TCOT LOST LOVE/ATC-Part 1

At the end of TCOT Lost Love Della Street has had to contend with Perry becoming involved with a Lost Past Love, Laura Robertson. The two women have never had a friendly relationship and that continues in this encounter. Laura has Perry defend her husband in a murder case with an explosive ending. At the end we find Della waiting outside of the courthouse porch while he visits with Mrs. Robertson. This is what I think Della is thinking as she waits and what happens after Perry emerges from the courthouse.

The sun was shining but there was also a slight chilly breeze blowing as Della Street stood outside on the courthouse portico. She shivered slightly as she moved her briefcases from one hand to the other. Perry had made no move to join her as she put away papers and closed their briefcases. After Glenn Robertson, had cruelly asked him how he could have exposed Robertson's wife's betrayal she had gone and squeezed the lawyer's shoulder and he had squeezed her hand. Yet he didn't get up to leave he just sat their brooding.

Della had finally gathered her things and gotten her coat and went to wait on that porch. The whole miserable situation had begun so many years ago. When she had become Perry Mason's confidential secretary he had been in a relationship with the ambitious fellow attorney. Within a few months after she was hired, it was generally accepted that Mason and Laura would marry, and he would join a firm who had hired Laura in Denver, Colorado.

This was the job of a lifetime and the young brunette was devastated at the thought of losing this opportunity. She had not yet admitted to herself she would also be distraught at losing her handsome, exciting, brilliant, boss. As he had taken her more and more into his confidence a bond had grown between them and she definitely felt an attraction for this dynamic man.

Laura felt an instant antipathy for Perry's new secretary and treated her as if she was of little worth. In front of the lawyer she was sweet and complimentary. Della wondered if her boss saw the two faces of his lady friend. Being fairly new in her job she was hesitant to inquire of others as to what was happening in the relationship, but she did find out their Detective Paul Drake, did not like the Barracuda, as he called her.

Unfortunately, when she approached Mr. Drake he had to admit Perry was playing this situation pretty close to the vest. He had heard the rumors but if Mason was leaving he had not informed the detective. The day of decision was rapidly approaching, and Della was holding her breath waiting for news of her termination.

That never came but it didn't mean that Laura gave up on Perry. When she began dating Glenn Robertson she let Perry know. When Glenn proposed she flew back to Los Angeles to try and persuade Mason to give up criminal law and join her in the corporate law world. Each time he refused, but every time she contacted him he would be grumpy and grouchy after she left. Laura still sent him birthday and Christmas cards and since she knew nothing of Perry and Della's blossoming relationship it seemed she hoped he would change his mind.

Then, many years later, came the invitation to a fundraiser in Denver and Perry asked her to go with him. She readily agreed, but in the back of her mind wondered if they would see Laura there. There was word on the legal grapevine the Governor was considering her for a vacant senatorial seat. Laura was a superstar in the corporate legal world, but they rarely discussed her. She was aware her boss kept up with that news thanks to law journals and his friends.

The night of the fundraiser, as so often happened, they had been together and yet could go their own way when they saw old acquaintances. It was during one of these separations she began to look for him and saw him sitting in the bar with two drinks in front of him. As she began to walk toward him through the crowd Laura came from the opposite direction. Backing away she waited, just out of sight, to see what would happen. Laura Robertson was the last person she wanted to encounter that evening. When she kissed him Della turned away.

As so often happened when Perry Mason was in the area a murder occurred and his former girlfriend's husband, Glenn, was arrested for the murder. Laura of course begged Perry to defend him to his secretary's chagrin. Suddenly there was tension between her and Perry.

When she confronted him about their reason for attending the event his words were cool and crisp. When Perry Mason defended a client he was all in, and his main focus was on clearing the defendant. Della was aware of that only too well, she had seen it for so many years. Yet, this case also involved their relationship and his possible attachment to his Lost Love.

Little was done to alleviate Della Street's growing concern over the constant attention Mrs. Robertson needed from the famous lawyer. He was moodier than usual, more demanding with her and Paul Jr., and even at night when they were alone distant and morose. As a rule when they traveled on a case they had a suite and bedrooms with connecting doors. Usually they would use either bedroom. When his knee was especially sensitive they were in separate rooms. Lately when they were together he seemed preoccupied and less inclined to be intimate. Perry Mason was a passionate man and he rarely let her alone for very long before initiating a more suggestive encounter. After all in Los Angeles they lived together.

Not a lot of people knew or had ever known where he lived. Since he had left the bench to defend her, when she was accused of murder, and reopened his practice in Los Angeles they had lived in her home. Being private people, their close friends were aware of the situation, but it wasn't common knowledge. So, when Laura Robertson had confronted her with questions about her relationship with the noted attorney she took her time in answering.

The inquisition occurred when Laura entered their suite to meet with Perry about her husband's defense and he had not yet returned. She took the opportunity to condescendingly question Della about herself and her work. Then the brazen hussy, that she was, trying to act coy and a little embarrassed the woman asked the secretary about her relationship with the attorney. Biding her time, Ms. Street was saved by Mr. Mason walking in the door.

Trying to bow out gracefully Della got up to leave. Perry who could often blunder, unintentionally, into situations he didn't understand made it even more awkward for his assistant to leave. Unfortunately, she did what she hated to do, she lied to him saying everything was alright. That was the last she saw of Mrs. Robertson until they were in court.