​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​~Chapter 1~


Starsky felt as though he couldn’t breathe, he was trying to sit up but couldn’t. He tried to bring his hands up to his face but he couldn’t do that either. His eyes suddenly popped open, he was in bed only having a bad dream, but if it was only a dream, why couldn’t he breathe? As things came into focus in the dark room and he became more awake, he realized that someone was actually sitting on top of him. “HUTCH!” Starsky yelled alarmed. They had been renting a house together for nearly a year and half. It has been three years since Hutch had been brainwashed into killing a sleazy lawyer and his even sleazier client. He had his ups and downs, even leaving the force for a while to try and get his life back on track. Things had been going okay until the dreams returned, no not dreams, nightmares, horrible nightmares of him killing the two men. Something he was having a hard time living with. His Doctor, Sam Smith, an expert in brainwashing and recovery had finally suggested that the two partners move in together. After Hutch’s suicide attempt Sam had separated the two men, taking Hutch to a house on the beach to deprogram him and get his life back. But now it seemed the best thing for Hutch was to have his best friend and partner at his side. The form above him moved and Starsky saw a flash of steel. He tried to roll from side to side but knees kept his arms clamped to his sides, a hand pushed down high on his chest, close to his neck, he was having a hard time catching his breath. Where was Hutch? Starsky thought to himself. Maybe whoever was attacking him had already taken care of Hutch. The form let up a moment to get a better hold on Starsky, this was all the detective needed. Starsky rolled sharply to the right catching his assailant off guard. Starsky was able to push, who he assumed to be a man because of his strength, off of him.
The detective leapt to his feet ready to do battle, Starsky saw the glint to steel again and knew that it had to be a knife. The man jumped up and came at Starsky with super human strength. Starsky shoved the man into the bedroom wall as hard as he could. He felt as if the whole house shook from the force, he heard the knife fall to the floor, the man slumped and slid down the wall. “HUTCH!” Starsky yelled again as he fumbled for the light switch on the wall. With shaking hands he finally found the switch and the room filled with light, Starsky squinted his eyes shut at the sudden burst of brightness. But as his eyes grew used to the light and he focused in on his assailant, Starsky’s mouth fell open in shock; his cop instinct kicked the knife out of reach just in case Hutch came to.
Starsky dropped to his knees next to his unconscious partner. He gently touched the side of Hutch’s face; he was sweaty and breathing hard. “Hutch,” Starsky said softly, why had his partner been trying to kill him? Starsky looked at the knife lying near the door where he had kicked it; it was a butcher knife from the kitchen.
Hutch’s eyes started to flutter and Starsky braced himself in case his partner was violent when he awoke. A soft groan escaped Hutch’s lips as he cracked both eyes and looked at Starsky, “What are you doing?” he asked softly.
“The better question is, what are you doing?” Starsky said, “Let’s get up you up.”
Slowly with Starsky’s help Hutch got to his feet, his hand went to the back of his head where a bump was forming from getting slammed into the wall. He looked around Starsky’s bedroom, “What am I doing in your room? What time is it?”
Starsky had no idea what time it was, but he knew what his partner had been there for. “Hutch, you attacked me.”
“What?” Hutch’s eyes opened wide as he started shaking his head.
“I woke up and you were on top of me, with that knife,” Starsky jerked his head toward the doorway where the knife still lay.
“No, no way would I do that.” Hutch said in shock, his knees started to go out on him and Starsky guided him gently to the bed.
“Do you remember anything?” Starsky wanted to know as he sat down with Hutch.
Hutch shook his head no, they had come home from work, had dinner, watched a little TV then gone to bed, that was the last thing he remembered. “What time is it?” he repeated again.
Starsky looked at the clock on the bedside table. “Two a.m.”
Another moan escaped Hutch, this time it sounded more like a wounded animal. “It’s starting again.”
“What? What’s starting again?” Starsky asked frightened. He grabbed Hutch’s now shaking hands and the devastated look on Hutch’s face shook him to the core. “What are you talking about?”
“How did I kill Jackie Delocasa and Sal Brooks? I carved them up like turkeys with a knife, just what I was going to do to you.”
“You don’t know that!” Starsky said but his tone was not convincing, he could still feel Hutch on top of him cutting off his wind and brandishing the knife.
“You can’t lie to me partner, I can see it on your face. I scared the shit out of you.”
“But I didn’t know it was you Hutch.”
“And I didn’t know it was you, or didn’t care, and that’s what scares me.” Hutch went limp and he flopped back on to the bed. “I can’t go through this again. I nearly didn’t make it last time.” Hutch put his arm over his face which muffled his voice, “I thought moving in together would help and it did, the nightmares had gone away and now this. I can’t take it Starsky.”
Starsky’s mind flashed to the night he found Hutch after he had slit his wrists in a bath of hot water. He had been nearly dead by the time Starsky had arrived and it had only been by the grace of God that Hutch had survived. It had been what? Three years since the nightmare had started, not just for Hutch but for Starsky too. Watching his friend spiral out of control had been the worst thing that had ever happened to him. He had felt so helpless, just the way he was feeling now. “I’m going to call Sam.”
“Too early,” Hutch mumbled under his arm.
“I don’t care, Sam says call anytime.” Starsky said as he got up from the bed. “Will you be okay while I go call Sam?”
“Sure.”
As Starsky left the room he bent and picked up the knife, taking it with him into the living room to place a call to Hutch’s doctor.

As soon as the phone began ringing at the home of Dr. Sam Smith the doctor had a gut feeling who it was. He snatched the phone receiver from the side of the bed, “Sam.”
“Sam, its Dave Starsky, Hutch needs you.”
“I’m on my way.” Sam jumped out of bed not bothering with his slippers, smoothing his white hair flat as he went to dress. His mind went back to the first time he had seen Detective Hutchinson, Sam had been put in an integration room along with a tape recorder. It has been explained to him that it was thought that the detective had possibly been brainwashed. It was to be his job to prove it or the detective would probably end up on death row for butchering two men. He had done that, it hadn’t been hard to prove once they had figure out the trigger word, “Dominic”. But that was only the beginning for Sam and the detective. The deprogramming process took nearly two years to complete and then there was no guarantee. But Hutch had been doing well, very well. Even though the nightmares would return from time to time that was to be expected.
When Sam arrived at their rented house it was ablaze with lights and Starsky opened the door before he could knock. “What happened?” Sam wanted to know as he shook the light rain from his jacket.
Quickly, Starsky explained the events that led up to his calling of the doctor. “Hutch is in the bedroom.” He pointed down the hall.
“Wait here,” Sam said when Starsky started to follow the doctor. “Let me speak to Ken alone.”
Hutch had the same nearly blank look on his face as the first time that Sam had seen him when he was escorted into the integration room; he had been wearing an orange jumpsuit then. Hutch was sitting on the edge of the bed dressed in pajama bottoms and a tan t-shirt; he had his head in his hands and didn’t look up when Sam spoke to him.
“Ken!” Sam spoke more sharply and Hutch raised his eyes to look at his doctor.
“Why is this happening now?” Hutch wanted to know. “This wasn’t a nightmare; this was me trying to kill my friend.”
“I don’t know but we will find out, I promise you.” Sam replied as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Has anything happened in the last few days that could have set this off?”
Hutch thought for a moment and shook his head; it had been a rather quiet week. He hadn’t even had to draw his weapon, although he did have an eight year old lead him on a foot chase from a convenience store for stealing a bottle of pop. “Nothing has happened, the nightmares stopped when Starsk and I moved in here. It’s been nice living here with him; I had my reservations before we actually did it. We might be close and we still have our differences, but it’s all worked out….until now.
“I will go out on a limb here and say this has nothing to do with David, something else has triggered this.”
“And what am I supposed to do? We can’t stay in the same house with me trying to kill him; I just might do it next time.” Hutch said in a defeated tone. “Lock me up doc that is the only way Starsk will be safe.”
“Nobody is locking you up,” the dark headed detective said from the doorway, he had tried to obey Sam but he could only wait so long.
“Then what do you suggest? Are you going to sleep with one eye open every night, put a lock on your door, chain me to my bed, what?” Hutch stormed as he jumped off the bed, it was the most energy he had shown since he had been straddling his partner trying to kill him.”
“I can prescribe you something, Ken.” Sam said also standing.
“And what if that doesn’t work? What if I kill Starsky? Do you want to take that chance?” Hutch spat out the questions, “I can’t take that chance.”
“We need to find out what triggered this,” Sam said looking at Starsky who only shrugged.
“We had a quiet week.”
“Yes, that is what Ken said, but go back further, last week, last month. There has to be something.” Sam pressed. He moved past Starsky and went into the living room, the detectives followed him. Hutch flopped down in a nearby chair while Starsky and Sam sat down on the couch. It was nearing four in the morning, in another few hours they would have to report for work. “I want to see you in my office at eight.” Sam said to Hutch as he got up, they were getting nowhere.
Hutch looked panicked at the thought of the doctor leaving. He felt safe with Sam there; he knew that he would not harm his partner as long as the doctor was there to stop him. “Eight? But what if something happens before then?”
“Nothing is going to happen,” Starsky assured him, there was no way he would be able to go back to sleep anyway and now that he knew something was up with Hutch he would be on his guard. But what would he do? Shoot Hutch if he came at him again? “I’ll have him there Sam.”
“You have to be at work,” Hutch said after Sam left.
“I think Dobey will understand,” Starsky moved toward the kitchen, he was going to need coffee. He wondered what Sam would say to Hutch, he wanted to be there, he didn’t want Sam taking Hutch away from him again, because this time, he didn’t think Hutch would ever come back.



                                                                                      ~Chapter 2~


Hutch sat on the couch staring out into space, Starsky hung up the phone from talking to Dobey letting him know that they wouldn’t be in; he had said they had both come down with the flu. Dobey had only grunted, not sure if he believed what his detective was telling him. Starsky clapped this hands together causing Hutch to jump. “Let’s get going, we are going to be late for your appointment with Sam.”
Hutch didn’t move he remained rooted to his spot on the couch. Finally, he dropped his head in his hands, “Starsk, I can’t do this again, I just can’t.”
Starsky sat down next to him, “Do what buddy? We don’t know what is going on.”
“Whatever it is, it’s not good, I could have killed you.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Why, why would I do that?” Hutch sounded so defeated it nearly broke Starsky’s heart and filled it with fear. This was how he had sounded before he had tried to kill himself.
“That is why you are going to go talk to Sam; he can get to the bottom of this.” Starsky tried to comfort his friend. “Maybe it was just a onetime thing, maybe you were having a nightmare and acted on it.”
Hutch looked at Starsky, “It’s acting on it that scares me. We both have guns in the house, what if I had just walked in and shot you?”
Starsky didn’t know what to say, he hadn’t really thought of that but he wasn’t afraid of his partner. “Come on; let’s get you to Sam’s.”

Sam was waiting for them on his front porch when Starsky pulled up. Hutch slowly got out of the car and walked to where Sam was sitting and joined him on the step. Starsky got out and waved over the top of car, he knew that Sam would want to speak to Hutch alone and was surprised when the doctor motioned for him to join them.
“I thought I would ask you to join us today, David.” Sam said getting up, “Why don’t we go in the house?”
The two detectives followed the doctor into in the house to his den that always seemed to look the same. There never was a book out of place, a picture moved or even a speck of dust. They sat down in matching leather chairs as Sam went around and sat behind his desk.
“Any new thoughts?” Sam asked.
Hutch shook his head.
Sam looked at Starsky, “How about you?”
“I don’t know what I’m even supposed to be thinking about or looking for. Like we told you, nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The biggest thing would have been us moving in together and that was a year and half ago.”
Sam smiled at them, “It could be something simple, something you aren’t even really aware has happened, but Hutch’s subconscious could have latched on to it.”
Starsky looked at Sam perplexed, “I don’t know what to do with that.”
“I know you don’t,” Sam said getting up and coming around the desk, he perched on the edge and looked at both of them. “What I’m going to purpose is a bit unorthodox for somebody that has been brainwashed. I want to try hypnosis on Ken.”
“Isn’t that like brainwashing?” Starsky asked concerned.
Sam shook his head. “It is totally different, hypnosis is done on a willing patient, you won't do anything that a hypnotherapist suggests that you don't want to, and you feel good when you wake up from it.”
Starsky looked doubtful, “Then why do you say it’s unorthodox?”
“Stirring up those brainwashing memories could be dangerous or it could help us figure out what triggered Ken’s episode last night.” Sam explained.
They were talking as if Hutch wasn’t in the room and he didn’t care, he wasn’t really listening to what they were saying anyway, he was remembering what the knife felt like in his hand and it felt good. He took a sudden deep breath; he had nearly been in a trance.
“Ken, are you alright?” Sam asked looking at his pale face.
“Sure.”
“Would you be willing to try hypnosis?” Sam asked, “David can be right here with you though the whole thing.”
“If it will help.” Hutch said without any inflection in his voice.
Starsky just sat and stared at Hutch, what had happened to his partner within the last twenty four hours that had practically made him catatonic?
“Alright then, why don’t you make yourself comfortable on the couch,” Sam indicated a dark leather couch that matched the chairs the boys were sitting in.
“You are going to do this right now?” Starsky panicked, it seemed like his fear was just below the surface all the time.
“It’s okay Starsk, I just want to get it over with,” Hutch moved over the couch and lay down.
“Comfortable?” Sam asked
“Sure.”
Starsky turned the chair so that he could watch everything that Sam was doing and how his partner responded. He didn’t like this one bit and it frighten him that all those memories could be dredged up again, what if the hypnosis sent Hutch over the edge? He had really wanted to speak to Sam more extensively about the hypnosis alone.
It took Sam very little time to put Hutch under, the more willing the subject, the easier it is to put them under and Hutch slid quickly under Sam’s spell. “Ken, can you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me what is going on?”
There was no response from Hutch.
Sam looked at Starsky then rephrased his question, “Did something happen at home yesterday?”
“No.”
“Did something happen at work?”
The moment Sam said work Hutch began to get agitated, “Call” he choked out.
“Sam…” Starsky began; he was worried about Hutch’s state of agitation. But Sam put his finger to his lips to silence the worried partner.
“Ken, you are safe, nothing can hurt you, you can’t hurt anyone. What about the call, when was it?”
“Right before we left.”
Sam nodded and gave Starsky a small smile, he felt as though they were finally getting somewhere, “And what did the caller say?”
Hutch frowned and shook his head back and forth slowly as if he were trying to shake them memory out of his head.
“Come on, what did the caller say?” Sam persisted, “Remember, you are safe, you are with friends.”
The lines on Hutch’s face smoothed and he whispered so softly that neither the doctor nor his partner could hear what he said.
“Ken, can you say it again louder?” Sam asked as he moved closer to his patient.
“Dominic,” Hutch whispered only slightly louder, but both men heard him this time. The blood drained from Starsky’s face and Sam sat back in his chair shocked, how could this happen? The young man that had brainwashed Hutch was dead.
Sam looked at Starsky who was as stunned as he was, gaining his composer again Sam asked, “Is this the first call you have had at the station from Dominic?”
“Yes.”
“What did Dominic tell you to do?”
“Kill Starsky.” There was no emotion in Hutch’s voice as he spoke.
“Okay Ken, you have done a good job, it’s time to wake up now. I will count to three; you will wake up refreshed and happy.” Sam said smoothly. “One, two, three.”
Hutch opened his eyes and smiled at Starsky and the doctor, “Did you find out anything?”
Starsky nodded, he was afraid to tell Hutch what he had said.
“Well?” Hutch persisted. “What did I say?”
Starsky looked at Sam, Sam cleared this throat, “Seems like a call came in just before you left work yesterday.”
“Who was the call from?”
“Dominic.”
Hutch looked as stunned at both men had when he had uttered the words under hypnosis. “How is that possible?”
“It’s obvious somebody is playing games.” Starsky said angry, who would do something like this?
“It’s not that easy,” Sam said. “Ken will only respond to the brainwasher, that is how he has been programmed or when I had said Dominic, he would have gone into a trace.”
“But that is impossible, Curtis Mayfair is dead.” Starsky stood and began pacing the room. “Can I leave Hutch here with you? I want to go down to the station and do some digging.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.” Hutch stated glaring at Starsky.
“Well I’m not finished with you yet, so why don’t you stay here; let David go to the station and perhaps we can have some lunch when he returns.” Sam suggested.
Hutch nodded grudgingly, not sure if Sam really still needed to talk to him or if it was his way of letting Starsky go do what he needed to.

