RANSVESTIA

business to work on the advice of experts in their field." He looked grimly at the white-faced Benny. "And there's one business where I am an expert."

The doorbell to John Farley Merrick's apartment kept on ringing without ceasing. Finally, he got up from bed and went to answer it, sure it would be a wrong address. When he saw the shapely young girl standing there, he was sure that she had the wrong apartment. She wore a pink mini-dress, her arms bare but for a slave bracelet on each upper arm, and several rings on her fingers. She was beautiful and suntanned, her make-up soft, her hair blonde-streaked. "Mr. Merrick," she said softly, "may I come in?"

Merrick looked at his watch. Two o'clock. What could such a luscious girl want at this time. He looked at her suspiciously. She smiled, showing perfect teeth. "You don't recognize me," she said. He shook his head. "I'm Eddie McIntyre," she said. Open mouthed, Merrick backed away and let her in. He smelled the musk as she drifted daintily past him. She slumped into his sofa, stretching out her long, slim legs, rubbing one against the other as she stretched. He had a glimpse of black panties with some kind of pink ribbon on them. "Ah," she breathed. "That's finished at last. If you give me a couple of days, I'll be able to write it all up for you."

Merrick frowned. Well, I'd better let her, him, know right now, he thought. "Roscoe's dead," he said curtly. "The cancer finally got him three days ago. He went into the hospital the day after you didn't go back to Frankie's at night."

She was stunned. "B-but the exposure," she said. "Y-you can't guess what I've been through to get it."

Merrick winced. It wasn't going to be easy. "I'm sorry, miss, er, Eddie," he shook his head. "But there won't be any exposure. Written by Roscoe Ward. I could get it accepted by the Board. But a series of articles by an unknown, on a pretty dicey topic at best..." his voice faded away with a shrug.

She takes it very well, he thought. She was still calm. She sat up on the sofa, and fumbled for a cigarette. Without thinking, Merrick rushed and got her a light. She rewarded him with a sweet smile.