You Are Not Amanda Martin

By Roland Boike

Mary Griffin is unexpectedly drawn into a murder when she goes to pick up an antique gathering basket for a wedding she is catering.

She drops to the floor, picks up her gathering basket, and makes her escape through the front door of the antique shop. The killing had precipitated over a small black book that the victim had inadvertently placed in Marys gathering basket. It contained all the criminal activities of the killer and his partner and the password and account number of a Swiss bank account.

When Mary realizes that her life is in danger, she attempts to leave New York only to find out that her three-year-old daughter has been kidnapped by the killer.

The killer has one of his employees raise the child, keeping her hostage in hopes of recovering his black book.

It is not until the childs seventeenth birthday when she seeks a reading from a fortune-teller that she told that she is not Amanda Martin. Uncovering the truth about her birth and her fraternal mother turns out to be a dangerous and precarious adventure for both the mother and the child.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984539960

Roland Boike

Roland Vincent Boike was born October 28, 1930 at his family home in Madeira, Ohio. He is the son of Dr. Stephen Boike and Ludvica Rensi Boike and is one of seven children. During the Korean War, Roland served in 134th and the 147th Field Artillery as Chief of Section of a 105 Howitzers Battalion. Roland attended Western Kentucky State University, Ohio State Department of Agriculture, and the University Of Cincinnati Department Of Applied Arts. He was awarded a full scholarship to attend Lincoln College of Chiropractic where he graduated in 1962 with a Degree in Chiropractic. Roland practiced Chiropractic in Loveland, Ohio for thirty- five years and was a Staff Physician at Jewish Hospital in Kenwood, Ohio. He served as Team Physician for Loveland High School, Western Brown High School and Wilmington College Girls Soccer Team. Roland served as Mayor and Vice Mayor in Loveland, Ohio, a community of over 10,500 residents. Roland was a founder and Director of The Community National Bank, Loveland, Ohio and Chairman of the Loveland 1976 Centennial Celebration, which produced a live outdoor spectacular, The History of Loveland. Roland was a founder, past president and member of the Board of Trustees of The Loveland Chamber of Commerce. He designed the Valentine postage meter stamp and the Logo There Is Nothing In The World So Sweet As Love. He was recognized with an award from The National Safety Council for saving the lives of three children in a submerged automobile at Lake Isabella in May, 1964. Roland was honored by the City of Loveland, Ohio for dedicated service to the community with a commemorative marker In the Veterans Memorial Park. Roland is a Kentucky Colonel and has received numerous awards for civic achievements.

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Copyright © 2018 by Roland Boike.

ISBN:                      Softcover                                    978-1-9845-3997-7

                                eBook                                         978-1-9845-3996-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 07/10/2018

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Contents

Chapter 1      Tony and Art

Chapter 2      The Gathering Basket

Chapter 3      The Kidnapping

Chapter 4      Dr. Marcelino

Chapter 5      Amanda is Recognized

Chapter 6      Sonya’s Letter

Chapter 7      The Plan

Chapter 8      Dna Test

Chapter 9      Father Douglas’ Friends

Chapter 10    Eavesdropping

Chapter 11    Mary Griffin

Chapter 12    Gin

Chapter 13    Gin’s a Plan

Chapter 14    Gin Takes Charge

Chapter 15    The New Mary

Chapter 16    The Flight to Geneva

Chapter 17    Changes to the Account

Chapter 18    Great to be Home

Chapter 19    Milford Maine

Chapter 20    A Home at Last

Chapter 21    Tuesday Morning Chess Game

Chapter 22    Maggie’s Agency

Chapter 23    Dead End

Chapter 24    The Dna Results

Chapter 25    The Meeting

Chapter 26    Andrew Sells Out

Chapter 27    Andrew’s Confession

Chapter 28    Doesn’t Matter

Chapter 29    Confronting the Martins

Chapter 30    Aftermath

Chapter 31    Amanda Tells Her Family

Chapter 32    The Family Plan

Chapter 33    The Police Investigation

Chapter 34    Maggie Sends Help

This book is

dedicated to Lu, my wife of 61 years.

Her faith and encouragement made my writing career possible.

Chapter 1

TONY AND ART

Anthony Pancarino Tony and Artemus Art Costello had been partners in just about every crime in New York that one could imagine.

They did not limit their talents to carjacking, prostitution, drug and money laundering. Art’s motto is One Organization Fits All.

Their main enterprise for laundering their money is several antique shops called Dusty Treasures.

The boys grew up together in the Bronx but it was not until the boys reached the seventh grade when they started selling drugs that they formed a loose partnership. By their sophomore year in high school their individual income exceeded the combined income of both of their fathers.

Although neither boy was interested in graduating, they kept their grades up so they could stay in school and panhandle drugs. By the time they graduated from high school, they had enough money saved to buy a small building and start their first antique shop.

