| Transitions: Part 2 |
| While the two detectives were preparing themselves for the future, Peggy Holder was contemplating the past. Most of her life had been filled with unhappiness. When her father died after a long illness, Peggy decided it was time for a change. She gathered her courage and cleaned out her savings account, and moved to L.A., hoping for a better life. Things had not gone well so far. Her pitiful savings didn�t last long, she couldn�t find a decent job, and the apartment she was living in wasn�t fit for humans. Then she met the man she�d waited her whole life to meet. He treated her as no one ever had, with kindness and devotion. His attentions were the one thing that made her miserable life seem worthwhile. On this particular night, she was sure he was going to propose. Then she would have everything she had dreamed about. She could say good-bye to this filthy apartment and that pitiful job. As she waited for him to come, she thought about how wonderful her life would be. He was so good to her! No one had ever bought the kinds of things that he had given her. The candlelight dinners at the most expensive restaurants and the long, romantic drives in his convertible seemed like a dream. She was putting the finishing touches on her make-up when he arrived. �Oh, Danny, they�re beautiful!� She reached out for the bouquet of fresh flowers that he had in his hand. Finding a vase that looked sadly out of place, she quickly ran some water and put the flowers in it. �You�re always so good to me, Danny; you make me feel guilty.� �Why should you feel guilty, baby-cakes? A pretty girl like you, all alone in this big city, you deserve a little TLC.� �I don�t know what I would do without you, Danny. I know how busy you are. It makes me feel special that you spend so much time with me.� �You are special, babe. Now, come on, grab that pretty jacket that I bought you, and let�s go. We�ve got reservations, and I�m starved.� Dinner was as romantic as all the others had been. Peggy kept waiting for him to pop the question and when he didn�t, told herself that he was waiting for the right moment. When he suggested going to the hotel around the corner, her spirits soared. He wanted to ask her in private, that�s all. He didn�t feel comfortable proposing in a public place. By the time they reached the hotel, Peggy was breathless with anticipation. However, when they entered the hotel room, Danny�s mood changed. He never even mentioned marriage. Instead, he pulled her close to him, kissing her passionately and running his hands all over her body. She responded at first, but when he became rough with her, she balked. Trying to put a light touch on the situation, she laughed. "I guess we shouldn�t have had that last glass of wine. I mean, we don�t want to do anything we�ll be sorry for in the morning.� �Oh, come on, baby-cakes, you�re not a kid anymore. Come on; show Danny a little appreciation for everything he�s done for you. How about a little taste, huh? Show me that fire.� �Danny, no. Stop it, Danny!� She pushed him away. �I don�t want to do this.� �Who are you kidding, baby-cakes? You think I�m some dumb hick from that one-horse town you call home? This is the real world, kid. It�s time you grew up. Playtime is over.� He tried to grab her again, but she eluded him. Shocked by the sudden change in him, she felt the first kernels of fear. �Danny, I don�t understand. I thought you loved me. I thought you wanted to marry me.� �Marry you? You really are living in a dream world, aren�t you? Why would I want to marry a nothing like you? Now, you listen to me, bitch. I didn�t spend all that dough on you for nothing. Come here!� Terrified, she tried to run, but he caught her and threw her onto the bed. She saw his fist coming toward her head and then mercifully, everything went away. |
| Hutch was struggling with his computer when Dobey strode through the door. �Come on, you two. We�ve got our first assignment.� Starsky and Hutch grabbed their coats and followed their captain. Leaving their cars behind, Starsky jumped into the driver�s seat of Dobey�s car while Hutch climbed in the back. Following Dobey�s directions, they went to the alley between Kruger and Holland Avenue. They drove slowly through the black-and-whites gathered around the entrance. Nodding to the uniformed officers, the three men stopped at a body lying underneath a sheet. Crouching down beside the body, Starsky lifted a corner. She was young, and pretty. From the marks around the neck, they could tell she�d been strangled. Starsky looked up. �Captain?� �This is the third victim in the past four months. The MO is the same in every one. Each girl was beaten, raped and then strangled. All four were in their mid-twenties, with the same physical description. There�s something else they have in common. None of the victims had any immediate family, or close friends. They all worked minimum wage jobs, all in this area. The employers that took the time to talk to us weren�t any help.� �In other words, there wasn�t anybody close enough to them to miss them. That�s neat, isn�t it? Whoever did it could do what he wanted, without worrying about somebody filing a missing person�s report. So we�ve got a serial killer on the loose.� Dobey nodded. �That�s part of it. We�ll discuss the rest of it at the station. Let�s go.� Once they were back at their desks, Dobey continued. �The Commissioner wants this one taken care of fast. It�s not just the three girls that are dead; it�s who he thinks is responsible for killing them.� �OK, Cap, we�ll bite. Who does he think it is?� �From this point on, whatever I say stays in this room. The prime suspect for these homicides is Tommy Carruthers.� Hutch asked, �The second-in-command to Carmi DiConti? I thought the Feds were getting ready to indict him.� �They were investigating him, but before they could gather enough evidence to get an indictment, he disappeared. He dropped out of sight for a short time, then surfaced again, here. While he was still in Jersey, there were four more homicides, all with a MO that matches the homicides here. When he left Jersey, the killing stopped. That�s why the Commissioner thinks he�s in town, and up to his old tricks. The Feds have been looking into this, with the cooperation of this department. Now, the Commissioner wants us to take over.� �Cooperation--how?� �For the past six months, we�ve had a detective working undercover with the Feds.� �How deep undercover?� �She�s been living with Carruthers, posing as his girlfriend.� Hutch whistled softly. �That is deep. What kind of surveillance do we have?� �None. Carruthers is paranoid about listening devices. He sweeps his house and his car several times a day. There�s no way we could get a wire in past him. Let me repeat this. No one else knows about this. This girl is walking a tightrope. Because of the way she met Carruthers, he knows she�s a detective.� �Wait a minute, Cap. You mean that this girl is living with him, in his house, and he KNOWS she�s a cop?� �That�s what I said, Starsky. However, he doesn�t know that she knows who he really is. Carruthers introduced himself to her as Danny Wilson, and that�s what she calls him. Now you can see why it is imperative that her cover remains intact. One whisper that she knows his true identity, and she�s dead before we can get to her.� �All I�ve got to say is that�s one gutsy lady! Talk about being out in the cold! Has she been able to get anything solid on Carruthers?� �She�s picked up a few good leads, mainly from conversations she�s overheard; names that he�s dropped, or places that he�s traveled, supposedly on business. It�s more than the Feds were able to get before now, but still not enough by itself for an indictment. That�s why I want you two to contact her and work together. If we can bring in Carruthers, with her help, that will get this task force off the ground in a big way.� �OK, who is she and how do we contact her?� Dobey handed them a small file. The folder was marked Personnel, and in it were two pictures. Hutch looked at them and passed them to Starsky. Dobey talked while they looked at the file. �Detectives Micki Ellis and Tracy Edwards. Micki is the detective undercover, and Tracy is her partner. Since Carruthers knows Micki�s a detective, that leaves Tracy in a position to move freely. She relays all information that Micki gets, and takes it to the Feds. That way, no one else on the force has access to it. Now, that information will come here. In a strange way, it�s easier since Micki doesn�t have to hide the fact that she�s a police officer.