RANSVESTIA

"All right, Miss," Buck's slab-like face gave Candy its full attention, and there was no affability left. "Now you see why I'm doing the asking. All the kids, even my own family, want part of the action these days. And I don't want this cop, Hamil- ton, putting my boy away on a bum rap. I gotta know the bodyguard's name."

"L-Lou called him Ross," said Candy, trying to remember every detail of the story Bud had wanted her to plant on the Bucks. "I think it was his surname. He was in the army with Lou."

"O.K.," Buck nodded. He looked about the table fero- ciously until the three men stood and left purposefully. Only Artemisia, returning the old man look-for-look, stayed. Finally, ine nodded to her to sit down. "Take Domenico's place," he grun- ted. For the first time, a gleam of pleasure crossed the girl's face as she sat down.

Candy took a quick sip of the wine. Her hands with their long manicured nails were in complete contrast to the roughly clipped nails on Artemisia's face as she sat down.

"What's this Ross laying on Hamilton?" Buck growled out the question. "What charge is the cop trying to trump up against Domenico?"

Candy considered. He hadn't wanted to be very frank with the old man but she could see no way out. "Hamilton's, got your son pegged for the shooting of the detective who stopped one." She tried a demure smile at the old man, but two granite faces watched Candy as she nervously played with the stem of her glass. "He offered me a deal on testimony about him. He wasn't interested in anyone else." Buck swore and reached inside his jacket for another cigar. "Ross went down the steps after he stopped the guys in the room. When he came back, he said that the one he'd hit had iced a cop to get away.' "You told them that?" Artemisia snarled, her eyes glinting with fury.

Candy stopped her soft recital of all the cover story and bit dumurely at her shiny lower lip. Buck laughed hoarsely. "She didn't tell them nothing. That's what she's sitting here so cool, looking like a flower. She knows where she's going." He paused. "O.K., Miss Appleton, you stay at the apartment above the club for a while." The dark girl whirled about to glower at her uncle. “You'll have to share with Artie, of course,.” His serene smile did not reach his eyes. "Now, you go on upstairs with Larry over there. He'll call up a few ladies' stores for you, and you order whatever you'll need for a few weeks. Oh, and order some pretty dresses like that one. You and I are going to be

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