Raymond Burr is one if my all-time favorite actors. I love both Perry Mason and Ironside series. I thought it would be fun to combine both characters. Imagine those two minds working the same case. Not to mention their "uncanny" resemblance to each other!

I do not own Ironside or Perry Mason. Just borrowing the characters for this fanfiction. I do not claim to have any legal training. Please accept the story for what it is intended…entertainment.

The Case of the Look Alike Detective

Chapter 1

1

Perry Mason……

Perry Mason was sitting at his desk reading the early edition of the newspaper. On the front page was a picture of Chief Robert T. Ironside of the San Francisco Police Department. He had just wrapped up a serial killer investigation solving the murders of 11 college women killed on campus. Standing beside him was the police commissioner, Dennis Randall, and behind Chief Ironside's wheelchair was a young black man who was not identified by the paper.

Mason had heard quite a bit about the famous police detective. Randall always called him in on high-profile cases and those no one else seemed to be able to solve. He had even been called to other cities to solve their cases. He had a remarkable deductive ability Mason admired, a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. Mason had even stopped by Ironside's office while in San Francisco hoping to meet the man in person, but Ironside was out-of-town, apparently in Montreal, Canada. Too bad, he thought. The conversation could have been fascinating.

Still, he had a feeling he would get a chance to meet him if he accepted the case resulting from a phone conversation late last night.

Perry's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the outer office door open.

Della Street, blissfully unaware there was anyone in the office, briskly opened the door to the lawyer's office and walked in. A bit startled, she asked, "Perry, what are you doing here so early?" As she moved in the direction of his desk, she stopped when she noticed Mason was still wearing the same suit he had on the day before. She looked into his handsome face. His normally sparkling blue eyes were heavy with dark circles under them. "Don't tell me you stayed here all night again?"

As Della stood in front of her boss with her hands on her hips, Mason gave her a tired smile. "I took a nap. Does that count?"

"What possibly could have kept you here all night? We won the Williams case last week. I know we're always busy with cases but nothing we are working on now should have kept you in this office. Perry, I must insist you take better care of yourself," Della complained to him.

Perry stood up, walked around to the front of the desk, sat on the edge folding his arms across his massive chest, and looked at Della.

He wondered how he ever got any work done. There stood before him one of the most beautiful women he had ever known who was completely devoted to him both professionally and privately. Since she walked into his life, she had organized his business and his life. He couldn't even begin to imagine how he had managed before she came along. She was involved in every aspect of his cases. He had come to depend on and respect her opinion. Della's intuition when it came to clients was invaluable. It quite often determined whether Perry accepted a case. Many would-be clients never even made it into his office if Della felt uncomfortable with them or did not believe them. Perry never questioned her judgment as he always found it to be sound. While working on important cases, he never worked alone. Della worked the long hours with him and accompanied him when his attentions were required outside of the office. She had become more than a confidential secretary. She had become his partner.

Privately was no different. They had become inseparable. Not long after hiring her Perry realized how much he was attracted to her. That figure, her hazel eyes, her chestnut curly hair, that throaty laugh, those long beautiful legs, all drove him crazy. Although for the first year of her employment he kept their relationship on a professional level, it became harder for him to do so. He found himself looking for reasons to keep her with him after hours. It gave him an excuse to insist on taking her to dinner rewarding her for her dedication to the job and him. He carefully selected establishments that had dancing. It presented an opportunity for Perry to hold her close to him. He wondered if she realized that his hold was closer than a boss would normally maintain with "just a secretary." If Della noticed, she gave no indication nor did she seem to have any objections. When Perry would come in physical contact with Della with a casual touch, he would linger a bit longer than what would be considered normal. When walking with her in public his hand would find its way to the small of her back as he guided her beside him. He was completely unaware that Della held the same attraction for him. She never turned him down when asked to work late. She reveled in being with him. His touch set her skin on fire. She loved his dark hair, his massive frame, and when he smiled that boyish grin with sparkle dancing in his piercing blue eyes she felt weak in the knees. Della continued to hope Perry felt the same for her but decided it was only her active imagination. Perry had always been a gentleman, never crossing the line between boss and employee.

He finally acted on his feelings. After a particularly late night Della's car wouldn't start. Perry, not being very mechanically inclined, offered to take her home and have the vehicle picked up in the morning to be taken in to a repair shop. Della accepted and slipped into Perry's Cadillac convertible. It was a warm night and the top was down. Neither spoke as he drove to her apartment. Upon arrival, Della got out of the car. "Thanks, chief. If it would be alright with you, can you pick me up in the morning?"

"Of course," Perry replied as he got out of the car and hurried around the front to catch up with Della. "I'll see you to your apartment."

Della pushed the button on the elevator. When the door opened, Perry and Della stepped inside and rode the elevator to Della's floor. As the door slid open, Perry took Della's elbow and walked her to her door. Taking the key from her, he unlocked and opened it, then guided her inside.

"Would you like a nightcap, chief?" Della asked him with a smile.

"I would love one, thank you." Perry took off his suit coat, laid it over the back of a chair and sat down on the couch.

A few minutes later Della returned with two glasses of wine. She handed Perry a glass and sat down beside him. "Well Counselor, what shall we drink to? Shall we drink to the successful conclusion of the Williams case?"

