RANSVESTIA

"Did she know it was Jill who was going to replace her?"

"Yes," Lana glanced at Jeannette, but her 'Sister' was engrossed in the reverse strip Darlene was doing, clothing herself as an eighteenth century courtesan. "But she said it could never happen. She said Jill would never be the one to take her place."

Bud brooded on that for a moment. Applause broke his thoughts and he joined in too as Darlene skipped lightly from the stage. With Kim about the introduce a chorus line of 'waitresses', lined up in a giggling parade, ostrich feathers and petticoats swirling in masses, Lana stood up. "I want to talk to Jill,” she said. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of help."

"Oh, you've been of great help," said Bud. "I couldn't have solved this case without you."

As Bud turned off the main walk, later that night, to enter the cabin assigned to the police, he found Cassie waiting for him at the dark side of the doorway. A woman was with her, a dark-haired woman who refused at first to give her name. She had an oilskin-covered package for the detective. "The boys swam to the other side of the bridge," she explained. That was the deep part of the lake near a steep outcropping of rock at the east border of the camp. well away from the beaches and the femininely dressed men. "They were in the trees when the policeman threw the package into the lake and they didn't tell me about it till this afternoon. Lisa, that's their father, still doesn't know. I've been nearly out of my mind. But Cassie said it would be all right if I just brought it to you..." Her voice trailed off.

—

"Of course," said Bud. "But come on in and answer some questions. I want to make sure I've got this absolutely straight."

Calesi and Buchanan had been talking together for quite a while that morning. Hamilton 'napped' at the desk. Finally, he could stand it no longer. "O.K., Frank," he said putting his feet down, "Why don't you ask me about it?"

7