Casino On Sylt: Island Thriller

By Alfred Bekker

Casino On Sylt: Island Thriller

by Alfred Bekker

 

Jana Vedder is a young lawyer in Hamburg. She falls head over heels in love with a fascinating man: Micha Drewer, a sensational reporter and charmer. Drewer is investigating a dubious casino on the island of Sylt, where people regularly disappear under unexplained circumstances. When Micha Drewer travels to Sylt to investigate the matter, he suddenly stops calling. Jana fears the worst. She also travels to Sylt to find her lover again - and to uncover the murderous mystery surrounding the casino...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alfred Bekker
• Release date: Sep 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215534359

Alfred Bekker

Alfred Bekker wurde am 27.9.1964 in Borghorst (heute Steinfurt) geboren und wuchs in den münsterländischen Gemeinden Ladbergen und Lengerich auf. 1984 machte er Abitur, leistete danach Zivildienst auf der Pflegestation eines Altenheims und studierte an der Universität Osnabrück für das Lehramt an Grund- und Hauptschulen. Insgesamt 13 Jahre war er danach im Schuldienst tätig, bevor er sich ausschließlich der Schriftstellerei widmete. Schon als Student veröffentlichte Bekker zahlreiche Romane und Kurzgeschichten. Er war Mitautor zugkräftiger Romanserien wie Kommissar X, Jerry Cotton, Rhen Dhark, Bad Earth und Sternenfaust und schrieb eine Reihe von Kriminalromanen. Angeregt durch seine Tätigkeit als Lehrer wandte er sich schließlich auch dem Kinder- und Jugendbuch zu, wo er Buchserien wie 'Tatort Mittelalter', 'Da Vincis Fälle', 'Elbenkinder' und 'Die wilden Orks' entwickelte. Seine Fantasy-Romane um 'Das Reich der Elben', die 'DrachenErde-Saga' und die 'Gorian'-Trilogie machten ihn einem großen Publikum bekannt. Darüber hinaus schreibt er weiterhin Krimis und gemeinsam mit seiner Frau unter dem Pseudonym Conny Walden historische Romane. Einige Gruselromane für Teenager verfasste er unter dem Namen John Devlin. Für Krimis verwendete er auch das Pseudonym Neal Chadwick. Seine Romane erschienen u.a. bei Blanvalet, BVK, Goldmann, Lyx, Schneiderbuch, Arena, dtv, Ueberreuter und Bastei Lübbe und wurden in zahlreiche Sprachen übersetzt.

Book preview

1

The full moon of Sylt bathed the massive walls in a pale light. The massive, villa-like house had been built in the Gründerzeit style.

Ghostly shadows danced on the smooth stone walls. The roar of the nearby sea could be heard and mixed with the monotonous rhythm of muffled drums and a chant of sonorous male voices.

Luisa Leegmann stepped through the open door into the open air and reached the terrace of the estate facing the North Sea. The pleasantly cool wind blowing from the sea blew through her long, blue-black hair.

The young woman's eyes were dark as night, her face fine-cut and of exotic beauty. A cold smile played around her lips.

It's another one of those special nights! it went through her head. Those nights when the forces of the supernatural are particularly strong.

The spirit believers, esoterics and new hippies, whose drum rhythm repeatedly drowned out the murmur of the water, seemed to see it the same way. It was no accident that they had chosen this night for the archaic summoning ceremonies - not just any other.

Luisa Leegmann brought the slender champagne glass to her mouth and sipped the sparkling drink.

Luisa, said a male voice at her back. She spun around and looked into the face, framed by a black beard, of a tall man of indeterminate age.

The most striking thing about him were his eyes. Their gaze was of almost painful intensity.

Pungent.

Luisa Leegmann gave the somber-looking man a businesslike smile.

He joined her on the terrace. The playful house facade at his back, marked by numerous arches and ornaments, was brightly lit. The yellowish light, which penetrated through the high windows to the outside, mixed with the pale glow of the moon.

Harald, Luisa Leegmann whispered.

So here you are, the man said. I had been looking for you everywhere.

I was just daydreaming a little bit, Harald.

