MM FOR THE CASE OF THE SUBSTITUTE FACE

Perry Mason and Della Street have returned from their ocean trip to the Orient and other exotic ports. On the way back they stopped in Hawaii and then board a ship about to go to San Francisco and home. Of course it wouldn't be a Perry Mason adventure if a murder wasn't involved. They don't even make it to the home port before a man mysteriously falls overboard. The wife is the chief suspect and becomes Perry's client. Rather than the trial taking place in Los Angeles, as many of them do, it takes place in San Francisco. So Perry sets up an office suite and he and Paul go out investigating.

Della has been left behind to handle any information that comes through this office setting. Perry calls her several times finding out that she's gone out. When he returns she still is not there and he realizes something's wrong. He has Paul checking on car accidents and in hospitals fearing she may have had an accident of some sort, or even been kidnapped. This all turns out to not be true.

Perry is very upset and when Paul Drake suggests that she may have left him having met someone else he is furious. He's so upset that he's almost apoplectic. He's not sleeping and he's not eating. Yet he still has to go on with the trial. Paul and Perry are trying to do everything they can to find out why his secretary has disappeared. At the lunch break Paul tells Perry that they found her but he won't say where she is or if anything is wrong.

They go across the Golden Gate Bridge to another small town and there at a motel they find her. He immediately takes her in his arms and tells her to never do any such thing again because he needs her. Right behind them come the police because it turns out she's the missing witness they've been looking for everywhere. They take her back to testify in the trial.

In court Della explains that she is the mystery woman they've been looking for who called in the man overboard alert. She tried to tell Perry what she had seen but he had already promised the deceased's wife that he would be her attorney. Therefore she decided to just keep it to herself. Then when they were told that there was a witness who could identify the voice of the woman who called the alert that's when Della decided to disappear. She is afraid that the newspaper reporters would make it into a big deal because of her relationship to the famous attorney.

She also tells the judge the only reason that she disappeared is she thought because she was Perry Mason's secretary that she didn't have to tell everybody what she had done but the judge tells her that was only concerns things that she heard while they were with a client. She was also afraid if the newspaper reporters found out that she was the person who had called in, on the ship, that a man had gone overboard and had seen the dress and arms of the woman who push him overboard the newspapers would make a big deal about it because she was Perry's client. At the end of her testimony Perry again takes her in his arms as the photographers rapidly click their cameras.

That evening Perry, Della, and Paul do some work on the case getting in trouble with the San Francisco District Attorney. Of course they wiggle off the hook after their confrontation and go back to the hotel where they're staying. Our MM begins here.

Perry pounded on his pillow and then flipped it over. He took his blankets off and then pulled them back on. Trying to tell himself that being able to hear Paul snoring in the room next to his is what was keeping him awake. He finally had to admit he was still shaken by his response to having Della missing.

There was no way he was ever going to admit to Paul how truly upset he was when the detective suggested that Della might have found someone else. He wasn't sure that Paul even understood their relationship and certainly never knew that he had proposed to Della. After an hour of tossing and turning he finally got up thinking he would get something to drink that would relax him.

Instead he found himself standing in front of the door on the other side of their deluxe suite and quietly opening her bedroom door. For long moments he stood watching the moonlight play over her beautiful features. he didn't mean to wake her up but it was as if she was somehow aware that someone was in her room.

Her voice was startled as she asked, "who's there?"

Speaking softly Perry said as he sat down in the chair next to her bed, "I couldn't sleep and I was just checking to make sure you were alright after today."

She smiled at him, "I'm just glad it's all out in the open. I truly did try to find you that night but I was too late you had already agreed to represent her."

Della reached out her hand to him and as he took it he turned it around and kissed her palm tenderly." I was going crazy trying to figure out what had happened to you and when Paul suggested that you could have met someone and left me I was ready to knock him out."

"Paul really suggested that?"

"Yes, he even suggested that maybe you had met someone on the trip and gone off with them." Perry explained.

Sitting up his secretary took his hands in hers and said quietly, "I hope you know that would never happen. Yet I'm sure that Paul does not realize the depth of our relationship."

"He doesn't need to know," Perry asserted.

"Perry, he is your best friend. I suspect he thinks something is going on between us but may be afraid to know you have considered marriage."

He tightened the grip on her hands as he remarked, "but you haven't considered marriage seriously; to me."

Swinging her legs off the bed Della moved over to sit on his lap. "Sweetheart don't sell yourself short. You know why I am hesitant and it isn't because I don't love you. Also, when I have given you my reasons I don't recall you offering any solutions."

"You know I believe we can work our way through any problems. You know me better than anyone. You have seen my good and bad moods yet you haven't run for the exit. I love you and want you in my life forever."

"You know I feel the same. I…"

Before she could finish there was a knock on her bedroom door. Paul called out, "Della are you awake?" When there was no answer he knocked again and he rattled the doorknob.

Perry whispered in her ear, "it's a good thing I locked that door. You better answer."

Trying to sound sleepy Della answered, "what's the matter Paul, it's the middle of the night."

"I'm trying to find Perry I have some important information he needs that just came from one of my operatives. I tried to wake him up and when he didn't answer I checked on him and his room is empty."

Grinning at the man who is now nibbling her neck she tried to sound stern as she told the detective, "you know him he probably couldn't sleep and he's out walking somewhere."

