Flashes of Light

Part 3

 

Starsky had been gone for only a few minutes when Hutch heard a knock at the door. He shook his head fondly. It has to be him. He either forgot to take the key with him, or he came back to nag me some more. He grinned as he opened the door.

"If you don't quit playing mother hen, Dryden will be out of the hospital before you talk to him."

The smile left his face when he saw that the doorway was empty. He turned his head, but not soon enough to escape the bright light that shined in his eyes. Staggering back, he raised a hand to blot out the light, but the flash nearly blinded him. He squinted, trying to see past it, but could only make out the outline of someone standing in front of him. He whimpered as the light forced him back to the couch, and collapsed against the cushions.

Somewhere deep in his subconscious, he heard the voice whispering to him. "Starsky's coming for you, Hutch. He's going to put you in jail."

"No, he wouldn't do that."

"They've brainwashed him, Hutch. Remember Simonetti? You shot his partner. They've convinced Starsky that you're guilty. He wants to put you away."

Hutch shook his head plaintively. "I didn't shoot Dryden. Starsky said I didn't."

"He's just telling you that, to gain your confidence. He'll lure you away, and put you in a cell. If you go to jail, you'll die. All the people you put away are waiting for you. They'll hurt you for doing what you did to them."

"No, I didn't hurt anybody. Starsky-Starsky will help me."

"He doesn't care about you. He thinks you're a junkie again. Remember Benny? Starsky thinks you bought dope from Benny and killed him so Benny couldn't tell anyone. Remember how much you were hurting? You need the stuff, Hutch. Starsky has it in his pocket. He won't give it to you because he's mad at you."

Hutch shook his head. "No, Starsky loves me. He won't hurt me."

"He's done it before. Remember the time you were addicted? All you needed was a little bit to make you feel better, and Starsky wouldn't give it to you. He locked you in that room and wouldn't let you out. He's doing it again."

"No."

"He told you to stay here, didn't he? You can't listen to him, Hutch. You have to get the stuff from Starsky. Just a little will make you feel so much better. Get it from him then run away. Don't let him catch you."

"But where would I go?"

The voice moved closer and whispered in his ear. "I'll tell you where to go. No one will stop you. Now get ready. Starsky will be back soon."

The whispering stopped and the light faded away, leaving Hutch trembling on the couch. His stomach was hurting again, and sweat was pouring down his face. I need some help. Benny gave me the stuff, but where did I put it? He jumped up and ran for his jacket, but his pockets were empty. Starsky, Starsky has it. He's keeping it from me. Oh, God, what if he threw it away? NO! He didn't. I'll ask him. He'll give it to me. He'll give me some help. He dropped the jacket on the floor and went back to the couch. Grabbing the blanket, he wrapped it around him and waited for Starsky to come back.

When Starsky parked the Granada in the driveway and trotted up the stairs, he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Hutch's name had been cleared, and whatever else happened, the leverage Simonetti had possessed was gone. He whistled as he unlocked the door to the small apartment.

"Hey, Hutch, you'll never guess what Dryden said! You were right all along. You didn't shoot anybody." When he got a good look at the blond, his heart sank. "Hutch?"

When Hutch looked up, his eyes were a mixture of anger and fear. "I'm not going to jail! You can't make me."

Starsky breathed deeply for a moment and approached Hutch slowly. "I know you're not going to jail, buddy. Did you hear what I said? Dryden woke up and told Dobey what happened. He saw the woman in his apartment. She shot him, not you. Dobey dropped all charges against you. You're free, Hutch!"

"You're-you're just saying that. You think I shot Dryden, and you think I killed Benny. You want to put me in jail!"

"No, Hutch. Please listen to me. You're the best friend I've got in the whole world. I'd never let anyone put you in jail."

"You're just saying that! You want to put me away because you're mad at me." Hutch groaned and clutched his stomach. "It's starting again. I need help!" He squinted up at Starsky. "Where is it?"

"Where's what, buddy?"

"I bought the stuff from Benny. It was in my pocket. You-you took it. I want it back! I need it."

Starsky tried to take a step toward him but stopped when Hutch jerked away. "You don't want that shit, partner. You kicked it a long time ago. Somebody's putting these thoughts in your head. You have to fight it, Hutch. Don't give in to it!"

It was as if Hutch couldn't hear him. "I want it! It's mine! Give it to me!"

Starsky barely braced himself before Hutch lunged at him. The two men fell to the floor as Hutch pummeled Starsky. The brunet was at a disadvantage because he didn't want to hurt the blond. On the other hand, Hutch fiercely fought what he perceived as a threat to his freedom. Starsky managed to avoid most of the blows, but Hutch's strength was enforced by the hypnotic suggestion implanted by the mysterious voice. Finally, before either one of them was seriously injured, Starsky made a fist and punched Hutch in the jaw. He fell in a heap, unconscious. Working quickly, Starsky took his handcuffs and put them around Hutch's wrists. Then, panting from the exertion and numb with shock, he lifted Hutch bodily and laid him on the couch. With a sidelong glance at the blond, Starsky stumbled into the kitchen and opened doors to the cabinets until he found a bottle of Bourbon that someone had left behind. He poured a stiff drink for himself and downed it in one gulp then poured another one. Taking small sips, he walked to the bathroom and wet a washcloth then went back to Hutch. He bathed his friend's face gently, wiping the sweat off and speaking softly at the same time.

