Author's Note: I hope that this shouldn't be rated T...it has a news report of a bus crash, nothing more graphic than you would hear on the regular news. If anyone has an issue with such things, however, you've been forewarned...
Later that afternoon, Perry Mason was driving around Los Angeles aimlessly. It was Labor Day, which meant that both his office and the courtroom were closed, affording him a rare day off. He had decided to spend it by going for a drive in his Cadillac. He often felt that he enjoyed his luxury car far too little; he spent a great deal of time driving in it on a usual workday, of course, but usually his mind was full of the day's tasks and plotting how to acquit his next client. It was very unusual that he actually appreciated the breeze or watched the scenes passing outside his window. Today, he did both.
It was in such moments of quiet and calm that his mind almost always wandered to Della. His strong, dependable, beautiful Della. He had known for quite some time that he was in love with her, but something always prevented him from getting around to the task of telling her about his feelings – another desperate client, another perplexing murder case. He had almost told her so many times. He had set everything up beautifully a few months ago: he had taken her along as a witness for a court case in Vancouver, and for the return trip had booked a cruise rather than an airplane. He had meant this to be a final test of their relationship outside the office, and if she seemed to enjoy spending time gazing up at the moon or on the dance floor with him, he had planned to confess the ardent feelings which he harbored in his heart before the ship docked in Los Angeles. He had even purchased an engagement ring, and had carried it around in his pocket, waiting for the perfect opportunity. But no – there had to be a murder onboard, and instead of romancing Della, he found himself defending a client.
He would tell her one day, as soon as they found themselves in the ideal situation, at a gala, or at a superb restaurant. Maybe after the backlog of tasks which had accumulated during her vacation were dealt with, he could begin planning his proposal.
For now, however, he would look forward to seeing her on the morrow. It had been such a dreary, difficult week without her! It was amazing how short an hour could be when Della was about, and how long it could be when she was nowhere in sight.
Sighing, and calculating that there were about eighteen lonely hours to contend with before he and Della were back together in his office, he determined to make the most out of them that he could. Trying to increase his enjoyment of his drive, he turned on his car radio and tuned in to the local classical music station.
Three minutes later, Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor was interrupted by a news bulletin.
We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to give you more information on the fatal bus crash which occurred about a hundred miles north of Los Angeles. For those of you joining us for the first time, a bus bound for Los Angeles swerved off the edge of a cliff earlier this afternoon and underwent an approximately three hundred feet drop into the ocean water below. It was promptly submerged, and still remains so. Emergency personnel have dispatched recovery divers, and they have confirmed that the bus has sunk intact and that there are no survivors.
A faint fear began to grip Perry. Della's vacation was to end tomorrow…it would stand to reason that she would be traveling back to Los Angeles today…but how many buses drove into Los Angeles from the north of California each day? What were the chances that -? No. He would not even entertain such ridiculous notions.
The bus company is working closely with local officials to try to bring the bus to the surface so that the investigation and recovery efforts can begin. At this time, the police have stated that the accident does not appear to be the product of foul play. Family and friends who are seeking the latest news of travelers are instructed to report to the Los Angeles Bus Station.
There was a brief pause, during which Perry became aware that his heart was beating far too fast. Of course there was no need for him to go to the Los Angeles Bus Station – he would call Della at home that evening, and hear her voice telling him that her trip had been uneventful –
It has now been confirmed that the bus involved in the tragic accident was the 9:30am bus from Treeland to Los Angeles. Again, the bus involved in the fatal crash was the 9:30 am bus from Treeland to Los Angeles.
Della had been visiting Treeland. That was her hometown.
Beads of sweat appeared on his brow, and Perry sharply turned his car around, racing towards the Los Angeles Bus Station, still telling himself that it was madness, that there could be no news at the station which would interest him.
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