The next day, Della was discharged. Perry went to pull the car around while the nurse wheeled Della out. Once they were home, Perry helped his wife into the house and over to the couch. Tragg came over that afternoon. "What have you found out?" Perry asked.

"Well, the car was stolen so we're checking with the owner. There was a gun in the glove compartment. I'm guessing that the driver underestimated how hard the impact would be and after the crash, was so dazed he forgot the gun."

"What do you mean, 'underestimated how hard the impact would be?'" Perry asked.

"It's our belief that the crash was deliberate."

"What makes you think that?"

"The gun in the glove compartment is a match to the one used to shoot Della three years ago."

"Could you trace the gun?" Perry asked.

"No, and there are no fingerprints. He's probably injured and if so, he couldn't have gone far."

Tragg left shortly after. "Are you hungry?" Perry asked.

"A little," Della answered, "I might go to sleep though."

"I'll get you a blanket and some pillows." Perry tucked his wife in on the couch. "Just yell if you need anything."

"Perry," Della said, "will you sit with me for a little bit?" The man smiled and sat next to his wife. He put his arm around her. "I'd move closer to you, but my ribs."

"That's okay," Perry kissed her temple and watched as she fell asleep.

Two days later, Tragg returned to update the family. They believed they had discovered the man's identity. They couldn't locate him and decided to try and trap him.

"You want them to what?" Perry asked in shock.

"We'll have officers hidden in the house," Tragg said.

"I'm not using Della and Maureen as bait."

"Daddy," Maureen spoke up, "if they're going to be here, what's the harm? Whoever is doing this isn't going to stop until mom's dead."

"Perry," Della said from her place on the couch, "I agree with you, but I can't take much more." Della looked at Tragg, "we'll do it."

"We'll be back this afternoon. Perry, you and the others need to leave. We need the guy to think Della and Maureen are alone," Tragg said.

Perry hated the idea but went along with it. That night, Perry left with the other children while Della and Maureen stayed behind. There were no cars in front of the house. The officers snuck in the back door. Within ten minutes of Perry leaving, the doorbell rang. Della winced in pain, "we should have disconnected that," Della said.

"I'll get it," Maureen stood and walked to the door. Della stayed in the living room. Both were quite nervous. Maureen opened the door to find a young man on the other side, "can I help you?"

"Sorry to bother you, but my car stalled," he pointed to his car, "do you happen to have jumper cables?"

"I think so, but we don't have a car to jump you."

"Oh, well, could I just use your phone to call a buddy of mine?"

"I guess so," Maureen let the man in.

He quickly locked the door, "don't scream he said as he pulled out a knife. Just take me to your mother." Maureen reluctantly led the man to the living room. The girl gave her mother a look to stay quiet. The man tied Maureen up and sat her in the corner. He then turned to face a frightened Della, "well, this should be easy enough. You can't defend yourself and now, you have no one to defend you."

"What do you want?" Della asked.

"Revenge," he said. The man looked at Maureen, "you know what? I think I'm gonna take you for a spin first. See what the hype was all about." He put the knife away before dragging Maureen towards him. She began to fight the man.

Della took a deep breath and stood before rushing as best as she could to them. Before she reached them, the officers rushed in. They took the man away. Della painfully got to the floor and untied her daughter, "are you okay?" The girl shook her head and that's all it took for Della to take Maureen into her arms, "shh, it's okay. I wasn't going to let him hurt you. It's alright, little girl."

A few officers helped Della off of the floor. Maureen stood and helped her mother to the couch. Della and Maureen gave their statements. Perry and the others returned after Tragg briefed them on what happened. Then he told them who the man was. He was the son of the man who had kidnapped and raped Maureen five years ago.

"So, he wanted to get revenge on Della for helping to put his father in prison. That's why he shot her. When that didn't work, he decided to wait so no one would become suspicious. Then he planned the crash. What he didn't plan on was getting injured himself," Tragg explained.