"Hutch, come on; wake up.  Wake up, buddy."

Hutch groaned and moved his head away from the wet cloth. He opened his eyes and looked blearily up at Starsky. Whimpering, he tried to move away.

Starsky shook his head. "No, don't try to move. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. You gotta believe me, Hutch. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

Gradually, Hutch's eyes focused and he frowned, trying to sit up. He gazed at his hands, confused.

"Starsky? What's going on? Why am I cuffed?"

"You jumped me, don't you remember?"

"Are you kidding me? Why would I jump you? Oh, no, the light, I remember the light. It happened again, Starsky!"

"I know, buddy. Can you tell me about it?"

Hutch struggled to sit up. "I heard someone knocking at the door. I thought it was you, but when I answered it, no one was there. Then the light hit me in the face. I tried to turn away from it, but it blinded me. The next thing I know, I'm sitting here with my stomach in knots."

Starsky sat down beside his friend. "Are you all right now? How do you feel?"

"I'm tired, and my jaw hurts."

Starsky smiled sheepishly. "That's because I hit you. I had to. You were trying to rearrange my face and doing a pretty good job of it."

Hutch reached out with his handcuffed hands and touched the blood in the corner of Starsky's mouth.

"I did that to you? Oh, God, I'm sorry, Starsk! I didn't mean to!"

"I know you didn't, partner. Are you back with me now? Will you be okay if I take the cuffs off?"

"I think so. I'm not hurting anymore for a fix, anyway."

Starsky took out his key and unlocked the handcuffs, keeping a wary eye on his partner the whole time. When Hutch relaxed against the couch, rubbing his wrists, Starsky breathed a sigh of relief. He went back to the kitchen and took out another glass, pouring a drink for Hutch.

"Here, I think you can use this. You're not taking pain pills, so a good stiff drink won't hurt you."

Hutch sipped the strong liquor and sighed as the warmth spread in his stomach. He shook his head, ashamed. "I still don’t know what came over me. Thank God I didn't hurt you."

"I told you already, it wasn't your fault. I don't know how this woman got to you, but she did. She put those thoughts in your head. Now we just gotta figure out how she knew where you were. Only Huggy knows, and Nicki and I can't see either one of them giving us away."

Hutch shook his head dejectedly. "We don't even know who she is, or what she looks like."

Starsky touched the corner of his mouth and winced slightly. "Well, we know a bit more about her than we did. Do you remember what I said about Dryden? He woke up and told Dobey the whole story. He said the woman snuck into his apartment while you two were arguing. She was standing in a shadow, but he thought she was small and he heard her say something to you. She was the one holding your gun. She must have put it in your hands after she shot Dryden."

"Did he see her face?"

Starsky shook his head. "No, all he could see was the outline of someone, but at least we know she's real and not some figment of our imagination."

"What good is that going to do us? We don't have a clue who she is, or where she comes from. How are you going to find one woman in an entire city? We're not any better off than we were!"

"Oh, yes we are. I told you already that Dobey dropped all charges against you. That means we can get out of here and take the control of this mess. We're done running, Hutch. Now it's time to do a little chasing."

Hutch stared at him, stunned. "Dobey dropped the charges? He really believes me?"

Starsky grinned happily at his friend. "Yeah, he believes you. As soon as Dryden told him what happened in his apartment, Dobey pulled the APB on you. Simonetti was as mad as an old wet hen, but Dobey told him to stay away from you until he has some concrete evidence to back up his charges."

"Thank God! And Dryden's going to be all right?"

"Yeah, the doctors think he'll make a full recovery. He's gonna be laid up for a while, but there isn't any permanent damage."

Hutch moved off the couch, pacing around the room. "I never thought this would have a happy ending, but maybe it will. I'm free! I don't have to hide any more."

Starsky grinned. "No, you don't. So are you ready to blow this joint?"

Hutch laughed with joy. "Am I ever!"

They gathered up their things and stowed them in the Granada. After giving Nicki a big kiss and promising to stay in touch, they drove back to The Pits. Huggy's jaw dropped when he saw both men walk in to the bar.

His smile lit up the room. "If it isn't the Dynamic Duo! To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Starsky grinned as he sat down at the bar. "Dryden woke up and told us everything, at least everything he can remember. Our mystery lady shot him, and it's a good bet she shot Benny, too, so all charges against Hutch have been dropped."

Huggy grinned at the blond. "So, I won't be seeing your mug on any of the Top Ten Wanted posters?"

Hutch shook his head, grinning back. "Not this year, anyway."

Huggy drew three beers from the tap and sat two in front of Starsky and Hutch, keeping one for him.

"Now that's something to celebrate. But what about this woman you're talking about? Have you got any idea who she is?"

"Not a clue, Huggy. But now that we're out of hiding, we can do some digging around. Dr. Greer said you wouldn't find Pentothal on the street, so she has to have some connection with the medical supply houses. It isn't used that much, so we can get a list of anyone buying it and maybe she'll be on there."

"That sounds like a pretty big job to me."

