Candy smiled weakly at the Acting Lieutenant. "Something like that," she said. Hamilton was unable to tell that the tone she used was anything but a female one. She was now very nervous. She glanced at the windowed door as if assessing her chances of making it through the squad room.

"You were Bassaglia's bodyguard," stated Bud Hamilton. Candy shifted on the hard chair. There was a rustling of feminine clothing at which she blushed. “Just that," she mum- bled, not able to look directly at the detective.

"Tell me," said Bud, in as grim a tone as he could muster. Candy sighed and rested her head on her hand. The long, polished fingernails went with the soft, platinum hair, thought Bud. "I was in the army with Lou," Candy's voice had dropped into a husky, almost neutral tone. "I was so good with small- arms that he wanted me to join his mob when he got out." "And you did??" asked Bud Hamilton.

The female figure looked up at him. “No,” she said. “There was this about me that I'd never have let anyone like Lou know about." She looked in desperation at Bud. "I'm a transvestite. You'd probably call me a drag queen. I've been doing it since I was in school. I tried to make a proper living, but it didn't work out."

"So, how did you happen to join Louie Bassaglia?" Bud asked.

"He came looking for me," said Candy. "I was dressing in private when he just happened to drop by. When he stopped laughing at me, he said he had this great idea.'

"

"And you became Candy," Bud interjected.

Candy shuttered. "Not all at once. I wouldn't choose this wig or these clothes if I didn't have to."

"How much did he pay you for the job you did for him?" But cut in.

"Twenty grand," said Candy, looking Bud in the eyes. "And he paid all my expenses my dresses, the apartment, and the rest."

-

"And you learned all about Bassaglia's organization?” The platinum hair shook vigorously from side to side, as did the dangling earrings. "No, it wasn't like that at all. I was sent to powder my nose whenever Lou has business to discuss." "You were just his girlfriend?" Bud found it hard to speak about 'her'.

"Lou said that we had to put on a show in public but that was all!"

You must have known about Louie's challenge to Jack Buck," Hamilton was emphatic.

-46-