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Making Memories

By Hortense Zitkowsky

…The case had looked black for the defendant, but Perry,Della and Paul had finally uncovered the truth, though not without considerable difficulty. The murderer had been crafty, and the District Attorney had been especially belligerent. Worn to the bone, they had, along with a girlfriend of Paul Drake’s, driven up to a popular mountain retreat for a day or two of relaxation…

A breeze caught the windchimes, rustling crystal disks, and soft music reverberated across the secluded patio. Soft as it was, the sound was enough to waken Della, who had fallen asleep on a thickly padded lounge chair.

She opened her eyes and flipped her sun hat off her face. When she saw the empty lounge next to her, she scanned the patio. She spotted him standing at the stone railing staring out at the horizon.

She crossed the patio to his side and laid her hand on his arm. "Chief?" Perry turned and smiled down at her. "Did you sleep well, Della?"

"Wonderfully," she answered. "Did you?"

Perry shook his head.

"Chief! You needed it more than I did."

"I did try, Della, but every time I closed my eyes I…"

She tilted her head back and looked up at him. "…You heard Hamilton Burger’s voice making another objection," she finished.

His eyes twinkled. "Are you reading my mind again, Miss Street?"

"Deny it if you can, Mr. Mason," she answered.

He laughed. "I can’t," he admitted. "I can’t relax by sitting still. I’m too restless. What do you say we take a drive or better yet a walk, and explore the countryside?"

"Give me time to change," she said, and you’ve got a deal."

"I’ve got to change too. I’ll meet you out in front in thirty minutes."

Della detoured past the lounge chairs to retrieve her hat and disappeared into the hotel.

Perry turned and walked briskly into the lobby and after arranging for box lunches, asked to have his convertible brought around to the front door, then went up to his room and quickly changed his clothes.

Perry sat in the car, smoking a cigarette while he waited for Della. Paul Drake and his companion, a statuesque blonde, named Josie, sauntered up.

"Hey, Perry! You’re not leaving already are you? We haven’t even been up here a full twenty four hours yet."

Perry shook his head. "Just going out for a drive, Paul. Why don’t you and Josie join us? It beats the devil out of sitting around here."

Paul Drake shook his head in disgust. "What did I tell you, Jo, this guy doesn’t have a clue how to really relax. Why I’ll bet the farm that he’ll spend the afternoon crawling through greasewood and sliding down slippery, rock strewn hills getting hot and dusty."

Della Street emerged from the hotel. "Who’s going to get hot and dusty, Paul?" she asked.

"You are, Della, if you go with this guy," Paul said. "Why don’t you stay here with Jo and me? We’re going to lounge poolside and be waited on hand and foot."

Della laughed and slid into the car next to Perry. "No takers, Paul."

Jo smiled. "Don’t pay any attention to him, Della. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to make him swim laps in that pool this afternoon."

Paul groaned. "I knew I should have kept her away from you; Perry, you’re ruining this girl."

Perry put the car in gear. "Make reservations for four in the dining room this evening, Paul, we’ll be back before dark." He eased the car out of the shelter of the hotel canopy and headed for the highway.

They drove out about ten miles from the hotel and parked the car along the side of the road. From there they hiked across a meadow and then steadily upward along the ridge of the foothills.

The late afternoon sky was crystal blue, and shimmered with the heat where the sun beat down on exposed granite. The air was scented with the fragrances of sage and pine, and California’s bounty of wildflowers gleamed in the sun. The ambience was not wasted on the couple strolling hand in hand along the trail.

"This is just what we needed, Della, sunshine, plenty of fresh clean air and quiet; not a stuffy courtroom, recalcitrant witness or a bellicose Hamilton Burger in sight."

Della looked around anxiously. "Heavens, I certainly hope not, Chief!"

They walked on in companionable silence.

"I take it Paul Drake disagreed with your prescription for our restoration to health," Della said.

"He did indeed. He made it quite clear that his idea of rest and relaxation did not include anything even remotely resembling physical exertion," Perry said.

"Well, his loss is our gain," she replied.

Perry paused beside a stand of wildflowers and gathered a bunch into a bouquet. He bowed deep and handed the bouquet to Della, who buried her face in the fragrant blooms.

"Mmmmm, Perry, these are beautiful, thank you."

"Not half as beautiful as the woman I gave them to," Perry said.

She looked up at him then, and her smile stole his breath. Perry cupped her cheeks with his hands and kissed her. Della parted her lips on a sigh and slid her arms around his neck. The bouquet of flowers brushed against the back of his neck.

Perry removed his hands from her face. "I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself; you just looked so radiant."

Della smiled a serene smile and shook her head. "You give me too much credit, Perry, and please don’t apologize for the kiss, I enjoyed it very much."

Perry took her hand. "Let’s go."

The well-worn path wound its way down a gentle slope and around a tumble of rocks. Beyond the rocks the path ended at the edge of a clear lake. At the far end, a small waterfall tumbled from a stream flanked by flowering shrubs, back into the lake. They continued down the path for nearly half a mile, until they reached the lake. They perched side by side on a large boulder and after removing their hiking boots and socks, Perry retrieved their canteens from the knapsack and they drank.

