Chapter 2

Della Street went straight to Perry Mason's apartment after her dinner with Ginny. When Perry opened the door, he was clad in pajamas and a smoking jacket.

"My dear Miss Street, If I knew you planned to stop by, I would have gotten a little more spruced up for you."

"Never-mind that, Chief," Della said as she pushed past him into his apartment. "I'm really worried about Ginny. And I think I did something incredibly stupid tonight."

"Come sit down," Perry Mason invited as he helped her out of her coat and took her hat. Then he went to the sideboard and poured her a glass of brandy. "Here, drink this," he said as he handed her the glass. She drank it down quickly. Perry took back the glass, set it down, and then sat down on the couch beside Della.

"What has you so shaken up?" He asked.

"Ginny's husband Henry has been having some trouble with the partners at his advertising firm. Essentially, they keep promising him promotions and they don't deliver. Ginny was pretty upset about it, and last night she tried to talk to Mr. Grant, one of the partners. Apparently he made a pass at her, and it all ended rather badly. But that's not the half of it, Chief. When she went to the ladies powder room, I found a gun in her purse."

Perry whistled under his breath. "But Della, that doesn't necessarily mean anything. You are getting too cynical with all the murders we are constantly involved with."

"Perry, I smelled the barrel. It had recently been fired. And without thinking, I took the gun. It's in my purse! Why would I do that? How could I be so stupid? What if it's a murder gun, Perry?"

"Della, calm down. Just because it was recently fired doesn't mean it's a murder gun. Let me see it." Della reached over and pulled her purse onto her lap. She opened it up, pulled out the gun, and handed it over to Perry Mason. Perry took the gun, looked over the sleek blue-steel surface, opened the barrel, and smelled it. "Well, you're right. It's been fired. Why did you take this gun, Della?"

"I don't know Perry! I've known Ginny since I moved here, and I love her dearly. I just felt that no matter what reason she had that gun, it couldn't be a good one. I don't know when the gun was fired, but I didn't like the fact that she had a gun at all. I wanted to protect her. So I took it. It was only later that I started to worry that this gun could have been used in a murder," Della explained through tears.

Perry sighed and wiped a tear from her face. "Well, what's done is done. We haven't heard about any murders recently, so we'll just have to sit on it until tomorrow. Why don't you go ahead and call her, and have her come in to the office tomorrow morning? Then you can give her the gun back," Perry explained.

"Well, she's coming in first thing tomorrow morning already. I thought it would be smart for her to talk with you about Henry's business and exactly what happened when she met with Mr. Grant," Della responded.

"There you go. That's less than 12 hours from now. Let's just be sure to wipe off all the fingerprints before we put it back in your purse. Here, give me your handkerchief." Della reached into her purse and handed Perry her handkerchief. He proceeded to wipe off all the fingerprints from the gun and placed it carefully back into the purse, using the handkerchief to cover his fingers. He put Della's purse on the coffee table.

"Now, let's not think about that gun business anymore." Perry put his arm around Della, drawing her close to him. She snuggled into his shoulder, and he wiped the last of her tears from her cheeks. They sat cuddling for a long while, taking pleasure in the warmth of the crackling fireplace and the quiet camaraderie that two people who know each other intimately share. After a time, Perry started to run his fingers tenderly through Della's hair, drawing her in for a kiss. Before long, their kisses grew more and more demanding. Passions threatened to go unchecked.

"What do you say we finish what we started at the office today?" He asked with a boyish grin on his face.

"More dictation at this hour of the night, Mr. Perry Mason?" Della asked with a gleam in her eye.

"You little devil! You know damn well that dictation is the farthest thing from my mind right now!" Perry Mason pulled Della swiftly to him, allowing his passion to take over, his lips dangerously close to her red pout.

"Well then there must be some other business you want me to handle…" Della said with wide-eyed innocence as her hand began to journey down his torso.

"I have a rather large amount of business to put in your capable hands this evening. I have complete trust in your abilities, Miss Street. Although this evening, it might be a little harder than you're used to…."

"You know how I feel about a challenge… The harder, the better, Chief," She smiled up at him scandalously, as she at last closed the distance between their lips, teasing him with shallow, fleeting kisses and a roaming hand that finally reached its destination.

