feel as bad as he thought he might, after all he had left his cousin behind. But his uncle did not know how hardened his son had become. Tony could see immediately that there had never been anything he could do to try to get his cousin away from the gang. He was really in too deep, and now any trouble that came his way was his to deal with.

After Joe's visit Tony felt a lot calmer. Joe had not told him all the details, it was unnecessary for him to know everything. Some things were better left unsaid. It would be a long time before he heard the full story of how Jake had helped him, and how close Nicki had come to being seriously hurt, or worse. Joe had never told Tony that he had seen him with Nicki at the diner that day. And Joe hadn't told anyone that he had recognized Nicki the night she was caught. If they had known who she was, there would have been no way they would have let her go. Joe did not discuss the fact that he had earlier noticed that the Rangemen were keeping the area under surveillance, so he knew that they would likely see her and would help her escape.

It was probably good that Tony did not know any of these things yet, because he needed to know as little as possible and keep out of sight until Morelli's job was done. No, as it was now, he was exactly where he needed to be. So when Joe asked him if would consider talking to Mr. Kloughn, Tony didn't hesitate. He trusted Joe, and by association, he knew he could trust this Kloughn guy too. The appointment was set for Albert to come and talk to Tony after he returned from his meeting in New York. Hector's goal was to confirm the theory that he and Albert had come up with independently of each other, that much of what had happened to Tony was indeed orchestrated by Joe, giving him a clean break from the gang. Hector also knew by now that there would be no reason to defend Tony, this case was not going to be heard in any courtroom. But they would all play the game until Joe was done with his undercover work.

"Mr. Kloughn, I would like to continue, if you are ready," he said.

Albert nodded, the words he had already heard were still ringing in his ears, what more could there be? He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his father had owned properties in Princeton, Florida, Hawaii, New York, and the Grand Cayman Islands. None of this was registering in Albert's mind. The first words from Mr. Allen's mouth had caught him by surprise, and the significance of what was transpiring this very moment still had Albert in a complete daze. Never in his life had he expected anything like this! Albert took another deep breath as he recalled those words again and understood their significance. It was too much for him to comprehend all at once.

"Albert D. Kloughn, as the legal executor of the estate of Derrick A. Kloughn, I hereby decree that as per the written instructions as outlined by the deceased, Derrick A. Kloughn, you are hereby notified that you are the sole heir to your father's estate." "And as such you are entitled to full ownership of his assets, both real property and well as liquid assets." "Additional provisions have been made to transfer a portion of your inheritance to the other members of your family as per the wishes of your father, Derrick A. Kloughn." Now in regards to the real property owned by Derrick A Kloughn, namely the real estate holdings owned in Princeton, Florida, Hawaii, New York, and the Grand Cayman Islands, all of the legal paperwork has been completed and these properties are now owned by the Albert D. and Valerie Kloughn Family Irrevocable Living Trust."

Albert took another deep breath, and then he asked Mr. Allen to continue, knowing that he had already been blessed with more than he could have hoped for from his father. Flashes of the childhood memories he had kept close to his heart reminded him of his father and of the love that he felt for him. The additional gifts that Albert has just received from father did not factor into the equation that he had already forgiven his father for abandoning him at such a young age. For Albert, everything that was transpiring on this important day was bringing him closure.

Looking at Albert and knowing that he once again had his full attention, Mr. Allen resumed reading, paraphrasing to get back into the statement where they had left off. "In addition to the aforementioned real estate holdings, several accounts have been established to convey the monetary inheritance that your father Derrick A. Kloughn has left you." At this point, he pulled a paper from one of the files on the desk in front of him, and handed it to Albert. It outlined the real estate holdings that had already been mentioned, but there was some additional information on the piece of paper in front of him that referenced the multiple investment accounts that Mr. Allen had just referenced.

"Trust funds have been established in the amounts indicated. These trust accounts are in the names of your three daughters; Angela Marie, Mary Alice, and Lisa Michelle." "Your father wanted to ensure that they would never have to worry about their educations." "He had felt enormous pain and sorrow for not being able to assist you in advancing your education, at the same time he so admired your determination in obtaining your own education." "He was very proud of the fact that you had earned your law degree."

Albert was stunned when he looked at the paper in his hands and realized that these trusts held a half a million dollars each for his daughters. But he didn't have much time to think about the enormity of these huge amounts that his father had set aside for his children. Mr. Allen had continued to speak as if he hadn't said anything that was unusual, he detailed additional accounts and trust funds that Albert's father had left him. As he spoke, Albert referred to the papers in his hands that he was given. And his eyes came to rest on the total amount that was at the bottom of the page. His heart was pounding out of his chest; he couldn't even imagine how all of this was possible, but it was true. Albert's father had handed him an inheritance that left him with a net worth of over $17.2 million dollars!

