A week after that disastrous dinner, Perry walked into his office to find Della going through the mail, "did the mail already come?" he asked.

"No, I just didn't go through it yesterday."

"Really?"

"I forgot," she said.

"That doesn't sound like you."

"Nothing about me lately sounds like me." She finished going through the mail and gave Perry his seat back. He asked her to take dictation. At one point, he noticed her stop writing, "Della, what's wrong?"

"I missed something," she said.

"Well, read me what you have," Perry said gently, noticing the stress on her face. Della looked at her pad and said nothing. He could tell she was thinking very hard and becoming frustrated. Perry took the pad and sat down next to her. "Darling, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," she said.

"What happened when you looked at your pad?"

"I couldn't read it."

Perry looked at the pad. He took the pad to the filing cabinet and compared it with other dictation Della had taken from him. It was the same. He returned to his office, and his seat next to Della. "Sweetheart," Perry held the notepad in front of her, "tell me what it is that you can't read. Is it that you're having trouble seeing what you wrote?"

"No," she said, "I don't know what any of that means."

"You can't read the shorthand?"

"No," she answered.

Perry put the pad down, "so, you've been forgetful and are having trouble reading shorthand. Is there anything else you're having trouble with?"

"Walking," she said. "My doctor said that my hip has healed, and I should be able to walk unaided. Instead, I keep stumbling."

"Let's take a break."

"Perry, something's terribly wrong."

"Don't worry, we'll figure it all out."

"There's something else. I lied when I said I'd missed something. The truth is, I didn't know what the word was or how to note it."

Perry looked at the pad. He called Gertie into his office. "Gertie, could you read what's on this pad for me, please?"

"Certainly," the woman took the pad. Everything she read was correct. Then she got to the end, "'in to your I have'...it ends there."

"Thank you, Gertie," Perry said as he took the pad back, "could you give us a moment?"

The blonde left in confusion. She could tell by the looks on both Perry and Della's faces, that something was wrong, "what did I miss?"

Perry sighed, "in response to your inquiry, I have..." He looked at her, "Della, what did I just say?"

"In re...re...Perry, what's going on?" she began to panic.

"I don't know, but I'm going to call your doctor."

"We have to leave for court."

"Come on, darling," Perry put an arm around Della and grabbed his things. They walked out to the reception area which was empty. "Gertie, I need you to call Della's doctor for an appointment." The woman began to take a note, "she's having trouble understanding certain words, reading shorthand, stumbling while walking, and is forgetting things. The first appointment. Even if you have to interrupt court."

"Yes, sir," she said, "I'll get right on it."

Perry and Della left the worried receptionist. The lawyer told Della to not worry about taking notes during court. That he would take care of everything. He received a note during court that said Della had an appointment at twelve-thirty that afternoon. It was almost lunchtime when Burger called his next witness. "The prosecution calls Miss Della Street."

"Objection," Perry quickly said, "Miss Street has nothing to do with this case."

"That's what you think," Burger said. The judge allowed Burger to call Della. The woman slowly, and carefully made her way to the stand. When she was sworn in, it sounded like gibberish, but she knew what to do when the man had finished. "Now, Miss Street, could you tell the court where you were the day of the murder?"

"Objection," Perry yelled, "that's irrelevant."

"I'm trying to show that the defendant's alibi is useless because he claims at the time of the murder he was at a particular restaurant. That maybe someone didn't see him there," Burger said. The judge allowed him to continue. "Now, where were you at the time of the murder?"

Della paused for a moment and Perry knew why, "I...I can't remember."

"You can't remember?" Burger felt that Della was covering for Mason's client. "Permission to treat Miss Street as a hostile witness?" The judge granted his request. "Now, Miss Street, were you at Clay's diner picking up lunch for your office at the time of the murder?" Della just stared at Burger, "Miss Street, may I remind you that you are under oath."

"I don't...understand," she slurred.

Burger became alarmed by her slurred speech, "you don't understand me?" he asked more gently. The district attorney looked at the judge, "could we take a short recess?"

"I'll do you one better. Court is adjourned until tomorrow at ten."

Burger kept Della on the stand while the courtroom cleared out. Once everyone was gone, Perry, Paul, and Tragg approached. "Perry, maybe you should try," Burger suggested.

Perry stood in front of his fiance, "Della, look at me," he said gently. When she didn't, he tried to get her attention. The man waved a hand in front of her and she turned her head.

"Perry," she said softly.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"What?"

He decided to speak more slowly, "what's going on?"

Della closed her eyes to try and process, "can't think or know words," she slurred.

Perry walked around and took her arm. He gently tugged on it to signal her to stand. She did and allowed Perry to lead her out of the courthouse. Perry decided to take her to the emergency room. Paul called her doctor. Tragg, Burger, and Paul followed. Paul sat next to Della while Perry checked her in. They could all tell that the woman was frightened.