Chapter 1

David Starsky put the last tiny bit of plastic in place and sighed as he looked at his latest completed masterpiece. An eighteenth century schooner complete with miniature rigging stood on the hobby table in the beech house he shared with his partner Ken Hutchinson. For a moment he felt a strong urge to fling the ship against the wall but he resisted, lately he seemed to spend his time resisting urges. He stood up and his healing body protested at the sudden movement. It was ten days to Christmas but he lacked his usual joy at the season. It was nearly eight months since he had been gunned down in the police garage and he was still adjusting to the huge changes that event had brought to his life. In a month's time he was going to face the review board to see if he still had a job with the Bay City Police Force but that wasn't the reason for his lack of enthusiasm.

He knew he should feel lucky; lucky to be alive, lucky to be loved and love in return, lucky to be surrounded by friends who cared but he didn't feel lucky, he felt lost, adrift in a life that had been built for him by others. His body was healing but emotionally he was confused. His eight weeks in the hospital were a haze of pain medication and visitors but he could remember clearly the night when Hutch had climbed into bed beside him and after the sprinklers had gone off and Huggy and Dobey had slunk out of the room he remembered feeling safe for the first time since the shooting. Physically he had paid a price for that drunken celebratory meal and had come down with yet another chest infection. Hutch was racked with guilt but even through the oxygen cannula in his nose and the iv tube dripping antibiotics into his right arm Starsky had beamed at his partner and pulled Hutch close enough to whisper "I love you" Hutch had turned pink and brushed his lips over Starsky's forehead.

Every once of energy Starsky could muster he had spent in getting better so that he could leave the hospital and be with Hutch and while Starsky was busy healing, Hutch, Huggy and Dobey had been busy arranging a new life for him when he would be released from the hospital. The cops in Parker Center arranged a gala dinner to raise funds for Starsky's rehabilitation so that by the time he was released Hutch had taken him to a house on the beech that was all on one level and had a Jacuzzi that stood on the back terrace that looked over the ocean and even boasted a small gym. The rent on the property had been paid for in advance for a year by the proceeds of the gala. That was the first surprise but they just kept on coming, Hutch had moved in with him to his new house and somehow managed to look after him while putting together an air tight case against James Gunter. Hutch had made sure Starsky never missed a physiotherapy session by arranging a series of drivers including Edith Dobey, Huggy, and most of their friends and colleagues and when Starsky was given the go ahead to drive he had another surprise, the Torino had been restored to pristine condition by Merle but it was too heavy a vehicle for Starsky to manage to drive so Hutch 'borrowed' it and a VW bug turned up at the beech house. It was painted 'Candy Apple Red' and had a wide white stripe which ran over the hood and up and over the roof. Starsky had laughed so hard when he saw it that it had taken him five minutes to get his breath back but it was a dream to drive and he had grown to love it as it had given him back some measure of freedom.

So according to Hutch's timescale everything was going great so why wasn't Starsky happy? He and Hutch had grown so close in the last months. His recovery was slow and painstaking and some days had been particularly difficult but every night since they had moved in to the beech house hutch had held him. Somehow the tall blond man had found a way to hold Starsky without hurting his aching, healing body. Sometimes Hutch had simply held him, sometimes he had brushed his long elegant fingers over his skin, other times he had placed gentle butterfly kisses against his hair, cheek or neck but always his Hutch was there for him, Starsky had come to think of him as his 'gentle wall' his own oxymoron; always so strong but always so gentle. Maybe that was were some of the problem lay, since Starsky had stopped most of the medication his libido had returned and Hutch had given him very gentle blow jobs and had even let Starsky return the favour but that was as far as the blond would go. Starsky wanted more, he wanted to feel Hutch inside him and he wanted to enter his partner and really make him his lover but they had always had an equal relationship and although Starsky knew that Hutch would allow him to go the 'whole way' Starsky wouldn't do it because he knew Hutch wasn't ready to try that with Starsky on the receiving end. Starsky was frustrated and although he loved their slow easy love making he also craved unbridled hot sex and Hutch was just too afraid of Starsky's vulnerability to allow his passions run wild.

Starsky sighed as he heard the door bell; Hutch had done it again; arranged for someone to call over so that Starsky would have company. Starsky moved to the front door and opened it to find Huggy standing there. In a changing world Huggy was as solid and dependable as a grandfather clock. "How ya' doing, my man?" Huggy asked as he followed Starsky into the house.

"Okay, Hug, Hutch asked you to call, huh?"

Huggy laughed as he put a brown paper sack down on a counter in the kitchen." What can I say the man loves you and he worries about you."

"I know, Hug, thanks." Starsky sat on a stool and winced slightly.

"You okay, do you need a pill or something?" Huggy asked as he continued to unload food from the sack.

"No, I'm good, I just sat too long finishing a model."

Huggy stopped unpacking and took a long look at his friend. "It seems to me you must have just about had enough of model making."

Starsky smiled, "Yep, I was going to throw this one against the wall but I don't think I have the energy to clean it up."

The Bear looked very serious. "Go ahead, I'll clean up the mess."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Man, you are vegetating and the only reason that Hutch can't see it is he's too scared of losing you." Huggy pulled a manila folder from the sack and tossed it down in front of Starsky. "Have I introduced you to Olivia?" He asked a clearly puzzled Starsky.

Starsky reached for the folder but didn't open it. "No, I don't think so, why?"

"She and I are casual daters but I like her, the girl is real smart and she's working in a bar up on Fairfax so that she can put herself through school, she's big into psychology." Huggy hesitated but seeing Starsky's look of interest he continued.

"She has a younger sister Anna-Lee, the kid was seventeen when she disappeared the same time you had your run in with Gunter. They're a good family, Starsky, they moved to Bay City two years ago after Theo, Olivia's pop, lost his job in a small town near San Francisco, he works mending fenders in a shop not too far from Merle's and her Mom works as a cleaner in The Angel of Mercy Hospital. There's just Olivia and Anna-Lee and though they don't have a college fund Anna-Lee was due to graduate high school and hoped to go to Community College and study journalism." Huggy stopped talking and looked at Starsky who still hadn't said a word. Huggy cleared his throat. "You're one of the best detectives I have ever seen and I want you to do me a favour and have a look at Anna-Lee's file. She's missing nearly eight months and I don't think her Momma is going to make it through Christmas without some kind of closure. I know the streets and I know what I'm asking but Starsky they have to know what happened, even if you find a body it's better than not knowing, you dig?"

Starsky picked up the file and opened it. Huggy produced two plates and put two open tuna sandwiches on them. He poured two chocolate milkshakes into glasses and sat down opposite Starsky who was still reading the contents of the file.

After ten minutes Huggy had finished his sandwich and was making serious inroads into his shake but Starsky hadn't touched his food. Starsky laid the file aside but kept the 6x4 photograph of Anna-Lee in his hands. The girl was a pretty black teenager with long curly hair and mischievous eyes. Starsky had read the report, which had obviously been complied by the missing teenager's family and consisted of the names of the investigating detectives and a list of her friends but it was when he read the date of her disappearance that Starsky felt a sick sensation in his stomach. Anna-Lee had disappeared on the same date that Starsky had been gunned down. So while Hutch had been watching the love of his life die only to be revived Anna-Lee's family had been calling the police and making statements but unlike Hutch they had not received a happy ending. Starsky put the photo down on the counter.

"Why, Huggy?"

Huggy's eyes burned into Starsky. " Like I said, Starsky Anna-Lee's Momma needs closure and you need to do something productive before the big blond kills you with kindness and your love affair is over before it gets off the ground."

Starsky laughed and put his face in his hands, pushing his fingers through his curly hair. "Jesus! Are we that transparent?"

Huggy stood up and took his glass and plate to the sink and turned back to face Starsky. "If you're asking' then I'm tellin'. Hutch can't believe what he's got and he's so afraid that he might lose you that unless he backs up a little bit he might just do that and you, Starsky, unless I'm reading this way wrong, are just a little fed up with all this adoration and so little action."

