The only comment so far had been when she noticed the camera missing, when I admitted lending it she just nodded. "Oh yes, Debbie asked if they could ...orrow it." For some reason it seemed odd to me, but I had other worries.About a week later Rob wordlessly handed me a small sports bag in class, the camera was tucked into it. I tried to sneak it into the house but Lynn spotted the bag at once and asked if I had been buying. I mumbled about it being Rob's, flashed the camera and tried to stuff it. Emily ran up to Valerie and embraced her, overjoyed to be reunited with her old friend after so many weeks apart."This is Sergeant Talbot and Privates Walker and Dean," Emily informed her."Sergeant," Valerie greeted. "I'm Valerie Hamel with the mayor's office and this is Lieutenant Greg Bennett and Detective Pete Sands of the NAPD."Handshakes were exchanged and they turned their attention to the task at hand.Emily led them away from the gatehouse and they followed the fence for several hundred. I told you that was what you should do every time youdressed as a woman, enjoy the sight of yourself and maybeincidentally relieve yourself of your unsightly crotch bulges forthe next few hours. Masturbate if you want to, but afterward,during the let-down that always follows, always remain dressed andmade up. Because you're still a woman, even when it isn'texciting."She'd said that, early on. Urged it on me in fact when Iembarrassedly demurred. Even insisted on watching me andencouraging me. He knew this had been a difficult decision for her too. He knew that, somewhere inside her, there was the wish that this hadn’t happened ... that she hadn’t run into Bobby Dalton ... and that he hadn’t complicated her career. He didn’t want to fan that hopefully small coal of resentment and chance it setting something aflame that would remove forever the possibility that he would see Misty ... and their child again.“Thank you,” she said, leaning into him. “I’m ready to go again.” Her eyes were.