“Miyan, I’m sorry,” he said, sincerely.  “I didn’t think you were the type to break down like this.”

     “Just shut up a minute, will you,” she sobbed through her tears.  “Let me think.”

     Miyan desperately tried to think of some rationalization that would explain away or help her deny the fear that had gripped her mind. 

     “This can’t be normal for me,” she said, as her voice continued to crack with painful emotion.  “I sleep with guys all the time.  No one has ever said anything about hearing me purr.  That massage you gave me last night.  Maybe that caused it.  Maybe you relaxed me out of my self control.  Is that possible?”

     “Yeah, I suppose that could be it,” said Jasper, once again proving himself a most unconvincing liar.  “It was probably just a one time thing.”

     “Stop patronizing me!” she shouted at him in anguish, her emotional trauma renewed.  “It only makes it worse when you lie.”

     “Fine then,” said Jasper, losing his patience with what he looked on as an unreasonable vulnerability in someone of Miyan’s strength.  “So now you know.  You’re a cat girl and you purr in your sleep.  Just get over it already.”

     Miyan looked at him in stunned surprise for a moment, being unable to fathom his extraordinary lack of sensitivity. 

     The realization that her companion had no sympathy for her situation was a direct blow to the heart Miyan had never known she possessed.  The unaccustomed pain caused her eyes to flood with tears as she began to bawl uncontrollably. 

     Shocked even worse to realize what she was doing in front of an unsympathetic companion, this being just as humiliating for her as having been caught purring, Miyan jumped up off the bed and ran into the bathroom - slamming and locking the door. 

     Jasper ran after her and pounded on the door.  But Miyan ignored him - her mournful crying becoming ever more intense as she stared into the bathroom mirror, no longer able to deny the feline face which stared back at her. 

     “Miyan!” he called to her as he pounded harder on the door.  “Miyan, you shouldn’t be alone when you’re like this.  Don’t make me break this door down.”

     “Go away!” she cried out, painfully.  “I can’t stand that you’ve seen me like this.  Go away and don’t ever come back.”

     “Miyan, I’m your bodyguard,” he protested.  “I can’t just leave you.”

     “I don’t need a bodyguard,” she cried.  “I don’t care if they kill me now.  It would be a mercy.”

     “Miyan,” he taunted.  “You come out of there right now.  .  .  .  I swear I’ll call Perry and tell him what a big baby you’ve turned into.  .  .  .  Miyan?  .  .  .  Miyan, I mean it.  .  .  .  I’m getting my phone out.  .  .  .  I’m dialing the number.  .  .  .”

     But Miyan did not respond to him.  She just continued crying. 

     “Oh crap,” thought Jasper to himself.  “This really is more than I can handle.  I’m just no good with females.”

     Jasper took his cell phone out of his arm band and flipped it open.  Then he dialed Perry’s private cell phone number so as not to disturb the rest of the household. 

     At The Rhoades Mansion, Perry was fast asleep in his bed, contentedly cuddled up with Lappina, after an evening of pleasant bonding with his bride to be.  So content was he in his repose that his mind actively ignored the beeping from across the room. 

     Lappina, having much more sensitive hearing, found the beeping annoying.  And though she hated to disturb him, she put her hand on his shoulder and gently shook Perry awake. 

     Perry opened his eyes, feeling little inclination to realign himself with reality.  He was only conscious of his mate lying beside him - his heart completely captivated by the magic that compelled him into a state of undying devotion to Lappina and her child. 

     “I think you have a call,” said Lappina, gently to him.  “They’re very persistent.  It must be important.”

     Perry sighed and looked at the clock. 

     “Who could be calling me at this hour?” Perry moaned, unhappily.  Then he stretched himself and got out of bed, sleepily crossing the room to where he had left his carrying bag. 

     He took out the cell phone, flicked it open and placed it to his ear. 

     “Hello,” he said, wearily into the phone. 

     The sound of a familiar female voice crying in the background caught Perry’s attention and jarred him into full lucidity. 

     Then he heard another familiar voice saying, “Perry, it’s Jasper.  I’ve got a problem.”

     “Has something happened to Miyan?” asked Perry, in a concerned tone. 

     “More or less,” said Jasper, somewhat reluctantly.  I’m afraid I happened to her.”

     “Oh, no,” sighed Perry, with slight irritation.  “You don’t mean to say she got yiffy for you.  I told her not to.”

     “No, I’m afraid it’s something a bit more serious than that,” said Jasper, with obvious guilt. 

     Suddenly the sound of crying became the sound of screaming and crashing, and Perry found it inconceivable that Miyan would be throwing such a tirade.  She was always so even tempered and in control.  And he could not imagine what would set her off this way. 

     “Jasper, what in the world is going on there?” Perry demanded, anxiously.  “What have you done to my secretary?”

     “Well .  .  .  You see .  .  .” said Jasper, fumbling for words to describe his idiotic act of insensitivity. 

     “Jasper, Miyan never loses her cool like this,” said Perry, now becoming intently focused on the situation.  “Just spit it out.  What did you do?”

     “I opened my mouth and said something I shouldn’t have,” said Jasper, as he put a finger to his other ear to shut out the loud crashing sounds coming from the bathroom. 

     “You must have said something pretty gosh darn devastating,” said Perry.  “The stock market didn’t crash, did it?”

     “No,” said Jasper, in exasperation.  “Nothing even remotely so rational.”

     “Miyan doesn’t do irrational,” Perry insisted. 

     “Yeah, right,” said Jasper, sarcastically.  “Just like she doesn’t make animal sounds.”

     “What the heck is that supposed to mean?” asked Perry, in a puzzled tone. 