Della wriggled her toes in the soft, cool grass. "Ooh, heaven," she murmured.

"I’ll bet it would feel great to wade into the lake, Della," Perry said.

"Not until I’ve eaten," Della said. "I’m starved."

"Whatever you say, Miss Street." Perry spread a blanket on the grassy plateau above the water and they ate the box lunches the hotel had prepared for them.

After they finished the meal they sat side by side and watched a pair of hawks soaring over the lake in search of prey. Perry’s hand found Della’s and they lay back on the blanket and drowsed in the sun.

After a bit, Della shifted restlessly and rolled to her side.

"Something wrong, Della?"

She pulled at the neck of her blouse. "Uh uh, it’s just extremely warm."

"Mmmmmmmm, yes...it is."

Without warning, he rolled to his side and opened his eyes. His gaze dropped to the front of her blouse, catching a glimpse of the deep 'V' between her breasts.

She jumped up. "I’ve got to cool off," she said. "I believe I’ll go down to the water and wash my hands and face."

Perry pulled himself to a sitting position and watched her graceful progress down to the water’s edge, a small grin curving his lips.

Kneeling at the water’s edge, Della splashed her face with the cold water. Then she rose, and reaching up, lifted her hair to let the skin at the back of her neck catch a cooling breeze.

Perry walked up behind her and lightly traced along her hairline at the back of her neck with the tip of his finger. Della froze and inhaled sharply. "Feel better?" he asked.

She turned, and their eyes locked. Della exhaled the breath she had been holding in a soft sigh. "Much."

"I suppose we should if we want to get back to the hotel to change and get cleaned up in time for dinner," he agreed.

Della looked back at the lake, which glowed gold with the late afternoon angle of the sun.

"Della?"

She turned and looked up at him. "I’m making a memory," she said softly, "something to call on the next time one of our cases turns against us, and you take crazy chances and scare me to death," she said.

Perry’s eyes glinted sapphire in the sun’s light. He reached out and traced a line from her forehead, down her nose to the fullness of her lower lip. He cradled her chin in his palm, fondling her lower lip with his thumb.

"I don’t tell you often enough how much it means to me to have your loyalty and support, Della. Words simply seem too inadequate for the task…"

"Perry…" The soft rubbing of the pad of his thumb on her lip was driving her crazy.

"Perhaps before we leave, I could show you how important you are to me," he said.

Della stepped back a pace, her eyes wide, serious, and more than a little nervous. "Are you suggesting that we…?"

"And if I am?"

With her heart in her throat, Della reached out and caressed the side of his face. The stubborn lock of hair that always fell over his forehead drew her touch and she brushed it back.

"Would I still be your secretary afterward?" she whispered.

Perry swallowed a chuckle. His voice rumbled deep in his chest. "Yes, Della; no new secretary and no home in the suburbs, no housekeeping…you take the same risks I do." His eyes twinkled. "Do I have that correct, Della?"

"Yes…to both questions, Perry."

"Della, we’d be trampling the conventions into the dust…and be taking a huge risk…"

Her eyes sparked as she looked at him. "It’s what we do best isn’t it?"

He grinned at her. "I daresay it is, at that, Della."

They sank down onto the blanket. Slowly, ever so slowly, Perry leaned toward her, and Della lay back on the soft grass.

He rose over her, his face inches from hers, their breath mingling. Time and place vanished. The pressure of his touch on her lips was exhilarating. Perry watched desire ignite in her eyes. He trailed tender, nipping kisses along her jaw, sliding down into the hollow of her neck.

After a while, Della pushed him away gently and he lay back; his eyes tracked her every move. She sat up, tucking her bare feet gracefully beneath her, and took his head onto her lap. He stretched out, letting his eyes close, as she gently massaged his temples. She leaned over and kissed him.

Perry opened his eyes and looked up at her. "You look so beautiful Della, with your hair all tumbled, and your cheeks flushed; it’s no wonder you were overly warm. I think you might be over dressed.

Perry took the third button in his teeth and tugged it lose. He did the same with the fourth, and the fifth, finally allowing the two sides of the blouse to fall free.

Della’s hands came down of their own volition and slipped inside the fabric of his shirt, pushing the sides off his chest. He sat up and let the shirt slip from his shoulders to the ground. Rising to her knees and moving behind him, Della tenderly caressed his shoulders while placing kisses along the back of his neck.

Perry rolled to one side, pulling her down with him, and into his arms. Della’s lips parted eagerly against his and he kissed her, nibbling on her lips. Then he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come with me; we can cool off a little."

"Della..."

They waded into the water, shivering as the cool water lapped against heated flesh. Della dove and swam underwater to the middle of the lake. Surfacing in a spray of droplets, she tread water, turning in circles. "Perry? Where are you?"

She shrieked as Perry’s hands pulled at her from below. She went under, and he covered her lips with his. The kiss continued as they broke the surface of the water. Letting the water do the work of supporting them, Perry clasped Della against him and trailed soft kisses along the curve of her neck. Her head fell back against his chest and she sighed with satisfaction.

Shadows had already crept across half the lake when, reluctantly breaking a kiss, Della said, "The sun will be setting soon."

