Reunion Part III

Goodbyes

by Otterlady (07/20/2000)

A couple of weeks after the confrontation in the park, Zach surprised the partners by showing up at the precinct.

"Hi guys." Zach pulled up a chair and settled down beside Starsky's desk.

"Hey, Zach. What'cha doing here?" Starsky looked up in surprise from the report he was reading. Hutch closed the file drawer he'd been riffling through and came over to the desks. Perching on the edge of Starsky's desk, he smiled at Zach. After his and Starsky's little talk about friendship, he'd found it easier to be around Zach. He still felt little sparks of jealousy at times but he was better able to talk himself out of them.

"You guys still trying to find that heroin connection?" Zach skipped the preliminaries and came straight to the point.

The partners exchanged glances and Hutch nodded. "Yeah. Unfortunately, all of our leads have dried up. Why?"

Zach looked uncomfortable and shifted a bit in his chair. "Well...I'm not sure if this means anything and I'm probably way off base, but I saw something the other night that I figured you might want to check into."

"Is this a formal statement, Zach?" Starsky questioned.

"Yeah, I guess so. It's got me pretty worried and I'd really like you guys to check it out. I'd rather be wrong and have you investigate for nothing than be right and have them get away."

"Okay." Starsky got out a legal sized notepad and prepared to write down Zach's statement. "Shoot."

"Monday night I was at the airfield. I sometimes sleep in the plane if I have a really early flight." Starsky nodded. Zach had told him that before. "I'd been over at the office catching up on some paperwork and was just going back to the hanger when I noticed this plane coming in. Now, the airfield usually doesn’t have night flights. You have to make arrangements in advance with the field manager if you need to take off after dark so that someone can be there to turn the strip lights on and off. What really made me pay attention was that the lights were off. Now you can land on the strip at night without the landing lights on if you have to. There's enough other light around to see it if the weather is really good. But it's damn dangerous and you'd have to be either in dire straits or really dumb to try it. I was all ready to run out to pick up the pieces when I noticed what looked like two flashlights at the end of the strip."

Zach stopped to accept the cup of coffee that Hutch had gotten up to get him. White, extra sweet. Just like a certain curly-haired partner liked his.

"Thanks, Hutch. I hung back; figuring that something hinky was going on, and watched. There were no lights on around my hanger so I felt pretty safe that they couldn't see me. Anyway, the plane landed okay and taxied to this hanger across the field from mine. A car comes out from behind that row of hangers and these two guys get out. They open up the hanger and the plane just goes right in. The guys from the car go in behind it and close the doors. Now usually you don't close the doors until after the plane is off for a few minutes. Gas fumes, you know. So, by this time I'm really curious and decide I need to find out what's going on. I sort of skulked across the field to the hanger."

"Zach. That wasn't very smart." Starsky admonished his friend.

"Looking back, I see that now. But you know I'm not too bright sometimes." Zach flashed his best self-effacing smile. Starsky grinned back at him and Zach continued.

"Anyway, I had to dive for cover when the first two guys and another one, who I'm guessing was the pilot, came out of the hanger. I watched as they loaded a couple of big dufflebags into the trunk of the car. They locked up the hanger and left." Zach took a sip of his coffee.

Hutch had moved to sit at his desk and had been making his own notes. "Do you know who's renting the hanger?"

"I had to leave before the field office opened so I didn't get a chance to ask. And I was back too early today for the manager to be around. I had a delivery that I had to make before eight, so I came straight over here afterwards. I would have come and told you guys earlier, but I've been up in Seattle for the last few days and didn't think this was something I should talk about on the phone."

Hutch and Starsky both sat back in their chairs and looked at each other. "What do you think, partner?" Hutch asked.

"I think it's worth looking into. Like Zach said, if he's wrong it's better we checked it out than not if he's right. But we'd have to be kinda subtle about it. Don't want to spook them."

Zach looked back and forth between the pair of detectives. "I've got an idea, if you want to hear it."

Hutch smiled at the earnest look on Zach's face. "Sure. What?"

