"You know, it's great to see you guys ," Ron said when they had exchanged pleasantries. He was meeting Starsky and Hutch at 'The Pits'.
"How long has it been?" Starsky asked.
"Two or three years, at least."
"Captain Dobey still at Metro?"
"You had better believe it, " Hutch answered.
"Yeah, he will be there until the day he dies," Starsky commented.
"I am glad he's okay," Ron said.
"I am sure you didn't arrange to meet us here to talk about Captain Dobey," Hutch observed.
"Not at all. I needed some advice."
"Shoot," Starsky said.
"Yeah, we are all ears," Hutch said as he took a sip of his beer.
"Okay, well, I am sure I am being stalked."
"Ron, what gives you that idea," Hutch asked.
"Every day for the past couple of weeks, several times a day, the phone rings and when I answer it, there is no one there. Just breathing."
"The caller doesn't say anything during these calls?'
"No."
"Nothing we can do right now, but start to keep track of the times. We'll take it from there. Unless this person starts to make threats, we can't do anything about it like charging them with harassment."
"I also feel that sometimes I am being watched."
"Okay."
Just as they finished their conversation, Starsky, who always liked to watch the door, saw a lovely woman enter 'The Pits'. He had never seen her before. He leaned over to Hutch and said, " Hey, did you see that good looking woman who just came in?"
Ron also noticed her. It appeared as if it was Collette from the Fourth of July picnic.
"Starsky, do you think I am blind? Of course."
"Mind if I invite her to join us?" Starsky asked.
"David, I would say yes, but I am not really in the mood to drink with anyone. I just wanted to touch base with you guys and get some advice," Ron protested.
"Ron, just because you are married. Hutch and I are still looking and anytime a women comes in here and we don't give her the red carpet treatment, then we might as well give up our Lady Killer Club Memberships."
"Very good, Starsk," said Hutch.
"Okay, David. You talked me into it," Ron said with a hint of reluctance in his voice.
Starsky decided to go over to Collette and invite her to their table. It appeared Starsky was smitten with her. She seemed to be giving a lot of attention to Starsky too.
After the introductions were made, Collette decided to break the ice. "Did anyone ever tell you how blue your eyes are?" she said as she looked directly at Starsky.
Starsky returned with, "Has anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful green eyes that they have seen?"
"No, but tell me more." She started to laugh.
"You know, if these two weren't here, I would take you home with me and make love to you."
"Oh, David."
Starsky gave her the once over and noticed something on her purse. "Where did you get a purse like that? My mother in New York would love that."
"I macramed it," she answered.
"Really?"
"Yes, I love to macram�."
Collette gave Starsky the once over and noticed the necklace around his neck. She put her hands on it and asked, "Mind if I take a look at it?"
"No, go ahead."
She put her hand on it and she held it up and started to examine it more closely.
"What does it mean?"
"It is Chinese. Just something I picked up in a flea market one time. You know, if you come up to my place, I can show my collection of I Ching books and coins."
"So what do you guys do for a living?"
Starsky, who had always been proud of the fact that he was a cop, reached in his jeans pocket and pulled out his badge. He put it on the table. She picked it up, "Ooohhh, I love a man in uniform, but I love a man out of uniform even more."
Starsky just looked at her, "Now there is an invitation if I have ever heard one, Sweetheart," he said in his best Bogie voice.
"My place or yours?
"I have my own car, just follow me and I will show you where I live." She rose from her seat. She said, "well, it was nice meeting you, Hutch. Ron, it was nice seeing you again."
"Okay, Collette, take care." Hutch rose from his seat.
Ron got up, "See you later Collette."
Starsky also rose from his seat and he walked her to her car. He then got into the Striped Tomato.
Collette was waiting for him in the living room when he arrived.
"Would you like some wine?" She asked. when he was comfortable on the couch. "I have some chilling in the fridge."
"Sure, that would be great."
She got up and went into the kitchen and retrieved two glasses and a chilled bottle. "Want to have the honors of opening it?" Starsky took the bottle and opened it. When they were both settled on the couch once again, she started to make her move. She looked deeply into his violet eyes. "I don't normally do this."
"What?" he asked.
"Ask a man I hardly know up to my apartment."
"But there was something about you I could not resist."
"Hmmmmm."
