NOTE  This story was written purely for entertainment and is not for profit, and is not meant to trespass in any way on the holders of the rights to Starsky and Hutch.

(*) All my gratitude to my beta reader Tonya for all her hard work and help.

 

 

Starsky was whistling in total happiness when his partner abruptly opened the passenger door and sat down heavily.

 

“Good morning partner!!! Look at this bright sunny day. Just perfect to show off my beauty here, she’s shining brighter than the sun…” Starsky saluted his partner, sharing his satisfaction about his hard work on Sunday, polishing his precious Torino.

 

“Sunny day? You mean this hot weather that is killing my plants and making my brains melt?” Hutch was definitely in a bad mood.

 

Astonished with this outburst by his friend on such a perfect day, Starsky decided to change his tactics. “Oh… is your jungle sick? I’m sorry Hutch. It’s probably only  temporary. Maybe a bug or virus… A few days of care and a lot of water will take care of business…” He smiled and put the car on  the road.

 

“You really don’t understand do you?” Starsky started to reply…. “You don’t have a heart Starsk…this sunny day isn’t good to my plants. But who cares…?” Hutch turned his face to the sidewalk, very upset.

 

“Hey…I care!!! I want your plants to live for centuries. Especially, because it will be ME who will work all day long with you in bad mood, and let me tell you something buddy…. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but you are really a jerk sometimes….”

 

Silence.

 

“So….good morning Hutch!” Starsky saluted his friend again with a big smile trying to ease the tension in the car.

 

Hutch stared at his friend for a while and sighed. “I’m sorry Starsky. It’s just… it’s just that I have been doing a lot of work lately in the greenhouse, cutting out some sleep just to take care of them and this unexpected hot weather is no good to a lot of my plants. It’s so… “

 

Starsky smiled. “I understand… no hurt feelings. I’ll help you with your plants, ok? Maybe an extra dose of love and affection is all that jungle needs…. And you know… even plants can’t resist my charm…”

 

“Drive and shut up, Starsk.” Hutch laughed.

 

As soon as they arrived in the squad room, Hutch got some coffee. Starsky was distracted reading a report and stood up from his desk at exactly the same time that his partner was putting a cup of coffee in his hand. The disaster was inevitable.

 

“Ouch….. That’s hot!” Starsky’s shirt was cover by the coffee. “Look what you did Hutch!”

 

“Hey…I…I’m sorry…I was just trying to be helpful. You’ve got to be careful and don’t stand up when you’re reading. Are you burned?”

 

“No…. ok…. don’t worry…. ok? I’ll get a clean shirt from my locker in the gym. Just a second.” He ran down the corridor smelling of coffee.

 

“Hurry, Starsk…Dobey is waiting on us!” Hutch shouted.

 

In the empty gym, Starsky opened his locker and froze. A pile of money was there along with a piece of paper.  He had pick up some of the money and put it aside to reach the message. A man, hiding by the other lockers was taking pictures of him.

 

 

Starsky took the message and read:  “Join us, or Hutchinson’s career is done. Everybody will know the junkie he is. Find me at 2988 Everglades Hill, Room 202. Tonight. Don’t push your luck or tomorrow your partner’s career will be history. ”

 

He put the message in his pocket, closed the locker door, and used a towel to clean and dry himself. Putting on the clean shirt and closing the locker, he looked around. The gym seemed empty.

 

When he got back to the squad room, the floor had been cleaned. Hutch was with Dobey, who was obviously waiting for Starsky with the door open. As soon as he saw his detective arriving…

 

“Starsky, my office. Now!”

 

Hutch sat in his usual chair. He was reading a file. Starsky closed the door and sat beside his partner.

 

“Are you ok?”

 

“Yeah… I just changed my shirt. No damage…” Starsky smiled to a concerned Hutch.

 

“Starsky, Hutch about this case…. Farrentini, I think we will have trouble with him. You have been doing a great job guys, but…. “ He stopped and stared at each of his men,  “Important people are involved with this and we know that gamblers can be find in all class of people. Farrentini has a tremendous influence over rich people, but the poor are the problem. He uses these poor souls to work in the streets for him at all kind of dirty jobs. We still need a witness to prove Farrentini’s involvement with the gambling. Any ideas?”

 

“ Cap. He’s smart. His nightclub is clean. No one has proven anything against him. As you said, he uses poor people to protect him. If these losers don’t want or can’t testify against him, can you imagine the rich people doing so? I know that you don’t like it, but maybe the only way would be to go undercover. Working inside the operation would be easier for us.”

