May 1986

Detective Sergeant Archie Sanders and Detective Sandra Tingle ate breakfast together in the restaurant at the Holiday Inn. They had slept in their own rooms. It was a rule they had, regardless of how late they stayed up making love they always returned to their own rooms to sleep. It was as much about propriety as it was to establish an agreed boundary. If they just shared a bed now and then, then their relationship was just sex; if they slept together overnight it implied a commitment that neither of them wanted to acknowledge, certainly Sandra didn't.

"I spoke with Glenda this morning," Archie commented over bacon and eggs.

Archie was referring to Chief Superintendent Glenda Savage, their boss.

"She sent a notification team around to Charles Ward's parents, Reginald and Penelope Ward. They will conduct a formal identification this morning."

"Sarah Pheffington also advised me that the coroner conducted the autopsy on Charlotte Ward overnight; amazing the service you get when the deceased family comes from money and moves in the right social circles."

"I think we should divide and conquer today. You take the car and go down to London and interview Reginald and Penelope Ward and pick up the autopsy report and I'll continue to interview people here," he emphasised each point by pointing a sausage at Sandra.

Sandra was in her work clothes consisting of a brown skirt-suit, thick black tights and low heels. She wore only a little makeup and had her hair pulled back in a bun. Archie still thought she looked beautiful.

"Do you mind not pointing that sausage at me please Sergeant," Sandra stirred her tea.

"You didn't mind me pointing my sausage at you last night," he grinned at her.

Sandra kicked him under the table and gave him a stern look.

"Sarah ran me through some of her findings and a brief on the autopsy," Archie continued.

"Charlotte Ward had been sexually active right up until her death. She had motile semen in her anus and both fresh and stale semen on her underwear and on her skin. In fact she had so much semen on her and in her that Sarah thinks it's unlikely to be of any use forensically because of cross contamination," Archie read from his notebook.

"Christ Archie; how many men had she been with?" Sandra put down the slice of toast she was about to eat.

"It's hard to say; but a lot. Her anus was dilated and bruised but there was no tearing so the coroner is ruling out rape at this time; there were also no defensive wounds or cuts and contusions on her body other than the marks we saw on her neck. The good news is that scrapings from under her fingernails produced skin samples which are currently being examined to get a blood type. She had ejaculated into her underwear numerous times during the evening preceding her death. Cause of death was asphyxiation and there is evidence of strangulation but her larynx, hyoid and other bones in the neck were not damaged. In short, she was suffocated," Archie quoted from his notes.

"And there are fingerprints... lots of fingerprints in the cottage and around her body, especially on the bed. I'm going to take fingerprints from everyone we interview and I'm definitely taking them from Robert Fellows," Archie looked up from his notes.

"He said if we want to interview him again he's going have a solicitor with him," Sandra replied.

"As you know, provided we have 'reasonable suspicion' we can fingerprint him without a warrant and if he refuses I'll take him into custody and get them anyway. I'm sure his brief will advise him give us the prints," Archie drained his tea.

"OK. If you've finished you can drop me at the college and head off to London. Leave me the brick and the crime scene kit," Archie was referring to clunky mobile phone and the small case that contained evidence collection material.

At Chelmsford College Archie found Mrs Frobisher and gave her a list of people who he wanted to interview.

"I'd like to start with William Larkin," Archie tried hard not to stare at Mrs Frobisher's ample bosom while she sat at her desk rifling through timetables.

"William doesn't have any classes this morning. You will likely find him in his dorm," Mrs Frobisher looked up at Archie and smiled when he looked away guiltily.

She stood up and came around from behind her desk. She was once again wearing a tight skirt and jacketed business suit that drew attention to her long legs and buxom figure, as did her stiletto heels, red hair and milky-white skin. The skirt had a kick-pleat in the side that showed an expanse of silken-sheathed thigh.

She strode over to a wall map of the college and Archie followed. She stood uncomfortably close to him and he could smell her perfume. He remembered what Sandra had said about her being 'wank fodder' for the student body.

"Here," Mrs Frobisher pointed an elegant manicured red-painted fingernail at the map.

"William Larkin's dormitory. He moved into a single last term, he must have come into some money to be able to afford it," she tapped her fingernail on the map.

"Where can I leave this?" Archie pointed at the bulky cellular phone and his evidence collection case.

"How long are you and your pretty lady assistant going to be here?" Mrs Frobisher asked.

"My pretty lady assistant is Detective Constable Tingle of the Metropolitan Police and she would be a little miffed to be described as my assistant," Archie grinned.

"And does she?" Mrs Frobisher chewed a nail seductively.

"Does she what?" Archie asked.

"Does she tingle?" she sucked on her finger.

"We're going to be at the college today and tomorrow and possibly next week; as long as the investigation takes," Archie ignored the double entendre and stepped away from Mrs Frobisher a little.

"Through here is an anteroom you can use while you're here," Mrs Frobisher stopped flirting and led Archie over to a door leading into a small wood-panelled room.

Archie left his gear in the anteroom and made his way over to the dormitory and located William Larkin's room. He knocked on the door. Given the bizarre series of events that had occurred recently when a pretty young woman answered the door to William Larkin's room Archie was not really taken aback.

He held up his warrant card and introduced himself. The woman looked a little surprised but regained her composure and invited Archie into the room.

"I'm Wendy Larkin also known as William Larkin," she said.

Now it made sense to Archie, she was the girl that Robert Fellows had described as Bendy Wendy.

"Two things. One... you don't seem surprised to find me dressed enfemme and two... what do you want?" Wendy waved at a small armchair and indicated for Archie to sit.