     Jasper drew a deep breath and said, “I told her she purrs in her sleep.”

     “YOU WHAT? ! ! !” Perry exclaimed loudly. 

     The sudden loudness of Perry’s normally soft spoken voice jarred Lappina, and she sat up in alarm. 

     “Of all the stupid, idiotic, insensitive things to do,” Perry shouted into the phone, so loudly that Jasper had to hold his receiver away from his ear. 

     “Damn it, I told you I’m no good with females,” Jasper shouted back, defensively.  “You’re the expert.  She’s locked in the bathroom having a fit.  What the heck am I supposed to do to get her out?”

     “I am not an expert,” said Perry, indignantly.  “I know enough never to cause a situation like this.  I’ve never had to get out of one.”

     Lappina, still sitting up in the bed, waved for Perry’s attention. 

     “Hang on a minute,” said Perry into the phone.  Then he looked at Lappina expectantly. 

     “Tell him to offer to let her hit him until she feels better,” said Lappina.  “That always works for me.”

     Perry grimaced at the memory of Lappina abusing him.  Females could be so terribly cruel when they were of a mind to exercise their rights as the dominant gender.  But then, Perry was the type who would gladly submit to such cruelty, if he felt the cause important enough. 

     “Did you hear that?” said Perry, into the phone.  “Offer to be Miyan’s punching bag.”

     Jasper looked back towards the bathroom door, just as Miyan let out another rage filled scream, followed by another loud crash. 

     “No way,” said Jasper.  “You’re not paying me enough for that.”

     Apparently having heard Jasper talking on the phone, Miyan suddenly opened the bathroom door and stood in the door frame, staring angrily at him while she breathed heavily, as if having greatly exerted herself. 

     After a moment, Miyan marched at Jasper with a look of extreme loathing on her face. 

     “Is that Perry?” she demanded. 

     Jasper barely had time to nod before .  .  . 

     “Give me that!” Miyan shouted, as she rudely snatched the phone away from him and put it up to her ear.  Then she said recriminatingly into the phone, “Perry Rhoades, I have a question for you.”

     “Uh, good morning, Miyan,” said Perry, failing miserably to sound innocently oblivious.  “Lovely day, isn’t it?”

     “It’s raining,” said Miyan, flatly.

     “Is it?” said Perry, evasively.  “Oh my, so it is.  What do you know about that?”

     “PERRY! ! !” she screamed into the phone so loud that he winced in pain.  “Knock off the pleasantries!  I need to know something!”

     “Calm down, Miyan,” he entreated her.  “It’s not like you to get hysterical like this.  Now, take a deep breath and tell me what’s on your mind.”

     Perry could hear Miyan breathing heavily on the other end as she struggled to compose herself.  Then, after a moment, she asked, “Perry, tell me the truth.  Have you ever heard me purr?”

     “Well, maybe,” said Perry, reluctantly, not wishing to hurt Miyan further.  “Or maybe I just dreamed it.”

     “Perry, I need you to be honest with me,” said Miyan, with emotional insistence.  “How often have you heard me purr?”

     “Well, eh, how many times have you slept with me?” he answered, with trepidation. 

     “Every time?!  Oh my goddess!” she exclaimed in anguish.  “Why did you never tell me?”

     “I guess because I knew it would cause you distress,” Perry confessed.  “And, besides, I kind of liked it.  I was afraid if I told you, you might do something to stop it.”

     “You just enjoyed laughing at me behind my back, didn’t you?” Miyan sobbed. 

     “I never laughed at you,” said Perry, sincerely.  “I loved your little purr.  It was beautiful.”

     “And my other regulars?” asked Miyan.  “Have they all heard it too?”

     “I expect so,” Perry admitted. 

     “What about the girls at the office?” asked Miyan.  “Do they know?”

     “Miyan,” Perry sighed, unhappily.  “You’re always so practical.  You know better than to ask questions you don’t want to know the answers to.”

     “I do it when I doze off at the office, don’t I?” asked Miyan, sounding devastated.  “Everybody there knows.  My Goddess, Kacey knows.  She heard me lecturing Christine about what a bad thing it is to purr, and she never said anything.”

     Miyan let the phone drop to her side as she stood and wept in hopeless humiliation. 

     “Miyan?” said Perry.  “Miyan?”

     Jasper took the phone from Miyan’s hand and walked away from her a few paces. 

     “What can I do for her?” asked Jasper into the phone, now seeming ready to try anything rather than see Miyan go on this way. 

     “I’m sure she’ll come to her senses once she gets to the office and gets to work,” said Perry. 

     “Well, that’s just fine,” said Jasper.  “Except that she’s in no state to leave the apartment.  She’s in shock.  How do I snap her out of this?”

     “Put me on speaker and set the phone near her,” said Perry.  “Maybe I can talk her out of it.”

     “Better you than me, pal,” said Jasper. 

     “Hey, you’ll be lucky if I don’t doc your fee for this,” said Perry, recriminatingly.  “I hired you to protect Miyan, not destroy her emotionally.”

     Jasper groaned with irritation.  Then he switched the phone to speaker mode and set it on the coffee table.  After which he walked over to the bar and grabbed a fruit drink out of the small refrigerator, not wishing to take further part in the proceedings. 

     “Miyan, can you hear me?” said Perry’s voice, calmly from the speaker phone. 

     “I hear you,” she sobbed. 

     “Miyan, you can’t break down on me like this,” said Perry.  “You know how much I count on you.”

     “But everyone’s laughing at me,” cried Miyan.  “I can hear the laughter all around me.”