 

“Starsk… what do you think?” When Hutch looked at his partner, he was lost in his own thoughts.  Miles away from Dobey’s office.

 

“Starsky?” Hutch whispered.

 

“STARSK!” He decided to shout.

 

A startled Starsky answered. “What?” Starsky felt that his captain and his partner were waiting for some answer. The problem was, he didn’t have a clue what the conversation was about, let alone an answer.

 

“Oh… I…. “ Starsky was lost and Hutch noticed.

 

“Undercover work. I’m talking about our idea of going undercover at Farrentini’s bar. It seems to be the only way to get something against him. Right?”

 

“Could be….” It was the only thing that Starsky could manage to say.

 

Dobey stared at his detective with a sigh.  He looked at Hutch for an explanation about the weird behavior of the talkative detective that now seemed to be living in another world. Hutch just shrugged his shoulders.

 

“An undercover operation is always very dangerous. But, if it’s the only way…. You both think about it and come back here with a plan….”

 

“Ok. Cap.” Hutch stood up, opened the door for Starsky and noticed how distant his partner still was. Starsky sat at his desk and absently tried to read a report.

 

“Starsk…. Are you all right? I know that you’ll never be normal, but can you please just try to fool our captain once in a while…?” Hutch teased him.

 

“Hutch…I’m not in the mood for your smart ass jokes… I was distracted, ok. I’m sorry.”

 

“Ok…. Distracted boy…. But in Dobey’s office, you were probably closer to the moon…. What’s the name of the girl this time?”

 

“There’s no girl Hutch.”

 

“So, that’s the problem. There’s been no girl for a long time now, huh?” Hutch teased him and waited for the smart reply that never came.

 

Silence.

 

“Starsk… you were exploding with joy earlier this morning just because your tomato was washed. Now what is it?” Hutch was starting to feel concerned. His partner never changes his mood so fast without a very good reason.

 

“Nothing…. I… I’m worried with this case, that’s all.”

 

“But this morning you didn’t seem so worried?”

 

“But I was. Just because I didn’t snap at you about the hot weather, doesn’t mean that I didn’t have some troubles to resolve.”

 

Silence.

 

“Ok… let’s think about this plan. Dobey’s is waiting.” Saying this, Hutch got Farrentini’s records and Starsky tried to focus his attention on the words that Hutch was saying, but he failed badly.

 

During lunch, Starsky was waiting for Hutch who went to the cafeteria to buy some sandwiches and took the opportunity to ask Minnie for a favor.

 

“Minnie, sweetheart…I need your special help.”

 

“Special help…. If it’s what I’m thinking… you don’t need to ask…” She smiled mischievously.

 

“No… unfortunately it isn’t, but I’m sure that you will not let your favorite cop down…” He used his most charming look.

 

“Come on Starsky…you don’t need to use all that charm of yours with me. Just ask and I will be glad to help you, honey…” She smiled affectionately.

 

Starsky put a piece of paper in her hands. “Please find out who owns the apartment located at this address. “

 

“Ok… In a minute.” She was just about to leave when Starsky grabbed her gently by the arm.  “Minnie, please hurry and …keep it between you and me, not Hutch, ok?”

 

Minnie look confused for a minute. “Ok…. But since when do you keep secrets from that beautiful partner of yours?”

 

“Just do it Minnie. It’s important. “ He smiled a little sadly.

 

“Ok.” She left and was returning with the information when she saw both detectives eating at their desks. She turned around and left them alone. This caught Starsky’s attention.

 

“Ah…Hutch… I need to wash my hands. Can you clean up this mess? Capitan Dobey will be yelling ours names any second. “

 

“Starsky!!! Hutchinson!! My office!!”

 

“See…”

 

“Are you a kind of Collandra now?” Hutch teased his partner, who still seemed very worried about something.

 

“Almost…” Starsky left and almost crashed into Minnie, who was waiting for him outside.

 

“Here it is, honey.”  Starsky read the results of the search.

 

“She was a model, her name is in all the magazines. Beautiful girl. What do you want with this girl honey?”

 

“Nothing…. I just wanted to know who lives in this place.” Starsky said thoughtfully.

 

“Well…I don’t see nothing illegal with it.  Nothing suspicious. Everglades Hill is one of the most elegant buildings in Bay City. She had money to pay for it.”

 

“Thanks, Minnie.” He kissed her cheek, put the paper in his jacket and returned to the squad room.

 

That night, Starsky declined Hutch’s invitation to get some beers at ‘The Pits’ and told him that he was tired and that he would pick him up tomorrow morning. Hutch was very worried with Starsky’s strange behavior, but there’s nothing to do but wait and see. Maybe tomorrow things would be better and his partner would open up and share whatever was bothering him.

