Chapter 1

Milly Sugg’s mother, Alicia, was born and raised in the depths of the Carolinas and met her husband when both were attending college in Tennessee. Alicia was the daughter of a small hill county minister who committed suicide but left enough life insurance that his daughter could attend college. Alicia had a secret she never shared with anyone.

As a young girl, Alicia had felt embarrassed when recalling Daddy tickling the private spot between her legs. This tickling occurred from the time she was young and until her father died unexpectedly. It wasn’t till she was a teenager that she learned from her mother that Daddy had “killed himself.”

No one knew which theological seminar or religious college her father attended, or when or even if he was an ordained minister. Some said Jeb Martin simply arrived in Corbin, and the eighteen-year-old announced he was the newly appointed minister to lead the congregation. No one ever thought to challenge his credentials. Especially after hearing the words of the spirit roll from his lips and bring the souls of his religious flock to the altar of the Baptist church; hidden back amongst the hill county.

During his first Sunday evening service at the church, the first to stand was Shirley Jean McIntyre, a vivacious-looking girl who was all of fifteen. There was a major difference with this girl from others in the church; she had a terrific impact on the boys in the rural area surrounding the Corbin First Baptist Church.

At the tender age of fifteen, Shirley Jean was the epitome of a girl with southern charms. Her southern accent dripped with a melodious voice that said, “You all,” as if it was an angel speaking. One or perhaps it should be said, there was more than one thing about Shirley Jean, which caught one’s attention, especially the youthful males. Two of them were so pronounced on the chest of the lithe girl that they seemed to be oversized to rest on the small body of the petite girl-child.