Dangerous Law

Chapter 1

He knew that the Feds were onto his operations. So far, they had not attempted to seize his mother ships off Miami. But, they had seized several of his fastest transport go boats. The Feds in Miami finally had the manpower and network to stop his best transports. By coordinating their stings with helicopter support even his fastest boats could not outrun the combined federal efforts. Then, even more unbelievably, they were able to seize his own fastest go boats and use them to chase his other delivery boats. During the last delivery a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter had brazenly over-flown their mother ship so low that, even in the moonlight, they could see the passengers leaning out shooting pictures. They also had so many agents in the Miami area that he could not effectively recruit new deliverymen.

He ordered his mother ship back to South America. He would have to buy a new one and move his operations to another less hostile, more naive place. Somewhere that the locals would not suspect his operations, and even if they stumbled onto them, would not be able to do anything about it until he was safely away. He had learned much from his encounters in Miami and fully intended to use them to make his deliveries even more covert.

Chapter 2

Slick’s cousin in the Bronx really came through last summer. Not only could Baltimore born Slick make good money picking up the drugs, but he was also given an opportunity to do something Baltimore inner city kids could only dream of – drive a fast go boat. The man from Miami had borrowed a 21’ Sea Ray from some vacationers who had strayed too close to his drug-laden mother ship. He gave this to Rock. Although it only had one engine, it topped off at over 45 mph.

The Sea Ray’s advantage was that it had a strong, but heavy, deep vee hull and an aerodynamic bow which gently, but clearly sloped forward. The engine was mounted on two starter motors that tilted it to trim the boat for the optimum speed. This allowed it to move very quickly, and maneuver sharply even in rough water. The Miami man really wanted the boat to get where it was going so he had mounted a Hummingbird fish finder and GPS chart-plotter with maps of the bay pre-programmed into it.

The Miami man knew the exact type of boat he gave to Slick. He purchased original v-bunk cushions from Sea Ray, took out the foam rubber and sewed pouches of drugs into the cushions. His seamstresses were so good that the cushions were identical to the originals. By vacuum sealing the drug pouches with thick plastic, they were actually capable of bearing weight and omitted virtually no traceable odor. They also held enormous amounts of drugs. They could even float without damaging the drugs if they needed to.

The Miami man supplied a dock where the boat was moored on Rock Creek - a ramshackle group of wooden boards pretending to be in a straight line. Rock Creek was named after two rocks that mysteriously stick up ten feet out of water twenty feet deep. This was good for Slick because he had no idea how to navigate. He just looked for the rocks, headed into the creek, turned left at the big Maryland Yacht Club (which also had the gas docks Slick used to fill up the huge 80 gallon gas tank). From there, Slick could see his ramshackle pier.

Slick’s New York cousin had alerted him that the next ship was due in the Chesapeake Bay soon. He had already made three successful trips to the ship and loved the huge cash bonus - $30,000.00 per trip. It was up to Slick to contact the ship and make the pick up. Slick was given the code word – snow – the rest was up to him.

Chapter 3

Wanda Gibbons hopped into a Lincoln Town Car at BWI airport. She enjoyed her first-class flight from Florida. All her baggage fit into one sharp looking large black Tumi leather briefcase - $2,000,000.00 in cash. The cash was bundled in brick sized stacks, wrapped in paper and spray painted with faux brick paint. On top of the bricks was a decorative brick brochure that Wanda took from a home improvement store. In Florida, Wanda had been sure to joke with the male TSA agent viewing the x-ray machine about what her brick samples would look like – before he saw them in the viewing screen. Wanda’s sweet innocent smile and friendly manner had disarmed the TSA agent as usual, keeping her cash safe.

A leather-covered tag on the outside of the briefcase identified the owner as Wanda Lane. (Ms. Lane had recently and conveniently died. Wanda used her Social Security Number to obtain a Florida Driver’s license in her name. The social security payments still being directly deposited into Wanda’s bank account didn’t hurt any either.) Anything Wanda needed, she would buy. Her cell phone was the only other thing in her briefcase. It held telephone numbers and addresses of her contacts.

Although she had spent a few days in jail on various occasions during her ten-year career, at twenty-six years old, Wanda had never been convicted of a serious crime. Her latest and greatest scam (involving real estate in Florida) had finally hit big, but the FBI and DEA had almost caught up with her. This is why she needed Wanda Lane’s identity. Wanda still firmly believed the real money was in drugs. While she was in Florida, Wanda was impressed by the easy way large drug moguls seemed to make money. She developed many good contacts within the industry for her next scam.

