Chapter 10 - The odd Thing about old Love

Sacramento, 21st August 1977

Mason woke up with a stiff neck and a rising headache. He blinked and saw Ruben was moving in the bed beside him. A quick glance at his watch told him that it was after seven in the morning. He rubbed his neck and stretched. At least he had slept for a few hours. It hadn't been the rest he needed, but it was better than nothing.

"How are you?" Perry asked, when Ruben opened his eyes and looked at him without seeming to be very surprised.

"I'm hungry," the boy answered matter-of-factly, causing the lawyer to grin.

"That's a good sign," Perry said and pushed himself up. "I'll call the nurse…."

"You're Mom's former boss," Ruben said, without taking his eyes from the tall lawyer. Perry sank down again.

"Yes. I am."

For a minute Ruben just lay there and stared at Perry. "Where's my Mom?" He finally asked, suspicion clouding his voice.

"She's home," Perry answered truthfully. "She needed a shower a few hours of sleep. I'm sure she'll be back soon."

"Did she ask you to look after me?"

Perry chuckled. "Actually, I imposed it on her. She wanted to stay here with you."

"You like my Mom, don't you?" Ruben asked.

"Yes, I do." Mason had no idea where this was going, but since the boy looked more curious than hostile, he decided to be as truthful as a thirteen year old could stomach it. He leaned in to touch his unharmed hand. "I also happen to like you."

"My Dad doesn't like you very much. Every time Mom talks about you he gets into a very bad mood."

"Does he?" Perry asked, half amused.

"Yep. It's annoying when they argue."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He cleared his throat. "So, would you like some breakfast?"

Ruben nodde eagerly.

"Good. While we wait I want to talk to you about the men who abducted you."

"But the cops said they are dead."

"They are," Perry confirmed. "But I think these two men didn't work alone."

"Are you some kind of cop, too?" Ruben asked, his eyes widening with amazement. "Mom said you were a lawyer."

"Not really," Mason admitted. "But perhaps you can remember something that helps me to find the people who are responsible for this. But first things first. I need some coffee and you need something to eat."

######

Della woke up and felt dreadful before she had even opened her eyes. Her whole body was sore. Her sleep had been interrupted by nightmares about burning cars and crashing glass. Ruben had screamed from the top of his lungs and Richard, while bleeding to death had begged her for forgiveness for his sins. She groaned and hid her head in her pillow. As well intended as Perry's order to go home had been, she wished she had stayed in the hospital. Looking after Ruben even when he was asleep would have kept her occupied.

Gathering her will power, she slowly rose up. It was not even eight o'clock yet, but she heard muffled noises from the hallway. Martha was already up, probably tidying the house. She wished she were alone, without having to make forced conversation with her mother-in-law.

After a long hot shower, Della went into the kitchen, where she found a note from Martha. She had taken a cab to buy some groceries. Della thanked the Lord for the peaceful breakfast that lay ahead of her. She called the hospital to make sure her family was all right, before she took a mug filled with hot, fresh coffee and her cigarettes.

When the telephone rang, she sighed and for a short moment she contemplated not answering it. It was her strong sense of responsibility that still lingered from her time as head of Perry's office that defeated the will to ignore the unwelcome disturbance. She was in for a big surprise when she realized who was at the other end of the line.

#####

When Perry left Ruben's hospital room he found Richard Carlisle waiting for him in the hallway. Sitting upright and with some color in his face the man looked much more impressive than the days before when Perry had only seen him in his hospital bed.

"Don't you think it's enough that you sneaked your way back into my wife's bed without playing the loving stepfather?" Carlisle had kept his voice as low as possible, but that couldn't cover the cold anger that burned in the mans' eyes.

"I just watched over him during the night. No one is trying to replace you - at least not in Ruben's life."

"How very assuring," Richard informed him curtly. "Anyway, we have to talk."

"I see." Perry couldn't hide a smirk. "What is it?"

"Not here," Carlisle said and crooked his head down the hallway. "In my room."

Perry nodded and followed Carlisle. After the door had closed behind them, Carlisle wheeled towards the window where he could overlook the parking lot of the hospital. He had his back turned on Mason when he said without ado, "I've been thinking. Now that almost every henchman of Norton is dead or in jail, it's time to confront Hardcastle. He's the last man in the chain that leads straight to Norton."

"Confront how?"

"Confront as in marching in and telling him like it is."

"And risking to get shot down in the process," Perry summed up. "Sounds more like a suicide mission than an actual plan to me!"

"Did you ever watch "The Godfather"? Carlisle asked, finally turning around in his wheelchair.

"You want to make him an offer he can't refuse?" Mason was doubtful and started walking up and down. "What is there to bargain with? Unless your housekeeper cooperates we have nothing that links Norton and Hardcastle to Rebecca or Paul Drake's death."

"We have my files," Carlisle said. "We have Drake's records and we have Loretta," Carlisle enumerated. "It's enough to make Hardcastle and Norton nervous."

