An ATC of TCOT Desperate Deception
" Perry Mason's office."
" Goodmorning, madam. I wonder if you can help me. "
He heard the smile appearing on her face through the phone.
" Well, maybe I can, sir. What is it you need? "
" I'm a desperate lawyer, looking for some secretarial assistance. "
" Oh, well sir, I myself could make a few phonecalls to find you a good secretary. "
" Thank you for your concern, but I'm looking for someone in particular. "
" Oh, and what is her name, sir? Or is it a he? "
" No, it's definetely a woman, a lady. "
" Are you sure? "
" Oh, yes, I am sure. "
" How come you are so sure? "
" I don't think I should tell you, young lady. "
" U-uh, I see. "
" Her name is Della Street. "
" Oh, her. She is not available, sir. I'm sorry. "
" Why not? "
" She's very happy working where she is now. "
" Now, that is a shame."
" Oh, and why is that, sir? "
" Because I'd like to have her over here with me to help me out."
" Where is 'over here'? "
" Paris."
" Well, she wouldn't want to be in Paris, not with a stranger like you. When I come to think of it, her boss is there now. Isn't that a coincidence? He might even be in the same hotel as you are. "
" And she is not there with him? "
" Oh, no. Although I think she'd like to, sir, but he told her very specificly not to come with him. "
" Oh, and why was that? "
" He didn't say. But I think it had something to do with them having been there together a couple of times. He probably thought he wouldn't be able to concentrate enough on his dear client, David Berman, with her being around. Memories, memories, sir….."
He sighed, relieved that she had understood his constant refusal to her coming with him and Ken to Paris. He hadn't told her why, but she knew. And he could have known she knew.
" I think I can actually understand that. But what would she do if he'd changed his mind? "
He heard her holding her breath for a second at the other end of the world. Her pen ticking on the desk.
" I don't really know, I'd have to ask her. "
" Has he been that bad to her? "
" Well, he was very blunt with her on the phone a couple of times, and he promised to phone her every day and he didn't, but he probably had his reasons for that. "
" I wouldn't want to work for a man like that. "
" Oh, but if you knew him, you wouldn't say that, sir. He can be very sweet, you
know. "
" Can he? "
She heard the tremble in his tired voice. She could picture him, sitting in the corner of a couch, one leg on the coffeetable in front of him, one arm on the armrest, his hand rubbing his eyes. This case had worn him out physically and emotionally, made him grunting. Ken had told her about it, when he came to the office today.
The interrogations on the last day of the trial had gotten Perry on the edge. Part of getting to the truth this time, had made him put his very dear friend Helene Berman to the stand. He had confronted her with her dreadful past, and the evil man who killed her brother in the Second World War. The way this man had looked at him from the witnessbox, and had refused to show the scar on his right hand, Perry would have liked to smash the man in the face.
Perry was supposed to have left Paris by now, but seeing Ken yesterday at the airport desperately wanting to leave to the States with the new love of his life, Marie, he gave Ken his ticket. So Perry stayed in Paris to fix the last details with the gendarms and the ambassador, who had asked him very friendly to be available to them for a week, in case they needed him. At first, he thought it was good to be alone, finally able to visit the Louvre extensively, Mont Martre, enjoying long coffeebreaks on one of the thousands of brilliant terraces in Paris, and get some sleep.
Now being alone in his hotelroom, he felt miserable, but he smiled at himself at the same time. Aching for a woman, at his age. He couldn't help himself. He wanted her to be here with him, he wanted to spoil her, take her out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Take her out to the theatre, make her laugh, buy her presents, visit the Eiffeltower, walk just a little along the Seine with her arm in his. Look into her smiling big brown eyes. Listen to her talking, hear her voice, her chuckles, he missed her chuckles. To silently marvel at her beauty. To take in her familiair, exquisite scent. To feel her soft body close to his. To touch her. To taste her delicious mouth. To make sweet love to her slowly. To hear her quiet moans.
He closed his eyes, and rest his head against the back of the couch.
" Perry? Are you still there? "
" I am, Della. "
" What is it? "
" I wish you were here. " He whispered, husky.
" Perry? "
" Baby? "
" I'll be on the next flight to Paris. "
His eyes went up, as to say 'thank you' for the delightful answer to his prayer.
" I love you. "
" I love you too, baby. I'll see you when I get there. "