~LOOSE THREADS~
                                                                                                   BY
                                                                                                 TOOKI
​

                                                                                      ~CHAPTER ONE~
​

Susan pulled open the door to the restaurant, she held two month old Michael Paul in her arms. The coolness hit her in a wave as she stepped out of the heat of the day. She looked around and smiled, just as Starsky and Huggy had promised there were hundreds of framed photos of police officers adorning the walls. Behind the bar was the one of her, Hutch and Starsky.
A waitress walked up to her, "How many?"
Susan smiled, "I’m looking for the owners."
"Huggy is at one of the bars but Starsky is in the back. I'll get him for you." She answered.
"Would you mind if I just go back?" Susan asked. "I'm an old friend."
Suddenly the waitress's eyes widen, she looked at Susan then looked at the photo behind the bar, "You are her." she said pointing at the picture.
"Yep I'm her," Susan laughed.
The waitress blushed," Sure go on back."
Susan slipped behind the bar and into the back room. Starsky was standing with his back toward her. He was counting the bottles in a case liqueur. "Don't you have anything else better do to?" she teased.
Starsky jumped and spun around. His mouth fell open. Hutch and Susan had decided to make a surprise appearance. "Susan!" He cried coming over to hug her. "And who do we have here." Starsky peeked into the bundle of blue blankets.
"Starsky I would like you to meet Michael Paul Hutchinson. Mikey this is your Uncle Starsky." Susan grinned.
"Let me hold him," Starsky said holding out his arms for the baby. Susan handed him over. "Hi ya little guy."
"How's Libby and the kids?" Susan asked. "I bet Kenny is getting big, six months now right?"
"Yeah and he's a hand full just like the other Ken we know," Starsky joked. Then he looked around, "Where's Hutch and the rest of the crew?"
"Hutch has Davy they are looking for a parking place and Jesse is in Arizona visiting Cassie then she will be here in a few days." Susan explained. "I wonder what is taking them so long."
As if on cue Hutch and Davy walked through the door, Starsky handed the baby back to Susan so he could hug Hutch. Then he picked up Davy, "It's so good to see you guys. Libby is just going to die. Let me finish this up and I'll take you home."
Libby was out in the back yard with the kids when Starsky rounded the house. "Hey babe," he called to her. "I got a surprise for you."
Libby grabbed Kenny and went to her husband. "What is it?"
"Some body is here to see you." He grinned at her.
He stepped side as Hutch and Susan rounded the house. Davy ran right by them into the back yard toward Sam and Deanna. "Oh my God!" Libby exclaimed. "Where did you guys come from?"
Hutch laughed, "We wanted to surprise you."
"You about gave me a heart attack," Libby shrieked as she hugged Susan then Hutch.
The phone began ringing from in the house, Starsky dashed to get it while Libby cooed over the baby, and Hutch and Susan got to know Kenny. Davy and the girls were having a grand time playing.
Starsky stood looking out at all them as he picked up the phone, "Hello?"
"Would you tell Huggy to get his butt home?" Kit said on the other end. "We have dinner reservations at 6."
"Kit I'm sorry but Huggy isn't here." Starsky said. "Susan and Hutch came into town so I brought them home."
"I know that's why I thought Hug would be there," Kit said. "I called the restaurant and Mindy told me."
"He's probably at one of the bars," Starsky said. "You know how Huggy is he gets carried away talking to somebody."
"I know," Kit sighed. "Thanks Starsk."
"If I hear from him I'll tell him to haul his can home."


The room was dim but to Huggy who had a black cloth hood over his head it was pitch dark. He had no idea where he was the last thing he remember was coming out of the restaurant into the alley. Apparently somebody whacked him over the head from the way his head was pounding. He was sitting in a chair with his arms cuffed behind him and his legs tied together. Huggy couldn’t move he had tried several times when he had regained consciousness. He didn't have a gag in his mouth so he yelled until he was hoarse. But nobody came everything was silent.
Finally he heard footsteps approaching him. He stiffened preparing himself for the worst. "Good evening Huggy Bear." Said a voice he didn’t recognize. "Is it ok if I call you Huggy or would you prefer Mr. Bear?"
"I would prefer that you let me go." Huggy growled at the stranger.
The voice laughed loudly. "Not just yet, Huggy not just yet. I need some information from you first."
"What kind of information?"
"How about the where abouts of a couple of cops?" said the voice.
"Cops which cops?" Hutch asked puzzled.
"Hutchinson and Carlston."
The mention his friends made him catch his breath. "They aren't cops any more in fact they moved away six months ago."
"That is neither here nor there. I want to know where they are now. I have some business with them after I finish with Detective Starsky."
"None of them are cops anymore. What do you want with them?" Huggy asked as fear crept into his soul. Cops make lots of enemies just as snitches did, although he would deny that he was ever a snitch.
"I got a score to settle with them. So make this easy on your self and tell me where the hell they are." The voice rose a little higher.
"NO I'm not telling you a damn thing." Huggy spit out. "Take this damn hood off my head."
"What and be condemned to die?" The voice asked.
"Hell I'm a dead man anyway. Who do you think you are playing with?" Huggy snapped. "You can go to hell if you think I'll ever tell you anything."
The blow caught Huggy off guard. The chair tipped and he fell heavily on his left side. Then he felt the chair being righted and could feel the man's breath on his neck.
"Listen, I can kill you now but I won't. Believe me you will die but it's going to be slow and painful and you will tell me what I want to know before it's all over." The voice said darkly.
Blood seeped from under the hood from the cut on Huggy's lip. He tried to think tried to register the voice but without any success. This man who ever he was sounded young. "What did they do to you?"
The laugh was bitter as he answered. "What did they do? They took my father, mother and grandfather from me. They took my whole life and now I'm going to take theirs but they will suffer before I end it all for them."
​

                                                                                        ~Chapter Two~

Jesse Hutchinson smiled at her best friend Cassie who she had been spending a few days in Arizona with before meeting her parents and brothers in Los Angeles. With her first year at college now behind her Jesse was eager to start her summer. She was also eager to see her Uncle Starry and Aunt Libby, leaving them behind when they had moved to Ohio had been the hardest thing her family had done. But her dad seemed happy teaching at the college; her mom got a job with the police department as an investigator and finally was able to use her married name dropping Carlston. Her younger brother Davy who had turned ten while they were there was ecstatic that he had been picked for the football team and the basketball team and baby Mikey was a source of joy to all of them as the littlest Hutchinson. Jesse had been upset at first at the prospect of her mother at forty having another baby but she had soon gotten over that, enjoying the pregnancy as much as her mother.
Cassie wrapped her arms around Jesse, "I’m sorry I can’t wait with you Jess," her friend apologized. She was already fifteen minutes late to work and her boss had warned her just last week if she were late again what would happen.
Jesse smiled at her friend. "Don’t worry Cass I understand. Maybe when we get back home you can come visit me in Ohio."
"I would love that," Cassie beamed at her and with a final hugged dashed out the terminal door.
Jesse picked up her two suitcases and headed in the direction of her departure gate. As she neared where she needed to be two men came up behind her. They casually grabbed her elbows, one of them whispered in her ear, "Smile." The other one jabbed a gun in her ribs.
Jesse jumped at the sound of his voice but plastered a fake smile on her face. "What do you want?" she asked through her smile.
"Shut up and walk," the man with the gun said.
As they walked Jesse looked for someone to help her but short of making a scene and getting herself shot and possibly others there was nothing she could do but what she was told.
"Where are you taking me?" she asked. "Who are you?"
"I thought I told you to shut up," The gun jabbed painfully in her ribs.
Jesse dropped her suitcases and stopped walking she had decided she was not going anywhere with these two goons. She would rather be shot where she stood. "I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on."
Several people stopped and stared at the scene that was unfolding. The man with the gun tucked it in his waistband then bent over and picked up one of the suitcases. "I’ll carry it for you," he said kindly for the benefit of the ever-growing crowd but his eyes burned into hers.
The other man grabbed the second bag and said. "You are going to miss your fight honey." Jesse just glared at him. He leaned in close to her and whispered. "And your parents are going to die."
Jesse’s eyes widen, the man give her a smug smile. She jerked the bag from his grasp, "I can carry my own luggage."
"Suit yourself," the gunman handed her the other bag.
Figuring that there was nothing left to see the crowd went along their way. "What do you want?" Jesse asked again.
"You’ll find out in time, now move it." The man touched the gun in his waistband.
"Fine," Jesse snapped.
The other man gave his partner a small smile; this girl was like a little hellcat. They would have to watch her closely. The trio past by the gate where Jesse was suppose to board the plane and walked to the other end of the building where there was a smaller plane waiting for them. Several people were sitting in the waiting room chairs but none looked up as they walked in.
"Wait here," one of the men told her. He walked to the desk and took out three tickets handing them to the woman behind the counter. She stamped them then handed them back.
The man with the gun pulled it from his waistband and dropped it into a near by trashcan then roughly pulled Jesse toward the doors leading to the plane. The man’s partner joined them; they stood silently waiting for the doors to be opened.

