Steve sighed to himself, placing a hand in his pocket as he and Sergeant Brice stood near the entrance to the gymnasium and surveyed the gathering crowd. "Well," he mused, "it looks like this party is a hit."
"I don't see Perry," Brice said in concern. "There's Dr. Stuart over near that door looking at some kind of note."
"I don't see Paul's man, either," Steve frowned. "It's Pete Kelton, isn't it?"
"That's right," Brice nodded. "He kind of looks like Lieutenant Anderson's friend Officer Otto Norden."
"I remember." Steve had a trace of a wan smile on his features. With Otto long dead and the emotional scars still deep, it had really given poor Andy a shock the first time he had seen Pete.
"Well," Brice said now, "maybe we should split up, Lieutenant. I'll try to find Perry and Della."
"Alright," Steve agreed, already distracted. "I'll stay here and keep an eye on Dr. Stuart. And I'll wait for Paul to show up. I thought he'd be here by now."
"Why didn't he come with Perry?" Brice wondered.
"Oh, knowing Perry, he had some other job for Paul to do," Steve said. "Maybe it had something to do with that Gerard character. But I don't think we're going to find out much of anything about him beyond what we already know."
"Maybe not," Brice sighed. He paused. "Lieutenant? It's going to look kind of strange that we're not in costume."
Steve smirked slightly. "Say that we came as Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith. Unless of course you don't want to go down in rank."
Brice had to laugh. "Okay, Lieutenant. I'll see you later." He hurried into the crowd, vanishing between a zombie and a mummy.
Shaking his head, Steve turned away and moved to find a way to weave around the room to Aaron's location. When he arrived, however, no one was there. Looking through the door revealed an empty corridor.
Steve swore under his breath. Surely Aaron wouldn't have left the room, would he?
xxxx
Brice was deep into the throngs of celebrating students and faculty when he caught sight of what he knew was a familiar face. "Della?!" he called, squeezing past a witch and a Batman to get over to her.
Della, or rather Ellena, looked up. She was wearing a blue-and-white cleaning woman costume and holding a brown feather duster as a prop. She sneered at Brice as he came closer. "Sorry, Della's still checked out."
"I don't believe that," Brice retorted. "I know she'd fight you with everything she has."
"Ah yes, the power of Perry Mason's little clean-up woman." Ellena twirled on her heels. "What do you think?"
"I think you're making fun of her," Brice said in disgust.
"Maybe I just think she could have a much more profitable life than in working all odd hours for some fat old attorney," Ellena replied. "I guess she must have a thing for heavy people or something, doesn't she?" She poked him in the chest. "If you're her friend too."
Brice stared at her, momentarily stunned. But he quickly recovered and grabbed her upper arms. "Della, I want to speak to you," he commanded. "Keep fighting Ellena, Della. I know you can do it. And I don't think the necklace is the only part of the equation here. I'm sure that to get rid of Ellena, a lot depends on you."
Ellena tore away, regarding him in repulsion and disgust. "Yeah, you just try to get through to her," she snapped. "She can't hear you. I won't let her."
"I don't think you have that much power over her," Brice retorted.
"We'll see." Ellena shook the feather duster at him. "I'm just waiting for the right moment to strike. Dr. Stuart won't know when it's coming. And you sure won't."
"None of us are going to let you commit murder while you're in Della's body!" Brice snapped. Though normally quiet, he was swiftly growing angry at Ellena's attitude and her blatant disregard for what would happen to Della if she went through with her twisted plans.
"Yeah, because the law don't recognize being possessed," Ellena jeered. She backed up, then turned and darted into the crowd.
Brice moved to run after her but stopped, knowing it was likely useless. The most important thing now was to make sure Aaron was protected at all times. Ellena would come for him sooner or later during the evening. And with any luck, Della would be able to wrench control away from her before she could do anything.
Nevertheless, Brice had to admit he was worried. If it really was as Ellena said and Della was never aware of the possession, was there anything she could do? She certainly hadn't seemed aware of the earlier attempts.
