The next day arrived.
"Mom, I decided to bring you to work with me today. Maybe there will be something for you to do," he told her.
"Like what?"
"We'll find something. I have an appointment with that Adam Smith at lunch today. I need to ask him more questions about Dad's cases."
"Like what?" Ada asked.
Paul was coming over any minute now to pick them up, which he and Ada were fine with.
"The office will be safe for you since the three of us will be there."
"Why do you call it safe?" Ada asked.
"I just don't want you to be left alone here while I'm at the office all day. You can help Della and Paul go through the files more and see what you think is worth sharing."
"I don't mind staying here, Perry. I think there is some laundry that I can do later."
"You'll be at the office."
She didn't want an argument to start, but it felt like it just did.
She thought of her friend.
"Perry, I don't need to stay all day, do I?"
"Of course not. Just for a while."
"I promised Staci we would get together for lunch today."
"She can take you with her to go back home."
"I guess so. She wouldn't mind. She lost her husband to a heart attack fifteen years ago so she knows what it's like to live alone. She did say I would get used to it."
"You will. I know you like talking with people in the same house, but now Dad is gone, I see why you wanted to move in with me."
"Yes. I know you're used to living alone since you're not dating anyone."
"You used to do that before you met and married Dad."
"Yes, I did. I haven't done that since."
"You can leave at lunchtime. I'm not sure how much time I'll spend with Adam Smith."
"You can tell me everything tonight when you get home, Perry."
Ada still sounded tired, but it was understandable about not getting much sleep since George died.
"You would make a great secretary."
"Thank you, Perry. You don't need two of them."
"Of course I don't. I was just giving you something to do."
He didn't want her to be alone at the house and end up sleeping the entire day, so this is why he wanted to take Ada with him today.
Since George was murdered a couple months ago, he sort of expected Ada would have health issues, but it looked like it to him so far. The was probably why Ada had to see her doctor at some point.
"What time are you meeting Staci?"
"We still need to talk about that. I'll call now and see what she says. What time do you have Adam Smith?" Ada asked.
"12:30 or something like that. I am going to ask him if Dad had worked on any cases that involved children like the car accident case did. This was probably why I got the idea since there were a few children from this last case. I don't mind staying in touch with these people who have the Johnsons' second child. I just want to make sure the child is safe in case they decide to come back and pick the child up, but I doubt that will happen."
"You mean the people who hit your car?"
"Yes."
"If there were children involved in any of his cases, Perry, they could be either alive or not, so I don't see any reason why you want to try solving a longshot case that never got solved," Ada repeated.
"I said before, I just want to do something for him. I understand he wanted to keep law and family separate. That's probably why I do the same thing."
"That makes sense. What sort of information do you want about your father's cases that could be connected with the car accident case that was just solved?"
"I don't know. I'm just guessing. Paul and Della have already talked about printing out duplicates so they could have one for the office and home if you forgot what you were going through on missing something."
"That makes sense. I guess your father's secretary probably did all the note - taking for him since he was out with clients in the courtroom and switching private investigators most of the time."
"Speaking of private investigators, do you remember who Dad hired since they kept switching around half the time?"
"No, I don't. None of the names were familiar and I don't see any reason why I have to remember them," Ada said.
"If somebody wants you to be on the witness stand again, Mom, please don't do what happened before. We just reconciled, remember?"
"You mean by not talking anymore? I am not guilty of your father's murder, Perry."
"I believe you. Were you near anything that could have been part of something Dad worked on?"
"I don't think I was, Perry. If I did, I would have to keep trying to looking back and see what happened then. Somebody thought I was a bystander."
"You could. I'm only taking a guess about children being involved in any of his cases. If you were a bystander, would you remember seeing any children?"
"Now you're still thinking I did that to your father being shot? I knew you weren't on my side in the first place, Perry."
"Here we go again, Mom. Like I've said several times before, I was by your side, but I never accused you of murder. This is why I am your attorney," Perry reminded her.
