Disclaimer: I do not own either the Ironside or the Perry Mason characters. They are the creation of Collier Young and Erle Stanley Gardner. All other characters were created to create this story. Nor is there any financial gain for this fanfiction.

BROTHERS IN ARMS

CHAPTER 1

Mark put on a pot of coffee to brew. Ed and Eve were working at separate tables on backed up cases. Chief Robert T. Ironside's office only saw the toughest of cases. As a consultant to Commissioner Dennis Randall and the San Francisco Police Department, he was handed the cases no one else was able to solve. Whenever the city council was in a panic over something it always landed in the lap of Robert Ironside. As a result, the caseload in his office was always heavy.

Fortunately, for Ironside he has chosen a very efficient staff. Never was it more apparent than the case his staff had just solved along with the help of his Los Angeles friends. Hamilton Burger, Paul Drake, Lt. Arthur Tragg and of course his brother Perry Mason and his secretary Della Street helped finally solve the drug ring that had been operating in San Francisco as well as Los Angeles and San Diego. Mason had successfully cleared Commissioner Randall of the murder of drug dealer, Jermaine Webb. Although they started out as two cases, they quickly became one.

After a long, dangerous and exhausting investigation and trial, Chief Ironside arrested one hundred and twenty six people. All had been indicted by the acting district attorney, Gary Sullivan. The biggest prize of the investigation had been Governor Dillon Delmont who was the brains behind the drug ring. Ironside arrested had him arrested and charged him with drug trafficking and the murder of more than a dozen people. The most personal to the chief was the murder of Lt. John Means who had given his life to stop a bullet meant for him. Two more major arrests Ironside made himself were District Attorney John Richards and his Detective Sergeant brother, Damon Richard. Damon Richards had been the real killer of Jermaine Webb and with his brother had framed the commissioner.

Mason and Ironside made a promise to one another to take some time off and go fishing together after the case was completed. That was six months ago. Mason had to delay the trip when a friend of Della's had been arrested for the murder of her husband. Mason stepped in and successfully defended the woman. One thing led to another and both of their caseloads had delayed their fishing trip.

Ironside had been thrown into a particularly gruesome serial killer case involving Jimmy Chard, a young man he had arrested a few years earlier for trying to kill him in his office/residence. Chard had escaped prison and went on a murderous campaign, calling himself the Moonlight Killer. In a dramatic conclusion, Ironside again stopped the young man in his office where Chard had again attempted to kill him.

The case was not without emotional strain as Barbara Jones had re-entered his life when her husband Vic disappeared in San Francisco. Ironside located Vic who had been abducted by Jimmy Chard. She and Ironside had vowed to be together after Barbara took some time away to deal with her daughters and the divorce. She had promised to contact him. That was a little less than six months ago and he had received only one phone call from her for which he was not in the office to accept. She had left no phone number for him to call. All he could do was wait.

"Chief, what time did you say Perry was flying in tomorrow?" Sgt. Ed Brown asked his boss.

The sound of his sergeant's voice brought Ironside back to the present. "He will be in tomorrow morning. You will need to be at the airport at nine o'clock to meet his flight from Los Angeles, Ed." Ironside poured his third cup of coffee in this still very young morning. "In the meantime let's get some work done."

The door opened and Commissioner Dennis Randall came into the office. "Good morning everyone," he said cheerfully. He looked at his friend and could see that his mood had not changed since the last time he had seen him. "Bob, I brought you the keys to my cabin. You and Perry should find everything you need. I called ahead and had it stocked with food and firewood. It gets little chilly up there this time of year so make sure you pack some warm clothes. You better warn Perry to do the same."

"Thanks, Dennis" Ironside took a sip of coffee. "Who in the blazes cleaned the coffee pot?" He complained while making a face.

"I did," Mark said. Chief, it has to be cleaned. Who knows what is growing inside that thing?"

Eve smiled. It always amazed her when the chief knew the coffee pot had been cleaned. He claimed the coffee had better flavor if you did not clean the pot. If some of his guest ever saw the inside of that pot at times, they would never drink another cup of coffee in the chief's office again.

"It gives it flavor. Leave my flaming coffee pot alone," Ironside roared.

Ed and Randall chuckled. Yes, the chief was in a typical...well Ironside mood.

"Do the rest of us have to die of a disease from that thing?" Mark complained.

Eve knew it was time to intervene or Mark and the chief would start a back and forth that would last all morning. "It won't take that long to return to it to its original condition, chief. Mark is just trying to keep it in half way decent condition."

Mark was not finish yet. "Its original condition is clean not as black as me."

Commissioner Randall almost spit his coffee across the room. "Alright gentlemen, I think it is time to pull rank on you. The subject of the coffee pot is closed. One thing is for sure someone around here could use a vacation."

