sk.theshining-第32部分
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he next page in the scrapbook。 He was in the last third of it now； and for the first time he wondered consciously whose book this was； left atop the highest pile of records in the cellar。
A new headline； this one dated April 10； 1963。
LAS VEGAS GROUP BUYS FAMED COLORADO HOTEL Scenic Overlook to Bee Key Club
Robert T。 Leffing； spokesman for a group of investors going under the name of High Country Investments； announced today in Las Vegas that High Country has negotiated a deal for the famous Overlook Hotel； a resort located high in the Rockies。 Leffing declined to mention the names of specific investors； but said the hotel would be turned into an exclusive
〃key club。〃 He said that the group he represents hopes to sell memberships to highechelon executives in American and foreign panies。
High Country also owns hotels in Montana； Wyoming； and Utah。
The Overlook became world…known in the years 1946 to 1952 when it was owned by elusive mega…millionaire Horace Derwent； who 。 。 。
The item on the next page was a mere squib； dated four months later。 The Overlook had opened under its new management。 Apparently the paper hadn't been able to find out or wasn't interested in who the key holders were； because no name was mentioned but High Country Investments…the most anonymous…sounding pany name Jack had ever heard except for a chain of bike and appliance shops in western New England that went under the name of Business； Inc。
He turned the page and blinked down at the clipping pasted there。
MILLIONAIRE DERWENT BACK IN COLO… RADO VIA BACK DOOR？
High Country Exec Revealed to be Charles Grondin
By Rodney Conklin； Financial Editor The Overlook Hotel； a scenic pleasure palace in the Colorado high country and once the private plaything of millionaire Horace Derwent； is at the center of a financial tangle which is only now beginning to e to light。
On April 10 of last year the hotel was purchased by a Las Vegas firm； High Country Investments； as a key club for wealthy executives of both foreign and domestic breeds。 Now informed sources say that High Country is headed by Charles Grondin； 53； who was the head of California Land Development Corp。 until 1959； when he resigned to take the position of executive veep in the Chicago home office of Derwent Enterprises。
This has led to speculation that High Country Investments may be controlled by Derwent； who may have acquired the Overlook for the second time； and under decidedly peculiar circumstances。
Grondin； who was indicted and acquitted on charges of tax evasion in 1960； could not be reached for ment； and Horace Derwent； who guards his own privacy jealously； had no ment when reached by telephone。 State Representative Dick Bows of Golden has called for a plete investigation into 。 。 。
That clipping was dated July 27； 1964。 The next was a column from a Sunday paper that September。 The byline belonged to Josh Brannigar； a muck…raking investigator of the Jack Anderson breed。 Jack vaguely recalled that Brannigar had died in 1968 or '69。
MAFIA FREE…ZONE IN COLORADO？
By Josh Brannigar It now seems possible that the newest r&r spot of Organization overlords in the U。S。 is located at an out…of…the…way hotel nestled in the center of the Rockies。 The Overlook Hotel； a white elephant that has been run lucklessly by almost a dozen different groups and individuals since it first opened its doors in 1910； is now being operated as a security…jacketed 〃key club；〃 ostensibly for unwinding businessmen。 The question is； what business are the Overlook's key holders really in？
The members present during the week of August 1623 may give us an idea。
The list below was obtained by a former employee of High Country Investments； a pany first believed to be a dummy pany owned by Derwent Enterprises。 It now seems more likely that Derwent's interest in High Country （if any） is outweighed by those of several Las Vegas gambling barons。 And these same gaming honchos have been linked in the past to both suspected and convicted underworld kingpins。
Present at the Overlook during that sunny week in August were： Charles Grondin； President of High Country Investments。 When it became known in July of this year that he was running the High Country ship it was announced…considerably after the fact…that he had resigned his position in Derwent Enterprises previously。 The silver…maned Grondin； who refused to talk to me for this column； has been tried once and acquitted on tax evasion charges （1960） 。
Charles 〃Baby Charlie〃 Battaglia； a 60…year…old Vegas empressario （controlling interests in The Greenback and The Lucky Bones on the Strip）。
Battaglia is a close personal friend of Grondin。 His arrest record stretches back to 1932； when he was tried and acquitted in the gangland…style murder of Jack 〃Dutchy〃 Morgan。 Federal authorities suspect his involvement in the drug traffic； prostitution； and murder for hire； but
〃Baby Charlie〃 has only been behind bars once； for ine tax evasion in 1955…56。
