A Blast from the Past

Perry Mason, his confidential secretary, Della Street, and their friend and private detective Paul Drake, were laughing as they stepped out of the elevator on the 9th floor of the Brent building. Perry held Della's arm as they walked the short distance down the hall to Perry's law office.

As Perry unlocked the door, Della, still smiling, turned back to Paul. "One of these days, Paul you're going to get caught and dragged down the aisle."

Paul, pausing to light a cigarette, just frowned at her. "No way Della. Not this guy."

Having opened the door, Perry put his arm around Della's waist to escort her into the office. "C'mon Paul, I'll buy you a drink."

Della continued into Perry's office, flicking the light switch. Perry followed behind her and helped her off with her coat.

Della smiled her thanks. "I'll get the drinks if you clear your mess from the table."

"Okay, I..."

The shot shattered the glass of the balcony door, covering Perry and Della in tiny fragments. Perry pushed Della to the floor, rolling them up against the couch and covering her with his large body.

As the next shot rang out, Perry yelled for Paul to hit the lights. The office was plunged into darkness. Paul's voice whispered in the dark. "Perry, Della? Answer me."

"Quiet Paul." Perry still lay covering Della. "Della are you okay?"

She whispered her reply. "Yes, I think so."

"We are both fine, for the moment. See if you can get to Della's phone and call Tragg."

"On it. You guys stay put." With that Paul crawled to Della's office. Once there, he pulled her phone from the desk, dialing the number for Lt. Tragg's office. The phone was answered after four long rings.

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Lt. Arthur Tragg was just grabbing his hat to leave his office when his phone rang. He hesitated a few moments at the door, imagining who would be trying to reach him after hours. Thinking it was probably his wife calling with a last minute item she needed to be picked up at the store, he picked up the receiver.

"Homicide, Tragg."

"Tragg, this is Paul Drake! Get your men to Perry's office now! Someone's shooting at us!"

"What? Drake!" But the line was already dead.

Tragg dropped the phone back in the cradle and hurried to his door. Seeing a uniform cop in the hallway, he issued quick orders for his car to be brought to the front. Passing the desk sergeant he ordered a call for any squad in the vicinity to head to the Brent building, 9th floor, on a shooting in progress. Proceed with caution.

As Tragg pushed through the door of police headquarters, Sergeant Brice was just pulling his car to a stop at the curb. Tragg climbed into the front seat, slamming the door.

"Hit the siren and floor it. Brent building." As the sergeant squealed the tires pulling away, Tragg silently wondered what Mason had gotten into this time and whose body he was going to find.

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After insuring the police were on the way, Paul slowly crawled back to Perry's office. After the explosion of gunfire, the crashing of breaking glass and Perry's furtive whispers, there had been no other sound, only silence. "Perry?"

"We're still here." Perry had not moved. Della lay silently beneath him, afraid to move, but very aware of her boss's body covering hers, his voice close to her ear, the unique smell of his aftershave.

Paul whispered from across the room. "Cavalry's on the way." Even as he said it they heard the sound of sirens from the street below. "You guys stay put until they get here and give the all clear."

"Sure thing." Perry felt Della move under him and immediately shifted his weight to give her room to adjust to their position. "Della are you alright? Don't move just yet. Are you hurt? Della?"

Her voice came to him in a breathless whisper. "I'm fine Perry. Just scared. Are you okay? You're not hurt?"

Perry's deep chuckle surprised her. "I'm fine. Just mad as hell and wondering what's going on."

Then as if his mind suddenly caught up with his body, he realized the position he and Della were in. The feel of her body beneath his caused an immediate and embarrassing reaction. Hoping Della hadn't noticed, he moved and cautiously stood. Hearing no sound other than the police sirens and screeching tires, he bent to take Della's hand and help her to her feet.

But the moment she stood, Perry felt her sway and she collapsed in his arms. He picked her up and was just placing her on the couch when the lights flashed on and Tragg, with several officers entered the room, guns drawn. Paul was right behind them.

"Tragg - the lights!"