Her room was not as opulent as Charlotte's or Robert Fellows', there was just enough room for the single bed, a wardrobe, a desk and chair and the armchair that Archie was sitting in. It did have an ensuite bathroom however.

Wendy sat herself on the chair next to the desk, her legs were open a little; very unladylike. She was wearing a denim miniskirt, red satin blouse, tan hosiery and black high heels. She was also wearing a blonde wig and heavy makeup, not exactly daywear.

"I'm not surprised to find you dressed enfemme, because you are the second transvestite I have seen on this campus in two days, although it seems a little early in the day to dressed as you are," Archie answered Wendy's first question.

"Really?" Wendy looked a little surprised.

"And to answer your second question, I am investigating the death of Charles Ward otherwise known as Charlotte Ward," Archie explained.

Wendy paled and she stated to tremble.

"Charlotte? You know about the cottage?" Wendy said shakily.

Archie thought it was a strange response.

"Oh my god! Charlotte! What happened to her?" Wendy began to cry.

"I can't tell you the details, but I can tell you that she was found dead early yesterday morning by the college's groundkeeper," Archie offered Wendy a cigarette and took one for himself; he'd noticed the overflowing ashtray on the desk.

"Quinn?" Wendy whispered.

Archie consulted his notebook.

"Douglas Quinn yes," he leaned forward to light Wendy's cigarette.

"So you and Charlotte were close?" Archie began questioning her.

Wendy gave Archie a potted history of their past, leaving out the details that she thought particularly unsavoury. When she came to the part about them acquiring use of the cottage they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Wendy checked her watch and blushed.

"Excuse me a minute," Wendy went to the door, had a hushed conversation and then closed the door.

"That was my ten o'clock," Wendy said demurely.

It took Archie a few seconds to realise what Wendy meant and then it dawned on him and it explained why Wendy was dressed as she was so early in the day.

"I thought you did business out of the cottage; that's what the evidence would suggest," Archie said.

"I was working out of this room until Charlotte took over. Then we moved to the cottage. We became organised, set up a roster, made up tart cards to advertise, we even opened a bar. Although it was a dump, we advertised it as a gentleman's club and called it 'One For The Team'. Charlotte thought the name was funny; it had significance for her," Wendy related.

"You said Charlotte took over?" Archie leaned forward a little, encouraging Wendy to speak.

"Charlotte needed money so she could undertake gender reassignment surgery. She knew her family was going to disown her when they found out her intent to live her life as a woman. She became fixated on the idea, especially after she and Robert broke up. You could say that I was being pimped out by Wayne Jenkins and Steven Belfour-Brown and then Charlotte came up with the idea for the cottage. She usurped them I suppose. They were not happy about it but like I said Charlotte needed the money."

"You say 'we' moved to the cottage and became organised; who is 'we'?" Archie asked.

"Charlotte, myself and two girls Charlotte had me recruit, Pamela and Janet," Wendy gave Archie the male names for Pamela and Janet Lowe so that he could interview them later.

"So Charlotte and Robert had more than just a casual relationship?"

"Ha! They were full on lovers, they practically lived together. They even took a holiday together," Wendy lit another cigarette.

"Charles and Robert took a holiday together?" Archie asked.

"No! You don't get it do you? I'm Wendy and she is Charlotte. When Charlotte and Wendy are present Charles and William no longer exist. The men who admire us never want to see us in our male persona and they have no interest in our male counterparts."

"Charlotte and Robert went on holiday together," Wendy slapped the table to emphasise the point.

"Let's go back to Charlotte taking over as you call it; tell me more about that," Archie settled into his seat.

May 1985

Peter and James Lowe were twins and scholarship students at Chelmsford Private College. They were both very artistic and were taking arts degrees and intended to specialise in fashion design. They were openly bisexual and presented as androgynous. They had been able to secure positions in the catering corps of the College's Army Cadet Corps during their first year as lower housemen in order to avoid all the squad drill and bivouacs. They produced delicacies from the 'camp kitchen' which delighted the Corps and saved them from ridicule and bullying.

They were slim and athletic and William Larkin had played alongside them in the soccer team. They became attracted to William and they had a casual sexual relationship which continued when William started to present as Wendy.

They were the perfect candidates for what Wendy and Charlotte had planned. William invited them both to his dorm where he met them presenting as Wendy and laid out a proposition.

"I've always wanted to dress enfemme; you know I'm a total bottom," Peter grinned.

"You look like a girl most of time anyway," James sniped at his brother.

"Look... we make no secret of our sexuality, being called a fag or bender just bounces off us. But this is a serious proposition. First off, it's illegal, second, if we get caught we will be expelled, and finally, I'm not sure I can pull off presenting as girl," James continued.

"Ok I'll be frank with you both. You're both pretty effeminate anyway and I'll teach you how to wear makeup. Also... you will only present yourselves in your female persona, no one is going to know who it is under the makeup and clothes and the reality is, the men don't want to know," Wendy countered.

"Charlotte has done some rough calculations and if her projections are correct, this is how much you will each be pulling in a week. Cash money, under the table, no one needs to know where you got it," Wendy slid a slip of paper across the desk.

Peter and James studied the slip of paper for a few seconds, looked at each other and nodded.

"I want to be Pamela," Peter grinned.

"And I want to be Janet. Where do we get our clothes, wigs and makeup?" James asked.

"Ok girls. Let's start here," Wendy opened her wardrobe door.

She had so many ensembles that she could have opened a ladies fashion boutique. Her male clothing was relegated to three clothes hangers and a single drawer.

"Now let's get you stripped and get started," Wendy smiled at the twins.

