Blair Bathory

It had the texture of cheap tissue and bore the face of the Jade Emperor. The boss frowned. Maybe one of the kitchen boys was playing a stupid prank. He gathered his staff and asked who'd slipped the funeral offering into the till, but none of them confessed. They looked just as confused as he felt, unwilling to make a scene. He tossed the ghost money aside and let it go.

It had the texture of cheap tissue and bore the face of the Jade Emperor. The boss frowned. Maybe one of the kitchen boys was playing a stupid prank. He gathered his staff and asked who'd slipped the funeral offering into the till, but none of them confessed. They looked just as confused as he felt, unwilling to make a scene. He tossed the ghost money aside and let it go.

It had the texture of cheap tissue and bore the face of the Jade Emperor. The boss frowned. Maybe one of the kitchen boys was playing a stupid prank. He gathered his staff and asked who'd slipped the funeral offering into the till, but none of them confessed. They looked just as confused as he felt, unwilling to make a scene. He tossed the ghost money aside and let it go.

The next night, the phone rang again. Same order, same voice. Four portions of beef chow fun. The delivery man reluctantly returned to the same apartment. The exact scenario repeated. No answer at first. Then a sliver of a door opening. Money sliding out. The whisper of, leave it there. This time, the delivery man studied cash more carefully. Real currency. Fresh bills.

The next night, the phone rang again. Same order, same voice. Four portions of beef chow fun. The delivery man reluctantly returned to the same apartment. The exact scenario repeated. No answer at first. Then a sliver of a door opening. Money sliding out. The whisper of, leave it there. This time, the delivery man studied cash more carefully. Real currency. Fresh bills.

The next night, the phone rang again. Same order, same voice. Four portions of beef chow fun. The delivery man reluctantly returned to the same apartment. The exact scenario repeated. No answer at first. Then a sliver of a door opening. Money sliding out. The whisper of, leave it there. This time, the delivery man studied cash more carefully. Real currency. Fresh bills.

He even held it under a streetlight before returning it to the restaurant. But when the boss counted the money that night, another piece of Josh paper stared up at him. Now he was angry. He called his staff again, demanded to know what was tampering with the register. But the delivery man swore that what he'd been handed was real money. The bills were crisp.

He even held it under a streetlight before returning it to the restaurant. But when the boss counted the money that night, another piece of Josh paper stared up at him. Now he was angry. He called his staff again, demanded to know what was tampering with the register. But the delivery man swore that what he'd been handed was real money. The bills were crisp.

He even held it under a streetlight before returning it to the restaurant. But when the boss counted the money that night, another piece of Josh paper stared up at him. Now he was angry. He called his staff again, demanded to know what was tampering with the register. But the delivery man swore that what he'd been handed was real money. The bills were crisp.

He even remembered the serial number starting with J5. The boss didn't believe in ghosts, but he wasn't stupid. Something was wrong. He made a decision. The next night, if that customer called again, he would deliver the food himself. And sure enough, the call came. Same order, same voice. The boss packed the food himself and went out into the cold night.

He even remembered the serial number starting with J5. The boss didn't believe in ghosts, but he wasn't stupid. Something was wrong. He made a decision. The next night, if that customer called again, he would deliver the food himself. And sure enough, the call came. Same order, same voice. The boss packed the food himself and went out into the cold night.

He even remembered the serial number starting with J5. The boss didn't believe in ghosts, but he wasn't stupid. Something was wrong. He made a decision. The next night, if that customer called again, he would deliver the food himself. And sure enough, the call came. Same order, same voice. The boss packed the food himself and went out into the cold night.

When he reached the apartment, he tried to peek through the crack in the door. He could barely make out shadows, movement behind the frosted glass. But still, no one let him in. Just the same slow slide of money, the same raspy voice. "'Leave it.' He did, but not before inspecting the bills carefully.

When he reached the apartment, he tried to peek through the crack in the door. He could barely make out shadows, movement behind the frosted glass. But still, no one let him in. Just the same slow slide of money, the same raspy voice. "'Leave it.' He did, but not before inspecting the bills carefully.

When he reached the apartment, he tried to peek through the crack in the door. He could barely make out shadows, movement behind the frosted glass. But still, no one let him in. Just the same slow slide of money, the same raspy voice. "'Leave it.' He did, but not before inspecting the bills carefully.

This time, he set the money aside in a separate envelope and tucked it into his coat pocket, away from the rest of the restaurant's earnings. When the night ended, he took the envelope out and examined the contents again. The money had changed. The Hong Kong currency was gone, replaced with more ghost money, crinkled and faded, with ash smudges on the corners.

This time, he set the money aside in a separate envelope and tucked it into his coat pocket, away from the rest of the restaurant's earnings. When the night ended, he took the envelope out and examined the contents again. The money had changed. The Hong Kong currency was gone, replaced with more ghost money, crinkled and faded, with ash smudges on the corners.

This time, he set the money aside in a separate envelope and tucked it into his coat pocket, away from the rest of the restaurant's earnings. When the night ended, he took the envelope out and examined the contents again. The money had changed. The Hong Kong currency was gone, replaced with more ghost money, crinkled and faded, with ash smudges on the corners.

He had taken his eyes off of it all night. Now truly disturbed, the boss went to the police. The authorities accompanied him to the apartment the next morning. They knocked several times, no answer. One officer noted a foul smell drifting from the hallway. Eventually, they forced the door open. Inside, four corpses lay sprawled across the living room floor.

He had taken his eyes off of it all night. Now truly disturbed, the boss went to the police. The authorities accompanied him to the apartment the next morning. They knocked several times, no answer. One officer noted a foul smell drifting from the hallway. Eventually, they forced the door open. Inside, four corpses lay sprawled across the living room floor.