Perry Mason groaned and felt a rush of fire run through his body at her touch. He kissed her hungrily, grabbing her and forcing her down on the couch, unable to temper his passion. Her hand continued to work magic over his pajama bottoms, which grew tighter as every second passed. Much to his dismay, she would allow him only the slightest taste of her mouth. Her eyes twinkled with a devilish gleam as her magic hand found its way inside his pajamas. He throbbed with desire at her touch, unable to stop the moan of pleasure that escaped his lips as her fingers caressed him. He maneuvered his body, running his hands all over her, a new fire taking hold of him. But he only managed to undo a few buttons of her blouse before she removed her hand from his pajamas and pushed him off of her, returning him to a sitting position. Perry groaned at the loss of the pleasant sensation.

With a sultry glimpse of legs, she climbed onto his lap, grabbed the lapels of his smoking jacket and straddled him, pressing herself tightly against his body. She looked provocatively into his deep blue eyes. "Why Mr. Mason, you weren't kidding when you said you had a large amount of business for me to handle this evening. I had no idea just how hard it would be!" Without breaking eye contact, Della started moving her hips slowly, rubbing herself tantalizingly against the bulge in his pajamas. She moaned with pleasure at the sensation. "Obviously, this job is a rather substantial under-taking, Mr. Mason. It's a good thing I'm a handy girl to have around…"

Perry Mason could hardly concentrate on what she was saying, she was driving him so crazy with desire. He was on the brink of taking her right there on the couch. He pushed hard into her rocking hips. "If anyone can handle it, you can, Miss Street…" His words were lost in a groan as she finally allowed herself to give into her desire to kiss him full on the mouth. Her red lips opened to his and she kissed him until she felt dizzy from a lack of oxygen.

His capable hands unclasped her garters and enjoyed the smooth, bare flesh of her thighs. His hands roamed further under her skirt, grasping her bottom and pulling her hips against him even more tightly as he pushed against her, longing for the moment when clothing would no longer separate his desire from her warm embrace. He kissed her savagely, leaving no doubt in her mind as to his intention.

Della moaned loudly at the sensation. "Take me to bed, Chief, I can't stand it anymore," Della whispered as she licked his ear.

With that, Perry Mason scooped Della Street off of the couch, carried her into the bedroom and proceeded to make love to her before he had even removed all of her clothes…

PDPDPDPDPD

Perry Mason awoke to the sound of pounding on his door. As he slowly regained consciousness, he felt Della's warm body wrapped around his. She was still fast asleep, her cheek resting comfortably on his chest, her arms enfolding him lovingly. "Della." He ran his hand through her hair and down her back. "Wake up, Doll."

Della awoke with a start, the pounding finally reaching her sleepy ears. "What is that, Perry?"

"It sounds like we have company. It's never a good sign when someone is pounding on your door at 5:00am," Perry answered.

"Open Up Mason! It's the Police!" Perry heard the announcement shouted through the locked front door.

"Della, throw on your dress. Stay in here and wait. Don't come out of this room no matter what. I'll take care of the police." After throwing on his pajamas and robe, Perry walked out to the living room, carefully took Della's coat, hat, and purse, handed them quickly to her, and abruptly shut the bedroom door. Quickly, he walked to the front door and opened it. Lieutenant Tragg stood in the hallway with 2 police officers. "Hello, Tragg. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this morning? It's a little early for breakfast."

"Cut the funny stuff, Mason. Where's Della Street?" Tragg responded, pushing past Mason.

"Now see here, Tragg. You can't just come in here without a warrant."

"I know she's here, Mason. I've already been to her apartment and she wasn't there. I went to your office, knowing the crazy hours the two of you keep, and she wasn't there either." Tragg walked over to the couch and pulled out a sleek black heel that peeked out from underneath. "See. I knew she'd be here. Having a sleepover Mason?"

Perry's eyes flashed with anger. "Tragg, my relationship with Della Street is none of your damned business. And for your information, if I did know where she was, I sure as hell wouldn't tell you!"

"Perry, there's been a murder- a Mr. Rex Grant. We've arrested a woman, Ginny Mitchell. She's been taken to headquarters, and is being held. After doing some investigating, we found out that she was at Gino's tonight dining with your esteemed secretary, Miss Della Street. I'd simply like to talk with Miss Street, and get a statement from her. So cut the cracks and bring Della out of the bedroom," Tragg ordered.

