TITLE: EVEN I HAVE SECRETS!!!!!!
AUTHOR: Shari Mooney
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: The Characters in this Story are used strictly for the
purpose of entertainment only. With the exception of Frank Smith, Stanley Cody, Matthew (Hart) Mason, Marlesa Carlton, (The Captain) Evan Michaels, and the Bus Boy at the Hotel, all other Characters belong to the Estate of Erle Stanley Gardner and His Wife Agnes Jean Bethel Gardner. No profit or Copy write Infringements
are intended at any time during the writing or reading of this story.
SUMMARY: An old Rivalry causes Perry and his Friends trouble almost
Beyond Repair. Involves Perry's dearest people.
As Mason's Secretary made her way across the busy intersection,
she glanced down at her watch on her left wrist one last time just as the watch hand reached One Fifteen PM. She knew she was late returning from Lunch once again and that the Chief would be worried about all the work that they would be behind on.
As she entered the Building where the Attorney Perry Mason
kept his office suite, she felt that once again she was being stared
at, being watched from afar. For weeks she had been having these eerie feelings.
She would look around, but yet there would be nothing there. Once
again she shrugged it off as just another day of too much work and kept walking toward her office before her boss could figure out she was late again.
As she walked in and removed her coat, Gertie was behind the
switchboard.
"Hi Gert," she said. "How have things been since I've been at lunch?"
Gertie answered back with a little worry. "The Chief has been on
Pins-n-Needles!"
"Why," she asked?
"You're late again," she said.
"I guess I had better go in."
She knocked on Masons' Private door and entered slowly. She
began to speak softly.
"Hi Chief, You wanted to see me?"
He answered back saying; "Yes, please come over here and sit down a
minute."
She walked over and sat in her usual chair that sat beside him at
his desk.
He sat everything to the side for a few moments and focused all his
attention on his faithful secretary.
He said, "Della; I have been concerned about you lately. You haven't
been yourself."
"Is there something bothering you?" "Something I can help with?"
She answered back and said, "On the Contrary, I am just fine."
He looked deep into her eyes and still could see that there was
something there, something she wasn't telling.
"There isn't anyone bothering you is there?" "If there is, I can put
a stop to it, right away!"
"No Chief." "I am fine."
"I know what you need." He said.
" And what might that be?" she sighed.
" A vacation," he said.
She replied, "Oh bosh! And who would look after things here?"
"We would manage!" he replied.
"If it's all the same, I'd still rather wait." she said.
"Why?" he asked?
She replied, "Who would be here to bail you out when you need it?
And Lord knows sometimes you definitely need it!"
He replied, " OK well, if you will not take a Vacation, at least let
me drive you down the Coast a few days."
"Chief, what about your reputation?" "What about all this work, the
clients, the tabloids? Oh my!"
"You let me worry about my reputation! The clients will be here when
we get back and the work too. The tabloids won't print anything or we will slap a lawsuit against them!"
We can relax in the sun, do a little dancing, and breakfast on a
terrace."
"What do you say?"
"What will the public say when they get the story that distinguished
Perry Mason and his trusted confidential secretary Della Street, of many years have gone away on a private trip for a few days?"
"They are going to say what they want anyway and see what they
want." "This never bothered you before, why now?"
"Because, she hesitated a moment and lowered her eyes, I happen to
care what kind of reputation people paint on you! I am for anyone who is for you and I will fight anyone that is against you!"
He smiled at her as his cheeks turned a little red.
"Della, I know that you already take very good care of me, now
please let me do this for you. I want to do something in return for you, please."
"Alright, we can go."
"Great, we can leave in a couple of hours."
Mason had the car all packed and helped Della Street in the car
beside him. As the car pulled into traffic, Della moved over closer to Perry and wrapped her arm around his. He looked over at her and smiled.
" What is this for?"
" I just want to show my appreciation for what you are doing."
"You know what this does to me?" smiling.
"Now Mr. Mason, you keep your eyes on the road." She reached over to
turn his head back to the road in front of him.
She leaned in and gently and kissed him on his right cheek. For the longest while they drove in silence until they pulled into the entrance of the Hotel Cardino Rey. Mason stepped out of the car and helped Della from the seat also.
