SIGHT
BY
TOOKI
^*^ Chapter 1 ^*^
A man, gun drawn, rounded a corner and stopped in the opening of an alleyway. The alley was dark and forbidding looking, cautiously he crept into the darkness both hands on his gun, arms out stretched. He strained to see in the gloom, there was a noise to his right; the man stopped, training his gun in the direction of the sound. A rat ran out from between two garbage cans. The man gave a little grunt and looked back down the alley. But before he could even react, there were four bright flashes of light along with four pops of a gun. The man crumpled to the ground and lay still...
Tatum Carver sat up in bed, her heart was about to beat out of her chest, her breath was coming in short gulps. This was the third night in a row that she had the same dream, each time it progressed a little further, tonight had been the first time the man had been shot. Tatum got out of bed, padding to the bathroom for a glass of water; she didn’t bother turning on the bulb since she always kept a night light in the bathroom. Tatum ran the water a few seconds to allow it to get cold then filled her glass, as she took a drink she glanced in the mirror; a man’s face looked back at her.
Twenty-six year old Tatum dropped the glass, it shattered in the sink sending shards of glass everywhere. She looked at the mess in the sink then back to the mirror only to see her own reflection there. Leaving the broken glass, she walked back to her bed on shaky legs and sat down. Why was this happening to her again? It had been nearly five years since she had been plagued by dreams and visions, the last time she had seen her fifteen-year-old brother’s death two weeks before it had actually happened. She had tried to warn Sam about his impending doom but he had just laughed her off, her parents wouldn’t listen either.
The night the call came that her brother had been killed in a car accident, Tatum hadn’t been surprised. She didn’t need the police to tell her the details of the wreck for she had foreseen them. Sam and four of his friends had been drinking; their car had crossed the center line and hit a car head on that was carrying a couple to their honeymoon. Everyone involved in the accident was dead at the scene. It had taken Tatum three years of therapy to learn to live with what had happen. The visions had gone away, well, for the most part. Occasionally, she would have a flash of something; once a vision stopped her from stepping out into the street in front of a car that had lost its breaks.
Tatum lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, she wasn’t sure she could go through it again. This time she didn’t even know who the person was that she was seeing. She closed her eyes and tried to see the man’s face that had appeared in the mirror but she had no luck. Sleep started taking over again and Tatum drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
“Christ, Starsk,” Hutch said as he watched his partner start in on his second burrito. “How can you stand to eat that crap?”
“Good,” Starsky said around a huge mouthful of food.
“It’s going to be the death of you my friend.”
“Then I will die a happy man.” Starsky squirted more sauce onto his burrito then and took a sip of his soda. “You should really try it.”
“Get that thing out of my face or you are going to be wearing it,” Hutch warned, glancing at his friend’s shirt he added, “Not that you aren’t already.”
Starsky looked down at his shirt that had a big glob of sauce on it. Sighing, he lay his lunch on the dash board and wiped his shirt with a napkin. “Damn, now I’m going to have to go home and...”
Starsky was interrupted by the radio, “All units, a 211 in progress at Lorrie’s Laundromat, corner of...” Starsky turned on the siren drowning out the address, they didn’t need it, they both knew exactly where Lorrie’s was as it had been hit twice that month already.
Hutch answered the call then slapped the light on to top of the car as Starsky made a sharp left out of the parking lot sending his half eaten burrito into Hutch’s lap. “Great!” Hutch exclaimed, “I don’t even eat the crap and I have it all over me.”
“What is it with these laundry heists?” Starsky wanted to know as he swerved around a car that had stopped for them.
“Maybe it’s a conspiracy,” Hutch half jokingly suggested.
“How do you mean?” Starsky let off the gas slightly as they went through an intersection then sped up again.
“Maybe the appliance stores are trying to sell more washers and dryers.” Hutch smiled.
“Funny, Hutch,” Starsky said, making a quick right, the laundry was on the next corner.
Hutch shrugged, “Nobody has come up with anything better.”
For the past two months more than twenty Laundromat’s had been hit, a few of them more than once like Lorrie’s. Three mask men would enter the back door, demand cash from the attendant. Sometimes they would rob the patrons; once they made everybody in the laundry strip to their underwear and a couple of times they took their clothing. But nobody had ever been hurt, only frightened. The thoughts in the department were that the perpetrators were probably teenagers out for a good time.
Starsky screeched the Torino to a stop and they both got out drawing their guns. They stopped at the door and peered in, everybody was lying on the floor and muffled sobs could be heard.
“POLICE,” Starsky shouted into the building, in the previous robberies the suspects were long gone by the time the police arrived, but this time the two detectives were answered with several gun shots, one clicking off the door frame barely missing Hutch.
“Damn,” Hutch said jumping back. “Do we have back up coming?”
Starsky shrugged, “I sure hope so.”
“Everybody stay down,” Hutch ordered as he dove into the door and behind a washer, next to a rather large woman.
“T-they killed, Lorrie,” the woman said in a tearful voice.
“It’s going to be okay, you just stay down.” Hutch told the woman.
“Cover me, Hutch,” Starsky called from the door way.
Hutch, over the top of the washer, could see some movement in the back room behind the counter. He trained his gun on the opening and nodded for his partner to enter.
Starsky came through the door low, going to the opposite side of the room as his partner. “How many?”
“Three,” It was the woman who answered the detective.
Hutch motioned for Starsky to move up with him, row by row they moved toward the counter. They could hear sirens in the distance, just their luck they were the only ones close. They came together at the counter and crouched there trying to figure out what their next move would be. They were out numbered and most assuredly out gunned.
“More cops!” A voice screamed from the back room, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
There were several blasts from a gun, the sound of running feet and a door banging open. Hutch and Starsky jumped to their feet and dashed through the storage room but by the time they got to the door that opened out onto the alley behind the building, the gunmen were gone. The two went as far as the end of the alley and looked up and down the street; it was as if the suspects had disappeared into thin air.
Four uniformed officers, guns drawn, entered the front of the laundry. “They went out the back,” one of the customers told them. Two of the officers ran toward the back as the other two began helping people to their feet.