     “No one has ever laughed at you, Miyan,” Perry assured her.  “People either love you, or they respect you.  Nobody holds what you do in your sleep against you.  How can they?  How can anyone know what they do in their sleep?  So how can anyone be fit to judge?”

     “But I would have judged,” said Miyan, emotionally.  “I would have fired any feline who purred in my presence.  You know how this sort of thing offends me.”

     “Yes, I do,” Perry admitted.  “That’s one of the things I’ve always pitied you for.”

     “Don’t pity me,” Miyan cried.  “The only thing worse than being laughed at is being pitied.”

     “What else can I do when you act like this?” asked Perry.  “What would you do if you caught me crying and getting all dysfunctional over something silly?”

     “I’d kick you in the tail and tell you to be strong,” said Miyan, seeming to calm down a bit. 

     “Well, that’s what you have to do to yourself,” said Perry.  “You have to face the world today.  And you need to be strong.  You’ve learned something about yourself that you didn’t know before.  It may require an adjustment of your thinking on a certain matter.  But otherwise you are still Miyan Rutherford, the terror of Suburbia’s business world, the new CEO of Rhoades Instruments, and the only one I can count on to keep my company from falling into the wrong hands.  Now, come on, Miyan, don’t let yourself go like this.  Give Jasper a few good swats if it will make you feel like yourself again.”

     “Hey!” said Jasper, turning back towards the phone.  “Why do I have to put up with this?”

     “No one knows better than you that when you make a mistake you have to pay for it,” said Perry, sternly to Jasper.  “Well, you made one whopper of a mistake.  Now take your medicine and get over it.”

     “Fine,” said Jasper, with extreme irritation, as he slammed his drink down on the bar.  Then he walked over to Miyan and stood before her defiantly.  “Do your worst,” he dared her. 

     Miyan looked at him in bemusement for a moment.  She did feel a great desire to lash out.  But Jasper was a professional fighter.  She doubted her strongest punch would even phase him.  Then a wicked idea crossed her mind.  She knew just how to get back at him. 

     She looked at Jasper malevolently, as if contemplating doing extreme harm to him.  And this gaze made Jasper falter in his resolve.  After all, Miyan did have a reputation as a ruthlessly vengeful business person.  In spite of the tantrum she had displayed he knew better than to dismiss her as weak or harmless. 

     Miyan moved a step closer to him, staring her look of death into his eyes, and he gulped nervously as he waited to see what she would do. 

     Then she raised her hand, as if preparing to strike him, and Jasper steeled himself for the blow. 

     Miyan swung her hand at him, but rather than smacking his face, as Jasper thought she meant to do, her hand caught Jasper by the back of the neck, and she pulled him up against her, pressing her mouth to his and kissing him deeply in a most maleizing fashion. 

     For a time, Jasper struggled and mumbled his protestations as Miyan’s clawed hand held him in such a way that he could not pull away without hurting himself.  Then, when she was satisfied that his humiliation was complete, Miyan released him. 

     Instantly Jasper stumbled back away from her, uttering sounds of extreme disgust while trying to free his mouth of the offensive taste.  “Ugh!  Yuck!  Pethsss!  Girl kisses!  Oh, Goddess!”

     Miyan put a hand to her mouth to hide her amusement as Jasper stumbled back to the bar and downed the rest of his drink, trying to wash his mouth free of the lingering traces of her kiss.  But before long she burst out laughing - a maniacal, vengeful laugh. 

     “Oh, yeah,” laughed Miyan, with proud defiance.  “I’m back.”

     With mischievous skips, Miyan danced over to the bar and stood behind it, staring down at Jasper with satisfaction. 

     “I do so love revenge,” said Miyan, happily.  “Have I destroyed you the way you almost destroyed me?”

     “Oh, you’ve destroyed something, alright,” said Jasper, distastefully.  “I just hope you don’t regret it later.”

     “And just what is that supposed to mean?” asked Miyan, seeming hungry for a challenge. 

     “Never mind,” said Jasper, looking away from her.  “Just don’t ever do anything like that again.”

     “Hey,” said Miyan, putting a hand on his shoulder.  “We’re even.  Let’s just forget it.”

     “Can you?” he asked. 

     Miyan paused a moment to saver the taste of Jasper’s mouth that still lingered.  Then she giggled slightly and said, “You know, I wanted to do that all night.”

     “I know you did,” said Jasper, in a tone of sad reluctance that Miyan found quite mystifying.  “But you must never do it again.  Never get the idea in your head that you can make me love you.  Because I just can’t.”

     “Just married to sports, aren’t you?” said Miyan. 

     “Yeah, sports,” said Jasper, as if sports was the last thing on his mind at that moment. 

     “Ah hem,” came Perry’s voice from the telephone. 

     Miyan walked over to the coffee table and picked up the phone.  She switched off the speaker and put the phone to her ear. 

     “Hey, former boss,” she said, in her regular voice. 

     “Are you going to be alright now?” asked Perry. 

     “Oh, I think I’ll live,” said Miyan.  “But I’ll have to stop by the hospital and have something done about my purring.”

     “Oh, Miyan, don’t do that,” said Perry, emotionally.  “I love your purr.  Please don’t destroy it.”

     “What do you care?” asked Miyan.  “You’re never going to sleep with me again.”

     “Ouch,” said Perry, emotionally.  “What a lovely thought to begin my day with.”

     “I’m sorry, I guess that was uncalled for,” Miyan apologized.  “Hey Perry, do you think Kacey has told Christine what a hypocrite I am?”

     “Kacey would never say a bad word about you,” Perry assured her.  “But then, such things are rather transparent to Christine.  Much more so than they are to us.”

