Thank you, Perry Mason fans, for your reviews and encouragement. I hope you find more entertainment in this next chapter!
Chapter Two
Petty Officer Woodrow knocked on Lt. Mason's door during a heavy rain storm. "Just a minute please," shouted a sleepy Lt. Mason. He opened the door and the soaked Petty Officer gave a quick salute to the Lieutenant and stated the purpose for the unexpected visit.
"Sir, Rear Admiral Collins needs to see you at Headquarters right away." He handed him a written note.
"Thank you. I wonder if the Admiral knows that since the false air raid Friday night I've been working about 21 hours straight for the 3rd day in a row. I was hoping to catch a few winks of sleep."
"I'm sorry, Sir. They had a big Commanders meeting about an hour ago and we've been running all over the base delivering Orders since then."
Lt. Mason quickly perused the note. "Can I offer you a cup of coffee? I made this mud about an hour ago."
"No thanks, Sir. I sure could probably use a cup right now, but I've got more messages to deliver. Must be a big shake-up coming down the pipe."
Woodrow ducked out a moment later and Lt. Mason tossed the note onto a table. He quickly changed into a clean uniform, shaved the stubble on his face, and headed out into the rain towards Headquarters.
In the waiting area of the Admiral's office Lt. Mason saw how busy the messengers had been. The area was filled with just about every Navy Junior Officer rank. He recognized a few faces but there wasn't a lot of time to start a conversation because Admiral Collins' assistant, Captain Silva, quickly entered the room and brought everyone to attention.
"Good morning, Gentlemen! I want Lieutenants Mason, Fuller, and Parker in the Admiral's office right away. The rest of you can please help yourself to coffee and be seated."
Admiral Collins acknowledged the Lieutenants salutes and after putting them at ease, he got right to the point.
"Gentlemen, congratulations. You are hereby promoted to Lieutenant Commander rank and you'll be given Orders for your next assignments right away. Captain Silva? Do you have their new rank insignias yet?"
"Yes I do, Sir." Captain Silva handed the men their brass insignias. "Their Orders are still being cut, Sir."
"Well I'll give you a summary, men," Admiral Collins continued. "As you know, we suffered huge casualties at Guadalcanal until last February and we're reinforcing our Intelligence forces to gear up for our next campaign. You men have proven yourselves here at Long Beach and we need men with your attention to detail for this next offensive in the Pacific. You're heading to the Solomon Islands via Pearl Harbor to gather Intel ahead of our 'New Georgia Campaign'. I wish I could give you more details right now, but this new strategy is still in the planning phase and you'll hear more when you get to Headquarters at Pearl Harbor."
"Phone call for you, Sir," Captain Silva interrupted.
"That's all for now, men. Congratulations and good luck. Please put the call through."
"Lieutenants, eh, I mean Lieutenant Commanders, if you'll just wait in my office, we'll have those Orders for you and get you the info on your transports to Honolulu," directed Captain Silva.
Lt. Mason got back to his quarters as the rain let up. Lt. Bridges was in the room and immediately jumped up from a chair and gave Mason a mock salute. "Well someone sure knows how to make rank fast! That'll really impress them hula babes on the beach at Waikiki!"
Lt. Mason gave a shy smile and shook out his raincoat. "Word sure travels fast around here! Tell me, Bridges, what else do you know about my new Orders? The ink isn't even dry on them yet! Maybe you can tell me how, when, and on what ship I sail on to get to Waikiki Beach. Give me a hand here, will you pal? I've got some quick packing to do!"
Bridges opened the closet and grabbed Mason's duffel bag to help him pack his gear. "There's an advantage to working Intel, my man! That New Georgia Campaign sounds like a risky strategy, but after how we took Guadalcanal there'll be no stopping us!"
"Well like they say – join the Navy and see the world..." Lt. Mason sighed but suddenly felt energized. He really wanted sleep, but he poured a cup of coffee and lit a cigarette while he began emptying his dresser drawers. A frown came to his face when it sunk in that he will probably never see his beautiful dance partner from the Canteen ever again.
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Della made it to her desk in her office and shook the rain off of her umbrella. As she took off her raincoat, Captain Paisano popped out of his office. "I'm glad you're early, Miss Street! Boy did we have a doozy of a fight Saturday night! There are 8 sailors and 4 Marines in the brig today. And one in the morgue. We're gonna be busy for a while."
"My goodness! Someone was killed? How awful!" Della thought she better get a pot of coffee on right away because it wouldn't be long before the JAG Office would be busy. "What do you need right away? As soon as I get the coffee on I'll start calling for incident records."