“Lordy me,” the large woman said. “I’m not coming back in here again.” She began gathering her clothes from an over turned basket.
“Anything?” one of the officers asked as Hutch came in the door.
“Nothing, didn’t even get a good look at them.” Hutch said. “I want everybody in here questioned. Somebody had to have seen something.”
Starsky stood at the end of the alley still looking up and down the street wondering how they could have gotten away that fast. Neither he nor Hutch had heard screeching tires or even a car just pulling away. Sighing, he headed back inside.
... The man crumpled to the ground and lay still, a second man appeared in the opening of the alley, and he fired toward the direction the shots came from. He was answered with more gunfire, he ducked down and tried to get to the man on the ground, he was saying something...
Tatum jerked awake, she turned on the light next to her bed, she tried to remember what the man was saying but she couldn’t. It was almost as if she couldn’t hear what he was saying but he seemed to be trying to help the man that had been shot. She looked at the clock, it was almost 3 a.m. , she had had the dream at almost the same time every night.
Tatum had a feeling that when the dreams stopped the man would be dead. She knew from experience that the event probably hadn’t taken place yet. She needed to find this man and warn him, but how? She had no idea who he was or where the shooting was taking place. Tatum dropped her head into her hands, wishing that the dreams would just go away.
The sun streamed into Tatum’s bed room from a crack between her curtains, she opened her eyes squinting at the brightness. At first she was disoriented then discovered she was lying cross ways in the bed. Exhausted, she dragged herself from the bed and into the bathroom for a shower. How was she going to find this man?
Starsky and Hutch sat before their Captain, who at the moment was not happy. He tossed down their latest report; Lorrie Andrews had been shot to death for the contents of his cash register. “What changed?” Dobey demanded.
“One of Lorrie’s customers said that he pulled a gun on the suspects and they shot him. I guess he had been robbed one too many times.” Starsky answered.
“Something has to be done about this now. Laundry’s all over town are closing up from either lack of business or because the owners are scared.” Dobey said. “The mayor is breathing down the Commissioner’s neck, which means the Commissioner breathing down my neck.”
“All we have from the scene is a few bullets dug out of the walls. Nobody in the laundry saw anything or if they did they aren’t talking.” Hutch said.
“I want you two on this case full time until these gunmen are brought down. It’s a murder case now.”
^*^ Chapter 2 ^*^
Tatum, armed with two laundry baskets and a duffel bag of dirty clothes, left her second floor apartment and started the half a block walk to Launderland. She was lost in thought as she walked, racking her brain for something, anything that might tell her who the man was that died in the alley. She was unaware of the commotion going on around her until a man with dark, curly hair grabbed her arm.
The moment he touched her was like a lightening bolt shooting through her body. Tatum was suddenly transported into her dream, the darkness closed in around her and she could hear the last gulps of the dying man. Then she heard the second man from her dream, she heard his running foot steps and he was shouting a name. Before she could figure it out Tatum was jerked back to reality.
“...Miss?” She dropped her laundry basket spilling her detergent and fabric softener to the ground. “Miss, are you alright?”
Tatum felt as though she were going to collapse to the sidewalk but strong arms were holding her up. “Miss, Miss.” The man continued to try to talk to her but Tatum was having trouble focusing on what was going on. “I think she needs a doctor.” He called to someone.
“No, no, I’m okay,” Tatum finally managed to say. “If there is just some place I can sit for a moment.”
The man guided her to a police car whose door was standing open and sat her in the front seat. Then he went and gathered up her laundry basket, putting its spilled contents back in side. She still had her duffle of dirty cloths. “Here ya go.” He said putting the basket next to her feet in the street. “Are you sure you’re okay? There is an ambulance right over there.”
“I’m fine, really.” She tried to give him a smile. He was crouched in front of her and for the first time she got a look at his face. Tatum felt like her heart would stop...it was him...the man whose face she had seen in her mirror.
“You just sit here until you are ready to get up. If you need anything there are plenty of people around to help you.” Then he was gone before Tatum could react to his words or stop him. But what would she say to him. Hey you are going to die soon? She knew that would get her no where just like when she tired to tell everybody her brother was going to die. Even after his death they dismissed her dreams and visions as coincidence.
Tatum stood up, bracing herself on the car door, her legs felt like Jell-O, she looked around trying to spot the man that had helped her but she couldn’t see him in the crowd of people. She could only assume that he was a police officer. At least she knew two things; one, where she might be able to find him and most importantly, her dream hadn’t taken place yet.
This time they weren’t the first on the scene as Starsky slammed the Torino into park in front of the Launderland, the street was already full of police cars and two ambulances signaling that somebody must have been hurt again.
“If we don’t get this figured out soon Dobey is going to have our badges,” Hutch said grimly as he got out of the car and followed his partner into the laundromat.
“Employee in the back is dead and a customer was wounded.” Officer Jake McCalistor informed them. “Looks like people are starting to fight back.”
“It’s getting them killed,” Starsky said as he looked over the counter at the middle-aged woman lying on the floor.
“Where is the customer?” Hutch asked.
“Paramedics already took her.” McCalistor said. He tore out a page of his note book and handed it to Hutch. “This is her name and address.
“Thanks, Jake,” Hutch said as he folded the paper and stuck it in his pocket.
“I think I’m going out side and see if I can find somebody that saw something.” Starsky said.
“I’ll see what I can find out in here.” Hutch answered
As Starsky left the building he spotted a young woman carrying laundry baskets heading obliviously toward the door. “You can’t go in there, Miss.” Starsky said grabbing her arm. The moment he touched her she went almost limp, if he had let go of her she would have dropped to the ground. As it was, her baskets fell spilling out the contents. His first thought was that she was on drugs because she was so out of it. But finally she spoke to him and asked if she could sit down. After getting her settled, Starsky went to speak to the crowd that had gathered in the streets.
The next morning Hutch stood in front of a board with a city map pinned to it, he marked the last hit with a black pin to signify that there had been a killing associated with the hit. The rest of the Laundromat’s that had been hit in the last two months were marked with colored push pins. There was no pattern to the hits, they were all over the map and with the last two having deaths involved with them, it signaled that the gunmen were getting increasingly violent.