Charles had been busy cleaning out the cottage as best he could. He gave some money to Quinn to purchase bedding for the two bedrooms, purchase a TV, VCR and some pornographic video cassettes. Quinn wanted more than just money and Charlotte had to set aside her repugnance and christen one of the newly cleaned and freshly made up bedrooms by letting Quinn mount her.

Charlotte found that the more she distanced herself from Robert the more she hardened her heart. Sex became a commodity to be traded and although she could pretend to show affection and often obtained physical pleasure during the act, she felt no compassion or affection for those who used her body.

She and Wendy met Wayne Jenkins, Steven Belfour-Brown and Brian Nichol to secure a supply of beer and spirits for their 'gentleman's club'. After much deliberation Steven and Wayne were able to convince Brian to go along. The alcohol would be sold at a premium and the Bridge House welfare fund would benefit. Steven and Wayne had a vested interest; they imagined themselves as managers of the club-come-brothel and would be skimming the cream off the top.

When 'One For The Team' was nearly ready to open Charlotte invited Wendy, Steven and Wayne to come down to the cottage and inspect it.

"You've done wonders with the place Charlotte," Wendy cooed as she inspected the two bedrooms and the bathroom.

"It's still a shithole but let's face it, it's a knocking shop. The customers are only going to be here long enough for a quick drink or two before they are serviced and on their way," Steven Belfour-Brown patted the back of a battered lounge chair.

"Most of the money will be made in the bedrooms but we'll still make a tidy profit on the booze. With the four of us girls sharing the load and working in pairs from six to midnight during the week and afternoons and evenings on weekends we should turn a nice profit," Charlotte added.

"When do we get to see the other two girls?" Wayne asked, obviously keen to sample their wares.

"Pamela and Janet will be joining us later. I thought it might be nice for the original founders to inaugurate the bedrooms before we let the punters in," Charlotte gave the two men a seductive smile.

Steven had poured them all drinks and he and Wayne sat down in the two lounge chairs and patted their knees. Charlotte perched on Steven's knee and Wendy on Wayne's. Both women were dressed only in negligées, bras, panties, stockings and high heels. Wendy was wearing her favourite blonde wig but Charlotte had just styled her pixie-cut into a feminine do.

The men talked about House business while lazily petting the two women who soon became bored. Charlotte changed the tone by leaning into Steven and kissing him; she squeezed his burgeoning erection and slid her tongue into his mouth. Wendy followed suit, kissing Wayne passionately and rubbing him through his jeans.

Steven lifted Charlotte from his lap and put down his drink. He led her to the first of the bedrooms and closed the door. Wendy went with Wayne into the other bedroom.

Steve held Charlotte out at arm's length and studied her.

"You are beautiful. I really missed you when you stopped coming to the inner sanctum," he whispered.

"I was so jealous of Robert keeping you all to himself," he sighed.

"I so wanted to kiss you, to hold you against me, to feel your body, to fuck you," he leaned in and kissed her.

"We had those silly rules about kissing and fucking. I don't have a gay bone in my body but it doesn't matter anyway because I only think of you as a woman," he kissed her again and squeezed her buttocks through the layers of cool, sleek satin.

Charlotte remained silent and disengaged from him so he could get undressed. She helped him and when he went to the wardrobe to hang up his clothes she directed him to the chair in front of the dresser instead.

"Put them here. There are only enough hangers for the girls clothes in there, I'll get some more brought down," she helped him fold his jeans and shirt and put them over the chair.

"Can you get our drinks honey," Charlotte kissed him and ran her featherlight fingers along his shaft.

Charlotte lay on the bed enjoying the feel and smell of the fresh clean bedding. She lay on her side seductively sucking on a finger allowing her negligée to ride up to show off her stocking-tops.

Wayne put the drinks on the nightstand and joined her on the bed. The windows were covered with tarpaper to ensure privacy but the room was illuminated with two bedlamps. The girls figured the punters would want to see what they were doing and with whom they were doing it.

Charlotte took a long pull on her drink and then lay back on the bed. Wayne began by kissing her and exploring her with his hands. He stroked her knees, delighting in the sensuous feel of her stockings and slowly made his way up her legs. He spent some time stroking the bare skin at the top of her thighs while he explored her mouth with his tongue.

Charlotte softly stroked his hard cock and massaged his scrotum, delighting when he gasped in her mouth and began to dribble pre-ejaculate.

She broke the kiss and rolled him onto his back and straddled him, ensuring his penis nestled in her panty-clad buttocks as she leaned down and kissed him. She could feel his manhood pressing into the crevice between her buttocks but she was not yet ready for him to fuck her.

Charlotte worked her face down Steven's body using her tongue and her lips to excite him until she eventually arrived at his erect penis. She took him in her mouth and began to suckle his member, using her tongue, her teeth, and lips expertly on his phallus, backing off when she felt him getting close to extremis.

Steven pawed at her buttocks and thighs and she obligingly shifted so that she was straddling him head to toe so that she could fellate him while he caressed her buttocks and legs. She was hard in her knickers and dribbling pre-seminal fluid. Her panty-clad cock hovered inches from Steven's face.

She smiled when she felt him touch her cock through her knickers and growled with satisfaction as he began to stroke it. She lapped at his cock to encourage him and was delightfully surprised when he took her in his mouth.

"I always wondered what it would be like," Steven sniggered from between her legs.

Charlotte lowered her face back to his cock and began to earnestly suck on it.

"Oh god!" Steven groaned and pushed her off him before he would ejaculate.