Pushing back his hat, he looked around for Steve and worried over where Perry was.
xxxx
In her mind, Della was sickened. "I can't believe you spoke to him like that!" she snapped, banging on the invisible barrier.
Ellena came over to her in annoyance. "I thought I put you to sleep."
"That only worked when I didn't know what was going on!" Della retorted. "Now I know and there's no way you're going to get me to go to sleep."
"Well, too bad," Ellena scoffed. "You still can't get out of there, so you're not any problem to me."
"Oh, I'll get out," Della vowed. "This is my mind and my body. You can't continue to have power over me!"
"We'll see, Honey," Ellena drawled. "And if you do manage to stop me, I guess you'll go right back to doing what you've been doing for years, working for Mason and just accepting all those long and thankless hours."
"I don't have to justify my life to you," Della snapped. Nor did she want to. Ellena wouldn't understand; it would be like casting pearls before swine.
"No, you don't," Ellena agreed. "I'd just think somebody like you could do a whole lot better for yourself. I mean, surely you could hang out with a more attractive crowd."
"Are you so shallow that you're judging people just by how much they weigh?" Della was repulsed. "I have to wonder: is the only reason you like Tobin Wade because you thought he was handsome? Are you really going through all this revenge nonsense for that?"
Ellena's eyes flickered. "No," she admitted. "I liked everything about Tobin."
"And I like everything about Perry," Della said firmly. "And Sergeant Brice. They're both wonderful people. But I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand that."
Ellena paused. "Well, I'll say this much for them: they must sure care about you. They're both here worrying about you and looking everywhere to find you."
"I wonder if Tobin Wade would have ever done that for you," Della said quietly.
An angry flash went through Ellena's eyes and she turned away. "Just don't distract me anymore."
"I won't let you kill Dr. Stuart!" Della called after her.
Ellena didn't answer.
Della stepped back, surveying the barrier as she had many times over the past hours. There had to be a way to break it! Maybe, if it was Ellena's determination and will to keep it there, Della had to have just as much determination and will to break it down. And maybe she had to focus on that instead of on her panic over what Ellena was going to do. She had to get out of here fast, before Ellena had any chance to harm Dr. Stuart or someone else. Della didn't trust that Ellena wouldn't hurt anyone who got in her way. And that was absolutely not acceptable.
Standing in front of the barrier, Della tried to close out all other sounds and focus solely on it. With the party blaring all around her, that wasn't going to be easy.
xxxx
Perry hurried back into the gymnasium and nearly crashed into Steve at the door. "Whoa there, Perry," Steve exclaimed, holding out his hands to stop Perry's wild flight. "What's going on?"
"Mr. Kelton and I just chased two people out of the drama room," Perry exclaimed, barely processing that Steve wasn't wearing a costume. "A man and a woman. David Solomon heard them plotting to kill Della after Aaron is dead! They must be Ellena's cohorts."
"What?!" Steve wasn't sure which part of that statement was more shocking. "Where did they go?"
"Outside. Pete is chasing them." Perry looked around, tense. "Is Paul here yet?"
"I haven't seen him, but Sergeant Brice and I only just got here ourselves," Steve replied.
"And Della?" Perry rushed on.
"No," Steve started to say, but he trailed off as Brice ran up to them.
"I just saw Della," he said breathlessly. "She's wearing a blue-and-white maid costume."
"What?" Perry frowned. "That doesn't sound like Della."
"It isn't," Brice agreed, "but it's Ellena's idea of what she thinks is a perfect Della costume. I'm not sure where she is now; I lost her in the crowd."
"Well, at least now we know what to look for," Steve said.
"As long as she doesn't have a way to change costumes," Perry worried. "Did Ellena say anything to indicate what she's going to do?"
"Nothing we didn't already know," Brice sighed. "She's still determined to go after Dr. Stuart."
"Alright," said Steve. "The most important thing is watching over him. Unfortunately, I don't see him at the moment. We'll have to find him."
Perry started. "He isn't here?!"
"I hope he is," Brice said. "There's so many people here, it would be easy enough to lose track of him."