Hutch took a drink. "Yeah, but now we've got the time to do it. I won't have to look over my shoulder every time I make a move." He shook his head. "I just wish I knew how she keeps finding me. No one knew I was at the Palm Crest, and you, Nicki, and Dr. Greer are the only ones who knew we were at Nicki's. I know none of you would tell."

Starsky smiled dangerously. "Don't worry, partner. When we find her, we'll just ask her." He turned back to Huggy. "Now that we don't have to worry about Simonetti dogging us, I can get my car back. You got my keys, Hug?"

Huggy reached under the bar and handed Starsky a small envelope. "Yep, and your baby is parked all safe and sound at the cop shop. I even made sure you had a full tank of gas and locked her up before I left."

"Thanks, Huggy. I knew I couldn't leave her here. Someone would take off with her."

Huggy snorted. "Yeah, right. You honestly think anyone would be dumb enough to hijack your ride, Starsky? I hate to break it to you, but whenever you see that striped tomato on the street, you know The Man is comin'."

Hutch laughed at the look on Starsky's face. "Or else, it's time for another parade.  Thanks again, Huggy. We'll see you later." He turned to Starsky. "Come on, Gordo; let's get your baby. I can hear her crying from here."

Starsky glared at the blond before he stalked away. "You know, Hutch, it's an awful long walk from here to the station."

Hutch trotted to keep up with his partner. "Come on, Starsk; you know I was only teasing. Starsky, wait up!"

Huggy laughed then drained his beer. "See you later, amigos. I missed you, too."

 

Starsky sighed as he picked up the phone for the tenth time and dialed another number. Huggy was right. Who knew there would be so many medical supply houses in this city? So far, everyone he talked to said the same thing: no, we don't carry sodium pentothal. Well, someone in this town had to carry it. If not, they would have to start thinking about chemists, or at least someone who knew enough about chemistry to make their own. Starsky shook his head tiredly. He didn't even want to think about that. Glancing up, he examined Hutch while he waited for someone to answer on the other end of the line. The blond was trying to hide it, but he was exhausted. After Starsky caught him rubbing his arm again, he hung up the phone without waiting for an answer and gazed at his partner.

"Is your arm still bothering you, buddy?"

Hutch shrugged. "Yeah, a little. Don't worry, though. I'm fine. I can handle talking on the phone."

"I know you can, but why don't you take a break? Go home, grab a shower, and take it easy. You'll even be able to sleep in your own bed tonight, and that should do you a world of good."

"Yeah, for a while there, I didn't think I'd ever see my apartment again. But what about you? I know you're beat. Why don't we both take a break? We can pick this up in the morning."

"You go on. It's almost four o'clock. Most of these places will be closing in a couple of hours, anyway. I'll make a few more phone calls then call it quits."

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay? We can cut the rest of the list in half and get it done twice as fast."

"Nah, that's okay." He smiled sourly. "It doesn't take that long for someone to say no. Go on; get out of here before Dobey comes up with something else for us to do."

Starsky carefully kept the worry out of his voice. Although Hutch was hiding it well, the stress of the past two days was beginning to tell on the blond. He could see the lines that bracketed his mouth, and Hutch's normally fair skin was even paler than usual.

Hutch's voice showed his gratitude. "OK, you talked me into it. Do you want to pick me up in the morning, or should we just meet here?"

"I'll pick you up. As soon as I get out of here, I'm going to drop a check by Merle's for the Granada. When Dobey found out there was a police radio already installed, he authorized $700 for the sale. He's going to add it to the fleet of undercover cars." Starsky grinned. "I can't wait to see Merle's face. Of course, Dobey was smart enough not to ask where the radio came from in the first place."

Hutch laughed. "It's a good thing, or Merle might be using the money for bail instead of putting it in his pocket. OK. I'll see you in the morning, partner."

Starsky waved a hand. "See ya later, buddy. Oh, don't forget to eat something and take your medicine."

Hutch rumpled Starsky's hair playfully. "Yes, dear."

Starsky slapped his hand away, chortling. "Get out of here before I change my mind."

He turned back to the phone book on his desk and ran his fingers down the list of names. Wonderful, there are only about a dozen more places left to call. Oh well, I'll call the first six tonight and do the rest in the morning, if my fingers aren't permanently bent and I can't dial the phone, that is. Man, there's gotta be a better way to do this.

He snapped his fingers then grabbed the phone book and his jacket. Sticking his head in Dobey's office, he told the captain that he was going to check out the rest of the supply houses personally instead of calling them on the phone.

Dobey frowned. "Why, did you find something?"

"Nope, but if I don't get out of here for a while, I'm going to lose all feeling in my butt and come down with a terminal case of phone finger. If I do find something worth following up on, I'll give you a buzz. Oh, by the way, I sent Hutch home."

"You did? Won't that make this harder on you?"

"I've only got to ask one question, Cap. And it won't take long to find out if they stock the Pentothal. Besides, Hutch looked like he was going to drop any minute. He'll be better off in bed. I'll check on him before I go home."

"OK, but keep me posted. Don't go chasing this woman all by yourself."

"I won't, Cap. I'll see you later."