She liked the idea of large business ventures and, using her charm and uncanny ability to manipulate men, convinced the man that she was the ideal person to run the northeast operations. Her last series of complex business transactions netted her $2,000,000.00. This proved her abilities to the man beyond a shadow of a doubt. She also met the other requirement – not getting caught.

Wanda needed to create her new image. First, she needed a car. Wanda had grown up in the Bronx, but she had relatives in Baltimore. She knew that the winters were cold and it snowed. A Toyota Land Cruiser should be good for my image and keep me going in the snow, Wanda had thought before she left Florida. Wanda’s brain was always in motion, thinking things through while attempting to cover all of the angles and predict the weaknesses in her strategy. While earning a living in Florida, Wanda had managed to obtain a college degree in business; in college, Wanda was careful to take a few criminal law and law enforcement courses. In Wanda’s opinion, there were many more opportunities to make money if you knew the law, ignored the law and didn’t get caught.

My only problem, she thought, was that this time I did not have enough time to properly research an angle. I only had two hours to figure out where to buy a car while I was in the airport. But, the odds were too good that if I hadn’t taken this flight, the Feds might have found me. I just hope the eager beaver car salesman will take a nice tip and forget to report that I bought the car with cash, she thought. Wanda knew cash transactions of over $10,000.00 were reported as suspicious currency to the Feds.

In the airport Wanda had picked up a used Sun Papers, the local Baltimore paper, sitting on an empty chair and looked at the car ads. She also noticed that one Lisa Murray had been killed in an automobile accident in Baltimore. Lisa was just about Wanda’s age. She had telephoned a dealership and, acting like a stupid rich girl, ordered a top of the line, fully loaded, Toyota Land Cruiser. She told the salesman to pick one out with a black exterior and leather interior. She never asked the price.

The only requirement was that her new baby be ready for pickup when she arrived – that meant title and registration filled out with license plates on, based, of course, on information she made up while on the phone. This way he would not have time to challenge her identity - Labelle Monroe. The salesman eagerly agreed to have the SUV ready. Labelle Monroe would, of course, sell the car several times, ending up with a new identity she had not yet created that would have her real home address. Only she had not yet found the right home.

The nice looking limo Lincoln Town Car was discreet and older but immaculate. The owner operator, Karl, was good. He did not ask too many questions. When he dropped her off at World Car Dealership, she took one of his cards and typed his name and number in her calendar and address book.

Wanda left the car dealership laughing. She had only been there ten minutes. Her pre-set limit was fifteen. The salesman had eaten up her identity. My deceased husband left me $250,000.00, she had told the salesman. But my jealous in-laws in California threatened to sue me for the money so I left for my home town of Washington, D.C. She then told him the cash would pay for the car and she intended to use the rest to buy a house. Since he bought her story and never asked for identification, Wanda was not worried about the cash transaction being reported. The Feds would never link the Land Cruiser to her, she thought.

On a hunch, Mr. Amp, the business manager of World Car Dealership, checked the credit report of one Labelle Monroe. He always thought something was up when a customer paid cash for a car and paid the full sticker-price. He had been in the business too long not to notice something too good to be true. He was right. She did not exist.

Wanda drove to Easton. She knew she had to lay low until she got a feel for how things worked in Easton. Wanda needed a house. But, before she bought one, she needed a new identity. Wanda called her second cousin, Slick. Slick gave her the name of a friendly person at the MVA – Jane White.

For a mere one hundred dollars, cash, Jane gave Wanda the name, social security number and driver’s license number of Lisa Murray. For another one hundred dollars, cash, Jane arranged for Wanda – now Lisa Murray, to have her Maryland Driver’s license reissued.

With a new driver’s license in hand, Wanda went to the public library and pulled a free credit report for Lisa Murray off the Internet. She was in luck, Lisa was not reported dead yet. Two telephone calls later and credit cards were on the way from MBNA and CitiBank with $5,000.00 limits per card. These would be mailed to the P.O. Box she had just rented.

Mr. Amp played his hunch further. He had a friend at the MVA track Labelle Monroe’s title. He was not surprised to learn that only one-week later title was transferred to Lisa Murray. When he checked out Lisa Murray’s credit report, he found out she had been errantly reported dead. Mr. Amp took a chance. He called the new telephone number on the credit report. As soon as he heard her voice, he knew Lisa Murray was Wanda Monroe.

