Silver Lady
By
Tooki
Chapter One
Susan sat on the edge of the bed staring at her wedding ring wondering if after all they had been through together this was finally it. She and Hutch had a tremendous fight several hours earlier and he had stormed out of the house slamming the door so hard a photo had fallen off the wall and shattered. She had been thankful that Jesse had been spending the night at friend’s house and Davy was sound asleep. It was nearing midnight and he still hadn’t returned. Susan thought about calling Starsky but didn’t want to worry her other partner.
Finally she crawled into bed still in her clothes and lay there staring at the ceiling thinking back to the day when things had started going wrong. She, Hutch and Starsky had been on their way into the station their sift almost over when a call came over the radio. There was a robbery at a mini mart only blocks from where they were. Starsky had grabbed the mic telling dispatch that they would take the call.
When they screamed up in front of the store in Starsky’s bright red Torino they could see the front plate glass window was busted out and there was shouting from inside the building. They piled out of the car as they drew their guns, Hutch and Susan on one side of the door Starsky on the other.
Starsky took a deep breath and was about to yell out when a round of gunfire came from inside. Several squad cars squealed up next to the Torino, officers poured out their guns also drawn.
"What’s going on?" Office John Thomson asked as he squatted near the detectives.
"Just got here ourselves John," Hutch answered. "We can’t tell how many shooters there are in there. But I don’t think they are going to give up easy."
Pipes Elroy was brandishing a gun and yelling threats at the customers who even dared to raise their eyes from the floor. Quint Alexander riffled through the cash register pulling out handfuls of one’s, five’s and ten’s, he shoved them into a bag they had brought with them.
"This all you gots?" Quint asked the owner who was laying face down on the floor behind the counter.
"Y-yes, it’s been a slow day," the manager answered. He had been leery when the two teens had entered his store twenty minutes earlier and now his worst nightmare was coming true.
Quint raised the butt gun he was holding in his hand over the man’s head. "You better not be lying to me." He threatened.
"I’m not, please don’t hurt me," the man pleaded.
Pipes made his way to where a young girl was laying on the floor; he had been eyeing her since they had first come into the store. She was a pretty blond with huge blue eyes; he could see the terror in them as he approached her. "What’s your name honey?"
After a few moments she replied, "Caren."
"Well Caren," Pipes said squatting down next to her. "How would you like to come with us?"
She shook her head with out looking up. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would burst. She knew what would happen to her if she went with these two.
"Why don’t you leave her alone you punk," yelled a middle aged man.
Pipes jumped to his feet and spun around his eyes fixing on the balding man who had spoken. "I think you had better mind your own business if you plan on leaving here alive buddy."
"Let the girl alone she doesn’t want to come with you." Alex Maxium said again. He couldn’t believe it was his voice that was saying the words. He had just come in to buy a pack of cigarettes, he knew they were bad for him and would probably kill him someday but he had never planned on dying this way.
Pipes came closer, bent down and pressed the gun barrel to the back of the man’s head. "You got a death wish asshole?"
"No, do you?" Alex shot back with out even thinking.
Pipes stood back up took a couple of steps back and fired the gun first at the plate glass window at the front of the store then into Alex Maxium’s back. Everyone in the store screamed.
"Shit Pipes," Quint yelled. A noise out side caught his attention and Quint looked out the newly broken window. A red car with a flashing light pulled up and he saw three people get out. "Cops Pipes!"
"Come on honey," Pipes said grabbing Caren by the arm and dragging her to her feet. "You are coming with us."
Quint grabbed the remaining money from the drawer and slammed it shut. "Let’s slip out the back," he suggested.
"What and get caught in that alley? We are going out the front door, pretty girl here will make sure nobody hurts us." Pipes said as he took a hand full of blond hair. "Right sweetie?" He reached around and pulled another gun from the back of his grubby jeans, he shot the gun into the air emptying all the chambers then handed the gun out to Caren.
"I don’t want that," Caren said refusing to take the gun.
"You take this or you can join your hero there on the floor." Reluctantly Caren took the gun from him. "Now lets walk out of here."
Before any of them could evaluate the situation a girl holding a gun followed by a young man appeared in the doorway of the store. The three detectives got to their feet and drew back from the door the other police followed suit but kept their guns trained on the two individuals.
The young man whispered something in her ear and she held the gun higher pointing it at any one that moved. The police had no idea she was actually a hostage and not one of the shooters.
"Put the gun down," Hutch warned the girl. She started to lower it but the boy said something softly to her and she aimed the gun directly at Hutch. "You don’t want to shoot anybody. Put it down before some body gets hurt."
She turned to look at the boy behind but didn’t lower the gun. Pipes was shoving his other gun painfully into her lower back making sure it stayed out of sight of the officers.
Starsky lunged forward thinking he would just grab the gun from her hand while Hutch had her attention but the boy saw Starsky shoved Caren away from him aiming his gun at Starsky.
Two shots rang out one from Hutch’s gun hitting the young girl square in the chest. The second shot was fired by Susan hitting Pipes in the stomach both teens crumpled to the ground. Quint dropped his gun and threw his hands in the air screaming "Don’t shoot!"
Two officers grabbed ran in and cuffed Quint then led him off to a waiting squad car. Several other policemen enter the store, checking to see if anyone else was hurt. They found Alex Maxium laying face down an ever-spreading bloodstain on the back of his shirt. "We need paramedics in here," one of the officers shouted and he bent down to feel the man for a pulse.
The other officer began herding the customers toward the front door telling them that statements would be taken from them outside. An older woman who was in the lead saw Caren laying face down on the sidewalk just out side the door. "Oh my God," She exclaimed.
"It’s all right," Susan said taking the woman’s arm. "Don’t look."
"No, no you don’t understand," She said. "That girl she wasn’t with them she was one of the customers she just lives around the corner."
Hutch was leaning over the girl feeling for a pulse when he heard the woman’s words. He felt his blood run cold, he stood up and grabbed the old woman’s arm. "What do you mean she wasn’t with them she had a gun."
"It was empty, that one there," she said pointing at Pipes. "he made her carry it. You killed her, you killed her. The woman looked at Hutch her eyes full of hate.
"B-but I didn’t know," Hutch stammered as his face turned pale.
Chapter Two
A paramedic bent over the form of the girl lying on the sidewalk he felt for a pulse there was none. Susan had steered Hutch away making him sit on the hood of the Torino then she returned to where the girl was. Susan watched as the paramedic examined the teen. He looked up at her and shook his head.
Susan closed her eyes and said a silent prayer both for the girl and her husband who was now going to have to live with the fact he had killed an innocent person. "Take her to the hospital." Susan told the paramedic.
"The coroner will get her." Terry McLawen answered.
Susan looked over at Hutch; Terry followed her line of vision. Hutch was still sitting on the hood of the car; he looked as though he was in shock. "Please for my partners sake just take her."