     “Do you think Christine would tell me to be proud that I purr?” she asked. 

     “I think Christine would tell you the same thing I’m going to tell you,” said Perry.  “You’re purring doesn’t change who you are.  And knowing that you purr can only make you a better person by inspiring you to be more tolerant of the imperfections of others.  I can also tell you that the process for doing away with your purr will be extremely painful.  Felines who have it done often suffer negative side effects.  I really think it’s not worth so much pain to do away with something that so many people find beautiful about you.”

     “Maybe Christine can help me accept it,” said Miyan.  “Besides, if it’s all over town what difference does it make?”

     “It’s not all over town,” Perry assured her.  “Only your regulars and the girls at the office know, and none of them are telling.”

     “Alright,” said Miyan, in a tone of reassurance.  “I guess I should let you get back to sleep now.”

     “Oh, one thing first,” said Perry.  “I expect I may oversleep today.  So could we postpone our meeting until lunchtime?”

     “Suits me fine,” said Miyan. 

     “Herb Nagle’s Café at noon then?” Perry suggested. 

     “See you there, former boss,” said Miyan.  Then she closed the cell phone. 

     “Look, Miyan,” said Jasper, petulantly.  “I really am sorry.”

     “Don’t be,” said Miyan.  “You told me something even my best friends wouldn’t tell me.  I should be grateful.  I’m the one who should apologize for the scene I made.”

     “You know, it’s not such a terrible affliction,” said Jasper.  “At least you can control it while you’re awake.  It’s not anything like Kacey’s problem.”

     “Oh, but it is, Jasper,” said Miyan.  “Christine was right.  I live in constant denial of my reality.  She told me to my face that I was a Siamese cat girl, and I denied it.”

     “And what does that mean?” said Jasper dismissively.  “Sure, we’re all part animal.  But the common denominator in our species is the human factor.  And you’re about as human a cat girl as I ever saw.”

     “Gee, thanks,” said Miyan, with sarcastic distaste.  “You know, it’s a darn shame.  I was really getting to like you.”

     “You mean you’re not attracted to me anymore?” he asked, hopefully. 

     “I’m not attracted to people who devastate my life,” said Miyan.  “As much as I appreciate your honesty, it’ll be hard to forget you’re the one who shattered my illusion of human perfection.”

     “Then it’s all for the best,” said Jasper, thoughtfully.  “You’re so much safer if you have a reason not to be attracted to me.”

     Jasper got up and went into the bathroom.  After a few minutes he had put the place back in shape so that Miyan could get ready for work. 

     She thanked him for the effort, but he dismissed it.  Then he sat down in the living area to wait for Miyan to get ready to leave. 

* * * * *

     After closing his cell phone and replacing it in his carrying bag, Perry wearily walked back to his bed, looking sad. 

     “What’s the matter, dear?” asked Lappina, seeming quite the devoted spouse.  “Your friends getting you down?”

     Perry shrugged half heartedly and said, “In times like these you’d think the two smartest people I know would have better things to do than act like irresponsible kids.”

     “You’re worried about them,” Lappina observed.  “Don’t you think they can take care of themselves?”

     “Sometimes I wonder,” said Perry.  “If we knew what we were up against, I might know better how to protect them.”

     “But is that really you’re job?” asked Lappina. 

     “Of course it is,” said Perry.  “They’re both in danger because of me.”

     “Don’t you mean because of me? ” asked Lappina.  “Aren’t I the source of all your troubles?  Aren’t I the one you need Miyan to keep from getting a hold of your business?”

     Perry got back into bed and snuggled up beside Lappina.  Then he said, “As long as you don’t have control of my business, or Suburbia, our happiness is assured.  I can provide a life for you and our child better than you ever hoped for.  But if you should assume too great a position of power, I’d have to constantly worry about what forces were being brought to bear on you, or who might try to gain control through you.”

     “I can’t imagine who you’re talking about,” said Lappina, innocently. 

     “Oh, yes you can,” said Perry, knowingly.  “You know more about what’s going on than anybody else.  You’re in this conspiracy right up to your floppy ears.  But I love you, and I want to have a life with you.  I don’t fancy being murdered the day after our wedding.”

     “Perry, you must know I wouldn’t do that,” said Lappina, earnestly.  “Our lives are tied to yours.  There’s no benefit to me in your dying.”

     “Then who is it, Lappi?” asked Perry.  “Who burned down Vicki’s house?  Who’s trying to frame Miyan?  Who do you suspect?  Who in your background would benefit if you became Queen Of Suburbia?”

     “The only person who could have benefited is dead,” said Lappina.  “So, unless you believe in ghosts .  .  .”

     “And nobody else knew of your plan?” asked Perry. 

     “Geraldo was very secretive about it,” said Lappina.  “He was afraid his family would try to cut in and mess things up.”

     “But he thought he could count on you,” said Perry, reflectively. 

     “Perry, don’t think about me that way,” Lappina pleaded, emotionally.  “That was Noir.  Geraldo didn’t understand, but he was asking me to do the impossible.  I couldn’t have come here and spent all this time getting attached to you and then kill you.  Baby would never have let me do it.”

     “And you’re sure he’s dead?” asked Perry. 

     “Are you kidding?” said Lappina.  “I fried him good.”

     “And you never loved him?” asked Perry. 

     “How do you not love the guy who made you hear bells?” said Lappina, regretfully.  “Of course I loved him.  Killing Geraldo was the hardest thing I ever had to do, and you owe me for that.  You owe it to me to take his place.  You owe me your trust and undying loyalty.  It upsets me to think that you suspect me.”

