Madison
By
Tooki
It was a quiet morning in the squad room, most of the officers were catching up on their paper work from the day before. Detective David Starsky was sitting with his feet propped up on his desk. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a glazed donut in the other. A white paper sack sat on his desk filled with a dozen more.
Starsky stood five foot eleven, had dark curly hair and mischievous blue eyes. He was dressed as always in blue jeans, a T-shirt and tennis shoes. Starsky rarely dressed up and at times sported his tennis shoes even with a suit.
His two partners entered the squad room together. Both were carrying steaming cups of coffee that they had gotten from the vending machine in the hall. Kenneth Hutchinson was three inches taller than Starsky and was blond but had the same blue eyes. Hutch as he was better known as was a much better dresser. And usually opted for a gray concoction that he whipped up every morning to the donuts Starsky ate.
Susan Carlston, rounded out the trio. At thirty-five she was ten years younger than her two partners. She had long dark hair, hazel eyes and was much shorter at only five-four. Susan dressed more like Starsky, in blue jeans and a plaid shirt. They carried their guns strapped to their sides and wore jackets to conceal their weapons.
All though their last names were different, Susan and Hutch had been married for the last several years and had a seven-year-old daughter, Jesse. They had decided that Susan would keep her name at the office to cut down on the confusion
Hutch walked up to Starsky and pushed his feet from the desk, something he did daily. The curly headed detectives feet hit the floor with a bang making everyone in the room jumped. Starsky shot his partner a dirty look. "Do you mind I'm trying to eat my breakfast." Starsky huffed as he ate the rest of the donut in his had and dived in the bag for a second. He held the bag up to Susan, who took one and passed the bag to Hutch.
Hutch rolled his eyes as he went around to sit at his own desk. "If you two want to rot out your stomachs go right ahead, I won't be party to it."
"Oh please," Susan laughed. "One little donut is not going to rot anything."
Hutch sometimes hated it when Susan sided with Starsky. They were so alike sometimes it was scary, and he knew that there was a powerful draw between the two of them. In fact there was a love there that both Susan and Starsky spent most of their time trying to deny.
Things had gotten much better since Starsky and Libby Standford had become an on going thing. Libby was a policewoman and a computer whiz, she worked down stairs in the main office. Libby and Starsky had an on again off again relationship until late the year before when he had almost been killed. Since then they had been a steady thing, it had seem to cool the feelings between him and Susan.
But Hutch knew the feelings were still there just under the surface. He didn't blame either of his partners for their feelings. All three of them had worked together for many years together and so closely, it was easy to see how it could happen. In fact he admired the two of them for trying to keep a handle on their feelings.
The office door behind Starsky opened and a plump black man stepped out. He had black hair, mustache and rarely smiled but today he had a wide smile on his face. "Hutchinson, Carlston, Starsky," he said standing behind Starsky. Starsky held up the bag of donuts. Dobey took one before he continued, "The commissioner just called, you three are getting an accommodation for that kiddy porn right you cracked last month."
Starsky turned in his seat to stare at his captain, Susan's mouth dropped open and Hutch stood up. "Are you kidding?" Hutch asked in shock.
Dobey's grin widen, "You saved a great many kids. The Mayor called the commissioner and told him he wanted you to have the award." He patted Starsky on the shoulder, Susan gave his cubby cheek a kiss. Dobey then reached across the desk and shook Hutch's hand. "Nobody deserves it more than you guys."
"It's our job Cap," Susan said. "We get paid for what we do."
"That's true but you always go above the call of duty. How many times have you all put your lives on the line." Dobey asked.
"Every cop puts their lives on the line when they strap on that gun and walk out that door," Hutch said as he sat back down.
"Are you trying to tell me you are going to turn this down?" Dobey asked with a worried expression on his face. "The commissioner will have a fit."
Starsky laughed, "no, we'll accept, won't we guys?" He winked at his partners. They both nodded and smiled at Dobey who looked relieved.
The squad room door opened and a tall, model thin woman walked in. She had thick shoulder length blonde hair, crystal blue eyes and a smile that caught every male officer's attention in the room. The woman was dressed in a beautifully tailored navy suit with matching shoes and purse that she had over her shoulder.
She leaned over to the closest officer and spoke to him. He looked across the room and pointed to the three detectives and the captain. The woman thanked the officer and moved across the room. The smell of her perfume was enough to make any man dizzy. Once she was with in a few feet from the detectives she stopped, smoothed her skirt, touched her hair lightly and took a deep breath, then proceed on her way. The detectives didn't look her way, as they were busy talking to their captain.
She stood there for a few minutes then cleared her throat. Starsky was the first to glance her way. His face went pale when he was who it was. Starsky looked over at Hutch who apparently hadn't heard the woman. Catching his partners' eye he looked toward the tall blonde woman. Hutch followed his gaze, as did Susan.
"Maddie? Maddie Callaway?" Hutch said getting to his feet and coming around the desk. At six-one she was the same height as Hutch. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her to him. Susan raised her eyebrows and looked at Starsky who was frowning. Dobey looked as puzzled as the female detective did.
"Kenneth," she said in a polished voice. "I wasn't sure you still worked here, but here you are. Then she glanced over at Starsky. "David."
It was clear that Hutch was delighted to see her but Starsky had a pinched look on his face. "Hi Maddie," he said standing up to shake her hand.
The two women looked at each other. Susan smiled at her and stepped forward to shake her hand also. "I'm Susan Carlston."
The woman returned the smile. "Madison Callaway."
"You lose your manners Hutchinson?" Dobey growled. Hutch had been so busy looking at the woman he jumped at the sound of his captains voice.
"Oh, oh I’m sorry. Maddie this is Captain Dobey our captain and Susan Carlston my… er…uh…our partner," he stammered out.
Susan gave her husband a perturbed look. "Yeah we just met Hutch, why don't you come back to earth uh?"
"Madison would you like a cup of coffee or a …" Susan stopped. She didn't look the type to be eating greasy donuts out of a paper bag. In fact she looked very out of place in the police station.
"Please call me Maddie," she smiled. "I would love a cup of coffee and if you were about to offer me a donut, I'll take that too. I’m starved, just got into LAX from New York and came straight here."
Susan went to hunt up a clean cup and Starsky held out the bag of donuts. "Why don't I just take you to breakfast Maddie?"
She shook her head, "This is fine, really. Huggy still got a place?"
Susan who had just returned with a cup full of coffee almost spilled it on the floor. It was apparent this woman knew them very well. She stood there holding the cup of coffee trying to think if Hutch had ever mentioned her name before.
Maddie reached out and took the cup from her. "Thanks Susan."
Susan jumped and released the cup. "Sorry."
Maddie just smiled and sipped her coffee. "Oh come on Madds let me take you out." Hutch insisted. "We aren't busy now, right guys?"
"We do have some paper work we could get caught up on." Starsky said. He was watching Susan intently wondering what she was thinking. Hutch was making a total ass out of himself. He had purposely left out the fact that he and Susan were married.
"Can't you guys take care of that, I haven't seen Maddie in ages." Hutch said as he took the cup from her hand. "We won't be long." Madison started to protest but she well knew that there was no sense arguing with him. He hadn't changed much in the twenty years since she had last seen him. Hutch put his arm around her waist and headed toward the door.
"Hutch!" Starsky called after him in horror. He couldn't believe that he was just going to walk out with out telling Maddie about Susan or vice a versa.
Susan grabbed his arm and shook her head. "Let him go," she whispered. Starsky looked down at her. Dobey sighed, then went in his office slamming his door.
She flopped down in her chair and stared at the door her husband had just left though. "Who is she?" Susan asked softly.
Starsky tossed the bag of donuts in the trash, he had suddenly lost his appetite. "Maddie is a girl he knew when he and I were in the academy together." Starsky said slowly. He looked like he was about to say more but didn't.
Susan looked at him intently, "ok let's have it rest of it. She was somebody very special to him I can tell that."
"They were almost married," Starsky mumbled.
"Married? Did you say married?" Susan said leaning across her desk toward Starsky.
"Yeah," Starsky looked totally miserable.
