Starsky slept sixteen hours straight; Hutch made himself as comfortable as possible on the couch. He woke to the sound of the shower and sighed with relief that Starsky was feeling well enough to consider getting up. Hutch stood up carefully and did a couple of stretching exercises for his back. He folded the blanket and obediently stowed it with the pillow in the closet.
Someone knocked at the door and Hutch answered it, knowing that Starsky would not have heard from under the shower. The man standing on the step looked familiar, and yet Hutch knew he’d never seen him before.
“You must be Hutch, where’s my cousin?”
That was it. They had the same mouth – inherited from their mothers. On a woman it would be pretty and sexy; on Starsky and his cousin it was just sexy and even Hutch could see that. Harvey was smiling the familiar lop-sided grin and looking down at the hand that Hutch had outstretched automatically in greeting.

Starsky emerged from the bathroom wearing a blue toweling robe that he hadn’t bothered to fasten; he was toweling his hair and yet again Hutch saw the perfect abs and flat belly; he laughed inwardly at the thought of his buddy pretending that he didn’t bother about his health – but looking like a Playgirl centerfold.
“Shake his hand Harvey, it makes him feel better.” He turned to Hutch with a grin, “you can borrow spare underwear – get a shower, I’ll make coffee. And stop staring at me like that; you’ll make me feel shy!”
Hutch did as he was told
Starsky turned to Harvey. “What are you doing here?”
Harvey waited until he could hear the water running in the bathroom and cocked his head in a question.
“It’s Ok, you can’t hear a thing when you’re in my shower…I got one of those extra pressure ones and it sounds like you’re under Niagara!”
“Benny wants to see us.”
“Us?”
“Yea Dave, us.”
“What is he out of his mind? I’m a cop now not his….”
“Dave it’s important.”

When Hutch emerged dressed and pink from the shower, the two cousins were in the kitchen drinking coffee and Starsky was nibbling a piece of toast smeared with honey but no butter.
“Harvey and I have to deal with something. Tell Dobey I’m still not feeling so good and I’ll check in when I’m better, OK.”
Hutch hesitated but a look from Starsky convinced him to agree. Starsky handed him a cup of coffee.
“By the way Hutch, the guy didn’t die up there.”
“That’s what Phil said after you’d gone. How did you know?”
“Yeah well, I might have been sick but which blond detective still needs to learn to look properly at a corpse?”
Hutch remembered that Starsky had been looking at the corpse while he took his pills.
“He didn’t die there…and he wasn’t hanged either.”
“What is this? You get visions when you have a migraine?”
“Nope, just visual field distortions before I pass out. The clothes were clean, Hutch; when someone dies violently the…how shall I put this at breakfast…the sphincters open.”
Suddenly Hutch lost interest in his coffee.
“Ok Harvey let’s get this over with.” Starsky tossed the keys to the Torino onto the counter.
“You need wheels; I trust you with the Torino as far as your place. Put the keys where I can find them and use your own heap.”
Harvey raised an eyebrow. “Heap?”
“Well you certainly wouldn’t call the thing he drives a car!”
The two cousins left and Hutch followed them down the steps to the street. Hutch didn’t know much about cars but he recognized the black 1960 Thunderbird from the photo on Starsky’s pin-board. He whistled at the thought of what a car in mint condition like the one parked behind the Torino could be worth. Harvey tossed the keys to Starsky.
“I guess you should drive it Dave, for old time’s sake.”
The T-Bird pulled away from the driveway and Starsky gave Hutch a cheery wave before gunning the engine and roaring off down the street.

Hutch slipped behind the wheel of the Torino. He would never admit it to Starsky but he was terrified of driving this super-charged monster. He was terrified for two reasons; first off he was convinced that he’d lose control of it one of these days, he never could get the hang of the way the rear end appeared to have little or no communication with the front end on corners. Second, he lived in fear of what Starsky might do to him if he put even the slightest scratch on the gleaming candy apple red and white paintwork. He slipped it into reverse; took a deep breath and eased the car into the street. As he turned he felt the rear waver and he held his breath before accelerating to head for his little house by the Venice canals.
He sighed with relief when he cut the motor and climbed out of the Torino. The powerful V8 engine tinked and clicked for a few seconds as it cooled. Hutch put the keys in the same place as his spare house keys before getting into his own car.

Hutch read the file on Doyle and put it to one side then he started to read the file on Goldman. He learned that Benny had inherited his father’s ‘firm’ and operated gambling and other activities. As he ran his eye over the ‘known associates’ he stopped and a chill ran down his spine. Al Kauffman; Starsky’s uncle Al!
Time to go chat to Huggy I guess.

He didn’t get the chance. As he was driving toward The Pits the call came over the radio.
“Zebra three come in please.”
Hutch had never been entirely convinced that their call-sign didn’t have something to do with the paint job on Starsky’s car, despite the fact that two other units ran to the Zebra call. He took the mike.
“Zebra three; is that you Mildred?”
“Yes Hutch. I hear you’re out on your own today; if you see Starsky give him my best.”
“Sure.”
“Ok that was pleasure now business. Get over to the sign. It seems some kids have found another interesting package.”
Hutch swore softly.
“I heard that dear, remember to release the button the next time.” Mildred laughed. Hutch looked at the hand-mike and saw that he still had his thumb pressed on the button making it possible for anyone on his waveband to hear what he said.
“Sorry ma’am.”
“Forgiven.”

If Starsky had been at the wheel the Torino would already be heading in exactly the opposite direction; but he wasn’t and the LTD wasn’t a Torino. Hutch opted for the safe method and slipped around the next right turn then too two more rights to head back the way he had been coming from.

He was beginning to hate this tourist attraction. He had never really thought about it.
Like most newcomers to the city he had tried to get a good photo of it – and decided that a postcard was an easier option.
He made his way up the track and joined Phil by the ‘H’.
“This one is different.”
“Don’t tell me let me guess, he died here.”
“No…it looks like the same MO but this time it’s a woman.”
Hutch sighed and walked over to the body-bag. He pulled back the zipper and stared down into the face of a once pretty blonde. Death didn’t suit her; her face was a pallid gray despite the layer of thick make-up.
“I’ll need a photo as soon as possible; I’m pretty sure I’ve seen her working the streets.”
Phil nodded.

When Hutch arrived at Metro the Torino was not parked anywhere to be seen. He went up to the squad room and poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting at his desk. Phil had already left his report on the latest victim and Hutch was about to open the buff file when Dobey came out of his office.
“Come inside Hutchinson.”

“I don’t want anyone else to hear this Hutch; Starsky called me at home last night; he wants you to check someone out for him. He says he’ll call you.”
Hutch resisted asking why his partner hadn’t contacted him directly; and why Dobey seemed to take this strange event in his stride. He settled into the chair expecting the ‘phone to ring any moment.
“Not here! Go home. This is a private matter between you and Starsky.” Dobey smiled as he said it and Hutch took the hint.

The ‘phone started to ring, about five minutes after Hutch had closed his front door.
“Hello.”
“It’s me.”
“Where are you?”
“You don’t need to know. Listen I need you to run a check on someone for me.” Starsky gave Hutch a name. “I’ll call you later.”
“Why don’t you check it out?”
“I have other things to do.”
The ‘phone whirred as Starsky cut the connection from his end. Hutch sat back on the sofa. He was getting used to Starsky’s sometimes unconventional ways of doing things but this threw him right off-balance. He sighed and set off back to the precinct to run a check on Theo (the Greek) Papandreus.

Theo had a thick file. He was a numbers runner for years before actually taking over as a bookie. He worked on his own account now; but before that he’d been running for Gerry Doyle

Hutch went home again. Thirty seconds after he took off his jacket the ‘phone rang.
“What do have for me?”
Hutch missed a beat.
“Hutch?”
“Yea, hang on just a second will you?” He can see me from wherever he is.
“Hey come on buddy.” Starsky sounded impatient.
“Ok. Theo the Greek is a bookie. According to one bit of information in the file he works for himself now, but he used to work for Gerry Dole.”
“And?”
“And that’s all.” Why do I get the feeling he already knew this?
Starsky hissed a curse; and Hutch thought he heard another voice in the background. “OK. Lookit I need you to see what you can find out about this guy. Check our usual sources; meantime I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I have no fucking idea! I’ll call you this evening” The line whirred. Hutch sat back and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Outside he thought he heard the faint growl of a V8 engine driving away.
That’s it; he was in the phone booth the other side of the canal!
Hutch hit the streets. Every where he went he got the same reply. “Don’t know anything.”
He went back to the precinct and gave his attention to bodies on the ‘H’.

