Lady Sings the Blues

Jmhenderson

 

The Stephanie Series, Part Two

(Part one is Rainy Days and Mondays)

 

 

 

Chapter One

         Stephanie looked around Huggy’s bar, a bit tired after pulling both the breakfast and lunch shifts.  But the tips had been really good, and now there was the chance of maybe seeing Hutch.  Sometimes he and Starsky were able to come in for a quick bite to eat.  Although it was rare, she was hoping this was one of those times.

         When she felt the hand on her shoulder, she knew it had to be him.  Turning around, she discovered it to be Huggy, and her face showed her disappointment.

         “Sorry it’s just me, Steph,” he said with a disgruntled shrug, “but there’s a phone call for you.”

         “Thanks Huggy.  Sorry, I didn’t mean to look that way,” she told him, hoping her smile would make up for it.  He smiled back at her and she felt all was forgiven.

         She grabbed the phone eagerly, hoping that Hutch was calling her as he had done so many times before when they were out on a case and not able to come by the Pits.

         “Hello?”

         “Miss White?”

         “Yes, this is she.  Can I help you?”

         “My name is Evan Daniels.  I own a club on the north side of town.”

         “And?”  Her impatience was evident in her voice, tired from the day’s work and disappointed that the caller wasn’t who she had expected.

         “Well, ma’am, I read your advertisement for private investigating in the classifieds, and I was wondering if you’d be available by next week.”

         “That depends, Mr. Daniels.  What seems to be the nature of your problem?”  She was proud of her professional tone, especially since she had butterflies in her stomach already from the pure excitement of getting a call on her ad.  She was glad that she had advertised Huggy’s as a second phone number to be reached in her ad.

         “Do you think we could meet somewhere to discuss this?  I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s rather complicated, and I think it best if we discussed this in person.”  Daniels also kept a professional tone about him.

         “Yes, I think we could do that.  Where and when would you like to meet?  I’m available after three today if you’d like,” she offered.

         “That would be good.  Unfortunately I can’t be gone from here too long, as I run this establishment.  And with the problems I am experiencing, I would prefer not to be gone from it for very long periods of time.”  She could almost hear exasperation in his voice.

         “Would you prefer that I meet you there?” Her professional tone held a hint of concern.

         “Would you mind?  I would really appreciate that.  Oh, but, could you come in as an applicant for a job?  It wouldn’t be wise to come in announcing yourself as a private detective.”

         “Certainly.  What time?”

         “How about after the dinner rush, say, around 8:30?”  Stephanie’s shoulders slumped.  She was going to have to cancel her dinner with Ken.  She paused before giving her answer, albeit briefly.

         “Alright.  I’ll see you then.  We can discuss your case, and if I take it, we’ll discuss my fee and compensations.”

         “Thank you, Miss White.  I’m looking forward to it.”

         Stephanie hung up after writing down the name and directions to the place.  She couldn’t help but let the excitement building up within her escape.  She squealed with delight and spun herself away from the bar, landing herself directly in the arms of none other than Ken Hutchinson.

         “Whoa there!” he said, returning the huge smile that crossed her face.

         “Ken!” she hollered, practically jumping off the ground and in his arms as she hugged him.

         Starsky just stood behind them, smiling gently as he shook his head.

         “When is the honeymoon gonna be over for you two kids?” he said teasingly, making them both look at him and laugh.

         “I just got a job!!  A paying, professional, bona fide, real gig as a private investigator!!!!  I don’t believe it!”  Stephanie was in a world all her own, happily jumping up and down as Hutch looked at her proudly and Starsky looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

         Suddenly she seemed to deflate a little.  “But I have to meet my prospective client tonight.  I’m sorry Ken, but I’m going to have to cancel our dinner.  I’ll make it up to you?”

         “Sure,” Hutch said sincerely.  “Say, I know, why don’t I go with you?”

         “I’d like that, but, no.  I have to do this on my own.  You understand, don’t you?”  Stephanie’s eyes were worried now, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but desperate to make this work by herself.

         Hutch’s eyes sparkled with love.  “Sure, I understand, baby. You just be careful. Okay?”  Stephanie smiled appreciatively at her man and nodded in agreement.

         “Hey!” Starsky began, hitting Hutch on the arm,  “That means you can come over for pizza and finish that chess game we started!  Hey, we can even watch a movie or somthin’!  Boys night and all that!”

         Hutch rolled his eyes and grinned at Stephanie, pulling her into a hug and whispering, “You know you’re going to owe me big for this, don’t you?” his words purposely loud enough for Starsky to hear.

         All three were laughing heartily.

 

Chapter Two

         When Stephanie entered the restaurant/night club, she was pleasantly surprised by the classy atmosphere.  The outside was nothing fancy, almost misleading to the beauty held within.  Floors were covered with a deep, rich, carpet of red with white linens and tablecloths on each table, complete with candlelight to enhance the ‘mood’.  It seemed to be a forties motif with elegant paintings along the walls and crystal chandeliers throughout the dining area.  There was a large stage with beautiful, deep blue floor length curtains behind it, and live entertainment featuring a man with a piano on stage, delivering smooth jazz tunes to the delight of the many patrons still there even at such a late dinner hour.  Stephanie was highly impressed.

         Mr. Daniels acted as host, and as soon as Stephanie introduced herself, sat her at a table and joined her within a few moments.

         Offering her a brandy, she accepted, and he placed a glass down in front of her, as well as one for himself.  She sipped as she soaked in all the atmosphere of this charming place. 

         “Thank you for coming so promptly, Ms. White.  My problem is of a personal nature and I felt hiring you would help keep this as discrete as possible.  I could call in the police, but I would rather not inflict this establishment with such poor publicity if at all possible.”

         “Just what, exactly, is the nature of the problem, Mr. Daniels?” Stephanie asked, wanting to get to the heart of the matter.  Mr. Daniels took a deep breath as he swilled the brandy in his glass, then let his eyes meet back to hers.