He rolled her onto her back and Charlotte obligingly opened her legs. Steven leapt on her and began to prod at her anus with his hard cock. She helped him and guided him inside the leg of her knickers and nestled his glans in her sphincter which glistened with the KY Jelly she placed there when he went to get the drinks.

Charlotte put her arms around Steven and raised her face to his and kissed him passionately as she locked her legs around his back and rose up and impaled herself on his rock-hard penis.

Steven held Charlotte close and kissed her as he rutted between her legs, her tight anus enveloped his cock like a slick silken glove. He was gasping and groaning and close to climax.

Charlotte drove her tongue into his mouth and rose to meet his thrusts, writhing beneath him, encouraging him, raking her heels on his flanks. Her cock was pressed against his tight belly and she was close too. It had been some time since she had been fucked and she was enjoying the physicality of it.

Steven roared as he ejaculated inside Charlotte's tight anus, jackhammering his cock in and out of her. Charlotte climaxed, her negligee soaking up the torrent of semen that erupted from her cock. The feel of Steven's cock pressing on her prostate, his shaft distending her sphincter and his hard belly pressing on her cock enveloped in the satin negligée produced a shattering orgasm and she clung to him, shaking with lust and pleasure.

Steven did not want bask in the afterglow. As soon as he descended from the pinnacle of his climax he disengaged from Charlotte and wiped at his groin with one of the washcloths neatly stacked on the nightstand. He threw the flannel in the laundry basket and began to dress.

Charlotte lay on the bed smiling contentedly as Steven's spend dribbled from her sphincter and her issue cooled on her belly. She leaned over and took a washcloth and began to clean up.

Steven picked up his drink and went to the door and then stopped and turned.

"What happens here is a secret right? No one needs to know," he was obviously suffering from post-coital regret.

"Of course. If we don't guarantee discretion we won't have any customers," Charlotte replied.

Charlotte changed into a clean negligée and came out of the room a few minutes later to find Wendy, Wayne and Steven drinking in the lounge. Wendy was cuddled up to Wayne but Steven made it obvious that he didn't want any attention from Charlotte. She went to the little kitchen and poured scotch into a styrofoam cup then she joined them, sitting across from Steven in the other lounge chair.

She caught Wendy's eye and smiled wryly and nodded her head.

"Come out ladies," she called.

Pamela and Janet Lowe came out of the bedrooms to join the party. They walked over to the kitchen counter and made themselves a drink.

Steven and Wayne looked at each other nonplussed.

"Steven and Wayne meet Pamela and Janet," Wendy said.

Pamela and Janet sat on the arms of Charlotte's armchair, flanking her, almost like it was choreographed. They were dressing in matching miniskirts, sheer blouses, hose and heels, although Pamela wore a black wig and Janet blonde. Wendy had snuck out into town to get the twins wardrobes, wigs and makeup and tutored them accordingly.

"But they just came out the bedrooms! Were they in there while we were fucking?" Steven sounded bewildered.

"Oh yes they were. They are both undertaking art degrees and have an interest in photography," Charlotte smirked and put out her hand.

Pamela and Janet slapped a small stack of polaroids into her palm.

"What the fuck?" Steven bellowed.

"I particularly like this one," Charlotte smiled and tossed a picture on the coffee table.

The picture showed Steven sucking Charlotte's cock.

She tossed the other pictures on the table. They depicted quite clearly Wayne and Steven engaging in various sex acts with the two transvestites. Steven made to grab them but Charlotte beat him to it and snatched them up.

Steven lunged for her but Pamela and Janet shielded her and Wendy leapt out of Wayne's lap and joined the protective cordon around Charlotte.

"Looks like that tables have turned boys. Your ability to blackmail us is considerably diminished. With these photographs in our possession it puts us into what our American cousins call a Mexican standoff," Charlotte shuffled the polaroids.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Wayne Jenkins said angrily.

"What's going on is a change of management so to speak. Wendy and I will be running 'One For The Team' and dividing up the dividends to our own satisfaction," Charlotte rose to meet the two men eye to eye.

"We'll continue to buy our booze from you if you like, otherwise will make arrangements with Quinn who has been quite helpful to us. He's sort of become my guardian; I think he quite fancies me."

"Due to your helpfulness in the past, you get two freebies a week with the girl of your choice and you keep fifty percent of the profit we make selling your booze. You two don't need the money anyway. Our business relationship ends there," Charlotte said with finality.

"You two fucked us over!" Steven growled.

"I think actually that you two fucked us... and you still get to do so. Take it or leave it," Charlotte said dismissively.

"Let's get out of here," Wayne pulled on Steven's shoulder.

"Fucked over by a bunch of trannies," Steven growled.

"Well it was good while it lasted," Wayne grinned, pragmatic about it all.

"That fucking conniving bitch Charlotte! I'll get my own back you'll see," Steven kicked a stone out of way as he made his way up the path leading from the cottage to the college.

"Ok ladies. Let the party begin," Wendy brought out a bottle of champagne she had hidden away in one of the cupboards.

"Thank fuck for that. I'm so glad to be out of that wardrobe. It was claustrophobic, but kinda fun watching you fuck," Pamela laughed.

*****

May 1986

"So if I've got this right, Charlotte usurped Wayne Jenkins and Steven Belfour-Brown who thought they were going to be running some sort of sordid gentleman's club and pimping out four transvestite prostitutes?" Archie asked, scribbling in his notebook.

"Looking back I don't know how this all go so out of hand. When she was a lower houseman Charlotte was being blackmailed by the House council to provide them with sex then Robert Fellows took her for his girlfriend, or whatever, so Charlotte groomed me to take her place. I was already a rent boy for some of the students anyway," Wendy paused to light another cigarette.

