The Heist
                                                                             By Tooki
                                                                        Edited by Tonya
                                                                             ​2022-23

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                                                                           Chapter 1

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   Hutch’s cover was blown was all that Starsky knew, and that he had to get to his partner before it was too late.
   Huggy had called in the middle of the night waking the detective from a sound sleep.
  “This better be good,” Starsky growled into the phone.
  “Starsk, it’s Huggy,” The black barkeeper said.
   The Pits was clearing out, it was closing time when a man approached him, he motioned for Huggy to come closer.
  “The blond one, he’s been made.” The man hissed.
  Huggy, preoccupied with getting the drunks off the bar stools, didn’t catch what the strange man, in a long coat, and a fedora pulled down covering the upper half of his face had said.
  “Closing time buddy.” Huggy informed him.
  “They are going to waste him,” the man persisted.
  Huggy stopped, “Who are they going to waste?”
  “The blond, they know he’s a cop.”
  “Hutch? Are you talking about Hutch?” Huggy asked, focusing his full attention on the man.
  The man didn’t answer, he turned and hurried toward the door. Huggy tried to catch him but the man slipped out the door and was gone. The barkeeper stood on the sidewalk looking up and down the street but the stranger was nowhere in sight.
  Huggy had gone back into the bar, processing what the man had said. He knew Hutch was undercover. He grabbed the phone behind the bar and called the blond’s better half.
  Hutch felt the cool metal of a gun barrel at the back of his neck. He had been crouched in front of a safe, practicing, hoping to get it right. “Get up,” the voice snarled.
  The detective slowly got to his feet, “What’s the problem?” Hutch asked, trying to sound casual, but his heart was beating out of his chest. He knew he had been made.
  “Turn around…COP! I want to see your face when I kill you,” The French accent was heavy.
   Hutch was used to his partner and best friend having his back, but this time he was alone. If he was going to survive he was going to have to save himself.
  He lunged for the gun, catching the figure off guard. They struggled with the gun, for a moment Hutch thought he had the upper hand…right until the gun went off.
   Starsky didn’t take the time to call Dobey, he threw on his clothes and dashed to his Torino. The car roared to life and the detective floored the gas pedal, tires squealing.
  His first stop was the condo, no Hutch and nothing was out of place. The next stop was the wearhouse, luckily he had grabbed the address he had scratched on a of paper scrap.
   Starsky slowed the car to a crawl as he approached the warehouse. He surveyed the area taking in every detail. The late model black sedan that Hutch was driving was parked near the door of the wearhouse, which was open. The detective drove by the open door, he looked in but it was too dark to see inside. He drove a short distance then turned the car around and stopped, Starsky got out quietly. He approached the door, there was no sound coming from inside the building.
  Finally Starsky stepped in, a light was on in the back office of the building. He wanted to call out to his partner but didn’t want to alert anyone that could be there.
  He crept closer to the office until he could see in. What he saw made his heart stop. Hutch was laying on his back in an ever widening pool of blood. Starsky burst into the room caring about nothing but his wounded partner. He dropped to his knees, Starsky leaned over his friend, “Hutch, Hutch.”
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                                                               A Few Days Earlier

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  Starsky pulled up in front of Venice Place to wait for his partner to descend the stairs from his apartment so they could start their day. Dobey had requested they stop by his office as soon as they arrived.
  It was never a good sign when they were summoned to his office. Dobey usually yelled for them before the detectives could reach their desks. The Captain seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to their whereabouts.
  Dobey’s office door was closed, Hutch stepped in front of Starsky to keep him from just barreling into the man’s office like he usually did. The blond knocked and waited for the gruff, “Come in.”
  Hutch opened the door, the office was full of suits which was never good either. Starsky whispered in Hutch’s ear, “What’d we do now?”
  Hutch shrugged Starsky away from his ear, but was wondering the same thing. “What’s going on?” Hutch asked.
  “Come in and close the door,” Dobey ordered.
  Starsky closed the door and for a change remained silent, very uncharacteristic.
   There were four men in suits, none of which the duo knew. And a little old man that sat in one of the chairs in front of Dobey’s desk. The detectives felt like they were under a microscope as the men studied the detectives.
  Finally one of the men spoke, he had a French accent. “What do you think?”
  “The blond one should work.” Another man spoke, also with a French accent.
  “HEY!” Starsky barked. “We are standing right here. I’m Detective Starsky, the blond one is Detective Hutchinson! Why don’t you tell us what the hell is going on!”
  Dobey had a smirk on his face, he had wondered how long it was going to take for his detective to blow up. He couldn’t blame Starsky for his reaction.
  “We need Detective Hutchinson to go undercover as a safe cracker.” One of the French accents said.
  “Whoa, back up,” Starsky snapped, “Let’s start over. Just who are you?”
  Dobey stood up, “These two gentlemen are agents from Interpol, Andre Dubois and Henri Laurent. The other two, FBI Agents Nathan Gains and Phil Stevens.”
  “Should have known the FBI was involved.” Starsky said under his breath.
  “I know nothing about safe cracking.” Hutch said as he eyed the four men.
  “That is what Frankie is for.” Agent Gains indicated the old man in the chair.
   The old man got stiffly to his feet, he held out a gnarled hand to be shook. Neither detective moved to shake it so the old man dropped his hand to his side.
  “Back in the day Frankie here was the best safe cracker in the country.” Agent Gains continued.
   “You still haven’t explained what is going on. And why Interpol is involved.” Starsky insisted.
   Agent Dubois answered, “We are chasing international bank robbers. We have it on good authority that the gang is coming to Los Angeles.”
  “They are going to be looking for a first class safe cracker.” Laurent added.
  “And you think that would be me?” Hutch was skeptical.
  “Well, we need someone who doesn’t look like they are part of the Italian Mob.” Laurent said, looking at the dark haired detective.
  Starsky clenched his fists to his side. Hutch put his hand on Starsky’s shoulder. “Maybe you shouldn’t insult the people you need to help you!” Hutch growled.
  “My apologies,” Laurent said. “We need someone sophisticated.”
  “And that’s Hutch?” Starsky scoffed.
  Agent Stevens quickly stepped in, “We have a week, maybe two, to teach you safe cracking skills and set you up with an air tight cover, hopefully enough that the gang will want to hire you. I use the term gang loosely. They are a very sophisticated group of robbers. They don’t go in guns blazing, they are all well educated and slick. You don’t see them coming until it’s all over.”
   “What makes you think I can pull this off? If they are as good as you say they will see right through me.” Hutch leaned on the wall as he looked at Starsky to see what his take was.
   Starsky was shaking his head, “I don’t like it.”
  “You don’t have to like it!” Agent Dubois snapped.
  “Again, you want our help…be nice!” Starsky glared at the agent.
   “You will be set up in a penthouse Detective Hutchinson, you will have access to the finest men's clothing shops in town. You will need to look the part.” Laurent explained. “I’ll be your handler.”
  “The hell you will!” Starsky shouted. “If, and that is a big IF, we decide to do this, Hutch is MY partner and if anybody is his handler it’s ME! GOT THAT?” Starsky pointed his finger in the man’s face.
   “There is no we,” Dubois said. “Hutchinson is the only one needed.”
  “I don’t do anything without my partner. So it’s a hard pass.” Hutch opened the office door. Both detectives left the office.
  Dobey sat down at his desk, “You heard them. Now you can get out of my office.” Dobey hadn’t liked the idea from the beginning but the commissioner had asked. The Captain had only consented if his men had veto power.
  “You are going to let your detectives dictate…” Dubois began.
   “Let me stop you right there. It’s my men’s asses that are on the line here, it’s their decision.” Dobey barked, “Now get out of my office!” The old man didn’t move, “You too!”
  Frankie moved toward the door with the four suits. “Does this mean I gotta go back to prison?”
  “Not if we can find someone else to do this.” Stevens answered. “If not, I guess you will spend the rest of your days behind bars.”
  The old man looked disappointed and leaned heavily on his cane as he shuffled into the squadroom. The detectives were nowhere to be seen.
   “Can you believe that?” Starsky drank half of his soda in one gulp. A beer would have been preferred but they were still on duty.
   Hutch ran his finger down his glass of soda then flicked the moisture that collected on his finger at his partner. “Are you mad about what they were asking me to do or that they only wanted me?”
  Starsky rolled his eyes, “You aren’t getting rid of me.”
  “I wouldn’t do it without you buddy, remember me and thee?” Hutch smiled as he picked up the glass.
  Huggy slid in the booth next to Starsky. “There is a dude in a suit that just walked in and asked for you two.”
   “What dude?” Starsky asked, looking the way Huggy was looking. “Shit, it’s the FBI.”
   “They followed us?” Hutch leaned around the booth.
  “Looks like just the one.”
  “Which one?”
  “I don’t know.”
  The Agent spied the detectives and headed their way.
  Hutch turned around, “Here he comes.”
  “I can see that, guess we are stuck,” Starsky made a face, the last thing he wanted to do was have another go around with the agent.
   “Excuse me detectives, could I have a minute?” It was Phil Stevens.
   “Time for me to get back to it,” Huggy slid out of the booth and disappeared. Starsky moved to the middle of the seat.
  “May I?” Agent Stevens asked. Starsky refused to move so Hutch slid over. After the agent sat down, he held his hand out to Hutch. “I’m Phil.”
