Transitions

By Pat L.

Chapter 1

Detective David Starsky pulled the finished report from the typewriter and signed it, adding it to the folder on his desk. Six months ago, he wouldn’t have admitted it, but he felt a certain satisfaction in clearing his desk. Of course, six months ago he was whole, and his chest looked normal, not like a road map. James Gunther had changed all that. The weeks he’d spent in

the hospital had given him time to think, about a lot of things. It was funny how he’d been faced with his own mortality. Being a cop was dangerous, but he’d beaten the odds for so long that he’d gotten comfortable. The sound of metal scraping against metal and then the sound of gunfire brought home how mortal he really was.

One of the conditions of his return to duty was that he saw the staff psychiatrist. At first, he’d resisted the mandatory sessions with Dr. Massey, but Massey had really helped him to face what had happened. So, while his body continued to heal, Starsky enjoyed the routine of a desk job. All things considered, he was feeling pretty good about things. He wished he could say the same thing about his partner.

When Starsky had finally been released from the hospital, Hutch had nursed him back to health. Once the doctors had given Starsky permission to go to light duty, Hutch had gone back on the roster. Starsky looked at the file in front of him without really seeing it. Dobey had assigned Hutch a temporary partner, until he returned to active duty. Perhaps the strain of working with a new partner was causing Hutch to act the way he was acting. Starsky only knew that the man he saw coming in late, unwashed, and hung over wasn’t the same man he’d worked with for almost ten years. He thought about the past few days. The most shocking thing that happened was when he saw Hutch smoking a cigarette. By itself, that wasn’t a major crisis. However, with the other changes in Hutch’s personality, Starsky was really worried. For Christ’s sake, this was the same man that put things like desiccated liver and wheat germ together and drank it every morning for breakfast! There was something very wrong with his partner, and Starsky desperately wanted to know what it was.

As Starsky got up to put the file back in the cabinet, Captain Dobey stalked out of his office. He fixed Starsky with a glare.

“Starsky, do you know where your partner is? He’s late again. He and Marsten were due in court ten minutes ago. Marsten’s going to have to testify if Hutch doesn’t get there, and he’s never done it before. If he has to get on that stand, Withers’ attorney will tear him apart.”

“I haven’t seen him, Cap. Maybe he’s on his way to the courthouse.”

Unfortunately, Hutch chose that moment to walk through the door. Starsky winced. Hutch wasn’t exactly staggering, but he wasn’t too steady, either. Starsky could almost see the Captain boil over.

“Hutchinson, where the Hell have you been? Marsten’s waiting for you at the courthouse. You’re supposed to testify at Withers’ hearing. It started ten minutes ago!”

Hutch blinked. “That was today? I thought it was tomorrow. I’ll get right down there.”

“Oh, no you won’t. I want to see you in my office, now. I’ll send Denton over there to help Marsten with his testimony. Well, you heard me. Go on!”

Starsky opened his mouth to speak, but Hutch walked past him without acknowledging his presence. Starsky slumped forward, his head in his hands. He sat, unmoving, as voices rose and fell in Dobey’s office. He could hear the disappointment, as well as anger in his captain’s voice. Hutch’s voice was sharp, almost insubordinate. Minutes later, he stalked out of the office. Predictably, Dobey followed him. He stood watching as Hutch left the squad room, then he turned to Starsky.

“Starsky, I’d like a word with you.”

“Sure, Cap.”

Dobey waited until Starsky was seated then exploded. “What the Hell’s gotten into him? This is the third time this week that he’s been late, and if he slept at all last night, it wasn’t for long. What’s going on, Starsky?”

“I wish I knew, Cap. I haven’t seen that much of him lately. It’s almost as if he’s avoiding me. I’ve tried talking to him, but he cuts me off. It’s like I don’t know him anymore.”

“Well, if he keeps this up, he can kiss his career good-bye. I’ve made as many allowances as I can. I can’t keep Internal Affairs at bay indefinitely. If word gets around that he’s drinking on the job, that’s it. He’ll be off the force, and there won’t be a damn thing I can do about it.”

“You don’t think he’s sunk that far, do you?”

“I don’t know. I hope not. You’re his partner, Starsky. You know him better than anyone else. Talk to him. See if you can find out what’s bothering him. Maybe you can turn this around before it’s too late.”