"I have a better idea. Let's drink to us." They touched their glasses together and Perry took a sip while watching Della over the rim of his glass as she did with hers. The lawyer put his glass down on the coffee table, took Della's glass out of her hand and set it on the table. Cradling her chin gently with his hand he looked into her eyes with a hungry desire. Della almost gasped, as she could not believe what she was seeing in those blue eyes. Could it actually be true? Did he feel the same for her as she did for him? Perry slowly lowered his lips to lightly brush them against hers. As Della quivered and moved closer to him, Perry kissed her. He deepened the kiss as Della responded.

Perry broke their kiss so both could regain their breath. "I have been dreaming of kissing you for so long. I simply couldn't resist any longer. Della, I love you. I needed for you to know that." He waited for a response.

Della ran her fingers down the side of the lawyer's jaw and touched his lips with her index finger. She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. "I had no idea you felt this way. You gave me no reason to believe we were anything more than good friends outside the office. I thought I was in love alone."

Perry hugged Della to him and chuckled. "Amazing! For two people who communicate so well at work, we sure haven't been doing very well outside the office. I better get out of here and let you get some sleep. I can no longer guarantee to be a gentleman. Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night? This time an official date."

Della snuggled up to him. "I am going to have to object on the grounds that I am hungry now."

Perry looked at Della with disbelief and amusement. "You want to go get something to eat at 3:30 in the morning?"

Della lowered her voice to a sultry whisper as she purred into Perry's ear, "Who said anything about food?"

He instantly became filled with desire. "Objection sustained," Perry breathed, barely getting the words out. With that, he stood up, picked Della up in his arms and headed down the hall. He stopped at the first door and frantically fumbled with the doorknob while Della kissed his neck and ran her hand back and forth across his chest.

Della chuckled. "Counselor, unless you plan on doing the laundry you should try the room at the end of the hall. This is the utility room." Perry headed toward the end of the hall, opened the door and used his foot to shut it once they were on the other side.

Along with this new closeness came more scrutiny from Della's watchful eye. Nothing escaped her. He had known he would have to answer to her for not going home and getting some rest, but he was fascinated by a possible case that might be coming their way.

"Della, last night after you left the phone rang."

"Perry, I left you at 1:00 a.m. and you answered the phone? Who could have been calling at that hour?" Della inquired.

"Jim Whitmore. His son, Scott, has been arrested for murder. I don't have too many details." Perry picked up the newspaper, staring at the photo of Robert Ironside. "The victim is a police lieutenant. The lieutenant was a former classmate of mine at law school. He failed to make the grades so he became a cop. A shy, retiring fellow, I liked him. He got a job on the force in Los Angeles. We've seen him fairly often while visiting the police station. But, he left to join the San Francisco Police Department," Mason explained.

Della put her hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. "My God, Perry! Are you telling me David Martin was murdered?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so. Della, Jim is a friend of mine. I handled some legal work for him before you came to work for me. Scott claims he's innocent. Jim believes him. I told him I could recommend a good criminal attorney in his area, but he insists I come to San Francisco and defend Scott. He offered to pay us $100,000 and double that when we get him off. Della, this is one I have to consider seriously."

"That is a lot of money. What's the evidence against him?" she asked.

"I don't know very much right now, just what Jim told me but, I told him I would not take the case until I have talked to Scott and the San Francisco police. Della, it goes without saying I need you by my side on this one. Call Paul and explain what is going on. Tell him I need him to go to San Francisco with us. Have him check with Lt. Tragg and get everything he can on Martin's background. What kind of record did he amass as a cop? Have him dig into his activities on and off the job. I want to know if he left the job of his own free will. I also need you to book three flights to San Francisco as well as three motel rooms and make two of those adjoining rooms," Mason said with a great big boyish grin.

"Okay Perry, but why in the world do you and Paul need adjoining rooms?" Della teased.

"Paul can take care of himself but I on the other hand need plenty of ahhh . . . shall we say, personal attention?" he grinned with a twinkle in his eyes.

Della laughed. "I bet you do."

"One last thing, Della. Have you heard of Robert T. Ironside?"

"Of course I have. Who hasn't? He is as famous a detective as you are an attorney. Why?"

Perry handed her the newspaper. "A cop has been killed and I am betting Ironside won't be able to stay out of this one."

Della looked at the photo of Robert Ironside. Shock registered in her eyes.

Suddenly concerned, Perry moved toward her and asked, "Della what's wrong?

Della looked from the photo of Ironside to Mason and back again. "Good God, Perry, don't you see it?

"See what?" Perry asked her.

"Come on Perry, take a few years off this man's age as well as a few pounds and he could be your twin brother. His eyes are the same beautiful piercing blue as yours. The same handsome face, same dimple lines that run down the sides of his jaw. Are you sure you don't have an older brother?"

Perry took the newspaper from her and looked at the color close-up of Ironside. "Well there's a bit of a resemblance I must admit but I see a big difference here; yes indeed a very big difference," he pondered.

Della took the paper from him and studied Ironside. "What difference? I don't see it."

"I am much, much more handsome than this guy!" Mason flashed that grin that usually made her melt. This time she could only laugh at the famous attorney.

Mason then turned serious. "At any rate, if I'm right, we're going to be butting heads with San Francisco's finest detective, and as good as Lt. Tragg is, Ironside will make him look like a child playing detective."