| All of Their Tomorrows |
| Part 3 |
Simonetti took out his handkerchief and wiped his face before rising. He stood a safe distance from the felon, and thought a moment before speaking. "Since you don't care what happens to Starsky or Hutchinson, why are you here? What did Detective Edwards promise you in return for your testimony?" "A transfer." "A what?" "A transfer. They told me that they would get me transferred to the new prison. My old lady lives too far away from the State Pen to come and see me. So, Detective Edwards said if I came here today and testified, they'd get me transferred so she could come and see me." "So, she didn't offer to get your sentence reduced?" "Are you kiddin'? I don't think she likes me any more than I like her boyfriend." "I see. No more questions, Commander." "Very well. You may go, Mr. Coney." They all waited until Coney was handcuffed again, and led from the courtroom. Then Commander Horn turned to Tracy. "Do you have any other witnesses, Detective?" "Only one more, Commander. I call Detective Ross Meinders to the stand." Hutch turned slightly to trade a glance with his partner, and Starsky shrugged. You got me, Blintz. Sit back and enjoy the show. Hutch echoed the shrug and settled back in his seat. Tracy waited until Detective Meinders was seated, then started the questioning. "Detective Meinders, would you tell us how long you've been on the force, and in which department you work?" "Yes, ma'am. I've been on the force for thirteen years, and I work mainly in Vice. I've worked a few Robbery details, but only on loan when they were short handed." Simonetti stood and protested. "Commander, I don't see why this is relevant to Detective Hutchinson's case! Detective Meinders works in a completely different department, and doesn't have any knowledge about this case." Commander Horn looked over his glasses at Tracy. "Detective Edwards?" "If I may be permitted to continue, I can show relevance, Commander." "Very well, Detective, but make it quick." "Yes, sir. Now, Detective Meinders, have you ever suffered an injury in the line of duty?" "Yes, ma'am. I was chasing a suspect several years ago, and got pushed off a second story landing. I slid down the stairs, and messed up my back pretty bad." "That must have been extremely painful. Were you given a medical leave of absence?" "Yes, for almost a year." "Who was your doctor and what sort of treatment did you receive for your injuries?" "I had to have surgery, then I had to take Physical Therapy for six months. My doctor's name was Brian Lindsey." "Were you given any pain medications?" "Yes, ma'am. I was given Morphine at first, then Dr. Lindsey changed it to Demerol, and finally to Tylenol with Codeine." "So, as your back healed, your pain medication was downgraded. Did that work, Detective?" "Uh, no, ma'am, it didn't. The Morphine took care of the pain, and so did the Demerol, but the Tylenol with Codeine couldn't touch it. I was still in a lot of pain." "Did you tell your doctor?" "Yeah, but he said that I had built up a dependency for the Morphine, so he didn't want me on any strong medicine any more. He said I was feeling the withdrawal from the drug more than I was feeling the pain." "Did you agree with him?" "No, I didn't. I told him that I was the one that was hurt, so I should know what I was feeling." Simonetti stood up again. "Commander, this is ridiculous! This has nothing to do with Detective Hutchinson." "We'll give her a few more minutes. I'm curious to see where this is going. You may continue, Detective." "Thank you. So, you argued with Dr. Lindsey?" "Yes, ma'am. I told him that the Physical Therapy was making everything worse, and that I needed something stronger than Tylenol for the pain, but he wouldn't give it to me." "So, what did you do?" Detective Meinders looked down at his hands. "One day, after therapy, I went to his office and told the nurse that I had lost my watch. I'd been coming there for so long that she let me go in there alone. I waited until the door closed behind me, then stole the prescription pad from his desk." "Did you attempt to forge a prescription?" "Yes, but it didn't work. I must have looked really nervous, because the drug store guy called Dr. Lindsey to verify the prescription. Dr. Lindsey showed up a few minutes later, and made me go back to his office with him. He told me that he wouldn't tell my Captain what I did if I agreed to go into rehab." "Did you go?" "Yes, ma'am, for three months." "What happened after that? Did you return to duty?" "Yes, after I finished Physical Therapy and got certified. I was on desk duty for a while, then went back to active duty." "And how did that go?" "Not very good. I guess all the running around aggravated my back problem, and before I knew it, I was in pain again." "Did you tell Dr. Lindsey?" "Yeah, but it was the same old song. He gave me Tylenol #3 and told me to start Physical Therapy again. But, I knew if I did that, the Captain would put me back on desk duty, and I didn't want to be chained to a desk." "So, what did you do?" "I put up with the pain as long as I could. Finally, it got so bad that I couldn't stand it anymore. I knew Dr. Lindsey wouldn't give me anything, so I went looking on the streets." "You mean you bought illegal drugs?" "Yes, ma'am. I found a pusher that I had busted for pimping, and bought Morphine from him." "How long did this go on?" "Only for a week. I realized what I was doing, and that my doctor was right. I told my Captain what I'd done, and he helped me get back into Rehab. This time, I stayed clean. It took me almost a year, but I got myself back on the right track, with a lot of help." Tracy walked over to stand behind Hutch. "Detective Meinders, during that time, were you ever kidnapped?" Meinders shook his head. "No, ma'am." "Were you ever blindfolded, and your hands tied?" "No, ma'am." "Were you ever beaten?" "No, ma'am." "At any time, were you ever forced to take illegal drugs?" "No, ma'am. I did it all to myself." "Thank you, Detective. I know it took a lot of courage to come here today and tell us your experience, and I appreciate it." "Well, the department's been good to me, and I wanted to give a little back." "Just one more question, Detective. How long have you been drug-free?" "Almost six years." "Thank you, Detective. No more questions. Detective Simonetti?" Simonetti stood up and started to speak, then changed his mind. "I have no questions for this witness." Commander Horn motioned for Detective Meinders to step down, then spoke. "It's getting late. We'll recess for one hour, then we'll hear closing arguments. This hearing is adjourned." The four detectives waited for the room to clear, then Starsky clapped Hutch on the back. "I think we got them on the run, Blintz!" Hutch simply sat there with a bemused expression on his face. "Well, I'll be damned. How in the world did you ever convince Coney to testify? He hates us." Tracy grinned. "Yeah, but we did a little research, and found out that he was scared to death that his wife was running around on him. When we offered to have him transferred so he could see her more often AND keep a closer eye on her, he jumped at the chance. After all, he's already been convicted. He didn't lose anything by testifying." Micki