GHOST WHISPER
(SEQUEL TO HIGHWAY 101)
By
Tooki
Chapter 1
Starsky slumped down in the passenger seat of Hutch’s car, “I don’t know how I let you talk me into this and in this rust bucket to boot.” He grumbled.
It had been just over a year since they had first seen little Sammi standing in the middle of the road and their adventure with the ghosts had started. Starsky still didn’t like to talk about it and he had been plagued with nightmares for weeks afterward. When Hutch had first suggested that they go back, he had resisted, the last thing he wanted to do was to go back and relive the unthinkable.
In the end Hutch had won out, as he always did and now they were on their way back to Los Alamos and the Morgan’s falling apart Bed and Breakfast. “We won’t stay long,” Hutch said as they entered the city limits, they had to drive through the town and about ten miles out on the other side. “I promise. I just want to make sure…”
“Make sure of what, that they didn’t get up and start walking around again?” Starsky quipped with a frown on his face.
Hutch’s brow creased, he didn’t have an answer for that, and he wasn’t sure himself what he wanted to make sure of. They had buried Lisa’s remains best they could, done all they could, or had they? In the past few months something had started nagging at him, he had been dreaming of the Morgan’s, Lisa and little Sammi. Not nightmares, it was more like they were beckoning him to come back.
“Make sure of what?” Starsky repeated giving Hutch a strange look, he could tell that he was lost in thought.
Hutch shrugged, “I guess I just want to see if what happened was real.” That was a lie, Hutch knew what they had been through was real, they both had the bumps and bruises to prove it and Starsky had gotten an infected leg. He just didn’t want to try to explain feelings he didn’t know how to explain.
Hutch slowed the car down as they came to the Morgan’s driveway, they both noticed something, it was a little different, but it had been a year. Hutch turned on the blinker and slowly turned into the driveway, a small rise in the drive kept them from seeing the house right way but as they crested the rise both men gasped.
The house was as it was the first time they saw it, down to the sign hanging over the porch. The detectives got out of the car, their eyes glued on the sign which read Morrow’s Bed and Breakfast. It took them a few minutes to realize that it didn’t say Morgan’s. Back were the wooden rocking chairs, the perfectly painted shutters, and the beautiful snow white house.
Neither of the detectives noticed the little girl sitting on the front steps playing with a teddy bear until she spoke, “You need a room?”
Starsky jumped back and looked down at the child; she stood and smiled at him. His eyes opened wide and Starsky looked at Hutch who was also staring at the girl. She looked almost like Sammi. “Hi,” Hutch managed to get out.
“My name is Rachael,” she beamed at him, “What’s yours?”
Hutch sat down on the top step, “Ken and this is my friend, David.”
“Hi.” Then she turned on her heels and ran into the house yelling for her mother.
A young woman appeared behind the screen door; she smiled at the detectives then pushed the door open. “Rachael said somebody was out here. Welcome to our place, I’m Marie.” She was a lovely young woman with short cropped brown hair and green eyes. “We have only been open a month.”
Hutch was the first to find his voice. “It’s nice to meet you.” Hutch said and then again introduced himself and Starsky.
“Are you here for room or are you just lost?” Marie asked. They were used to people coming to their door for directions even though it was a long way up their drive. They knew that most people were coming to see the “haunted” house.
When they had first bought the house and surrounding land, which included a second house a little distance away, they heard the rumors of the houses and the land being haunted. But the young couple dismissed the talk and bought the place anyway. It was what Marie Morrow had always wanted.
On one of their first walks, Marie and little Rachael stumbled upon the tiny graveyard between the two houses and she suddenly understood the rumors. It made a great story for the locals and neighboring children, who at Halloween time dared each other to visit one or the other of the houses. Marie had examined the names on the stones and even went as far as to look into who the former owners where. The story of Lisa and Sammi only confirmed her thoughts as to why their property was the local ghost story.
Marie smiled at the two detectives, “Well, you two don’t look like ghost hunters so my guess is that you want a room.”
“Ghost hunters?” Starsky choked out as he looked over at Hutch.
Marie laughed, “Local story, I’m sure you haven’t heard it if you are from out of town.”
“We just lived it,” Starsky muttered under his breath.
“Excuse me?” she turned and looked at him.
“Nothing.” Starsky said as Hutch shot him a look.
“We would love a room.” Hutch said as he mounted the steps. “You really fixed the place up. Looks great.”
“Thanks, you sound like you have been here before.” She said opening the screen door.
When they entered the foyer, Rachael appeared out of no where, “Oh goody, you’re staying,” She put her hand in Hutch’s and pulled him toward the living room. “Look at all the old pictures.”
“Rae, leave Ken alone, they haven’t even checked in yet,” Marie admonished her daughter.
Hutch grinned at Marie, “It’s alright, check us in, Starsk.”
“Look at all the old pictures,” Rachael said again dropping Hutch’s hand and pointing to the walls. “That little girl looks like me except she has longer hair.”
Hutch felt his heart thump in his chest; the photos were the ones that had hung in both the Morgan’s house and Lisa’s house.
“Aren’t those the neatest?” Marie wanted to know as she joined Hutch and her daughter in the living room. “We found some of them in the attic of this place and the rest over at another old house just a short distance away. I think they really ad a special touch, don’t you?”
Hutch nodded numbly as he stared at the old photos. There was a gasp behind them; Starsky had entered the living room to see what they were looking at, the color drained from his face.
“Are you alright?” Marie asked as concern spread across her face.
“He’s fine; we came out here for a little getaway, overworked.” Hutch said hating the lie.
“What do you two do?”
“We are police officers from L.A.”
“Oh, how exciting.” Marie’s eyes sparkled. She was always up for something new and exciting and hoped to get some great stories out of them. “How long do you think you will be staying with us?”
“At few days at least,” Hutch said.
There was a look of panic on Starsky’s face; he didn’t want to stay there one more minute, let alone a few days. Things were just too weird, weird like before and he had to wonder if these people were ghosts or if they were living.
“Good,” Marie smiled at them. “Come on, Rae, let’s go make up a couple of rooms.”
After they were gone, Starsky wheeled on this partner. “Are you out of your mind?”
Hutch didn’t answer, he was looking at one of the photos that showed the Morgan’s along with Lisa and Sammi, “What do you want?” he whispered.
“What does who want?” Starsky’s voice was a little too high.
“I don’t think we are finished here,” Hutch said.
“Maybe you aren’t, but I am,” Starsky said backing out of the room. “I can’t spend the night in this house again. It took me months to stop having nightmares over this place.” Hutch had to laugh, Starsky was always the one of find the eerie and the odd in everything, he told him as much. “That might be true, but it doesn’t mean I want to live with it.”
“You can go find you a room in town,” Hutch said. “But I’m going to stay here. You can’t tell me that you are afraid. Hank and Ida was a lovely old couple.”
“Hutch, they were DEAD!” Starsky exclaimed. “Dead, remember? You talk about them as if they were alive.”
“Like I said, if you are creeped out that much, go stay in town, take my car.” Hutch held the keys out to Starsky.
“And how is that going to look?” He wanted to know. “Besides, I can’t leave you here alone.”
Marie appeared in the doorway, “Your rooms are ready. My husband can take your luggage to your rooms when he gets home if you would like.”
“I think we can manage, Marie,” Hutch smiled at her. “What does your husband do?”
Marie smiled back at him, “He has his garage, and he helps out here when I need him but it’s hard to tear him away from his station.”
“Station?” Starsky asked as the hairs rose on the back of his neck.
“Yes, if you keep going on past our place there is little gas station about a half mile away. It came with the house, it was a wreck, worse than the house, I thought we should just bulldoze the place but, Joe, that’s my husband wouldn’t hear of it.” Marie twisted the ends of her hair as she spoke. “He said if I got my bed and breakfast then he got the station.”
Starsky glanced at Hutch but Hutch ignored the look and said to Marie, “We will be looking forward to meeting your husband.”
Marie held out two keys to Rachael, “Can you show them to their rooms, Rae?”
The child grabbed the keys, “Follow me, guys,” She chirped.
“Forgive her,” Marie grinned at them. “We haven’t had many people here yet, I guess word hasn’t spread yet that we are open. I’m going to take out some ads soon; I just wanted to make sure the kinks were worked out before we really got going.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Hutch said as he followed the little girl up the stairs.
Rachael led the way down the hall until she stopped between two rooms, she held up the keys, one in each hand, “Rooms four and five.”
Hutch instantly recognized room five; it had been the one that he and Starsky had stayed in before, “I’ll take five.”
Rachael handed Hutch the key with the ‘5’ on it and Starsky the other key, “You missed lunch, but mommy would be glad to make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
“I bet that is your favorite isn’t it?” Starsky asked the girl.
“Yep, how did you know?”
“Good guess.”
“Rae?” Marie called up the stairs. “You come down now and stop being a pest. I’m sure our guests would like to freshen up.”
Rachael kicked at the carpet with her bare foot, “I’m coming.”
Starsky waited until they heard the little girl go down stairs. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Why do you keep asking me that?” Hutch wanted to know as he opened the door to Room Five.
“Because, I think you are out of your mind!” Starsky said stepping into the room.
“Relax, Starsk, let’s just enjoy our stay.”
“Enjoy our stay, we are in a house full of ghosts and you want me to relax and enjoy my stay?”
“Starsky, the Morrow’s aren’t ghosts.”
“And how can you be so sure of that? We didn’t know that the Morgan’s where ghosts either.” The high pitched tone was back in Starsky’s voice.
Hutch sighed and looked at this partner, “Let’s just spend the night, if you feel the same in the morning then we will leave.”
Starsky gave his partner a doubtful look then gazed around the room. He suddenly realized which room they were in. “T-This is the room we stayed in last time.”
“Really?” Hutch also looked around. “So, it is. Why don’t you check out your room buddy?”
Starsky glared at Hutch for a moment then turned on his heels and left the room. Hutch sat down on the bed and looked around again, then in a whisper he said, “Ok, I’m here.”
Chapter 2
It was nearly dinnertime before the detectives met Joe Morrow, he was a tall man with movie star good looks, he looked to be only a few years older than his wife and it was clear that he loved both his wife and child.
It had been Rachael’s squeal of delight that announced the arrival of Joe’s truck in the driveway. She flew out the door and stood on the porch steps until the truck stopped moving and her father got out. Then she dashed across the drive and threw herself into his arms.
“What have you been up to, Rae?” Joe asked as he picked his daughter up and held her over his head.
“We got company,” she said breathless from laughing.
“Company, uh? Paying company?” he wanted to know as he set her on her feet.
Rachael grabbed his hand, “Yep!”
If truth be known, they had only rented out rooms ten times since they had opened and it wasn’t paying the bills. Joe hadn’t told Marie that they were hovering near bankruptcy. He knew it would break her heart if they had to sell the place after all the work they had put into it. “Are they nice?”
“They’re cops,” Rachael whispered then giggled.
“Cops, uh? Like on TV?”
Rachael’s eyes got big, “Kind of, they don’t have on uniforms.”
“I see,” Joe smiled at this daughter. “Well, why don’t you take me inside and introduce me to them.”
Starsky had decided if Joe Morrow came in wearing an old green John Deere hat that he was out of there. But when Joe came in he didn’t have a hat, just a neatly styled mass of blond hair. Both detectives stood when Joe entered the living room followed Rachel
Marie came from the kitchen when she heard the front door bang shut, “We have guests.”
“So I’ve heard,” Joe winked at Rachael then extended his hand to Hutch who was the closest to him. “I’m, Joe Morrow, glad to have you.” He then shook Starsky’s hand and noticed that the dark headed man was staring at his head.
“Good to meet you, Joe, I’m Ken and this is my partner, David.” Hutch said.
“So, you really are cops,” Joe grinned at Rachael.
“Detectives,” Hutch elaborated.
“Is everything alright?” Joe asked as Starsky continued to stare at him.