Davy bounced up and down as he looked out the windows at the landing planes, they had come in on one just the day before but they always excited him. Plus he missed his sister; but he would rather die than tell anyone that.
"Calm down Davy," Susan scolded but she was smiling as eager as her son to see Jesse. They were there alone. Starsky had some kind of an emergency at the restaurant so Hutch had gone with him. Libby volunteered to stay at home and watch the rest of the kids.
"Is that it?" Davy said pointing at a plane taxiing toward them.
"I would say so," Susan answered. They both went to the doors and waited for them to open. After what seemed like forever they finally opened. A steady stream of people came off greeted their loved ones and left.
"Where’s Jess?" Davy asked staring down the empty hall.
"I don’t know," Susan said worriedly. She pulled her cell phone from her purse and dialed the Starsky’s number.
"Hello?" Libby cradled the phone on her shoulder as she held both babies in her arms.
"Libby did Jess call there?" Susan asked holding her breath.
"No why?" Libby asked.
"She didn’t get off the plane." Susan could feel a knot forming in the pit of her stomach; she had a gut feeling something was wrong.
"She probably just missed the plane you know how she is when she gets together with Cassie." Libby said juggling the boy’s.
"Yeah you are probably right." Susan said. "I’ll do some checking before I leave here."
But what she found out didn’t make her feel any better. Yes Jesse had been booked on the flight and it was obvious that she didn’t make it. Susan tried to keep a brave face for her son not wanting to alarm him. They went back to their rental car where Susan made a call to the restaurant.
"The Precinct," a voice answered the phone.
"Is Starsky there?" Susan asked.
"Yes but he is tied up at the moment can I take a message?" the hostess asked.
"No you may not take a message, this is important and I need to speak with him immediately," Susan snapped. Then she took a deep breath. "I’m sorry, look if he’s busy how about Huggy or is Ken Hutchinson there?"
"I-I-uh," the girl stammered.
There was silence on the other end for a moment then a male voice asked. "Who is this?"
"Susan Hutchinson, who is this?" She demanded.
"Officer Worthington L.A. P. D."
"What’s wrong?" Susan asked the sick feeling suddenly getting worse.
"Ms. Hutchinson I don’t think that is none of your concern," the officer answered. "I suggest you call back later."
​

                                                                                       ~Chapter Three~
​

Earlier that morning a very worried Kit had called, Huggy had never shown up the night before. Kit had fallen into an uneasy slumber on the couch and had awaked the next morning to find Huggy still hadn’t come home. Frighten she had place a call to Starsky.
Starsky was planning on slipping out of the house with out waking and worrying the others but Hutch had caught him as he was going out the front door. His former partner quickly explained what was going on and Hutch had insisted on coming. They left a note saying something came up at the restaurant.
Kit was almost hysterical when they reached the apartment she shared with Huggy. She hadn’t seen him since early the morning before when he left for work.
"I wished I had called you back last night Starsky," she said mournfully.
Starsky sat with his arm around her, "Are you sure he’s not at one of the bars? You know how Huggy is, it might have been late and he sacked out someplace."
Kit shook her head, "After the last time he did that I made him promise he would never do that again. He scared the crap out of me. And he hasn’t, something is wrong."
The three of them left for the restaurant hoping that maybe someone had seen him the evening before. When no one had Hutch had called the police.
Hutch and Starsky went over the office to see if anything looked out of place, they checked the alley to see if Huggy’s car was out back, it wasn’t. They had just come in when they heard the officer on the phone talking with Susan.
The mention of his name caught Hutch’s attention, "Give me that phone." Hutch said snatching it from the officer’s hand.
"Hey," the officer said, he was new to the force since the Hutchinson’s had left and didn’t know them.
"It’s okay Jack," Starsky assured him.
"Susan?" Hutch said into the phone.
"Oh God Hutch, something has happened to Jesse." Susan said trying to keep the terror from her voice. "She didn’t get off the plane."
"Did you call Cassie’s?" Hutch inquired but he knew that their daughter wasn’t there. He also knew that somehow the disappearance of Huggy and Jesse were related.
"No," Susan said as she started the car.
"You get over here to the restaurant."
"Hutch what’s wrong?" Susan asked, he had already sounded distraught when he had answered the phone.
"Just get here."

Jesse with a black hood over her head was pulled from a car and walked a short distance before she was shoved down into a chair. The two men had slipped the hood over her head after they had gotten her out of the airport. At least she was in L.A. that much closer to her parents. When she tried to ask questions she was told to shut up or else.
"All right," said a voice she didn’t know. "You were so interested in talking in the damn car you can talk now." When Jesse didn’t say anything she felt her chair being kicked. "TALK."
Jesse jumped, "What do you want with me?"
"Jesse is that you?" asked a familiar voice.
"Uncle Huggy?" she inquired. She let out a sigh, this whole thing was a joke some kind of surprise for her. "Boy was I scared."
"And you have every right to be," sneered the voice that had demanded her to talk.
"Uncle Huggy what’s going on?" Jesse asked the fear returning.
"I’m not sure honey, just do what they tell you." Huggy advised. He had been shocked to hear Jesse’s voice.
"Good advice why don’t you follow it yourself?" the voice said.
"Go to hell," Huggy snarled.
Jesse heard a thump then the she felt the chair next to her land on its side. Huggy let out a grunt. "You leave him alone," she yelled trying to get the hood off her head.
The voice chuckled, "My men were right about you. It will be a shame to kill such a fiery young woman."
His words froze her heart, he was planning on killing her and Huggy too she was sure of it. "What do you want?" That seemed like the only words she knew any more.
"Your parents and Detective Starsky," he said.
"But he’s not a detective anymore and we don’t even live here." Jesse said.
"Ahh so I have been told. But that doesn’t really matter. The damage they have done can’t be repaired. Put your death and theirs will start to repay a little of the debit.
When Susan pulled up at the restaurant behind one of the police cars. She and Davy got out and headed quickly in side. Hutch and Starsky were standing talking to a group of officers when they entered. Davy ran to his father and put his arms around his waist, he knew that something was very wrong. Hutch patted his son on the head then turned to look at Susan his face etched with worry.
"What the hell is going on?" she demanded.
"Huggy is missing too," Hutch said getting to the point there was not easy way to say it.
"Dear God," Susan felt as if some one had knocked the wind out of her. "And Jesse isn’t at Cassie’s?"
Hutch shook his head, the moment he had hung up with his wife he had call Arizona. "I talked to Karen, Cassie dropped Jesse off at the airport and headed to work."
"Where are they?" Susan asked trying to hold back her tears.
The instant that they had realized that both Huggy and Jesse were missing a squad car was sent to the Starsky’s to sit out front. They didn’t want to take any chances of another family member disappearing.
Jack Worthington put his hand on Starsky’s back, "We are going to move your family into protective custody shortly." Then he looked at Susan, "Mrs. Hutchinson I’m sorry about the phone."
She waved away his apologize, "You were only doing your job."
He nodded giving her a small smile, he looked down at Davy who was clinging to his father’s hand. "How would you like to come with me young man?"
Davy looked up at this father then his mother. "It’s okay Davy you can go with Officer Worthington."
"I bet there might be some ice cream in the kitchen," Starsky offered.
After Davy was out of ear shoot, Hutch said. "We need to get Davy to Libby. They will be put in a safe house until this is all over. I think Kit needs to go with them."
"Kit's here?" Susan asked.
Starsky nodded, "In the back. She's pretty upset."
As Susan started toward the back of the restaurant Hutch grabbed her arm. "I want you with them."
She stopped and stared at him incredulously. "You are joking right?"
"It's clear that someone is after the people we love. I don't want to have to be looking for you." Hutch said quietly.
"Listen who's still the cop here teach?" Susan snapped. "I'm not going to go hide out while somebody has our daughter and friend."
Hutch turned loose of her arm as though it was hot, he stepped away from her. It was Susan's turn to grab his arm. "Hutch I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean that. I'm just upset and you know I can't sit by anymore than you can."
"I know," he said pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head. "I guess it was wishful thinking on my part. I don't want any thing to happen to you."
"Or I you, but we can't just sit here."
"Susan we aren't on the force anymore. Our hands are pretty tied." Hutch said looking down at her.
"That might be true but we still got a lot of friends out there we haven't been gone that long."
He smiled at her. "Why don't you take Kit and Davy to the house so they can go with Libby and the kids." Susan agreed and went to find Kit.


