Chapter 6 - Expect the unexpected

Glen and Audrey seemed absolutely paralysed when Ellen and Della entered the study.

"Long time no see," Ellen greeted her stepfather. Audrey Pratt, Laura's faithful secretary, paled and failed to return the greeting while Glen, who had been sitting behind Laura's desk, rose.

"Ellen. Della." He gave Della a bright smile. "What brings you here?"

"I guess the same reason you are here," Ellen said.

"We're looking for clues in Laura's disappearance," Della added.

Glen nodded. "I see."

"When did you last see her?" Ellen directed the question at Audrey and Glen. Audrey answered first. She was slowly recovering from the shock, cleared her throat, and said. "Last friday evening. She was upset."

"About what?"

Audrey nibbled at her lower lip. "About those letters."

"What letters?" Della asked, surprised.

"Threats," Glen clarified. "She called me after she had received two of them. Later she also received phone calls in the middle of the night. The person at the other end never spoke and hung up after a couple of seconds."

"And she never called the police?" Della was aghast. She pictured herself in this big house at night, all alone. She would go mad.

"I didn't think much of it at first," Glen admitted. "I thought it was a deception to get my attention."

"Well, it wasn't," Audrey said. "I saw the letters. They were real."

"And why didn't you call the police?" Ellen asked Audrey.

"Because Laura didn't want me to. She thought of it as a private matter."

Della looked at Ellen who didn't seem to believe Audrey's statement anymore than she did. It was simply unreasonable not to react to such threatening occurrences and Laura was selfish, but not unreasonable.

"So, where are these letters?" Ellen asked. "I need to see them."

"Laura told me, she burned them," Audrey cleared her throat. "As I said, it was a private matter to her."

"And what are you doing here, when she burned those letters?" Della wanted to know.

Glen and Audrey exchanged a look, but none of them answered.

"Well," Ellen mused. "If you have no reason to be, I would say, the visit is over now. I'll lead the way out."

######

After Ellen had dropped Della at her hotel, she returned to Laura's house. She stayed in her car until she was sure Glen and Audrey hadn't returned to the premises, before she entered her mother's house once more.

According to Glen Laura had burned the threatening letters she had received, but Ellen didn't believe it. Laura was far too intelligent to burn something that threatened her existence.

She was thorough and found what she looked for in the book shelves in Laura's study. To her amusement Laura had hidden the two letters in the penal code - an edition from 1958, Ellen's year of birth.

You knew I would be looking here.

The letters were written with a typewriter, the paper was heavy and expensive, but without a watermark. With gloved hands, Ellen took the pages and put them into a small plastic bag.

She left the house with a feeling of contentment. They were finally getting somewhere.

######

Perry was sitting in the hotel bar. He couldn't stand the sight of the flowers on the desk and so he had taken his paperwork and had settled down in a corner where hopefully no one would look for him. He should concentrate on finding Stefan's killer, but the idea of losing Della was stronger than his grief and thirst for justice. He hoped the atmosphere of the busy hotel lobby would help him to concentrate on the relevant matters like the police report about Moore's murder. He had used some of his old contacts in the precinct to get a copy.

The idea of working in peace and quiet was over when he noticed someone approaching his table. He was about to tell the waiter to bring him another coffee when he realized it wasn't a waiter, but someone he didn't expect to see in a million years.

"Doctor Michaels," Perry said tonelessly.

"I think Mister is the appropriate address," the man replied smugly. "You took care of that, remember?"

"I do remember," Mason answered coldly and refrained from offering Michaels a seat. He felt nothing but disgust for the man. During Glen's trial Perry had discovered that Emmet Michael's, Laura's friend and physician, had deliberately made a misleading diagnosis about Laura's mental health to gain control over her. He had forced electroshock treatment on her and countless therapies and medication that only had one purpose - to remain close to her and to make sure she was completely dependent on him. It was one of the cruelest forms of abuse Perry had ever encountered during his long career. Why the man wasn't in jail was a complete mystery to him. He had only lost his medical license and his reputation.

"I know you didn't expect me here, but I want to talk to you. May I?" Michaels pointed at the chair opposite Perry.

"You may not."

Michaels smiled and sat down anyway. Perry snatched up his papers. "Have a good day, Mr Michaels."

"I think you will talk to me. It's about Laura."

Perry froze. What could Michaels know about Laura? As far as he knew Laura had cut off every contact with him. The only reason she hadn't pushed charges against him were her own legal problems after she had confessed the killing of Luke Dickson.

"What about her?"

"Two weeks ago Laura called me. She was scared."

Mason crooked his right eyebrow. "She called you?"

"She did. She needed my expertise and my help."

"Your expertise."

Michaels nodded and ignored the sarcasm in Mason's voice. "She felt threatened by someone. She received letters and phone calls in the middle of the night."

"By whom?"

Michaels grinned. "I don't know and neither did she, but it put a strain on her. She needed… help."

"She asked you for… medication? FRom your secret lab?" Perry didn't believe a word of what the man said, but perhaps it was best to allow him to keep talking.

"For my expertise," Michaels repeated. "As I said she was scared. She thought her daughter or perhaps Glen were behind the threats."

Perry narrowed his eyes. "Go on."

"I'm afraid that's all. I tried to call Laura a couple of times over the last two days, but she didn't answer the phone and then a little bird told me, you were in town and looking for her. I thought it was time to contact you. "

"Your concern is touching."

"Look, I know you don't understand me…."

Perry cut him off. "I haven't the slightest wish to understand you."

"But I'm sure, you want to help Laura as much as I do," Michaels said, ignoring Perry's remark. "We both know that Laura's daughter is fighting a vendetta against her."