"And someone should go help Mr. Kelton outside, too," Steve knew. "If we could bring those jokers in, it would solve a large chunk of our problem." He looked to Perry. "And you say David Solomon is here? Why?"
"I wish I knew," Perry sighed. "Something about his intense interest in this case just doesn't add up. Particularly considering how he apparently couldn't be bothered to help Aaron before."
Steve shrugged. "Well, people change. If he's on the level, he obviously feels extremely guilty about not helping Dr. Stuart in the past." He moved to brush past Perry. "I'm going to go help Mr. Kelton. Sergeant, you're in charge here. Find Dr. Stuart!"
"Right," Brice nodded.
Perry looked to Brice pleadingly once Steve left. "What else did Ellena say?" he asked as they walked towards the crowds. "Did she say anything about how Della is?"
"You can't really trust her word," Brice said. "She insists Della isn't aware of her. And . . . well, I know that was the case before, but I hate to think it's still true now. How could Della not be aware of something?"
"I'm sure she is," Perry said. "The question is whether she can do anything about it." He slammed his fist into his palm. "We have to find her again and be able to save her!"
"I don't know how," Brice said sadly. "I'm afraid that she'll have to fight some of this battle on her own."
"I'll agree with that, but there has to be something we can do," Perry berated. "Maybe if we could distract Ellena, Della could gain the upper hand long enough to seize control." He looked around the room in worried frustration. "And where on Earth is Aaron?"
Worried, Brice scanned the room as well. They had walked to the near-center and still couldn't see him. "He knows he's in danger," he frowned. "I saw him just a few minutes ago, right before I saw Della. He wouldn't deliberately leave the room, would he?"
"I don't think so," Perry said slowly. "Even though he was hoping to draw the killers out." He stiffened. "I don't see Mrs. Stuart either. And if she disappeared, that's definitely something that could get him out of this room."
"Oh no," Brice breathed in alarm. "That note I saw him looking at . . . I wonder if that had anything to do with Mrs. Stuart. Do you have his cellphone number?"
"Yes, but I'm not sure he was even going to carry it with him during the ball." But Perry took out his phone anyway and tried to call Aaron. The phone rang with no answer.
"Okay," Brice said. "Our top priority now is to find him, his wife, and Della. I'm going out to look around in the corridors. Why don't you call Paul and find out where he is?"
"I would, only I see him now," Perry said in relief. "I'll fill him in and then I'll join you." He hurried away from Brice and again weaved around the tables to reach the man dressed as Sherlock Holmes.
"Perry!" Paul exclaimed. "Boy, have I got news for you!"
"So have I," Perry said. "Paul, the Stuarts have vanished! And Della was here, but now we can't find her either."
"What?! Yipe!" Paul stared. "Do you think Ellena is making her move?"
"I think we can't ignore the possibility," Perry said. "I'm going to help Sergeant Brice search the school for them."
"I think I figured out how at least some of the phony ghost tricks are being pulled," Paul said, "but I'll tell you later. Just be careful in the halls! You might set some of them off."
"Just as long as they're relatively harmless tricks, it won't bother me," Perry said, already distracted as he headed for the door.
"They're not all harmless," Paul called after him. "And I've been up at Tobin Wade's cabin with Jane Madsen. We didn't find any trace of equipment up there. Do you think there's any chance that place really is . . . well, haunted, by Wade or someone else?" He hated to even suggest it. But somehow, at a party where Zombie Jamboree was blaring over the loudspeakers and mummies and vampires were dancing to the beat, it didn't seem so strange.
"I don't know, Paul," Perry called. "Right now I don't care. We have far bigger worries than an unknown disembodied spirit."
Paul cringed. "You said it—a known and unwelcome embodied spirit. Okay, I'll let you know if I see the Stuarts or Della."
"Della's wearing a blue-and-white maid costume," Perry said. "Ellena's twisted sense of humor, according to Sergeant Brice. The Stuarts are dressed as Ichabod Crane and his love interest. I don't recall her name. Oh, and Paul, also be on the lookout for a Grim Reaper."
"Huh? Why?" Paul exclaimed.
"He's David Solomon," Perry answered while dashing out the door.