Starsky wasn’t sure what he was going to do at the station but he had to do something, somehow figure out who would have called Hutch with the trigger word and then tell Hutch to kill him. He wondered if by some chance the tape that had been in Hutch’s answering machine had been stolen from the evidence room, although by this time the box would have been stacked away with the other closed cases. Starsky’s first order of business was to hit the evidence room to see about the tape.
“Hi, Starsky,” Ronnie Williams greeted Starsky as he approached the window to the evidence room. It was closely guarded; anything taken out had to be signed for.
“Ronnie,” Starsky nodded at the man.
“What can I do for you?”
“I need the evidence box from Hutch’s case.” Starsky told him.
Ronnie scratched his chin, “That’s an old case; it would be in the back room, not always easy to find.”
Starsky sighed, he knew what Ronnie’s spiel was going to be, Ronnie was a nice guy but when it came to looking for stuff he was lazy. “I’ll go back and look.”
“Sorry Starsky, can’t let you do that.” Ronnie said.
Starsky looked around, “Who is going to know, there is nobody down here but you and I, and if I hear somebody I’ll stay out of sight until they are gone.”
Ronnie thought a moment; he had just gotten himself a fresh cup of coffee that would be cold by the time he returned. “Okay, but be as quick as you can and if somebody comes in…”
“I’ll stay out sight,” Starsky said impatiently. Ronnie unlocked the fenced-in room and allowed Starsky to enter. The detective headed toward the back room, he glanced at his watch; it was nearly ten, that would give him about an hour and a half before he needed to be back at Sam’s for lunch.

“So, are you babysitting me or do you really want to talk some more?” Hutch wanted to know as they took coffee and moved out onto the front porch.
“Don’t you think we still need to talk?” Sam asked
Hutch shrugged, “Since I can’t remember anything unless you have hypnotized me, I don’t know how far we will get.”
Sam smiled over the rim of his coffee cup. “I wasn’t going to ask you about that, I want to know how you are doing.”
“I thought I was doing well until this started. My moving in with Starsky has been great, really helped me not to feel alone. I think it was good to get out of that apartment too, sometimes when I went into the bathroom I would have, I guess you would call them flashbacks, some of them so real I could almost feel the razor blade on my skin.”
Sam only nodded as he sipped his coffee and listened to the detective.
“The nightmares disappeared, I guess I should have gotten out of that apartment long ago, Starsky tried to get me to but I wouldn’t listen.”
“Sometimes we have to face our demons head on, but then we have to know when to run too.” Sam stretched out he legs, enjoying the warmth of the sun. “David is a good friend.” He commented.
“He has always been there for me no matter what.” Hutch said then his face clouded over, “And I repay him by trying to kill him.”
“That wasn’t you.” Sam said.
“How is this happening?”
“I think that is what your partner is trying to find out.”

Finally, after nearly an hour of searching musty boxes, he found the box containing the evidence for Hutch’s case. Hutchinson was printed out the outside of the box in big black letters and the words CLOSED were printed with the same marker on the lid. Blowing the dust off the top of the box Starsky set it on a nearby table and opened the lid. He was hoping that the tape was missing but it wasn’t, the tape was still safely in its clean plastic case and it was obvious that the box had been undisturbed by the layer of dust . “Shit,” Starsky exclaimed out loud, nobody heard him but the dust bunnies under the shelves. He pulled out the bags that held the bloody clothes that Hutch had been wearing when he had been arrested but Starsky couldn’t bring himself to open them, he didn’t really need to anyway, it was the tape he had been looking for.



                                                                                                                     ~Chapter 3~


Before leaving the station he made a quick trip to the squad room hoping to catch their Captain in his office. Starsky knocked softly and waited for Dobey to holler for him to enter. Dobey’s eye brows shot up when he saw his detective. Not only was he surprised to see him since he had called in sick, he was also surprised that he had knocked. “What’s wrong?” Dobey asked suspiciously.
“We don’t really have the flu,” Starsky admitted as he flopped down in the chair in front of Dobey’s desk.
“You don’t say.”
“But it is serious.” Starsky said somberly as he began to explain to their Captain what was going on.
Dobey sat listening carefully to what his detective was saying, he shook his head a few times and his eyes grew sad, he thought of the two detectives as family. He also was making notes from time to time. After Starsky was finished Dobey said, “I’m going to tell the switchboard that any call for Hutchinson are to be traced. Maybe we can get to the bottom of who is doing this.”
“Good idea Cap.” Starsky glanced at his watch. “I better be getting back to Sam’s, I promised I would be back by lunch time.”

He found Hutch setting the table when he entered Sam’s house. “Well, is the tape still there?” Hutch said hoping that it had been taken; it would at least explain the trigger word.
“Yes, I’m sorry Hutch. Nothing looked like it had been disturbed in years.” Starsky said as he played with the edge of one of the placemats.
Sam came in carrying a platter of sandwiches that looked like they came from a deli and put them on the table. “Let me get the drinks and we will be set.”
When Sam returned with beverages, Starsky said as he pointed to the sandwiches, “That is impressive.”
Sam smiled, “Thank you. I love to cook and I don’t often have people to make stuff for.” They sat down and Sam asked, “So, did I hear that you found the tape.”
“I’m afraid so. If it wasn’t somebody using the tape then how are they doing it?” Starsky wanted to know.
Sam shook his head perplexed. “Maybe it could be somebody that sounds enough like Mayfair that it triggered Ken.”
“But who, maybe his father?” Hutch suggested.
“Why would his father do this, especially after all this time?” Starsky said as he munched on one of Sam’s sandwiches.
“I’m sure that their family has no fond memories of me.” Hutch said. “The son blamed me for Delocasa getting off and I’m sure the father thinks I’m the reason his son was like he was and killed himself.”
“You saved Mayfair’s sister.” Starsky said. Hutch had helped break a kiddie porn ring and had found Mayfair’s sister, along with several other kids in a warehouse; the whole operation was run by Jackie Delocasa. If things had gone better in court, Hutch wouldn’t have been in this situation but Sal Brooks had twisted Hutch’s words and gotten Delocasa off without so much as a slap on the wrist.
Sam sat listening to the two detectives, taking mental notes on what they were saying. He was in mid bite when a thought struck him. “Are you sure Curtis Mayfair is dead?”
“Yep, hung himself in lock up.” Starsky said.
“Did you see the body?”
“No, just got a phone call about it.”
“Somebody reliable?” Sam wanted to know.
“He was in lock up for heaven sakes, cops all around him.” Starsky answered, “What are you suggesting Sam?”
Sam only shrugged, “The tape is still locked up, and we are going to assume there was no copy of it.”
“And dead men can’t make phone calls.” Starsky snapped feeling like Sam was going down a dead end street.
“I have seen stranger things in my line of work,” Sam said, “You just never know what lengths a father would go to for his son.”
“Are you saying that Daniel Mayfair faked his son’s death under the noses of who knows how many police officers?” Starsky said incredulously. “Impossible.”
“But can you check it out?” Sam persisted.
“That was several years ago, tracking down everybody that was involved would be nearly impossible.” Starsky said.
“Are you saying that the officers, or at least some of them, wouldn’t still be at your station or couldn’t at least be located?” Sam frowned at Starsky, “I don’t see why you are fighting this idea.”
“It’s a dead end; I would rather be spending time on real leads.” Starsky said.
“And what would those be?” Hutch snapped. He had been watching the two men argue back and forth, he had had enough. “There are no leads, just that somebody called the station and used my trigger word that should have been erased from my memory but isn’t.” Hutch looked at Sam.
“Ken, it’s not an exact science, I did my best but now I’ll just have to do better.”
Hutch pushed his plate back, his sandwich uneaten; he got up from the table and headed toward the door.
“Hutch, where are you going?” Starsky called after him as he started to get up.
“For a walk if that’s okay,” Hutch threw over his shoulder has he slammed the front door.
Sam grabbed Starsky’s arm, “Let him go.”
“But what if something happens to him?” Starsky wanted to know as he pulled his arm from Sam’s grasp.
“Nothing is going to happen to him, he’ll be back.”
“And if he’s not?”
“Then we will go looking for him, but he will be back.” Sam assured the detective.

Hutch stood on the sidewalk and looked up at Sam’s house, he expected Starsky to come bounding out the door after him. But when that didn’t happen he started walking down the street, he went a block and then another and another, checking behind occasionally in case he was being followed. When he finally realized that Starsky was going to give him some space Hutch gave a sigh of relief, he just needed some time to think. He had to admit he had felt better since Sam had put him under hypnosis but that Sam’s theory of Curtis Mayfair still being alive unhinged him a bit. Hutch wondered if it would ever be over or would he live the rest of his life scared that he was going to carve somebody up.
He walked a few more blocks still thinking, his confidence in Sam had been shaken a bit. Hutch was so sure that he had been cured, especially since the nightmares had stopped. His thoughts drifted back to what Sam had been saying about Mayfair, what if the doctor was right. What if his father had faked the hanging so that he could get Curtis out of jail? He probably would never have been sent to prison, just to a Psychiatric Hospital, which Hutch was sure his father wouldn’t want either. Maybe it was worth checking into, he wondered why Starsky was so opposed to the idea. After all, it was a crazy idea, but still Hutch couldn’t help but wonder.
Hutch walked a few more blocks then crossed the street and started back, he knew if he was gone too long Starsky would call out the cavalry to look for him. As he headed back he realized what a truly beautiful day it was, not to hot, not to cold, the birds were flying from tree to tree, flowers blooming. Hutch found himself whistling as he enjoyed the breeze and watched several children playing in their front yard. Maybe this was just what he needed, a little time to just be alone and enjoy the simple things, something a cop rarely had time to do.
Starsky was waiting outside Sam’s home when Hutch returned, a smile spread across his face when he saw his partner. “Are you okay?”
Hutch nodded, “Yeah, I think I am for the moment.” Both men sat on the steps, “Why are you so against Sam’s theory?”
“I just don’t want to dig all that up again,” Starsky replied.
“Buddy, it’s already been dug up, I think we need to cover all the bases.”
“Maybe Sam is right.” Starsky said putting his arm around Hutch’s shoulders, “We’ll get to the bottom of all this and things will get back to normal.”
Hutch shook his head sadly, “And just what is normal?”
“Just don’t give up.”
“I won’t,” Hutch smiled at this partner.
They left Sam’s with strict instructions from the doctor for Hutch not to answer any phones no matter where they were, not even a pay phone on the street. Hutch was more than happy to obey Sam, he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to answer a phone again.
After a little prodding from Hutch and a promise that they wouldn’t stay long, they stopped by the station to talk to Dobey. Both detectives wanted to see what he might think of Sam’s theory, if Curtis Mayfair was still alive it could explain a whole lot.
Dobey was happy to see Hutch even if he didn’t express it, instead he barked at his two detectives to close the door and sit down. “Any luck getting to the bottom of this?” Dobey asked.
“No Cap, but Sam has an interesting scenario,” Starsky quickly relayed Sam’s thoughts to their Captain.
Dobey sat listening; he drummed his fingers on his desk a couple of times but remained silent, even after Starsky had finished the explanation. Finally, Dobey asked, “What do you to think?”
“Personally, I think it’s chasing a dead end, but Hutch would like to check into it just in case.” Starsky said.
“Do you think Mayfair is alive, Hutchinson?”
Hutch shrugged, “I just don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I’m sure Starsky told you what happened. I can’t take a chance that I might hurt him or anybody else.”
“I’m pulling the two of you off all your other cases so you can concentrate on this.” Dobey told them.
“I think you should give Hutch a leave of absence,” Starsky suggested.
Hutch whipped his head around and looked at his partner. “Are you afraid to work with me?”
“Of course not, Hutch.”
“I can’t just sit on my hands waiting for you to break something.” Hutch said. “If we actually find Mayfair and he tries to sick me on you, I give you permission to shoot me.” A smile played across Hutch’s face.
Starsky glared at him. “I’m not going to shoot you.”
“Buddy, you might just have to.” Hutch said bluntly.

It was nearly eleven the next morning when Hutch found himself nervously standing alongside Starsky on the Mayfair’s door step in Malibu. He suddenly wondered if it was such a good idea and maybe a phone call would have sufficed. Starsky knocked and it was only a few moments until a beautiful tall blonde answered the door. She had on the tiniest of bikinis as she flashed an award winning smile at them.
“Can I help you?” she grinned.
“Is Daniel Mayfair home?” Starsky asked.
Sara Mayfair didn’t respond, her attention was fixed on Hutch. “Detective Hutchinson?”
“Yes.” Hutch replied he looked closer at the young woman before him. “Sara?”
She threw her arms around him giving him a brief hug. “Come in.”
“Boy, you sure have grown up,” Hutch complimented her.
“I’ll be eighteen in six months,” she said proudly. “I don’t think I would have been alive if you hadn’t found me.”
Starsky stood staring at the beautiful blonde that filled out her swimsuit, last time he had seen her she had been maybe fourteen.
“If it hadn’t been me somebody else would have rescued you.” Hutch said humbly, he had no ill will against Sara, even after what her brother had done to him.
“Daddy, we have company.” Sara called loudly.
A distinguished looking man in swim trunks entered the house from the patio, “Who is it Sara?”
“It’s…” Sara didn’t get to finished.
“What do you want?” Daniel Mayfair wanted to know, his tan face clouding over and eyes narrowing.
“We need to talk to you about your son, Mr. Mayfair,” Starsky said taking the lead.
“There is nothing to say, my son hung himself three years ago.”
“Yes, we know that but where is he?” Starsky asked playing a hunch after watching Mayfair’s face at the mention of his son.
“What do you mean where is he?” Mayfair said looking from one detective to the other.
“Daddy,” Sara said grabbing her father’s arm.
“Sara, go out to the pool please.”
Sara smiled at Hutch, “It was so nice to see you Detective Hutchinson. I hope you are well.” Sara was very aware of that Curtis had done to the officer.
“I’m good Sara.” He smiled as he lied.
“Bye.” She slid out the patio door and was gone.
“Now, if there isn’t anything else,” Mayfair said.
“We just need to know, is your son dead?” Starsky stopped beating around the bush.
“I think you need to get off my property unless you are accusing me of something or have a warrant.” Mayfair opened the front door allowing the officers access to the outside. “Don’t come back, my family has been though enough.”
“We are sorry, Mr. Mayfair.” Hutch mumbled as he left. Starsky followed behind his partner and they heard the door slam behind them.
Starsky leaned on the hood of his car and stared at the house. “Did you notice that he never said that Curtis was dead?”
“Sam and I were wrong and now we have caused this family pain again.” Hutch said sadly as he opened the passenger side door and started to get in.
There was movement from the side of the house and Sara, still in her bikini but with a towel now wrapped around her waist, waved at the two detectives. As she got closer she whispered, “Detective Hutchinson.”
“Please Sara, just call me Hutch.”
Sara glanced at the house then pressed a piece of paper in Hutch’s hand. “Do what you have to do Hutch.” Sara said softly, she reached up and planted a small kiss on his cheek. “I am so sorry for what my brother did to you.” She was gone as quickly as she showed up.