Terry nodded his eyes filling with sympathy he knew what it felt like to lose a patient but he couldn’t even began to know what it would feel like to take a life. "All right," he answered as he pulled out a small bottle of oxygen and placed the mask over her face. Then he and his partner loaded her in the life squad.
A woman running frantically down the street caught everybody’s attention. They all knew instantly who it had to be for she looked like an older version of the girl that had just been driven away in the life squad.
"Where’s my baby, where’s my baby," she screamed. A neighbor who had heard what had happened informed the girl’s mother.
Susan was the first one to speak, "Who are you looking for?"
"My daughter, someone told me she had been shot in a robbery." The woman sobbed.
"I’m afraid they were right, what is your daughters name?"
"Caren Simpson," the distraught woman said.
The older woman who had scream at Hutch said, "It was Caren and that cop over there shot her!"
"What? She was shot by an officer," Mrs. Simpson said unable to comprehend what she had just been told. "My my Caren was doing something wrong?"
"Please Mrs. Simpson come with me and I’ll explain what has happened," Susan said gently trying to guide the mother away from the older woman who was bound and determined to tell her story. The old woman followed them down the side walk finally Susan turned and looked at her. "Listen why don’t you find another officer and talk to them, they will be glad to take your statement.
"Well I never," the woman said and stalked off.
"What happened? She just came to the store to get some milk what happened?" the mother pleaded.
Quickly Susan explained how Caren Simpson had been shot and that it had been a horrible accident. Mrs. Simpson crumbled to the ground before Susan could even make a grab for her. Susan knelt next to her, "What’s your first name?"
"Donna," she answered softly. "Where is Caren?"
"She has been taken to the hospital," Susan told Donna.
"Then she is still alive?" the mother asked.
Susan hated to give her false hope she hadn’t counted on the mother showing up. "She is hurt pretty badly, it doesn’t look good."
"Mrs. Simpson," It was Hutch’s voice Susan looked up to see her husband and partner standing over them. "I’m so very very sorry. I thought she was…she had a gun…I didn’t know…I’m sorry."
Donna looked up at Hutch, her eyes glazed over in shock. "Get a paramedic over here," Susan yelled just as Donna Simpson passed out.
Starsky who had been taking statements in side the mini mart joined his two partners on the side walk just as Donna Simpson was being loaded into a third life squad. "Who’s that?" he asked.
"The girls mother," Susan said.
"You okay buddy?" Starsky asked Hutch but Hutch’s eyes were glued to the life squad that was moving away from them. "Hutch?"
"Yeah, yeah I’m find, I’m still breathing," he said despondently.
"It wasn’t your fault you didn’t know," Starsky said putting his arm around Hutch’s shoulders.
Hutch shrugged the arm off, "We done here I want to go to the hospital."
"I don’t think that is a good idea Hutch," Susan said. "Why don’t we go back to the station we are going to have a lot of paper work."
"You go back to the station I’m going to the hospital," Hutch snapped at his wife, then he started walking down the street.
"Shit," Susan mumbled under her breath, then to Starsky she said, "You take him to the hospital, keep an eye on him. I’ll get a ride into the station."
"You are going to face Dobey alone?" Starsky said giving her a half smile. "Brave girl."
"Just take care of Hutch," Susan said shaking her head.
Of course by the time she got to the station Dobey had already gotten the news. She knocked softly on his office door. "IN!" he shouted.
Susan opened the door and stepped in. "Cap," she said.
"Where are Starsky and Hutchinson?" he wanted to know.
"The hospital," she answered not wanting to elaborate.
"One of them hurt?" he asked. She shook her head no. "Hutch went after the girl?" Dobey had heard that the girl was dead but had been taken to the hospital anyway. Susan nodded. "You have something to do with them taking the girl to the hospital?"
"Cap, Hutch was just devastated I had to do…" she began.
"I know why you did it, you wanted to spare Hutch some pain make him think she had a chance." Dobey said kindly. He rubbed his hands over his plump face. "I would have done the same thing."
"I know," Susan gave him a brief smile.
"What in hell happened anyway?" Dobey asked the smile fading from his face.
Susan explained in great detail the events leading up the shooting of the teenage girl. The she said, "I’m sure you are going to want to take my gun, I shot the perp that was holding her."
"Is he dead?" Dobey asked.
"He wasn’t when they hauled him away." Susan answered not feeling one bit of remorse for shooting the punk whom had started the whole mess.
"I want Hutchinson in here before he goes home, he will have to turn in his shield and gun until a full investigation is done." Dobey told her.
"He’s knows Cap," Susan said softly wondering how things were going at the hospital.
Hutch paced the waiting room waiting for some word on Caren Simpson’s condition not know that she was dead when they had brought her in. "Come on Hutch sit down buddy," Starsky coaxed. He knew that the girl was dead Susan had told him before he had gone after Hutch.
"I’m find," Hutch growled. "Why don’t you go catch up with Susan."
"I’ll wait," Starsky said.
"Fine just stop mothering me okay partner?"
A doctor stepped into the waiting room. "Excuse me are you officers waiting to hear about he young woman brought in from the shooting?"
"Yes, I’m Detective Hutchinson this is my partner Detective Starsky." Hutch said shaking the man’s hand.
"I’m sorry detectives but Caren Simpson didn’t make it. The damage was just to extensive." The doctor informed them. He had been brought up to speed on what had happened by the paramedics who had brought her in. He hadn’t seen any reason to make the detective feel any worse than he apparently already did. "The girls mother will be held over night she is in shock and has been sedated. There is no other family in the area, appears that she and the girls father have been divorced for several years."
"What about the young man?" Hutch asked.
"Looks like he is going to make it. He is still in surgery but it looks good." Came the answer.
"Figures," Hutch mumbled as he started out of the room.
"Thank you Doctor," Starsky said.
"You need anything Detective Hutchinson?" the doctor asked kindly.
Hutch shook his head, "What I need you can’t give me."
Starsky had to almost run to catch up with his partner who was head for the elevator. "Hutch!" he called. "Hutch will you wait up?" Hutch stopped in front of the closed elevator doors. Angrily he punched the button that would take them to the main floor. "Hutch this is not your fault you had no idea that she wasn’t one of the gunman. She was carrying a gun when she came out that door."
"I should have known," Hutch answered.
"What are you a psychic?" Starsky snapped he was angry now, angry at the events that had put them in this hospital and his partner in pain.
Hutch wheeled on Starsky, "Listen Starsk, I killed that girl, it was my fault I’m a trained cop I shouldn’t have just fired like that."
"And what if she was one of the shooters were you just going to let her put a bullet in your forehead or someone else’s?"
Hutch closed his eyes, "At least it would have been me and not some sixteen year old girl laying on a cold slab in the morgue." The elevator doors slid open and they both stepped in. "I guess I had better go face the music with Dobey."