Paul stared after him. "David Solomon?!" he echoed in bewilderment.
But Perry didn't respond and there was no Grim Reaper in the gymnasium. Paul blew out his breath in frustration. "Of course," he muttered. "It had to be David Solomon."
xxxx
Aaron knew it was unwise to leave the gymnasium, especially by himself. But the infamous note he had received courtesy of the Grim Reaper had brought him out into the corridor. He wasn't sure why the Reaper had silently handed him the note instead of talking to him like before, but he didn't care. All that mattered to him were its contents, scrawled in childish capital letters.
YOUR WIFE IS WITH US. COME TO THE UPSTAIRS LANDING,
BY YOURSELF, BY WAY OF THE BACK HALLWAY, IF YOU
DON'T WANT US TO KILL HER INSTEAD OF YOU.
Naturally he would go, no matter how dangerous it was. He was furious now. It was one thing to come after him and want him dead for some mysterious reason. It was quite another to go after Marian. That was completely unacceptable.
Angry and hurting thoughts burned in his mind as he stormed through the back hall and up the stairs to the landing. This was exactly the sort of wicked deed Tobin Wade had pulled shortly before his death—targeting Marian in a plot against Aaron. He still hadn't forgiven Tobin for that and doubted he ever would. He was angry and hurt over what Tobin had done to him, too, but going after Marian was far, far worse. These new criminals, whoever they were, must have been Tobin's friends, alright.
"Well, well. So here we are. Just like it should be."
He came to the present with a start as he reached the top, gripping the banister. Della—or more likely, Ellena—was coming out from around a corner, sneering at him as she slinked over in her blue-and-white cleaning woman attire.
"You!" he cried. "What have you done with Marian? And what have you done with Miss Street?" It was bizarre to address her as something other than Miss Street, but when he saw the cruelty in her face he knew that this was not Della. Perry had to be right about what had happened, as horrifying as it was.
"Miss Street ain't gonna bother us none," Ellena replied. "And Marian, well, she's tucked away someplace until we get this thing about you over and done with."
"You're going to kill me then. Is that it?" Aaron continued to clutch the banister, watching the woman closely.
"As payment for what you did to Tobin," Ellena said. "He can't move on in the afterlife because of you! He's stuck somewhere here, a wandering spirit, all because of you!"
"All because of his own vile deeds, you mean," Aaron snapped. "It was me both he and you wanted all along! Why involve Marian?!"
"Why?" Ellena came right up next to him. "Because that was the only sure way to get you to come out of there, of course." She winked at him. "When I saw that Reaper fella talking to you, I knew just what to do."
He stared at her. "You're the one who gave me that message! That's why you didn't talk to me!"
"I couldn't have you figuring that out just yet. So yeah, I brought the message. Then I ditched the robe and came into the gym as Della." Ellena opened her handbag and started to put her hand in. "And now, Dr. Aaron Stuart, you are gonna die."
Her hand shook. "No . . ." Her emerald eyes flickered, turning to brown again for just a moment.
Aaron stared. "Della?!" he exclaimed.
"Della!" That was Sergeant Brice. He ran out from the second-story corridor, coming out very close to where Della was standing. "Fight her, Della. You have to fight her! I'll be right here with you to support you. And I know Perry's coming."
"No, please. . . ." Della looked to her friend with desperation. "I can't control her. She won't stop with Dr. Stuart. She'll kill you too. And Perry. I can't let that happen . . . I can't!"
With her distracted, Aaron tried to reach out and grab her. But just as quickly, Ellena was back in control and withdrew a dagger from her purse. She whipped it out, slashing Aaron's outstretched arm. He cried out and fell back, clutching the new wound.
"You see?" Ellena snarled. "Della can't do a thing. Not one little blessed thing. Sure, she can talk to you for a minute or two, but she can't fight me off. My will is much too strong for the likes of a secretary."
"And what makes you so great?" Brice demanded, anger and bitterness in his voice. "I researched you. You were a thief and a con artist in New Orleans, not to mention a chronic party girl. What did you do that was so valuable with your life?"
