Disclaimer: The characters in this story don't belong to me, they are owned by Erle Stanley Gardner's pen. I don't receive any economic good for them. I only write for the pleasure of doing it.

Many thanks to the incredible to tengland2 for helping correct this story and for staying by my side helping me.

All the errors are only mine.

Chapter Twenty One

"The past we do not need to erase it or change it, we just need to accept it, overcome it and move on."

It was still rather early, as the Masons were getting ready to go visit Lizzie, when the phone rang. Answering it Della was surprised that Gertie was calling, considering the time in LA.

"Good morning, Gertie, this is rather early for you. I hope there is nothing seriously wrong at the office.?" Asks Della.

"Good mooring Della, things at the office are just fine with the help of Jackson and others." Pausing briefly Gertie continues, "I called you because of an article that just came out late yesterday afternoon, in the latest issue of 'Spicy Bits' magazine."

"Gertie, you know I have no interest in of the lies written in the articles of that magazine. I have no use for it or its president." Replies Della.

"I know very well what you think of the magazine and were quite happy when Mr. Mason gave it up as a client. But this time you maybe glad I still read it on occasion." Says Gertie, "but what I've read I felt you would be glad I called to warn you. There is an article, not mentioning either of you by name, but I'm sure it's about you both."

"Gertie you know perfectly well that the society and gossip pages, including Eva Belter, still mention us even in passing. Its usually just what they call a filler. Perry and I no longer care about what people say, as it is for the best."

"I know all this Della, I know what you've put up with over the years with this woman and others like her. You've always been very professional in front of them." Continues Gertie, "This article talks about the daughter of a famous prestigious LA lawyer, who went to law school in Boston and using her mother's maiden name. Apparently going to school in the east was to cover up her bad behavior, that she's not the perfectly smart innocent young lady she appeared to be. Apparently, this young lady tried the same thing as her mother, getting pregnant in order to marry a well to do husband. But there is no one in sight, she's planning to have and raise this child on her own."

Della took several deep breaths before answering Gertie. "Gertie, there is a bit of truth to that, Lizzie, is planning to have and raise her child on her own. You know she changed her name to make her own career as a lawyer without the help of the Mason name."

"I know all that, but its just the way this article is written. I'm sure this magazine will make it to a newsstand in Boston at some point." Replies Gertie. "I could put the article into a mail delivery service and probably have it tomorrow at the latest. I would fax it, but I don't think it's something you want others to see."

"Go ahead and put it in the mail, there is an address and phone number in the cards on my desk." Says Della.

"I'll find it and with a bit of luck I can get it out early this morning and maybe you'll have it late today. Sorry to ruin your day, Della, but I thought you should know." Says Gertie, "please tell Lizzie hello for me, hope she feels better soon. I want all the best for her and her baby. Be safe all of you."

"Thank you, Gertie, I will tell her and now need to talk to Perry. Thank you and goodbye." Replied Della.

Hanging up the phone Della sits on the couch taking several deep breaths. She needed to get her anger under control and needed to think about what Gertie had just said. They hadn't heard from Eva Belter in years or at least not enough to give them any reason to pay attention to what she may have had written. How could she have found out about Lizzie's pregnancy, the fact that she changed her name for professional reasons and with Andrea had gone to law school in the Boston area was no secret. Eva Belter had been another woman in Perry's past that felt she had been replaced by Della. Collapsing against the back of the couch, wondering why these women couldn't leave her and her family in peace. Perry had long since made his choice and they had more than one discussion over the years. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she got up, heading for the bathroom in need to fix her makeup.

Finally getting herself back together, Della went into the suite's sitting room finding Perry having coffee, reading a local paper, he glances up at her.

"Who was calling so early? Lizzie need us to bring her something?" He asks.

"No, not that easy. It was Gertie, calling." She smiles, "I know to early for her. But this was important. She got her hands on a copy of 'Spicy Bit's."

"Thought she gave up reading that one years ago," Perry smiles sipping his coffee.