Chapter Three
Susan was still sitting in Dobey’s office when her two partners arrived in the squad room. Hutch opened Dobey’s office door without knocking walked up to his captains desk took out his gun and badge and laid them on Dobey’s desk. Hutch was struggling not to cry as he did this.
"I’m really sorry about this Hutchinson," Dobey said, he looked at the gun and badge before him. "Carlston told me how it went down, it was a clean shoot even if it was unfortunate."
"You call that a clean shoot?" Hutch stormed at his captain. "How can you say that when a sixteen year old girl is dead for going to the store to buy her mother a gallon of milk."
"I know what you are feeling son but it just wasn’t your fault." Dobey said looking up at his detective, he could see the pain etched in his face.
"You don’t know how I feel," Hutch growled. "I took a life of a beautiful young girl that hadn’t even had time to live her life how could you know how I feel." Hutch turned to leave the office.
"I do know how you feel, it happened to me," Dobey said stopping Hutch in his tracks.
Hutch turned to stare at his captain. None of them knew this story. "I-I’m sorry Cap," Hutch said.
Dobey brushed away his apologize, "It happened along time ago and it took me a long time to get over it but I did or at least learned to live with what happened." Dobey paused a moment then continued this was not a memory he wanted to dredge up. "It was only my third year on the force, my partner and I chased a robbery suspect into a dark alley. The man fired on us from deep inside the alley I returned fire. Little did I know there was a young boy playing in the alley in a cardboard box. He jumped out of his hiding place right in the line of fire my bullet struck him in the head he died instantly. I realize the scenarios are a bit different but the result was the same we killed somebody that didn’t deserve to die. The boy haunted me along time and it almost ended my career. Edith stood by me and I believe it was her strength that pulled me through. You have a good woman and a good partner lean on them Hutch they will get you through."
Dobey closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair the memory too much. "I guess you do understand." Hutch said then turned and walked out of the office.
Dobey opened his eyes and looked at his two remaining detectives. "Don’t let this take him down and it will if you two don’t fight it every step of the way."
Susan’s eyes were brimming with tears as she nodded her head. "You know we will be there for him." She said in a choked voice.
"Why don’t you and Hutch take a couple of days off both of you will be sitting at a desk until the shootings are cleared anyway. Write up your reports at home and send them in." Dobey told Susan. She nodded and went to leave. Starsky put his hand on her shoulder, she paused a moment then continued out the door.
Starsky sat down in one of the chairs in front of Dobey’s desk. "The shooter is going to live, ironic isn’t it?"
Dobey shook his head sadly, "So a young girl loses her life and the scum lives to go about his business. Makes you wonder if it’s all worth it."
"Hey Cap what about the man in the alley did you get him?" Starsky asked.
Dobey nodded, "My partner shot him dead. You know I was off the streets over a year because of that. My choice not the departments. I just could hardly pick up a gun after that. It was a mistake because the longer I was off the street the harder it was for me to go back. Don’t let Hutch make that mistake. I know he will be cleared then you have to get him back out there."
"Susan I will do our best," Starsky said as he got up. "Night cap."
"Night Starsky," Dobey leaned back in his chair again, it was going to be anything but a good night. He knew this would probably bring back the nightmares that he had long rid himself of.
When Starsky went out get into his car he found Susan standing in the parking lot. "You waiting on Hutch to pick you up?"
"He’s gone, I saw him pulling out." Susan sighed. "I don’t know what to do."
"Why don’t we just leave him be for now. Give him some time, some space. There is only so much we can do for him. Hutch is going to have to make peace with himself." Starsky said wisely.
"I know."
"Get in I’ll take you home," Starsky said opening the passenger side door for Susan.
"Thanks."
When they pulled up in front of their house Hutch’s car wasn’t in the driveway. "Where do you suppose he is?" Susan said reluctant to get out of the car. She had also shot somebody that day and even though he was alive it was still a traumatic experience.
"You okay," Starsky asked putting his arm around her shoulders. Susan dissolved in to tears. Starsky pulled her into his arms holding her tightly until the tears subsided. "Everything is going to work out you’ll see. "
She nodded and sat back up in her seat. Then fumbled around in her purse for a tissue, she didn’t want to walk in the house with her face a mess. Jesse picked up too much as it was. "I guess I had better go in. If you hear from Hutch let me know?"
Starsky nodded, "He’s probably at Huggy’s I’ll run over there and check uh?"
"Thanks I don’t know what I would do with out you." Susan smiled at him.
"Don’t even try to get along without me." Starsky teased her.
When Susan opened the front door the sight that greeted her eyes broke her heart. Jesse was sitting in front of the TV tears streaming down her face. When she saw her mother the little girl jumped up and flung herself in to her mothers waiting arms. "What’s wrong Jess?" Susan asked.
"T-t-they said on TV that daddy killed a girl that didn’t do anything wrong." Jesse stammered.
Dear God Susan thought to herself it sure didn’t take them long to jump on that story. She picked up her daughter and walked into the living room. There on TV was film of Hutch kneeling by the dead girl then of Susan and the girl’s mother. She hadn’t even noticed camera crews there. It had been the last thing on her mind then. "It’s going to be okay Jesse."
"D-did Daddy do it?" Her daughter asked.
"Yes, Daddy accidentally shot her. She was holding a gun we didn’t know that the boy behind her was making her hold it. He had a gun too." Susan tried to explain hoping that she understood.
"Daddy was just doing his job," Jesse stated.
Susan nodded and smiled then kissed Jesse’s cheek. "You bet ya."
"Where is Daddy?"
Susan just hugged Jesse close to her as she wondered the same thing.
Hutch sat in a back booth of The Pits quickly getting drunk, it was the only way he knew to make the pain go away. He knew once he was numb he would have relief. Huggy was watching his friend from the bar but after years of experience he knew when to keep his distance. Huggy figured when Hutch was ready to talk he would come to him. But Huggy already knew what was troubling his friend, it had been all over the news and he had finally turned off the set tired of hearing it. There had been grumbles from several customers but Huggy had told them they could leave if they didn’t like it.
Hutch was on his eighth beer when Starsky entered the front door. Huggy pointed to the back of the room when he saw the detective enter the bar. Starsky nodded his thanks and made his room to the back. He slid in across the table from Hutch.
"I thought I would find you here." Starsky said looking at the empty glasses on the table. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah sure." Hutch said but he was far from feeling better.
"Susan is worried about you. You kind of left her stranded." Starsky said as Tammy one of Huggy’s newest waitresses sat a glass of beer in front of him.
"I knew you would make sure she got home safely," Hutch said with a bit of edge to his voice.
"Don’t shut us out man," Starsky said as he reached across the table, Hutch moved his hands away. He didn’t want anyone feeling sorry for him, trying to make him feel better he just wanted to be left alone and he told his partner that. "Hutch I’m not going to leave you alone. You can’t let that punk win. You give up and that girls death will be in vain."
