After the first shock had passed, Hamilton Burger sprang forward and grasped her cold and limp hand, desperately feeling her wrist for a pulse. When no such pulsation was detected by his fingertips, he pressed them to her neck instead. Again, he felt nothing.

"I have already done that," Tragg said quietly. "More than ten times."

Hamilton Burger fell back a step from the sofa and gasped out,

"How did it happen?"

"Considering the fact that there is no obvious sign of blunt trauma or a gunshot wound, my hunch is that it was a poisoning." The Lieutenant glanced meaningfully at the table full of dark glass bottles. "It seems that there are enough unusual European and American drugs in this apartment to kill off a hundred people. Of course, the autopsy will have to confirm that."

"Is there any possibility that death might have been from natural causes?"

"Of course it is possible, but highly unlikely. Twenty-nine-year-old, healthy women don't drop dead without a very good reason. Again, we will need to wait for the autopsy results to be sure."

"Didn't the suspect admit to anything?"

A dark shadow immediately came over the Lieutenant's face.

"The scoundrel just kept denying, over and over, that she was dead! Said that the doctor and I and the entire homicide team were mistaken. My interview with him obviously did not go much further than that. Either he is badly in need of a psychiatrist, or is the boldest criminal I ever encountered."

"How long ago did it happen?"

"The doctor's preliminary opinion was that she has been gone for quite some time. Her…body…is at room temperature, and considering how limp she is, it appears that rigor mortis has come and gone, and that secondary flaccidity has started. One of the suspect's neighbors said that he saw him and Della striking up a conversation when she got home from work yesterday, just around 5:30pm, and overheard him invite her to his apartment for tea. I would say that it happened soon after that." He looked at the District Attorney, deflated. "And no, I haven't a clue as to the motive, at least not yet. As if there could ever be a good reason for dispatching a sweet girl like that!" Hamilton put a hand on his friend's shoulder when he saw tears springing into Tragg's eyes. "She…she was like a fourth daughter to me," the Lieutenant admitted. "Even during all the sparring I did with her boss, I never felt any umbrage at her. When I found out that her own father was deceased, I even jokingly offered to escort her down the aisle on her wedding day, should it ever come." He wiped away a hot tear that was cascading down his cheek. "Now, it never will."

"She was a good, kind, loyal woman, that much is certain," the District Attorney agreed. "But we will see to it that justice is done for her!" A terrible thought came to his mind. "He…he doesn't know, does he?"

Tragg shook his head.

"That is why I put the lid on the entire department. I did not want him or Paul Drake to find out the wrong way. But they will have to be told…soon."

Lieutenant Anderson's eyes widened as he listened to this exchange. He finally summoned up enough courage to say,

"You…you knew the victim, didn't you?"

Lieutenant Tragg looked at him.

"Yes, we did. You have heard of Perry Mason, the prominent defense attorney?"

"Of course. I have even seen him around headquarters a few times."

"Well, Della Street was his confidential secretary. She was almost always in court with him. We went out to dinner together afterwards more times than I can count." Lieutenant Tragg sighed. "I owe you an apology, Andy. I should never have spoken to you in that way – nor browbeat the suspect, either. My only excuse is that I am not used to finding my close friends murdered."

"I understand, and accept your apology," the younger Lieutenant gently replied.

"Excuse me," James Brice said, coming up to the threesome. "But do you still wish to question Mrs. Roberts? She has been standing outside in the hallway patiently for over an hour, but is starting to ask whether she can go. After all, it is getting late."

"Yes, I suppose we should," his superior said. "Show her in, please." Glancing at the District Attorney, he explained: "She is the landlady of this apartment building, and she was the one who reported the murder."

"I see," Mr. Burger replied. "Hopefully, she will be able to shed some light upon this situation!"

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