added, "Besides, the punk is actually proud of what he did. And he does have a grudging respect for you, Ken. You not only beat the Heroin, but you beat Forrest, too." "Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you convinced him to come here today. I never thought I would say this, but I owe the punk one." Starsky grinned. "Imagine that. But, where did you get the idea to blow up the picture?" Tracy explained. "We needed proof that Hutch was forcibly addicted to the drug. Since Bernie never mentioned seeing them, we figured the ropes were gone by the time Ken went into that alley. But you told Huggy that day that someone had tied his hands together. So, we had a friend of ours blow up the pictures until we could see Ken's wrists. He had to blow it up twice before we could see the burns." Hutch shook his head in amazement. "Well, I'm sure glad you did. I'm confused about one thing, though. How did you find out about Meinders? I knew he was hurt, but I'd never heard the whole story until now." "You can thank Carl Berger for that. When word got around that you were being called up before IA, he came to us. He told us that we needed to talk to Meinders. Carl wouldn't tell us why, because he respected Meinders' privacy, but he hoped that Meinders would help when we told him what was happening to you. When we told Meinders that you were kidnapped and forced into using the Heroin, he agreed to testify." Hutch looked at his partner. "Well, I guess Carl paid his debt to us, tenfold." Starsky grinned. "You can say that again, partner." Hutch slapped the table, and stood up. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to get out of here for a while. I could really use something to drink and some fresh air, in that order." Micki stood on tiptoe and kissed her husband. "Sounds good to me. Let's blow this popsicle stand." |
| An hour later, they were back at the table, with Starsky sitting in his usual spot. They had just sat down when Commander Horn and the other members of the board entered the room. Simonetti and Dryden followed. Commander Horn looked around to make sure everyone was present. "Dectective Simonetti, you may make a closing statement." "Yes, Commander." He walked up to the front of the room. "Detective Hutchinson has been accused of using illegal substances during his career as a police officer. We've heard several witnesses, including his own partner, testify that there were needle marks on his arm, and that he went through a period of withdrawl. Detective Starsky claims that his partner was forcibly addicted to Heroin by Benjamin Forrest, in an attempt to illicit information from him. Starsky even admits to leaving out that information in his report, to protect his partner. Detective Starsky, and Charles Coney both give convincing evidence to support that allegation. If it weren't for Detective Hutchinson's checkered past, this could be a logical explanation for his addiction to Heroin. Unfortunately, his record speaks for itself. Detective Hutchinson has been reckless throughout his career, and has shown little regard for the rules and regulations of this department. I believe it is entirely possible that Detective Hutchinson was addicted to drugs before Ben Forrest kidnapped him, and it was only after he escaped that he decided to kick his habit. I submit that there is sufficient evidence to support the charges and I request that a formal hearing be convened as soon as possible." Simonetti nodded briefly to the board members and sat down. Commander Horn motioned to Tracy. She walked to the table and addressed the members. "The regulations state that any officer that admits to using illegal drugs can be terminated immediately. Detective Meinders was injured in the line of duty, and used Morphine because of his injury. Even though he admitted to being addicted to Morphine, his commanding officer decided to send him to rehab, and allowed him to remain on the force. Detective Meinders admitted to his addiction, and recieved the support and assistance of the department. He didn't have to hide in an apartment and go through withdrawl without any medical help. And he didn't have to keep it a secret for six years. Detective Ken Hutchinson was injured in the line of duty, too. He was trying to keep Jeanie Walton away from Ben Forrest. He knew that her life would be endangered if Forrest found her, so he hid her at a cottage on Seaview Point. Keeping her location from his partner and Captain wasn't the wisest decision he could have made, but Detective Hutchinson was doing what she asked. He hadn't been assigned to investigate Ben Forrest. He was in love with Jeanie Walton, and his only thought was to keep her safe. When Charles Coney and Allen Phylos kidnapped him, Hutch risked his own life to keep Jeanie's whereabouts a secret. He was beaten severely and denied food and water. When he still refused to disclose her location, Heroin was injected into his bloodstream, not once, but several times. After four days, Ben Forrest denied him the drug his body craved, and his body betrayed him. He told Forrest where Jeanie was, and instantly became a liability to Forrest. So, Ben Forrest instructed his men to take Detective Hutchinson to the docks and dispose of him. Somehow, he managed to escape and with his partner's help, endured the pain of withdrawl and became drug-free once again. If you don't think that is a form of torture, then you have never seen a true drug addict in the throes of withdrawl." Tracy smiled slightly. "Detective Hutchinson has the dubious honor of being the first victim of a crime to be brought before an Internal Affairs Review Board. He has listened while painful memories of his life have been offered as evidence of corruption and insubordination. His value and his ethics as a police officer have been challenged. Detective Hutchinson didn't allow himself to be abducted and tortured. He was obeying the oath he had taken, to protect and serve. However, since the drug in this case was Heroin, he was forced to keep the entire incident a secret. He had only his partner and his Captain to turn to for help. And because being a police officer is so important to him, he hid the truth for six years, living in fear that one day, some one would discover the ordeal he had endured." She walked over to stand beside Hutch. "Gentlemen, Detective Hutchinson didn't do anything wrong. He is just as deserving of the support of this department as Detective Meinders was through his ordeal. I submit to you that Detective Hutchinson didn't let this department down when he was forcibly addicted to Heroin, but rather, it was the department that let him down." She sat down beside him and waited. Commander Horn waited for a moment, then spoke. "This hearing is adjourned pending our decision. All parties will be notified when a determination is made. Until then, you are all dismissed." Tracy sat down beside Hutch and breathed a sigh of relief. For better or for worse, the hearing was over. It was out of her hands now. She reached over and patted Hutch's hand. "Well, there's no sense in sitting here all day. Why don't we all go to The Pits and let Huggy know what's happening? I'm sure he's as anxious as we are." Starsky held his hand out to Tracy, smiling. "Sounds