from the closed door and smiled. He gave a great sigh. "Thank goodness that's over," he as they both prepare for bed.
"Hello," he said, suddenly alert, staring at his door. "Some- one's been in there." They en- tered the room and began a systematic check of both his bed. and the room. "The bedroom has been bugged, "he whispered to her, "By one of our guests this evening. They began to talk loudly about things in order to fool anyone who might be listen- ing. Richard had said that they would put out "some words' to the listener, make a few groans and then retire to their respective bedrooms. This they did and finally Denise strode to her own. room, thinking that she would never sleep, but she did and very quickly.
Richard Simons was already awake, clean-shaven and striding about Denise's room, adjusting his uniform tie. He smiled in friendly fashion at Denise. "Hi, sleepy head." Even his voice was cheerful. "Got to be on our way." He left quickly as the sound of whistling came from the open door.
Soon there came a call from downstairs "Breakfast's rea- dy!" Simons was calling from the kitchen. Denise finally had to pull herself together and get out of bed. Her reflection showed a tousle-haired blonde girl, a pale face
with darkly fringed eyes, a soft, feminine face; she had beautiful,shapely legs but her figure was odd. She was very flat-chested. Defiantly, Denise took up her fluffiest, most ruf- fied negligee and her powder- blue heels and headed down the stairs to the kitchen.
But Richard Simons made no comment upon her appear- ance, nor upon her later dress-
ing in a girlish white dress with noisy, ruffled petticoats. He just patted her on the shoul- der and then hurried her down to the car where the gleam in the Chauffeaur's eye was enough encouragement for Denise.
She sat next to Richard on the drive to the agency. "You've met everyone connected to the Richler File loss," Simons was saying as she recrossed her stock. inged legs and adjusted her skirt again for the sixth time. "One of them leaked the file to the Com- munists, and I don't have a clue who is the guilty party.”
She stretched and yawned, showing off her newly painted fingernails as well as the open- toed dark high heels and her seamed stockings. "I'll have a check made of that bug in my bedroom
as soon as I check
in this morning, Just keep your eyes open, Denise, especially for the file marked Werchstatter. If there's interest in that file, follow it up as best as you can."
Denise yawned again. They were at the old house that served as headquarters for several units of personnel and intelligence. "Yes, sir," she said, lowering her voice so that she sounded like Ken Gerlitz the first time Richard Simons had seen him. Startled, he stared at her and then held the door for the blonde, who tossed her hair back to show her small, gold earrings. A stonefaced Jody Atwater held the elevator doors for Gabby and Denise and Lieutenant Perez, who had also just arrived. Even Denise's bright smile didn't soften Jody's face nor the glitter of malice in her dark eyes.
(To be continued
in Tvia 105)
IN MEMORIAM ...
number of "counseling" letters to readers, as I always did, she tried to tell the writers what she thought I would say. She reached back into her head for the arguments that I had given her concerning herself and passed them on to those who wrote. Unknowingly, she convinced herself in the process and by the time I returned she would not have had the sur- gery if it were given to her free. So while I couldn't influ- ence her directly, my words re- mained in her head and when the time came to use them for the benefit of others, they really got into her her own conscious- ness on the way to her fingers and the typewriter.
As a result of this, when she finished electrolysis school, she went to work for the lady that had done my face. Later that lady retired and Mary bought the business. She had a very hap- py and successful business for the next 15 years. Her personal life was also most happy. She was accepted everywhere as a woman, elected to offices in various organizations and, in other ways, proved what I had that told her years before surgery doesn't make a woman of you it just gives you an excuse to learn how to be one. However, it can be done without the need for surgery if you just decide to go ahead and live as a woman. Mary did it and changed
to full time living about 6 months before I did. I was al- ways very proud of her accom- plishment and the fact that she was one of those that I had been able to influence away from surgery. I am sad that she is gone but I am also happy that she lived successfully the last 15 years of her life the way she wanted it.
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