Four businesses and two hours later, Starsky was beginning to doubt the wisdom running around the city on what was proving to be a wild goose chase. He glanced at his watch and shrugged philosophically. He barely had time enough to check the last two places on his list. If he drew a blank, he'd have to check the last six in the morning. At least Hutch would be with him then, he thought with relief. He ran his finger down the list of companies to the fifth one, making a note of the address. Ten minutes later he was parked in front of Phillips Pharmaceutical Company. He walked into the small office and smiled at the older woman behind the counter.

She didn't smile back. "Can I help you?"

He tried his most charming tone of voice and showed her his badge. "I sure hope so. I'm Detective Starsky with the BCPD. I was wondering if you stocked sodium pentothal."

She looked over her glasses at him. "Why, are you planning to use it on a suspect?"

"Of course not, but I am investigating the illegal use of the drug. Do you carry it here?"

She looked pointedly at her watch. "We're closing soon. Can't you come back tomorrow? I'd have to check our ledger. We don't get much call for it, as you would imagine."

Starsky had just about enough. "Look, lady; this place is just one of many places that I've checked today. I'm not asking for your first-born child, if you have one. All I'm asking is one simple question. Somebody out there injected sodium pentothal into my partner without his knowledge and you wouldn't believe the Hell he's been through the last few days. Now, do you stock sodium pentothal, and have you made a sale recently?"

She had the grace to look chastised then pulled a ledger book from under the counter. Glancing surreptitiously at him occasionally, she read through the items listed on the page.

"Oh, dear, it does seem that we sold one lot of sodium pentothal last week."

"Exactly how much is a lot?"

"That would be six vials of twenty milligrams each. And we also sold syringes and hypodermic needles, plus a box of alcohol swabs."

"Does it say who bought it?"

She gave him a scathing look. "Well, of course it does. Sodium pentothal is a controlled substance. We can't sell it to anyone without proper identification. Not every Tom, Dick, or Harry can simply walk in off the street and buy it, you know."

Starsky counted to ten slowly then showed his teeth in a smile. "May I see the ledger please? Or, are you going to keep me in suspense?"

Her look made what she thought of pushy detectives clear as she spun the ledger around on the counter so he could read it. Starsky skimmed the list of drugs and the customers who bought them until he found the one he wanted. When he saw the name scrawled on the line, his eyes widened and he grabbed for the phone without asking permission.

He held his finger up when the clerk started to protest and waited for Dobey to answer.

"Captain, this is Starsky. Get some black and whites over to Hutch's, now! Tell them to go in Code Two and wait for me. I don't want anyone to go to his apartment until I get there, understand?"

"You found something."

"Yeah, I know who the woman is, and I think she's going for Hutch. For God's sake, tell the uni's to stay out of sight! If they spook her, there's no telling what she'll do."

"Wait a minute! Who is she?"

"I don't have time to get into it, Cap. I'll have Mildred patch me through to your office when I get in the car. Whatever you do, don't try to call Hutch! If I'm right, she's not gonna let him anywhere near the phone."

"All right, but you'd better tell me what the Hell is going on when you get to the Torino!"

Starsky slammed the phone down and ran out without saying anything to the clerk. He jumped into the Torino and sped away, talking frantically on the radio as he steered the car with one hand. Ten minutes later, he was parking around the corner from Venice Place.

Dobey pulled up behind him and jumped out. "What do you want to do?"

Starsky eased around the corner and looked up at Hutch's apartment. "We can't take a chance on setting her off, Cap. If she's up there, and she sees cops everywhere, she's liable to blow Hutch away with his own gun, if she hasn't already. We know she knows how to use it. I think I should go up there and see if I can talk her down."

"Starsky, you can't reason with this woman! If she's as unbalanced as she was before, seeing you will only inflame the situation."

"What are we supposed to do, wait until she throws his body out the window? I have to try, Cap. Give me ten minutes with her. If I'm not out by then, send in the troops."

"OK, I don't like it, but I'll go along with you. But if you're going up there alone, you're going to put on a vest.  It won't stop her from getting you with a head shot, but at least you'll have some protection."

Starsky ran to the back of the Torino, pulling off his jacket and shirt as he went. He grabbed the vest out of the trunk and shrugged into it then got dressed again. He talked to Dobey as he walked toward Venice Place. "Tell everyone to steer clear, Cap. I want to be able to talk to her without worrying that someone else is listening in. Remember, she knows about Forest, and the heroin. I don't want to destroy Hutch's career while I'm trying to save his life. If things start getting hairy, or I see that Hutch is hurt, I'll yell loud and clear."

"All right, I'll make sure everyone knows to stay hidden. Be careful, Starsky. You don't know what frame of mind she's in."

Starsky grinned and saluted mockingly. "Careful is my middle name, Cap. See ya."

Starsky jogged up the street until he got to the entrance of Venice Place. Opening the door quietly, he tip-toed up the stairs. The door to Hutch's apartment was unlocked so he turned the knob slowly and edged his way inside. The apartment was eerily quiet. The only sound he could hear was the hum of the refrigerator. Starsky walked half-way into the living room and scanned the rest of the apartment. The whole place seemed deserted. Leaning slightly, he looked into the bathroom, but couldn't see any signs of life.

Taking a deep breath, he kept his voice in a conversational tone. "All right, Diana, you can come out now. I know you're here somewhere."