good to me. What do you say, partner? You ready to get out of here?" Hutch nodded. "I'll say! I've had about as much of this room as I can take." The two couples gratefully left the station and drove to The Pits. It didn't take long to fill Huggy in on the rest of the hearing. He brought them all something to drink, then sat down with them. "Don't worry, my blonde brother. It will all work out, you'll see. After all, you got the Negotiator on your side. How can you lose?" "You got that right, Hug. You should have seen the looks Griffey was sending to Simonetti. I don't think he was too happy with his top head-hunter." Micki squeezed Hutch's hand comfortingly, and spoke up. "I think I've heard enough shop talk for one day. Do you think we could talk about something else for a change?" Thankfully, the conversation turned to brighter subjects, namely the wedding that was growing closer. Two hours later, the call they were waiting for came. Huggy listened for a moment, then turned back to the detectives. "Well, this is it, guys and gals. That was Dobey. The review board has reached a decision. He wants you all back there ASAP." They drove back to the station and had barely taken their seats when Lieutenant Griffey and the others entered the room. Commander Horn looked up from the papers in front of him. He gazed steadily at Hutch. "Sergeant Hutchinson, this board owes you an apology. No police officer should ever have to go through what you did. This office was created to prosecute corrupt police officers, not victims of violent crimes. I may not agree with your methods, but I have no doubt that your intentions were honorable. This hearing has simply added insult to injury, and for that, I apologize profoundly. There has been no evidence presented to support charges of illegal drug abuse, so there will be no formal hearing. You are cleared of all wrong doing, and this hearing is now adjourned. Oh, and congratulations on your marriage. I hope it is a long and happy one." Hutch smiled gratefully as the board members filed out of the room. After the door had closed, the celebration began. Starsky and Micki both let out a jubilant cheer, and Tracy threw her arms around Hutch's neck. No one noticed Simonetti standing beside the door, or the look of pure hatred that he gave them. |
The two couples were still celebrating after they left the building. Hutch picked his wife up and swung her around. "I can't believe it! I'm free! After all these years, I am finally free." He turned to Tracy and gave her a big hug. "And I owe it all to you. The next time Starsky wants to buy a run down house, I'll know who can sell it for him." They all laughed, then Starsky sobered. "There's something we haven't thought about. Are you girls going to tell Griffey that Simonetti knew the whole story before he went to the board? You know he ain't going to like it." Tracy glanced at her partner, then sighed. "We're not sure yet. I have the feeling Simonetti is in big trouble anyway. But, Griffey needs to know. Simonetti's been using IA for his own vendetta against you two, and that isn't what IA is all about." Hutch nodded thoughtfully. "You have a point. Maybe this will put a stop to the grudge match. Surely Simonetti won't be stupid enough to keep on with it now." Micki shrugged. "That's why I think we need to talk to Griffey. If Simonetti doesn't stop, he's going to end up ruining Dryden's career along with his own. And you'll notice that Dryden has been staying in the background through all of this." Micki kissed Hutch, then stepped back. "Why don't you and Davey go tell Huggy the news? He's probably going nuts by now. Tracy and I will go talk to Griffey. We'll meet you at The Pits in a little while." Starsky and Hutch headed to the garage, while Micki and Tracy went back into the station. As Starsky had predicted, Griffey wasn't happy to hear what the girls had to say. He waited until they left and called Simonetti into his office. He motioned for Simonetti to sit down, then glared at him. "I warned you, Alex. I told you that this wasn't a vigilante department, and that I wouldn't tolerate you using it for your own grudge against Starsky and Hutchinson. Now, I find out that you knew what happened to Hutchinson before you came to me. On top of all that, you lied to me when I asked you a direct question about it. You have two choices. You can resign now, or face termination. If you resign, your pension will stay intact. You can go to work somewhere else, without a blemish on your record. If you refuse to resign, you'll lose everything." Simonetti sat rigidly in his chair. His jaw clenched and relaxed twice, then he said calmly, "You'll have my resignation in the morning." He stood, and with his back perfectly straight, he walked out of Griffey's office. The two couples celebrated at The Pits until after midnight, then went back to their own apartments. Gratefully, they returned to their normal routines the next morning. Starsky and Hutch spent the morning going over files, reaquainting themselves with the latest cases the Task Force had been assigned to. Micki and Tracy concentrated on the upcoming hearing for Fred Morris, a suspected child molestor that had plead innocent by means of mental deficiency. The hearing would be difficult, because there had been extensive media coverage already. Micki looked up at the clock on the wall. "Man, I can't believe it's almost noon! Hey, I'm hungry. Why don't we corral the guys and make them take us out to lunch?" Tracy rolled her eyes at her partner. "Micki, you would want to eat in the middle of an earthquake. These files on the molested kids are disgusting. How can you think about food at a time like this?" "What good would it do these kids if I starve to death? The hearing isn't until next month. I don't think I'm going to wait that long to eat." Tracy threw her hands up in surrender. "OK, let's go get the guys, and we'll go out to lunch. We can go over the rest of these files when we get back." They walked out into the main office and found Starsky sitting at his computer. Micki looked around, but didn't see her husband. "Where's Ken, Davey? We were going to let you buy us lunch." Starsky closed the file he was reading and sat back. "Now that's the best idea I've heard all morning. Hutch went down to Central Supply to pick up some more paper. I thought computers were supposed to save paper, not use more." Micki laughed. "I don't think we'll ever get rid of forms in triplicate. Having a computer just means we can get it done faster. Look, you two wait here and I'll go get Ken. Maybe if we have lunch, I'll feel like tackling the rest of those files when we get back." Starsky nodded. "OK, go ahead. But you tell that husband of yours that we want to go to a real restaurant. No healthy junk, got it?" Micki grinned. "Got it. I'll be right back." Micki hummed quietly to herself as she walked down to the basement. She had just reached the bottom of the stairs when she saw Hutch coming toward her. He smiled as she walked toward him. "Well, what brings you down to the dungeon? Were you looking for me?" Micki stood on tiptoe and kissed him. "Yep, I'm hungry. If you play your cards right, I'll let you take me out to lunch." Hutch put on a sad expression. "I should