"If there were children involved in any of his cases back then, I might need to guess if their families are still alive, like their own family members could help out. Now tell me, Mom. Were you a bystander like somebody thought you were?"
"I don't want to answer any questions now. Yes, I still love you, but we don't need to have me involved in the courtroom again."
"That's one of the questions I need to ask at lunch today. We're only doing Mexican at lunch," Perry replied.
"Thank you for saying something. Are Paul and Della going to be at the lunch appointment with you?"
"They don't have to be, so no. They're fine at the office. You can use the phone to call your friend."
"Thank you, Perry. I'll go to my room for a while after that."
"We're leaving soon, Mom. You won't have time to lie down."
"Why are you telling me what to do? You did that last time when you sent me to your office to drop some of George's paperwork."
"I did that because I couldn't drive yet and was still on 24 hour recess," he reminded her.
"Just leave me alone, Perry. If you ask me questions like this with Della and Paul, I might stop talking with you again."
"But not like you did with me a couple months ago."
Ada didn't say anything as she went to call her friend. Perry looked out of the window and saw Paul pull in.
"Mom, Paul's here."
"Just let me make the call first, and then we can leave."
"All right."
Once Ada was on the phone with her neighbor, Perry changed his mind about letting her stay here. He really didn't need her, but was only giving her something to do. When he was in court, she slept on the couch.
When Ada returned, Perry told her, "You can stay here. I decided to leave you instead."
"That's good. I don't need to hang around when I'm not wanted. By the way, Perry, Staci's coming over sometime after twelve."
"You can lock the door since I'm not going to be here until tonight."
"Where is the key so I can have it?"
"In the office on the desk."
"Thank you. Looks like your ride is here, Perry."
"I saw. Do me a favor."
"What?"
"Since we just made up, I still want to be your attorney. We agreed on that, remember?"
"Yes, I do remember. Sorry we had an argument."
"I'll see you tonight."
"All right, Perry. See you soon. Then you can tell me about your lunch date."
"You'll get to hear about it."
Good thing Paul didn't come to the front door to hear him and Ada having an argument about not talking.
"Do you want me to keep going through your father's cases and see if there's anything I could have missed when Della was over?"
"No. You've done enough, but thank you anyway. I'll see what cases are interesting."
Now that Perry was gone, Ada decided now was the perfect time to go back to bed until Staci showed up. She wasn't tired, but this was all she could think of to do. She could've read one of the library books she checked out, but decided that could wait until later.
Since she and Perry decided that she couldn't drive anymore, her friends could probably help out with transportation, but knew some of them wouldn't mind. She's already had a couple of rides from Della Street.
"How are you today, Perry?"
"Okay. We're starting to fight again."
"And you just made up? That doesn't make sense to me."
"I know, Paul. She did tell me something interesting."
"What's that?"
"She said somebody told her that she could've been a bystander when Dad was murdered."
"You're kidding."
"That's what I thought too. That's when we started fighting again."
"Sorry you're still having trouble with your mother, Perry. I wouldn't mind driving you to meet Adam Smith."
"Thank you, Paul. He said sometime before 12:30."
"I can make that work. Della's already at the office."
"I know. After this case is solved, I would never let Mom get involved anymore."
"You mean as representing her?"
"Exactly. There are a few questions Adam Smith will have to answer today at lunch."
"Like what?"
"If he remembers seeing any children in any of Dad's cases. Mom did say she couldn't find many files with children being mentioned. I said she's already done enough for now."
"I think you're right about her getting most of it out of the way," Paul agreed.
"I know. I feel bad for her. I wish there was something else I could do for her besides being her attorney."
"Do you remember if your father kept guns in the house?" Paul asked once they they pulled into the parking lot at the office.
"He did, but kept it in the car instead. He didn't want Mom to find one and do something with it."
"That makes sense. She's never touched one, right?"
"Right, Paul. Were you able to hear about the foster parents they took the child in that I mentioned?"
"No. I thought that was your job."
"It is, but I was just curious if they decided to call when I stayed home yesterday."
"Remember I mentioned I talked with that woman private investigator over the phone?"