After a week, Wanda was ready to check out of the Inn at Perry Cabin, buy a house and go into business. She needed a good cover – an innocent looking day job. Her initial cash flow, it seemed, would come from World Car Dealership. Wanda telephoned her cousin in Baltimore and had him call Mr. Amp directly. Two weeks later Mr. Amp gave her $2,000.00 in referral fees - cash. Her cousin and his friend also gave her $2,000.00 each, in cash in referral fees. All involved were delighted. Slick loved his new and for the first time, legal, SUV.

A new development of nice houses under construction caught her eye. Hello. This is John Broccoli. Please leave a message at the beep and I’ll get right back to you, greeted Wanda when she called the number on the For Sale sign. Wanda did not leave a message. Later that day she called again. Hello, said John. Hi, said Wanda in a bright voice. I am interested in buying one of the houses for sale from Broccoli, LLC."

After a few minutes, Wanda and John had agreed on a price. Wanda asked why John had a recorder on his line. It has to hurt business, she told him politely. John responded that he desperately needed a bookkeeper. John’s cash flow was slow so that he had to lay off his assistant, Royal; now she was helping a long-time buddy, an electrical subcontractor in Reisterstown. Now that his cash flow was better, he needed an assistant who could work the books.

Wanda started working for Broccoli the next day. He let Wanda move into the house she wanted before closing on the Loan. Wanda handled the books very well. She hid the money she was embezzling from the payroll account. She even handled the paperwork for the loan closings. Wanda found a title company willing to pay her $2,000.00 per transaction they closed – Harbor One Title Company. For a mere $10,000.00, Wanda convinced Dolan Pigeons, the owner of Harbor One to close on her house and give her the proceeds of the closing - $300,000.00 to deposit into Broccoli, LLC’s account. The closing funds never made it there. An additional $200,000.00 from a simultaneous closing also never found its way into Broccoli, LLC’s account. Wanda’s offshore accounts grew once again.

Lisa Murray’s driver’s license and maxed-out credit cards melted then burned in Wanda’s fireplace. With a few more phone calls to Jane at the MVA and three hundred dollars, Wanda Tailor purchased a waterfront house in Salisbury for $350,000.00 totally financed by Bank One. She paid her salesman, Robert I. Rocker, $3,000.00 in cash for helping her to find a willing appraiser. By appraising the property for 25% more than the sales price and having a second sales contract for that higher amount, the bank financed 100% of the purchase. She insisted on using Harbor One Title Company to close the loan. She knew the scam was fine with Harbor One Title Company especially since she paid it another $3,000.00 in cash. She pocketed a broker’s fee of $10,833.34 (6%) to fund the $6,000.00 cash paid to her friends. She spent most of the remaining $4,833.34 on her new wardrobe.

Chapter 4

Now settled comfortably in her new home with her new Land Cruiser and good contacts, Wanda started receiving credit card solicitations as Wanda Tailor. Wanda mailed each one in and requested the maximum credit available.

Hello, this is Wanda – you know Wanda Lane in Maryland? Si, said the other voice. After a small delay, a male voice came on the line. Code, he asked. Wanda’s Wacky Delivery Service, she replied. It’s great hearing from you Wanda, how are you doing in Maryland?

Fine. I’m ready to go to work. Do you still need help with large deliveries up here? Yes, we have a small delivery service run out of New York testing our delivery process, but we need your help. I’m sending Juan up to give you our instructions personally. When and where should he meet you?

Karl Striker pulled his 1983 Lincoln Town Car up in front of Wanda Monroe’s house. Just a few more trips like this and he could have his baby clipped and stretched longer. The house is a real beauty, Karl thought as he stepped out and strode proudly up the brick walkway to the door. Karl noticed a red Jeep Grand Cherokee, decked out with extras, parked in the large brick driveway. Karl raised his right hand to knock on the door when it opened. He did not notice the door mat he was standing on. He could not have noticed that there were several pressure sensors under the doormat that flashed small silent light bulbs placed strategically around the house.

Hi Mr. Striker, my name is Wanda Dixon, the woman said to Karl extending her hand. Good morning madam, replied Karl. Your chariot awaits you. We should be arriving at your destination in New York City in approximately four hours. Karl looked at the ground and said, I must say, and I am not sure - ahhh - how shall I put it, comfortable driving to the Bronx. Is madam sure she doesn’t want to go to another part of town? We already discussed this Mr. Striker. Tell ya what I’ll do. Here’s 20 grand. Consider this a deposit for any damages that might occur. I’ll give you another 10 when we return from our business trip. Karl had never seen so much cash before. His hands shook as he took the wads of money. They were too thick to fit into his pockets.