Tragg holstered his gun. "My men have it covered. Shots appear to have come from the rooftop across the street. No sign of the shooter." He stopped at the sight of Della's prone figure. "Is she...?"

Perry shook his head and knelt next to the couch. "She fainted." That's when he noticed the line of blood from just above her hairline, trickling down her left cheek. "Paul! Call an ambulance! Now!"

As everyone starting moving at once, Della moaned and tried to sit up. Perry gently pushed her back down. "Easy Della . You're bleeding a little."

She reached up to her head, grimacing when her fingers touched a small gash. Perry pulled her hand away and, taking his handkerchief from his pocket, placed it against her head.

"Looks like it's just a small cut." Perry leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "Are you sure you're alright?"

His warm breath in her ear caused a shiver down her spine. She looked into his incredible blue eyes, seeing the concern, and gave him a weak smile. "Yes Boss."

A commotion in the outer office signaled the arrival of the ambulance orderlies. Perry backed away as one of the men knelt by the couch, and started checking the cut on Della's head. Perry sat on the edge of his desk and lit a cigarette.

Tragg walked over and stood beside him, watching as the orderly worked on Della. "Feel like telling me what went on here Counselor?"

Perry blew out a stream of smoke, never taking his eyes from his secretary. "No idea, Lieutenant. We came back from dinner at Clay's. Della came into my office, turned on the light and headed for the table. I was right behind her. Paul was by the door. Suddenly a loud noise, the glass shattered and we dropped to the floor. Paul hit the lights just as we heard the second shot. Then everything was quiet. Paul managed to get to Della's phone. You know the rest."

Tragg was about to comment when he saw Sergeant Brice signal him from the door. With one more glance to where Della lay, Tragg joined the sergeant in Della's office. "What have you got?"

The sergeant held up an evidence bag holding two shell casings. "One of my men found these on the rooftop of the building across the street."

Tragg looked closely at the bag. "Rifle?"

The sergeant nodded. "Looks like, but I'll get them to ballistics for a positive identification."

At that moment an orderly was wheeling in a gurney. Tragg followed closely, now his only concern was Della.

Re-entering Mason's office he saw Della being placed on the gurney, Mason right beside, holding her hand. When the orderly told him he could follow the ambulance to the hospital, Perry merely glared at the man and in his most authoritative courtroom voice informed him he would be riding with Miss Street.

Tragg walked over to where Paul Drake stood smoking a cigarette. "What's going on? I thought Della was fine."

Paul turned and stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray on Perry's desk. "The orderly said there's a piece of glass in the cut and it will probably take some stitches once it's removed. But she'll be fine."

Tragg watched as the gurney was wheeled out, Mason continued to hold onto Della's hand.

Tragg placed his hat on his head. "C'mon Drake. We'll give you a ride to the hospital."

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Riding in the back of the ambulance, Perry had to be content to sit on a bench while the orderly took Della's vital signs and checked the cut. He noticed she kept her eyes closed, but whether it was from pain or something else, he wasn't sure.

His mind was working in several directions at once. Who fired the shots, what had Tragg's men discovered, what kind of danger were they now in, the feel of Della's body beneath his as they lay in the dark.

The last thought struck him like a lightning bolt. Of course he had held her in his arms before. They'd shared many dances together, after late dinners or at social gatherings. But the sudden intimacy of that moment in the dark was different. What would she do if...

The ambulance coming to a stop brought his thoughts back. As they removed the gurney, Perry followed closely behind. One of the orderlies turned to him. "Mr. Mason, you won't be able to come back with her. If you'll go to the waiting room, someone will be with you shortly."

"Okay." He smiled at Della. "I'll wait here for you."

Della gave him a weak smile in return. "Thanks Chief."

Perry entered the waiting room, but too restless to sit, he lit a cigarette and began pacing the small room. He'd only been there for a few minutes when Paul and Tragg joined him.

Paul bummed a cigarette and light. "Any news yet?"

Perry shook his head. "They just took her back. Orderly said someone would be out soon to talk to me." He then looked at the Lieutenant. "Anything from your men?"

