The Ring of Death

By Roland Boike

In 1868, Jarmon, a young African boy, and his sisters Kindra and Karla struggle to live after the death of their parents. Jarmon, in his spare time and in order to supplement his wages as a thirteen-year-old working in the African diamond mines, hunts for diamonds along the Orange River in Africa. One morning, while hunting diamonds, Jarmon finds he is accosted by the mine owner and is knocked unconscious. The following day the mine owner fires Jarmon, kidnaps his sisters, and plans to take them back to Holland.

Finding that he is unable to get his sisters back, Jarmon seeks out a local witch doctor to have a curse placed on the stolen diamonds. In a fit of anger Jarmon seeks out the aid of an African native inyanga to place a curse on the diamonds. It is believed that the curse has caused numerous mysterious deaths of the previous owners of the diamonds.

One hundred years later, Grant Powers purchases the diamonds to have made into a thirty-fifth wedding anniversary gift for his wife. In order to save the political life of Grant Powerss brother, Grant and Marianne Powers agree to adopt and raise the illegitimate child of Grants brother.

While vacationing the diamond ring is stolen, and the Powers are killed in an automobile accident. The caregiver simply keeps the child and raises her as her own. The true identity of the child and the eventual recovery of the stolen diamond leads to the final removal of the curse.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 23, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984542045

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                        978-1-9845-4203-8

                           eBook                               978-1-9845-4204-5

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: 07/20/2018

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Contents

Chapter 1 Jarmon Demmick

Chapter 2 Fired

Chapter 3 A Lesson In Witch Craft

Chapter 4 The Inyanga

Chapter 5 The Birthday Gift

Chapter 6 The Powers’ Holiday

Chapter 7 The Intruder

Chapter 8 Revenge.

Chapter 9 Locking Up

Chapter 10 The Investigation

Chapter 11 Conclusions

Chapter 12 Birth Of The Child

Chapter 13 The Conveyance

Chapter 14 The Mother

Chapter 15 How It Happened

Chapter 16 Tragedy Strikes

Chapter 17 The Accident

Chapter 18 Missing Time Cards.

Chapter 19 The Investigation

Chapter 20 Witness Protection Program

Chapter 21 A Night Out On The Town

Chapter 22 A Fatal Meeting.

Chapter 23 Missing Person

Chapter 24 Jane Doe

Chapter 25 The Trip To The Morgue

Chapter 26 The Interrogation

Chapter 27 The Ring

Chapter 28 A Fatal Mistake

Chapter 29 The Search Warrant

Chapter 30 The Gordon Brothers

Chapter 31 Another Homicide

Chapter 32 Authentication

Chapter 33 The Heir

Chapter 34 Dorothy Tells All

Chapter 35 The Truth Will Set You Free

Chapter 36 Cheryl’s Plan

Chapter 37 A Cab To Hopetown

Chapter 38 THE CURSE

Chapter 39 A Political Party

Chapter 40 A Birthday Party

Chapter 1

JARMON DEMMICK

It was Saturday June 13, 1868 and Jarmon had just finished his 10 hours of work at the South African Orange River Diamond Mine.

Jarmon came from wealthy Danish heritage that had come to Africa to seek their fortune but, had recently fallen on hard times due to illness.

By the time Jarmon was 10, both of his parents had died and he was forced to work in the diamond mine to exist.

Jarmon had just turned 10 years of age and he was now the sole support for his two younger sisters Kindra and Karla.

Jarmon and his sisters, have spent all the cash and sold all the belongings that were left to them by their mother and father in order to live.

When everything was gone they were no longer able to afford the rent for their small one room lodging.

Jarmon and his two sisters, out of desperation moved to the outskirts of Hopetown into an out-of-the-way abandoned shack.

Today Jarmon was paid in cash as he let the mine. Since they had no electricity, running water or the ability to store and keep food, Jarmon was required to shop for groceries every day after work before he returned to his shack and his sisters.

Usually, Jarmon would sit on the wall outside of the diamond mind office, check his money, plan what supplies he would need for the evening meal and jot a few reminder notes about important events of the day in a small notebook he kept in the front pocket of his work pants.

Jarmon had taught his sisters how to cook Chakalaka and it was their mainstay of food. It was nutritious, easy for his sisters to cook and was very inexpensive.

I will need to buy beans, tomatoes, onions and chilies. And if I’m lucky, I may find enough scraps from the vegetable discarded by the merchants to add to the Chakalaka to make enough for all three of us, Jarmon thought.