     “Hush, Lappi,” said Perry, reassuringly.  “I don’t suspect you of meaning me harm.  But there’s someone else out there.  Someone whose motives I can’t even begin to guess at.  And somehow, you are crucial to that person’s plans.”

* * * * *

     Once Miyan was ready to go, Jasper resumed his role of dutiful, over precautious bodyguard. 

     On their way down in the elevator, Miyan asked him, “You think Saint Saffron will be waiting for me in the parking level?”

     “No,” said Jasper, in a matter of fact tone.  “That wouldn’t be her style.  I hear she likes to catch criminals in the act when she kills them.  Or, at least catch them with the evidence.  The time for you to have been worried about Saint Saffron was last night while you were carrying those insurance papers around.  Oh, by the way, you aren’t carrying any incriminating evidence on you today, are you?”

     “Jasper, you do believe I’m innocent, don’t you?” she asked, pleadingly. 

     “I’m still reserving judgment,” said Jasper, emotionlessly.  “I’ve yet to see any convincing evidence of your guilt.  But I don’t suspect you any less than the others.  Do I have a reason to?”

     “I thought .  .  .  maybe you might have gotten to know me a little better last night,” said Miyan. 

     “I’m sorry, Miyan,” said Jasper.  “The only thing I’ve picked up about you is that you’re a lot more unstable than I anticipated.  And that does not work in your favor as far as my suspicions go.”

     “I did make a fool of myself this morning, didn’t I?” she said, regretfully. 

     “Well, at least you got in some practice screaming,” said Jasper, his mood lightening a little. 

     “Heh, you know, a thought just occurred to me,” said Miyan, wistfully.  “I’ve slept with some of the most powerful males in Suburbia’s business world.  Everyone of them has the goods on me, yet they’ve never tried to blackmail me.  It couldn’t possibly be that they all love me, could it?”

     “Oooh, somebody wants their ego stroked,” said Jasper, with a slight laugh.  “I think it’s more likely they’re scared to death of what you’d do in retaliation.”

     “Yeah,” said Miyan, as if savoring a fantasy.  “I’d just kill anyone who did that to me.”

     “I don’t doubt it for a minute,” said Jasper, casually. 

     As the elevator came to the parking level, Jasper told Miyan to stand to the side while the doors opened. 

     Looking out, he observed that the parking level was filled with sound and motion, in contrast to the quiet that had prevailed when they had been there before.  It was morning rush hour - the time when a great many of The Hergest’s residents were on their way to work.  And the enclosed parking area greatly magnified the sounds of myriad conversations, car engines, car tires rolling across the pavement, and even the sound of a car radio or two. 

     This level of enclosed noise was quite uncomfortable for Jasper’s sensitive feline hearing.  It was not the kind of place any type of Cygnesian would want to linger in for very long.  Plus, the noise would make it much more difficult for Jasper to detect approaching danger.  But then, with people around, the parking level was no longer such an ideal place for an attack. 

     Jasper took Miyan’s arm and held her close beside him as they exited the elevator and began walking towards Miyan’s parking space. 

     At first, all seemed as usual, until they came in sight of Miyan’s car.  Then they saw that there were people all around it - people with cameras and microphones. 

     “Looks like someone tipped the press off to the graffiti,” said Jasper.  “I didn’t expect it would draw so much attention this fast.  Not unless .  .  .”

     “Unless what?” asked Miyan. 

     “Unless the person who drew it tipped them off,” said Jasper.  “Which would mean this is some kind of publicity stunt, rather than a terror tactic.”

     “Does that make a big difference?” asked Miyan.  “Either way it pushes me one step closer to being executed.”

     “Oh, come on,” said Jasper, confidently.  “It’s just graffiti.  It doesn’t prove anything.”

     “If you say so,” she said, doubtfully. 

     “I do,” he said, emphatically.  “Now look, we’ve got to wade into those reporters to get to your car.  Do yourself a favor.  Cling to my arm and don’t say a word.  Let me do all the talking.”

     Miyan gripped his arm tightly - tight enough for him to feel all the fear Miyan was doing her best to suppress.  And together they walked towards the reporters. 

     As the reporters saw them coming, a barrage of flashbulbs and camera lights assailed them. 

     “Hey, do you mind,” said Jasper, indignantly.  “I usually get paid for photo shoots.”

     The reporters seemed surprised to see Jasper with Miyan, and they rushed to surround the two felines, thrusting their microphones at them. 

     “Aren’t you Jasper Phillips?” asked one of the reporters. 

     “Oh, come on,” said Jasper, nonchalantly.  “Have I changed that much since yesterday?”

     “What’s your relationship to Miss Rutherford?” asked another reporter. 

     “Well, you know,” said Jasper, dragging his words out suggestively, “A guy’s gotta settle down sometime.”

     Miyan looked at him quizzically, and he gave her a wink to silence her question. 

     “You don’t mean to say you’re getting married?” said another reporter. 

     “No, I don’t mean to say that,” said Jasper, evasively.  “I don’t mean to say that at all.  At least, not at this time.”

     “Miss Rutherford, do you have any comment about the graffiti over your parking space?” asked one of the reporters. 

     “Miss Rutherford isn’t feeling well this morning,” said Jasper.  “Bit of a soar throat.  And don’t worry about the graffiti.  It’s just one of our friends playing a private joke on us.”

     “Pretty poor taste don’t you think?” said one of the reporters.  “Especially considering the press release from G.  G.  & F.  this morning.”

     Miyan’s heart jumped into her throat at these words, and Jasper as well was hard put to hide his surprise. 

     “Sorry, folks,” said Jasper, striving to maintain his cool.  “I guess we forgot to watch the news this morning.  What’s all this about G.  G.  & F.?”