   “Ken Hutchinson,” the blond shook the man’s hand.
   Phil started to extend his hand to Starsky but thought better of it, fearful he might pull back a stump. The detective was glaring at him. “First, let me apologize for my colleagues.”
   “You can apologize all you want, we still aren’t interested, are we Hutch?”
   “Let’s hear the man out, uh?” Even though Hutch felt rather bullied by the agents he was also intrigued.
   Starsky sat back and crossed his arms across his chest like a spoiled child not getting his way.
  “Listen, Detective Hutchinson, we don’t have a lot of time. As we speak that gang is heading this way.” Phil said.
  “How do you know?” Starsky asked.
  “We have a man on the inside.”
  “Then what do you need Hutch for?”
  “We need to catch them in the act. Like I was saying in your Captain’s office. This gang is slick, Silva doesn’t give out information until the last minute. Our guy can’t get us the information in time to catch them.”
  “So you need a safe cracker because he would have to know in advance.” Hutch was nodding understanding. “But you really think I’m your guy?
  “I do but we need to get started now.” Phil said, hoping that the detective was going to agree.
  Hutch looked across the table at Starsky, “What do you think, partner?”
  Starsky leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and looking into Hutch’s eyes, “I think it’s nuts! But if you want to do it I’ll back you up.”
   Hutch thought for a few moments then said to the agent, “Alright , but two conditions. One Starsky is my handler and two if at any time I feel I can’t pull it off I’m out!”
  “Deal!” Phil was delighted.
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                                                                             Chapter 2

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   Hutch stood in front of a tri-fold, full-length mirror, the clothes had been waiting for him in Giorgio Beverly Hills men’s store. He was treated to champagne as several lovely ladies brought out clothing for him to try on. Most of the items were what Hutch would have picked out for himself if he hadn’t had a cops salary.
  He admired the expensive dark brown leather jacket, and one of the young women helped him slip it on, “How is that fit, Mr. Bakker?”
  At first he didn’t realize she was speaking to him. He was now Jon Bakker, an educated man with a twinge of bad boy in his younger years. A man that considered money was no object. His backstory was extensive.
  “Mr. Bakker?”
  “Sorry,” Hutch smiled at her. “Lost in thought.” He looked at his reflection, nodding his approval. “Perfect fit.”
   He slid out of the jacket, the salesgirl took it and added it to the rack of clothes that would be purchased. There were several boxes of shoes that Hutch had tried on, stacked next to the rack.
  A man in a tailored suit with a gold metal name tag proclaiming the man’s name was Maxwell, stepped out of the back room and made his way toward the detective. He held out a box to Hutch, “What’s this?” The blond wanted to know.
  “A gift Mr. Bakker.”
  Hutch opened the box, it was a silver tone Rolex Submariner, he let out a low whistle. His first thought was of Starsky and how much he would love the watch. “That’s some gift.”
  The well dressed salesman held out his hand for the box. “May I?“ Hutch nodded and handed the box back. The man took out the watch and slipped it on Hutch’s wrist, “Perfect!”
   Hutch marveled at the watch, he wasn’t as enamored with watches as his partner but he could appreciate the quality.
  “Is there anything else?”
  “Thank you Maxwell, I think this is it.” Then Hutch added, “For now.”
  Maxwell nodded, then snapped his fingers. The sales girls wheeled the rack of clothing away to be carefully wrapped and placed in boxes. But before they did, the man grabbed the leather jacket from the hanger. “I think this will complete your look.”
  Hutch took the jacket and slipped it on again over the crisp white button down shirt. The jacket went well with the tan slacks with the perfect crease down the front. He popped the collar on the jacket slightly.
  Maxwell nodded his approval, “Very good, Mr. Bakker. The rest will be sent to your condominium at Sunset Tower.”
  Hutch nodded his thanks and left the store, he was barely to the curb when the valet pulled up his black Mercedes-Benz. Hutch handed the young man a twenty. The detective slid into white leather seat on the driver's side and pointed the car in the direction of the condo. Hutch ran his hand over the steering wheel, he could get used to this.
  Starsky sat on the plush couch in the condo, his feet propped on the coffee table. He had already eaten an apple and was working on a banana from the large basket of fruit sitting next to his feet.
  The door opened and Hutch strolled in. He stopped at the sight of his partner. “What are you doing here? We aren’t supposed to be seen together.” Hutch tossed the Mercedes keys on the table next to the fruit basket.
   “Maintenance.” Starsky said around a mouth full of banana and pointed to a tool belt laying in a chair. “Don’t you have anything decent to eat?”
  “Maintenance?”
  “Perfect cover. You just need to break a few things.”
   “Get your feet off the coffee table, don’t you have something to fix?”
  “Very funny blondie.” Starsky got up to inspect his partner's clothes. He caressed the leather jacket. “Expensive!” Hutch took off the jacket and tossed it on the back of the couch. Starsky noticed the watch and grabbed Hutch’s wrist to get a better look. “Holy shit, that is a Rolex Submariner!”
  Hutch chuckled, “I knew you would like the watch.”
  “Man, they are going all out aren’t they?” Starsky took the watch off Hutch’s wrist so he could get a better look at it. “Do you know how much this costs?” Hutch shrugged, not really caring. “Do you get to keep it?”
  “The man at the store said it was a gift.”
  “From who?” Starsky asked as he examined the Rolex. He slipped it on his own wrist.
   Again Hutch shrugged, he was tired, a hot shower and bed sounded good. He would be meeting Frankie the safe cracker in the morning.
  “How about some dinner?” Starsky asked hopefully.
  “I don’t think I would be having dinner with the maintenance man.” Hutch held his hand out for the watch.
  “I think I’m hurt,” Starsky slipped the watch off and handed it to his partner. “I guess I’ll have dinner at Huggy’s…alone.”
  “Huggy will be there, you won’t be alone. But don’t forget you can’t tell him anything about this operation.” Hutch warned.
  “I know, I know! I’ll come up with a good story.” Starsky ran his hand over the leather jacket again then with a dejected look, picked up the tool belt and strapped it around his waist. “See ya tomorrow.”
  “How about a call? It might look suspicious if maintenance shows up everyday.”
  “But…”
  “I’ll stay in touch.” Hutch promised.
   When Starsky walked into The Pits the first thing Huggy noticed there was no Hutch, “Hey man, where’s your better half?”
   Starsky didn’t answer, instead stalked to a back booth and sat down. A waitress he didn’t know walked toward the table, and she handed him a menu. He handed it back to her, “Steak with the works and a beer.”
  She looked surprised, “You must be a regular.”
  “Aren’t we all?” Starsky looked around the room of familiar faces. “You’re new.”
  “Perceptive,” she quipped.
  “Dave Starsky,” he grinned at her. The evening was looking up as Huggy’s new waitress was a pretty brunette.
   “Maggie.” She turned to go.
   “Hey, Maggie!”
   She smiled at him, “Hey what?”
   “What time do you get off?”
   “Closing. I’ll get your beer and put your order in.” Her jeans were tight showing off her perfect butt and her tank top emblazoned with ‘The Pits’ hugged her in all the right places.
  Huggy leaned on the back of the booth opposite of the detective, “When you get done ogling my new girl you want to tell me where blondie is?”
   Starsky swung his eyes from the waitresses swaying bottom to Huggy who was sliding into the seat. “Where did you find her? She’s a little classy for this joint.”
   “Hey!” Huggy tried to be offended but instead laughed, “She won’t be here long, I’m sure.”
   “Too bad.”
   “Now stop avoiding the question.” The bartender looked at the detective. He was beginning to become concerned.
   Starsky leaned across the table and motioned Huggy to lean closer. He knew he wasn’t supposed to tell anyone but if he needed back up he could trust the man in front of him. “Hutch is undercover.”
   Huggy looked surprised, “Without you?”
   “I’m his handler,” Starsky rolled his eyes. “Which translates into I don’t really have his back.”
   “What’s the cover?” Huggy asked.
   “That, I can’t tell you.”
   Huggy frowned then sat back in the booth, “Hush, hush?”
  “You can say that. I wish I could tell you. I shouldn’t have told you he was undercover.”
  Huggy shrugged, “You know you can trust me.”
  Starsky nodded.
   Maggie approached the table carrying a tray with the detective's dinner. She sat the plate, containing the steak, a baked potato and mushrooms in front of him. Then the beer, she smiled at him, “Anything else?”
  “I’m good.” Starsky smiled back.
  “Can I get you anything boss?” Maggie addressed Huggy.
   “Naw, just keep an eye on the bar.”
   “Will do.”
   Once she was out of ear shot, Starsky said around a bite of steak, “If you hear anything…”
   “You’ll be the first to know.”
   Hutch shed his clothes, hanging them up carefully. He grabbed a fluffy white robe from the closet and made his way to the bathroom. Turning on the water as hot as he could stand, Hutch stepped under the steaming water.
   He didn’t like Starsky being mostly kept in the dark. Once he was contacted by the gang it would be hard to check in but he would find a way. One whiff of something being off, Silva would cut and run. Hutch still had no idea who Silva was.
   His thoughts turned to the old safe cracker. Hutch was uneasy about Frankie. The man had been in prison for years. Safe technology had to have changed over the years, or maybe not, he had little knowledge about safes. He would meet the old man along with one of the Interpol agents at a wearhouse.