Karl had brought his trusty shotgun and placed it under the right front seat. The shotgun will have to be enough, he thought. These are my business associates, Wanda said as Slick and Rock walked out of her house. Show Mr. Striker your friends – the ones that protect you. Slick lifted his Tommy Hilfiger sweatshirt giving Karl a clear view of a big black gun. Rock also had a gun in his waistband. Both of these guys look like bullets would bounce off of them, Karl smiled, as he thought, no one will mess with my baby so long as they’re around.

Good people please step in, said Karl as he opened the door for Wanda. Rock and Slick were too big to sit in the back with Wanda so Rock sat up front.

Wanda and Slick met their cousins. Rock and Karl guarded the limo. She brought Slick and his friend Rock more for protection than business, even though they would continue to be part of the delivery service. She informed the Bronx crew that she was handling operations from now on. They would continue to forward the cash to the same offshore bank accounts, but she would handle the delivery of the goods. She hoped to control the money soon, but that would have to wait until she earned the confidence of the Man and the South Americans he represented – and she had never even met any of them. The Bronx crew trusted Slick and Rock. Wanda was smart enough to send both of them with each delivery. They knew the delivery was ok as long as they saw Slick or Rock in the limo.

One month later, Wanda had taken Karl’s baby and stretched it eight feet longer - at her expense. She had even added a bed in the back and extra long cushions for the back seat making it more of a sofa than seat. Upon close inspection, the back seat and bed were extra soft because they had several layers of cushions. Karl was startled when he first opened the hood. A new, larger supercharged engine greeted him. So did the huge second gas tank and the gas bills that he knew would accompany it. Not to worry, Wanda had given him a credit card for gas. He didn’t care that he didn’t recognize the cardholder’s name.

Karl was also surprised to see the thickness of the windows. It didn’t take him long to figure out the Lincoln was probably bullet proof. To confirm his suspicions, he looked at the tires. They were the brand that advertised the tires as running up to 60 miles flat. Wanda must have thought of everything. She even had even thought to add a GPS navigational system. He did not know it was something the repair shop threw in for free, to keep Wanda as a good customer. With what she had paid them in cash, she could have had two new clipped limos, but they did a very professional job and took the cash, no questions asked.

In return for these upgrades all Karl had to do was take Wanda’s business associates, one of which was her second cousin (he had proudly figured out all by himself), on a trip to New York every month or so. Neither Karl nor Wanda knew the shop that upgraded the car also produced DEA, IRS and FBI surveillance vans. Certainly neither of them suspected that LOJACK and a hidden transmitter, hooked up to the special GPS unit were also part of the upgrade courtesy of the DEA. The LOJACK was in the dormant mode. The GPS transmitter was active.

Chapter 5

Harry, said Tom Jackson, I have another problem. Another contractor, Broccoli, hasn’t paid my company for all the site work that we completed. We did a great job for him. The sewers and roads were installed perfectly, but he still doesn’t want to pay. I want you to sue him, unless you're able to work out some sort repayment arrangement. I really need this money. I have to pay my subs now. Ok, said Harry, I'll handle it. Just leave my paralegal with the information to contact Broccoli.

Tom had his office manager call Harry's paralegal. Harry's staff obtained enough information to telephone, write, e-mail, fax and courier information to John Broccoli, the owner of Broccoli, LLC.

Harry called Broccoli. Broccoli was very cordial and apologetic about not paying Tom’s company. Unfortunately, he said, we thought we’d sell ‘em a bit faster than we did. As soon as we sell a few more units, Tom will be paid. I think we can apply $50K per sale for Tom. That’ll only take three units to pay his $140K. In fact, most of the units are already under contract now. Now, I’ll make sure Tom gets paid, even if I have to pay it out of my own pocket.

Bronze explained that if Broccoli would work with him, he would simply treat the debt as a secured loan. Broccoli readily agreed, because he could do so, so he said, without paying any cash out of his pocket. Bronze and Broccoli discussed the terms of the loan. Broccoli made it clear he had no cash. He had to let all his employees go the week before. He couldn’t remember the last time that he had paid their payroll taxes.

The next day, Harry drew up the loan documentation. Broccoli agreed to allow Bronze to meet him at the construction site to execute the documents. Broccoli was there, on time. He signed the loan documents that Harry presented to him. They agreed that Broccoli would have three-months before he had to pay anything. By then, Broccoli was sure he would have sold the last three parcels and paid Tom his money. The combined sales prices totaled about $600,000.00.