                                                                                          ~Chapter Four~

Jesse and Huggy Bear sat side by side tied to chairs the hoods still on their heads. Finally their captors had left them in peace, they sat in silence for along time finally Jesse asked, "Do you know what is going on?"
"No," Huggy whispered. "I was grabbed yesterday coming out of the restaurant. Kit has to be worried sick."
"Mom and Dad will find us and you know Uncle Starry won't let anything happen either." She said more confident than she felt.
"Are Hutch and Susan here?" Huggy asked.
"Came in yesterday I was suppose to fly from Cassie's and somebody was suppose to pick me up at the airport today." Jesse explained. "They were planning on surprising everyone."
"I guess it's your parents that got the surprise." Huggy quipped.
"What does this guy want?" Jesse whispered. "Seems like some kind of vendetta."
"Honey when you are a cop as many years as they were you make a lot of enemies. And it doesn't even matter if you are still a cop or not." Huggy said.
"How right you are." The voice was back. The young man had been sitting at a desk not far from his captives hoping that maybe they would say something useful. "Let me ask you something Miss Hutchinson. How would you feel if someone killed your mother, father and grandfather?"
"I would want justice of course," Jesse said boldly. "But not this way, not hurting people that had nothing to do with what ever you are talking about. There are courts if you think you have been wronged."
He laughed loudly; it made both Jesse and Huggy jump. "The legal system? What a joke the legal system won't do anything to their own."
"My parents have never done anything wrong. If they hurt anybody it was to save someone else from getting killed." Jesse told him with conviction.
"They double crossed my father along with that tramp Maddie." He made a sharp in take of breath. He had said too much, he had allowed his anger to get the best of him and he had blurted out that bitch's name. He hated her with a passion that was so strong that he wished he had been the one to kill her.
Jesse and Huggy knew the name all to well. Madison Callaway had been a lovely woman and the love of Starsky's life until she had been murdered. They both sat with their own thoughts. It was Huggy who put it together, Jesse had only been eight when it had happened.
Huggy took a deep breath knowing it could be his last for the guess he was about to make. "So you are Frank Agiseti's son."
There was another sharp intake of breath. "Nothing gets past you does it?"
"Well some thing got past you?" Huggy snarled. "They didn't kill anyone in your family."
There was a short burst of laughter from Frank Jr. then he said. "They might as well have."
"You father drowned in the ocean, your grandfather died of a heart attach in prison where he was put for killing Maddie." Huggy said. "And your father killed your mother."
Frank Jr. advanced on Huggy. "That's a lie!" he screamed and hit Huggy knocking him to the floor once again.
"You stop that," Jesse yelled as she struggled against the ropes holding her to the chair. "You are a monster just like your father."
This time it was Jesse he hit, her chair went over backward cracking her head on the hard floor. She could see stars and thought for a moment she was going to pass out. She could feel a small trickle of blood running from her lip where it split when Frank Jr. hit her.
"Jess are you ok?" Huggy asked.
"She is fine," Frank Jr. went over and righted her chair then sat Huggy back up. "But she keeps that mouth going she's not going to be."
"If you are going to kill us anyway take these damn hoods off our heads." Jesse demanded.
She did have a point, when he killed them he wanted them to see who was doing it. He wanted them to know the pain that he felt every day knowing that his family was all gone save his sister. Amy who was three years younger than he had went to a convent where she planned on becoming a nun when she turned eighteen. They might has well have killed her too. He felt as though she was wasting her life locked away like that. Amy could have been anything that she wanted but she had been so devastated by her parent's deaths that she didn't want to live in the real world any more. They had both been sent to a catholic orphanage where Frank Jr. stayed until he turned eighteen. He tried to make arrangements to take over the care of his younger sister so that she could leave and live with him. She refused as she had planned to become a nun almost from the moment she had stepped in side the orphanage.
Both Huggy and Jesse squinted as the hoods were yanked from their heads. It had been twenty-four hours since Huggy had seen daylight. They looked around; they were in some kind of a warehouse in a small office but had no idea where. Glass windows enclosed the office and they could see two men leaning on barrels out in the warehouse smoking and talking. They looked at each other, Huggy’s face was bruised and he had a lump and cut on his forehead. Jesse’s bottom lip was split but no one could see the knot that was forming on the back of her head.
"Is that better?" Frank Jr. asked.
Two sets of eyes turned on the man that was holding them. He was barely older than Jesse and was the spitting image of his father, his name fit him well. He had a gun tucked in the waistband of his dress pants, he was leaning on a worn wooden desk his legs crossed at the ankles.
"How is killing us going to bring back your family?" Jesse asked him.
"All I want is revenge. Why is it fair that you are walking around when my family is all dead?" he spit out coming close enough that should could feel his breath in her face.
The phone rang at the restaurant; Mindy picked it up then motioned for Starsky. "I think you are going to want to take this."
"Uncle Starry?" said a male voice.
Starsky’s blood froze for there was only one person in the world that called him that. "Where is she?"
Hutch came to Starsky’s side, "Who is it?"
Starsky shrugged. "You’ll get her back soon enough." The voice said.
"You harm one hair on her head you will wish you were never born," Starsky growled into the phone.
"I already wish I had never been born so your threats mean nothing,"
"Let me talk to her." Starsky demanded.
"I don’t think so." There was a click then silence.
"Shit he hung up." Starsky said slamming the receiver down. "Get a trace on this phone in case this sick bastard calls back."
"Sure thing Starsky," said one of the officers. They all knew Starsky from coming into the restaurant it had become a hang out for all the cops in the city. Most knew the Hutchinson’s also, everybody on the force was eager to help out the former officers.
"Damn who is this?" Hutch said. "I sure wish we could get a hold of our old files. Who took the Captain position?"
"Dan Simpson," Starsky said. "He’s a good guy."
"Yeah I think I remember Dan," Hutch said. "You think he would let us at the files?"
"Can’t hurt to ask." Starsky said. "Let’s run by and make sure they get to the safe house OK then well head down to the station."
When Susan arrived at the Starsky’s there was a black and white sitting out front. She knew both of the officers and waved as she, Kit and Davy walked by. They entered the house to find Libby running around throwing clothes in to a large bag. The babies were in a playpen in the corner of the living room. Susan went and picked up Mikey hugging him tightly too her.
"Any news," Libby asked in a worried voice.
"Nothing yet," answered Susan. "You about ready to go? "
"Yeah," Libby answered tossing a package of diapers toward the front door. She stopped suddenly and dissolved into tears. "Oh god Huggy and Jesse are missing." It hit her once she saw Susan and Kit. She had been so busy the moment she had hung up from talking to Starsky that she hadn’t really had time to think about it.
Susan crossed the room and hugged her friend. "We are going to find them I promise."
"I should be the one comforting you," Libby said sadly.
"Come on lets get you guys settled in the safe house then I’ll catch up with the boys."


                                                                                           ~Chapter Five~

​​
Hutch and Starsky were waiting at the safe house when Susan arrived along with the squad car. Libby and her two girls piled out of the black and white while Kit, Davy and the baby’s road with Susan. Libby ran to Starsky flinging herself into his arms. The girls joined them then stood on the front steps of the strange house clinging to each other.
Hutch came to the car to get Mikey while Susan took Kenny to his parents. Kit stood feeling very lonely by the car. There was on one to comfort her, Hutch noticed her standing and went over and handed Mikey over to her. "We will find Huggy."
Kit kissed Mikey’s soft chubby cheek, "I know," she said softly.
"Let’s get this circus in side," Starsky called from the porch.
After getting them all settled the three ex partners took off for the station. Everybody wanted to talk to them to find out what was going on. The news had spread like wild fire in the department. They went straight up to their old office and knocked on the captain’s door.
"Come in," called the voice of Captain Dan Simpson.
Starsky opened the door, "Captain Simpson can we talk to you?"
He motioned them in. "I’m sorry to hear what has happened." He said standing up. "Your old files are right there."
They turned to see several stacks for manila folders. Hutch smiled at him, "How did you know we would be coming around?"
"Oh come on Hutchinson, you three still have a reputation around here I knew this would be the first place you would come." He stood up and shook hands with each of them. "I want you to know that you will have the full cooperation of the department."
"Thank you Sir," Starsky said shaking the man’s hand. "It means a lot to us we have been away for a while."
He nodded then addressed Susan, "I understand you are a detective in Cincinnati now?"
"Yes I am," Susan answered.
"Good I will give you jurisdiction here who you chose to help you will be solely up to you." Dan Simpson smiled at then. "You may have the use of my office, I have a meeting to attend. Take your time."
After he left they dove into their old files. They were dusty and a bit musty smelling and Susan sneezed several times while flipping through them. An hour later Starsky slammed down a stack of files dust flew everywhere. "This is getting us no where! We are losing precious time going through this old crap. Hell most of these guys are too damn old to be wanting to bother with us."
"I just know the answer is here." Hutch said but agreed with Starsky that it was getting them no where. "We don’t even know if they are in the city. Jesse was coming from Arizona and it’s apparent she was grabbed there since she never made the plane. Huggy I’m fairly sure is here, unless they took him to where Jesse is being held."
"I just hope they are together, she has to be so scared." Susan said.
Starsky put his arm around her, "Jesse has a good head on her shoulders and she is a very brave girl she will be just fine. And if I know my Jess she is trying to figure a way out of this now."
Susan laid her head on his shoulder, "Thanks Starsk." She smiled in spite of what as going on. She felt as if she were home again. Here the three of them were in the office going through files just like old times. It was the first time she had felt whole in a long time. She wished she could hold on to this feeling.
Hutch sat on the floor with a lap full of folders. "There are hundreds. I just hope this sick bastard tries to contact us again."
"I don’t think it’s a ransom thing. He called because he wanted us to know that he had Jesse. Funny he didn’t say anything about Huggy though." Starsky said taking another hand full. It was frustrating since they didn’t know what they were looking for. Maybe a name would jump out of one of them.
"Maybe he doesn’t have him." Susan said hopefully.
"No, I’m betting that Jess and Huggy are together." Hutch said, as there was a knock on the door. "Come in."
The door opened slowly and a young woman poked her head in. "Are you uh…uh," She stammered not really sure how to address them.
"The ex cops? That’s us," Starsky answered smiling at her.
The girl blushed. "We just got a phone call that the body of a black man washed up on the beach. I was told to come and let you guys know, he matches the description of uh…uh, " she looked at a piece of paper she was holding. "Huggy Bear?"
"OH GOD!" Susan exclaimed putting her hand over her mouth.
Hutch jumped up pulling Susan to her feet and went out the door; Starsky followed leaving the files forgotten on the floor.
The three ex-partners trudged through the sand toward the waters edge where several police and a crowd of onlookers stood. None of them wanted to look at the body that was covered with a tarp. The coroner had gone back to his wagon to get a body bag. The police photographer had just got done taking pictures and was packing his gear.
"Starsky, Hutch," exclaimed one of the officers as he spied them walking toward him.
"Hey Bud, what have you got?" Starsky asked.
"Some kids found this guy washed up on the beach." Officer Bud Anderson answered. "What are you guys doing out here?"
Hutch quickly explained, "Can we take a look?"
"Sure," Bud said and bent over to pick up the edge of the tarp.
Susan closed her eyes at first, if he were Huggy what would they tell Kit. She forced herself to open her eyes. The man was tall and thin, he was wearing the type of clothing that Huggy wore but thankfully it wasn’t their friend.
They all breathed a sigh of relief. "It’s not Huggy," Starsky said thankful. But they all knew that it could be if they didn’t get this figured out soon.

After making the phone call to the restaurant from a phone booth several miles away Frank Jr. stopped to pick his captives up something to eat at burger joint. Jesse and Huggy were sitting where he had left them when he came in tossing a large sack on the desk.
"You hungry?" he asked.
Both Jesse and Huggy shook their heads no. The last thing that they wanted was anything from this man. He shrugged his shoulders and opened the sack, called his men and tossed them some burgers then held one toward Jesse.
"Yeah and how am I suppose to eat tied up?" she snapped.
"You do have a point there," Frank Jr. said as he unwrapped the burger and took a big bite. Then he held it to her lips. "It’s not bad you sure."
Jesse turned her head refusing to open her mouth, he frowned then grabbed her by the hair and cramped the sandwich in her face. "Leave her alone," Huggy snarled kicking at Frank Jr. He caught the young man in the back of the leg sending him sprawling to the floor.
Frank Jr. scrambled to his feet angrily and backhanded Huggy across the face sending him tumbling backwards. Huggy hit his head on the windowsill as he went down. He lay still not even a moan escaped his lips. Jesse looked at her friend in terror, "You asshole," she screamed at Frank Jr. Her face was smeared with catsup and mustard. "Uncle Huggy are you all right." There was no answer.
"Oh boo hoo," Frank said in mock sorrow.
"You are a monster! I hate you," Jesse screamed. She struggled to free her self from her bonds. "Help him."
Agiesti just looked at her then an evil grinned spread over his face, "Just what would you give me if I help him?"
"W-what do you mean?"
"Well," he said running his hand long side her face. Then he dropped his hand to the top button of her blouse and undid it.
"Get your hands off me, "Jesse said between clenched teeth.
"Don’t you want to help your friend?" he said leaning in close her, he licked her cheek. It was all Jesse could do to keep from throwing up in his face.
"P-please help him," she whispered as she closed her eyes preparing her self for what he would do to her.
​