“Do you have a John Deere hat?” Starsky asked. Hutch poked him in the ribs and smiled at Joe.
“Pardon me?” Joe’s eyebrows knitted together as he wondered what kind of men his wife had rented rooms to.
“Don’t mind him,” Hutch said shooting a look at Starsky.
“Well, since you are home, Joe, dinner will be on the table in just a few minutes, why don’t all of you go wash up.” Marie said as she turned to go back into the kitchen. Joe followed her instead of heading up stairs.
“What to you know about these two?” Joe whispered.
Marie shrugged, “They seem nice.”
Joe shook his head, “I don’t like you and Rae being here alone all day, you don’t know who might come to the door.”
Marie turned on Joe with a large spoon in her hand. “And whose fault is that? You were the one that had to open that old gas station back up.” The gas station had been a sore point between the couple since the day Joe had announced that he was going to refurbish it.
“I’m sorry,” Hutch was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. “I overheard you and I want to assure you, we are who we say we are.” Hutch pulled out his badge and showed it to Joe. “If you would like to call our captain back in L.A., I will be glad to give you the number.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Marie said giving her husband a pained look. She handed him a bowl of mashed potatoes, “Please take that to the table.”
“Can I take something?” Hutch asked as Joe squeezed past him.
“You are our guest.” Hutch shrugged and held out his hands. Marie sighed and handed him a gravy boat. “Thanks and I’m sorry about my husband.”
“Don’t worry about it; I think I would feel the same way.” As Hutch started out of the kitchen, Joe Morrow was headed back in, “Mr. Morrow, we don’t mean to cause any trouble by being here.”
Joe gave Hutch a sheepish look, “You aren’t, I’m sorry and please, call me Joe.”
It was nearly midnight before Hutch opened the door to his room; he had been in the room next door with Starsky, trying to convince him Ida and Hank were not coming back again. After all, they had done what the couple had wanted them to do, or had they? Hutch couldn’t help but feel they, or he, had been led back to the inn for a reason.
He stripped off his clothes and got into the bed, Hutch let his body sink into the pillow top mattress as he started to relax. He was almost asleep when he thought he heard something. A branch on the side of the house, somebody walking down the hall on their way to the bathroom, Hutch rolled over on his side. There it was again, but this time it felt as though something or someone touched his back. He held his breath and waited for the sound and the touch to come again but when it didn’t, he relaxed for a second time.
Hutch laughed softly to himself, “Starsk, you and your ghosts.”
“…Ken...”
The sound of his name being called was unmistakable; Hutch sat up in bed and looked around the darkened room. “Ida?” Hutch called out, a shiver ran up his back, why had he said her name? But instinctively he knew he was right, Ida was calling to him. “Ida, what is it?” Hutch swung his feet over the side of the bed and got up. He went to the window and looked out; there was a full moon so it nearly looked like daylight outside. He could just barely make out part of the roof of what used to be Lisa’s house.
“…he’s coming for her…”
“Who? What are you talking about? Who is coming for whom?”
“…he’s coming for her…”
“Come on, Ida, you have got to give me more than that. I knew you wanted me to come back.”
A sharp knock on the door startled Hutch awake, he was surprised to find himself in bed, the last thing he remembered was standing by the window looking out talking to…to. “Come in.”
Starsky bounded in, “Wow that was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.”
Hutch sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he felt as though he hadn’t rested at all. “No bumps in the night, uh?” Hutch wished he had been so lucky.
“Nope, so what do you want to do today?”
“How about a little stroll over to the gravesite and Lisa’s house?” Hutch suggested.
Starsky visibly blanched, “Why do you want to do that?”
“I think we owe it to them.” Hutch said.
“Owe what? They’re dead.”
“You stay here then, but I need to go,” Hutch said as he got out of bed. He didn’t want to tell his partner that Ida spoke to him last night. He knew that Starsky would be down the road without looking back.
Starsky sighed, “I can’t let you go by yourself.”
“Like you said partner, they’re dead.”
“We started this and if you feel it’s not finished yet then lets finish it.”
After breakfast the detectives started across the grassy field. They didn’t hear Rachael behind them until she spoke, “Where ya going?”
Startled they turned around to see the small girl smiling at them. “Just for a walk,” Hutch answered.
“Can I come?”
“I don’t think your mom would be happy if you came with us.” Starsky said.
“She likes you.”
“Maybe so, but she wouldn’t want you to come with out asking permission,” Hutch said. “Starsk, why don’t you take Rachael back to the house?”
She stuck her lip out, “But, I wanted to come with you.”
“You will have more fun with, David, I promise, I’ll be back soon.” Hutch said.
“Hutch, are you sure about this? Why don’t we both take her back and then…”
“Just take Rachael back okay, I won’t be long.” Hutch said, he could feel something pulling him toward Lisa’s old house and he didn’t want to wait.
Hutch stood still until he saw Starsky and Rachael climb the porch steps, then he turned his attention toward the house, he bypassed the graveyard going straight to the house. He stood outside for a long time looking up at the windows, he had a feeling that somebody was looking down on him.
The Morrow’s hadn’t done any repairs on the house yet so Hutch carefully navigated the steps and porch. He tried the doorknob; it turned easily in his hand. Hutch remembered how Hank had unlocked the door before he let them in. He stepped inside, gone was the decrepit furniture, the dry rotted curtains and only clean spots remained on the walls where the photos had hung. Now they were hanging in the Morrow’s living room, Hutch assumed that they had been the ones to clean the house out in preparation to refurbish it as well.
Hutch continued toward the kitchen but as he opened the swinging door he got a start. There in the center of the floor was a sleeping bag, backpack and a newspaper. Hutch bent to pick up the paper, the date on the top was from the previous day. “Hello?” Hutch called loudly. “Is anybody here?” The only response he got was a scurrying sound from inside the cabinets; he didn’t have to open them to know they were full of rats and mice getting ready for the winter.
He wondered if someone was hiding upstairs, but without his gun he didn’t want to venture up to the second floor. Both detectives had locked their guns in Hutch’s car for safe keeping. After taking one more quick look around, Hutch left by the back door, as he started toward the front of the house he noticed that the cellar doors were standing open. He stood looking down into the darkness; Hutch could almost feel the dampness of the air in the cellar. Finally, Hutch turned to walk away; he didn’t see the shadow that moved at the bottom of the cellar steps.
“It’s about time!” Starsky said getting up from a game of Hi Ho Cherry-O with Rachael. He looked at his watch, “Do you realize you have been gone over three hours?”
Hutch pulled out his pocket watch to check the time, “I guess I just lost track of time.” He had made a quick stop at the tiny graveyard on the way back to the bed and breakfast. He had wanted to talk to Ida but when he stood at the foot of her grave Hutch felt stupid and had to wonder if he had been dreaming the night before.
“Ken!” Marie greeted him with a smile. “I thought we were going to have to send out a search party for you.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry everyone.” Hutch said. He turned to Marie, “I need to talk to you a minute.”
“Sure,” Marie said, “I’m just putting the finishing touches on lunch, why don’t we talk in the kitchen.”
Hutch followed the young woman into the kitchen, “I don’t want to worry you, but it looks like somebody is living in the old house.”
Marie’s hands dropped her sides, “Damn,” She said under her breath, then she looked up at Hutch, “We have problems off and on with people hanging out in there, it’s mostly kids. I guess they get a kick out of staying in a haunted house.” She laughed at the idea, “I guess I might have done the same thing when I was young but it just seems so silly now, believing in ghosts and all.”
“Not as silly as you think,” Hutch said.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” Hutch said, “I didn’t see anybody but there was a sleeping bag and other things in the kitchen.”
“I guess I’ll have to call, Al, he’s the sheriff.” Marie explained. “He will come out and put the fear of god in them, it will last for a few months until somebody else is dared to spend the night in there. I’ll be glad when we can get it fixed up.”
Hutch had a feeling that it wasn’t kids that were camped out in the house, he wanted to warn Marie to keep a close eye on Rachael but he didn’t want to scare her. He would make sure nothing happened to the girl; he wondered if that was why Ida had brought him there.
Chapter 3
Later that day Sheriff Al Davis knocked on the Morrow’s front door his hat in hand. He was a tall, massively built man with a stern looking face; he tossed his hat in his hand as he waited for the door to be answered. Rachael was the one who pulled the front door open to see who it was, she squealed in delight when she saw the large man standing on their front porch. Al’s whole demeanor changed when he saw her, a huge smile spread across his face. “So how are we today Miss Rae?”
Rachael beamed at him, “We got company!” She was so delighted to have somebody in the house that she was beside herself and had to announce it to anyone who would listen. She especially liked David, who would sit on the floor with her and play games, but she also like Ken, although he was more serious, she could tell that he liked her and she felt safe when he was around.
“So your mom said, is she here?” Al asked as he pulled open the screen door and stepped into the foyer.
She nodded and ran off toward the back of the house calling for her mother who was washing clothes. Hutch descended the stairs just as Rachael flew by to get her mother. He stopped a few steps from the bottom when he saw the sheriff standing there.
Al looked up at the man standing on the steps, “Are you Ken Hutchinson?”
Hutch nodded as he took the last few steps, “Yes, have you checked out the house yet?”
The sheriff nodded, “I didn’t find anything.”
Hutch cocked his head and looked at the massive man, “But I was just over there this morning, there was a sleeping bag and a backpack in the middle of the kitchen floor.”
“They aren’t there now, I guess you scared them off or they were just spending the night and moved on.” Al said, “It happens all the time and will keep happening until the Morrow’s get that house fixed up or demolish it.”
“Nobody is demolishing that house,” Marie walked into the room carrying a basket of laundry trailed by Rachael.
“Marie,” Al addressed the woman, “The house is empty, and whoever it was has moved on.”
“Thanks, Al,” Marie set the basket on the floor. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt over there.”
“Just what were you doing over there, Mr. Hutchinson?” the sheriff asked.
“It’s detective and I was just going for a walk, saw the house and went in.” Hutch explained.
“You were trespassing.”
“Al, it’s fine, they are our guests, no harm was done.” Marie looked at Hutch.
A door closed up on the second floor, all eyes turned to the top of the stairs, Starsky started down then stopped, “What’s going on?”
“Sheriff Davis just came by to tell me that the house is empty.” Marie said, then she turned to the sheriff, “David Starsky, Ken Hutchinson this is our Sheriff, Al Davis.”
“He already seems to know who we are,” Hutch said. “And I will make a bet has had us checked out too.”
The sheriff dipped his eyes to the floor; Joe Morrow had called late last night wanting him to check out the two men staying in his house.
Marie turn aghast and glared at the sheriff, “Joe called you didn’t he? He had you check them.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Marie it’s okay.” Hutch said seeing how angry she was. “I would probably do the same thing if I was your husband.”
“It’s not okay, are you going to run a background check on everybody that comes into our place?” Marie wanted to know. “If that gets around, we might as well shut the place down right now.”
“Marie, you and Rachael are here all day by yourselves,” Al said, “Joe just wants to make sure the two of you are alright.”
“Then he can be here himself instead of at that station if he is so concerned.” Marie snapped, her ears and cheeks were beginning to turn pink.
Rachael tugged on the tail of her mother’s shirt, “Mommy, why is everybody so mad?”
“It’s nothing, honey,” Marie said, “Why don’t you go play in your room for a little while.”
“But I don’t want to.” Rachael stood her ground.
“Rae, now,” Marie lowered her voice so that her daughter knew she meant business.
Rachael sighed, slipped past Hutch and climbed the stairs; she gave Starsky an unhappy smile as she passed him at the top of the stairs and disappeared into her room.
Marie turned to the sheriff, “This is getting blown way out of proportion, Ken merely told me there was somebody in the old house and you are treating him like he is a criminal.”
Al cleared his throat, “Listen, I’m sorry, it’s just we have always had so much trouble with that property for years.”