 

Around 8:00pm, Starsky went to the Everglades. Before he pressed the doorbell, Jeannie, Hutch’s ex-girlfriend, who was responsible for one of the most painful moments in Hutch’s life, opened the door.

 

Spread all over the corner of the couch were photos of Starsky in the gym, looking for the message in his locker, handling the message and reading it but most importantly, a good photo of all the money that filled his locker at the time.

 

Starsky entered the apartment,  “Jeannie…. I never thought that I would see you again.  What are you doing here?” Starsky was momentaniously confused.  To Starsky, Jeannie was a part of the past. A painful part of his partner’s life.

 

“Hi, Starsky. Long time no see …. You must be confused, that’s understandable. My friend Leslie borrowed this place for us. I’m Leone Farrentini’s girlfriend now….” She smiled sarcastically.

 

“And why would such a powerful man will need to borrow an apartment?”

 

 “You and Ken too close to his operation. He is trying to become a successful man in Bay City, like he has been in Atlantic City, and you two are causing him problems. He sent me here to make a proposal to you. Business that is. This place is being used as a neutral site, kind of an office, you know.”

 

 

Starsky remained silent. Staring at Jeannie. Anxiousness in his eyes.

 

“He is a very powerful man. One of his clients… talked about Hutch’s involvement with drugs…”

 

“He didn’t get involved. He was kidnapped and forced to use the drug, and YOU know that!” Starsky snapped.

 

“I know…but this guy told a different story.  He gave Leone information that he needed. As payback, Leone forgave all his debts. Do you remember a street cop that helped you with Hutch? Someone that you trusted to keep your secret and you told him that you were assuming all responsibility?”

 

“Bernie…. How do you know that?” Starsky was impressed with the details that Jeannie knew about his talk with the street cop in the past.

 

“He told us, the poor soul. A drunk… trapped in debts with Leone, he’s divorced now and quit the force. Now he lives only to gamble. He got a copy of your locker key and put the money there this morning. No one was paying attention to him there. He said that he had some personal belongings to retrieve. It was planned so that everything happened while you were training during your lunchtime. He told Leone that after your attempted murder, you practiced some in the gym every day to keep up your strength. Don’t you?”

 

“Yeah… I’m still recovering my full strength. I’m not so young anymore….”

 

“But you went to the gym at almost the same time that Bernie was there and he almost didn’t have time to hide himself and take the pictures.  You almost screwed up the whole plan.“

 

 

“God… we heard that Bernie had quit the force last week, but…. he was a good man…I knew him… I trusted him.” Starsky was astonished.

 

“You don’t know what people can do for money…. Besides, it was this or he would die.  I am a good example of this. Some how… Farrentini, knew about my romantic relationship with Hutch too and this made him crazy.”

 

“Why did you do this? Did you confirm the story to Farrentini? How could you do this to Hutch?”

 

“I had no choice. I don’t know how to live without money… If I knew…I would have quit with this lifestyle ages ago, but I couldn’t. I’m not so young anymore either…. There is a lot of competition out there… so many beautiful girls…. it’s very difficult to find powerful men to give us everything, Starsky…. “ She smiled and at that moment, Starsky noticed that she was a little high.

 

 

“Anyway…. Leone said to give you the instructions. He asks you to take the money that he will give you and obstruct the investigation. He said that you are a good and skilled cop. You will know how to do it without it being traceable.”

 

“If you knew Hutch and me, you will know that we will never accept it.”

 

“Starsky… if you don’t do it….Farrentini will send the photos and will accuse you of accepting money to interfere in the investigation. And if you arrest him, he will tell about Hutch’s involvement with drugs too. Bernie told him that you have problems with the Internal Affair’s guys… Don’t you think that this will be enough to put an end to your careers? Farrentini said that his empire could melt, but he will put a finish to your careers. He will take you two with him. If Internal Affairs confronts you, what you will say about these photos?” She pointed to the pictures. “What will be your defense? Don’t you see? It’s blackmail. You are trapped too.”

 

“He can’t do it!”  Starsky got desperate and started walking in circles.

 

“Yes, he can and he will. Don’t do anything silly Starsky. Don’t try to be a hero.  I know he will. If you don’t help him, Leone Farrentini will use the information he has and will put an end to Hutch’s career. Meet him here tomorrow night.  Obviously, the money isn’t in your locker anymore. Farrentini wants to give you the money personally.”

 

Starsky left the apartment without saying a word and was devastated.