"Doesn't he usually let you know where is going to be?"

"I am not his mother and we all had a rough day today. Tomorrow may be even worse. We all need a good night's sleep. you can stay up and wait for him but I'm getting some rest."

"Could I talk you into having a nightcap with me?" Paul asked.

"Not tonight. I Need to be prepared for anything tomorrow. Now go back to bed or stay up and wait but I need my rest,"

"Okay Della sleep tight. I'll just listen for him to come back." Paul sounded resigned to a restless night.

Perry grinned at her and whispered in her ear, "what do I do now?"

Trying to look innocent his executive assistant replied, "I guess you'll just have to spend the night with me."

"Are you trying to seduce me Miss Street?"

"Never." She said saucily.

"Never?" he questioned.

"Well hardly ever," she added demurely.

Paul was being persistent as he tried to convince her to join him for a drink. "Della join me for just one drink and if Perry doesn't show up by that time you can go to sleep."

"I am not getting dressed to join you for a drink," she insisted.

He laughed as he said, "just throw on a robe."

Perry acted like he was getting up to go after Paul but Della put a hand on his arm. "I know you too well Paul you'll try and find an excuse to keep me there longer and longer. I'm tired and I am going to sleep."

With a deep sigh Paul gave in. "All right see you in the morning."

"Who does he think he is inviting you for a drink in the middle of the night?" Perry's voice was agitated.

Della touched his face and said, "I can handle Paul you know what he is like always trying to see my reaction. He always wants to know how you rate such loyalty."

"And just what do you tell him?" He inquired.

"Well…." She explained as she unbuttoned his shirt. "I tell him I get paid very well, lots of travel for free, never a dull moment, and a lot of meals on the expense account."

He grinned at her. "Are you sure you didn't mention any other perks?"

"What perks would that be Mr. Mason?" She asked innocently.

Picking her up he laid her on the bed. "Well if you can't remember I should go back to my lonely bed."

As she grabbed his hand she said softly, "Don't you dare you might run into Paul as you are coming out of my room."

Perry pretended he had little choice. He told her quietly, "well if you insist. Move over so I can join you."

Once they were settled he pulled Della into his arms and began kissing her dark curls. "You have no idea how worried I was when you disappeared and how Paul's dire predictions that you left me for someone else affected me."
Don't you know me better than that?" She asked

Sounding very serious and looking into her beautiful hazel eyes Perry was solemn as he spoke to her. "Della you wanted me to get away and relax for months. I couldn't imagine being away from you that long. I was determined to have you with me. How many times had I asked you to marry me. Every time you found a reason to say no. We got so close on this trip I thought you would see I wouldn't stick you in a house and out of my work life. We would have a wonderful life working, living, and loving together. You know I never care what people say. Then you suddenly disappeared."

"But Perry….." she interjected.

He held up his hand to stop her. "Let me finish. I didn't want to give Paul's words any credence but I had to be honest with myself. Could you have met someone and fallen in love? Did you feel you couldn't tell me after what I thought we meant to each other?

Della put her hands on his face and kissed him with more and more passion. When she finally pulled away she said breathlessly, " Oh you darling man. From the moment we met there has been no other man. There is no one else like you. I was so thrilled when you asked me to accompany you on this trip and it made me realize that I didn't want to be parted from you ever. The only way I felt that would work was if we kept our relationship as it is now."

"Even more in the last few days I realized how desperately I need you in my life. I'm willing to do anything to keep you by my side always," Perry explained.

"Sweetheart I don't need a piece of paper to feel married to you. I feel it every day in my heart and soul. You have given me everything I ever need."

"Della, I want you to feel secure and if anything should happen to me you have everything you never need to worry about anything again."

She looked at him with such love in her eyes as she assured him, "Mr. Mason you have made sure of every eventuality. What makes me feel safe and secure is your love and being such a big part of our work. You know I never meant to upset you As long a I have your love and our life together I ask for nothing more."

"Then marry me. We can tell everyone or we can tell no one any way you want it. I want you by my side. Nothing means anything if you aren't there every day." Perry told her. "You are the person I want most to impress. Just knowing you are in my corner and my loudest cheerleader keeps me going."

There were tears in her eyes as she choked out, "how did I get so lucky to find you. I think that we can find a compromise that works for both of us."

He held her close to his body and tenderly stroked her cheek as he said, "no more secrets. We tell each other everything and I promise I will have no secrets from you."

Della touched his face stroking that dimple that was so mesmerizing. "That sounds wonderful to me but I think, just in case, Paul happens to still be up we need to stop talking and find some other ways to communicate."

Grinning at her he acknowledged, "that is a compromise I will be glad to agree to and as always you are the Perfect Secretary."

Reaching out to pull him even closer so there was no separation between their bodies Della said, "well then I am ready and willing to cooperate in any way you suggest in this moment."

"I think we should close our eyes and and use the touch typing method to see what we can tell each other since we have to be quiet," he proposed.

Sounding very demure as she ran her hand down his bare chest she commented, "you realize I've had a lot more practice using this method."

Silencing her words with his mouth when he let her up air he reminded her, "that is what I am hoping for and I'm a fast learner."

Breathless after moving her hands sensuously further down his body she suggested, "let the games begin."