   Hutch stepped out of the shower, dried off, slipped on dark blue silk pajama bottoms, he made a face, he didn’t like the silk. It was slick and hot, not his style. Hutch eyed the pajama top and decided against wearing it. He padded to the kitchen and opened the fridge, he grabbed a beer, nothing else appealed to him although it was fully stocked.
   Wandering into the living room, Hutch flipped on the tv and dropped into one of the chairs. He started to reach for the phone then stopped, calling from the condo was not a good idea. He wondered what Starsky was doing. Probably dinner at The Pits, and even though his partner had been told not to talk about this case to anyone, including Huggy, he was sure Starsky had brought their friend in. He was okay with it. If things went sideways Starsky would need someone to rely on.
   Any other night they would be drinking beer, eating pizza with their feet propped on the coffee table and an old movie on the tube. Hutch drained the last of his beer and pushed himself out of the chair. He headed back to the kitchen to find something to eat.
  Two a.m. found Starsky leaning on his Torino outside the bar. He should be home in bed, but with Hutch undercover, Dobey wanted all his attention focused on his partner so he had no particular time he needed to be in the office.
   Maggie walked out of The Pits with two other waitresses. She spied Starsky, said goodnight to her co-workers and walked over to where he was, “I like your car.”
   “Thanks.”
   “Are you waiting on me?” Maggie leaned on the car next to him.
   Starsky shrugged, “Would you like it if I was?”
   She shrugged, “I don’t know you.”
   He laughed, “You are safe with me.”
  “That so?” Maggie looked straight ahead. She could feel his eyes on her in the darkness.
  Starsky pulled out his badge and showed it to her. “See, I’m harmless.”
   “That badge makes you harmless? I’m sure the criminals love you.”
  “HA HA!” Suddenly Starsky was finding the woman too much work. “You know what? I have a partner to bust my chops.” Starsky started around the car.
   “Wait!” Maggie called to him, “Hey, I’m sorry.”
   He didn’t stop, Starsky keyed open his car door and climbed in behind the steering wheel. It had been a mistake to wait, now all he wanted was his bed, and he had probably missed a call from Hutch.
   She grabbed the door to keep him from closing it. “Dave.”
   “Listen, it’s late, I need to get home.” He pulled the door from her grasp, slamming it.
  Maggie stood there staring at him through the window, then rapped on the glass.
   Starsky rolled down the window, “What?”
   “Breakfast?”
   “I told you I need to get home.”
   “In the morning,” Maggie smiled at him. “You name the place, I’ll pay.”
   Her smile was disarming, Starsky sighed, “Pantry Cafe and I’ll pay.”
   Her smile widened, “Eight o'clock?”
  “Make it nine!” Starsky rolled up the window and started to drive away leaving Maggie standing in the street. He jammed the Tornio in park and rolled down the window again, “Get in, I’ll give you a ride home.”
  “I’m just parked around the corner.”
  “Get in.” Starsky leaned across the car and unlocked the passenger side door. When Maggie didn’t move he said for a third time, “Get in, I’ll take you to the car.”
   Hutch, not finding anything to his liking in the kitchen, decided to go out. He put on a pair of jogging pants , a t-shirt and a sweat jacket. The only clothing that was actually his.
   Riding down in the elevator he decided he would find a pay phone and give his partner a call. Hutch knew Starsky wasn’t keen on the whole undercover thing.
   It was nearly ten p.m. he found a pizza place, shook his head and went in. He could have anything he wanted but he picked what his partner would. After ordering a pie to go, Hutch went back outside and down the block to a phone booth. He put change in the slot and punched in Starsky’s number. After the tenth ring he hung up, “Guess he found someone to have dinner with,” Hutch mused out loud.
  He picked up the pizza and made the trek back to the condo. The doorman nodded and opened the door for the detective, “Good evening Mr. Bakker.”
   Hutch nodded back, “Have a nice night.”
   Back in the condo, he tossed the pizza box on the coffee table and grabbed another beer. Flopping on the couch Hutch flipped on the TV, Casablanca was on, Starsky’s favorite movie. Sighing, he grabbed a slice of pizza and settled back to watch the movie. He was missing his friend.
   Early the next morning there was a knock on the condo door. Hutch was still in the bedroom getting dressed, he tucked his shirt in his slacks and went to answer the door.
   The doorman stood there with the daily newspaper. Hutch took the paper, thanked the man and started to close the door. The man held out his hand for a tip. Hutch looked at his hand, “Just a second.” He didn’t have his wallet.
   The man came in and shut the door. “No need for the tip Detective Hutchinson.”
  Hutch stopped, did he just make a mistake and been made already? He turned just as the doorman took off his cap. It was Agent Phil Stevens. Hutch let out the breath he had been holding. “Stevens.”
  The Agent smiled, “Did I give you a start?”
  Hutch nodded, “You are a doorman and my partner is a maintenance man. Anybody else I need to be on the lookout for?”
  “Detective Starsky was here?” Stevens frowned.
  “Yesterday, I told him he couldn’t keep showing up.”
   “No, he can’t. This gang is not stupid. This will be the only time you will see me. We will be in contact with the newspaper. Some days it might hold information other days it won’t. Check page six for details.” The Agent slipped out the door.
  Hutch opened the paper to page six, written in the margin was an address and a time. He glanced at his watch, he had an hour before he needed to meet Frankie at the address, it was a wearhouse.
   Hutch finished dressing, he had just enough time to stop for breakfast and call Starsky to give him the address of the wearhouse.
   Finding a small diner, Hutch parked and found a pay phone across the street. He dialed Starsky’s number hoping he was home, there weren’t many opportunities to talk to each other.
   “Yeah,” Starsky said into the phone, he had just come from the shower.
   “Didn’t your mother teach you how to answer a phone?”
   “Hutch!” He smiled, “Sorry if I missed your call last night.”
   “Did you find a dinner companion?” Hutch wanted to know.
   “I wouldn’t say that, but I do have a breakfast date this morning. I can cancel if we need to meet.” Starsky said, but realized he never got Maggie’s number. He was going to meet her at the cafe. He hadn’t thought anything about it as he drove her to her car but now he was curious why she didn’t give him her address or phone number.
   “No, I’m meeting Frankie at a warehouse for safe cracking 101.” Hutch explained. “I just wanted to give you the address.”
   Starsky scribbled down the address on a scrap of paper. “Do you want me to head there?”
  “In the Tomato?” Hutch snorted.
  “I could borrow Huggy’s caddy.”
  Hutch rolled his eyes, “Let me see what the area is like first.”
  “I don’t like it,” Starsky cradled the phone on his shoulder so he could pull clothes from the dresser drawer. Hutch walking into something that neither of them had an idea about was risky, especially with no back up.
  “One of the Interpol Agents will be there.” Hutch said not relishing the idea.
   “I still don’t like it.”
   “I don’t either.” Hutch sighed.

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                                                                            Chapter 3

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   Hutch parked the black Mercedes, near the warehouse, he looked around to make sure he hadn’t been followed. Making his way to the door, he tried the doorknob, it was locked. Hutch rapped on the door with his knuckles. The door opened a crack, Agent Andre Dubois peered out.
  The man stepped back and allowed the detective to enter. “You weren’t followed?” Dubois asked.
   Hutch looked at the man annoyed, “Listen, this isn’t my first rodeo. We can forget this right now if you don’t trust me.”
  “Sorry Hutchinson. Frankie is in the back office.” Dubois walked to the back of the warehouse, Hutch followed.
   Frankie was sitting in a desk chair in front of a black safe. The old man looked wearily at the detective. Hutch held his hand out, “Sorry about the other day. It didn’t have anything to do with you.”
   Frankie accepted the hand offered, “I get it.” He turned his eyes to the agent. “Let’s get to work. I have a lot to teach you.”
  “I’m ready to learn.” Hutch sat down next to Frankie.
   Dubois pulled a pack of cigarettes from his suit pocket and left the office to head outside.
   After an hour with the old safe crackers instructions Hutch mastered the safe. “You got it!” Frankie slapped the detective on the back. “You have the ear and the feel. Not everyone can master both.”
   Hutch smiled at the old man, “It’s not as hard as I thought it would be.”
   “This is an easy safe as far as safes go. Dubois is bringing in a larger, more difficult safe tomorrow.”
   Hutch closed and locked the safe. He wanted to try it again. He listened closely as he turned the dial slowly, he not only heard but felt the first tumbler. Patiently he kept going until he had the safe open again.
   After opening the safe a few more times Dubois nodded his approval, “This might just work.”
  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Hutch growled.
   Dubois looked at his watch, “It’s nearly 1. Let’s call it a day. Be back here at the same time tomorrow.”
  “What am I supposed to do till then?” Hutch asked.
   Dubois shrugged, “I don’t know, whatever rich boys do.” Dubois looked at Frankie, “Let’s go.”
   “Where are you taking him?”
   “Mind your business.” The agent snapped.
   “Frankie is my business since I can’t pull off safe cracking without him.” Hutch snapped.
   “He is being well taken care of.”
   Hutch looked at the old man who gave him a lopsided smile. “It’s okay, better than my cell.”
   The detective pointed his finger in Dubois’ face, “You take care of him!”
   Maggie, around a bite of egg, asked, “Are you really a cop or is that just your way of picking up girls?”