Perry wasn't convinced. "Hardcastle is not a fool and he's certainly not easy to intimidate."

"No, but he's making one mistake after the other. I'm pretty sure he'll try to save his own skin and sacrifice Norton if necessary."

"In other words you want Paul Drake's murderer to get away?"

Richard shrugged."Norton's the bigger fish. He's behind it all. Hardcastle is just his executor. Are you in or do I have to do it all by myself?"

Perry preferred not to give a direct answer. "Well, there's another thing we have to contemplate: how do we find Hardcastle? So far the FBI hadn't been able to locate him. What do you know that Andy doesn't?"

"For the last ten years Hardcastle has had only one on and off girlfriend. Her name's Tina and she lives in downtown L.A.. She told the FBI she doesn't know where he is, but I think she's lying."

"And why?" Perry wanted to know. He wasn't surprised Carlisle knew more than the police or anyone else and perhaps it was time to use it as an advantage - at least as long Carlisle was willing to share his information.

Carlisle chuckled, but there was a cold finalty in his voice that gave Perry a shiver down his spine. "That's the thing about an old love, you know. People always go back to what they know even if it's poisoning them. It's like an illness or an addiction."

Perry said nothing while his brain processed the meaning and the possibilities the statement offered. What Richard said had a ring of truth to it, but the seeker for justice in him wanted Hardcastle to pay for Paul's death. What would Della say to all of this?

"Did you ask your wife what she thinks about your plan?"

Carlisle smirked. "No, but you and I both know what she would think about it. There's no need to trouble her with details."

"Is that reason you asked me for help? For backup?"

Carlisle pursed his lips. "Maybe, but it was you who wanted to be involved, didn't you? Well, now you are involved. You never had a problem to get your hands dirty when it suited you. Don't tell me you're getting cold feet just because this is more personal than it used to be."

Perry knew he shouldn't allow Carlisle to provoke him, but it was hard not to feel ambushed by his words.

"I'll think about it," Perry said and turned to leave.

"I expect your call until 6 o'clock," Carlisle said, causing Perry to freeze with his hand on the handle. "We should strike while the iron is still hot."

"We'll see about that. I warn you, Carlisle, don't push me," Mason answered coldly and left the room.

######

Los Angeles

Agent Anderson was rubbing the back of his neck and sighed wearily. The smell in the bedroom was disgusting, but what could one expect when two rotting bodies had been trapped inside for at least one days while the world outside was melting from the summer heat?

The couple on the bed had been shot each two times into the forehead. It looked like an execution and when it walked and talked like it, it was one in Andy's experience.

The couple had been found after an anonymous caller had given a tip to the police. So far no fingerprints had been found and the apartment was rented by a letter-box company. It would take some digging to find out who was behind it, but Andy guessed it was linked to Congressman Norton.

"The guy's definitely Hardcastle," Andy said to the Coroner, turning away from the victims. "Who's the woman?"

"She had an ID in the purse that we found in the bathroom. Her name was Tina Myers. The photo fits."

"Why does the name ring a bell?" Andy wondered.

"That's what you have to find out for yourself. You're the detectives," the Coroner answered. "We're done here."

"When will I get the autopsy report?" Andy asked.

"When you have it on your desk." The Coroner grinned and closed his bag. "Have a nice day."

Andy groaned dismissive between his teeth. He started to hate this case with passion. The amount of dead bodies was becoming abhorrent. He had no witnesses left aside from the imprisoned housekeeper and he started wondering when she would turn up dead as well.

#####

Sacramento

Della returned from the hospital in the late afternoon. Martha had preferred to stay in the hospital - much to Richard's dismay. He had looked rather tired when Della had left, but Martha insisted on staying on. Della suspected Martha had started avoiding her and used Richard as an excuse not to spend time in their house. As much as Della welcomed the space her mother-in-law was giving her, she doubted it did Richard any good to have her around all the time. More than once Della had tried to talk to one Richard's treating physician but none of them ever were available. The nagging suspicion that neither Richard nor the doctors were hiding something from her ate at her and she wondered how she could ambush one of the people in charge to either confirm or deny them.

After she had opened herself a bottle of red wine, she dialled the number of Perry's hotel room. She hadn't seen or talked to him since she had seen him after her arrival in the hospital this morning. She could see that the night he had spent at Ruben's bedside had done nothing good for him. He had looked over-tired and grumpy. His mood seemed to be at a low point, which was understandable. There hadn't been any time to discuss anything, because Martha had been on Della's heels as soon as she had entered the ward.

The lawyer picked up the receiver when Della was ready to hang up again. "Sorry," said out of breath. "I just came in. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, it is," she answered and bit back an 'I just missed you'. "I just came home."

"How's Ruben?"

"Better. He wants to leave the hospital, but the Doctors want to keep him for two more days."

"And Richard?"

