Part One
Detective David Starsky pulled up to the two story apartment building and shut off the ignition. He was really looking forward to tonight. The past week had taken its toll on his nerves and all he wanted to do tonight was relax.
He had met Gayle a couple of weeks earlier and the two had hit it off instantly. Tonight would be their first official date. The two would meet Gayle’s friend, Tracy, and her date at the pizzeria. Tracy’s date was Starsky’s partner, Detective Ken Hutchinson. The two men, who were best friends as well as partners, frequently double-dated.
Starsky finally opened the car door and jogged up to the second story apartment. He only had time to knock once before the door was opened.
"Hi, you’re right on time." Gayle said as she motioned for Starsky to come inside. "Just let me grab my purse and a sweater and I’ll be ready." Gayle disappeared into a back room and reappeared a minute later holding her purse and a wool-knit sweater. Its cream color perfectly accented the tan in her skin. "How do I look?" she asked.
Starsky looked at her carefully. Gayle had chosen dark blue jeans and a soft green blouse. Her dangling earrings matched the color of her eyes as she looked at Starsky expectantly.
Starsky tilted his head to one side and then the other before whistling softly. "You’ll do just fine." he told her, pulling her into his arms for a quick embrace.
On the way down the stairs to Starsky’s red and white Torino, Gayle studied her partner. His blue eyes and dark curly hair gave him an air of youth and exuberance. His usual attire of sloppy blue jeans and T-shirt had been replaced by form-fitting black jeans, a red long sleeve shirt and a black vest. Instead of his blue sneakers, tonight he wore a pair of black boots edged in silver. Gayle couldn’t believe her luck in meeting up with a man like David Starsky.
Twenty minutes later, Starsky pulled into the parking lot of Blue’s Pizzeria and Pub. From inside the building, Gayle could hear lively music and laughing. The smells that filled the air bespoke of good things waiting inside.
"I see Hutch made it." Starsky commented as he nodded at the car he had parked beside. The ford LTD sedan had definitely seen better days. The paint was faded and scratched, all the hubcaps were missing, the upholstery was liberally sprinkled with stains and the back floor of the car hosted an array of used coffee cups and fast food containers.
Starsky just shook his head as he escorted Gayle to the door. Inside, the pub was a delightful blend of Old World Pub and modern restaurant. The walls were paneled with rich light oak and a huge fireplace with a salad and desert bar on either side, dominated one side wall. Instead of individual tables, four long tables with benches reached down the center of the room. The patrons were encouraged to interact and mingle. Several couples could be seen sitting next to the fire listening to the fiddle and guitar tunes coming out over the loudspeakers in the ceiling.
Starsky and Gayle finally located Hutch and Tracy seated in front of the stage on the rear wall. The two had managed to find seats at the end of one of the benches. Hutch stood up as Gayle and Starsky approached.
"You finally made it. We were beginning to think you’d changed your mind about going out." Hutch said warmly. His blue eyes sparkled as he said hello to Gayle. "I took the liberty of ordering beer for all of us." he continued as Starsky and Gayle took their seats.
The four talked over their various experiences at work that day as they studied the menu. The girls understood when Hutch and Starsky glossed over details. Gayle knew that the two detectives worked on many cases and had to be careful about disclosing confidential material.
After the waitress had taken their pizza order, all four went over to the salad bar to fill their salad plates. Tracy watched as Hutch filled his plate with fresh fruits and vegetables. Gayle had told her that he was a health food nut and she fully believed it. His lean form and easy grace were evident in the way he carried himself. The tan slacks and matching pullover sweater only emphasized his blond hair and blue eyes. She especially liked the way his whole body seemed to echo his laughter. She found herself wondering if all of his emotions were so evident.
Hutch glanced at her while she was watching him and smiled gently. He kissed her cheek before escorting her back to the table. He counted Tracy as easily being one of the most special women he had ever been out with. He liked her ready smile, and quick sense of humor. Her soft brown hair and her hazel eyes seemed to go on forever and he wondered if it were possible to get lost in them. He made a mental note to thank Starsky for arranging this date.
The foursome had barely begun to eat when . . .