   Starsky looked over the rim of the glass he was drinking out of. “Actually. I’m a detective, Sargent First Class.” She looked at him skeptically. “Ask Huggy if you don’t believe me.”
  “I might just do that.” She put her fork down and held her hand out, “Let me see your badge again.”
   Starsky dug his badge out of his back pocket and handed her the leather wallet containing his ID and badge. Maggie examined the contents then handed it back. “Do you believe me now?”
  She shrugged, “It could be fake. You said something about a partner, where is he?”
  “I don’t usually take Hutch on breakfast dates.”
  “Hutch? Interesting name.”
  “It’s short for Hutchinson.”
  “I see.” Maggie took the last bite on her plate. “So where is he?”
  “Working.”
  “Without you? I thought you were partners.”
  “We are.” Starsky wasn’t about to tell Miss Thing about his partner. “Are you ready to get out of here?”
   “Sure, what do you want to do? I don’t have to be at work until 6.”
   “I do have to be at work.” Starsky said, it was only a partial lie. He wasn’t going to the office but he needed to hopefully check in with Hutch. He was curious how the safe cracking lesson went.
  Maggie pouted, “Thought maybe we could go for a walk in the park.”
  Starsky motioned for the waitress, “Maybe another day.”
   “Tomorrow?”
  Starsky sighed as he got up, he handed the waitress a twenty, “Keep the change.”
   “Tomorrow?” Maggie asked again.
   “Maybe, I have to check my schedule,” Starsky answered. Boy could he pick them.
   “You could stop by Huggy’s for dinner and bring that partner of yours, I would like to meet him.”
  By this time they were at their cars. “I’ll see.” Starsky was noncommittal.
   Maggie leaned against Starsky’s car so he couldn’t open the door. “I’m doing it again aren’t I?”
   “Making me not want to see you again? Yes.” Starsky said bluntly. “I don’t know what game you are playing but I don’t have time for it.”
   “I’m just messing with you. Huggy already told me all about you and that you are a good guy!”
   “Then why all the games?” Starsky wanted to know. Maggie just smiled at him. “That smile worked last night but not today.”
   She stepped aside and let him climb in the car. “See you later.” Maggie’s smile widened. Starsky jammed the car in drive and sped off. She stood there watching until the red car disappeared. The smile slid from her face.
   Maggie went back to the cafe, she stopped one of the waitresses, “Do you have a phone I could use?” She asked in a French accent.
   Hutch left the warehouse, he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He thought about finding a payphone to call Starsky but he doubted his partner would be home or even at the office. He didn’t feel like going back to the condo and couldn’t go to his apartment. Hutch felt alone.
   Instinct took him to the alley behind The Pits. Hutch had parked the car a few blocks away and made his way to the bar. He slipped in the back door and up the steps to Huggy’s apartment. He turned the knob, it was unlocked. Hutch opened the door and looked in, the apartment was empty.
  Downstairs Starsky sat at the bar, a beer in front of him. It was still early. He wasn't technically off the clock but he didn’t care. He was liking Hutch undercover less and less. Something just didn’t feel right. Starsky was also still ticked off by Maggie’s games.
   Huggy hadn’t been behind the bar when Starsky had entered, one of the waitresses had brought him his draft. “You want something to eat sweetie?“
  Lost in thought the detective responded, “Huh?”
  “You hungry?” Linda repeated. She was a slightly overweight strawberry blonde.
   At first he shook his head no then said, “On second thought I’ll take a burger and fries.” She nodded but before she could put in the order, Starsky asked, “Where’s Huggy?”
   “In the storeroom, a shipment came in, he's checking it.”
   Starsky grabbed his beer and wandered to the storeroom. “My man!” Huggy exclaimed when he saw Starsky standing in the doorway. “Why so gloomy?”
   Starsky shrugged.
   “You missing that partner of yours?” Huggy checked off an item on a paper he had in his hand.
   “Maybe. That new waitress of yours is a piece of work.” Starsky finally spoke.
   “Maggie?”
   “Yea, what do you know about her?”
   “Not much. She filled out an application. You can look at it if you want.” Huggy said as he counted packages of buns. “It’s in my apartment, still on the table.”
  “Do you mind if I take my burger up?”
  “Be my guest.” Huggy said. “I’ll have Linda bring it to you and another brew.”
   “Thanks,” Starsky headed up the stairs. He started to open the apartment door when he heard a noise from inside. He set his beer on the floor and pulled his gun from his shoulder holster. Gently he twisted the doorknob, opening the door a crack.
   Starsky caught movement, he threw the door open training his gun on the man in the room. His back was to the detective, “Turn around slowly and keep your hands where I can see them,” Starsky ordered.
   Very slowly the man turned, “Starsk, it’s me.” Hutch said.
   Immediately Starsky lowered his gun, “What are you doing here?”
   “Guess I can’t stay away from that pretty face.” Hutch joked, delighted to see his friend and partner.
   Starsky grabbed his beer from the hall and closed the door, “How did you know I would be here?”
  “I figured you would show up here eventually.”
  There was a thump on the door, “Get out of sight,” Starsky hissed. Hutch ducked into Huggy’s bedroom. The dark headed detective opened the door to find Huggy standing there with a tray of food and drinks. “It’s just Huggy, Hutch.”
   “Just Huggy? Who were you expecting? The Queen of England?” The man said, setting the tray on the table.
  Hutch stepped from the bedroom, “Hey Huggy.”
  “I thought it best if I brought the food up, you being undercover and all.” Huggy grinned.
   Starsky looked at the tray that contained three of everything. Then he looked at Huggy, “I’m not THAT hungry.”
  “I thought I would join you and it would be rude to make Hutch watch us eat.”
   “How did you know I was up here?” Hutch questioned.
  Huggy laughed, “Nothing goes on in my place that I don’t know about.”
  “Guess you aren’t as slick as you thought.” Starsky said to Hutch as he patted his friend on the back. “So how did the safe cracking go?”
   “I mastered it today but it was an easy one. Frankie did say I had the ear and touch for it. Harder safe tomorrow.”
   “What if you get contacted before you finish your lessons?”
   “I don’t know, just wing it I guess.” Hutch dove into the burger.
   “I don’t like it.” Starsky pushed his plate aside, the bad feeling was growing.
   “Something wrong with your food?” Huggy asked. He had never seen the detective push away food.
  “Just not hungry.”
  “Since when? Eat buddy, I’m going to be fine. I’ll pull out if I have to.” Hutch assured his friend.
   Huggy rifled through some papers on the edge of the table. Finding Maggie’s application he handed it to Starsky. “She looks good on paper.”
  Starsky took the application and quickly read through it. Her last name was Jones and she was from Florida. She was 32, her work history was sparse but she had waitressed at a few restaurants. “Did you check out any of her former work places?”
   Huggy looked at Starsky, “You think I got time for all that? She had experience, and she is doing a great job.”
   “Who are we talking about?” Hutch inquired.
   “Huggy’s new waitress.”
   “The reason you weren’t home when I called last night?”
   “Sort of,” Starsky admitted. “I just hung around until she got off.”
   “Did you take her to your place?” Hutch asked.
   “I don’t even know her.”
   “Since when did that stop you?”
   “Funny.” Starsky glared at Hutch. “We had breakfast this morning.”
  “Ahh your breakfast date.”
  “Something is off with her.” Starsky said, draining his beer.
   “How so?” Huggy took the form and studied it. He didn’t see anything unusual, her lack of work history could be explained away easily.
  “Like I said last night, she seems a bit too classy to be working in a bar.” Starsky looked at Huggy. “Any bar.”
   “Maybe she just needed a job, any job.” The barkeeper said.
   “Maybe.”
   “What did she do to get your tail feathers all ruffled? Huggy wanted to know.
   Hutch sat silently taking in the conversation.
   “She…she,” Starsky stopped. Other than teasing him about being a cop, Maggie had done nothing wrong. It was just a feeling. “Never mind.”
   There was a knock at the door. The three men looked at each other. Hutch got up and ducked out of sight in Huggy’s bedroom again.
   The barkeep opened the door. Maggie stood there smiling. “Is Dave here by any chance? I saw his car parked out front.”
   Huggy opened the door wider to reveal the detective sitting at the table. “Come on in.”
   It didn’t escape Maggie that three meals sat on the table. “Can I talk to you a minute Dave?” she asked.
   Starsky sighed, “Sure, downstairs.”
   Maggie looked around the room, then followed the detective down the stairs. There was an empty booth in the back. Starsky slid into the seat, Maggie sat across from him. “I feel like I need to explain.”
  “You don’t owe me anything. My lunch is getting cold.”
   She reached across the table and put her hand on his arm, “Please.”
   “Fine.”
   “I came here to be an actress.”
   “Doesn’t everyone?”
   Undaunted, she went on, “I’m up for a part and I was trying my character out on you.”
   “Why didn’t you just tell me that?” Starsky was annoyed.
   “It wouldn’t have been real.” Maggie smiled at him. He started to get out of the booth. “Wait, let’s start over.” She realized she had pushed him too far. He was slipping from her grasp and she needed him so she could keep tabs on his partner. Maggie knew that Hutchinson was upstairs. Even as careful as the detective had been, she had still tailed him. He was good but she was better.