         “Simply put, embezzlement.  I have four employees that run my registers, both bar and dining room.  One of them is stealing me blind.  But I can’t pinpoint exactly when and where it is happening.  I could take measures, but by doing so it would alert the thief that I’m on to him or her and thus it would probably stop it before the person could be caught.  I want this to be clean and quick and ended.  And I am willing to pay your fee and a very nice bonus if you can help me.”

         Stephanie looked around, then back at him with the calmness of a seasoned private detective.

         “Mr. Daniels, you don’t even know what my fee is.”

         “No, Ms. White, I don’t, but I do know that whatever it is, it would be worth it to stop my hard earned money from being taken away right from under my nose.”

         Stephanie took a moment to reflect his words, and confidently looked him in the eyes.

         “I charge a flat fee of one hundred dollars a day and all expenses incurred reimbursed.”  She tried not to show her nervousness, almost holding her breath, waiting for his response.

         “Done.”

         Stephanie wanted to scream out loud in glee.  Instead, she grinned at him slightly.  “And in what capacity will you explain my presence here to your employees?” she asked calmly.

         “Well, I could always use another waitress.  But, ah, well, I don’t suppose you carry a tune, do you?”   Stephanie looked at Mr. Daniels with a little surprise.

         “Not professionally, however, one of my first jobs around here was doing singing telegrams.” She looked around the dining room.  “I do love jazz and blues.  I probably know all the words to any song your piano player knows.”

         Evan Daniels face broke into a wide grin, and Stephanie responded by returning it.

         “Ms. White, would you care to give me an audition?  Perhaps right now?”

         She wanted to laugh, but his facial expression told her he was serious.  She downed the brandy that was left in her glass.

         “Okay.” 

         Stephanie stood up, and walked over to and up the steps of the stage and slinked her way over to the piano player.  As he readied himself to begin another number, she leaned over and whispered in his ear, making him smile as he began playing for her.

         And the rest, as they say, was history.

          Introduced by none other than Evan Daniels himself to the audience and employees, Stephanie White was hired as the newest singing member of the establishment.

 

Chapter Three

         Stephanie could not help but smile the whole trip home.  She would catch herself now and then, and giggle girlishly when she did.

         Walking into her apartment, she noticed the time on the wall clock and scowled.  Here it was after 11pm.   She had to be at Huggy’s to work by 7am, and was so wide awake that she knew sleep would not come easily.

         When the phone rang, it startled her out of her train of thought.

         “Hello?”

         “Steph, it’s David.  Uh, I’m at the hospital with Hutch. Honey, he’s been shot and …”  He’d heard her gasp, but silence now filled the phone from her end.

         “Stephanie?  Stepanie?”

         She was already out the door, running in pure panic towards her car.

         When Stephanie arrived at the hospital, she noticed Starsky standing at the nurse’s station, flirting with a pretty young nurse who seemed to blush at his charms.  Stephanie felt the anger rising within her as she walked briskly towards him.

         Not knowing that she had arrived, Starsky was taken aback when she grabbed his arm and jerked him around to face her. 

         “You’re out here flirting with the nurses while Hutch is hurt somewhere in this hospital?  He was shot, and all you can think of is your libido?  What’s wrong with you?!” Tears were forming in her eyes, and Starsky could see the fear and concern that had prompted her attack on him.  He smiled,  seeing Hutch walking up behind her.

         Hutch gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped, not knowing anyone was behind her, releasing her grip on Starsky’s arm.

         “Hey baby, didn’t mean to scare you.”

         Stephanie, tears falling down her cheeks, looked him over.  He had a few scrapes on his face and left arm, and his right arm was bandaged, apparently where the bullet had struck him.

         “Are you alright?  What happened?”  Her voice was shaky, and more tears filled her eyes in relief.

         Hutch smiled, putting his left arm around her in a loving embrace. 

         “I’m fine. Although I think you may have hurt my partner there, attacking him like you did,” he said with a grin.  Suddenly her face showed her embarrassment at her less-than-subtle approach on Starsky.

         “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I, I didn’t mean to …”

         “S’alright.  You were just worried about the blonde wonder.  If you’d have let me finished telling ya on the phone about him you’d have known he was okay.  I just didn’t want ya finding out tomorrow after the fact, ya know?”

         She moved to hug Starsky.  He reacted in mock fear of her advance, making them all laugh as they started walking out the emergency room.

         By the time she took Hutch to his apartment and got him settled comfortably in bed, it was nearly 2am.  Looking down at the sleeping man, she resigned herself to catch a few hours sleep there, thankful that she had clothes at his place as well.  Letting him rest, she took a shower, coming back in wearing only his robe as she walked quietly around the bedroom in the dark, setting his alarm clock so that she could get to work on time from there.

         Still being as quiet as possible, she slipped out of the robe and into the bed beside him.  In less than a minute, his arm was wrapping around her, enjoying the feel of her bare body as his hand explored it freely.  He leaned himself over to her, kissing her gently at first, then more deeply and passionately.

         Her last thought before losing herself in his passion was that she really didn’t need the sleep.  Sleep somehow seemed over-rated now.

 

Chapter Four

         Starsky arrived at Hutch’s apartment around 7am, ready to pick up his partner and head on into the precinct,  He was also ready to watch the show as Hutch would try to explain to Dobey that he was fine and wouldn’t need desk duty, while Dobey would argue differently.  He saw Stephanie’s car parked behind Hutch’s and smiled, knowing that Hutch had been well taken care of.  As he opened the door of the stairway that lead up to Hutch’s place, he was knocked down and somewhat tackled by Stephanie, who was rushing outside at the same time he was heading in.  Both tried to keep the other from falling, and ended up on the sidewalk, Starsky on the ground and Stephanie on top of him.

         “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Starsky said slyly.  Stephanie looked down at him and laughed.

         “I am so late!  Huggy’s gonna kill me!  Are you alright?”

         They helped one another to stand, and Starsky’s hand stayed on her arm as he spoke.

         “How’s he doing?”

         “His arm hurts a little, but I think he’s fine.  I changed the dressing on his wound and he’s probably just finishing up his health elixir right about now,” she answered, smiling.  Starsky smiled back, and for a moment, they stared at each other.