Richard Scarne； the principal stockholder of Fun Time Automatic Machines。
Fun Time makes slot machines for the Nevada crowd； pinball machines； and jukeboxes （Melody…Coin） for the rest of the country。 He has done time for assault with a deadly weapon （1940）； carrying a concealed weapon （1948）； and conspiracy to mit tax fraud （1961） 。
Peter Zeiss； a Miami…based importer； now nearing 70。 For the last five years Zeiss has been fighting deportation as an undesirable person。 He has been convicted on charges of receiving and concealing stolen property （1958）； and conspiracy to mit tax fraud （1954）。 Charming； distinguished； and courtly； Pete Zeiss is called 〃Poppa〃 by his intimates and has been tried on charges of murder and accessory to murder。 A large stockholder in Scarne's Fun Time pany； he also has known interests in four Las Vegas casinos。
Vittorio Gienelli； also known as 〃Vito the Chopper；〃 tried twice for gangland…style murders； one of them the ax…murder of Boston vice overlord Frank Scoffy。 Gienelli has been indicted twenty…three times； tried fourteen times； and convicted only once； for shoplifting in 1940。 It has been said that in recent years Gienelli has bee a power in the organization's western operation； which is centered in Las Vegas。
Carl 〃Jimmy…Ricks〃 Prashkin； a San Francisco investor； reputed to be the heir apparent of the power Gienelli now wields。 Prashkin owns large blocks of stock in Derwent Enterprises； High Country Investments； Fun Time Automatic Machines； and three Vegas casinos。 Prashkin is clean in America； but was indicted in Mexico on fraud charges that were dropped quickly three weeks after they were brought。 It has been suggested that Prashkin may be in charge of laundering money skimmed from Vegas casino operations and funneling the big bucks back into the organization's legitimate western operations。 And such operations may now include the Overlook Hotel in Colorado。
Other visitors during the current season include。 。 。
There was more but Jack only skimmed it； constantly wiping his lips with his hand。 A banker with Las Vegas connections。 Men from New York who were apparently doing more in the Garment District than making clothes。 Men reputed to be involved with drugs； vice； robbery； murder。
God； what a story！ And they had all been here； right above him； in those empty rooms。 Screwing expensive whores on the third floor； maybe。 Drinking magnums of champagne。 Making deals that would turn over millions of dollars； maybe in the very suite of rooms where Presidents had stayed。 There was a story； all right。
One hell of a story。 A little frantically； he took out his notebook and jotted down another memo to check all of these people out at the library in Denver when the caretaking job was over。 Every hotel has its ghost？ The Overlook had a whole coven of them。 First suicide； then the Mafia； what next？
The next clipping was an angry denial of Brannigar's charges by Charles Grondin。 Jack smirked at it。
The clipping on the next page was so large that it had been folded。 Jack unfolded it and gasped harshly。 The picture there seemed to leap out at him： the wallpaper had been changed since June of 1966； but he knew that window and the view perfectly well。 It was the western exposure of the Presidential Suite。
Murder came next。 The sitting room wall by the door leading into the bedroom was splashed with blood and what could only be white flecks of brain matter。 A blank…faced cop was standing over a corpse hidden by a blanket。 Jack stared； fascinated； and then his eyes moved up to the headline。
GANGLAND…STYLE SHOOTING AT COLORADO HOTEL Reputed Crime Overlord Shot at Mountain Key Club Two Others Dead
SIDEWINDER； COLO （UPI）…Forty miles from this sleepy Colorado town； a gangland…style execution has occurred in the heart of the Rocky Mountains。
The Overlook Hotel； purchased three years ago as an exclusive key club by a Las Vegas firm； was the site of a triple shotgun slaying。 Two of the men were either the panions or bodyguards of Vittorio Gienelli； also known as 〃The Chopper〃 for his reputed involvement in a Boston slaying twenty years ago。
Police were summoned by Robert Norman； manager of the Overlook； who said he heard shots and that some of the guests reported two men wearing stockings on their faces and carrying guns had fled down the fire escape and driven off in a late…model tan convertible。
State Trooper Benjamin Moorer discovered two dead men； later identified as Victor T。 Boorman and Roger Macassi； both of Las Vegas； outside the door of the Presidential Suite where two American Presidents have stayed。
Inside； Moorer found the body of Gienelli sprawled on the floor。 Gienelli was apparently fleeing his attackers when he was cut down。 Moorer said Gienelli had been shot with heavy…gauge shotguns at close range。
Charles Grondin； the representative of the pany which now owns the Overlook； could not be reached for 。 。 。
Below the clipping； in heavy strokes of a ball…point pen； someone had written： They took his balls along with them。 Jack stared at that for a long time； feeling c