   Starsky looked at her doubtfully. She was a beauty, and he had been attracted to her the moment he saw her. But with Hutch under cover he didn’t have the time. He felt bad that he had already missed a call from him the night before. What if he had been calling for help? “Maybe in a few weeks.”
   Maggie looked crestfallen, “A few weeks?”
   “I have a lot going on right now.” Starsky saw how disappointed she looked. He wasn’t sure he believed her story, and he still had the feeling something was off. But he decided that perhaps it would be best if he kept an eye on her. “How about dinner here tonight. I’ll come before your shift starts.”
   Maggie looked delighted, “You can get to know the real me.”
  “I need to finish my lunch before it’s time for dinner.”
  “I’ll see you round 5?” Maggie asked.
  “See ya then.”
  Maggie sat watching as he made his way toward the staircase.
   Both Huggy and Hutch had finished eating by the time Starsky returned. “Everything copacetic?” Huggy asked as the detective sat down to his cold meal.
   Starsky shrugged. “I’m meeting her here for dinner before her shift.” He didn’t look happy.
​
                                                                       
                                                                    ​ Chapter Four

​​
  Hutch’s mood was lightened as he made his way back to where he had parked. He knew once he was contacted, sneaking away wouldn’t be an option.
   As he pulled into the parking garage of the condo, a man taking long strides came toward Hutch as he exited the car. The detective started to reach for his gun that wasn’t there. As the man got closer Hutch realized it was FBI Agent Gains.
   Gains had a scowl on his face, the man looked around the garage making sure they were alone, “What the hell do you think you are doing?”
   “Excuse me?” He did not like Gains, if he had shown up at The Pits instead of Agent Stevens he wouldn’t have considered going undercover.
   “You don’t run off to have lunch with your partner at your watering hole.” Gains growled. “Do you know what undercover means? We have gone to great expense to set you up with an extensive cover and YOU pull a stunt like this?”
   Hutch opened his mouth to speak but instead tossed the keys to Mercedes to the agent.
   Gains caught them, “What do you think you are doing?”
   “Quitting, I don’t need this shit!” Hutch took off his jacket also tossing it at the agent. “The rest of the clothes are in the penthouse. Find yourself another chimp.”
   “Hutchinson stop!” Gains commanded as Hutch stalked toward the exit.
   The detective kept moving, he should have listened to Starsky, at least he was getting out before he got in deeper.
   “Hutchinson!”
   Hutch stopped and turned, “WHAT?”
   Gains walked toward him. “They are on their way. Our guy inside got a message out, the gang is arriving tomorrow.”
  “All the more reason for me to get out. I’m not ready, one lesson does not make me a safe cracker.”
   “You are all we have,” There was an urgent tone to the agent's voice.
   “I’m sure you will get another crack at them, pardon the pun.” Hutch turned toward the exit of the garage and began walking again.
   “Please,” the man begged, “This is the closest we have ever been.
   “If you have a man inside the gang then you know who they are, just arrest them.” The detective said over his shoulder.
   Gains grabbed Hutch by the shoulder and spun him around. “I have lost contact with him. It’s been two days.”
   “So he is undercover and checks in everyday, have I got that right? But I can’t check in with my handler?” Hutch stormed.
   “Did you hear me? I haven’t heard from him in two days!” Gains looked distraught.
  Hutch’s anger subsided as he looked at the concern on the agent's face. “He’s your partner.” It wasn’t a question, Hutch could tell from the look on the man’s face.
   “Yes, and you are right we are in contact once a day, just so I know he’s okay.”
  “So you know how I feel?”
  Gains nodded, “And you know how I feel. My partner is missing!” Hutch sighed, he held out his hand. “What?”
   “Give me the keys.”
   “You’re staying?”
   “For now.” Hutch answered, “I shouldn’t have gone to The Pits, but you have to stop treating me like a rookie.”
   “Fair enough.” Gains handed the keys and jacket back. The two men shook hands.
   Starsky checked in with Dobey before he made his way back to The Pits for dinner with Maggie. There wasn’t much he could tell his captain except his partner was alright.
   His heart wasn’t in the date, if you could call it that. At least she had a shift, dinner wouldn’t last more than an hour. Starsky got to The Pits early and climbed onto a stool at the bar. A beer appeared in front of him without even asking.
   “What’s eatin’ at ya man?” Huggy asked his dark haired friend.
   Starsky just shrugged, “Something is off.”
   “You keep sayin’ that.”
   Starsky sighed, “I know, I know, I just can’t put my finger on it.”
   “We are talkin’ about Maggie?”
   “Yea, there is something just not right.”
   “Then why are ya havin’ dinner with her? Just cut her loose.”
   Starsky looked over the rim of the beer mug at Huggy, “You know that old saying, keep your enemies closer.”
   Huggy’s brow furrowed, “You think she’s up to something?” Starsky shrugged. “Why don’t you run her name if you are so worried?”
   “Maybe tomorrow, I hate being suspicious of people.”
  “Comes with the territory I guess.” Huggy said.
   Maggie entered the bar, paused, looked around then seeing Starsky smiled and made her way toward him. “You’re early.”
   “So are you,” he returned the smile as she sat down next to him. “Do you want a drink?”
   “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I start my shift soon.”
   Huggy sat a beer down in front of Maggie, “I won’t tell the owner if you don’t.”
   “Thanks Huggy.” Maggie took a sip then asked Starsky “Booth or table?”
   “Either one, you pick.”
   Maggie grabbed her beer and made her way to the back booth, Starsky followed. “More private,” She winked at him.
   He sat down across from her even though she had made room for him to sit next to her. “So what’s good here?” Starsky joked.
   “Very funny,” Maggie took a sip of her beer, “What’s that partner of yours doing? He never seems to be around. I would like to meet him.”
   Starsky stared across the table at his date, why was she always bringing up Hutch? He made a mental note to stop by the precinct and run her name. Ignoring Maggie’s question he waved to Linda.
   “What can I get ya doll?” She winked at him. She had several menus tucked under her arm but she knew he didn’t need one.
   “Let’s start with another beer.”
   “Sure thing love,” Linda glanced at Maggie, “How about you?”
   Maggie gave the waitress a strained smile, “Just iced tea for me.”
   “I’ll be right back.” Linda didn’t like Maggie, she got a weird vibe from her and she asked a lot of questions about the two detectives. Linda knew better than to answer.
   “Do you want to go somewhere else?” Maggie asked after Linda was out of earshot.
   “No, why?”
   “Everyone here seems to know you and…”
   “And what? If you are uncomfortable we can skip dinner. I have things I need to do.”
   Maggie sighed and sat back in the booth, “Why is this so hard?”
   “You are making it hard,” Starsky replied. “This is dinner, nothing else. I told you I have a lot going on right now.”
  “Because of Hutch?”
  “Why do you keep bringing him up?”
  Maggie knew she was blowing it again, she was not good at the social game. “I just want to get to know you, that's all.”
   Starsky frowned, “I don’t think this was a good idea.” He slid out of the booth just as Linda was bringing the drinks. Starsky tossed money on the table then handed the waitress a five, “For your trouble.” He left without looking back.
   Both women stared after him, “Thanks a lot,” Maggie growled as she got up.
   “What did I do?” Linda asked, confused but Maggie had disappeared into the storeroom.
   Starsky headed to the station with Maggie’s application from The Pits tucked in his jacket pocket. He wasn’t going to wait until tomorrow to run her name. Something wasn’t right and he was going to find out what it was.
   Hutch let himself into the condo, he should have kept walking in the parking garage, he should have listened to his partner instead of agreeing to the insanity of the undercover gig that he doubted he could pull off. The gang of bank robbers were probably in the city and would be looking for a safe cracker, looking for him. There was an agent missing and he could be next.
   Hutch picked up the phone and dialed Starsky’s number, another thing he knew he shouldn’t do but he needed to talk to his partner. There was no answer, Hutch sighed as he hung up the phone, “Starsk where are you?” He knew that Maggie had to work after the couple finished dinner but maybe he was still hanging at The Pits.
   Hutch made a second call this time to the bar. Linda answered, “The Pits.”
   “Hey Linda, is Starsky there?”
   “Sorry, he left after his dinner date went south.” She replied.
   “What happened?”
   “Not sure, Starsky left before they even ordered, then Maggie left, she was mad. Guess they aren’t a match made in heaven.”
   “Thanks,” Hutch hung up. He tried his partner's place once more before giving up and heading to bed. It was early and he hadn’t had dinner but he wasn’t hungry. He had to be at the warehouse early.
   Maggie Jones didn’t exist, Starsky headed back to The Pits to confront her and find what it was she wanted. Huggy looked frazzled as he was tending to his customers sitting at the bar. He gave the detective a perturbed look, “Thanks for leaving me short handed.”
   “What are you talking about?” Starsky asked as he surveyed the bar.
   “Maggie took off right after you left and didn’t come back for her shift.” Huggy growled.
   Starsky reached across the bar and grabbed Huggy’s shirt pulling him close, “I need to talk to you now!”
   Huggy jerked away, “I’ll meet you up stairs in five.”
   Starsky paced Huggy’s apartment waiting on the barkeeper. When Huggy opened the door, Starsky tossed Maggie’s application at him, “She doesn’t exist!”
   Huggy bent down and picked up the form. “What are you talking about?”
   “Maggie!”
  “So she lied. It’s not like I’m hiding state secrets or something. She’s waiting tables, or was.” Huggy turned to go, “I got work to do.”