have known. The honeymoon is over. You only want me for my money." Micki laughed out loud. "The honeymoon hasn't even started yet, and you don't have any money. We're cops, for Heaven's sake. What do you expect?" "You got me on that one. Let's grab Starsky and Tracy and get out of here for a while." Hutch had just turned to go up the stairs when he felt something hard jab him in the ribs. He stiffened as he heard the voice behind him. "Well, if it isn't the newlyweds. Turn around, the both of you. Take it nice and slow." Micki spread her hands out at her sides. She spoke calmly. "Whatever the problem is, Simonetti, you're not going to solve it with a gun." Simonetti jabbed the gun harder into Hutch's ribs. "I'm not trying to solve anything. Do you know where I've just been? I was in Griffey's office. I turned in my resignation, my badge, and my service revolver. So, you see, I have nothing left to lose. You can walk out that door, or I can shoot you both right now. It really doesn't matter to me. My career is over. I'm not real worried about my life." Hutch remained motionless. "You're life isn't over, Simonetti. You may have resigned, but you can always do something else. If you shoot us, you won't get out of here alive. Death is real final. You can't change your mind afterwards." "Oh, sure, I can do something else. I can be a night watchman, or a guard at one of those gated communities. There are all sorts of things that I can do." He snarled as he cocked the trigger. "I'm not some old horse that's been put out to pasture. I had a real future, until you and your so-called wife came along. Now, you are going to turn around and act like I am your best friend, then we're going to walk out the basement door into the garage." Simonetti moved closer to Micki, and pressed the gun into her side. "Now, I know you might be stupid enough to do something heroic if this gun is on you, but I don't think you'll risk wifey's life. I want you to take that cannon out of its holster and put it down on top of that filing cabinet. That's it, nice and slow. Shall we?" Hutch looked at his wife, then shrugged slightly. They did as Simonetti ordered, and the three of them walked through the door and into the parking garage. They walked to Simonetti's beige colored Ford, and he motioned for them to stop. "You're going to drive, Hutchinson, and we're going to get in the back seat. If you try anything, she'll be dead before you can turn around. Get in and start the car. I'll give you directions when we're out of the garage." The three rode in an uneasy silence, except when Simonetti gave instructions to Hutch. He had them drive deep into the oldest part of the garment district, where several buildings lay empty. After they had turned for the third time, Simonetti pointed to an alley. "Turn in there. Now, pull up behind that warehouse and park. I want you to get out and stand by the door with your hands where I can see them. Don't move, don't turn around, don't even twitch if you don't want to see her die." Hutch gritted his teeth and did as he was told. His heart pounded in his chest as he searched desperately for a way out of the situation. Starsky and Tracy would realize something was wrong when they didn't return, but would it be too late? Simonetti had obviously gone over the edge, and Hutch didn't doubt for a minute that he fully intended to kill them. He hoped fervently that an idea would occur to him once they were out of the confines of the alley and into the building. They walked slowly up to the door, with Hutch in front as usual. Simonetti reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring. Hutch stole a look at Micki, who raised her eyebrow. He sighed inwardly. Maybe that would be a lead for Starsky to follow, after their bodies were found. I could really use a miracle right now, Starsk. It's time for the cavalry to come over the hill, like they do in those old movies you love so much. Once they were in the warehouse, Simonetti herded them into the middle of the room. He looked around with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "It's perfect, wouldn't you say? By the time they figure out that I own this worthless building, there won't be enough left of your bodies to bury. The deed to this thing is in my brother's name, and he's been dead for three years. It's been abandoned for even longer than that, so there isn't even a tax bill they can trace. Not bad for a spur-of-the-moment plan, if I do say so myself." Micki kept her voice low. "Simonetti, you're not thinking clearly. So far, you haven't committed any crime. You can let us go, and no one will be the wiser. I know you feel like the world is against you, but that isn't true. You still have a lot of choices. Don't throw them all away." The ex-IA detective lashed out with his free hand, slapping her across the face. "Shut up! You don't know how I feel! You've got everything. You're the Captain's own personal Justice League. You don't know anything!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Swiss dagger, fingering the ornately decorated hilt lovingly. He smiled malevolently as his mood changed again. "This is something else they don't know about. I've been collecting knives for years. This is my pride and joy. There isn't a single flaw. It's perfect in every way." Simonetti gazed at Micki, his eyes glittering with hatred. "You think you're something. You know everything there is to know about everything. Did you get a big laugh out of the review hearing? Did you get off on destroying my career? You've got them all fooled, but you can't fool me. I'm going to show the whole world what you're really like. You know, I could rape you with hubby looking on, but you're not my type. I've got a better idea. By the time I get done with you, your own mother won't even want to look at you." Before either Micki or Hutch could move, Simonetti slashed downward with the dagger, leaving a long, oozing line of blood on the side of Micki's face. Hutch roared and lunged toward Simonetti. Calmly, without any expression, Simonetti shot him twice in the chest. Micki froze, her eyes wide, with her hand still clutching the wound on her face. Horrified, she watched as Hutch collapsed onto the concrete floor. "NNOOOOO!!!!" She cried, and tried to dodge around Simonetti. Before she could move, he snarled at her again, and blocked her path to Hutch. The smile he gave her was pure maliciousness. "One down, one to go." Micki forced her thoughts away from her husband and concentrated on the immediate threat in front of her. She could feel the blood trickling down her chin, and dripping onto her blouse. Cautiously, she backed away from the deranged IA agent. "Simonetti, don't do this. Please let me go to him. Let me get help. It's not too late. For God's sake, DON'T LET HIM DIE!" "Are we begging now? That's good. Go ahead. Beg me. If you're real convincing, I might put a bullet in you, and let you die in his arms. I SAID, BEG ME!" Micki moved back another few steps, then slowly dropped to her knees. "Please, let me go to him. I don't want him to die alone. Please." He started toward her, with the gun aimed at her head. "Well, since you asked so nicely...." When he was only a few inches away, Micki attacked with the only weapon she