"What the fuck do you know about it!" Hutch shouted as he swept the glasses from the table sending them shattering to the floor. Everybody in the room stared at the two men.
Huggy looked up from his place behind the bar. Tammy who was pouring a beer started for the table. "Leave them be," Huggy ordered. He wasn’t worried about his glassware but his friends.
"You are right I don’t know but what I do know is that I’m not going to let my best friend trash his life for a mistake." Starsky declared. "I think you have had enough. I’ll drive you home."
"I’ll decide when I have had enough and you are more than welcome to go home. You don’t need to baby sit me." Hutch snapped.
"Hutch, Susan is waiting at home for you and you have Jesse and Davy," Starsky pleaded.
"Like I can face my kids, it’s all over the damn news they know what I have done," Hutch said softly.
"Hutch you haven’t done anything." Starsky said, Hutch just looked at him. "Ok, ok but it was an accident I’m sure they will understand that."
"And when they go to school what do you think the other kids will say to them?" Hutch asked his partner.
"Hutch I think you are getting ahead of yourself, that hasn’t happened and probably won’t and if it does then you will handle it." Starsky said sliding out of the booth. He went around and grabbed Hutch’s arm, "Come on I’m taking you home."
"I told you to leave me alone," Hutch yelled as he pushed Starsky who went sprawling to the floor in the smashed glasses.
Glass dug into Starsky’s palms as he pushed himself to his feet. "Fine if that is the way you want it. You know where to find me when you are ready to talk." Huggy met the detective half way across the bar with a clean bar towel for his bleeding hands. He took him into the back room and with tweezers pulled the shards of glass form his hands.
"Hutch is really a mess over this isn’t he?" Huggy said as he removed the last piece of glass.
"I’m not sure if he can get through this Hug, I have never seen him quite like this." Starsky said making a face as Huggy poured peroxide over his cuts.
As Huggy bound both of the detective’s hands he said, "I’ll keep an eye on him and put him in a cab when he’s ready to leave."
"Thanks Huggy," Starsky said. Then holding up his hands, "Thanks for everything.
"Anytime my friend."
Chapter Four
The light streaming in the window woke Susan from her uneasy slumber on the living room couch. She had fallen asleep there waiting for Hutch’s return. Starsky had called to tell her that Hutch was at Huggy’s and that Huggy would see the detective got home all right. He didn’t tell her about the fight they had or about his hands. She would find that out soon enough.
She rubbed her eyes as she sat up and looked around the room. If Hutch had come home he hadn’t bother waking her. Susan went up stairs but their bed as still made and empty. Davy came padding out of his bedroom, Susan picked him up and went down stairs. After putting him into his high chair in the kitchen Susan picked up the phone and dialed Starsky’s number.
Starsky had a restless night he had tossed and turned until the wee hours in the morning Hutch was bothering him as well as his hands. Finally he had fallen asleep near daybreak and the phone was now ringing waking him from his slumber. He reached over snagging the phone and pulling down deep into the covers with him, "Yeah," he said groggily.
"Starsk?" Susan asked it didn’t sound like him.
"Susan!" Starsky sat up fearing something was wrong.
"Hutch there?" She asked.
"No I left him a Huggy’s last night. He didn’t come home?" he asked peeling the covers back and getting up.
"No," She said. "I thought maybe he ended up there somehow."
"You call Huggy, I’ll jump in the shower and be over." Starsky said and hung up.
Susan dialed Huggy’s number, after several rings the barkeeper picked up the phone. "Huggy," he said.
"Hey Huggy is Hutch there?" Susan asked hopefully.
"Yeah he’s here, passed out last night was all I could do to drag him up the stairs to my apartment." Huggy yawned, it had been along night.
"Send him home would ya?" Susan said.
"You might have to come after him he’s in pretty rough shape," Huggy advised. "He really had a lot to drink last night."
Susan sighed, "I’ll be over in a bit."
She busied herself making Davy his breakfast, she needed to wake Jesse and get her something to eat also. Susan had just come from getting Jesse up when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Starsky standing there with a bag of donuts in his hand.
"Got any coffee?" He asked as he stepped in the door. Jesse bounded down the stairs and flung her self into his arms.
"Hey Uncle Starry, can I have one?" She asked eyeing the bag.
"Sure sweetie," he said handing her the bag.
Jesse ran off to the kitchen. "Just one," called Susan after her.
"Stop being such a mother," Starsky teased her. "You find Hutch?"
"Yeah he’s at…" she stopped noticing Starsky’s bandaged hands. "What happened to you?" She took his hands in hers.
He took a deep breath, "Hutch."
"Hutch did this to you?" Susan said horrified.
"He was drunk shoved a bunch of glasses to the floor then pushed me I fell in the broken glass." Starsky explained.
"Are you all right?"
"It’s worse than it looks, Huggy fixed me up." Starsky said giving her a mournful look. "I know this is going to take time but he has really gone off the deep end."
"He was so drunk last night he passed out and stayed at Huggy’s I think we are going to have to go and get him." Susan said. "As soon as Mrs. Gray gets back we will go. She left early for the store."
It was nearly ten a. m. when the two detectives went to retrieve their partner. Huggy met them at the door he hadn’t opened up yet which was unusual he usually had a morning crowd. "He’s still up stairs," Huggy told them jerking his thumb toward the stairs leading to his private apartment.
Starsky and Susan climbed the dark stairway and entered Huggy’s apartment. Hutch was sitting in a worn easy chair drinking a cup of strong black coffee. "Mornin’" he said causally.
They both just stood there staring at him. "That’s all you have to say?" Susan was suddenly angry with him. "You worry us all half to death and that’s it mornin?"
Hutch just shrugged then caught sight of Starsky’s bandage wrapped hands. "What happened to you?"
"You happened to him!" Susan spit out. "You in a drunken rage did this there is no excuse for what you did to him!"
"Take it easy Susan," Starsky said putting her hand on her should, "It’s nothing."
"It is something. He can’t go around hurting people because he’s hurting." Susan said then turned on Hutch again. "I will be there for you all you want but you will not abuse us. You got me?"
Hutch looked up at his partner’s shamefaced. "I’m sorry, I-I…," he stammered what could he say? Once again he had screwed up.
"I think it’s time you go home." Susan said helping her husband to his feet. Hutch got to his feet with out protest and followed them down the stairs.
Huggy was busy behind the bar getting ready for the noon rush. "Thanks Hug," Susan called to him and they let. He waved to them in reply.
With in a few days Susan was given back her gun and two weeks later Hutch was rewarded with his. The death of the girl was an accident and Hutch would not be prosecuted. They had to sit through court have a half a dozen witnesses most of them officers tell what happened. And even in the end the old woman had admitted that the shooting couldn’t be helped. The girl’s mother sat in the front row; her eyes were sunk deep into her face. She had a pinched look most of the time and once she had broken down and had to be led from the courtroom.