"Would you please tell my boss that," Mark said.

"You have to earn vacation time," Ironside retorted.

Eve and Ed looked at one another and attempted to hold back a laugh. If anyone who did not know the chief and Mark was sitting in the room they would think the two men could not stand each other. Eve and Ed knew nothing could be further from the truth. Mark and the chief were as close friends as two men could possibly be. Close enough that both like getting under the other man's skin.

"When are you going to get some groceries in this place?" Ironside asked Mark.

"I just got groceries yesterday," Mark replied.

"Well you would never know it. It is 9:30 am and I have yet to see breakfast on the table," Ironside complained. "I was beginning to think we were out of food."

Mark got up out of his chair. "Breakfast coming right up, oh wise one."

Dennis smiled at the two men. "Hey Mark, any chance you could include me in that breakfast?"

"As long as a certain party doesn't mind," Mark said.

Ironside began going over current cases and barking orders at his staff. He presented them with a list of things he wanted investigated while he was gone.

Randall listen for a minute and interrupted his friend, "Bob, don't worry about things around here. Just relax and have a good time with Perry. The fishing is great up there. Better fish in the early afternoon. It is too chilly in the morning and the evening is worse. And Bob, take it easy on my lawyer, will you?"

xxxx

Perry continued reading through the briefs Della had prepared for him. He had to get these done today. He had to be on a plane to San Francisco. Perry was excited about spending some time with Bob. They had not really spent any time together that did not involve solving a murder. He would miss Della, of course but it would give her some time to spend with friends she neglected due to the demand of his job. When they were not working a case, they were usually together. Neither of them spent much time with anyone else expect Paul Drake who was always welcome, well almost always welcome.

He finished reading the briefs and pressed the intercom button. "Della, will you come in here please." Della entered his office and closed the door behind her. She leaned back on the door with both hands behind her, a pose that just drove Perry crazy. "These are fine Della. You can take care of them from here."

Della walked over to her boss and picked up his coffee cup. She headed over to the coffee pot, re-filled it, then carried it back and set it in front of Perry.

"Now if anything comes up that you need me for I am leaving the phone number at Dennis Randall's cabin. You will be able to reach me there. If any of our clients need immediate legal help ask Jim Morgan to handle it until I get back." Perry was about to say something else when Della placed a finger over his lips.

"Stop worrying about the office. We can handle whatever comes up. You just go with Robert and have a good time. I will not be bothering you with business. You need the rest, Perry. Just relax and enjoy yourself. Della pushed Perry's big comfortable chair back and slipped into his lap. She smiled at him and her lips met his. When they separated she said, "I know how much you have been looking forward to spending some down time with him. Everything thing here will be just fine."

Perry smiled. "I will miss you. What do you plan on doing while I am out in the wilderness with San Francisco's finest?"

"I have some friends I want to visit. Paul has offered to take me out to dinner in your place while you are gone," she grinned.

"Some friend he is, trying to steal my girl while I'm away," he laughed.

There was a knock on the door. Della hurriedly got up and sat on the edge of the desk, grabbing a note pad and pencil. "Come in," Perry called out.

Gertie was in the habit of waiting until the boss told her to come in. Before Della arrived on the scene, she would simply knock on the door and enter. Not anymore. Although Mr. Mason and Miss Street were very professional around her, they could not hide their feelings for one another in their eyes. Gertie never wanted to walk in on a private moment between them.

"Miss Street, there is a woman in the outer office. She is crying. Since you handle that kind of thing better than I do I thought you might want to talk to her," Gertie said.

"Find out what that is all about, will you Della?" Perry said. Della got up and headed out of the office.

Sitting in the outer office across from Gertie's desk, a blonde woman in her mid to late twenties was dabbing her red eyes with a handkerchief. Della approached her and asked," May I help you."

The woman stood up immediately, "I have to see Mr. Mason. I realize I do not have an appointment but I just have to see him."

Della knew she would have to keep this woman out of Perry's office. She really wanted him to get away and relax. "My name is Della Street," she said. I am Mr. Mason's confidential secretary. Mr. Mason is not available at the moment. Can I help you?" Della watched as the woman began to panic.

"You don't understand. I must see Mr. Mason. He is the only one that can help me." She started crying again. She allowed Della to guide her into her office to a chair next to her desk."

"Please tell me why you need to see him? I might be able to help you," Della said.

"I don't know where to start," she said as she continued to weep.

"Why don't you start by telling me who you are?" Della said.

"My name is Rose Dove. I moved here to Los Angeles two months ago. We had been living in New York City. Tony announced he wanted to move to California. I did not want to do it but I did not want to lose Tony either. He had become withdrawn and quiet. Every time I tried to talk to him, he refused to discuss it," she told Della.