 

He drove for hours. ‘ If I do what Farrentini’s wants, I will be doing everything that I hate the most. Going against all my convictions and rules. But if I don’t, I will put at risk not only my career, but also Hutch’s and even my captain’s career. Captain Dobey knew that we were at ‘The Pits’. He gave us his support. Internal Affairs will destroy Dobey’s life.  Finally, he got to ‘The Pits’. He looked for a booth to sit in at the far back of the bar. He needed a place to be, to think. He asked for a beer. A huge crowd of happy people didn’t seem to notice the dark man with heavy features. After an hour, Huggy finally had a break and came to greet his friend.

 

“Hey, Starsk… there is a beautiful redhead lady over there, looking for a nice guy like you. I can’t believe that you would let the lady down….”

 

“I’m in no mood tonight, Huggy. Leave me alone, ok?” Starsky snapped at Huggy in a second.

 

“Oh…. It’s ok, man. No hurt feelings. I’m out of here.” Huggy left Starsky alone but kept an eye on him the rest of the night. Something was wrong…very wrong with his friend, but an angry Starsky isn’t good company.  After a couple of hours and a lot of beers, Starsky decided to leave. Huggy noticed that Starsky was leaving and tried to figure out what was happening.

 

“Hey Starsk…. What’s going on? You’ve drunk a lot of beer my man. Where is your partner? He would not like to knowing that I let you leave my establishment in this condition and drive away in the Torino.”

 

“That’s the least of my problems, Huggy.” Starsky gave a sad smiled.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Do you know about this case…Farrentini?”

 

“Yeah… Hutch told me. It’s tough right?”

 

“Yeah… we are almost there, but….” Starsky stopped and looked at Huggy intently.

“There is something that I need to tell you, Huggy.”

 

“Ok… let’s go upstairs. We can talk with more privacy.”

 

Both men took the stairs and Huggy closed the door behind them. Both men sat on the bed. The same bed where Hutch, were years ago, fought for his life.

 

“Farrentini knows everything about… Hutch’s problems with drugs…. Forrest…Jeannie, remember?”

 

“How could I forget it… but how does he knew? Only Dobey knew. What is happening Starsk?”

 

“This morning, I found some money in my locker at the gym. There was a message too. I was fool enough to touch it and read it. He managed to take photos of me there. Farrentini wants my help to obstruct the investigation. It’s either that or he will send the photos to I.A. and… will tell about Hutch’s involvement with drugs. Jeannie is his girlfriend now, she told me everything, and the cop that helped Hutch before I arrived…. Bernie, he is a gambler now, quit the force last week and has a debt to pay to Farrentini.”

 

“ And this guy Bernie told him all about it…. He told him that you got Hutch and kept him hidden until he was free of the drugs.”

 

Starsky just nodded.

 

“God…. That’s blackmail…. Does Hutch know this?”

 

“Of course not, and he will never know, Huggy.” Starsky’s eyes were cold and dark.

 

“And what are you thinking of doing?”

 

“I decided to accept his blackmail. I will obstruct the investigation. They will not find anything useful. Farrentini will give me the photos and will keep silent about Hutch.”

 

 “Starsky….how do you know that he won’t double-cross you? You don’t have any guarantee that he won’t air the truth one day!”

 

“No, I don’t. But I have no choice but believe the bastard. It’s that, or see Hutch’s career drown in a sea of mud.” At least, I will know that I tried to avoid it.”

 

“Are you aware that your fellow cops could find out that you are doing things to obstruct the investigation and this would be the end of your career too?”

 

“I know.... but that would be the worst of it. For Hutch, I would do anything.” 

 

“Starsky…I don’t know what to say… it’s too dangerous. You can’t trust this guy!”

 

“And what is your suggestion? Go by the book and see my partner’s career and dignity vanish in front of his eyes? Everything that we fought for, so hard for years, will be destroyed. I don’t care about me…I can work at something else, but Hutch… being a cop, it’s everything that he believes in. Being a cop, helping people. This is his life. His purpose to exist in this world. Before becoming a cop, he was a lost soul. His parents wanted to do something that didn’t matched with his heart’s desire. But being a cop, is everything to him.”

 

“You were born to be a cop too, Starsky. Don’t fool me, ok? I know you. This will kill you. You fought like hell to come back to the force after Gunther. Now, you will just give up on everything? And besides… if your career ends, Hutch’s career ends too. He will never accept another partner.”

 

“He can become a Lieutenant. It’s about time. This way he won’t need a partner. I know that I’m holding him back with me and it’s not fair. Since the shooting, he should have followed his own career path and put in for that promotion.”