"Why exactly is Ellen Robertson of concern for you?" Perry asked. "What do you know about her?"

Michaels shrugged and cleared his throat. "I know as much as you do."

"So, you know Ellen is looking for her biological father."

"I know."

"Since Laura has such trust in you: do you happen to know who he is?"

Emmet Michaels stared blankly at Mason. Apparently he hadn't expected that question and he grinded his teeth."I don't."

"Pity. Do you know where the file is that Luke Dickson once stole from the clinic in Arizona?"

"I don't."

"Pity."

"I came here to help," Michaels said angrily and rose. "I thought she meant something to you."

"Your help has never brought anything good on any of us. You should go now!"

The former doctor fled the hotel bar and Perry leaned back. The attorney doubted it had been Michael's intention, but he had given him something to think about.

######

Della carefully closed the door behind her, before she dialled the number of Robert Nichols' office. He was right on the phone when his nurse told him Della's name and Della hoped he didn't interrupt a consultation just to talk to her.

"I hope you called the number I sent you," he said.

"I did," she confirmed. "But you could have sent me the number in a less… flamboyant way."

"Does that mean you don't like the flowers? I remember they were your favorites."

"They are my favorites," she confirmed.

"Good. I thought they could encourage you to do the right thing. I want you to be healthy and enjoy the good things in life."

"That's very sweet of you." Her throat became dry. She didn't want to disappoint Robert, but she didn't want to encourage him either.

"How's your case going?" he asked, before the silence between them became uncomfortable.

"Slow," she admitted.

"Take care of yourself, Della. Please."

"That's the plan," she answered and bid him goodbye.

#####

When Perry returned to his hotel suite he felt exhausted. His conversation with Emmet Michaels had been nothing but strange. He detested the man and everything he was, but unfortunately Michaels had a point about Laura. The other astonishing result of the meeting was that Michaels had lied about the file. Perry was sure that the former doctor knew who the father of Ellen Robertson was and seemed determined to keep that secret. Perhaps he believed Laura would appreciate his loyalty. What a pathetic thought!

He placed his walking stick against the desk and took off his coat. In the next room he heard Della's voice. Obviously she was talking on the phone. Was she talking to Robert? He wasn't sure whether he wanted to know. Should he go inside? Interrupt her? Confront her? And would be the use of that?

Tired he crossed the room and poured himself a drink. He was rarely drinking these days, but he longed for something to sooth his nerves. He had a lot to think about, but at this point his mind was blank. He sank on one of the bar chairs and stared at the wall. Lost in his morbid thoughts he didn't notice that Della had finished her phone call and had entered the room.

He flinched when she touched his shoulders with her hands. "Where have you been?" she asked gently.

"Busy," he answered. It didn't sound angry, just stolid. He closed his eyes when he felt how she leaned against him. Her body at his, comforting and warm. A gesture that usually gave him peace and a sense of belonging. Now he had to force himself not to tense up. A part of him longed for her, the other one was deeply upset with her and wanted space - physically and emotionally.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Interesting," she answered. "I've met Glen Robertson and Audrey Pratt."

"What?"

She moved backwards and took a seat next to him. He saw her beautiful face, the smile that was exclusively reserved for him - at least as far as he knew - and his apprehensions began to melt. Wasn't she the most honest soul he had ever encountered? She was incapable of cheating or misleading someone.

With a mysterious smile she picked up his glass and took a large sip.

"Raven asked me to go to Laura's house. She wanted to look for hints about Laura's whereabouts and we found Glen and Audrey looking for the very same."

"What did they say?"

Della shrugged. "Not much, but Glen told us Laura had told him about threats she had received. At first he thought she was just seeking attention, but after her disappearance he changed his mind."

"What kind of threats?"

"He didn't go into detail. I think Audrey knows something, but she's kept quiet. I think we should talk to her when he's not around."

"Actually we should call the police," Perry said and took the glass away from her. He emptied it and placed it on the bar. For a few moments neither of them spoke.

"What's wrong with you?" she finally asked. Her index finger trailed along his arm. "And don't tell me it's Stefan, because that's not the only reason for you moping like this."

"You know me well," he stated, wondering if he knew her as well as she knew him.

"I do. That's my secret."

"Is it?" he wondered gently. Is it your only secret?

"I think so," she said and gave him a tender smile, before she slipped from the stool to prepare him another drink.

"Emmet Michaels paid me a visit today," he reported. "He thinks Laura's in danger."

Della was surprised, "The doctor who…"

"The doctor who isn't a doctor anymore," he confirmed. "He thinks Glen and Ellen are responsible for Laura's disappearance."

"But that's absurd," Della said. "Neither of them has any gain from her disappearance."

"I know. Apparently he knew about the threats that Laura received. So there must be some kind of truth in it. Damn, I wish I could figure out what's going on!" Frustrated he rubbed his face. She placed the glass in front of Perry before she planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Driven by the longing for a confirmation of her love for him he turned his head and kissed her. At first gauging and with care and when she reciprocated with growing passion.

The knock at the door interrupted their kiss. Perry groaned in annoyance, but Della just shrugged, somewhat amused about his grumpiness. "I'll get this," she whispered against his lips and answered the door. It was the same boy who had brought her the flowers in the morning. This time he was handing her a letter. Once again Della gave him a tip.

"It's for you," she said. "No sender."

He took the envelope and opened it. He had never liked letters without senders. A strange feeling crept up the back of his neck and as soon as he had read the few lines his suspicion was confirmed.

"What is it?"

"It's an ultimatum," Mason answered darkly. Curiously she looked over his shoulder and frowned when she read the lines.

Bring me Ellen and the file or Laura dies. At Laura's house tomorrow at noon.

####tbc####