TCOT Timid Butller

Chapter 2

Della put the mail on his desk, they had a busy schedule lined up so she only put the three letters that had to be addressed that day. Her stomach was tight as she pushed the thoughts of their previous Friday nights conversation away. The conversation after the party.

That done she headed into the kitchenette to put the coffee on. There was no shortage in activities with their current case load, including the pending court dates and ongoing investigations. She hesitated, wanting to find an errand so as not to be here when he arrived, but steeled herself and returned to her desk to finish off the most urgent of the briefs. She was not going to become a timid mouse at this stage of her career. He walked in and looked up, oh he was as cool as ever, a smile, "Good morning Miss Street."

"Good morning Mr Mason," she responded equally formerly. His manner immediately put her at ease and the hint of a smile teased the corner of her lips.

"Anything interesting going on that I should know about?"

"The morning paper is on your desk, no job prospects jumping out. Your schedule for this week is already full," she reminded him pointedly, "Coffee?"

"Yes thank you."

She rose to go and fetch it. Breathing a sigh of relief that their professional relationship meant everything to him. When she placed his coffee on his desk, he smiled his thanks but was already skimming the paper, only reading the articles that she had already marked. He'd pushed the schedule told her he had already reviewed it.

"If you get that draft revised I can get that out in the morning post."

"Hmmm" he ignored her, or more accurately her direction for him to revise the draft. Knowing if he responded it would be followed by a direction to attend to the mail. It was a regular point of dispute. She could not tolerate having work hang around, as soon as it came in she wanted it sorted out and gone. Well aware that at a moments notice their day could be changed to focus on one case, one crime and all opportunity to do their daily work would go out the window. After the morning they fell back into their normal routine, as if the events of Friday night had not happen.

The letter was addressed to her, it did not look like a business letter, she slit the top opened and extracted the card. It was an invitation. Her eyes scanned the exquisite print, a smile threatened to spill from her mouth. She re read it, resting her hand on her hip, and considered the contents before pursing her lips. Then putting it away in the second draw of her desk for further deliberation at a later date. Not that there was much to contemplate.

There was only one other man who could make her heart race like that. Further despite a recent lapse he had been, for some months, preoccupied with other matters. A distraction would do her good. She was more determined than ever not to lose her life, her independence her whole self by having an affair with a man who was larger than life. To not be at his side was unthinkable. Too lose him because an affair ended was inconceivable and not a risk she was prepared to take.

It was a week later before she asked the question to which she already knew the answer. She went into his office, Paul was slumped in the leather armchair to the side of his desk in his usual place.

"What are you doing Friday the 18th?" she asked from the doorway.

"I am going to Seattle to see my brother," he responded, his expression curious. Paul butted in with a "I'm free." Perry glanced at him in irritation, and turned back to Della.

"Why?"

"Because I need an escort," she replied.

"Sorry, I have already cancelled on him three times, if I don't make this he might take legal action against me."

"Thats alright," she turned her eyes to Paul and raised her eyebrow in a manner that made both men shift in their seats.

"I would accompany you anywhere." he said truthfully, "Monkey suit required?"

"Mhh mmhm" she said. Paul slapped his hands as if the matter was settled.

"Well I don't know about you folks but I'm hungry and I am guessing its dinner time," Paul said standing out of his chair. Della looked at her watch it had just turned 7.00.

"I've got this deposition to finish up, I'll be another hour at least," she declined closing the door and returning to her office.

"What?" Paul asked when he looked over to see Perry's glare.

"Thanks a lot."

"You should thank me," Paul said heading for the door, "If I wasn't such a good friend, I would be dating her, smitten with you or not, or ...I could have let her take one of those Parkers who are hanging around just waiting for her to weaken." He tapped on the door, "There are quite a few who would even put up with her crazy devotion to you and the crazy hours you make her work. So don't get angry at me buddy I am doing you a favor." Perry didn't lose his scowl, nor did he tell Paul that Della had already made her feelings very clear.

After Paul had left, Perry leaned back in his chair and considered what Paul had said. He was right about one thing if someone other than himself was going to take Della out he would just as soon it be Paul rather than some unknown wolf. He knew how unfair this was on both of them. He sighed, she was right, with what they had discussed the other night, it hadn't worked, he could not pay her the attention she needed. She did not want his attention when it was better directed at getting one of their clients off, nor did she want his attention if his mind was elsewhere. She had told him it was a conundrum that was not resovable. He sighed out loud at the memory, her lips told him a completely different story to her words, but she had shooed him off. He could still feel the jealousy simmering in him heightened by the way that Aston Gabriel had been oogling her. The way she had returned his stare unperturbed had not helped. The thought of her in someone else's arms it drove him nuts.