"What happened? Why didn't they get married?" Susan asked, sinking back into her chair. She was beginning to wish that she had let Starsky stop them.
Starsky took a very deep breath, then let it out slowly, "Maddie left him. She decided that she didn't want to marry a cop. Just a couple of months before we graduated the academy he came home and found a note she had left."
"And let me guess," Susan said in an almost tearful voice. "He spent months looking for her, right?"
Starsky nodded, "He almost didn't graduate. If I hadn't covered for him I don't think he would have."
"So that is why you were so nasty to me when I was going to leave Hutch?" Susan asked. "You both had already been though this once."
"Yeah, but with one difference, I didn't really care if Maddie left. I was just as upset as he was when you left." Starsky reached across the desk and grabbed her hand.
Susan squeezed it, "Do I need to worry about this?"
Starsky looked at the squad room door then back at Susan. "I don't know," he answered her honestly.
Susan closed her eyes, "Oh God, I'm in trouble. He never said anything about her."
"He never said anything about Cat either," Starsky said looking at her.
"Well I didn't tell you about Janie Stillwell," Susan said.
"Ok let's stop this now!" Starsky ordered. "Everything is going to be all right, you'll see. Hutch loves you, Maddie was a long long time ago."
"Maybe it's been a long time since Hutch has seen her but he certainly didn't forget her." Susan looked at the double doors. She had the urge to follow Hutch and this woman to Huggy's.
As if reading her mind Starsky said. "Hey why don't I go to Huggy's and see what's up?"
Susan started to shake her head, then slowly nodded. "OK, I feel silly but still…"
Starsky laughed, "Say no more."
When Starsky arrived at The Pits he didn't see Maddie or Hutch. The place was almost empty, only a few barstools were occupied. The Pits was a bar and grilled owned and operated by a colorful character named Huggy Bear. He was a tall thin black man with short cropped hair and elfin eyes. Huggy usually wore outlandish clothes and today was no exception. He sported a bright purple shirt with a teal bow tie. Huggy was an endless source of information and entertainment for the detectives. He was always there when they needed help.
"What's up with that?" Huggy asked jerking his head toward the back of the room. Starsky followed his gaze to see Hutch and Maddie sitting in a back booth. They were leaning forward toward each other with their heads almost touching.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Starsky seethed. He was so angry at Hutch he was seeing red.
"Isn't that Maddie?" Huggy asked as he poured a beer and slid it down the counter to a customer.
"Yeah, she blew into the office this morning," Starsky said as he sat down at the bar where he could keep an eye on them.
Huggy looked toward the door, "Where's Susan?"
Starsky grunted, "That's a good question, ask Hutch."
Huggy's eyes got big, "Something going on here?" Starsky just shrugged glancing at the couple again. Now they were laughing and Hutch was holding her hand.
The hand holding was just too much, Starsky jumped from the stool and stalked across the room. He stood next to the table for several minutes before his partner looked up. "Hey Starsky." Hutch said. "What are you doing here?"
"I might ask you the same question," Starsky huffed as he glared at Hutch.
Huggy carried a tray to a table full of dishes next the detectives. Angie usually cleared the tables but he wanted to find out what was going on. Huggy edged closer to the back booth. Angie came out of the kitchen to see Huggy doing her job. She was Huggy's number one waitress, she had dark shoulder length hair, dark eyes and amble breasts that stretched the white tank top she was wearing to its limits. The top had Huggy Bear's written across the front of it. Needless to say Angie always got the best tips in the place.
"Huggy Bear," she called across the bar. "You trying to take my job?"
Huggy waved a hand at her as he tried to listen to what Starsky was saying. Hutch leaned over the back of the booth to watch Huggy. Starsky also glanced at their friend. "Hey Huggy come on over here." Starsky invited.
Huggy's face redden slightly at being caught in the act. He dropped the rag he had been wiping the table with on to the tray and went to where Starsky was standing. "Yeah?"
"You got to hear this one," Starsky began giving Hutch a hard look. "What do you think of a man that would leave his wife at work while he comes to a bar with another woman?"
Huggy looked puzzled at the dark headed detective for a moment. Then the light bulb came on and he looked first at Hutch and then pretty woman sitting across from him.
Hutch shot Starsky a dirty look, "Starsk what the hell are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about," Starsky said then a little louder he repeated. "What am I talking about."
The few customers turned to stare at the detectives. One even got up from the bar and moved to a closer table in hopes to see a good fight. "What is going on here?" Hutch asked, he was beganning to get angry at his partner.
"I don't know you tell me." Starsky spit out. "You tell me why you took off with her with out so much as a glance back at your wife."
Maddie looked at Starsky startled then looked at Hutch, "Wife?"
"Yeah, wife," Starsky snapped. "You know the female detective back at the station she isn't just his partner she is his wife."
"Starsky just what the hell are you implying here?" Hutch said sliding out of the booth to confront his partner.
"I'm not implying anything. You neglected to tell Madison that you have a wife, am I right or wrong here?" Starsky almost shouted.
"I…well…uh," Hutch stammered. He was at a loss for words, Starsky was right, he hadn't bother to tell Maddie that he was married.
"Just what do you think Susan is doing right now, uh?" Starsky slammed Hutch with his words. "She is sitting back at that station wondering what the hell is going on."
Susan sat at her desk staring at the contents of a manila folder, if someone had asked her what the report said she wouldn't have had a clue. All she could see was the face of the woman that had walked out with her husband. She had never been a jealous woman, even when Kat had been coming on to Hutch. But this was almost too much to bear. Susan looked at her watch, it was almost eleven and neither of her partners had returned. Dobey opened his office door, it was the first time he had been out since Maddie had disappeared with Hutch
"You all right, Susan?" Dobey ask lying a hand on her shoulder. He could tell by the way she was hunched over her desk things were bothering her.
"Yeah," she sighed as she flipped the folder closed. "I give up, I can't read this."
"Why don't you take an early lunch?" Dobey suggested. "Heck I'll even go with you. We'll go down to Huggy's and get a couple of burgers."
Susan looked up at her captain in surprise. She knew that Huggy wasn't his favorite person in the world to begin with but to go to lunch at his place? Susan smiled up at him warmly. "Thanks Cap, but if you don't mind could I go home? I'm not feeling to well."
Dobey nodded his head, "You go on, those partners of yours left you with the work all morning they can finish up when they get back."
About noon Hutch returned minus Maddie and Starsky, he went straight to his desk and sat down in his chair. A few minutes later Starsky shoved open the squad room doors, he also went to his desk and sat down. Neither detective spoke or looked at each other. Starsky grabbed the file that had been lying on Susan's desk flipped it open signed it and tossed it on a pile of finished reports. Hutch opened his desk, took out a note pad and began writing something on it.
All the officers in the squad room stopped their work to watch the two detectives. Dobey came into the room from the hall, he stopped in the door way. "Well I'm glad to see you two could join us for the remainder of the day."
"Hi Cap," Starsky mumbled with out looking up. Hutch didn't bother to speak, he just kept on writing.
"Would somebody like to tell me just what the hell is going on here?" Dobey demanded.
"There is nothing going on," Hutch said finally. He ripped off the paper he had been writing on and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Well it sure looks like something is going on to me." The captain snapped. "You and Starsky don't appear to even be speaking and Susan went home."
"Home?" Hutch asked. "Is she OK?"
"Oh so now you are worried." Starsky yelled as he stood up. "Why weren't you worried when you walked out on her."
"I did not walk out on Susan," Hutch stormed.
"Then what would you call it," Starsky demanded.
"Hey," Dobey hollered over the two men. "Take this in my office."
"You take it in your office, I'm out of here," Hutch slammed his chair in his desk and stormed out of the squad room.
Starsky just gapped after his partner, he had never heard him speak to Dobey like that before. He turned and looked at Dobey who had the same expression on his face.
When Hutch got home that evening Susan sat on the floor in front of the fire place playing a game with Jesse. As soon as the front door slammed Jesse jumped up to greet her Daddy. Susan didn't move from her place on the floor, she continued with her turn at the game.