 

“Starsk… you know that he doesn’t want to be a lieutenant. If you left the department, he would quit the force. He will follow you, whatever do or wherever you go.” 

 

“No… I will live in another city, another state, another country, another planet if necessary to get Hutch to go on without me.”

 

Huggy sighed heavily. It would be worthless to try to convince his curly headed friend. He had made his decision.

 

“When you will meet Farrentini?”

 

“ Tomorrow night.”

 

“So… the only thing that I can do is to wish you good luck, Starsk… But I want to let you know that I don’t agree with what you’re doing. It’s too dangerous. I don’t want to lose my two favorite friends.”

 

“Thanks…Huggy….” Starsky smiled. “ I think that you’re getting old and mushy.”

 

The two friends left the room. The same room, which in the past was a place of struggle, the fight of a man to regain his normal health and life, was now the place where Starsky made the most dangerous decision in his entire life. 

 

 

****************

 

 

In the squad room the next day, Starsky and Hutch attended a lot of meetings to finalize the ‘Farrentini undercover operation’. It was decided that two other cops from another precinct would go in undercover. Starsky & Hutch were too well known among the bad guys in Bay City and it would be almost impossible not to be recognized by one of Farrentini’s men. They would stay behind the scenes and coordinate the operation.  During the meetings, Hutch noticed that Starsky was awfully quiet. He didn’t even make jokes. That behavior definitely wasn’t Starsky’s.

 

During a break in the meetings, Hutch tried to figure out what the problem was. “Hey buddy…are you felling ok?” Hutch asked, with very concerned eyes.

 

“Yeah… everything’s ok. Just a headache.” Starsky smiled shyly.

 

“Do you want some aspirin?”

 

“No…thanks… I took one already.”

 

“Ok… tried to not drink too much coffee… will help you too.”

 

“Ok….” Hutch left Starsky alone at his desk and went to the meeting room. ‘You are my best friend buddy. Always taking care of me, like I was a kid….’ Starsky smiled amused.

 

By the end of the day, the two detectives were exhausted. Tomorrow would be the beginning of the undercover operation. Starsky went directly to his place. Hutch invited him to go to ‘The Pits’, maybe some conversation would be good to release the tension of the day, but he gently declined. Hutch was still feeling uneasy about his partner’s recent behavior, but decided to give him some space.

 

 

Starsky arrived at the elegant building by taxi. He went directly to room 202. The door was ajar, so he just pushed on it a little using his left shoulder. What he saw made his heart almost stop. Jeannie was in the middle of the room, a gun with a silencer in her hand. She was still shaking and seemed a little drunk. Farrentini’s body was resting on the ground. Just a towel encircling his waist. Obviously, the man was shot when left the bathroom. Taken by surprise.

 

“Come on in…. he won’t bother us anymore.” Starsky entered the room just enough to sufficiently close the door with his shoulder too.

 

“You killed him?”  Starsky was choked out.

 

“ It was easy… I just waited here until Leone left the bathroom. He didn’t even have time to know who pulled the trigger.” She smiled. Motioning at her trembling hand, she gave him an envelope.

 

“Take this with you. In there, are all the photos and negatives. You have all the proof of your involvement with this mess. Destroy it. This never happened. Only this man knew that you were involved in this dirty plan. Now he can’t do anything to you or Hutch. And me… I love Hutch too much to let him do it. I don’t care about my life anymore.”

 

“And Bernie…?”

 

“He is free of the debt now… free of Leone. We all are free of Leone Farrentini!”  She laughed almost hysterically.  “That poor man respected you both. He will not talk about it. As you said, he is a good man. He has no reason to talk about it anymore. He will keep the secret just like he has kept it all these years. By this now, he is out of town, looking for a new life. Go! The secret is safe now.”

 

Starsky took the envelope and looked inside.  She opened the door slightly and made a motion with her head.

 

“Go… save your reputation and Hutch’s. Don’t let this shit put an end to your career. You almost did that in the past, when you decided to rescue Hutch and hide him for days until he could heal… and said good-bye to me… you broke the rules… so, break them again! Go and don’t look back. I will be ok. It’s better to live in prison for the rest of my life, or die, than to live in this hell that was my life.”

 

Silence.

 

“I know what you are thinking… you don’t trust me, right? I can’t blame you… But I swear, I will be here…waiting for the cops. I’ve called them already. Don’t worry, I will not betray you. I couldn’t. I did it for Hutch.” Her eyes were full of tears and her sigh was far away from that place. “With Hutch… I never felt so loved in my life. Truly loved.  With him,…I didn’t need anything. Just Hutch and me. I think that with him, I was loved for real. I was loved for what I was. I wish that he could find a woman who deserves his kind of love.  The most genuine love I’ve ever met in my life.”