� Hutch looked up. �What does Carruthers think she does?� �Micki and Tracy are assigned to the Robbery division. That�s help, too. If Carruthers thought they were in Homicide, or with OCB, he might get nervous. While Micki�s been undercover, I�ve been careful to assign them only to routine cases. She can talk freely about her work without being a threat to Carruthers.� �Well, at least that�s something. It takes away the need for other contacts, and both these girls can come and go in the station without making Carruthers suspicious. What I don�t get is, he has to know the Feds are investigating him. Why is he still going after these girls? You�d think DiConti would want him to keep a low profile.� Dobey harrumphed. �Carruthers is an egomaniac. He thinks the police force is too stupid to put him with the homicides. He�s cautious with his business dealings, but when it comes to his personal life, he�s reckless.� �So, what do you want us to do?� �Make contact with Micki, and see if she has anything on the homicides. If she does, get it from her. Let her concentrate on the DiConti organization.� �How do we contact her?� �Carruthers owns a nightclub as a front for his business dealings with DiConti. Micki and Tracy have had a small band for years. She let that drop to Carruthers, so he put them to work at the club. He thinks it�s a way for him to keep an eye on her. What he doesn�t realize is it gives Micki a way to watch him, too. The club�s called the Torch, on the corner of Millholland Drive. Contact her there and set up a meeting.� �OK, what time?� �She goes on at eight o�clock. Be careful, you two. Carruthers is never far away from that club. Micki�s also noticed a tail whenever she�s out of his sight. Make the contact and let her take it from there.� �We�ll be careful, Cap. In the meantime, we�ll pull up the files on these homicides and see what they�ve got so far. We�ll keep in touch.� |
| Hutch had to admit the computers made their job a lot easier. He pulled his chair over to Starsky�s desk, and let him access the file on the homicides. With the touch of a few keys, Starsky pulled the entire file on the investigation. Hutch shook his head. �Starsk, the next time I rib you about who the brains of this duo is, kick me. I don�t think I�ll ever feel comfortable with these things.� Starsky grinned back. �I�ll remember you said that.� Their expressions turned serious as they studied the files. Starsky cursed under his breath. �None of these girls ever did anybody any harm. None of them had so much as a parking ticket against them. If Carruthers did kill them, he�s one slimy son-of-a-bitch.� �You got that right. Coroner�s report says they were all murdered in different locations than where the bodies were found. All of them had eaten a few hours before they were killed. They all had bruises, and broken bones as a result of the beatings he gave them, but there�s no evidence they fought back. None of the girls showed signs of drug abuse. The alcohol content in their blood was low, so they weren�t drunk. Nylon fibers were found imbedded in their necks. He probably strangled them with their own pantyhose.� �OK, so he buys them dinner, with drinks included, then takes them to a hotel. Then he has his fun, and dumps them somewhere else. Some people have really weird hobbies.� �Really. Well, Carruthers is smooth. He probably targets these girls because he knows they�ll fall for his line. Once he�s gained their confidence, they don�t think about resisting until it�s too late.� �It says here that Jersey police had very few leads on their end. Only one of the girls was seen with a man at all. He matched Carruthers description, but not close enough for a positive ID.� �OK, so we have Detectives Ellis and Edwards take a look at he file and see if Carruthers has an alibi for these dates.Then, we'll show Carruthers' mug shot to the latest victim's emloyers. Even a tentative ID will be better than nothing.� �Yeah. Hutch, what happens if Carruthers does have a solid alibi? If he was out of town, doing business for DiConti, then he�s not our man.� �Well, if that happens, then we�ll dump the whole thing in Dobey�s lap. We�ll have to help Ellis concentrate on the racketeering end. Until then, Carruthers is our best bet. Come on, we�d better go. By the time you drop me off and we get changed, it will be time to go to the club.� The two men didn�t say much on the way to Hutch�s apartment; both men were occupied with their own thoughts. The main person occupying Hutch�s thoughts was Micki Ellis, and the case in which she was involved. Carruthers was a psycho; there was no doubt in his mind. Anyone who thought murdering innocent girls was a worthwhile hobby had to have a screw loose somewhere. Micki Ellis had been living with this man for months. Throw in the fact that he knew she was a cop, and it was like playing Russian Roulette with a loaded gun. �Boy, she must really be something.� Starsky looked over at him. �What?� �I was thinking about Micki Ellis. She�s living with Carruthers and playing one Hell of a cat and mouse game. This woman�s either got to have nerves of steel, or she�s just plain suicidal. Why else would anyone with any sense take on an assignment like this?� �I don�t know. Carruthers is a monster. Maybe she thinks it�s worth the risk if she can put him away for good. The Feds have been after Carruthers and DiConti for a long time. If she can help do that, she�s got my vote.� �I don�t know, Starsk. I just hope that she�s not reckless enough to get herself killed and us along with her.� Detective�s Micki Ellis and Tracy Edwards walked through the Homicide squad room and into Dobey�s old office. Special Agent Dale Benton was waiting for them. �OK, Benton,� Micki said, �what�s so important that you called us in two hours before we go on stage?� �I have some information for you. You�re going to be getting some help on the Carruthers case.� Tracy looked at her partner, then back to Benton. �We�ve been on this case for six months. Why are you bringing someone else in on it now?� �Believe me, it wasn�t my idea. Your Commissioner has a pet project that he�s started, and he wants this investigation as a test case.� Micki was getting annoyed. �You�re not making any sense, Benton. What�s the Commissioner�s pet project and what does it have to do with us?� �He�s created a new task force to help with organized crime, among other things. He�s decided that this case falls within their jurisdiction. I�m against it, myself. The more people who know about you, the more fragile your cover becomes.� �Thanks for your concern, Benton. Is that your only objection to this task force, or do I detect a hint of Bureau rivalry? Maybe you don�t like the idea of anyone horning in on your show.� �This isn�t my show. I simply don�t see the need for more people to get involved. After all, the FBI has been investigating Carruthers for almost two years.� Tracy asked quietly, �How far have you gotten in that time, Benton? If you had a solid case, you wouldn�t have to ask Micki for help.� Benton started to respond, then simply shook his head. �Whether we�ve built a solid case or not is a moot point. The Commissioner has decided that this task force is going to help on the Carruthers case, and that�s the way it will be.� �OK, so what are they going to do?� �Are you aware that during the last several months Carruthers was in New Jersey, four young girls were murdered?� Tracy nodded. �We read the report. The Jersey PD suspected him of committing the crimes. They didn�t pull him in for questioning because they didn�t have a strong case. What�s that have to do with us?� �In the last four months, three more women have been murdered, with the same MO. Only this time, they were from here.� Micki looked down at her hands, then quietly said, �That�s after we were assigned to this case. So you�re telling us that he went after those girls while he was supposed to be with me. Well, that makes me feel wonderful.