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

Joey Withers was a hype with a second bad habit. He borrowed from Benny to finance his habit and then he sold what he didn’t use to finance his other addiction. He was a gambler. Benny usually turned a blind eye when the money didn’t appear on time and he even extended Joey’s credit to keep the junkie steady. Now and then Joey had other uses and Benny preferred him to be at his best. It was when Benny heard that not only was Joey playing the numbers, but winning and still not paying his debts that he had decided to bring his best men back into action.

Joey was sitting in a back booth in a bar down by the airport. It was the kind of place that the baggage handlers and other airport employees came to on their time off. Some of the baggage handlers had deals to make and this was the perfect venue.
Joey was discussing the price of reflex camera with a set of extra lenses when ‘The Persuaders’ came in.
They spotted Joey and one of them started his progress through the busy bar; he jostled a couple of customers by the bar and knocked over a table. He collided (gently) with a waitress and she dropped her tray with a crash of broken glass. He gave the other man at Joey’s table the evil eye and he left. He leaned forward to grab Joey’s lapel.
A low voice said: “Hey buddy, no need to get over-excited.”
The customers watched as the second man walked through the bar. Instinctively they parted to let him by; something in his strutting gait made them respectful.
He sat down opposite Joey and smiled while managing to keep his eyes deadpan.

“Nice camera. Can you really afford it?” He turned it over in his hands before holding it up and looking at Joey through the viewfinder. He lowered the camera slowly and the smile faded.
Joey tried to look away but the deep blue eyes had him in their grip.
“I only ask because it would seem that you owe Benny a lot of money. Now it seems to me that if you can afford to buy a camera like that…”
Joey swallowed and tried to find the words.
“I-uh-uh I w-w-was g-g… I th-th-thought you guys didn’t work any more”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. We came out of retirement… just for you.” The smile was broad enough, but there was an air of menace rather than mirth.
“Let me explain things to you Joey. Benny is a generous man; I guess you agree with that, don’t you? I mean he lets you run up a debt for your habit and all.”
Joey nodded.
“So what Benny doesn’t understand is that you have money to go play the numbers with a bookie who doesn’t work for him and you even win …but you still don’t pay Benny what you owe him. Now, when people don’t pay Benny, it kind of makes it tough for Benny to pay his staff and his suppliers. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you Joey?”
“Y-y-y-es.”
“OK. Now there is something else you need to know. I guess you could say I’m helping Benny out for old time’s sake; but my friend over there,” he looked over at his partner who was cracking his knuckles. “My friend over there, he works for Benny and he doesn’t like it too much if his pay is late. He has his debts; you know a mortgage and a car and all…”
The other man grinned at Joey and stared at his fingernails.
The blue eyes didn’t budge. “Now, how I see it we have two ways of solving this problem. One, you pay up. Or, two, I leave you with my friend here.”
Joey reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of bills. He peeled off two thousand and handed them over.
The ‘Persuader’ smiled and rolled his eyes. He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling before slamming the money on the table and turning a cold stare on his prey.
“Now let me see; two grand over three weeks at twenty percent… compound of course!. I make that three thousand four hundred and fifty six bucks. Let’s say three thousand five hundred to make it neat.”
As he spoke he reached into Joey’s jacket and found the roll of bills. He took the missing bills and returned the now-reduced roll to its owner.
“I knew you’d understand the situation. Just one other question, Joey; the name of your bookie?”
“I don’t know his name. I can tell you where he operates.”
“That’s better than nothing.”
“He has a place over on West 89th.”
“Very good…and who does he work for Joey?”
“I don’t know. I promise, I don’t know.”
“I believe you. Oh one more thing – what address did you give me?”
“1267 West 89th.”
The Persuaders left the bar.

Joey caught his breath. The bar tender came over to him. “Shit something heavy must be going down if Benny has called those two back into action.”
“Yea; and I don’t want to be around when Theo finds out I gave the snake charmer his address.”
Joey gathered his stuff and hurried out of the bar.

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

Hutch had been home about five minutes when the ‘phone rang.
“What’s the matter Starsk, was there someone in the other call box?”
“Oh the boy is getting good! What else do you have for me?”
“Nothing.”
“I have something for you.”
Hutch noted down the address. “What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing for the moment; I’ll let you know if I need you.”
“Why don’t you just come in and have a beer and talk about this?”
“Rain check!”
whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

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

If there was anything going down in the city, sooner or later Huggy would get to hear about it; and Huggy had started to get word of something odd going down so he called Hutch.

“What do you have for me Hug?”
“It’s a strange story Hutch. Seems like some kind of score settling is going on – but the thing is, it don’t make sense.”
Hutch was getting used to Huggy’s mangled grammar and his references to things that only he could understand. He regretted Starsky’s absence – his partner was pretty good at translating Huggy into a language Hutch could understand.
“Start at the beginning Huggy; that might help.”
“How far do you want me to go back?”
“All the way.”
“OK. About ten years ago there was a power struggle in the underworld. Benny Goldman and Gerry Doyle ended up sharing the territory, but believe me it took a while to get them in the same room let alone at the same table. Everything has been quiet for a while. Benny had some pretty efficient people working for him at the time and so did Gerry. A couple of Gerry’s boys didn’t live to see the peace party. Benny’s boys ‘retired’.”
“Would you like to speed it up a little Hug?”
“Sure. So what I’m hearing is that some of Doyle’s people are doing things that Benny wouldn’t like if he knew about it. But I also hear that it ain’t Doyle’s boys either. And last but not least, Benny has sent out the old team to find out what’s going down..”
“Are they getting answers?”
Huggy changed the subject. “Where’s Starsky, by the way?”
“He’s still not feeling too well.” Hutch hoped he sounded convincing.
“Look Hug, I hoped maybe you would know something about a guy goes by the name of Theo the Greek?”
“Theo the Greek? Are you kidding? He’s been dead for about five years now.”
So who is the guy Starsky wanted me to check out?
“For a guy who’s dead, he’s running a very successful book.”
Huggy swallowed hard. “Well that was what I heard anyhow. Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity.”

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

True to form, Starsky called about ten minutes after Hutch got home.
“How do you know I wasn’t in the shower?”
“Because you wouldn’t want to miss my call.”
“OK. You want the good news or the bad news?”
“Heads.”
“Huggy heard that there was a score settling going down. Something about a couple of guys called Gerry Doyle and Benny Goldman.” Hutch hoped that his voice sounded steady as he mentioned Goldman.”
“No kidding?” If Starsky reacted, Hutch didn’t hear it. He hesitated before adding, “Starsky, I know about Goldman and your uncle Al.”
“It’s common knowledge Hutch.”
“What are you………………?”
Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Hutch swore and ran to the window. He couldn’t see a car this time.

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

Over the next couple of days things returned to their normal pattern. Starsky was back at work as if nothing had happened.
He had, of course, needed to take a second leave of absence so to speak.
“Benny listen, I have to go back to work. If I don’t go in Dobey is going to start smelling a rat.”
“Sure Dave. I understand; hey maybe you and Harvey already did the trick, you never know. Keep your eyes and ears open for me kid, OK?”
“I will Benny, and – uh – you know where to find me if you need me again.”
“You always were a good kid.” He punched Starsky gently in the arm and the two of them laughed.

Hutch heard the familiar roar of the Torino’s engine as Starsky revved the engine once before cutting it. He gathered up his jacket and holster and was still pulling them on as he slid into the seat beside his partner.
“Nice to see you back.”
“Nice to be back.”
Hutch knew he wasn’t going to learn anything if Starsky didn’t want to tell him. But he still wanted to push the connection between Uncle Al and Benny.
“Uh Starsk?”
“Hmmm.”
“About your uncle and this Goldman guy.”
Starsky bit his lower lip; “what about them?”
“Well I just wondered how involved your uncle is and …well Harvey…I mean doesn’t it ever bother you?”
“It doesn’t matter Hutch, OK. The department has always known where I grew up. It’s no big deal. And I know how to keep my life priorities in order.”
Hutch detected a rebuff in his friend’s voice and he dropped the subject.