Mrs. Gray was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. Edna Gray was worried about her employer, she could always tell when something was bothering Susan. Usually after a while the detective would confide to the older woman but not this time. Edna had been with Susan and Jesse since the little girl was born, they were very close. But this time Susan had kept to herself, going out to the garden when she had come home early from work. Mrs. Gray had worried that she was sick but Susan assured her that wasn't the case. The female detective had gone to pick up Jesse from school and had been playing with the child since their return. Many times when Susan got home from work in time she help Mrs. Gray in the kitchen fixing dinner while Jesse would set the table.
"Susan," said a voice above her.
She glance up to see Hutch standing their holding their daughter in his arms. "Hi" she said and went back to the game.
He knelt down next to the game setting Jesse on her feet, "can I play?"
"Sure Daddy," Jesse said handing him a blue playing piece.
"You can take my place," Susan said standing up. "I'll go help Edna in the kitchen."
Hutch grabbed her hand as she turned to go but Susan pulled lose of his grasp without looking back she went to the kitchen.
Jesse looked after her mother surprised a lot of times the three of them would sit on the floor and play games. And when Uncle Starry was over he would join them, even Mrs. Gray after some groaning would manage the floor. They always had a grand time. Jesse especially love it when Starsky who she had proclaimed his name was Starry from the moment she could talk came over. At seven she knew how to pronounce his name but the Starry stuck, and Starsky didn't mind. He was in love with his Godchild and to her parents dismay spoiled her rotten.
Mrs. Gray looked up from the contents of the saucepan she was stirring when Susan entered the kitchen. The female detective picked up the silver wear that was lying on the counter and started for the table.
"Dear, what's the matter?" Mrs. Gray asked kindly as Susan began the task of setting the table.
She just shook her head with out speaking, her eyes were brimming full of tears but she willed them not to fall. Mrs. Gray started across the kitchen, Susan grabbed a napkin and wiped at her eyes before the older woman got there. Mrs. Gray put her hand on Susan's shoulder, "something is going," she began. "I know it's none of my business but…"
"Really Edna I'm fine, let's get dinner on the table," Susan said trying to sound cheerful.
With dinner finally on the table the four of them sat down to eat. Mrs. Gray always ate with them since she was not only their housekeeper but part of the family. The dinner was strangely quiet, usually there was a happy banter but tonight everyone ate in silence. Even Jesse who never stopped talking was quiet, she knew there was something going on between her parents.
Half way though dinner the phone rang, Mrs. Gray got up to answer it. "Ken," she called from the living room, "phone."
He got up and took the phone from her with a smile. When Mrs. Gray got back to the table Susan looked at the woman with questioning eyes, she just shrugged as she sat back down.
"I told you not to call here," Hutch said in a low voice. "This is hard enough to explain as it is. Yeah I'm pretty sure she is mad."
"You are damn right I'm mad!" said a voice behind him. Susan concerned that it was a call from the station she had gone into the living room.
Hutch spun around and looked at his wife. "Susan!" he exclaimed. He said a few more words in the phone and hung up. "Listen it's not what it looks like."
"And just what do you thing it looks like," she snapped her brown eyes flashing. "Does it look like you are very wrapped up in an old fiancée?"
"Who told you that?" Hutch asked then said, "never mind I know, damn Starsky."
"Why the big secret? And why didn't you bother telling her we were married? You sure stumbled over your words enough." Susan demanded.
"Oh yeah and you were always so truthful!" Hutch said raising his voice.
"Hutch don't even go there," Susan shouted.
"Why is it different when it's you? What about Eddie Campbell and Janie Stillwell?" Hutch said still loudly. "You weren't exactly honest when it came to them."
"I wasn't having an affair with them!" Susan stormed.
"And I'm not having an affair with Maddie!" he countered.
"Well it sure looks and sounds that way to me." Susan yelled, then she dropped her voice. "Just how long has it been going on anyway?"
Hutch closed his eyes trying to control his temper. "I told you I'm not having an affair with her."
Jesse came into the room, her eyes looked frightened as she gazed at her parents. She had never heard her parents shout at each other like this before. "Mommy, Daddy?" she said softly.
"Oh honey," Susan bent down and picked Jesse up in her arms.
"It's nothing, sweetie," Hutch said pulling on one of her long braided pigtails. She had her dads blue eyes and her mom's long dark hair.
"I don't call it nothing, Hutch," Susan said calmly for the sake of her daughter. "I think maybe we'll go visit Libby for a few days. What do you say Jesse?"
The little girl looked at her mother puzzled, Libby lived only a few miles away from them. "Why?"
"I would like to hear the answer to that one myself," Hutch said with an edge to his voice.
"I just need to get away for a few days, it's Friday, we can have a girls weekend. I 'm sure Daddy can find something to do," Susan said with the same edge.
"You run up and pack a few things, and don't forget your swimsuit maybe we'll go to the beach," Susan called after Jesse.
"Why are you doing this," Hutch asked
"I told you, I need sometime," Susan said starting for the stairs.
"I'm surprised you aren't running over to Starsky's," he snapped. She paused at the bottom of the steps for a moment then continued on.
Thirty minutes later Susan and Jesse were sitting in her blue Mazda in front of Libby's apartment building. Susan had meant to call her friend to tell her they were coming but she had been in a hurry to get out of the house. Hutch hadn't been in sight when they came down to leave. Only Mrs. Gray was there clearing away the uneaten food. Susan crossed the room to hug the older woman then she grabbed Jesse's hand and left the house.
Slowly Susan got out of the car, it was just beginning to get dark. She went around and opened the door for Jesse and together they entered Libby's building. Libby lived on the second floor so they got in the elevator. Susan knocked on her apartment door, when no one came she knocked again a little louder. The door across the hall opened and a young woman poked her head out.
Susan turned and smiled at her, "Hi do you know where Libby Standford is?"
"Sure Lib is out of town, went to see her sister," the woman said.
Susan slapped her hand to her forehead, "Man, I knew that, I just for got."
"You're Susan right? And this is Jesse," the girl smiled opening the door wider.
Susan nodded, "I guess you and Libby are friends?"
"Yeah we shop once in awhile and eat pizza, watch movies, girl stuff," she answered. "That is when she isn't busy, which is most of the time. Oh by the way I'm Anna."
"Hi Anna, yeah the department keeps us pretty busy."
"And that boy friend for hers." She added. "He is cute as a button."
Susan had to smile, she had never thought of Starsky as being 'cute as a button' before. "Well I guess we had better get going, thanks."
Once back out in the car, Susan sat behind the wheel wondering what to do now. She could always go home but that wasn't what she wanted to do right now. She had never been this mad at Hutch before. This whole thing was so out of character for him.
Susan was suddenly aware of something pulling on her sleeve, "Mommy," Jesse asked.
"What honey?"
"Are we getting a divorce?" she asked in a small voice.
"No dear," Susan smiled at her. "Daddy and I are just having trouble right now, things will be OK." She hoped that she was right about that. She started the car a pointed toward Starsky's apartment.
Susan pulled up in front of Starsky's apartment, she frowned when she didn't see his car out front. Starsky's car was hard to miss, it was a red Ford Tornio that had a white stripe that ran over the top of the car and came to tapering points at the front end. She wondered where he could be as she turned off the engine. Taking the keys from the ignition she looked at each key until she found the one she was looking for. Getting out Susan grabbed a small duffel bag that contained clothing for her and Jesse. The little girl got out of the car and followed her mom to the front door of Starsky's apartment. Susan took the key that she had selected and fit it into the lock, it turned easily. She let them into his apartment, the lights were all on and music was coming from a small radio sitting on the kitchen counter.
"Starsky?" she called out not really expecting an answer. Susan sat the duffel bag on the floor and smiled at Jesse. "You think Uncle Starry will let us stay here for a couple of days?"
Jesse looked delighted at the thought of getting to stay with her favorite guy…well next to her Daddy. She nodded, "I bet he will be surprised."
"Yeah, I bet he will be." Susan grinned. Just then there was a noise at the front door and Starsky came in carrying a white card board box containing a pizza.
He stopped and stared at his company, "What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.
"Long story," Susan sighed.