The reality of life suddenly became clear to Jarmon. He knew that he did not get paid for another two weeks. He could see that he must find additional work in the evening or on Sunday in order for his sisters and him to survive.

While shopping in the marketplace, Jarmon ran into his friend Uba who was also doing his family shopping.

Hi, Uba, finding anything good? Jarmon asked.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I found a crate of discarded vegetable behind Minnino’s Grocery store. I took what I wanted and you may be able to find something that you can use also, Uba said.

"Thanks, Uba, I’ll take a look.

I need to find another job. Got any ideas?" Jarmon asked Uba.

All of the jobs that I found want you to work 10 hours every day, six days a week. If you have two jobs like that you only have four hours of sleep every day. I can’t make it on that, Uba said.

If you don’t mind working on Sunday you can do what I do. I work for myself. Uba said.

What you do, Jarmon asked.

Sunday morning, I get up at before the sun rises, I walked up the Orange River about 8 miles. By then you are away from all the diamond mines and all the landowners. It’s pretty desolate country.

So how do you make any money? Jarmon asked.

I do what I do the other six days of the week. I look for diamonds.

"I find enough to make the trip worthwhile. The only trouble is the diamond buyers will not pay me full price because they think I have stolen them from the mines.

In fact, I have been able to save a little money and someday I hope to get out of here," Uba said.

Would you be upset if I made a trip up the river this Sunday? Jarmon asked.

It you don’t let anyone see you going and you don’t tell anybody where you got the diamonds, I won’t care. It’s just if everybody finds out what we are doing, all the kids in town will be out there looking for diamonds, Uba said.

It was late when Jarmon return to the shanty at the edge of town where his sisters were anxiously awaiting him and they had not eaten all day.

It was late before dinner was ready. Tonight, was a special treat as Jarmon was able to salvage half of a melon and three apples from the discarded produce.

I will be leaving very early in the morning and I will not be home until after dark. I need you to stay close to our home and hide if you see anyone, Jarmon said.

Fix your dinner any time you get hungry and save a little bit for me by the fire and I will eat it when I get home," Jarmon said.

Jarmon having no way to measure distance knew that his normal walking pace was about 3 miles in one hour. He only knew this because his boss at the diamond mine had sent him on an errand with a letter for the owner of the mine. He told Jarmon that it was 3 miles to the owner’s house.

When Jarmon return to the diamond mine his boss told him it had taken him 2 hours and 5 minutes to make the round-trip.

It was still dark when Jarmon left and his sisters were still sleeping. He walked slowly and carefully along the moon lit river shoreline. As soon as the sun started to come up on the horizon he quickened his pace. When he thought the correct amount of time had passed and he was far enough away from Hopetown and the diamond mines, he knew he could now search for diamonds.

Some time had passed and Jarmon had not found a single stone.

Jarmon had walked a long way before he came upon a small stream that ran down from the mountain top. Before passing into the river it maneuvered around a giant boulder.

Jarmon, took off his shoes and rolled up his pants leg to enter the stream. He reached down in the water and could feel small pebbles that had washed down from the mountain top.

He pulled a handful of them out and he realize they were diamonds. In all he found 13 white diamonds stones that had washed up against the boulder.

Jarmon put the diamonds into a small pouch he found that the older men used to carry their tobacco in.

He had just placed the diamonds in the pouch when he realize there was a man standing on the other side of the boulder carrying a cane and watching him.

Give those diamonds to me boy! and be quick about it, the man shouted at Jarmon.

The stones are mine, I found them and I plan to keep them, Jarmon said angrily.

I don’t think so, boy! I have seen them and now I want them. They shall be mine and I will kill you if need be in order to do get them, the man said.

That is the last thing that Jarmon remembered. When he woke up it was almost dark and blood was still running down the side of his head by his ear.

Jarmon went to the river and washed some of the dried blood from his head and face.

Jarmon walked back to the boulder and found four more diamonds. He put the four diamonds in his pocket and took out his notepad. He noted approximate time of day, the place and what happened. He put the notebook back in his pocket and headed for home.

When Jarmon arrived, his sisters were asleep but they had saved his dinner and had placed it close to the simmering ashes of their fire.

Jarmon ate what his sisters had prepared for him and then he laid down in his place in the shack and fell asleep.

Chapter 2

FIRED

The next morning Jarmon got up, said goodbye to his sisters, walked to the river, washed his face, and ran off to work.

Jarmon had just started his job of sifting through the mud looking for diamonds when his boss came up to him and pulled him aside.

I see you have a cut on the side of your head. Care to tell me how that happened? his boss asked.