The next week was full on, they seemed to be working on the run, eating on the run and barely getting enough sleep. The more that was thrown at them the more that they seemed to be able to take on. He checked his watch, still only early, he would have time to take her out to dinner before he went to the airport. He buzzed for her to come in.

"Yes Mr Mason," her formal tone told him someone else was in the office, he hesitated and then said.

"Miss Street would you please bring me the Seeton File?"

"Of course Mr Mason, there is a Mr Roger Fraser here to see you. He says that you will know what it is about."

"Does he have an appointment?"

"No Mr Mason."

"Ask him to wait, I need that file."

In Della's office she turned to the waiting man, "He will see you shortly Mr Fraser, will you have a seat."

"Its urgent," he repeated for the seventh time.

"Yes and Mr Mason has agreed to squeeze you in before he leaves for the day." she said unwaveringly. "Take a seat Mr Fraser."

He flashed her an angry look but as she stood there waiting for him to sit down, he did as she bid. She could see it rankled him immensely. She fetched the file and went into Perry's office closing the door behind her.

"Chief?" she called him, he looked up at her."That is Phillip Maskies brother in law."

"Oh..." he drummed his fingers on the table "Get Paul Drake on the phone I want a tail on that man when he gets out of here."

"What do you think he wants?"

"To confuse me with lies or blackmail me to make me back down." He looked into her eyes and smiled that cheeky grin, "Or some other form of threat."

She had already moved to the phone and got through to Paul's answering service, who put her through, she looked at Perry to see if he wanted to talk to Paul, he shook his head one hand grinding into the other.

"Paul its Della, Perry wants you to tail a Mr Roger Fraser, he's in our office, we can probably delay him..." she checked with Perry he gave a nod, "ten minutes, he is wearing a grey suit, pin stripe, expensive green tie with black fleur delis, black shoes, black hat with a brown band, about 5'8" dark blonde hair. Anything else you want him to know chief?" this last she addressed to Perry, one ear listening to Paul repeating what she had told him while he wrote it down. Perry shook his head.

Down the line Paul said,"Tell him I'll check in with him later."

"Thanks Paul," she hung up, the detective had already gone.

"Very detailed Miss Street, how long was he in your office?"

"Long enough for him to give me the creeps. Smooth criminal type," she responded. "Do you want me to sit in?"

"No, I'll leave the speaker on though so you can get the details. I'm not his lawyer it is not a privileged discussion," he explained at her raised eyebrow.

She nodded without further comment.

He closed the file that he had been working on just as she brought Mr Fraser in.

"Mr Fraser this is Mr Mason," she introduced them.

"Thank you Miss Street," Perry said his eyes did not leave the very good looking man Della had referred to as smooth and creepy, his face showed nothing.

"Have you got a death wish Mason?" the man demanded angrily.

"No," Mason responded, he did not offer the man a seat, but stood himself considering he was trying to stall the man, he then held out his hand.

"You know who I am?"

"I know."

"Maskie brought those dangerous crooks into my sisters life, into my life, and you go asking them details of deals I made with them through Maskie, insinuating that I had ripped them off. He dragged me into this mess, not the other way round, you should remember that before you go slinging mud."

"Have a seat Mr Fraser lets see if we can work out a resolution that leaves no mud on anyone."

"I don't care if mud is left all over Maskie, or egg or s ..." Fraser said angry. Mason could tell he was used to intimidating and not negotiating.

"Maskie told me you signed him up, not the other way around, perhaps I have gotten the wrong end of the stick." Perry said with a confused expression.

Fraser calmed down at this admission, this was going to be easier than he anticipated, he had heard the lawyer was a lot tougher than this pussycat. He sat down holding his hat.

"Two years ago, Maskie came to me, he was broke, he wanted me to lend him some money to get into a deal, ten percent interest mind, I said I would be happy with four, being family and all, and my kid sister of course"

"Of course, very generous."

"Well he put my name down on the deal alongside his own."

"You signed it?"

"Well yes, I thought it was a house deal you see,"

"I see."

"You will back off won't you? He will only get us all into further trouble, best we can do is pay them off and never deal with them again."

"I'll talk to him." Mason promised.

Della buzzed. "Your next appointment is here Mr Mason."

"Show them into the law library," he stood up, turning to Fraser "I am sorry I can't give you more time, but perhaps if you make an appointment I can..."