"Mommy and Daddy had a fight, and Libby isn't at home so we came here," Jesse piped up as she hugged Starsky.
"Thank you Jesse," Susan frowned at her daughter. "You really have a way of putting things.
Starsky set the pizza on the counter, got out a plate put a couple of pieces on it then handed it to Jesse, "Why don't you go in the bed room and watch some TV."
Jesse accepted the plate and mumbled as she went into the bedroom, "Grown up talk."
They both smiled at her then looked at each other. "OK what happened?" Starsky asked.
Susan sighed and flopped down on the couch. "She called the house!"
"Who? You mean Maddie?" Starsky ask looking at her with wide eyes.
Susan nodded, "I caught Hutch whispering on the phone to her. Can you believe it?"
Actually he could after the display he had seen at Huggy's earlier that day. Then he shook his head as if trying to shake out the thought. "This just isn't like Hutch and you know it. Something is going on."
"Something is going on alright," she snapped. "What 's going on is that he is having an affair with her."
"You don't know that," he said grabbing a slice of pizza.
"He was on the phone telling her not to call him at home because I was getting mad." Susan seethed. "Just what do you call it?"
Starsky shrugged, "I'm just saying I don't think he would do that to you."
The phone rang before she could reply, as he grabbed the receiver. Susan mouthed, "If it's Hutch I'm not here."
Starsky rolled is eyes as he said, "Hello? Hi Hutch." He listened for a moment then said. "Maybe they went out shopping." After a few more comments he hung up. Then he turned to Susan. "He's looking for you."
"Why when he has little Miss Model," she said in a sarcastic voice.
He rolled his eyes again. "Look I'm not going to lie to Hutch anymore." He grabbed a couple more slices of pizza and took them to the coffee table with a beer. "I lied to him once before for you and I’m not doing it again.
When Susan didn't reply he looked over at her. She was still standing in the kitchen but tears were streaming down her face. "What am I going to do?"
He got up and went into the kitchen, taking her in his arms he smooth her hair. "I'll tell you what we are going to do. We are going to get to the bottom of this." He guided her to the couch and they sat down together. Susan laid her head on his shoulder as she sobbed. "It's going to be all right." He said softly as he kissed her forehead.
They stayed that way for a long time with out talking. Finally Susan looked around the room wondering what Jesse was doing. She got up and went into Starsky's bedroom. Jesse was lying across his bed sound asleep, the empty plate sat on the floor and the TV was just starting to show the news. Susan turned off the TV, picked up the plate and started to wake Jesse.
"Don't," said a voice behind her. Starsky was standing in the doorway watching Jesse sleep. "Let her sleep."
Susan left the room carrying the plate, she pause at the door to turn off the light. Once back out into the living room she asked, "Were are you going to sleep?"
He just shrugged, he took the plate from her hand placing it on the counter. Then he sat down on the couch, Susan snuggled next to him. She was so thankful to have him, he was always there when she needed somebody.
Hutch woke early the next morning, he looked over at the empty spot next to him. He hated this, it just wasn't fair and it was tearing his family apart. Slowly he got up to take a shower. Mrs. Gray was busy in the kitchen when he got down stairs. She sat a cup of coffee in front of him when he sat down at the kitchen table.
"Good morning Ken," Mrs. Gray smiled at him.
"So you are still speaking to me?" Hutch said with a tiny smile.
Mrs. Gray shrugged, "I don’t really know what is going on and it's really none of my business."
"You have got to believe me, I'm not having an affair." Hutch said with pleading eyes.
"I'm not the one you have to convince," She said patting him on the shoulder.
After breakfast Hutch left the house, the three detectives had the weekend off so he didn't have to be at the station. Slowly he cruised by Libby's apartment, he didn't see Susan's car. He was tempted to stop at Starsky's apartment but at the last moment changed his mind.
He drove around for thirty minutes more then pulled up in front of a tiny house. He went to the front door and rapped on it three times. An uniformed policeman opened the door. "Hi Tom, I'll take over now." Hutch told him.
Tom nodded, "It was a quiet night." Hutch thanked him and the policeman left.
The bedroom door opened, Maddie Callaway stepped in to the room. She had on a long pink silk bathrobe that was open down the front exposing the short matching baby doll nightie underneath. She stretched and yawned then noticed Hutch was standing by the door. "Hutch when did you get here?" She asked flashing him a bright smile, which Hutch didn't return.
"Just came in," he said. "You sleep well?"
Coming across the room in her bare feet to stand in front of him, she said. "Yeah, this is the first time I have slept well since all this started. Thank you Hutch for doing this for me. I know I'm the last person that you owe anything to."
Hutch just shook his head, "you were in trouble."
"I'm sorry about…uh well you know." She stammered.
"Maddie that was twenty years ago, it was over along time." Hutch frowned that was what hurt him when Susan accused him of having an affair with Maddie. It had taken him a long time to get over her but he was.
"I know I hurt you very much, I can still see it in your eyes." Maddie stepped closer to him and put her arms around him.
Hutch pulled her arms from around him, "Don't Maddie. I'm here to protect you and nothing more. The hearing is Wednesday and then you'll be in the witness protection program."
"And you won't have to ever see me again." She said looking down at her feet.
Hutch sighed, then he said, "You want some breakfast?"
"Just let me get dressed, where are we going?" she asked brightly.
Hutch just shook his head, "No where, you can't be seen out on the streets anymore. Dobey and I are the only ones who know who you are and where you are. The only reason Dobey knows is because I needed a safe house.
"Susan is mad isn't she," Maddie asked softly.
"Yes, she thinks we are having an affair. Apparently Starsky saw fit to tell her all about us." Hutch said starting toward the kitchen.
"Why don't you just tell her and Starsky?" Maddie asked following him.
"Because the fewer people that know the better." He answered opening the refrigerator and peering in.
"But they are your partners, don't you trust them?" Maddie inquired.
"Yes, with my life but if this goes sour I don't want them involved. Susan and I have a small daughter. It's just better for them not to know." Hutch said pulling out eggs and bacon.
"What do you mean if this goes sour," Maddie said looking around frighten. "You think they will come after me?"
"The Mob means business, you saw a hit Maddie and you can identify the hit man that makes you dangerous." Hutch said as he began cooking. "I don't want to scare you but believe me they are looking for you. That is why we have to be so careful."
Maddie put her head in her hands, talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. After she had left Hutch she had gone to New York and become a model. She just couldn't stand the life style she knew she would have being married to a cop. It took a few years for her to start getting jobs but once she was noticed Maddie had more work than she could handle. She traveled the world and finally had the life style that she always wanted. A huge penthouse in Manhattan, a limo at her beck and call and more men than she could count throwing diamonds at her.
Maddie Callaway had everything she ever dreamed of until two nights ago when she was coming out of a dance club with a friend. A man running down the street slammed into her as she step out onto the sidewalk. The force had knocked them both to the ground. As the man was untangling himself from Maddie she got a good look at his face. Then she saw another man about a half a block away running, once the man who had hit her was on his feet he raced after the other man.
The two men rounded a counter into an alley, that was when Maddie heard the shots and the second man, the one that had knocked her down came running back her way. Frighten Maddie dodged back in side the club and ducked inside the coatroom but her friend remained outside. The man raced up to her friend and shot her point blank in the chest, then took off thinking that he had gotten the woman who had seen him. When he disappeared around the corner Maddie ran out side. Her friend Marie was crumpled on the sidewalk in a pool of blood.
By the time the police arrived on the scene Maddie was sitting with Marie's head in her lap, hysterical. She was covered in blood, at first the police couldn't tell who had been shot. Maddie wouldn't let go of her friend, finally when the paramedics arrived they were able to get Maddie away from Marie. They ended up taking both young women to the hospital where Marie was pronounced dead. Maddie was given a sedative and taken to the police station. After Maddie told her story to the police they put her in protective custody then the DA came offering to put her in the witness protection program. At first Maddie turned them down but they told her point blank that if she didn't help them and go into the program she was as good as dead. For the mob would hunt her down and in fact were probably already looking for her. So she agreed knowing that she would never be able to model again. But it was a good way out for her because all though she was still a beautiful woman she was getting older and not getting as much work.