In the twenty-five years that Art and Tony have been partners, they had amassed over $40 million dollars after payoffs and operational expenses. Their assets are deposited in a Swiss Bank account that Tony opened the third year of their joint operation when he made a trip to Switzerland.

The bond of trust between the two boys weakened steadily as the years passed. The personal friendship and bond is now to a point where there is no friendship or trust between them at all.

In order to make sure that neither partner controlled the assets in their numbered account, they worked out a system by which each partner had to be present when dealing with their assets in the Swiss Bank.

Art is the keeper of the Swiss Bank account number. He carried it in a leather notebook in his hip pocket at all times.

Tony is the keeper of the passwords used in the management of the numbered account, and as such, he keeps the passwords in a book in his office safe. He carries it with him when the two partners make deposits or withdrawals in their numbered accounts. Only Tony knows the password and only Art knows the bank account number.

Tony changed the password after every transaction in the account. The present system provides that both partners be present for the movement of any money, one to furnish the account number and one to furnish the password.

This system did not suit Tony at all. Several times in the last few years, he had apprised Art of his dissatisfaction with handling their money in this manner.

Art always had the same excuse, I don’t like to fly; besides, I don’t have the time to go to Switzerland with you.

What Tony did not realize was that after each transaction was finalized and before Tony had taken the time to change the password, Art was siphoning off large sums of money and depositing it in his own Swiss Bank account.

Tony came into the office early Monday morning to decide what he was going to do about his present situation in his organization.

One of Tony’s informants had given him information that the Feds, Internal Revenue and the NYPD were forming a task force to investigate his operation. Tony knew it was time for him to close up operations and leave the country.

As Tony sat there at his desk considering what his next move might be, the telephone rang.

Tony, he said in a soft friendly voice.

Mr. Pancarino, this is Chelsie Backsnyder. My boyfriend worked for your partner Art Costello.

What’s this got to do with me, Chelsie?

Mr. Pancarino, they found my boyfriend floating in Long Island Bay three days ago and I believe he was killed because of the work that he did for Mr. Costello, Chelsie said.

What kind of work did he do for Mr. Costello? Tony asked.

He was a computer programmer and he told me in the strictest confidence one evening when we had been drinking that he was working on a very secret program for Mr. Costello. He said it had to do with duplicating the screens of a Swiss Bank Account to make it appear that deposits or withdrawals are actually being made in the account. He said it was very elaborate because it kept track of passwords, account numbers, deposits, withdrawals and duplicated each screen in the Swiss Bank’s Program.

Erin got $50,000 upfront and was to get another $100,000 when the program was finished. Erin finished the program over six months ago and Mr. Costello promised to pay him as soon as they ran the program enough times to make sure it was operating correctly.

Erin called me at work last Monday morning and told me he was going to pick up the money. He said that the program was running to Mr. Costello’s satisfaction and that was the last time I ever heard from him.

The Police said he committed suicide but I know that is not true and he did not have the $100,000 on him or in his apartment when they pulled him out of the bay. Erin told me that the program was being used to embezzle money from Mr. Costello’s partner so that is why I am calling you.

If Mr. Costello killed Erin and is stealing your money, I figure who better than you can give Mr. Costello what he has coming to him.

Chelsie, if you will stop by my antique shop, I will leave you a little something at the cash register for you to show my appreciation for your phone call. Thank you so much for taking time to contact me. I will take care of the matter.

Tony hung up the phone, walked over to the safe and withdrew a banded pack of $100 bills. Tony placed the money in an envelope and addressed it with Chelsie Backsnyder’s name.

On his way out of the shop, Tony handed the envelope to his cashier, Lillian Farmer and said, There will be a Chelsie Backsnyder here to pick up this envelope. Don’t give it to anyone else.

Today was Saturday, October 31, 1998. It was the day when Tony and Art made their traditional holiday deposits in their secret Swiss Bank Accounts.

Tony put on his bulletproof vest, bulldog shoulder holsters, loaded his two guns, put on his suit jacket and headed for Art’s office on the waterfront.

That son-of a-bitch. He has been stealing from me ever since Thanksgiving. We’re going to settle this here and now, Tony said to no one in particular in his empty office."

Tony left the antique shop by the rear door and walked to his Fully restored 1935 Duesenberg Convertible

Kelley dropped his polishing rag, walked to the front of the car and opened the passenger door for Mr. Pancarino.

Kelley was very proud of the antique car that he drove for Mr. Pancarino. Tony had allowed Kelley to oversee the restoration of Tony’s grandfather’s car after the old man died.

Kelley had the original 12 Cylinder motor removed and had it replaced with a 1951 Cadillac 331 Motor. Tony also had the carburetor upgraded to a Thunder AVS, 500 cfm, square bore, manual choke, 4-barrel, single inlet carbonator. All the chrome was removed and re-plated. Kelley added a new Ostrich tan top and power windows. He also upgraded the interior of the car with red leather and added 2 sport front seats.