“There are too many Laundromat’s to set up stake outs,” Starsky said as he stared at the map. They had put red dots where every laundry was located throughout the city. “The hits have been so random there is no way to tell where or when the next one will be.”
Hutch also studied the map, “We don’t have any description of the gunmen except they are dressed in black with black knit face masks.”
They were so deep in conversation that they didn’t noticed the dark haired woman enter the squad room, she zeroed in on Starsky and made her way across the room to stand next to him.
Tatum had gone straight home after she recovered enough from meeting the man in her dreams. She had dropped her laundry baskets just inside the door and flopped into an over stuffed chair, she sat there for several hours until she decided that she had to find this man. Tatum knew that since she didn’t know his name it wasn’t going to be an easy job to track him down. There had to be hundreds of policemen in L.A., but he hadn’t been wearing a uniform which probably meant he was a detective of some sort.
She grabbed the phonebook and began the task of calling and describing the man that had touched her out side the laundry.
It hadn’t been until the next morning that Tatum had gotten the man’s name and station. Now she was standing next to him, staring, wondering just what she was going to say.
She saw the blond detective nudge his partner and motion toward her. Tatum took a deep breath and put a smile on her face as Starsky turned around.
“Can I help you?” he asked, then he paused and looked at her closely. “Are you the woman from yesterday at the laundry?”
Tatum nodded and said, “I’m Tatum Carver.”
“Nice to meet you, Miss Carver, I’m Detective Starsky and this is my partner, Detective Hutchinson.”
“Miss Carver,” Hutch smiled at her. “Do you have some information on the robbery for us?”
“Robbery?” Tatum was confused; she had been in such a state she still didn’t know what the police had been doing there.
“Yes, yesterday, at the laundry.” Hutch looked at her curiously, how she could possibly not know she had walked into a robbery scene.
“Oh,” Tatum felt stupid and knew she was not making a good impression, they would never believe her, even if they would have believed her in the first place.
“Give her a break Hutch, she wasn’t feeling well yesterday.” Starsky pulled out a chair and started to touch her arm but she backed away. His brow furrowed but he stepped away and let her sit down. “Are you better?”
“Yes, thank you.” The last thing she wanted him to do was to touch her again. Tatum was afraid she would zone out and really have them wondering about her.
“If you don’t have any information on the case then what can we help you with?” Hutch asked.
“I need to talk to Detective Starsky.” Tatum said looking at both men.
“What ever you have to say you can say it in front of Hutch, I have no secrets from him.” Starsky answered.
She looked around the room at the other officers milling around. “Then is there some place more private we can talk?”
“Miss, what is this about?” Hutch was beginning to lose his patience with the young woman.
“Please,” Tatum begged.
Starsky shrugged, “We aren’t getting any where with this.” He pointed at the map covered with pins. “Let’s go see what she has to say.”
The two detectives led Tatum to one of the interrogation rooms, once again, Starsky started to touch her but she shied away. “Have a seat Miss Carver.”
“Please, call me Tatum,” she gave them an uneasy smile. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
“How about at the beginning, that’s always the best place,” Starsky said sitting on the edge of the table but making sure he kept his distance.
“I know you both already think I’m strange.” Tatum began. “You are going to have to have an open mind for what I’m going to tell you.”
Hutch sighed and leaned against the wall. Starsky glanced at his partner then back at Tatum. “Please, just tell us what this is about.”
“It’s about your death.” She said, looking Starsky straight in the eye.
This caught Hutch’s attention; he came off the wall to stand closer to Starsky. “What the hell are you talking about?” Hutch demanded.
“I know this is going to sound crazy, but I dreamt it.” Tatum said, then held her breath to see what their reaction was going to be.
“You have GOT to be kidding me,” Hutch finally exploded. “You dragged us away from an important investigation because you had a dream?”
“Hutch, take it easy,” Starsky said as he watched the woman’s face crumple.
“Take it easy? Come on partner, we don’t have time for this crap.” Hutch fussed. “I’m going to get some coffee then I’m going back to work.” Hutch stalked out slamming the door.
“You will have to excuse him, Miss...Tatum,” Starsky said.
“I know how it sounds Detective Starsky and his reaction isn’t any different that what I usually get.” Tatum responded.
“Since I have been in your dreams maybe you should call me Starsky,” He smiled at her and pulled up a chair to the other side of the table.
^*^ Chapter 3 ^*^
Starsky started to reach across the table to put his hands on Tatum’s, but she pulled them back. “I’m sorry,” he said.
Tatum gave him a brief smile, “It’s not you, well it is but not for the reason you probably think. I try to avoid touching anybody because a lot of times when I shake somebody’s hand or brush against them I get flashes of what is going to happen to them. For some reason it’s never good stuff, mostly how they are going to die.”
“So when I grabbed you at the laundry yesterday that is when you saw me dying?” Starsky was intrigued but not convinced.
“Actually, no,” Tatum said. “I have been dreaming your death every night for that past couple of weeks. It wasn’t until yesterday that I knew it was you. The dream has progressed each night showing me more and more.”
“So how am I supposed to die?”
“You will be shot four times in the chest in a dark alley.”
“Oh.”
“I know this sounds crazy.”
“Has this ever happened before?”
Tatum nodded and looked down at her hands. “Many times, the worst being five years ago, my brother, I foresaw his death.”
“Lucky for him, uh? Starsky said.
“Not so lucky, he didn’t believe me, he was killed in the car wreck that I had dreamt about.”
“I’m sorry, what was his name?”
“Sam, he was fifteen, my life hasn’t been the same since that day.”
Starsky stored the brother’s name in the back of his head then asked. “So how often has this happened since?”
“I try to keep my contact with people limited, so that I don’t touch anybody. I work from home; I do research for a law firm.
“Sounds lonely.”
“It’s better than seeing things I don’t want to see.”
“I’m still confused though, how could you have dreamt my death if you had never met me?.”
“I get visions two ways; they come in dreams or by touch. I really don’t know why I have been dreaming about you.”
“But out of all the people in the world why me?”
Tatum shrugged, “I guess it was just meant to be, I guess I’m suppose to save you.”