They were called out to deal with a couple of incidents that afternoon; and Hutch got a new lesson in life on the street. There was a fight reported in one of the alleys on their patch and Starsky flung the Torino to a halt to block the exit. The two cops checked their weapons and Starsky slipped his into the back of his jeans. Hutch kept his Magnum held low and they started to walk into the alley.
The fight was between two men. One was dressed in Army fatigues that were tattered but clean. The other man was dressed in standard jeans and a t-shirt. Starsky motioned to Hutch to slip behind the cover of a dumpster and wait. He walked on, his hands slightly raised and by his side.
“Hey what’s going on here? Anyone need a little help?”
Hutch wasn’t ready for what happened next. The other man froze then fled the scene as if he had seen a ghost, leaving the guy in army clothes standing in the middle of the alley. Starsky shook his head and continued to walk towards the other man.
“You OK?”
The man turned and snapped a salute. “Corporal Steve Reynolds, sir! The situation seems to be under control now.”
Starsky returned the salute. “Thanks for the report Corporal.” Hutch watched as the two of them continued to talk for a moment or two. Starsky called out. “It’s OK, Hutchinson; the enemy has been dealt with.” Hutch hesitated then replaced his gun in the holster and came out from his cover. He walked over to join the others.
“Hutchinson, the Corporal here needs a ride back to his base.” Starsky was totally deadpan and Hutch went along with whatever he was playing at. They led the ex-soldier to the Torino and Hutch dutifully climbed into the back. If the veteran had any thoughts about the car he said nothing. Starsky asked gently, “where are you living right now?” The man gave him an address that Hutch didn’t recognize; but Starsky obviously did because within a few minutes they had pulled up in front of a building that looked like it had been condemned. Most of the windows were boarded over and the door was hanging half open as if it had been forced. Starsky parked and the three of them got out of the car. “We’ll accompany you Corporal to make sure the coast is clear.”
“Thank you sir.”
They walked up the stone steps to the entrance and Hutch gasped. Starsky shot him a look that silenced him before he could say a word.
The smell hit them like a left hook to the jaw. At least, it hit Hutch; if Starsky had noticed it, he was not showing any reaction; neither was the Corporal. Hutch was struggling to breathe without gagging. He couldn’t even begin to identify the elements of the stench.
They walked past a half-open door and Hutch pushed it slightly to see if the source of the smell was in there. He instantly regretted it. It was a toilet and the bowl was encrusted black; a pool of urine and other stains on the floor showed that whoever used this place was not always in a condition to be accurate. The tank above the toilet was broken and it was obvious that flushing was not an option. He gagged and withdrew to catch up with the others.
In the hallway the trash was piled up outside a couple of doors, there was a smell of rotting food. There was another stench too; one that Hutch couldn’t identify and he couldn’t make out where it was coming from either. He didn’t notice Starsky hesitate before continuing to follow the Corporal through the building.
Hutch followed on. He was amazed to see that this building had an elevator and in his innocence he went over and pushed the button. Starsky threw him a withering look; and the Corporal laughed. “Sabotaged by the enemy years ago, soldier.”
They took the stairs.
Hutch had found the obstacle course at Police Academy tough going but he had never imagined that it was designed to prepare him for something like this. The stairway was obstructed by discarded furniture; they picked their way around a fridge that was lying with its door flapping onto the stair below. On the first half-landing there was an old armchair with its springs jagging out. As they made their way to the fourth floor the negotiated a couple of discarded TV sets and what seemed to Hutch to be the entire contents of a child’s bedroom. The smell didn’t get any better as they climbed; it just changed slightly.
On the fifth floor landing a child was playing with a broken toy truck. Hutch tried to identify a new odor; it reminded him a little of stale cookies mixed with the distinctive odor of childhood sweat – an odor that took him back to the locker room at his elementary school. Starsky called down from the floor above. “Look lively Hutchinson, we need to stick together here!” For a second Hutch resented the preemptory tone in his partner’s voice. Who the hell does he think he is; just because he got promoted first… then he realized that Starsky was still playing to the Corporal and telling Hutch to join them.
Hutch left the kid behind and ran up the last uncluttered flight of stairs.
The Corporal had just opened the door of his apartment. Starsky and Hutch followed him in and before Hutch could say anything Starsky again shot him a look that warned him to shut up.
The apartment was one room with a kitchen; the shower was in the kitchen and Hutch realized that the toilet was across the hall. The place was empty except for a bedroll and transistor radio. Hutch’s eye wandered to the kitchen. All the equipment had been ripped out long ago and the empty units gaped like a crone’s toothless grin. There was a camping stove in the middle of the counter and a few opened cans gave an idea of the Corporal’s diet. Beans and what looked like dogfood. Hutch also noticed that everything was neat and tidy; the army had left it’s mark – just the way it had with Starsky, whose neatness sometimes drove Hutch nuts.
Starsky touched the man’s arm. “Do you eat here all the time?”
“No sir! I use the canteen regularly too.”
“Which one?” The Corporal named a soup kitchen a couple of blocks away.
Starsky looked him in the eye. “Where did you serve, Steve?”
The man seemed to take confidence from Starsky’s gaze. He was suddenly less defensive and he mumbled something that Hutch didn’t hear clearly.
“I was over near the MeKong Delta myself.”
“You were?”
“Yeah.”
“You came home in one piece though.”
Starsky smiled sadly, “Yeah, but a lot of my buddies didn’t have my luck.”
Steve suddenly turned away and for the first time Hutch saw that his left arm was missing from the elbow down.
Starsky motioned with his head that they should leave. He snapped a salute to Steve who returned it and grinned. “Thanks for the ride sir. That’s one hell of a fire truck you drive.”

The two cops walked back down the stairs. The kid was no longer playing on the landing.

They were back where Hutch had noticed the strongest smell. Starsky stopped; he went over to a door at the end of the hallway and sniffed.
“Shit!”
It’s worse than that, Hutch thought.
Starsky tried the handle but the door was locked. He drew his gun and nodded to Hutch to do the same and take up position. They had a routine: Starsky usually kicked the door open and then Hutch went in with his Magnum aimed in front of him; Starsky followed in low, covering the room with sweeping motions of his gun.
Starsky kicked the door and it swung open. The smell hit him so hard that Hutch froze. Starsky stepped forward and slipped his gun back in its holster as he did so. He put his hand over his mouth and nose and stepped forward, disturbing the cloud of flies that had gathered on the semi-decomposed corpse. “Come on, we need to call for the coroner’s wagon.”
Relieved to be released from this stinking place Hutch ran down the rest of the stairs and out into the street. He couldn’t hold it any longer and leaned against the wall for support as he gagged and vomited.
Starsky looked at him with interest. “Too strong for you?”
“Jeez Starsk. With the stink in that place no wonder no-one had noticed he was dead.”
He gagged again. “How the hell can anyone live in a place like that?”
“Get in the car – if you’re sure you aren’t going to throw up again!” Starsky snapped at him.
Starsky slid behind the steering wheel and took the mike.
“Zebra Three to control. We need a coroner’s team to,” he gave the address.
He turned to Hutch and there was a sad, cold look in his eyes.
“They live like that because it’s all they have. They live like that because they can’t afford the money for electricity and rent. They live like that because if they didn’t they’d be in cartons on the streets and their kids would be in Juvenile Hall or fostered out to some family in the suburbs that they couldn’t afford the bus fare to visit; if there’s a bus that goes out there.”
Hutch swallowed. “But the Corporal, he’s a veteran, he must have the right…”
“Do you have any idea how many injured veterans live on the streets? They come back after their tour of duty to find that the family has moved on (if they had one) or that their wives have gone off with another. They have what they managed to save, maybe. They didn’t serve a full career, they don’t get a pension. If they left bits of their bodies behind they have even less chance of getting a job. In the end after serving their country they get fuck all! I was lucky. I had money put to one side, I had a family that loved me and cared for me when…” he hesitated, “…when I came back and had to get it back together again.” Hutch looked at Starsky out of the corner of his eye. His anger was tempered by something else and Hutch wondered if he would ever find out what it was that Starsky refused to discuss.
He stuttered. “B-b-but they don’t have to live in such squalor Starsky; I mean they could make an eff….”
“Sure they could make an effort! What should they do Hutch? The city won’t collect the trash because officially no-one is here to leave any. They need to feed their kids and they don’t have spare money for detergent and floor polish. I saw your face when you walked past that kid. He smelled bad didn’t he? Do you know what he smelled of? I’ll tell you. He smelled of sleeping in the same clothes maybe three four nights; he may even have pissed himself a couple of times. He smelled of poverty Hutch. Now you can turn your nice WASP nose up and say ‘they should make an effort’ but this is how they live. This is what is real and normal to these people. This is a world where mom doesn’t make apple pie; even if she stole a cake mix she wouldn’t have anything to cook it on. This is not Dick and Dora, Hutch. This is the real world beyond the tracks. And we work in it. So next time we get a call to a place like this hold your breath and think of roses and keep your prissy Andy Hardy remarks for when you call your sister!”
Starsky got out of the car to guide the coroner’s team to the apartment and the corpse. Hutch waited in the car in silence; digesting the lecture he’d just been given.
He resented Starsky’s attitude; how dare he tell him what the ‘real world’ was! How dare he take a superior attitude about explaining the squalor and filth?
How dare he speak to Hutch like that…they were partners and equals after all!
Starsky got back into the car and Hutch didn’t give him a chance to say anything else on the subject.
“I resent the way you spoke to me just now.”
“Oh really; get used to it buddy, ‘cos if you pull another Little Lord Fauntleroy act you’ll get more.”
Hutch resisted the temptation to comment on that particular and unexpected comparison.
“What makes you so sure that this is the real world Starsky? What about the millions of Americans who did grow up in what you call Andy Hardy Land? Do you think we come from some screen fantasy designed to entertain street rats like….”
“Like me?”
Hutch bit his tongue.
“I grew up on the streets Hutch, but I didn’t live like those people. In fact compared with them I lived in the lap of luxury. Until dad was killed I knew where I stood and that my mom and pop loved me. And when I came out here, after I’d settled down and accepted it, I knew I could turn to my aunt Rosa or uncle Al just like I could to my mom.
We weren’t rich, but Harvey and I never went for anything. But we didn’t get it all on a plate. Let me ask you something. When you got your driver’s license whose car did you drive?”
“Uh- well – uh m-m-my p-m-parents b-b-bought me a car.”
“I’m sure they did. Just like all the other kids where you grew up. You know my mom never even learned to drive. Dad walked to the precinct and we used buses and the Subway to get about the city. Uncle Al being in the business, Aunt Rosa was one of the few ladies around our neighborhood who had a car to go shopping. When Harvey and I learned to drive we got to borrow a car off the lot – but we both worked and saved to buy our first cars.”
Hutch saw his opportunity to make peace.
“Yours was that black Thunderbird, right?”
Starsky chuckled. “Yeah. It was a wreck and I spent all my time working on it; I got myself a part-time job to pay for the paintjob.”
“Is that what Harvey meant about old time’s sake? I thought at first it was his car.”
“It is his car. When I got called up I didn’t think I’d come back; so I sold it to him!”