"Rory," Rory was one of Zach's partners, "brought the Cessna down while I was up in Seattle. I'm going to be flying him back when I go up on my regular run tomorrow. How'd you guys like to come and check it out?" His grin wouldn't have fooled anyone.

Hutch glanced over at his partner and raised an eyebrow. "How do you feel like taking a little drive in the fresh air, partner?"

"Sounds good to me as long as we stay on the ground." Both Hutch and Zach laughed at Starsky's woebegone expression that quickly turned into a laugh of his own.

******

The partners followed Zach out to the airfield about an hour after he left the precinct. Arriving in Hutch's car, they parked beside Zach's jeep and went into the Three Eagles Air office. Mindy, the office manager, greeted the pair with a smile. "Hi fellows. Zach said to let you know he was at the hanger if you showed up." Starsky grinned at her. Mindy was young and pretty. But, she was also deeply in love with her mechanic husband. She wasn't above flirting with her boss' friends when the chance rose though.

"Thanks, Sweetheart." Starsky affected his best Bogart voice. "We'll see you later."

"Not if I see you first, Dave." Mindy laughed as she reached for the ringing telephone. Winking at Hutch, she wiggled her fingers at the two as they left the office.

The company's hanger wasn’t far from the office and the partners soon found Zach and his partner, Rory, poking around in the Cessna's engine.

"Hey guys. Rory, these are the two friends of mine I was telling you about. Dave Starsky and Ken Hutchinson, this is one of my partners, Rory O'Neill." Rory nodded at the pair and held up his hands to show that they were too greasy to shake. About the same age as Zach, Rory was tall and skinny with dirty blond hair.

"Pleased to meet ya. Zach's always talking about his buddies Starsky and Hutch. It's good to put faces with the names. He told me a bit about what you're here to check into." Rory pulled a well-used cloth from the back pocket of his dirty overalls and started to wipe his hands. "What's the plan?"

"Mostly that you two stay out of the way. We'll take a look around that hanger and see if we see anything. We have to have more grounds for a warrant than just what Zach saw the other night. Did you get a chance to talk to the field manager?" Hutch asked Zach.

"Yeah. I pretended that we might need another hanger to store a plane for a few days and asked if that one across the way was available. He told me that some guy named Torenz has a six-month lease on it and as far as he knew, had a plane in there. One he didn't take out much. They must be taking off and landing at night when no one's around."

The four men walked towards the hanger entrance. Starsky turned to Zach. "Don't point. Which is the one?" They all stood looking at the field, pretending interest in a plane taking off at the moment.

"The one with the green doors straight across. I haven't seen any activity around there since I got back and Rory says he hasn't seen anything either. Of course, he wasn't really paying attention until I got back, so I don't know if anyone's over there or not." Zach's eyes followed the ascending plane.

"You want to go for a little walk, partner?" Starsky asked Hutch.

******

The partners walked down the row of hangers on the same side as Zach's, stopping to look at any open hangers and speaking to the pilots as if they were just out for a stroll. At the end of the row they crossed the strip and headed back up the other side. Paused and looked through the windows of a couple of hangers. No one paid them much attention. Starsky had been at the field often enough since Zach first opened his office that many of the pilots and mechanics were used to seeing him around. Zach had never introduced him as a cop, just as his friend, so no one was suspicious of the two of them walking around.

Stopping at the hanger next to the suspect one, Starsky struck up a conversation with the mechanic working on a small two-passenger plane. Hutch was a bit amazed at how knowledgeable his partner had become as Starsky discussed fuel capacities, flying range, and other such things with the mechanic. Pretending boredom, Hutch wandered towards the green-doored hanger and looked through the small window in the access door. Seeing that the hanger was empty of any planes, Hutch wandered back.

"Hey, buddy. I think it's time we get going."

Starsky looked at his watch. "Yeah, you're right." He waved to the mechanic. "Thanks, Mac." Starsky joined Hutch and the two made their way back to Zach's hanger.

The two pilots were back working on the plane when Starsky and Hutch walked in. Zach dropped a wrench and swore as he reached for it. Looking up, he saw his friends grinning at him. "Does your mother know you use language like that, Zachary?" Starsky teased.