had: her body. She launched herself at him with her arms stretched out in front of her. The gun flew out of his hand and across the room as he fell to the floor. Micki crawled on her knees toward the gun, but before she could reach it, she heard a bellow from behind her. She looked up and barely had time to shield her face with her hands as he leapt toward her. She gasped as the blade sliced her palms. She scrambled backwards and jumped to her feet as he swiped at her once more. Frantically, she tried to stay out of his reach as he slashed back and forth with the dagger. Simonetti smiled as he taunted her. "What's the matter, girlie? Where's those superpowers now? How's it feel to be on the losing side?" Micki didn't try to answer him, and concentrated instead on preserving her waning strenghth. The cuts on her arms and hands weren't deep, but she could feel herself getting weaker from loss of blood. Simonetti had stationed himself in the middle of the large room, effectively blocking any escape. Steadfastly, she tried to reach Hutch, but each time she drew near, Simonetti lashed out at her with the dagger. Suddenly, her foot slipped on something on the floor. She glanced down quickly and saw the gun lying beside her. With one last desperate effort, she dropped to the floor, grabbed the gun and rolled away. She didn't try to aim as she squeezed the trigger. Simonetti howled as he dropped the dagger and clutched his right temple, and fell to the floor. Micki tried to stand, but the blood she had lost finally took its toll. She ignored the fallen man as she crawled toward Hutch. Tears mixed with the blood on her face as she kissed her husband, then collapsed beside him with her head on his shoulder. |
Starsky tapped his foot impatiently as he checked his watch for the third time. He frowned at Tracy. "What's taking them so long? We could've been to Huggy's and back by now. You don't think they skipped out on us, do you?" Tracy grinned and shook her head. "Ken wouldn't do that to you. He'd know that you'd never let him forget it. Plus, you'd make his life miserable for the next ten years. They probably ran into somebody between the basement and here, and they just lost track of the time." "Well, my stomach knows what time it is. It's time to eat. Let's go hunt'em down and get out of here before I starve to death." She smiled indulgently. "Poor baby. It's been, what, a whole four hours since you ate? Come on, we'll start at the stairs and work our way to the basement. I'll take Micki's purse with me, so we don't have to come back to the office." "Good idea. Let's go." There was no sign of the missing partners as they reached the basement. Starsky walked up to Bigelow. "Hey, Biggie, have you seen Hutch and Micki lately?" "They were just here, Starsky. What did you do, lose your partner? Maybe you should put a bell around his neck. And I thought you were supposed to be a detective." He snickered at his own wit. "Ha, ha. Don't quit your day job, Biggie. A comedian, you ain't. How long ago did they leave?" "I've got better things to do than keep track of your partner, Starsky. I guess it was about twenty or thirty minutes ago." "And you saw Micki, too, right?" Bigelow gave Starsky a long-suffering look. "Yes, they were standing right over there, talking. Then Simonetti walked up to them, and they all left." Starsky's eyes narrowed. "Simonetti was here? Could you hear what they were saying?" "No, they weren't talking that loud." Tracy kept her voice even. "Where exactly were they standing?" Bigelow pointed nonchalantly. "Over there, by that filing cabinet. They all went out that door and into the parking garage." Tracy moved away, with an absentminded thank-you. When she saw Hutch's Colt Python sitting on top of the cabinet, she looked at Starsky. She could tell they were thinking the same thing. Starsky took a deep breath. "I think we'd better call the Captain." The watch on Starsky's wrist felt like a time bomb that was about to explode. Counting the time they had waited for Micki and Hutch, together with the time it had taken to get a search party together, the couple had been missing for over an hour. No one but Bigelow had seen them leave. Captain Dobey had summoned Lieutenant Griffey as soon as Starsky called him, and learned that Simonetti had indeed resigned. Dobey staunchly ignored the vise gripping his chest. "So, it's safe to assume that his mood wasn't the best. We're not going to be naive and assume they made peace at the last minute. The only question is, where did they go?" Griffey spread his hands out before him. "I don't know. Alex has never talked about himself much. I don't know if he had any favorite retreats or not. Maybe Dryden will know." Starsky handed him the phone. "Call him. I gotta feelin' we're running out of time." Griffey placed the call, then looked back at the brunette detective. "You don't actually think...." "I don't know what I think. I just know we're running out of time. We're standing here beating our gums while Hutch and Micki are at the mercy of a psycho." Dryden took the stairs two at a time and hurried up to the small group. "Have you put an APB out on Alex's car?" Dobey nodded. "Yes, and we've got every available unit looking for them. Bill, do you have any idea where he would take them?" "I've been racking my brain, but I can't think of any place he'd go. He lives in an apartment building, so I can't see him going there. Alex doesn't have much of a life outside of the department, so I don't think he'd have a cabin or boat, or anything out of the way like that." "What about relatives? Do any of them live outside of the city?" "His parents are dead. He has a sister, but she lives in Wisconsin. He had a brother, but he died a few years ago." Starsky pounded the top of the metal cabinet with his fist. "They have to be somewhere! They didn't just disappear off the face of the planet! Think, Bill. You know him better than anyone else. We need something." Dryden paced the length of the hall, thinking furiously. He snapped his fingers as pieces of a long ago conversation came back to him. He turned to the others. "Alex's brother had a warehouse. At least, that's what he was going to use it for. He had a brainstorm about this business he was going to start, but it never got off the ground. The building sat empty for a couple of years, then Sammy got sick, and died a year later. I guess Alex inherited the building, but he never said anything else about it." "Do you know where it is?" "In the old garment district. Twelfth Street, I think." Starsky clapped him on the back. "That's a good start, anyway. Let's go. Cap, can you get us some back up?" "I'll have all the units in that area be on the look-out, Starsky. Be careful, though. We don't want to go barging in on him. Considering his state of mind, there's no telling what he would do." They were only a few blocks away from the district when the call came over the radio. Simonetti's car had been spotted, parked behind an old building, but there was no sign of its occupants. Starsky cut the siren, and parked behind the beige Ford. He quickly ordered the uniformed officers to spread out, then gently opened the door to the factory. Inside the building, Hutch slowly regained consciousness. The