         Finally, Stephanie looked at her arm, still in Starsky’s grip.

         “If I don’t get to work, I’m going to tell Huggy it was your fault for my being late instead of taking the blame myself,” she told him, grinning impishly.

         He laughed a bit nervously as he released his grip, and she smiled as she turned and walked briskly towards her car.

         As he walked up the stairs, Starsky tried to compose his thoughts before entering his friend’s apartment.  Shrugging it off, he let himself in, ready to start another day.

<><><><><><><><><><>

         Stephanie’s day was rushed, to say the least.  Arriving at work a half hour late, the whole morning was spent trying to make up the time and feeling guilty about it.  And she was tired. The only thing that kept her moving, aside from how busy it was, was the excitement she felt when she thought about the new job she’d be starting in only three days.

         When she got home, it was nearly nighttime.  But that was because she had to go shopping for evening wear.  After all, you can’t be a singer in a classy lounge without a few gowns suitable for the occasion.  And since they fell under ‘business expenses’, she made sure they were very appropriate.

         After putting the gowns away and taking a quick shower, Stephanie sat down on her couch to watch the evening news.  She thought briefly about fixing some dinner, but that thought, as well as all others, left her easily as sleep crept in.

         Hutch had decided to stop by Stephanie’s after work to make sure that she was all right.  Considering how much sleep she’d had between her need to take care of him and a few needs she aroused of his own, he just wanted to see for himself that she’d gotten home okay and maybe even talk her into going out for dinner.  When he arrived, he found it a little disturbing that there were no lights on in the apartment even though her car was in its’ space.  Figuring that she was probably asleep, but needing to know for sure, he decided to let himself in with the key she had just gifted him with only the week before.  He smiled as he held it in his hand, and then got out of the car.

++++++++++++++++++

         Stephanie entered Huggy’s bar only to find it empty.  She knew she should be worried over the whereabouts of everyone, but instead found herself somewhat entranced by the music that played on the jukebox.  Listening to it more closely, she heard the words to “Killing Me Softly” playing and began singing along with it, enjoying the flow of the music and the soft lights that flashed in rhythm with various colors.  She was almost drifting to the music, walking towards the bar when she saw him.

         David Starsky was standing beside the bar, holding a single red rose out to her.  She looked at the sparkle in his eyes and smiled as she walked to him.  First she accepted the rose, then his hand, and they began to dance to the music, holding each other tightly as they swayed across the floor.  When the music stopped, she was looking at the passion in his eyes, knowing it was meant only for her.  He leaned in towards her face, his breath hot against her lips, and kissed her.  So soft were his lips on hers, so sweet his taste.  As his tongue began to explore her lips, she began to do the same, and soon they were kissing so deeply and so passionately that she felt her body giving in to the heated rush.

+++++++++++++++++++

         “Stephanie?”

         She moaned at the masculine whisper.

         “Stephanie?  Honey, wake up.”  Hutch nudged her arm until her eyes fluttered open, slowly focussing on his.

         “Ken?” Suddenly she realized where she was, and jumped forward, feeling awkward as the guilt from her dream overwhelmed her.  Hutch grabbed her arm.

         “Hey Steph, are you okay?  Did you have a bad dream?” He pulled her back towards him, and held her, and she gratefully fell into his hold, embracing him tightly.

 

Chapter Five

         Starsky arrived at the precinct ahead of Hutch, much to the surprise of many an officer who saw him sitting at his desk.  He accepted the jokes and nudges half-heartedly, too busy trying to concentrate on the case he and Hutch had been working on.  Things weren’t adding up, and he’d thought about it on and off all night, unable to sleep well enough to free it from his mind. 

         When he last woke at five that morning, he decided to shower and go on into work, hoping to review the case files and see something; anything that they might have missed before.  There had to be a pattern, at least he hoped there was, because the death toll was climbing and the department was on their backs because of it.  Besides, his mind needed to focus on something other than the thoughts of Stephanie which tried to sneak in every now and then, ever since their ‘run-in’ the previous morning.

         As if on cue, Hutch walked in, smiling at his partner who was buried in a stack of files in front of him.

         “I can’t believe you’re here before me,” Hutch said, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

         “Couldn’t sleep,” Starsky half mumbled, his eyes remaining on a file opened in front of him.

         “You too, huh?  Stephanie was the same last night.  I think she was just too tired after the past couple of days she’s had.”  Hutch smiled at the thought of her.  “She was finally drifting off to sleep when I left.  I even called Huggy and got her the morning off.  Left her a note for when she wakes up in a panic later on.”  Hutch chuckled and Starsky looked over the file at him.

         “Yeah.  Well, I couldn’t sleep and this case kept buggin’ me.  I was hoping to find something we missed, but so far, I haven’t come up with a damned thing.”  Starsky rubbed his eyes then looked down at his empty cup.  He got up with the intentions of filling it when Captain Dobey walked in, summoning them into his office.

         As soon as the door was closed, Dobey pulled a file from under his arm and handed it to them.

         “Hit number six.  This morning at two o’clock.  As soon as the bar was closed, two unidentified men came in and took the money, killing the bartender in the process.  It seemed to be a different set of thugs until one of the patrolmen found this.  The Captain reached into his pocket and pulled out a clear plastic baggie, handing it towards the two detectives.

         Inside the bag was a thank you card.  One of six, connecting each of the robberies/murders together.

         “Well, looks like they’re branchin’ out,“ Starsky said in disgust.

         “Yeah, and they seem to have lost what little conscience they used to show.  The bartender was killed after giving them the money, and never put up a struggle according to the other witnesses.  One girl was so upset they had to take her to the hospital.  Seems she lost it when one of ‘em laughed through their mask after the bartender was killed, then aimed the weapon towards her.  Seemed to get his rocks off making her hysterical,”  Dobey’s voice rose with anger, “Now I want you two to find out who these lunatics are before they go on another killing spree!”

         Starsky and Hutch were at a loss.  There was nothing they could say, and they’d found no links so far to connect these crimes together other than the thank-you cards left at each scene. 