 

Without thinking much, Starsky left the apartment carrying the envelope. He walked for a while. His mind was fuzzy, his heart aching and his stomach rolling. He did it again. He broke the rules. He left a crime scene, like he never ever had seen anything. He took a taxi and rested his head, closing his eyes. What type of cop was he anyway? But it was for Hutch…To save Hutch. To protect him, he was capable of breaking the rules again.

 

Arriving at home, he decided to burn the photos and negatives. If possible, he would burn every minute of his life during the past few days. He turned the lights off and went to his kitchen. He started to burn the photos one by one and watched the ashes fall into the sink. 

 

Hutch had been in his home, reading a book. But his mind and heart were far away. It was with Starsky. Something was happening and he couldn’t figure out what. He had decided to have a serious talk with Starsky. Tomorrow the ‘Farrentini’s Operation’ would start and he still felt his partner was acting very strangely. Hutch arrived at Starsky’s place and saw the Torino parked in its usual place, but saw that the lights were off. It was 9:00pm, a little early for his partner to be sleeping. He smelled smoke in the air and saw reflections of flames in the kitchen window. Without any doubt, he used Starsky’s spare key and opened the door. It wasn’t difficult to see his friend’s shadow near the sink, holding something that he was burning. Starsky was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice that Hutch had entered his place.

 

“Starsk… what are you doing…?” Hutch asked in a low voice, not wanting to startled his partner and turned on the lights. Unfortunately, Starsky jumped a little and let some of the photos fall to the floor.

 

“Jesus…. You could give a guy a heart attack!” Starsky tried to quickly collect all the photos from the floor, but Hutch was beside him in seconds and helped him pick up the photos from the floor. One of them was of Starsky reading a message with a locker full of money.

 

“What is this?” Hutch looked to his partner and to the sink, full of ashes from previous photos obviously destroyed by the fire.

 

Starsky was pale and speechless for a few seconds. He stared at his friend, searching in his mind for a convincing answer, but he knew that it was impossible. The only answer was the truth. But he needed to preserve his friend from the ghosts of his past. He needed to keep Jeannie’s secret safe.  But how?

 

Hutch smiled and asked, “Are you trying to burn down your own apartment? You have been acting weird the last two days Starsk, but don’t you think that this is a little overboard… even for you?” He smiled again in a vain attempt to make sense of the situation.

 

Starsky look directly into his partner’s eyes. “I was burning in some proof…. evidence.” Starsky left all the photos, that still remained intact, resting on the sink and went to the sofa. He sat there and waited for Hutch.

 

Hutch took a quick look at the other photos, and left them on the sink and went to talk with his partner. “Proof? Evidence? What are you talking about?” Hutch was so confused, and he could swear that he had seen fear and anguish in Starsky’s eyes. He got near the couch and sat on the table, in front of his friend. He needed to look into his eyes.

 

Starsky sighed heavily and lifted his chin. ‘There’s no way out. You need to tell him everything.’

 

“I’m sorry Hutch…. I decided to accept… money to do something. I… was going to interfere and obstruct the investigation on the Farrentini case.” He stopped to see the result of his statement.

 

“Are you crazy? Why on the earth would you do that? Since when you are a corrupt cop?”

 

“Since, tonight.”

 

“Come on, Starsk… if this is a bad joke, please stop it right now, because I don’t think that I can listen such nonsense.”

 

“Hutch…. I mean it. These photos are proof. Why can’t you accept it? It’s…”

 

“BECAUSE I KNOW YOU!!!” He shouted and Starsky winced a little. Hutch stood up and paced in front of Starsky. “I know you and you would cut off your left arm before accepting any kind of…. bribe to obstruct an investigation. Is that enough?” Hutch was feeling confused and anxious. Why was Starsky lying to him?

 

Silence.

 

“Say something!”

 

“I can’t!” This time Starsky shouted. His violet blue eyes never looked as dark as tonight.

 

“Why can’t you? For God’s sake, Starsky! I felt that you have been weird the last few days, but… this? What is it? Whatever was happening to you, why didn’t you talk to me? Ask me for help? What’s happening here? What’s happening with us?”

 

“Ok….” A whisper.

 

“What?”

 

“OK! I can’t stand this any longer…. I can’t hide things from you anymore…. ”  Starsky stood up and tried to put some space between Hutch and himself, but a firm grip on his arm prevented him from doing so. 