“I understand,” Hutch stepped forward and held out his hand, the sheriff took it.
“Now that that is settled, would you like to stay for dinner, Al?” Marie asked.
“My wife just got back today, she was in San Diego visiting her sister; I promised I would take her out when she got back.” Al opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, he put his hat on his head then said, “Marie, if you see anybody roaming around you call, okay? Day or night.”
“I promise, thanks, Al.” Marie shut the door then turned to face Hutch. “I’m really sorry about that.”
A smattering of stars were just beginning to dot the night sky, the air was cool announcing that winter was soon on its way. The two detectives sat on the steps of the Morrow’s front porch; it was silent except for the occasional chirp of a cricket.
“I think it’s time we leave,” Starsky said for no other reason than he felt like they were causing trouble for Marie and Joe.
Hutch nodded, but his gut was telling him that they needed to stay. “I guess you are right.”
“Guess?” Starsky looked at his partner in the dark. “I’m not sure why we came back here in the first place. You have seen the house, seen the graveyard, there was nothing more we could have done and you know it. We can’t bring the dead back.”
“I just still have this feeling that something is going to happen.” Hutch said as he leaned back on his elbows and looked at the night sky.
“There is nothing going on other than a family struggling to keep the house that they love.” Starsky said.
“Starsky, Ida spoke to me last night.”
“Are you losing your mind?” Starsky stared at Hutch concern etched across his face.
Suddenly, Hutch smiled, “Boy, talk about roll reversal.”
Starsky didn’t smile back. “Hutch, I think we should just pack up and leave tonight, we can be home by midnight.”
Neither of them heard the front screen open and close softly until they felt somebody standing behind them. They both turned to find Rachael dressed in a pink nightgown clutching a teddy bear. She stepped between them and climbed into Hutch’s lap nestling herself in Hutch’s arms. Her resemblance to Sammi’s ghost the night Starsky saw her on the road didn’t escape Starsky’s attention.
“What are you doing up, kiddo?” Hutch asked.
“Couldn’t sleep,” Rachael said snuggling closer.
“Does your mommy know you are out here?” Starsky asked.
She shook her head no, “Mommy and daddy are fighting.”
Hutch resisted asking her if they fought a lot, he could remember being a small child and hiding in his room when his parents fought. “It will be alright.” He said.
Rachael shrugged. “You want to meet my friend?”
“Honey, we are going to leave in the morning.” Hutch explained to the child.
“No, you can’t!” Rachael pushed herself away from his chest and looked first at Hutch and then at Starsky. “You have to meet my friend.”
“Maybe next time,” Starsky suggested. “We have to be getting back to work.”
Rachael’s eyes narrowed, somehow she knew that he was lying, Starsky looked away from the girl, he felt as thought she was looking into his very soul. “It’s important.” She said not sounding like herself.
“What’s your friend’s name?” Hutch asked.
“Sammi, she comes and visits me at night in my room.” Rachael said her voice returning to normal. “I don’t tell mommy or daddy, they might make her go away.”
The two detectives looked at each other. “W-Where does she live?” Starsky stammered.
Rachael pointed in the direction of Lisa’s old house, “She lives over there.”
“Now you know that is impossible, nobody lives in that house anymore.” Hutch answered.
“You know we have pictures of her in our living room.” Rachael said snuggling back into Hutch’s arms.
“That is a very old picture; she would be older than your mommy now.” Starsky said.
Smiling Rachael said, “But Sammi can’t get old, she died when she was my age.”
The partners looked at each other again. “How do you know that?” Starsky asked as a cold chill settled into his bones.
“She told me.”
“Is she in your room now?” Hutch asked.
“No, I haven’t seen her for a couple of nights. She’s hiding.”
“Why is she hiding?” Starsky wanted to know.
“She’s scared; he is coming to get her.” Rachael said, her eyes large and round. “I don’t want him to hurt her.”
“Who is he?” Hutch asked, he was almost breathless as he remembered what Ida had said to him the night before.
“I don’t know, Sammi wouldn’t tell me. But she is really scared of him.”
“Rachael?” Marie’s voice came from inside the house.
“Don’t tell mommy okay?” Rachael got out of Hutch’s lap.
“Rae, what are you doing out here?” Marie said as she opened the door and stepped out onto the porch.
“I couldn’t sleep, you and daddy were yelling too loud.” Rachael said as she walked by her mother and into the house.
Marie reddened, “I’ll be in to tuck you in.” Then she turned to Hutch and Starsky. “I’m sorry, kids.”
As she turned to go in, Hutch asked, “Is everything okay?”
She stopped and without turning around Marie said, “Yes….no.”
“Is there anything we can do?” Starsky asked.
Marie turned to face them again. “Got fifty grand lying around you don’t need?” She gave a nervous laugh. “Joe just told me we are nearly bankrupt, we just aren’t getting enough reservations to keep us going.”
“It’s just slow right now, once everybody gets their kids settled into school things will pick up,” Hutch repeated what Ida had told them.
Marie had an amused smile on her face as she asked, “Now how would you know that?”
“Just a good guess.” Hutch answered as he got up from his seat on the steps. “Has Rachael ever been to the old house?”
“Sure, but just a couple of times, I don’t like her going over there, it’s too dangerous until we get it fixed up. But it looks like that might not happen now.”
“Don’t give up hope.” Starsky said.
Marie gave them a small smile and went inside to tuck in her daughter.
After Marie was out of earshot Hutch said, “Something’s not right.”
Starsky had to agree, the way Rachael was dressed, the way the little girl talked about Sammi, it was just too coincidental. “I think you’re right but what can we do about it?”
Chapter 4
There was a light tap on Hutch’s room door, then it opened slowly, Ida came in carrying a tray which contained a cup of coffee, two pieces of toast and some homemade jam. She set the tray on a small table and went to stand by his bedside. “Ken,” she whispered not wanting to frighten him. Hutch moaned and turned over, he opened his eyes a crack to see the older woman standing there.
“What is it Ida?” Hutch asked.
“I brought you some breakfast.” She pointed to the tray on the table.
“No, what are you really doing here?”
Ida sighed, “He has her, I told you he was coming for her and now he has her.”
“I don’t understand who you are talking about?” Sighing, he ran his hands over his face.
“It’s going to be too late if you don’t find her,” Ida warned. her already lined face creased more.
“Find who?”
“Rachael.”
A shrill scream woke Hutch from his sleep, “Ida?” He bolted from the bed and jerked open the door. Starsky stood blurry-eyed in the hall. “What is going on?”
Starsky shrugged, “Don’t know, it sounds like Marie.”
They darted back into their perspective rooms and quickly clothed themselves then rushed down the stairs. They found Marie on the front porch, tears were pouring down her face and she was clutching the teddy bear Rachael had the night before.
“She’s gone,” Marie sobbed.
“Are you sure?” Starsky asked putting his arm around her shoulders to comfort the woman.
“I went to get her up this morning and her bed was empty, I found her teddy bear on the back steps and a path where she had walked through the dewy grass.” Marie hiccupped.
“Where did the path lead?” Hutch wanted to know.
“To the edge of the yard, then her footprints in the dew just disappeared into the woods.” Marie said. “I called and called to her but Rae never answered me. She has never wandered away from the house.”
“Have you called Joe?” Starsky asked figuring he had already left for the station. Marie shook her head. “You want me to call him for you?”
“P-Please,” Marie stammered, “The number is by the phone and so is the number to the sheriff, could you please call him too?”
“Sure,” Starsky said, not relishing the idea of confronting the sheriff again. The man had seemed very weary of him and Hutch.
“Show me where she went,” Hutch said taking Marie from Starsky.
They walked down the front steps and round to the back yard, Rachael’s footsteps were still clear in the grass. Hutch spun Marie around so that he could look into her face. “You stay here; I’m going to go look for her.”
Marie nodded numbly; she held Rachael’s bear to her chest as she watched Hutch disappear into the woods that surrounded the back of the house. He called the girl’s name several times then stopped dead in his tracks; he suddenly knew she wasn’t in the woods. Hutch changed direction and as he broke out of the woods he caught sight of Lisa’s old house. Instinctively he knew that was where Rachael was, but not on her own volition. Somebody had taken Rachael but who? Why?
Hutch didn’t want to go to the house unarmed so he back tracked wanting to retrieve his gun from the car. But as he rounded the house he saw Joe’s truck speed up the gravel driveway, the truck stopped so abruptly that it sent a shower of gravel into the air and left the truck rocking as Joe, his face red with rage, jumped out and ran toward Hutch.
“Where is she?” Joe yelled before he reached Hutch. “You son-of-a-bitch what did you do with my daughter?”
Before Hutch could respond Joe was upon him, Joe’s fist met with the left side of Hutch’s face sending him sprawling into the wet grass. “Get up you piece of shit!” Joe bellowed. The man reached down and grabbed Hutch by the collar of his shirt, and pulled the detective to his feet.
Behind them the front door slammed shut, Marie, tears streaming down her face, raced to where the two men were standing, Starsky was right on her heels.
“JOE!” Marie screamed in near hysterics. “STOP!”
But Joe either didn’t hear his wife or didn’t care; all he knew was that his daughter was gone. He pulled his arm back to punch Hutch a second time but this time he was stopped by Starsky.
“Calm down,” Starsky said holding tightly to the man’s arm.
Joe whirled around turning his anger on Starsky, “You! Where is my daughter what did you do with Rachael?” With the strength of his rage Joe ripped his arm from Starsky’s grasp and punched Starsky in the face. Starsky more alert than Hutch had been only took several steps back instead of falling to the ground. Hutch grabbed Joe from behind pinning his arms but Joe was a strong man even when he wasn’t enraged. Joe flung Hutch away like a rag doll.
Marie was screaming and trying to get between her livid husband and the detectives but he only pushed her aside. “Joe, they didn’t have anything to do with it, why would they hurt Rachael?”
Joe was bearing down on Starsky when there was a loud gunshot only feet away from the men. Everybody jumped and looked around, Sheriff Davis stood with his revolver pointed in the air. “What the hell is going on here?”
Joe dropped his arms limply to his sides as tears began to steam from his eyes. Marie went to her husband and put her arms around him. “Its okay, Joe; we are going to find her.”
Joe sunk to the ground on his knees and put his head in his hands, “Where is she?”
“We will find her,” Marie whispered to her husband.
“Would somebody like to tell me what the hell is going on here?” Sheriff Davis said in a booming voice. “Detective Starsky called saying that Rachael is missing.”
Marie got her feet, “Rachael is missing, when I got up this morning she wasn’t in her bed and I found this on the back steps.” She held out the stuffed bear for the sheriff to see.
“Get up, Joe,” Davis said shaking his head as he looked at the two detective’s faces. Starsky’s lip was bloody and Hutch had a cut on his cheek that was dripping blood down his face. “You can’t go hitting people when you are angry, Joe. You two want to press charges?” The detectives shook their heads no. “Alright, but Joe, if you lay one hand on either of these men or anybody else for that matter, I’ll toss you in a cell…got it?”
“Y-yes,” Joe answered as he got to his feet. He turned to the detectives, “I’m sorry, I was just…”
Hutch held up his hand, “You don’t need to explain.”
“Let’s go in the house, sit down and sort this out,” Davis said as he started toward the house.
“But what about Rachael?” Joe wanted to know. “She is out there somewhere.”
“Going off half cocked is not going to find her any quicker, son.” The sheriff said as he mounted the stairs to the house. “Let’s get our bearings and see where we are and what to do next.” Al took a deep breath, he wanted to find little Rachael as much as the rest of them but he knew that he needed information in order to do a thorough search.
They all sat around the kitchen table as Marie poured coffee for everyone, making and serving the coffee was all that was holding her together. Joe fidgeted with a spoon as he waited for the sheriff to speak.
Davis cleared his throat, “When did you discover Rae missing, Marie?”