Jarmon had always liked working for his boss and thought him to be honest and always concern about the young boys who work in the mines so, he thought he would tell him the truth.

I went up the river yesterday searching for diamonds. Some man came up, stole them from me and then hit me with his cane. I must’ve been knocked out most of the day, Jarmon told his boss.

You must have met Sir Vonderberg. He was in here this morning before dawn complaining that some Boy as he put it, was stealing diamonds from him. Is that true Jarmon?

I don’t believe so, Sir, I must have been at least 8 miles up the river. I don’t believe anyone really owns that land it simply belongs to the government, Jarmon said.

Sir Vonderberg is a nasty old bastard and the world’s biggest liar. He told me I should fire you the minute you show up for work and that I should personally escort you off of the mine property.

"I stole nothing from him, he is lying, Jarmon said as tears started to form in his eyes.

"Oh, I believe you Jarmon. But I must carry out the bosses’ orders. Come with me now. I’m taking you off of the mine property.

Jarmon’s boss grabbed him by the back of the collar and walked him to the other side of the fence that enclose the mine property.

"You are now off of Orange River Diamond Mine property and I have fired you. That completes all of my orders from Sir Vonderberg for this morning, Jarmon’s boss said smiling.

Jarmon since you are now unemployed and I am in need of a young man to supervise the other young workers would you be interested in a job working for me? It pays double what you’re making now, Jarmon’s boss said.

Can you do that? Jarmon asked.

I can do anything I want now. I am the new superintendent.

Sir Vonderberg not only fired you but, he fired the superintendent and promoted me. You are a good honest worker Jarmon and I want to keep you here working for me.

Thank you, you have saved my life. What do you think Sir Vonderberg will say about your rehiring me? Jarmon asked.

He’s a very wealthy man and with his money he feels he can do anything he wants but, he can’t run me. He’s leaving today for Holland and you probably will be a grown man by the time he returns. Since you will be working very closely with me now, I think you should start calling me Mr. Gertie.

"I want you to go into the mine, find something to do and stay there all day until you are sure Vonderberg has left, Gertie said.

Jarmon sat just inside the mine entrance in the sunlight. He pulled his notepad from his pocket and made a few entries about the morning events.

At quitting time, Jarmon left the mine and sat on the wall outside the office entrance where he counted his money. Since he would be earning twice his normal wages Jarmon felt that he could celebrate by buying three pork chops at the meat market.

A search of the trash containers in the market yielded some cabbage leaves and apple, and two turnips. As soon as Jarmon purchased the pork chops he headed for home.

When Jarmon reached the shack, the girls were nowhere in sight and he thought that perhaps they had gone for water. He built a fire and started the pork chops cooking.

The sun was setting and Jarmon grew worried about his sister’s whereabouts. He left the shack and headed to town wandering through the streets and alleyways calling for his sister. There was no response.

Jarmon searched until the lights were out in all the buildings. Then he went back to their shack and laid down in his spot until morning.

The girls had not returned when Jarmon got up for work.

He would seek Gertie’s advice when he arrived at the diamond mine in the morning. Perhaps he would have some ideas what Jarmon should do or where he should look.

Good morning Jarmon. How is your day going today? Mr. Gertie asked.

My sisters have disappeared. I searched all night all over town and I could not find them. What can I do? Jarmon asked.

Are you sure some animal didn’t attack them and haul them off into the bush? Mr. Gertie asked.

I’m pretty sure that did not happen, Mr. Gertie. There were no animal tracks, blood or shredded clothing. Everything at our camp look very normal, Jarmon said.

In that case I think I would go to the local police. I don’t have much faith in them but at least they could help you search, Mr. Gertie said.

That is good advice Mr. Gertie I shall do it right after work today, Jarmon said.

I think you should go now, Jarmon. The quicker you get on their trail the easier it will be to find them.

Will that be alright with you if I go now? Jarmon asked.

One thing you learn in life Jarmon, that is to do the important things first. Your work will still be here when you’re finished looking for your sisters, Mr. Gertie said.

Jarmon thanked him and headed straight for the police department.

Chapter 3

A LESSON IN WITCH CRAFT

The Police Department was housed in a room at the back of the Gallon Saloon. When Jarmon entered he was surprised to see there was trash laying all around. Old newspaper, old books, partially eaten food, dust and mud on the floor.

Sitting behind the desk was an obese man that Jarmon figured to be in his late 50’s or early 60’s. His uniform was wrinkled and dirty. His head was covered with dirty oily looking hair that drooped down over his ears. He had not shaved for four or five