         Silently, they got up and left their Captain’s office, Hutch grabbing the latest file as they walked out.

         Starsky grabbed the other files on his desk and they left the precinct and headed towards Huggy’s.

 

Chapter Six

         “Man, am I glad to see you guys.  Hutch, what’s up with that woman of yours?” Huggy asked, walking up to the detectives as they entered the bar.

         “Huggy, what are ya talkin’ about?” Starsky said with an annoyed tone, trying to keep the files from falling out of his grip and as he pushed his way past Huggy towards a booth.  Huggy and Hutch followed and the two detectives sat down.

         “What are you talking about?” Hutch asked Huggy Bear.

         “She’s in the back.  For the moment that is.  Came in here about a half hour after you called.  Said she was fine and wanted to work.  I ain’t been able to stop her.  She looks like a walkin’ zombie.  You gotta get her home.”  Huggy winced as he heard the crash of dishes in the kitchen.  “Hell, you gotta get her home before she finishes dropping the rest of my dishes!”

         Hutch nodded, getting up to go find Stephanie, and Huggy sat down, shaking his head as he looked across the table at Starsky and grinned.

         “That girl don’t know how to take a break.  Looks like she hasn’t slept in a week.  Gotta love her loyalty to the job, but man, she’s gonna get sick if she doesn’t get some rest soon.”

         “Did she say why she wasn’t sleeping?” Starsky asked nonchalantly as he looked through the pile of files scattered across the table. 

         Huggy shook his head ‘no’.  “Just acted like nothing was wrong.  I’m guessing a good ten hour nap oughta take care of it.”  He looked up in time to see Hutch walking Stephanie out of the kitchen.

         Starsky looked around, following Huggy’s stare.  He saw Stephanie and his face filled with concern.  God, she looked worn out.  They walked towards Starsky, who grabbed up the files and leaned towards Huggy as he stood up.

         “Huggy, I need you to put those ears of yours to the streets and see what you can come up with on these robberies going down.  Will ya do that for me?”

         “You got it.  Now please, y’all take the lady home or I’m gonna give her a sedative!”

         “Already taken care of,” Starsky replied, grabbing the files in one hand and his keys in the other.

         Stephanie smiled at Huggy, who grinned back at her.

         They arrived at her apartment within an hour of their arrival at Huggy’s.  Starsky watched silently as Hutch walked her inside, grinning as she argued about being treated like a scolded child.  She sat on the sofa as Hutch went in the kitchen and set about making her some tea.  Starsky sat across from her in a chair, watching as she fought the sleep that tried to take her over.

         Her eyes met his as they became heavier, and he grinned at her.

         “Don’t fight it.  Just let it happen.  You’ll feel a lot better if you do.”  He watched as her eyes finally closed.  She still had a grin on her face when her head nodded back, and sleep finally was able to take over.  By the time Hutch returned with her tea she was out, so much so that he was able to carry her into the bedroom without disturbing her.  Starsky watched from his seat as Hutch laid her down, taking the spread from the foot of the bed and gently placing it over the sleeping form.

         Before they left, Hutch took the phone off the hook and wrote her a small loving note, which he left on the coffee table for her.

          They then decided on going over to Starsky’s place, after first going back to the precinct so that Hutch could get his car and be able to leave Starsky’s without imposing on his friend.

         After going through all the files many times over, both men were rubbing their eyes after five hours and were a bit frustrated, to say the least.  Each decided a break was in order and Starsky ordered pizza.

         Eating in silence, each man grabbed files again, hoping to spot something they’d missed.  Huggy hadn’t come up with anything yet, and their patience was wearing thin.  When they’d checked in with Dobey, his anger over the case didn’t help when Hutch told him there was still nothing new.

         “Well, I’m going to head back over to Stephanie’s and see how she’s doing,” Hutch said, taking his empty plate and setting it in the sink.  Starsky drank the last of his soda from a glass and set it back down on the coffee table as he stood up.  But something caught his eye.

         “I’ll see you in the morning, Starsk.”

         “Hmm?  Uh, no, wait a sec.” Starsky picked up the file that he was staring at.  “Well, would ya look at that.”  Starsky turned towards Hutch, the file in his hand, but Hutch was already right beside him.

         “What do you see?”

         Look at the names of the places they’ve hit.” Starsky said, pulling a sheet of paper out with each name in alphabetical order.

         “Yeah, Starsk.  What about them?”

         “They’re in alphabetical order.”

         “Starsk, that’s because Millie put them in that order when she typed up that list.  That’s all.”

         “Uh-uh.  Look at the dates beside them.  These all happened one behind the other.”  Hutch looked at the sheet, realizing his friend was right.  He then walked into the living room, returning with Starsky’s phone book.

         They sat down at the kitchen table and looked through the white pages, then the yellow, hoping to see the same order of appearance as the robberies had occurred.

         “Well, should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy,” Hutch announced as he got up from the chair.

         “Yeah, well, something’s up.  That ain’t no coincidence,” Starsky said as he slammed the phone book down on the table.

         “Look, you’re tired.  I’m tired.  Let’s just let this alone till the morning, then we can start fresh, maybe see something else that we’ve missed,” Hutch offered, putting a hand on Starsky’s shoulder.  Starsky grinned at his friend and nodded in agreement.

         “See you in the morning,” Starsky said, walking him towards the door.  “Hey, you want me to pick you up or you want to drive in again?”

         “Hutch smiled.  “I’ll probably stay over at Steph’s tonight.  I’ll drive in again and meet you there.”

         “’Night, pal,” Starsky said as he closed the door.

 

Chapter Seven

         Starsky took a hot, relaxing shower.   Wearing only his robe, he grabbed a beer and turned on the television as he made himself comfortable on the couch.  He picked up one of the files again and began looking absently through it.

         When he heard the footsteps behind him, he jumped up, wondering who had access to his apartment and how he was going to get to his gun from across the room. 

         He was very surprised to see Stephanie standing there. 

         “Hey!  You look a lot better than you did earlier today!” he told her, and he was right.  Dressed in blue jeans and a tank top, her features were almost glowing.  The tiredness that had shown clearly around her eyes earlier that day  was gone, and the light makeup she’d applied only accentuated her beauty.