Della enjoyed staying busy, but this caper sounded like it was going to need overtime hours. Her weekend that started so nice at the Canteen last Friday night was now a distant memory. The rain all weekend didn't help and she still re-lived the chaotic air raid and separation from that dreamy Lieutenant that swept her off her feet. She frantically tried to recall the name tag from his uniform shirt all weekend. Was it Mathers? Mattson? Merrill? How could she not notice his name? She usually paid more attention to details like that. Maybe he'll show up at the Canteen next Friday night. Oh well, she thought. It was time to get down to business.
The long week with 14-hour days came to an end for Della on Friday. When she got home Friday evening Kate and Marilyn were there getting pretty for the night ahead.
"Well if it isn't Miss Street!" said Marilyn with a snicker. "I almost didn't recognize you! I hope you're getting overtime pay for all those long days."
Kate piped in right away. "So can you give us the gory details or is the stabbing at the Mariners Bar still top secret?"
"Oh, if you only knew! What I will say is that when drunken Sailors and Marines start trying to impress the ladies in the bar with their combat stories, tempers flair. My advice to them would be - don't bring your mouth to a knife fight! I hate to blame a murder victim here, but he asked for it when he crudely disrespected another man's sister!" Della plopped down in a chair and kicked off her heels. "My feet are killing me. You two look like you're getting ready for a big night."
Kate dropped some ice in a glass and handed Della a bottle of bourbon with the glass. "We're thinking of the Canteen again tonight. But not for a long night. You look so tired, but maybe if you come along for a bit and spot that gorgeous Lieutenant again, you'll actually find out his name!"
Della poured a shot of booze over the ice. "Tired is an understatement. But I'll tell you... that man was so... so... so... charming... I might just catch a second wind here and tag along with you just to see if he's there again! He sure is something!"
"You're blushing, my dear! Drink up and let's go! I wanna see if this man is real or if you've just made him up in your mind." Marilyn tossed Della her purse and helped her up out of the chair.
The Canteen wasn't very crowded at all. Military operations had picked up in the area so most of the men were either shipping out or busy loading the ships. Della scanned the club right away looking for her Lieutenant. There were two tables of men playing poker, a few Sailors huddled around the pool table and a bar area full of smokers and drinkers. The juke box played a "Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys" tune and the dance floor had about a dozen couples mixing it up western swing style. Della didn't see her Lieutenant anywhere in the club.
"Let's get a drink," Marilyn ushered Della and Kate towards the bar. Before they made it there a sailor intercepted Della.
"Hey little filly! May I have this dance please?" The pleading look in his eyes was too much for Della to turn down so she stepped out on the dance floor with him. "My name's Clem. You're about the purd-i-est girl I've seen in this place all night! You'd sure put all the girls back home in Texas to shame! Yaaaahooo, you're a beaut!"
Della smiled up at him. "My goodness the men from Texas sure are friendly! Are those cowboy boots regulation wear in the Navy now?"
"Aw now honey! Ya gotta bend the rules a little bit when this might be my last night out on the town for a while." He still managed a smile, but Della could see a little fear in his eyes.
"You must be shipping out soon," Della felt sad for him. "Why don't we just keep those boots moving as long as the jukebox keeps playing?"
Della and the girls closed the Canteen down and shared a cab back to their apartment. Della yawned. "I'm beat! I wish I would have seen my Lieutenant again, but all was not lost tonight. I felt so sorry for Clem. This is his first deployment on a battleship. He sure was homesick for Texas."
"You're so kind to those men, Della. I wish Marilyn and I could show even half of your compassion."
Marilyn quickly added, "I agree! Your heart was set on seeing your Lieutenant tonight but even though he was a no-show, you stayed upbeat and eased one cowboy's fears. I don't know how you do it!"
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The war in the Pacific raged on. Lt Commander Mason's duties took him island-hopping all over the South Pacific. His Intel was crucial in several battles – names such as Tarawa, Kawajalein, Saipan and scores of other sub titles of "Operations" filled his mind. He collaborated with other Military Intelligence men from the US Army and they all hoped that the information they came up with would spare U.S. casualties in the battles. By the beginning of 1945 names such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa began popping up. Mason was tired of war and longed for stability back in the States. Some nights before he drifted off to sleep his thoughts turned back to a USO Canteen and a band playing "Moonlight Serenade".
Della remained busy in the US Navy JAG offices. Desertion, AWOL, and drunken fights involving Sailors and Marines filled her days. Courts-Martial proceedings, Article 15's and the Uniform Code of Military Justice became her life. The military had it's own language with abbreviations for everything. With all these phrases going through her mind, Della adjusted to military ways and thought back to the USO Canteen and special dances with her Lieutenant.