"We should leave," Perry said thickly.

Della buried her face in his shoulder and murmured softly, "Ummmm."

They remained wrapped in an embrace, buoyed by the water, as the sun drifted lower in the sky. Finally, as its lower edge touched the horizon, Perry bent and caught Della behind the knees, lifted her into his arms, moved back into the stillness of the lake and waded to the bank. He sat down and held Della on his lap. She slipped her arm around his waist and snuggled against his chest. Perry smiled down at her. "Cold?"

"Not a bit."

Della rested her head on his shoulder and they watched the sun set with streamers of amber, coral, blue and violet.

"We’re going to be hiking in the dark."

"I know," Della said, sliding off his lap.

Collecting their scattered clothing, they walked hand in hand back to the blanket. Perry picked it up, shook it out once, and wrapped it around Della’s shoulders, caressing her dry.

Paul Drake frowned at his companion. "They’re late. I tell you, Jo, something’s happened to them."

"Oh Paul, you worry too much," Josie said.

He shook his head. "No, Perry said they’d be back before dark." He pointed to the window. "That looks suspiciously like dark to me."

She slapped him lightly on the arm. "Just barely, Paul. They probably just lost track of the time. I’ll bet they’re upstairs right now changing their clothes. And if they aren’t it’s no crime; our dinner reservation isn’t until nine o’ clock."

Paul sighed. "You’re right of course," he said. "It’s just unusual for Perry to not keep his word, and it certainly isn’t like Della."

Perry shined the five-cell flashlight in front of Della as they left the trail and started across the open meadow. "Careful, Della, don’t step in a hole and twist your ankle."

"I won’t," she said. "I’m more worried about some farmer shooting us for trespass. It certainly feels creepy out here in the dark."

"That’s because the darkness plays tricks with our perceptions, Della. For example, this field is no larger now than it was this afternoon, yet it feels as if we’ve covered twice the distance already."

Della gripped his free arm a little tighter. "That’s not because of the darkness, Chief. That’s because you’re afraid we won’t get back to the hotel before Paul Drake calls out the National Guard."

Perry laughed. "That’s probably true enough, Della. However, I believe I see our car ahead, so with any luck we’ll be back at the hotel before Paul has even noticed we’re late."

Sitting with Josie at their table in the bar, Paul frowned as he checked his watch again, scanning the room, looking for Perry and Della.

"Tell you what, Paul, you order us one more drink, and while you do that I’ll call their rooms just to be certain they aren’t already back. After that if they haven’t shown up I’ll go with you to look for them."

"You’re a really good sport, you know that?" he said.

Josie pushed back her chair. "I am, and don’t you ever forget it, Paul Drake."

He went to the bar and placed their orders, while Josie disappeared into the crowd toward the telephones.

While he waited for the drinks, Paul listened idly to snatches of conversations from surrounding tables, a habit drawn from years of making a living as a private detective. Suddenly one particular conversation caught his total attention.

"Hey, Jack! How’s it going?"

"Not bad, Pete, not bad."

"Where’s Ed?"

"He had to cancel. Seems like another couple of tourists have got themselves trapped down at the bottom of Crystal Gorge. He had to coordinate the rescue team."

"Damned if that doesn’t happen at least once a season," Pete said. "Fool amateurs, think they can climb up as easily as they went down."

Paul hurried across the room and intercepted Josie as she left the telephone. "They’re not answering yet, Paul. Maybe you’re right to worry."

"Damn right I am. Come on, Jo, we’re going out after them. I just heard a couple of local s talking about a pair of tourists who are trapped down in some ravine around here."

He grabbed her hand and they ran toward the lobby. Paul was requesting his car when Perry and Della came sailing gaily through the outer doors and into the lobby.

Paul and Josie turned at the sound of their laughter. "Perry! Della! Thank God you’re all right!"

Perry and Della exchanged a slightly self-conscious look. "Why wouldn’t we be, Paul?" Perry said.

"Don’t mind him, you two. He’s been worrying since sundown, like he was the father of a sixteen year old girl who’s broken curfew with the town cad," Josie said. "If you’ll look closely, you can probably see the shotgun in his right hand."

Paul made a face at her. "Very funny, Jo." The four of them began walking toward the elevators. "Actually I was getting pretty worried, Perry. It seems there are a couple of tourists who need rescuing from a canyon someplace near here."

"And you thought it was us, Paul?" Perry said.

"Well, I couldn’t find any good reason not to think so," he admitted.

Della smiled. "Sorry Paul. We went a little farther than we’d planned. But you can see we’re here, safe and sound."

"Well, you must have taken quite a spill sometime today, Della. You’ve got a heck of bruise—Ow!"

Josie elbowed Paul sharply in the ribs and Della’s cheeks flushed bright red. "…Spot of dirt on your neck, Della," she finished sweetly. "Come on, Paul, you can buy me that second drink while they get cleaned up and change."

She pulled the bewildered Paul Drake toward the bar and Perry and Della entered the elevator. As the doors slid closed, Paul’s voice could be heard, "…why do I suddenly feel like I should have that shotgun?"

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