The lieutenant read Della her rights. "No," a twelve-year-old girl ran into the living room. "You can't take her."
Della crouched down, "Joy, it's okay, sweetheart."
"I'll have one of my men call her parents," the lieutenant said, "he'll stay with her until they pick her up."
Della stood and faced the man, "I'm her mother." The lieutenant looked at her skeptically, "I adopted her when she was a baby."
"I don't believe a single woman could adopt."
"That's correct," she said, "my husband and I are married in name only. He'll be my phone call."
"She can ride with my men. I can't take her to where I'm taking you."
Della bent down to hug her daughter, "it's going to be okay. I'll call daddy and it will all be okay."
Joy reluctantly left her mother. Della saw the fear on her daughter's face. It broke her heart.
The phone rang a few times before Perry answered it, "Perry," Della said.
"Della, is Joy alright?"
"Yes and no," she answered, "you see, I was arrested for the murder of Arthur Gordon. I was wondering if you could recommend an attorney?"
"Della, where's Joy?"
"She's here at the station."
"I'll be right there."
Perry hung up and drove from San Francisco to the station in Los Angeles. He rushed to the front desk, "I'm Perry Mason," he said. "My wife has been arrested and my daughter, Joy, is waiting for me."
"Would you like to see your wife first?"
"No," he said, "I need to see my daughter."
The woman told Perry where to go. He walked into an interview room, "daddy," Joy ran to her father and hugged him tightly. "They took mommy."
"Shh, it's okay," he said. "I'm going to go see mommy and then I'll be back. Okay?"
"Okay," she said.
Perry was taken to a room where he waited for his wife. Della was brought in and the guard left. She was stunned when Perry told her that he had resigned. "How's Joy?" Della asked after calming down a bit.
"She's upset and scared. Look, let me find out about your bail. I don't intend to leave here today without either of my girls." Perry paid Della's bail and went to get Joy.
"She's coming home?" Joy asked.
"Yes, she's being released on bail."
An officer brought Della out and Joy ran to her. Della held her daughter as tightly as she could. Perry ushered the two out. Of course, the press was there. Joy sat in the back seat as her father drove them home. It had been two years since Perry had seen Della. He saw his daughter as much as possible. Usually, Perry's secretary would pick her up and take her home. The man couldn't bear to face his wife. He felt terribly guilty for leaving. The little family was having dinner and it was obvious that Joy was upset. "Joy, you've hardly touched your food," Della said.
"I'm not really hungry."
"Well, you need to eat. You can't get up until you eat at least half of that."
"Della," Perry said as he tried to get his wife to realize what was going on with their daughter.
"What?"
"May I be excused?" Joy asked.
"Not until you eat."
Joy slammed her hands on the table, "I can't eat. I'm not hungry. All I can think about is how I may lose you and you don't even care," the girl stood and ran to her bedroom where she slammed the door.
Della sat there in shock, "she's never acted like that before."
"I was trying to tell you to let it go. She's terrified," Perry said.
"I was just trying to keep things as normal as possible."
"She doesn't need normal. She needs you."
Della stood and went upstairs. She knocked on her daughter's bedroom door, "Joy, open up, sweetheart." No answer, "I promise that I'll just sit and listen."
"Go away!" the girl yelled.
Della sighed, "I'll be downstairs if you decide you want to talk to me." She returned to the kitchen, "she told me to go away. Wouldn't even open the door."
Perry stood and went upstairs, "Joy, open the door."
The girl opened it and was crying, "yes, daddy?"
"I want to talk to you."
"Can I stay with you?"
"What?"
"Can I stay with you at your place?"
"I don't have a place."
"Hotel, whatever," she said, "I just don't want to stay here."
"I was going to stay here. Your mother needs support."
"Never mind," the young girl shut the door and locked it.
Perry returned to the kitchen, "did she talk to you?" Della desperately asked.
"Yes, but I wouldn't give her what she wanted. She locked me out."
"What did she want?"
"It's nothing," he said, "it doesn't matter."
"She wants to leave here to stay with you, doesn't she?"
"I'm staying here. You need me."
Della paused for a moment, "I think you should take her."
"What?"
"She doesn't want to be here. Just take her to a hotel for now."
"What about you?"
Della shrugged, "I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" the woman just nodded. Perry went back upstairs, "Joy, pack a suitcase. We're going to a hotel."
The girl opened the door and hugged her father, "thank you, daddy."
"I'll be downstairs," he said before returning to his wife. The man knew she was upset, but he didn't know what to do. Della put their daughter's happiness above her own.
Joy went down the stairs at the front of the house, "daddy, I'll be in the car," she yelled.
Before he could say a word, the girl left. "I'll get her," he said.
"No, it's okay," Della said, "just go."
Perry left but wasn't happy about it.