Starsky looked at her, he wasn’t sure what he was suppose to think, the young woman seemed so sincere it was hard not to believe her. “When is this supposed to happen?”
“I don’t know, but it will happen if you don’t take measures to stop it.”
“Tatum, I’m a cop and short of quitting my job, I don’t see where I can keep my self out of the line of fire.”
Hutch paced in front of the map but he wasn’t concentrating on it, he was thinking of the woman and wondering why Starsky was still speaking with her. He was growing more aggravated when Starsky pushed open the squad room door. “Did your psycho, I mean psychic leave?”
“Hutch, she’s not a psycho,” Starsky joined him in front of the map. “She went home.”
“Good, if you listen to her you will be jumping at every shadow.”
“I do want to check something out though.”
“What?” Hutch’s annoyance was clear in his voice.
“She said that she had a brother die five years ago.”
“SO!”
“In a car accident that she knew was going to happen.”
“And what is that going to prove?”
“I don’t know Hutch, give me a break!” Starsky growled, “I’m kind of freaked out here, it wasn’t your death she foresaw, it was mine.”
“Don’t tell me you are buying into this...oh, of course you are.” Hutch was angry and out of sorts, not so much at his partner but at the case that seemed unsolvable.
“Maybe she can help us with the case.” Starsky said. “The last robbery happened only a half a block from her house.”
“So that now makes her expert in police work too.”
“I can’t talk to you when you are like this,” Starsky said sullenly. “I’m going to lunch.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I don’t think you want to go where I’m going.” Starsky said as he left, leaving Hutch to stare after him.
Starsky sat at his desk reading the information he had been able to find on Sam Carver. Everything that Tatum had said about the accident had been true. He didn’t know what he expected to find, perhaps a footnote at the bottom of the newspaper article that said his sister had foreseen that accident. No such footnote existed. Just because she had a brother that died in a car accident didn’t make her a psychic or what ever she was, but he still had a feeling she was for real.
“Have a nice lunch?”
Starsky jumped and turned to see Hutch standing next to him. “Yeah, it was fine.”
“What have you got there?” Hutch asked leaning over his partners shoulder to read what Starsky was so interested in. “Starsky!”
“Hutch, I wanted to know okay?” It wasn’t often that the partners were on the opposite sides of the fence on things, but occasionally they butted heads.
“Don’t let this chick get to you, uh? She is probably just out for a date or something.”
“I don’t think she wants to date me. You didn’t really talk to her; she believes what she is telling me.”
“That doesn’t make her any less of a nut.”
Starsky knew he wasn’t going to convince Hutch that Tatum wasn’t crazy, so he suggested that they get back to work on the robbery case.
Tatum had just sat down to a dinner of grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup when there was a knock at her door. She didn’t move from her kitchen table for several minutes, she had few friends and nobody came to her home unannounced. Finally, she got up and went to the door. “Who is it?”
“Detective Starsky.”
She opened the door, surprised that he was there, Tatum never expect to hear from the officer again. “Come in detective.”
“I thought you were going to call me Starsky.” He grinned at her. He had a bunch of daisies wrapped in tissue that he presented to her.
“What are these for?”
He shrugged, “You looked so sad when you left the station this morning.”
Tatum went to put the flowers in water, “Thank you.” She called from the kitchen. She returned carrying a vase with the daisies. “I don’t want to sound rude but what are you doing here?”
“You intrigue me.”
“Oh?” Tatum raised her eyebrows at him. “Is that a nice way of saying you are interested in crazy people?”
Starsky laughed, “Mind if I sit down?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t have many guests. Please have a seat.”
After he was seated Starsky looked at Tatum, “My partner would kill me if he knew I was here talking to you.”
“He doesn’t have much imagination does he?”
“Hutch is an okay guy; he’s just on edge because of this robbery case we are working on.”
“The laundry robberies?”
“Yeah, we aren’t getting anywhere with this case.”
“I have been following it the TV and the papers.”
“Maybe that explains why you started having dreams about me.”
“Possibly. Are you still intrigued? I’m not very exciting.” Tatum looked around at the meager furnishings in her apartment.
“I think it’s a shame that you lock yourself away like this.”
“I’m used to it.” Starsky was making Tatum uncomfortable. “Can I help you with something Starsky?”
“I want to know more about your gift.”
Tatum starting laughing, “My gift? I call it a curse. I have lived with this all my life. The first thing I ever saw die was my dog when I was five years old. I was petting him and something happened almost like being zapped with electricity, I saw him run out into the street where he was hit by a car. Two days later it happened just like I saw it. I didn’t tell anybody then or when I dreamt the neighbor’s baby fell into a pool and drown a week before it happened, I was eight. Try living with that guilt.”
“You never tried to tell anybody?” Starsky wanted to know.
“Sure, after a while when it kept happening, but nobody ever believed me. Not even after my brother was killed, not after I had told my mom and dad every single detail of the accident weeks before the actual accident. I don’t know if I scared them or what.” Tatum said, tears standing in her eyes. “If they would have just listened, Sam would still be alive.”
Starsky held his hands out to Tatum; she looked at him, fear written across her face. “Take my hands Tatum, tell me what you see.”
“No,” She wrapped her arms around herself and sunk back into the chair she was sitting in. “I don’t want to see anymore.”
“You might be able to help us solve these crimes.”
“I don’t see stuff like that; I only see what is going to happen to the living.”
“I thought, that maybe since I’m tied into the crimes, that you could figure out where the robbers are going to hit next.”
Tatum shook her head, sinking even deeper into the chair, looking as she must have when she was eight and scared of what was going on in her own head. “I can’t.”
“Hey, I’m the one that’s going to die, if I’m willing to take the chance why aren’t you?” Starsky still had his hands out stretched to her. “I’m almost sure that my death is going to happen during one of these robberies.”
Sighing, Tatum sat up and reluctantly reached her hands out to Starsky. She grabbed them and held on tightly squeezing her eyes shut.