� �Why should it make you feel anything? You�re not responsible for those girls, Carruthers is. Your only job is to gather enough evidence for an indictment.� Micki shook her head. �So the fact that three young women were killed while I�ve been playing footsie with Tommy Carruthers shouldn�t bother me at all? I don�t get you Benton. Exactly what IS pumping your blood through your body? God knows, it can�t be your heart.� �Emotions have no relevance in a case as sensitive as this. All you have to worry about is putting Carruthers behind bars. Two detectives from the task force will make contact with you tonight. They will work on the homicides, which will leave you free to concentrate on the DiConti organization.� Micki stood and walked to the door, with Tracy behind her. She turned and snapped her heels together. �Yes, mein heir, whatever you say. Heil Hitler!� Benton stared at Micki�s back. �Now, why did she say that?� Tracy stopped with her hand on the door. �If you think about it, Benton, you might just figure it out.� Tracy endured her partner�s silence for a few minutes, then asked, �OK, Mick, what�s bothering you?� �I can�t believe what a monster Danny is. I know it shouldn�t surprise me, but how could he do that? I�ve been congratulating myself because I�ve managed to avoid his advances, and now I find out it�s because he�s going after these girls. I guess I wasn�t exciting enough for him.� �Micki, Benton was right about one thing. You�re not responsible for what he does. Danny�s the one who should feel guilty.� �You know what I keep thinking about, Tracy? It�s all those times I couldn�t avoid him. What did he do, kill these girls and then come home and jump in bed with me? You should see how soundly he sleeps. He never tosses and turns. I don�t see how he can do that.� �People without a conscience seldom have trouble sleeping, Mick.� |
| On the outside, The Torch looked like any other second rate bar in town. However, when the detectives stepped inside and looked around, Starsky whistled quietly. �I think we�re a little out of place, partner. Dobey wasn�t kidding about this place being a front for the mob.� Hutch looked around and then glanced at Starsky. �Well, I hope nobody recognizes us. Let�s find a seat and try to look inconspicuous.� Luckily, they were able to find a table close enough to the stage to see, but far enough back to blend in with the rest of the audience. Seconds later, the lights dimmed even more. A young man walked out onto the stage, wearing a suit that looked like it had been taken directly from The Godfather set. �Good evening ladies and germs,� a small titter rippled in the audience, proving how classy it�s patrons were, �Tonight, the Torch is proud to present to you, for your enjoyment, live entertainment!� The emcee waited for the catcalls and applause to stop then continued, �No, you dopes, not THAT kind of entertainment! Now, straighten up and put your hands together for the California Dreamers!� The curtain opened and several lights illuminated the band. There were three women and two men, each playing a different instrument. The first chords wafted out over the audience, and a baby spotlight focused on the center of the stage. A woman that Hutch recognized as Micki Ellis stood before a microphone. Hutch admitted to himself that she was beautiful. Her hair was long, straight, and coal black. The spotlight surrounded her, illuminating her features. She stood only five feet, three inches tall and weighed maybe one hundred and ten pounds dripping wet. As she began to sing, the noise in the audience stopped. The music and lyrics were upbeat, and the audience responded by tapping their feet to the music. Hutch looked around the room, hunting for Tommy Carruthers. Carruthers was standing at the bar, watching the show. Hutch nudged Starsky under the table and nodded in Carruthers� direction. Starsky shook his head slightly, sharing Hutch�s thoughts. Carruthers was watching Micki, and you could almost see him salivating. It didn�t take a psychic to know what was on his mind. As Micki finished the last chorus of the song, the lights came on, illuminating the room. The band stood up, and bowed to the audience as the curtain closed. Starsky and Hutch casually worked their way backstage as the customers milled around them. After making sure no one was paying attention, Starsky knocked quietly on the dressing room door. The door opened slightly and they slipped inside. Starsky shut the door behind him, then showed Micki his badge. Micki went to the door, and checked outside. Once she was satisfied that no one was close enough to hear, she faced the two detectives. �Is there something I can help you with, Detective Starsky?� �This is my partner, Detective Hutchinson. Captain Dobey thought we might be able to help each other on a case.� Micki handed him a piece of paper. Starsky read the message, which said: be careful of what you say. �Which case is that?� Micki asked. Hutch kept his voice even. �It�s one of your Robbery cases. We might have some background on one of your suspects and Dobey suggested we talk to you.� Micki went to the corner of the room and turned the radio up high. She moved closer to the detectives. �Benton told us you�d be contacting us, but we can�t talk here. Go to this address, and wait. Tracy and I will be there as soon as we can. It�s Tracy�s apartment. We�ll be able to talk without worrying about someone listening. Show your badge to the doorman and tell him it�s official business. Tracy and I should be there in about twenty minutes.� Starsky took the piece of paper with the address written on it, and moved to the door. �OK. We�d better go before somebody spots us. We�ll see you soon.� Starsky and Hutch took an evasive route to Tracy Edwards� apartment. They pulled up in front of a modest complex a few blocks from the Torch. Though they couldn�t see anyone around, they followed Micki�s directions carefully. George, the doorman, let them into Tracy�s apartment. Hutch stationed himself by the door while Starsky watched out the window. The two women arrived a short time later. �OK, we can talk now. The Captain sends someone over every day to make sure that Danny hasn�t planted any bugs. So, relax gentlemen, and have a beer while Tracy and I change. Then, we can talk.� They waited until everyone was seated in the living room, then got down to business. �Do you know that Carruthers is suspected of four homicides in New Jersey, and three more here, Micki?� �Yes, I read the files. I also know that they couldn�t get enough on him to pull him in for questioning. Benton said you were going to be working on that end. So, what can we do to help?� �If you can place Carruthers out of town when any of the victims were killed, we�ll know he�s not our man. If you can�t, then he�s the best lead we�ve got.� �Do you have the file with you?� Hutch gave Micki the folder. The two women put their heads together and looked over the papers. After a few minutes, Micki looked up at the two men. �Well, he was definitely in town, and he wasn�t with me at the time of the murders. So what are you going to do? Danny�s smooth. The Jersey police couldn�t pin those homicides on Danny. What makes you think you can?� �We�re not sure. With you working on the inside, and Starsky and I working the other angles, maybe we can get enough to put a noose around his neck. It�s worth a try.� Tracy nodded. �I agree. It can�t hurt. Look, it�s late. Why don�t we meet back here after work tomorrow and compare notes? Maybe that will give us a place to start.� Starsky glanced at his partner. �All right, we�ll see you about six or so. What about Carruthers? Are you going to have trouble getting away?� �No. Danny knows that Tracy and I work crazy hours. As long as he knows where I am, he won�t get nervous. He�s usually at the club at that time anyway.� While the detectives were discussing Tommy Carruthers, he was discussing Micki. Whether she knew it or not, and he really didn�t give a damn if she did, Micki wasn�t out of his watchful eye very often. From the moment she had left the club, he knew exactly where she was and what she was doing. �So after we followed her to her partner�s apartment, we broke it off and came here. We hid real good when those two cops showed up, boss. When we asked the doorman, he said they were on official business, but I still don�t like it. Especially since they was here watching the show.� �Don�t be so paranoid, Stick. Micki�s a cop. She�s bound to have cops visiting her. She�s always telling me about her work, and she�s not involved in anything that�s linked to the business. The busier she is, the better it is for us. It gives her less time to get suspicious about me.� �That�s what I don�t get. Why do you keep her around, boss? It�s crazy! You could have any broad you want.� Carruthers� voice turned soft, silky and dangerous. �I don�t want any other broad, Stick. I want her. Her being a cop just makes it sweeter. Understand?� Stick backed up a step and swallowed nervously. �Sure, boss. I didn�t mean nothin�. I wasn�t tellin� you what to do.� �Good.� Carruthers laughed. �Take it easy, Stick. I know what I�m doing. Micki doesn�t even know who I really am. She doesn�t have any interest in what I do.� �What if she ever does? What then, boss?� �Cops are killed in the line of duty every day, Stick. If Micki ever gets too nosy, then her family will have a nice medal to remember her by.� Both his laugh and the glint in his eye were more than a little dangerous. |