For a few moments, the silence held then a small figure moved from behind the divider between the living room and the kitchen. Diana Harmon hadn't changed much in the years she'd spent at Cabrillo State. Her hair was still pulled in the bun she favored, and she still preferred black clothing. What scared him most was the look in her eyes. The insanity was still there.

Her face was unreadable as she stared at him. "You don't seem surprised to see me, Starsky."

"I'm not. You left too many clues behind, Diana. Once I started putting them together, I realized you had to be the person behind this insane scheme."

Her giggle still sent chills down his spine. "Well, I am insane, after all. But I'm curious. What clues are you talking about?"

Starsky kept scanning the apartment while he talked to her, but still couldn't see any sign of Hutch. "Well, the first tip off was the Pentothal. It hasn't been used in years. The civil rights activists raised too much Hell about it. So the only way you can buy it is if you're in healthcare. Plus, you have to know how to inject it. How many shots did you give while you were working? It had to be in the thousands. Then there was the hypnosis. You've had plenty of time to study up on it while you've been in Cabrillo State. The only thing I can't figure out is how you kept tabs on Hutch. You couldn't have guessed that he'd go to The Pelican Hotel, and we didn't tell anyone that we were staying at Nicki's, not even Dobey."

Diana giggled again. "I put a bug in his wallet. One of the inmates used to be a private detective. Not that crazy Freddie Lyle that you met, some one else. He told me that you could get any listening device you wanted on the street if you had enough money. So I bought the smallest one I could find and hid it. I knew that Hutch always kept his wallet with him, even if he wasn't on duty." She sang in a high-pitched voice. "You can run but you can't hide." She sniffed disdainfully. "I was one step ahead of you the whole time. You thought you were so clever, but I knew where he was every minute."

"You're a lot of things, Diana, but I've never been stupid enough to doubt your intelligence. You're a very smart lady. Where's Hutch, Diana?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out. So you think I'm smart. Well, I am. I'm too smart for you."

Starsky took a step closer. "Why, Diana? Why did you do all of this? You had to know we'd find out the truth sooner or later."

"I knew, but it didn't matter. I wanted Hutch to feel what it was like lose his freedom. He put me in that Hell hole and left me there! I wanted him to see what it felt like to be a freak, someone doctors poked and prodded, using you like you were a guinea pig. Do you know what it's like at Cabrillo State? You never have any privacy. You're told when to get up, when to take a shower, when to eat, and when to go to bed. You can't take a walk without someone shadowing you. They even have cameras in the rooms. I know they do! I wanted him to feel the fear like I did, and to feel like a pariah like I did. Dying was too good for him. I wanted him to suffer first, the way I've suffered."

"You tried to kill him! You stabbed him and would have finished the job if I hadn't stopped you. You can't do something like that and expect to get away with it."

"I loved him! All he had to do was say he loved me. But no, his precious job was too important to him. You were too important to him. So I waited, and I did exactly what they wanted me to do in the hospital. Then when they gave me my last evaluation, I knew what answers they were looking for. You see, one of the places they left me alone was the library. I could spend hours there, and even when they saw what I was reading, the nurses just patted me on the head and said how cute it was that I was still interested in medicine. They even called me their little Florence Nightingale." She giggled again. "I passed my evaluation with flying colors. I even fooled those snooty shrinks. So they let me out. Then I took a bus back to Bay City and found a place to stay not far from Hutch. I watched him for a few days then surprised him one night after he got off duty. The light in his face startled him long enough for me to give him the shot of Pentothal, and after that, it was easy. He told me anything I wanted to know."

"So he told you all about Forest, and being addicted to horse. I can't imagine him telling that story to anyone, even with the Pentothal and hypnosis."

"He didn't start out telling me about the heroin. I asked him about all the women he'd loved, and hurt in his life, and he mentioned Jeannie. I wasn't really interested in Ben Forest until I realized that Hutch had actually been addicted to drugs. He said of all the things he'd done in his life that was what he was most ashamed of. I knew then how to hurt him the most. I made him feel like he was addicted again, and going through withdrawal. But it only lasted for a while. As soon as I left, he started coming back to the present. I must have been doing something wrong. It didn't matter. That's not what I wanted to hear, anyway. I wanted him to say he loved me, that he was sorry that he hurt me. He didn't even mention me until I did first! He said he never loved me that he was sorry he ever met me. I wanted to hurt him, then. I asked him who he loved most in this world. I was going to go after her and make him kill her. Or, at least, I was going to make him think he did. Do you know who he said he loved most, Starsky?"

Starsky shook his head, not wanting to push her over the edge with the wrong guess.

"He told me it was you. You were the one person in the world that stayed with him, that loved him for who he was, and not what they wanted him to be. I thought about killing you then, but I knew that if I did, it would only make you a martyr. If he thought he'd killed you, he wouldn't have gotten over it. I'd lose him either way. I can compete against another woman, but I can't compete against you. So I settled for the next best thing. I decided to ruin his career. He'd lose his precious badge, you, and his freedom. So I asked who hated him and wanted to see him disgraced, and he said Simonetti and Dryden. I'd never heard their names before, but I knew from Hutch's description that Simonetti was more of a maverick and wouldn't stop until he saw Hutch in prison. So I made him get Dryden's address from his file and go over there. I planted the suggestion in his mind that Simonetti still thought he killed his ex-wife and was going to put him away for it. While they were arguing, I snuck in the room and shot Dryden with Hutch's gun then put it in his hand. No one saw me walk out of the room, so everyone automatically assumed Hutch shot him."