They decided that it was best if they got her out of the state until the trial, which was when Maddie thought of Hutch. She was reluctant to say anything about him but she really had no choice and she trusted him more than anybody she knew. Maddie gave them his name and department they did the rest. She didn't even talk to him until she walked into the squad room.
Maddie had been afraid to face Hutch after what she had done to him. They hadn't had any contact for twenty years. And she was surprised at the warm welcome that she had received from him. But she wasn't surprised to see Starsky still with him or surprised that Starsky seemed cold, she was sure he was the one that picked up the pieces when she had left. She had truly hated leaving Hutch because she did love him but she knew that she would never be happy and in the end Hutch would have hated her.
When they had gone to the bar, Huggy looked none to happy to see her either. Back at the station she had gotten the idea that the woman she met was more than just Hutch's partner, and she had been right. One more thing to feel guilty about. The fight in the bar between Hutch and Starsky made her want to tell him the truth. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was come between any of them. In a few days she would be gone and they would never see her again.
Maddie's eyes filled with tears as she sat at the kitchen table. Hutch had been talking to her as he cooked them breakfast but she hadn't heard a word he said. Now he was calling her name. "What?" she said snapping out of it.
"I was asking if you were OK," Hutch said sitting down a plate in front of her. He looked at the breakfast then at her. "I guess this isn't what a model eats for breakfast, uh?"
Maddie smiled at him through her tears, "It doesn't matter, I can't be a model anymore, remember?"
For the first time Hutch gave her a real smile, "Oh yeah, are you sorry?"
She shook her head, "Not really, I have been one for almost 20 years I'm getting too old now."
"Oh come on Maddie you are beautiful," he said as he put a cup of coffee in front of her. He didn't ask her about the tears, if anyone had a right to cry it was her. She had lost her best friend and her life all in one night. The police had told him the story over the phone. But he did have one question, "Why did you never marry?"
Maddie looked at him over the rim of her coffee cup. She shrugged, "I guess I never found the right guy," she said, then added. "Again."
Hutch sat down at the table with her as she began to eat. "Tom and I will split the shifts. I'll be here for twelve hours then Tom the next twelve. He doesn't really know who he's guarding but I trust him, you will be safe with him."
"How are you going to explain being away from home and the station for twelve hours at a time?" Maddie questioned.
"The home part won't be bad right now. Susan took Jesse and went to stay with a friend of ours." Hutch said sadly.
"Because of me." Maddie stated. "You have to tell them, at least Susan I don't want her mad a you because of me."
"I'll explain after you are gone," Hutch said firmly. "Like I said it is too dangerous for them to know."
Maddie fell silent while she finished her breakfast leaving Hutch with his thoughts. He just hoped Susan was still around by mid week. It would be hard for him to explain his absence for twelve hours a day. Well he wouldn't have to worry about that until Monday with Susan gone. He would put Maddie on a plane back to New York at noon on Wednesday, so it would only be two and half days to explain. In a way he was almost grateful that she had gone to Libby's.
"Ok girls where do you want to go?" Starsky asked Susan and Jesse as they were finishing up breakfast.
"The zoo, the zoo," Jesse squealed jumping up and down in her seat. Her hand caught the edge of her cereal bowl spilling the contents all over the table.
"Jesse," Susan admonished her daughter. She got up to get a rag to clean up the mess. Jesse gave Starsky a guilty look but he just smiled at her. She smiled at him brightly and carried her now empty bowl to the sink. "Sorry mom," she said in a low voice.
"It's OK dear but please be careful." Susan said as she wiped up the spilled milk from the table.
They got ready for the zoo, just as they were closing the door the phone began to ring, "Let it go," Starsky said. "It's probably just Dobey wanting us to come in."
Hutch hung up the receiver wondering where Starsky would be this early. He picked up the phone again and dialed Libby's number, after the fourth ring a female voice answered but it wasn't Libby or Susan.
"Is Susan there?" Hutch asked then added quickly, "or Libby?"
"No, this is Marie, I'm just watering Libby's plants while she is out of town," the girl said. "Oops I guess I shouldn't be telling strangers that."
"It's OK this is Ken Hutchinson, I work with Libby," Hutch informed her. "I was really looking for my wife, Susan."
"Oh she was here last night with her little girl but Libby is visiting her sister." Marie said. "But she left when I told her Libby wasn't here."
"Thanks," Hutch said and hung up. Now where could Susan have gone. He closed his eyes he knew exactly where she was…Starsky's. If it hadn't been for having to guard Maddie he would have been out the door looking for them. She could have gone to a motel if it was that important for her to be away from him. Hutch did not like her staying with Starsky at all but there was nothing he could do. Then it suddenly dawned on him that Starsky had been lying to him last night. Susan was there when he had called. Hutch was sitting on the couch fuming when Maddie came out of the bedroom dressed in blue jeans and a sweatshirt.
"Hey what's wrong?" Maddie asked him seeing the look on his face. Hutch just shook his head, it was the last thing he wanted to talk about especially with her. Maddie shrugged then asked, "what are we going to do all day?"
Hutch pulled out the drawer to the end table and tossed a deck of playing cards on the coffee table, "You up for a game of rummy?"
Maddie frowned but sat down on the floor across from Hutch. He grabbed the cards and began shuffling them.
Late that afternoon, Starsky, Susan and Jesse trudged into his apartment, all were tired but happy. Susan and Starsky flopped down on the couch while Jesse ran into the bedroom to watch her favorite show.
"What do you want for dinner?" Starsky asked.
Susan looked doubtfully at the kitchen, she was too tired to even think about cooking anything. She looked back at her partner and at the same time they both said, "Pizza!" Then they started laughing, Jesse came into the room to see what was so funny, "What's going on?" she asked.
"We are having pizza for dinner," her mother giggled.
Jesse gave them both an odd look and went back into the bedroom. That only made them laugh harder. Finally Susan caught her breath, it felt so good to laugh. Starsky tossed her a menu for the nearest pizza joint.
After they decided what they were getting Susan went to pick up the phone to place the order but it ran just as she touched it. Which sent her into gales of laughter again. "Hello?" she laughed into the phone.
"Susan?" came a question.
The voice stopped the laughter, "Hutch."
"I'm glad you are having such a good time," he said in a sarcastic tone. "How's Libby?"
"Hutch, Libby wasn't home," Susan told him.
"I know, so why didn't you just come home?" He asked.
"I needed somebody to talk to."
"What's wrong with me? We need to talk," he said.
"Not tonight, I don't feel like fighting," Susan said plainly. "I have had a wonderful day at the zoo and you aren't going to ruin it. I'll be home Monday we can talk then."
"Susan, I don't want you staying there." Hutch said hotly. Maddie was watching him with interest. He lowered his voice, "At least go to a motel."
"I'm not going to put Jesse in a motel, I'll see you Monday." She said and hung up on him. She stood there waiting for Hutch to call back but when he didn't she placed the order for the pizza.
"Is Hutch mad you are here?" Starsky asked, watching her pace the room.
"He has some nerve being mad at me," she raged. "He ran off with little Miss Model!"
"Maybe you should go talk to him," Starsky suggested. "You can leave Jesse here with me."
Susan turned on Starsky angrily, "What, you taking his side now?"
"I'm not taking any sides," Starsky said. "I'm just trying to help. You really do need to talk to him."
"We don't talk, we fight." Susan said sitting down on the couch. "That's the way it always is when things happen."
"It's only because you love each other." Starsky said with a wistful smile. He cared a great deal for Libby but he still loved Susan. Libby was there to nurse him back to heath when Janie Stillwell had almost killed him. Janie was an old high school friend of Susan's but it had turned out that Susan was an alas. She had changed her name from Isabelle Hartford because Janie and her family had killed Susan's family for their money. Susan feared that Janie might still be after her. So she had moved from the mid west to LA, changed her name and had gone into the police academy. All was well until Janie turned up one day, she almost killed Starsky and kidnapped Jesse and Mrs. Gray trying to seek her revenge on Susan or Izzy as Janie called her.