She put her glass of wine down on the coffee table and moved over closer to him. She put his glass down on the coffee table and she started to move in for the kill. She caught him off guard and kissed him passionately on the lips. When he came up for air, he said, "Wow. I didn't expect that."
"Well, there is only one reason why I invited you here, David."
"What is that?"
"Come into the bedroom and I will show you," she said it with an evil grin.
They both stood up and she took him by the hand and led him into her bedroom. It was a simple bedroom, with a four-poster brass bed. "Make yourself comfortable." She sat down on the bed and she patted the bed beside her inviting him to sit down. When he was seated beside her, she put her arms around him and started to kiss him passionately. His hands began to wander all over her. "David, you are really tense. How would you like a nice back rub? You really need to relax."
"Sounds terrific."
"Lie out on the bed on your stomach. Here let me take off your shirt."
He moved to the middle of the bed and rolled over on his stomach. She reached into the nightstand drawer and got out two bottles - one being her massage oil. When she opened the bottle, he looked round and asked, "What is that smell?"
"Just the oil, I find that if I use oil when I have a back rub, it feels better." She started to massage his neck, she worked her way down his back. She started to knead his left shoulder and then right shoulder. When she felt him relax, she got a cloth and put some of the stuff of the bottle on it. She put it up to his mouth and nose. He struggled to get away, but she only held the cloth harder to face and he was knocked out that much sooner.
It was a few hours later before Starsky slowly started to regain consciousness. He was feeling sick and his head was throbbing. In his semi conscious state he tried to move his arms to sit up but only found that his arms were cuffed behind him. The room was coming into focus and he slowly saw the image standing over him.
"Thank you for finally waking up Dave, now I can put plan two into action." Collette was happy things were going her way, she had her bait and now it was time to reel in the fish.
Starsky was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. "What the hell are you doing Collette? Get these cuffs off...oh come on, Collette, help me. I'm going to be sick." Starsky tried to move off the bed but it was too late, he couldn't stop the nausea and was violently throwing up as Collette made her next move.
Collette phoned the radio station. She knew Ron was still there.
"Good morning, KZAZ. Ron Fitzpatrick here."
"Good morning, Ron. This is Collette."
"Hey, how are you doing?"
"Not so good."
"Why? What's the matter?"
"David is sick. Soon after he got here, he passed out and he woke up about an hour ago and he was sick. He has been throwing up and complaining of a headache and stomach ache." In the background, David was sick once more.
"Hey, that is not good," Ron said. "Hey, he does not sound too good."
"Is there any way you can get ahold of Hutch? I don't know his phone number."
"Hey, my shift is almost up. I can come over then and help you if you want."
"Thanks, Ron. I live at 1334 Beachwood Drive."
"Okay, see you in about an hour."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Starsky had heard the whole conversation and now two and two was being put together. "You've used me to get to Ron!! But why? What do you want with Ron?" Once again the nausea wave hit him. Collette just stood and watched her victim curling up against the stomach cramps and the vomiting that was following.
"I've been after Ron for quite a few months now, he's soon going to be mine forever. Now keep quiet or do you want some more of this again?"
Collette held the bottle and cloth in front of her ready to put Starsky under again. That was the last thing Starsky wanted to happen, he was sick enough from the last dose he was given and didn't want another round of it.
About an hour later, Ron arrived. Collette answered the door and let him in. She led him into the bedroom. Starsky was all curled up in the fetal position with cramps. He had just been sick an additional time.
Collette had put a blanket over him to conceal the handcuffs she had Starsky in. When Ron started to take the blanket off Starsky, and he noticed the handcuffs, he started to look around and asked, "What is this all about?" He had no time to react as she snuck up behind him and knocked him out with a vase. He fell onto the bed. Collette tied Ron up.
Starsky had slipped into semi-consciousness again but was conscious enough to see Ron being tied up beside him. Once Collette was satisfied that Ron was secure and wouldn't be moving anywhere she turned her attentions back toward Starsky. The stomach cramps were still hitting him hard as she pulled him to his feet and wrapped a blanket around him. "Collette you can put a stop to all this now, don't let it go any further. You won't get away with this."
"Oh, but I think I will, I just have to get rid of you first. Now get moving." Collette pushed Starsky out of the bedroom and led him stumbling out to this car. There was no way Starsky could get away from her, his hands were firmly cuffed and the nausea was crippling him. As he was pushed nearer to his car he tried to take deep breaths of fresh air to clear his lungs and hoped to fight the vomiting, as he was shoved into the back seat the last thought he had was that no way he was going to be sick over his upholstery, as Collette smashed the butt of his Beretta into his head.