"Actually, I'm not sure. He's talking a lot, but certainly not about his health. I think there's something he's not telling me."

Perry groaned in response, but didn't feel like talking about Carlisle and the possible secrets he was keeping from his wife. "Does Martha behave herself?"

"She's ignoring me," Della answered smoothly. "I'm not sure that's a good thing, but at least we're not arguing."

"Small mercies."

She smiled and hesitated before she finally phrased why she called him. "How about dinner tonight?"

"Are you sure?" he asked after a beat that almost lasted a minute.

"Don't worry, I won't cook, but there's a fantastic Italian delivery service right down the street," she quipped and then she added more seriously. "It's just that I haven't eaten properly in ages and neither did you."

"Are you sure you want me around?" She heard the doubts in his voice and answered, "As a dinner companion yes. We used to share meals almost every day of the week. Don't you remember?"

"Of course, I remember. All right. I'll be there in one hour."

He hung up and she sighed with relief. She wasn't sure having dinner with Perry was one of her better ideas, but she longed for some normality and someone to talk to and she neither had anything of that with her husband or her mother-in-law these days.

#####

Perry arrived as punctual as ever, armed with a bottle of wine. He had wanted to bring flowers as well, but he didn't want to cause another disaster between them.

"That wouldn't have been necessary," she said when she took the bottle. "I've already opened another one."

"Better safe than sorry. This way we won't run out of fuel," Perry joked and followed her inside. "I see Andy hasn't called off his watch dogs yet. They're still watching the house."

"Yes, apparently they think that will scare anyone away. I'm not so convinced, but at least no one is trying to sell me a vacuum cleaner these days."

She gave him a glass of wine and made a small toast. "To life," Perry said.

"To life."

"Our last dinner wasn't very successful," Perry remarked quietly, causing Della to blush. "I've never really apologized for the way I behaved that night," he continued. "I'm sorry. I was out of line… out of my mind."

Della cleared her throat. "I guess neither of us was in the best of moods that night. Let's try to make this evening more of a success." They toasted again and for over a minute silence fell between them.

"I had a phone call this morning," Della said to break the ice. "It was Irene Drake."

"Irene?" Perry asked puzzled. "What did she want from you?"

Della shrugged, "That's a good question. She said she wanted to talk to me and asked for a meeting."

"I had no idea, the two of you knew each other."

"We don't," Della answered, "But she asked me in a way that made it hard for me to say no. She'll come around tomorrow morning for breakfast. Maybe she just needs someone to talk."

"Maybe," Perry said without sounding convinced, but before Della could question his irritation the doorbell rang. "That must be the food," Della said and handed her glass to Perry. "I'll be right back."

When Della returned there was no delivery man on her heels, but Special Agent Anderson.

"Andy?" Perry asked, this time more annoyed than surprised. Della noticed his not well hidden disappointment with amusement and tried to save the situation with a joke, "I bet he thinks he's going to get dinner here. Wine?"

Andy checked his watch before he agreed. "Why not? It was a long day. I was at your hotel, Perry, but when you weren't there, I figured you must be here."

"You're in for the Sherlock-Holmes-Medal for deduction and common sense."

"Very funny. Anyway, I guess you'll thank me for interrupting your evening." Andy ad-libbed his thanks to Della when she gave him a glass of wine.

"And why?"

"I got a call this morning from L.A.. Someone reported two corpses in an apartment in Hollywood. Guess who was one of the victims?"

Perry shrugged.

"Peter Hardcastle. Someone shot him and his girlfriend Tina in the forehead. An execution as clean as it gets. The Coroner figured they died around the time Della picked up Ruben from the kidnappers - perhaps a little later. It was hard to tell because someone had turned up the heating in the apartment. And before you ask, it wasn't a pretty sight."

"Damn it!" Perry searched the pockets of his suit for his cigarettes, but Della was quicker and threw her own package at him to catch.

"We also identified the men who kidnapped Ruben. They all were once on Hardcastle's payroll until two years ago. They shared quite a history with their boss and now they're reunited in the depths of hell."

"So, he hired some old pals to do the dirty job."

Andy nodded. "It seems they and Hardcastle were part of the same regiment in Korea. The two who died yesterday were all dishonorably discharged while Hardcastle was injured and went home with a Purple Heart in his pocket. There's something fishy about the whole thing."

"What were they convicted for?" Della asked.

"That's classified," Andy answered. "I'm working on it. I know someone who can help us to look into their files, but it will take time. Without Hardcastle it'll be even harder to get to Norton. I think we've reached a new dead end."

"Does that mean there's another killer on the loose?" Della asked.

"You mean, if Norton has someone else on his payroll?" Andy asked. "Who knows? Anyway, with Hardcastle dead, we can start at square one." He emptied his glass and looked at it. "I hope you have another bottle in store. I think I need it."

###tbc###

There's it. The inconvenience and necessity of plot to make a story work. LOL

Thanks for your lovely reviews and your encouragement!