 

“Anymore?  So, you’ve been hiding things from me buddy? For how long now? And would you mind giving me a explanation?”

 

Starsky got his arm free of the firm hold and went to the window. With his back to Hutch, “I was just trying to… save your career.”

 

“Taking money? Being blackmailed?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Starsk… what does Farrentini have to do with my career? Why would you help him by interfering in the investigation?”

 

“He knew about…. Forrest.” Almost at the same time, he realized that he had used  ‘knew’.

 

“You mean that he ‘knows’ about Forrest and is blackmailing you, right?”

 

“No…. he knew”

 

“What?” Hutch was desperate.

 

“He was killed, and I burned the evidence of his blackmail. So, I would be safe.”

 

“How do you know that he was killed? I haven’t received any news about that.”

 

“I saw his body.”

 

“Starsky, please…what are you talking about, buddy. How come you saw his body?”

 

“I was there. I was there to get my money, but someone else killed him before I got there. Gave me all the evidence and I ran.” He finally turned around and stared at his partner.

 

“How did he know about me and Forrest?”

 

“Do you remember the street cop that found you on the streets, before me? Bernie?”

 

“Yeah… you told him that you would take all responsibility yourself, and stayed with me in Huggy’s room.”

 

“Do you remember that we heard that Bernie had quit the force last week?”

 

“Yeah”

 

“Bernie was involved with Farrentini. He was in debt to him. He is a compulsive gambler. He cut a deal with Farrentini. He told Farrentini all he knew about you, and Farrentini relinquished his debt so he could leave the city. Since we were so close to finding out everything about Farrentini’s operation, he decided to use this information to stop us. He used Bernie to trap me with this money in my locker and I had two options… I had to obstruct the investigations or he would tell to I.A. about Forrest and send my photos too, just to be sure that he was putting an end to our careers. ”

 

“And you chose to accept his money?”

 

“What do you think I COULD do? Let Simonnetti do his thing? Put an end to our captain’s career too?”

 

“What guarantees did you have that he would not use the information against us, even after the police failed with the investigation?”

 

“No guarantees. Just my conscience. I would never let this bastard put an end to your career without trying everything, never.”

 

“If he hadn’t died, and still had the photos, what was the guarantee that he would never use them against you someday, if the police caught him?”

 

“None. But that wasn’t important.”

 

“Maybe not for you… but what about me? Did you think of me one lousy moment during all this?” Hutch’s voice was low and cold.

 

Starsky approached his partner. He seemed weak and defeated, but his anger was there. “Did I think about you? Everything I did was to preserve you. How can you ask me something like that? I threw away everything. I would quit the force, leave the country if necessary, to get you free to take the Lieutenant’s exam and follow your career. And you ask me if I thought about you?”

 

“ Who asked you to do that? Who said that I wanted to be a Lieutenant? I just want to be your partner, that’s all.”

 

“Ok…. Let’s put this in a hypothetical situation… if you were me, what you would do?”

 

“Starsk…we aren’t finished yet. There’s something missing here. Don’t try to change the focus of this conversation.”

 

“What is it now?” He knew… The worst moment had arrived.

 

“You said that you saw Farrentini’s dead body. This leads me to believe that you probably saw his killer too, right? Who killed Farrentini?”

 

“Hutch….” Starsky closed his eyes.

 

Hutch firmly held his partners shoulders and shook a little. “Who did it?”

 

“Jeannie.” Starsky looked at his partner with an immense sadness in his eyes.

 

“Who?”

 

“Jeannie. She was Farrentini’s new girlfriend. She realized that she loved you more than his money, more than…. herself.”

 

Hutch’s arms were suddenly heavy and weak. He turned around and felt dizzy. Starsky took a step to get closer to his best friend, but Hutch didn’t let Starsky touch him. “She killed him and gave the proof of blackmail to you, to be destroyed and this would put an end to this story?”

 

“Yeah… she wants to you to go on with your life, be happy. Without Farrentini in this damn world, you are free. And these photos….” He pointed to the sink. “They are the only proof of my blackmail, and I will burn everything. Bernie is free of Farrentini too; we have no reason to worry about it. By now, the crime has been reported to our precinct. She is probably under arrest by now.”

 

“Jeannie…. She killed a man?”

 

“ I wouldn’t exactly call him a man…. He was a gangster.  He made a lot of people suffer, including Jeannie.”

 

Hutch sat on the sofa. He sat there in silence. Starsky approached and sat beside him. He put his hand on his back and stroked him with a comforting caress.