| The next afternoon, the four detectives met at Tracy�s apartment as arranged. Tracy had ordered take-out after leaving work, so they all enjoyed a quiet meal before getting down to work. After dinner, they moved to the front room. Tracy cleared the coffee table so they could spread the files out in front of them. Micki and Tracy read over the three homicide files carefully. �Well, from what I�m reading, I�d say Danny was definitely a suspect. They have the same MO as the four homicides in Jersey, and Danny was in both places when they happened.� Tracy looked up from the pictures she was holding. �The resemblance doesn�t escape me, either. All of the victims were young, with dark hair, and small. It sounds like somebody that I know.� Micki laughed bitterly. �Yeah, I guess when Danny found out that I was a cop, he realized he couldn�t go through with his plan. So he decided to keep me around for a while.� Starsky had been reading the progress report that Micki had filed with Captain Dobey. �Well, there�s no doubt that he�s still running the family business. Look at all these trips he�s made in the last six months. Too bad we can�t get a tap on his phone at the club. We�d probably hear some pretty interesting conversations.� �We thought about trying that, but Danny�s so paranoid, he�d probably catch on fast. The Feds were afraid it would tip our hand.� �So, why is he going to Chicago, instead of Jersey?� �DiConti�s too smart to let him risk going back there. The Fiorini family is based in Chicago, and they�ve had an uneasy truce with DiConti for years. Danny goes as far as Chicago, then DiConti sends one of his men to meet him there. Fiorini sets up the meet, so the Feds can�t get close enough to do any good. It�s a good way to conduct family business without being seen. I�ve been keeping a log of names that Danny�s mentioned over the phone. It reads like a who�s who of organized crime.� Hutch looked up from his reading. �So how�s business?� �From conversations that I�ve overheard, pretty lucrative. Both Danny and the Fiorini�s are involved in everything from numbers to drugs. Danny bought that house we�re living in and paid for it in cash, without blinking an eye. According to IRS records, Danny Wilson doesn�t declare anywhere near that much income on his taxes.� Starsky nodded. �OK, let�s get back to the homicides. You said that Danny doesn�t have an alibi as far as you know. Is there any way you can nose around the house to see if you can pick up any physical evidence to tie him in with the victims?� Hutch looked sternly at Micki. �Without getting yourself caught, of course.� Micki cocked her head, puzzled at his tone. She gave it right back to him. �Of course.� Tracy cleared her throat. �We don�t even know if there�s anything to find. Micki, if you get the chance, you can look around, discreetly. Don�t risk making Danny suspicious.� �I won�t, Tracy, but it really bothers me that he�s playing around with these other girls while he�s supposed to be so crazy about me. I can�t wait to lay it all at his feet. I hope that scum rots in prison for what he�s doing.� Hutch softened his tone. �I just meant that you need to be careful. He killed these girls; he won�t hesitate to kill you if he feels threatened.� Tracy closed the file she was reading. �Look, we�ve been at this for a while. Why don�t we take a break? I�ll make some coffee, and then we�ll try to set up a plan.� Starsky smiled. �That sounds good. Can I give you a hand?� Tracy returned his smile. �Sure.� |
| Left alone with Micki, Hutch shuffled the pages in front of him. Finally, he spoke. �We�ll get Carruthers, Micki. I promise.� Micki sighed. �I hope so. I�d hate to think I�ve gone through all this for nothing.� �How in the world did you get into this?� Micki sat back on the couch. �Believe it or not, it was an accident. Tracy and I were on a different case, investigating a club near the Torch. The night I met Danny, there was a fight in the bar. Tracy and I tried to calm things down, but before we knew it, we were right in the middle of a brawl. Danny happened to be there, and helped us out. When we first started dating, he was like the boy next door. Later on, he got more and more possessive. The last few times he picked me up, he was drunk. I didn�t think anything about it at the time. I told him I didn�t want to see him anymore, and thought that was the end of it.� �How did you find out he was really Tommy Carruthers?� �It happened a couple of weeks after we broke up. I was living here, with Tracy. I came home after work one day, and Danny was in the apartment. I knew that he�d forced the door, because George has the only other key. The manager�s real strict about letting men into the apartments. We had one hell of a fight. Danny was drunk and he was ranting that he was going to marry me and take me away from all this. He didn�t like the fact that I was a cop, he didn�t like Tracy, and he wanted me to quit the force. I told him he was crazy, and a few other things, and he punched me. I told him I was calling the station for back up, and he finally left. After he was gone, I had the Captain run a check on him. Danny Wilson came back clean. There wasn�t even a parking ticket against him. It didn�t make sense, because he�d broken into this apartment like a pro. So, I picked up a glass that he had held and sent it to the lab. The prints identified him as Tommy Carruthers. When I found out who he really was, I knew I had the best chance of getting close to him. The Feds had been trying for years and hadn�t gotten anywhere. I figured it was worth a try.� �So that�s when you moved in with the guy. Why?� She stood up and stretched, then turned back to him. �It�s the only way I could think of to get close enough. I knew that keeping things casual wasn�t going to work. He knew I was a cop, so he wasn�t about to slip up and give himself away. So, when he called me a few days later, and apologized, I agreed to start seeing him again. I hinted that I�d be willing to move in with him, and he took the bait. That�s when he bought that house. So, we moved in together.� �Didn�t you realize how risky that was?� �Sure I did.� Micki grinned mischievously. �That�s what being a cop�s all about, right? I did what I had to do.� Hutch shook his head and looked up at her. �Being a cop doesn�t mean walking into a dangerous situation without back up, Micki. Reckless cops have short careers.� Micki�s green eyes flashed. �I wasn�t being reckless. I did my homework. I knew exactly what Tommy Carruthers was like before I walked into his house.� �Didn�t it occur to you that you might be in over your head? What happens if Carruthers finds out what you�re doing? What if he already knows? What if he�s playing a cat and mouse game of his own?� �What if he doesn�t?� She retorted hotly. �WHAT IF doesn�t count. As long as I get enough to put this scum away, who cares what he knows?� �So, the end always justifies the means, right? As long as you get the bad guy, why worry about getting hurt, or killed? Do you think your family is going to agree with that philosophy, Micki? Do you care?� Now they were both standing, facing each other. She moved a step closer and looked up at him. �How dare you judge me? You don�t know anything about me, or this case! You don�t have a clue about what this case has been like for me. I know you! I know your record. You�ve taken the same risks that I have to get what you want. With all the risks that you�ve taken in your career, how can you stand there and put me down for doing my job? Who the hell appointed you my keeper, anyway?!� �I�m not your keeper! I�m trying to keep you from getting yourself, or someone else, killed! I�ve been where you are now. I have taken risks; you�re right about that. Because of those risks, I almost lost my partner. I don�t want the same thing to happen to you.� �I can take care of myself, and so can Tracy. We may not have the experience that you do, but we know what we�re doing. I�m going to get Tommy Carruthers, one way or another. If you don�t like my methods, that�s too damn bad!� |