"Wayne and Steven were paying me for sex and I saw the opportunity to make more money as Wendy. My family has very little money and the scholarship only pays for the basics, so why not? Then Charlotte and Robert had their big bust-up and she changed somehow; she became fixated on money."

"She convinced Wayne and Steven that they can run this brothel and make money from us. Neither of them needed it, I think they went along because they wanted the power. They are both cruel controlling bastards but Charlotte double-crossed them and she ended up running One For The Team herself," Wendy checked her watch again.

"So Wayne Jenkins and Steven Belfour-Brown were incensed with her?" Archie made more notes.

"I see where you're going. Wayne didn't give a fuck, he was still getting freebie blowjobs from us girls but Steven still held some resentment, but I think they were way past it and like most of us were concentrating on graduation," Wendy stubbed out her cigarette.

"What about Robert Fellows; what did he think about Charlotte running a brothel?" Archie searched for any facial expressions.

"At first he ignored her and he didn't come to the club; absolutely refused to. If he had any love for Charlotte it soon turned to hate. He started the joke about Charlotte the Harlot and Bendy Wendy. One For The Team had become an open secret on the campus and to be honest I'm glad it was soon to close. Except for Pamela and Janet we are all close to graduation," Wendy was becoming anxious, continually looking at her watch.

"Look I know you need to get back to classes so I'll finish up," Robert fumbled around and found the picture he wanted.

"What do you know about cocaine being dealt from the club?" he handed her the picture of the baggies of cocaine they had found in the wardrobe in the cottage.

Wendy looked genuinely surprised.

"We sold sex and booze; Charlotte had a no-drug policy. Some of the lads smoked weed but only outside the cottage, Charlotte insisted on having no drugs on the property. She told me once confidentially that if we got found out running a knocking shop by the college hierarchy they'd likely just shut us down and probably not expose what we were doing to the authorities. The college couldn't bear the scandal so no drugs meant no police."

"Look I really have to change and get to a lecture," Wendy started to rise.

"Ok, I'll be requesting your fingerprints and later I'll need to take a formal taped interview and ask you about the night Charlotte died," Archie said, putting away his notebook.

"I really am sorry for Charlotte. She was so close to her dream; graduating university and then changing her gender. She was ruthless but she was brave and also vulnerable under that hard exterior. Everyone who was supposed to love her turned on her," Wendy walked Archie to the door.

*****

Sandra Tingle stopped in to SOCO to see Sarah Pheffington and collect the forensic and autopsy reports. Sarah made tea and invited Sandra to her office.

"I've worked some interesting cases but this is one that will definitely be making my memoirs," Sarah joked.

"Here's the autopsy file although some of the forensics from the body are still to be processed by my team in the lab. To summarise: Charlotte Ward legally known as Charles Ward died from asphyxiation. She had a very high blood alcohol content and had recently used cocaine. She had also recently engaged in both anal and oral sex; a lot of it, but there is no evidence of rape other than the skin found under her fingernails which is likely the result of her trying to fight off her attacker," Sarah read from the summary report.

"We will process the skin and obtain a blood type but the chances of obtaining funding for a DNA workup are miniscule. The process is still in its infancy and is long and expensive. We've had success recently with DNA evidence but that was for a serial murder investigation. Hopefully with the advances that are being made, sometime in the future DNA profiling might become routine," Sarah slid the files across the desk.

"We'll just rely on good old fashioned police work then," Sandra gave a meek smile.

"We would really like the results of the skin as soon as possible though. We have a possible suspect who has scratches on the back of his hands but we can't place him at the crime scene," Sandra sipped tea.

"The semen in and on Charlotte's body is too co-mingled to be of help, otherwise we might have got a blood type if he is a secretor," Sarah turned down her mouth.

"We'll put the fingerprints in the case file and process them through the system. There are quite a lot though. One piece of good news... it's very difficult to obtain finger prints from human flesh but we think we've lifted a useable latent print from Charlotte's neck. We're working it as a priority," Sarah finished her tea and started sorting the paperwork on her desk.

Sandra took the hint and made to leave, putting the files into her briefcase.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Sarah touched Sandra's hand briefly.

Sandra nodded.

"I'm paid to be an observer just like you. Is there anything between Detective Sergeant Archie Sanders and yourself?" Sarah asked.

"Why do you ask?" Sandra blushed and looked away.

"I saw the way he engaged with you at the crime scene outside the cottage. Partners become close out of necessity working cases together, but I sensed he's very protective of you, the little touches and gestures," Sarah smiled.

"We're colleagues," Sandra sniffed.

"At the crime scene he flirted with me briefly but it was harmless, like it was almost impulsive but with no real intent," Sarah smiled.

"He flirts with every woman he meets; it's his nature," Sandra said offhandedly.

"None of my business Sandra but I sense his behaviour towards you is more than just flirting," Sarah countered

"You're right Sarah, it's none of your business," Sandra pushed back her chair and rose to leave.

"For what it's worth, if I wasn't a happily married woman I'd be tempted. There's something about him and it's not just his boyish good looks, he seems almost wounded, in need of being nurtured," Sarah rose and showed Sandra to the door.

"Luckily I'm a happily married woman then," Sandra snapped.

"Yeah; right," Sarah sighed after she had closed the door on Sandra.

*****

The Ward estate was large and imposing and Sandra had to use an intercom at the main gate to gain entry. She knew that Chief Superintendent Glenda Savage had accompanied the notification team when Reginald and Penelope Ward had been advised of their son's death and had also accompanied them to the formal identification.