“I’ll see what I can do, Cap. I can’t promise anything, because I can’t guarantee he’ll even talk to me. I’ll sit on him, if that’s what it takes. I’ll let you know if I do any good.”

Starsky got up to leave, but the Captain called him back. “Starsky, when you do see him, give him a message for me.”

“What?”

“Tell him to get his act together, or turn in his resignation. That’s better than getting kicked off the force.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that, Cap.”

Starsky drove to Hutch’s apartment, thinking furiously. He didn’t know what Hutch’s problem was, but by God, he wasn’t leaving his apartment until he found out. He parked behind Hutch’s car and went upstairs. After knocking twice, he took Hutch’s spare key and opened the door himself.

“Hutch? Hutch, are you in here? It’s me, Starsky.”

He looked around the apartment, and checked the bathroom. Hutch was gone, even though his car was still downstairs.

“OK, if that’s the way you want it,” he said aloud, “I’ll wait. You have to come home sooner or later.”

He wandered around the apartment, lost in thought. A flash of light from the kitchen table caught his attention. He stood in the middle of the room and slowly looked around. He could see liquor bottles every where he looked. Until recently, Hutch was a social drinker. He might drink a beer after work, but that was all. Apparently, that had changed. Making up his mind,

Starsky collected every bottle he could find and emptied its contents into the sink. He searched the apartment from one end to the other. He saved the bedroom for last. He opened the drawers, looked under the bed, and even under the covers. He opened the drawer of the nightstand, and froze. Reaching down, he picked up the small bag of white powder. His knees turned to water, and he sank down on the bed.

“My God, Hutch, what’s going on with you? This can’t be what I think it is.”

He tasted a bit of the powder. It was heroin, all right. He still couldn’t believe it. Since Ben Forrest had addicted Hutch against his will, Hutch had avoided the stuff like it was poison. In his worst nightmares, Starsky couldn’t imagine Hutch putting that stuff in his veins voluntarily. Suddenly, this wasn’t only about saving his partner’s career; it was about saving his life. Starsky settled down on the couch to wait.

Hours later, he heard the sound of a key being turned, and sat up. Hutch was moving slowly, with the deliberate motions of someone who was seriously drunk. Without turning on the lights, he made it to his bed and fell into it. Knowing that it would be impossible to reason with Hutch in that condition, Starsky decided to let him sleep.

Starsky dozed fitfully the rest of the night. Finally, he heard movement from the bedroom. He sat up as Hutch went into the kitchen. He kept silent until Hutch noticed him.

Hutch froze, with the coffeepot in his hand. Then, he turned away, filling the pot with water.

“When did you come in? I didn’t hear you knock.”

“That’s because I’ve been here all night, waiting for you.”

“Really. You must be bored, if you have nothing better to do than sit in my apartment. Is there something you wanted?”

“Yeah. Dobey sent me, with a message for you.”

“Funny, I thought he covered everything yesterday. What’s the message?”

“Get your act together, or resign. He wasn’t kidding, Hutch.”

“Oh, well.”

“Can the act, will you? You can’t make me believe that your career means nothing to you. What the Hell’s the matter with you?”

The two men were standing face to face, only inches apart. For a minute, it looked like Hutch was going to open up, but then he shrugged.

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

“That’s garbage, Hutch, and you know it. You’re drinking like a fish, smoking, and staying out all night long. What are you trying to do, kill yourself? You don’t have enough people doing that for you, so you decide to do it yourself?”

Hutch dropped his eyes, and turned away. With shaking hands, he poured himself a cup of coffee. When he didn’t offer Starsky a cup, Starsky helped himself. He watched Hutch, silent. Hutch paced around the tiny kitchen. Then, with a shake of his head, he laughed.

“What are you doing here? Haven’t you got the message yet? You’re backing the wrong man, partner. I’ve screwed up everything good in my life, so why should my career be any different?”

“You’re talking in circles, Hutch. I don’t understand. What have you screwed up?”

Hutch ran his fingers through his hair, and massaged his neck.

“Oh, God. Starsky, I’m tired, and I feel like Hell. I don’t want to go over this with you.”

Starsky moved toward him until they were nose to nose. He spoke very slowly.

“You don’t have a choice. I’m not leaving here until you tell me what is happening to you. If I have to stay here all day long, you’re going to talk to me. You can forget about the booze, too. I poured it all out. I want you to stay sober.”

