2 For What It's Worth PM
A brilliant flash of lightning and deep booming thunder woke Della. A powerful thunderstorm raged across the hills and down into the valley. She reached out for Perry, but the bed beside her was empty and the sheets cool.
She lay quietly listening for him. Silence. Without bothering with her robe or slippers, she padded through the house in her bare feet. The house was dark except for the vivid flashes of lightning and the low powerful rumbling that almost instantly ensued. Della was growing uneasy. Surely Perry wouldn't go out in his storm!
She was reaching to switch on a lamp when a brilliant streak of light struck something nearby and at once an explosive boom rattled the house. Instinctively, she ducked and cried out.
Perry was coming back into the house when he heard her.
He dropped the briefcase he had retrieved from the car and rushed through the house to the bedroom.
"Della! Where are you," he yelled. He flipped a switch on the wall, nothing.
"Perry, in here!"
He headed back through the house and found her in the den. She watched out of the window at the sparks shooting from a transformer that now lay halfway down the hillside.
Perry put his arm around her shoulders.
"Look," she said, pointing. "Nearly got us, Perry."
"Are you alright? What are you doing in here?"
"I'm fine. I woke up, and you were gone."
"I was getting something from the garage."
Before they could move away, another incredible illumination lit up the landscape outside the window and thunder again shook the house.
"Let's go," he said, taking her by the elbow and leading her to the kitchen. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a large flashlight. It lit up the hallway to their bedroom which was set back partially underground with a wall of windows that faced the valley floor. "Back to bed, Miss."
He put the flashlight on his nightstand and climbed in beside her. Perry leaned up against the oak headboard, and Della snuggled up next him as the storm raged on. She enjoyed the natural display now that she knew they were both safe.
"Why on earth were you in the garage," she asked. "I was worried to death that you might have gone out in this mess."
"Sorry," he rumbled. "The storm woke me, and I remembered something I needed that I'd left in the car.
"Perry," she gently admonished him. "What did you need badly enough to go out there tonight? Oh! That was a bad one," she gasped, after another flash.
"It's alright, baby," he told her, pulling her tighter. "I'll tell you later. Let's enjoy the show," Perry said, kissing her hair.
It seemed like mere minutes instead of hours when he jerked awake and saw sunlight coming through the windows.
"How are we this morning," Della asked, her pleasant mood evident as she entered the room carrying a tray.
"This is a nice surprise. I know I haven't been this good," he said, eyes twinkling.
"Oh, you're usually good, Counselor, so I thought you deserved breakfast in bed," she said, perching on the bed beside him. She handed him a cup of coffee and gave him quick peck on the lips.
"Delicious, as usual," he said, after taking a long sip.
"Thank you. How about some toast or an English muffin?"
"Have you already eaten," he asked.
"I have, but I'll join you in a cup of coffee."
"Is the power back on then," he asked, watching her fill her cup and add milk and sugar.
"Nope. I turned the generator on."
"Good girl," he said approvingly. "I'm glad I thought of installing that."
Della rolled her eyes. "Riiiiight." They both knew it had been her idea after a blackout had left them without power for days, three months in a row.
"Whatever would I do without your genius," she responded giving him a saucy smile and taking a sip of her coffee.
He smiled, dimples deep.
"I love you, Miss Street."
"That's good because I don't think you could survive without my coffee."
Perry laughed aloud. "I don't either."
Pounding on the door interrupted them.
They looked at each other. "Paul," they said in unison.
Della grabbed her robe and went to answer the door.
Perry didn't care who it was. He reached for a piece of toast.
**************************************P&D********************************
"Hi, Beautiful!" The young man at the door said, then enveloped her in a hug.
"Paul," Della exclaimed! "Come in. If you're hungry, I can offer you toast, fruit, and coffee."
Paul Drake, Jr., loved visiting Perry and Della. They were the only parents he'd had since he was eleven, and there was nothing like visiting your mom to make you feel like a rock star because no one was ever happier to see you.
Releasing Della from his embrace, he said, "I would love breakfast—if it's no trouble."
"It's trouble," Perry yelled.
Della smiled at Paul, and said, "No, it isn't, dear. Go visit with Perry. I'll call you when it's ready."
As he started down the hall, he spied Perry walking out onto the deck, leaving the wide French doors open.
Paul walked over to the rail where the older man leaned watching PG &E workers winch up the blown transformer onto a truck.
"What's so interesting? Good to see you, too, by the way. Here's your paper," he said, handing over the rolled-up Times and peering over the railing.
"Oh, I see," he continued. "I guess that's part of the 'destruction in the hills' that was on the radio this morning. I wondered why you were calling last night from the car phone."
Perry cast a look behind before he answered. "The storm was a little rough, but that's not why I called you." He moved to a chair and sat down.
"Close the doors," he instructed Paul. "I want to discuss something with you."
"Without Della knowing? Whoa. I don't even know if that's allowed," Paul joked, but he did as Perry had asked.
"Paul," Perry said, glaring at him.
"Ok. Shoot."
"The father of Angie White, the young woman who was accidentally shot by our client, showed up last night where Della and I were eating. I want you to find out how he knew where we were eating. We didn't even know until we left the office. My guess is that he staked out the building and was following us."
"Did he threaten you? Was he drunk?"
"He was sober as a judge. I don't know that it would have gone any further, but there was quite a bit of planning that went into it. I don't want to be caught flatfooted like that again. I want to know what he's doing and where he is until this case settles down. I don't want to risk his accosting Della alone. After you eat, go to the master bedroom. In the right-hand nightstand, I left a paper with his name and address written on it."
Paul wasn't playing when he said, "I'm on it."
Della opened the door. "Paul, I need some help with bringing some things out."
"Sure." He bounced to his feet and followed her into the house, happy to be of assistance.