It was if she had been thrown into her dream, it was dark, she could hear feet running, running toward her. Tatum felt someone run by her and disappear in to the dark alley. Then she saw Starsky running hell bent down the street, he stopped when he reached the opening of the alley and peered in, then cautiously entered the murky darkness, his arms out stretched both hand’s clutching his gun. Then the noise and the rat, and as always the four flashes of light and the bullets hitting Starsky in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. Tatum screamed and tried to go to him but she couldn’t, she heard another set of feet pounding the sidewalk, it was Hutch, he dropped to his partner’s side calling his name. More gun fire came from the end of the alley but it missed Hutch. He returned fire, there was a loud shout and somebody fell from between two piles of crates. Hutch was more interested in his partner than the robber. He pulled Starsky into his arms, cradling him to his chest...
Tatum jerked her hands from Starsky as if he were burning her. She fell back into the chair, tears steamed down her face and her breath was coming in ragged gulps.
“Are you alright?” Starsky said, concern filling his voice.
She nodded, then opened her eyes. “Starsky, if you don’t believe me, you are going to die. Do you hear me? You have got to believe me; you have got to make your partner believe me.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“A-are you saying you believe me?”
“Let’s just say that I’m not, not believing you.”
^*^ Chapter 4 ^*^
“Where have you been all evening?” Hutch asked as Starsky picked up the phone. He had just come in from Tatum’s. He tossed a bag with a burger in it on his coffee table.
“Getting dinner.” Starsky answered, not wanting to tell Hutch where he had really been.
“For three hours?”
“The line was long.”
“Starsk.”
“Ok, I was at Tatum’s.” he finally admitted.
“Tatum’s?”
There was silence on Starsky’s end.
“No, no, you don’t mean that nutty chick from this morning?”
“She is not nutty.”
“Starsky, she is going to suck you in and the next thing I know you are going to be sitting cross legged on a mat and humming.”
“Hutch, I wish you would just talk to her.”
“I talked to her this morning. That was enough.”
“She is not a nut or a crack pot. I think she is the real deal,” Starsky said. “She took my hands and saw what is going to happen to me.”
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where?”
“Don’t know.”
“Sounds like you found out a hell of a lot buddy. Just what makes you think she’s not putting you on?”
“Hutch, I watched her face when she was holding my hands, it was as if she were transported to where the whole thing was taking place. She was calling my name, trying to help me.”
Hutch sighed, “Starsk, ever heard of parlor tricks? She is trying to sucker you in, then when she does, you will find out what she really wants.”
“But I went to her this time, she didn’t come to me. She was surprised to see me at her door.”
“Probably amazed that anybody was that gullible.”
“Know what? My food is getting cold; I’ll see you in the morning.” Starsky hung up the phone with out waiting for Hutch to answer him. It had been the first time he could remember ever hanging up on his friend.
The next morning the silence was icy between Hutch and Starsky as they drove to work. Even in the squad room the silence was noticed by the others.
Dobey’s office door opened, “I want to see you two in my office.” The detectives looked at each other and went into Dobey’s office. As soon as Starsky closed the door, Dobey said, “What in the hell is going on with the two of you?”
“Nothing, Cap,” Starsky said as he stared at the floor.
“Well, it sure looks like something to me.” Dobey looked from one man to the other. “This isn’t over some woman is it?”
Starsky shot a glance at Hutch. “You told him?”
“I didn’t tell him anything.” Hutch answered.
“Somebody better tell me something.” Dobey growled.
“Cap, this woman came into the station yesterday claiming that she saw Starsky die in a dream.” Hutch explained. “Now Starsky is following her around like a one man cult groupie.”
“That is totally unfair and you know it Hutch.”
“Is it? Where were you last night, uh? You find out where she lives and go to her place so she can hold your hands, Christ Starsk!”
“You know nothing about it, or her.”
“Like you know something about her? What do you know? The bull that she has been telling you since you bumped into her at a crime scene?”
“HEY!” Dobey said getting to his feet. “That is enough from both of you.” The two men fell silent. “You sound like two little boy’s fighting over the same girl.”
“I have no interested in this girl,” Hutch said.
“It’s not like that, Cap,” Starsky said.
“Then what is it like?” Dobey asked.
“She saw my death in a dream, she came here to warn me, she, uh...” Starsky stopped; he saw the same look on Dobey’s face that he saw on Hutch’s face. “Never mind okay, just forget it.” Starsky got up, “Are we done?”
“I want this to stop; you two have a job to get done. If you can’t do it let me know, I’ll put somebody else on it.” Dobey ordered.
“Fine, Cap,” Starsky said as he jerked the door open and left.
“Hutchinson,” Dobey said as Hutch started to leave his office. “Is he alright?”
“He’ll be fine, you now how Starsk gets sometimes.” Hutch answered. He caught up with Starsky in the hall. “Hey, where are you going?”
“Its lunch time, isn’t it?”
Hutch glanced at his watch, “In another couple of hours.”
“I’m going now.”
“Starsk, we really need to do more work on this case. Then I’ll spring for lunch at Huggy’s.”
Starsky spun around to face his partner, “Don’t patronize me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I can hear the tone, let’s just go along with Dave Starsky, just like we did with the voodoo and the vampires and he’ll get over it. Well, this is my life we are talking about. If you chose to ignore it, then it’s on your conscience.” Starsky jabbed at the down button on the elevator. “Tell Dobey I’m sick, I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Starsky!” Hutch stood there dumbfounded as his partner got on the elevator.
Tatum tossed and turned in her sleep, after she had talked to Starsky the night before, she had gotten the first night of dreamless sleep since she had started having the dreams about him. But now they seemed to be back with a vengeance.
... Hutch was more interested in his partner than the robber. He pulled Starsky into his arms, cradling him to his chest. A shadow was cast over the two detectives, Hutch in his concern for Starsky didn’t see it until he heard the gun being cocked. Before he could react, two bullets hit him in the middle of the back; he slumped over his partner...
Tatum’s eyes flew open, she propped her self up on her elbows trying to catch her breath. Once her breathing had returned to normal she glanced at the clock, it read two a.m. She flipped the lamp on and got out of bed, Tatum went into the living room to search for the business card that Starsky had given her with his home phone number on it.
“Hello?” Starsky mumbled into the phone.