"Hey - you've never heard my mother when she gets really mad. She'd put a sailor to shame." Zach grinned back. "So what did you find out?"

"There's no plane in there now." Hutch said. "You said that the manager didn't think the plane went out too often. Right?"

Zach nodded. "Yeah. The way he was talking, I thought the plane would still be there. They must have taken off while I was gone." Zach laid the errant wrench on top of a workbench. "So what do you do now?"

"We'll have to check with Dobey first, but I think a stake-out is the next order of business. Without a plane in the hanger, a warrant is useless. Worse. It would tip our hand. But if we can catch them in the act of bringing in the drugs then we can arrest them on the spot. And charge them with possession with intent if nothing else. Once we've got the couriers, it's only a matter of time before we trace the rest of the group. If that's not all of them, that is." Hutch looked around the hanger as he answered Zach's question.

"You guys want to set up the stake-out in here?"

"We need your permission as the resident of record. But, yeah, this would be the best place." Starsky leaned against the side of the Cessna.

"Sure. It's fine with me. I wasn't planning on staying here tonight though. Do you want me to?"

"No. It would be for the best if you didn't. Especially if there's gunfire. Go about your normal routine. We'll go now and come back after dark. Can we park the car in here?"

"Sure. We'll move the Cessna up a bit further and that should give you room. Just don't run into my Piper or I'll have to hurt you." Zach grinned good-naturedly at Starsky. "I have a pick-up to make before Rory and I leave for Seattle. We have to be out of here by ten."

"We'll be gone before that. If they hold to moving only at night, we won't be staying much past dawn. Will one of you be here tonight when we come back?" Hutch came over to lean against the Cessna beside Starsky.

"I have to take care of a couple of things before I go home tonight anyway. I can stay until after dark. No problem. Rory," Zach turned to his partner, "you take the jeep and I'll take the van. I'll need it in the morning for that pick-up anyway. The jeep can stay at the apartment for a couple of days."

"Sure. You want me to make dinner?" Rory had hung his arms over one of the plane's struts and was listening with rapt interest to the planning.

"Nah. I have to go and get those documents from Bradshaw's before five anyway. I'll get something then and bring it back with me. Can I pick up anything for you guys?"

Hutch and Starsky were smiling at each other over this little by-play. It sounded so much like them that it was a little eerie. Starsky grinned at Zach's perplexed expression. "Thanks, but we have sort of a system we follow for stake-outs. The only thing I ask is that you leave that coffee maker here. We'll probably need it before the night's over." He nodded towards a beat-up percolator sitting on a cupboard across the hanger.

"Hey, that's a permanent piece of necessary equipment. You guys make yourselves at home. You know where the bathroom is, Dave, and I'll make sure that there's lots of coffee for you."

"Sounds like a deal. We'll see you about eight o'clock." Starsky pushed himself away from the plane and sketched a mock salute at Zach. Zach threatened him with a pair of pliers and the partners left laughing.

*******

Full dark had settled over the airfield by the time Starsky pulled the Torino up in front of the Three Eagles Air hanger. They had called Zach to let him know they were on the way and he was waiting to let them into the building. Backing the Torino into the small space available took a bit of maneuvering but Starsky's skillful handling made short work of it.

Zach quickly shut the large hanger door and walked over to the two detectives as they got out of the car. "Hey, guys. I've been keeping an eye on things and all's quiet."

Starsky had to smile at his friend's enthusiasm. "That's good. Wouldn't want to throw a party then miss all the excitement. You leaving now?"

"Not yet. I've got more paperwork to get through before Rory and I leave tomorrow. I'm not going to be back for about a week and I have a bunch of tax stuff to take care of before I go. Whoever told me that running an air transport company was all fun was lying big time. Wish I could remember who the idiot was that talked me into this business." Zach grinned. "I'll leave you two to your stake-out and go back to fighting with receivables and payables. I'll probably be another hour or so, but I won't come back here. So, when you hear a car engine start, don't come out shooting. It'll probably be me. Bye guys." Zach raised a hand and left by the access door, shutting off the overhead lights as he left, leaving a single light glowing faintly at the back of the hanger.