                                                                                   ~Chapter 4~


As Starsky was pulling out of the Mayfair driveway Hutch opened the piece of paper Sara had put in his hand. He read it silently shaking his head; he couldn’t believe what she had written on the paper.
“Well!” Starsky asked impatiently, “What does it say?”
“It says Wellsphere, room 208.” Hutch said looking again at the slip of paper.
“Wellsphere? What is that?” Starsky wanted to know, taking his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at the paper.
Hutch shrugged, “I don’t know but with that room number I would say it is some kind of a living facility.” Hutch grabbed the microphone, “Zebra Three.”
“Come in Zebra Three.”
“I need you to look up an address for Wellsphere.”
“Will do, I’ll get back to you in a moment Zebra Three.”
“So what do you think it is?” Starsky wanted to know.
“Mr. Mayfair and Sara were acting pretty strange when you brought up Curtis.”
“Maybe it’s a mental hospital; do you really think Mayfair had the power to fake his son’s death?” Starsky asked.
“They are a very rich family so who knows what that kind of money can buy.” Hutch said just as the radio went off. “Zebra Three.”
“Wellsphere is a hospital for comatose patients.” The radio operator said. “I have the address.”
“Shoot,” Hutch said after he grabbed a pad of paper, he jotted down the address, “Thanks.”
“Comatose patients?” Starsky said in surprise. “Curtis Mayfair is in a coma?”
“Looks like he really did hang himself just didn’t do that good of a job at it. Let’s go check it out.”

Daniel Mayfair sat down in a lounge chair on the deck of their Malibu home. The two detectives showing up and asking about Curtis had shaken him to his core. He knew what his son had done was wrong, but he didn’t want to lose him and he knew that Curtis would have never survived in prison. It had only been a fluke when the officers had cut him down in his cell that he had still been alive, just barely. Daniel had noticed but said nothing, hoping that his son would make it to the hospital and he had. Mayfair had paid several people on the staff of the hospital handsomely to falsify documents stating that his son was DOA on arrival to the emergency room. So handsomely paid that everyone involved quit their jobs the next day and disappeared. The diagnosed had been made that Curtis was in a coma that he most likely would never come out of, even though the hanging hadn’t snapped his neck; it had cut off the flow of oxygen to his brain for too long. Mayfair had then moved Curtis, via hearse to the Wellsphere facility, where he had lived undisturbed until now. Daniel couldn’t understand what the sudden interest in his son was. Three years was a long time, and to start digging around now was perplexing to him.
“What’s wrong Daddy?” Sara sat down next to her dad.
“Just wondering why those cops came around now.” Daniel smiled at his daughter and smoothed her hair. He was grateful that she had been saved.
“They have a right to know.” Sara said, “Especially, Hutch.”
“Hutch?”
“Yeah, Detective Hutchinson, the one that Curtis brainwashed.”
“I thought we weren’t going to talk about that anymore Sara.”
“But it happened, Daddy, and Hutch was a victim, he tried to kill himself too.”
“It would do no good now, Curtis is a coma, and he can’t be tried or sent to prison. We just need to let this go and hope they don’t come back.”
“Aren’t you curious why they came after all this time though?” Sara wanted to know.
“Of course, but I’m sure not going to ask them.” He looked at his daughter, “And I don’t want you contacting them either do you hear me?”
“Yes, Daddy.” She had to wonder what her father would think if he knew that she had slipped them the name of the hospital he was in and the room number. She knew they would check it out.

The boys pulled up a long winding driveway of Wellsphere; it looked more like a country club than a hospital. Starsky pulled into a parking spot and they got out. Hutch let out a low whistle as he surveyed his surroundings, “Man, this is something.”
“And for people who can’t even enjoy it.”
“It’s probably for the families,” Hutch surmised.
Starsky shrugged, “Seems kind of silly.” Then he whispered in Hutch’s ear, “Are there this many rich people in coma’s?”
“I don’t know Starsky, why don’t we go in and find out.”
They entered the building, a lobby with marbled floors and furniture that looked like it came out of a decorating magazine amazed them both. A woman dressed in a dark suit greeted them from behind a counter that felt like they were checking into a swanky hotel. “May I help you gentlemen?”
“Yes, we would like to know if you have a patient named…” Starsky began.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” The woman whose name tag proclaim her as Patricia interrupted. “We do not have patients here, they are our clients.”
Starsky rolled his eyes but rephrased his question, “We would like to know if you have a client named Curtis Mayfair.”
“No, I’m sorry, we don’t.” She said staring the two detectives in the eyes.
“You didn’t even check,” Hutch said.
“I don’t have to check, I know all our clients personally and we have no one named Curtis here, I am very sorry.”
“Well, what about the pati….client in room 208?” Hutch wanted to know.
She continued to stare at them, “I’m sorry we don’t give out information about our clients.”
Starsky smacked his badge down on the fancy wooden counter, “How about now?”
Patricia’s eyes dropped to the badge on the counter. “What is this about?”
“It’s about us wanting to know the name of the person in room 208.” Starsky said glaring back at her.
“Do you have a warrant?” She wanted to know.
“Do we need one for a name?” Hutch asked suddenly feeling sorry for anybody that was there.
“I guess not,” she said but didn’t look happy. “His name is William Mayfair.”
“We just asked you if there was a Mayfair here and you said no.” Hutch growled.
“You asked if there was a Curtis Mayfair, which there isn’t.” Patricia stated.
Starsky sighed, “I don’t suppose we would be allowed to see him.”
“Not without permission from the family, this is not a zoo.” Her eyes narrowed.
Both detectives were beyond annoyed, “Could you at least tell us how old this William Mayfair is?”
“Mid twenties, now gentlemen if you wouldn’t mind I have better things to do than to stand here and have a conversation that is going to get you nowhere.”
Feeling dismissed, they left, “I will bet you my last dollar that it’s Curtis.”
“But how do we find out for sure? And then prove that somebody that has been in a coma for three years called me.” Hutch said. “I would be lying if I didn’t say this is making me even more nervous.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of all this, I promise.”
“It will really put a crimp in my social life if I can never answer a phone again.” Hutch gave his partner a rueful smile.
“I can be your social secretary.” Starsky joked.
“Or not,” Hutch said, “You would just steal all my dates.”
“I would not,” Starsky said as he slid behind the wheel, “Just borrow.”
It was nice to have a jovial moment between the two friends, for a moment they forgot their troubles. “Okay, so now what?” Hutch asked coming back to the reality of things, “We have to find out if William Mayfair and Curtis Mayfair are one in the same.”
“We could get a court order.” Starsky suggested, “It shouldn’t be hard considering if Curtis is still alive, he would be a wanted criminal.”
“If we did that, Mr. Mayfair would be here in a heartbeat.”
“You don’t think that woman in there hasn’t already called him. I bet she pisses ice cubes.” Starsky said pulling out of the parking space.
Hutch smiled briefly. “Yeah, he is probably already on his way here.”
“Maybe we should just hang around and see if he turns up.” Starsky suggested.
“I can’t imagine it would be easy to move somebody that is comatose. He would have to have some place else set up to take him.” Hutch said.
“Okay then, let’s try for that court order to get a look.” Starsky said pointing the car in the direction of the station.

The phone rang in the Mayfair household, Sara just happened to be walking by the phone on her way to the kitchen to make lunch, she snagged it as she went buy. “Hello.”
“This is Patricia from Wellsphere, could I please speak to Mr. Mayfair.”
Sara caught her breath for a moment but quickly regained her composer, “I’m sorry he isn’t here right now but this is his daughter, can I help you.” She lied as she looked at her father lounging by the pool.
“Yes, could you please tell him that two police officers were here asking about William?” The woman said. “I just thought that he should know.”
“Thank you, I will tell him as soon as he gets home.” Sara said and hung up the phone. She smiled to herself, Hutch had checked it out, she figured he would.
She was still smiling when Daniel walked in. “Who was on the phone, honey?”
“Wrong number.” She hated lying to her father but she hated even more what her father was doing. “When is mom coming home?”
“She should be flying in sometime tomorrow.” Daniel replied. Allison Mayfair spent most of her time, visiting friends, she had a hard time being at home with first, the kidnapping of Sara and then Curtis’s escapades, she couldn’t take it. Daniel loved his wife but he was just as glad that she wasn’t around much, she had never been a very strong woman and he hated to see her suffer.
“How long do you think she will be home this time?” Sara missed her mother.
“I don’t know baby, we will just have to see how it goes.”

Starsky rapped once on Dobey’s office door and opened it; the captain was talking on the phone and scribbling on a pad of paper. Dobey glanced up and the scowl on his face deepened, then he motioned Starsky and Hutch into his office. He finished his conversation and looked at the two men before him. He started to let them have it for not waiting for him to allow them access but then figured why bother, they rarely waited for him to respond to their knock if they even knocked at all.
“So what have you got?” Dobey asked he knew they were paying a visit to Daniel Mayfair.
“We think we might have found Curtis.” Starsky said.
“So Mayfair is still alive?” Dobey’s eyebrows shot up.
“We think, we need a court order to get a look at a William Mayfair in a place called Wellsphere, they take care of people in comas” Hutch explained when he saw the frown on Dobey’s face.
“I can get you that court order,” Dobey said as he picked up the phone once again.

Within two hours the detectives were on their way back to Wellsphere with a court order in their hands. They would finally get a look at the patient…no client in room 208. The same ice cold woman was at the counter, her eyes narrowed when she saw them enter the doors. “I already told you that you cannot visit Mr. Mayfair without family permission!”
“Or a court order,” Starsky this time slapped the court order down on the counter in front of her. “Now, will you please take us to see Mr. Mayfair?”
She picked up the paper and read it slowly; finally she looked up at them. “Fine, but you are not to disturb him.”
“I thought he was in a coma, how could we possibly disturb him?”
Patricia shot him a look and picked up the phone, she depressed a button and said, “Please have Robert come out here.”
Within moments a large black man that looked more like a bouncer at a bar than somebody that would be working in a posh hospital arrived. “What can I do for you Patricia?” He was very soft spoken and articulate, which because of his looks, surprised both detectives.
“Yes, please escort these two officers to William’s room.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Robert said, “This way please.”
“Make sure they do not disturb William.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They followed Robert up a grand staircase and down a wide hallway; it was painted in a pastel blue with expensive white furniture adorning the walls. “How long have you worked here?” Hutch asked the large man.
Robert didn’t feel the need to answer and they had arrived at room 208, “You can have ten minutes.”
“I don’t think we will need that long.” Starsky said as he turned the doorknob. He slowly opened the door, a large comfortable looking bed, not a hospital bed, stood against one wall. If the client hadn’t been in a coma, they would have had a spectacular view out double French doors. There was also a couch with a coffee and end tables surrounding it. A small area, that if you would have been in a hotel would have been considered a mini bar, several more chairs and small tables were sprinkled about the large room. “This is very nice.” Starsky commented more to himself than anyone else.
“We like to make sure that the family is comfortable when they come to visit. At our facility our clients are not just dumped, if the families are not interactive then they are asked to take their loved one out.” Robert explained.
Hutch was inching closer to the bed; he needed to see if indeed it was Curtis Mayfair in the bed. There was a monitor built into the wall which was nearly hidden; it measured all his vital signs. As the detective leaned closer he felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs. It was Curtis Mayfair, his hair was a bit longer than he remembered the last time he had seen him but little else had change. He looked healthy and as if he would open his eyes any minute and speak. “Are you sure he is in a coma?”
“People that aren’t in comas to do not come here I can assure you.” Robert stepped closer to the bed, it was his job to see that all the clients reminded safe.
“He doesn’t look like anything is wrong with him.” Hutch said resisting the urge to reach out and touch the sleeping man.
“Most coma patients do look like they are just sleeping unless they have been in a disfiguring accident.” Robert explain, “William’s brain was deprived of oxygen which sent him in to a coma, his family had hopes that he would awaken but I think they have all but lost hope, it has been three years.”
“Robert!” Patricia stood in the door with her hands on her hips looking sternly at the black man. “You have said enough. I will see these two men out when they are finished.”
“I’m sorry ma’am, I was only…” Robert began.
“It doesn’t matter; just go see if you can be of some help somewhere else.” She said stepping out of the way so that he could leave the room.
“Thank you, Robert,” Starsky called at the man.
“Are you two nearly finished, I have work to do.”
Hutch couldn’t take his eyes off Curtis; he watched the even rise and fall of his chest. Starsky came to stand beside Hutch and looked down at the young man in the bed. “That is just creepy,” Starsky said a little louder than he had meant.
Patricia’s face turned even stormier than it had already been. “Excuse me; Mr. Mayfair is not to be gawked at. Now I don’t know what the purpose of your visit is, but I think you have been in here long enough.”
“Sure, sure,” Starsky said, embarrassed that she had heard his comment, “I meant no disrespect. Come on, Hutch, let’s go.”
Hutch was transfixed, but when he heard Starsky say his name, he blinked and looked at his partner. “Okay.” He looked back at Mayfair one last time, but something was different, he could have sworn that there was a smirk on his face where before it had been without expression. It was unsettling and he wasn’t sure if he was just imaging it or if the look had been there the whole time.
“Come on, Hutch,” Starsky grasped Hutch’s arm and pulled him toward the door, neither of them saw the slight flutter of Curtis’ lashes.
Patricia followed them to the main door. “I hope that you are satisfied and that you will not be returning.”
They walked down the steps and out into the waning sunshine as it were nearing evening. Starsky gave a little shiver even thought the temperature hovered near ninety. “I’m sorry it’s creepy,” He said again.
Hutch would have agreed if he had been listening but he was thinking of the look on Mayfair’s face.