It was early morning and the sun was just rising as she parked the car in the alley behind 'The Pits'. Leaving Starsky locked in his own car she quickly walked away from the scene and called a cab from the nearest phone booth.
Ron had regained consciousness while Collette was gone and was struggling with his bonds when he heard a car pull up outside. Hoping that help was on the way he yelled out for help, only to realize, as Collette came rushing in the front door, that that was a big mistake.
"Brother, I thought you would have been out longer than this. I should have made sure you couldn't yell before I left." Collette was starting to get the gag as Ron started shouting at the top of his voice, (hoping like hell someone might hear him).
"What the hell are you doing? Where did you take..." Before he could get anymore out the gag was firmly tied in place and now all Collette had to deal with were dull mumbles.
It promised to be another beautiful day in Los Angeles.
At the Fitzpatrick house, the alarm clock in the master bedroom read 7:00 a.m. The alarm clock went off and Faye put her hand on it to stop it from ringing. She leaned over to her husband on the other side of the bed, but he was not there. Usually his shift was over at 5:00 and he always came straight home and he usually was in bed by 6:00.
She started to get concerned and she grabbed a bathrobe to put on over her nightgown. She got up and went into the kitchen to start the coffee maker and also to see if Ron was still up. In the back of her mind, she could not help but worry. Her husband was a creature of habit. He always came home at a certain time. He loved his coffee a certain way. He always had the same things for breakfast every morning.
However, she decided to just let it rest. Maybe something happened at the station and the morning guy never showed up and Ron stayed until someone could come in to replace him. She decided to just go about her day. He would probably phone her later. She took her shower, and got ready and left at the usual time.
Hutch arrived at the precinct and was surprised not to see the striped tomato parked in its usual spot. "Starsky should have been here by now," as he thought, Well, perhaps that car finally broke down, a big grin came over his face. Arriving in the squad room he tried phoning his partner's apartment but then remembered after the third ring that Starsky probably had stayed the whole night with Collette. Hutch settled down into the files and was waiting for his partner to get his butt to work so he could give him the third degree about enjoying himself too much to get to work on time the next day.
Huggy Bear arrived at his establishment, 'The Pits', and was surprised to see Starsky's car parked in the alley near the back entrance. Huggy remembered back to the previous night and the last time he had seen his friend was leaving via the front door with his latest catch, Huggy also remembered Starsky coming in through the front door with Hutch earlier that evening so why the hell was his car now in the back alley?
Cautiously he approached the Torino and looking in the back seat. He was horrified at what he saw. Starsky was laying unconscious, with blood dried down the side of his face "Oh man, hang on Starsky." Huggy fumbled with his keys in his desperate hurry to unlock the door to his establishment and get to the phone. After dialing for an ambulance he called Hutch.
"Hutchinson."
"Hutch, it's Huggy Bear."
"Yeah, Hug? I was just going to call you. Have you seen Starsky? He never came into work."
"I don't know how to tell you this but I just found Starsky in his car. He's unconscious in the back seat."
"Okay, call an ambulance. I'll be right over. I have keys to his car."
"Ambulance is on it's way, Hutch."
Hutch grabbed his coat and left the squad room in a hurry. He made it to Huggy's place in record time. The ambulance arrived just as he got there. Huggy was standing beside the Striped Tomato. Hutch walked over to the car, opened the back door and leaned over, "Starsky, it's me. It's over buddy. What happened, Partner?" Hutch reached over to his partner seeing his arms behind him. Removing the blanket covering his partner Hutch saw the cuffs and quickly released his partner's arms. "Who the hell did this to you buddy?"
The paramedics came over to the car. Hutch showed them his badge. Hutch helped get his unconscious partner out of the car. Carefully, Starsky was placed on to the portable gurney and taken into the ambulance.
"Huggy, can you phone Dobey for me, let him know what's happened and that we're going to Memorial" The ambulance doors slammed closed and Huggy rushed back into his establishment to pass the message on. Hutch rode with his partner to the hospital with his arm on his partner's shoulder throughout the journey as the vital signs were taken. Starsky began to regain consciousness as the ambulance came to a stop outside the hospital.
"Hey buddy, good to see you awake. Can you tell me who did this to you?" Hutch was hoping that Starsky could remember so he could nail the person who did this.