Where to Boss? Kelley asked.

Head for the waterfront. We are going to make an unsolicited call on Mr. Costello, Tony said.

Chapter 2

THE GATHERING BASKET

Mary Griffin left the In Bloom Floral Shop at 7:45 a.m. in order to pick up an antique gathering basket that she had ordered from the Dusty Treasures Antique Shop.

Mary was doing the flowers for a wedding on Saturday, November 12 and the bride wanted her five-year-old sister to carry her rose pedals in an antique gathering basket.

Mary parked the station wagon right in front of the antique shop. The sign hanging in the door read, Open.

Mary walked in and waited in the front of the shop for a few moments and when she heard voices coming from the rear, she stepped through the archway and entered the back portion of the shop.

Mary could see the gathering basket that she had ordered sitting on top of the desk of Art Costello, the Manager of the shop.

Standing at the rear of the antique shop in a dark hallway that led to the rear exit, Mary could see two men holding guns that were pointed at Art and Dirk Lucas, his associate.

Art stood very still. In his left hand, he held a black leather-bound notebook.

I’ll take that little black book, the man at the rear of the store said. It contains all of the Swiss Bank Account numbers, passwords and other information about our organization and I have the right to it the same as you do,"

The man standing at the rear door said, You son of a bitch, Art, I’ve treated you like a brother and this is what I get. You’ve been stealing money from me and depositing it in your own bank account. I ought to kill you right now.

I know all about Arron Conley and your little scheme to steal money from our Swiss Bank Accounts.

Without saying a word, Art took a few steps toward the desk. When he stood between the man at the rear door and Mary’s gathering basket, with a wave of his right hand, he acknowledged Mary’s presence while with his left hand he dropped the black leather-bound notebook in the gathering basket.

Art slowly turned back to face the man at the door and as he turned he withdrew his pistol from his shoulder holster, faced his accuser and fired the first of three rounds at the two men standing at the rear of the shop.

There was a loud burst of gunfire with the exchange of about eight rounds.

When the shooting was over, Art and his accomplice fell to the floor and lay dead in a pool of blood.

"Kelley, go over and get that black book Art had in his hand before he made the fatal mistake of drawing his gun on us.

I’ll kill anybody and everybody and do anything I have to do to get that black book. That book contains everything I have worked for. It represents 20 years of my life. It is everything I have saved for and everything I have risked my life for. I am not about to let that low life scum steal everything from me.

Pick it up, hand it to me and don’t look inside or, unfortunately, I will need to shoot you also, Kelley, Tony said, smiling.

As soon as the shooting started Mary had dropped to the floor.

As Kelley moved towards the front of the room to retrieve the book, Mary seized the opportunity to grab her gathering basket. Mary peeked up over the top of the desk, she grabbed for the basket knocking it floor.

The basket along with the black notebook landed alongside the body of Art Costello was still holding his gun. Without really thinking, Mary remove the handgun from Art’s hand and pick up the notebook from the floor. She placed them in the gathering basket and fled out the front door. Mary jumped in her car and drove away squealing a patch of rubber on the pavement as she left the antique shop.

I think your leather notebook just went out the door with that woman, Tony. Want I should catch her? Kelley said.

Who the hell was that bitch and what the hell is she doing here?

I don’t know Tony but my guess would be she was here to pick up that basket. Let’s see if we can find the order on Art’s desk.

An invoice for the basket was lying on the desk where the basket had previously been placed.

Kelley picked up the invoice and read it to Tony: The Stanley Kidman Wedding, Early American primitive woven gathering basket with vine-wrapped handle. $49.50 paid. Pickup October 31, Time 8:30 a.m. Bloom Floral Shop—per Mary. Order taken by AC.

Kelley, take a couple of the boys over to the In Bloom Floral Shop, find Mary Griffin and get that basket with the notebook in it.

If you think she’s looked in the book and copied any of the numbers you’ll need to take care of her.

Shall I take her to Coney Island for a swim, Tony? Kelly asked.

Yeah, take her out on my boat about 50 miles and let’s see if she can swim back to shore, Tony said smiling.

I’ll call you when I have her and the book, Kelley said.

Kelley phoned Otis, who was waiting for Tony to return to the antique shop to make their daily rounds.

Otis, Tony wants you to meet me at the In Bloom Floral Shop on Paxton Boulevard. If you get there before I do, wait for me outside of the shop, Kelley said.

Otis arrived first so he sat in his car and waited for Kelley to arrive. When Kelley pulled in behind him, both men left their cars and entered the shop together.

May I help you gentleman, the attendant said.

Yes! We are looking for Mary, is she around anywhere?

I’m sorry, Sir. Mary is out.

Thinking quickly and remembering the receipt on Costello’s desk Kelley replied, "I am here for an anonymous donor who wants me to pay for