Hutch had grown even more despondent as time went on and there was no joy on his face when Dobey slid his gun and shield across his desk toward the detective. "You can start back to work tomorrow," Dobey said. Hutch just looked at the things on Dobey’s desk but made no move to pick them up. "Go on take them." Dobey coaxed.
Slowly Hutch reached for his badge and slipped that into his pocket then he picked up his gun. He looked at it for a long time. It was the first time he had touched it since the shooting. Hutch turned it over in his hands; he didn’t have his shoulder holster on so he stuck the gun in the waistband of his jeans.
For weeks Hutch went through the motions of living, he did his job but hesitantly and he refused to draw his gun. Both his partners were very worried not only about Hutch but about themselves they just were not sure Hutch would be there to back them up if needed. They learned to rely on each other and not Hutch; he was just a third wheel.
Hutch and Susan began having tremendous fights, all about nothing, little things that in the past they would have just laughed off. Hutch was irritable and quick-tempered which was not like him. He snapped at their children many times something he had never done before. There were many nights where he either ended up on the couch or Susan sleeping with Jesse. Susan was broken heart, she felt as thought she was walking on eggshells with Hutch. She tried countless times to talk to him but he just walked away from her.
The final straw came exactly a month to the day of the shooting. The three detectives had just entered the squad room to begin their day when Dobey called them into his office. He was standing in front of his desk leaning on it when they walked into this office, they could tell by the grim expression on his face that something was wrong.
Dobey wanted them to hear the news from him not some TV anchorman. "I want to you hear this from me," he said slowly his eyes riveted on Hutch he knew the news would hit him the hardest. "Donna Simpson committed suicide early this morning."
Hutch’s face went white; he spun around leaving the office without a word. Susan went after him. She didn’t catch up with him until he was in the hall. "Hutch, this wasn’t your fault." Susan touched his arm but he jerked away from her.
"If I hadn’t killed her daughter she wouldn’t have felt the need to kill herself," Hutch said. "I might has well have shot her too."
"Don’t say that Hutch, it’s not the same thing,"
"What do you know?" he barked at her. He jabbed the elevator button several times.
"Where are you going?" Susan asked.
"What difference does it make? I’m worthless as a cop I can’t even draw my own weapon and you know it. You and Starsk have been covering my ass for weeks." Hutch poked the button again and looked up at the unmoving numbers. "Shit," He turned and yanked open the door to the stairwell. "You don’t need me I’m only going to get you killed." With that he went through the door and down the stairs. Susan stood and watched him in shock, she didn’t know what to do for him and it was killing her.
Arms went around her holding her tight; she turned and buried her face in Starsky’s chest. Then the tears came all the ones she had been holding in for fear she would make it worse from her husband. Starsky just stood there and held her as she cried.
It was late when Hutch returned home. Susan had sent Jesse for a sleep over at Cassie’s and had long ago put Davy to bed. She was sitting in the living room when Hutch came through the front door. Susan put down her book and got to her feet.
"Don’t even start on me," were the first words out of Hutch’s mouth. Susan bit her lip to keep from lashing out at him. He had hurt her more in the past month than she had thought possible. She knew it wasn’t him but she could only take some much.
"Start on you I want to help you Hutch," She said going toward him. "I love you."
He backed away. "I don’t need your help, and I don’t deserve your love."
"Hutch it was an accident, it could have happened to any of us," Susan said.
"But it didn’t did it, it happened to me. Just how do you think you would handle it if it were you?" His eyes drilled into hers. Susan had no answer for she had no idea how she would react. It was a cop’s worst nightmare to kill an innocent person. "Why don’t you just go with Starsky and forget about me. You know you want him."
"That is a shitty thing to say Ken Hutchinson," Susan said angrily. He knew how to push her buttons, how for force her to fight.
"It’s true I’m not blind I see what you two try so hard to hide." He growled his blue eyes flashing.
"We aren’t hiding anything, yeah I love Starsky he’s my friend, my partner. And you know good and well it stops there." She snapped at him. "How dare you."
"How dare me?" he said advancing on her. "How dare YOU."
For the first time in her life she was afraid of the man she had spent so many years with. "Hutch I think you need to calm down. You know there is nothing going on with Starsky and I."
He grabbed her wrist tightly, "And just how do I know that?"
"Hutch you are hurting me," she said trying to wrench her arm free. "Let me go." She slapped his hand and with out even thinking Hutch raised his free hand and slapped her across the face. Susan stumbled back against the door frame as Hutch instantly let go of her.
There was sheer terror on his face as he realized what he had done, the anger drained from his body and his arms hung limply to his sides. "Oh God Susan, I’m so sorry," he whispered.
She just held up her hand, "It’s fine don’t worry about it, you aren’t yourself." She was fighting to keep from crying as her face throbbed painfully.
"I’m destroying everything I touch," Hutch said tears in his voice. He dashed for the door, slamming it so hard as he left that a photo fell from the wall shattering on the floor.
Susan was in such shock that she didn’t even make a move to stop him from leaving. She heard his car roar to life and screech down the driveway. Finally she walked to where the photo had fallen; it was their wedding photo. The frame was chipped and the glass broken. She picked up one of the larger pieces of glass and tied to fit it back in to the frame but she only cut herself. After cleaning up the glass and checking on Davy she went to the bedroom that she shared with Hutch and sat down on the bed.
Chapter Five
Early the next morning Hutch awoke in a cheap motel room. He didn't even know where he was. He had just got in his car and drove after leaving the house, leaving Susan. The thought echoed in his brain, leaving Susan, was that what he had just done? Had he left for good? Would she even want him back now? How could he have hit her? He had never done anything like that in his life. He didn't have any answer at the moment he just knew that he had to get away, away from all the memories. Away from the people, he loved so he couldn’t hurt them any more.
Hutch flipped on the light and looked around him, he didn't remember getting the room. He picked up at pack of matches laying on the bedside table and looked at it. Motel 6 Oceanside California, he wasn't that far from home, he tossed the match book back on the table and lay back in the bed. He wasn't sure what he was going to do but the one thing he did know he wasn't going back home until he was himself again.
He felt as though he was falling down a huge rabbit hole like Alice but he never hit bottom just kept falling and falling. He could see what he was doing but just couldn't stop himself from doing and saying things that he knew was tearing his family and friends apart. Right now, the best thing that he could think of doing was to stay away. Maybe in a few days he would give them a call so they wouldn't worry.