| Starsky followed Tracy into the kitchen, grateful for the break. As she made the coffee, he gathered the cups. �So, how long have you and Micki been on the force?� �It�ll be four years next month. We were attending the university when we were recruited.� �How�d that happen? Usually, the academy doesn�t recruit people. You have to apply. It took me months to get in after I sent my application.� �Well, we kind of went in through the side door.� Tracy laughed at his expression. �You see, Micki and I were majoring in psychology in college. After two semesters, we thought we were experts in the field. We found out the hard way that we weren�t.� �What happened?� �There was a woman in our class. Her husband was obviously beating her. She would miss classes, then show up wearing turtleneck shirts and long sleeves. Her husband was smart; he never touched her face, so no one saw any bruises. Micki and I started giving her advice, and we meant well. We offered to help her get away from him. One night, after he beat her again, she decided to leave.� �Well, that sounds like good advice to me. What went wrong?� �We didn�t think about his reaction. That night, she told him she was leaving. She said she was going to a shelter, and wanted a divorce. He went berserk. He held her hostage in the house, and threatened to kill her and then himself. The neighbors heard the commotion, and called the police. When Micki and I found out what happened, we went over to their house. The police lieutenant in charge of the negotiation wasn�t too happy with us. He told us not to psychoanalyze people until we knew what we were doing. We convinced him to let us talk to the husband. Believe me, it wasn�t easy, but he finally gave in to us. We managed to calm the husband down, and he surrendered to the police. A few weeks later, the same lieutenant came to the school to talk to us. He said the county would pay one third of our tuition if we would enter the academy. Then, we could get our Bachelor�s Degree while attending the academy. We really hadn�t thought about being police officers until then. After we got out, we were assigned to this precinct. We worked nights, and attended college during the day. We just got our Master�s Degree in Criminal Psychology last May. So, that�s what I meant by going in through the side door.� Starsky smiled. �So you�re as intelligent as you are beautiful. What happened with your classmate?� �She left her husband and moved out of state. He was going to therapy for a while, but then stopped going. The last we heard, he�d moved to the other side of the country. I guess they both wanted to start over. Maybe they�ll both find someone else, and be happy.� �What about you? Is there someone special in your life?� Tracy laughed softly. �No. Our attentions were focused on school and work, so we never had much of a social life. Now that Micki and I have the time, we don�t seem to get asked out much. Usually, when someone finds out I�m a cop, they run away so fast they leave a cloud of dust behind them.� Starsky met her eyes and smiled. �Well, I know you�re a cop, and I�m not running anywhere.� Tracy poured the coffee, and they sat at the table and talked. They had forgotten about Micki and Hutch, until they heard them arguing. Surprised, they went into the living room, just in time to see Micki grabbing her jacket. �Micki, where are you going?� �It�s late. I need to get home. Besides, it�s getting a little stuffy in here. I�ll see you tomorrow, Trace.� Micki threw a final glare at Hutch, then left. Starsky looked at his partner. Hutch shrugged. �Don�t ask me!� Without saying anything else, Hutch grabbed his own jacket and headed for the door. Starsky said a hasty good-bye to Tracy and followed Hutch to the car. |
| Hutch fumed all the way home. �I don�t get it. I was trying to talk some sense into her, and she blew up. We�ve both been undercover before and had something go wrong. I was trying to help and she jumped all over me. She told me to stop being her keeper. Can you believe that?� Starsky simply shrugged, deciding to keep his own opinion to himself. He followed Hutch upstairs to his apartment, and accepted a cold beer. Predictably, Hutch had started to cool down by then. �Well, it�s too late to do anything more tonight,� he said as Starsky finished his beer. �Tomorrow we can start going over the autopsy reports on the victims, and see if there�s anything that will link Carruthers to them. Maybe one of their employers will ID Carruthers from his mug shot. Who knows? Maybe we�ll get lucky.� �Maybe we will. Don�t give up on Micki just yet, Hutch. She�s smart. She�ll find a way to get what we need. I�ll see you in the morning.� Hutch walked to the door with him. �I wasn�t putting her down, Starsk. In a way, they�re a lot like we were a few years ago. I just wanted to keep them from making the same mistakes we did.� Starsky turned at the door. �Sometimes you have to let people find their own way, Hutch. Good cops aren�t born that way. They have to learn by experience.� Hutch spoke softly as Starsky closed the door. �Yeah, but what good is that experience if it kills them?� The next morning Starsky and Hutch returned to their desks and started reading over the autopsy reports on all the victims. Meanwhile, Micki and Tracy took time to catch up on the other cases in their workload. Since Dobey had kept their cases routine, there was only one that needed their immediate attention. They had discovered through their informants that there was a new fence operating in their district. This fence reportedly worked out of a large warehouse, somewhere on the waterfront. So far, they hadn�t been able to track down the location. When they had arrived that morning, there was a report waiting from the previous shift. One of their snitches had been picked up for drunk and disorderly, and had been caught holding about two grams of coke. Since this guy had a long list of priors, he was looking at some hard time. Apparently, when he had sobered up enough to think about his situation, he had asked to speak to Micki and Tracy. After mulling it over, the two detectives went down to lock-up to see what he had. The perp made himself comfortable, then cocked his beady eyes at Micki. �Didn�t know if I�d be seeing you today or not.� �To tell you the truth, Denny, we thought twice about it. The last time you gave us a hot tip, it took us a month to thaw it out. Even so, we figured you were desperate enough to actually be of some use to us this time. So let�s get right to it. What have you got?� �You know that fence you�re trying to bust? Well, I know two dudes that can lead you right to him and his warehouse.� The two detectives exchanged glances, then Tracy scooted closer to the table. �OK, you�ve got our attention. What makes you think these guys can help us?� �They pulled that department store heist last week. They made a pretty big score, and the Baron said he didn�t have enough room to store the stuff. So he put them onto this new guy, for a cut of course. The Baron never does anything for free. The way my friends talked, the Baron fenced the small stuff, and the other cat took care of the bigger items. So you get two fences for the price of one.� �OK, that sounds good. Who are they and where can we find them?� �Oh, no! We deal first, then you get the names.� Micki came up and sat down across from him. �OK, Denny, we�ll work with you. Maybe, just maybe, we can lose the possession rap, if the DA sees that you�re working hard to help us catch this fence. You�d better make damn sure you�re information is hot, though. If you send us on a wild goose chase this time, we�ll make sure the jailer throws away the key. Now, we want it all. Start talking Denny, the clock's ticking.� |