         “Where’s Hutch?” he asked, looking around her, trying to keep from staring.  His efforts didn’t work.  She was stunning, and his eyes refused to look elsewhere.

         “I came here to see you.  Alone,” she said, walking slowly over to where he stood.  Soon her face was only inches from his own.

         She placed her arms around his shoulders, and he backed away a step, not understanding what was happening.

         “I’ve been feeling confused.  I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I’m not watching.  You feel it too, don’t you?”  She took the step he’d taken away from her, bringing her face alongside of his.  She placed her cheek against his.

         “I think I’m falling in love with you.  And I don’t know what to do about it,” she whispered in his ear.

         He pulled his face from hers and looked directly into her eyes.  They were sincere.  And he had to admit it to himself:  Yes, he’d felt it, too.

         His lips moved in on hers, kissing her deeply, enjoying her taste, enjoying her warmth, and enjoying the feel of her as she returned it in full.  Their arms encircled each other, feeling, touching, and igniting desire wherever they landed.

         He picked her up, holding her gently in his arms as he took her into the bedroom, gently laying her across his bed.  All thoughts of morality and his best friend left him, seeing only the woman who lay in front of him, inviting him to join her.  His passion was fierce as he laid across the bed beside her, touching and feeling all of her, kissing her deeply and enjoying the feel of her hands as they opened his robe.  His hands moved under her top, and she moaned in pure pleasure as they reached their destination.

         When the phone rang he jumped from the sofa, falling almost head first onto the floor.

         Slightly disoriented, he reached over the couch and grabbed the phone.

         “Yeah.”

         “Your boys just made another hit,” Dobey began, “Get your partner and meet me at the Laredo Lounge on Parham Road.  I tried calling him but didn’t get an answer.”  Dobey’s voice was harsh and Starsky knew it was bad.

         “Yeah Cap.  We’ll be there in a few.”

         Starsky hung up the phone and walked into the bedroom, throwing his robe across the bed as he grabbed his jeans, finding their fit a little tight as he gathered his shoes and dressed, heading out the door in a matter of a few minutes.

 

Chapter Eight

         Starsky knocked hard on the apartment door, waking Hutch and Stephanie, who were both sleeping peacefully when he arrived.  Hutch was still dressed, only having to put on his shoes.  As he sat on the sofa to get them on, Stephanie wandered into the living room in her robe; hair a mess, rubbing the sleep from her eyes when she finally noticed Starsky standing in front of her.

         “Hi David,” she said quietly, still not totally awake.  He grinned at her.

         “You look better than ya did yesterday.” He offered, trying to push the dream out of his thoughts.

         “Come on Starsk.  I’m ready,” Hutch said, walking over to Stephanie and kissing her on her forehead.  “You, young lady, need to go back to bed,” he said, smiling.  She grinned at him and gave him a mock salute.

         “Yes sir!” she teased.

         Starsky and Hutch were on the scene within thirty minutes of leaving Stephanie’s apartment.  Dobey was barking at various patrolmen, giving orders left and right, his disgust from this latest crime very obvious.  He noticed Starsky and Hutch as soon as they came in.

         “Where the hell have you two been?!” he bellowed.  As both men looked at him in silence, his hard facial expressions softened a little.

         “Sorry,” he mumbled, then looked around.  “They killed three this time.  Injured six others.  They didn’t even wait for the place to close first.  Same MO: Ski masks and leaving a thank you card.  Looks like they’d rather hit these bars than go for the little dinner theaters they were doing before.”  Dobey watched in silence as the bodies were removed from the scene.  “If you two don’t break this case soon the FBI is gonna take it over!”

         “We’re working on it, Cap’n,” Starsky said lowly.  He and Hutch began combing the scene, hoping to find something, doubtful because of their luck so far.

         By the time Starsky and Hutch arrived back at Stephanie’s, it was almost midnight.  The lights were off in her apartment and Hutch wasn’t going to disturb his sleeping love; only coming back to get his car and head on home.  Now he was the one who was wide awake.

         Saying his good-byes to his friend, Starsky pulled out of the parking area and drove himself home.  He stopped by a small convenience store along the way, grabbing a free local paper and a quart of milk before arriving back to his darkened apartment.

         He put his milk away and retrieved a beer from the refrigerator.  He disrobed and grabbed a quick shower, then tried to relax as he sat down in front of the television.  The noise of the television was hardly a distraction from the deadly scene he’d seen only an hour or so before.  The visions of murder victims flashed through his head like bulbs going off on a camera.

         Finally out of a desperate need for something else to focus on, he grabbed the paper he’d gotten from the store.

         The murderers had made the front page, again, and he skimmed through the other few pages, hoping for a lighter subject to focus on.  He landed on the entertainment section.  Apparently this paper was free because of the advertisements.  The last pages were full of them.  As he skimmed through the biweekly paper, he landed on what was lightly called the ‘Entertain Yourself’ section.  His jaw dropped.  There, listed alphabetically, were names of places to dine at locally and enjoy a little of the community’s nightlife.  They were also in exactly the same order of the places robbed by the ‘Thank–You Card Bandits’, as the paper had dubbed them in their article.

         “I’ll be damned.” Hutch mumbled.

 

Chapter Nine

         Hutch met Starsky and Dobey at headquarters later that morning, showing them the article and hoping they saw the same thing he did.  They did.  Being their first real break on this case, they set out to begin a stake out of the next place on the list.  A family-friendly establishment called Pepper’s on the east side of town. 

         By the time evening had fallen, all officers involved had been briefed at least twice and were gathering in the small restaurant, beginning their set up.  A thunderstorm had developed, and the lightning and thunder set an evil tone about the place, giving it an almost eerie effect as everyone sat around, waiting.  Couples sat together, looking perfectly normal, as well as the officers who had taken over the wait staff duties.  From all outward appearances, it was business as usual.

         Starsky and Hutch sat quietly across from each other, looking over their food through the large front window, watching the storm as it gained strength.  Everything was prepared for and all scenarios thought of - except one.