It's time, Luisa.

Is everything ready for the game?

Yes. The guests are already waiting. Only you are still missing, Luisa.

Harald's figure stood out like a gloomy shadow against the illuminated facade of the villa. Once a Danish pirate had resided in this building, today it housed a casino with the uplifting name HAUS DES GLÜCKS. Harald Fredecker was the owner. He had made this house in the last years one of the most exclusive gambling salons on Sylt, this singularly beautiful, mondänen and particularly with the rich popular German island. On this full moon evening however no usual public traffic prevailed in the HOUSE OF LUCK.

Neither foreign businessmen nor wealthy noble tourists nor members of the local high society crowded the roulette tables today.

On other days, it does.

But not today.

In fact, this night was reserved for a very special game.

Come, Luisa, said Harald Fredecker. He offered Luisa his arm. She hooked herself to him. Together they went through the door into a hall lit by chandeliers.

All but one of the roulette tables were deserted.

A group of about a dozen people stood around a table located about in the center of the hall. The ladies were wearing expensive robes.

Jewelry glittered in the light of the chandeliers. The gentlemen wore tuxedos.

A croupier looked at Harald Fredecker as if waiting for a sign from his boss.

I'm so excited! a light-blond woman groaned. She had hooked herself under her somewhat stiff-looking companion. The index finger of her other hand played nervously with the diamond necklace she wore around her neck.

I'm not comfortable with this, Franka, her companion declared.

If you would like to reconsider your participation in the game of souls, Harald Fredecker now interfered in the conversation between the two. The German of the casino owner was accent-laden, as if he had lived abroad for a long time.

No, no!, Franka shook her head. I mean: Why am I here? To have a little thrill ... A thrill beyond the one that grips you at an ordinary game.

It's midnight, said Harald Fredecker. We have to get started. Do you want to be first, lady? He eyed Franka with his piercing gaze.

Franka swallowed. She nodded slightly. Yes. Her voice was little more than a breath at that moment.

The conditions are clear. Our stake is a hundred thousand euros. Your stake, madam ...

... is my soul, Franka whispered.

Harald Fredecker nodded somberly. That's right.

Let's cut out this occult nonsense! her companion demanded nervously, Franka, we should never have come here!

Franka gave a forced laugh when she saw her companion's pale face. Paul, now don't be a killjoy! she demanded, I bet it will be a memorable experience. She turned to Fredecker. Let's get started!

As you wish, said Harald. The game of souls begins ... Which color are you betting on?

Red, Franka said without thinking. Red - like love.

So black is the color of our house, Harald explained.

Franka smiled forcedly. Black - the color of darkness.

All eyes were on the roulette table.

Rien ne va plus! the croupier's bone-chilling voice rang out as the roulette ball was sent whirring on its way.

No one in the room said a word. Literally, the breath was held. The chanting and drumming of the voodoo disciples, who were holding their eerie ceremonies somewhere on the beach, swelled. The yellowish light of the chandeliers began to flicker a little.

Luisa Leegmann closed her eyes. Her face looked strained. Her body swayed slightly. She gave the impression of being in a trance-like state.

Black wins! said the croupier's monotone voice.

No! Franka groaned. Her face was pale with fright.

Beads of sweat stood on her forehead.

Meanwhile, Luisa Leegmann had opened her eyes again. She exchanged a brief, satisfied look with Harald Fredecker, around whose thin lips an almost devilish smile played.

Fredecker turned to Franka.

I'm afraid, lady, you just lost your soul to us.

2

Jana Vedder walked down the long, high columned corridor of the venerable Hanseatic Higher Regional Court almost in a daze.

I did it! she said, still in disbelief. I really did it!

The young lawyer had just won her first case and still couldn't believe it. The young woman had recently started her first position at the renowned Hamburg law firm Joop, Toderius & Grootmann. She owed this position to her excellent exam grades. After all, she had graduated at the top of her class, and that should have been reason enough for a little more self-confidence. But Jana had always tended to doubt herself and her abilities too much. She only believed in success when she had it safely in the bag.

And besides, a good exam was no guarantee that a graduate would later prove himself in practice and cut a