Which brings us back to where this row started, I guess.
Hutch sat back against the car seat. “Starsky, I’m sorry. You have to understand that I never saw things like this before. I mean we’ve been to some pretty awful flophouses and Bernie’s hotel isn’t the Ritz, but I really didn’t think people lived in conditions like that; not in America, not in the 1970s.”
“You do now.”

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

The next day when Hutch arrived at the precinct Dobey was ready for him.
“Starsky is dealing with something else for a couple of days Hutch. You’re on your own again.”
Hutch wasn’t sure what this meant. “Is he assigned to another case, Captain?”
“You could say that. Listen Hutch, what he’s working on is unofficial; but it is important and to be honest it is best if he deals with it alone.”
“OK.” Hutch hoped that Starsky wasn’t so mad with him over the incident at the tenement that he’d asked for a new partner. Dobey reassured him and told him that Huggy had some information for them.
“I guess I’d better go and see what it is then.” Hutch said.

“There’s something really weird going down Hutch. Really weird; it doesn’t make sense.”
“Enlighten me.”
Huggy disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a plate piled with sandwiches; he filled a jug with beer and steered Hutch to a booth.
“Word is that the Persuaders are back at work.”
Hutch stopped in mid-bite of his sandwich.
“Huggy you sound like Starsky on a bad day.”
“OK, I’ll go gently. Let me finish the story I was telling you the other day. Until Doyle came on the scene Benny had almost total control of the numbers, the rackets and the women in this city. His old man made the family fortune with booze during Prohibition but Benny prided himself that he didn’t touch drugs. Doyle wanted all of the action; he already had the drug market sewn up.
For a while they were at war. One of Benny’s best weapons was a couple of guys known as the Persuaders. They never hurt anyone; they didn’t even carry. They just had a powerful way of persuading someone to do what Benny wanted. Most of the time they leaned on bad debts; but when Doyle tried to muscle in they did a little persuading to keep Benny’s contacts faithful. They were a great team; people called one of them ‘the snake charmer’ he just kind of charmed his prey into doing what Benny wanted. If ever these guys didn’t get the results they wanted Benny sent in his B-Team. They ended all contracts permanently, if you see what I mean.”
Hutch nodded and chewed thoughtfully. “So now these guys are back.”
“Yea. Like I was telling you before, I hear they are dealing with people who owe Benny. People who can afford to pay him; but for some reason they don’t do it. Word is that the boys are getting results. And they are upsetting someone else.”
“Doyle?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Oh come on Huggy!”
“I got some info on Theo by the way.” Huggy changed the subject smoothly and gave Hutch a slip of paper.
“Thanks. What about the ‘Persuaders’; do I need to watch out for them?”
“No; they’re not interested in you. Get over there and check him out.”

Hutch sat in his car and unfolded the paper that Huggy had given him.
“1267 West 89th; holy shit that’s the address Starsky asked me to check out.”

He parked around the corner from the empty lot that was 1267 West 89th. The lot was under construction. Hutch made his way over to the lot as carefully as possible – he had a distinct feeling that he was being watched. Back of the lot there was a shack; the kind of thing that construction workers use as an office or a place to eat their sandwiches away from the dust of the site; avoiding the obstacles that littered the place – sacks of cement powder, a couple of planks at a crazy angle; a pile of bricks and the flat-boards that would form the main part of the building. A movement caught his eye. There was someone in the hut.
He scurried over to the window and ducked beneath it listening carefully to make sure that no-one was close enough o see him. He risked a look in at the window. A fat man with an eccentric hairstyle was checking numbers into a ledger.
Hutch figured he had at least found Theo the Greek.
Cold steel pressed into the back of his neck.
“Stand up.” The voice was husky and young with the hint of an accent that Hutch couldn’t identify. Hutch did as he was told.
“Take the gun out of the holster and drop it!”
Hutch started to raise his right hand; the gun was pushed harder against his neck. “Left hand!” He took two seconds to decide whether to obey or not; he took the second option. Hutch might never have been the best athlete in the Academy but he had done some wrestling at High School and he took a Karate course during his police training. He turned slightly and kicked high.
His opponent caught his foot and flipped him to the ground but Hutch managed to pull himself up enough to grab the other man by the collar and turn him in a half nelson. His opponent had also learned a few martial arts and Hutch found himself back on the ground. The struggle seemed to last forever. Every time the big blond was able to use his height and weight as an advantage over his skinny adversary the other man pulled a throw or a move that equaled things up; in the end Hutch decided to resort to brute strength and he aimed a right hook at the other man’s chin. It worked. Hutch gathered up his gun and replaced it in the holster. He reached to his back pocket to find his handcuffs but they weren’t there. The other man moved slightly and Hutch put his foot on his chest to stop him from moving. The cuffs were in his jacket pocket. He hauled the other man up and cuffed him. He started to recite Miranda but a thought struck him. “Do you understand English?”
“Fuck you!”
“That’s all the proof I need. You have the right to remain silent…….”

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

Doyle was an early riser. He liked to take an early swim then drink his coffee on the deck by the pool and watch the sun rise over the hills behind the house. He was untying the belt of his robe as he stepped out of the kitchen holding his mug of morning coffee and a sweet roll.
The sound of the china smashing on the ground seemed to echo in his ears in rhythm with the ripples of water radiating out from the corpse floating in the pool. A halo of blood surrounded what was left of his head. Doyle could see that the victim was blond.

He sat down on the lounger and stared at the corpse. He only had one blond working for him – and Frankie was in Vegas right now; or at least he was supposed to be.
Gerry went into his kitchen and made a call. Frankie hadn’t arrived in Vegas! He went back out and stared again at the mess in the pool.
Gerry went back to the house and dressed hurriedly. He had no intention of waking the pretty young woman whose name he had already forgotten; he’d leave that to Hal.
He ran down the stairs and into his office. He pressed the intercom button and was rewarded by the sound of Hal’s gravelly voice. “Yea boss.”
“Frankie’s floating face down in the pool. Deal with it. But first get rid of my company. Be nice to her; give her five hundred and make sure she doesn’t see the pool.”
He sat back in his chair and pressed his fingertips together. “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple…;” well he hadn’t been to church for a long time now; he pressed his fingertips to his lips and smiled.

He dialed Benny Goldman’s number.

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

Starsky was sitting at his desk when Hutch appeared in the hallway with his arrestee. The dark-haired cop looked up as Hutch approached the squad room door and turned away quickly. Before Hutch could push his captive into the squad room Starsky had gone into Dobey’s office and closed the door.