“You did what? You son-of-a-bitch, you had no right!”

“Ten years gives me the right. Now you listen to me. I’m not going to let you throw your life down the drain. So you might as well sit down, and start talking, ‘cause I ain’t going anywhere.”

“Why are you making such a big deal out of this? So I’m drinking. The last time I looked, I was over twenty-one.”

“It isn’t only the drinking, Hutch, and you know it. You’re coming in late for duty, you’re always hung over, and your attitude is the pits. You can’t work twelve hours a day, and party all night. It’s got to catch up with you sometime.”

“Starsky, I don’t have a problem. I can handle it.”

“Can you? What about everything else? You’re smoking, for God’s sake. Do you remember how you stayed on me, when we were in the academy, until I gave it up? What happened to the man who took care of himself? Where did he go?”

“What business is it of yours? Who the Hell are you, my mother? I’m not doing anything illegal!”

Starsky reached into his pocket. “Oh, yeah? Then, what’s this?”

“What’s it look like?”

Starsky grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. “This isn’t a game, Hutch! Where’d you get the stuff?”

Hutch shrugged underneath Starsky’s hands. “I’m not using again, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Using again? When are you going to let that go? You were forced to take that stuff. It wasn’t your fault. Now, where did you get this?”

Hutch shrugged again as Starsky stepped back. “I found it. It was in my jacket pocket. I know that sounds lame, but it’s the truth. When Marsten and I busted Withers, we found a suitcase full of the stuff in the trunk of his car. That must have fallen in my jacket when I lifted the suitcase. I found it a few days ago.”

“OK, so why didn’t you turn it in to Property?”

“I didn’t feel like explaining why I waited over a week to do that.”

“Why didn’t you just flush it, then?”

“I couldn’t. I can’t explain why.”

“Try. Are you keeping it around to torture yourself? I don’t get you, Hutch. What are you doing to yourself? Why are you suddenly so determined to self-destruct?”

Hutch slumped onto the bed, his head in his hands. “Oh, God, my head hurts.” He looked up at Starsky. “I can’t do this right now, Starsk. Please don’t make me.”

Starsky looked down at the pale, shaking man, and relented. “All right, we’ll let it go for now. I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. You're going to take a shower, and get cleaned up while I go get us some food. You’ve been on a liquid diet long enough. When you feel better, we’ll talk some more. Get this through your head, Hutch. We’re going to get through this.

I’m going to find out what’s going on, and you might as well accept that. Now, go on, hit the shower. I’ll be back in a while.”

The shower and food improved Hutch physically, but he still alternated between being subdued and hostile. Starsky held his temper, even when Hutch deliberately baited him. He wanted answers, and knew that fighting wasn’t the way to get them. Finally, Hutch settled down enough to talk rationally. They sat down on the couch and talked.

“I’m trying to understand, buddy. Was it me? Was it the time you spent in the hospital, taking care of me? I know it had to be a strain on you. Then you practically lived with me until I was back on my feet. Was it too much?”

“No, Starsk, that had nothing to do with anything. Don’t you understand? It was me, not you. No one forced me to stay with you, in the hospital or out. I did it because I wanted to. I did it because you are the one person in my life who never left me when I screwed up.”

“Why should I leave you?”

“Everyone else does, so why shouldn’t you?”

“Who, Hutch? Who are you talking about?”

“Everybody! Don’t you understand, Starsk? It’s this damned job! Every time someone comes into my life and I start to care about them, this damned job screws it up! Either they leave me, because I’m a cop, or they die because I’m a cop. It started with my parents. Do you remember how my dad reacted when I told him I wanted to be a cop? He hit the roof. He said that I was throwing my life away. Being a cop wasn’t good enough for his son. I think mom got over it, eventually, but it still changed things between us. I just didn’t measure up to them after that. Let’s face it. I never did.”

He grabbed another glass of water from the refrigerator, and lit a cigarette. Starsky started to object then thought better of it. One thing at a time, he decided.

“Your dad was too busy living your life for you to let you make your own decisions. You can’t spend your life trying to live up to their expectations, Hutch.”