searing pain in his chest made it hard to breathe. He felt the weight of something lying against him, and looked down to see his wife's long, dark hair under his chin. He tried to whisper her name, but a cough tore through his body instead. His arms were like dead weights at his side. He saw a shadow on the floor out of the corner of his eye, and looked up to see a ghastly apparition coming toward him. Simonetti, the right side of his face covered in blood, was holding an old rusted axe over his head as he moved toward the fallen couple. Hutch could only watch as he drew nearer. The sound of a gunshot reverberated around the empty room. Simonetti staggered, and the axe dropped on the concrete floor with a loud clang. Hutch's ears were still ringing when another shot echoed in the room. This time, Simonetti fell backwards and lay still. With the last of his strength, Hutch moved his head and looked toward the source of the shots. Starsky was standing beside them, his gun still aimed at Simonetti. Tracy appeared suddenly as Starsky holstered his weapon. Starsky dropped to his knees beside his fallen partner, dismissing Simonetti with a glance. Hutch was still conscious, but barely. There was so much blood that he couldn't tell which was Micki's and which was Hutch's. Starsky spoke calmly, in spite of the fear raging inside him. "Take it easy, partner. The cavalry is here. I can't leave you alone for a minute, can I? Look what you've gotten yourself into now." Hutch tried vainly to move his hand again. With his last remaining strength, he whispered, "Micki." "Shhh. Don't try to talk. She's hurt, but she's breathing. You just make sure you do the same. The ambulance should be here in a minute." Tracy knelt down beside Starsky, and gently touched the blonde detective's cheek. "You're both going to be OK. Just hold on. It's all over. Help is on the way." Two ambulances raced up to the emergency room entrance. Their doors flew open, and several people jumped out all at once, like a clown routine in a circus sideshow. Only, the red on their white uniforms wasn't a prop. Two still figures lay on the gurneys, the white sheets that covered them splattered with blood. Starsky jumped out behind the gurney carrying Hutch, with Tracy following Micki. The grim parade rushed into the Trauma center, where doctors and nurses waited to perform their magic. A friendly nurse stood in the entrance, effectively blocking the two detectives' path. "Whoa! This is as far as you go. Let us do our jobs." Starsky opened his mouth to protest. "But..." "No buts. We'll do everything we can for them. Now, make yourself useful. Go fill out the paperwork." She turned them around and gently nudged them toward the admitting desk. Mechanically, Starsky walked to the desk and stood. Tracy walked up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. He put his arms around her and held her close. This ain't happening. We're supposed to get married next month, for God's sake. How the Hell did we get here? Dear God, don't let them die. Numbly, Starsky and Tracy answered all the clerk's questions, and filled out the forms as they were handed to them. Finally, the clerk pointed to a small room beside the ER. Starsky nodded slightly, then led Tracy into the room, and sat down on a small couch. Eons later, the same friendly nurse came into the room, carrying a small bundle in her hands. She crossed over to the two weary detectives. Starsky looked up hopefully. "How are they? Are they going to be OK?" Are they still alive? His lips refused to form the words. The nurse shook her head. "The doctors are still working on them. It will be a while before we know anything. Here, I brought you both some scrubs. You can change in the bathroom over there." Starsky looked at the clothes, bewildered. "Change? Why?" She motioned for him to look down, her lips curved in a smile. "You'll scare the other patients." Starsky looked down at himself, then at Tracy. They were both covered in their partners' blood. Still in a daze, he nodded and took the clothes from her. He gave Tracy a set, and kept one for himself. He went into the bathroom, and got out of his blood-soaked jeans and shirt. The scrubs felt strange, but at least they were clean, and dry. Then he picked up the jeans and shirt, and stuffed them in the trashcan. Starsky stood at the sink and washed the dried blood off his hands as best he could. He met Tracy coming out of the women's bathroom, and together, they walked back into the waiting room. Starsky blinked as he saw the gathering in front of him. The room was filled with police officers, including Dobey. Huggy stood in the center of the room, looking distinctly uncomfortable. The curly-haired detective shot a questioning look at his Captain. Dobey motioned to the crowd. "They heard about what happened. They figured maybe Hutch and Micki could use some extra blood. They've come to donate." Starsky smiled genuinely. He raised his hand, and waited for the talking to stop. "Thanks, everybody. I know Hutch and Micki will appreciate it, too. It's nice to know we have so many friends." Carl Berger grinned and winked. "What friends? I've already got my monkey suit reserved for the wedding, and I wanted to make sure I had somewhere to wear it. Besides, I can't wait to see you two walk down the aisle. You're not getting out of it this way, Starsk. You've escaped the ball and chain long enough." The tension in the room dropped several levels as everyone laughed. The officers filed past Starsky, clapping him on the back, or squeezing his shoulder as they passed. The admitting clerks were kept busy as the proper forms were filled out, and the men and women prepared to donate the life-saving substance. Huggy walked up and handed his friends a cup of coffee and a sandwich. "It's going to be a long night. You might as well sit down and take a load off. Standing here ain't gonna make it go any faster." Starsky smiled and accepted the food. "Thanks, Hug. I just wish they'd tell us something." "You can't rush it, m'man. Give the docs time to do their job. It'll be OK, you'll see. A month from now, this will all be like a bad dream." "I hope so, Hug." Huggy winked at his friend. "Hey, I'm betting on it, and the Bear only bets on a sure thing." |