While Albert was in the midst of both trying to overcome his disbelief and then accept overwhelming joy at what was transpiring, Mr. Jordan quietly opened his letter. He silently read through it. Derrick had been one of the best friends that he had ever had and it saddened him that he was no longer here. It did not surprise him that Derrick had been so generous to his son, he knew how much Albert had meant to him. Mr. Jordon remembered the day when Derrick left his wife as if it were yesterday. It was tough to see him walk away because it meant the end of their friendship. And watching as Derrick left his only son without a father, this was something he would never wish upon anyone. But no one knew better than Mr. Jordon the reasons that led to this separation and he couldn't have agreed more with the decisions his friend had made on that fateful day.

Mr. Jordon smiled as he re-read the letter from Derrick.

Steven,

I cannot adequately express to you how much your support has meant to me over the years. You were the one who gave me hope in my greatest despair. You were the only one that held back any criticism against me when I had to make difficult choices in my life. You were the one who kept the lines of communication open between my son and I, and this is something that I will be eternally grateful for.

You were the one that continued to encourage me after 10 long years of past failures to start my own business. If it had not have been for your unwavering support, I could not have accomplished what I have over the past 5 years. Since the first day that I met you, you have been someone I could trust, someone with impeccable integrity, and someone I knew would watch over my son as if he were your own flesh and blood. I am proud to call you my friend and it has been my honor to be recognized as one of your friends.

Special instructions have been given to Mr. Allen to transfer the sum of $500,000.00 from my estate directly to the bank account of your choice. These funds are separate and not included in my son's inheritance, this is money that I want you to have. I fully acknowledge this amount of money does not begin to compensate you for all you have done for me, but it can help you to fulfill some of the goals that you have and in some small way, I can feel that I can continue to be part of your life. Know that this is given to you from my heart. No dollar amount can ever be placed on friendship or loyalty or the worth of your dreams, so please accept this as the gift that it is intended to be.

Steven, you know I always wanted to come back into Albert's life. Regrets are hard to live with, but even harder to die with. He is going to need someone now. He will need you like I needed you, to be a voice of reason, a shoulder to lean on, to give encouragement and a few nudges along the way. I have always asked so much of you, and you have always come through. Please Steven, watch over Albert, he now has new responsibilities. I trust you to be there for him in all the ways I wasn't.

Thank you my friend.

Derrick

Mr. Jordan blinked a few times. He wasn't a man to cry often, and he didn't intend to cry now. But his heart ached for his friend. It had been a long, hard road that he had traveled. He looked at Albert. He could still see him as the ten year old kid who lost his dad, and he knew that he owned some of the responsibility. As Derrick's friend, he had encouraged him to make the decision to leave Laverne. And now he felt it was only right that he honor his friend's last request. He would be glad to try to fill a larger role in Albert's life. They had always had a good connection with each other; it would now just be a matter of expanding on it. If Albert was open to it, he would be proud to become a surrogate dad, of sorts, for him. And the monetary gift would not have mattered in making this happen. Mr. Jordon had already intended to do this for Albert prior to reading the letter from Derrick. He would have done this for his friend.

"Mr. Kloughn."

"Mr. Kloughn."

"Mr. Kloughn.'

Mr. Allen's voice brought Albert back to reality.

'Yes Sir" Albert responded.

"Good to have you back, Mr. Kloughn." "I wasn't sure that you had fully heard the series of instructions I had read pertaining to your father's business affairs."

Albert looked at Mr. Allen with a blank look on his face. Having been overwhelmed with the generosity of his father, he had in fact not heard the words of Mr. Allen pertaining to his father's business affairs.

'I apologize" Albert told Mr. Allen. "I am still trying to process all this information, with everything that had already happened today. I guess I was deep in my own thoughts" "Please forgive my momentary lack of attention." 'It was not intended to be discourteous towards you in any way."

"I accept your apology Mr. Kloughn."

"In regards to the business entity known as Fantastic Families, Inc. solely owned by the deceased, Derrick A. Kloughn, it is hereby his wishes that full ownership of this business entity is immediately transferred to Albert D. Kloughn." "The legal documents have already been prepared and the final transfer of this business entity has been completed and is now in the name of the Albert D. and Valerie Kloughn Irrevocable Family Living Trust."

As Mr. Allen's words became clearer to Albert the second time around, all Albert could think about was the name of the business entity, Fantastic Families, Inc. What was the significance of the name that his father had chosen for the business? And what exactly was involved in this business? Albert had so many questions. As an attorney himself, Albert obviously understood the majority of the legalese involved in what had just transpired. However, the reality of it all was still new to him. But one thing he was beginning to understand very well, everything about his life had now changed. His one thought was that he wished Valerie was here with him.