The morning was a chilly one and the heat had come on at the Mason home. Perry and Della were going to see the baby once again and they could not wait. This was the day that they would find out if they were going to have a boy or a girl.

Della was standing in the mirror examining her belly. There was no doubt about her condition anymore. The baby was getting big and so wasn't her belly. Perry walked into the closet and smiled. He put his arms around his wife's waist and hugged her. "I love you Della." and with that he kissed her.

As Della pulled away from the kiss she smiled up at her husband. She had not told him about the little girl that she had met at court the other day. Sally had been on her mind. She knew that if anything ever happened to her and Perry that their baby would have someone to go to, but this little girl had no one. There was no one that wanted her and Della was sure that Sally knew it.

After a small breakfast they headed out to the doctors office. The appointment was for nine that morning and the two of them were ready for the news. As Della got out of the car Perry took her arm. They walked into the doctors arm in arm and very much in love.

As they entered the doctors office Della and Perry were smiling. Della laid down on the table and waited anxiously for the woman to start the ultrasound. As the baby came into focus she was amazed at how much the baby had grown. You could now clearly see the arms legs eyes nose and mouth. It was as if the baby was looking straight at them.

As the nurse looked she asked them if they wanted to know the sex of the baby or not. They both said yes and she looked again. She smiled at the two of them and said "It is a boy. Congratulations."

Della was in tears, she was going to have a little boy in just about exactly four months. She looked at Perry and saw the tears in his eyes. He leaned over and gave her a kiss and then went back to looking at the photos of his little boy. As the two of them walked out of the doctors office, Della got a clean bill of health and they headed back to the office.

They had just gotten back to the office when Gertie came in and told them that there was a lady there for an appointment. She had been squeezed in because she had told her that it was very important that she speak to Mr. Mason as soon as possible. Perry told her to come in and Della looked up with surprise. The lady was the aunt of the little girl Sally that she had seen in court the day before.

Michelle Jones took a seat and Perry remembered the lady well. She had been one of his first clients. He looked at her and asked her how he could help her. "I am having a problem with my niece Sally. She is a good kid, but I have neither the patience or time to care for her properly. Her parents were killed in an automobile accident about six months ago and she has been sent from home to home. She is now living with me, but I am in my sixties and have retired. There is no way that I can give her a proper home. I would like to have you find a family, a good family." she told him with some sadness in her voice.

Perry took one look at the lady and knew that she was right. The little girl did need a steady home and a family that loved her. "How old is this little girl?" he asked her.

"She is eight years old and well behaved. She does good at school and has lots of friends. It is just that at this time I cannot handle a child on my own. I need to find someone who will care for and love her. Can you help me?" she asked him with a quivering tone. "I love her and want what is best for her."

Perry looked at the lady and smiled. "Don't worry everything will work out. There are many people who would like to adopt a little girl. I will get back to you when I find out something.

As Michelle Jones left the office Perry looked at his wife. How unfair it was for some children to not be wanted when others are so wanted and loved. It was going to be hard to find someone who would want a child who is already eight years old. Most people wanted a newborn baby, but he would try.

Della felt so sorry for the sweet little girl that she had met at court the day before. She had so wanted to belong and no one wanted her. It was a very sad story.

Michelle Jones lived in a quiet section of town where there was little crime. Everyone knew each other and when a new family moved in across the street she was happy. The house had been vacant for almost a year and now there was going to be a family there. She was told that it was a husband and wife and their three children.

Luke James had moved his family out of their old neighborhood because many of the people would not talk to them anymore in the neighborhood and his children were being picked on. He had just bought this house to get away from all the gossip. He might be going to jail, his future was very unclear, but he wanted his wife and children taken care of, so he had moved them all to a new house.

The lady across the street was in her sixties and he was surprised to see a little girl playing outside. Then he recognized her it was the little girl Sally who had survived the crash that he had been in. She was now living across the street. He did not know what to do. He could not move again and the little girl and his children would surely talk at one time or the other.

Sally went in to tell her aunt about the man who had moved in across the street. She was frightened of him and with that Michelle went over to confront him. She knocked on the door and asked "Why did you move across from Sally and me? You and your family needs to move out of this neighborhood" Michelle warned him.

Luke had no idea who lived across the street, but he couldn't move not again. He shut the door in Michelle's face and would not answer her knocks at all. Michelle went away very depressed and swore that she would talk about it Mr Mason in the morning.

Michelle had enough and went back over to the house and knocked and knocked no answer. But the door was partially open. She looked inside and saw the body of Luke lying on the carpet in the living room. She called the police and they told her that he was murdered.