     “G.  G.  & F.  has filed suit against Rhoades Instruments for insurance fraud,” a reporter informed him.  “It seems they have reason to suspect Miss Rutherford of torching Vicki Anderson’s house.”

     “Well, that seems rather premature of them,” said Jasper, dismissing the allegation with much more ease than Miyan would have been able to show at that moment.  “As I understand it, that crime’s already been confessed to.  And of course you know Vicki Anderson is a very dear friend of mine.  I certainly wouldn’t feel kindly to anyone who’d done her harm.”

     Jasper gave Miyan a pretentiously affectionate glance to emphasize his point.  Then he began towing her towards the car again - the reporters knowing better than to block his way and parting to let them pass. 

     “Miss Rutherford,” called one of the reporters after them.  “How do you feel about being marked for death by Saint Saffron?”

     Miyan literally choked on her own fear and coughed loudly. 

     “There, you see?” said Jasper, reprovingly to the reporters.  “I told you she was sick.  And the graffiti is just a gag.  Saint Saffron is not after Miyan.  Now will you please leave us alone?”

     The reporters were loathed to let it go at that, but they knew better than to get on Jasper’s bad side.  Unlike Perry, Jasper had no need to call for assistance in repelling reporters who made a nuisance of themselves.  And not one of them fancied being on the receiving end of one of his mighty gold medal winning blows. 

     Jasper and Miyan got into the car and drove away, leaving the reporters staring after them.  And once they had exited the building, the reporters turned their attention back to the wall, taking several more photographs of the graffiti.  Apparently the story was just too good to dismiss on Jasper’s say so.  It wasn’t every day they got a chance to key Suburbia up for a visit from Noir’s most notorious vigilante. 

     Miyan was not very talkative as she drove the car out of the parking level and into early morning traffic.  Jasper sat beside her in the front seat, feeling the mixed vibrations she gave off.  Part of her remained disturbed with an unaccustomed sense of insecurity.  The rest of her desperately wanted to put all these irregular fears behind her so she could get on with her daily business routine. 

     Finally she looked at him and said, “Do you have any opinions?”

     “About the lawsuit?” he asked.  “You’re the business lady.  I think I’ll let you worry about that.”

     “Oh, gee, thanks,” said Miyan, sarcastically, rolling her eyes.  “Well, if you’re not going to talk to me, turn on the radio.  Maybe some music will improve my mood.”

     Jasper gave a slight shrug and reached for the radio dial.  Then he tuned through the stations looking for something that struck his fancy.  Finally he stopped on a Noirnian jazz station that was playing “Melancholy Rhapsody.”

     To Miyan this seemed like a funeral dirge, and she was just about to chide him for being worse than unhelpful, when she noticed how strongly Jasper was being effected by the music. 

     “I never figured you for the Noirnian music type,” Miyan remarked. 

     “I like jazz,” said Jasper, blankly. 

     “Jasper?” asked Miyan, with concern.  “Where has your mind gone?  You act like you’ve been hypnotized.”

     “I’ve forgotten something,” said Jasper, in a far away tone.  “There’s something I should do today.  If only I could remember.”

     “Something besides being my bodyguard?” she queried. 

     “I’m being silly,” said Jasper, struggling to dismiss the feeling that had come over him.  “I must have heard this tune somewhere before.  I just can’t place it.”

     Jasper snapped off the radio, as if to shut the strange thoughts out of his mind. 

     “Maybe it reminds you of a loved one you’ve lost,” Miyan suggested.  But Jasper only looked at her strangely. 

     “I can do without the driver’s seat psychoanalyzing,” he said, unappreciatively.  “Besides, a guy like me has no loved ones to lose.”

     “I think a guy like you is a total nut job,” said Miyan, as she turned the radio back on and tuned the dial to a talk station. 

     “Stock reports,” said Miyan.  “That’s what I need.”

     Jasper and Miyan focused their attention on the radio as it gave the weather and traffic reports before beginning the financial news. 

     For a time Miyan seemed to be relaxing and slipping back into her business groove.  But then the radio announcer read that Rhoades Instruments stock had fallen 15 points.  And Miyan felt such a spasm of anxiety that she slammed on the break, and the car screeched to a halt. 

     The car following behind swerved quickly into the next lane with a loud squealing of tires to avoid rear ending Miyan.  And, as they passed, the occupants of that car shouted the rudest comments that Suburbian etiquette would allow. 

     “Are you alright?” asked Jasper, finally showing some concern. 

     “No, I’m not alright!” Miyan exclaimed, as she urged the car back into motion.  “All this and I haven’t even gotten to the office yet.  Dear Goddess, could this day possibly get any worse?”

     “Uh, well .  .  .” said Jasper, wary that this would be the worst possible time to say the wrong thing.  “Maybe the worst is over.”

     “Maybe?” she asked, incredulously.  “Can I have you replaced with a helpful companion?”

     Miyan pulled into the parking lot of The Rhoades Instruments Building and drove to her reserved parking space. 

     Jasper did not bother responding to her comment.  Instead he turned his attention to surveying the parking lot for potential danger. 

     After enduring more of what Miyan regarded as needless over precautions, Jasper got her inside the building, and they took the elevator up to the main office. 

     “Is there something wrong, Miyan,” asked Jasper, as he rode beside her in the elevator, noting that she seemed to be contemplating something. 

     “The girl at the security desk downstairs gave me a funny look,” said Miyan. 

     “Is that unusual?” he asked. 

     “Yes, actually, it is,” said Miyan.  “But that’s not the only thing.  There’s a very unwelcoming vibration in this building today.”