"No Mr Mason I just can't have you floating it around that I got Maskie into this deal. These are not forgiving people. "

Della opened the door to show Mr Fraser out, he was much less tense, and walked straight passed her. Satisfied his message had been received. She returned to the office door and waited for Perry to look up.

"Della can you get hold of Philip Maskie?"she pointed to the phone

"He is on line two chief."

"Thanks," he murmured picking up the phone and pressing the button.

She saw the line light go out and returned to his office. "What did Philip say Chief?"

"He said Fraser had threatened him, that Fraser has some documents supposedly purporting to show that Fraser was tricked into this deal."

"Forgeries."

"Yes."

"Did you tell him to go to the police?"

"Yes."

"Are you going down there with him?"

"Yes, but I'll have to go straight to the airport from there." He tapped his fingers on his desk. "I'm going to get him to leave town for a week or two. He can go to the airport with me."

"Do you want me to come with you. I can drive you out after. We can drop your car at the your apartment and get your things."

He nodded,"I'll be back on Monday," he said.

"Well surely Phillip can't get into trouble between now and Monday." she commented.

He glanced at her with a frown, "Della you know not to say 'can't' it has a dreadful way of backfiring."

"Maybe you should take him along with you as a body guard," she suggested. "He might be able to keep you out of trouble with your brother."

"Very funny. Do you want to get your things and we will head off." He pointed at her desk,"Before you have any more bright ideas."

She drove them both to the airport, Phillip Maskie complaining the whole way that it was an over reaction. Perry was unmoveable on the issue and both of them got out of the car. Perry had already explained the dangerous connections that Fraser had and that it was unlikely that he would be content with a warning shot fired at Phillips lawyer."Go in and get your ticket, then meet me by the lost baggage counter." Perry directed him. Phillip Maskie nodded, then with a childish pout begrudgingly thanked Della for the lift.

"Bye Phillip, its for your own good you know, they're a nasty bunch of people."

"I know, Miss Street" he admitted begrudgingly, before pulling his hat firmly down on his head and moving off.

Perry was watching her, watching the amusement mixed with concern in her eyes and then those eyes turned on him.

"I can't understand how he could get into such a mess Perry," she commented. But he was only thinking that it would be three whole days before he saw her again. Because they were in public he did not lean in and kiss her not even on the cheek.

"Bye," he said.

"See you Chief," she drove off but it didn't help, his smoldering eyes were burned into her conscience.

That evening, the feel of those eyes at the airport forced her to think about what had happened. The discussion she had suppressed. It had been the Saturday Night, the night they had met Mr Aston Gabriel, after the events of that evening and after they had left the party. Paul had offered her a lift. Perry had insisted he would take her. She had asked him if he was still hungry and he had said yes, but the intense look he gave her left her in no doubt as to what the subject of his hunger was. She had offered not the slightest bit of resistance, melting into his embrace and his lips like a smitten teenager. It quickly escalated but a wave of good sense hit her, with one hand she pulled him to her, with the other she pushed him away. She ripped her mouth away turning her head.

"Perry," she husked when she had meant to say,'stop.'

He kissed her cheek and her neck, "I need you," he protested her withdrawal.

"We've been down this road." she whispered huskily, "those wounds are best left alone."

He stopped kissing her, "I left you with wounds?" he asked.

"Yes, you broke my heart," that, she had definitely not meant to say out loud.

"How did I do that?" he asked.

"Oh you're just you," she took his hand and rubbed the back of it with her thumb, trying to rub out those words she had just uttered, "I was fool enough to fall for someone who gives their all to save their clients, whose dedication to his job attracts me just as much as his handsome face and killer eyes."

"You think I'm handsome?" he asked encouraged, nibbling her ear.

She stopped him and held his face with both her hands,

"I think you are the most wonderful, brave strong man that I have ever known, and I am so proud to work for you," she smiled at him, "and I am very very attracted to you, but I ..."

"Yes."

"But outside of our work relationship I can not be taken for granted, disregarded, a comforter to be used when you remember you are cold." She was putting this badly, "Working for you is the most important thing in my life, I can't jeopardise that because... because in your personal life I can't settle for a bit part."

"Is that how I make you feel."

"Its not your fault. I understand Perry, I know how important your work is, I believe it is and as your secretary, your friend, I can support you, completely. But I can't carry that through as your lover. It hurts too much." He was silent, god she hated it when he was silent, when it was directed at her.

His mind was churning had it been that long since he had held her told her how much he loved her.

"I'm so sorry," he said quietly, but he had no further words, he had blown it, blown his chance with her because what she said was true, he had always taken her for granted.