She stopped for a moment and thought, “I’m really not sure of the exact time. I got Joe off to work then went to check on Rae just like I do every morning to see if she was up.”
“Approximately what time?” Davis asked patiently.
“I guess around seven.”
“And you two?” Davis said looking at the detectives.
“Sleeping,” Hutch answered, “We were both woken up by Marie’s screams. We went back into our rooms, got dressed then went to see what was going on. Marie was outside calling for Rachael.”
“You think they are involved, Joe?” Davis asked.
Joe hung his head and shook it back and forth, “No, I don’t. I guess I just needed somebody to blame and they were there.”
“That was a hell of a lot of blame,” Davis looked at Hutch who was holding a dish towel full of ice to his cheek.
Joe shrugged his shoulders as he got up from the table, he left the room. Marie watched his back as he went; she closed her eyes as tears slid from under them.
“There is something that none of you know,” Marie began, “We had another child, a boy named Timothy, he would have been 10. He died when he was only four months old; the doctors said it was Sudden Death Syndrome. Joe just fell apart when it happened, blaming himself even though there was nothing he could have done. He didn’t come out of his funk until Rachael was born; he has always been very overprotective of her.”
Davis took Marie’s hand, “We are going to find her, I’m sure she just wandered off.”
“Then don’t you think we should be out there looking?” Joe who reappeared in the doorway asked.
“I have already put a call out for a search party, they should be here soon. I want to get some information from all of you so that we know where to look first.”
“The old house,” Hutch said referring too Lisa Garrison’s house. “I told you that somebody was living there.”
“And I checked that out, whoever it was, was long gone.” Davis said.
“Doesn’t mean they didn’t come back,” Hutch said standing up. “I think I’ll go over and have a look.”
“You are in my town Detective; you will do what I say.”
“Then let’s get off our asses and find this little girl.” Starsky said, also getting up.
“Please, Al, check out the house,” Marie pleaded.
“I was planning on it but I don’t want everybody just stomping around out there and possibly destroying evidence.” Davis said looking pointedly at the detectives.
Hutch glared at the man, “Listen, we aren’t some bumbling idiots, we are detectives in Los Angeles, we know how to run a case.”
“I’m sure you do but we are doing this my way.” Davis stated. “When someone goes missing out here it’s not the same as the big city, we have a lot of open area to cover, anything could have happened.”
Marie sucked in her breath, “I heard some coyotes the other night.”
“It wasn’t coyotes, someone took Rachael.” Hutch said with conviction
Chapter 5
The searchers, nearly two dozen, began to arrive at the Morrow’s house; coming in cars and trucks, some with flashlights, which scared Marie into thinking that her daughter could be missing that long. As the sheriff organized them into groups, Hutch went to the car and got both his and Starsky’s guns. As he tucked his in the back of his pants, under his jacket, Davis walked over.
“I’m not going to tell you can’t carry your weapon, I know you are trained to use it, but just keep it out of sight.” Davis said.
“No problem,” Hutch said as he went to find his partner.
Al Davis grabbed the detective’s arm, “It’s just that I don’t want to get everybody worked up.”
“I understand,” Hutch said. “I want to be in the party that goes to the house.”
“Done.” The sheriff said releasing his arm. If the truth be known, he was grateful to have two hot shot detectives from L.A. “We will be leaving in a few minutes.”
It seemed to Marie that it had been hours since her daughter had gone missing but, in fact, it had only been a little over an hour. With the search parties organized and heading out, Marie had little to do and Al refused to let her go; although, he did allow Joe along as long as he kept his wits about him. A group of eight that included Hutch, Starsky, the sheriff and Joe, started across the grassy field toward the old Garrison house.
“Damn thing should have been torn down a long time ago,” Davis mumbled under his breath as they walked through the grass. “Nothing good has ever come out of that house.”
“You can say that again,” Starsky said upon hearing the sheriff’s comment. Davis turned to look at Starsky but didn’t say anything.
As the group approached the house, Davis put his finger to his lips signaling everybody to move in quietly. He then directed them to surround the house with himself and Joe going in the front, Hutch and Starsky taking the back door.
“You don’t really think Rachael is here do you?” Starsky whispered in Hutch’s ear.
“Ida brought us back here for a reason; I think it’s to save Rachael.”
“That doesn’t answer my question; do you think she is in the house?”
“I don’t know.” Hutch said drawing his gun, Starsky did the same. Hutch put his hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it. The knob made a rusty sound as it was turned but the door opened easily. The kitchen was empty just as Sheriff Davis had said, not even the now two day old newspaper that Hutch had seen was left.
They continued through the house meeting Davis and Joe as they were starting up the stairs. “Anything?” Davis asked.
Both detectives shook their heads and followed the other two men up the stairs. The rooms in the upper part of the house were as empty as those below. Joe turned on the sheriff, “Why are we wasting time here? If somebody took Rachael they sure wouldn’t hide her within seeing distance of our house.”
“You would be surprised at what people will do,” Starsky said.
“Why would anybody take her?” Joe said with a catch in his voice. “We aren’t rich people; we can’t pay a ransom for her.”
Hutch put his hand on the man’s shoulder, “We will find her Joe, I promise.”
Davis shot the detective a look; he didn’t want him promising Joe something they might not be able to do. Sure, they might find Rachael but most likely she would be dead, taken by a vagrant passing by, molested and killed.
“I want to check the cellar, who knows; maybe she wandered down there and got trapped or fell asleep.” Joe suggested.
They all tromped back down the stairs, outside and around to the cellar doors, they were closed, Hutch remembered distinctly that they had been open when he had checked out the house the day before. Davis reached over and opened one of the doors, Joe pulled open the other. The sheriff flicked on a flashlight that he brought and trained the light into the dark cellar.
“Rae, honey, its daddy, are you in there? You aren’t in trouble just come out.” Joe called into the defused light. He looked at Davis, “I’m going down, maybe she is hiding, afraid to come out.”
“Take this,” Davis said handing him the flashlight.
Taking the light, Joe carefully navigated the steps leading into the cellar, he prayed that he would find his daughter dirty and scared hiding in a corner. “Al, how long has it been since you have checked down here?” Joe called from the depths of the cellar.
“Don’t know, awhile,” Davis called back, “Why?”
“Somebody has been digging down here, looks like it might have been a grave, but there is no body.”
Starsky looked at Hutch; he had a feeling that they were going to have to come clean. They were either going to get tossed in jail or the nut house, he just knew it.
“These doors were open when I was here yesterday,” Hutch said, “Were they open when you stopped by sheriff?”
“Like I just told Joe, I didn’t check the cellar.”
“Looks like maybe you should have.” Starsky said as Davis gave the detective a deadpanned look.
“I don’t think the digging is fresh,” Joe said coming up from the cellar; he was wiping cobwebs from his hair and clothes.
“Shit,” Davis said as he took the flashlight from Joe. Nothing creeped him out more than dark, dank cellars; it had always been a fear of his since childhood when his older brother had locked him in the cellar for hours. Al descended the stairs slowly; he walked across the dirt floor until he came to the spot Joe had been talking about. He stood for several minutes examining the area, as Joe had said, it wasn’t a fresh digging. A shiver ran up Davis’ spine and he hastily exited the cellar into the fresh air and daylight.
“Well?” Joe asked wanting his finding confirmed.
“It’s old,” Davis answered wanting to get as far from the cellar as he could. “Probably kids.”
“You sure like to blame a lot on kids.” Hutch quipped.
“Listen, this isn’t L.A., we don’t have a lot of heinous crimes around here. Nine times out of ten it is kids, especially when it comes to this property.”
“So you think it was kids that lured Rachael out of her bed early this morning?” Starsky asked.
Hutch suddenly went ridged. Lured, what if Sammi got Rachael out of the house? But why would Sammi put Rachael in danger? Hutch, lost in thought, walked away; he didn’t realize that he was walking in the direction of the small graveyard until Starsky called out to him.
“Hey, Hutch, where ya going?”
“I’ll meet you at the house.” Hutch called over his shoulder as he continued on to the graveyard.
“Are you just going to let him go?” Joe asked.
“What do you want me to do handcuff him?” Davis asked. “I have no evidence that either of these men is involved in Rachael’s disappearance.”
Joe hung his head in defeat, Starsky walked up next to him. “Hutch is only trying to help.”
When Hutch reached the tiny graveyard he stopped, everything was as it had been left. Lisa was now at rest, so why was Sammi roaming around, playing with the living? He knelt down next to Ida’s grave, the grand matriarch of the two households. “What is it Ida? Where is Rachael? Did Sammi take her to have somebody to play with?” Hutch’s head was full of questions that he wasn’t getting any answers to. “I want to help but unless you tell me, I don’t know how to help.” Hutch crouched next to Ida’s grave for a few more moments as if he expected her to rise from the dead and give him the answers. She had once, why not a second time?
A fresh search party was going out just as Hutch reached the house; more people had shown up from town when they had heard what had happened. Hutch entered the house and followed the sound of voices to the kitchen. Marie was sitting a platter full of cold sandwiches on the table and looked up as Hutch entered the room. “Did they tell you anything?”
“Who?” Hutch wanted to know.
“The Morgan’s,” Marie said without a trace of a smile on her face. “You have been to that gravesite twice now. Did you know them? You seem to know a whole lot about this house and the Morgan’s.”
Hutch’s brow furrowed, he hadn’t said anything to the Morrow’s about Ida or Hank and he had always been careful when talking to Starsky that he was out of ear shot of the family. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Starsky looked up from the coffee he was sipping; Joe and Al were also around the table. “I think you had better tell them the whole thing, even if it does get us put in the booby hatch.”
“What is he talking about?” Davis asked looking pointedly at Hutch.
Hutch sighed and joined them at the table. Marie produced a coffee cup and filled it for the detective then pushed the platter of sandwiches at him. “You will need to keep an open mind to what I’m going to say. Starsky was involved too so I know I didn’t dream it.” Slowly Hutch began telling the sheriff and the Morrow’s how he and Starsky first met the Morgan’s just over a year ago.”
Several times Sheriff Davis started to interrupt but Marie silenced him. She nodded as Hutch talked, for in her heart she knew he was telling the truth.
When Hutch finished, Joe turned an angry face on him. “What a load of bullshit. You are wasting time, we could be out looking for Rachael.”
“Joe, he is telling the truth. I have heard Rae talking to Sammi when she didn’t think I was around. I just thought she had an imaginary friend.” Marie’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at Hutch. “And, Ida and Hank, I have felt a present in the house, they have been watching over our family.”
“And that is why we came,” Hutch said. “Ida needed me to come back to help you. She knew somebody was going to take Rachael, maybe Sammi told her, maybe she just knew. But she called me back, I have been having dreams ever since we got here, she said that he was going to take her.”
“Who was going to take her?” Joe demanded.
“I don’t know; I didn’t even know she was talking about Rachael until this morning. She came to me last night and said that he had taken Rachael. That was when I was woken up by Marie screaming.”
Joe looked at the sheriff as if he expected the man to slap cuffs on the detectives and haul them away. But Al surprised them all, including himself; he had never truly been a believer in ghosts. “So you and your partner are why there is a grave dug in the cellar.”
“We put Lisa to rest.” Starsky answered. “So that Sammi could be at peace but I guess she didn’t find peace after all.”
“I guess that explains why there haven’t been any sightings of the little ghost girl out on highway 101.” Al said, “That ghost story has been around for as long as I can remember. My brother used to scare me to death with that story when we would come home at night along 101. I wonder what he would do if he knew it was true?”
Joe threw his hands in the air, “Al, do not tell me you are going to fall for this ghost crap! They have my wife believing in it but you are a man of the law, ghosts don’t kidnap people!”
“I never said that a ghost kidnapped your daughter.” Hutch answered. “But I think that perhaps Sammi might have had a hand in it. You gave me the idea when we were at the Garrison house, Starsk; you said something about Rachael being lured out of the house. There was no struggle, so I think that is exactly what happened. I think Sammi lured Rachael out for somebody.”