                                                                                ~Chapter 5~


Starsky looked over at Hutch as they headed toward their rented house, “Are you okay buddy, you look beat.” Starsky asked
“I’m okay, didn’t get much sleep last night,” Hutch answered, he was already dreading the approaching bedtime hours. “Every time I fell asleep I would jerk awake, I’m not sure if it was dreams or me just not really wanting to go to sleep for fear I would do something to you.”
Starsky laughed, “You aren’t going to do anything to me Hutch, ole buddy.”
“I almost did.”
“Hey, I didn’t get so much as a nick, I’m fine and the doc said as long as you don’t answer a phone you will be fine.”
“I know, but still.” Hutch looked weary. “What next, it’s clear that Curtis didn’t make that call.”
“What if he’s not really in a coma?” Starsky pondered.
“Now who is grasping at straws?” Hutch stared out the window. “It was one thing to think that maybe he was still alive and making calls, but the kid is in a coma.”
“The answer is out there somewhere, Hutch.”

The handle of the knife felt good in Hutch’s hand, blood dripped from the blade onto the floor but he didn’t care. All he had cared about was doing what he had been told to do and he had. All he had to do now was wait for his next orders; he wondered who his next victim would be. He walked back into the bedroom and looked at the body lying there; he moved closer to the bed and stared down at the bloody mess that used to be his partner.
Hutch jerked awake, his hand was curved into a fist as if he were holding something…something like a knife. His breath was coming in jagged gulps, was it a nightmare or had he…Hutch jumped from his bed, his heart was racing, he turned on his bedroom light, then the hall light as he made his way to Starsky’s bedroom.
Finally he flipped on the light in Starsky’s room, Starsky squinted his eyes tightly shut and yelled, “Hutch, what are you doing?” Hutch slumped against the wall; it had only been a nightmare, a very vivid one, but still only a nightmare. Starsky sprang out of bed and was at Hutch’s side in a second. “What’s wrong?”
Hutch sat down hard on the floor as tears sprung to his eyes. “I-it was horrible; I had a nightmare that I killed you.”
“I’m fine, see,” Starsky lifted Hutch’s hand and put it on his own chest so that Hutch could feel him breathing and his heart beating.
“I just don’t think I can live here anymore.” Hutch said pulling his hand away from Starsky.
“Where are you going to go?” Starsky asked worriedly. He didn’t want to lose his partner again.
“Some deserted island where there are no phones,” Sarcasm filled his voice.
“Hutch, you listen to me. It doesn’t matter where you are living, if you answer a phone and are told to kill me then you will hunt me down. I would rather have you in the next room where I can watch you than you crawling in my window.”
Hutch cocked his head and looked at his friend and then burst out laughing, but it sounded more of a crazy laugh to Starsky. He was unnerved by the sound of Hutch’s laughter. “Okay, fine, but you are going to cuff me to my bed and sleep with your gun under your pillow.”
“I will not,” Starsky sat down on the floor next to Hutch; little did Hutch know that Starsky had moved his gun into his bedroom, although it wasn’t under his pillow but in the bedside drawer. “Maybe we need to call Sam.” He didn’t like the way Hutch looked or sounded.
“We are not waking Sam up again. I will go talk to him in the morning; I want to tell him that we found Curtis.”
“I’ll go with you,” Starsky said getting to his feet and offering a hand to Hutch, who took it. Starsky could feel him still shaking as he pulled him to his feet.
“No, you go to the station and let Dobey know; maybe he has come up with some other ideas. If we stay together this is going to take forever.”
“Alright,” Starsky agreed. As Hutch started to leave the room Starsky asked, “Hey, you want to finish the night in here?”
Hutch looked at his friend doubtfully, “That’s kind of strange, Starsk.”
Starsky tipped his head back and laughed, “Just pretend we are nine, and we are having a slumber party. Just stay on your side of the bed buddy and we’ll be fine.”
Hutch was still reluctant, but the bed did look inviting and the thought of going back to his room alone after the vivid nightmare didn’t appeal to him. “Okay, but no snoring.”
Hutch crawled into the bed and was nearly asleep before Starsky could pull the covers over both of them. He lay awake a long time going over the day’s events in his mind, there had to be something they were missing. Curtis was alive but he could never stand trial. Sam made it clear that Hutch would only identify with one voice, maybe he was wrong or somebody had mastered the voice of Curtis. Perhaps the dad, he would dig into his background in the morning. But what if Curtis was faking, possibly faking with help from his father, it was already clear that his father would do anything for him.
Morning came too soon as the alarm jolted Starsky awake, Hutch was sound asleep on his back, one arm slung across Starsky. He smiled at his partner and slipped from underneath his arm so that he could shower, then he would wake his sleeping partner. He was nearly done with his shower when he heard his name being franticly called. Starsky wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the bathroom door. “I’m taking a shower,” he called.
Hutch, standing in the hall, had a terrified look on his face and he was drenched in sweat. “Okay.” He sounded out of breath.
“Did something happen?” Starsky wanted to know, “Did you have another nightmare?” Hutch had been sleeping quietly when he had left him.
“No, I just woke up and you were gone…I thought…I thought…I don’t know what I thought.” Hutch gave Starsky a sheepish grin.
“You thought I left you?”
Hutch shrugged, “Maybe. He shook his head trying to clear it. “Why don’t I go rustle us up some breakfast before we have to leave?”
“Sure, I’ll be there in a second, just let me get dressed.” Starsky said as he passed Hutch and headed to the bedroom.
Hutch made a detour to the bathroom then headed to the kitchen to see what he could throw together. Surveying the refrigerator he pulled out eggs and bacon, then grabbed butter for toast. As the bacon was frying Hutch opened a drawer so he could get out the flatware to set the table and discovered the knives where gone. He couldn’t blame his partner for being cautious but deep down it still hurt. Grabbing the forks he placed them, along with napkins, on the table and poured orange juice for the two of them.

Daniel Mayfair entered Wellsphere and was greeted by Patricia, “Mr. Mayfair. I was expecting you yesterday.”
“Why, was there something my son needed?”
“No, but I called your home to let you know that two police detectives were here late yesterday, with a court order.” She replied.
A frown formed on his face. “Who took the call?”
“Your daughter, she said she would give you the message.”
“Oh yes, yes she did, I’m sorry,” Daniel was angry but hid it from the woman in front of him. There was nothing they could do to his boy now that he was in a coma, but they knew he was still alive. “What did they do?”
“Nothing just looked in on him. They stayed a few minutes then were gone.” Patricia said, “There was little I could do since they had a court order.”
Daniel held up his hand. “Its fine, Patricia. I’m going to see my son now.”
He walked up the stairs and down the hall to Curtis’ room, he stopped a moment to gather his thoughts, he always wanted to be positive when he walked into his son’s room. The doctor had told them there was no hope, but Daniel would never give up. And if his son came out of the coma he would whisk him out of the county where he would be safe. Just before he started to open the door he thought he heard a noise come from the room, perhaps a nurse was in there or the cleaning woman.
Daniel opened the door; it was empty except for his son lying peacefully in the bed where he had been for the last three years. A gust of wind blew the curtains in front of the French doors billowing them into the room, he quickly crossed the room and pulled back the curtains and looked out, if the help was out there smoking he would make sure they were fired immediately. He stepped out on to the small balcony and looked around but nobody was there, Daniel stepped part way back into the room and stared at his son for a few minutes. Then he closed and locked the doors and went to his son’s bedside, he reach out and pushed Curtis’ hair from his eyes. Quickly he drew his hand back, was he feeling things? His son’s hair felt damp and his forehead sweaty, maybe he had been bathed not long ago. “Curtis,” he said longing to hear his son’s voice.

Sam was just finishing up his morning dishes when he heard a knock on his front door, putting down his dish towel and running a hand though his white hair he hurried to the door. He found Hutch standing there, he ushered him in then looked out the door, “Where’s your better half?”
Hutch smiled, “At work, where I should be, but I wanted to let you know that we did find Curtis.”
Sam gaped at Hutch in surprise, “It was just a thought, I never expected you to find him alive. What did he say?”
“Nothing, he’s in a coma in a place called Wellsphere.”
Sam nodded, “I’ve heard of it, very exclusive, very expensive.”
“You can say that again.”
“How are you doing?” Sam wanted to know as he led the detective to his office.
“I had a pretty vivid nightmare last night, so much so I had to get up and check on Starsk to make sure he was still alive.” Hutch left out the part where he crawled in bed with him like a little boy.

At the station Captain Dobey had pretty much the same reaction that Sam had, he stared at his detective, “So the boy is still alive.”
“If you want to call that living.” Starsky said, “They are sure wasting fancy digs on somebody that doesn’t even know it.”
“I guess there is nothing you won’t do for your child.” Dobey said thinking of his children, Rosie and Cal. “Are you going to press charges against Mr. Mayfair? He did break the law by faking his son’s death.”
“I think that would be Hutch’s call but I don’t think he will say anything, that family has been through enough.” Starsky said.
“If the DA gets wind of this they may go after Mayfair.”
“I don’t plan on telling them, do you?”
Dobey grumbled something Starsky couldn’t understand, then asked, “So where does that leave Hutch?”
“He is with Sam now, he kind of had a bad night and I sent him over there to talk to the doc. I figure its better if we keep this stuff nipped in the bud and not let his feelings get out of hand.” Starsky informed his boss. “I’m not ready to give up, somebody called Hutch and gave him his trigger word and we have to find out whom that somebody is.”
“And why they want you dead.”
“I hadn’t really even thought of that, I have been more worried about Hutch than myself.”

Sara jumped when she heard the front door slam; she was lying in front of the TV watching a game show. “Would you like to tell me why you didn’t give me the message from Wellsphere yesterday?” Daniel confronted his daughter.
“I’m sorry Daddy, I forgot.”
“You did not forget that was who was on the phone when you said it was a wrong number wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“You want to tell me why?”
“I think Hutch has a right to know, it’s because of Curtis that he went through that trial, had his name smeared, and nearly lost his life.” Sara got to her feet and looked at her father. “And it was because of me that Curtis did that, I feel guilty for what happened to Hutch.”
“Will you stop calling him Hutch, like you know him?” Daniel glared at his daughter. “Or do you know him, just how much have you talked to him?”
“Yesterday was the first time I had seen him in a long time.”
“I forbid you to talk to him again, do you understand?” He barked at her. He turned to leave the room then spun on his heels, “Just how did they find your brother?”
“I told them.”
Daniel looked as though he could slap his daughter but instead he left the room.


                                                                                  ~Chapter 6~


Hutch left Sam’s after about an hour, he always felt better after speaking to the doctor, he knew he should go to the station but just didn’t feel like it. Maybe he would call Starsky and have him meet him for lunch some place. Or better yet, he would stop at the store and pick up stuff to make dinner. Hutch just felt like he needed to do something, something normal. He began to whistle as he got into his beat up car. What he didn’t see was the car sitting half a block back that pulled out the same time he did. The car followed him the rest of the morning as he went to the store to pick out things he knew his partner would love to eat. He had decided to make them a Mexican feast.
Hutch’s first mistake was not checking in with his partner, Starsky was nearly frantic by lunch time when Hutch hadn’t arrived at the station, and his panic went into overdrive when he found out that Hutch had left Sam’s several hours ago. He had the dispatcher try to raise Hutch on his car radio but he was either out of the car or had it turned off. Starsky left the station and drove to their house but it was evident that Hutch wasn’t there; his car was nowhere in sight and when Starsky went into the house nothing look disturbed. He took a moment to call Huggy but the barkeeper hadn’t seen him. Starsky tried to think where Hutch might have gone, he called Sam again who assured him that Hutch had been perfectly normal when he had left his house, but he would get in his car and look around also.
Starsky was about to leave when he heard a noise at the front door, he jerked the door open to find Hutch looking rather dazed with two big shopping bags in his arms. “Where have you been?” Starsky shouted.
Hutch pushed past Starsky and went to the kitchen.
“You could have called.”
Hutch didn’t answer, he just stood at the counter staring straight ahead, perhaps if Starsky hadn’t been so angry and relieved at the same time he would have noticed that there was something off about his friend.
“Hutch, did you hear me?” Starsky said, the anger taking over the relief. “Sam is out looking for you too.”
Still Hutch didn’t answer, he was rooted to the kitchen floor, he had no emotion on his face as he stared into space.
Starsky turned on his heels and went into the living room, he would call Sam and at least leave him a message so he would know that Hutch had turned up, then he would call Dobey and Huggy, everybody had been worried.
He didn’t hear Hutch come up behind him; he only noticed when he felt a blinding pain high in his shoulder that radiated down his right arm. Starsky spun around to see Hutch holding a bloody butcher knife ready to make a second stab at him. Starsky propelled himself backward to get away from the knife, he pulled his gun from his holster and pointed it at Hutch, “Stop right there Hutch or I’m going to have to shoot you and I don’t want to do that.” The pain in his shoulder was making him feel faint but he knew if he passed out that Hutch would surely kill him.

Hutch was putting his purchases in the front seat of the car when he felt an arm slip around his neck. He tried to throw off his attacker but he was held fast. “Who are you, what do you want?” Hutch managed to get out, the arm was growing tighter around his neck making it hard for him to breath.
There was a hot breath on his cheek next to his ear, “Dominic.” Hutch stiffened up and the arm fell away from his neck, “Kill Starsky.”
Hutch nodded, his attacker moved away and Hutch looked back toward the grocery store. He would need a knife. He slowly walked back into the grocery store and came out ten minutes later with a bag containing a large butcher knife which he stuffed down in one of the bags already in the car. He drove off with the one purpose and that was to kill Detective David Starsky.