 

“Hutch, now that you know everything, please tell me what you would’ve done in my place? I didn’t have a choice in order to keep your good reputation on the force, our captain’s reputation too. I know that you would have done it for me too. Don’t you?”

 

Hutch looked at him thoughtfully and nodded. “I guess so…”

 

Silence.

 

“Starsky…. do you think that someday I will live without the ghost of Forrest in my life, always thinking that from somewhere, someone will come out and tell the truth?”

 

“That’s my dream too, buddy. And one day it will happen.” Starsky smiled sweetly. Starsky put his arm over his friend’s shoulder. Hutch hugged him in a thankful embrace. Hutch had felt, one more time how much his friend loved him. He had put his career on the firing line again, just to save him.

 

“Thanks, Starsky. And I’m sorry… I said things today that…”

 

“It’s ok. You didn’t know what was happening.”

 

“I know… but I didn’t have the right to talk to you that way… you did everything because of me…”

 

“Yeah… but you don’t need to thank me. You’re my partner. The best one. The only one. Forever.” Starsky smiled and gently squeezed Hutch’s hands.

 

Both friends remained in silent. Hutch was still thinking about Jeannie and her attitude.

 

Minutes had passed when Starsky’s phone rang. It was his captain with the notification about Farrentini’s murder. The undercover operation has been canceled and both men finished the task with the photos in companionable silence. Now, everything was in the past.

 

Earlier the next morning, the news appeared on TV, in the newspapers and in the squad room. Farrentini’s operation was over. A beautiful ex-model killed her powerful boyfriend in cold blood in order to gain her freedom from the abuses of a violent lover and terrible man. This was her defense she proclaimed to the cops that arrived at the crime scene. During her statement, she maintained this as her motive for killing Farrentini. She didn’t want to live like a ‘white slave’ anymore. People called her ‘a crazy woman’, ‘a poor woman who killed him in self defense’ or ‘just a high price prostitute’, and all type of excuses. Only Starsky & Hutch knew the real motive. She did what she did, for love. 

 

Hutch was devastated. He tried to see Jeannie, but she refused vehemently. He didn’t understood how a person so kind and lovable could commit such a crime. Incapable to staying at his desk and working, he got some coffee for himself and gave one to his partner. He wanted to talk, needed to talk.

 

“Thanks, Hutch…” Starsky smiled a sad smile.

 

“Starsk… she didn’t want to see me. She didn’t even want to talk with me by phone. I just wanted to talk to her, to let her know that I’m here for her.  That I know why she did this. Why she is refusing my help, my support?”

 

There was anguish and such sadness in these blue eyes. Starsky wanted to say something to calm his partner’s heart, ease the pain, but what? 

 

“Hutch… It’s hard for me to accept all this mess and I’m trying to understand her behavior, but there is only one thing that I’m sure of. That you did love her. In the name of that love, do what she wants. Leave her alone. It will be hard enough to see, listen and read all about this case for the next few months.” 

 

Starsky turned his attention to the paper work on his desk.  Hutch returned to his desk thinking about his partner’s words. It was so difficult for Hutch to accept the idea of Jeannie as a killer.  But Starsky would never tell him something that he didn’t believe. Maybe the best thing to do was let Jeannie follow her destiny. Respect her wish of solitude. He tried to focus his attention on the paper work too. Starsky gave a quick look to his partner. ‘He’ll be ok. He will do what Jeannie wants. He will make his gentle heart accept everything. He will suffer, that’s for sure’. But Starsky would be by his side all the way. Exactly as he has been since the day they first met, and for him he was capable of doing anything, even….

 

“Ah… Hutch….”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“How about tonight we go to your place to have some beers and pizza and then I could help you with your plants. I could talk to them, sing, even dance, while I’m watering them if you think it’s necessary for their full recovery.”  Starsky smiled, trying to cheer his friend up.

 

“I don’t think it will require that much effort Starsk, but I appreciate your help and concern for my plants.” Hutch smiled, amused at the idea of a dancing Starsky in his greenhouse.

 

“So…just a little talking and your jungle will be ok?” Starsky teased him.

 

“My plants will be ok with some watering, that’s all. My plants are used to my voice. Your voice could cause more damage, so keep with your mouth shut, please.” He smiled and turned his attention back to the papers on his desk.

 

 “Gee… I’ve never been so insulted in my life… but, since I’m a nice guy, I’ll still keep the offer open. Tonight, your jungle will get the most terrific watering moment of their lives.”

 

“Oh…God…. Why do I have the feeling that this will be a long…long night?” Hutch rolled his eyes.

 

 

THE END

 

Back to Gen Stories Index