         When the power went out, a sudden hush came over the dining area, followed by the cursing and fumbled movements of everyone as they tried to adjust to the dark.  The thunder continued to grumble, as did Harold Dobey.

         “They’re not going to be able to hit this place if it’s closed due to power failure!  Marcus, call the electric company and see how soon it’ll be before they have the electricity back on here!”

         Within a few minutes, Officer Marcus returned to the Captain’s side, letting him know that because of some downed lines in the adjacent county, the power company did not expect to have the power back on for at least three or four hours.

         “Well, let’s wrap this up then.  There’s no way they’re going to hit a closed restaurant!”  Dobey’s voice was angered and hinted of disappointment.

         “Hey Cap,” Starsky began, “What if they decide to go for the next one on the list?”

         Captain Dobey looked thoughtful for a moment, then retrieved the list from his inside jacket pocket.

         “Alright everyone!” he began to bellow, “Gather up everything and let’s go.  We’re going to the south side of town.  A place called ‘River’s Edge Jazz Company’!”

         It took almost an hour to arrive at the restaurant/jazz club, and as the men and women all gathered around Dobey, he intently gave his instructions.

         It’s going to look rather obvious if we all go in there at once and act as if we didn’t come in together.  So, Harrison, your group along with Marcus’s group will join me and Garrett and Williams and we’ll go in as one large group.  Roberts and Getty, you two go in as a couple.  The same for Starsky and Hutch.  Keep your eyes open, and make sure you blend in.  Most of all, make sure you protect everyone in there!  Remember, we got a lot of innocent civilians roaming around in there, and I don’t want anyone getting hurt.  Understand?”

         Everyone nodded and began walking into the place.

         “Here we go,” Hutch mumbled under his breath.

         Starsky checked his gun and put it back in its’ holster.  “That’s what I’m worried about.”

 

Chapter Ten

         Everyone ‘oh’ed  and ‘ah’ed over the hidden beauty the restaurant held within its’ barren outer brick walls.  Quickly they were all seated, and the host seemed very pleased by the sudden rush of customers that came in.  Waiters and waitresses ran about them, taking drink orders and setting menus in front of everyone. 

         “Service is pretty decent,” Starsky remarked, looking at his watch, then at the menu.  It was approaching nine o’clock.

         Hutch listened to the melodic piano playing on the stage and nodded his head in agreement.

         Soon everyone’s food orders had been taken and their host was standing on stage, announcing their newest employee, a new up-and-coming singer to the area.  Her name was Carol Delaware. 

         Starsky and Hutch were looking through the dining room, keeping their eyes open for anything suspicious at the front entrance.

         When Ms. Delaware centered herself on stage, they heard the rest of their colleagues quiet down.  A couple were doing a few hushed cat calls, quickly stopped by an angered glance from their Captain.  Starsky and Hutch turned their eyes to see what the commotion was all about.  Both simultaneously dropped their jaws.  They looked at one another, then let their eyes return to Stephanie.

         Standing center stage, smiling brightly at the audience she could not see because of the lighting that was cast upon her, she looked nothing less than stunning.

         Dressed in a fire-engine-red, floor-length dress with spaghetti straps and matching three-inch heels, she was more than a vision.  The dress sparkled with hidden sequins, giving her a glow that was positively radiant.  As she stepped forward towards the mike, the piano began to play behind her, and a look of concentration came over her face.  She was simply seductive.  Her hair was pinned up with a couple of sparkling combs that looked like a halo around her head.  Stepping forward, her dress parted, revealing a long slit up the side of the gown and the very shapely curves of her left thigh.  Every man in the entire place was mesmerized, taken under the spell she had planned well to induce.

        As she began to sing, the entire room fell silent, listening as her angelic voice filled and echoed around it.  Starsky and Hutch were in shock.  Not only did they have no idea this was where she was working her private investigating gig, but they didn’t know she could sing, either!  They looked at one another again, then returned their gaze back to the center of attention.

                                   ”Now you say you’re sorry

                                         for bein’ so untrue.

                                   Well you can cry me a river

                                            Cry me a river.

                                     I cried a river over you …”

         She paused as the piano played, smiling down at the people in front of her, then turning to smile at the piano player, walking slightly around the stage as she held the microphone, gracefully swaying its’ cord behind her.

         Off stage to her right, she could see Mr. Daniels, beaming proudly at her and signaling a thumbs up. 

         Hutch nudged Starsky, who was captivated.

         “Starsk!  That’s Stephanie!” he whispered in amazement.  Starsky reluctantly turned towards his partner.

         “Well I can SEE that!” he whispered back.  “Wow!”

         “Yeah.  Wow!” Hutch whispered, his face beaming.  Starsky looked at his friend and saw the smile drop suddenly from his face.

         “Damn!”

         “Whatsa matter Hutch?” Starsky asked, suddenly worried with his friend’s change of expression.

         Hutch leaned closer to Starsky across the table.  “She’s going to be right in the middle of this if the hit goes down like we think it will tonight.”

         “Don’t worry. We ain’t gonna let anything happen to her.” Starsky assured him, turning his eyes back to the stage.

         Stephanie had just finished her number, and suddenly the partners couldn’t have heard each other talking if they had screamed.  The audience’s reaction was overwhelming.  Applause, standing ovations and whistles filled the dining area all the way through to the bar beside it.  Stephanie was blushing, her face almost matching her dress as she beamed proudly.

         As the audience finally began to calm down and the applause began to dwindle, there were still a few cat callers that were making fools of themselves.

         “Probably too drunk to realize the rest of us are being quiet,” Starsky said in a somewhat disgusted tone.  He and Hutch turned around, as did the rest of the people in there, wanting the noise to stop.

         What they saw made half of the patrons gasp, and Starsky and Hutch and the rest of the undercover officers instinctively reach for their guns.

          Four men stood back at the walkway towards the entrance, still clapping and whistling, overly acting pleased by the floor show.  Their faces were covered in black ski masks, and their applause was subdued only by the guns held tightly in their hands.