All traces of Charlotte had been removed by then; the makeup wiped away, the wig retained for evidence and the body cleaned. Charles Ward was naked and covered with a sheet. Sandra knew that Glenda had taken the Ward's aside and given them the news that their son had been found dressed as a woman and had likely had sex prior to his death, she thought it appropriate that the details come from a senior officer.

Sandra was led to a sitting room in the large house where she found Reginald and Penelope Ward sipping gin and tonics. It was early afternoon but given the news they had just been given it was understandable.

"Would you like a drink Detective?" Penelope Ward indicated a drinks caddy that held silver decanters and freshly cracked ice in a crystal ice-bucket.

"I'm on the job," she smiled wanly as she took a seat on the plush velvet couch.

Reginald was smoking a cigar and studying a financial broadsheet. He didn't appear to even notice Sandra's presence.

"I'm sorry for your bereavement," Sandra began and took her notebook out of her purse.

Reginald put down the broadsheet and drilled her with a withering gaze.

"You're wasting your time Detective. Glenda Savage had the courtesy to tell us the circumstances surrounding Charles' death and I have to admit it didn't surprise me that much," Reginald said around the cigar in his mouth.

"Chelmsford Private College was Charles' last hope. He'd been doing that crossdressing thing on and off ever since he was a young boy and I sent him there to get some discipline and man-up but once a queer always a queer I suppose."

Sandra was half-expecting a hostile reception.

"Look I'll be blunt. As far as we're concerned we never had a son called Charles. He'll be cremated when the body is released, there will be no funeral. If there was, what would I say? He died with his high heels on?"

"There is nothing we can help you with and to be honest I really don't care if the crime is solved or not; we just want it kept out of the papers and off the TV. So there you have it; I'll have you shown out," Reginald said gruffly.

"Just one thing before I go if I may?" Sandra remained seated.

"Charles went on holiday with Robert Fellows during one of the term breaks; is that correct?"

"I thought he'd finally befriended the right sort of chap. Robert is the son of a close friend and an excellent role model. Captain of the rugger team, housemaster and about to graduate with his Master's and engaged to a fine filly. I was hoping he and Charles were sowing their wild oats down in Brighton, you know, shagging the floozies. I'm sure that Robert was shagging everything in a skirt but their friendship ended; I suspect when Robert found out that Charles was a Nancy boy," Reginald poked his cigar at her to emphasise his point.

Sandra knew that providing Reginald and Penelope with any further details of Charlotte's life in Chelmsford would only pain them so she left it at that. She now knew that Charlotte had been trans since an early age and confirmed her relationship with Robert Fellows.

"Can I leave you my card," she produced one from her purse.

"Leave it on the table; my man will show you to the door," Reginald picked up the paper and began reading where he had left off.

Penelope remained pale and silent throughout the interview and had refilled her glass twice in the small amount of time Sandra had been there.

"I'll keep you informed," Sandra said as she walked to the door.

"Don't bother," Reginald grunted from behind his paper.

*****

"How did you go?" Sandra asked Archie in the car after she had picked him up at the college.

"Mrs Frobisher has given us an anteroom next to her office that we can use to conduct formal interviews and to take fingerprints. We'll set it up on Monday. I've spoken to the Chief Super and she's onboard with it. Keeps everything in the confines of the university away from prying eyes," Archie had the autopsy file open in his lap.

"I had very interesting interview with Wendy Larkin," he looked up from the file.

"Wendy Larkin?" Sandra glanced sideways at Archie.

"William identifies as Wendy; not sure if she intends to transition like Charlotte was but she lives a similar lifestyle. Presents as William on the campus but lives as Wendy in secret, Robert Fellows called her Bendy Wendy remember," Archie said.

"She confirms that they were running a brothel and gave me the background story which I'll tell you about over dinner; it's quite involved. She confirmed that Robert and Charlotte had more than just a sexual relationship. She gave me the names of two twins, Pamela and Janet Lowe who also worked the brothel. I interviewed them but they didn't have much to add, to them crossdressing is all about the money, they're bisexual but not trans."

"You seem to have this whole gender bender thing weighed off now Archie," Sandra smiled.

"I understand it; I just don't get it, if you know what I mean," he played with a strand of his hair.

"Wendy claims to know nothing about the drugs and I believe her."

"I want fingerprints and blood samples from all of our witnesses; I'll call SOCO back in to do that tomorrow and I want photographs of Robert Fellows' hands. I want to formally interview Robert Fellows under caution; I think he's our main suspect. I also want to formally interview Wendy Larkin and ask her about the events of the night of the murder."

"I also want to interview Douglas Quinn but first I want to pay a visit to Brighton."

They were approaching the gates to the college where a uniformed Constable was stationed and Archie noticed a nicely restored 1975 Ford Cortina parked just outside the gates. He recognised Ruffe Ingersoll leaning against the car smoking.

"Pull over here," Archie indicated the layup where Ruffe was parked.

He wound down the window and Ruffe ambled over.

"You've got an interesting case," Ruffe smiled.

"Hello Ruffe," Archie smiled back.

Archie had met Ruffe socially a couple of times when the Special Crimes Division went down the pub together after work. Sandra recognised him but didn't know him. Ruffe Ingersoll and Glenda Savage were an item, their relationship went back years but they had never formalised it. Ruffe was an investigative reporter for The Daily Sun newspaper.

"Can't tell you anything Ruffe, sorry," Archie said.

"Ask Glenda. If there's anything that can be released to the press she'll be the one to do it," Archie smiled weakly.

"She doesn't mix the job with her personal life Archie, you know that," Ruffe grinned.

"Does she know you're here Ruffe?" Archie asked.