| After taking the information Denny gave them; the detectives checked the names against R&I. The two suspects were also linked to a rash of robberies that matched the same MO. One of them had been arrested after the fourth robbery; the other had eluded capture and then disappeared. Detective Ken Hutchinson had signed the arrest report. �Great! Wouldn�t you know it? Well, I�ll go see if David has any information on the guy that disappeared, and you can talk to Ken about the other one.� Tracy grinned slowly and shook her head. �Wrong.� Micki glared at her partner, not amused. �Traitor! Look, Tracy, I really don�t feel like going another round with the almighty Hutchinson right now.� �Well, if you hadn�t been so defensive in the first place, you wouldn�t have gotten into it last night.� �Defensive? Me? This man walks into my life, a perfect stranger, and starts trying to tell me what to do! He doesn�t even wait to hear the background on this! He takes it for granted that I jumped into this assignment for the thrill of it! What was I supposed to do, just stand there and take it?� �Micki, he wasn�t trying to tell you what to do. He and David have been on the force for a long time. You read the Gunther report, didn�t you?� �I read it, so what?� �Then you know that David almost died because of that man. Gunther was one of the biggest crime figures in the country. He didn�t have the family backing him, like Tommy Carruthers does, but it amounts to the same thing. Starsky and Hutch could help us a lot. Hutch was trying to give you the benefit of their experience. Carruthers has already killed seven girls. Hutch doesn�t want you to be next, that�s all.� Micki thought about what Tracy was saying. �He just made me so damn mad! He told me I was being reckless. With all the work I�ve put into this case, that flew all over me. I�m not reckless, Tracy, you know that better than anybody.� �Yes, I know that. Hutch doesn�t know you, though. To a casual bystander, our methods could seem that way. Give him a chance, Mick.� �I guess you�re right. I shouldn�t have let him push my buttons like that. OK, you win. I promise I�ll try to do better, but that�s all I can promise. So you go see Davey, and I�ll face King Hutch.� �Mick.� Micki laughed, �Just kidding. By the way, you seemed to be getting along well with David. You did spend a lot of time in the kitchen last night.� �We were talking, Micki. If you hadn�t thrown your little fit, we probably would have talked some more.� �Well, excuse me! Maybe you can pick up where you left off. You�re both unattached, after all.� �OK, Dolly, you can quit matchmaking now. I have a lot of respect for both David and Ken. If David wants to be more than friends, it has to be his own idea. Now go talk to Hutch. Please try to keep from losing your temper, OK?� Micki walked off in search of Hutch, muttering the whole time. �Keep my temper, sure. Only if I can get him to keep his mouth shut.� Still, to preserve the peace, she resolved to try. She found him in the Task Force offices, going over paperwork of his own. �Hi. Are you busy?� Hutch looked up quickly. �No. What�s up?� �Tracy and I are looking to bust the new fence in town, and we came up with a collar you made about a year ago. Our snitch says he pulled that department store heist last week. Supposedly, he can lead us to our fence.� �OK, who�s the collar?� �Ramone Ortega. The other one�s LeVar Bass. They hit four liquor stores before you collared Ortega.� �Yeah, I remember. They put one of the owners in the hospital because he didn�t open the safe fast enough to suit them. What do you need?� �A list of what they took, and maybe where they were living. The address we got is fake. Our snitch put us onto a couple of hangouts, but swears that�s all he knows.� �That�s easy enough. We should be able to pull up the file here. Everything that they took is listed, and we�ve got a few known hangouts, too.� He paused for a minute, then changed the subject. �Micki, I�m sorry about last night. I honestly wasn�t putting you down.� She smiled wryly. �I know. I shouldn�t have reacted like I did. I got a lecture from Tracy a minute ago. I know you were trying to help. I promised I�d try to do better. Truce?� �Truce.� She pulled up a chair and sat next to him, so she could see the screen. Wistfully, she smiled. �You might just learn a few things from us, too.� �Maybe I will.� |
| Tracy found Starsky down in the basement, searching for some old files of his own. �There you are! I�ve been looking all over the place for you. What on earth are you doing down here?� Starsky straightened up from where he�d been squatting. �Looking for some background on Tommy Carruthers. His file mentioned that he lived here for a while when he was a kid, and got into some trouble. According to the file, he was accused of trying to rape a 13-year-old girl. He allegedly lured her away from her school, and beat her up pretty bad.� �That sounds like an early pattern to me. What are you looking for down here?� �The specifics of the case weren�t in the file. I thought the paper copy might have more information. The file should be in these old boxes, if I can find the right one. If they�re here, I�ll find them.� Brushing the dust off his knees, he turned toward her. �You were looking for me? How�d I get that lucky?� Unable to resist, she impersonated Bela Lugosi and said, �I vant to pick your brain.� Not at all worried, he grinned back. �Well, pick away.� �I�m looking for information on Ramone Ortega and LeVar Bass. You got Ortega for pulling those liquor store heists last year, but Bass disappeared.� �Yeah, I remember those two. They�re about as mean as you can get. They loved to bust up anybody who got in their way. What about�em?� �We�ve heard some noise that they graduated to department stores. Our source says they can finger the new fence in town for us. Did you ever get any leads on Bass?� �Nothing that panned out. The best we could come up with was that he lost himself down in the slums. If he�s still around, he�s been keeping a low profile. How reliable is your snitch?� �He stands to do some hard time if we can�t make a deal. I don�t think he�d push us in the wrong direction. He doesn�t need the grief.� �OK. Well, if those two are working again, Huggy should know. Maybe he can give us a line on them.� �Then I guess we should go see Huggy. After that, I�ll come back and help you find those files on Danny.� �That sounds like a plan to me. Shall we?� She took the arm he offered. �We shall.� On the way to Starsky�s car, Starsky asked, �Where�s Micki?� Tracy grinned. �She�s talking to Hutch about Ramone Ortega.� �Oh, God. Should we brace ourselves for another explosion?� She laughed. �No. I made Micki promise to control her temper. She said she�d try. You know, Micki�s not usually like that. I don�t know why he affects her that way.� Starsky grinned. �Hutch affects a lot of people that way. It�s that famous Hutchinson charm. Or should I say infamous?� �I don�t know. Maybe he sees a little of himself in Micki. She really isn�t reckless, David. Micki puts a lot of thought into what she does. The problem is, her instincts are so good, that you can�t always tell what her motives are. What seems obvious to her doesn�t even occur to some people. Maybe once Hutch gets to know her better, he�ll see that.� �Maybe. I know someone that I�d like to get to know better. How would you like to have dinner some evening, when we can take a break from this case?� �I�d like that, David. It sounds nice.� They found Huggy Bear at his usual spot, cleaning the Pits and getting ready to open. �Hey, Hug, how�s it going?� �If it was going any better, Starsk, I would be ashamed to admit it. So you finally traded Hutch in for a newer model. At least your taste is improving.