“But who?” Marie asked. “It would have to be somebody that knew about the Morgan’s, Lisa and Sammi.”
“Christ, I don’t believe this,” Joe jumped up so quickly that his chair fell back hitting the floor. “You are all nuts!”
The man stormed out of the kitchen through the house and out the front door, slamming it so hard that the house shook. Marie gave them a sheepish look, “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize; it was hard for us to take when we figured out that we had been staying with an old ghost couple.” Hutch said. “Starsky is still freaked out.”
“Thank you for that,” Starsky screwed up his face as he looked at his partner.
Chapter 6
It was nearing two a.m. but the Morrow house was ablaze with light, and the drive overflowed with cars, it looked like the family was having a party. But no party was going on inside, Marie got more distraught as the hours passed with no sign of Rachael. Joe was nowhere to be found, and no one had seen him since he had stormed out of the house earlier.
The sheriff was in and out leading different search parties as they comb the same fields over and over again. If it had been anybody but Rachael he would have called the search off. He knew the longer the girl was gone the less likely that she would be found alive or even at all. His heart went out to the Morrow’s.
Hutch sat at the kitchen table, he had just come in from searching the Garrison house for a second time. He couldn’t help but feel that the old house was the key. Starsky was still out with a group searching the woods. He closed his eyes as Marie still bustled around the kitchen. Everyone who came in the house tried to get her to rest but Marie refused, she knew she had to keep busy or fall apart completely.
“Marie,” Hutch said holding his hand out to her, “Come sit down for a moment.”
She shook her head, dark circles were forming under her eyes and her hair was unkempt. “No, I need to make more sandwiches; a group might be in any minute.”
“Nobody expects you to feed them.”
Marie leaned over the counter with her palms on the edge, her shoulders began to shake but she made no noise as tears streamed down her face and plopped on the counter. Hutch got up from his chair; he came up behind her and put his arms around the woman. Marie turned in his arms and buried her face in his chest. She put her arms around him grabbing fists full of his shirt as she finally really let go and sobbed.
Hutch held her for a long time, finally her tears subsided and her grip on him loosened. “I’m sorry,” she said in a raspy voice as she looked up into his face.
“You are entitled,” Hutch said gently brushing her hair back from her face.
There was a noise behind them, they turned to see Joe standing in the doorway, and his face was haggard. Hutch and Marie stepped away from each other as if they had been doing something wrong. Marie looked down at the floor for a moment then turned back to the sandwiches she had been preparing.
Joe stepped into the room, “Listen, Ken, I’m really sorry for earlier. I just don’t know what is wrong with me.”
Hutch moved closer to the man, “Your child is missing, you don’t need to explain, if it was my daughter I don’t know how I would act.”
“Do you have any children?” Joe asked as he pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.
Hutch smiled briefly and shook his head, “For some reason being a cop and being married just don’t mix. I was married once but we had no children.” Hutch glanced at Marie’s back, “I was only comforting her.”
Joe nodded, “It’s alright, I’m glad somebody was here for her since I seem to be making such a jackass out of myself lately.”
“I’m sure Rachael will turn up,” Hutch said.
“Do you know that for sure?” Joe asked looking up at the detective. “You seem to have contact with the dead. Is Rachael dead?”
Hutch stood perfectly still as if he was thinking very hard about something, which is what he was doing. It was more like feeling than thinking, “No, Rachael isn’t dead, but I’m sure she is in danger.”
“Who would take her?” Joe said tears welling up in his eyes. “If she just wandered off to play we would have found her by now. There are no old wells or holes she could have fallen into, I made sure of that when we moved here.”
Hutch sat down next to Joe, “I am almost certain Rachael is still alive. But I don’t think a search party will find her.”
“Then what do we do?” Joe asked his eyes pleading with Hutch.
“I’m going to try the Garrison house again.” Hutch said getting up.
“Ken, how many times are you going to go over there?” Marie asked turning her red rimmed eyes to the two men.
“As many as I have to until I figure out what happened to Rachael and bring her home to you.”
“You need some rest, all of us do,” Joe said as he looked at his wife, she looked like she was about to drop.
“You two go to bed, I’ll be back in a while.” Hutch said as he left the room.
Starsky found Hutch standing on the front porch of the Morrow house; he was as weary as the rest of the searchers. Many were coming in and leaving with the promise they would be back in the morning. “Are you waiting for me?” Starsky asked as he mounted the steps.
“No, I’m heading back over to the old house,” Hutch said as he looked in that direction.
“Oh, come on, Hutch, you have got to rest. The house is clean; you have been through it twice.”
“I know, but it’s the key, I know it. It’s where Sammi lived and if Sammi had anything to do with Rachael being missing she would take her to that house.”
“Hutch, do you know how crazy that sounds?” Starsky asked concern on his face. “Sammi has been dead forever, how could she be involved?”
“How can you ask me that after what we went through with the Morgan’s? My head tells me that none of this is possible and yet we lived it. I’m following my heart and I’m going to find that little girl and maybe, finally everybody can rest in peace.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” Starsky asked.
Hutch took the flashlight Starsky was holding, “You go get some rest, I won’t be long.”
Reluctantly, Starsky headed into the house, he knew better than to argue with Hutch and he had to admit that a bed sounded good after walking for hours in the fields surrounding the house.
Hutch flipped on the light and walked down the steps, his intentions were to go to the Garrison house but instead he found himself heading to the graveyard again. He stood looking down at the headstones, there were only three, Sammi, Ida and Hank, there was an empty space where Lisa’s stone should have gone. Hutch decided at that moment that he would make sure that she had a headstone when all this was over.
He took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky, the stars were starting to fade, it would be morning soon and they were no closer to finding Rachael. Still looking up Hutch said out loud, “Ida, I need your help, you brought me here now tell me where Rachael is.”
Hutch waited, straining his ears trying to hear. But what was he listening for, Ida’s voice, the sound of Rachael’s footsteps coming to him? Exhaustion finally took over and Hutch sat down on the damp ground, he turned the flashlight off, his eyes slid closed and his head bent over until his chin was resting on his chest.
“Ken?”
“Thank god, Ida!”
“He has her, I told you he was coming.”
“I know; I’m sorry I didn’t protect her, but you didn’t tell me who was coming.”
“Sammi knew.”
“But Sammi didn’t talk to me.”
“Sammi tried to save her but he caught them, he took Rachael.”
“Where are they?”
“Sammi is with them, she is watching out for her friend but I don’t know how long that will last.”
“Ida, you have to tell me who took Rachael, it will help me find her.”
“She isn’t listening to Sammi anymore, she is too scared. He won’t let her go home.”
“IDA, WHO! Who is HE?”
“Jared Wilkins”
Hutch jerked awake, he looked around not even realizing he had been asleep, the sun was just beginning to come up. He had been sitting in the graveyard for several hours. “Jared Wilkins?” Hutch said. The man was dead. “Ida, it can’t be Jared, he died a year ago. Why would a ghost kidnap a living child?” Suddenly a wind blew the branches of the tree and Hutch could swear he heard he’s not dead, on the wind.
Hutch was soaked to the skin from the heavy dew that had fallen and he began shivering. A very concerned Starsky was tramping across the dew wet grass to his partner and carrying a blanket, “I knew I shouldn’t have let you come out here alone. You are going to get sick if you keep this up.”
“I know who has Rachael.”
Starsky stared at this partner, “You found that out sitting in this graveyard? No—no don’t tell me Ida told you or maybe it as Sammi this time.”
Ignoring Starsky’s sarcasm, Hutch said, “Jared Wilkins has her.”
Starsky’s face screwed up as he looked at his partner as if he had finally gone crazy. “Jared Wilkins is dead, remember? We were at the hospital; we were told by a doctor that he had died. I think your ghosts got their wires crossed.”
“Ida said he’s not dead.”
“And how does she know that, Hutch the woman has been dead for years.” Starsky was truly worried about his partner. “I think it’s time we go home.”
“And leave Marie and Joe?” Hutch shook his head, “I can’t do that, and it’s my fault that Rachael is missing.”
“How do you figure?”
“If I would have listened to Ida in the first place, if I would have told Marie and Joe that they needed to keep a closer eye on Rachael she wouldn’t be missing.”
“First off, you don’t know that, you know as well as I do if somebody wants to commit a crime, most likely they are going to it. Second, they would have called that sheriff on us and we would be in a cell right now or worse, a mental hospital.” Starsky said putting the blanket around Hutch’s shivering shoulders.
“They didn’t seem so surprised when I told them last night about Ida and Hank,” Hutch huffed.
“I think at this point those good people would listen to anything if it found their daughter.”
Hutch pushed the blanket from his shoulders and headed for the Morrow’s house. “Are you saying you aren’t going to help me?”
Starsky sighed as he picked up the blanket, “I never said that, Hutch, you know I always have your back.” He placed the blanket over Hutch again, this time Hutch allowed it to remain and they walked back to the Morrow’s together.
Chapter 7
Sheriff Davis, as well as Joe Morgan, was reluctant to allow the two detectives to leave, it had been Marie that had stepped in and told them to go if it would help find Rachael. She trusted Ken Hutchinson with her daughter’s life.
Hutch pulled into a parking spot at the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital. He and Starsky had decided that this was the best place to start looking for Jared Wilkins since it was where he supposedly died. They made their way into the hospital and up to the front desk.
“May I help you?” a young nurse dressed in white asked.
“We are looking for some information on a patient that died here just over a year ago,” Starsky said flashing his badge at the woman.
She looked perplexed for a moment, then smiled at them, “I’m sorry, I just started working here but let me get you somebody that can help you.” She made a quick call and told them to have a seat in the waiting room.
“They are going to think we are nuts,” Starsky said as he plopped down on the fake leather looking chair.
Hutch shook his head, “I’m not going to tell them we think he is still alive. I’m not that stupid.”
Starsky sighed as he looked at his partner, “I know, Hutch, sorry I’m just tried and stressed out.”
Hutch smiled and patted Starsky’s arm, “No more ghost hunting after we are through with this.”
“I’m starting to feel like a ghostbuster.” Starsky joked as he relaxed a little.
It was nearly ten minutes before a nurse, who looked as if she had been around the block a few times, entered the room; she put her hands on her hips and surveyed the room. “Are there a couple of detectives looking for help?”
Both men stood at the same time. “Yes, ma’am,” Hutch said. “We need some information on a patient that died.”
“Yes, that is what Sara said at the desk. What do you need to know?” Miss Bronston asked.
“Whatever you can tell us really,” Starsky said, he almost felt fearful of the woman who was taller than he, had graying hair and a stern look on her face.
The woman made a noise in her throat to let them know that they were wasting her time when she could be taking care of the sick. “Well, after a year the old records are taken to the basement so you will have to go down there. I’ll let Mandy know you are on your way.” Miss Bronston pointed to the elevator; you take it to the basement, take a left when you get off, the records room is the last door on your right.
They both thanked her and hurried to the elevator eager to get away from the unpleasant nurse, “Man, I would hate to get sick on her watch,” Starsky quipped as the doors closed and the elevator started its downward descent.
“Maybe it’s just cops she doesn’t like,” Hutch mused. The doors slid open, and they stepped out into a long hallway lined with dozens of doors. They looked to their right first; there were swinging doors at the end that had the word morgue printed on them.
A shiver went up Starsky’s spine, “Let’s get this done and get out of here, this is giving me the creeps.”
Hutch agreed as they turned to the left and walked to the end of the hall where they found a door marked ‘Records’. Hutch tapped on the door lightly then opened it.
A woman looked up from her desk and smiled at them, at least she seem friendlier than the old nurse upstairs. “Hello, I’m Mandy; Miss Bronston said you were looking for a file on a deceased patient.”
“Yes,” Starsky said smiling back at her.
“Name?” she asked.