A Bellboy met Mason at the car and began to remove the bags. Mason
took Della's elbow and guided her into the Hotel lobby to the front desk to where they met two receptionists. One of the receptionists instantly remembered Mr. Mason from previous visits.
"Mr. Mason, What a pleasure to see you!" " How could we accommodate
you today?"
Mason Replied, "Do you have anything available?"
" For Mr. Mason, we always have something available!" "Will that be
the usual?"
Della Street looked at Perry Mason and arched her eyebrows and
Mason sort of smiled at her with a little blushed cheeks.
She replied to the Receptionist, "The Usual?" with a curious look.
Mason quickly replied, "No, not this time, we will need two rooms
adjoining."
Della quickly spoke to Perry. "I won't have you paying for two
rooms, that is just too much!"
Mason replied, "But Della, I'm not in the least bit worried about
the money, I am worried about what this will do to you."
"Nonsense," she said. "One room."
Mason turned to the receptionist. "You heard the Lady!"
"Yes sir!"
The Bellboy brought their things up to their room and gave them
their key. Mason and Della took a small tour of the terrace and overlook of the view before getting ready for a night out of dinner and dancing.
Mason looked over at Della a little worried. "Della, I can still get
that other room if you want me to."
She replied, "Nonsense, we are fine just as we are. Besides, are you
a little nervous to sleep in the same room with me?" smiling.
He replied, "Now there you go with leading questions. You've been my
secretary long enough to know that!"
"I just detected a little nervousness!"
He smiled and gently said, "When it comes to you, I am never
nervous!"
At eight PM, Mason and Della were seated at a table where they
could have a little privacy if they so desired. Perry kept staring into Della's beautiful hazel eyes and the smile that was on her face the whole day. He knew she was happy for once.
He reached over for her hand and began to speak. "I don't know if I
have told you but, you look absolutely ravishing tonight!"
She smiled at him and replied, "Thank you very much, you don't know
how much a girl appreciates compliments from a real gentleman."
"You're Wonderful, I mean It!" "May I have this dance?"
They smiled at each other and slowly made their way to the dance
floor and embraced each other with an amore of romance. Without thinking, they found themselves lost in a world they never dreamed could exist between two people.
He slowly pressed his lips to her cheek and tenderly kissed her as
they swayed back and forth to the music.
" Are you happy darling," he asks her?
Still Swaying, "Very Happy!"
"I Could Dance With you forever, you are an extraordinary woman!"
" I feel like I could dance forever too!"
Slowly they move even closer to each other once again swaying to the
music, snuggling. They suddenly realized that the music had stopped and they were attracting attention.
She began to speak, "Perry, Perry, The music has stopped, we are
attracting attention here."
He stopped the swaying and took her by the elbow as he smiled and
lead her back to their table.
"We were attracting attention out there, did you notice?" she asked.
"Not in the least." smiling.
"You had your senses all wrapped up in the dance!"
"I had my senses all wrapped up in you!"
" Perry, may I ask you something?"
Smiling, "As long as it is not leading!"
"Why did you really do this for me?"
" I know working for Perry Mason can be really hard. I do crazy
things to you. I worry about you. I worry if I am holding you back from something better in life. I worry that you don't sleep enough, eat enough, you don't have the social life you want, you don't get to spend a lot of time with family."
" Perry, when I think it's getting to the point that I can not
handle being Perry Mason's confidential secretary, that is when I will say, it is time for me to move on.
" That's just it! That's what I am afraid of!"
She looked deep into his eyes and caressed his cheek with her
palm; "Chief; I've always been loyal and devoted to you and I always will be."
"You have been more than those things...." cutting himself off.
"What is it?"
"Della, Please don't ever leave me, I need you!"
"Perry, It has never crossed my mind to leave you.... never!"
"I am just scared that one day I will walk into the office and find
that your desk is empty and That Gertie tells me that you are gone, that I've driven you away!"
"That will never happen."
"It's not just the idea of losing you as my secretary."
"Then what is it?"
I don't want to Lose You.... you are very special to me!"
"Perry, that is so sweet of you, you are very special to me too."
She leaned in and gently kissed him in full on the lips. He is
surprised by the move she just made.
TRY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE
THE WAY YOU WISH OTHER
PEOPLE WOULD LIVE THEIRS.
RAYMOND BURR
(In memory of my best friend Angel)