Susan was already worried, when she awoke the first thing she wondered was if Hutch had returned. It was obvious that he wasn't in the bedroom so she ran down stairs, he wasn't on the living room couch. She flung open the front door to see if his car was in the driveway. Only her and Mrs. Gray's cars were there. She wondered if he was gone for good, now she knew how he felt when she had left all those years ago. Not knowing was the worst part of it. She had no idea if he was all right or not and what was really scaring her was with the condition he was in who knew what he might do to himself.
She thought about calling Starsky on the out side chance that was where Hutch had gone. However, she really doubted it, they hadn't been getting along either. Susan had just gone into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee when the doorbell rang. She literally ran to the door to open it praying it was Hutch. But when she opened the door Starsky stood there holding his customary bag of donuts.
"Come on in," Susan dejectedly.
"Nice welcome," he teased smiling but the smile faded when he saw the look on her face. "What's going on."
"Hutch is gone." Susan not mincing words.
"Gone? Where?" Starsky asked. "He do that to you?" There was a pale bruise one of Susan's cheeks and her lip had a small cut on it.
She looked in a mirror hanging in the hall; she hadn't even notice the night before. She nodded, "I have never seen him that angry before. But you should have seen the look on has face after he hit me. He was devastated, then ran out."
"You should have called me," Starsky said tipping her chin so he could get a better look at her face.
"It's no big deal, I'm just worried, with the condition he's in I don't know what he might do." Susan said stepping way from him. There was no way she would tell Starsky what they had been fighting about.
"Do you think we should go looking for him?" Starsky asked.
She thought a few moments then shook her head. "We have tried everything. This is just something he is going to have to work out on his own. He won't go to counseling or listen to us I don't know what else to do. Last night, his hitting me really shook him up. I think he realized how much control he has lost."
"Maybe it will bring him back," Starsky said. At that moment he would have decked Hutch if he had been there for what he had done to Susan.
Hutch spent the next three days pretty much in bed; he ventured out once or twice for something to eat but then didn’t really eat. He wasn’t hungry and hadn’t been since the shooting. Maybe he was going crazy he though as he lay there staring at the ceiling. He wondered if Susan would divorce him, then she could be with Starsky. But he shook the thought from his head. He should have never said those things to her for he knew there was nothing going on between them. How could he ever make everything up to her, to Jesse, Davy and Starsky?
He replayed the shooting in his head over and over again trying to see what he would have done differently. That was when he realized there was nothing he could have done different. Caren Simpson had a gun pointed at him, there was no way he could have known that is was empty, that she was this punk’s hostage. She had never said anything. If she had just said please don’t shoot, I’m a hostage, any thing maybe things would have been different. But she had a gun jammed in her back and if she had spoken most likely the boy would have shot her. She would have been dead either way.
Then he thought of Dobey, he had killed a child. Hutch had been surprised when Dobey had shared the story with them; it had to have brought back painfully memories. But he had shared it any way to try and help him deal. Everybody was trying to help but he just hadn’t let them. He spent the rest of the day thinking of Harold Dobey, how strong he was how he had fought his demons and survived. Finally late that evening he picked up the phone and dialed Dobey’s home phone.
"Hello," Edith answered.
Hutch had been hoping it would have been his captain that answered so he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone else. "Is Cap there Edith?"
"Hutch? Is that you?" Edith said with surprise in her voice. "Where have you been everyone has been going crazy around here with worry."
"I’m fine," he said feeling more guilt. He had picked up the phone many many times to call Susan but at the last moment hung it up. "I need to talk to Cap."
"I’m sorry but he’s not here. He went up to the cabin." Edith explained. "He goes by himself about this time every year." That night after Hutch shot the girl Harold had come home and told his wife he had he had told his detectives about the little boy. It had astonished and scared her. He hadn’t talked about it for years and she remembered all to well what they had gone through. She had almost divorced him for he like Hutch had gone over the deep end. But what frightened her most was Hutch’s shooting had happened on the very day that her husband had shot and killed the boy only 30 years later. And every year about the same time Harold would to spend a weekend at the cabin by himself. She never quite understood why but if that were what it took to keep him sane then Edith would not question it.
Susan was thankful that Mrs. Gray was there to keep the household together for her. Jesse didn’t ask any questions about where her father was, Susan didn’t know if the little girl was relieved or just knew not to ask. Susan hadn’t slept in three nights spending them pacing the whole house wondering where her husband was. She figured that by now if he had been hurt or killed they would have heard, that was the only way she could console herself.
Starsky had began searching with out letting Susan know, he did it quietly so that no one would find out that Hutch was gone. Everyone at the station thought he had just taken some more time off. But he was getting no where fast. Even Huggy with all his contacts had no luck. Starsky had started going over and visiting with Jesse and Davy every night, bringing them pizza’s and playing games with them. Susan tried to join in but she was too distracted for the games to hold her interest for very long.
It was nearing mid night on the third night of Hutch’s leaving that the phone had rung. Susan grabbed the phone, "Hutch?"
Starsky who was still there sat up from the floor where he had been laying in front of the fire. It was Friday night and Susan had just put Jesse to bed. Starsky had hung around to see if she felt like talking, she had barely said two words since Hutch had gone.
"No it’s Edith Dobey dear," Edith said kindly, it broke her heart to see the pain that Susan was going through. She had even called the detective the day before to try and talk to her knowing what she was going through but Susan hadn’t been ready to listen yet.
"Hi Edith, is anything wrong?" Susan asked.
"I just heard from Hutch, he called here looking for Harold." Edith said. At least this would but Susan’s mind at ease. She would know he was alive.
"Where is he?"
"I don’t know," Edith said wishing she had of asked. But she figured he wouldn’t be there much longer.
"But he’s OK?" Susan asked with a tremble in her voice.
"He sounded fine," Edith answered. "You just hang in there."
"Thanks for calling Edith," Susan said.
After she hung up Starsky asked, "Hutch okay?"
She nodded, "He called looking for Cap," she answered sadly. Why couldn’t it have been her he had called?
"Maybe that’s a good sign if he’s looking to talk to somebody," Starsky said joining Susan on the couch.
"I hope so, I sure hope so."
Chapter Six
Captain Harold Dobey sat on a stump at the waters edge holding a fishing pole. There was a bucket sitting next to him, which was empty even though he had been sitting there several hours. He looked out over the water, it had been so many years since the shooting but he could remember it so clearly in his mind like it had been yesterday.
He had chased the gunman into the alley; it had been dim and full of cardboard boxes. The man had dodged into a door way in the dead end alley and began firing on Dobey. His partner had come up behind him and they both returned fire. Suddenly one of the cardboard boxes tipped over and a boy about seven or eight emerged to see what was going on. A bullet meant for the robbery suspect caught the little boy in the head. The boy crumpled to the ground but neither officer could go to him as the gunman was still firing on them. Finally Dobey’s partner had a clean shot and told down the man. Dobey ran to the aid of the small boy while his partner went to call for a life squad but the child was already dead laying in an ever widening pool of blood. At the time, they had no idea whose bullet had killed the boy. When ballistics came back, it had been Dobey’s gun that fired the fatal shot.