"I went out and lived it, unlike her!" Ellena snapped. "I've seen into her memories. All those tireless hours working for Mason, going without supper, hanging around writing briefs and investigating cases till way past midnight. And for what? Does he really appreciate anything she does for him?"
"Yes!" Della shouted, breaking through again.
"Della, you have to keep fighting," Brice said, slowly advancing on her from behind. If he could just get close enough to grab the knife away. . . . "You can't listen to what she says about you not being able to do anything."
"That's right!" came Perry's voice from downstairs as he rushed over from another angle. "Ellena is all alone in the world. She doesn't have what you have, Della—friends who love you and will support you through any trial or heartbreak that comes along. Your love for your friends, and our love for you, makes you strong. You can win against her!"
"SHUT UP!" Her eyes were emerald again. "I'm sick to death of hearing you blather on about friendship and garbage like that. Now, I have this knife. I also have this." She took a small box out of her purse. "All I have to do is push this button and a signal gets sent to Gerard that he can get rid of Marian Stuart. If you don't want me to push it, you'd better cooperate."
"What do you want me to do?" Aaron retorted. "Allow myself to be murdered?"
"Oh no, Doctor," Ellena sneered. "I want you to fight, and fight hard. Try to get this little old thing away from me. Try to do that and keep yourself from being stabbed at the same time. One way or another, you're going to fall down those steps, just like you thought you'd killed Tobin when he pretended to fall off that cliff." She held the device up high, her thumb right on top of the button. With her other hand she advanced with the knife held in front of her, ready to plunge it into Aaron's body if he attacked.
Aaron's patience was just about at an end. "I've had enough of this!" he screamed, dodging the knife as he lunged for Ellena's other hand. At the same moment his fingers closed around her wrist, Sergeant Brice ran over the rest of the way and pried the mysterious box from her hand. Seemingly unconcerned, Ellena sneered and tried to slash at Aaron's back with the knife.
Instead, her hand trembled again. "No," Della choked out. "No, I won't let you harm him!" The knife clattered to the floor, where Aaron kicked it away.
Perry was running up the stairs now. "Della!" he yelled. "Aaron!"
Again the eyes were green. In a furious rage, Ellena kicked back at Brice and then shoved Aaron with all her might, sending him stumbling backwards to the floor. Before he could recover, and before Perry could reach him, she was flying at him to throttle him with her bare hands.
"No, Ellena!"
The new voice sent a shockwave through Aaron as well as Ellena. The woman went sheet-white, falling back and stumbling as she looked wildly around for the source of the voice. "No," she rasped. "It can't be."
"It can't be," Aaron echoed, sitting up and shaking as he loosened his tie.
Perry whirled, seeing the Grim Reaper rushing over to the bottom of the stairs, his dark robes swirling out around him. The hood was still up; Perry could not see his face. But Ellena was practically hyperventilating and Aaron looked like he had slipped into his worst nightmare.
And suddenly it clicked.
"So," Perry said, "this is the final puzzle piece, the part that I couldn't figure out until now." He started down the stairs, seeing that Brice had reached Ellena and was holding onto her. Not that she was a danger now; she was fixated on the Grim Reaper and barely noticed as Brice restrained her arms. In her shaken state, her control was vastly weakened. Her eyes turned brown as Della took over, staring at the scene.
The Reaper stood still, letting Perry speak.
"Now it all makes sense," Perry continued. "The reason why you've been so bound and determined to stick with this case and help Aaron. The reason why you didn't warn him about Tobin Wade in the past. The reason why you had a key to Wade's cabin. The reason why you so vehemently loathe Wade. The solution was so simple, yet I didn't consider it for another very simple reason: I knew it wasn't possible.
"But it is possible, isn't it, David Solomon? The reason why all of these things are the case is because you are fighting to right the wrongs from your past. Your true identity is . . ."
"Tobin Wade. Yes, Mr. Mason, you're right. I knew you would put the pieces together eventually." David Solomon reached up, lowering the hood. "Only I'm not a spirit possessing a living person, as Ellena is. I am alive."
That was too much, after everything else. Aaron slumped back to the floor in a dead faint.