“What is it Starsky?”
“Hutch just came back.”
Dobey raised an eyebrow. “And?”
“And the guy he’s arrested…Captain it would be better if he didn’t see me right now.”
Dobey had a fair amount of patience when it came to these two cops but sometimes Starsky could be exasperating. He scowled at the young man who was hovering by the door. “Starsky, sit down and tell me what is going on.”
“I can only tell you some of it.”
“All of it.”
“Cap…”
“All of it Starsky; then I’ll decide how much I want to remember.”
Starsky grinned and served himself at the water fountain before settling in the chair opposite Dobey.
“If the guy Hutch just brought in saw me here it might not help the situation. He knows me from another life.”
“When you worked for Goldman?”
“Yeah…”
“And this has something to do with the fact that you keep going off on your own account?”
“Yeah.”
“Go on.”
“Ok. Benny’s been having a lot of problems recently. Someone is putting the pressure on him” He stopped to check the expression on Dobey’s face. So far so good. “Benny wants to know who is behind this and so Benny asked me and Harvey to do him a favor.” “And are you getting anywhere?”
“I don’t know. One of the addresses we had was Theo the Greek’s numbers drop. I asked Hutch to check it out…”
Dobey interrupted him. “I thought Theo the Greek was dead.”
“No. He what I heard was that he got all inspired to find his roots and went to Europe for a while. But he’s alive and running a book that is doing damage to Benny.”
Dobey ran his fingers through his hair.
“One last question Starsky; how come Benny called you in – do you owe him something?”
“Excuse me Captain, but I think this is where I take the fifth.”
Dobey grinned. “OK. Be careful how you handle this.”
Starsky slipped out of the door that led into the hallway.

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

Hutch was pretty sure he’d seen Starsky in the squad room when he arrived with his catch. The guy had started yammering in the car and Hutch was impatient to get him to a desk and a typewriter.
“Ok Dusty, let’s start again at the beginning OK.”
“I told you everything in the car.”
Hutch shot him a steely glare. “Did you see me taking notes or was I driving?”
Dusty scowled. “Ok, ok, wise cop. What didn’t you get the last time around?”
“All of it.” Hutch rolled a statement form into the typewriter and drew a breath. He hated typing. He’d hated it in college and he hated it even more now. He envied the fact that Starsky could touch-type and keep up with what was being said. Hutch was a four finger typist – index and middle fingers on both hands. Hutch put Starsky’s skills down to his almost illegible left-handed scrawl; he found it fascinating to watch his friend as he curved his hand around the pen to push it along the page…but the results were frequently impossible to decipher and it turned out that Starsky learned to type in High School in self-defense. “I got the work right but they couldn’t read it so I didn’t get the grades!”

Now Hutch was tap-tap-tapping away as Dusty spilled his guts.
When he had finished typing up the report Hutch pushed it over to his prisoner to read. Dusty looked at him as his hand hovered over the page.
“If I sign this and they find out, I’m dead.”
“So?”
“So what about a deal?”
Hutch sat back in his chair and chewed on his pencil thoughtfully. “I guess I could put in a good word with the DA for you.”
Dusty shook his head. “It takes more than that. I want protection. You have to understand, if they find out I ratted who knows what could happen and bang goes your best witness. These guys are mean. Anyways, I can breathe easy until they’ve dealt the Persuaders.”
Hutch looked at him. “What do you know about them?”
“All I know is that they had one hell of a reputation and now they are back. Benny is going to find out sooner or later who is behind the trouble he’s in unless these guys are stopped; so there’s a search out for them.”
Hutch was beginning to get a bad feeling about all this but he couldn’t identify what it was that was worrying him.
“Wait there.” Hutch knocked on Dobey’s door and as he opened it he was sure the door on the far side closed.
“Yes Hutch, what is it?”
“I brought in a guy called Dusty Stevens; he attacked me when I was looking for Theo the Greek’s place. He told me something about these guys known as the Persuaders.”
Dobey ran his hand over his face; Hutch thought for a second that he looked worried.
“What about them?”
“He says someone is out to kill them.”
Dobey sat back in his chair and sighed. “Get out there and find your partner, Hutch. And stop this thing before we have gang warfare on our hands. I’ll deal with Stevens and get him a deal with the DA.”
Hutch stopped by his desk to tell Dusty that the Captain wanted him to go into his office and then he ran down to his car.
If in doubt ask Huggy.

Huggy put down the ‘phone abruptly when he saw Hutch come down the stairs and into The Pits. Too abruptly for Hutch’s liking.
Hutch beckoned to the owner of the bar to come and join him in a quiet corner.
“Huggy, you know who the Persuaders are, don’t you?”
“Sure I do; I went to High School with them. I’ve known those boys a long time now.”

High School. If Huggy knew them then so did…Hutch stopped in his tracks. He remembered what Huggy had said about how one of them could persuade people without violence; how he was known as ‘the snake charmer’. His mind turned to a screen and played out a silent movie of Starsky slamming a tray onto a bar to get the full attention of all the customers…of Starsky sitting across the table from a prisoner in an interrogation room and staring at him eye-to-eye.
Huggy tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey dreamer; if I tell you that they are cousins, does that help?”
“Shit! Huggy do you have any idea where to get in touch with them?”
“No; Starsky said he’d get in touch…why?”
“Because someone is out to kill them.”
Now it was Huggy’s turn to swear, stringing together a group of words that Hutch would never have associated!
Huggy ran over to the bar and dialed frantically. He lit a cigarette and paced up and down as far as the cord would allow him; finally he replaced the receiver. He grimaced and dialed another number.
“It’s Huggy…I need to find the boys…. where’s the game?...OK, thanks.”
He returned to Hutch. “I’m coming with you.”
Huggy yelled into the kitchen to Angel to come and tend the bar and he and Hutch took the stairs two at a time.

Huggy directed Hutch to a strip joint just off Sunset. They walked in and Hutch blinked to accustom his eyes to the gloom. The music was almost deafening. Most of the clients were watching a young woman half-dressed as Scarlett O’Hara remove the rest of her costume. Huggy scanned the place and pulled Hutch to a well concealed door to the right of the men’s room. He opened it a crack and closed it fast.
“Looks like we’re too late.”
Hutch pushed the door open. Someone had interrupted a poker game. The table was on its side and cards and chips were strewn all over the floor. Two chairs were still upright; the other two had fallen under the weight of the bodies of the men who had been sitting on them. The back door to the street was open.
Hutch looked at the two corpses and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Who are they Huggy, do you know?”
“Yes. The one on the left is Ricky Herman; the other guy is Berry Jackson. Ricky worked for Doyle and Berry worked for Benny; I guess I should say worked.”
“This means the others got here first.”
“Dave and Harvey played a regular game with these two back in the old days, I guess they thought they should pick everything up again.”
Hutch ran out to his car. He radioed in for a coroner’s wagon to collect the corpses and he was about to put out an APB on Starsky and Harvey when Huggy nudged him
Something had caught Huggy’s eye a little further up the street. “Hutch, look.”
The Torino and the T-Bird were parked a block further up the street. Hutch started the engine and cruised up alongside the two cars. Harvey was slumped over passenger seat of the T-Bird. Huggy leaped out of the car and leaned in to the black beauty to check Harvey’s pulse. “He’s alive, but someone beat him pretty bad.” Hutch was already standing by the Torino; his face was pale and he was staring into the car. Huggy came over to stand beside the blond cop and followed his gaze. The Torino was empty but there was a small pool of blood on the driver’s seat and more blood smeared on the door.
Once again Hutch radioed in for backup. “I need an ambulance here fast.”