         Stephanie couldn’t see what was going on, and reached her hand in front of her, attempting to block the lighting that distorted her view.

         “Enough of the show, lady.  You’re taking away from my limelight,” one of the masked men growled.  He brought his gun forward and aimed it towards the stage, pulling the trigger.  The bullet struck one of the stage lights above, making it fall down on top of her.

         “Good shot old man!” one of the other masked felons complimented.  They were all laughing when the whole room seemed to stand at once, and the only sounds heard were of guns cocking as they aimed towards the masked men.  Out of close to forty patrons in the restaurant, at least fifteen of them were obviously cops.

         Suddenly the masked men had nothing to laugh about.

         “Awe shit,” exclaimed one of them, bringing his gun forward.

 

Chapter Eleven

        “Everybody DOWN!” Starsky yelled, making his way towards them.  Hutch was close behind, trying to focus on the gunmen rather than Stephanie, who looked like she was okay, sitting on the stage, but wanting desperately to know for himself that she was indeed alright.

         One of the gunmen aimed towards the crowd with his weapon, and the others followed suit.  Shots began to ring throughout the restaurant, and screams of fear followed.

         All of the officers began shooting at the robbers, making the place sound like a war movie.  The criminals shot back, but to no avail.  They were downed easily, but not before hitting a few officers with the bullets they haphazardly fired into the crowd that advanced on them. 

         All in all, the wounds of the officers were mainly slight: the worst being a shoulder wound on Roberts, who was more worse for wear because of the concussion he received after falling into a table from the impact of the bullet wound.

         Stephanie was fine; at least that was her story and she was sticking to it.  She was a little off balance when Starsky and Hutch flanked her and helped her to stand, but quickly regained herself enough to walk around and tell the detectives to go on, that she was okay and knew they had more important business to attend to at the moment.  Reluctantly, they left her, but not before getting one of the officers to stay with her.  Just in case.

         Two of the robbers were dead and the other two were critical.  Their masks had been removed, revealing the four Caucasian men who were no older than their early twenties. 

         When Mr. Daniels, the owner of the restaurant, came up to survey the damage they had caused, he introduced himself to Dobey.  They were talking, assessing the damage, when Daniels became quiet, his face filled with shock as he looked down at one of the wounded criminals.

         “Mr. Daniels, are you alright?” Captain Dobey asked, concerned for the man he’d just met.

         “That kid over there, he looks like one of my bartenders!”  Daniels tried to walk through, but was stopped by the officers standing around them.

         “Let him through.” Dobey announced, and a path was cleared for them to walk over to the fallen man.  Evan Daniels knelt down beside him.

         “Charlie?  Charlie?  What are you doing with these hoodlums, these, murderers?” Daniels voice cracked from disbelief as his friend lay dying in a pool of his own blood.  “Why?”

         Charlie Dobson looked up at the man and smiled, laughing and choking at the same time.

         “Well Evan, see, I like the horses.  I was helping myself to the profits around here, but they weren’t enough, so me and my friends here, we, we kinda thought that playing Jesse James would get us all the money we wanted.  Guess we got carried away.”  The young man looked around at all the cops and then let his eyes focus on the man who had called him his friend.  “Sorry Evan, I’m, I’m sorry.” His voice faded and the life left the rest of his body.  Evan Daniels got up and walked away, oblivious to everyone else around him, shocked at this latest discovery.

         The ambulances arrived and other patrolmen, along with the coroner and a few reporters who’d been tipped on the eventful evening.  Within a couple of hours, the place was pretty much cleared and people had been sent home, evidence gathered and reports written.  The only people that remained were Mr. Daniels, Stephanie, Starsky, Hutch, and Dobey.

         “I’m very grateful that you all came here when you did,” Evan Daniels began, a little choked from the evenings’ events.  “Thank God things didn’t turn out worse than they did.”  He looked around at the silent people in front of him.  “Are you officers still on duty?”

         “Nah. We’ll be in tomorrow morning filling out reports and closing this case, but tonight it’s all over with,” Starsky said, looking around at everyone.  His eyes stopped on Stephanie, still in her red evening gown, sitting quietly as Hutch looked at the bump on her head, making her wince as he touched it.  Her eyes caught his and she smiled slightly at him.

         “Well, may I get you all something to drink?  I myself feel a need for something after this night,” Evan said as he stood up and walked over to the bar.

         “Yeah, I’ll take a beer,” Starsky said, finally removing his eyes from Stephanie.

         “Me too,” Hutch added.

         Dobey sighed. “Sure, I’ll have one.”

         Stephanie got up to help Evan bring everything over, getting a glass of water for herself.  As Evan set the drinks on a tray, he thanked Stephanie for helping.

         “Well, since the embezzlement mystery was also solved tonight, I need the work,” she half laughed as she turned with the tray to take it to the table.

         “Lady, you can sing at my club anytime!  I was hoping you might consider working here on a more permanent basis?” Evan Daniels allowed himself to smile for the first time since the attempted robbery unfolded.  Stephanie turned back around and smiled at him.

         “We can discuss that,” she grinned as she headed to the table with the drinks.

        

Chapter Twelve

         Two weeks had passed and Stephanie’s life was back to normal.  Again.  At least, as normal as possible.  She was still working at Huggy’s each weekday morning through lunch, and now was working Friday and Saturday nights at Evan’s place, singing her heart out. 

         Starsky and Hutch were back in their old routines, if you could call them ‘routines’, and were handling less time-consuming case loads at the moment, for which they were grateful.

         Since Stephanie was working a lot more than she used to, she and Hutch had to make the most of their times together, and were doing so successfully.  He couldn’t get enough of this woman who surprised him daily with her various hidden talents. 

         It was no surprise on this Friday afternoon when he decided to ask Starsky to go with him for dinner, at none other than The River’s Edge Jazz Company.  Starsky politely declined.

         “Starsk, what’s going on?  You’ve been avoiding Stephanie the past couple of weeks like she’s carrying a plague or something.  Has something happened between the two of you that I should know about?"

         “What are ya talkin’ about?” Starsky asked nervously.