                                                                                             ~Chapter Six~
​
Frank had called his two men in telling them to take care of Huggy on the floor then he had untied Jesse from the chair and shoved her out of the small office out into the warehouse. She had pleaded with him but to no avail he knew what he wanted and he was going to get it one way or another. He found an out of the way corner and shoved her to the floor.
His hands roamed her body, touching places no man had never touched before. The floor under her was cold and dirty and she lay still with her eyes closed praying that he would be finished soon. He ripped her shirt open then unbuttoned her jeans. She had tried to struggle once and he had hit her with his fist causing her lip that was already split to bleed again. After that Jesse didn’t try to move again.
Thirty minutes later Agiesti came back into his office with a smile on his face. "You can take a turn if you want." He told the two men that were taking care of Huggy. He had been knocked out cold but wasn’t hurt too badly; just a small cut on the back of his head from the windowsill.
"Really boss?" the man that had carried the gun at the airport asked. He had thought she was a fine looking girl then.
"Sure why not, it’s the least she can do since you helped her ‘uncle’ here." Frank said. "He going to live?"
"For now, " the other man said.
"Okay Carl you go first." Agiesti told the gunman. "Get back out front Art and keep a look out. These cops are smart."
After Carl was finished with Jesse he relieved his partner at the door. By the time Art got to Jesse she was pretty much out of it, he didn’t know if it was because she was in shock or because she had been beaten. He wasn’t sure which one had done the number on her but the girls left eye was almost swollen shut, her mouth was bleeding and she had bruises starting to show on her torso. He looked down at her broken body and felt his stomach turn. He couldn’t do this to her, she didn’t look much older than his own daughter.
Art sat down next to Jesse; he tried to straighten her mussed hair as much as he could. He wondered what he was doing there. He hadn’t realized that when Frank had asked him and Carl to get this girl the plans that he had. He had thought they were just going to hold them for ransom but this was turning ugly.
After spending fifteen or so minutes sitting next to her he went back into the office. "Ok Mr. Agiesti what do you want us to do with her?"
"Tie her up." He said with no feeling pointing at the chair.
"She is unconscious," Art told him
"I don’t give a damn, if you can’t get her awake drag her ass in here by her hair." Agiesti snapped.
Art left he had a sick feeling, he went back to where he had left Jesse. After trying to wake her and getting no response he gently put her blouse back on and slipped her jeans over her long legs. Then he carefully picked her up and carried her back to the office. He cautiously sat her in the chair then tied her hands loosely behind her.
Agiesti stood watching Art when the man was done he sent him out telling him to help Carl on the door. Frank Jr. walked over to Jesse and pulled her head up by her hair so that he could look into her unconscious face. "This is only the beginning little girl, your parents won’t even know it’s you by the time you are found. Then I will start on them. One by one I’m going to pick them off until there is none." He hissed in her ear.
Art found Carl standing out side the warehouse smoking a cigarette. "Have a good time?" Carl asked as he puffed away.
"Yeah sure," Art said noncommittally. He looked up at the sky, it was starting to get dark, and there was very little traffic on the street he guessed that was why Carl had ventured outside.
"So now what?" Carl asked.
Art shrugged his shoulders. "Boss didn’t say." He had had enough he looked back through the open warehouse door to make sure Agiesti was no place in sight then he casually said. "Agiesti wants me to go and pick up some coffee for us. You need anything?"
Carl patted his breast pocket, "Yeah pick me up some smokes, I’m about out."
"Sure thing," Art said and held out his hand for the keys to the car they had parked around the corner. Carl fished them out of this pocket and handed them to Art. As Art started to walk away, Carl yelled, "Hey Art." The man froze fearing that he had been caught.
"Yeah?"
"Get me a couple more burgers uh? I’m starving."
"Sure," Art said his heart pounding. His pulse didn’t stop racing until he was in the car and blocks away. He drove around for more than an hour before finally making up his mind what he was going to do.
It was growing dark and the three ex partners were not any closer than they had been that morning. The only lead they finally got was that Jesse had been seen in the company of two well-dressed men at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Airport security was sending them a surveillance tape, they hoped that they might ID the men off of it but the tape wouldn’t be there till morning.
They were at a lost as what to do next. With no leads, no ideas and no more phone calls for the kidnapper all that was left to do was waiting for morning and the tape. They rejoined their families at the safe house; it was not a happy reunion for there was no good news.
Susan sat on the couch Davy huddled next to her and Mikey on her lap. Davy looked up with huge eyes and asked. "Mommy they won’t take me will they?"
Her heart broke but she put on a smile for her middle child. "No sweetie that is why you are here and if you do what you are told you will be safe."
Satisfied with the answer Davy closed his eyes but didn’t sleep he was thinking of his sister and wondering where she was. Kit was in one of the back bedrooms she hadn’t said hardly a word since they had arrived. Libby had been too busy with her two girls and the boys to do much thinking.
Hutch and Starsky sat on the back steps of the house. It wasn’t much different than the one that Hutch had stashed Maddie in when she was running from Agiesti. His goons had just about blown up the two of them. Suddenly it was like a light bulb came on in side Hutch’s head. He grabbed Starsky’s arm.
Starsky looked at his best friend wondering what the reason for the death grip was for. "You okay?"
Hutch nodded, "I just had a thought, it’s a long shot but it’s worth a try."
"What is it?"
"Agiesti," Hutch said thinking of the old man. He had come after them once before killing Maddie. He wouldn’t put it past him to try something again. He blamed them all for the death of his son.
"Hutch he’s dead, and old man Agiesti is too. It was in the paper a few weeks back. Gregory Agiesti had a heartache and died in his cell." Starsky said. He had remembered how he had felt when he had read that in the paper. It had brought back all the memories of Maddie dying in his arms.
"Did you see a body?" Hutch snapped then he closed his eyes. "Hey Starsk I’m sorry I don’t know why I’m yelling at you."
"Believe me I understand, we all love Jesse." Starsky answered putting his arm around Hutch’s shoulders. "But you are right it was just a story. That time you got planted six feet under we thought he was dead only to find out it wasn’t him."
"We never did find out who did buried me," A cold chill ran up Hutch’s spine just thinking of how frightening it was being buried alive.
They both jumped up at the same time and dashed into the house. Hutch got on the phone to call the prison Starsky grabbed the car keys. Susan came into the room from putting the boys down. "What’s going on?"
"We have a idea," Starsky said kissing her check.
"Did someone call do we have a lead?" Susan asked her eyes flashing.
"Remember Agiesti?" Starsky asked.
Susan gave a bitter laugh, "Now that’s a name that is hard to forget."
"That family has always been after us." Starsky said, then he quickly told her about the death of old man Agiesti and that they were planning on checking it out before taking it as fact.
"Let me grab a coat," Susan said eager to go with them.
Hutch hung up the phone and grabbed her by the shoulders. "You are staying here this time, no argument no debate. I want you here with Libby, Kit and the kids just in case. If some body is collecting family members I want you here to protect them."
To Hutch’s surprise Susan did argue this time but only nodded her head. "You keep me apprised on what is going on okay."
"You got it babe," Hutch kissing her lips. "You get this house locked up and don’t let anybody in. If you don’t know them even if they are in uniform don’t let them in."
"I’ll be careful," Susan promised. She stood in the doorway watching them race for the car and she crossed her fingers that they would find something out.
​