     “You think the building doesn’t like you anymore?” he teased her. 

     “Don’t be facetious,” she said, anxiously.  “Haven’t you ever just had a sense that you were walking head on into adversity?”

     “Yeah,” said Jasper.  “Especially when I’ve been treading through it ever since I got up.”

     “You think I’m just imagining it?” she asked, hopefully.  “It’s just that I’m still reeling from the earlier shocks?”

     “Unfortunately, no,” said Jasper, reluctantly.  “You’re not imagining it.  I feel it too.  There’s a great feeling of anxiety in this building.  It’s almost like the building itself was projecting distress.”

     “Everyone must know about the stock fall,” said Miyan.  “A 15 point stock fall means cut-backs, wage cuts, lay-offs.  And guess who everybody’s got to look to for the bad news.”

     The elevator stopped and the door opened.  But Miyan hesitated to step out, and she looked at Jasper expectantly. 

     “You’re the boss here now,” said Jasper.  “You don’t need anybody’s permission to take another day off - if that’s what you really want to do.”

     “That’s not what I want to do,” said Miyan, steeling her determination.  “I have to save this company.”

     Miyan stepped out of the elevator, and Jasper followed her across the hall to an office door, which had printed on the opaque glass, “Rhoades Instruments Main Office.”

     From inside they could hear the sound of chatter, as the various employees went about setting up their day’s work.  But, as Miyan opened the door and stepped inside, the place became silent, and all eyes turned on her, collectively radiating a feeling of uncertain fear. 

     “Good morning, everyone,” said Miyan, trying to radiate her usual self confidence. 

     “Good morning, boss,” came the collective reply, displaying a disheartening mixture of fear and contempt. 

     “My goodness,” said Miyan, attempting to seem oblivious to any cause for this radical dive in the morale of her workers.  “Why do you all seem so down?  I know our stock has dropped a few points, but that’s nothing we can’t recover from.  With all of you to help I’m sure I can get this company back up to speed.”

     The workers made no response.  They simply stared at Miyan, as though terrified of her.  Some were even visibly trembling. 

     “I don’t understand,” said Miyan, as she cast her eyes about the room, seeming completely mystified.  “Why do you all look so afraid?”

     Still there was no response, but Miyan noticed several eyes drifting towards Kacey’s empty desk. 

     “Oh, I get it,” said Miyan, anger gradually creeping into her voice.  “You think I had something to do with what happened to Kacey.  You heard some unsubstantiated rumors on the news this morning, and now you think I’m some kind of killer.”

     The atmosphere of fear in the office only seemed to be heightened by this. 

     “Silly me,” said Miyan, in a tone that was not unthreatening.  “And here I thought all of you were my friends.  I thought you knew me better, and would believe in me.  It seems I was wrong about that.  I may have to re-evaluate my assessment of this company.”

     Fearfully the workers broke their silence, calling out that they believed in Miyan, but seeming more like they were entreating her for pity than offering a gesture of confidence. 

     “Stop it!” shouted Miyan, once again silencing the workers, and displaying progressively more angry determination as she spoke.  “You’re my employees.  I want you to respect me - not live in dread of me.  But I will not beg you for your understanding.  I know there are some awful rumors going around about me.  I’ll ask you just this once not to believe them.  This is my business, and I won’t be treated with animosity by my employees.  If any of you feel like putting these rumors before your jobs, feel free to hand in your resignations.  After all, this isn’t Perry’s private harem anymore.  There’s not one of you I can’t replace with someone more qualified.  Now, I’m going to my office and get to work.  You all know your jobs.  Do them.”

     And with that Miyan strode haughtily through the office workers and made her way to her private office - the one which had previously belonged to Perry. 

     Jasper followed her inside and closed the door behind him. 

     “Yo, Miyan,” he said, in a shocked tone.  “What was up with the dragon lady routine?”

     “I can’t do business in an atmosphere like this,” Miyan sighed as she sat down at her desk.  “I am the CEO of this company, and even if I can’t have the love of my employees, I will have the respect that’s due me.  Now do me a favor and go sit in a corner or something.  I have a mess to sort out.”

     “Anything you say, boss lady,” said Jasper, distastefully, as he took a seat in a corner of the room and began to peruse a magazine he’d found, apparently happy to be ignored by Miyan. 

     Miyan, accustomed to being the boss’s secretary, now found herself doing both Perry’s work and the work she had always done.  This caused her to have to get up quite often and look for files in various file cabinets, and eventually she began to realize how annoying this was.  The former secretary was now in need of her own secretary.  And she wrote selecting someone to promote to that position down on the list of things to do that she was scribbling on her memo pad. 

     A short time later, there was a soft rapping at the door. 

     “Come,” said Miyan, without looking up from her work. 

     A timid looking porcupine girl entered Miyan’s office and approached Miyan’s desk, pausing briefly to cast a glance of recognition at Jasper, as if to acknowledge an old friend. 

     Jasper smiled at her - an affectionate smile that he reserved only for those he felt some familial connection to. 

     “Miss Peterson, have you finished your project?” asked Miyan. 

     “Yes, Miss Rutherford,” said the porcupine girl, her voice seeming subdued by emotion, as she laid a folder on Miyan’s desk. 

     Miyan saw that the demeanor of this employee was out of the ordinary.  She seemed afraid.  And, as much as Miyan wanted to be angry about this, it was breaking her heart. 

     “You, too, Miss Peterson?” asked Miyan, hurtfully. 

     “Oh, no, boss,” said the porcupine girl, sincerely.  “I know you would never do what they’re saying you did.”