Dobey sighed, he hadn’t thought of that day in that much detail in a long time. The mess with Hutch had brought it all back to him in a blaze of color. Dobey had never forgotten that day but he had leaned to live with it just as he hoped Hutch would learn to live with it. He knew that Edith didn’t quiet understand his pilgrimage to the cabin once a year near the anniversary of the shooting he wasn’t even sure if he knew either. This had been the place where he had gotten his head on straight, where he had leaned that he could go on.
There was some movement behind him, "Pull up a stump Hutchinson," Dobey said with out turning around. He had a feeling that Hutch might just turn up there either looking for him or just looking for a place to escape to. Dobey had actually been surprised when he had arrived and Hutch wasn’t all ready there.
Hutch came to stand next to his captain. He looked into the empty bucket, "Fish not biting Cap?"
Dobey just shrugged, "Not really trying I guess."
"How mad is everybody at me?" Hutch asked squatting down next to Dobey.
Dobey looked at him; he was shocked by his detective's appearance. Hutch who was always perfectly groomed had several days beard growth, his hair was tousled and he looked like he hadn't slept for days which he hadn't. His clothes were rumpled and dirty since he hadn't taken anything with him. "Nobody's mad just worried."
"You didn't seem surprised to see me," Hutch commented as he looked out over the water, a fish jumped in the middle of the lake.
"I thought this would be where you would come. It's where I came when it happened to me." Dobey said fiddling with his fishing line.
"How did you make it?" Hutch asked. "I just can't get over this guilt feeling. I always feel badly when I shoot someone even if when I have to but this…this was different."
"I know son, I know." Dobey said tossing the line back into the water.
"Might help if you put some bait on it," Hutch said noticing the empty hook as it dropped in the water.
Dobey gave him a half smile, "I'm not really here for the fishing."
Hutch nodded in understanding. It was peaceful and beautiful, an easy place to think and get things back in prospective. "Did you hear what happened the other night? The night I left?"
Dobey shook his head, he figured there had been some kind of big blow up from the way Susan had looked the next day but he had not asked. Hutch hadn't showed up with her and Starsky looked pissed off. Neither of his detectives had said much not even to each other.
Hutch took a deep breath, it was the first time he had said the words out loud, "Susan and got into a fight, one that I picked of course. I hit her, I can't believe that it was even me that did it. One moment I was standing there and the next I was slapping her across the face. Cap that's just not me, how could I have done that?"
Dobey smiled sadly at Hutch. "Like you said it wasn't you."
"I could actually see the fear in her eyes just before I did it like she knew it was coming," Hutch said sorrowfully. "I think what was even worse she didn't even fight back just said it was fine don't worry."
"Hutch, Susan is a good woman, she's strong like Edith but they even have their limits. I figured that Susan has been about been pushed as far as she will go. I know I almost lost Edith, she stuck with me for a long time but toward the end I think if I hadn't snapped out of it she would have left." Dobey said. "That is what finally got to me, I was about to lose everything."
"Just like I am," Hutch said picking up a stick and making circles in the dirt. "Do you think it's to late?"
"There is only one person you can ask that," Dobey answered as a fish tugged on his line. He reeled the fish in, removed it from the hook and dropped it into the bucket. "Who needs bait."
Hutch gave him a half a grin. "I don't think I'm ready to go back."
"Spend the night we'll head back tomorrow what do you say?" Dobey asked as he tossed the line out again. Hutch nodded. "I do think you should call home your partners are pretty worried about you."
Hutch was silent for a while then asked in a low voice, "Would you mind calling for me? I just don't know what to say yet."
"Sure," he said then fell silent. Both men sat in silence while Dobey caught enough fish for dinner. Hutch finally lay back in the grass and promptly fell asleep, the first dreamless sleep he had since the shooting. The sun was beginning to set when Dobey nudged Hutch awake ready to go in and cook his catch.
Dobey sent Hutch in for a shower while he made a telephone call to Susan. She had answered it on the first ring, "Hello?" he could hear the hopefulness in her voice.
"It's Dobey," the captain said.
"Hi Cap," Susan said disappointed once again that it wasn't Hutch calling.
"He's here at the cabin with me." Dobey said not beating around the bush.
"Is he alright?" Susan asked with a sigh of relief.
"I think he's going to be," Dobey answered. "It's going to take some time still but I think he's back on the right track. I'm going to order him into counseling."
"Thank you Cap," Susan said trying to hold back tears.
"We'll be back some time tomorrow." Dobey told her.
"Cap tell Hutch I love him." She said in a choked voice.
"I will."
When Hutch came out of the shower Dobey was at the sink cleaning fish. "Well?" He knew his captain had called Susan while he was cleaning up. He was wearing some of Cal's clothes that he had left in the closet.
"She said to tell you she loves you," Dobey said setting a frying pan on the stove. "About says it all doesn't it?"
Hutch shook his head. "I have no idea why. Both she and Starsky should hate me after all I have put them through not to mention the kids. They were getting to where they would avoid me."
"It's hard to stop loving," Dobey said flouring the fish. "In the end it's all that matters. If you can't pull yourself together for you then do it for them. For Jesse and Davy they need you. As do Susan and Starsky." Then more softly so soft in fact that Hutch scarcely heard him. "I do too."
Hutch felt a lump form in his throat and tears stung his eyes. "Thank you Cap."
"For what?" Dobey said the gruffness coming back to his voice. "Making to you take a shower? You needed it."
Hutch grinned at him. "Boy those fish sure do smell good."
Chapter Seven
It was late after noon when Hutch pulled into the driveway of their home. He turned off the ignition and sat there for a few minutes. He and Dobey had spent most of the night talking. When they had at long last called it a night Hutch had felt better than he had in days. Finally, he felt ready to return home. Now that he was sitting in this own driveway, he wasn't so sure. He had been awful to Susan, the kids and to Starsky. He wondered how they could ever forgive him. Susan had told Dobey to tell him that she loved him but there was a difference between loving some one and living with them. What if she had decided that she no longer wanted to be married, what if he had broken the trust that they had. He knew that neither Starsky nor Susan had faith in him out on the streets. That, he hoped he could earn back but what he had done to Susan he didn't know if that trust could be earned back. The fear he had seen in her eyes after he had hit her would haunt him just like the shooting. He wasn't sure which was worse.
Susan heard the car pull into the driveway. It had a distinctive sound just as Starsky's did she always knew when they had come home. She peered out the window to see Hutch sitting behind the wheel but making no move to get out. She suppressed the urge to run out to the car. She had missed him so badly and couldn't wait to see him. However, she waited, knowing when he was ready he would come in.
