Horror Stories from Horrified - Volume One (2)

neither w ill nor excess enough money to gamble w ith for fun in amounts that
might justify its r estor ation.
And so it was for a long time. It is a cliché too fr equently acknow ledged, that a
man in sear ch of cer tainty need look no fur ther than death or the taxman to find it.
The Black Casino had always, in w hatever state of r epair it stood, held the attention
of both such cer tainties. In the end, it was the taxman r ather than death that was to
deter mine the beginnings of its r esur r ection.
Char les Denholm stood in the dusty offices that ser ved simultaneously as the tax
office, law yer s and estate agents. Its single appointed official Mr Le?Ap, w ho held all
thr ee posts for the tow n stood befor e him. In his duties, Le?Ap had noted that the
lease for the land upon w hich the casino stood was now expir ing. A sale might
pr ovide the tow n?s coffer s w ith some input by vir tue of sales tax, thr ough the
pr ospect of an impr oved fr eehold. A new influx of tour ism and over seas
investments, at an enhanced r ate, seemed possible once again in a new er
mar ket-based economy should a suitable buyer be found.
His adver ts had been noted by a number of multinationals and cor por ations,
though it was Denholm w ho stood befor e him, mor e w illing to r isk a cavalier
investment fr om his ow n pocket than w er e the notor iously closed pur ses of lar ger
investor s. Denholm was independently successful and intended to r e-develop the
casino as the beginnings of futur e luxur y pr oper ty-ow ner ships, as tour ism and the
economy developed fur ther.
He intended that the Black Casino w ould r ise again. That its temptations w ould
dr aw the cash for hotels. For chains of hotels, shopping complexes and a br anded
dynasty all of his ow n. His vision and dr ive had br ought him eventually to Mr Le?Ap
to make final ar r angements and discuss details that might br ing benefit to each.
?I am 'Lucky' you ar e her e,? Le?Ap said, shaking hands befor e the tw o men
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