                                                                                         ~Chapter Seven~
​

The drive to the California Correctional Institution just out side Bakersfield seem protracted, it was nearing one a.m. and they were both tired. The call that Hutch had made from the house to station to find out where Agiesti had been held. Hutch found out that the man had been moved from San Quentin to CCI two years before.
When they arrived they were let in the gate and directed to the Warden’s office. Even with the lateness of the hour the Warden listened to their story with patience and with out comment his chin resting on his steepled fingertips. He pulled a file from his desk drawer and handed it to the ex-detectives.
"Here is everything on Gregory Agiesti." Warden Careny told them. "We finger printed the body it was his body that was taken out of here. There are also some photos."
They pulled out the photographs and looked at them. It was Gregory that was lying on the metal slab. Starsky looked up from the photos. "Who took the body?" He didn’t think that there was any family left to claim it.
"A family member came in the next day. He was pretty broken up had just started visiting the old man shortly before he died."
"What was his name?" Hutch asked.
"It’s there in the records you have," the Warden said.
They scanned the paper work and both at the same time caught their breath. The name listed, the name that signed for the body was that of Frank Agiesti. "This can’t be possible," Starsky said looking up at the Warden. "Frank Agiesti is the old man’s son he died a long time ago, drown we were there."
"This was a young man I would say about twenty-one or so." Warden Careny answered.
They looked at each other, "Franks son," they said at the same time.
"He had to be just a kid when all this went down." Hutch said.
"Maybe a kid with a big vendetta," Starsky said as he closed the folder and handed it back to the warden. "Any idea where he lives?"
The warden nodded his head. "The paper work he filled out said New York."
"Thanks Warden Careny," Hutch said as both he and Starsky stood up.
"I hope you find your daughter and friend." He said as they left his office.
"Let’s check LAX see if anybody with Agiesti for a name has come through lately." Hutch suggested as they started the long drive back. They stopped at a small road said diner to get a quick bite to eat and to call Susan to let her know what they had found out.
Susan has just laid down when the phone rang, she grabbed it quickly as not to wake the rest. "Yeah," she whispered into the phone.
"I think we have a lead honey," Hutch said into the phone. "Seems like at Frank Agiesti picked up the old man’s body."
"B-but that’s impossible," Susan stammered in shock.
"We think its Frank’s son the old man’s grandson." Hutch said.
"I do remember Maddie saying something about him having other children." Susan said thinking back.
"Well we are on our way back, Starsky and I are going to stop at LAX and see what we can find out there. Maybe if he just came back into town recently they will still have a passenger list on him."
"All right, just let me know," Susan said wishing she had gone with them. Half the force was sitting in front of the house in unmarked cars and they had an officer sitting in the living room to boot.
After hanging up Susan prowled the darken house. She spoke to the officer sitting on the couch; he was watching some late night TV show. Then she went into the kitchen, after rummaging in the refrigerator a few minutes she made up her mind. There was no way she could just sit there waiting while this kid did who knows what to her daughter and Huggy. If he orchestrated all this then he had one mean vendetta going on.
Susan went back to the bedroom and got dressed then went into the room where Libby was sleeping with the girls. She gently shook her shoulder as not to wake the children.
Libby opened her eyes and looked at her friend sleepily. "What did they find them?"
Susan shook her head and put her finger to her lips then motioned Libby to follow her. Once out in the hall Susan handed Libby her gun. "I’m going to LAX." She told her friend then relayed the information that Hutch had given her. "You make sure everybody here stays safe."
"Susan Hutch wanted you here." Libby said refusing to take the weapon she was being handed.
"I know that but it will take them a couple of hours to get back here. I can be at the airport way before that. That will give us a head start on looking for this punk."
"I don’t know," Libby said looking at Susan doubtfully.
"Damn it Libby take this gun, you know how to use it." Susan said pressing the cold metal into her hand. "Give me your car keys."
Libby hesitated for a moment then went back into the bedroom to get the keys. She handed them to Susan, "You be careful."
"Always," Susan said kissing Libby’s cheek. "Tell the boy’s I love them."
It was nearing dawn when Hutch and Starsky pulled into the parking lot of LAX, they went directly to the security office and explained what was going on. The guard on duty there called their head security officer who was due to report to work in two hours. But the man jumped in his car and arrived in the office fifteen minutes later.
"Thank you for coming in early," Hutch said as he shook his hand.
"I understand how important this is." Todd Michaels said. He had some of his men start looking for surveillance tapes for the last few days of the flights coming in from New York. He also called down and got the passenger lists of the NY flights.
A young woman knocked on the door then slipped in carrying a stack of passenger lists. "Boy this is the second time on my shift I had to pull these, " She commented.
As she turned to leave, Starsky grabbed her hand, "What do you mean the second time?"
"There was a woman in here several hours ago wanting passenger lists from New York," the girl said.
"What did she look like?" Hutch wanted to know, but he already knew with out even asking.
"Oh she was short I would say no more that five five, long brown hair, flashed a badge she was a cop from uh...Cincinnati I think," she smiled at them. "Is there something wrong?"
"Son of a…" Hutch began.
"No, it’s ok," Starsky assured her.
"I told Susan to stay there." Hutch fumed. "What does she think she’s doing?"
"Saving time," Starsky said shaking his head.
"I wonder if she found what she was looking for?" Hutch said as he glanced at the lists.
"I would say so," Starsky said pointing at the top list in his lap. The name Frank Agiesti Jr. was underlined in red.
A guard came in with a box of tapes he sat them on his bosses desk and left. "Look at this Hutch Agiesti came in the day before you got here."
"Lets get a look at those tapes at least we know what date we are looking for." Hutch said then snapped his fingers. "Maybe Jesse and those two goons would be on here too. They came in yesterday." He told Todd the time that her flight should have left Phoenix and he began looking for that tape as he and Starsky concentrate on finding a tape with Agiesti. At least they would know who they were looking for.
Frank Jr. was easy to spot, since they knew roughly what time he came through the terminal. The young man looked just like his father. Jesse’s kidnappers weren’t so easy, for they weren’t even sure if they had come into the airport. They could have driven, which the ex-partners didn’t really think was possible it would take to long or they could have come on a private plane. Finally after an hour of searching they found what they were looking for. Two mean leading a frighten looking Jesse out of the building.
"Can you freeze that?" Starsky asked.
"Sure can, I can even enlarge so you can get a better look at the faces." Todd said as he worked with the controls to get what they wanted. After a few minutes he was able to get a close up of the two men.
"Shit that is Carl Davis, and Art Williams a couple of two bit hoods we have put away a million times for petty junk." Hutch said eyeing the two men.
"Guess they moved in to the big leagues," Starsky said. "And they are dressing better too." He had noticed they were both clad in suits.
"Can I use your phone?" Hutch asked the security officer.
"Sure thing help your self," Todd said pushing the phone toward Hutch. "If you will excuse me I need to make some rounds now that you have what you need."
They both thanked the man and he left. Hutch dialed the number of the safe house. The officer on duty answered it. "No sir I’m afraid your wife isn’t here. She left hours ago. I tried to stop her."
"It’s all right," Hutch said, "Once she makes up her mind nothing is stopping her. If she calls tell her that we are on the right track and that she needs to stay put somewhere so we can catch up with her."
Starsky snorted in the background. They both knew there, as no way Susan would sit still now. They had both been shocked when she stayed behind in the first place.


                                                                                 ~Chapter Eight~

​​
Huggy woke with a pounding headache; he immediately looked to his right to find Jesse, what he saw horrified him. Her whole face was a pale shade of purple with darker purple patches and blood smeared. Her left eye was swollen shut her lips were split and bleeding. But what shook him to the core of his very soul was her blouse that was haphazardly buttoned and ripped. Her jeans were blood stained and unzipped. He could tell by her condition that she had been raped. He had never wanted to kill anybody so badly in all his life.
"Where are you, you bastard," Huggy yelled out when he realized they were alone in the room. Agiesti and his men were no where to be found. Huggy began struggling at the ropes that bound his wrists. "LET US OUT OF HERE."
When no one came to see what all the ruckus was about Huggy stopped struggling. He was afraid that Jesse might be dead, he watched her chest a few moments her breathing was rhythmic, she had just passed out.
Agiesti had heard Huggy’s shouts from the office but he was busy with his own troubles. He had gone looking for his two men finding only one on watch. "Where is Art?" he asked Carl who was on his last cigarette.
"He went for coffee," Carl answered taking one final drag and tossing the butt into the street. "I wish he would hurry up that was my last smoke."
"Who told him he could leave," Frank Jr. demanded.
"Why you did Mr. Agiesti."
"Like hell I did," Agiesti shouted he hit the door frame with his fist.
"He’ll be back don’t worry, he’s getting more burgers too." Carl said, he still hadn’t gotten it. Art was gone.
"You really are as stupid as you look aren’t you?" Agiesti spat.
"Hey," Carl said insulted. "I have done everything you asked Mr. Agiesti."
"Yeah except for letting Art walk out of here." Agiesti growled.
"What do you mean?" Carl asked confused. "Art will be back, he was just getting burgers and smokes."
"How long has he been gone?" Frank Jr. asked.
Carl looked at his watch then looked at the dark sky. A look of understanding spread across his face and his mouth formed an 'O', "I guess it has been a while."
Agiesti stormed back into the office to find a very angry Huggy Bear. He would have been dead if Huggy could have escaped from the chair. "You piece of shit," Huggy seethed at the young man. "How could you do that to her. She never did anything to your family."
Agiesti just shrugged, he was trying to think what to do now. It was too dangerous to move them. With just him and Carl they would take a chance of one of them getting away. However, if they stayed there Art might lead the cops back to them. Huggy was still railing at him finally; Frank Jr. turned and yelled, "SHUT UP!" He couldn't think with all the racket Huggy was making.
Huggy fell into silence he could tell something was wrong, he wondered if perhaps the cops were on to them. A few minutes later when Carl came into the office Huggy had his answer.
"I'm sure Art will be back," Carl said hoping to get his tail out of the fire. Agiesti had only paid them half of the money he had promised and Carl wanted the rest of what was owed him.
Frank Jr. turned on him. "Art isn't coming back you moron. I'm surprised the cops aren’t out there now."
"Art wouldn't go to the cops he's scared of'em." Carl said.
"Just go guard the door and let me think uh?"
"Sure thing Mr. Agiesti."
A small groan escaped Jesse's bruised lips. She raised her head from her chest and looked around the room. She hurt all over, at first she couldn't remember where she was or what was happening then it all came back in a flooding nightmare. What those men had done to her, all she wanted to do was die.
"Jess," Huggy called softly to her. "I'm here."
Jesse turned her head and looked at Huggy but she didn't speak all she could do was cry. How could she ever look anyone in the face again. She closed her eyes again the tears spilling from under her lashes.
Susan was at the front desk at the station to see if they had any information on Frank Agiesti Jr. when a man came though the door. He went up the Desk Sargent, his eyes were frighten and he stammered as he spoke but when she heard Agiesti's name she turned and looked at him.
"Excuse me," Susan said pulling her badge from her pocket.
The Desk Sargent looked at the badge then her. "This isn't Cincinnati young lady."
"I realize that but if you would like to call up and talk to Captain Dan Simpson he will explain." Susan said then turned to the man that had come in off the street. "Did I hear you say Frank Agiesti?"
"Yes ma'am," Art Willimas answered.
"Are you working for him?" she asked again. She could tell the desk Sargent was about to protest her asking questions. "Call Captain Simpson please ask him to come down here."
The desk Sargent glared at her but did as he was asked.
"I was, I walked out. I couldn't put up with him hurting that little girl," he said looking as if he might cry."
Susan’s blood ran cold, the phase 'little girl' rang in her ears. "What little girl?"
"Mr. Agiesti had us kidnapped this girl from an airport in Phoenix and brough her back here." Art explained.
"This girls name wouldn't happened to be Jesse would it?" Susan said holding her breath but she knew that answer.
"How did you know?" he asked surprised.
"Where is he holding her? Is there a black man with her." Susan asked quickly.
"Yeah there is a guy named Huggy he knew the girl." Art said hoping he was doing the right thing. He knew that Agiesti was going to be made at him but all he could think about was that poor girl.
"Where is he holding them," Susan asked again.
"In an old ware house," he said then wrote down the address on a piece of paper she handed him.
"There is a Captain coming down here," Susan explained to Art. "You tell him what you just told me.
He nodded, "I sure hope that little girl will be okay." Art called after Susan as she was running out the door.
She wondered what he meant by that but didn't stop to ask. She had to get to Jesse. Susan wished that their cars were equipped with radios so that she could call her ex-partners. She knew that they must be back in town by now and they wouldn't be far behind her. Also she knew that once the Captain heard the man's tale he would send back up to the warehouse but she wasn't going to wait.
Susan glanced at the piece of paper that Art had scribbled the address down on. This particularly warehouse had to be just up in the next block. She was driving slowly looking around when she spotted a man standing out side a warehouse door. He was leaning on up against the wall studying his hands. She looked at the address again, this was the place. Susan figured he must be the lookout.
Susan went around the block and parked on the side street, the same one that Art had taken the car from earlier. She got out and reached for her gun. Then she remembered that she had left it with Libby. "Damn," she muttered under her breath. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to let that stop her. She had to get to Jesse something about the way Art had said he hope she would be okay unnerved her.
The detective put her purse over her shoulder and strolled down the street toward the man who was now looking at a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe. She stopped in front of him and had to clear her throat before he looked up.
Carl was surprised to see a woman standing in front of him. She was the first person on foot he had seen all day. "Can I help you?"
"I'm lost, I was wondering if you maybe had a phone I could borrow?" Susan asked cheerily.
Carl shrugged, "Sorry lady, no phones here. But there is one a couple of miles up that way that works." Then he pointed to the other corner. "Damn kids busted that one."
"Thanks," Susan said and started to walk away. Then she stopped and came back. "You sure there's not one in building?" she persisted.
"Listen Lady, I told ya there is no phone here. The boss has to drive up that way to use one." Carl was beginning to lose his good humor. All he needed was for Agiesti to catch him talking to this broad and he would have his head on a platter. "Why don't you move along before my boss comes out here and I get in trouble."
"Can I help you?" Said a voice just in side the door.
Carl rolled his eyes, "Now I'm in for it," he whispered.
Frank Agiesti Jr. stepped out into the sunlight. It was all Susan could do to keep her wits about her. It was like looking into the face of his father. "I-I was just looking for a phone but this gentleman here told me that you didn't have one."
Frank Jr. smiled at her, "He is right too. Sorry no phone. But perhaps we could give you a lift some where?"
"No thank you I have a car just around the corner," Susan said pointing down the street. She knew she needed to get away quickly. "Thanks for your trouble."
"Just where do you think you are going Detective Carlston?" Agiesti said with a smirk on his face.
​