Hutch laughed. “Talk about expectations. Vanessa sure had some big ones. God, she was beautiful. She was everything any man could want: intelligent, classy, and rich. She wanted to inherit the Hutchinson Empire. She loved the farm, and all the horses, as long as she could admire them from afar. The thing she wanted most was the status. My mother knew all the right people, the social elite. Vanessa ate it up. When I decided to go into medicine, instead of taking over the family farm, she was elated. She had visions of me running my own hospital, someday. When I told her I wanted to be a cop, I thought she was going to faint. She had no intention of being a cop’s wife. There was no future in that. You weren’t mentioned in the Fortune 500 if you were a cop’s wife. She really let me know how bad I screwed up on that one.”

“Vanessa was a social climber, Hutch. She got herself killed, because she was greedy. You had nothing to do with that.”

“Maybe, I don’t know. Then, there was Jeannie. Boy, I really screwed up on that one. She depended on me, to keep her away from Forrest, and look what I did. I told him exactly where she was.”

“Ben Forrest was an animal. He beat you and shot you up with heroin. You could have died, Hutch. Do you understand that? You didn’t screw up. You were a victim, more than Jeannie ever was.”

“What about Gillian? She died, Starsky. I was so crazy in love that I missed all the signs. If I was paying attention, instead of acting like a teenager with my first crush, maybe I could have saved her. Once again, I screwed up, and she died.”

“Gillian chose her own life. She was working for Grossman long before you met her. You’re not responsible for everyone’s life, Hutch, just your own.”

“What about your life, Starsky? Aren’t I responsible for your life? Look how many times I’ve screwed that up, and you still keep coming back!”

“Why shouldn’t I? Why are you so Hell-bent on pushing me away?”

“It’s the only way I can think of to keep you alive!”

“What? What does me staying alive have to do with any of this?”

Hutch sat back on the couch as the anger left him again.

“More and more, I’ve been feeling like we were on the edge. We’ve pushed the odds for so long, Starsk. I started feeling like the next time, maybe we wouldn’t beat them. The only way I could think of to keep you safe was to push you away.”

Starsky’s eyes widened as he realized something for the first time.

“You’re talking about Kira, aren’t you? Why, Hutch?”

“Don’t you know, Starsk? Do you actually think I believed all that crap about Kira loving us both in different ways? I knew she was a slut, and I knew that you were in love with her. I figured that if we broke up, maybe it would change things, and you’d at least stay alive. I knew it would hurt you, and it would hurt not having you in my life, but at least you’d be safe. Then, I wouldn’t have to worry about screwing up, and getting you killed.”

“Hutch, we worked all that out. I found out what Kira was, and decided she wasn’t worth our friendship.”

“I know, and after that I couldn’t stand hurting you anymore. So, there you were again, and then it happened.”

“What happened?”

“I screwed up, Starsky, worse than I ever dreamed I could! My worst nightmare almost came true. James Gunther happened.”

“Hutch, you weren’t responsible for me getting shot.”

“Wasn’t I? I wasn’t watching your back, Starsky! I saw what happened to Lionel and to Adams and even to McClellan. I knew how dangerous these people were, even if we didn’t know who they were. There we were, walking out in the open, and what was I doing? I was talking about bullshit like steak dinners and pizza. I wasn’t paying attention, again, until it was too late. I saw those men coming straight for you, and I couldn’t get over that damned car fast enough. You died, Starsky! I screwed up and you died!”

He clasped his hands together tightly, to stop them from shaking, and closed his eyes.

“I watched you die, Starsk.” He opened his eyes and looked at his partner. “I can’t go through that again. I can’t watch you die again.”

Starsky sat beside Hutch and put his arm on Hutch’s shoulder. “I know, Hutch. You won’t have to. I promise.”

Chapter 2

Two days later, they were still talking. For the first time in what seemed like months, the old relationship was coming back. Starsky talked about his own demons, baggage that he’d carried around for years. The two men realized they shared the same feelings, though they hadn’t voiced them. Too often, people that they’d loved had died because of their jobs.

Starsky was sitting across the table from Hutch, as they talked over dinner.

“You know, when I met Terry, I thought I had everything I ever wanted. She didn’t mind the job, or the long hours, or the danger. She accepted it because it was a part of me, of who I am. She even accepted our partnership. She knew that we were close, closer than some married couples are, and she wasn’t threatened by it. I thought we were going to be together forever. When Prudholm shot her, he did exactly what he set out to do: he killed part of me. I started feeling like I was cursed; that every woman I cared about would be hurt. Maybe that was why I fell so hard for Kira. She was a cop, too, so I thought she could handle the danger. I knew what she was like, Hutch. I heard all the rumors. I knew everyone was snickering behind my back, but I was so desperate to find someone to share my life with that I didn’t care what they said. I don’t want to go through the rest of my life alone, and I’m tired of this damned badge making me feel like a pariah!”

