RANSVESTIA

thoughtfully. Ellis grimaced and put the phone down. “Well, what did the doc want to show you?" he asked.

Bud Hamilton pulled a wry face. "We can't hold this one under a Jane Doe now, Mike. After what Roy just showed me, it'll have to be a John Doe."

For a moment, Ellis stood, frowning, trying to make sense of the words. A stunned look suddenly appeared in his eyes and his jaw sagg- ed. "Y-you m-mean ." he stammered.

Hamilton nodded sagely. "Yes, m'boy, it's true. That exquisite thing lying dead in the bed there is a man."

******

It was with some difficulty that Ellis was able to overcome a feel- ing of nausea and get on with the routine investigation of a murder. Hamilton seemed quite unconcerned with the bizarre turn of events, and was able to put the standard questions to Curves. Quickly he elicited that either of the bullets, both .38, could have been the cause of death since they had both lodged in the heart, that the creature on te bed had not been violated after, and that Curves' best estimate of time of death was 7 or 8 hours prior to his viewing the body. With the body wrapped and concealed from public view, two familiar policemen came into the room to speak to Hamilton. One was Dunn, a detective, but often used as a messenger by the downtown headquarters.

"Boy, have I got some pictures for you," he chortled as he entered the apartment. “Jeez, Bud, betch'aint seen cheesecake like this f'quite a while. Hey, whyn't you guys get a few without the doll's clothes, huh? Some of the boys is asking, if you know what I mean."

Ellis flushed but his cooler partner prevented an angry response by stepping up to Dunn quickly. "Yes, well, thank you, Harry. Maybe we'll get round to it later."

"Jeez, what's biting him?" Dunn pointed at Ellis, who had snorted and turned away.

"Later developments, Harry," Bud's voice was soothing. "Not pretty, you understand." He took him by the arm and began to usher him out the door.

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