� �Very funny, Hug. Tracy, this comedian is Huggy Bear; owner and proprietor of this establishment. Huggy, this is Tracy Edwards. She�s working on a case with us, and I thought you might be able to help her.� Huggy clutched his chest. �Are you telling me that this beautiful vision is a cop? Please say it isn�t so.� �I hate to break your heart, but it�s true. You can quit flirting now. She�s not buying.� �Well, then, if this is strictly a professional call, how can I help you, Tracy?� �I�m looking for information on Ramone Ortega and LeVar Bass. The word on the street is they�re back in business. Only this time they�re hitting department stores. Have you heard anything about that?� �Yeah, those two are like lepers around here. They�re so mean nobody wants to get too close to them. Ortega�s the worst. He�d bust up his own mother if she looked at him wrong. I haven�t seen them myself, but let me ask around. I think everybody on this side of town would like to see those two taken off the street. I�ll make a few calls, and get back to you ASAP.� Tracy smiled. �Thanks, Huggy. I�d really appreciate any help you can give us.� Tracy and Starsky headed back to the station. �Well, what do you think?� Starsky shrugged. �Huggy usually comes through for us. If he says he can get a line on these two, you can believe him.� |
| When they returned to the station, they found Hutch and Micki waiting for them. Hutch called them over to his desk. �Hey, you two, we might have something. It�s not much, but the autopsy report on the latest victim came back. The coroner found a few strands of hair on her clothes that didn�t belong to her. They were dark brown, but not as long as hers and probably from a male.� Starsky took the paper from his partner. �You�re right. It�s not much, but Carruthers does have brown hair. At least it�s a start. Did you talk to the Jersey PD?� Micki nodded. �Yeah, but they weren�t much help, either. They couldn�t give us any information that wasn�t in the file, except that the killing stopped after Carruthers disappeared.� �Well, I still think he�s our man.� Starsky shrugged. �A few strands of hair aren�t going to convict him, but it�s more than we had.� Hutch assented. �I agree, but we�re going to have to come up with a whole lot more before we can even pull him in for questioning,� Micki suggested, �Why don�t we go back to where these girls worked and show Danny�s picture around? If we can get anybody to ID him, that will at least put him with the victims. As soon as I get the chance, I�ll go through the house. Maybe Danny left something behind that will tie him in with them. He�s conceited enough to do it.� Hutch warned her. �All right, but be careful. If he sees you going through his things, he�ll know you suspect him for something. You may not be able to lie your way out of it.� �I�ll be careful. I�ll wait until he goes to the club, so I can take my time. Why don�t we split up and check these bars? We can cover more ground that way.� Tracy glanced at Starsky, then with a hint of a smile, said, �Sure. David and I will take victims one and two, and you and Hutch can take number three. We�ll meet back here when we�re done. OK?� Micki glared at Tracy for a minute, then said, �Whatever. I�ll see YOU later.� When she and Hutch arrived at Jimmy�s Bar and Grill, they found Jimmy back in the kitchen, supervising the cooks. �James Sellers? I�m Detective Hutchinson, and this is Detective Ellis. We�d like to ask you some questions about Peggy Holder.� Sellers looked blank for a minute, then said, �Peggy, oh yeah! The girl that got killed. Now I remember. I�ve already talked to the cops once; I don�t know anything about it.� �Mr. Sellers, this girl worked for you. Isn�t there anything that you could tell us that might help our investigation?� �Look, I just hire these girls, I don�t ask for their life story. I didn�t know anything about her and I didn�t ask. She showed up for work on time and did her shift. That�s all I cared about.� �The concern you show for your employees amazes me, Jimmy. What about while she was here? Did you ever see her talking to anyone in particular, or leaving with anyone?� �All my waitresses talk to the customers. That�s how they make their tips, by being nice. If they want to go out with someone, that�s their business. As long as they aren�t hooking, I don�t care what they do on their own time. Sorry, I can�t help you. Now, I got to get back to work. If I don�t stay on these cooks, they�ll never be ready for the dinner rush in time.� Hutch glanced at Micki, then turned back to Jimmy. �Well, we wouldn�t want that, would we? If you remember anything, would you please call us? Here�s my card.� �Yeah, sure, but don�t look for me to call. I told you, I don�t know anything.� �We won�t hold our breath.� The two detectives walked back out into the sunlight. Micki shook her head. �Boy, it�s really heartening to see how concerned he was. What now?� �Maybe if we come back tonight and talk to the waitresses, we�ll have better luck. Why don�t we go back to the station and wait for Starsky and Tracy?� �We might as well. Hopefully, they�ll have something to report.� |
| Starsky waited for the light to turn green and glanced at Tracy. �Well, he was a lot of help, wasn�t he?� �I don�t get it. What do these owners do, run their bars with their eyes closed?� �I guess they�re too busy counting all that money to pay attention to anything else. Oh, well, we�ve still got one more club to check out. Maybe we�ll actually find a human being behind the bar.� The two detectives were grateful when the proprietor of Cigi�s bar took the time to sit down and talk to them. �Sure, I remember Sally. It�s a shame. She was a good kid. She came out here from some little town in Iowa, hoping to make it big. Sally didn�t have a clue about how things were out here; she just had a dream and a couple hundred bucks. Of course, that didn�t last long, When she came to me, she was flat broke and out on the street. She said she couldn�t handle turning tricks to pay her rent, so I put her to work waiting tables. I sent her down to the Oasis, where a lot of single women live. It�s not the best hotel in town, but the desk clerk is a retired vice cop and that keeps most of the pimps away. She�d worked for me for over six months, and for the waitresses that I get, that�s saying something.� �Do you know if she had any family, or friends?� �Sally told me herself that she didn�t have any family. Her parents split up when she was a kid. From what little she said, they were a couple of real winners anyway. Annie seemed to be pretty close to her. Annie�s my senior barmaid. She�s been with me since I opened this place. She kind of took Sally under her wing. Annie showed Sally the places to stay away from, and kept her from getting in with the wrong crowd.� �Would Annie be able to tell us if Sally were seeing anyone in particular?� �Do you mean a boyfriend? I guess so, but if Sally had a boyfriend, I never saw him.� �OK, can we talk to Annie?� �Sure, hang on and I�ll get you her address. She doesn�t come to work until five.� Annie lived in the same hotel that Sally did. Starsky knocked on her door and introduced himself and Tracy. �Oh, you�re the detectives Ron told me about. He called a few minutes ago. I don�t know how I can help you, but I�ll tell you anything I can.� �Your boss said you took a special interest in Sally when she first came to town. Did she tell you anything about herself?� �Well, she said that she had a really lousy life back in Iowa. She thought she would do better out here. She wanted to be discovered. She didn�t care who did the discovering; she just wanted somebody to notice her. I think what she really wanted was for somebody to love her.� �Mr. Sterling said you were her only friend. What about the other waitresses? Did they get along with Sally?� �Yeah, they got along OK. It�s just that they all have someone; you know, they�ve got boyfriends, or husbands. A couple of them even have kids. Sally didn�t think they had anything in common. That�s why she mostly talked to me.� Tracy took the opportunity to ask, �What about boyfriends, Annie? Did you ever see Sally with anyone in particular?� �A couple of times I saw her with this one guy. I don�t know how serious she was about him. I don�t think she ever brought him home with her.� Tracy showed Annie the picture of Tommy Carruthers. �Is this the man?� Annie looked at the photograph for a few minutes before answering. �I think so. I mean, I can�t say for sure, but he looks like the guy. Do you think he had something to do with Sally�s death?� �We�re not sure, Annie. Right now we just want to ask him some questions. We�re looking for anybody who might be able to give us information on Sally�s murder, or the other girls.� �You mean Sally wasn�t the only one?� �I�m afraid so, Annie. So if you remember anything else that might help, please call either Detective Starsky or myself. This card has our numbers on it; both day and night.� �Sure. If I think of anything, I�ll give you a call. I hope you find this creep, whoever it is.� Once Starsky and Tracy got back to their car, they called the station and got hold of Micki and Hutch. �Hey, Hutch, we got something. We�re on our way back to the station. Wait for us there.� |