“Oh come on, Hutch,” Starsky pleaded as his partner slowly advanced on him. “I don’t want to have to shoot you.” He would rather let Hutch kill him than to have to live with the fact that he had killed his best friend.
Hutch still came at Starsky who was backed up against the front door, blood was running down his arm and dripping on the floor and the gun in his hand was shaking as he raised it toward Hutch. “Please,” Starsky nearly sobbed, “Please, don’t make me do this.”
Starsky slid down the door and sat on the floor in a pool of his own blood, he braced his hand on his knees to steady the gun, it was clear he was going to have to shoot but he didn’t want to miss his aim and possibly fatally wound his partner.
Hutch advanced almost in slow motion toward his partner, the bloody knife raised high in the air ready to plunge it into Starsky’s heart, then he would be able to carve him up without a struggle, that is what he had done the other two times. He could hear Starsky’s pleas and part of him way down deep wanted to stop, he knew this was wrong and didn’t want to kill his friend but his mind was running the show not his heart. He had been told to kill and that was what he was going to do.
With his wrist propped on his knees Starsky aimed at Hutch’s thigh and squeezed the trigger very slowly, the sound of the gun seemed deafening and jolted Starsky back into the door sending fresh pains down his right arm and back. But the bullet found its intended target and sent Hutch to the floor howling with pain.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​“Starsky, what the hell?” Hutch screamed as he dropped the knife and grabbed his thigh where a blood spot was starting to spread. Pain etched his face; the brilliant flash of pain had brought him out of his trance. “Have you lost your mind?” He looked at his partner and realized that he was also bleeding “Did…did I…”
Before he could finished there was pounding on the door, “Dave, Ken!”
They both recognized the voice as belonging to Sam, “Hold on, Sam,” Starsky manage to get out, between the blood he was losing and the shock of shooting his partner he could hardly move. Starsky rolled on his side and scooted away from the door enough that Sam could get it open and look inside. Alarm registered on his face and as he looked at the two bleeding detectives, he squeezed into the room and knelt next to Starsky who looked to be losing the most blood. “Where’s the phone?” Starsky pointed toward the end table. Sam got up and grabbed the phone putting in a call for two ambulances.
Sam then ran to the bathroom and grabbed several towels, first he wrapped one around Starsky’s shoulder to staunch the bleeding from the knife wound, then he moved to Hutch to see how badly he was hurt. Tears were standing in Hutch’s eyes as things began to resister with him, he had stabbed Starsky.
“Wh-what happened,” Hutch wanted to know but Starsky was in no shape to really answer and the truth be told, he had no idea what had set Hutch off.
Starsky just shook his head, Sam tried to comfort Hutch, “We will find out once we get the two of you patched up.”
Sirens could be heard in the background wailing as they headed their way. The sound of a car screeching to a halt could be heard outside and within moments Dobey was standing in the doorway. “Are you two…?” But the words stuck in his throat as he saw this two detectives covered in blood. “What the hell happened?” Dobey demanded. Neither one of them were in any shape to speak.
Within another few minutes the ambulances arrived and the two detectives were loaded in and whisked away to the hospital leaving Sam and Dobey to stare at the blood soaked floor. Dobey raised his eyes to Sam, “What are we going to do?” It didn’t take much to figure out exactly what had happened. Starsky stabbed and Hutch shot.
“I don’t know Captain; we have got to find out who or what is setting Hutch off. I gave him explicit instructions not to answer any phone. Is there a way that somebody could have gotten to him from his radio on the car?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Dobey said shaking his head.
“Well, Ken either answered a phone or somebody talked to him in person.” Sam said.
“What about a recording like before?”
“That is possible.” Sam nodded. Dobey glanced out the door in the direction that his officers had been taken. “Why don’t we continue this discussion at the hospital?”
By the time the Captain and the Doctor arrived at the hospital, both men had been taken to surgery to fix their wounds. They cooled their heels in the waiting room, Starsky was the first out of surgery since he was the first taken in, it had taken forty stitches to close up the wounded on his back and he had sustained some muscle damage but nothing that some physical therapy wouldn’t fix. Starsky was still groggy when Dobey and Sam entered his room.
“How is Hutch?” Were the first words that came out of his mouth.
“Still in surgery as far as we know,” Sam answered. “But he’s going to be fine.”
“You sure about that, doc?” Starsky mumbled.
Sam patted Starsky on the hand, “Let’s just worry about getting you boys well first, then we will see where we go from here.”
“I need to see to Hutch.” Starsky said, he knew that he was going to be distraught over what had happened.
“They will be bringing him here after he is out of recovery,” Dobey said, “That is if that is alright with you.”
“Why wouldn’t it be alright?” Starsky tried to struggle to sit up but he was still too sleepy.
“You just rest for now.” Sam said.
“I’m not resting until I see Hutch; I have to know that he is alright.” Starsky insisted he wasn’t taking anybody’s word that his partner was okay. He had shot him; Starsky closed his eyes, he couldn’t believe that he had actually shot Hutch. But he knew there had been no other way, if he would have allowed Hutch to kill him then Hutch would have had to live with that and Starsky knew that he couldn’t. He already had trouble living with the two scum bags he had already killed. And to killed your best friend would have been unforgivable.
“Why don’t I go check,” Dobey offered hoping that his detective would rest easier if he knew something. But as Dobey entered the hall an orderly was coming pushing Hutch in a bed, IV’s were running in his veins just like Starsky. Dobey held open the door so the orderly could shove the bed into the room. “Now, you can relax,” Dobey said roughly.
Starsky pushed himself up so he could see his sleeping partner being parked next to him. “How long will he be out?” He asked the orderly.
“Shouldn’t be much longer, he was coming to a bit in the elevator.” The man said, “If he needs anything, either of you, just call.”
After the orderly left, Starsky, in a hushed tone, called Hutch’s name. “Hutch, wake up.”
Hutch grunted but didn’t open his eyes; he was still fighting to become totally conscious. He could hear Starsky calling him, he wanted to open his eyes but they felt like lead. Hutch was trying to remember why he was in the hospital; he wasn’t surprised that Starsky was at his bedside, he was there any time anything happened, just like he was at Starsky’s side. He tried to open his eyes again, this time he was able to open them a crack, the first face he saw was Sam’s, not Starsky’s. “Where is Starsk?” he said almost incoherently.
“I’m right here, buddy,” Starsky said from the next bed.
Hutch turned his head so that he could see where the voice was coming from. He squinted at the bed and Starsky’s face came into focus. It all came flooding back, at least the parts that he remembered, which wasn’t much, but he did know it was because of him that Starsky was in the bed next to him. “No, No,” Hutch rolled his head from side to side as he became agitated. “I can’t be in here. I-I might…”
“Hutch, stop it!” Starsky commanded. “You listen to me, I’m fine.”
Dobey stepped up to the bed. “Hutchinson,” he said in his big booming voice. “Can you tell us what happened?” His police approach calmed the detective and Hutch focused on his Captain. “We need to know everything you can remember.”
Hutch, still foggy from the anesthesia, frowned as he tried to make his brain work. “You were with me this morning, remember?” Sam said, hoping that would help.
“Yes, I came to see you because of a nightmare I had the night before.” Hutch said as he concentrated on his next thought. “I felt good after I left your place so I decided to go to the store to get stuff for dinner. I was going to make Starsky a Mexican meal he wasn’t going to forget.” A flash of pain crossed Hutch’s face as he said his partner’s name.
“Go on, then, what?” Dobey encouraged.
Hutch’s brow furrowed, “I can remember going into the store and shopping, checking out, I went to the car put the groceries in the front seat…” Hutch stopped.
“What happened after you put your groceries in the front seat?” Sam asked moving closer to the bed. “Come on, Hutch.” Starsky looked like he was going to say something but Sam held up his hand to silence him. He was afraid that the sound of Starsky’s voice would distract Hutch.
“I put the sacks in the front seat and…and,” He took a deep breath and then he looked as though a light bulb went on, “Someone came up behind me and put their arm around my neck, I tried to move but couldn’t.” Hutch thought some more, then he looked at Sam. “The next thing I remember, you were at the house, I had stabbed Starsky and I was shot in the leg.”
“The pain brought you out of your trance.” Sam said. “I am willing to bet that whoever came up behind you gave you the trigger word. That is why you can’t remember anything else.”
“I’m sorry I shot you, buddy.” Starsky said sadly.
“You should have killed me Starsk, you should have killed me.”


                                                                        ~Chapter 7~


Sara Mayfair knocked on her brother’s door before entering; it was something she had always done in case he was being bathed. As she started to turn the doorknob, the door was opened a crack and Robert’s black smiling face filled the opening, “Can you wait a moment, Miss Mayfair, I’m just finishing up William’s feeding.”
“I have seen the feeding tube before, it doesn’t bother me.” Sara pushed on the door but she was no match for the burly aid who was blocking the door.
“It won’t take long, Miss, I promise.”
“Fine,” Sara allowed the door to close then stood across the hall with her arms folded over her ample chest. She hated that they now called him William even if it was his middle name. It still sounded strange, he was never going to wake up for it had been far too long, she had done a lot of reading on comatose people. That was why she had given Hutch the name of the hospital; she wanted the charade to be over, then perhaps her father and mother could relax.
Five minutes later Robert opened the door, “You can see him now Miss Mayfair.”
Sara smiled at the large man, she genuinely liked Robert but lately she felt as though there was something going on. As she walked into the room the first thing she noticed was the distinct odor of food, “Have you been eating in here Robert?”
“No ma’am.” He said as he glanced over at Curtis.
“It smells like hamburgers in here.”
“Maybe it’s just drifting from the kitchen, I opened the balcony door, it’s such a nice today. Thought William could use some fresh air.”
Sara walked to the French doors and looked out, she sniffed the air but the aroma was definitely coming from inside the room, without further comment she walked to her brother’s bedside. “He’s looking well,” Sara commented, “Almost tan,” she looked closer at him then rubbed her hand down the side of his face, something she had been doing since he had been in the coma, she hoped that her touch would bring him out of it.
“If there isn’t anything you need Miss Mayfair I’ll be going, just buzz the desk if something comes up.” Robert said and slipped from the room.
Sara hadn’t paid attention to what the man had been saying; she was rubbing her fingers together. She looked at them, there was a yellow substance on them, then brought her fingers to her nose, they smelled like mustard. “Curtis?” Curtis was still, Sara then ripped his covers off and looked at his body, he had a hospital like gown but made out of much better material, nothing but the best. She walked around the bed surveying every inch of her brother, as she got to the foot of the bed his feet caught her attention, they were dirty. “Curtis Mayfair, you faker!” She yelled but there was no movement from her brother. “I’m telling daddy.” She stormed out of the room, when Curtis heard the door shut he opened his eyes a crack to make sure she had actually gone. When he was sure she had left he pushed the button next to his bed to signal Robert.
Within moments Robert appeared, “Yes, Sir?”
“You need to stop my sister; she is going to ruin everything.” Curtis said, his eyes were flashing with anger. He had been so careful and now his sister was going to ruin it all.
“Stop her?” Robert’s eye brows knitted.
“Yes, she suspects that I’m not in a coma, she is going to tell father,” Curtis propped himself on his elbows, “You have to keep her quiet.”
“But how?” The aid wanted to know.
“Kidnap her.” Curtis’ eyes flashed, he couldn’t hurt Sara, she had always been there for him, even when she was very little.
Robert looked flabbergasted and unsure, “But, Mr. Curtis, I don’t have anywhere to keep her.”
“We have a family cabin at Big Bear Lake, it hasn’t been used in years, take her there.” Curtis instructed. “The key is under a pot near the front door.”
“B-But,” Robert sputtered, he wasn’t a bad person, he had been suckered in and paid well by Curtis to help him hide the fact that he had come out of his coma mere weeks after he had been put into Wellsphere. He hadn’t seen any harm in it but now Mayfair was asking him to break the law.
“Just do it, I promise I will pay you well.” Curtis said taking a paper from the bedside table, he wrote down the directions to the cabin and a list of items for his sister, along with heavy chain and a couple of pad locks. “When both those cops are dead, then we will let her go. And I’m leaving the country; you can even come with me if you want.”
Robert perked up, “Really? I never have been out of LA before.”
“You aren’t to hurt Sara, but you just have to make sure she stays put.” Curtis explained, then he said, “Robert turn on the TV, I want to see if there is anything on about Starsky’s death. Maybe Hutchinson has been arrested for it. He won’t get out of this one so easily.”
“Sure, Mr. Curtis,” Robert turned on the TV then went to retrieve the list that Curtis was holding out for him.
“Get those things right now then get Sara.”
“How am I going to get her to come with me?” Robert wanted to know.
“Go out to the house and tell her that I want to see her.” Curtis said, “My dad is picking up my mom at the airport today, I overheard him telling Nurse Ratched,” He laughed at his joke, one of his favorite movies since he had been in the hospital was “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”. “Go on now Robert, but please be as gentle as you can.”
“Yes, sir.” Robert tucked the sheet of paper in his pocket and left the room.

It was early the next morning and Hutch was staring at the ceiling, he hadn’t slept all night long. Starsky was out like a light, snoring softly, but sleep couldn’t find the blond headed detective. He knew if the nurses thought he was awake they would give him a sleeping pill so whenever they came in he would pretend to be asleep. He had to figure out what he was going to do; he would not take the chance of hurting his friend again. Starsky mumbled something in his sleep and rolled over on his hurt shoulder, the mumble turned to a groan and he rolled to the other side. There were no phones in the room at his request and there was a guard on the door in the hall but Hutch still didn’t feel that Starsky was safe. Somebody had gotten to him and he was convinced it was Curtis Mayfair, but things just didn’t add up.
“Hey, Hutch,” Starsky said softly, he was watching his partner. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Nothing,” Hutch lied. “Just laying here.”
“Can’t sleep?”
“Nah.”
“Come on buddy, don’t feel bad about this.” Starsky said wishing he could get out of bed, but the twist of IV tubing held him in bed.
“How can I not, how would you feel if the situation was reversed?”
“I kind of know I had to shoot my partner yesterday, believe me that didn’t make me feel good.”
“It’s not really the same and you know it.” Hutch said looking at Starsky, his blue eyes swimming with tears.
“I know I have said this before but we will get to the bottom of this.” Starsky said trying to reassure his friend as much as himself. It was impossible to know just who attacked Hutch in the parking lot and they had no leads. “We have to figure out a way to flush out who ever is doing this.”
“And how do you purpose to do that?”
A light went on in Starsky’s eyes, “What if we release what happened to the press? Let them know, who ever did this failed. They will try again, I would bet my life on it.”
Hutch started shaking his head back and forth immediately. “You might just be betting your life on it, buddy, I just about killed you.”
“It was one little stab wound.” Starsky said trying to make light.
“I wouldn’t call forty stitches a little stab wound and if you hadn’t had your gun on you I would have carved you up, we both know that.” Hutch said bluntly.
“We can have you wired then, we would know if you were approached. We could tap the phones, whatever we have to do.”
“You want this nut to contact me again? Is that what you are suggesting?” Hutch was horrified.
“I think it’s the only way we are going to catch him.” Starsky said.
“I don’t like it.”
“I don’t see where we have much choice.” Starsky said, “As soon as Dobey gets here I’m going to talk to him about it.”

Sara opened the door to their Malibu house; she tossed her keys and purse on a nearby chair and grabbed the phone to call her father. She put a call into his office hoping she would catch him before he left for the airport. “Mayfair Corp,” the secretary answered.
“This is Sara, could I please speak to my father Marie, it’s very important.”
“I’m sorry Sara but you just missed him, he’s on his way to the airport then they are going to dinner, I made reservations for him.” Marie said as she opened her appointment book to tell Sara the name of the restaurant they were going to.
A knock on the door distracted Sara, “I’m sorry Marie, can you hang on, somebody is at the door.”
“Sure.”
Sara opened the door to find Robert standing there, “Is Curtis alright? What are you doing here?”
“He wants to speak to you, he sent me to get you.”
“I need to talk to my father first. I can’t believe he has been faking all this time.” Sara started to shut the door but Robert blocked the door with his foot.
“I’m sorry Miss Mayfair but he was rather insistent.”
“And I really don’t care; you tell the faker I’ll be there when I get there. Now, if you will excuse me, I’m on the phone.”
Sara didn’t see it coming, Robert picked up a small statue sitting on a table by the door and hit the girl, she fell to the floor with only a small scream. Robert knelt next to her to make sure she was alright, then picked her up and took Sara to his car.
“Sara? Sara is everything alright?” Marie asked.