   “Huggy!” Starsky yelled. The man turned to look at the detective, “It might be nothing but don’t you find it funny she showed up just as Hutch went undercover?”
   “Listen man, I didn’t even know Blondie was going undercover until after the fact and Maggie was already working here.”
   Starsky dropped down in a chair at the kitchen table. “Hey man, I’m sorry, it's just…”
   Huggy interrupted, “I know you are worried about Hutch. But stop jumping at shadows. Go home, get some sleep, you look like hell.”
   “Gee thanks,” Starsky sighed, he knew Huggy was right. He had barely slept in the past few days.
   “If Maggie comes in I’ll ask her what’s up.” Huggy promised.
   Hutch woke from a restless sleep, it was almost 11 p.m. hunger was gnawing at his stomach. He got up and went into the kitchen. He didn’t feel like cooking anything so he grabbed a box of cereal, and milk from the fridge.
   He had barely splashed the milk in the bowl when the phone rang. Hutch slowly walked to the couch, carefully set the bowl on the coffee table and grabbed the receiver, “Yeah.”
   The tables were turned, “Is that anyway to answer the phone?” Starsky asked with a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
   “Starsk!” Hutch was glad to hear his partner on the other end of the line.
   “Sorry for the call.”
   “I tried to call you earlier,” Hutch admitted. He told his friend about his encounter with Gains in the parking garage. Then asked about Maggie.
   Starsky snorted as he relayed what he had found out about her or didn’t find out. “I’m not sure what her angle is but I don’t like it.”
   “I told Gaines I would stay undercover but I’m going to pull out in the morning.” Hutch said, “I just don’t know enough to make this gang think I know anything about safecracking.”
   Starsky breathed a sigh of relief, “I’ll be by in the morning to pick you up buddy.”
   Hutch finished up his bowl of cereal and headed back to bed feeling the same relief his partner did. He flipped on the tv and started to settle into bed when the phone rang again.
   Hutch smiled as he lifted the receiver, “Hello?” A more proper way to answer the phone instead of yeah.
   “Dubois here.” The French accent said. “You need to get to the warehouse.”
   “It’s late.” Hutch yawned.
   “We need you sharp on the safe cracking.” Dubois growled. “The gang is in town, you will probably be contacted soon.”
   “I am pulling out.”
   “It’s too late for that!”
   Hutch got out of bed, “Listen I'm never going to pull this off. I have had one session with Frankie. If they ask me to show my skills I'm screwed.”
   “We won’t let it get that far. As soon as you meet with them they will be arrested.”
   “Doesn’t sound like that is enough to convict.” Hutch said doubtfully.
   “You let me worry about that.” Dubois answered. “Get over there, I will pick up Frankie and meet you. I left the door unlocked so you can go on in.”
   “Fine!” Hutch slammed the receiver down. He started to call Starsky but instead got dressed. It was late. What could go wrong?
   There was a lot that could go wrong and Hutch knew it but he just wanted it over with. He almost didn’t go into the warehouse, it was dark except for moonlight streaming through windows at the top of the building. Hutch wished he had called Starsky, at least his partner would know where he was.
   Hutch hated that he didn't have his gun. Didn’t rich boys carry them? He moved slowly toward the back of the wearhouse where the office was. He felt around until he found the light switch. The light was nearly blinding until his blue eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness.
   A much larger safe was in the room, Hutch walked around the safe inspecting every inch. He crouched down to get a look at the dial.
   Hutch caught movement out of the corner of his eye, two figures, Dubois and….the cool metal of the barrel of a gun.

​​
                                                                          Chapter Five

​​
   Starsky was nearly frantic as he dropped to his knees in the blood, too much blood, next to his partner. “Hutch!” He picked up his partner's limp wrist to feel for a pulse. At first he couldn’t find one then finally it was there, very faint. Time seemed like it had slowed down but he had only been there seconds.
   Starsky looked at the desk, there was a phone, he prayed that it was working. He grabbed the receiver, thankfully there was a dial tone. He made the call for help, then looked around. Starsky pulled his gun he had holstered when he found Hutch. His police training coming back to him. Were they alone? He had been so focused on his partner he had no idea.
   Starsky didn’t want to leave his friend but he needed to make sure the shooter wasn’t still lurking. He found the lights in the warehouse and threw the switches all at once. The building came to life but was empty, no place to hide. Rushing back to Hutch’s side, Starsky knelt next to him again. “Come on buddy, open your eyes.” He needed something to stop the bleeding. Starsky pulled off his jacket then his shirt and pressed it to his partner's chest.
   “Dammit where are you?” Starsky yelled out in frustration that help hadn’t arrived. He was about to place a second call when he noticed writing in blood on the side of the metal desk. The blood had run distorting the letters but he could still make out the word ‘Dubois’. Hutch had left the name of his attacker.
   Anger filled Starsky, had the whole thing been a setup? But why? To kill Hutch? Neither of them knew the four agents. We’re all of them in on it? Or just Dubois?
   A hand gripped Starsky’s shoulder, he jumped up ready to do battle. “Where are you hurt?” Paramedic John Curtis asked.
   Starsky looked down at his bare chest and jeans, he was soaked to the bone in Hutch’s blood. “It…it’s not me, it’s my partner. Help him please,” The detective pleaded.
   Mark Davis, Curtis’ partner, was already beginning to work on the blonde detective. He pulled Starsky’s blood-saturated shirt from Hutch's chest. “We need to get him out of here….NOW!”
   A uniformed police officer showed up pulling a gurney, followed by several other officers, and Captain Dobey who was yelling orders. Dobey wasn’t sure what had exactly happened but he was taking control.
   Curtis threw a blanket around Starsky’s shoulders and tried to lead him out of the office. But the dark headed detective refused to budge. “My partner needs room to work.” Curtis said.
   “I can’t leave him.” Starsky whispered.
   “He’s in good hands. Come on outside. Let me check you out.”
   “I’m fine,” Starsky insisted.
   A big voice boomed, “What the hell happened?” Dobey had made it to the office and filled the doorway.
   “Dubois did this!” Starsky yelled and pointed toward Hutch.
   The detective's words caught Dobey off guard, “Dubois? How do you know?”
   “Hutch wrote the man’s name in his own blood on the desk! What do you think it means?” Starsky was fighting back tears. There was so much blood. Hutch was dying and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
   Curtis and Davis gently lifted Hutch onto the gurney, “Let’s go!” Davis said as he covered up the detective and checked the IV hoping to replenish just enough fluids to get to the hospital where the doctors were waiting to whisk the nearly dead man into surgery, that was if he survived the ambulance ride.
  Starsky watched as Hutch was wheeled by him. His face was deathly pale from blood loss, his blond hair streaked with red.
   Starsky started to follow but Dobey stopped him, “Let them go son. I’ll take you to the hospital.
   “I need to ride with Hutch!”
   “What you need to do is let your Captain take you to the hospital!” Curtis said he wanted to spare the detective if things went bad. It would be a miracle if the patient made it to the hospital. “You can’t ride with us.”
   “But…..he needs me to be there.” Starsky pleaded.
   “We will be right behind the ambulance.” Dobey promised.
  Starsky caught up with the gurney, he leaned close to Hutch and whispered in his ear, “Hang on buddy, hang on.”
   Curtis put his hand on Starsky’s back. “We need to go now!”
   Starsky nodded as he stepped back, his knees buckled. If it hadn’t been for his captain he would have fallen. “Let me drive you home so you can get cleaned up.”
   “No, I have to be at the hospital.”
   Dobey sighed, he knew his detectives all too well. “Alright. But you are a mess, I’ll make a call.”
   A team was waiting on the ambulance and whisk Hutch into the emergency room. Somehow the detective had made the ride without coding.
   Dobey pulled up to a side door. A nurse stood in the doorway, the captain looked at Starsky, “That is Sherri, a friend of the family, she will take you to get cleaned up and some clean clothes.”
   “Thanks Cap.”
   “I’ll see you in there.”
   Starsky nodded as he got out of the car. He still had the blanket the paramedic had wrapped around his shoulders.
   Sherri, a middle aged black woman gave him a sympathetic smile, he wasn’t the first that needed a shower and clean clothes when they arrived at the hospital with a loved one. “Come on honey.” She guided him to a shower in the residence’s locker room. She had a set of scrubs and a clean towel in her arms. Sherri sat them on a chair near the shower, “You put those on when you are done. Take your time.”
  “Thank you.” As soon as he was alone he dropped the blanket and rid himself of his blood soaked jeans. He had slipped his shoulder holster over his bare torso after he had taken off his shirt at the warehouse. Starsky unstrapped the holster and laid it under the scrubs. He didn’t like leaving his gun but he had no other choice.
   As Starsky showered he thought of how he found his best friend, lying motionless in so much blood he wasn’t sure how Hutch was even still alive. Panic set in, what if Hutch was dead and the paramedics were only going through the motions. He had seen it before, so loved ones didn’t remember the victim that way. So they felt like someone had tried to save their loved one. He let out an anguished cry.
   “Detective Starsky are you alright?” Sherri had been standing in the hall to shoo anyone away to give him some privacy. When he didn’t answer Sherri walked to the shower, she peeked in. Starsky was sitting on the tiled floor of the shower sobbing.