     Miyan believed her, but seeing that the porcupine girl remained extremely nervous, Miyan assumed there must be some other reason.  So she quickly picked up the folder the girl had brought and perused it. 

     “This is excellent work, Miss Peterson,” said Miyan, eventually.  “Why do you seem so nervous?  You should be proud of yourself.”

     “It’s because I have to do something hard,” said the porcupine girl, sadly.  And with that she reached into her carrying bag and produced a small white envelop which she handed to Miyan. 

     “What is this?” asked Miyan, with nervous uncertainty. 

     “It’s my letter of resignation,” said the porcupine girl, sadly. 

     “You’re leaving us?” asked Miyan, seeming shocked.  “But you’re one of Mr. Rhoades’ oldest and dearest friends.  I’d have thought you of all people would want to help me keep his dream alive.  Are you sure this has nothing to do with those stupid rumors?”

     “Of course it doesn’t,” said Miss Peterson.  “I don’t believe for a minute that you would hurt Kacey, or any of us.  It’s just .  .  .  I’ve been offered a better job.”

     “A better job?” asked Miyan, incredulously.  “Miss Peterson, this company pays its employees a gratuitously high wage.  My predecessor was unreasonably generous in that respect.  But I have no intension of doing things any differently.  If you’re worried that I’ll cut your salary .  .  .”

     “No, Miss Rutherford, I know you wouldn’t do that,” said Miss Peterson.  “It’s just that I really have been offered a job with higher pay.  Here, let me show you.”

     The porcupine girl produced another letter from her carrying bag and handed it to Miyan. 

     Miyan scanned the letter rapidly with a look of extreme anger quickly overcoming her face. 

     “This is ridiculous!” said Miyan, as she angrily slammed her hands down on her desk.  “How can Montgomery Technical offer such a high wage?”

     “I don’t know, Miss Rutherford,” said the porcupine girl, apologetically.  “But I’ve had some rather high expenses recently.  I can’t afford to turn down the increase in income.”

     “Miss Peterson,” asked Miyan.  “Do you think everyone in the office got one of these?”

     “Yes, Miss Rutherford,” said Miss Peterson.  “That’s what we were all talking about before you came in.”

     “Damn that Blair Montgomery,” Miyan spat angrily as she stood up and went to the window to gaze out at the rival factory.  “He’s trying to ruin my business before I even get started.”

     “Please, Miss Rutherford,” said Miss Peterson, seeming shocked at Miyan’s language.  “Mr. Montgomery is an old friend of mine, and of Mr. Rhoades.”

     “Mine, too,” Jasper interjected.  “He was a member of The Green Meadowlands Gang.  One of the leaders, in fact.”

     “Then why is he trying to destroy Rhoades Instruments?” Miyan demanded. 

     “What makes you so sure that’s what he’s up to?” asked Jasper, doubtfully. 

     “What else could this be about at a time like this?” asked Miyan, anxiously.  “He knows this company is going through a difficult period of transition.  Why else would he be trying to steal my employees away by offering ridiculous wages that he knows I can’t compete with?”

     “May I see the letter?” asked Jasper, getting up and approaching Miyan’s desk. 

     Miyan handed the letter to him and Jasper perused it, thoughtfully. 

     Eventually he said, “You’re right.  These wages are ridiculous.  He’d bankrupt himself within a year if he paid his employees this much.”

     Then he turned to the porcupine girl and said, “Patty, I advise you not to take Blair’s offer.  This looks like a sucker ploy to me.  He’ll strip this company of its workers by offering higher pay, and as soon as Rhodes Instruments goes under he’ll bust you all down to a pittance.”

     “But Blair wouldn’t do that,” Miss Peterson protested.  “He was always so honest.  You remember, don’t you, Jasper?”

     “I remember Blair Montgomery, alright,” said Jasper.  “He did have a slight obsession with fairness.  But he had a greater determination for success, and a tendency to be jealous of anyone who had something he couldn’t obtain.”

     “What do you mean by that?” asked Miyan, curiously. 

     “Never mind,” said Jasper.  “It’s not something I’m at liberty to talk about - not unless I know for sure Blair is up to no good.”

     “Some of the girls in the office think he’s doing this for Perry’s sake,” said Miss Peterson, timidly. 

     “I beg your pardon?” said Miyan, indignantly. 

     “Please, Miss Rutherford,” said Miss Peterson, with trepidation.  “I don’t believe it myself.  But some of the girls were saying they think Blair is worried about you taking over the most powerful production plant in this part of the world.  You being under suspicion for the fire, and being from Webberton and all.”

     Miyan grimaced and growled in a surprisingly inhuman fashion.  Then she picked up a water glass off her desk and hurled it at the wall, shattering it loudly, so that Miss Peterson was greatly unnerved. 

     Then Miyan picked up Miss Peterson’s letter of resignation and tore it to shreds. 

     “Your resignation,” said Miyan, in a tone of angry finality.  “Is not accepted.  I am going to promote you.  I need a secretary.  The job is yours if you’ll take it.  And I’ll pay you the amount you were offered.  Just don’t desert the company.”

     “Miyan, your playing into his hands,” said Jasper.  “You can’t afford to pay your employees that much any more than Blair can.  If you do this for Patty, all the other girls will expect the same consideration.  This company will go under in no time.”

     “What a masterful ploy,” said Miyan, vindictively, as she returned her gaze out the window.  “I wish I’d have thought of it.  It would be quite a feather in my business cap to take down Montgomery Technical.  This is what I get for letting the sentimentality of my predecessor carry me away.  You have to be ruthless to survive in big business.  And if Blair Montgomery wants to test me, I’ll show him just how ruthless I can be.”