"Yes, Paul. I'd like to talk with that woman also besides that other one you spoke with and had that dinner date with."
"He said you could stay in touch with him too, Perry."
"Adam Smith said the same thing about you, even though you were the one who called for an appointment for me to meet."
"Thanks for saying something about lunch date with Adam Smith."
"Anytime, Paul. I'm sure he wouldn't mind dropping me off here. Even Mom didn't answer that question if she remembered having one of his cases involved children. That's what I want to ask him."
"What gives you the idea of children being involved, Perry?"
"You remember the Johnsons from the car accident case?"
"Yes, I do. What about them? That's how I got connected with the foster parents since the second child was left behind when they went back home. Even the police contacted them."
"They did? How did they get the contact information from the Johnsons?" Paul asked.
"Tragg didn't say anything to me when I asked."
Della was at the desk when Perry and Paul walked in.
"Hi, Della."
"Hi, guys. Perry, Adam Smith called. He doesn't expect you to return his call, but the lunch date is still on."
"That's good to hear, Della. Thanks for saying something."
"You're welcome, Perry. I set up another appointment with Patti next week."
"I told you to cancel those appointments, Della."
"What counselor?" Paul asked, not understanding what the conversation was about.
"Remember when Della took us to meet the counselor?"
"Oh, yes. Now I remember. The counselor to help you and your mother about communicating better in the future."
"That's the one," Della told him.
Perry didn't want to mention to Della about him and Ada having a bit of an argument this morning when Paul was stopping by to take him here to the office.
"I'll still check in with Adam Smith to let him know I will still be able to make it. Paul is taking me, Della."
"Thank you, Paul. Perry, by the way, somebody under the name of Barry Patterson called."
"I'll return the call, Della."
"Who is Barry Patterson?" Paul asked.
"Remember I mentioned in the car on the way over they were foster parents?"
"Yes, I do. I didn't catch their names. I'll be out for a while."
"Paul, do you still have the woman's name written down for me to call?"
"What woman?" Della asked.
"I talked with a woman private investigator recently. She said that she worked with Perry's father once or twice, so she could be a big help on the case."
"Adam Smith said the same thing," Perry told him.
"I'm sure he did."
Paul was looking for the information he'd gotten from the woman private investigator he spoke with and handed it to Perry when he found it.
"Here you go, Perry. You can call her number and talk. I'm sure she'd be interested in you too," Paul told him.
"I don't know about that. I'll go call her now. Did she say that she was in this area?"
"She did," Paul answered.
"Thank you, Paul."
"You're welcome."
Paul decided to leave the office while Della stayed where she was while he made the phone call. Perry looked at the number that Paul had written down - Cindy McCarey. He's never heard of that name before.
He listened to the phone ring.
"Is this Cindy McCarey?"
"Yes, it is. Who is this?" the woman asked.
"Perry Mason. You spoke with my investigator a while ago."
"Paul Drake? I do remember talking with him."
"That's the one. He said something about you knowing George Mason."
"So you're his son?"
"Yes. What can you tell me about the cases he worked on?"
"I have a suggestion, Perry. Why don't I show up at your office? I think in person sounds best for me."
"That sounds good. What time do you want?"
"How about 2:15? Would that work?" the woman asked.
"Yes, I think so. I'm having a lunch date sometime after twelve today with another private investigator," he told her.
"Thank you for saying something, Perry. I'll see you at your office."
"I'll make sure to expect you."
Then they both hung up.
"Della, there's an appointment after 2:00."
"Who is it?" Della asked.
"Somebody under the name of Cindy McCarey. She's the one Paul spoke with."
"I haven't heard of that name either. I'll write it down. Looks like we'll be busy working on your father's cases for a while."
He agreed.
"Would you mind taking me to meet Adam Smith?"
"I'd be glad to. Where did he say to meet him?"
Perry told her.
"Thanks, Perry. I'll write down the time for her too."
"She said 2:15."
"If your lunch date is at 12:30, we can leave in a few hours."
"That's fine, Della, and thanks."
"You're welcome."