"You're wrong, Diana. Dryden saw you in his apartment, right before you shot him, and so did another witness. We have his neighbor's statement on file, and Dryden woke up today and told Dobey what he saw. Hutch has been cleared of all charges, including shooting Benny Cagle. We have a witness for that shooting, too. It's over, Diana. Everyone knows the truth."

She shook her head fiercely and for the first time, Starsky noticed Hutch's gun in her hands.

"No, you're lying! No one saw me! I was careful!"

Starsky took a step back. "Take it easy, Diana. There are a dozen cops down stairs. If they hear a gun shot, they'll come running."

"I don't care! You're not going to make me go back there! I'd rather die first. Keep your hands where I can see them, Starsky. I know you have a gun somewhere."

"I'm not going to make any sudden moves, Diana. You just make sure that cannon don't go off accidentally. Where's Hutch, Diana?"

For an instant, her eyes glanced up at the ceiling. She giggled again and suddenly, he was back to that horrible night five years ago.

"It's too late. By the time you get to him, he'll be dead."

Starsky followed where she was looking. "He's on the roof? What did you do to him?"

"I planted one last suggestion in his mind. I convinced him that he doesn't have anything left to live for. I told him that he's hurt everyone that he's touched, and that includes you. He thinks that you're disappointed in him and the only way he can prove that he loves you is to die. The minute anyone goes on that roof, he'll jump. I won, Starsky. He'll go to his death thinking that your friendship is over."

"You're lying. I didn't see him up there."

"Were you looking for him? He's there, I promise you. All I have to do is say the word, and he'll jump." She motioned with the gun. "Go on; start walking."

Starsky balked. "Where are we going?"

"To the roof, of course. You wanted to see him. Now you're going to. You can watch him die and then I'll take care of you, too. You'll be with your precious partner, forever." She took a step forward and aimed the gun at him. "I said move!"

Starsky walked ahead of her slowly, keeping his hands in sight. Although he'd only been to the roof once, he knew the staircase was narrow and the lighting was minimal. If he was going to make a move, it would have to be while they were still in the apartment. He had to get that gun away from her or he and Hutch were both dead.

His voice dripped with sarcasm. "You're not making any sense, Diana. First you say that death is too good for him. Now you're going to make him commit suicide. You said that you wouldn't kill me because you knew you'd lose him forever if you did, but you're willing to kill both of us. How can you lose him when you never had him in the first place? He didn't love you then and he doesn't love you now. You're manipulating him. There's no way you can make him love you, no matter what you do."

Diana shouted at him. "He could have loved me! He never gave us a chance. All he wanted to do was sleep with me. I made spaghetti for him, but he acted like I was imposing. I bought that watch for him to show him how much I cared, but he didn't even bother to show up for the dinner I cooked for him. It's his fault!"

"No, Diana, it's your fault. You broke into his apartment, and then got mad when Kathy and I came over to see him. You were jealous, and you dumped that drink on Kathy so you could get rid of us. Then you went after Linda Baylor because you saw the two of them together. She was working on a case with us, for Christ's sake! She was just a friend, but your warped little mind made it into something it wasn't. You tried to kill her! And when you thought Hutch rejected you, you tried to kill him, too. We put you where you belonged, and it's a shame those quacks at Cabrillo State let you out. You're a menace to society, Diana. They need to put you in a padded cell and never let you out."

"NO!!!"

Starsky's diatribe made Diana so angry that she forgot Hutch's gun and rushed toward him. He took the opportunity to kick the gun out of her hand then used the momentum to sweep her legs out from under her. She dropped to the floor, knocking the wind out of her lungs. Quickly, he pulled the handcuffs from his pocket and put them on her before she had the chance to catch her breath. Frustration hammered at his chest as he thought of Hutch being on the roof and the suggestions Diana had planted in his mind. He ran to the window and threw it open.

"Hey, Cap, it's over! Send the uni's up here. Diana's cuffed and on the floor. I've gotta get to Hutch!"

Dobey moved closer to the window and shaded his eyes with his hand. "Where is he?"

Starsky pointed upwards. "He's on the roof. She put some ideas in his head and if I don't get up there, he's gonna jump. Keep everybody away, Captain. I don't want to spook him."

"All right, but I'm coming, too. I'll meet you up there."

"Whatever you do, don't let him see you!"

Starsky left the window open and ran to the front door. He pointed a finger at Diana.

"Don't move! If I see you on that roof, I'll put a slug right in the middle of your forehead, I promise."

He threw the door open and rushed to the stairs to the roof. When he got to the door leading to the roof, he opened it slowly and looked around. He caught his breath when he saw Hutch standing a few feet away. The blond was looking out over the city, his back turned to Starsky. Starsky moved closer and kept his voice gentle.

"Hutch? It's me, Starsky. Can you hear me?"

The blond stiffened, but didn't turn around. "Go away."

