Chapter 7 -The Forest for the Trees

It was six o'clock in the evening when Ellen Robertson, her husband Will, and Monsignore John Silver met with Perry and Della in his suite. No one accepted the drinks Della had offered. Instead the small group assembled around the table and exchanged ideas. After two killings and no substantial evidence the message seemed like a breakthrough, although Perry was still sceptical. His gut told him to be wary, not to take anything for granted- not even a situation that looked like kidnapping.

It came as no surprise to him that Ellen was determined to meet whoever had sent the threatening note to him. He still had to make up his mind whether she was truly fearless or just desperate enough to be foolish.

"That's what we've been waiting for," she said. "I'll go."

"No, you won't," her husband instantly replied. Will looked at his wife and Perry couldn't remember a moment when the young man had looked more serious or determined.

"I agree," John Silver said. "It's madness to go there without a plan and backup."

"Well, we won't call the police," Ellen said. "I'm sure Laura is behind this. All she wants is the file. I bet she thinks I was the one who stole it."

"Will's right, Ellen," Della tossed in. "You can't know if it's a setup from Laura or someone else. Someone much more dangerous! What of the same person who killed Stefan and Elliot Moore are behind this?"

Perry cleared his throat, "I think we have to consider all angles here. We know Laura was in contact with Emmet Michaels and Glen before she disappeared. We also still don't know why she wanted to talk to Stefan right before he was killed." Perrys' eyes came to rest on John Silver whose face looked darker than ever. "What leads me to you and your appointment with the archbishop."

Silver crossed his arms over his chest. "What about it?"

"We still don't know what it was all about."

"Does the term privacy mean anything to you?"

"Privacy doesn't apply when murder is involved."

"What a strange thing to say for a man of the law."

"Oh, please, cut it!" Ellen snapped. "Perry's right, John. I think we all know you didn't want to see His Grace because you wanted to make a confession."

Silver sighed annoyed. "All right. I give in. I wanted to see the bishop, because I found something in Laura's medical file that needed explaining and I thought he was the man to do so. He was after all someone who was good in keeping secrets."

For a few seconds complete silence fell over the room and covered it like a thick blanket. Then, after the shock had settled in, an explosion of accusations and questions waltzed through the room like a shockwave.

"How could you?"

"You broke into her house?"

"What were you thinking?!"

"You bastard!" Silver caught Ellen's hand before she could slap him.

"I had my reasons."

"Of course. We all have a reason for everything!"

"All I did was to hire someone to break into Laura's house when she wasn't at home. She wasn't in danger."

"You lied to me!"

"For your own good!"

"Humbug!"

"Stop it!" Perry shouted. Silver and Ellen stopped their argument and stared at Perry.

"So who terrorized her with phone calls and those letters?" Della asked Silver. His answer was a shrug. "It wasn't me. All I wanted was the file."

"And where is it now?" Mason barked.

"In a safe place," Silver answered, avoiding a straight answer. He hadn't released Ellen's hand, because he still feared an attack from her.

"What's in the file?" Will asked.

"What's not in it, is the most interesting point," Silver admitted. "There's no mention of the name of your biological father in it." Still angry with him Ellen pulled her hand out of his.

"So, why did you keep it a secret?" There was no doubt that she didn't believe a word of what the priest was saying.

"Because there's something much more dangerous in it than just a name."

"You're talking in riddles," Ellen said and rose. With her back turned to the group she stared out of the widow. It was almost dark outside and the street below busy.

"What's so dangerous about it?" Della wanted to know.

Silver squirmed on his chair. "In the file there's a protocol about a therapy session. Michaels had hypnotized Laura and she mentioned an eight-digit number every time he asked her about more information about the child she gave up for adoption. She repeats these numbers like a mantra. I thought the bishop knew something about it, since he took care of the adoption."

"What number?" Will asked, but no one paid attention to him.

"You thought Stefan knew who the father was, didn't you?" Della asked Silver.

"I'm as clueless as you," Silver answered. "But yes, I think he knew it."

"What was the number?" Will repeated his question.

Silver shrugged. "I haven't memorized it."

"But you will give us the file," Will said. "And we will hand it over to the police. This… madness has to end and we will end it tonight!"

"I doubt that's your decision to make," Silver said smugly. "Otherwise your wife would have called the police by now."

"Ellen?" Perry asked.