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

Harvey had a cracked cheekbone and a broken arm and the doctor insisted on keeping him in overnight for observation in case he had concussion. Hutch sat beside the bed while Harvey recovered from the sedative he’d been given while they dealt with his arm. Looking at Harvey sleeping, Hutch saw that there was more of a likeness between the cousins than he had noticed when he met Harvey the first time. Hutch had seen enough photos of Starsky with his parents to see that he was one of those people who looked like whichever parent he was standing with. Both Starsky’s parents had dark curly hair and Hutch had long ago seen that although Starsky had his father’s eyes, he had his mother’s mouth; he had also inherited her eyelashes and Hutch could see that they ran in the family too. Looking at Harvey he wondered how much the two young men’s mothers resembled each other. Harvey groaned and licked his parched lips. Hutch’s reflex was to be there for Harvey the way he was always there for Starsky; he grabbed the cup of ice chips by the bed and gently pushed one to Harvey’s mouth. Harvey’s eyes fluttered open; they were as deep brown and Starsky’s were deep blue.
“Where I am?”
“You’re in the hospital; you’ll be a little sore for a while but you’ll be ok.”
Harvey struggled to focus his eyes and he stared at Hutch for a second. “I’ve seen you someplace before. Do you know what happened to me? Were you there?”
Hutch swallowed and sat down on the chair beside the bed; he dry wiped his face with his hand. “No I wasn’t. Do you remember anything? Do you know what happened to St…” he corrected himself and called his partner by the name his cousin would be used to, “…to Dave?”
“Dave who?”
Hutch repressed the urge to swear out loud. “Don’t you remember anything Harvey?”
“Is that my name, Harvey?” He chuckled, “makes me sound like a big rabbit.”
Hutch was relieved to hear it. He was pretty sure that the cousins shared Starsky’s apparently bottomless pit of knowledge of Hollywood trivia. If Harvey thought his name made him sound like the rabbit from the Jimmie Stewart movie he couldn’t have lost all of his memory. Hutch grinned at him. “You need me to reassure you that you don’t have long white furry ears?”
“Thanks. So who are you anyway; oh shit you’re a cop aren’t you? Am I under arrest?”
“Should you be?”
“Dunno.” Harvey said quietly; “if I knew who I was maybe I could tell you.”
Hutch was considering this statement and its implications when the doctor came in to check on his patient.
“How are you feeling?”
“Confused.”
The doctor completed his examination and started to leave the room, jotting a couple of notes on the clip-board that he was holding as he went. Hutch intercepted him at the door.
“I have a big problem here doc. He doesn’t remember anything – in fact I had to tell him his name. I need him to help me find my partner.”
Dr Kelly shook his head. “There’s no physical reason for amnesia, but he may be suffering the after-effects of concussion and maybe even shock. He was badly beaten up wasn’t he?”
“Yes; and he was with his cousin, my partner, when it happened; and my partner is missing.”
“Give him time. Another twenty four hours rest should do the trick.”
“My partner may not have twenty four hours doctor; isn’t there something you can do?”
“Nothing.” He turned to go but sensing that the tall blond cop standing beside him was desperate for help he said, ‘you know sometimes it helps to talk about something or someone familiar – it trips the mind back into gear if you like. You work closely with his cousin don’t you?” Hutch nodded. “So if you talk about him; maybe try to get Mr. Kauffman to remember something from their childhood, it might trigger things off.”
“Thanks doc.” Hutch held out a polite hand and the doctor smiled and shook it. “Good luck.”

Hutch thought about what the doctor had said. He knew very little about Starsky’s childhood – only that his partner had been sent to live with Harvey’s family after his own father was murdered in New York. He had no idea what memories might trigger Harvey’s mind…but he knew who did.
Huggy was out on the fire escape smoking a cigarette. Hutch opened the door to join him.
“I need your help Hug.”
Huggy crushed his cigarette underfoot and followed Hutch back into the waiting area.
“Just say the word man.”
“That’s just it, I don’t know the words but you probably do.”
Huggy gave him a sidelong glance, narrowing his almond-shaped eyes and raising his eyebrows. “And you say I talk double-dutch!”
“Harvey’s lost his memory. He didn’t even know his own name! He has no idea what happened to him and he asked me ‘Dave who’; so I guess now you see the problem.”
Huggy nodded.
“The doctor said it might help to talk about something familiar about when he and Starsky were younger; I figured that if you went to High School with them, you could do that better than I can.”
Huggy grinned. “I guess I’d better be careful – I wouldn’t want you to get embarrassed!”
Hutch shoved him towards Harvey’s room. “Please Huggy; Starsky’s life could be in danger.”
They went into the room and Hutch hung back, leaning against the wall while Huggy settled into the chair beside the bed.
“Hi Harvey.”
“Lionel, is that you?”
Huggy shot Hutch a look that told him to never use that name in public. Hutch grinned and nodded.

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

The game was going pretty well for Starsky and he was about fifty bucks up when the door burst open and two men with stocking over their heads waved machine guns in the air. Starsky’s immediate reaction was to reach inside his jacket – then he remembered that he was not armed; he grabbed Harvey and pulled his cousin down under the table just as the first hail of bullets rattled out. Starsky upended the table as a makeshift shield and pulled Harvey crawling and scuttling to the door that led into the strip joint. The gunmen were still firing and didn’t notice straight away that two of the four men from the table were missing; the two dead men were not the targets they were looking for. “This way.” One of them pulled his partner towards the door and into the eerie red glow of the strip joint lighting. Someone screamed and the two men pushed their way out into the street.
Starsky and Harvey were running to their cars and the gunmen knew that they couldn’t risk firing at them in broad daylight. They gave chase.
Harvey was half into his car when he was grabbed from behind; he heard Starsky yell a warning and then he heard the shot. His assailant swiped the butt of his gun across Harvey’s face and he dropped to the ground; as he tried to fend off the kicks he called out his cousin’s name. “Dave…”
“Forget him.”
Harvey lost consciousness.

Starsky saw them before Harvey did. He was already leaning into Torino to grab the mike and call for help when he heard the shot. Pain seared through this leg as he fell into the car. Someone grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back out of the car. As he was shoved into another car that had driven up alongside he spotted Harvey’s battered body slumped inside the T-Bird. “Don’t leave him there.” “Shut up. He’s not as valuable as you are; someone will find him and get him to a hospital.” Starsky tried to protest but the crack of a gun barrel on the back of his head put an end to that.

Starsky woke to find that his leg felt like it was on fire. He was lying where he’d been dumped; slumped on a bed in what looked like a seedy motel room. He looked at his jeans; the denim was soaked red with blood. He made a tentative examination of the damage with his finger. He’d seen enough wounded men in the jungle to know what he could expect; the bullet wasn’t there so he figured it had grazed him. Judging by the color of the blood it hadn’t hit an artery either; but he was bleeding badly enough to know that movement was not an option. He sighed. He had to take the risk. He grabbed the pillow beside him and pulled off the cotton cover; the cotton was worn with being washed over and over again and it ripped easily; Starsky made himself an improvised tourniquet and pulled hard to tie it as tight as he could bear. Exhausted by the effort and overwhelmed by a wave of pain, he slumped back again. Darkness enfolded him and he surrendered to whatever fate had in store this time.

He was woken by the weight of someone sitting on the bed beside him. He opened one eye groggily and peered at his visitor. He was a thick-set black man of around thirty. He knew exactly who is his prisoner was.
“Welcome back to the land of the living, Detective.”
“Buster; well long time no see I guess.”
“Yea. I heard you didn’t come back from ‘Nam.”
“You heard wrong. I came back but it took me a while to get back on my feet.”
“So how come you didn’t go on working for Benny?”
“I am working for Benny.”
Buster smiled and squeezed the wound on Starsky’s thigh. “Not full time though – eh Detective?”
Starsky winced but decided not to let this sadist get the better of him. Buster had been a mean cuss back when they clashed on the football field on the High School circuit; from what Starsky had heard he came back from ‘Nam even meaner.
“Ok so I’m a cop – but I still do a favor for Benny if he needs me. And I don’t need to tell you that he needs me now, do I?”
Buster averted his gaze from the piercing blue eyes that fixed on his. “Hey don’t you try your tricks on me Dave Starsky.”
Starsky laughed humorlessly. “Yeah you do kind of remind me of a Russell Viper. I guess you didn’t have me shot in the leg so we could exchange war souvenirs.”
“I’m sorry about that; they weren’t meant to hurt you. I figured that if they left Harvey for Benny’s men to find then he’d be all the more willing to do a deal to get you back. Only thing is I wasn’t reckoning on Leroy having a little problem with two new detectives on the beat.”
Starsky closed his eyes to block out the pain that kept throbbing through his leg. “I though it was Leroy.”
“You are a valuable item Dave. Benny’s gonna want you back – and the cops are gonna want you back. So I figure I can find a way to get the cops to finish Benny and then …well maybe I’ll let you go out and play with that big blond buddy of yours.”
“What about Harvey?”
“He’s in the hospital; hey maybe you’ll be able to form a threesome!”
Buster pushed Starsky back on the bed.
“I’ll let you know who bids the highest.”
“Buster!”
“What?”
“It’s you trying to play Doyle and Benny off against each other isn’t it?”
“You always were quick to see a play.”
“Why?”
“Look at ‘em. They’re what, in their late fifties, sixty maybe? Time they retired and let the young blood take over.”