Three months later, Bronze still had not received any communications from Broccoli so he called him. Broccoli told Bronze that he was close to closing four sales but, that he would need an additional thirty days. Bronze reminded him that he had already agreed to wait ninety days without payment. Broccoli, ignoring Bronze, insisted on another thirty days without making any payments. Bronze spoke with Tom who reluctantly agreed to Broccoli’s new terms.

Several weeks later Broccoli called. Good news, Harry, said Broccoli. Today, we’re closing on the first unit. I need you to release that property for the sale to take place. Harry and Tom agreed, and gave the title company – Harbor One Title Company - the partial release of deed of trust to be held in escrow until $50,000.00 of the proceeds of the closing was given to Harry.

Broccoli sold the real property. $500,000.00 went into Harbor One’s bank account. All of it disappeared. When questioned, Harbor One’s owner told Broccoli that his employee, Wanda Dixon, had given him wire transfer instructions. He had requested and received a fax confirmation from Broccoli himself. Dolan showed Broccoli the fax with Broccoli’s signature on it. The wiring instructions were on another piece of paper that was apparently misplaced.

When Bronze and Tom found out that the $50,000 would never come, they were furious. Tom’s subs were demanding he pay them for their work and the suppliers who provided the materials were ready to file suit against Tom unless he paid them now. Bronze immediately filed a lawsuit; by confessing judgment on the note Harry was able to obtain a judgment right away. Broccoli disappeared. Harry’s process server said on his report to Harry that he was unable to serve Broccoli because he was gone. Broccoli’s house was vacant and a neighbor had seen him driving away in his 1999 Lincoln Navigator towing his 1966 Corvette on a trailer.

Apparently, everyone was looking for Broccoli, including the FBI and IRS. Tom looked into his old records and found a check that Broccoli had used to pay an old invoice. Harry telephoned the bank on which the check was written. They were kind enough to inform him of Broccoli's new address.

John Broccoli was in tears. Royal always seemed to understand and make him feel better. He had been counting on the $500,000.00 to bring his home, the IRS and car payments up to date. His damn bookkeeper Wanda Dixon had embezzled over $50,000 in only three months. Then, just when Broccoli had sold a house without any liens on it, the damn thief Dixon had stolen all his profits - hopes and dreams for the future.

Even worse, that money was already promised to the IRS. It had taken no less than three hard years to negotiate with them. When the IRS did not receive it, but knew the house was sold, they refused to listen to his excuses. That bookkeeper had disappeared and he had no idea where Wanda was. Now he was sure that the FBI had tapped his phone attempting to find the money. The FBI refused to believe that he did not have it.

After Wanda embezzled Broccoli’s money from his last sale, his personal house had gone to foreclosure. He was sure someone strange was looking for him - or rather for his new truck. John Broccoli didn’t know what to do. He had twenty-four hours to move all his stuff out of his house.

Just being with Royal made John Broccoli feel better. She didn’t seem to need too much of his money. She had inherited a modest house from her mother. John Broccoli had spent more nights at Royal’s house than he had in his - that is the IRS/bank’s house.

John, Royal said, I don’t want to hear another word. She put her finger on his lips. Bring your stuff to my home now.

John Broccoli loved Royal. She was so sweet. Every time he spoke with her, all of his fears melted away. She was his shelter from this mean world. John Broccoli moved all his earthly possessions, including his beloved 1966 red Corvette, to Royal’s home.

John Broccoli was very surprised no one had married Royal yet. She spent her time helping businesses as a bookkeeper. She was honest, reliable and accurate. At his suggestion, she worked for a subcontractor that John Broccoli often hired.

John Broccoli had absolutely no money. He had to depend on his Royal for everything. Royal was so considerate that she slipped John a $20 bill before they went into a restaurant, so it would appear as if he was paying. The more John lived with Royal, the more he adored her.

The day John’s home was sold was the worst day in his 35-year-old life. It was Royal that had kept him going. She drove his Navigator to and from his – the bank’s house. She told him what to take and what to abandon. He was so down that he couldn’t have done anything, much less move without her assistance.

The bank sold his home. The IRS sold his home. His bookkeeper/thief sold his home. The IRS and bank sold his home. They all sold his home. His home was sold. His home was gone. His home was gone forever....

John didn't even have enough money to pay for temporary storage, much less a trailer to move his stuff into. The person Royal worked for was one of John's long-time buddies, an electrical subcontractor in Reisterstown. He needed a bookkeeper at the time and John had recommended her highly. John still couldn’t believe that that good for nothing thief had sweet talked him into hiring her as his bookkeeper.

But, looking back on it, this kept Royal employed after Broccoli’s