Ruffe just gave him a wry smile.

"Ok, Ruffe. Stay out of trouble," Archie nodded for Sandra to drive off.

"Fuck! Pull over around the next bend. I'd better get the brick out and call the Chief Super and let her know that Ruffe's got wind of the story," Archie leaned over the seat to open the small case that contained the cellular phone.

Archie and Sandra finally got to have dinner at the restaurant at the Holiday Inn. They went to Archie's room to make love but they went to bed early. They would be checking out of the hotel early and driving down to Brighton to interview the proprietors of the Ambassador Guest House.

Archie spent some time on the phone talking to Detective Raymond Smith of the Chelmsford police and arranging with SOCO to take samples of the people on his witness list. Robert Fellows' lawyer had called the Chief Superintendent and had given Glenda some grief but had eventually consented for Robert to be fingerprinted, provide a blood sample and have photographs taken. They would be able to get fingerprints from all of the students involved so the only witness who wouldn't be providing fingerprints was Douglas Quinn.

Archie was content to leave Quinn until Monday when he and Sandra would interview him away from the college.

Sandra drove as usual allowing Archie to review the case file which had grown considerably now that they had added the forensic evidence and interview notes. Archie searched for and found the cheap postcard embossed with cheerful scenes of the Brighton Pier and seafront. On the obverse the words 'a week to remember... I think I love Robert' was written in blue ink in a feminine hand.

"A penny for your thoughts," Archie asked.

"It's certainly one of the strangest cases we have ever worked. I can't really see Charles Ward in any of this, all I can see is Charlotte; it's strange. But once I forget about Charles and think only of Charlotte as the victim it makes sense," Sandra began.

"She's obviously been fighting her gender identity disorder all her life not helped by a father who thought he could discipline it out of his son. Sending Charles to Chelmsford College was supposed to fix the problem but it put Charlotte into a worse situation where she was abused by the Bridge House council."

"Robert Fellows rescued her. He put her on a pedestal, although he denies he did, and then discarded her. That must have had a significant effect on her. She spent all her life looking for acceptance and love and when she finally receives it it's snatched away from her," Sandra sighed.

"See. This is why I like having you as my partner, you can always see the feminine side of a case like this, soften it so to speak," Archie patted Sandra's knee.

"I thought you liked having me as a partner so you can get into my knickers," Sandra smiled wryly but kept her eyes on the road.

"Well you do wear nice knickers, I'll give you that. Too bad we can't stay overnight in Brighton," it was Archie's turn to sigh.

"Anyway back to the case," Sandra turned the conversation around.

"Charlotte is no angel in all this. She talked Wendy into taking her place in the inner sanctum and then enjoined her in setting up One For The Team. It takes a certain amount of cunning to come up with a plan like that. She also had Wendy recruit Janet and Pamela and drew Douglas Quinn into the plot. She double-crossed Wayne Jenkins and Steven Belfour-Brown. They get no sympathy but they have motive."

"I just can't believe they could run a knocking shop that close the campus for over a year and not get caught."

"So else who has motive?" Archie asked.

"Robert Fellows for sure. Could be jealousy, could be revenge for some slight; also Charlotte was known to use blackmail. Same goes with Wayne Jenkins and Steven Belfour-Brown, Charlotte has incriminating photographs of them that she used to take the business from under them," Sandra added.

"We don't know about Quinn yet but I doubt the other girls have motive but who knows?" Sandra concluded her deductions.

"My money's on Fellows but we've yet to interview Wayne Jenkins and Steven Belfour-Brown. Pull over somewhere will you, I need a piss and a fag," Archie sniffed.

"Ever the romantic," Sandra chuckled.

They pulled up outside of the Ambassador Guest House just before lunch and Gladys and Harold Chatterton insisted on providing them lunch in the guest house's restaurant. They had crab bisque followed by a seafood pie, chips for Archie and a salad for Sandra. They even allowed themselves a couple of glasses of Chablis.

They managed to get Gladys and Harold Chatterton into a booth to interview them once the restaurant had cleared.

"I remember them well, especially Charlotte. She took such care of her appearance and dressed nicely. There's a few round here could take deportment lessons from her," Gladys was an attractive woman for her age and was dressed stylishly.

Harold had a distinguished appearance and was wearing a natty dark suit.

"She was a good looking girl I'll give her that; very pretty and great legs," he added.

"Trust you to notice. Robert Fellows was a handsome man too, tall and muscular," Gladys cooed.

"I think he made your knickers damp whenever he appeared," Harold chuckled.

"Harold! Don't be rude! These people are police officers!" Gladys slapped his shoulder but you could see the sparkle in her eyes.

"They were a lovely and loving couple. He fawned on her and she worshipped him you could tell; you couldn't pry them apart," Gladys crooned.

"You didn't detect any animosity or sense that Charlotte was just... how do I put this?" Archie looked at Sandra for help but he needn't have worried.

"Look we're a quiet guest house and we guarantee discretion. There's plenty of hanky panky goes on, bosses and secretaries away on business, older men with younger women, married couples away for a dirty weekend but not with their spouses, we see them all. But that wasn't Charlotte and Robert; you could see the love between them. I spoke to Charlotte about Robert and she told me that she was hoping they could live and work together after they graduated college. She said there would be obstacles to overcome but that was the same for lots of couples starting out. There is no doubt in my mind that she loved him and he loved her," Gladys clapped her hands together.

"I have to agree with my wife. It didn't look like they were here just to shag, they doted on each other," Harold nodded his head.

"Well thanks for that. One last thing, we'd like to see your reservation book and registration cards for the period they were here," Archie said.

