The White Angel Page #2

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DEZERAE sits behind her desk. She is a woman in her fifties, but she

looks like she has spent most of those fifty years in a sand storm! She

has jet black hair, nicotine fingers and lashings of christian dior

make-up. She's wearing jewellery and clothes more befitting an Indian

Princess...

She looks up from her photos at CARTER, her bifocal glasses perched on

her nose - she may be a relic, but she's as sharp as razors and hard as

nails.

She holds up two photos of a semi nude girl -

DEZERAE:

Which do you think is her best shot...

CARTER:

The one on the left - definitely...

DEZERAE:

Don't give me sh*t - what do you want?

CARTER walks further into the room.

CARTER:

I've got a tenant coming over later -

can I take the afternoon off?

DEZERAE:

As long as you get the HACKSAW piece

done by FRIDAY...(Pressing) FRIDAY?

CARTER nods. DEZERAE points at the paper in CARTERs hand. CARTER passes

it over and DEZERAE studies it...

(CONTINUED)

15 CONTINUED:

DEZERAE:

Good - but change 'I killed for love' to

'I killed for sex'

CARTER begins to object,

CARTER:

That's not technically accurate -

SIMPSONS murders weren't sexually

motivated.

DEZERAE:

You know that circulation is down for

three months in a row.

CARTER:

I heard something like that

DEZERAE:

Then it's going to be 'I killed for

sex'... Listen darling, why won't you

let us use your real name for the

features - if people knew that it was

the ELLEN CARTER writing the features

and not just some pseudonym - then we

might shift more units. You haven't

written anything in four years darling -

I know you need this job - and if

circulation keeps dropping, there's not

going to be a magazine for you to write

for...

CARTER is about to object when DEZERAE cuts in again - this woman

really knows how to run her ship.

DEZERAE:

I don't want to hear it...Now get out -

I've got deadlines

CARTER smiles at DEZERAE's abrupt manner - stands and prepares to

leave... DEZERAE is back at work - choosing between the two photos.

CARTER:

(Smiling) I wouldn't choose either...

CARTER leaves.

16 INT DAY OFFICES - CARTER walks from DEZERAE's office - and over to

SALLY'S desk. LANCE is STILL trying. ANDY the office worker appears and

passes her the photocopy and photograph...

ANDY:

I thought it might look better enlarged!

CARTER takes it and smiles - it sure does. We see the bright picture of

LANCE ogling over SALLY, his hand firmly lodged on her inner thigh -

and from SALLY'S expression, she doesn't like it.

CARTER passes the sheet to SALLY with her filofax.

CARTER:

Could you fax this to this number as

quickly as possible.

SALLY takes the sheet, and smiles when she looks at it. She turns round

and inserts it into the fax machine, dialling a number from CARTERS

filofax. SALLY turns round confidently looking at LANCE.

CARTER holds out the polaroid photo...

CARTER:

It's the photo I have just faxed to your

wife...

LANCE snatches it...

LANCE:

What!?

He looks round, the photo clearly coming out of the fax machine. There

is a calling from the other side of the office as another WORKER shouts

out...

WORKER:

LANCE - Your wife is on line 3!

CARTER drops her cigarette in LANCES mug -

CARTER:

Send her my love...

17 EXT DAY 66 ACACIA AVENUE - CARTER screeches into her drive in her car,

glances at her watch and jumps out. She hurriedly runs to the door -

CARTER:

(Under breath) Please be in and have

tidied the house...

(CONTINUED)

17 CONTINUED:

She rings the doorbell but no-one answers. She begins rummaging in her

handbag and retrieves her keys. She opens the door as a girl on a bike

comes tearing round the corner and into the drive. It is MIK - young

and athletic with long flowing red hair - she works as a despatch

rider. She screaches to a halt and leaps from her mountain bike.

CARTER:

I thought you said you could get the

afternoon off to tidy the house!

Hurriedly they enter - CARTER shutting the door behind...MIK walks into

the KITCHEN calling out...

MIK:

I'm sorry, I couldn't - when is she due?

CARTER:

(Tidying hallway) At 2.00...

MIK looks at her watch and GRIMACES - suddenly the doorbell rings and

both girls look round...

MIK:

(Whispering) You didn't tell me her

name.

They walk to then door...

CARTER:

LESLIE...

The door swings open to reveal a small, business like man, average and

well dressed with piercing eyes. He turns and extends his arm...

STECKLER:

STECKLER...LESLIE STECKLER.

18 INT DAY BEDROOM - STECKLER is looking round at an empty room. It seems

good for him. MIK and CARTER stand in the background. CARTER is

obviously uneasy about something.

STECKLER turns round, smiling...

STECKLER:

I like it...

CARTER steps forward,

(CONTINUED)

18 CONTINUED:

CARTER:

You see MR STECKLER, er, I think that we

may have wasted your time. (Laughs

awkwardly) I don't know why I didn't say

something earlier - It's just that we're

looking for a girl...The advert was for

a girl.

STECKLER seems shocked - he pulls a paper from under his arm and opens

it...A large red circle rings a small ad

STECKLER:

Well - the ad just said third

person...(Awkwardly) It must have been a

printing error.

He shows CARTER the ad, which does indeed say 'Third Person...' CARTER

looks at MIK who returns a don't look at my face.

STECKLER:

It doesn't mention 'females only'

CARTER:

I really don't know what to say

STECKLER seems depressed, but still maintains a polite attitude.

STECKLER:

I'm really very sorry - I was banking on

this coming through, because it's only

five minutes from my surgery...

MIK:

Surgery? Are you a doctor?

STECKLER:

No - a dentist

A professional, CARTER smiles - she is beginning to warm to this man.

STECKLER roots in his pockets pulling out some letters and his

wallet...A fly whizzes around his head, annoying him. He looks a little

nervous.

STECKLER:

I have all my references ready - and I

can pay the first month and deposit now.

It really is a glowing reference!

(CONTINUED)

18 CONTINUED (2):

STECKLER extends his arm with the letters of reference. CARTER takes

them and looks at the first as STECKLER opens his wallet and removes

some notes. A huge wad remains - this guy is loaded.

CARTER nods approvingly at the reference as STECKLER holds out the

money.

CARTER looks round to MIK -

CARTER:

MR STECKLER - would you excuse us for

one moment?

STECKLER nods his head to oblige

19 INT DAY KITCHEN - CARTER and MIK stand in the kitchen ,quietly

discussing. CARTER can see STECKLER in the LIVING ROOM through a crack

in the door. He is innocently looking out of the back garden window,

smiling approvingly.

CARTER:

Well, what do you think?

MIK:

I don't know - it's your house ELLEN

CARTER:

Yes - but you live here too - If it were

your house?

MIK:

I think he's fine - I don't know why you

have this thing about men - it would be

nice to have a guy in the house for a

change - I don't think he would hurt a

fly.

20 INT DAY LIVING ROOM - STECKLER slams a rolled up newspaper on the

window. He removes it to reveal a squashed fly.

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