"Be thankful, she hasn't entirely. Apparently, she got a copy before it hit the stands. There is an article in it, she is sure refers to us and Lizzie's current situation." Replies Della.

Perry's sudden burst of an angry outrage, hadn't surprised Della, his screams echoed through the hotel room. She finally manged to get him quieted down, before hotel security showed up at their door and informed him, Gertie was sending the article through special delivery. She convinced him there was nothing to discuss until they got the article.

Perry couldn't believe that Eva Belter, would be out to annoy them, there had to be others she could be bothering with her bits of gossip. He knew this woman could be unscrupulous with the façade of an innocent woman. He couldn't be foolish enough to think she still had any affection for him. He knew Eva had antipathy for his wife, especially when she found out Della was pregnant and had married him.

Della had never liked Eva Belter from the first moment she met her, there was something that woke her instincts and knew when Eva was lying. Perry had gotten upset, having accused her of interfering in his work, questioning his judgement and choice of clients. He had accepted Eva as a client, only getting into more of her problems, trying to defend her of her husband's murder.

Perry's behaviour made him look like a complete idiot in front of her. Eva Belter wanting the knight in shining armour, had the perfect damsel in distress act for the lawyer and he had bought it all. This nearly put an end to their relationship, as Della felt very hurt by Perry's behaviour, making her feel she was nothing more than his secretary or even less important. They no longer spent a lot of time together outside of the office, except a quick dinner and the need to satisfy his basic instincts.

They had been constant companions, dating, for nearly four years when Eva Belter came into their lives. It had taken several weeks for Perry to realize and see the true face of her. He realized that there was a large gap even in his work relationship with Della, as well as their personnel one. Della had been right, he had been a complete selfish idiot and began asking for forgiveness. Perry had reflected that had been the first of several times over the years of needing forgiveness. Laura Robertson and Eva Belter for the moment were the only two from his past that were going after his family, particularly his daughter. Laura being the most vicious of what was happening, because Della given him a child, his princess, his precious daughter.

Eva had already put their daughter on public display, when she was born prematurely. Somehow a photographer had managed bribe an employee, not only getting into the hospital but the neonatal unit, obtaining pictures of a baby hooked up to life saving tubes and machines. Eva had published the photo on the cover of her magazine, cruelly mocking Della and her baby. She had made the statement that Perry Mason had chosen the woman to marry and to have a child with. Eva's story claimed the prestigious lawyer picked a woman of bad blood, who not only couldn't' give him a son, but instead a sickly daughter, who probably wouldn't survive.

Neither Perry nor Della knew how the hell she had found out about Lizzie's pregnancy or even why she would be writing about it. Lizzie was far from the LA limelight that still less frequently followed her parents.

Perry was sure there would be reporters of hers arriving to investigate the whole situation. He knew there would be motives for gossip and rumours even in Boston, figuring less likely in LA, until now. He was bothered most by the story, although not mentioned by name, Lizzie was called a vagabond, a young woman who apparently was not raised as everyone thought she had been. Like her mother, got pregnant to get married, but instead the father had disappeared.

Perry could only hope the fact that nearly a month ago he had denied his daughter and her pregnancy, when he heard the news. He was sure Eva would put more into that situation than there already was. Perry knew he and Della had to talk with Lizzie and the rest of the family regarding this portion of t he story. They all had to be made aware of the fact it was going to get worse considering the magazine. This could send Lizzie's stress and blood pressure levels into extremely unwanted high levels, which could cause harm to her and her unborn child.

Perry realized he need to fight for this child, just as he had its mother all those years ago. It would be his grandchild, to love, protect and help raise with Della when possible. It finally hit him for the first time, his baby was having a baby. He smiled think briefly of how he sometimes had to fight for Lizzie's affection whenever her brother Tom was around.

This was going to be a fight to find out the truth of who had started this story, which was no one's business but their own. Just how far was Eva Belter and whoever was helping her with the information was willing to go. He would have Della contact her friend in the Boston court system and BPD to ensure the girls would be safe and able to get help if necessary.

It suddenly hit him, LAURA ROBERTSON!