"Do you know why he was so distance with you?" Della asked.

"I found out last month that his business trips to Las Vegas never took place. I began checking up on him and what I have found is frightening." She began to cry again.

Della handed her a tissue and poured her a glass of water. "What did you find out?" Della asked.

"He is planning on murdering a policeman," she cried.

Shocked at her revelation Della said, "Would you wait right here. Let me find out if Mr. Mason is available." Della left her sitting next to her desk while she went she went into Perry's office.

Perry looked up when the door opened. He saw the look on her face and started shaking his head. "I can't take on any new cases until I get back. I am not postponing my vacation with Bob again."

"I am not asking you to postpone your vacation, Perry but I think you should at least talk to this woman," Della said with urgency.

Perry knew Della well and could see that whomever this woman was she had had an effect on her. "Alright Della, bring her in."

Della left Perry's office. A minute later she returned with Rose Dove. "Rose, this is Mr. Mason."

Perry stood up and smiled. "Miss Dove, what can I do for you?"

Della told her to repeat what she had told her to Mason. Perry listened intently to her story. When she was finished he asked, "Do you have any idea who the police officer is and why he plans to kill him?"

"That is just it Mr. Mason, I simply do not know. I am scared. I cannot image what this police officer could have possibly done to make Tony want to kill him. Tony has always been a very gentle man. It does not make any sense," Rose said.

"Where is Tony right now?" Mason asked.

"I do not know. He left this morning. He told me he would be gone for about two weeks. He refused to tell me where he was going. I just did not know what to do. I have not been here in Los Angeles that long and I do not know hardly anyone. I read several articles about the trail you won in San Francisco defending the police commissioner there. I did not know who else to turn to." She began to cry again.

"What is Tony's last name?" Mason asked her.

"Castle," she answered.

"Della, call Paul and ask him to come in here," Perry instructed. Della reached for the phone and called Paul Drakes office. Moments later Paul's code knock sounded on the door. Della opened the door to let him in.

"Hello beautiful," Paul said with a smile. "Perry, you asked for me?"

"Miss Dove, this is Paul Drake. Mr. Drake is a private detective. Please repeat your story one more time for him." Rose Dove told Drake what she had shared with Della and Perry.

Paul looked at Perry and asked, "What is it you want me to do?"

Perry walked around to the front of his desk and sat on the edge of it. "Miss Dove, if you would like to leave me a retainer I will have Mr. Drake find Tony. He can keep an eye on him until I get back in town. Mr. Drake will make sure he stays out of trouble. When I come back, I will have a talk with him. We can determine what problem he has with the police officer."

"Oh thank you, Mr. Mason. I just did not know what to do." She reached in her purse and pulled out her checkbook. "Will a thousand dollars do for starters?" she asked.

"That will be fine," Mason said. He accepted her check and gave it Della. "Now I don't want you to worry. We will get to the bottom of this."

She thanked Perry one more time and then was escorted from the office by Della. When Della returned she asked her boss, "What do you think Perry?"

"I think we need to find out where this young man is and who the police officer he is planning on killing," Perry said. "Paul, find this man and put a tail on him. Find out if he is serious about going after this police officer. And find out who the officer is and why Tony Castle wants to kill him."

"Alright, Perry. How do I get in touch with you?" Paul asked.

"Della will know how and where to reach me," Perry answered. "By the way Della tells me you offered to entertain her while I am out of town."

Paul grinned. "You're the one leaving a beautiful woman behind to spend two weeks with a grumpy police detective. I thought I would keep her company while you are gone."

Perry laughed. "Just make sure you behave yourself."

Paul got up. He winked at Della. "Your place or mine, beautiful?"

Della chuckled. Perry pointed to the door, "OUT!" Paul left the office with a big smile on his face.

"What do you say we close up early? How does dinner and a cozy night at my place sound?" Perry said as he put his arm around Della's waist.

"Is that dinner out or are you cooking?" Della asked while she ran her finger down the lawyer's jaw.

"I'm cooking. I don't want to share you with anyone tonight," he said.

"In that case I accept. There is nothing on television tonight, though." Della ran her fingers though his hair.

"Oh, we'll think of something to do," Perry said as he teased her lips with his own before drawing her into a passionate kiss.

xxxxx

Tony Castle stood across the street from the San Francisco police department. He looked up to the fourth floor. He knew that is where Ironside lived. Tony was forced to wait. He could not get near Ironside at least not right now. He lived in a building that was full of cops. No, he could wait. Ironside was going on vacation with that lawyer from Los Angeles to Commissioner Randall's cabin up north. That was more to his liking. There would be no witnesses.

Ironside did not know it but his days were numbered.

xxxxx