Just a tender moment between Perry and Della. For Gratefully Dead.
Again I don't own the characters but am thankful that Erle Stanley Gardner created them and CBS put them on tv. I will return them unharmed from whence they came.
Chaos was the best word to describe the week that was slowly passing. Della had barely typed and filed the closing paper work on the MacDonald case when Stella Langford had come into the office to talk to Perry and it all went downhill from there.
Stella, a cool blonde with exquisite taste in clothes and legs that wouldn't quit had come to Perry Mason asking that he please keep her fiancé from the gas chambers. Alan Castairs had worked for Sunshine Technologies until the night Mr. Prentiss, the head of the company was found murdered in his office and Alan was the top contender. "But he didn't do it Mr. Mason." She had said in that teary strangled voice that always made Della roll her eyes. Not my Alan, he's a good man."
By the end of that first day Paul had pretty well determined just how good of a man Alan was. "Not even my Sunday School teacher was this good." The detective declared, stubbing out his cigarette in a nearby ash tray. "The whole thing just smells fishy."
The end of the second day Paul was able to dig up some interesting facts on both Alan and Stella. It was a late night and Perry, Della and Paul were at the attorney's office, finishing a meal of cold hamburgers and even colder coffee. "It seems as though Mr. Castairs senior had disapproved of his son's relationship with Stella from the beginning. Her father apparently had worked for him at one time and had stolen about ten thousand dollars before disappearing about fifteen years ago. She's lived with her grandparents ever since, no word on her mother."
Wednesday night found Perry and his secretary waiting at the office to hear from Paul who had gone out on a lead a couple hours before hand. They had gone through various records and news clippings, Della telling Perry she would be right back, she just wanted to get a couple forms typed up. About twenty minutes later he heard the typing stop and his curiosity got the better of him. She was sitting straight in the chair, her head nodding off to the side. "Be careful there." He straightened her up gently. "Can't have my best girl having an accident now can I"?
"Sorry" she murmured, looking slightly embarrassed. "These late nights are just so thrilling. Arm in arm they walked into his office and she took the chair next to his. Just as she was ready to say something the phone rang and Perry talked to the other end for several minutes. "Are we getting any closer?" she asked when he hung up.
"I think we're starting to see land."
They were all back at the office next morning, four hours later, drinking coffee and doing their best to give a semblance of being awake. Stella had disappeared in the middle of the night as had the son of Mr. Prentiss which set the case back about two days Perry guessed with a heavy sigh.
"Just wait till you get my bill." Paul said as he headed for the door, a new destination on his plate. I'll call you when I find out anything."
Perry went to visit Castairs in jail, asking if he knew the whereabouts of his fiancée but he didn't get much cooperation. "If you don't care that much about your life maybe I don't either."
Lunch was a simple, appetizing meal at a nearby restaurant, where Perry drank too much coffee and Della tried to pretend she was awake. Afterwards she ran some errands for the office and Perry went out to the Langford house to see if anyone had heard from Stella. When he returned he found Della in his chair, her head resting on her hand, her eyes closed. He touched the side of her face and thought not for the first time there was no one more lovely than she.
"Hello." She gave him a smile. "I was just resting my eyes. Find out anything?"
"Not really. Her grandparents haven't seen her for two days. Her car is still in their garage however."
"You just missed Paul's call. He found Perkin's car in a motel parking lot outside of Santa Monica. He's sent a guy over to investigate. Another one of his men told him he saw a man fitting the description of Noel Perkins not far from where they found the car. Paul's headed that way and he'll call back."
Lieutenant Tragg blessed them with a visit, a possible client talked to Perry about his missing step-mother, Alan Castairs called him back to the jail and nothing was heard from Paul. The day once more stretched to night, Perry not paying attention to the clock as he became wrapped up in the mystery this case was. When the phone rang he picked it up eagerly, thrilled to hear Paul's voice on the other end. After listening for several minutes his face broke out in to a grin. "Paul remind me to give you a bonus for this one. I'll be there in about ten minutes."
"Is that Paul?" he heard Della's voice and turned to see her sitting on the sofa, her eyes heavy with sleep, her voice low like it took too much effort to talk out loud.
Perry nodded. "Paul. I'll be there in about half an hour."
There was a trace of stars in the sky and a nice breeze was blowing as they walked hand in hand to his car. He helped her in, then slid beside her, putting the keys in the ignition and turning the motor over. "Just hold on little girl." He told her. "I'm going to get you home before I go meet Paul. He won't mind."
Della just nodded thinking she should protest but couldn't. They both had been living on about 3-4 hours of sleep a night for the last week, Paul even less. Perry would catch up later, but it was time to take Della home. Her head rested on his shoulder as he drove and he was glad he could go slowly. Her perfume filled his head and he knew he would smell like her when he got home. He smiled in the darkness.
Her apartment building came up on the left before he realized it and he took the turn into the parking lot. "Della." He shook her gently and her eyes fluttered open. "Come on Miss Street, you're home."
He drew his arm around her waist as they headed for the front door and she sleepily unlocked the main entrance. Together they got in the elevator and up to her apartment where he walked her to her own door and taking the keys from her opened it for her.
"Don't worry about being too early in the morning." He told her, "The usual time should be fine."
"You won't be up too much later will you?" she asked concerned and reached out to touch his cheek.
"No, I'll be fine. Her took her hand, rolled it over and left a kiss on the palm. This should all be over tomorrow." He took her face in his hands and gently kissed her on the lips.
For one moment he let his fingers trace her jaw line her skin soft beneath his touch. Perry placed a kiss on each corner of her mouth and then one right on the tip of her nose. "Sweet dreams Della."
"Good night Perry."
The door closed and he walked back down the hall to the elevator.