Starsky had stayed with Libby for awhile until Susan and Hutch had come home from a small vacation that they had taken. Then he stayed with them to finish his recuperation. After that he and Libby had become a steady thing instead of their on again off again relationship. But Susan was always there in the back of his mind. He hated himself for the way that he felt about her but he knew that she felt the same way even though she loved Hutch.
The doorbell rang bringing him from thisthoughts. Jesse came running from the bedroom yelling because the pizza was there. "I like staying here Uncle Starry," She proclaimed. "We have pizza everyday."
The next day was uneventful, Maddie was beginning to go stir crazy being cooped up in the small house. Hutch wouldn't even so much as let her go out into the back yard. And he kept all the curtains drawn so she couldn't even see out or anyone see in as the case may be.
Hutch arrived Monday morning at the house an hour early. There wasn't much sense in hanging around his place. He wondered what Starsky and Susan would think when he didn't show up for work. Hutch was sure Dobey would think of something to tell them. He had relieved Tom and had just sat down on the couch when Maddie emerged from the bedroom fully dressed in tan slacks and a white sleeveless shirt. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail and her feet were bare.
"Mornin' Hutch," She said yawning.
"You are up early," he comment as he opened the newspaper he had brought with him.
"I would give any thing to sleep until noon but I'm so bore in the evening I go to bed early." She sighed sitting down next to him.
"It won't be much longer," Hutch said handing her a piece of the paper. "You'll be on your way back to New York."
"Hutch," she said suddenly turning to look at him.
"What?" he said without putting down the paper.
"Will you come with me?" she asked.
He dropped the paper and looked at her. He could see the sheer terror in her eyes. "You'll be fine Maddie."
"I'm scared Hutch. I'm going to lose my whole life everything will be different. I'll go off and become some little house wife in the middle of nowhere." She said tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'll die."
"You'll die if you don't go into the program," he said bluntly.
"But what if I don't testify?" she asked.
"It won't matter," Hutch told her. "They will still kill you if they find you. You have the power to do in one of the most powerful mob families on the East Coast. They won't let you get away with that."
Just as Maddie was about to speak again the sound of tires squealing on the pavement out side caught Hutch's attention. It was pure instinct that caused Hutch to push Maddie to the floor and cover her with his own body. Seconds later the front window shattered as a firebomb hit the floor and exploded. Fire and bits of glass showered the room falling on Hutch's back. He wrapped his arms around Maddie and rolled with her out of the living room and into the kitchen. The front room was on fire, the drapes were burning quickly setting the couch on fire. The carpeting was burning and spreading toward the kitchen.
Hutch dragged Maddie to her feet and out the back door hoping that it wasn't a trap. He pushed her against the side of the house as he pulled his gun from under his jacket. Hutch looked around the fenced in back yard. There was no one in sight, slowly they inched to a gate at the side of the yard. He made Maddie stay back as he threw open the gate and swung out into the side yard, still nobody. It was a calling card, just to let Maddie know that they were on to her. If they had wanted her dead she would be along with Hutch.
"Come on we got to get out of here," he said pulling the frighten woman behind him. They dashed to his car that was fortunately sitting on the other side of the street. For the whole front of the house was now in flames and they could hear the fire trucks in the distance.
Hutch jammed the car into drive and sped away from the burning house. Several blocks away Maddie really looked at Hutch for the first time and gasped when she did. "Oh Hutch are you alright?" she asked. He was bleeding from many small cuts that were caused from the window shattering. His clothing was burnt and she was sure that his back must be burnt too.
"Don't worry about me," he said. "Are you OK?"
Other than being sooty from the smoke and shaken up, Maddie was unharmed. "I think I'm all right. I think you need to get to a hospital."
"I'm fine," he said as he pointed the car in the direction of home. It was time to tell his partners what was going on. He needed help. If the Mob had found her once it wouldn't take long for them to find her a second time. Hutch was sure there wasn't a leak at the department because nobody knew where she was. So how did they find her?
When Susan and Starsky got to the station after dropping Jesse at school they found that Hutch wasn't there. Dobey had given them some story about him picking up a prisoner but neither of them bought that one.
Susan was sure that he was with Maddie but she couldn't figure out why Dobey would be covering for him. She was still fuming when the phone rang. "Carlston," she said into the receiver.
"Susan," Hutch said quickly. "Come home, bring Starsky with you."
She didn't even ask why when she heard the tone of his voice, instead Susan just said, "We are on our way." Starsky looked at her with questioning eyes. "That was Hutch, something is wrong, very wrong."
Starsky's Tornio screeched to a halt in front of the Townhouse. Susan jumped out of the car and dashed toward the front door with Starsky at her heels. She opened the front door and ran into the living room where Hutch and Maddie were. Hutch was standing in front of the fireplace. Maddie was sitting on the couch.
"Hutch what's…" Susan began until she saw Maddie sitting there. Susan's whole tone of voice changed "What is she doing here?"
"Susan," Hutch took a step toward her. His shirt was pretty much in rags from the flames and glass. He held out a sooty hand to her.
Susan gaped at him when she realized what kind of condition Hutch was in. The anger in her eyes turned to concern as she stared at her husband. "Oh my God Hutch what the hell happened to you?" Then she looked over at Maddie who was soot cover also and was nursing some cuts that she hadn't noticed on her feet before.
"It's a long story." Hutch said looking at his two partners.
"Well I think it's just about time we heard it…all of it." Starsky said turning Hutch so that he could get a better look at his back. "I think you need to go to the hospital."
"I'm fine," Hutch said for the second time that day.
Susan sat down next to Maddie, "You OK?" Susan asked the woman.
Maddie suddenly burst into tears and flung herself into Susan's arms. The two men stood there looking at each other. Just then the front door opened and Mrs. Gray came in carrying two brown paper bags full of groceries. Starsky stepped into the hall way to relieve the nanny of her packages. Mrs. Gray looked around the room in surprise, she sometimes just didn't understand this bunch. She followed Starsky into the kitchen to put away the food before it spoiled.
Susan tried to comfort Maddie best she could. The poor woman was hysterical, and she and Starsky still had no idea what was going on. When Mrs. Gray reappeared back into the living room. Susan asked her. "Edna, would you show Maddie where the bathroom is and see if there is anything of mine that she can change into?" The older woman nodded her head and led the still weeping Maddie from the room and up the stairs.
Once they were gone Susan looked up at Hutch. "OK let's have it."
Hutch sat down on the couch next to Susan. "First off I am not having an affair with Maddie." Hutch began, "I'm protecting her, I was the only one she trusted."
"From whom?" Susan questioned as she inspected the damage done to her husband.
"The Mob," Hutch said wincing as she touched a burned spot on his arm. Then he told them Maddie's story. He left nothing out, not even the part where she wanted him to come back to New York with her.
Susan sat back and looked at Hutch. "Why didn't you just tell us in the first place?"
"I thought that it would be safer for you and Jesse." He looked up at Starsky, "And I thought Susan would need somebody when all this started, that's why I didn't tell you. Both of us couldn't have disappeared on her."
"I could have watched Maddie," Starsky said looking at Hutch.
"I know how you feel about her."
"That doesn't matter, this was important." Starsky frowned as he touched Hutch's shoulder. "You really need to go to the hospital or at least a doctor. Some of those places look pretty bad."
"I'll stay here with Maddie," Susan offered. "You let Starsk take you some place to get those cuts and burns looked at."
Hutch shook his head, "I can't ask you to do that."
"You aren't asking I'm offering," Susan said getting up. "I'm going to see how she is. You go get fixed up."
"Susan," Hutch jumped up and grabbed her arm. He kissed her, "I love you."
As Starsky and Hutch were leaving Starsky told Susan. "You lock this door, don't answer the phone, we'll be back in a bit."
Susan nodded and started up stairs. Mrs. Gray was on her way down, she smiled at her boss. "Maddie is laying down in Jesse's room for now."
Susan held her hand, "thank-you Edna." Then she went on up to check on the woman she had just opened her home to.
