Perry hurried out of the hospital and into the phone booth across the street. He immediately called Paul Drake's office. His secretary Margo finally answered,
"I'm sorry, Mr. Mason, but he isn't here yet. I thought he went to your office."
"He did, but I had to leave. I'll try my office. Thank you," he hastily hung up the telephone and dug in his pockets for more coins.
Gertie, his receptionist, answered the call.
"Oh, Mr. Mason! Paul told me about Della! Is she all right? What happened to her?"
"She's was all right," he thought about the fit she went in to before he left but said nothing about it, "but I really need to talk to Paul. Is he there?"
"Yes, one minute."
Paul's voice came across the line.
"How's Della?"
"Fine, but do you know anything about chocolates left on Della's desk this morning?"
"No! Why?"
"They were poisoned," Perry, who was out of time, hung up the phone without further explanation.
Perry went back to his office to look around. Paul helped him look for anything unusual, all the while hounding Perry with questions about Della.
"The truth is, Paul, I don't know how she is. She went in to some sort of fit before I left and I was told to come back later. I don't know how she is, and it's killing me. Right now, trying to find out what happened is keeping me distracted and I need your help."
Surprised by emotion shown and the look on Perry's face, Paul nodded solemnly.
The top of Della's desk was its normal, orderly self. Perry opened the drawer with his handkerchief, not wanting to destroy any fingerprints. He saw a box of chocolates and pulled it out carefully. When he opened the lid, he noticed two chocolates were missing. He went to the phone and called the police. When he hung up, he got ready to ask a lot of questions of a lot of people.
~~~~~~~~~~P+D~~~~~~~~~
Perry talked to the police, Paul the doorman, and Gertie the night watchman. No one had let anyone into Perry's office or delivered any chocolates. The police reported that there were no fingerprints on the box, except Della's. It was a complete dead end.
Perry went back to the hospital that night during the evening visiting hours. A nurse stopped him in the hallway.
"Excuse me, who are you here to see?"
"Miss Street."
"That is what I thought. Will you please step in here?" she nodded towards a door marked, "Doctor Neilson's, Private."
"Of course. Is something wrong?" his heart quickened. She could not be-
"Mr. Mason?" the doctor rose from his desk when the lawyer entered.
"Yes?"
"We had to move Miss Street into another room an hour ago," the doctor nodded to a chair and Perry sat.
"Is something wrong?" Perry asked again, wishing someone would answer his question.
"Someone attempted to kill-"
"WHAT?!" Perry jumped to his feet.
"A man came in with a concealed gun and took a shot at her. Fortunately for her, he missed, but it was not by much," the doctor explained.
"Is she all right?"
"No one was harmed."
"May I see her?"
"Yes," the doctor took Perry to a secluded room with a guard by the door.
"Perry!" Della looked relieved to see him.
"Della, are you all right?" he demanded, wanting to know from her if she had been hurt and hating himself for leaving the hospital earlier.
She nodded.
"A guy tried to shoot me, but missed."
"Did you get a good look at him?"
Della shook her head, "It all happened so fast!"
"We'll have to find him. Do you need me to bring you anything?" he asked.
"My friend Linda is bringing me what I need."
"I'll be by in the morning then. Good night, Della," Perry patted her shoulder, "Try and still be alive in the morning, won't you?"
"You'd miss me that much?" Della was flattered.
"No. It's too short a notice to get a replacement secretary," he winked and left.
Della gave him a look that would have withered a lesser man.
Chapter three should be coming soon!
All of your reviews are greatly appreciated! :-)