Starsky laughed and shook his head. "How do you do that, Hug?"

"Remember I'm the 'Great Hugarino' or maybe I just spend way too much time watching two white dudes waste too much time. Will you do it, Starsky?"

"I'll do it, Huggy but I'm not promising anything you and I both know what happens to most runaways."

"Eat your lunch or we'll both have to answer to Hutch."

"I'll call the detectives who handled the case and make an appointment to meet them and I'll see if I can get my hands on the police file." Starsky bit into his sandwich.

Huggy stood up. "Thanks Starsky, I've got to go. By the way how do you want to handle Hutch?"

"Leave Hutch to me, and Huggy I thought we were being discreet."

"Discreet? You mean because this place has two bedrooms you think you were going to fool me?" Huggy snorted.

 

Chapter 2

Hutch pulled the Torino into the drive and parked it beside the red bug. Somehow driving Starsky's car seemed to make him feel closer to his partner. He closed the driver's door and inhaled the tangy salt stirred breeze that came up from the ocean. Hutch loved the house and he knew he would be sad when the lease was up but he pushed that thought away and let himself into the house. The aroma of roasting beef assailed him at once and he smiled. He entered the kitchen to find Starsky closing the oven door. "Hey, you're actually on time, dinner will be ready in ten minutes." Starsky said as he turned around to face Hutch. Hutch wrapped his arms around Starsky and kissed him on the lips. Starsky pushed his tongue into Hutch's mouth and felt a surge of excitement as Hutch's tongue fought back against his own but quicker than he would have liked he found himself being pushed away gently. "So what did you do today?" Hutch asked in a way that made Starsky think he was the most important person in the world.

Starsky stepped back. "The usual, saved the world from a giant meteorite, cooked my lover dinner and completed another model ship."

"Smart ass! What model did you finish?" Hutch asked with such interest that Starsky found himself feeling guilty at his own boredom with model making. Hutch wandered into the living room and picked up the ship from the table. "This is really good, Starsk." He said holding the ship up close to study it in detail.

"Yep, if I fail the review board I can always make model ships I hear that's what all the reject cops do." Starsky said with more venom than he intended.

Hutch put the ship down and went to Starsky. He tilted his chin up and looked into his eyes. "David Starsky you will pass the review and if you don't then we'll do something together, I don't ever want us to be apart, I love you." Hutch kissed his nose and Starsky pushed him away roughly. "Jesus Christ, Hutch, I'm not a fucking teddy bear."

Hutch sounded consolatory as he said "What do you want Starsk?"

"I want you, Hutch up against the wall, hard and fast with my dick so far up you that I can feel your tonsils."

Hutch reached out but Starsky moved further away. "Okay, you can have me any way you want, you know that but I think we should take it to the bedroom."

Starsky shouted "You just don't get it do you? I can't take possession of you because I know you won't take me and this has to be an equal relationship or it will destroy us both."

Hutch was calm when he answered. "I'm not ready for that yet, I've told you there's no rush. I love you Starsky and I know you love me so I don't need you to prove anything to me, if you want to possess my body that's fine because you already own my body and soul but I just cant' do that to you yet, I'm sorry. I won't hurt you and I don't think you're physically ready yet."

Starsky left the room pushing past Hutch as he did so. He returned to the kitchen and served up a very good roast with all the trimmings. Hutch made small talk over the table about the Gunter Industries investigation which, he was leading and how it seemed that Gunter had tentacles into so many areas of corruption. Starsky remained in a taciturn mood. After dinner Hutch removed the dishes and cleaned up while Starsky went to the living room and pretended to be interested in some nature programme on tv. Hutch joined him on the couch and Starsky rested against Hutch's shoulder. They spent the next hour watching the natural life cycle of the endangered two toed sloth which, judging by its mating habits Starsky secretly believed to deserve to be endangered. At some point Starsky fell asleep and woke as the last credits were rolling to find Hutch drawing gentle circles on his chest. Starsky leaned up and kissed Hutch on the lips. "Sorry." He murmured and Hutch pulled him closer and whispered "We have all the time in the world."

Starsky returned from brushing his teeth to find Hutch already settled in their ridiculously over sized bed. Starsky slid in under the sheet and blankets and snuggled up close against his lover. Starsky was wearing pyjama bottoms and an old navy tee shirt while Hutch just had on a pair of white cotton boxer shorts. Starsky was tired but he reached his hand into Hutch's shorts and was disappointed to find Hutch's cock was flaccid. Starsky sometimes became aroused by just looking at Hutch and he suspected that his scars acted as a turn off for his lover maybe reminding the blond man of how he had nearly lost Starsky and for that reason Starsky usually wore a tee shirt to bed using the pretext of feeling the cold. Hutch mumbled into Starsky's hair "That's nice, Starsk, real nice." And Hutch's cock began to harden as Starsky's skilled fingers used just the right amount of pressure to please him, Hutch pushed his hand inside Starsky's pjs and smiled when he realized his lover was already hardening. Hutch had the hands of a musician and he played Starsky's cock as if it were the most excusive instrument in the world. Way too soon Starsky felt his balls tightening and knew he was going to come, he had really wanted to go down on Hutch tonight and show him how much he loved him but sometimes when Hutch stroked him he found himself coming as fast as a teenager. Moments after his release he felt Hutch's cum against his hands and then Hutch used some tissues to clean them both up before Starsky fell asleep.

Starsky woke with a start as the memory of Anna-Lee's picture came into his mind. The first glimmer of daylight was making its way into the room through the slats in blinds on the windows. Starsky eased himself out of Hutch's arms and padded out of the room. He felt the cold tiles under his feet as he entered the kitchen and after putting on the percolator he went back into the living room and retrieved his Mexican woollen cardigan from a chair and pulled it on. Since the shooting he always seemed to feel cold unless the temperatures were really high. After the coffee was ready he poured himself a cup and sat on a stool at the counter reading the file again. It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes before Hutch entered the kitchen and coming up behind him kissed him on the cheek and ruffled his hair. "'Morning Starsk, you're up early is everything okay?" Hutch asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, everything's fine."

"Do you want to go shopping for a Christmas tree on Saturday?" Hutch asked as Starsky put down the file.

"I don't know, do you want to bother with one this year?" Starsky answered with his own question.

Hutch moved towards him and felt his forehead. "What are you doing?" Starsky asked in an exasperated tone.

"Well I thought you must be running a fever if you're not interested in buying a tree a week before Christmas. Where's your Christmas spirit?"

"It just seems like a lot of trouble."

"I'll put it up and decorate it, Starsk you just pick it out." Hutch was staring at him intently.

Starsky stood up taking the file with him. "Let's talk about it on Saturday."

"What's in the file?" Hutch asked him.

"Just something Huggy asked me to have a look at." Starsky cleared his throat. "It seems a sister of a friend of his went missing a few months ago and I thought I'd have a word with the detectives handling the case in case there was any news to give her parents."

Starsky saw the mix of emotions in Hutch's eyes, worry, fear, panic and love all seem to slide through those blue eyes before Hutch said "Do you want me to give the detectives a call from work?"

"No, thanks Hutch I'd like to handle this one my self." Starsky fled to the bathroom before Hutch could reply taking the file with him and leaving it on the top of the closed commode when he showered.

Hutch was just finished scrambling eggs when Starsky arrived back in the kitchen. Hutch set two plates down and poured some orange juice for Starsky. "So when did Huggy ask you to do this?" Hutch asked

"Yesterday when he called over and to be honest I'm glad of the opportunity to feel a little useful."

Hutch was obviously uncomfortable. "Starsk, you won't take too much on will you?"

"Hutch, I'm fine, I am just going to talk to the detectives who handled the case, now please don't make a song and dance over this."

"Okay, but could I see the file?"