   She grabbed the towel, turned the water off and helped him to his feet. “Come on, let's get you dried off and dressed. Harold is in the waiting room.”
   Starsky allowed Sherri to lead him into the locker room. When he was dressed in the scrubs he looked at her, “Thanks.” He mumbled as he picked up his holster and gun.
   Sherri smiled, she could tell by the blush spreading across his cheeks he was embarrassed. “No problem honey. I’ve bathed and dressed my fair share of men.”
   Starsky picked up one of his blue tennis shoes and froze, it was splattered with blood, as was the other one. Finally, he slowly slipped them on his feet. Sherri put her arm around him giving the detective a squeeze.
   He needed to pull himself together, if the news on Hutch was bad he didn’t want to completely fall apart. Both of them had their brushes with death. But somehow this was different, maybe it was because he hadn’t been there to back his partner up.
   Sherri walked Starsky to the waiting room where Dobey was pacing. He was relieved to see Starsky looking better.
   “Any news?” Starsky asked hesitantly.
  “Hutchinson survived the ride, he’s in surgery.”
   Starsky closed his eyes and let out a breath he felt like he had been holding since he found his partner.
   FBI Agent Phil Stevens walked into the waiting room, he had heard about Hutch. Rage filled Starsky's face and he lunged at the agent pinning the man to the wall with his forearm against the man’s throat. “Why was my partner set up?”
   Stevens struggled against the detective but couldn’t move. His face was beginning to turn red. A hand clamped down on Starsky’s shoulder, “Let go.” Dobey ordered. Starsky pushed more of his weight into the man’s throat, “I SAID STAND DOWN DETECTIVE…THAT’S AN ORDER”, Dobery bellowed as he moved his hand to Starsky’s forearm.
  It took Starsky a few moments but finally he released Stevens and stepped back. Stevens fell to his knees gasping for air. He looked up at Starsky, “What the hell man?” The agent rubbed his neck as he got to his feet.
   “Hutch is fighting for his life because of Dubois.”
   Stevens looked confused. “I…I don’t know what you are talking about.”
   Starsky could tell by the look on the man’s face he was telling the truth. “Where is Gains?”
   “Gains?”
   “He’s your partner, right?” Starsky had moved closer again.
   “Yes.”
   “He told Hutch that his partner was undercover in the gang and that he hadn’t heard from him in two days.” Starsky’s eyes bore into Stevens. “Hutch told Gains he was done, he wanted out until Gains gave him the sob story about his missing partner.”
   “There is a man on the inside but I’m Gains’ partner. The inside man is from Interpol, I don’t know who he is.” Stevens shifted uncomfortably under Starsky’s scrutiny.
   “Hutch wrote Dubois on a desk in his own blood, which leaves me to believe that Dubois shot my partner or at least was there.” Starsky hurled the words at Stevens. He was barely holding it together.
   “Let me make some calls.”
   “Seriously?”
   “We can’t get to the bottom of this unless…” Stevens began.
   “There is no WE! There is a me that will get to the bottom of this shit show!” Starsky walked away from the agent.
   Dobey stood watching the exchange between the two men. He trusted Starsky implicitly but his detective wasn’t thinking clearly at the moment. “Starsky, you need to let Stevens help.”
   “How do we know he isn’t part of…of whatever this is?”
   Listen, I want to find out what is going on as much as you do.” Stevens sat down on the couch.
   “Where is Gains?”
   “I don’t know.”
   “What do you mean you don’t know?”
   “We work together, we aren’t joined at the hip.” Stevens snapped, getting some of his back confidence.
   “When was the last time you saw him?” Starsky wanted to know.
   The agent thought for a moment, then said, “Noon yesterday, we had lunch, then he said he had something to do and he would see me at the office. But he never came back.”
   “And you didn’t check on him?”
   “I just figured he got caught up in something.” Stevens answered. If truth be known, he didn’t think much of Gains, in fact he didn’t like the man.
   “He was caught up in setting my partner up.”
   “Let me help, I owe you both that much.” Stevens said. “I was the one that talked Hutchinson into going undercover.”
   Starsky studied the agent, “Fine, but one false move...”
   “Whatever is going on I’m not involved, I swear! Gains and I have only been partners for a few months.” Stevens got up, “I’m going to track down my partner and see if I can find out what is going on.”
​
                                                                    Chapter Six

​​
   It had been a rookie move, he should have been aware of his surroundings not just focused on the safe. By the time Hutch had realized there was someone in the office with him, it was too late. He caught a glimpse of one man, it was Dubois. At first Hutch felt relieved but quickly understood Dubois was not there to help him.
   He should have been able to over power the woman but she had him at a disadvantage even when he lunged at her. She had managed to get off a shot.
   Things were foggy, he had a searing pain in his chest. Was he remembering things right? Hutch felt like he was floating, was he dead? Was this what heaven was like? Would he just float endlessly?
   “Come on buddy, open your eyes!”
   Starsky! His partner was there, he tried to open his eyes, they felt like lead and no matter how hard Hutch tried to open his eyes he couldn’t. Why couldn’t he open his eyes?
   “Hang on buddy, hang on.” He heard his partner whisper in his ear, then he was gone.
   “Starsk…Starsk…STARSKY!” Hutch yelled. He thought he yelled, but did he? He felt like he was fighting through the fog trying to reach his partner.
   “I’m here buddy!”
   Starsky has been dozing in a chair near Hutch’s bed. He hadn’t left his partner's bedside since he had come out of recovery. He was concerned when Hutch hadn’t woken up but the doctor had told him they were keeping Hutch sedated to let him heal.
   It was barely a whisper but Starsky snapped awake. He leaned forward taking his partner's hand. “I’m here buddy.”
   Hutch squeezed his partner's hand as his eyes fluttered open, he squinted trying to clear the fog. Starsky’s face finally came into focus. “I should have listened to you,” Hutch croaked.
   A grin spread across Starsky’s face. “Yes you should have.”
   Hutch tried to smile but it turned into a grimace, “l guess I have you to thank that I’m still alive.”
   “Me and thee as always.”
   “Dubois shot you?” Starsky hated to grill Hutch but he needed to know who to go after. A look of surprise crossed the detective’s face. “You wrote his name on the side of the desk.”
   Hutch closed his eyes trying to remember leaving the clue. Starsky touched his arm, Hutch opened his eyes as he shook his head, “No…it was a woman.”
   “Are you sure?”
   “I can still smell her perfume.”
   “What did she look like?”
   “I didn’t get a good look at her.”
   Starsky stood up and started pacing the room. “You can remember the smell of her perfume but not what she looked like?”
   “She had on a hat and a tan trench coat. I didn’t get a good look at her face.”
   “How do you know it was a woman?”
   Hutch looked annoyed at being questioned, “How many men do you know wear Shalimar?”
   “How many men know what Shalimar is, let alone what it smells like?” Starsky wanted to know.
   “It was Kate’s favorite,” Hutch smiled at the thought of her. A beautiful ex-flame that had become a supermodel. Suddenly Hutch frowned, “What about Frankie?” He hoped that the old man hadn’t been hurt or worse.
   “Frankie wasn’t there. Why don’t you start from the beginning and tell me why you were at the warehouse. When I talked to you, you had decided to get out. I was going to pick you up.”
   Hutch slowly began telling his partner what had transpired after they had talked. “I should have called you.” He admitted. “How did you know?”
   “Someone tipped off Huggy.”
   Phil Stevens tried to call Nathan Gains, first at the office then the man’s home. Gains’ wife Audrey had answered the phone, she sounded distraught and told Stevens she hadn’t seen or heard from her husband in over 24 hours.
   Starsky had told him that Gains had met Hutchinson in the parking garage below the condo. That was as good as any place to start.
   The assigned parking spot for the detective's black Mercedes was empty. Stevens looked around the garage, he saw Gains’ dark blue car parked in one of the visitors spots.
  Stevens walked over to his partner’s car, Gains was behind the wheel. He knocked on the glass but the man didn’t move. Stevens tried the door, it was unlocked, “Gains what are you doing here?”
   When Gains didn’t respond Stevens leaned in the car to shake the man’s shoulder. That was when he realized his partner was dead. Shot in the chest like Hutchinson, just not as lucky. He backed up drawing his weapon and looked around. The garage was mostly empty of vehicles, the owners at work.
   Stevens went to his car to call in about his dead partner. He would have to be the one to inform the wife, he had only met her a few times. And he had no answers for her as to why her husband was dead. Stevens hoped Gains wasn’t dirty but all signs were pointing that way.
   It was clear Dubois was also dirty but what about Henri Laurent? Stevens knew very little about the two Interpol agents. And where was Frankie? With Laurent? He needed to find the old man.
   Henri Laurent was laying low, after he had warned the bartender at The Pits. He knew the man was friends with the detectives and he hoped he was in time to save Hutchinson. Laurent had overheard Dubois on the phone talking about setting the officer up to be killed. He didn’t want to be a part of what was going on.
   Hutch had finally talked his partner into going home, getting some sleep and changing out of the scrubs he had been in for over 24 hours.
   Feeling more like himself, Starsky whistled softly as he made his way down the hall to Hutch’s room.
   A woman in a white lab coat had her hand on the doorknob to the detective's room. When she saw Starsky coming down the hall she quickly turned and headed away from him.