“Jared Wilkins.” Hutch provided
She got up from her desk and went to one of the many filing cabinets that lined the walls. She riffled through numerous file folders before she turned to the detectives, “I’m sorry but there is no file on a Jared Wilkins.”
“Could it be some place else?” Starsky asked.
Mandy shook her head, “They stay here for two years then they are put on Microfiche and archived.”
“So there is no place else that it could be?” Hutch asked.
“Well,” Mandy thought for a moment and went to another bank of filing cabinets, “Maybe it was misfiled. We keep the deaths separated from the patients that were released.” The young woman pulled open the correct drawer and began going through the folders. She shook her head as she made a disgusted noise, “I swear you can’t find good help these days. Here it is, it was misfiled just like I thought.”
“How much information will it give us on Mr. Wilkins?” Starsky asked.
“Well, let’s see,” She said as she opened the file. “It depends on who wrote the…” She stopped mid sentence as she stared at the open file.
“Is something wrong?” Hutch asked, but he had a feeling he already knew.
“According to this, the file wasn’t misfiled, Mr. Wilkins didn’t die. He was released after a successful hernia operation.”
Hutch glanced at Starsky giving him an ‘I told you so’ look. “Could we talk to the doctor that treated him?”
Mandy checked the paper again. “It was Doctor Steven Simons, he isn’t with us anymore. He left us about this time last year to start his own practice.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have an address or a phone number on Dr. Simons?” Starsky asked.
“You can ask at the information desk upstairs,” Mandy said. “They will have any information you need on him.”
The detectives found themselves back at the front desk talking to the young woman that first helped them; they both hoped they wouldn’t have to face nurse Bronston again. After getting the doctor’s address and phone number they hastily retreated out the sliding glass doors of the hospital.
“There!” Starsky pointed to a small house as he double checked the address written on the paper.
Hutch pulled up and parked, they both got out, “So what do you think?”
“About?”
“This guy, Dr. Simons, he seemed like a pretty upstanding guy while he was lying through his teeth to us.” Hutch said as they made their way up the sidewalk and onto the porch. “Do we just walk in?”
Hutch pointed to a small sign that hung below the large window in the door, it said, ‘Please Come In’ Hutch grasped the doorknob firmly and opened the door. A young woman dressed in white sat at a desk, she was talking on the telephone and writing in an appointment book. She looked up and motioned the two men before her to have a seat.
“Yes, Mrs. Kelsey, I’m sorry but the doctor can’t see you until tomorrow. You will be fine, I promise.” The young woman smiled as she talked, “I’ll see you tomorrow then…yes nine a.m. sharp.” She hung up the phone and turned her smile toward the detectives. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. She is just a lonely old woman and likes to come in to have somebody to talk to.”
“No problem,” Starsky said as they both got up from their seats.
“How may I help you?”
“We need to speak to Dr. Simons.” Hutch said.
“He is with a patient right now but the doctor has an open spot in about twenty minutes.”
“You told that woman on the phone he didn’t have any openings until tomorrow.” Starsky said peering over the desk at her appointment book.
The young woman closed the book and looked up at the dark headed man, “Like I said she just likes to come in to chat, there is nothing wrong with her, not that it’s any of your business.” She stood up, “Maybe you two should find yourselves another doctor.”
“We need this one,” Hutch said, tired of trying to be polite, he pulled his badge out and showed it to the woman. “We will be glad to wait until Dr. Simons is finished with his patient but we do need to speak with him.”
She looked at the badge then left the room going down a hallway; she tapped on one of the doors and entered the door closing the door securely behind her.
A few moments later Dr. Simons opened the door the woman had disappeared behind and walked down the hall, his face went white when he saw who the officers were. He stopped and stared at them, then proceeded toward them once again. “Please step into my office.”
The detectives followed the doctor to yet another door which the man opened. He went to his desk as he told them to take the two chairs in front of his desk. “I take it you know why we are here?” Hutch said as he watched the doctor nervously play with a pen he had picked up from his desk.
The man nodded. “I guess it has to do with Jared Wilkins.”
“You guessed right.” Starsky said.
“Why did you lie to us and say that Wilkins had died?” Hutch wanted to know.
“He said he would pay me ten thousand dollars if I would just tell you he had died.” The doctor told them. “I wanted to start my own practice and with the money my wife and I had saved it would push us over the top. How much trouble am I in?”
“I guess we could report you to the AMA,” Hutch looked at Starsky who nodded in agreement. “But maybe we will just forget about it if you tell us everything you know about Jared Wilkins.
“It has been over a year ago,” Dr. Stevens replied.
“I don’t think the AMA will care how long it’s been, you lied to police officers about the death of a patient and was paid to do so.” Hutch said.
The doctor sighed and looked down at the pen he was fiddling with. “He was a lonely old man, kind of broken down looking; I was shocked that he had ten thousand dollars to give away.”
“You didn’t find it rather questionable that he would offer you that much money to say he was dead?” Starsky asked.
“Well, I figured you would have put him under arrest if he was a felon.” The doctor said. “I know it sounds awful but Wilkins seemed like a harmless old man and I needed the money. All he talked about was making it right with his daughter.”
“Well, we think this harmless old man has kidnapped a five year old girl.” Hutch growled at him.
Once again the doctor’s face went white. “Oh my God! If I had thought he would do something like that I would have never lied. He just wanted to see his daughter, he wanted to see Sammi. He had a folded photo of her in his wallet that he would show anybody that entered his room. He loved her so much I couldn’t image him hurting any other child.”
“His daughter is dead, she has been for sometime now, she was killed when she was five by a hit and run driver on Highway 101 after her mother was killed. We were talking to Mr. Wilkins because he was the one that killed his wife, the girl’s mother.” Starsky explained quickly. “He explained that it was an accident, we believed him and since he told us he was dying we didn’t see a reason to pursue it. A little different story now though.”
“I thought his daughter was alive by the way he talked about her. He said they had a falling out and that he needed to make things right with her.”
The two detectives looked at each other, “You don’t think…” Starsky trailed off.
“Yeah, I do,” Hutch said.
The doctor looked at them confused by their short hand talk. “Think what?”
They ignored his question. “You are off the hook for now. Dr. Stevens but if anything happens to that little girl, we are going to come looking for you.” Starsky tossed over his shoulder as he and Hutch left the office.
Chapter 8
“Come on, Sammi, don’t be afraid,” Jared Wilkins held his hand out to the little girl. “I promise we will have some fun soon.”
Rachael had herself wedged into the corner of one of the bedrooms of the old house her mommy and daddy had told her never to play in. “My name is not Sammi,” she said in a quivery voice. “It’s Rachael.” She had told him this hundreds of times.
“If you want to stay here we will fix up this old place, I’ll build you a swing set so you can play.” The stranger promised. “Come on, Sammi, those men are gone, they won’t be coming back again.” At least he hoped that the blond cop that had hunted him down in the hospital a year ago would not show back up and make him hide with Sammi.
“My name is not Sammi,” Rachael nearly screamed in his face.
“Don’t take that tone with your father young lady,” He said as he grabbed her arm pulling her roughly to her feet.
“You aren’t my father.” Rachael said but in a quieter voice. She was afraid he might hit her again. Why hadn’t she listened to her parents, they had always told her not to go outside without telling them. But it had been early, neither of them were up yet and the sky was just beginning to lighten, this time of day and dusk were the two times when Sammi would come to play with her. Rachael thought that she had caught a glimpse of Sammi out her bedroom window in the backyard. There had been some movement near the trees, so she had slipped on her robe and put on her sneakers. Rachael had slipped down the stairs and out the back door with only the squeaking of the old hinges to alert anyone she had left the house.
Once outside, Rachael had softly called to Sammi, she knew that if her parents found her outside she would be in trouble. Her sneakers were instantly wet as she stepped into the dew ridden grass. She silently crept to then edge of the yard where the mowed grass stopped and the wooded area began. There was a rustle of leaves and before she could call out Sammi’s name again a hand clamped tightly over her mouth and she was pulled from her feet. Rachael couldn’t see who had grabbed her and she began kicking as her captor whisk her away through the thickening trees.
That had been yesterday morning, she knew that she was being looked for, she even caught a glimpse of her father, but the old man that had taken her had tied a dirt rag across her mouth. The man tried to talk to her but Rachael wouldn’t listen, she tried humming to herself but that only earned her a slap in the face, he said she was being impertinent, whatever that meant. Then he had apologized for hitting her, he had cried and begged for her to forgive him. This only scared Rachael more.
As it had started to grow dark that first night, she asked the man to please let her go home but he kept telling her that she was home and that he was going to make it all up to her. She had slept restlessly, the man would wake her up every hour or so, they had to move. Rachael knew that the man didn’t want them to be found, she was just glad that they were staying close to her home and the area that she knew. Maybe, once when he wasn’t looking, she could slip away and run home…just maybe.
When Jared Wilkins had seen Rachael Morrow slip out the backdoor of the Morgan’s house, he was overcome with joy. She must have been staying with the meddling old couple. If it hadn’t been for them, he would still have his Lisa but they had to stick their noses into his business, and cause Lisa to refuse to come home with him.
He had been planning on returning to Los Alamos to reclaim his daughter. He hadn’t meant to kill Lisa; it had been an accident just like he had told the officers. At first Lisa had been terrified when he had shown up at her house but that fear had finally turned to anger that fateful night when Jared had gone to make his final plea for she and Sammi to return home with him. He promised her a good life but she had told him she had a good life where she was and good friends in the Morgan’s and she wasn’t going to leave.
He had been angry, Jared would admit that, but he never wanted to hurt Lisa, he only wanted to make her understand. They had been sitting out back on the steps so that they wouldn’t awaken Sammi when he had asked her to come back with him. Lisa had jumped up from the steps and yelled at him not caring if she woke her daughter sleeping in the house. She wanted to make her husband understand she was never going back with him. She had walked down the steps and into the yard, Jared followed her, he had grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away from him. Lisa jerked her arm away catching her foot on a clump of grass she fell backward hitting her head on the edge of the cellar.
Jared was frantic; he tried to revive her but to no avail, his attention was only drawn away from his dead wife when he heard a sound behind him. It has been Sammi, he called her but Sammi instinctively knew that something was wrong with her mother. She begin running toward the Morgan’s house, Jared tried to catch her but Sammi changed directions and disappeared into the trees. So he went back to Lisa’s body, thinking he would find Sammi later, he knew he had to do something, nobody would ever believe that it had been an accident. He did the only thing that he could, bury his beloved Lisa in the cellar where he hoped nobody would look.
Once he had finished the job he tried to find Sammi, but with the darkness of night it was impossible, Jared decided he would leave and come back for her later. He had jumped in his car and slowly made his way down the driveway and out onto Highway 101, he had just come to full speed when he hit something that was in the road.
When Hutch pulled into the drive of the Morrow house, Marie was the first one out the door to greet them, “Did you find out anything?” Joe was close on her heels, as was the sheriff.
“We think we know who has your daughter.” Hutch said. “Let’s go inside and Starsk and I will explain.”
As they entered the kitchen the detectives could see that Marie had been occupying herself baking as there were several baskets of muffins sitting on the table and a tin on the stove ready to be put in the oven. She grabbed the coffee pot and poured the two men coffee and everybody gathered around the table.
“We think that a man by the name of Jared Wilkins has Rachael.” Hutch began.
“But he probably thinks that he has Sammi Garrison.” Starsky said.
Marie instantly recognized the name. “That little girl that was killed thirty years ago?”
“Yes.” Hutch answered.
“He’s got to realize that she would be what? Thirty-five, thirty-six by now?” Marie said panic filling her voice.
“We think, after talking to a doctor that treated him; that Wilkins is living in the past. He is her father.” Starsky said without going into detail about the doctor. “Wilkins told the doctor that he had to make it up to his daughter.”
“Make up what?” the sheriff finally asked.
