Perry Mason and Frank Wellman met in law school. Now, Frank's son, Frank Jr., was in one of Perry's classes. The young man was murdered and the accused was another student, Ken Malansky. Frank had yet to find out that Perry was defending Ken. Della and Joy had gone on a cruise to have a little mother/daughter time while Perry was teaching. Perry called them back after the murder. He gave his wife roses to apologize for cutting their trip short. "After four days I was so bored, I could have jumped ship," Della said.

"She tried too," Joy added.

"I did not."

"You practically had one leg over the side," Joy laughed.

Della laughed, "we should try something else next time."

"It really was boring," Joy said. "I was the youngest one there. Everyone else was," she looked at her mother who had her arms folded across her chest and a glare on her face, "well a generation or two," she said before mumbling, "or three," Della gently smacked her daughter, "older than me."

Perry gave Della instructions and Joy offered to help. Della accepted because not only would they be spending time together, but Joy was genuinely good at helping with Perry's cases.

Ken was torn between two women, Kimberly McDonald and Amy Hastings. He sought out Perry's advice. The man told his client to make a choice and stick to it. Just as Ken was walking out, Joy walked in, "sorry," the man said.

"That's okay," the girl smiled, "I'm Joy." She held out her hand and he shook it.

"Ah, the infamous Mason daughter. I'm Ken Malansky," he said.

Joy looked at her father, "infamous?"

"I may have told a few stories," Perry said.

"Glad I could help you with your education," she said to Ken.

"Oh, they had nothing to do with the class," he smiled before leaving.

Joy walked over to stand in front of Perry. She had her arms crossed across her chest and a familiar glare. Perry felt that glare and looked up, "for someone who's adopted, you sure do resemble your adoptive mother quite a bit."

Della gently smacked his arm while Joy smiled, "thank you."

Della looked at her daughter, "what did you find out?"

"Well..."

"Wait a minute," Perry said, "what do you mean by asking her what she found out? Are you sending our fifteen-year-old daughter to investigate a murder?"

"No," Della said casually, "I sent her to talk to your students to get a better idea."

"What if they had recognized her and one of them was the killer?"

Joy place her bookbag on the table and opened it. She pulled out a blonde wig and glasses. "I doubt they recognized me," she smiled. "Besides, I used makeup to change my appearance."

"I don't see anything different," Perry said.

"I wasn't about to let my father see me wearing that much makeup. How stupid do you think I am?"

Joy saw her father talking to Frank Sr. As she got closer, she could tell that Frank knew Perry was defending Ken and wasn't pleased. It took everything in the seventeen-year-old to stay back and stay quiet. "What if it had been Joy?" Frank asked upon seeing the teen.

Perry turned and saw his daughter. "Mr. Wellman," Joy said as she walked over. "If something like that had happened to me, I wouldn't want the wrong person going to prison or death row for it. My dad knows 99% of the time if someone is innocent and I believe him."

Frank looked at Perry, "I'm very disappointed in you, Perry."

"I'm sorry, I have no choice."

Frank walked away and Joy looked at her father, "you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, "I'm proud of you for what you said, and for not biting his head off."

Joy smiled, "I've been working on being more zen."

Perry smiled and the two left for court with Della. The next day, it was revealed that the woman Frank Jr. supposedly raped, Kimberly McDonald, was the murderer. Ken was released and he flew off with Amy.

It had been a couple of weeks since Ken was acquitted. The Masons' stayed in Denver while Perry finished teaching. Perry rented a cabin for them to stay at for a few days before heading home. On the second day, Joy heard a thud. She rushed to the stairs and saw her father on his knees at the bottom. "Mom, hurry!" she yelled as she ran to Perry. "Daddy, what happened?"

Della walked out of the kitchen and saw her husband on the floor, "Perry!" She rushed to his side and helped Joy move him so he was seated against the wall and not on his knee. The two could tell he was in pain. "Perry, honey, what happened?"

"My knee gave out."

"How far down did you fall?"

"The last step."

"Do you think you broke anything?"

"I don't know."

Della wasn't sure she could get her husband off of the floor. Even with Joy's help. She called an ambulance and followed with Joy. Luckily, and surprisingly, nothing was broken. Perry had to take it easy and see his regular doctor soon.