"Thank you, for everything," Della said.

"Anytime," Tragg smiled. He soon dropped his smile and walked over to Vince, "if you do anything to hurt Cassie, I'll make your life more of a living hell than I already make your father's."

"Yes, sir," Vince choked out.

Tragg turned towards the others, smiled, and said goodbye. "So, when are you taking Cassie out?" Max asked with a smile.

"Now, I'm afraid to."

"Want me to stomp on his foot?" Maureen teased.

"Not yet," Vince said, "let's save that for later."

Vince finally came up with the courage to ask Cassie out. Tragg grilled the young man when he arrived to pick her up. Vince had inherited the Mason cool, and never flinched. Vince and Cassie went to the school dances together, spent time with each other's families, and went to the drive-in a lot. Although, they never could remember which movie was playing when they were there. One night, Vince took Cassie out for dinner. They were leaving the restaurant when a masked man walked up to them with a gun. He grabbed Cassie and held the gun to her head. Vince emptied his pockets, but the man didn't take anything. "Whatever it is you want, just tell me," Vince said. "I'll give you anything."

"Her old man ruined my life. Now I'm gonna ruin his."

"This is about Tragg?" Vince asked, "I hate that guy," he lied. "Look, I can understand you hating him. Look, Cassie is nothing like her father. In fact, he doesn't even pay attention to her. You're going about this all wrong. Let's ditch the girl and I'll help you find a way to get the bastard back."

The man stared at Vince for a moment before shoving the girl out of the way. Tragg had been out with his wife when the two saw Cassie and Vince. They approached and realized there was a man with a gun. The man started yelling at Tragg and finally took his mask off, but Tragg didn't recognize him. "How is it that the Masons always end up in some kind of trouble?" Tragg asked Vince.

Vince shrugged, "family curse?"

"Wait, Mason?" the gunman asked, "you're Perry Mason's son?" Now, Perry was to blame and the man aimed his gun at Vince. Tragg tried to talk him down, but it was no use. He motioned for Irene to take Cassie inside. Both women went back into the restaurant to call for help. Irene was on the phone with dispatch, when she heard a shot. The two ran out and found Tragg lying on the ground with a bullet wound to the chest. Vince was applying pressure. "Why did you do that?" Vince said, upset.

"You're a kid," Tragg said, "you have your whole life ahead of you. Besides, no one treats my daughter as well as you do. Take care of her."

"Okay, but you're not done yet."

"Optimistic, just like your father. Take care of her, or I'll haunt you."

"Arthur!" Irene knelt by her husband.

"I love you," he said. "Marrying you was the smartest thing I ever did. You made life worth living."

"Same," she said through tears.

"If the Mason boy hurts Cassie..."

"I know, make his life a living hell," she chuckled emotionally. "I love you so much."

The paramedics arrived and took Tragg away. Irene, Cassie, and Vince were in the waiting room. Richard and Jack joined them while Tragg was in surgery. Richard had been dating Maggie and Jack had been dating Violet. Both Mason girls arrived with their parents to support their boyfriends. Burger and Annette were also waiting. The doctor came out and walked up to Irene. "I'm sorry," he said, "we did everything we could. Perry, Della, Burger, and Annette went to comfort Irene. Violet and Maggie comforted their boyfriends. Vince took a distraught Cassie into his arms. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I'm so, so sorry." He rubbed her back and held her. Vince began blaming himself for Tragg's death. Cassie told him that he was being ridiculous. She told him that she didn't blame him and wanted him to stop blaming himself.

Max had been dating Burger's daughter, Kimberly for quite a while. Vivian was dating Thomas Burger while Dean was with Bella Drake. A month after Tragg's death, Burger was talking to Perry outside the courthouse. He suddenly shoved Perry out of the way. When Perry looked up, Burger had been hit by a car. The man was rushed to the hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries. It was the end of an era.