"I don't think you could change," she said softly stroking his hand to take the sting out of her words,"I don't want you to change Perry. Your wonderful because of what you are".

"I left you with wounds." he repeated so softly. His heart breaking to think he had not realised how much he had hurt her. Worse he hadn't even thought about it. "You know how I feel about you." he said.

"I did not mean it that way."

"No, you didn't mean to say it out loud," he corrected her.

She smiled sadly, he knew her so well, about some things, "No I didn't mean to say it out loud."

"Why the wounds?"

She sighed and moved away from him, he wasn't making this easy, for him their lives weren't separate, no difference in their work and home life.

"Can't you forget I said that."

He thought about that request for a moment, twisting his pinky ring, then replied "no, no I can't forget ."

Della paused and then took in a deep breath, considering her words, knowing that she had been putting off this conversation which had made it worse.

"It hurts to know that I can never be the number one priority in your life, and worse to know that I accept that, because what you do, what we do is more important than us."

She wanted to stop talking, but she had to explain, explain that she did not blame him for the wounds.

"I am good at my job, I know how to do it, I know my place and I know ..."

"You are the best at your job, you are irreplaceable," he murmured, not looking at her, not really wanting to hear her interpretation of their relationship.

"But I can't play that same role as your lover, I can't be waiting for you to remember I'm there," she took a big breathe. "I can't turn this desire I have for you on and off,"

His body reacted to her, his heart raced and his palm sweated, hearing her say out loud that she desired him.

"You think I don't know you're there?" his tone incredulous.

"No, its, ... I know you can't be distracted when you are on a case I understand that but I don't want to be your secretary with benefits. I know I can't have what I need from you and it hurts. It hurts to know I will never love anyone the way I love you, but for me to do my job, to do my job to the best of my ability, I have to shut away these other needs..."

"Why?" he didn't understand and she was failing in her explanation.

"Because eventually I will want you to change and when you don't I will resent you. I would rather leave than resent you." She wasn't sure if she had even admitted that to herself before and felt sick to her stomach. She drew in a breathe and let it out slowly trying to find calm, there was a kind of relief mixed with the pain that she was being honest with him and herself

"Marry me." he said.

"Now you are just being silly," she said quietly, "Marry you and give up work?"

"I wouldn't ask you to give up work." he said.

"Very respectable that would look," she scoffed.

"You know I don't care about things like that."

"Perry it is your reputation, your devotion to justice, your high moral standards that allows Tragg to give you room to move..."

"I'm not sure my moral standards are that high," he interrupted in his low voice then sighed, "You're right to be angry, I was reminded how much I want you tonight because of the way I saw that man look at you, look at you with hungry eyes, realised that I had not kissed you for over four months," He took her hand and kissed it.

It took all her strength to pull her hand away,

"I'm not angry Perry, its just they way it is."

"You know I would give you anything you desired," he whispered almost absently. Then he stood up and paced her small lounge.

"You do, you give me purpose, a job I love, and you give me a chance to help people far above what I would have ever achieved stuck in some secretarial pool in corporate law."

"You're overcomplicating this Della," he said, leaning against her wall.

"Easy for you to say, you're a man," she replied glad it didn't come out quite as bitterly a she felt.

"I am in love with you," he said simply, "What am I meant to do?"

"What you mean when you are not making me work fifteen hours days seven days a week?" she asked with a cheeky grin trying to change the mood.

"Yes."

He shut his eyes and waved his finger at her,"Don't you dare say it." he warned her. Fearing what she was going go suggest. There was no one for him but her, how could she even think it.

"Goodnight Chief," she suggested instead.

He closed his eyes making no effort to move.

"Goodnight Perry," she tried.

"That's better, now I will go, I'll be able to sleep remembering the sound of my name on your lips."

She held the door open for him, as he he walked passed her with eyes half closed. He stopped and bent so she could kiss him on the cheek. "Now shoo." Neither of them had got much sleep.

Della fixed herself a drink. Tonight at the airport she had had to stop herself reaching up to kiss him. She closed her eyes, was she acting childishly, she had not wanted to fall in love with him. He was such a big presence, he swallowed her up. She knew if she didn't work for him it would not be the same. He needed all of her and he didn't care to differentiate. 'Marry me', he said that now, but she suspected a large chunk of that love was created because of how effective they were. What would she be if she lost that, she would lose him too, and if she stayed and was both she would have no self left. At least this way she still had her own place. She just had to convince him that it was a passing fancy, and once she convinced him she would work on convincing herself. That decided she went to bed.