                                                                                        ~Chapter Nine~
​

Starsky and Hutch entered the station of a flurry of activity; they were headed toward the elevator to see Captain Simpson when the desk Sergeant yelled, "Hey aren’t you two guys with that lady detective?"
Then went back to the front desk. "Yes my wife is a detective with the Cincinnati police in Ohio."
"That’s the one," the sergeant said. "She has gone after that kidnapped girl. Back up left here about twenty minutes after she took off."
"Shit," Hutch breathed. " I swear to god that woman has a death wish."
"Where did she go." Starsky asked.
"I’m not sure," he answered.
"Is Captain Simpson in?" Hutch asked impatiently.
"He went with back up."
"Well could you possibly find out where they went?" Starsky said between clenched teeth. He felt like dragging the man over the desk beating the information out of him.
"I’ll call dispatch they will know," he said picking up the phone.
"Thank you," Hutch responded sarcastically.
After talking on the phone for a few minutes the Sergeant scribbled down the information from dispatch and handed the paper to the ex-partners.
Taking one look at the address Starsky said, "This is in the warehouse district."
They dashed out of the building got into their car and screamed away from the curb with out even looking cutting off a patrol car just coming off duty. The officer flicked on his flashing lights and pursued the fleeing car. Starsky looked in the rear view mirror, sighing he pulled over.
"What’s the big hurry buddy?" The officer asked looking into the car but his anger changed to surprise. "Starsky is that you? Hey Hutch"
"How ya doing Cole," Starsky said, "Listen we are in a hurry."
"I heard about your daughter Hutch, Huggy too." Officer Cole Bradford said. "I'm really sorry."
"We think they might have been found that's where we were headed," Starsky said anxiously, eager to get going.
Cole's face turned serious, "Where?" Starsky gave him the address. "You follow me." The officer ran to get in his squad car.

"Get in there," Agiesti said shoving Susan in to the office. He turned and slammed the door. "Family reunion."
At first, Susan didn't even recognize her daughter she was so beaten. Her eyes swung to Huggy then she knew. "Jesse, dear god," Susan cried as she went to her daughter. Susan raised Jesse's head that was resting on her chest, her eyes were dull and lifeless, it was clear she was in shock. The condition of her daughter stunned Susan. "You bastard," Susan turned on Agiesti ready to do battle with the man.
He stuck a gun in her face, "Sit down and shut up." When the detective didn't do as she was told he shoved her toward an empty chair. She hit the chair full force and tipped it over both she and the chair crashing to the floor. Agiesti bent over Susan and put his gun to her temple, "Get up." He commanded.
Slowly she got to her feet, her forehead was bleeding and her arm was throbbing as it has twisted under her as she went down. Huggy sat watching, murder in his heart for this man. He was hurting the people he loved most in the world. He had been working on the ropes that bound his hands; he almost had them loose enough to slip his out his hands.
Susan glared at Agiesti still refusing to sit; instead she went back to her daughter and knelt next to her. "Jesse?" Then she looked over at Huggy, "You okay?" He nodded his head. She turned her attention back to Jesse. "Mommy's here honey." Susan brushed her hair out of her face, rage boil with her in as she got a good look at the bruised cut face of her beautiful daughter.
"Listen if you don't sit your ass in that chair I'm going to blow off your head," Agiesti said then thought for a moment and pointed the gun to Jesse's head. "No make that your daughters head."
Immediately Susan righted the chair but before sitting down pulled it close to be by Jesse's side. She glared at Agiesti, "What the hell do you from us?"
"I want you to die," Frank Jr. said, "Just like my mother, father and grandfather. "You made my sister and I orphans."
"I made you nothing," Susan seethed. "Maybe you should get your facts straight. Your father was a two bit mob boss that thought he could have anything thing and anybody he wanted. He had your mother murdered so that he could be with his mistress who had figured out just what a monster he was and tried to escape him."
"YOU LIE," Agiesti screamed at in her face. "You killed my father!"
"Your father drown, his own doing," Susan spit out. She knew she was infuriating the young man but she did not care any more. They had enough sorrow from this family. "Your father kidnapped my family, his mistress and tried to kill us. Your grandfather then killed her that was why he was in prison you little jerk."
Agiesti hit Susan across the face just as Huggy got his hands out. With a yell of out rage, Huggy sprung from his chair board siding Agiesti sending them both to the floor. They struggled for the gun that skidded under the desk. Susan tried to reach it was knocked out of the way by the two fighting men.
With a final reach Huggy snagged the gun. Agiesti tired to wrestle it out of his hands. Susan unable to get Jesse untied from the chair pulled it over out of the way fearing that she might be shot with the gun the men were fighting over. Suddenly the gun went off with a deafening roar in the small room.
Carl heard the shot from the warehouse doorway; he wasn't sure if he should see what was going on or just run. His instincts told him to take off and not look back. He had just decided to run when he heard the sound of screeching tires coming around the corners in both directions. He dropped his gun and had his hands up before the first officer even stepped from a car. Carl was quickly cuffed and shoved into a waiting squad car.
Captain Simpson was the first into the warehouse followed by other officers. He quickly made his way to the back of the building where he could see a light shinning. Finding the office he could see a young man pointing a gun at the female detective, she was standing in front of a slumped form sitting in a chair.
Quietly the officers surrounded the out side of the small office. When they were all in position Captain Simpson yelled, "You are surrounded drop the gun."
Agiesti drew his attention away from Susan only a moment but it was enough time to see that the warehouse was full of police. For the first time he looked scared, and young not at all like the savage man that had kidnapped first Huggy then Jesse. Huggy lay on the floor at his feet bleeding having lost the struggle with the gun. Susan stood between Agiesti and her daughter she would protect her at all costs.
"Come on Agiesti drop the gun, don't make me shoot you," Simpson yelled again.
Frank Agiesti Jr. sighed and started to lower the gun but then he slowly brought it back up again aiming it point blank at Susan's chest.
There was a loud blast; glass shattering and Agiesti fell to the floor next to where Huggy Bear lay. The police charged the room, Simpson being the first one in. Susan sat on the floor next to her daughter feverishly trying to untie her hands. Simpson squatted next to her. "You okay."
Susan nodded as tears spilt down her face. "He shot Huggy and Jesse s-she's…" she couldn’t go on.
Simpson quickly untied Jesse's hands and pulled the girl into his arms as other officers check Huggy and Agiesti. "He's still breathing," one of the officers said as he checked Huggy. "Other one is dead."
Dan Simpson holding Jesse in his arms and closely followed by Susan were on their way out of the warehouse when Starsky and Hutch ran in the door. Susan flung herself into her husband's arms sobbing. Starsky went to Jesse, when he saw the condition she was in all he could see was red. "Where is the bastard?" Starsky demanded.
"He's dead," Dan told him. "He and your friend are still back there in the office. I thought we needed to get her out of there."
However, Starsky didn't hear Dan's words and started toward the moment at the back of the building then stopped short, "Huggy, is he…?"
"He's been shot but still alive," Dan answered. Then he turned to yell at one of his men, "Where are those damn life squads?"
"They are on their way sir." Came the answer.
Hutch guided Susan out side having her sit on the hood of one of the squad cars then took Jesse from Simpson. "Jesse, Jesse," Hutch whispered her name repeatedly as he rocked her back and forth. He buried his face in her matted hair and tears wetting her hair. Hutch sat down next to his wife to wait on the life squad.
Starsky ran to the office where Agiesti had been holding his family. Two officers were taking care of Huggy until the paramedics arrived. A third was slipping Agiesti's gun into a plastic bag. Starsky bent over the young man, yanked him from the floor by this collar, and shook him. "You son-of-a-bitch," he yelled in his face. "How dare you how…" Starsky was so livid that he couldn’t even think straight, if he would have had a gun he would have blown his head off.
He felt a hand on his back, "He's dead Starsky he's dead." It was Dan Simpson. "Come on, the life squads are here. Let's get out of the way so they can get your friend to the hospital.
Starsky let Agiesti's lifeless body fall back to the floor and allowed Simpson to lead him from the office spent from his rage. The paramedics rushed past them as they headed out of the warehouse.
​