“You want to do what?” Dobey asked when Starsky told him his plan. “That’s putting both of you in a whole lot of danger. Are you on board with this Hutchinson?”
“No,” Hutch said glumly, “I think he is crazy. I don’t want this nut making me go crazy again.”
“But it’s the only way to flush him out Hutch and you know it.” Starsky pleaded. “We will both be wired, we have people watching. Nothing will happen, I promise you.”
“Neither of you are ready to get out of here anyway.” Dobey said looking at his two wounded men.
“I didn’t mean tomorrow, but we could get the report on the news, heck, maybe they will try something in here.” Starsky said.
“No,” Hutch said again. “If we do this, I’m not putting anybody in this hospital in danger, I don’t want you in danger again either.”
“Well, there is no other way my friend.” Starsky said, “And this time I’ll be ready!”
Hutch thought a few moments, “Alright, but not until we get out of the hospital, we will just lay low until then, deal?”
Starsky didn’t look happy, he was eager to get the whole thing over with but he agreed. “Deal.”
“I have a reporter friend who I can give the story to when you are ready,” Dobey said.
Starsky nodded, “But nothing about it being Hutch that put me here, let it be an unknown subject. Hutch has been through enough and we don’t need any more doubt cast on him.”
“You are right,” Dobey agreed. “We can work up a story later.”
Dobey settled himself in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the room. “Cap, we’re fine, I know you got work to do.” Starsky said.
“It’s an excuse to get out of the office for a while,” Dobey grunted as he laced his fingers across his ample belly. But, the truth be known, he was worried about his two detectives.



                                                                           ~Chapter 8~



Sara opened her eyes, the room was dim but it didn’t take her long to realize she was in her family’s cabin, “Curtis?” she called out. She started to move off the sheet covered couch and found that she was chained to the frame, it was a long chain and it would allow her to move about most of the cabin. There were two sacks sitting on the small kitchen table. “Curtis!” She called again. “Are you here?” Only silence greeted her ears, she put her hand to her head where a sore bump had formed. The only reason that Robert would have done this was because Curtis had told him to. It was clear that Curtis was not here, never was, and probably wasn’t planning on coming, at least not until he had done whatever it was he was planning and she knew he was up to something. Curtis was always up to something.
She got up slowly, her head ached, she hoped that Robert had thought about some aspirin. Dragging the chain with her Sara went through the bags, there was enough food for a few days so either somebody was bringing more food or whatever was going on would be finished by then. What could Curtis be up to, it was obvious that their father didn’t know that Curtis had been faking or she wouldn’t be here. Sara pulled a soda from the bag, it was warm but she didn’t care, she was too busy trying to figure out what her brother was doing. Suddenly she sat the bottle on the table as she started putting two and two together; only a few days ago Hutch and his partner had been to the house asking about Curtis. What if it was tied to whatever Curtis was doing, what if Curtis was going after them. Sara wasn’t sure why he would do that but in his sick twisted mind who knew. She went back to the couch and tried to pull the chain free but it was padlocked to the heavy wooden frame and unless she was able to take the couch apart there was no way for her to escape and that task looked impossible even if she had tools. She needed to warn Hutch.

Starsky had just come back from physical therapy as breakfast was served. Hutch already had his tray but was doing nothing but pushing his food around. Starsky’s was waiting for him on his tray table; he climbed into bed with help from the orderly and looked at the food before him. “Doesn’t look very appetizing does it?” he comment as he lifted the lid on his main course. Starsky stared at the runny scrambled eggs for a few moments, “Dobey needs to bring us real food.”
Hutch continued to push the food around listlessly. He didn’t like Starsky’s plan and Dobey was going along with it. What if there was a slip up and he killed Starsky this time; it would be over for him as well.
“The doctor said we could both get out of here tomorrow.” Starsky said trying to make small talk; Hutch had hardly spoken a word.
“Great, so I guess that means your plan will go into action,” Hutch said sarcastically.
“Hutch, I know you don’t want to flush them out this way but do you have a better idea?”
“Just lock me up and be done with it. I don’t think I will ever get better, maybe you should just put me in a mental hospital.”
“You aren’t crazy,” Starsky pushed his tray away and got out of bed; he sat on the edge of Hutch’s and looked at him. “Hutch, look at me.” Slowly Hutch swung his eyes toward Starsky. “We have been through too much all these years to give up now. What kind of friend would I be to let you down without a fight? We are going to win.”
“I’m just tired,” Hutch put his hand over Starsky’s. “I’m tired of fighting this battle.”
“Then I will fight it for you, just don’t give up. Promise me.” When Hutch didn’t respond he said again, “Hutch, promise me.”
Hutch looked into blue eyes that matched his and he smiled for the first since they had been brought into the hospital. “Okay, okay, I promise.”
The door opened and Sam entered, “How are my two favorite cops today?”
Starsky went back to his own bed. “I think we are doing okay.” Starsky looked over at Hutch who nodded in agreement.
“Dobey filled me in on your plan David.” Sam didn’t look happy. “This is a dangerous game you are playing. It’s clear who ever you are dealing with is unbalanced.”
“But we have to flush them out Sam. Hutch can’t go on like this much longer.” Starsky said.
“Ken?” Sam looked at the blond detective.
“Starsk is right; I can’t think of any other way and believe me, I have tried. I don’t like the idea of calling this nut out but how else are we going to get him or her to show themselves?” Hutch looked at the doctor. “If you have a better idea let’s hear it.”
Sam thought for a moment then shook his head, “I hate to say it, but this seems like the best plan, but you are going to have to be careful and on guard. This person is cunning.”
“Why don’t we just say who we think it is?” Hutch said. “It’s Curtis Mayfair; I don’t believe this bull crap about him being in some kind of coma, do you Starsk?”
Starsky shook his head, “Hey Sam, why don’t you see if you can get in to see Curtis, maybe you can tell what is going on.”
Sam looked doubtful, “If his doctors and nurses can’t tell, how could I?”
“They might be in on it.”
“True.” Sam agreed, “Well, if you can get me in I’ll see what I can find out.”

Daniel Mayfair was worried, when he and his wife had arrived home the night before Sara was not home, which wasn’t unusual, she was allowed to come and go as long as she left a note but there was no note. Her car was out front and her purse and keys were on a chair just inside the door. After getting Allison to bed he had made a few phone calls to make to try and locate his daughter. Without much success, he was hoped she had gone out and just forgotten to leave a note but the fact that her purse and keys were there nagged at him. He had glanced at the clock, it was after midnight, if she wasn’t home in the morning he would call the police.
Daniel was on the phone when Allison came into the kitchen the next morning, he was trying to explain to the police that his daughter was missing but he wasn’t sure how long. Allison busied herself making coffee as she gave her husband sideways glances, she wasn’t aware that Sara was gone
“We will send somebody out, Mr. Mayfair.” The voice on the phone said.
“Thank you,” he hung up the phone and turned to his wife. “Allie, please come sit down,” he patted the stool next to him at the kitchen island.
“What’s wrong?” She asked instantly, she wasn’t sure she could take any more bad news.
“I’m not sure anything is wrong, I just don’t know where Sara is.” He said
“Oh, you know Sara; she is just probably out some place and didn’t come home last night.” Allie said.
He didn’t want to tell his wife that her purse was still in the living room, Sara never went anywhere without it. The phone rang, “Maybe this is her.” Daniel snatched up the phone, “Sara?”
“No, Mr. Mayfair, this is Marie at the office.” The secretary said, “I have been trying to get a hold of you, I think something might have happened to Sara.” Quickly the woman explained what she had overheard through the phone.

There was a tap on the room door and Dobey stepped in, his face looked grim and both detectives could tell there was something wrong. “What is it?” Starsky asked.
Dobey nodded to Sam who was sitting in the corner, then looked over at Hutch, who to him, didn’t look that good. Finally he said, “Sara Mayfair is missing.”
“What?” Hutch came to life, “How long?”
“Her father says sometime yesterday afternoon,” Dobey said consulting his notes. “Mayfair was picking his wife up from the airport, when they got home, no Sara, then his secretary called this morning to say she overheard Sara talking to somebody who had come to the door. She said they were talking about Curtis and then she heard a crash and everything went silent.”
Hutch threw back the covers on the bed, “Get me my clothes.” He told Dobey.
“Where do you think you are going?” Dobey ask.
“Wellsphere, Curtis is behind this, I will bet on it.” Hutch said moving toward the closet when Dobey didn’t get his things. “He is not going to hurt that girl.”
“She is his sister, what makes you think he would hurt her?” Starsky wanted to know as he also was getting out of bed, if Hutch was going he was going with him.
“He is crazy, no telling what is going on in that sick mind of his. We need to find Sara and Curtis before it’s too late.”
“Hold on here,” Dobey said, “I thought Mayfair was in a coma.”
“Coma my ass, that little bastard is faking and I’m betting that aid Robert knows all about it.” Hutch said. “Come on Sam, you can stick pins in Curtis to get him talk if you have to.”
Starsky grinned; it had been the most life he had seen out of Hutch since this had all started. He pulled on his jeans and blood saturated shirt, “Hey, Buddy, you mind if we stop home and get some fresh clothes?”
Hutch looked down at his blood laden jeans and nodded, “Can you drive, Sam?”
The doctor nodded as Dobey asked, “Do you want me to send some cars out there?”
“No,” Hutch shook his head, “Let’s let this be a surprise visit.”

When they arrived at Wellsphere everything was quiet, the three men entered the facility, Patricia was still at her position at the desk and Starsky had to wonder if the woman ever went home. “We need to see Curtis Mayfair and don’t tell me he isn’t here, I have seen him myself.” Starsky demanded.
Patricia was caught off guard and stammered, “I-I don’t know who you are talking about.”
“Lady, we have seen him, we know that the man in 208 is Curtis, not William Mayfair,” Hutch spoke up. “I don’t know if you are part of this conspiracy or if you are just obstructing justice, but both can get you put in jail.”
“L-let me call Mr. Mayfair.” Patricia grabbed the phone and began dialing.
“You do that, we are going to see Curtis,” Starsky said breezing past the desk and heading to the stairs, Hutch and Sam followed.
They were part way up the stairs when a voice boomed, “What is going on?” Starsky, Hutch and Sam stopped and turned to see Daniel Mayfair standing in the entrance of the building.
“Thank God, Mr. Mayfair, these men are insisting on seeing William,” Patricia said sounding more confident now that she had back up. “I was just trying to call you.”
He looked at her, “What kind of place are you running here?” On his way over he started putting things together like his daughter had, his son being sweaty, and he too had smelled food in the room before. Things just weren’t adding up until the detectives came to the house asking about his son after all this time, Sara disappearing and then the call from his secretary. He knew Sara was going to visit her brother that morning, maybe she had put it all together too.
“Excuse me?” She was taken aback; Mr. Mayfair was one of their greatest contributors.
“Is my son in a coma?” He growled at her.
“Yes sir that is why you put him here.” She shrank back against the desk.
“Where is Robert? He seems to be in his room every time I’m here, maybe he knows something.” Daniel advanced on the woman.
“H-he should be serving lunches.” Patricia said stammering again.
Daniel walked to the bottom of the stairs, “Gentlemen, let’s check this out.”
Both detectives were surprised that Mayfair wasn’t trying to stop them, the four men climbed the stairs, Daniel led them to his son’s room and without knocking he opened the door and went in. The room was empty; the long white curtains from the French doors were billowing into the room. Daniel ran to the opened doors and looked out, a robe was haphazardly hung over the railing of the balcony, and he could see a ladder lying on the ground below.
“Sir, I can’t seem to find Robert.” Patricia said timidly, she looked at the empty bed. “Where is William?”
“Good question, lady,” Hutch snarled at her, “Where is ole William?”
“I’ll have this place shut down,” Daniel exploded. “How long has my son been out of his coma?”
Patricia shrugged; it was clear from the look on her face she knew nothing, just as Daniel knew nothing of his son’s recovery.
“Where would he take Sara?” Hutch asked.
Mayfair snapped his head around and looked at Hutch. “I’m not sure; she must have found out about him, he won’t hurt her.” But Daniel didn’t look like he believed his own words. “I don’t think he took her, I am betting it was Robert. When my secretary called she said that she heard Sara saying something about Curtis being alright, it didn’t sound as if it was Curtis at the door.”
“Robert doesn’t seem like he is smart enough to pull all this off by himself, so Curtis is probably telling him what to do.” Starsky said.
Daniel nodded in agreement, he gave them a rueful smile, “I never thought I would be working with you two. I am sorry Detective Hutchinson for what my son did to you.”
“Doing to him.” Starsky corrected. “You son is still pulling Hutch’s strings.”
“What?” Daniel looked horrified at Hutch. “You think he still has control over you?”
“I’m just as surprised as you are, Mr. Mayfair.” Hutch said grimly then briefly explained what had been going on.
Anger filled Daniel’s face. “I’m not a bad man, I was only trying to protect my son, if I had known he was out of the coma I would have sent him out of the country and he would never have bothered you again.”
Hutch put his hand on the man’s shoulder, “I can understand wanting to protect those that you love but we have got to find Sara.”


                                                                              ~Chapter 9~


Curtis had been alerted to the commotion in the lobby by Robert who had first retrieved a ladder from its hiding place on the grounds and propped it up again the railing of the balcony. Curtis had a stash of clothes in a maintenance shed where he had just managed to slip into before his father looked out. After changing his clothes he ran though the tree filled grounds to the back of the complex where Robert was waiting with a car. As Curtis slipped in next to his aid he said, “Let’s blow this fire trap.”
Robert nodded and gunned the car down the tiny back road. “Where to?”
Curtis thought for a moment, “I need something to eat, I’m starving.” He wanted to find a television or newspaper to see if Starsky’s death had been reported. He was sure a cop, killing a cop, in cold blood would be all over the media. “How is Sara?”
“She was fine when I left her; she has enough food to last a few days.” Robert said.
“Good, when it’s all over I’ll call my father and let him know where she is.” Curtis said. “Until then, let’s find some food and a television.”
“I know just the place,” Robert said.
Thirty minutes later the aid pulled up in front of a seedy looking place called The Pit’s, Curtis looked at it doubtfully. “You are bringing me to a bar?”
“Best burgers in town and they have a TV behind the bar.” Robert said getting out.
Curtis slowly got out of the car, pulling a ball cap he had put on, over his eyes and followed the man into the bar. It was dim inside which was good, not that anybody should recognize him. They took two seats at the bar; they were just in time for the noon news. A tall thin black man came toward them wiping his hands on a white towel. “What can I do you for?”
First you can turn up the TV then you can get us a couple beers and a menu.” Robert said.
Huggy gave them a slight bow, “Your wish is my command,” he said as turned the TV up slightly and went to pour the beers.
Dobey had followed their plan and gotten the report out to the media that one of his officer had been shot but was recovering well and even been released from the hospital. As the news anchor relayed this information to his audience, Curtis scowled, “What happened, Starsky isn’t dead?” He hissed as Huggy approached the bar carrying two beers and menu’s under his arm. He nearly spilled the beverages when he heard that Starsky had been shot, he stared at the TV.
“Hey are you going to serve those or spill them all over the floor?” Curtis wanted to know as he ripped his attention from the news.
“Sorry,” Huggy said carelessly setting the beers down and tossing the menu’s on the bar. He made a bee line for the phone at the back of the bar. He didn’t want anybody to know he was calling the police station. He plunked in his dime and waited for the police operator to answer. “I need to speak to Detective Hutchinson.”
“I’m sorry sir but the detective is not in today, is there some other way I may direct your call?”
“Yeah, give me Captain Dobey.”
Within seconds, Dobey was on the phone answering in his gruff tone, “Dobey.”
“Captain, this is Huggy, I just heard about Starsky on the news.” The barkeeper said. “Is he alright, how about Hutch?”
“They are both fine, but I really can’t discuss the particulars with you right now. I’ll have them contact you as soon as they can.” Dobey hung up before Huggy could protest.
Huggy slammed the phone down and made his way back to the bar, but the two men sitting there were gone, a twenty was on the bar under one of the beer’s, neither of them had been drunk.