The sky was darkening and threatening rain, Hutch stood staring skyward for a few minutes then looked at the house. She had turned on a light in the living room he could see it shinning through the window. He was sure that Susan knew he was out there. He wondered why she hadn't come out but he knew her all to well just as she knew him. She was waiting for him to come in on his own. Instead of walking up the walk to the front door Hutch turned toward the street and started down the sidewalk. Maybe a trip around the block and he would be ready to face her.
The block turned into several and by the time the first few splatters of rain began to fall; Hutch found himself a half a mile from home. He hadn't even notice it had turned dark on him. He took a deep breath and turned toward home.
Susan checked several times and was startled when the car was empty. She pressed her face against the window looking up and down the street but no Hutch. She wondered where he had gone, at least the car was still in the driveway that was a good sign. Susan fed the kids and put Davy down for bed and still Hutch hadn't returned. Finally she told Jesse to go to bed; the little girl was disappointed for she too had discovered that her Daddy was home. She was as anxious to see him as her mother was.
When the rain started pounding the window Susan really got worried. She checked to see if he had gotten back into his car but he hadn't. Susan was just about ready to call Starsky when there was a tap at the door. She opened the door open to find Hutch standing there wet and shivering. With out caring that he was soaking wet she flung herself in his arms placing small kisses all over his face. His arms went around her and he held on to her tightly. They stood on the doorstep like that until Susan was soaked also.
Finally she released him and pulled Hutch into the house. They stood in the hallway looking at each other dripping on the floor. "I'm so sorry…for everything." He began, "I promise nothing like that will ever happen again."
"Shhhh," she whispered hugging him again, she never wanted to let him go.
"Please forgive me," he said looking down in to her eyes that were brimming with tears."
"I forgave you that moment," Susan said softly.
"I don't deserve you, you know." He said smiling at her.
"I know," she said teasing him. That was when he knew that she had truly forgiven him. There was a bond between them and it hadn't been broken just a little bent. "Come on let's get you into some dry clothes."
He looked at her and laughed, "What about you?"
She looked down at her own clothes not even realizing that she was dripping too. They were standing a puddle in the hallway. "Mrs. Gray is going to love us."
Mrs. Gray had been standing in the dining room doorway watching the couple and smiling. She was happy to see her family back together again, and as they went up the steps hand in hand she went to get a mop not even minding the mess.
Monday morning Hutch and Susan came into work together, Starsky only five minutes behind them. He was surprised but please to see Hutch at his desk. Hutch got to his feet as his friend came across the room and with out hesitation Starsky embarrassed his partner. "Good to have you back man," Starsky said. "You are back aren't you?"
Hutch smiled and looked over at Susan, "Yeah I'm back."
Dobey opened his office door and called to the partners to come into his office. He was delighted to see them all together. "You up for a new case?"
"Sure Cap," Hutch spoke first. Dobey handed him a file folder.
"A body washed up on the beach last night." Dobey said filling them in. "Check it out and get back to me."
After checking the body out in the morgue and running down a few leads, they headed for Huggy's for lunch. Hutch pulled Huggy aside to apologize to him also, he had done lot of that in the last twenty-four hours but it was doing his soul good and making him feel stronger. Later that evening he was going to a counseling session that Dobey had set up for him. Hutch was determined to do what ever it took to get back on the right track.
Huggy brushed away the apology, "But you do owe me for some glasses." Huggy kidded referring to the glasses Hutch smashed to the floor.
"Any kind you want my man," Hutch laughed.
They were on their way back to the station when a robbery call came in. Starsky didn't even attempt to answer it. "That's only a few blocks from here," Hutch said looking up at a street sign they passed.
"I'm sure there is a squad car close," Starsky said. This called just sounded too familiar.
"Starsky we can't start avoiding calls because of me," Hutch answered.
Starsky looked at Hutch for moment grabbed the mic telling dispatch they would take the call. Hutch slapped the flashing red light on the top of the car as Starsky did a U-turn in the middle of the street.
They pulled up in front of a mini mart not much different from the one where Hutch had shot the girl. It was like watching a rerun of a movie. This time the suspect came running out of the building as they got out of the car. Starsky took out after him while Susan went into the store to see if there were any more suspects inside or if anyone was hurt. Hutch stood by the car door uncertain what to do.
A squad car pulled up next him, Hutch directed them to help Susan while he took off on foot in the direction Starsky and the armed man had run. He pulled up short at an alley when he heard gunfire. Then carefully made his way down the dim passageway, he heard a shout and followed the sound. Half way down the alley he found an open door, which he presumed they had entered. He stepped inside, the building was murky long ago abandoned. Slowly he crept deeper into the building looking for his partner.
Hutch saw some movement above him on a catwalk, it wasn't Starsky but the suspect and he had his gun pointed toward the ground. At that moment, Hutch saw Starsky move between two boxes, as did the gunman. He knew if he didn't act fast this man was going to shoot his partner. Hutch raised his gun with shaking hands aiming at the man above him. He took a deep breath to steady his hands then squeezed the trigger. The man fell into a pile of boxes only a few feet from Starsky.
Starsky stepped back startled then looked across the room to see Hutch still standing pointing his gun toward the catwalk. First, he checked their suspect, he was dead. Then he made his way to where Hutch was still standing. Starsky reached up and put his hand around Hutch's gun lowering it.
Hutch looked at Starsky, he was shaking but he had done it. He had saved his partners life. "You okay?" Hutch asked in a trembling voice.
"You saved my life I didn't even see him up there," Starsky said putting his gun way. Hutch did the same.
Susan came in the warehouse as they were leaving, "Did you get him?"
Starsky smiled, "Hutch shot him, he was about to kill me."
She took Hutch's hand that was still trembling but he smiled at her. "I didn't think I was going to be able too at first."
"But you did and that's all that counts," She said squeezing his hand.
"I'm going to be all right," Hutch said with more confidence than he had felt in a while.
"I never had any doubt," Starsky said, he took Susan's other hand as they left the warehouse.
Tired of drifting, searching, shifting from town to town,
Every time I slip and slide a little further down.
I can't blame you if you won't take me back,
After everything I put you through,
But honey you're my last hope and who else can I turn to.
Come on Silver Lady take my word,
I won't run out on you again believe me,
Oh I've seen the light
It's just one more fight, without you.
Here I am a million miles from home,
The Indiana wind and rain cut through me,
I'm lost and alone, chilled to the bone, Silver Lady.
Double talkers and backstreet walkers at every turn,
Seedy motels and no star hotels til I had to learn,
That the one shining thing in my life
Was the sweet love that I had with you
And honey you're my last hope and who else can I turn to
Come on Silver Lady take my word,
I won't run out on you again believe me,
Oh I've seen the light
It's just one more fight, without you.
Here I am a million miles from home,
The Indiana wind and rain cut through me,
I'm lost and alone, chilled to the bone, Silver Lady.
Can't you find it in you to forgive me.
Cause here I am a million miles from home