Slowly Ellen turned around and returned to her chair. "I want that file, John. And I will go to Laura's house and see what happens. You can lie in ambush if you feel the need to, but that's all I will allow."

Della shook her head. "It's a mad idea. What if it causes more harm than good? What if you get killed?"

Ellen shrugged. "That's the risk I have to take. If Laura's behind all this and takes these measures to get her file back, nothing will happen to me. She won't hurt me and if she isn't, I may get the chance to save her."

Will scoffed, jumped up, and said. "I'm not going to listen to any of this any longer. Whatever you do from now on, you do on your own."

He tore his jacket from the armrest and marched to the door.

"Just don't tell Daddy what happened," Ellen yelled after him. "That's all I ask of you."

Will stopped in his tracks. "What are you suggesting? Do you think he's the real culprit?"

"I'm suggesting nothing. I'm just asking you not to tell him or anyone else. Please." For a moment their eyes locked. Perry watched the silent communication between the couple with growing amazement. It was never simple to understand what was going on between two people. He thought of Della and himself. Just like Ellen and William they were two sides of the same medal and yet out of sync.

"So, you really don't trust him?"

"Only as far as I can throw him."

Will shook his head in disgust and left the suite. The door fell shut and once again silence filled the room.

"Once this is over, you should call a marriage counselor," Silver suggested.

"Or a good divorce attorney," Raven mocked. "Anyway, I think it's time you gave me that file." She sank down on the chair next to his.

"You're making a mistake," Silver said. "You'll regret it."

"You've promised me that since I'm fourteen and it's getting boring, old man."

"He's right, Ellen," Perry said, wanting to make one last attempt to convince her to give up on her dangerous plan.

"You can rile up on me all you like, I'm not going to change my mind."

"So, we're either with you or against you," Della summed up.

"All I'm asking of you is to do what I think is best. You don't have to support me, but I'm asking you not to involve the police or anyone else. I'm sure nothing's going to happen to me and I'm sure Laura's alive. Have a little trust in me, please!"

Perrys' eyes searched for Dellas'. As always he read his very own thoughts in hers.

If only I could.

#######

"Do you have trust in her?" Della asked Perry, once they were alone.

"I wish, I knew," he answered. "Two people who knew the contents of the file are dead and Laura has been kidnapped - or at least that's what it looks like. What Ellen wants to do is not just dangerous. It's downright mad."

"And what will you do now?" She stepped behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't tell me, you want to go with her."

He didn't know how to answer. The idea had crossed his mind, but then he wasn't mad. There had to be another way.

"I won't," he promised, "But I'm not ready to let her go in unprotected either."

"So, what do you want to do?" she wondered. He noticed how she tightened her embrace and in response he placed his hand on hers. She wore the amethyst ring he had given her for her birthday a few years ago. Another token of his love.

"Thinking," he answered darkly. "It's going to be a long night."

He was missing something. He was missing the forest for the trees, he was sure of it.

######

Wednesday

The next morning Perry was having breakfast on his own and he hated it. While he was under the shower Della had left him a note that she had a short notice appointment. During his long, sleepless night he had done his best not to think about the flowers and the strange note this Robert had left for her, but now his concerns were back. He pushed the full breakfast plate away and concentrated on his strong, black coffee.

On the one hand he trusted Della. She was the most honest soul he knew and she would never cheat on someone. It wasn't like her to hide something from him, so whoever the man was, was perhaps after her, but she was not after him. He sighed. There was only one way to find out. Once he knew who Robert was, he could concentrate on Ellen and Laura.

He rose and looked for the card inside the drawer. Della hadn't removed it, perhaps she had forgotten about it. He quickly dialled the number and waited. To his surprise it was a woman who answered the phone.

"Doctor Miller's office, Susan speaking."

"Hello, my name's… Street. My… My wife has made an appointment with you, but I'm afraid she forgot the date. The name's Street, Della Street."

"Wait… right…" The woman fell silent, as if she didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, Sir, but she was due today at eight o'clock… she already left the office..."

Mason swallowed, "Well… It seems there was a misunderstanding between us then, if she was already there..."

"It seems so… is there anything else I can do for you?"

Perry didn't answer. A thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. Once more Della had given him the clue he needed and she didn't even know it.

"No, thank you. You've been of great help." He hung up the phone and dialled another phone number. There wasn't much time left to make the necessary arrangements.

######tbc#######