The war finally came to an end in 1945 but Della stayed on with her job in the Navy JAG office mopping up all the old cases. But by mid 1946 the civilian jobs were being replaced by military personnel with years of service to go on their enlistments. Just before Captain Paisano's farewell party Della learned that her job was being cut. She attended the party on the day that she received her final paycheck.
"Miss Street, I'm so glad you're here today." Captain Paisano took her by the hand a led her to his desk. "I've compiled a list of local law firms that are hiring office staff. I want you to know that without your hard work here we would have been lost! I will gladly be a reference source for you for any job you seek." He handed Della the thick file folder which she accepted with a tear in her eye.
"This job has been quite a learning experience, Captain, so I'm grateful for your guidance and direction these past few years."
The Captain smiled and gave Della a hug. "Well now we've got a party to enjoy, so shall we?" He brought her back into the office lobby where the champagne corks were popping.
Della managed to excuse herself from the festivities after a glass of champagne. She was heading to Marilyn's bridal shower back at their apartment. The laughter could be heard all the way to the end of the hallway as Della approached the apartment door. She was very happy for Marilyn and Johnny. Johnny made it back from the war unscathed and Della often wondered where her Lieutenant had ended up.
"Della! Get in here! We're about to open gifts soon!" Marilyn was grinning ear-to-ear.
An hour later the last guests left and Kate and Della began cleaning up dishes and wrapping paper. Marilyn received many nice things. Johnny came by at the end of the party and took her away to meet with the Minister for final instructions before their wedding day.
"If I eat any more today I won't fit into my dress for the wedding," sighed Della. The leftovers were packed up and put in the icebox. "I can't believe their wedding day is here tomorrow! Will George make it back here in time to take you to the wedding?"
Kate's fiancé, George, was discharged from the Marines after the war but was hospitalized in San Diego until a week before Marilyn's wedding.
"He'll be here tomorrow morning. He's still walking with a cane, but he promised me a dance at the party after the nuptials. You know he mentioned that we might move back to Illinois soon. He wants to be married in Chicago."
"Oh! You didn't say anything about that yet. But good for you! George is a good man – you better follow him wherever he goes!"
"It won't be for a while yet. He still has doctor visits here in LA for another month or so. Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"
"I'm going to find a new job first thing next week. Captain Paisano left me with a stack of job notices here in LA and he'll be a reference for me if needed. I love LA, Kate. I can't think of any other place I'd like to live and work."
"So you won't be two-stepping to Texas living on a ranch with Clem?", Kate drawled sarcastically.
The girls giggled more and finished cleaning up the apartment.
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Lieutenant Commander Perry Mason became "Mister" Perry Mason upon his discharge from the Navy in June 1946. He returned to Los Angeles and went back to college to finish the last semester of Law School. He was excited to hear that several local law firms were looking for interns. There was a lot of competition for these positions, but Perry was confident that he would land an internship quickly. He passed his bar exam easily with one of the highest scores ever.
The law firm of Franklin & Steiner offered Perry a paid internship right away in September 1946. The firm specialized in civil law, but occasionally Perry got involved in minor criminal cases. He worked hard all day learning all the aspects of his cases, then spent many nights at home surrounded by law books making sure nothing would surprise him in Court.
It wasn't long before he was made an associate at the firm. He received invitations by the law firm partners to attend "networking" sessions at clubs with exclusive memberships for attorneys. These stuffy clubs were filled with cigar smoke and offered only top-shelf liquor to enjoy. Perry tried to stay off to the side and catch bits and pieces of conversations. He always checked the bulletin board for announcements of lectures which he gladly attended when available. These gatherings seemed rather boring to him until he noticed a woman who was escorted in one evening.
Perry watched from the bar area as he witnessed several men stumble over themselves to light her cigarette or pull out a chair for her to sit on. She appeared to expect to be the center of attention. She had a slim figure and short light brown hair. Her attire did not appear like she bought it "off the rack". The bracelet on her wrist glittered as she gestured to the men surrounding her while she spoke.
"Her name's Laura Fulbright. Daughter of Edward. Yes, t-h-e Edward Fulbright as in Fulbright and Benson." The man next to Perry at the bar must have seen Perry staring at her.
Perry continued staring and commented back. "She acts like she's royalty. Is she the guest of her father tonight?"
"Guest, yes, but not of her father. She's an attorney. I hear that she's applied for a membership here. Quite a self-serving socialite otherwise."
Laura suddenly got bored with her surroundings and caught the eye of a handsome man at the bar who was staring at her with his big blue eyes. Within a moment she was next to Perry at the bar.
"Laura Fulbright," she offered her hand to Perry as an introduction.
"Perry Mason, Associate with Franklin and Steiner. Pleased to meet you."
"It's so stuffy in here. Why don't you take me out of here into some fresh night air so I can get to know more about you, Perry Mason?"
TBC
