TRANSVESTIA

"At the Perpetual Grace Mission Hospital," said Curtis as roughly as he could, "where his doctors will permit no visi- tors. He was, after all, struck twice in the abdomen.”

"His friends?" asked Hamilton harshly.

"Downstairs," said Curtis with a touch of a smile, “mak- ing depositions, I imagine, to Lieutenant Matek and other mem- bers of your squad.”

"Roberto Simone?" Bud put the question, even though he knew what the answer might be.

“Ah,” said Curtis, sorrow creasing his waxy, tanned face. "That young man, unfortunately, has not been seen since he fled from the car taking Domenico home. He got out somewhere on West Street."

“Good," said Hamilton briskly, standing up and rubbing his hands together. "Now, if you'll just make your deposition to Lieutenant Matik, too, and include where you both were last night from midnight on, your witnesses, and so on, you can go right on home or to the Perpetual Grace Mission, if you prefer."

There was a stunned silence in the office for a moment. Even the Chief of Police was looking at Bud Hamilton as if he was a little bit crazy. “You don't wanna question us?” Old man Buck had recovered first.

Hamilton smiled. "With such beautiful, believable stories, who am I to question you further?" he asked, smiling again conspiratorially to the old mobster.

It was Curtis who finally jumped to his feet and led a very doubtful Jack Buck from the office.

"Hamilton," said Warren Dwyer, as soon as the two had left and he had called Fred Matek and told him what to expect. "You must have left something out of your report thus far to be so smug to those two. Don't tell me," he was quite skeptical, "that you've turned up a witness to the murders."

Acting Lieutenant Hamilton looked at his Chief quizzi- cally. "Now," he said softly, "whatever put that idea into your head?"

Dwyer thought for a moment and then shook his head. "Bassaglia's girl? She may be vengeful now, but she won't testify in the end. That kind never do."

"}

"My witness is male," said Hamilton quietly. "He may even have fired the shot that hit young Buck. We'll have to recover those bullets from the Perpetual Grace right away.' He went for the phone. "If we can show in court that there was a war going on between Louie and the Bucks, the excuse for being there that the kid's trying to use will convict him in court. And that could be the wedge we need."

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