| Several cups of coffee later, two tired doctors walked into the waiting room. Instantly, Starsky and Tracy were on their feet, followed by Huggy and Dobey. The taller, younger doctor held his hand out. �I�m Dr. Ross, and this is Dr. Shaper. Why don't we all sit down, and I�ll tell you what we're looking at now.� Starsky was barely in his chair before he asked, �How are they, Doc? Are they going to make it?� �They�ve both got a good chance, Detective Starsky. Let me start at the beginning. Sergeant Hutchinson was shot twice, as you know. The first bullet punctured his lung. We were able to go in and repair the damage, and re-inflate the lung. The good news is, the second bullet missed his heart completely. It didn�t miss by much, but the important thing is the heart wasn�t damaged. In fact, the bullet passed completely through Sergeant Hutchinson�s body without doing any significant damage at all. To be honest, when I looked at the X-Rays, I thought I would find a lot more damage than I did. My real concern is the loss of blood. Thanks to your fellow officers, we have an ample supply of B-negative blood. That�s good, because Mrs. Hutchinson�s blood type is also B-negative. The next twenty-four hours will be critical. If we can prevent any serious infection, or complications such as pneumonia, I think Sergeant Hutchinson will recover fully.� Starsky breathed a sigh of relief, and squeezed Tracy�s hand. �Thank God. But, how�s Micki? She�s going to be OK, too, right?� Dr. Shaper took over the conversation. �She�s in guarded condition, Detective. Mrs. Hutchinson lost a great deal of blood, also. We�ve been giving her transfusions, but she was in a deep state of shock when she was brought in. She has a laceration on her face, approximately eight centimeters long. She has several lacerations on her palms, and forearms, ranging from three to nine centimeters. They were caused by a very sharp blade, and aren�t that deep, but it took over three hundred sutures to close the wounds. The shock was caused, of course, by the loss of blood. If we can stabilize her, she should recover completely. The next twenty-four hours will be critical for her, also.� Tracy was quiet for a moment, and then asked, �Will she need plastic surgery?� �It�s possible, but at this point, I�m not sure. Since the blade was extremely sharp, the cuts are clean, and sutured neatly. It could be that after a while, the scars will be barely noticeable. Unfortunately, we won�t know for sure until they are completely healed. That will take some time. Let�s wait and see how she feels when she wakes up.� Tracy nodded. �When do you think they will wake up?� �Hopefully, within the next twenty-four hours. If they don�t, then we�ll start to worry about serious complications. But, let�s not get ahead of ourselves. They�ve both done very well up till now, so there�s no reason to borrow trouble. We�re getting ready to move them into ICU now. You�ll be able to see them for a few minutes, but they need their rest.� An hour later, Starsky sat in one ICU room with his partner, while Tracy held vigil over her partner. Starsky looked around the small room. It was eerily quiet; the only sound came from the monitors above the bed. The steady rhythm of the beeps was comforting, though. They reminded Starsky that his best friend had come through the surgery relatively intact. For once, Starsky didn�t feel like he was sitting by Hutch�s deathbed. They had escaped that fate once again. �Now all you have to do is wake up, Hutch. Come on, we�ve got a wedding to go to. You wouldn�t want Simonetti to beat ya, would you?� The beeping monitor was his only answer. Starsky sighed. Hutch had only been out of surgery for a few hours. It wasn�t time to start worrying yet. He settled back as best he could in the plastic chair, and watched the numbers blinking on the monitor. Hutch was alive. That was all that mattered. In the next room, Tracy watched with relief as the numbers on Micki�s monitor settled down to a steady stream. She had been given several pints of blood, and finally, her vital signs were returning to normal. Tracy reached over and gently moved a stray hair away from the bandage on Micki�s face. The brunette�s hands were bandaged, and lie on top of the white blanket. �Wake up, Mick. Talk to me. It�s over. You�re going to be OK. Please wake up. I don�t like talking to myself.� As if she had heard her friend, Micki moved her head and moaned softly. Tracy watched, ecstatic, as Micki slowly regained consciousness. �Micki? That�s it, wake up. Come on, talk to me. It�s Tracy. You can do it. Wake up!� Suddenly, Micki�s eyes popped open. �Ken! NOOOOO!!!!!! Get away from him! Get away!� Tracy stood by the bed and gently, but firmly, held Micki�s forearms. �It�s OK, Mick. Ken�s going to be all right. You�re in the hospital. Ken�s right next door.� Micki looked at her partner, tears streaming down her face. �He�s dead! Oh, God, Simonetti shot him! I tried to get to him, but Simonetti kept blocking me. I couldn�t get past him. He killed him!� �Micki, listen to me! Ken is NOT dead. He made it through the surgery, and he�s got a good chance. You both do. You�re going to be OK, I promise. Both of you are.� Slowly, Micki�s breathing slowed. She looked beseechingly at Tracy. �He�s alive? He�s going to be all right? You promise?� Tracy smiled, her eyes shining with tears. �I promise. David is sitting with him, right next door. As soon as you�re strong enough, you can go see him. Simonetti�s dead, Mick. David shot him. He can�t hurt you anymore.� Micki closed her eyes and looked away from Tracy. �I�m sorry. I didn�t want him to die. It�s my fault. I took everything away from him in that hearing. I didn�t even leave him his dignity.� �Now you look at me, Micki Hutchinson. You didn�t do any such thing. Something happened to Simonetti long before the hearing took place. He was getting irrational before you ever met Ken. I�ll bet you that when we read his file, we�ll see that Ken and David weren�t his only obsessions. Whatever we find, none of this is your fault. So, get that out of your head right now. All you have to worry about is getting well. We have a wedding coming up, in case you don�t remember.� Micki smiled for the first time. �I remember. That�s what kept me going. I knew I had to get to Ken. I couldn�t let him die. But, I feel sorry for Dryden. Simonetti was his partner, after all.� �I know. It won�t be easy for Bill, but he�ll move on. He tried to keep Simonetti in check, but he couldn�t stop him from going over the edge. Now, get some sleep. The sooner you get your strength back, the sooner you can see Ken.� �He�s really going to be all right?� �Yes, he�s really going to be all right. Hush now. Go to sleep.� |
Starsky rose stiffly and walked around the small room, trying to ease the ache in his back. He looked through the blinds covering the small window. The sun was starting to set, and long shadows covered the green grass around the hospital. For a few minutes, he watched the traffic going up and down the street. Lost in his reverie, he was startled by a weak voice coming from the bed. "Starsk." He swung around, exultantly. "Hutch! You're awake!" He crossed the room in one step, and smiled down at the blonde. "Welcome back, buddy. I was beginning to think you were going to sleep forever." Hutch closed his eyes and took a shallow breath. "Micki?" "She's here, in the next room. You two gave us quite a scare, but you're going to be OK." "Thank God. Simonetti?" Starsky laid his hand on Hutch's shoulder. "He's dead, Hutch. I got to the warehouse just in time to see him coming at you with a fire axe. I tried just winging him, but he kept coming. I didn't have a choice." "Damn. I never thought it would come to this. I wanted him to leave us alone, but I didn't want him to die." "I know, Blintz. But don't let that famous Hutchinson guilt take over. This wasn't your fault. You didn't send Simonetti off the deep end. He did that himself." "I guess you're right. I just wish there had been another way." Hutch moved slightly, grimacing with the pain. "How's Micki? How bad did he hurt her?" "He cut her pretty bad. She fought like a tiger to get to you. She's got one cut on her face, and the rest are on her hands and arms. Her doctor's good. He