"Nothing doing, Tragg. Even if Della Street was in the bedroom, and I'm not saying she is, I wouldn't advise her to talk with you. Coincidentally, it just so happens that Ginny Mitchell is a client of mine, and I'd like very much to go downtown and have a talk with her," Perry Mason announced. "So, if you'll excuse me, Tragg, I'd like to wash up and head out. Now, get out of my apartment until you come back with a warrant!" Mason opened the door, and a very angry looking Tragg, accompanied by the two irritated policemen entered the corridor. Perry Mason slammed the front door.

With three swift steps, Mason went back to his bedroom and threw open the door. "I'm assuming you heard everything, Della."

"Yes. Oh, Perry. I'm sorry to have gotten you into this mess."

"Never-mind that. We're in this together. We've got to get you out of here, and we've got to get rid of that gun. Tragg is bound to get a warrant and search the place, so you can't leave the gun here, and you can't very well stay here. Walking right out of the building isn't an option either. I'm certain they're having this place watched, and they'll nab you the minute you leave. I'd like a chance to talk to Ginny before they take you in for questioning. I want to know why she had that gun!"

"Why don't you take the gun, Perry? They won't search you when you leave. Take the gun and put it in the office safe. You can tell the police that we're holding onto it for safe-keeping."

"It's an idea… Damn it, Della. This puts us in an awful mess."

"Thanks for offering to defend her, Chief, especially without even hearing her story. What makes you so willing to defend her when you haven't even met her?"

"Della, if she's a friend of yours, she's bound to be innocent."

Della felt her heart flutter. "I love you, Perry Mason."

"I love you too, Kid." He pecked her gently on the lips. "Now, it just so happens that this apartment building is connected to the laundry next door. In about 10 minutes, I'm going to take you down the back stairs and down a corridor to the back entrance to the laundry. You're going to walk right out the back door of the laundromat. I'll have a taxi waiting for you there. Take the taxi to the Glenmore Hotel and register under your own name. Make sure you're not being followed. I'll be in touch with you after I've talked to Ginny, and then we'll let Tragg question you."

"Got it, Chief."

Perry Mason called a taxi service, ordered the taxi, and hopped into the shower in the meantime. 15 minutes later, he was spiriting Della Street out of the back entrance of his apartment building and into the laundromat next door. He pecked her quickly on the lips before she left the building in a swirl of skirts. He stood at the door and watched as Della walked briskly to the waiting taxi. As soon as she got in, an officer appeared seemingly out of nowhere, walked right up the driver's side window, and showed his badge. "I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm going to have to detain the woman who just entered your cab. She'll be coming to headquarters with me."

Perry Mason exited the laundromat quickly and made time to the car as the cop was helping Della Street out of the taxi. "Just a minute, Officer. Are you arresting this woman?"

"Not right now. Tragg just wants her for questioning. Meanwhile Mason, did you think that The Lieutenant wouldn't know that the laundromat was attached to your apartment building as a service to its residents? For a guy who's supposed to be brilliant, I wouldn't think you'd be so stupid."

Mason ignored the cop and turned to Miss Street. "Della, don't answer any questions. I'm going to have a Writ of Habeas Corpus made up for you, and we'll have you out of there before you know it."

"I'm sorry about all of this trouble, Chief."

"Come on, Miss." The Officer led Della to the waiting car parked about a block away.

PDPDPDPDPD

Perry Mason sped through the early-morning traffic and made it to his office in record time. First, he put the gun in the safe, got the paperwork organized for the Writ, and then woke up his friend Judge Lockwood to make an appointment to grant it. Before he left the office, he called Paul Drake.

"What's the idea, Perry. I was still hoping to grab another couple hours of shut eye before putting my nose to the grindstone," Paul said sleepily.

"Sorry, Paul. There's been a murder. Della's friend Ginny has been arrested. They are holding Della at headquarters for questioning. I need you to go get the dope on everyone in the office of Russell Grant Advertising. I'm stopping off to see Judge Lockwood to sign a Writ of Habeas Corpus. Then I'm heading to headquarters. I'll be back to the office this afternoon. Try to have as much information for me by then."

"Will do, Perry."

Mason hung up the phone, and almost as quickly as he arrived at the office, he was back on the road to headquarters.

PDPDPDPDPD

Armed with the Writ, he pounded on Tragg's office door. Tragg opened the door.

"Mason. I should have guessed," Tragg greeted with a cranky grin.

Perry shoved the Writ at Tragg. "I want Della Street released in the next 5 minutes. You've had plenty of time to question her."

"Fine, Mason. But we may arrest her later as an accessory after the fact."