"I'll show it to you tonight, now get going or you'll be late and I have a physio appointment to get to." Starsky smiled.

 

Starsky hissed as he sat in to the bug. His physio session had been tough but in a good way and he was feeling a little stiff after it. He put the keys in the ignition but didn't turn it on; the physiotherapist's office was only about ten minutes away from the precinct that had handled Anna-Lee's case. Starsky closed his eyes and leaned back against the headrest. It was tempting to just drive home and maybe sit in the Jacuzzi for a while but the picture of the pretty teenager haunted him. He sat up, turned the ignition and drove off.

The Eight precinct was busy and it took Starsky a few minutes to get the attention of the uniformed officer behind the desk. The man was in his fifties and looked pretty washed out. Starsky asked to speak to either Detective Jim Simon or his partner Detective Gerry Rubenfeld. The officer said Jim Simon was on vacation and he'd see if Rubenfeld was available and asked who was looking for him. The moment Starsky gave his name while producing his badge the older cop's demeanour changed completely. He threw open the door into his office and stuck out his hand saying "You're Dave Starsky? It's a privilege to meet you, we were all delighted to see your partner bring in that bastard Gunter. How are you doing?"

Starsky felt embarrassed as other cops turned to look at him. "I'm fine thanks."

"I'm Mike Kirby by the way, come on and I'll show you where Rubenfeld works."

Starsky followed Kirby to a detectives' room very like the one in Parker Center and was introduced to a man dressed in a crumpled grey suit, he was in his late forties with grey hair but alert brown eyes. After the introductions Rubenfeld waved him to a chair. "What can I do for you Detective Starsky?" He asked.

"Call me Dave, I'm still on leave so this is completely unofficial but it's about a girl who went missing eight months ago." Starsky began and produced the photo Huggy had given him. Rubenfeld interrupted as soon as he saw the picture.

"I'm Gerry." The older man looked at Starsky and then continued on. "I remember the case, Anna-Lee Tobin, she was 17. Came from a nice family and disappeared the day you were shot."

Starsky felt uneasy and Rubenfeld obviously sensed this. "Look Dave it was a shock to hear of one of our own getting gunned down in a station car park so we were all a bit on edge then Jim, my partner and I get a call about a missing girl. We did what we could but there was nothing to go on. We talked to her family, her friends and her school teachers but all we got was that she was a good kid who missed her friends from her old town but no leads as to where she went. I'll get the file for you and make a Xerox of everything in it." Rubenfeld stood up. "Do you want a coffee while you wait?"

"No, thanks Gerry and I appreciate this." Starsky sat feeling at home in the familiar air of a squad room but also feeling slightly uneasy.

Rubenfeld returned ten minutes later with a complete copy of Anna-Lee's file. Starsky felt he should offer some kind of explanation. "Look Gerry, I'm just looking into this for a friend of the family and to be honest I'm going a bit stir crazy at home so I don't want to step on your toes or anything."

Rubenfeld smiled. "Dave, I'm a competent cop and Jim and I tried our best but you know the situation, a teen age girl leaving home, well it's not unusual to be unsuccessful in tracing her. I hope you find something we overlooked because I like happy endings as good as the next guy. Here's my home number and if you want anything just give me a call."

Starsky took the file. "Thanks Gerry, I appreciate it and I'm sure you guys didn't overlook anything." Gerry shook his hand and Starsky turned towards the door and as he did so the six or seven detectives who were working at their desks stood up and began clapping. Starsky froze but then realized they were clapping for him. He muttered 'Thank you' and strode quickly out of the room.

Starsky drove to the pits and after ordering French fries and a soda began reading the file in a booth. Huggy served him his food and slid in opposite him. "Are you sure you don't want a burger with that, Starsky?"

"No, thank Hug, I'm not doing enough these days to work up an appetite."

Huggy left the booth and didn't return until Starsky sat the file down on the brightly patterned table cloth.

"Can I meet Anna-Lee's parents, Huggy?"

"Sure let me make a call."

Ten minutes later Starsky found himself in Huggy's old Cadillac being driven by the Bear to the Tobin's home.

Anna and Mike Tobin reminded Starsky of some of his own relatives, hard working, God fearing folk who opened their hearts to him about their missing daughter. Mike was tall and thin and his hair was streaked with silver while Anna was tiny, barely five feet tall and so frail looking that Starsky wondered how she was able to work such a physical job as cleaning entailed. Anna made coffee and spoke with love about her daughters. Starsky told them he could make them no promises but he would try to find out what he could. Anna took his hands in her own when he stood up to leave. "Dave, the members of my church prayed for Anna-Lee and we prayed for the policeman who had been shot that same day that she went missing, Huggy says that was you and the Lord saved you so I know he has sent you to us and I know you will find out what happened to our baby."

Starsky didn't know what to say. "Thank you Anna, I'll do my best."

The Torino was parked outside when Starsky pulled in to the drive. For a moment he was tempted to leave the Xeroxed file on the front seat so that he wouldn't have to talk about it to Hutch but with a sigh he picked it up.

Hutch was in the kitchen hanging up the phone when Starsky entered. "Hey, you're late are you okay?" Hutch asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine; I just had a few things to take care of."

"Don't tell me you've started your Christmas shopping, I thought I would take next Monday off work and we could go to a mall together." Hutch smiled.

"Who are you and where's my real partner, the one who hates Christmas?" Starsky deadpanned.

"For your information smartass I am a convert to Christmas, as far as I am concerned we have something really special to celebrate this year and I mean for us to do it in style."

"What are we celebrating?"

"Well for one thing you're on the mend and for another we're together, really together and that's worth celebrating don't you think?" Hutch had walked up to Starsky as he was speaking and was now nuzzling at his neck.

"Mmm, you're very good at that, Hutchinson has anyone ever told you that?" Starsky said as he tilted his head back to give better access to his partner's talented tongue.

Hutch stopped nuzzling. "Actually several women have mentioned it but funnily enough you're the only man who has brought it up."

"I'd better be the only man who brings it up, you big lug." Starsky laughed

Hutch laughed and pulled away. "You have a mind like a sewer but very talented hands so I will forgive you. " Hutch walked to the refrigerator and brought out a bottle of wine. "How did the session go today, are you sore?"

"It was good but I wouldn't say no a turn in the Jacuzzi."

"Well I've ordered pizza and if you slip in to the Jacuzzi I'll call you when the pizza arrives." Hutch handed Starsky a glass of wine.

"I've a better idea why don't you join me there and we'll eat later." Starsky jiggled his eyebrows.

Hutch ignored the invitation. "By the way did you talk to those detectives about Huggy's missing girl?"

Starsky was on his way to the bedroom and called back over his shoulder. "Yeah one of them was on holiday but the other guy was helpful."

Starsky felt himself slipping into sleep as the warm jets of water eased the aches in his muscles. Hi eyes closed when he felt Hutch's hand on his damp shoulder. "Come on sleeping beauty, pizza's here."

Starsky opened his eyes and for a brief moment he was tempted to pull his fully clothed partner in to the tub but Hutch must have sensed his intentions because he threw Starsky a towel and left before the dark haired man stood up.

They shared pizza and a glass of wine in the living room. Starsky nibbled at a slice but wasn't feeling very hungry. If Hutch noticed he chose not to comment on his partner's lack of apatite. Hutch finished a third slice of pizza and addressed his partner. "So what's going on with this missing friend of Huggy's"?

Starsky sighed, he was tired and he sure as hell wasn't in humor to get into a long discussion with Hutch. "Look Huggy is seeing some girl and eight months ago" Starsky cleared his throat before he continued on "At the time of the shooting actually, her younger sister Anna-Lee who was seventeen went missing and Huggy just thought as I have a little time on my hands I might look into it and see if the detectives handling the case missed anything."

Hutch had swallowed hard when Starsky mentioned the shooting but he struggled to remain calm. "So did they miss anything?"