Part Two
The foursome had barely begun to eat when a gunshot sounded from the parking lot outside. Instantly, the two officers were up and running. With a look at each other, Gayle and Tracy followed their dates to the door. Tracy covered her mouth in horror at what she saw.
Two men were facing each other in the middle of the parking lot. One, a big man with dark hair, held a large handgun trained on the second man. He was also holding a young woman with an arm around her throat. The gunman saw Starsky and Hutch run outside and shifted his gun to cover them.
"Back off! This ain’t none of your business." His voice was slurred from drinking. His hard, black eyes glinted coldly in the light from the street lamp near him. "This is between me and my pal over there. Ain’t it...Pal?" The way he said the word sent chills down Starsky’s spine.
Almost instinctively, Starsky and Hutch split up and started walking out to either side of the gunman, Hutch going right as Starsky made his way slowly to the left. They each kept one hand out and open while the other hand was close to their back. From her viewpoint at the door. Tracy could see Hutch lift the back of his shirt to expose the gun holster on his belt.
Hutch began speaking. "Why don’t you just lay down the gun and let the girl go? We can talk this out." Hutch came to a stop just a few yards from the man.
"Talk?! Yea right. I know all about talking Like when your woman says she loves ya then goes out with your best friend!" He pointed the gun at his friend once more. "Right Bobby?" he bent down slightly to speak directly into the woman’s ear.
The girl in his arms struggled to get away from the stranglehold. "It was just for a drink Ned. Nothing happened. You’re drunk." Her voice shook with fright as she pulled at Ned’s arm uselessly.
Ned used his gun hand to push her blond hair away from his own mouth. "And after that? You and James here just going to go home?" he scoffed. He sneered at James. "I know just how to handle poachers like you." he lowered the gun to point at James’ vital areas.
"You don’t wanna do that." Hutch said sharply. His gun had appeared almost magically. On the other side, Starsky was just as quick at pulling out his own gun. "We’re police officers. Now put down the gun!" Hutch instructed firmly. His eyes narrowed as his partner quietly worked his way closer in.
"Listen to them Ned!" James spoke for the first time. Sweat rolled down his face, plastering his dark hair to his head. He started to say something but was interrupted by the approaching whine of a police siren.
Ned raised his head and struck a listening pose. "Well, well, well, the boys in blue. Looks like they’re just in time to pick up the pieces." He steadied his aim and slowly tightened his finger on the trigger.
"STOP!" Hutch yelled, firing a warning shot into the air at the same time.
"What the hell!?" Ned jerked around to find the source of the shot as several things happened at once. Bobby took advantage of his lapse in concentration to slip out from under his arm while Starsky dropped his gun to the ground and tackled Ned. The two began struggling for possession of the gun. James grabbed Bobby and pulled her to safety as Hutch holstered his gun, then jumped into the fray to help his impetuous partner. Between the two of them, they managed to get the larger man on the ground and pin him down. Hutch stepped on the hand that was holding the gun as Starsky straddled his back. The tableau held for a few tense moments until two uniformed officers came up and handcuffed the prisoner.
"We’ll be down later to fill out the report." Hutch told them as Starsky retrieved his gun. The officers nodded their thanks and drove off with Ned in the back seat of their car.
Now that the excitement was over, Gayle and Tracy threw themselves onto their dates.
"I was so scared." Tracy muttered to Hutch as she clung to him. He stroked her brown hair as he held her tight. Tracy could feel the tension leaving his body as she pressed up against him. She buried her head in his shoulder as they walked over to Gayle and Starsky.
Starsky was holding Gayle so tightly that her feet swung clear of the ground. When he finally put her down, she grasped his face in both hands brought his face down level to hers. She kissed him, holding him tightly almost as though she could drain away the fear she felt. Tears glistened in her eyes when she finally released him.
All of them turned as James and Bobby walked up to them. James offered his hand first to Hutch then to Starsky as he tried to convey his thanks.
"I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been here. We owe you our lives." Bobby said quietly. "Thank you." She lightly kissed each detective on the cheek and then led James into the pub.
Starsky looked at the rest of his group and grinned widely. "Who’s up for pepperoni and mushroom pizza?" A chorus of laughter answered him as the four friends re-entered the pub.
The End