Tragg pushed his hat back on his head and slumped in a chair. "They found two shell casings on the roof of the building across the street. Look like rifle but we'll wait for ballistics. Who the devil have you got mad at you now Mason?"

Perry scowled at the cop. "I have no idea Tragg. Don't you think you should worry about finding the person first. I'm..."

The door opened and a nurse came in. "Which of you gentlemen is Mr. Mason?"

Perry stepped forward. "I am. May I see Miss Street now?"

The nurse smiled at him. "The doctor is just finishing up. He removed a small piece of glass from the cut and is putting a couple of stitches in. He had to give her a local anesthetic. Will you be taking her home?"

He heard a chuckle behind him from Paul. Ignoring him, he continued to look at the nurse. "Yes. Is there something I need to do?"

Again the nurse smiled. "She'll need to stay quiet and rested. The anesthetic will make her woozy. If she were to fall or bump into something, she could reopen the wound or injure herself in some other way."

Perry nodded. "I understand. Thank you for your help."

"I'll be back in a few minutes to escort you back." With that she turned and left.

Perry turned to Paul and Tragg. "Paul why don't you go with the Lieutenant and see if they've found anything useful."

Tragg stood and growled at Perry. "Mason that's uncalled for, even from you. Other than the spent casings from the rooftop, there was no sign of the shooter. I've got my men checking for fingerprints but you know the chances of that panning out. So how about giving me and the police department a break."

Perry took a step in Tragg's direction but Paul stepped between them. "Okay, okay. Let's all calm down."

Perry rubbed his hands over his face. "Sorry Tragg. This just has me..."

"It's okay Mason. I'm going back to the station and see if my men found anything else and hurry ballistics with those tests. Coming Drake?"

Paul placed a hand on Perry's shoulder. "Take care of our girl. I'll call, her place?" Perry nodded. "I'll call her place when I learn something."

With that he followed the Lieutenant out the door. Perry had just taken a seat when the nurse came back. "I'll take you back to Miss Street now."

Perry nodded. "Okay. And thank you for your help."

The nurse smiled, led him down a short hallway and stopped before a drawn curtain. "Miss Street is in here. I'll be back in a couple minutes with her release papers and some instructions."

Perry nodded and pushed through the curtain. Della was lying on a bed, her eyes closed. There was a white bandage at her left temple. He walked over to stand beside the bed, looking down at her. As he reached his hand out to touch her, the nurse pulled the curtain back. He jerked his hand away and looked at the nurse.

The nurse noticed his reaction but decided to ignore it and handed him a clipboard. "I forgot to ask if you have the authority to sign for Miss Street."

Perry looked at the papers, taking the pen she offered. "I have Miss Street's Power of Attorney, so I believe it will be fine. Is there anything I need to do once she's released?"

"As I said, she will be a bit woozy. Just make sure she gets a good night's sleep. The effects of the anesthetic should wear off by morning. She can have aspirin if the injury causes too much pain. Oh, and make sure she keeps the area dry. They used dissolving stitches so they should be gone in a week. If she has any problems, she should see her own doctor." The nurse took the clipboard back from Perry.

Perry nodded to the nurse. "I'll see the instructions are followed. May I take her home now?"

"Of course. It's been nice meeting you Mr. Mason." With that the nurse left the room, drawing the curtain back across the opening.

Perry again looked down at his secretary. Slowly her eyes opened, blinking against the bright light. As she focused, she saw Perry leaning over the bed. "Perry?"

He smiled down at her. "There's my girl. How are you feeling?"

Della managed a weak smile. "Like I've been on a 3-day drunk."

Perry chuckled softly. "It's just the anesthetic. If you're up to it, I can take you home."

She started to sit up, but fell back on the bed. Perry reached out and took both of her hands, gently helping her to a sitting position. "Better take it slow."

Della slowly slid off the bed to stand beside Perry, hanging on to his hands. "Well that's better, I think."

Perry put his arm around her waist. "Let's just take it a few steps at a time, shall we."

They made their way out of the room and down the hallway to the exit. Perry flagged down a cab and helped Della inside, climbing in beside her.

Giving the address to the cabbie, he settled back, his arm around Della, her head resting against his shoulder.