“I’m sorry to call you so late at night,” Tatum’s voice quivered.
“Who is this?”
“It’s, Tatum.”
“Is everything alright?” Starsky asked, squinting at his clock.
“No, it’s not; I need to talk to you.” Tatum said.
“Ok, shoot.”
“Not on the phone.”
“I can come over in the morning before I go to work.” Starsky offered.
“That’s not good enough; I have to see you now.” She insisted.
Starsky looked at the clock again, “Do you know what time it is?”
“Starsky this is important or I wouldn’t be calling you.”
“Alright, alright, let me get dressed and I’ll be right over.” Starsky hung up the phone and got out of bed. He stopped in the middle of putting on his shoes, what was he doing? Maybe Hutch was right; here he was running over to a woman’s apartment in the middle of the night, a woman he didn’t know, just because she said she needed to see him. He contemplated getting back in bed but he knew he wouldn’t sleep now wondering what she wanted. Besides, he had a feeling if he didn’t show that she would just call back.
He only had to knock once, the door opened and Tatum was standing there in a pink robe looking visibly shaken. His doubts about her evaporated the moment he saw her. “What happened? Did you have another dream?”
Tatum nodded; she took Starsky’s hand and led him to the couch. “I don’t know how to tell you this. I have a feeling this is going to affect you more than the idea of your own death.”
“What was your dream?”
“Remember how I told you that Hutch was holding you in the alley? Well there was another gunman, he came up behind Hutch, Hutch didn’t hear the man and h-he shot Hutch twice in the back.”
Starsky snatched his hand from hers. “No, no, I can’t accept this.” He stood up, “Hutch was right about you. What do you want from me? Why do you keep doing this?” Starsky jumped up and paced the floor.
“I know this is hard to understand but it’s the truth.” Tatum watched Starsky bewildered; she had thought she finally found someone who believed in her.
“You were holding my hand just now and nothing happened to you,” He accused her.
“It doesn’t happen all the time. It usually happens when I least expect or when I’m really trying.”
“What kind of double talk is that?” Starsky stormed at her.
“It’s not double talk, it’s just the way it is.” Tatum was nearly sobbing. “Get out; I’m sorry I bothered you. I should have known better than to even have tried. I’m the one that always gets hurt. GET OUT, GET OUT!”
Tatum put her hands on Starsky’s chest and pushed him toward her front door. Starsky stepped back until he was up against the door, “Tatum,” He said as he wrapped his arms around her holding her to him. “I’m sorry.”
“Just get out,” she said without much conviction but she allowed him to hold her and she relaxed in his arms.
^*^ Chapter 5 ^*^
Hutch was surprised to see Starsky already at work, “Hey, Starsk,” Hutch said
“Hutch.”
“I’m sorry about yesterday,” Hutch apologized.
“Me too.”
“I guess I’m just so up tight about this case that I over reacted.” Starsky didn’t respond. “Were there any robberies over night?”
Starsky shook his head; so far all the robberies had occurred during the day. “I checked when I came in.”
“Just how long have you been here?”
Starsky shrugged noncommittally not wanting to start another fight if the conversation went to Tatum. “A while.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Starsk, I know you, something is bugging you.”
“I really don’t want to get into another fight with you today.” Starsky said
“Is it still that woman?” Hutch said, then jokingly he added, “What? Am I getting killed now?” Starsky just looked at him. “Are you kidding me?”
“Hutch, what does it matter? You don’t believe her anyway.” Starsky said. “And I won’t lie, I have my doubts too but do you really want to ignore the fact that she might be for real?”
“I guess stranger things have happened.” Hutch finally had to admit. “Please, for your sake, stay away from her.” He loved his partner dearly but he knew that Starsky had a way of getting wrapped up in people’s personal lives, especially women.
“Alright partner, at least for now, we need to get this case solved,” Starsky answered.
It had been three days since the last Laundromat had been hit so they were either about due for another robbery or the gunmen had finally decided to stop. Both detectives knew they would probably never catch them if they disappeared from sight.
They had just finished lunch at Huggy’s and were heading back to the station when Starsky jammed on the brakes and pulled over. Hutch looked around to see if Starsky saw something going on he hadn’t.
“What’s up, Starsky?”
“I think I know where the next hit is going to be.” Starsky said.
“Did you have a dream?” Hutch kidded.
Starsky shot him a look, “I’m serious, Hutch.”
“Sorry, where?”
“Launderland.”
“Oh now there is a revelation buddy. That is a chain you know how many of those there are?”
“Not just any Launderland, the one by Tatum.”
“They just hit it, in fact, that was the last job they did.”
“How many times have they gone back to the same one?”
“A couple,” Hutch said, “But never twice in a row.”
“It makes sense. Hear me out okay?” Starsky said as he pulled back out in to traffic. “And keep an open mind, uh?”
“Alright,” Hutch sighed as they headed back to the station. What did they have to lose at this point?
As they went through the lobby of Parker Center, Starsky stopped long enough to request a more detailed map of the area around Launderland and Tatum’s. They proceeded to the squad room where Starsky tried to explain his theory to Hutch.
Starsky circled the area around Launderland, “Now, you are going to bare with me right?” Hutch nodded as he perched on the edge of his desk. “OK, Tatum started having these dreams a couple of weeks ago, and then she bumps into me when the laundry was robbed. I don’t think all of this all coincidence.”
“So what you are telling me, you think her dream is going to take place at that particularly laundry?”
“Yes,” Starsky said simply. “Where is that map? I want to see if there is an alley. I didn’t notice the other day did you?”
A young woman entered the room carrying a rolled up map, “Sorry it took me so long,” She grinned at them both. Starsky took the map and spread it out on the desk.
“Thank you, Sara,” Hutch said giving her a warm smile.
Starsky studied the map for a few minutes then pointed, “There is an alley two doors down from the laundry.”
“You know what a long shot this is?” Hutch wanted to know. “And even if it does happen, the odds say that it won’t be the next one hit.”
“Have you got any better ideas?”
Hutch shook his head.
“Okay then, let’s stake out this place.” Starsky looked at the notes on the case, “Seems they generally hit mid to late afternoon.”