Hutch smiled a small smile. “Well, at least you picked someone like Terry to love. She was real, Starsk. She loved you unconditionally. If Prudholm hadn’t shot her, she’d still be with you today. That’s a whole lot better than my track record. Vanessa was a parasite, Jeannie was Forrest’s ex-girlfriend, and Gillian was a hooker. It’s almost like I wanted to fail. I wasn’t happy with someone unless they came out of the gutter. It’s a pattern I can’t seem to change.”

Starsky’s eyes twinkled. “You might try running a check on a girl before you get involved with her.”

“Gee, thanks partner, I’ll keep that in mind.”

They started cleaning up the kitchen, talking as they cleared the table. Starsky chuckled.

“This reminds me of our Academy days. Do you remember how idealistic we were? We thought we were going to take on the whole underworld, all by ourselves. I can’t believe how naive we were. Do you think we’ve done any good?”

“Oh, I think so. We took some nasty people off the street, Starsk. I don’t have a problem with the job; it’s the cost that I can’t handle. Lately, it seems way too high.”

“Yeah, I know. Too many innocent people have gotten hurt, all in the name of justice. I don’t know if it’s worth it.”

“You know what I keep thinking, Starsk? We’re not fighting the bad guys anymore; we’re just trying to keep them from running over us. When did we lose control?”

“I don’t know, Hutch, but I feel the same way. The question is, what do we do about it?”

“I wish I knew. All I do know is I’m tired, Starsky. So tired that I don’t even know what I want anymore. I used to know, but that’s all changed.”

Both men were quiet most of the evening. Then Starsky came out of the kitchen, and held a can of beer in front of Hutch.

“Think you can handle one of these?”

Hutch took it. “Yeah, I think so. I won’t crawl in a bottle anymore, Starsk.”

“Are you sure about that? I wouldn’t want to contribute to the delinquency of someone over twenty-one.”

Hutch laughed. “That wasn’t one of my best comebacks, was it? Do me a favor, will you? Don’t put that one in your diary for posterity.”

“OK. After all, you’re supposed to be the brains of this duo.”

Hutch grew serious. “I never really meant that. You know that, don’t you? I never meant to cut you down. You’re one of the smartest men I’ve ever known. It was just something to say, whenever I felt inadequate.”

“I know that, Hutch. It never bothered me. I thought you were one of the smartest men I’d ever met. That’s what made us so good together. We made up for each other’s failings. We still do.”

“So, what do we do now?”

Starsky looked over at Hutch. “We’re off the streets, Hutch, as of now.”

Hutch’s eyes widened. “Do you mean that, Starsky? Are you sure?”

“I had a lot of time to think while I was in the hospital. It seemed like that old grim reaper was getting too close, and I realized I wasn’t ready to go. There’s no shame in wanting to make a change, partner. We’ve done a lot of good on the streets, but now I think it’s time we do something else.”

“Do you want to leave the force?”

“No, I don’t think so. I thought about leaving, but I couldn’t decide what to do. Then I thought about being PI’s, but that’s worse than being on the streets. We wouldn’t have the force backing us anymore. There’s other work we can do, Hutch, without leaving the police force completely.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Well, that’s the question, isn’t it? I honestly don’t know, but I know someone that might help us.”

Hutch thought for a moment. “You mean Dobey?”

“Yes. He was on the streets for a long time, Hutch. He lost some good partners before he gave up his beat. Maybe he would have some ideas.”

“Then let’s ask him.”

The next morning, they were sitting in Dobey’s office. He listened to what they said, then gazed closely at them. It was a full five minutes before he spoke.

“Well, it looks like you two are back on track. You certainly look better than you did a few days ago. OK, let’s talk about this.” He got up and came around to their side of his desk, leaning back against it.

“You’re right, Starsky. There’s no shame in knowing when it’s time for a change. It doesn’t mean you’re getting old, or that you’re losing your edge. It simply means you’re wise enough to recognize the need to do something else.”