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

Huggy settled down in the chair and grinned at Harvey.
“Hey nobody calls me that anymore, not since about tenth grade anyway…do you remember what they do call me?”
Harvey closed his eyes and Hutch could see that he was concentrating. “Huggy, Huggy Bear; that’s it isn’t it. Cora Lee started calling you that and it stuck.” Harvey chuckled. “Did she catch you in the end?”
“No man, no way. I got one look at her momma and I could see my future! Hey Harvey we were a team weren’t we, the three of us. You remember that first car you had; Dave called it…”
“The soap box on wheels.” Harvey finished the sentence. “He was already working on the Bird. Man you should see what he drives now!”
“Yea, ain’t that paint job something?
“One of Merle’s best. Hey Huggy, where is Dave; is he in this place too.”
Hutch pricked up his ears…Harvey had responded to the trigger.
Huggy shook his head. “No, and that’s kind of a problem for Hutch here. We found you all beat up, but Dave was gone and all there was in his car was a patch of blood.”
Harvey tried to sit up; he slumped against the pillows and looked at Hutch.
“I remember now. They tried to shoot us when we were playing poker…Dave said he thought that they were meant to miss…anyway we got away and I remember getting to my car. Dave called a warning… then…then…oh my God….”
Hutch stood close to the bed.
“What happened Harvey?”
“One of them beat me up; I heard a shot. They shot him!”

Hutch froze and stared at Huggy.
“Are you sure about that Harvey?” Huggy was doing his best to stay calm.
“I heard the shot…I think they took him away in a car; I dunno I was kind of fuzzy Oh god how am I gonna tell Aunt Lily?”
Hutch sat on the edge of the bed; “Harvey think hard…did you see who they were?”
Harvey stifled a sob; his mind was still paralyzed by the thought that his cousin might be dead. “Aunt Lily was permanently on edge all the time he was in ‘Nam…we had to keep it quiet when he got hurt and in…but if he’s dead now I don’t know how I’m gonna tell her.”
Hutch had no idea what Harvey was talking about. He knew that Starsky had been injured in ‘Nam but his partner had always given him the impression that it was nothing more than a badly broken leg. Having heard Starsky on the ‘phone to his mom when all the curly-headed cop had was a sprained ankle he knew that Mrs. Starsky was capable of putting every vaudeville joke about Jewish mothers in the shade. He hated to think of how anyone would be able to tell her that her eldest son was dead – and he was determined to make sure no-one had to.
He put a hand on Harvey’s shoulder – a firm but gentle grip. “Come on Harvey, get it together; did you see who they were. Think Harvey. They wouldn’t have taken him away if he was dead – they’d have left him there.”
Harvey sniffed and reached out painfully for a Kleenex; Huggy grabbed the box and handed him what he needed to blow his nose and pull himself together.
“Yes, you’re right; if they’d killed Davey he would have been on the sidewalk, right.
They had dark stockings over their faces – ‘cos that’s right…yea that’s it…they were black. Stockings can’t disguise their voices and one of them sounded like a real jive bunny if you know what I mean.
Hutch hadn’t a clue what Harvey meant but Huggy grinned. “He means a brother who wants to sound hip.”
“Oh right.” Hutch said I guess I learn something new every day.
Harvey was thinking…”Huggy, you remember Buster Lee?”
Huggy looked worried. “Yea, first we heard he’d caught it in the jungle.” He turned to Hutch. “We heard that about the same time we heard that Dave was injured. Buster came back first though; his body was all in one piece – but I guess he left a little of his mind out there. He is one mean dude.” Huggy turned back to Harvey. “One of them was Buster?”
“No man; they work for him. I recognized one of their voices and I just couldn’t place it. Denzil and Leroy. That’s who they were. Denzil and Leroy – oh shit, oh holy shit, and they got Dave.”
Hutch stood up. “I need their full names and a description Huggy; then we can get an APB out on them.”
The two men reassured Harvey that they’d let him know as soon as they had news of Starsky and left the room.
The elevator bell indicated that it was about to arrive at the floor. Huggy and Hutch walked over to be ready to enter it as soon as it opened. They were almost knocked over by a human whirlwind of a woman who was wailing “where’s the doctor? Where’s my son…what have they done to my baby?”
As she pushed past them Huggy grinned “that was Rosa…you should see her when she really gets going!”

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

Hutch sat in the car next to Huggy. “What now?”
“Well man you can put out an APB but I reckon my network is quicker. Take me back to the bar and I’ll start putting out the word.”

Hutch spotted a parking space in front of The Pits. “Drop me off and I’ll call you when I have news.”
Hutch agreed and left Huggy to see what he could find out. He decided to go back to Metro and try to get some information on this character known as Buster and his henchmen Denzil and Leroy; without any other names he didn’t hold out much hope of finding them in the records but he knew it was worth a try.
He called into the records department and asked for the impossible. Minnie flashed him a big grin; “I’ll do my best.”
He went up to his own desk and stopped at the coffee pot for a shot of caffeine to get him through the files he knew he was going to have to read. The door to Dobey’s office was open and when the Captain spotted Hutch he called him in. Hutch saw that there were two other men in the office.
“Hutch, time for you to meet Benny Goldman and Gerry Doyle.”
Hutch nodded to the two gangland leaders and shot a questioning look at his captain.
“I’ll let you gentlemen explain why you are here.” Dobey said and he leaned back in his chair.
Goldman was a good-looking man with dark hair that was graying at the temples. Hutch thought that if he’d seen him on the street he would have taken him for a doctor or a lawyer. He had a smooth urbane manner that reminded Hutch of his father’s colleagues and fellow members of the kind of Country Club that Goldman would never have been invited to join.
Doyle, on the other hand, was just about what Hutch expected. A heavy-set man in his early sixties, he had a broken nose and scars on his face that belied a life of fighting and violence. Doyle was chewing a fingernail.
Benny smiled at Hutch. “So you are the young man that Dave trusts enough to be his partner. It’s quite a compliment you know – being allowed to replace Harvey.”
Hutch bridled. “I wasn’t aware that I replace anyone. Dave…Starsky…is a cop and we are partners; whatever he and Harvey used to ….”
“Used to? Dave has always been willing to lend me a hand when needed – and he knows that I will always return a favor.” He glanced at Dobey and the two men nodded an almost unseen acknowledgement. Hutch had a flash of inspiration.
“When Starsky got promoted, it was because you gave him information?”
“Yes and no. Dave used information he had access to because of his connections with me.”
Dobey cut in, “Hutchinson understand this, Starsky got promoted on his ability although I don’t doubt for one minute that he’s have passed his exams just as easily as you did.”
“I’m sure he would have done Captain? David is a very determined and intelligent young man.” Benny grinned like a proud uncle.
Benny continued. “Gerry and I have been under a lot of pressure recently. Someone is trying to make it look like we can’t honor our debts. Gerry received a message from them yesterday,” he turned to theater man, “I think you should tell Hutchinson about it.”
Doyle stopped chewing his nail and looked up at Hutch. “I found my best man face down in the pool with half his head shot off yesterday morning.”
Hutch didn’t miss a beat. “And what did you do about it?”
“I had the pool cleaned.”
Hutch let that slide. “Where’s the body now?”
“At the morticians, being made presentable enough for his wife and his mother to see him one more time.”
Benny spoke again. “I got my message about an hour ago. Someone left Dave’s car parked in my driveway…”
Hutch blinked. When he had left the Torino the forensics people were taking samples of the blood on the seat; he assumed it had been towed back to the police garage.
“Are you sure it’s Starsky’s car?”
Benny and Doyle looked at him as they might look at a child who asked a silly question.
“Believe me, it’s unique.” Benny said firmly. Hutch wondered if there was some significance to the choice of candy apple red and a white blaze strip with a black edging. If there was Starsky had never explained it to him – but then he was beginning to lose count of how many things Starsky never explained to him about his private life and his past.

Hutch filled them in on what he knew. When he mentioned the two dead men Benny swore under his breath and Doyle gulped air like a fish out of water.
“Harvey seemed to have lost his memory, but Huggy managed to trip him back to the present. He said it was Denzil and Leroy and that they work for someone goes by the name of Buster.”
Doyle and Goldman shook their heads. “I’ve never heard of Buster.” Doyle said slowly, too slowly for Hutch’s liking. “But I’d sure like to get my hands on him.”
Benny looked up at Hutch. “Did you say Huggy helped you?”
“Yes.”
“And where is he now?”
Hutch glanced at Dobey. It was surely up to him to be asking these questions not these two crooks. Dobey merely nodded to him to answer.
“I left him at The Pits. He was going to put out some calls and see what he could find out.”
Benny looked worried. “I think you should go and make sure he is OK. Gerry, if Buster is who I think – then Huggy could be walking into a trap that will kill him and Dave.”
Hutch was out of the door before anyone could speak again.