Everything was still a bit fuzzy to Starsky as he tried to focus, he realized his partner was with his recognizing his voice "Hutch?"
"Yeah buddy, I'm right here. I'm right here. Can you remember who did this?" Starsky was being taken out of the ambulance and Hutch kept pace with the gurney as he was wheeled into the ER.
"Collette, has Ron."
"What? Why the hell..."
"I'm sorry Sir, you're going to have to wait out here." A large nurse stood in front of Hutch blocking him from entering the ER with his partner.
"But he's my partner, I need to know the address of the person who attacked him, I HAVE TO HAVE THAT ADDRESS."
"Sir, no one goes in there. You'll have to wait until he has been seen by the doctor, NOW TAKE A SEAT OVER THERE AND WAIT."
Hutch was fuming, no way was he going to take a seat. About to enter the ER he heard a familiar voice calling him.
"Hutchinson, how is he?" Captain Dobey had driven to the hospital after Huggy had phoned him with the details of how Starsky had been found, handcuffed and with a head injury.
"He's in there now being seen to. Cap'n it was Collette who attacked him, a lady Starsky had met at 'The Pits' last night. I tried to get the address from Starsky but I wasn't allowed in there. I don't know where she lives or even what her last name is, to find her. I need to speak to Starsky. He mumbled something, sounded like, 'has Ron'."
"Who's Ron? Calm down, let me see if I can get in there." Dobey had only just opened the door to the ER when the same nurse blocked his way.
Hutch walked to the nearest phone and called Ron's house. A chill went through his spine as Faye told him that Ron had not come home, he should have been home three hours earlier.
"Now, I already told him over there that no one was allowed in here except the doctor. Please take a seat and wait."
"No, YOU don't seem to understand. Your patient is a police officer, he has been assaulted and I need to speak to him to get the address of his attacker. He has already identified his attacker to his partner who is sitting over there, I need the address and I need it NOW!"
Hutch pushed past them both and rushed over to his partner who was laying on the gurney trying to get up.
"Hey buddy, I don't think that's a good idea to be getting up after that knock on your head until the doc sees you." Hutch gently pushed his partner back down to lay on the gurney.
"Can't stay here Hutch, have to get to Ron."
"What about Ron? I thought you mumbled Collette has Ron, I need Collette's address Starsk."
"That's what I've been tryin' to tell ya, Collette HAS Ron. Ow, my head hurts. 1334 BEACHWOOD DRIVE. Hutch, be careful, the woman's nuts."
"Thanks partner, I'll be back shortly."
"Yeah, well can you bring me my shirt and jacket, she still has those."
Hutch hurried out of the room. He turned to Captain Dobey. "Get as many black and whites to 1334 Beachwood Drive. Collette is holding Ron."
His superior looked at him. He reached into his pocket, "here, borrow my car." He handed his keys to Hutch and before he knew, Hutch was out the door. Captain Dobey went to the pay phones and called the precinct. ,p> Hutch reached Collette's house before the uniformed officer did. He waited for his reinforcements. There was no telling what kind of state she was in, and it was better to go with back-up rather than alone in there. ,p> When the rest of the police were there, he knocked on the door with his butt of his gun. "Police, Collette, open up." ,p> A few minutes passed and Hutch could hear someone coming to the door. The door opened a crack and Hutch could see Collette peer around the door through the crack. He showed her his badge, "Miss Sullivan, this is Hutch. May we come in please?"
"Certainly." ,p> She opened the door all the way and Hutch and the uniformed officers entered.
"Miss Sullivan, you are under arrest, for the assault and attempted murder of my partner, Police Detective, David Starsky�forcible confinement of both Starsky and Ron Fitzpatrick."
"For what?"
The rest of the unformed policeman began to search the apartment. One of them found Ron tied up in the bedroom. ,p> Hutch put the handcuffs on her and one of the officers led her away.
TAG
The final scene takes place at one of the newest restaurants in town the City Grille. Ron and Faye have taken Starsky and Hutch out to dinner to show their appreciation. Ron ordered some wine.
"To great friends, " he toasted Starsky and Hutch.
"Yeah," Faye agreed.
Hutch just laughed, "Starsky, you know, you sure know how to pick them. I think you need lessons on how to pick women and I am the Master and do give free lessons."
Starsky just looked at him and laughed.
THE END
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