         “Well,” Hutch began, “Stephanie’s been acting strange just like you every time I mention your name.  Did you two have a fight?”  Starsky sighed deeply.

         “Nope.  No fight.  Nothing like that.  I’ve just been trying to give you two some time alone is all.” Starsky said, avoiding the truth like it was a rattlesnake.

         Hutch looked at him, sensing there was more to it, but deciding to let it be.  For now.

         “Well, now I’m asking you to come with me and have some dinner.  So we can have some quality time of our own.  How about it?”  He was looking directly into Starsky’s eyes.

         “Yeah.  Okay.  I am kinda hungry,”  Starsky replied.

<><><><><><><><><><>

         The restaurant was full, but not too full for Evan Daniels to give the two detectives a warm and welcome greeting.

         “Gentlemen!!  What a pleasure!  What an honor!  It’s so good to see you again.”  He extended his hand out to both men graciously.  “Look at this crowd!  Business has never been so good, and I think Stephanie deserves the credit.”

         Hutch beamed proudly as Evan seated them close to the stage at one of the best tables in the house.

         Their dinner was fabulous, steaks cooked to perfection and all the trimmings making for a wonderful meal.  When it was time for the show to begin, their plates had been cleared and cocktails were offered.

         Soon the lights over the audience began to dim, and the stage lights beamed brighter, showcasing the pianist who began playing.

         Only moments later, Stephanie came out, dressed in a deep blue velvet gown; backless and trimmed in silver sequins.  There were slits up each side of the gown which revealed the high heeled silver shoes she wore.  Her hair was unrestrained, flowing freely down her shoulders, looking very sensual as it danced around her face and arms. The overall effect was nothing short of sexy.

         She looked around the room, noticing her two favorite admirers sitting in front of the stage, and smiled. 

         Once she began singing, the audience was mesmerized.

                                             “You’re my thrill.

                                       You do something to me.

                                  You send chills right through me.

                                            When I look at you,

                                         ‘Cause you’re my thrill.”

         “Damn, I just can’t get over how good she is!” Hutch beamed as he whispered to his partner.

         “Yeah.  She’s really something,” Starsky answered, smiling back at him.

         “Shhh!” someone hissed from behind them, making both men smirk.

                                                “Mmmmmmmmm …

                                           Nothing seems to matter.

                                                 Mmmmmmmmm …

                                    Here’s my heart on a silver platter.

                                                   Where’s my will?

                                             Why this strange desire?

                                         That keeps mounting higher,

                                                When I look at you

                                                  I can’t keep still.

                                             ‘Cause you’re my thrill.

                                         You know you are my thrill.”

         The entire audience applauded with extreme enthusiasm, and Starsky and Hutch were among the loudest.  But that didn’t make Stephanie forget the look on Starsky’s face while she had sung the song.  And it didn’t stop her from wondering if she had looked at him too long while she sang it.  

         When she finished up her session of songs, she sat down with the two detectives, a little subdued as the air of guilt seemed to loom above.

         It wasn’t long after she joined them that Evan came over, bringing her a large glass of water and thanking her for another grand performance.  When he left the table, she got up and excused herself to go to the restroom, kissing Hutch on his cheek before she left.

         She was back again in no time, smiling happily because of the many people who offered their congratulations on her superb performance.

         “You are so beautiful,” Hutch beamed at his girlfriend.

         “I think you’re opinion is biased,” she answered, half laughing as she leaned into him.

 

Chapter Thirteen

         As the evening progressed, the conversation remained polite and subdued.

         They were talking about the light caseload the two detectives were working on through the week when Evan came back over to the table.

         “Detective Hutchinson, would you mind helping me in the kitchen for a moment?  The pilot light went out on our oven and I have to pull it out to relight it. Unfortunately none of the ladies back there are strong enough to help me.  Would you mind?”

         Hutch reluctantly released Stephanie’s hand and smiled at Evan.  “Sure.  But call me Hutch.”

         Stephanie watched as Hutch left to follow Evan into the kitchen, then turned to Starsky, who was watching her, grinning.

         “Why do I feel so awkward being alone with you?” she asked, grinning back at him.

         “Maybe ‘cause of the attraction that’s pretty obvious between us,” Starsky answered point blank.  Stephanie wasn’t surprised by his response.

         “God, I hope I’m not that obvious,” she smiled, catching him a little off guard. He was sure he’d shocked her with his comment.

         “I hope I’m not making you feel, uh, I don’t know, um, … “ Starsky was at a loss for the right word.

        “There’s an attraction, David.  But that’s all.  It’s normal I think.  But that’s all it is, isn’t it?” Stephanie’s eyes looked sincerely into his, the candlelight giving a romantic glow about her.  He looked at her, absorbing the view.

         “Yeah.” He sighed, leaning his head into his hand as he perched his elbow on the table.  Stephanie sighed also, almost as if in relief.

         She looked around the room, then back at Starsky.  He was looking at her, and his eyes did not leave when hers joined his.  They were staring at one another, thinking very similar and very naughty thoughts.

         As if on cue, Evan and Hutch came into the dining area, bringing a large pan cake filled with candles on a dessert tray out towards Stephanie and Starsky.

        “This is for you, Ms. Stephanie White,” he began announcing for everyone to hear, “to celebrate you’re joining our ‘family’ here at the River’s Edge Jazz Club, this is your official welcome!”  As Evan and Hutch put the tray out in front of her, tears filled her eyes, happy from the surprising display of warmth from her new boss.  The customers that sat around her began applauding.

         “Did you know about this?” Stephanie asked Hutch, leaning over towards him so he could hear her through the noise.

         “Not until Evan took me in the kitchen,” Hutch answered, pulling her into a hug.  “You know, he may be kind of eccentric, but he has great taste in employees.”

         Stephanie smiled at Hutch, relishing the feel of his arms around her as she savored her moment in the spotlight.

         “To Stephanie!” Starsky hollered, raising his glass in a toast, smiling widely and proudly. 

         Hutch and the other patrons raised their glasses.  It was a good night.

 

 

The End.

 

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