CHAPTER FOUR

Since Della's apartment was closest they decided to stay there for the night. They weren't sure they would be able to relax, but she was almost asleep by the time he pulled in the parking lot.

He got her up to the apartment, and into the bedroom. Pulling off his suit coat and tie, he began to undress her. She opened her eyes halfway, and had a mischievous grin on her face as she pulled his lips down to hers.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he took her hands in his and said softly, "I am so thankful you are all right, my darling."

"Me too", she acknowledged her eyes shiny with tears.

He continued to undress her, caressing her silky skin as he went. Quickly disrobing he climbed into the bed, and pulled her into his arms. Before Della could say a word, he began kissing her face, "Rest now, Baby, I'm here to take care of you, always and forever."

Perry grinned as he realized she was sound asleep. Adjusting her in his arms, he closed his eyes and tried to relax hoping he could fall asleep. The next things he knew his wife was getting out of the shower, wrapped in a large towel. "You look like you are feeling better."

"I always do after a night sleeping in your arms," she told him.

A smile played on his face as he commented, "aren't you sorry it took you so long to realize that fact."

"As I recall," she told him emphatically, "You were involved with a certain lawyer when I came to work for you."

Trying to pass of that comment casually he went on, "it was a mere aberration. I have never loved anyone but you."

"You could have fooled me."

"Well," her persisted, "we'll probably never see HER again."

Trying to stare him down Della said, "with my luck she will commit a murder and want you to defend her."

"It isn't happening, she is too smart and ambitious for that. Besides you are the only woman I EVER want in my life."

Della looked at her husband's bare chest as she began pulling out her white silk dress with the red, blue, and green geometric shapes on the collar and hem. Noticing him lying on the bed, propped up on his elbow she asked, "I better be, and just what are you looking at Mister?"

"Don't mind me," he told her smirking. "I'm just watching the scenery."

"Well Mr. Smarty, I'll just dress in the bathroom." she teased.

Getting up quickly he headed toward her. Della held up her hands, "hold it Buster."

Grabbing her around the waist and twirling her, he commented, "Buster eh?"

"Perry," she said breathlessly, "we need to get to work."

He laughed, "call your boss and tell him you'll be late."

Running her hands through his hair Della responded, "he can be such a bear if I'm not on time."

Kissing her quickly he commented, "Well, I am going to have a talk with this gentleman. I may have to tell him to whom you belong."

As she began to speak the phone rang. Perry went to get it, and Della told him, "you better hope it isn't someone who doesn't know you have the right to be here so early in the morning".

He threw her a dirty look as he said, "Hi Paul".

As he listened to the detective, his wife hurried around getting dressed. By the time he got off the phone, she was in the bathroom putting on her make-up. Coming up behind her Perry said, "Paul said a man across from the restaurant got a partial license plate of the car, as it came careening out of the parking lot. He and Tragg are working on this together".

Fluffing her hair, she said, "Well will wonders ever cease".

Looking her over he told her, "you get more beautiful with each passing day."

She couldn't resist saying to him, "I will not get undressed, so you can have your way with me, but thank you".

Trying to appear innocent Mason queried, "would I do that"?

"If I gave you the slightest provocation." Her words followed her to the kitchen.

Knowing she was right the lawyer laughed as he headed for the shower.

She usually beat him to the office, but her car being damaged they left at the same time. "I'll stop in and see Paul if you want to open things up."

Wrinkling her forehead Della explained, "I know you don't want to hear we have mail to go through, but I also want to do some research on any reason someone should want to hurt either of us."

"Alright," he told her, "I won't be long."

Half an hour later Paul came trailing in after him. "Hi beautiful," he told her.

Looking up from her corner of the desk she observed, "I hope you aren't bringing unwelcome news."

Adjusting himself into his usual pretzel shape, in the client chair, Paul explained, "I just have to ask you a few questions."

"Alright," Della agreed.

"Did you notice anyone paying special attention to you or Mildreth last night?" He asked pulling out his trusty notebook.

"Not really," she said thoughtfully.

"Have you had any strange phone calls here or at home, or any hang-ups?"

"Is that significant Paul?" She asked.

Writing down her answers he replied, "Someone might want to know when you are at the office and at home. You do keep odd hours. Where they might call is significant too. You each have unlisted numbers at the apartments and the house. If someone calls you there it has to be someone you know."

"I can't think of anything odd that has happened in terms of any phone calls." She said slowly as if trying to recall anything out of the ordinary."

"The girls or Gertie haven't mentioned anything strange around the office?" He inquired.

Smiling at him Della reminded him, "if Gertie saw or heard anything strange you know she would report it right away. She has quite an active imagination."

Grinning Perry and Paul had to agree with that statement. Unwinding himself out of the chair the detective informed them, "I'm going to see Tragg to see if there is anything new. Don't let her out of your sight Perry and Della check over those past cases."

They assured him they would do all they could to figure out what was happening. She began to go to her office when Perry suggested, "Why not bring those files in here and we can go over them together. After all, two heads are better than one."

"Maybe later," she used her best secretarial voice. "You have an appointment in 15 minutes, and we had to postpone them twice because of your last murder case."

Grinning he told her, "okay slave driver."

Tilting her head to the side she reminded him, "we still have to pay the bills."

Sighing he remarked, "send the Bensons in when they get here. If we get that out of the way, my calendar says I'm free until two o'clock. Then we can settle down and go over some of the more recent cases. You also have copies of letters where I refused to take on a case. Check and see if anyone got angry about that or tried to be persistent about getting me to change my mind."

"How far back do you think we should go? She asked.

Drumming his fingers on his desk he finally said, "let's start with six months and let's look over our appointment books and see if anything catches our attention."

Starting for her office once again Della told him, "well we certainly have our work cut out for us."

By the end of the day their eyes were blurry from checking files. Getting up and stretching Perry went out to check the outer office now dark and empty. Coming back to his office door he leaned on the door jamb and suggested, "everyone is long gone Mrs. Mason, I think we should head home too."

Straightening his desk, she looked up at him and smiled. "You have to feed me, I'm starving."

"When aren't you," he teased.

Getting their coats, she looked at him over her shoulder, "just for that I'll let you drop me at your apartment, and you can go shopping for two thick steaks, ingredients for a salad, some garlic bread, and a fine bottle of wine."

Helping her on with her coat he inquired, "and just what will you be doing while I am shopping?"

Spreading her arms out she drawled, "taking a nice hot bubble bath so I am all soft and sweet smelling for my husband."

Pushing her out the door, turning off the lights, and rushing her down the hall he said, "Okay baggage, let's get a move on."

As they waited for the elevator Della pulled on his lapels and quickly kissed him, "That's a taste of what will be waiting for you when you get back with the food."

He suggested, "Why don't we stop at the store on the way home. We can run in, get everything we need, we'll eat sooner, and we can take that bath together."

She arched an eyebrow at him and tried not to laugh, "always impatient Mr. Mason."

Trying to sound reasonable Perry replied, "Paul said not to let you out of my sight, and you disappeared* on me once and I vowed to never let that happen again."

"Perry," she began, "you know why that happened…..I" Her voice trailing off she couldn't help still feeling guilty at how upset that situation had made him.

"Alright we'll do it your way," she conceded.

Helping her into their car he said, "That's my girl."

*I promise to explain the disappearance soon.