About an hour or so after his mother's telephone call with Della, Perry returned. He saw Della had not looked happy like she usually is.

"Hi, Della," Perry said as he slammed the door behind him.

"Hi, Perry."

Della got up from her desk to give him a hug and he returned it.

"What's wrong? You don't look very happy right now. Did you miss me?" he asked once they finished their hug.

"Of course I missed you. By the way, your mother called shortly after you left the office."

"What made my mother the idea of calling my office? She knows my schedule."

"I'm sure that she does."

"Just get to the point on why you don't look very happy," he told her.

"Your mother sounded worried. I know I've never met your folks, Perry, but I do feel bad about her telephone call."

"It doesn't sound like good news to me, Della. Did she say why she wanted to share with me?"

"All she told me was that it was about your father."

"That's why you're not very happy. Well I do appreciate your concern for my parents. I'll go return her phone call right now."

Once Perry walked into his office, his private investigator, Paul Drake walked in.

"Hello, Paul. What a pleasant surprise."

"I know, Della. Is Perry around? I saw his car in the parking lot. I do want to share more about that television advertisement I put out."

"Is there anything going on?"

"A little bit, but I'd like to tell you both at the same time."

"Perry just walked in, but he received a telephone call when he was gone."

"Do you know who the caller was? You don't look or sound very happy," Paul told her.

"Perry said the same thing, Paul. The phone call that came in sounded personal."

"Personal? Do you have the name written down?" Paul asked.

"Didn't need to. It was his mother."

"Perry's mother? What did she want?"

"I don't know. She really didn't give me any details. This wasn't a very happy call."

"That's a shame. I'm sure Perry would tell us."

"Of course he would."

Perry did hear Paul and Della talking, but he didn't catch any of it. Right now his mother was more important. He dialed the number. He listened to the telephone ring a couple times before he received an answer.

"Hi, Mom. This is Perry."

"Hi, Perry. I appreciate you calling back," she said worriedly.

"What happened? My secretary isn't very happy. She's worried for you too."

"I'm sure she is. I wasn't talking about her. I'm talking about your father!"

"What does this have to do with Dad?"

Della and Paul finally had the chance to listen in on the conversation between son and mother.

"Your father died, Perry!"

Of course Mrs. Mason started crying, and Perry couldn't blame her.

"How did Dad pass on?"

"I don't know, Perry. I was out shopping and found him dead when I returned."

The tears continued.

"Perry, I think your father was murdered."

Perry now had been starting to have a shocked look on his face.

"Mom, did you lock the doors when you left the house?"

"I did. Somehow the doors were unlocked when I returned."

"Sorry to hear that, Mom. Where was Dad?" he asked as the shocked look stayed.

"The couch watching television. It's a good thing this didn't happen on the bed because I just washed the sheets, which I'm thankful for."

He had to agree.

"I'll come up with a date to come out. Right now I have a couple of clients who are keeping me busy."

"I hope you will come up with something fast. I need to see you immediately."

The tears were coming even harder than they did two minutes ago.

"I'll see what I can do, Mom. I surely will call again when I come up with a date."

"Please do. I can't wait much longer."

They said a few more words and he disconnected.

That's when Della and Paul saw him rejoin them. Both she and Paul saw the shocked look Perry had on his face.

"What happened, Perry?"

Della gave him another hug, which he returned.

"Perry, I do have an update on that advertisement."

"Go ahead, Paul."

The shocked look still stayed.

"I got a phony contest candidate who is interested in us. I didn't accept him because he sounded like a murderer to me. Why are you shocked?"

Perry didn't sound interested in hearing anything else on the contest. He looked like he was about to cry any minute now.

"What was your mother calling about?"

"My father was murdered earlier today, Della."

"I'm so sorry, Perry. You need to go home."

"You're right, Paul. I'm a mess. You can update that advertisement and announce a murder has arrived!"

Then Perry left his office.

"He's a mess for sure, Della. Do you want me to look after him?"

"I don't think it's necessary, Paul, but it's a good idea. Go update that advertisement like he told you."

"I'll go do that tomorrow first thing."