“Hey, we haven’t been on a good stake out in a while. I’m in.”
A thermos of coffee lay on the dashboard, Starsky surveyed the street through a pair of binoculars. They were parked a block away to keep any suspicion down. Hutch had his head leaned back against the seat with his eyes closed. “How long have we been at this?”
Starsky looked at his watch, “Five hours.”
“It’s nearly seven; don’t you think it’s time to wrap up?”
“I just have a gut feeling Hutch; it’s going to happen today.”
“Well it’s almost tonight and they have never hit in the evening.”
“There is always a first time for everything. In Tatum’s dream it was dark.”
Hutch resisted the urge to comment on Tatum, instead he said, “Alright, a couple more hours then let’s call it a night.”
“Thanks, Hutch.”
... A shadow was cast over the two detectives, Hutch in his concern for Starsky didn’t see it until he heard the gun being cocked. Before he could react two bullets hit him in the middle of the back, he slumped over his partner. Then the gunman turned and fired two more shots and third person fell to the street...
Tatum jumped in her sleep falling off the couch where she had been dozing. Her apartment had grown dark and she knew by the game show on the television that it was after seven. She didn’t know how long she had been asleep; the last thing she remembered was some soap opera droning on. She had been so exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before she had fallen into a deep sleep while watching TV.
A feeling of dread came over her, she knew tonight was the night, the night she had been dreaming of was about to happen. Tatum grabbed a jacket and headed out of her apartment toward Launderland.
Launderland only had an hour left before they closed at nine p.m.; Allen Saints had just given the room full of women last call so they would have their last loads out of the dryers when it was time to close up. Allen was amazed that anybody even still came after the robbery three days before, but he figured they felt safe now that their place had been hit. He tried to push the thought out of his mind that some of the stores had been hit more than once.
He was anxious to get the place closed up and go home to his wife and two daughters. Little did he know that was never going to happen. Allen heard somebody come in the back entrance; there was a small parking lot out back that many of the patrons would use when there was no parking left on the street.
He went to meet them to let them know it was too close to closing for them to start a load of clothes. “I’m sorry but we will be closing...” the words dried up in his mouth as he saw three men dressed in dark clothes and black face masks coming down the hall. Allen turned, trying to run to warn the women in the laundry, but one of the men opened fire, shooting the man in the back.
The women screamed knowing instantly what was happening. Several grabbed their children and crawled under the wooden folding tables. A few who were close to the open front door ran out, the rest stood where they were praying for their lives.
Starsky poked Hutch when he saw several people run out the front of the laundry. “I think something is going down.”
Hutch opened his eyes and sat up to see two women running in their direction. They jumped out of the car and met them on sidewalk. “Police,” Hutch said to them.
“There are three men robbing the laundry,” One of the women wailed.
“You see that red and white car over there?” Starsky said, she nodded. “Get on the radio and tell them what is happening. You got me?”
“Y-yes,”
“Come on partner, let’s get these bastards.” Starsky said as he headed toward the Laundromat, forgetting about Tatum’s dreams and visions.
As they approached the store they could see two of the three gunmen through the plate glass window at the back waving their guns around and shouting at the women. The third one was heading toward the front to shut the door and lock it.
Hutch crouched down, so that he couldn’t be seen through the window, and when the gunman went to reach for the open door that swung out onto the sidewalk, Hutch said in a quiet voice, “Drop it, police.”
The man looked surprised and pointed his gun at Hutch; with out a second thought Starsky fired striking the man in the chest, sending him to the ground.
There was panic inside the laundry; the women began screaming and crying again. “Get down!” Hutch yelled to them, they complied with his request.
The gunmen in the back shot toward the front taking out the plate glass window, sending a shower of glass over both detectives.
“You okay?” Hutch asked.
“I’m fine, let’s go.” Starsky said.
They both crept inside the door staying low in case the remaining two men decided to shoot again. As the detectives were heading down one side of the laundry the gun men were coming up the other side. “We will kill them all,” One of the men shouted.
“We will let you walk out the front door if you go now without hurting anybody.” Hutch yelled back at them.
The two men edged toward the door, one went left, the other right and the moment they were out of the building Starsky and Hutch were on their feet giving chase. Starsky saw one of the men head down an alley a couple stores away. He was right on his heels not heeding Tatum’s warnings. Hutch had gone the other way but didn’t see the man he was after so he turned to follow Starsky.
Tatum hurried down the sidewalk toward the laundry, she heard the shots just before she got there, then she saw a masked gun man heading her way. He turned in front of her and headed down the alley. Her heart stopped as she saw Starsky giving chase. “NO!” She screamed as she stopped just short of the darkened alley.
“Get back, Tatum.”
“Starsky, please don’t go in there.”
“I have to too, it’s my job.” Starsky said as he carefully stepped in to the alley, his arms out stretched both hands holding his gun steady. A sound to his right distracted him for a moment and he moved his gun toward the sound. Four flashes of light came from the far end of the alley along with four pops of a gun. Starsky fell to his knees then pitched over on to his face.
Tatum screamed, her dream came true again, he had never believed her, if he had he would have never gone into the alleyway, Starsky had only been humoring her. Tatum stood in shock looking at his body lying on the ground. Then she saw Hutch heading her way on a dead run. “Please, NO.” She wanted to at least save one of them.
Hutch ignored her as he fell to the ground on his knees calling his partner’s name. He pulled Starsky into his lap, holding him against his chest.
Tatum saw the third gunman coming down the street; he stopped behind Hutch and looked down at him. Tatum started to open her mouth but the man pointed the gun at her, then back to Hutch. He cocked the gun and fired two shots hitting the detective in the back. Hutch slumped over Starsky’s lifeless body.
Tatum ran toward the man with out thinking. “You bastard!” she yelled in his face and struck him in the chest with her fists. The man took two steps backward and emptied his remaining bullets into Tatum, she crumpled to the ground.
^*^ Chapter 6 ^*^
Hutch groaned as he painfully turned to point his gun at the gunman, he squeezed the trigger three times hitting the man in the chest, his body falling with in inches of Tatum’s.
“Starsky,” Hutch said as he heard sirens filling the night air. Starsky moaned and tried to move. “Just stay still buddy.”