"No, I don't think so, in fact the one I spoke to, Gerry Rubenfeld was a really nice guy and copied all the reports about the case for me."

"So that's it then, you'll let it drop and tell Huggy there's nothing new?"

"Well I met the girl's folks today and they're really nice people so I think I'll have a word with a few of Anna-Lee's friends and just get a kind of feel for it, it can't do any harm." Starsky drank back the last of his wine.

"Can I see the file, Starsk?"

Starsky stood up and retrieved the file from the table beside the bed where he'd left it when he came home."

Hutch took it and read it while Starsky found a book which Huggy had given him a few days before. After a few minutes Hutch put the folder down. "Well it's a sad case but I don't think the detectives were sloppy or anything."

"No, I have to agree with you but I just want to nose around a bit before I give up on it."

"Babe, you'll take it easy won't you? I know you've come a long way but I don't want you wearing yourself out over this. Maybe I could take a few days off after Christmas and help you out with it?"

"Hutch I'm not running a marathon I'm looking into the disappearance of a teenage girl, cut me some slack, okay?" Starsky saw the hurt in Hutch's eyes. "I love you, Hutch but I'm not one of your damsels in distress, I'm a street cop." Starsky stood up. He didn't want to fight with Hutch. "I'm going to bed, I'm tired, good night." He left the room.

Hutch came into the bedroom twenty minutes later, Starsky was sitting up reading. "What are you reading?" Hutch asked him.

"It's something Huggy gave me last week, 'Celtic Customs and Folklore'"

"Where did he get that? "Hutch asked.

"I don't know but it's quite interesting, remind me to tell you about some of the customs sometime." Starsky stifled a yawn.

Hutch slid in beside him and enclosed Starsky in his arms somehow moulding his long lithe body to fit the contours of his lover's form. Starsky felt Hutch's lips press into his hair and heard him whisper "Good night Babe."

 

Hutch had already left for work when Starsky woke the next morning. He fixed himself a pot of coffee and reread the copied file. He took the file with him and headed out to the address of Anna-Lee's best friend, Sally Blair.

Starsky found the house about four blocks away from the Tobin place. The door was answered by a smartly dressed black woman in her early forties and when Starsky produced his id and asked for Sally she told him she was Sally's mother and that the girl was studying at a local beauty college and would be home in about half an hour. She asked him what he wanted to see her daughter about and when he told her it was in connection with Anna-Lee's disappearance she invited to come in and wait but he declined and returned to the car. He drove to a convenience store about a block away and bought a soda then he drove back towards the Blair home and parked a few yards down from it. Forty minutes later a tall, plump black girl with short spiky hair walked past his car and entered the gate. Starsky got out of the car and approached her. He produced his id and she agreed to talk to him but said she would prefer to talk away from her house. He pointed to the car and she beamed at him when she saw the Volkswagen saying she loved the 'Love Bug' and it looked just like it.

Sally sat in to the car and ran her hand over the dashboard. "This is so neat. Someday I'm going to own a car just like this."

"Well I'm sure if you graduate beauty school you'll get a good job and be able to afford one." Starsky felt like slapping his hand over his mouth, he hadn't meant to sound so 'middle-aged'.

Sally gave him a wary look but then smiled at him. "Could we go for a ride in it, please Detective Starsky?"

"It's Starsky but you can call me Dave." He was just about to refuse the ride when something made him reconsider. "Okay, you tell your Mom you're going to be with me and then we'll see what this baby can do."

Sally was out of the car before he had finished speaking she almost ran to her house and was back in a few moments. Starsky started the engine and they took off. Starsky eased the small car though the neighbourhood and out on to the freeway and though the bug wasn't the Torino still she was easy to drive and for the first time in quite a while Starsky realized he was having fun, just flooring the car and feeling the engine respond to his handling. After thirty minutes he pulled into a roadside diner and invited Sally to join him for a burger.

The restaurant was a mixture of red plastic seats and chipped wooden tables but Sally seemed pleased by it. She ordered a cheeseburger with fries and a large soda while all Starsky could manage was a coffee. Starsky waited until the food arrived before he broke into Sally's stream of compliments about the car and her anecdotes about her life.

"Sally, I know you helped the other detectives all you could but I was wondering if you would tell me about Anna- Lee?"

Sally paused from taking a sip of her soda. "Dave, Anna-Lee was sweet and I miss her but I don't know what I can tell you. I know she missed her old school and it took her a while to settle here but she was kind and smart and funny; she was good at mimicking people but she wasn't unkind about it. She liked to study things and people too, you know sometimes we'd be hanging out at the mall or someplace and she'd jut kind of tune out and when I'd ask her about it she'd point to someone I wouldn't have even noticed, like maybe an old lady or a kid and she'd tell you a story about them that she would have made up." Sally stopped speaking.

"Did you tell the other detectives that, Sally?"

"No, they were old and I thought they wouldn't understand but you're different, Dave and I think you understand." Sally looked at Starsky from under her bangs.

"Well schweetheart I'm older than I look." Starsky said in his Bogart voice.

"Oh Dave, who is that you're trying to impersonate?" Sally giggled.

"So do you want desert because I think I could go for a fudge brownie myself?"

Starsky didn't press for more details and was happy to answer the girl's questions about police work. He waited until two fudge brownies were delivered to the table before he once again probed for information on the missing girl.

"Sally, sometimes people know stuff or see things and they don't think they're important enough to mention to the police but it's from stuff like that that we get our clues. It's nearly Christmas and I'd like to give Anna-Lee's parents the gift of knowing what happened to her but I can't do it without your help. You're a real smart girl and I'm hoping that there's something you forgot or didn't think was important enough to tell the other cops that you will tell me." Starsky looked hard at Sally.

She put down her fork. "I really tried to remember everything but I was upset and I kept thinking that they'd find poor Anna-Lee dead or something but as the time went on and they didn't find her I tried to remember as much as I could about her because I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't forget her." Sally looked down at her plate. "I know it probably sounds silly but I was afraid that because she had disappeared that she'd be forgotten and I didn't want that to happen so I began to write down the things we had done together or the places we had went and then I put all the notes away but I noticed one thing when I read through them that I had forgotten to tell the police." Sally stopped and looked at Starsky.

"It's all right Sally I think that was a beautiful thing to do, I have a really good friend and some day I should do something like that too."

"Well Anna-Lee liked to imagine people's life stories, like I told you but there was one guy she mentioned a few times and she seemed to spend time on his story because she enlarged it and it grew longer. He was a driver on the bus we usually took on Friday evenings to our disco class."

"What did she say about him Sally?"

"She said he had sad eyes and she made up some story about him having lost his wife in a fire and how he kept hoping he'd find love again while he drove his bus but he never did, but the funny thing is I missed a few classes because I had some studying to catch up with but when I went with her on the bus the next time I asked her about him and she said she had got it wrong and it wasn't his wife he had lost. I asked her how she knew but she just laughed and said it was only a story and then she didn't talk about him again and it was a few weeks later that she disappeared."

"Sally did this driver ever talk to you or Anna-Lee?"

"No he never even smiled but he had weird eyes and I thought he was kind of scary but I couldn't put my finger on it but Anna-Lee seemed fascinated by him."

"Can you describe him?"

"Sure his name was Al, Alf or - no it was Al Rice, that was it he had a name tag and the first time Anna-Lee noticed it she joked to me about how he must get teased about being 'all right'. He was old, I mean he looked as least as old as my dad, and his hair was cut real short and was very grey. I couldn't see why she was fascinated by him but that was just Anna-Lee. She said if she wanted to be a journalist then she'd have to get used to looking at all kinds of people and seeing what their stories were."

Starsky stood up, "Sally you've been a big help. Thank you."

Starsky paid the check and they walked to the Bug. Starsky opened the passenger door and Sally blushed as she slid in to the seat. Starsky drove back on to the highway. "Sally, was Al black? And what number bus did he drive?"