Hutch and Starsky were both reluctant to say but it was Marie that quickly figured it out. “He killed Lisa didn’t he, for whatever reason he killed that child’s mother?”
Hutch nodded.
“So you are saying that a murderer has our daughter?” Joe exploded.
“We think it was an accident, that he didn’t mean to kill Sammi’s mother,” Starsky said, “I don’t think he will hurt Rachael, he thinks she is his daughter.”
“You think…you think,” Joe yelled. “Well then, where in the HELL do you THINK he has our daughter?”
“We believe,” Hutch said not wanting to use the word think again. “He is still in the area.”
“Then why haven’t we found them?” the sheriff wanted to know.
Hutch shrugged, “I suggest that you call off the search.”
“What?” Sheriff Davis exclaimed, his eyes going wide. “If you think they are still around here we need to step it up.”
“If your search parties keep tramping around out there one of two things are going to happen, you are drive him into deep hiding or he will leave the area.” Starsky said. “Hutch and I have discussed it and we think that if everything quiets down, Wilkins just might come out of hiding. The man is living in the past, the old Garrison house is the last place he saw his wife and child so he is going to hold onto that.”
“If he thinks he is safe, he will come out.” Hutch said with as much conviction as he could muster. He knew there was no way to predict what Jared Wilkins might do. For all he knew, he could be on his way back to the Midwest where he had come from all those years ago. But his gut was telling him that Jared and Rachael were close.
Sheriff Davis sat for a few minutes thinking, then he began to nod, “Alright, I’ll clear out the search parties but I’m going to put up road blocks and cover the bus and train station just in case he tries to leave town with her.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Starsky said.
“WHAT?” Joe jumped to his feet, “You are going to call off the search?”
“Joe, sit down,” the sheriff ordered. “We have been searching for over twenty-four hours and have found nothing. At this point I’m willing to try anything.”
Joe started for the door but Starsky stepped in front of him. “That means you too, Joe, you will be a threat to Wilkins if you go out there.”
“I can’t just sit here.”
“Yes, you can,” Marie said as she crossed the room and put her arms around her husband. “Let them try this, what do we have to lose?”
“Our daughter,” Joe slumped against the door frame.
Chapter 9
Hutch leaned heavily in the kitchen doorway; his head was bent, nearly touching his chest, his eyes closed. Marie nudged Starsky, who was on his second cup of coffee and a plate of muffin crumbs sat in front of him. “How long has it been since he has slept?”
Starsky turned in his chair to gaze at his partner. “I don’t think he has slept well since we got here and I would say he got very little sleep last night. He spent part of the night in the graveyard.”
“Is he always like this?” she wanted to know, still curious about the two men.
“Yeah, I guess he is,” Starsky answered.
“And you?”
He smiled slightly, “Yeah, me too,” Starsky admitted. “We make a pretty good fit as partners and friends.”
“I kind of got that,” Marie reached across the table and put her hands over Starsky’s. “Do you think this will work? Do you think once everybody is gone that this man will come out of hiding with Rachael?”
“Let’s hope so.” Starsky looked at his partner again. “Hutch has a pretty good feeling that he will. I don’t know if it’s something Ida told him or just something he feels.”
“I’m going to have to put flowers on that woman’s grave when this is over.” Marie said her eyes tired from lack of sleep. “Why don’t you put him to bed?”
“If I wake him up I doubt he would go.” Starsky said. “Let’s just let him rest for a few minutes.”
“Sleeping standing up doesn’t sound like much rest to me,” Marie quipped, she and Joe had had a major fight about him laying down to rest.
“Ken?” It wasn’t even a whisper, it was softer.
“Ken? The now more urgent voice said.
“Ida?” Hutch felt groggy, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“You did the right thing, sending them away. He will go home now.”
“To the house?”
“Yes, he will take the girl with him.”
“Is she alright?”
“Yes, Sammi is watching over her.”
“When is a good time?”
“Go after midnight Ken, go alone.”
“…alright Ida…” Hutch mumbled in his sleep. “…alright…”
Both Starsky and Marie turned to look at the sleeping detective in the doorway. “Do you think he is talking to Ida?”
“Seems she has been communicating with him since we got here, so I have no doubt that that is who he is talking to.” Starsky got up from his seat.
“Don’t wake him,” Marie called softly to Starsky. “We need all the information we can get.”
Starsky stopped and turned toward Marie, “I’m really sorry all this is happening to you and your family.”
“It’s not your fault, David.”
“Maybe it is, maybe when we were here before we started a chain of events that might not have happened otherwise.”
“Do you really believe that?” Marie asked.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t know what I believe anymore.” Starsky answered.
“It’s going to be getting dark again soon,” Marie said as she glanced out the window then at the clock on the stove. “I don’t know if I can stand one more night with out my baby.”
“She is going to be found.” Starsky said as he got up. He went over to Hutch who was still mumbling in his uneasy doze. Starsky put his hand on his partners shoulder, “Hutch.”
Hutch’s eyes popped open and he looked around the room, it took him a few moments to realize where he was. “After midnight,” Hutch mumbled still half asleep.
“What’s after midnight?” Starsky wanted to know. “Why don’t you sit down and have a cup of coffee.”
Hutch allowed Starsky to lead him to one of the kitchen chairs, “What time is it?” Hutch asked coming more awake.
“Nearly six-thirty,” Marie responded as she poured the sleepy detective a cup of coffee and pushed a plate bearing a muffin in front of him. “Drink the coffee and eat something. You are going to make yourself sick.” She then added, “I need you, Rachael needs you.”
Hutch looked up at her. “Rachael is fine, Sammi is looking after her.”
Starsky looked at Marie to see what her expression would be but Marie’s face seem to relax, some of the worry lines disappeared.
“Tonight, I’ll get Rachael back tonight.”
“Is that what is happening after midnight?” Starsky wanted to know. Hutch nodded. “Then why don’t you go and get some rest I’ll wake you about eleven or so and then we can…”
But Hutch was already shaking his head, “There will be no ‘we’ this time, partner. Me just, me, Ida said alone.”
“You don’t know what Wilkins is capable of, you can’t go alone.” Starsky said looking at Marie for backup.
“David is right, you can’t go alone. Tell Sheriff Davis, I’m sure he can get some men up here and…”
“I have to go alone.” Hutch said his face set in determination.
“I can’t talk you out of this can I?” Starsky asked knowing the look that was on his partners face.
“Ida said alone.”
“Where, where are Rachael and Wilkins going to be?” Starsky asked but Hutch refused to answer. Instead he got up from the table and left the kitchen to go out and stand on the front porch.
Starsky stood behind the front door screen and watched his partner wordlessly; Hutch stood staring toward the old Garrison house. He should have known that was where Hutch would be going.
“What’s going on?” It was Joe, he was just coming down the stairs from his forced nap, but he still looked haggard.
Starsky stepped away from the door. “Everybody has cleared out, the sheriff moved everybody down to your gas station, he is using that as a base now. He wanted to be close just in case.”
“In case of what?” Joe wanted to know. When Starsky didn’t respond Joe asked in a sarcastic voice “Any news from your ghosts?”
Starsky stepped closer to Joe, “I know you think we are nuts. If somebody would have told me that Hutch was this involved in something like this I would thought they were crazy. Hutch is the sensible one in this partnership. I’m the one that believes in all the werewolves, voodoo, and vampire stuff, not Hutch. He was always my voice of reason.”
“So…if you believe in this sort of stuff, why are these ghosts contacting him and not you?”
“I guess maybe because he is the more sensible one. It was weeks before I could sleep the last time we dealt with the Morgan’s. Maybe I believe too much.” Starsky said.
“Are they talking to you this time?” Joe asked sitting down on the bottom step.
“No, just Hutch and only when he sleeps.”
“Why is that?”
Starsky sighed, “I don’t know, Joe, this is all very hard to believe. I know how it sounds but sometimes there are just things that can’t be explained.”
“Your partner is going to find my daughter…alive,” Joe said it was more of a statement than a question.
“Yes, I think he will, according to him, tonight.”
Joe jumped to his feet, “Then what are we waiting for?”
“Hutch says he has to go alone.” Starsky said, not liking the sound of the words any better coming from his own mouth.
“Alone, does the think he is invincible? This isn’t some shoot’em up cop movie; this is my daughter’s life we are talking about.” Joe stormed and started for the door.
Starsky stopped him, “Believe me, he won’t be alone.”
“Come on, Sammi,” Jared Wilkins coaxed the little girl to walk faster, they had left the house the night before, he had feared that the blond detective might return again. “It’s safe now, we can go home.” It was nearly dark and Jared hadn’t seen anybody prowling around for several hours.
“Home?” Rachael said hopefully. “I’ll get to see my mommy and daddy?”
“I am your daddy,” Jared said gripping the child’s arm a little too tightly making Rachael cry out in fear and pain.
Rachael walked the rest of the way to the old house in silence. She looked around hoping that she might have a chance to get away. She could see her own house in the distance; it was just dark enough that she could see the lights on in the upper part of the house.
“Here we are,” Jared opened the backdoor of the house and ushered Rachael into the nearly dark kitchen. “We can only have lights in the back part of the house.” He pulled a candle from a dirty knapsack he had been carrying and lit it. Then he pulled a couple of cans of food and set them on the dusty counter. “Let’s have a little to eat then we can bed down for the night.”
As he was busy, digging for a can opener in the same knapsack, Rachael crept away from him, she thought that if perhaps she could make it to the living room she could escape out the front door and run for home. Walking as lightly as she could, trying not to step on boards that might creek, Rachael got to the front door but when she tried the door it was locked tight. She tried to remember if there was any other way out of the house but the only other door was in the kitchen and she would have to get past the man to get out.
Rachael sat down on the floor leaning her back against the door, tears made clean tracks down her dirty face. She was hungry, tired and wanted to go home; she would never go outside again without telling her parents.
Rae?
Rachael looked around, she was sure she had heard her name called. She knew it wasn’t the man, he was still busy in the kitchen, she could hear him swearing as he was trying to open the tins of food.
Rae!
“Sammi?” Rachael whispered softly. “Are you here?”
Suddenly a misty form appeared in front of her. It was of a little girl that looked much like her. Play along.
“You want me to pretend to be you?”
Yes. The answer came. Help is on the way.
Calmness settled over Rachael, she knew now that she wasn’t alone; Sammi was there to protect her, and help was coming. Rachael got to her feet, she slowly made her way back to the kitchen where the man had finally gotten the two cans open.
He turned around just in time to see her enter the kitchen, “Where have you been!”
“I was looking for a bathroom.” Rachael said trying to be brave and not show she was still afraid of the man who insisted he was her father.
The scowl on his face soften. “You can’t use the one in here, Sammi, but I’ll get it fixed soon. You will have to go outside, I’ll take you.”
Rachael forced a smile, “Maybe after we eat, I don’t have to go that bad and I’m really hungry.”
“Alright,” Jared spread out an old sleeping bag on the floor and handed Rachael a can of pork n’ beans with a spoon stuck in it. “I promise we will have better meals than this starting tomorrow.”
“How about hamburgers, daddy?” Rachael asked, she just about choked on the word ‘daddy’ but Sammi had told her to pretend, she was good at pretending but she had never pretended to have another daddy, she liked the one she had.
Jared broke out into a smile that went from ear to ear; finally she had called him daddy. He knew it had been a long time since she had seen him. “Sounds good, honey, hamburgers it is. Maybe we will go into town to the diner. How would that be?” He said as he joined her on the sleeping bag.
“Sounds yummy,” Rachael said as she dug into the beans, she didn’t really like beans but she was starving, she had very little to eat since the man had grabbed her.
Chapter 10
It was nearly midnight when Hutch set out across the field; it was pitch black, a thick bank of clouds had covered the bright full moon only an hour before. Hutch wondered as he walked if somehow Ida had known it would be much easier to approach the house without being seen if Wilkins was watching.