Maddie was laying on her back on Jesse's twin bed. There was a mobile hanging in one corner that was slowly turning in the soft breeze that was coming in the open window. Bear, the family Golden Retriever was on the bed next to her. Maddie absently patted the dog on the head as she watched the mobile spin. Two tears ran down the sides of her face and disappeared into the Dalmatian bed spread. Her life was over, she would never be safe again. Even if she did go into the witness protection program they would still find her.
Susan walked into the room quietly and stood watching the woman for a few moments. Bear began to thump his tail on the bed and Maddie looked toward the door. She sat up quickly when she saw Susan standing there.
"Don't get up you're fine," Susan said coming in and sitting on the end of the bed. Bear promptly climbed into her lap to be petted.
"I'm so sorry I have caused trouble between you and Hutch," she said sadly. "That is the last thing in the world I wanted. I honestly didn't know you two were married when I came to the station. It was when Starsky turned up at Huggy's steaming that I found out."
Susan shook her head, "Don't worry about it."
"If I had known he had a family I would have never called him." Maddie said looking into Susan's eyes. "You got to believe me. I’m not after him. I left Hutch years ago, and I didn't make a mistake. I know that now. I would never have been happy living like this." She looked around the room and smiled. "I wish I could have though, this is really nice."
Susan smiled again at her, "you know I always wondered what it would be to live a glamorous life."
"It's not so glamorous, well sometimes it is but most of the time it's a lot of hard work," Maddie smiled back at her. "And for all that glamour, I'm still alone. I have nobody to come home to at night. Not even a dog." She patted Bear on the back. "I just didn't have time for anyone but me."
"Sounds like a lonely life," Susan said looking around Jesse's room. Her gaze fell on a photo that had been taken last summer of Jesse, Hutch, Starsky and herself. Libby had taken it at the zoo. She wouldn't give up her life for all the diamonds in the world.
"Yeah and about to get lonelier, I guess Hutch told you what happened?" Susan nodded and Maddie continued. "Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now I'm losing everything that I worked so hard for."
"You can start a new life," Susan said as she got up from the bed.
Maddie snorted, "And what be a housewife? No thank you. What can I do? All I know is modeling and I certainly can't do that anymore. Nothing high profile is what they told me in New York."
"You're right about that. How about becoming a teacher? Do you like kids?" Susan asked looking lovingly at the photo again.
"Kids?" Maddie said pondering the question. "You know I never thought much about kids, well except the few brats I had to work with in add campaigns. They were more demanding than some of the adults I have worked with."
Susan laughed, "Maybe you should try an everyday kid like Jesse."
Maddie smiled then her face got somber, "Susan I'm scared, really scared. I'll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. I didn't really think much of all this until today. I guess it was like a game you know. It wasn't real, that is until the bomb or what ever it was came flying though that window. If Hutch hadn't acted so fast we both would have been dead."
"Hutch is the best at his job." Susan said. She truly felt sorry for this woman and had decided that if she wanted someone to go back to New York with her, to be there for the trial then Susan would go. Susan told her as much.
"You would really do that for me?" Maddie asked tears standing in her eyes. "You don't even know me.
"Yes," she said simply.
Maddie threw her arms around Susan's neck, "Thank you, I don't know what to say."
Susan hugged her back, "We will keep you safe while you are here, I promise you that. Then once you go into the witness protection program there will be only one person in the whole world that will know who you really are. Susan pushed her away and looked at Maddie, her eyes were beginning to get red from crying. "You will need to change your appearance. Color your hair, change your eye color, even go as far as changing the way you dress. Find a place where you won't stand out, but some place that you can be happy. You will get a new identity, name, age, everything. And most important you can not contact anyone that you know now. It will be like you dropped off the face of the earth. And if you have ever mentioned a place you might like to live to somebody don't go there. Leave no trail anybody can follow, for the people who are after you are good, very very good. They found you to day."
Maddie took a deep breath, "Who will be my one contact person?"
Susan shrugged, "I have no idea, it is all set up with in the program."
"Why can't I just disappear now?" Maddie asked Susan her eyes huge at what she was thinking.
"What?"
"Why can't I go now? With out testifying. Maybe if I do that and the Mob finds out that I just disappeared they won't try to hunt me down." Maddie said looking intently at Susan.
"They won't let you in the program unless you testify Maddie," Susan told her.
"I know, I want you to help me, I want to go now." Maddie looked at the detective with pleading eyes.
"Me? Maddie I can't do that." Susan said but the wheels were already beginning to turn. It wouldn't be impossible, she knew enough people that she could get things done with out anyone being the wiser even her partners until it was too late. The only problem was time, they only had two and half days in which to do it.
Maddie sensed that Susan was considering helping her. "Susan please. I think I would feel safe if I do this."
"I don't know what they will do when their star witness flies the coop." Susan grinned at her. She had made up her mind she was going to help.
Maddie thought for a moment then asked, "Will you get in trouble for helping me?"
"Listen, if we do this right nobody will know that I helped you. As far as anyone will know and that goes for Hutch and Starsky, you left on your own." Susan told her. She hated lying to them but something told her this was the only way Maddie would live. The Mob was out to get her and no program in the world was going to save her. The Mob had somebody on their pay roll everywhere and someone would find out.
Maddie was suddenly excited, "You think we can really do this?"
Susan nodded, "But we are going to have to get the guys out of our hair, we have lots of work to do. So what color do you want your hair?"
Starsky and Hutch were sitting in Starsky's car in front of the townhouse. They had just come from the hospital where doctors took care of Hutch's cuts and burns. None of them were serious but a few had to be bandage and he was told to see his doctor in a few days.
Hutch was reluctant to get out of the car. "What do you think they have been talking about?"
Starsky laughed, "Probably comparing notes," he teased.
Hutch shot him a dirty look, "very funny."
"Oh come on Hutch what do you think they could be doing? Slugging it out maybe?" Starsky sighed as he got out of the car. Hutch just shrugged and got out too following his partner to the front door.
When they stepped into the hall they could hear laughter from the living room. Both Susan and Maddie were lying on the floor in front of the fireplace playing Monopoly. Maddie was dressed in pair of sweat pants and an old sweatshirt that said LAPD across the front. The two men just stood in the doorway watching the women laugh as they moved their playing pieces around the board.
Hutch looked at Starsky and shook his head. It was only an hour ago that Susan had been ready to rip Maddie and him from limb to limb. Now Maddie was wearing Susan's clothes and they were playing games like old friends. Hutch cleared his throat as he entered the room. They looked up and both burst into laughter again. Hutch gave Starsky a bewildered look then said. "Don't you have to get back to work?"
Susan shook her head, "I called Dobey and told him that I wasn't coming back, but that you and Starsky would be in as soon as you got back from the Doctor."
"What? I'm suppose to be guarding Maddie." Hutch said. "I have to find another safe house."
"We have a safe house," Susan stated as she got up from the floor and went to inspect the damage to Hutch's back.
"Susan, Maddie can't say here. What about Jesse?" Hutch asked as Susan pulled back his ruined shirt.
"Jessie is going to stay next door with Karen." Susan told him. "No body knows where Maddie is. I didn't tell Dobey, Edna and we three are the only ones that know where she is. There must be a leak someplace in the department for them to have found you that fast."
"You aren't saying that Dobey is the leak are you?" Starsky asked raising his eyebrows.
"Lord no! But the fewer people that know the safer Maddie will be." Susan stated. "You made a quick get away, I don't think you were followed do you?"
Hutch shook his head, "I don't think so. But I don't like this. You don't have to be involved."
"I should have been involved in the first place, we are partners or did you for get that?" Susan said in an angry voice.
Hutch sighed and held up his hands. "OK, OK you win." He grumbled, then under his breath, "like always."
"What was that?" Susan said grinning at Maddie.
"Nothing, I didn't say one thing." Hutch grouched then he touched Susan on the shoulder and said softly into her ear. "Are you really sure about this?"
She looked into his blue eyes and smiled, her heart always did a little flip when she did that. "Yes I'm sure," she whispered. Then louder so that Starsky could hear, "Now you guys go off and save the world."
"And just what am I going to tell Dobey about Maddie?" Hutch asked.