"Yeah he was black and he drove the 527. I stopped going to the disco classes after Anna - Lee disappeared so I haven't seen him lately." Sally sighed. "Dave, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Starsky answered distractedly.

"Are you married?"

Starsky smiled over at the girl. "No, Sally I'm not but I am with someone I love very much and I guess I'd like to be married to them."

"So why aren't you?"

"Well, it's kind of complicated." He laughed as the image of Hutch in a veil came into his mind.

Starsky dropped Sally off outside her house and waited until she opened the front door before he drove off. He wanted to head to the bus company and talk to this Al Rice as he had a feeling burning in his gut and it wasn't caused by the fudge brownie he'd eaten. He looked at his watch and realized he was running very late.

Hutch had the TV on and tuned to some quiz programme but the sound was turned down and he wasn't watching the screen when Starsky arrived home. Hutch was on his feet as soon as Starsky stepped into the living room. "Starsk, are you okay, I called Huggy but he hadn't seen you?" Hutch was watching his lover as if he was cataloguing him in his mind.

"I'm fine; Hutch just got delayed a little and didn't notice the time." Starsky walked over to Hutch and kissed him on the lips. Hutch pushed his tongue into Starsky's yielding mouth and brought his hand up to hold Starsky's head in place. Starsky felt his tiredness drop away as the kiss deepened and he pushed his fingers between the buttons of Hutch's shirt revelling in the smooth skin he felt there. Starsky pushed his fingers lower opening the button on the waistband of Hutch's pants and easing the zip down over the hardened flesh he knew lay beneath it. Hutch moaned as Starsky's fingers curved around his shaft and then he felt Starsky's lips against his neck nipping and kissing all down his throat. Starsky somehow managed to push Hutch backwards until he felt the edge of the couch against the back of his knees; Starsky pushed him down gently and knelt before him. Hutch reached for his lover but had to settle for pushing his fingers through curls as Starsky's mouth sucked him in and soon Hutch was only aware of the sensation of his engorged flesh finding a warm, wet haven in his lover's mouth. Hutch tried to warn Starsky that he was about to come but he was incoherent and thrust gratefully against the back of Starsky's throat, somehow Starsky managed to swallow the warm, salty liquid as Hutch rode an orgasmic high. Hutch fell back against the cushions and Starsky eased his lover's over sensitive penis out of his mouth and waited a few moments before he tucked it back into cotton briefs. Hutch became aware of Starsky zipping up his pants. "That was fantastic, but what about you?" Hutch asked as he stroked Starsky's hair.

"I must come home late more often if I get a reaction like that and as for me well I'm going to have to slide my zipper down pretty carefully or I could be in trouble."

Hutch laughed and pulled Starsky up off the floor, "Come here and let me take care of that little problem."

"Little isn't the word I'd use but be my guest." Starsky replied as he lay on the couch with his feet on Hutch's lap. Hutch pushed Starsky's legs open and pulled him towards his body so that he could get access to Starsky's crotch. Hutch leaned over Starsky and ignoring his jeans began opening the buttons on his dark blue cotton shirt. Starsky reached out a hand to stop the action but Hutch pushed it away. "You are beautiful, Babe, let me kiss you." Starsky pulled away. "Hutch, my scars are ugly." Hutch opened the last button and pulled Starsky's shirt open, he raised his head and looked at Starsky. "You just don't realize how beautiful you are, I love the fuzz on your chest and I love each and every scar because they mean you won, babe, you fought to stay with me and they're the badges that prove it." Hutch buried his head in Starsky's re growing chest hair and began kissing the raised scars he found there, licking gently against the puckered skin and then he eased Starsky's jeans open and suddenly he engulfed Starsky's rock hard penis in his mouth and Starsky felt every molecule of his being explode as he came in his lover's mouth.

Later they lay entwined on the couch, sated and happy. Hutch broke the silence "What time do you want to go tree hunting at?"

"What? Oh the Christmas tree, do you think you could pick one up? I want to check out something I found out today about Anna - Lee."

Hutch sat up a bit straighter. "Starsky, the case is eight months old don't you think any lead is going to pretty cold by now?"

"No, Hutch I think I may be on to something, I have a feeling you know."

"Okay we'll check it out together."

"No, I want to do this myself, please Hutch, it means a lot to me." Starsky looked at him with such intensity that Hutch knew he was lost.

"All right, I'll pick up a tree but be careful, Starsk. How about filling me in on this new lead of yours?"

"I will, I promise but tonight I want to sleep."

"Not here you don't, come on lover bed awaits." Hutch stood up and pulled Starsky up from the couch.

 

Chapter 3

Hutch pulled the Torino in to a parking space on a vacant lot about twenty minutes away from the house, a large number of Christmas trees stood and lay against every conceivable surface that was now home to a tree seller. The lot was packed with families and young couples all trying to find the 'perfect' tree. For a moment Hutch felt irradiation rise in his mind, this was Starsky's thing not his so what was he doing here? A picture of Starsky's cornflower eyes filled his mind and he smiled, yes, Ken Hutchinson had it bad. He waded in amongst the kids and the lovers and began searching for the tree, which would make his lover happy.

Across town Starsky's thoughts were not on Hutch but on the closed office door of the 'Bay City Bus Company'. Starsky saw several men in navy uniforms smoking cigarettes outside a small building to his left so he made his way towards them. "Hi I am looking for one of your drivers will there be anyone in the office later?" He asked the assembled men.

A man in his early twenties stubbed out his cigarette on the ground and answered "The office is closed at weekends, you won't catch anyone there until Monday at nine."

"Thanks." Starsky hesitated but for a moment but made up his mind and drew his id out of his jacket pocket. "Perhaps one of you guys might be able to help, I'm looking for a driver of the number 527, his name is Al Rice."

The men shook their heads, the same man who had answered Starsky looked around and called out to a heavily tanned man in his fifties who was just approaching the group. "Jake, do you know a driver by the name of Al Rice?"

"Who wants to know?" The man asked suspiciously.

Starsky showed him his id. "I just want a word with him; he's not in trouble or anything." He smiled trying to reassure the man.

The man glanced at the id "He works evenings mostly and very rarely weekends, a quiet guy keeps to himself. That's all I know about him."

"Thanks, you don't happen to know where he lives do you?"

"No, sorry." The man walked away and Starsky knew he would get no further information. He drove out of the yard and stopped at a small diner just a couple of hundred yards up the street where he figured most of the bus staff must frequent but he had no luck there as none of the staff knew the man by name.

Starsky started the bug and headed home. He had no police radio in the car so he knew his next step of requesting information on Al Rice would have to wait until he got home and could call Parker Center.

Hutch picked a tree, which he felt was Christmas card perfect and paid an extra ten dollars to have it delivered to their home, assuring the salesman that it could be left near the front door if they weren't there and then he made his way to a small jewellery shop a few blocks away. Half and hour later he emerged from the shop slipping a small wrapped box into his jacket pocket and looking very pleased with himself. He did some grocery shopping and headed home.

Hutch spotted the tree lying against the wall beside the front door. It looked even taller now that it was away from the other trees and for a moment he felt silly but he thought of the pleasure it would give Starsky and found himself smiling. Starsky's car wasn't there so he was still out. Hutch unloaded the car and put the groceries away then he hid the small box in the trunk of the Torino and set about moving the large tree into the house.

Hutch flicked the switch and stood back to gaze at the twinkling lights on the six foot tree, it was perfect. He had spent all afternoon decorating it and he felt a strange warmth creep through his body at the thought of Starsky's delight when he saw it. He was slightly disappointed that his partner hadn't been there to share the experience but he knew Starsky was still not feeling one hundred percent and that he tired easily so maybe this had been for the best.

Starsky pulled into the driveway but didn't immediately get out of the car. He was tired, the last few days had left him feeling drained and although he tried not to think about it he couldn't help but worry about his being able to cope with the physicality of being a street cop. He needed to talk to his partner about it but knew it would be better to leave it until after the holidays. He closed his eyes and awoke with a start when his head fell forward. He hustled out of the car and entered the house.