The detective silently crept toward the house, squinting in the darkness; he could just make out the silhouette of the house. Luckily, he had been back and forth between the two houses enough that he knew where the ruts and holes were. Hutch looked back over his shoulder at the Morrow’s house; he had left Marie, Joe, Sheriff Davis and Starsky sitting in the kitchen. Sheriff Davis had to nearly handcuff Joe to keep him from following Hutch, while Starsky had been unusually quiet.
Hutch touched his gun under his jacket; he hoped he wouldn’t have to use it. He didn’t think that Jared Wilkins was dangerous, just confused and living in the past. As Hutch neared the house he slowed his pace even more, he didn’t want to give Wilkins any reason to run or perhaps hurt Rachael.
As he stepped on the front porch there was a crack from one of the rotten boards, Hutch froze and held his breath. He waited several minutes to see if he had roused anyone inside but all was quiet. Hutch reached for the doorknob, he turned it but wasn’t surprised to find it locked. He made his way back off the porch, but as he rounded the side of the house he saw a figure walk down the back steps. At first he thought it was Wilkins coming to investigate the noise he had made, but after watching the form, Hutch suddenly realized it was Rachael. Somehow she has managed to sneak out of the house.
“Rachael,” Hutch hissed.
The form froze and nearly went invisible in the darkness. But, as if by divine province, the clouds moved from moon and the area instantly lit up. Hutch moved closer to the child.
“Rachael,” he again whispered. “It’s, Ken.”
Rachael turned in the direction of his voice and began walking toward the detective, once she realized it was really her friend, she began to run. As she approached him, Hutch held his finger to his lips so that she wouldn’t speak.
She pointed back toward the house to indicate that Wilkins was still in there. Hutch nodded, “You start for your house.” He turned her in that direction. “You go and keep going, don’t stop for anything you hear me?”
Rachael nodded.
“Get going.” Hutch said.
Rachael took a deep breath then started on her way. It wasn’t that far, but it was dark and she had never been outside without her parents after dark. She turned when she was several yards away to look at Hutch; he waved her on, so she turned back in the direction of her house.
Hutch stood and watched Rachael for a few moments, if he knew his partner, Starsky was out there some where and hopefully he would see the girl and take her home. As Hutch started to mount the back steps there was a loud bang from inside the house, and he could hear Wilkins calling for Rachael but he called her by Sammi’s name.
He had only dozed for a moment, afraid to sleep too long with the burning candle. Jared would have put it out but his little Sammi had asked if he would keep it burning, she was afraid of the dark. His eyes flew open and she was gone, at first he thought that maybe she had just wandered into another room, then he remembered that she said she was afraid of the dark. “Sammi?” he called out softly not wanting to frighten her. Then he heard the creak of one of the rotting steps and knew she had slipped outside. He had told her not to go out after dark without him, but maybe she had to go to the bathroom again.
Jared jumped to his feet but they were tangled in the old sleeping bag and he crashed to the floor. Quickly he untangled himself and got to his feet, he opened the back door and quietly called Sammi’s name but he didn’t see the child. He ran down the steps and out into the yard still quietly calling her name, he didn’t see the dark figure standing near the house.
Movement in the tall grass caught his attention and with the full moon he could see his daughter running toward the other house. “Sammi,” He yelled this time not caring who heard him, not again, not this time; he wasn’t going to lose Sammi again.
Rachael was keeping her eyes focused on her house; it was ablaze with lights, like a beacon leading her home. She stumbled and almost fell to the ground when she heard her name being called or rather Sammi’s name. Her blood ran cold as she got to her feet and ran faster, she wondered if the man had done something to Ken and was now after her again.
Just as Hutch supposed, Starsky left the house after Hutch was out of sight, he was not going to allow his partner to go up against the unknown alone. Ida wouldn’t be able to save his friend from a bullet. He had followed from a good distance not wanting Hutch to hear him, Starsky had also been grateful for the suddenly dark night.
Starsky heard the shout in the distance before he noticed the movement barreling at him. Even though the moon had come from behind the heavy cloud cover he still could not see anyone and he was nearly to the house. Suddenly, he heard the grass whispering and a gasp for air, before he could even pull out his gun; Rachael ran full force into him. Rachael screamed and kicked at Starsky thinking that he was the man.
“Rachael, it’s me.” Starsky said as he tried to ward off the blows she was inflicting, she was small but her fists still hurt as they made contact with his arms and legs. “Rachael, its David, stop.” He finally was able to grab her arms and hold them tightly so that she would listen to him. “Rachael.”
At last Rachael looked into Starsky’s face, she went limp with relief. “D—David?”
Starsky nodded, “Are you okay?”
“Y—yes,” she managed to get out as she tried to catch her breath. “Ken is back there with that man.”
“I know, let’s get you home.” Starsky was torn between going to the aid of his partner and making sure that Rachael was safe.
“Sammi,” Jared whipped his head back and forth as he franticly looked for her. It was just like last time but he was going to find his daughter this time.
Hutch stood in the shadows watching Wilkins to see what he was going to do. Finally, he called out, “Jared Wilkins!”
Wilkins froze, he knew instantly it was the blond cop from the hospital. Why had he been so stupid and hung around the area, he should have taken his daughter and left. Now she was running away again and going get to hurt. Wilkins didn’t know what to do, his love for his daughter finally won out, he turned in the direction of the voice. “Help me.”
“Put your hands on top of your head,” Hutch ordered, he had already pulled his gun.
Wilkins not obeying Hutch’s request started toward the detective. “You have got to help me find Sammi before it happens again.”
“I will help you but you have to put your hands on top of your head.” Hutch said in a firm voice, he didn’t want to have to shoot Wilkins; he had no way of knowing if the man was armed or not.
“She is going to die again.” There were tears running down his face.
“No, the girl is safe.” Hutch said hoping that his partner had found her and taken Rachael home.
Suddenly, Wilkins dropped to his knees and held out his hands to Hutch, “Stop her, please.”
Hutch moved forward keeping his gun trained on Wilkins; he reached for his handcuffs but remembered that he didn’t have them. He had only taken his gun from the car. “Do you have any weapons?”
“No, no,” Wilkins sobbed as he dropped his head into his hands. “Stop Sammi before she runs into the road, please.”
Hutch heard a rustle of grass behind him; intuitively he knew it was Starsky. He holstered his gun and put his hand on Wilkins’ shoulder, “Why don’t you stand up, Mr. Wilkins.”
The man stayed where he was rocking back and forth holding his head as he sobbed. “I didn’t mean to, I didn’t see her.”
Starsky moved in closer keeping his gun on Wilkins in case he made a move on Hutch. Hutch crouched down next to the weeping man. “You didn’t mean to do what?”
“Hit her,” Jared Wilkins said softly.
“She is fine,” Starsky spoke up.
Wilkins looked up at the sound of the new voice. “She will never be fine. She is dead because of me, just like her mother.”
Suddenly, recognition dawned on Hutch, “You are the one that hit Sammi on Highway 101?”
“I didn’t mean to, it was dark and all of a sudden there she was, at first I didn’t even realized I had hit Sammi. I thought it was a rabbit. I don’t know what made me stop and go back.” Wilkins sobbed. “When I went to check, it was my Sammi, she was dead and there was nothing I could do for her, so I got in my car and took off.”
Hutch sighed a deep sigh then put his hand under Wilkins’ elbow and hoisted him to his feet. “The girl you took from the house was not Sammi.”
“She looked so much like Sammi; I guess I just thought that something for once was going to go right in my life.” Wilkins said. “I would have never hurt her.”
“Let’s go,” Hutch said as he pulled Jared Wilkins along next to him, Starsky fell in behind the two men. Nobody noticed the misty figure of the little girl standing on the front porch. She hovered on the porch as if she were watching the men start across the field, then she drifted off toward the graveyard, there waiting for her was her mother and the Morgan’s.
As the two detectives approached the Morrow’s house with the prisoner, they were both apprehensive, fearful that Joe would come out and unleash his fury on the man that had taken his daughter. But as their steps crunched on the driveway, the only person to come out of the house was Sheriff Davis.
Joe and Marie had been beside themselves when Starsky had brought Rachael, unharmed, through the front door. Starsky hadn’t stuck around to see the happy reunion; he had headed out again to back up his partner.
“I see you got your man,” the Sheriff said eyeing Jared Wilkins, he pulled his handcuffs from his belt.
“Take it easy on him, Sheriff.” Hutch said as he handed over the emotionally spent Wilkins.
Davis nodded as he placed the cuffs on Wilkins and led the man to his squad car. “I’ll get the details from you boys in the morning, why don’t you both get some rest.”
“Alright, we will come to the station first thing in the morning.” Starsky answered for both of them. Hutch was as emotionally drained as Wilkins was.
“Not too early, you hear?” Davis said as he put his prisoner in the back of the car.
Starsky nodded and led Hutch into the house. Joe was the only one downstairs; he was sitting in the kitchen waiting for the detectives to come in. Marie had taken Rachael upstairs for a bath.
Joe got to his feet as they entered the kitchen. There were tears standing in his eyes, “I don’t know how to thank you and I want to truly apologize for the way I have acted toward both of you.”
“There is no need to apologize, Joe, I’m just glad we were able to get Rae back unharmed.” Hutch said flopping his exhausted body in one of the kitchen chairs.
“Still, I wasn’t being much help.” Joe looked at them, he could see they were worn out; “Go up stairs and get some sleep, we can all use a good rest.”
For the first time since they had arrived at the Morrow’s Bed and Breakfast, Hutch had an uneventful nights sleep. When he awoke the sun was peeking through the crack between the curtains. Hutch had to wonder if what he had been through had been some bazaar dream or if it had all really happened. He grabbed his things and headed out of the room and down the hall to the shared bathroom, finding it empty, he went in to shower.
When Hutch arrived in the kitchen, Rachael was sitting at the table with a huge stack of pancakes before her, but when she saw Hutch she dropped her fork, got up and ran to him, throwing herself in to her his arms. Hutch picked up Rachael, “So, how are we doing this morning little miss?”
“Super!” Rachael chirped at him. He hugged her then set her on her feet so she could finish her breakfast.
“Where is Starsky?”
“He waited for you for a while then went into town to talk the sheriff.” Marie said as she handed Hutch a steaming cup of coffee. Hutch glanced at his watch for the first time and was shocked to see it was nearly noon. Marie laughed at his expression. “I guess I threw you off with breakfast, I told Rae she could have whatever she wanted and it was pancakes. So can I get you anything?”
“Those pancakes do look good.” Hutch said winking at Rachael.
She patted the chair next to her, “You sit here.”
There was a bang of the front door and Starsky appeared in the kitchen. “About time you are up, sunshine.” He teased his partner.
“Very funny,” Hutch said has he coated his pancakes with syrup that Rachael has pushed toward him. “So what is Sheriff Davis going to do with Wilkins?”
“They have called in a doctor to give him a mental evaluation then they will go from there.” Starsky said. “He promised to keep us updated.”
“Are you alright with that?” Hutch asked Joe.
Joe shrugged, “He didn’t hurt Rae and I sure can understand how desperate a man can get when something happens to his daughter. Just as long as he doesn’t show his face around here, I don’t much care what the law decides to do with him.
“Pancakes?” Marie asked holding a plate under Starsky’s nose.
“You already made me some earlier.”
“So, I think you deserve more.” Marie grinned at him.
“Thanks, Marie.” Starsky said taking the plate. “Are we going to head back today?” He looked at Hutch.
“I think we better and let these good people get back to their lives.” Hutch said.
“You can’t go yet!” Rachael pouted.
“We will come back for a visit,” Hutch promised.
Starsky looked visibly shaken at Hutch’s words, he started to object but he didn’t want to hurt the girl’s feelings.
Later as they were headed out to the car Starsky hissed, “Why did you tell Rachael we would be back. This is the last place I want to come back too.”
Hutch shook his head at this partner, “You believe in ghosts too much, Starsk.”
THE END