"Let me get them," Harold squeezed past his wife who jokingly patted his bum.

"You have a bit of a commute to get back to Chelmsford," Gladys said.

"Well we live in London, we're seconded to the Chelmsford police service because of the special nature of the case," Archie replied and then realised he'd said too much.

"As in the case being a possible murder and taking place at the College and all," Sandra leapt in to save him.

"Strange that the poor girl was found dead at a men's boarding school; was she visiting Robert?" both detectives could sense Gladys being nosey.

"Sorry Gladys, we can't discuss the particulars of the case," Sandra added.

"Did I hear you say you want to take down my wife's particulars? That's a bit forward isn't it?" Harold laughed at the old joke.

"Here's the registration card for the room they stayed in and here are their names and signatures: Robert Fellows and Charlotte Ward," Harold handed over the card and then pointed to the relevant page in the reservation register.

Sandra entered the registration card into evidence while Archie noted the entry in the reservation register in his police note book.

"Look it's a bit of a drive back to London, we can offer you a room here at the guest house, free of charge of course, we'll claim it back on tax," Gladys winked at them.

"Oh no that's not necessary," Sandra waved dismissively at Gladys.

"Let me talk to Sandra for a minute will you?" Archie said and Gladys and Harold left them to talk by themselves.

"What the fuck Archie? You know Malcom hates me being away from home... and it's Friday!" Sandra hissed.

Archie knew about Sandra's husband's Friday night ritual. His own wife Pauline could care less if he came home, she would likely be out catting around anyway but he would miss seeing his son little Archie.

"Come on Sandra; it's Brighton. We can go out and walk the pier and the stroll the beachfront," Archie stroked her hand.

"Well Malcom isn't expecting me home tonight I suppose; he thinks I'll be in Chelmsford until tomorrow and I didn't tell him we were coming down here," Archie could see the wheels turning in Sandra's mind.

"I'll ring Malcom while you go get us a couple of rooms," Sandra said excitedly.

Sandra used the phone at the bar and then joined Archie in the foyer who had brought their bags in from the car.

"There you go sweetheart," Gladys handed Archie a single key.

Sandra blushed when Gladys winked at her.

"Remember what I said about discretion," her eyes gleaming.

Archie and Sandra clambered up the stairs carrying their suitcases with Sandra leading trying to stop Archie from putting his hand under her skirt.

"Stop it Archie! I've only got my granny-knickers and work tights on anyway so there's nothing for you there anyway," Sandra whined.

"I might want to shag you in your granny-knickers," Archie squeezed her bottom.

"Shut up Archie; behave yourself," Sandra grumbled.

When they were finally in their room they took the time to unpack.

"Gladys is nosey," Sandra commented.

"Not a bad sort for age though," Archie commented.

"Trust you. She reminds me of someone, someone on the telly," Sandra stopped what she was doing to think

"Sybil Fawlty!" they both said at once and burst out laughing.

Their room had been recently renovated but little had been spent on the main room which retained its old-world features. The furniture was old but more antique than shabby chic and they had views of Brighton beach from the bay window. The money had been spent renovating the bathroom which had all new fittings and a walk-in shower.

Archie shucked out of his suit and hung it up and lay naked on the bed so he could watch Sandra. She took off her jacket and kicked off her scuffed work shoes then dropped her heavy skirt and shimmied out of her blouse.

"Seriously? You're going to watch me take off my old cotton bra, my tights and granny-knickers; that's hardly a striptease Archie," she stood with her hands on her hips defiantly.

"You look magnificent, even in your granny-knickers," Archie grinned at her.

Sandra rolled off her tights and threw them at Archie who deftly caught them and brought them to his face and sniffed them then threw them back.

"You're incorrigible Archie," Sandra laughed.

Archie leapt off the bed and lifted Sandra off her feet and carried her to the bathroom.

"Put me down Archie!" Sandra squealed but she liked his playfulness.

For a fleeting second she felt guilty about her husband Malcom, she wished he had Archie's spontaneity and spirit. She wished he had Archie's hankering for her. The thought disappeared when Archie dropped her to her feet and kissed her. He put his hands in her hair and unravelled her bun and combed out her tresses with his fingers.

"There. Now look even more beautiful," he grinned down at her and pecked her nose.

"Even in my granny-knickers?" Sandra smiled up at him.

Archie put his fingers in the waistband of her pink nylon high-waisted panties with the low-cut legs and ripped them down her legs. Sandra kicked them away and unclasped her brassiere.

"What granny-knickers?" he laughed when he had her naked.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his cock nestled in the V between her legs. Her pubic hair was trimmed and Archie quite liked the scratchy feel of it on his sensitive member. He reached behind her and turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature so it was warm and marched her backwards under the soft pleasant torrent. He kissed her and reached out to squeeze the liquid soap dispenser and filled his hand.

He put his cupped hand to her sex and pressed the viscous liquid between her legs and rubbed it into her flesh. Sandra gasped as he inserted two fingers inside her and used his thumb on her clitoris. He took a second handful of the liquid soap and slathered it on his penis. Archie pressed Sandra up against the tiled wall and opened her legs and slid his cock inside her. Sandra clung to him, putting her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck and hung on while Archie began to fuck her.

They came quickly; the hot water cascading over their bodies intensifying their pleasure. Sandra gasped into Archie's mouth and shuddered like an animal impaled on a spear as she orgasmed . Archie drove her into the wall so that every inch of his pulsing manhood was inside her.

"Oh god Sandra I lov..." Sandra put her hand over his mouth to stifle his words.

"Don't say it Archie... please don't say it," she cried.

To be continued.