Hutch glanced over at Starsky in amusement. "He sure doesn’t believe in long good-byes, does he?"

"Nope. He was like that when we were kids, too. He'd be there one minute and then it was "so long, Dave" and he'd be gone." Starsky shook his head at his friend's quirk. "I'm going to see if there's any coffee. You want first shift or what?"

Hutch and Starsky's plan was fairly simple. They would take turns watching from outside the hanger for signs of activity. The shadows around the buildings were thick and dark, making perfect hiding places. Zach had told them that the plane he saw had landed after midnight so they weren't expecting much to happen before then. But they still had to be prepared in case. There would only be a few minutes between the plane's landing and its arriving at the hanger for them to get into position.

The partners flipped a coin and Starsky "won" the first watch. Taking a blanket from the Torino's trunk, he went out into the cool night air to the spot he had picked out earlier. A couple of old packing crates made a semi-comfortable seat and he could lean back against the building. From this vantage point, he could see both the airstrip and the hanger across the way. The planes lined up at the tie-downs along a strip at the far end of the lot, gleamed eerily in the faint light cast by the flickering lights that dotted the page wire fence. Getting comfortable was difficult but as a veteran of hundreds of just such operations, he made the best of it.

Wrapped in his blanket, a mug of rapidly cooling coffee in hand, Starsky sat and looked at the starry sky. And thought. This was one of the few things about stakeouts that he liked. The chance to think. His daily life was so full of noise and confusion that he didn't often get quiet moments to contemplate things. And usually by the time he was home alone, he was too exhausted to do more than fall into bed.

This night, he thought about his friends. Hutch, of course, he saw almost everyday. Spent all of his workday with him and a lot of his off-duty time too. As he had told his partner, Hutch was his best friend. The one person out of everyone he knew that, if he had to make a choice, would gladly accept as his only friend. They had been through so much together, both good and bad, that he really couldn't envision feeling that way about anyone else. They were comfortable with each other. Trusted each other with all their secrets, all their problems, and

everything else right down to their very lives.

Zach, on the other hand, was fun. Not that being with Hutch wasn't fun, but with Zach, it was different. Their friendship, based on how they felt about each other when they were boys, hadn't seemed to have progressed beyond that. Zach was more family than friend in many ways. More than his real brother, Nick, was. Although Zach and he had corresponded over the years between the time when they lived next to each other and now, he hadn't seen Zach since the war. Starsky had made the trip to Seattle for Dee's wedding when Zach was still in the army and stationed in Germany. When Beck married, Starsky was laid up in the hospital and couldn't go.

He didn't trust Zach the way he trusted Hutch. Couldn't be sure that Zach would be there if he really needed him. That didn't make him love Zach any less. It was just the level of trust wasn't there. And it wasn't just because they'd been apart for so many years. It was something intrinsic in Hutch's personality that made them such close friends. Made him trust him. Something that Zach just didn't have. Starsky couldn't put his finger on it, but it was there and he wasn't going to question it.

Taking a careful look around the airfield, Starsky thought about the differences between his two closest friends. Zach was always ready for an adventure. Taking risks that Starsky wouldn't have believed him capable of based on the careful, thoughtful boy he'd been fifteen or so years ago. Hutch was methodical in everything he did. Eminently reliable, only taking risks when they were necessary to get the job done. Zach, far more outgoing, viewed the world as one big playground. Hutch was more stable, having come to expect that the world wasn't always going to play fair.

Shifting on the hard wood of the packing case under his butt, Starsky had a sudden realization. Zach was too much like him. Too much like the side of him that loved fun and silliness. The part of him that hadn't quite grown up. Too much the way he might have stayed if his life had turned out differently. If he hadn't suffered loss and sorrow at such a young age. If he hadn't become a policeman like his father. If he hadn't gone to the police academy in LA.

If he hadn't met Hutch.

The Dahlmans had played a large part in his learning to accept responsibilities. In teaching him the values he needed to be a worthwhile man. It wasn't that Zach hadn't also learned those lessons as well. He was partners in a successful business, was a moral and lawful person. It was that he never had someone like Hutch to love and look out for. To love him and look out for him. Starsky found himself feeling sorry for Zach.