"What the hell are you talking about, Tragg?"

"Well, there's a little matter of a missing gun. And Miss Street's dear friend Ginny Mitchell seems to think that Della has the gun. So, get ready Mason. I'm going to tear apart your apartment, office, and Della Street's apartment until I find that gun."

"Go get Della Street." Mason simply stated as he casually lit a cigarette.

Wordlessly, Tragg left the office. A few minutes later he returned with Della.

"Morning Chief," Della said with a melancholy grin.

Mason smiled and made a little bow to her. "Miss Street. Go ahead and gather your things. Here are my car keys. Go to your apartment and get some breakfast. Then you can head to the office and wait for me. I've already put Paul Drake on the case. I'll meet you there sometime in the next few hours."

"Thanks, Chief. Take good care of Ginny," Della said wistfully as she left the office.

"Tragg, I want to see my client," Mason said dryly.

"You just love coming in here and ordering me around, don't you, Mason?" Tragg asked.

"No, Tragg, frankly I don't. If justice were being served more often, I wouldn't need to always come in here and shake things up. Now, take me to my client."

PDPDPDPDPD

Perry Mason sat in the cold conference room of the county jail. "Ginny, you've got to tell me the truth. I agreed to take your case simply because I trust Della Street implicitly, and any friend of hers is a friend of mine. But I can't help you if you don't tell me the truth. Did you kill Rex Grant?"

"Mr. Mason, I swear I didn't!"

"Very well. Tell me your story from the beginning and don't leave anything out."

"Henry, my husband, has been working at Russell Grant for about 5 or 6 years now. He's a brilliant advertiser, and they have been promising him partnership for the last 3 years. Last week, Henry landed a particularly large account, and we both thought that they would announce his partnership at a firm dinner the other night. Unfortunately, speeches came and went. Of course, congratulations were offered to Henry, but no partnership. I was just sitting there seething. Henry and I are thinking about starting a family soon and it would just be nice to know that his job is secure. I decided to slip away from the table and try to use my feminine wiles to talk with Mr. Grant. He'd always flirted mildly with me, and I was hoping I might be able to either pull some information from him, or somehow casually bring up the idea of offering Henry a partnership."

"Henry Mitchell is a very lucky man to have you in his corner," Mason remarked casually.

"I don't know if he'd agree with you, Mr. Mason. At any rate, the party was at Mr. Grant's house, so I managed to pull him into the library for a hushed conversation. I made some initial casual remarks to start the conversation, you know, and then I asked him about the possibility of Henry being made a partner. He said something along the lines of it taking years to be made a partner, and that Henry is an asset to the firm, and with a few more years experience, he will certainly achieve partnership. Then, he said that we might be able to move the process along a little if I'd be willing to grant him certain favors. Then he moved in close to me, wrapped his arms around me and started to move in for a kiss. I pushed him away quickly and slapped him hard across the face before I had the chance to even think about the trouble I could be making for Henry. I ran out of the room, gathered my wits in the powder room, and then faked a headache in order to get Henry to leave the party. I never mentioned anything that happened to my husband."

"Do you think Henry knew that you were talking to Mr. Grant?" Asked Mason.

"No, he was rather engaged in a heated conversation when I slipped away, and he was still talking when I returned. The next day, when Henry got home from work, he went upstairs to change his clothes. I moved his briefcase from the chair and noticed a gleam inside. I reached in and pulled out the gun. I was very upset, and I hated the idea that Henry would have a gun in his briefcase. What did he need it for? I took the gun, put it in my purse, and brought it with me when I went to meet Della. That's all there is to it. You know the rest. Della found the gun in my purse and took it. Then Grant was found murdered later that evening at his office. That's all I know."

"Did you know that gun had recently been fired?" Mason asked.

"Mr. Mason, I don't know anything about guns. I just knew that I didn't like the idea that Henry had it in his briefcase."

"Why didn't you ask him about it?"

"I was afraid of his answer. Henry can be rather impulsive. He's incredibly passionate, and it's one of my favorite characteristics about him, but it can also be his greatest downfall. I didn't want to know what he needed a gun for. I have perfect faith that if it came down to it, he would never kill anyone. But he was very disappointed about not making partner, and I just don't know how he might respond if he was provoked, given his already fragile ego at that time."

"All right, Ginny. I think that will suffice for now. I'll be in touch. Della sends her love. Keep your chin up. We'll get you out of here."