“Where would Curtis tell Robert to take Sara?” Hutch asked Daniel.
The man shook his head, “I’m not sure, she could be any place.”
“Think about it,” Sam stepped in. “Curtis has for the most part been locked up in here for the last three years. If he had been gone for any long period of time he would have been noticed, so I’m betting where ever Sara is, would be some place he would know that would be safe.”
Daniel leaned on his car wracking his brain thinking of any place Curtis might have her taken. Suddenly he snapped his fingers, “Big Bear, we have a cabin there, but it’s been closed up for years. As the kids got older the appeal of going there wavered. We have been thinking of selling it, just never got around to it.”
“That sounds like a good bet,” Sam agreed.
“I think we might be able to bring all this to a head,” Hutch said, he hadn’t like Starsky’s plan to involve the media but it might work to their advantage if Curtis knew they were headed to Big Bear. “Do you think Dobey has got the word out that you have been hurt?”
Starsky shrugged, “We could call him and find out. What are you thinking?”
“Get it out there that Sara has been kidnapped and that we think she is being held in Big Bear. That will lure Curtis there too.” Hutch said.
“Good thinking,” Sam agreed.
Daniel looked at the three men, “Please, just don’t hurt my son.”
“We will do our best; you are welcome to come with us, Mr. Mayfair. In fact, it might make things easier.” Starsky said.

Sara sat on the floor, a screwdriver in her hand, working on the hulking wooden couch without much success. She had a bad feeling that Curtis was going to hurt Hutch and maybe even his partner if she didn’t warn them. Glancing at her watch she saw that it was after one p.m., hunger gnawed at her stomach but she kept working, she had made a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast but that was hours ago. There was a phone sitting on the end table but Sara knew that it didn’t work, all the services had been cut off to the cabin when they had stopped visiting. She smiled for a moment remembering the fun times they had there when she and Curtis were kids. Maybe if they had kept coming their family wouldn’t be so screwed up.
The screwdriver slipped and she cut a deep gash in her hand that began to bleed profusely. “Ow,” Sara cried out to no one. She dropped the screwdriver and grabbed her damaged hand; she sat and rocked back and forth as pain shot up her arm. Sara scrambled to her feet, she knew that she could make it to the bathroom since she had already been several times; she just hoped that any first aid supplies there would be good. She dragged the chain with her into the bathroom, first she opened the medicine cabinet but there was nothing there, then she dropped to her knees to check out the cabinet under the sink. There she found some peroxide and bandages, sitting cross legged on the bathroom floor and holding her hand over the toilet, she poured the peroxide over the wound. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as it stung like the devil. She patted it dry with a towel and then placed a Band-Aid over the cut. Making her way back into the living room she glanced at the couch, “Dumb old thing,” she said out loud and kicked the leg.

Starsky and Hutch headed to Big Bear, Daniel Mayfair and Sam followed in Mayfair’s car. The area was almost two hours away; it was after one in the afternoon so it would be past three before they got here, they wouldn’t have a lot of daylight hours left.
While Hutch drove Starsky’s car, Starsky radioed Dobey to tell him where they were headed, to get it out on the airwaves about Sara in hopes that Curtis would hear it and send back up to the cabin. Starsky grimaced as he hung up the microphone. “You okay, buddy?” Hutch asked a shot of guilt went though him like electricity.
“I’m fine.” Starsky said trying to smile but the pain in his shoulder was increasing; they had left without the doctor’s permission so neither of them had gotten any pain medication. Starsky opened his glove compartment and pulled a bottle of aspirin out and popped the top, he poured several into his mouth and chewed them. “You want some?” He asked, knowing that Hutch had to be in pain also.
Hutch shook his head, “Do you think Curtis is listening to the news somewhere?”
“I would bet the farm on it,” Starsky said. “He is going to want to know if he succeeded in getting me killed.”
Hutch shook his head, “I like the way you put that Starsk.”
“It wasn’t your fault, you didn’t know what you were doing, so I’m sure not blaming you. Besides, I shot you.”
“Only because you had to.” Hutch said grimly trying to focus on the road, his leg was throbbing but he felt he deserved the pain that was why he hadn’t taken his partner up on the offer of the aspirin.
“So do we have a plan when we get up there?” Starsky asked.
“First thing we are getting Sara; I just hope that is where her brother is having her held.” Hutch said. “Once Sara is safe then we will get Curtis that is if he shows. If he doesn’t then I guess we have a man hunt on our hands, a skinny white guy with a big black guy shouldn’t be that hard to spot.”
“I just hope he doesn’t do anything to Robert.”
“Curtis doesn’t kill he gets somebody else to do it for him,” Hutch said sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“Turn the radio on,” Curtis told Robert as they pulled away from the Pits, his stomach was still growling but he needed to find out what happened with the detective. He had to wonder if the police department was just covering up the fact that he had been killed by his partner and the same man that had killed to others had done the deed.
Robert flipped on the radio and found a station that broadcasted the news. It wasn’t long before deejay broke in to the program, “We have an alert about a missing girl, her name is Sara Mayfair and police believe she is being held in the Big Bear area.”
Curtis nearly choked; he slammed his hand down on the dash board and glared at Robert. “How do they know where she is?”
“I-I don’t know.” Robert said, “No one was home when I took her, and I don’t think anybody saw me.”
“Father!” Curtis spat out, “He is just grasping at straws.”
“But he grabbed the right one.”
“Just drive!” Curtis shouted.
“Where too?”
“Big Bear you idiot. Maybe those cops will head there too.” Curtis snapped. “I can finish them both off at the same time.”
“W-what do you mean you are going to finish them off?” Robert looked startled.
“Just what do you think we have been doing here?”
“I don’t know I just thought you were playing a prank.”
“A prank?” Curtis said, “Don’t you read the newspaper? Don’t you know who these two cops are?”
Robert shook his head, “I was just doing what you told me to do, I didn’t think we were going to hurt anybody.”
“I’m not going to hurt anybody, that blond cop is going to kill his partner.”
“Is that what was on the TV in the bar?” Robert now looked scared.
Curtis sighed. “Man I thought you were smart.”
“Who says I’m not smart, just because I don’t know what you are doing.” Robert said, “You are supposed to be in a coma, I have lied to everybody I’m probably going to lose my job now.”
“I paid you well.” Curtis barked.
“But I don’t want money to hurt people.” Robert whined, “And I didn’t like taking Miss Mayfair she has always been very nice to me. I had to hit her in the head.”
“What?” Curtis’ eyes flew open. “I told you not to hurt her.”
“She wouldn’t come and she was going to tell who ever she was on the phone with that you were awake and tell your dad.” Robert said, “I just barely hit her, she was coming too when I left her at the cabin. She’s okay.”
“She better be or you will pay.”
Robert looked down at the gas gage, “I think if we are going to go all the way to Big Bear we had better stop for gas.”
Curtis nodded, “And some food, find one of those stations that has food.”
Robert began to look for a station to stop at; little did Curtis know they nearly had a full tank of gas more than enough to get them to Big Bear. Robert had decided that he wanted no more part of what ever madness Curtis was planning.
Several minutes later Robert found a gas station that also had a mini mart with it, he pulled up to the pump and began filling the tank while Curtis went into find himself something to eat. “You want anything Robert?” Curtis threw over his shoulder.
“I’m good.” Robert watched him enter the store once he was sure Curtis couldn’t see him, he walked away from the car, down the street and around the corner. He knew he had to get as far away as he could before Curtis returned with food.
When Curtis came out of the store carrying a bag full of goodies he wasn’t alarmed at first by the absent of his aid, he figure he had just gone to the bathroom. But after sitting in the car for nearly ten minutes Curtis began to wonder where Robert had gone too. He got out of the car and noticed that only five gallons of gas registered on the pump, he tried to squeeze more in but it was full. A frown formed on his face as he looked up and down the street. Then he made his way to the side of the building to see if Robert was in the men’s bathroom, Curtis pushed the filthy door open only to find the room empty. “Damnit!” he yelled as he slammed his fist against the door then kicked it.
He raced to the car and jumped in the driver’s side, it was then that Curtis realized that he no long had a driver’s license; he would just have to be careful, if he got stopped now everything would be ruined.



                                                                            ~Chapter 10~


As they got close to Big Bear, Starsky pulled the Tornio over, Daniel followed suit and all four men got out of the two cars. “You better take the lead Mr. Mayfair,” Starsky suggested as he blew out a breath between clinched teeth, the pain in his shoulder was growing despite the aspirin he had swallowed, he wondered how Hutch was bearing the pain with nothing.
“Please, call me, Daniel,” Mayfair said.
“Are you alright, David?” Sam asked as he walked toward the detective, “Let me look at that shoulder.”
Starsky tried to shrug off the doctor but Sam was insistent. “I’m fine doc, really.”
Daniel noticed blood seeping through the leg of Hutch’s jeans, “I’m really sorry about all this, I had no idea my son was so crazy. I would have gotten him help before this whole thing started.”
Sam made Starsky take off his jacket, then enough of his shirt so he could examine his back. “Your stitches are starting to pull and you are bleeding. If you don’t stop you are going to completely pull them out.”
“We have to see this though.” Starsky said gritting his teeth as Sam reapplied the bandage.
“You are going to see yourself into a long hospital stay if you don’t take care of this.” Sam was exasperated. He knew the two detectives well enough that they were not going to throw in the towel now. “And Hutch, you are bleeding too.” The doctor said noticing the growing blood spot on Hutch’s leg.
“I’m fine; we have to get to Sara before Curtis does. If he heard that broadcast he’s probably pretty pissed off that he’s been figured out.” Hutch said. “He’s going to be ready for a showdown. I want to get Sara out of harm’s way before Curtis arrives.”
“Thank you for caring so much about my daughter detective.” Daniel said. “I think she might have had Curtis figured out a long time ago and that was why she told you where he was. I just wish she would have come to me.”
“Would you have listened?” Starsky boldly wanted to know.
Daniel sadly shook his head, “Probably not, I guess I have a blind spot when it comes to Curtis.”
“It’s hard to admit that your child has done something wrong.” Sam said.
“We have ten or so miles before we get to the cabin.” Daniel said going to his car, Sam joined him and the detectives got back into their car. Mayfair pulled out first then the Torino followed.
Thankfully it was summer at Big Bear or the mountainsides and roads would have been covered with snow, but it was still much cooler than it was in the city and would have been refreshing if not for the dire situation they were in. They finally turned off the main road onto a smaller road, it was still pavement but after a few more miles they turned onto a dirt road and began getting deeper into the forest. They drove another five miles before Daniel finally turned into a narrow driveway, after another quarter of a mile they pulled into a clearing where a nice sized cabin could be seen.
It was silent except for the forest noises, the four men stood together looking around wondering if they were wrong, maybe this wasn’t where Curtis had Sara taken. Daniel voiced his concerns and Starsky said, “Well there is only one way to find out,” He started walking toward the cabin.
“Stop right there!”
They looked around to see where the voice was coming from but there was nobody in sight. “Curtis?” Daniel Mayfair called out recognizing his son’s voice. “Come out son, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I’m not the one that is going to get hurt.” Curtis yelled from his vantage point behind a large pine tree. He had gotten there only moments before the two cars had pulled in. He had hoped that he could make it to the cabin but there hadn’t been time. He had parked his car out of sight of the drive so that he could take the cops by surprise. But the surprise was on him when he saw his father’s car pull up; he hadn’t counted on his father coming or for his sister to be involved in any way. He didn’t want them to see what he was going to do, but it was too late for that, he would never get another chance like the one he had before him. His family would now know him for the monster he really was. In the back of his mind Curtis knew he was wrong but that didn’t override the feelings that he had or what he was about to do.
“Come on, Curtis,” his father begged. “Just come out, nobody wants to hurt you.”
“I don’t want to go to jail for the rest of my life.” Curtis said.
“You won’t, we will get you into a good hospital.” Daniel coxed.
“I have been in a hospital for the last three years; I don’t want to be in another hospital, father.”
“Can’t we discuss this?” Daniel wanted to know. Starsky and Hutch were inching toward the sound of the young man’s voice.
“What is there to discuss?” Curtis cried out.
Daniel was at a loss for words, what else he could say; his son was a psychotic killer even if it hadn’t been by his own hand. Sam put his hand on Daniel’s shoulder, “Curtis, I’m Doctor Sam Smith.” Sam called out, “I can help you if you will let me.”
“I don’t want any help, can’t you people understand that? I just want to do what I need to do.”
“Then come out and do it,” Sam said hoping to get him to come out in the open so that they could at least see Curtis. He was hoping that when the young man saw his father it might help.
Hutch put his fingers to his lips, he could see Curtis near the pine tree, he pointed to Starsky to go around the other side of the large tree in hopes of surprising him. Just as they started to move in, Curtis walked into the clearing.
“Curtis,” Daniel called out to him. “Come here, son.”
Curtis didn’t move he stood several yards from his father and the doctor. Hutch and Starsky stepped out of the tree line not far from him. Startled, Curtis spun around eyeing them. “You stay back.”
The two detectives circled him trying to keep Curtis off guard. He watched them both like a wild cat watching its prey; his eyes were cold and hard as he moved his head from side to side trying to keep them both in sight. Finally, they stopped in front of Curtis figuring that if he charged them that they could take him together, with both of them hurt it would be hard to fight him off alone.
Starsky stood in between Hutch and Curtis, neither officer had their weapons drawn because as far as they could tell Curtis had no weapon on him. “Curtis, you need to come with us,” Starsky said and held handcuffs toward the young man. Curtis looked past the dark headed detective, all his attention was focused on Hutch.
“Dominic,” Curtis whispered softly, Hutch snapped to attention as he stared at Curtis, “Kill Starsky, and then kill yourself.”
Slowly Hutch pulled his gun from his shoulder holster; he brought it up aiming at his partners head.
Starsky looked from Curtis to his partner, “Hutch, put the gun down, this is Starsky, your buddy, your partner. Don’t listen to him, listen to your heart, you know deep down you don’t want to kill me.” Starsky sounded much calmer than he felt, he knew he was a dead man unless Hutch missed and Hutch didn’t miss. There was no way he could get his gun and fire even if he wanted to. Shooting his partner once was enough for a lifetime.
“Curtis!” Daniel yelled out and started toward his son but Sam stopped him
“Don’t,” Sam hissed.
“But I can’t let him do this.”
“It’s already put in motion.” Sam said, then the doctor called out calmly to Hutch, “Ken, remember all our work we have done, you don’t have to listen to him.”
Curtis stood there with an unwavering stare; he didn’t move or speak again, just made eye contact with Hutch. He wanted to see the two men’s brains splattered everywhere; they had ruined his life, starting with his sister. If it hadn’t been for them his life would have been perfect. They had turned Sara against him, turned his father against him and they were going to pay for it.
“Hutch,” Starsky said again, “Come on buddy, put the gun down.”
Hutch didn’t budge, he only tighten his grip on the gun.”
“KEN!” Starsky said sharply, he couldn’t remember the last time he had used his friend’s first name, probably the academy, but he was willing to try anything at this point.
Hutch’s eyes shifted from Curtis to Starsky, the gun wavered but only for a second and then he steadied it, still pointing at his partner’s curly head.
“Oh go ahead and shoot me, Hutch,” Starsky cried out in agony as he raised his hands. “I can’t take this anymore. I can’t watch you like this, if you have to end it then go ahead and shoot me, end it for both of us.” Starsky closed his eyes and waited for the blast he was sure would come now, he didn’t want to live without Hutch.
Hutch looked at Starsky’s eyes squeeze shut bracing himself for the shot. The moment Starsky put his life into Hutch’s hands, Hutch felt something, he knew he couldn’t kill his partner but he did know what he had to do. He had to end it, because like Starsky, he couldn’t take it anymore. Slowly, Hutch started to lower his .357 magnum, then he stopped and brought it up until the barrel of the gun was against his temple. He couldn’t live like this anymore either.
When the blast didn’t come, Starsky opened his eyes and was horrified to find Hutch with his gun pointed at his own head. “HUTCH, NO!” Starsky took two steps toward his partner when a shot rang out.
Shocked, everybody turned to see Sara standing with a shotgun pointed in the air. It had taken her all day but she finally managed to get the bolt unscrewed from the couch and pulled free. Her hands were raw and bleeding but the frame had finally pulled apart right before she heard the commotion outside. Peeking outside she saw the standoff between Hutch, his partner and her brother, that was when she got the shotgun from above the mantle and hunted down the shells.
Hutch looked in Sara’s direction when the shotgun went off, it gave Starsky time to tackle his partner; Hutch dropped his gun which went skidding across the grass and both men fell hard onto the ground, Starsky cried out as his hurt shoulder took the brunt of the fall and the world went black. Searing pain went though Hutch’s leg as he went down on it and he came back to the reality. “Starsk?” Hutch called out to his unconscious partner, he wasn’t sure what had happened and wondered if Starsky had been shot, and if had he done it?
Curtis lunged for Hutch’s gun; he wasn’t going to be cheated out of them dying again, he picked it up and backed away from the two men lying on the ground. Curtis pointed the gun at Hutch, “Get up.” He yelled, but Hutch was too dazed and in too much pain to move.
“Curtis!” His father yelled, “Put down that gun.”
He completely ignored his father as he watched the detectives; hoping one of them would make a move so that he would be forced to shoot.
“Where is the back up?” Sam said more to himself than to Daniel.
Daniel couldn’t let his son shoot the men on the ground; he started walking toward Curtis who looked up as his father moved toward him. “Father, just stay back, I don’t want to hurt you.”
Everyone was focused on Starsky and Hutch on the ground, forgetting that Sara was standing on the porch with the shotgun, she walked across the yard until she was only a few feet from her brother, “Curtis, if you don’t put that gun down I’m going to shoot you. This has gone on long enough.”
“You wouldn’t dare, Sara, get back in the cabin unless you want to watch them die.” Curtis snarled at her.
“I’m not going anywhere and you aren’t going to hurt them. They have done nothing to you,” Sara snapped back. She raised the shotgun toward her brother; her father had taught her how to use it when she was younger.
“You aren’t going to shoot me little sister so just put it down,” he commanded. While he was distracted by Sara his father crept closer to him despite Sam’s wishes.
“Curtis,” His father said softly, “This isn’t you, we can get you help.
Curtis swung the magnum toward Daniel, “Do you want to die?”
“In place of them?” He indicated the men on the ground, “Yes, because if you kill them I don’t think I can live with myself. How could I have raised such an uncaring man?”
Curtis’ eyes grew small as he looked at his father, “Get back.”
“Daniel,” Sam called, and motioned for him to return to his side. Reluctantly he backed away from his son, praying that he would come to his senses.
Hutch felt for his gun then realized that Curtis was holding it; he thought that maybe he could reach Starsky’s, but his partner was dead weight and he couldn’t move him enough to reach his gun. They were at the mercy of Curtis and he prayed that Sara wouldn’t shoot her brother; it would be hard to get over.