                                                                                           ~Chapter Ten~
​

Susan and Hutch sat huddled together in the waiting room in anticipation of news about their daughter and Huggy. Kit had been called and was on her way while Libby stayed with the kids. Starsky paced the hallway unable to sit still.
"Want some coffee or something?" Hutch asked his wife, she shook her head. Hutch took her hand and she winced. "What’s wrong?" He had noticed the small cut her forehead but not her wrist that was swollen twice it’s size.
"I’m okay," Susan said, she hadn’t even felt the pain until now. She was too worry about Jesse and Huggy to think of her self. She hadn’t even allowed one of the paramedics to look at her head on the scene.
"Let me look at your arm," Hutch said pushing up the sleeve of her blouse. He gasped when he saw how swollen and purple it was. "You need to have this looked at."
Susan just shook her head, "Not until we find out about them."
Hutch got up and went out into the hall after telling Susan he would be back in a few minutes. He caught up with Starsky who was almost at the other end of the hall. "Will you go talk to Susan?" Hutch said a frown creasing his handsome face.
"What’s wrong," Starsky asked not needing more worries.
"I think her arm might be broken," Hutch answered. "She is refusing to let a doctor look at it."
"I’ll go talk to her why don’t you see if you can get a doctor up here." Starsky said knowing that there was no way that she could be talked into leaving.
Susan was sitting staring out into space when Starsky walked into the waiting room. "How ya doing?" he asked sitting down next to her.
She gave him a lopsided grin, "Hutch sent you in here didn’t he?"
He shook his head, "Can’t get anything past you uh?"
"Not after all these years."
"Let me see your arm," Starsky said taking her hand before she could protest.
"Man this looks bad." He examined her arm.
"I’ll get it looked at just as soon as I hear about Jess and Huggy." Susan promised.
"That could be hours," Starsky said taking her other hand. "Please. For me?"
Susan closed her eyes then nodded, "Okay."
Just as they were getting up Hutch appeared in the doorway with a doctor, "This is Dr. Floriz," he introduced the man with him.
The doctor stepped forward and looked at her arm. "Looks broken, you need an ex-ray."
An hour later Susan returned to the waiting room her arm in a cast up to her elbow there was also a Band-Aid on her forehead. Hutch smiled at her, "Better?"
"I’ll be better when I can talk to Jesse," she answered, "I wonder what is taking them so damn long."
"Huggy is out of surgery a nurse told us while you were gone, he’s going to be fine." Starsky said. "Kit came in while you were gone too she is sitting with him how."
"I have to find out something about Jess," Susan said turning and leaving the room. She went to the nurse’s station, "Excuse me, I would like to know how my daughter Jesse Hutchinson is doing?"
"The doctor will be with you in just a moment." The nurse smiled at her.
Susan sighed going back to the waiting room, "Doctor should be coming soon to talk to us, " She informed her partners as she flopped down in a chair between them.
A few minutes later a female doctor appeared in the doorway. "Are you Jesse’s family?" She asked. They all got to their feet. "I’m Doctor Shields."
"Doctor how is she?" Hutch asked.
"I guess I don’t have to tell you your daughter was raped several times. She was also beaten pretty badly. She will recover physically but her mental state might take a while. At this point she is not talking, I asked her several questions she just stares out into space."
Hutch wanted to kill somebody, if Agiesti hadn’t been dead already he would have torn him limb from limb. "How long will this last?"
Dr. Shields shook her head, "I’m not sure, it’s a defense mechanism, she has just totally shut down her emotions so she can’t be hurt anymore. She could snap out of it any minute or it could take days, maybe longer."
Susan looked at the Doctor horrified, "She will come out of it right?"
"I’m going to be honest with you Mrs. Hutchinson, I don’t know there is no way of telling. There is an out side chance she may never come out of it. Sometimes people are so traumatized that they shut down forever. But I think with the love of her family and some work she will come out of it."
"We are no stranger to work, Dr. Shields," Hutch said giving his ex-partners a knowing look. He was thinking of the shooting just over a year ago that had left him paralyzed. They had gotten through that and he had recovered fully
Susan took his hand, "We will do what ever we can."
The Doctor nodded, "She is in room 511 just down the hall."
"Why don’t you two go, I’ll going to call Libby and let her know." Starsky said. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see Jesse in that condition.
Susan and Hutch pushed open Jesse’s room door, she was laying in bed staring at the ceiling. She didn’t look over when they entered and made no move when Hutch took her hand and spoke, "Jess baby we are here."
Her face was totally purple her lips and left eye were swollen but the worst scars were the ones they couldn’t see then ones that would be the hardest to shake, the ones that would haunt her for a life time.
Susan went around the bed taking her other hand, "You’re safe now honey."
"As soon as you get out of here we will go to Disneyland or do anything you want." Hutch said but got no response from his daughter. "Davy misses you."
"Huggy is going to be just fine, he saved us you know," Susan told an unseeing Jesse. It was frightening to see her so still so unresponsive. She had always been so animated, so happy.
"Jess honey," Hutch patted her hand trying to get a reaction out of her. "Cassie called, she has been really worried about her. We could see if she could come for a visit here. Or do you want to go home." Nothing.
Hutch looked over at Susan his eyes filling with tears. This was killing him, he couldn’t fix this, couldn’t ride in on his white horse and save her. This wasn’t a skinned knee he could make better with a kiss and a hug or a broken heart to mend because her boyfriend dumped her the day before the big dance.
"Why don’t you go home and get some rest," Hutch said to Susan, she looked like she was in pain her self.
"No I’m fine," she answered as she smoothed Jesse’s hair.
They both stayed for hours only moving from Jesse’s side long enough to visit Huggy to assure them he was fine. Starsky poked his head in Jesse’s room to find his best friends sound asleep holding their daughters hands. A lump formed in his throat as he watched them. He was so close to them that he felt as though Jesse was one of his daughters also. Silently he walked into the room and stood at the foot of her bed and stared at her as if willing Jesse to come out of it. She was lying with her eyes open but unseeing, it was almost as if she were dead but he knew she wasn’t as her chest rose and fell in a rhythmic motion.
Finally Starsky left not being able to watch the scene any longer. He went and checked on Huggy then went home to be with Libby and the kids. As soon as the word has spread that Agiesti was dead Libby and the children were moved back to their home.
Starsky went in and scooped up little Mikey and held him close. Libby came up behind him and put her arms around his waist. "It’s going to be okay." She said softly.
"I don’t know this time Libs," he said as he lay the sleeping baby back in the crib. "Jesse is practically comatose. You should see her poor face."
"You listen here David Starsky, Jesse is a strong girl she will come out of this. She takes after her mother and father, her Uncle Starry even."
Starsky smiled at her, "You always know the right thing to say don’t you?"
"I have had lots of practice," she said hugging him tightly.


