CHAPTER 9
Starsky picked up the phone in a fit of rage and heaved it across the room. He was madder than he’d ever been in his entire life! Hutch had been listening on one of the extensions as well as one of the investigators from upstairs who wore a set of headphones as he operated the recording equipment.
Dobey had been watching and though he only caught Starsky’s end of the conversation…he knew that something heavy had just gone down.
“Starsky…Hutch…in my office now!” He yelled at them as he held the door open and stood there waiting to close it behind them. He had witnessed the outburst that Starsky had just displayed and he didn’t approve of his tactics at all.
Dobey closed the door and walked up to Starsky ready to display a little anger of his own.
“What the hell was that all about?” He asked his detective in a forceful tone.
“Prudholm claims to have just killed her Cap…give him a break will ya?” Hutch told him as he tried to calm the situation.
Dobey walked over to the water cooler and pulled a cup down to fill it as he thought…about his own kids for a moment. He probably would have gone a little crazy himself. Starsky walked over to the window of his office and just stared out into space for a moment as Hutch waited for one or the other of them to speak next.
“Do you think he was telling the truth?” Dobey finally asked them as he turned around.
“I don’t know.” Starsky answered. “All I do know is that I probably won’t ever see her again.” He told them as he continued to look out the window. “He wants me to think she’s dead…true or not…he won’t call back.”
“So that’s it then?” Hutch asked him. “We just wait for her body to surface or we assume that he still has her.” Hutch concluded. “We have no way of knowing either way.”
“It was his plan all along.” Starsky told them as he finally turned around to face them. “To make me suffer for the rest of my life…never knowing for sure what really happened to her.” He explained. “If he really did kill her you can bet he’ll hide the body so good we’ll never find it.”
“If he’s still in the city.” Hutch told him. “We’ll find him.”
“I’ll find him.” Starsky replied as he walked over to Dobey’s desk and pulled his gun from the holster and his badge from his back pocket…and threw them both on top of it.
“What the hell are you doing that for?” Hutch asked with astonishment.
“When I find him…I don’t wanna be a cop.” He said.
All of a sudden he headed out of Dobey’s office and towards the exit not bothering to grab his jacket on the way out.
Dobey looked up at Hutch and motioned towards the door with a pointed finger. “Get him back here!”
Hutch started after him when Starsky turned around quickly to yell at him.
“Leave me alone.” He said in an angry tone that Hutch had never seen directed at him before.
“I’m not gonna let you leave like this.” He told him as he grabbed him by the arm.
“You can’t stop me.” Starsky said with conviction him as he pulled his arm away and stormed out the door.
Starsky hurried outside…climbed into his car and peeled rubber as he
left
the parking lot. Hutch followed close behind… jumped into his own car
and
went after him. Starsky could see the beat up old Ford as it
raced to catch
up with him and he stepped a little harder on the gas.
“Leave me alone Hutch.” He said out loud as his tears fell softly on
the
collar of his shirt. He hadn’t taken notice of them until that moment.
Hutch drove frantically to keep up with him. Starsky took every back street he could to try and loose his partner but Hutch was good. Every corner he took at whatever speed was matched skill for skill until he finally realized that no matter how hard he tried…Hutch wasn’t gonna give up.
Finally Starsky pulled his car over to the side of the road near a small park. Hutch pulled up behind him and stepped out of his car while Starsky remained in his with the engine running. Hutch walked up to him quickly and began to yell at him.
“What the hell are you doing…have you gone ballistic on me?” He asked his partner as he walked over to him.
“Hutch I need to do this alone…can’t you understand that?” He told him bluntly.
“I love her too.” Hutch told him. “If you’re going after him let me go with you.”
“I can’t let you do that Hutch.” He said as he looked into his eyes. “I just might wind up in prison if I find him.”
“Well…at least we’ll be there together.” Hutch said with a smile. “You’ll need someone to watch your back…just in case you drop the soap or something.”
“Look I know what you’re trying to do” Starsky reasoned as he turned the key in the ignition to shut it off. “I don’t need you to save me from myself.”
“I’m the voice of reason remember.” Hutch replied as he bent down closer to him. “You know you need me.”
“I don’t think he was bluffing this time Hutch.” Starsky told him in a sad voice as he fought to hold back his tears.
“You believe him.” Hutch asked softly.
“Yeah.” Starsky whispered, as the lump in his throat grew larger. “He killed Terri…didn’t he?”
“I won’t believe it until I see her body.” Hutch told him as he reached into the car and put his hand on his partners forearm to comfort him.“And you shouldn’t either.”
“Hutch I heard it in his voice…listen to the tape again….He wasn’t lying.” Starsky said as a few small tears escaped him and ran slowly down his cheeks. Until Hutch believed it the way that he did…he wouldn’t understand.
“I’m here for you partner.” Hutch said softly.
“So what do you suggest we do now?” Starsky asked in a weak voice.
“We’ll just have to watch the airport…bus station…put up road
blocks…whatever the hell else we can think of and just hope he doesn’t
find
another way out of town.”
“I sure would love to get my hands around the neck of the asshole that let him loose.” Starsky said as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
“I’ll bring the beer.” Hutch said with a comforting half-smile as he
opened
the car door. “Now slide over and let me drive.”