AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Friday March 15th 2002
"Hi Tiffany is Clark in?"  Jan asked taking off her coat and hanging it on the rack beside the door of the townhouse near Washington Square Park.
"Yeah he's upstairs," Tiffany said noticing that Jan never bothered to be announced but immediately started up the stairs.
"I'll have her reschedule the appointment.  Thanks," Clark said frowning as he hung up the phone.  He glanced up and saw Jan entering his office. "Hi Jan, come in", he said as she walked towards the chair in front of his desk.
"How are you?" Jan asked taking a seat.
"Worried. I just called the office where Nicole had her appointment to see if she had left yet.  They said that Nicole never showed up this morning."
"Really?"
"Yeah, she seemed so excited about it too.  She said this man was a friend of her Father's and that she knew he would book a party with my company.  I just wanted to talk to her before she left to see how it had gone."
"Has she called you?"
"No.  And Tiffany was going to order her business cards this afternoon."
"Why would she call Tiffany about ordering her business cards?"
"Because she was still thinking over what title she would use.  I think she had decided on Business Manager."
"You're giving her an important title like that?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Clark don't you think you should take it slowly with her?  I mean she's never been in sales before. This is her first job ever."
"She's going to be great.  I can just feel it," he said smiling as he thought about how much he enjoyed having the pretty young woman in his office.
"Where is her desk?"
"She's going to order one.  That's another thing she was going to do this afternoon... furniture shopping.  I just can't imagine where she might be…" he said frowning again as he worried.
"How long has she been gone?"
"All day.  She was so certain she would come back with her first booking too," he said as the phone on his desk rang.  "Yeah," he answered.
"Citibank is on the line for you," Tiffany said.
"Could you excuse me Jan?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'll go in the other room.  I need to make a call myself," Jan said picking up her purse and walking out into the hallway upstairs. She pulled her cell phone from her purse and hit speed dial to Skeeter's apartment on Bleecker Street.
Skeeter heard Nicole turn on the water in the shower just as the phone rang beside his bed.  He quickly picked up the phone. "Hello," he answered.
"Skeeter what are you doing at home?" Jan asked suspiciously.
"I just stopped by to pick up some papers," he lied.
"Skeeter you aren't with Nicole are you?"
"No.  Why in hell do you call and accuse me like that?"
"Because she's missing from work."
"I don't know anything about that and I don't appreciate you treating me like this."
"Good then you won't mind if I stop by right now Skeeter," she said not convinced of his innocence.
CONTINUED MONDAY. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.