Hutch was sitting in the living room with only the twinkling tree lights illuminating the room. For a moment Starsky caught his breath, his Hutch was beautiful, truly beautifully. Tears came to his eyes, he knew he loved Hutch but he didn't think he knew the words to express to his lover how much.

Hutch stood up and looked at Starsky, the dark haired man didn't say anything, in fact he barely gave the tree a passing glance, he was staring at Hutch and it made him uncomfortable. "You don't like it?" He asked in a small voice.

"It's beautiful, Babe but it's you that takes my breath away. You did this for me because you love me but I love you enough not to need anything like this if it makes you uncomfortable. You're my world, Hutch."

"Ah Babe." Hutch was at his side in a moment and took Starsky in his arms.

 

Starsky lay beside Hutch hearing him breathe deeply and felt a huge twinge of guilt. He had forgotten to call Parker Center for the information on Al Rice. How the hell could he have forgotten something so important? He was angry at himself for failing Anna-Lee's folks. He looked at the luminous clock on the table beside the bed, it was 12.45 am. He slipped from the bed and padded into the kitchen, he dialled a familiar number and was put through to records, he couldn't believe his luck when Minnie answered the call. She was amazed to hear from him 'in the middle 'of the night as she put it. She took down the name but told Starsky that he was out of luck as this weekend a new super computer was being installed, which would speed up retrieving personal details like Drivers Licences etc but unfortunately it meant that it was very unlikely that she would be able to get information on Al Rice until late tomorrow or even Monday morning but she promised to contact him as soon as she had any information. Starsky gave her the details he knew about Al Rice so that Minnie could narrow the search. Starsky rang off and slid in beside Hutch.

Starsky and Hutch spent Sunday doing chores, writing their gift lists and even writing a few Christmas cards. Hutch told Starsky that he had to go in for a few hours on Monday morning but that he would be home by twelve and then they could go shopping together. Starsky retrieved his gun from the locked drawer in the desk they kept in the spare bedroom and began cleaning it. Hutch didn't comment on the action but he asked Starsky to tell him all about the clue he had found in Anna-Lee's disappearance. Starsky told him about Al Rice and Hutch volunteered to go with him to see this man whom Starsky had such a strong feeling about but Starsky, while not dismissing Hutch's offer didn't commit to anything either and for a moment Hutch felt strangely wounded but didn't say anything.

Monday morning found both men up early and after a quick kiss and an even quicker breakfast of cereal and coffee Hutch left, promising to be home by twelve. Starsky showered and slipping the Beretta into the pocket of his navy windbreaker snagged his car keys and was just about to leave when the phone rang. It was Anna; a friend of Minnie's who worked in records. She gave Starsky an address for the only Albert Rice, who fitted the approximate birth date and race that Starsky had supplied.

Starsky drove across town to the address he had been given. He found a row of neat but run down four story buildings and pressed the bell for the second floor apartment. The name beside the bell was 'Shaman'. A moment later a male voice came over the intercom. Starsky asked for 'Al Rice' and was told he hadn't lived there for about eighteen months. The new tenant didn't have a forwarding address but suggested that Starsky talk to Doris Zekel who lied on the first floor and had been a resident for years. Starsky pressed her bell and an old lady with tanned rubbery skin and impossibly bright yellow hair opened her door. She examined his id and then invited him in.

Starsky followed Doris Zekel into an apartment crammed with gaudy mementoes of her long life. She insisted Starsky take a seat on her flower patterned sofa and wouldn't answer any of his questions until she had made a pot of strong black coffee, which she placed on a table in front of the sofa, next came two rose patterned cups and saucers and a plate of home baked chocolate chip cookies. She poured the coffee and handed the dainty cup to Starsky saying "A man like you takes his coffee black and without sugar, am I right Detective?"

Starsky smiled and nodded his agreement suppressing his desire for at least three spoons of sugar. He tried one of the cookies and was delighted to find they were delicious. She beamed at him when he mentioned how good they were.

"Now officer Starsky, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Ma'am" Starsky felt as if he was five years old again and answering questions from his grandmother.

"Well you haven't lived in Bay City all your life that's for sure, my Rose, she's my only child moved to New York ten years ago and I know your accent, I visit her pretty regularly but not in winter, never in winter, it's too cold, am I right?"

"Yes, Ma'am?" Starsky didn't know to what he was agreeing, whether he had a New York accent or whether it was too cold there in winter. He tried to steer her back to her missing neighbour.

"Mrs Zekel."

"Call me Doris and you are?" She beamed at him showing her too white dentures slipping in her mouth.

Starsky tried again. "Dave, I'm Dave, it's about your neighbour Al Rice."

"Oh, Al was a nice man, quiet kept himself to himself but losing his daughter like that sort of changed him, well I guess it would."

"Losing his daughter, Doris?" Starsky probed again.

"You don't know, David, well let me tell you, have another cookie. Al moved here about ten years ago with his daughter Amy, she was a precious little thing, all wide eyes and curls she must have been seven then. Well I used to sit for her sometimes and it seems Al's wife just took off and left him and the little girl a few months before he moved here. Well the man was heartbroken but he pulled himself together and he raised Amy very well. He was very religious, all fire and brimstone and." Doris bent in over the coffee table in a conspiratorial stance before she carried on "he was very strict, I often thought a little too strict. He worked driving a truck for a meat company, anyway, Amy started hanging around with a bad crowd and she got pregnant. Al was furious, I tried to talk to him but he threw her out. I offered to let her stay with me for a while, hoping he would calm down but she told me she was going to live with her boyfriend." Doris took a sip from her dainty cup. Gauging Starsky's reaction to what she was telling him. He rewarded her with a beaming smile and she continued on "Unfortunately Amy's boyfriend was a member of a gang and he was involved with drugs and what not and a few months after Al threw her out Amy overdosed on something and was found dead. Al was insane with grief, I really thought he'd kill her boyfriend but he didn't get the chance the very day of Amy's funeral he was killed in some kind of drive by shooting by another gang. Al changed; he was always quiet but now he was totally remote, he stopped acknowledging neighbours and then he changed jobs, started driving a bus. About eighteen months ago he called in and said he was moving. It was strange, I asked him where he was going but he didn't tell me, he just said it had taken him a while but he had found the perfect place and then he said if he had found it before Amy had got pregnant then everything would have been different and how it was going to be different now. I have no idea what he meant but he must have borrowed a truck from somebody because the very next day he packed up and left. I haven't seen him since."

Starsky stood up. "Thanks Doris, you've been very helpful."

"You've been very patient, listening to an old woman rabbit on."

"No I mean it Doris, you've told me a lot of things I didn't know. " Starsky smiled at her.

"David, with that smile and those eyes you must be a real heartbreaker, I hope you find a good woman, that's what every man needs."

"I've found someone, thanks again Doris."

Starsky sat into the bug and automatically reached for a mic that wasn't there. He looked at his watch it was 11.15 he'd be late for Hutch but he just had to find an address for Al Rice. He started the engine and drove back to the Bus Company.

The large middle aged lady in The Bay City Bus Company proved to be very helpful once she had seen Starsky's id. She supplied him with Al Rice's address and informed him that Al wasn't due in on Mondays. Starsky drove out of the yard and headed for the address. For the first time since beginning this investigation he missed his partner's presence. The feeling in his gut that he, Hutch and many other good cops relied on when it came to catching the bad guys, was getting stronger by the minute. He spotted a call box and pulled over, rooting in his jeans pocket he found a dime and called Parker Center only to be told that Hutch had already left for the day. Starsky knew Hutch wouldn't have reached the house yet and they hadn't bothered setting up the answering machine since they had moved. He redialled Parker Center and cajoled Mildred, the dispatcher on duty to try and raise Hutch for him and give him Al Rice's address and ask his partner to meet him there.

