Chapter 5

 

“Starsky!  Hutch!”  Hawkins stuck his head in the squadroom.  “We just got a call that Vice picked up some guy last night by the name of Benny Kline, and he had a couple of bracelets belonging to one of the assault victims on him.”

 

Starsky and Hutch instantly shot out of their chairs and headed to the door.  Starsky, holding the door open for his partner to exit first, commented hopefully,  “It’s about time we had a break.”

 

“Well, don’t be too happy.  His lawyer sprung ’im about an hour ago and we’ve got to go find him.”

 

Hawkins handed Hutch a piece of paper as they ran down the stairs to the police garage.  “Here’s the address for his business—a small repair shop on Main, about four blocks from Mrs. Williams’ home.  You head there, and Stevens and I will try his house.”

 

Pulling up in front of the repair shop, the two detectives immediately noted the closed sign hanging on the door.  Exiting the car, Starsky looked up and, reading the sign on the store front, commented, “Original, ain’t he?”

 

“Yeah, welcome to ‘Benny’s Fix It Shop’,” said Hutch dryly.  Trying the knob and finding it locked, Hutch asked, “What do you want to do now?  Think Stevens and Hawkins found him at home?”

 

Starsky, peering through the windowpane, searched the inside.  “Doesn’t look like Benny’s here.  Maybe Stevens and Hawkins are having better luck.”  He straightened up and started to back away from the building, when a movement inside caught his eye.  Returning instantly, he first peered through the window and then the door. 

 

“What is it, Starsk?”

 

“Doors don’t move by themselves.”  Starsky stood up and glanced down the street.  Spying an alley, two storefronts down, he signaled Hutch and started moving down the sidewalk.  Hutch, nodding in silent agreement, reached into his holster.  He started counting, allowing Starsky enough time to make it down the alley and around back.  Gun poised and ready, Hutch yelled, “Benny!  Police!”

 

Receiving no response, Hutch kicked in the door and rushed between the counters toward the back room.  Hearing a door slam in the back, he headed to the back door and out into the back alley.  Arriving just in time to see Starsky tackling a man halfway down the alley, he rushed to his partner’s side.  Seeing that Starsky had the man successfully subdued, Hutch cuffed him.  Glancing at his partner, he asked, “You okay?”

 

Breathing heavily, Starsky nodded as he brushed the dirt off his jeans and jacket. 

 

Yanking the man to his feet, Hutch noted, “You must be Benny.”

 

At his nod, Hutch asked, “Why were you running from us?”

 

“I thought you were my wife.”

 

“Your wife?”  Starsky stared at the small, balding man in front of him.

 

“Yeah, she’s gonna kill me when she finds out I got picked up with a prostitute last night.  I wasn’t expecting any cops; my lawyer bailed me out a couple hours ago.  Whatcha after me for?”

 

“We just wanna talk to you, Benny,” said Starsky, as he led Benny back through the store and toward the Torino parked in front.  “We wanna know what you know about some bracelets.”

 

“Bracelets?”  Benny looked confused, then breathing a sigh of relief continued,  “Oh, yeah, the bracelets…”

 

“Yeah, the bracelets,” Hutch prodded.

 

“I bought them yesterday at the pawn shop.  Wanted to bring the wife a little present.  You fellows understand…”

 

Hutch looked across at Starsky.  “You got proof?”

 

“Sure, sure.  In my pants pocket.”

 

Starsky, reaching into Benny’s pockets came up with an open pack of Juicyfruit gum, keys, and a wallet.  “Benny, you’re lyin’ to us.  I don’t find any tickets.”

 

“Not there.  My pair from yesterday.”

 

“Well, why didn’t you say that?”  Exasperated, Starsky grabbed Benny’s elbow.  “Come on, let’s go.”

 

“But, Officers...I’ll prove it to you.  I just can’t get to them right now.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“My wife took ’em to the cleaners this morning.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Starsky opened the back door of the Torino and, pushing Benny’s head down, helped him into the back seat.  “Well, we’ll just take you down to the station and have your wife go get your pants and bring them to us.”

 

As Starsky walked around and opened the driver’s side door, Hutch leaned down and asked, “By the way, Benny, do you know a Rose Williams?”

 

“Sure, she brought me in a toaster to fix a couple of days ago.”

 

Hutch flashed Starsky a knowing look across the roof of the Torino before sliding into the passenger’s seat.

 

š      ›

 

Three hours later, Starsky and Hutch watched Benny walk out the door with his wife.  LeeAnn stood a head taller than her husband and was twice as wide.  They walked out hand in hand with Benny’s pants draped over her left arm.

 

“Better luck next time,” Captain Dobey, carrying a lunch tray in his hand, said as he passed Starsky and Hutch staring at the pair as they walked down the hallway.

 

Following Dobey into his office, Hutch said, “I don’t know Cap’n.  Benny looked like a possible suspect.  He had the bracelets and he knew Rose Williams.”

 

“Yeah…he might live in Mrs. Williams’ neighborhood, but he came up with proof from the pawn shop. We’ve got nothin’ to keep him here.”  Dobey set his tray on his desk and walked over to the water cooler.

 

“Looks like his wife forgave him for the arrest last night,” Starsky observed, grabbing a french fry and sticking it in his mouth.

 

“Leave my food alone, Starsky!  Go buy your own lunch.”  Dobey sat down in his chair and reached for his burger.  “This ‘gentleman’ didn’t pan out, maybe the next lead will.  Now get out of here.”

 

“Thanks, Cap’n.”  Starsky leaned over and grabbed another fry before heading for the door.   “But they could use a little ketchup.”

 

š      ›

 

Later that evening, Hutch pulled up at Starsky’s apartment.  Pulling the grocery bag out of the back seat, he walked up the stairs.  Knocking lightly on the door, but receiving no answer, Hutch shifted the bag and, finding the door unlocked, walked in.  He could hear Starsky’s voice, but it wasn’t directed at him.

 

“Yeah, Ma.  I gotta go.  Hutch is here with the steaks.  You sure you’re okay?”  Motioning for his partner to enter, Starsky stood near the wall, ready to hang up the receiver.  “Yeah, Ma, I know.  I’ll take care of myself.  You do the same.”

 

“Bye, Ma.  Call you on Friday like usual.”

 

“Yeah, we’ll talk more then.”

 

“Yes, I’ll be sure to give Hutch your love.”

 

“Love you, too.”

 

Watching Starsky hang up the phone, Hutch set the grocery bag on the table and pulled out two steaks.  “It’s only Thursday.  How come you’re talking to your mom now?”

 

Starsky shrugged, a little embarrassed.  “I don’t know.  I just wanted to make sure she was okay.”

 

“And is she?”

 

“Sure.  She was a little surprised I called, and she thought there was something wrong with me…or with you.  But I told her everything was okay.”

 

Hutch watched his partner as he walked over to the refrigerator to put the milk away.  Starsky still never ceased to amaze him.  With all the hurt and pain he’d experienced—his dad’s death, Terry’s death, Bellamy’s poisoning, Marcus’ goons—Starsky always managed to bounce back.  And, still, he was always more concerned about his family and friends than himself.  Even though his mom lived in New York, the fact that they hadn’t caught the assailant ate away at Starsky, and he had to reassure himself that everything was okay.

 

“C’mon, Starsk.  Did you get that grill started yet?”

 

“Nah, I was just waiting for you to get here.”  Starsky grinned.

 

Grinning back, Hutch grabbed the kitchen towel from the counter and started rolling it up.  Snapping it several times threateningly, he started after his partner.  “Well, you better get it going buddy, I’m starving.”