                                                                                 ~Chapter 11~


Starsky’s stitches had torn open and he was bleeding copiously from his wounded shoulder, Hutch could feel the wetness though his own clothes. He knew he had to do something before Starsky lost anymore blood. He looked up at Curtis who was still aiming the gun at his father, “Curtis.”
The young man swung the gun toward Hutch and Starsky; he squinted at Hutch and hissed, “Dominic.”
But this time maybe from the pain, or worry over his partner, or just sheer will power, Curtis’ words didn’t affect him, “It’s over.” Hutch said looking at Curtis, he place his hand on Starsky’s face, “Come on partner, wake up.”
Curtis took a few steps toward the men on the ground, still pointing the gun at them. “It’s not over until I say it’s over.” He was enraged that the brainwashing didn’t seem to be working anymore. “Dominic, Dominic, Dominic,” he chanted with no affect on Hutch. His hand shook as he held the gun, he wanted to pull the trigger, but deep down he was a coward and knew it. It was why he had brained washed the detective in the first place, he didn’t have the courage to kill Jackie Delocasa or Sal Brooks.
Hutch ignored Curtis as he softly talked to Starsky willing him back to consciousness. Sara, her father and Sam were frozen in place worried that if they made the wrong move that Curtis might fire. It wasn’t until they heard the sounds of engines and the crunch of tires did any of them move, finally back up was arriving.
“Curtis,” Daniel urged, “Put the gun down, more police are coming, and this can only turn out badly for you.”
“Turn out badly for me?” Curtis wanted to know, “Don’t you mean turn out badly for you? My name is going to be splashed all over the news again, I’m sure the last time was devastating for you and mother. You think if I put the gun down you can make a deal? I’m pretty sure I’m far beyond a deal.”
“Curtis, please!” Daniel begged he was afraid the police were going to kill his son and he couldn’t blame them.
Three armed policemen and a couple of rangers walked up the driveway to the clearing, they stopped when they saw that Curtis had the detectives at gunpoint and Sara with the shotgun. Not knowing what was going on, one of the officers called out, “Drop your weapons.” Sara immediately laid the gun on the ground but Curtis didn’t waver or even act like he heard the command. Several more officers broke the tree line and stood behind him, guns pointed in his direction. If he made one bad move he would be riddled with bullets.
Starsky groaned he was beginning to come to; he tried to move when he realized he was partially lying on Hutch. “Lay still,” Hutch said gently.
Starsky was just glad to hear his friend’s voice, he wasn’t sure what had happened, the last thing he remembered was a shotgun blast and lunging at Hutch. He looked in Curtis’ direction trying to access what was going on, Starsky saw the police creeping up behind the young man. It was very likely that either he or Hutch would be shot if an attempt was made to take Curtis.
“Hutch,” Starsky’s voice was weak, barely above a whisper.
“Hang on buddy, help is here.” The standoff had to end; Hutch could feel his partner slipping away. He was losing too much blood after already losing a lot after the attack two days before.
Dobey appeared and pushed his way through the officers standing in the drive, he was shocked to see his two detectives on the ground, both bleeding. Not sure if it was fresh wounds or their old ones Dobey called out, “Hutchinson!”
Hutch looked toward his captain, “Cap, we have got to get Starsk out of here.”
Dobey nodded in understanding then he looked at Curtis, who still had not moved, it was as if he were in a trance. “Curtis Mayfair, this is Captain Dobey, you need to put down the weapon or my men will fire upon you.”
Curtis didn’t so much as blink and he didn’t put the gun down, he still stood pointing it at Starsky and Hutch. Hutch made a decision, they were either going to die from blood loss or get shot if he tried to move Starsky. Gently talking in Starsky’s ear, he tried to get a grip on his partner that would allow him to stand and carry him to safety, realizing that Curtis would probably shoot him in the back. Hutch struggled with his partner but his wounded leg just would not support both of their weights, he crumpled backward and lay holding his friend.
The shot was loud in the clearing, birds that had started to nest for the night flew from the trees and then everything was deadly silent, not so much as a cricket made a noise. The first thing Hutch did was to check Starsky to see if he had been shot, then himself, they both had seemed to have escaped further injury. Hutch looked toward where Curtis was standing; the young man was now lying crumpled on the ground, blood coming from his chest.
No one had seen Daniel go to his car and get the gun from his glove box, he couldn’t stand to see his son hurt anyone else so he knew what he had to do, once he had made up his mind and had the gun in his hands he fired quickly before he could change his mind.
Daniel dropped the gun he had just shot his son with and fell back against his car; Sara ran to her father and threw her arms around him crying. One of the officers grabbed the gun that Daniel had dropped, a second one went to where Curtis fell to check on him, the officer shook his head as he looked back at Dobey to indicate that he was dead and secured the weapon.
Starsky was unconscious for a second time, Hutch tried once again to pick up his partner. “Get an ambulance!” Hutch yelled as he struggled with Starsky’s dead weight, suddenly many hands were there to help. Starsky was lifted away from Hutch who was helped to his feet, his jeans were drenched in blood, not only his but his partners, he hobbled over to be close to Starsky and await the help they needed.
Daniel walked slowly toward his son, an officer stepped forward to stop him but Dobey grabbed his arm, “Let him go.” Dobey said knowing that no charges would be pressed against Daniel Mayfair, he would see to that. He had just saved his two detectives and who knew how many more if Curtis had decided to start shooting.
Sara hung back; she didn’t want to look at her brother, instead she went to Hutch who was looking unsteady on his feet. She put her arm around him to steady him and looked down at Starsky who was growing paler by the minute. “Is he going to be okay?”
“I hope so,” Hutch said, pain filling his face, “I’m so sorry about your brother, Sara.”
Sara shook her head, “I don’t know when he went so crazy. I’m just sorry it had to be my father that ended it.”
“I know, it had to be hard, your father is a brave man.” Hutch kissed the top of her head, “Are you going to be alright?”
“Yeah, I think so; you know it’s been hard keeping the secret that Curtis was alive all this time even though we thought he was in a coma.” Sara said, “It never felt right to me.”
“Don’t ever think any of this was your fault, honey.”
“If I hadn’t been so stupid and gone off with that guy, none of this would have happened.” Sara looked up at Hutch, tears coursing down her cheeks.
“Sara, if that hadn’t set him off something else probably would have and it could have been worse.”
“What could have been worse than this?” They both shivered at the thought of what Curtis’ brilliant mind might have done.
The sound of sirens drifted though the air toward them. Hutch felt relieved knowing that Starsky would get help and prayed that it wasn’t too late. Sara stayed by his side until two ambulances pulled into the clearing. Starsky was loaded on a gurney first and into one of the ambulances, Hutch climbed in with him. “I’ll see ya Sara, be happy.” Hutch said to her just before they closed the doors.
The second of the ambulances had Curtis Mayfair loaded inside, Daniel stood by watching, he wanted to go with his son but he had Sara and the car there. As if reading his mind, Sam stepped forward. “Mr. Mayfair, I’ll be glad to drive Sara back.”
Daniel nodded, handing the keys to the doctor, and then climbed in with his dead son. He wondered how he was going to tell his wife. He looked at the white sheet covering Curtis, where had they gone wrong, but it was over now for all of them.

The next morning found the boys back in a hospital room together. Other than his worry over his partner Hutch felt as though the world had been lifted off his shoulders, he had to wonder if somewhere deep down he had known that it hadn’t been over, but now with the death of Curtis, it was truly over and he could finally get on with his life. His first thought was to get a place of his own again, he liked living with Starsky but it was also nice to have his privacy. He wouldn’t bring it up until Starsky was back on his feet. His partner had lost a lot of blood, infection was beginning to set into his shoulder and the ripped out stitches were going to leave a nasty scar. Battle wounds as Starsky like to call them sometimes, and they both had their fair share.
Hutch glanced over at Starsky but he was sleeping soundly, Hutch hadn’t spoken to him since they had been lying in the grass the night before, the doctors had patched both of them back up and given Starsky something to make him sleep so that the IV antibiotics had time to start working. He wasn’t sure how he could ever repay Starsky for sticking by his side the last three years of craziness, most people would have run. He knew that Starsky would never expect anything more from him than to be there when he needed a friend and that was something that had always come easy for Hutch.
“What are you thinking about?”
Hutch looked over at Starsky, happy to hear his voice even if it did sound weak. “You,” Hutch said without hesitation.
“Don’t you have anybody to think about better than me?” Starsky grinned, “All these pretty nurses running around here and you are thinking about a beat up cowboy.”
“I think I’ll stick with my beat up cowboy if you don’t mind.” Hutch crawled out of bed and moved slowly to Starsky’s bed side, his leg still felt as though it were on fire. “You are my best friend.”
“Don’t go all mushy on me Hutch!” Starsky warned, “I’ll have to get out of this bed, I can still take you bum shoulder and all.”
“I’m sure you could,” Hutch looked at him fondly. “How are you really feeling?”
Starsky shrugged his good shoulder, “They have me so doped up I can’t really feel anything and I have a feeling that is a good thing.”
“What happened to Curtis?” Starsky wanted to know, he had passed out before he had seen what went down.
“He’s dead, Daniel shot him.” Hutch said closing his eyes as the scene flashed before them.
“Oh!” Starsky said startled, “How is Sara doing with all this?”
“I haven’t seen her since we were put in the ambulance.” Hutch pulled up a chair and sat close to Starsky’s bedside. “I’m going to give it a while then call and check up on her.”
Starsky nodded in agreement. “What are they going to do with Daniel?”
“I don’t think any charges are going to be pressed, he was protecting us.”
“I would never tell Daniel this but I don’t think Curtis would have shot us, he isn’t a killer, at least not by his own hand or he would have never used you.” Starsky theorized. “Don’t you think he would have shot us when he realized that the brainwashing wasn’t working anymore? Does Sam have any ideas on that one?”
“I haven’t talked to Sam either,” Hutch said.
As if hearing his name there was a knock on the door and Sam stuck his head in. “You are awake!” He looked delighted as he entered the room; the two men had become extended family to him. “How are you feeling?”
Hutch rolled his eyes; he had just asked that question himself of Starsky, “I guess that is the first thing everybody is going to ask us now.”
“I’m a doctor, I’m supposed to ask that,” Sam joked.
Another knock sounded on the door and Dobey stuck his chubby face in, and entered carrying a vase of flowers. “So, how are you feeling?”
Starsky snickered and looked at Hutch.
“Am I missing something?” Dobey said looking at his two detectives.
“No, no,” Hutch said trying to stifle a laugh.
Yet another knock yielded Huggy Bear with a box of chocolates, “How you all feeling?”
Not being able to contain themselves any longer both Starsky and Hutch howled with laughter, only Sam knew what they were laughing about.
Huggy looked at Dobey who merely shrugged and said, “Don’t look at me, I just got here.” Dobey put the vase of flowers down demanding, “What is so funny?”
Hutch pointed at their captain then at Huggy but couldn’t talk without breaking into gales of laughter; Dobey shook his head in disgust as he watched them both turn red in the face. “Are you going to do something about this Dr. Smith?”
Sam smiled at the captain and said, “Laughter is the best medicine after all.” The two detectives kept laughing and before long had the rest of the room laughing with them.


                                                                                            ~THE END~











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