"I'm not going to hurt you. Come on; why don't you turn around so we can talk? I promise I won't try to touch you."

Starsky gasped as his partner swiveled toward him, his feet coming precariously close to the edge.

"Take it easy, partner. You're getting awfully close there, and that first step is a doozy."

Hutch shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I don't have anything to live for, anyway. I've hurt everybody that ever loved me, and if you stay around long enough, I'll hurt you, too."

"No, buddy, that's not true. Look at me. I'm still here. I know you'd never hurt me. Diana's responsible for this whole thing. She put those ideas in your head."

Hutch shook his head. "No! She loved me. She wouldn't hurt me."

"Listen to what you're saying, Hutch. She tried to kill you when she thought you rejected her. She hurt Linda Baylor and put her in the hospital. Now she's back and gunning for you again. She gave you the shots of Pentothal and hypnotized you. We've got her down stairs right now. Come away from there and I'll show you."

"No, you just want to trick me. As soon as I come down, you'll leave. Everyone that I care about ends up leaving me."

Starsky took another step and held out his hand. "That's not true, and you know it. We've stuck with each other through things a lot worse than this. I won't leave you, I promise. Diana's doing this to you! You gotta believe me!"

Hutch turned half-way toward the ledge, whimpering slightly. "Maybe you should leave. I've made a real mess of my life. Now, everyone will know about Forest. If I go back, you'll get into trouble, too. You won't be a cop anymore."

While Starsky was talking to Hutch, Dobey ran up the stairs on the outside of the building. Although the stairs were old, they were in good repair and any sound he made was masked by Starsky's voice. He moved toward the two detectives, one small step at a time, stopping whenever Hutch changed positions. It seemed to take hours to cover the few feet, but it was actually only a few minutes. Dobey held his breath as Starsky tried to reason with Hutch.

"Hutch, listen to me. Diana just said that to hurt you. No one knows about Forest. I know you'd never intentionally hurt me. Come away from the ledge. We'll get through this, together."

Hutch looked at Starsky's hand then took a small step toward him. "You promise you won't leave me?"

"I promise. Hey, it's me and thee, remember? Let's go down stairs. I'll have Dr. Greer come over and he can help you. He'll take away all the things Diana put in your head."

Hutch moved closer to his partner, away from the ledge of the building. Just before Starsky could touch him, Diana's voice came from below.

"Hutch, jump! Do it now, Hutch!"

Instantly, Hutch turned back to the ledge and started to jump. Dobey reached him the same time Starsky did and together, they wrestled the blond away from the precipice. Hutch was like a madman, struggling to heed his siren's call. Finally, Dobey pinned him to the concrete until Starsky found his carotid artery and pressed against it, cutting off the circulation and rendering him unconscious. He rested his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, buddy. I know that we double-teamed you, but I couldn't risk having you break away."

He looked at his captain and nodded. The two men lifted Hutch between them and carried him away from the edge of the roof. They laid him down a comfortable distance inwards then Starsky gently slapped his cheek.

"Come on, buddy. Wake up. You're safe now. It's time to join the real world again."

Hutch moved his head from side to side, smacking at Starsky's hand with his. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked around blearily. He frowned at the two faces hanging above his.

"Starsky? What's going on? Where am I?"

Dobey and Starsky helped Hutch sit up then Starsky gazed somberly at him.

"Are you with us now?"

"I think so. Where are we?"

"You're on the roof. Diana gave you a hypnotic suggestion to jump. She almost got you, partner. Do you remember anything that happened?"

Hutch shook his head slowly. "I remember going home and taking a shower. I was hungry, and I had to take my medicine, so I fixed a sandwich and ate it then decided to take a nap. I wasn't asleep for long when I heard a noise in the bedroom. I opened my eyes and that's when the flash hit me in the face. I don't remember anything after that. How'd I get on the roof?"

"You walked up here. Diana had you completely under her thumb. She had to know that I'd find out about the Pentothal sooner or later, and that I'd know she'd come here. It's a repeat of what happened before, with a twist. Instead of killing you with a knife, she put the suggestion in your head and waited for someone to trigger it. If anyone but me had come up here, you would have jumped without a second thought. You trusted me enough to listen to me, and that gave Dobey the chance to sneak up on you. We almost lost you though, when Diana yelled. Her voice must have triggered the suggestion again. It's just lucky we were close enough to grab you, or you would have made Humpty Dumpty look like a together kind of guy."

"Very funny, Starsky. Can we go down stairs now? This concrete isn't the most comfortable bed I've ever had."

Starsky laughed and helped his friend to stand. "Yeah, I think that can be arranged. Do me a favor, though. Don’t look at any bright lights until we can get a doctor here to unscramble your brain. I don't think my heart can take any more shocks."

Starsky walked down the stairs in front of Hutch while Dobey followed closely behind him. Although the blond was a bit shaky, he negotiated the narrow stairs without any problems. As they walked back to Hutch's apartment, the hand Starsky kept on his back was mainly for moral support. He didn't see Dobey shake his head fondly at the sight.

I don't know who Starsky's comforting more: Hutch or himself. Crisis number 5,432 averted. Life with these two is never boring.

Diana was sitting on the couch with her hands secured by the cuffs. Two uniformed officers sat on each side of her, hemming her in. The younger officer ducked his head sheepishly when Starsky ushered his partner into the room.