says that eventually, the scars will just fade away, and she won't even need plastic surgery. We won't know for sure until after she's healed, but he says he's optimistic. In doctor talk, that usually means a sure thing." "I want to see her." "You will, but you've got some healing to do, too. As soon as you get a little stronger, they'll move you to a private room. Then, you can see her." Later, when both Hutchinson's were asleep, Starsky and Tracy went back to their apartment for a much-needed shower, and some sleep. After they got out of the shower, Starsky poured a cup of coffee for himself, and handed a soda to Tracy. He raised his mug in a toast. "Here's to the end of a nightmare. Hutch's addiction is out in the open, Forrest can't hurt him any more, and Simonetti is finally off our backs, forever." "Here, here. Hutch kept that secret for so many years. I can only imagine what he must have went through, what you both went through. At least it's over now. In a way, Simonetti did him a favor. He brought everything out in the open, and forced Hutch to deal with it. No one can hold it over his head ever again." "I guess you have a point, but the cost was too high. We almost lost Hutch and Micki both. I can't say that I'm grateful to Simonetti for that." Tracy put her arms around him and held him close. "I know. I can't even think about what could have happened. I'm just glad it's over. Now, we can move on, and be happy." "Amen, sweetheart, amen." Starsky put down the coffee cup, and took Tracy's hand. Together, they walked into the bedroom, secure in the knowledge that both of their partners were safe. The next morning, the couple went back to the hospital, their energy renewed after a good night's sleep. As they entered the ICU, Tracy heard her partner's extremely agitated voice. She dropped Starsky's hand and ran into the room. Two nurses were vainly trying to subdue the upset detective. "I want to see my husband! If he's really here, and he's really OK, then why can't I see him?" "Mrs. Hutchinson, you aren't strong enough to get out of bed yet. Your husband is recovering, but he is still very weak, and so are you. You should be able to see him in another day or two. Please be patient." "Patient my ass! The last time I saw my husband, he was flat on his back on a concrete floor, bleeding to death. I want to see him NOW!! Unless you're lying to me, and something's happened to him." Starsky moved around to the side of the bed. "Micki, listen to me. Hutch isn't dead. He's right next-door. But you gotta listen to the nurses. If you try to get up, you'll fall flat on your face and hurt yourself even more." Micki looked up, her eyes pleading with him. "I have to see him, Davy. Please, just once and I'll behave. I need to see for myself that he's still alive." Starsky looked at her, and thought about how he would feel if he were lying in that bed. He made his decision, turning to the nurse. "I need a wheelchair." "Detective Starsky, this is highly irregular. Her doctor hasn't given his permission for her to get out of bed." Starsky kept his voice even. "Look, nurse, I know this lady. She's going to see Hutch, one way or the other. If you don't do it my way, she's going to wait until your back is turned, and then she's going to crawl in there if she has to. You can call Dr. Shaper if it will make you feel better, but I'm going to take her in to see Hutch. Now." "Very well, but don't do anything until I talk to Dr. Shaper." Micki looked at her, steel in her eyes. "You have five minutes." Starsky grinned. "You heard the lady." Four and a half minutes later, the nurse was back. "Dr. Shaper wasn't happy, but he gave his permission, on one condition. You don't try to get out of the wheelchair, and you can only stay for a few minutes. Then it's back to bed, until he tells you that you can get up." Micki grinned. "Deal." She started to sit up, but Starsky stopped her with his hand. "Hold on, Munchkin. I do all the work, and you sit back and relax. Agreed?" "Agreed." She smiled and raised her arms. Starsky lifted her gently out of the bed and sat her in the wheelchair. After unlocking the brakes, he pushed her into Hutch's room. The blonde was sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling steadily. Starsky pushed the chair up beside the bed, and stepped back. Micki gazed at her husband, smiling through her tears. She reached out and caressed his face, then laid her cheek on his hand. Hutch stirred, opening his eyes. He looked down at the dark hair, and laid his other hand on the soft tresses. Starsky whispered softly. "Micki, look." Micki raised her head and looked into sky-blue eyes. Slowly, she stood up enough to touch her lips to his. "I love you, Ken Hutchinson. Get well soon. I miss you." Hutch smiled and touched her cheek. "I love you, Micki Hutchinson. Get well soon. I miss you, too." The nurse swiped at her eyes furtively, and then stepped forward. "It's time, Mrs. Hutchinson. You need to get back to bed. You'll be seeing each other again, real soon." Micki winked mischievously at her husband. "I know we will." She kissed him once more, then sat back in the wheel chair. Starsky squeezed his partner's hand. "I'll be right back, buddy. Micki's been AWOL long enough." Hutch nodded and closed his eyes. The brunette took Micki back into her room, and helped her back into bed. "Are you satisfied now? You take it easy, and mind the nurses. I'm going to talk to Hutch, then Tracy and I are going to get something to eat. You get some sleep, hear?" Micki grinned, "Yes, Davy. I'll behave, for now." Two days later, Micki and Hutch had recovered enough to be moved out of the ICU. Starsky and Tracy immediately cornered their doctors outside of the unit. When Starsky told the doctors what he wanted, they looked incredulously at him. "Detective, that is highly irregular!" "Doc, this whole case has been highly irregular! If you don't put them together, I'll tell you what's going to happen. They'll be sneaking out of their rooms, and crawling across the hall the minute your nurses are out of sight. Mark my words, they're going to drive you crazy if you try to separate them." "I'm not sure if our regulations will allow them to be in the same room!" Tracy stepped in. "Why not? They are married, after all. Let's face it; they aren't in any condition to do anything inappropriate. I know my partner. She'll be so worried about Sergeant Hutchinson that you won't be able to keep her in bed. That will set her recovery back significantly. Wouldn't be better if they were in the same room, where they could recuperate without any emotional stress?" Dr. Shaper sighed. "Very well, I'll ask our administrator for permission. But I won't allow their behavior to disrupt this hospital. I'm holding you both responsible. Am I making myself clear?" Tracy nodded. "Very clear. We'll make sure there aren't any disruptions. Micki will behave herself as long as she's with Ken. Thank-you, Doctor." He huffed. "Don't thank me yet. I'll let you know our administrator's decision as soon as possible." With that, he stalked off toward the administration offices. Tracy watched him go, muttering under her breath. "And if she doesn't, I'll kill her myself." |
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