This would be a part of the book； if he actually wrote it； too — the phoenix going
down into the ashes to be reborn。 He promised himself he would take care of the
place； very good care。 It seemed that before today he had never really
understood the breadth of his responsibility to the Overlook。 It was almost like
having a responsibility to history。
In 1961 four writers； two of them Pulitzer Prize winners； had leased the
Overlook and reopened it as a writers' school。 That had lasted one year。 One of
the students had gotten drunk in his third…floor room； crashed out of the window
somehow； and fell to his death on the cement terrace below。 The paper hinted
that it might have been suicide。
Any big hotel have got scandals； Watson had said； just like every big hotel
has got a ghost。 Why？ Hell； people e and go。。。
Suddenly it seemed that he could almost feel the weight of the Overlook
bearing down on him from above； one hundred and ten guest rooms； the storage
rooms； kitchen； pantry； freezer； lounge； ballroom； dining room 。。。
（In the room the women e and go）
（。。。 and the Red Death held sway over all。）
He rubbed his lips and turned to the 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 high echelon 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 16…23 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 w