                                                                                            ~Chapter Eleven~

​​

Three days later both Huggy Bear and Jesse were allowed to leave the hospital. Huggy had a shoulder wound that hadn’t been too bad and there wasn’t anything else the hospital could do for Jesse. Dr. Shields recommended a good therapist and released her. Jesse would eat if food was put to her lips and walk if she was led but she hadn’t spoken a word nor looked at anybody.
Susan and Hutch were going to move their brood into a hotel but Libby and Starsky wouldn’t hear of it. The house would be crowded but they both felt that just might be what Jesse needed not sitting in some hotel room.
Jesse sat on the couch staring out into space Davy flopped down next to her, "Hi Jesse," he said gently punching her in the arm. His parents had warned him that she was different now but with help she might get back to her old self. So he showed her all his trading cards, twice. Talked endless about baseball and showed her his new game for his game boy. Hutch stood in the doorway watching his son and daughter. Davy looked over sadly at his father he had been talking to his sister for over an hour; she hadn’t so much as moved a mussel the whole time.
Davy got up to leave the room as he pass by Hutch, his father ruffled his hair, "Thank you Davy," Hutch said. "Everything we do helps."
Davy just shrugged and went out to play with Sam and Dee. He rushed past Susan who was coming in from the kitchen carrying a glass of water with a straw. They had found that Jesse responded more and was less messy using a straw. Susan sat down next to Jesse and held the straw to her lips, Jesse sucked the straw but didn’t change expressions. Once the water was gone Susan took the glass back to the kitchen.
She sat the glass in the sink, a sob escaped her lips and she had to brace her self on the counter to keep from falling to the floor. Starsky who had been playing the back yard came in to find her shaking and sobbing. He guided her to a kitchen chair. "It’s going to be okay," Starsky said gently brushing her hair from her eyes. Susan shook her head unable to speak. "Yes it is. You have to give Jess sometime it’s only been three days. She went through a lot, she has to heal emotional."
Susan took a big hiccuping breath and looked into his blue eyes, "How did you get so smart?"
Starsky shrugged his shoulders, "Why don’t you come out in the back yard with us for a while. She will be fine."
Libby was playing with the kids, Kenny was in a walker and Mikey sat in a stroller in the shade. Susan went over to pick up her son, it has seemed like days since she had held him. If it hadn’t been for Libby she wouldn’t have made it.
Hutch sat in an armchair watching his daughter, looking for any sign that she was coming out of it. Some of the bruising was beginning to fade leaving yellow patches. She sat there, hands in her lap where they had been put. What if she didn’t come out of this? They hadn’t discussed it, but there was no way they would be able to care for her around the clock. Even if Susan quit her job, it would be too much still having to care for Davy and the baby. He hated the thought of having to put her in some kind home. But they weren’t ready to give up yet.
At the dinner table that night Jesse sat silently next to her mother. She knew her family was around her and that they were trying to break through. But she just couldn’t respond it was almost like she was trapped in her body. She felt safe, if she didn’t interact she couldn’t be hurt again. She felt sorry for everyone they were trying so hard but there was just nothing that made her want to come out of her little cocoon into the world again.
It was well after midnight; Starsky was in the kitchen looking for something to eat. He padded out into the living room with a sandwich in one hand and a beer in the other. They had put Jesse on the sleeper sofa so that she wouldn’t have to climb the stairs yet.
Starsky sat in the easy chair Hutch had sat in early that day and ate his sandwich. He noticed Jesse was awake, she wasn’t watching him but he knew that she was no longer sleeping. He set his beer on the coffee table and went over and sat on the edge of the sofa. He stroked her hair for a few minutes speaking to her in soft tones. Then he got an idea.
Starsky guided Jesse across the wet grass to the Hutchinson’s old house. Quietly he opened the back gate, he knew the family that lived there wouldn’t care. They had been come friends with them over the past months. He led Jesse to the swing that hung from a large tree that Hutch had put up for her when she was little girl. He carefully pushed her down on to the board and wrapped her hands about the ropes. He knelt down in front of her. The ruby ring that he had given her right before they left as still on her finger. He rubbed his thumb over the top of the ring as he remembered that night.
"Hold on tight Jess," he whispered in her ear. Her hands were lax on the ropes at first and he only pushed her a bit just to get the swing swaying. "I can remember when your dad and I put up this swing." Starsky was talking to Jesse as much as he was talking to himself. "You had just moved in, it was the first thing he wanted to do. He said all little girls deserved a swing in their back yard."
He wondered if she was listening if she was hearing his words. "Remember when Cassie was kidnapped and you rode your bike up and down the street. We asked you what you were going and you said you were bate, you remember that? What a brave little kid you were."
Starsky pushed her just a bit harder. "Do you remember when you and Cassie took that little trip on your own downtown? You were running away because Cassie’s family was moving away." He looked for an answer, but pushed on without one. "After you were tucked safely back in your bed, I found your Dad out here at 4 a.m. He was terrified, Jess. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to be there to protect you from all the bad in the world. I told him he could never do that. He could never keep you wrapped up and safe. He could only trust that you were a strong enough person to face the world and make it through. Jesse, you are strong and you have so much ahead of you. We don't want to lose you. You have too many things to do in your life." Starsky thought he saw her hands shake against the ropes. He stopped the swing and knelt down in front of the still figure. "I know you're in there Jesse, and I know you're afraid, but we're all here. We need you. You know what else I know? I know you can do this. You can get through this." Starsky gently took her chin in his hand. "Hey, I love you kiddo, and I'm not gonna let you hide. I always found you when you were a kid and you were never any good at it." Starsky waited for a response that didn't come. He wondered if she had even heard him. He slowly got up.
"Remember last year when your dad was shot? You wouldn’t let him give up, you were going to sacrifice everything, your biggest dream for him just to be with him." As he talked he noticed her fingers tightening around the ropes and he pushed her harder until her long hair was flying out behind her.
Her shoulders began to shake as she started sobbing. Starsky brought the swing to a halt; Jess stood up and looked at him. "Uncle Starry, he hurt me, " she wailed.
He pulled her into her arms holding her tightly letting her cry it all out. Once her tears started to subside he pushed her away from him and looked into her eyes, "He won’t hurt you any more, sweetie, he won’t be hurting any of us anymore.
"H-he’s the same one that…that killed Maddie wasn’t it?" She asked through her tears still a bit confused.
Starsky shook his head, "It was his grandfather. But there are no more Agiesti’s left to cause us pain anymore.
"These men, they made me come with them in the airport, I didn’t want to go I tried to…" she dissolved in tears again.
"Shhhhh," Starsky soothed. "It’s over."
"What about Uncle Huggy? They kept hurting him there was nothing I could do."
"Honey he’s fine and eager to see you." Starsky said. He knew for a fact that Huggy felt guilty for what happened to Jesse that he couldn’t come to her rescue.
She looked up into his eyes, "I’m going to be all right aren’t I?"
Starsky nodded with tears standing in his own eyes, "You bet ya kiddo."
The next morning everybody was stunned to see Jesse moving about. She and Starsky had stayed up the remainder of the night talking her telling him all the details. As she talked the memories came back in great detail, things that she didn’t want to remember. As the sun came up they decided to make breakfast for the house hold and surprise them.
Jesse was setting a plate of pancakes that she had just made on the dining room table when Susan came down the stairs. Susan stopped dead still when she saw her daughter. "HUTCH!" she screamed up the stairs.
Hutch came running taking the steps two at a time thinking that something had happened. When he reached the last step he saw why Susan had been yelling for him. Jesse was standing there smiling at them. They both grabbed Jesse at the same time hugging her to them.
"God baby we thought we had lost you," Hutch said clinging to her.
"I’m not that easy to get rid of," she said hugging them tightly.
Hutch laughed, "You sound just like your mother."
​

                                                                                           ~Chapter Twelve~
​

It had been a long emotional day; Hutch stood in the back yard looking up at the star filled sky. Libby came out the back door; he turned when he heard the door slam, "Hey Libs,"
"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" She asked coming down the stairs. She walked up next to him and looked up. "Pretty uh? Like nothing in the world could go wrong."
"Yeah but it does. I was thinking about how lucky I am. We almost lost Jess and Huggy this time." He sighed as he put his arm around Libby’s shoulders.
Libby slung her arm around his waist and they stood looking up at the night sky for a few minutes. Then at the same time they both spoke, "I wanted to ask you something." They looked at each other then burst out laughing.
"You go first," Hutch said taking her hand pulling her toward the porch steps.
As they sat down Libby took a deep breath, "I was wondering if you would consider moving back?"
Hutch looked at the ground a smile forming on his face. "You will never believe this but that is what I was going to ask you. Would you mind if we moved back?"
"It’s not working is it?" Libby asked still holding his hand.
Hutch shook his head, "We are going through the motions but you are right it’s not working."
"Starsky wanders around here like a lost puppy most of the time. He puts on a good front for me and the kids but I know he misses you like crazy." Libby said. "I have seen him pick up the phone then slam it down. I’m sure he was going to call you to do something or other then he would remember."
"Can we handle? Can they handle it?" Hutch questioned.
"If you ask me we were handling it before. There was some tension there but I would rather live with that than have you guys leave again." Libby leaned her head on Hutch’s shoulder. "How do you think Starsky and Susan will feel about it?"
Hutch shrugged. "Maybe things are different now, we have been gone a while and then all this with Jesse."
"I guess we won’t know unless we talk to them." Libby looked up at the sky again, a star shot across the sky, she closed her eyes and made a wish.
Susan stood over the form of her sleeping daughter looking down at her. They had her back but she wasn’t going to kid her self Jesse still had a long way to go, she would need some therapy to get over or at least learn to live what happened to her.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Starsky standing there. "Feel like a walk?" he asked.
"Sure," Susan bent over and pulled the covers up around Jesse’s shoulders and followed Starsky to the front door.
It was a warm perfect night and they gazed at the stars just as their counterparts were doing in the back yard. They walked down the street in silence, Susan glanced at the house that had once been theirs, and she felt a tug at her heart. Why had they done it why had they moved? But she knew the answer to that. She looked up at Starsky, "I want to come back." She said softly.
He looked down at her, "I want you to come back. I thought I could handle you guys moving away but it’s not the same, nothing is the same. At first it was all right Huggy and I were busy with the restaurant but then everything there reminded me of you and Hutch."
"So what do we do?" Susan said looking back toward their old house.
"I don’t know, what about Libby and Hutch?" Starsky asked.
"Hutch didn’t want to go anymore than I did, Libby wasn’t happy either." Susan said remembering some of the looks on Hutch’s face when he thought she wasn’t around. She had caught him holding a photo of him and Starsky one day just staring at it.
Starsky stopped and turned Susan to look at him. "I will always love you nothing can ever change that but family, our families are much more important than anything that could ever go on between the two of us. We would never hurt Libby or Hutch and we know it. So we need to find a common ground to stand on," He hesitated a moment. "You know I think we have that common ground already, it is our families."
Susan nodded she had tears standing in her eyes. "But I don’t want it to be like it was before we left. Us afraid to be in a room alone together, or give each other a hug or…"
"I agree," Starsky interrupted. "They trust us they have proved that over and over again. Now I think it’s time we start trusting ourselves."
Susan threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, "I trust you, I always have."
Starsky kissed her check, "And I trust you with my life, with my very soul."
They headed back to the house.
When they got back to the house they found Libby and Hutch sitting on the front porch waiting for them. It would have been easy for Susan and Starsky to feel guilty and if it have several months before they would have but this time Susan went to sit by Hutch and Starsky next to Libby with out a second thought.
It was almost as if they all knew what the big question was with out anyone even saying it. "So now what?" Hutch was the one to break the silence.
"Find a house," Susan said with a smile on her lips as she hugged Hutch.
"How about if we find a big house," Libby proposed winking at Starsky. Starsky knitted his brow not understanding what she was suggesting.
"It’s going to have to be an almighty big house," Susan grinning over at Libby, she had caught on as to what Libby was talking about. Hutch had the same confused look as Starsky.
"Not too bad, the boys could have one room, Sam and Dee one room, Jesse her own of course and then two for us." Libby said suddenly feeling excited, it could would, it had to work.
"Doable," Susan agreed.
Suddenly Starsky’s mouth fell open, "Are you guys talking about what I think you are?"
"It just makes sense, we will just have one big house," Libby said trying not to laugh at the expressions on the men’s faces.
"Are you sure about this honey," Starsky said taking Libby’s face in his hands and looking into her eyes.
"Starsky I have always been sure," Libby said.
He knew she wasn’t speaking of the house but of him and Susan. He grinned and kissed her. "Well it’s all right with me if it’s all right with Hutch."
Three sets of eyes turned toward Hutch, he looked at Susan, knowing that Libby’s words of being sure were true for him also. If Susan and Starsky were going to be anything but fateful it would have already happened by now. Them all living in the same house wouldn’t have any effect.
"This is nuts," Susan laughed. "So Hutch what are you going to do transfer to UCLA, or go into the restaurant business? What?"
Hutch pondered the question for a few moments then grinned, "Well if I could find me a couple of partners I have an idea." It was Susan’s turn to look confused. "How about a S & H Detective Service? It’s not like we don’t have any experience."
"Doable," Starsky said after thinking a second. He liked the ring of it and the thought of getting his partners back. He looked over at Libby who was already beaming and nodding her head yes.
"Well I guess that settles that," Hutch said getting up and pulling Susan to her feet. "I’ll guess we better tell the kids."
"It’s 2 a.m." Libby said looking at her watch.
"Who can wait until morning?" Hutch asked. They all looked at each other and ran up the steps into the house.
Libby stopped and looked back at the night sky, "Thank you, " she mouthed then followed the rest of them into the house.

​​
~The End~