Starsky drove the rest of the way feeling relieved but apprehensive. Starsky pulled in in front of 2112 Rosedale Place. The house was old and the paint was crumbling on the front door and the window frames but in that respect it looked like most of the other houses on the street. They were solid brick two story houses over basements. It was a neighbourhood that had seen better days and would, at some stage in the future be bought up knocked down and rebuilt. Starsky moved the bug down the street a few yards and positioned the rear view mirror so that he could see the entrance. After a few minutes he decided a direct approach might be the best. For a brief moment he considered waiting for Hutch to arrive but he dismissed the idea as being over cautious, he would make the first contact and see how Al Rice reacted to a few questions. Hopefully by the time Hutch arrived he would have something to tell him and maybe his gut feeling would turn out to be wrong. He reached into his jacket pocket and slipped the gun into the waistband of his jeans at his back then he slid out of the car.

Walking up the driveway Starsky had to suppress an urge to run back to the bug and wait for his partner. He scolded himself mentally and moved forward. The house had a vacant air about it but there were curtains on the windows and as Starsky waited on the doorstep having rang the bell he couldn't help but feel he was being watched. After a few minutes Starsky rang the bell again and this time he heard a noise from behind the closed door. A black man in his late forties with short grey haired opened the door and peered out. Starsky pushed his id towards the man saying. "Are you Al Rice?" Not giving the man time to answer he carried on. "I am Detective Starsky and I am investigating the disappearance of Anna-Lee Tobin."

The man's eyes bored into Starsky. "What's that got to do with me? I don't know nothing about a young girl disappearing." Al went to push the door closed.

Starsky pushed his foot into the doorway.

"I didn't say she was a young girl, Al, so why don't you let me come inside and we can talk about it?"

"You cops weren't any help when my Amy got into trouble, I have noting to say to you."

"Maybe we should talk about it down at the station? You can tell me all about Amy."

"Are you deaf, or just stupid? I have nothing to say to you." Al was angry now, it showed in his face.

Starsky readied himself to push the door but Al did something the detective wasn't expecting he pulled the door open wide and this caused Starsky to lose his footing and fall almost into the older man. Al was ready for that and hit Starsky hard in the face, splitting his lip with the punch. Whether Al was fitter than he looked or whether he had the strength of madness in his actions Starsky wasn't able to guess but suddenly Al grabbed him by the front of his windbreaker and dragged him into the hallway, kicking the door closed behind him. Starsky tried to bring his hands up to break the hold but before he could complete the action Al pulled him up and tossed him against the wall, Starsky was lucky that Al's aim was off and instead of hitting the wall his head hit hard against the wooden door leading into the kitchen. Starsky was stunned but he scrambled for his gun and pulled it from the waistband of his jeans, taking off the safety and cocking it in one fluid movement. He pointed it at the older man as he advanced towards him. "Stop or I'll fire." He shouted out. Al stopped his words spat out "You bastard, you're going to take her away from me and I won't lose her again. It took me a long time to find her and nobody's going to take her away. She's all I've got." The anger died and the man began to sob uncontrollably. Starsky stood up unsteadily but kept the gun pointing at Rice. "Okay, Al, it's going to be okay, why don't you tell me about Anna-Lee?" Starsky felt dizzy and knew he needed to gain control of the situation quickly but he also needed to find out about the missing girl.

Rice looked at him but Starsky knew the man wasn't really seeing him. "She used to be Anna-Lee but she's Amy now, she's a good girl, she's never going to leave me and I won't let you take her."

"Anna-Lee's parents want to take her home so why don't you tell me where she is, Al?"

"All right." It was said so quietly that Starsky almost missed it. His head was beginning to ache and his whole body hurt.

Al turned his back on Starsky and looking back at him said "Come on, I'll take you to her." The older man walked towards a door cut into the opposite wall, he opened it and flicked on a light switch just inside the doorway. A long flight of stairs led down into the cellar. Starsky pointed the gun at Al. "Okay, Al, just tell me where your phone is and I'll call and have some officers come and get her, now step away from the door." For a brief moment Starsky's vision turned grey and he shook his head hoping to clear it. Pain shot through the back of his head and suddenly Al was on him.

The older man made a lunge for Starsky's gun; they wrestled and Starsky tightened his finger on the trigger and felt the retort of the weapon as it discharged.

 

Hutch heard the familiar sound of the Beretta as he ran up the drive way. He pulled his Magnum and throwing caution and training to the wind rushed into the house. Starsky was lying on the floor with blood coming from his mouth. Hutch ran to his partner and fell to his knees beside him.

"I'm all right, Hutch, I'm all right." Starsky pushed himself into a sitting position against the wall. "Check on Rice, will ya?" He asked as Hutch stared at him. Hutch snapped back into cop mode and looked to where Starsky was pointing.

Al Rice was lying at the foot of the staircase not moving. Hutch approached the prone man cautiously and felt for carotid pulse, he was alive. Hutch eased the man over on to his side and discovered that Starsky's bullet had gone right through Rice's left shoulder. Hutch brought Rice's hands behind his back and handcuffed him. Rice's eyes opened but he didn't say anything. Hutch went back to his partner. "I'm going to call this in, don't move 'till I get back."

"The girl's in the cellar, Hutch, we have to get her." Starsky said smiling at his partner. Starsky didn't want his partner to know but he was finding it hard to stay conscious. Hutch pointed his index finger. "You stay right there until I get back."

Starsky lost track of time until Hutch returned to his side. He felt Hutch's big hands take the Beretta from his clenched fingers and then Hutch pulled his head towards his chest and his fingers began probing Starsky's head. Starsky wanted to ease into the embrace but he knew he had to do something first. "I'm all right, Hutch but we need to find Anna-Lee, please."

"You are not all right, you have a goose egg on the back of your head and your lip is split open but if you promise not to move until the paramedics get here then I'll check the cellar."

"Okay."

Hutch took off his tan leather jacket and put it around Starsky's shoulders and he kissed him gently on the forehead. It wasn't until Starsky felt the leather that he realized he had been shivering. He inhaled the leather and Hutch's scent and the pain in his head seemed to ease a little.

Hutch went down the cellar stairs and opened a heavy steel door at the end of them with the large key that was in the lock. He entered a brightly light room and in one corner of it on a bed with a pink quilt sat a young black woman. She wore jeans, a pink jumper and a manacle on her left ankle which was attached to a long metal chain. She burst out crying when she saw Hutch. He approached her cautiously and said. "It's okay Anna-Lee, I'm Hutch and I'm a police officer, my partner came to bring you home."

 

Chapter 4

Hutch had a terrible feeling of déjà vu as he sat in the waiting room of the same hospital Starsky had been admitted to after the shooting eight months ago. Hutch didn't recognize the young doctor on duty in the E.R. but he was relieved when Doctor Jed Hastings appeared, he was one of the doctors who had worked on Starsky's case. Doctor Hastings shook Hutch's hand. "What's Dave got himself into now?"

"He found a girl who's been missing for eight months, in fact her abductor is being treated here as well."

"Come on and I'll have a look at David." Hutch followed the doctor through to a curtained cubicle where he found his very pale faced partner.

After a detailed examination Doctor Hastings told the detectives that he was keeping Starsky in for a day or two and starting him on an iv. Starsky made a protest but the older Doctor was a match for him and reminded him that after sustaining the injuries he had a eight months ago he was not going to take any chances with his healing body now and anyway he needed to be checked every few hours to ensure he wasn't bleeding into his brain. Starsky accepted the inevitable with reasonable grace and Hutch realized that his lover must be feeling pretty shaky to do so. A few minutes later Hutch heard Captain Dobey's dulcet tones and the man himself appeared in the cubicle. He took a look at Starsky, who by this time was resting back against some white pillows and Hutch was holding an ice pack wrapped in a soft cloth against his swollen mouth. "What in God's name have you got yourself into this time, Starsky?" Dobey bellowed and Hutch put his fingers against his own lips requesting that the large man lower his voice. Starsky managed to crack open his eyes but the adrenaline which had kept him going until after the girl was found had now seeped from his body and he was just too tired to make the effort to stay awake. He knew Hutch would explain everything to Dobey.

