Transvestia

advance. I don't want your kind around here."

Tom packed his suitcases quickly and with. Jimmy's help was out of the apartment in less than an hour. As they carried the last load out to the car, the crowd of neighbors began shouting obsenit- ies as they drove away and a rock struck the back window, causing it to shatter.

"I'm sorry I got you into this mess, "' Tom said to Jimmy, "but I needed help". "I'd have been damned mad at you if you hadn't called,' was his reply. "By the way Tom, you can stay with Gloria and me. "

Gloria was Jimmy's wife. I had known her for many years and was even god-father of their first child, James, Jr. Mark, their second son, was now five already. The year and a half between the two boys did not show very much as they both grew like a couple of weeping willows in a swamp.

Leonard Cole did not look much like an invest- gator but Jimmy was confident of his abilities. Cole was short and squatty with a face that reminded one of Santa Clause without a beard. Even in the house he wore his hat, pushed to the back of his head. He had gone over Tom's story many, many times but wanted to hear it once more.

"It's not much to go on, " said Cole, "but I'11 see what I can dig up. I'd stay indoors for a while if I were you. Your picture has been on the front page of our newspaper for two days now and this just isn't that big of a town.

"

He was right. Hooverton was too big to be called a town and too small for the name city. Tom's story was the hottest item to hit the press for years, and everyone from the gossip writer to

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