"I’m sorry, Sergeant Starsky. She took us by surprise when she made a break for the window. She yelled before we could get her away from there."

Starsky nodded at the officer then glared at the captive woman. "That's OK, Burt. I should have gagged her while I had the chance. I just didn't think about it. Now, get her out of here."

As they dragged Diana out of the apartment, she shouted over her shoulder at Hutch.

"Why didn't you love me? It's not over, Hutch! I'll make you learn to love me!"

Dobey pointed his finger at the door and bellowed, "Get her out of here, now!"

Starsky turned to his shaken partner. "Don't worry, buddy. She's headed back to Cabrillo State on the first train smokin' and she won't get out this time, if they have to keep her in leg irons to make sure."

Hutch stared at the door then looked up at Starsky. "That's what you said the first time, Starsky. It didn’t exactly work out that way, did it?"

The next morning, Hutch was sitting comfortably in a chair in Dr. Greer's office. His head leaned against the back and his eyes were closed.

Dr. Greer spoke in a soothing voice. "Hutch, can you hear me?"

Hutch nodded. "Yes."

"Good. Now I'm going to take you back to your apartment, when you first saw the light. Do you remember when that was?"

"Yeah, it was a few days ago. Starsky and I wrapped up the Dorman case and he dropped me off at my place. I was fixing myself something to eat when I heard a noise on the balcony. I walked out there and this big flash of light hit me in the face. I was blinded. I couldn’t see anything."

"But you could hear, couldn’t you? Tell me what happened after that?"

"I fell on the bench and I heard Diana's voice. I was really surprised because I thought she was still in Cabrillo State. I felt a sting on my arm then everything turned fuzzy. I could hear her, but I couldn't move. It was like I was standing outside myself."

"What did Diana say to you?"

"She was asking me all sorts of questions. I didn't want to answer, but I couldn't stop myself. Then she said I wouldn't remember anything until she wanted me to, and left. After that, I just went to bed."

"And you noticed the pin prick on your arm when you took a shower the next morning."

"Yeah, it scared me to death. I didn't know what was going on. I didn’t tell Starsky because I was afraid he would think I was going crazy."

"Were you afraid that you were using heroin again?"

Hutch moved restlessly on the chair. "At first I was, but I didn't feel any different. I was scared that someone poisoned me like Bellamy did Starsky, but I felt fine. So I just kept quiet, hoping that it wouldn't happen again."

"But it did, didn't it?"

Hutch clenched his hands together. "Yeah."

"And then, when you were watching the news one night, you saw the bright light again. Diana was there, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, she told me that Simonetti still thought I killed Vanessa and he was coming after me. The only one that could reason with him was Dryden, so I went over to his apartment to talk to him. He acted like he thought I was out of my mind! We were arguing then I heard a shot. The next thing I knew, I was holding my gun and Dryden was on the floor. I was hurting like I did when I went through withdrawal. I didn't know what to do."

"But you didn't shoot Detective Dryden. Diana did. Do you remember that now?"

"Yeah, she came in behind me while I was arguing with Dryden. She had my gun in her hands. I wanted to stop her, but I couldn't! I couldn't move."

"It's OK. We know it wasn't your fault. And you didn't shoot Benny Cagle, did you? Diana did."

Hutch sighed and sat back in the chair, the lines of worry on his face finally disappearing. "I didn't kill anybody."

"No, you didn't. It was all Diana. You are not going through withdrawal. The episode with Forest is in the past. It remains your secret. I'm going to count to three, and when I do, you'll wake up, and any suggestions that Diana planted in your mind will be gone. Bright lights will not affect you in any way. You'll feel refreshed, and you'll remember everything that happened. Are you ready?"

Hutch nodded. "Yes."

"Very well. One. Two. Three. You're awake."

Hutch blinked and sat up, looking around the room.

Dr. Greer leaned forward. "How do you feel?"

"I'm okay. It's really over, isn't it?"

Starsky clapped his friend on his back. "Yep, it's all over, buddy. Diana's back where she belongs and all charges against you have been dropped. How does it feel to be a free man?"

Hutch laughed. "It feels great, buddy."

That night, they were back at The Pits, celebrating. The doctors had assured them that Dryden would be out of the hospital in a week, and though he wouldn't be back on the job for a while, he was going to make a full recovery. Simonetti had accepted defeat with a typical surly attitude and disappeared back into the depths of the Internal Affairs department.

The two detectives, along with Dobey, Huggy, Dr. Greer, and Nicki all gathered around a feast fit for kings and imbibed several bottles of champagne. They were slightly inebriated when someone suggested splitting into teams and playing a game of pool. What followed resembled a snowball fight more than a regulation game. Fortunately, the players were a little too tipsy to be accurate, so no one was rushed to the ER. When all of the balls had been located and put back in their proper slots, Huggy wobbled behind the bar and returned with a big, black camera.

"I think we need to record this party for poster-, past-, for all time. Smile, everybody!"

Starsky took one look at the huge flash bulb and grabbed Hutch, throwing him behind Dobey.

"Huuuuutch, duck!"

 

The End.

 

 

Back to Part 2           Back to FanFic2    Index