| Hutch cheered quietly. �All right! I�m glad you got something, because we struck out with Jimmy. He was more concerned with his burgers than he was with Peggy Holder�s death.� Hutch was happy to hear about Annie�s ID of Carruthers� picture, but Micki was more cautious. �It�s good that she finally gave us something solid to go on, but it�s still not enough for a conviction. We can�t risk getting a warrant or hauling Danny in because that would blow my cover.� Tracy nodded. �I know, but at least it puts Danny with one of the victims. That�s more than we had before. So what now?� �Hutch and I are going back to Jimmy�s bar tonight and try to question the waitresses. Maybe they can put Danny with Peggy Holder, too. Then we�ll sit on it until the Feds are ready to make their move. It�ll be like icing on the cake.� Starsky nodded. �OK, and while you two are doing that, Tracy and I will try to find those old records of Carruthers. If we can prove a pattern, that will help our case. Let�s get together in the morning and see what we�ve found.� That evening, Micki and Hutch went back to Jimmy�s bar and waited for the other waitresses to come on shift. They didn�t bother to tell Jimmy what they were doing; he wouldn�t have co-operated if they had. They sat down at a table that was far away from the bar, and waited for the waitress to come around. After ordering their drinks, Hutch glanced at her. �I hear you lost one of your waitresses the other night. That�s too bad. Did you know her?� �Peggy Holder. Yeah, I knew her. She was OK. She was just another kid, trying to make a living. She sure didn�t deserve what she got.� �Did you know that she wasn�t the only girl that�s been murdered in the last few months?� �I read somethin� in the paper about it the day after Peggy was killed. Why? Are you two cops?� Micki took over the conversation. �Yes, we are. Don�t be afraid, Debbie. We�re not here to get you in trouble. We just don�t have much to go on and we�d like to catch this creep before he kills someone else. We asked your boss, but he didn�t seem too concerned.� Debbie snorted. �Jimmy don�t care about nothin� if it ain�t got dollar signs in front of it. Look, let me go get your drinks, then that�ll give me an excuse to talk for a minute. I�ll be right back.� Debbie brought their order back and set their drinks in front of them. �Jimmy�s down in the basement getting some more bottles. I can talk for a minute or two. Though, I honestly don�t know how I can help you. The last time I saw Peggy was a couple of days before she was killed.� �We�d like to know if Peggy was seeing anybody special. Did you ever see her with a man, more than once?� �Peggy kept pretty much to herself, but I did see this guy in here a few times, talking to her.� �How did he act? Was he nice to her, or did they seem to argue?� �No, they didn�t seem to be having any problems. A couple of times, he brought her a flower, and once he brought her a present. It was a bracelet and it looked like real gold. He seemed nice enough.� �Would you recognize this man if you saw him again?� �I think so. He wasn�t bad looking.� Hutch showed her the picture he had been holding. �Is this the man you saw with Peggy?� Debbie took the picture and held it under the light above their head. �Yeah, that�s him. Why? Do you think he had something to do with Peggy�s death?� �We�re not sure, Debbie. Right now, we�re just trying to talk to everyone who knew the girls that got killed. We really appreciate you taking the time to talk to us. If you remember anything else about this man, would you give us a call? Our number is on the back of this card.� �Sure, if I think of anything. Uh oh, here comes Jimmy. I�d better get back to work.� |
| Hutch and Micki finished their drinks, carefully sitting with their backs to Jimmy. Picking a time when several customers left the bar, they followed the crowd out the door. Once they were in Hutch�s car, Micki grinned and looked over at Hutch. �Well, strike two for Danny. If I can get the chance to look through Danny�s stuff, maybe I can find something tangible to tie him in with the victims. Speaking of which, was there a gold bracelet among Peggy Holder�s effects?� �I don�t remember seeing it on the list. I�ll check with Property tomorrow and see.� �So, what do we do now? We won�t see David and Tracy until morning, so we can�t tell them the good news.� Hutch was looking out the window at something. �Oh, I don�t know. How would you like to get a little exercise?� Micki looked sideways at Hutch. �Excuse me?� Hutch pointed in the direction he was looking. �See the man that just crossed the street? That is Ramone Ortega.� Micki jerked her head to the right. �Oh, really? I think a little exercise is exactly what I need right now.� Easing out of the car, they followed Ortega down the street for about half a block. Then, when the street had cleared, and no one was in their way, Hutch called out. �Ramone Ortega! Police! Stay right where you are!� Of course, he didn�t. Without even so much as a glance in their direction, Ortega took off at a dead run with Micki and Hutch right behind him. They chased him down the street into an alley. Realizing that he picked a dead end, Ortega darted into the back door of one of the buildings. Hutch pointed to Micki, then at the alley, and Micki nodded. Then he ducked into the same door that Ortega had entered. Hutch got inside in time to see Ortega flying up the stairs. He chased Ortega up three flights before Ortega ducked into a room. Hutch looked around the hallway and realized they were in the Fernwood Hotel. He knew from experience that the Fernwood had been neglected for years, and the only way out of the rooms was a fire escape that was old and rusted. He pounded on the door and stepped back. �Police, Ortega! You�re boxed in so give it up! Come out with your hands in the air!� �No way, cop! Come in and get me! If you got the guts, that is.� Hutch stretched out his arm and reached for the doorknob, being careful not to get in front of the door. He jiggled the doorknob briefly, then jerked his hand back. As he expected, shots exploded inside the room. Then, surprisingly, he heard a shot that didn�t seem to come from his suspect. Hutch stepped back and kicked in the door when he heard Ortega yelp. He was sitting in the floor beside the only window, holding his gun hand with his other one. Hutch looked out the window, then did a double take. Walking carefully around Ortega, he handcuffed him, then went over to raise the window. Micki was hanging upside down from the drainpipe, which ran up the outside wall. She had climbed up the pipe, checking each floor until she spotted her quarry. Wrapping her legs around the pipe, she hung upside down and waited for Hutch to make his move. Then, when Ortega let loose the volley of shots through the door, Micki made her move. Sighting carefully, she squeezed off a shot of her own, shooting the gun out of his hand. When Hutch raised the window, she righted herself, climbed inside and helped Hutch take Ortega down to the car. It wasn�t until they had him secured in the back seat that Hutch finally spoke. �Why the drainpipe? Why didn�t you climb up the fire escape?� �That rickety old thing? Too dangerous. A person could get killed on one of those.� Not seeing the ghost of a smile, Hutch just shook his head. |
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