   As Starsky watched her he had a feeling of dread wash over him. Hutch had said it was a woman who had shot him, what if she had come to finish the job? He couldn’t tell if she was coming or going to Hutch’s room. Starsky was torn, should he follow her or check on his partner.
   Keeping an eye on the woman, Starsky swung open the door and was relieved to see Hutch sitting up in bed eating jello. “There you are.” Hutch smiled.
   “I’ll be right back,” He started to close the door, then added. “Stay sharp!”
   Starsky stepped back out into the hall just in time to see the woman open the door to the stairwell and disappear. He ran to catch up, there was something vaguely familiar about her, even if he didn’t get a look at her face. She was already a flight down, Starsky could hear her heels click on the stairs.
   A scent wafted up the stairwell, Starsky suddenly realized why the woman seemed familiar. The perfume was the same Maggie wore. He hadn’t really thought about it before. “Maggie!” Starsky yelled. “Stop!”
   The footsteps stopped, “S’en aller!” The woman yelled then continued down the stairs.
   “Maggie!” He yelled again. Things weren’t adding up. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks, “Silva!”
   The click of the heels stopped again, “je ne veux pas te tuer!”
   “I don’t speak French!”
   “I don’t want to kill you!” She repeated in English.
   “What makes me different from my partner?” Starsky began silently easing down the stairs, gun drawn.
   “I like you.” Her voice echoed up the stairwell.
   “Am I supposed to be flattered? Why play games, shoot my partner and leave him for dead?”
   “I don’t like being set up! Nobody messes with Silva!”
   “Was there even going to be a bank heist?”
  She gave a short laugh, “With a mole in my gang? Not hardly.”
   “So all this was to flush a mole?” Starsky asked, he was still moving down the steps. “And my partner is collateral damage?” There was no answer. “Silva!” Still no answer, “Maggie!” Starsky rushed down the flights of stairs until he was on the ground floor. Starsky pushed open the door and looked around the hospital lobby. The woman was nowhere in sight.
   When the detective got back to his partner’s room Phil Stevens was there. Starsky had taken the stairs back to the fifth floor just in case Maggie had slipped onto one of the other floors.
   He was out of breath and sweaty when he entered Hutch's room. “Silva was here!” Starsky panted as he bent over putting his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath.
   “WHAT?” Stevens shouted.
   “I caught her trying to enter Hutch’s room.”
   “How do you know it was her?” Stevens jumped to his feet.
   “Shalimar.”
   Stevens looked at Starsky. “Excuse me?”
   “Her perfume.” Starsky smiled at Hutch. “You said the woman who shot you was wearing it. The woman at the door was Maggie, recognized her from the scent of her perfume.”
   “You don’t know Shalimar from Irish Spring.” Hutch shook his head.
   “I don’t know why, it all just fell together so I called her Silva. Maggie stopped, she all but admitted who she was.” Starsky said.
   “Listen Detective Starsky, I know you want to go after her but the best thing you can do is stay here. Keep your partner safe, in case she tries again.” Stevens advised, then he looked at Hutch, “Hutchinson I’m sorry I talked you into this, I had no idea.”
   “What about your partner?” Hutch asked.
   “I found him dead, shot in the chest in the parking garage of the condo.”
   “I’m sorry.”
   Stevens shrugged, “Be sorry for his wife and kids, they will be the ones to suffer.”
   “Are you sure you don’t need me?” Starsky asked, he was itching to go after Silva.
   “Thanks, but Interpol is sending several agents. You could sit with a sketch artist, give us a description of your girlfriend.”
   “She was hardly my girlfriend. We barely knew each other.” Starsky growled. “But l will do my best to give a description. You might want to talk to Huggy at The Pits.
   Stevens nodded, “Take care of yourselves, I’ll be in touch.
   After the agent left Starsky sat down next to Hutch’s bed, “Boy I really know how to pick’em.”
   “You didn’t pick her, she latched onto you to find out about my cover.”
   “Well that makes me feel SO much better,” Starsky snapped.
   “I got suckered too with Gains’ sob story about his partner, he knew how to reel me in.” Hutch looked at his partner, “Thanks for having my back.”
   “I was almost too late.”
   “But you weren’t.”
​
                                                               A week later

​​
   “Awww come on Hutch let me help you.” Starsky said, trying to take the blond’s arm.
   Hutch gently pushed his over helpful partner away. “I think I can climb the stairs to my apartment. If you want to help bring the plants from your car.” Hutch had received quite a few potted plants while he was in the hospital.
   “As soon as I get you settled in bed.”
   Hutch sighed, “Go on up and open the door.”
   Starsky took the steps two at a time, felt along the doorframe for the key. Finding it he opened the door then hurried back to help Hutch navigate the last few steps.
   This time Hutch didn’t protest, he was feeling tired and his wound was beginning to throb as his pain pills were wearing off. Starsky guided him through the living room to the bedroom. Hutch sat on the edge of the bed to catch his breath before changing out of his clothes and into something more comfortable.
   Starsky crouched next to him, “Let’s get your shoes off.”
   Hutch put his hand on his friend's back, “Starsk, I know you feel bad about what happened but it wasn’t your fault.”
   Starsky looked at him forlornly, “I should have looked into Maggie harder, I knew something was off.”
   “Stop beating yourself up.” Hutch allowed him to take his shoes off. Then he slowly, painfully lay back in the bed. “How about a glass of water and one of those pain pills?”
   After the medication and insisting he could change his own clothes Hutch drifted off to sleep. While his partner slept, Starsky brought the plants from his car and checked the many Hutch already had to make sure they didn’t need water.
   He made a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up some of Hutch’s favorite foods and then started on dinner. After a week of hospital food he wanted to make something special. Starsky called his mother and got instructions on making her prize pot roast.
   Starsky was on his way to wake up his patient when there was a knock on the door. He made a detour to the door and when he opened it FBI Agent Phil Stevens was standing there with two large shopping bags.
   “I heard Hutchinson was released from the hospital.” Stevens said as he handed the bags to Starsky.
  “He’s here, sleeping.” Starsky accepted the bags. “What’s all this?”
   “Clothes.”
   Starsky peered into one of the bags, “All his expensive undercover duds?”
   “I figured he earned them. Couldn’t pull off the car though.” Stevens grinned as he turned to go.
   Starsky opened the door wider, “Why don’t you come in.”
   “I don’t want to be a bother.”
  “Come on in. I need to check on Hutch, have a seat.”
   Starsky disappeared into the bedroom, Hutch was just beginning to stir. He opened his eyes, “What’s in the bags?”
   “Undercover clothes.”
   “Huh?”
   “Stevens brought them, he is in the living room.”
   Hutch got up slowingly, “Can you toss me a shirt?”
   Starsky pulled open a dresser drawer and grabbed a t-shirt. “You got this? I need to check on the roast.”
   “Roast? You made me a roast?”
   “Yup and all the fixings. You can thank Ma next time I call her.”
   By the time Hutch made it to the living room, Stevens was drinking a beer and Starsky was setting the table. “Stevens!” Hutch addressed the agent.
   Phil got to his feet and shook hands with the detective. “Good to see you on your feet.”
   “I have a ways to go but it’s good to be home.” Hutch eased down on the couch. Stevens joined him.
   “Any news on Silva?” Starsky asked.
   “I guess it won’t hurt anything if I tell you.” Stevens first looked at Starsky, “Your Maggie was not Silva, her name is or was Émilie Beaumont. She was found dead, as was Dubois. But she was working for Silva, they both were, Gains too.”
   “What about Laurent?” Hutch asked.
   Stevens shrugged, “No sign of him. Seems like he was the one that warned your friend Huggy.”
   Hutch just nodded, if Huggy hadn’t called Starsky he wouldn’t be sitting on the couch. He would have bled out.
   “Hey, join us for dinner?” Starsky asked.
   “I don’t want to impose.” Stevens said as he got up.
   “There is more here than the two of us can eat.” Starsky persisted.
   “Dinner does smell good.”
   “Come on old man,” Starsky held out an arm to Hutch. “Let’s eat.”
   Exhausted, Hutch headed to bed, he looked at the shoppings bags of clothes. He wasn’t sure he would keep them. Pulling the bags close to the bed, he sat down and took the items out one by one. When he reached the bottom of the second bag there was a box. It was the Rolex watch. He opened the box and stared at it for a moment then closed the box.
   Starsky poked his head in the room, “I’m going to camp out on the couch tonight.”
   “You don’t have to do that, I’m fine.”
   “I know you are but it would make me feel better.”
  “You’re turning into your mom you know. “ Hutch grinned.
   “Don’t expect roast every night.” Starsky joked. He had sent Stevens home with leftovers, just like his Ma would have done. Hutch was right, he was turning into his mother.
   “Hey!” Hutch said as his friend turned to go.
  “You need something?”
  “Naw, here!” Hutch tossed the Rolex box at Starsky.
  Starsky caught the box and opened it, “It’s a beauty.”
   “It’s yours.” Hutch pushed the clothes off the bed, he would decide tomorrow what he would do with them.
   “I can’t take this,” Starsky protested.
   “Sure you can. What am I going to do with a fancy watch like that?”
   Starsky took the watch out and slipped it on his wrist admiring it, “Are you sure?” Getting no answer he looked over at Hutch. The blond was sound asleep. He closed the door softly as he whispered, “Thanks buddy.”
The end