He parked in the alley behind The Pits and closed the car door carefully. As he walked into the back entrance he noticed that the place was unnaturally quiet. He slipped into the kitchen, there was no-one in there and a pot had started to boil over on the stove. A burger was burned to a crisp on the griddle and the acrid stink of scorched fat stung his nose. He turned the gas off under the steaming pot and slipped his gun out of the holster. He released the safety, the click seemed to echo in the silence, but he knew that it was only his imagination. He stepped out of the kitchen and kept to the cover of the wall behind the half-open door.
The customers and the barmaid were lined up at the bar with their hands on the counter. Huggy was lying on the floor curled into a protective position and groaning.
“I think maybe Huggy is ready to co-operate now Leroy.” Hutch listened carefully; the cadences of the man’s voice indicated that he was black; he figured this was the famous Buster.
Hutch watched as Leroy heaved Huggy to his feet. A thick-set man stepped up to Huggy and smiled.
“All I ask is that you give them my terms and conditions. The cop is a friend of yours isn’t he? You wouldn’t want him to be hurt any more, now would you?” Huggy shook his head and stared over to the other side of the room. Hutch took the risk of slipping to the other side of the doorway where he could get a better view of the bar.
Huggy noticed the movement and prayed that no-one else had.
Hutch stared in horror. Starsky was tied to a chair. His hands were tied behind his back and he had already taken a bad beating judging by the bruises and cuts on his face. His head was slumped forward and from where he was Hutch could hear that he was breathing with difficulty. Denzil was standing beside him grinning and cleaning his fingernails with what looked like a hunting knife.
Buster spoke again.
“Huggy?”
“Suppose I said I didn’t know where to reach them.”
Buster turned to Denzil and nodded. Denzil grabbed Starsky’s head and cut off a handful of dark curls then held the blade close to Starsky’s ear.
Hutch had seen enough. Without thinking any further he burst into the room with his Magnum pointing at Buster.
“Let him go, NOW!”
Buster smiled and didn’t move. Hutch aimed the gun at Buster’s head. “I said let my partner go!”
Buster tried to stare him down – but he was no snake charmer and Hutch wasn’t fooled. The big blond took a step closer to Buster.
“I can shoot you before he gets a chance to use that knife.”
“Ah but would that stop him do you think?” the man was mocking him and Hutch felt his anger rise.
“I think the possibility of going down for killing a cop might stop him, yes. Plus the risks he’d take being in a jail with people who are loyal to Doyle and Goldman.”
Denzil dropped the knife and stared at Hutch. Hutch motioned to him to join Buster, and he did as he was told in silence.
Buster was still smiling.
Huggy took his chance and aimed a kick at Leroy’s crotch; the effect was immediate. Leroy fell to the ground gasping and cradling his balls. Hutch steadied his aim. Huggy walked over to Starsky and took the hunting knife release his hands and feet. Starsky fell heavily from the chair and didn’t move. Hutch kept the gun pointed at Buster and ran over to his partner. Huggy ran to the ‘phone and called for an ambulance. The customers began to move away from the bar; some returned to the tables where their drinks were still waiting for them; others started for the exit.
Hutch shouted; “no-one leaves here – you are all witnesses.” The two or three who had already started up the stairs returned to the bar where Huggy started serving free drinks.
Hutch sat on the floor beside Starsky. He saw the blood on his jeans and rapidly checked the wound. Starsky groaned and Hutch put his arm under the smaller man’s shoulders to lift him against his own body. He dropped the gun and pulled Starsky into his embrace.
“You Ok?”
“Harvey; what did they do to Harvey?” He mumbled before passing out.

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

Hutch stopped outside the hospital room where the two cousins had been transferred.
He rearranged the boxes of chocolates, the flowers and the books that he had brought as gifts and pushed the door open with his hip.
Starsky and Harvey were both propped up in bed looking like extras from the Rocky Horror Show. Starsky had two black eyes and a mask-like cast strapped across his face to prevent his nose from resetting out of line. Harvey had a green and yellow bruise following the line of the fracture in his cheekbone. Harvey had an arm in a cast – Starsky’s left arm was tightly strapped to his side to allow the tendons pf his dislocated shoulder to heal. Both men were staring in horror at the determined woman sitting by Harvey’s bedside. She was holding a big basket and Hutch could smell…well to be honest he had no idea what it was.
“You have to eat…hospital food is no good…I brought you boys something special…your favorites.” She started to unpack her picnic offerings. She pulled out a big thermos and Starsky rolled his eyes in horror.
“See I brought you good chicken soup. Not the rubbish they give you here; real soup. I figured you’d like something a bit more interesting so I put a little chili in it too.”
Starsky shot a ‘help and rescue’ look at Hutch who just stood back to watch the show.
“Then I though ‘what do my boys like best?’ Davey I know how much you love gefilte so I made you my special recipe.” Starsky’s face grew pale – did Hutch detect a tinge of green?
“And for my Harvey I made wieners and sauerkraut.” She pulled out a couple of containers and Hutch finally identified the smell – overcooked sauerkraut!
Rosa continued babbling on about the food she’d bought for the boys and two pairs of eyes beseeched Hutch to do something. He shook his head and grinned.
“Your aunt’s right Starsk; you need to eat to get better.”
Starsky grimaced and with an immense effort he managed to heave the pillow out from behind his head and throw it at Hutch.
Hutch grinned and held out the box of chocolates. He knew how much Starsky was a sucker for chocolate – especially these new Belgian chocolates that were the latest fashion. He opened the box and displayed the tempting goodies. Starsky’s eyes lit up and he grinned. Hutch put the lid back on the box.
“No dessert, until you eat your dinner.” He placed the box on the bureau at the side of the room and grinned. Two sets of expressive eyes glared at him.
Rosa turned and smiled. “I knew you were a sensible young man Hutch.”
She set the food on the two bed trays and pushed handed her son and his cousin a fork each.
“Eat already; if you ever want to get better you have to eat.”
Hutch decided to leave them to their fate.

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

Starsky and Hutch were sitting in Starsky’s apartment. Hutch looked around at the décor with its strange mix of flashing lights and Mexican pottery and again wondered when, if ever, he’d entirely understand his complicated friend.
Starsky handed him a glass and started to pour the wine. Hutch took a gulp and stopped to see his friend swirl the wine around in his glass before sniffing it and taking a sip.
“Hey it looks like you know what you’re doing there;”
“Does that surprise you? You don’t have to come from Snootsville to appreciate wine you know.” Hutch was taken aback by the tone of Starsky’s voice – a mixture of hurt and mockery that he hadn’t heard before.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“No, I don’t suppose you did.” Starsky smiled gently. “And I didn’t mean to sound so mad at you the other day either.”
Hutch sipped his wine again and smiled. “It’s good.”
“It should be the price I paid for it!” Starsky grinned.
“Can I ask you something Starsk?”
“You know what my grandma said if I ever asked ‘can I?’? She said ‘you can but will I let you?”
Hutch laughed – my parents pulled that one on me ‘nice children say may I’!”
“And were you a nice child…dumb question. So what’s the question you want to ask me; if I let you?”
“If Benny asked you to do him a favor like that again, would you?”
“Of course.” Starsky’s deep blue eyes grew distant for a second.
“You owe him, don’t you Starsk? That’s it; he’s got some kind of hold over you.”
Starsky took another sip of wine. “No, he doesn’t have a hold over me; but yes I guess I do owe him.” The look on Starsky’s face told Hutch that the matter was closed.
“OK, I have another question. Why did they call you the snake charmer?”
Starsky lowered his glass and looked Hutch directly in the eye. Hutch felt himself draw into the deep blue stare that confronted him; and he knew that try as he might he couldn’t look away.
“Don’t ever ask me about Benny again, understand?”
Hutch understood. Starsky released him from his gaze. “I learned I could do it when I found out that no-one can hypnotize me!”
“You want to bet on that?”
Starsky grinned and wandered over to the bureau where he had placed his wallet. He pulled out a twenty and slapped it down on the table. “Double or quits!”
Hutch took the fob watch that he preferred to carry instead of a wearing a wristwatch out of his pocket. Starsky sighed and sat back in his peacock chair.
“I’m ready.”
Hutch stood in front of him and started to swing the watch from side to side in front of Starsky’s eyes. “Keep your eyes on the watch. Follow it with your eyes. He continued to swing the watch. You are falling into my power; soon you will obey me.”
He continued for another minute or so. Starsky was grinning at him; his right eye was following the watch obediently enough and his left eye was staring straight ahead.
“That’s forty you owe me Blondie!”
“How? I mean what the…”
Starsky laughed and snapped his fingers to be paid. “It’s a trick I can do, that’s all. I can do this too.” And he went cross-eyed – one eye at a time – then he stared straight ahead before sliding both eyes to focus on his nose. Hutch was transfixed. “How the hell?”
“Let’s just say that hell had something to do with it and leave it there. Come on I’ve got forty bucks here, I’ll treat you to dinner. I know this great Chinese restaurant where they do roast snake!”

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