"Hey you are smart, think of something. Besides, I'm not at work I think he's smart enough to figure out who she is with, don't you."
"You gotta hand it to her Hutch she's a bright girl." Starsky said winking at Susan who batted her eye lashes at him.
"I'm not just another pretty face." She said then shooed them out of the house.
Susan watched from the front window until Starsky's car disappeared around the corner. Then she turned to Maddie with a grin. "Let's get busy."
The female detective got on the phone right away and began calling in favors. Her last call was to Huggy Bear. "The Pits, how may I help you?" came the familiar voice on the other end of the phone. The place was hopping with customers as it was lunchtime and The Pits was one of the best places to eat and drink. Huggy had his steady stream of regulars along with a few that just 'dropped in'.
"Hey Huggy," Susan said into the phone. "I know you are busy with the lunch crowd but when things calm down I got a favor to ask."
"Sure thing doll, you name it." Huggy said as he covered the mouthpiece to yell at someone. Once he was back he said. "What do ya need?"
"First you can't say anything to my partners or anyone else." Susan instructed. "Then I need you to come to the house but park around the corner and come in the back."
Huggy hesitated for a second, then said. "It ain't something illegal is it?"
"Huggy, I'm surprised at you, I’m a cop." Susan giggled. "Will you come?"
"You know I will," he said, "give me about an hour, is that okay?"
"That will be great Hug, thanks," Susan hung up the phone smiling. She turned to Maddie. "Well are you ready for a new you?"
Maddie slowly nodded her head, she wanted to do this but was also scared to death at what she was about to do. The two women sat down and made out a shopping list for Mrs. Gray. Susan felt that is was safer if no one saw Maddie coming and going from the house, at least the way she looked now. Then she made a quick call to a doctor friend to see about getting colored contacts for Maddie's blue eyes. Maddie wrote down her clothes sizes and things that she would need since she hadn't brought much with her. Going back to New York to get anything was totally out of the question, her old life was now over.
When Mrs. Gray got back with the purchases she found Susan and Maddie in the kitchen making cookies. Both women were sitting on the kitchen counter with spoons dipping into the raw dough. There was one cookie sheet in the oven baking. Mrs. Gray just shook her head as she watched them. When Susan saw Mrs. Gray standing in the doorway she giggled and slid down from the counter.
"I swear I can't leave this house for a moment," the older woman teased as she handed Maddie two shopping bags of clothes. "The rest of the stuff is in the car."
"I'll get," Susan offered dropping the spoon in the sink.
After Susan had left the kitchen, Maddie looked at Mrs. Gray tears in her eyes. "She is being so nice to me. We had such an awful start. I would never steal Hutch from her…I didn't know."
Mrs. Gray put her arms round the Maddie, "She knows that, Susan would give the shirt off her back to help anyone. I guess that is her one big fault if you can call that a fault."
Maddie looked at Mrs. Gray as she pulled out the shirt she was wearing, "Yeah she gave me her shirt and now she is saving my life."
Mrs. Gray chuckled as she pulled a clean spoon from the drawer and dipped in the cookie dough. "I don't think many of these are going to get bake."
"Mrs. Gray…." Maddie began.
"Edna, please," the older woman smiled.
Maddie smiled back at her. "Edna," she began again. "This won't come between Susan and Hutch will it?" Edna looked at her confused. "You know Susan is helping me."
Edna shook her head, "I think Hutch would be right here helping if he knew what the two of you were cooking up."
Susan came in the front door just as somebody knocked on the sliding patio doors. Maddie screamed and hit the floor covering her head with her hands. Mrs. Gray waved at the tall black man standing peering into the room from the glass doors.
"It's OK dear," Edna patted Maddie on the back, "it's just Huggy Bear."
"Huggy?" Maddie said getting to her feet.
Susan came into the kitchen after depositing the bags in the living room to find still on Huggy coming in the back. Susan hugged her old friend. "Thanks for coming."
"No prob," Huggy said. "Now what can I do you for?"
Susan quickly explained what was going on. "I need you to get Maddie some fake ID, everything credit cards, driver license, medical records, anything you can think of that she might need."
Huggy nodded, "Piece of cake but I don’t think you want that face splashed all over them do you? He said pointing a Maddie.
Susan smiled, "Nope we can't have that, you ready for the new you dear?"
Maddie visibly gulped. She knew this was going to happen but still, she had worked hard on her looks for years and now they were going to be changed in a matter of an hour or so. She nodded her head slowly.
"I'll be kind," Susan said as she led the young woman up stairs to the bathroom. She grabbed a bag from the couch as they went by.
Maddie had picked a beautiful shade of reddish brown for her hair so Susan had picked out green contacts for her eyes. First they worked on Maddie's hair, but before she would let Susan touch her hair she looked into the mirror intently.
"Goodbye Madison Callaway," she said softly. "Hello Isabell Styles."
Susan was taken aback at her old name being used. But smiled, there was no way that Maddie knew about that.
It was late that evening by the time Starsky and Hutch returned Susan was sitting in the on the couch when they entered the living room. Both men looked around the room, Maddie was not in sight. Susan looked up from the book she had been reading. "Hi guys, tough day?"
Hutch gave her a perplexed look, "what, did you finally get tired of Maddie and knock her off?"
"For heaven sakes Hutch, don't be silly." She smiled got up kissed her husband then kissed Starsky on the cheek.
The two male detectives stared at each other, they knew there was something going on. Hutch followed Susan into the kitchen. "Susan where is Maddie?"
"You two want some dinner? Edna left some food in the oven." She said ignoring the question.
"Starsky check up stairs," Hutch spun Susan around to face him. "Where is Maddie?" he repeated once again.
"Well…uh," she stammered looking at the floor.
A few minutes later Starsky returned, "Maddie is not up stairs, in fact nobody is here."
"OK what the hell is going on?" Hutch said more loudly then he had intended, he was beginning to get frighten.
Susan sighed then looked at the clock Maddie's plane would be off the ground by now. Mrs. Gray had taken Susan's car and driven Maddie to the airport. They hadn't wanted to call a cab for fear that things would be put together. She wanted to make sure Maddie was in the air before she told her partners so that they couldn't go after her. Finally Susan said very softly, "she's gone."
"Gone!" Starsky exclaimed, "gone where?"
Susan just shrugged, "I don't really know."
"Susan what the hell is going on here?" Hutch yelled. "We have to have Maddie on a plane to New York in a couple of days!"
"Listen, she didn't want to testify. She was terrified that the Mob would still find her even after she went in to the witness protection program. After what happened at the safe house I'm not so sure she is wrong." Susan stopped for a moment and looked up into Hutch's face. "I helped her change her appearance, her name, everything. Nobody will ever find Maddie."
Hutch rolled his eyes and rubbed his hand across his face. "And just what the hell do I tell the FBI?" he stormed.
"Nothing, you don't know anything." Susan said as she turned back to the stove and took out the food Mrs. Gray had left there.
"OK where is Huggy," Starsky asked eyeing the food Susan put on the table, it wasn't pizza but it looked good and he was starved.
"Huggy?" Susan said trying not to grin. "What about him?"
"We know you couldn't have done all this by yourself in such a short time." Starsky said.
"Oh you would be surprised at what I can do when I want to." Susan answered.
"You aren't going to tell us anything are you?" Hutch asked sighing.
"Nope so you two can get mad, and get over it." Susan said. "There is no law that says Maddie has to testify. She thinks that if she disappears like this that then the Mob might forget about her and I tend to agree with her. She might get her chance to start over."
"Great just great," Hutch pulled out a kitchen chair and plopped down in it. Starsky joined him, Susan handed them each a fork. "Are you sure she will be alright?"
Susan knew he wasn't talking about the Mob getting her. "Yeah she is going to be just fine."
Two months had past since Maddie's escape, the trio had taken a bit of heat from the FBI and the New York police department not even to mention what Dobey had to say. But Hutch was happy that Susan had helped Maddie now at least maybe the former model would be able to sleep at night.
One afternoon when their shift was over the detectives came home to find a postcard lying on the dining room table. It had a scene of palm trees in the sunset Hutch flipped it over and on the back it had one word, Thanks.
The End