He walked over and shut the other door to his office. Then he came back to his old position.

“As a matter of fact, I think I have an answer for you. I had a meeting with the Commissioner yesterday afternoon. Police work is heading in different directions now. There’s a need for specialization. Already, we enlist the aid of profilers in cases of serial killers. Organized crime is becoming more sophisticated. It’s getting harder and harder to track people like James Gunther. When we have criminals like James Gunther threatening our citizens, we need to get them off the streets as quickly as possible. The Commissioner has asked me to head a special task force that will deal with scum like Gunther. Instead of the typical investigations by our divisions, the Commissioner himself will assign these cases to us. The President has designated this city as the site for a pilot program. If this task force proves to be effective, then other states will implement the same program. In other words, every police force in the country will be watching us to see how well we do.”

Starsky cleared his throat. “We?”

“That’s right. The Commissioner gave me the power to transfer any officer that I want to the task force. My first choice was you two, even before you came to me today. If you’re ready for a change, that just makes it easier. What do you say?”

The two detectives looked at each other. Starsky spoke softly to his partner.

“This would give us the chance to go after the big ones, the real snakes. We’ve been chopping off arms and legs for years; maybe now it’s time to go after a few heads.”

Hutch smiled. “Maybe it is, partner. OK, Cap, when do we start?”

“They’re preparing a suite of offices upstairs for us to use. It will take a few days to get it ready. Once the equipment is in place, we go to work.”

“Captain, are you saying it’s just going to be us three?”

“No. Once we get started, I can pull in as many officers as we need. I’ll be doing that a little at a time. We’ll also have all the resources that we need to do our jobs. That includes the FBI, State Police, and any other agencies that we need. We’ll work with all divisions, and we’ll have jurisdiction over any case we believe is relevant to our work.”

Hutch whistled softly. “It sounds like quite a job.”

“It is. Make no mistake, you two. This force wasn’t created impulsively. We’ll be going after some influential people and we’ll need the power to do so. We’ll answer only to the Commissioner. It’s not going to be easy, but you will be off the streets. I think you can handle this.”

“OK, Captain, we’re ready. We’ll see you in a few days.”

A week later, Starsky and Hutch took a final look around the squad room.

“You know, Hutch, it’s going to feel weird not coming in here. This has been our desk for so long, it’s going to be hard to break the habit.”

“I know. I’ll probably catch myself coming in here for a month. Oh, well, let’s go see our new home.”

They walked up the extra flight of stairs to their new offices. The smell of fresh paint was every where. They looked around at the workers moving back and forth, carrying equipment. They dodged them as they walked down the hall, peeking in each room. Starsky jumped back to avoid a collision with the harried person that was coming out of a room.

Starsky was delighted to see a familiar face. “Minnie! What are you doing here?”

“Hi, guys. I happen to be your new executive secretary. Captain Dobey drafted me. Come on in, and I’ll show you what we’ve done so far.”

They followed her into the largest office. Several desks were already in place, each with a state-of-the-art computer sitting on it. The desks were spacious, with plenty of room to work.

“This will be our command center. Each computer is linked to all the databases that we’ll need. You’ll be able to access them from wherever you are. That way, you won’t have to run down to R&I every time you need a file on someone. Also, every case that is assigned to us will be kept on these computers. If one case ties into another, you’ll be able to access the file immediately. It’s going to save a lot of time and steps.”

Hutch eyed the computers with distrust. “That sounds good, Minnie, except for one thing. Who’s going to show us how to use these things?”

Minnie grinned. “I am. Tomorrow morning you’ll report here, to me. We’ll start a basic course in computer training, and take it from there. The computer can do most of the work; all you have to know is a few basic commands. Guys, it’s really not that hard. These computers aren’t going to bite you. It’s the wave of the future.”

Hutch grumbled to Starsky. “Well, I hope this is one wave that doesn’t drown us.”

Minnie's “basic course” kept them busy for three days. Though Starsky seemed to pick up the strange commands easily, Hutch wasn’t as confident. The thought of using an expensive piece of equipment on a daily basis made him nervous.

“Oh, come on, Hutch. It’s no different than riding in a patrol car or using a police radio. Those are expensive pieces of equipment, too.”

“That makes me feel much better, Starsky. May I remind you of how many cars we’ve totaled in the last ten years?”

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