With much effort, Hutch crawled toward Tatum, she had her eyes open and vague surprised registered in them when she saw Hutch was alive. “How?” she managed a weak whisper. Hutch pulled open his shirt to reveal a bullet proof vest. “Starsky?”
“He had one on too,” Hutch answered as he brushed her hair from her face. “Hang on Tatum, help is coming.”
“H-he believes in me.” Hutch could scarcely hear her and had to lean in close. “And you believe in him.” A small smile formed her lips, then her eyes slid close and her head fell to the side.
“Tatum? Shit,” Hutch said softly. Then he crawled back to his partner’s side.
“What’s going on?” Starsky asked, finally starting to come around. The force of the bullets had knocked him out but he was for the most part unhurt.
“Nothing,” Hutch lied, not wanting to tell him about Tatum yet. “Help is coming.”
The streets were suddenly awash in light as police cars showed up turning on their spot lights. Two ambulances pulled up and the paramedics ran to Hutch as he motioned for them. “He’s not shot, bulletproof vest, but he needs to be check out.”
“What about you?” one of the paramedics asked.
“I’m fine, just take him.” Hutch said as he painfully got to his feet. He knew he would have a sore back for a while.
“Hutchinson,” a booming voice pierced the night.
“Cap, over here.” Hutch called to his captain. He stood looking down at Tatum’s body.
“Someone from the laundry?” Dobey asked.
Hutch shook his head, “Tatum.”
“The girl with the dreams?”
“Looks like she was the real deal, too bad she had to die to prove it.” Hutch said sadly.
“Starsky okay?” Dobey asked his voice full of concern.
“Yeah, he’ll be fine. He took four in the chest but they didn’t penetrate the jacket.”
“What about you?” Dobey asked looking at the holes in the back of Hutch’s jacket.
“I’m fine, two shots.”
“You get to the hospital too; you could have some broken ribs.”
“I will as soon as this mess is cleaned up.”
“How many bodies?” Dobey asked.
“All the gunmen, one of the workers from the laundry and Tatum.” Hutch said, “I’m going to make sure that Tatum’s parents knew what she did and that she is a hero whether they want to believe it or not.
Dobey nodded in agreement.
Two hours later Hutch showed up at the hospital, had x-rays taken that showed he had no broken ribs, just some bruising the doctor had said. Starsky wasn’t as lucky having three broken ribs and needing to stay in the hospital over night for observation.
“How ya doing, buddy,” Hutch asked as he walked into the hospital room.
“Fine! Why do I have to stay in here over night?” Starsky wanted to know.
“They just want to keep an eye on you.” Hutch said as he gingerly sat down in a chair next to his friend’s bed.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m okay, bruised up, nothing broken.”
“I feel like I have been hit by a Mack truck.” Starsky said as he tried to reposition himself, grimacing as he did.
“At least we are still alive.”
“Thanks to Tatum.”
Hutch didn’t quite know how to tell Starsky about her. “Starsk, about Tatum.”
“Don’t tell me you don’t believe her now. Everything that she dreamed came true.” Starsky said.
“I’m sorry I doubted her, I really am. I don’t think she told you everything about her dream though, Starsk.”
“What did she leave out?”
“She was there Starsky. I guess she was worried, had a feeling, I don’t know.”
“Now that you say that, I do remember seeing her just before I was shot. Is she here, does she know we are okay?”
Hutch took a deep breath and put his hand over Starsky’s, “She knows we weren’t killed, that her dreams helped save us. Starsky, buddy I don’t know how to tell you this but she was killed.”
“What?” Starsky tried to sit up but the pain kept him from it. “What do you mean she was killed?”
“After the gun man shot me, he turned and shot Tatum, I’m really sorry man.”
“B-but why, she had to have known what was going to happen. Why would she come?”
“I guess she was worried that you didn’t listen to her.” Hutch said sadly, “But it was me that doubted her.”
“She didn’t want a repeat of her brother.” Starsky hated that he had doubted her also.
Tatum Carver’s funeral was a meagerly attended affair. Only her parents, a few old family friends and a couple of girl friends of Tatum’s were in attendance. Starsky and Hutch hung near the back of church not wanting to intrude upon the family’s grief.
After the service was over, Helen and Joe Carver, Tatum’s parents, greeted the two detectives. “Thank you for coming.” They said as they shook hands.
“It was the least we could do after she saved our lives.” Starsky said.
“How did she save your life Detective?” Joe Carver asked.
Starsky was reluctant to say, knowing how Tatum’s parents felt about her gift. “S-She saw...”
“Young man if you are going to say what I think you are just save it. I don’t want to hear anymore of this nonsense,” Helen Carver said coldly.
“We just wanted to pay our respects,” Hutch interjected as he put his hand on Starsky’s shoulder. “Come on, Starsk.”
Without saying anything more they left the church and walked down the steps to the parking lot. “You know that is really sad, Tatum’s parents have no idea how truly special she was.” Starsky said.
“We know, and Tatum died knowing that we believed her, I think that meant a lot to her.”
“It shouldn’t have had to come to this,” Starsky said guiltily. “You know if I have paid more attention when I saw her there, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Starsky, she came knowing she was going to die that night. I think perhaps that is what she wanted. Tatum was a pretty unhappy woman from the things you told me about her.”
“But it just didn’t need to be like that.” Starsky got into the car.
“Tatum taught me one thing.”
“What’s that?” Starsky asked.
“To believe, even when common sense tells you not to.” Hutch said, “Not everything in life can always be explained.”
Starsky smiled at him, he watched in the rearview mirror as Tatum’s casket was carried down the steps and into the waiting hearse. He made a mental note to take flowers to her grave. “You hungry?” Starsky asked absently.
“Well, that depends on what you have in mind. No Burrito Joe’s, I still haven’t gotten the stains out of my clothes from last time.”
“Then you pick,” Starsky said as he backed the Torino out of the parking space.
“How about Huggy’s? At least I know what I’m getting there.”
“Huggy’s it is then.” Starsky gave the funeral possession one last look and turned the car in the direction of Huggy’s.
*THE*END*