An hour later Hutch helped his partner into a pale blue hospital gown and sat beside his bed as a nurse he recognized made sure his iv was working. She suggested that maybe Hutch should go on home as Starsky would be fine but he shook his head. A couple of hours later after yet another check by a nurse to see if Starsky was coherent the dark haired man reached for Hutch's hand and said "Babe, go on home and get some sleep, I'm fine and I'll sleep better if I know you're comfortable."

Hutch hesitated for a moment but reluctantly agreed. He kissed Starsky lightly on the forehead and headed home.

The next morning Hutch headed back to the hospital and helped Starsky through the ordeal of giving his statement to two detectives from Internal Affairs. After they left Doctor Hastings reappeared and after making a brief examination of his patient and reading his chart declared that he was keeping David in for another night. Starsky lay back against the pillows too worn out to object and Hutch followed the doctor from the room to reassure himself that his partner really was all right. Doctor Hastings told him that he was just erring on the side of caution where David was concerned and that all the man really needed was rest and he told Hutch he could take his partner home tomorrow.

Dobey appeared and told them that Al Rice was recovering and was in a stable condition in a psych ward but that it was unclear at this point if he would be deemed fit to stand trial for abducting Anna-Lee Tobin. The girl herself was being released from hospital to her family this afternoon, she had given police a pretty clear statement of her captivity and all though she had suffered a terrible ordeal Rice had not physically or sexually abused her but rather treated her like a young child as if trying to reinvent her as his dead daughter. She would receive counselling but hopefully would make a full recovery in time. Dobey asked the partners if they would like to come to Christmas dinner with Edith and the children but Starsky shook his head and thanked his boss for the offer. Hutch stepped in and said he and Starsky intended to have a quiet dinner together and they would call to the Dobey's over the course of the next few days.

Dobey hadn't left long when Starsky fell asleep and Hutch sat by his bed watching over him. Huggy knocked lightly on the door and popped his head in. He walked over to Hutch "Okay, go on hit me and get it over with, I deserve it." He jutted his lean chin out.

Hutch smiled, "I should hit you for getting him mixed up in this but trouble always finds him so I guess it's not entirely your fault."

"Good I was hoping you'd see it my way." He looked at Starsky, wincing slightly at the site of his mouth. "I have some people who want to see him; they will only stay a minute." He added when he saw the doubtful look that crossed over Hutch's face. Without waiting for an answer Huggy opened the door and a tall man and tiny women entered the room shyly. Starsky opened his eyes and his face lit up when he saw the couple. The woman reached out and took his hand. "Dave, you brought my Anna-Lee home, I knew the Lord sent you to us for a reason." She took in his swollen lips and his pallor and she began to cry. "I'm sorry you had to suffer after what you must have been through and we don't know how to thank you but Mike, Olivia and I want you to know you will be in our prayers and our hearts for ever. We weren't going to celebrate Christmas this year but after we leave here we're stopping to pick up the biggest tree we can fit in our house our girl is home and now we have something to celebrate thanks to you." She took Starsky's hand to her lips and kissed it. Her husband hovered uncomfortably at the foot of the bed. "I'm not much good with words but thank you." He was crying as he spoke and Hutch realized that Starsky was on the verge of tears too. He stood up trying to ease the tension in the room. "I'm, Hutch, Ken Hutchinson, Dave's partner." He didn't get to say anything else before Anna threw her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much and look after Dave. Come on Mike." She said as she pushed her husband out of the room. Huggy left too.

Starsky sighed. "Come on get it over with Hutch."

"What can I say? Seeing you lying in that hallway with blood on your lips I thought I'd lost you but you can't change who you are and I fell in love with you because of who you are so I'll just have to learn to live with it."

"No, you don't have to live with it, in the New Year let's talk about what we're going to do. I love you too much to keep putting you through stuff like this."

Starsky came home the next day Hutch hovered for a while but eventually left for work with the promise that he wouldn't be away long. Starsky called Huggy and asked him to pick up something he had ordered for Hutch. Huggy did so and later in the day a uniformed officer dropped the Bug back to the house on Dobey's instructions.

On Christmas Eve the partners dropped in on the Dobeys and left presents under their tree while taking gifts and promising they wouldn't open them until the next day. Starsky called his Mom in New York but didn't mention anything about the abduction he had solved. He and Hutch had invited Jocelyn Starsky to come for Christmas but were secretly pleased when she had declined deciding to spend the holidays with her newly widowed sister in up state New York. Jocelyn had spent two weeks in Bay City while Starsky had been in hospital after the shooting and while she was a pleasant woman both men had found her draining. Hutch called his parents and his Mom insisted on speaking to Starsky and getting a promise from him to visit when he was feeling better. "Duty all ended." Hutch said wearily as he replaced the phone. He snuggled in beside Starsky on the couch and they sipped chilled wine and ate popcorn as they settled down to watch 'Miracle on 34th Street."

Starsky fell asleep before the end and Hutch spent the next hour just watching his lover. Finally Starsky stirred and opened his eyes. "What time is it?" He asked sleepily. Hutch looked at Starsky's watch. "It's 12.45."

"Hey, it's Christmas." Starsky said and sat upright. "Come on, Hutch I want to give you my present."

"Okay, Starsk, but after we exchange gifts we are going to bed."

Starsky walked over to the tree and rooted around the gifts lying around its base. He produced a small packet and went back to the couch. Hutch stood up and grabbed his car keys. "Where are you going?" Starsky asked.

"To get your presents, Mushbrain, I hid them in the Torino." Hutch laughed.

Hutch returned a few minutes later with a large gaily wrapped present and a small box. He handed the large one to Starsky. Starsky tore the wrapping off and pulled a dark brown fur lined leather flying jacket from the paper. "It's beautiful, Hutch." Starsky stood up and pulled on the jacket. For a moment Hutch's breath caught in his chest. He stood up and handed the small box to Starsky.

"Hey, I only got you one. " Starsky said as he took the small box and he handed Hutch one of similar size. He took Hutch's hand. "Before you open it I want to ask you something."

"Anything, Babe." Hutch whispered.

"You know that book I have been reading, the one about Celtic customs." Starsky hesitated almost shyly. "Well one of the things I read about stuck in my mind, it seems a lot of guys didn't make formal marriage proposals instead they asked their lover, ah hell! Do you want to be buried with my people?"

"What? " Hutch asked in confusion.

"That was the way they proposed, think about it Hutch, they were offering permanence and a sense of belonging and I know we can't do it legally but I want to know if you'll 'marry' me in the sense that matters, not some legal thing that don't mean anything but something that means everything to me." Starsky looked lost.

Hutch felt his heart melt. "Yes, David Starsky I'll marry you and I'll be buried with your people." Hutch pulled him into his arms.

"You can open your present then." Starsky pulled away and Hutch open the small box carefully, inside was a simple gold ring. Hutch took the band from the box. "Open yours" he said huskily.

Starsky tore the paper off and opened the box to find a shiny platinum ring inside. "We both want the same thing." He whispered. He went to take Hutch in his arms but the blond man slipped to the tree and brought back another small gift. "Here" he said as he thrust the parcel at Starsky. Starsky looked puzzled but pulled the wrapping paper away to reveal a tube of KY cream. Starsky laughed "You romantic, you bought me lube."

"I bought us 'lube', I'll take possession of you any time you want Babe. You were right; I need to get over trying to protect you."

"I love you Hutch and I'll take you up on your offer soon but right now I'm ready for some tender loving and some sleep."

"Come on partner." Hutch took Starsky's hand and led him to their bedroom.