A lone tear skidded down Della's cheek.
"I'm sorry, Della," Perry told her.
"You didn't do anything!" she assured him.
"I don't know how we are going to get out of here."
"Neither do I."
Perry and Della, who finally had the quiet they had wanted, would have given almost anything to be back safely in Los Angeles. Hungry, tired, and stuck in very uncomfortable positions, they tried to undo their ropes, but it would then tighten the ropes on the other. Neither of them would try to get loose.
"Della, you have to try!" Perry insisted.
"I will not! The ropes are so tight already, they may kill you!"
So, they spent the day sitting there, talking, since there was nothing else to do. Della fell asleep in the late evening. Perry dozed, but did not have the restful slumber he needed. He was a lawyer. He was used to getting people out of difficult situations, but this? Untying knots was not his usual work. He, for once, was at a complete loss as of what to do or say. He was going to have to make Della work at her ropes, even if that meant that the rope about his neck would be pulled tighter. One of them should make it out, at least!
"You are going to need to untie the ropes," Perry told Della the next morning.
"No."
"Della-"
"NO! Perry, do you know what you are asking me? How could I even think about hurting, much less killing you? I don't care what you say, I will not budge!"
Dehydration was becoming a problem by the time evening was rolling around, yet again. Della was so nauseous. She felt as if she was going to heave, but she fought the urge. Perry's headache raged. Both of them were hungry, but their need for water was maddening. They both were fighting being irritable.
"I can't snap at her," Perry thought, "This might be the end!"
It was late. Perry had lost track of how long they had been in the cabin.
"If we get out of here, Della, I will take you on your proper honeymoon!" he promised.
Sometime, when it was still dark, they heard footsteps outside of the cabin.
"Help us, we're in here!" they called hoarsely.
Someone was running. The door opened. A flashlight was shone in. It took Perry and Della a moment to see who their rescuer was. There, in the door way stood Paul Drake!
Surprise! Paul Drake to the rescue! A friend once told me she wanted more of Paul Drake doing Paul Drake type things. Here you are, friend!
I was not going to say who was rescuing them. I was going to end the chapter with "There, in the door way stood..." and make you wait until the next chapter to find out who it was! But that was a little too mean.
Thank you for all of the lovely reviews! One more chapter to go!