Starsky realized that he'd been hearing a droning sound for a few minutes about the same time as he heard running footsteps. Looking towards Zach's office, he saw a figure, hunched over and trying to keep to the pools of shadow rushing towards him. Shrugging off the blanket, Starsky pulled his gun. He slid off of the packing case and crouched down in the darkest part of his sheltering shadow. Just before he would have shouted for the figure to halt, he realized it was Zach.

Standing up, he stepped far enough into the light that Zach would see him, then stepped back. Zach skidded to a halt not five feet from him. "Jeez, Dave. You scared me half to death." He leaned forward, hands on knees, and tried to catch his breath.

"What the hell are you doing? I thought you'd be gone by now." Starsky hissed.

"I was just leaving when I heard the plane. I was coming to tell you." Zach managed to sound indignant between gasps.

"I heard it. Since you're here, get inside and let Hutch know that I'm heading for the other hanger. And stay in there. You hear me? No matter what happens, keep the door shut and the lights off. And stay out of the way." He took off for the other side of the row, leaving Zach to gape after him.

***

Starsky couldn't worry about Zach right then. He could only hope that he would follow orders. Keeping to the darkness as much as he could, he dashed across the asphalt strip between the rows of hangers and made for the side farthest away from the landing strip. The sound of the plane engine was getting louder in the night stillness and he carefully looked around the corner of the building. At the far end of the dark landing strip he saw the beams of two high-powered flashlights flick on and off. He could see the running lights on the plane now as it descended towards the field. The plane's lights seemed to wobble a bit, then straightened as the flashlights lit up again. The screech of tires split the air as the plane touched down. The sound of the engine lowered in pitch as the pilot throttled down and brought the plane to a halt almost at the entrance to the hanger row.

He felt more than heard Hutch arrive to crouch down beside him. "I haven't seen the car yet, Hutch."

"Shh, listen." The sound of tires crunching on the gravel bordering the strip could barely be heard above the plane engine. The partners pulled back further into the shadows as the plane taxied up to the hanger and turned in preparation for entry. A dark colored car pulled up along side and two men got out. With little wasted movement the two opened the green doors and the plane went in with the men following and closing the doors.

Keeping low, the partners moved. Hutch, to look through one of the windows dotting the long side of the hanger, Starsky to take a position by the other corner of the building. Crouching near the access door, Starsky waited. Peering around the corner of the building, Starsky saw Hutch looking around his corner. Hutch raised a hand into the light and held up three fingers. Three men inside the building. Then Hutch made a fist and nodded it up and down to indicate that he'd seen the men take bags from the plane.

It was going down.

Starsky ducked back as the access door swung open. Two men walked out carrying large dufflebags. Just like Zach had seen before. The third man followed, turning off lights and closing the door. Then he went to the trunk of the car and opened it. One of the others lifted the obviously heavy bag up to place it inside the trunk. Just as he started the upward swing, Hutch stepped out of the shadows and loudly said, "Stop. Police. You're under arrest."

All hell broke loose.

The third man, the one whose hands had been empty, whipped around towards Hutch. In his hand was a gun that he aimed at Hutch and fired. Hutch dove for the cover of the building just as Starsky fired his Beretta and brought down the gunman. Unfortunately, the other two had the time to pull their own weapons and take cover behind the car.

A short gunfight later, one of the two remaining men was lying on the ground, moaning, and Hutch was slapping handcuffs on the second. Starsky was disarming both of the men on the ground when he heard movement behind him. Spinning around, he aimed his gun at a moving shadow. "Halt right there."

"Will you stop pointing that thing at me, Dave."

"Damn it, Zach. That's a good way to get yourself shot. What the hell are you doing?" Starsky's voice was harsh with angry relief.

"I knew it was all over, so I came to see if I could be of any help." Zach stepped out into the light and grinned impishly at Starsky.

Starsky slid his gun into its holster and turned his back on Zach. Not trusting himself to speak, he put his handcuffs on the moaning man and went to check the third one. Satisfied that this one was going to be no danger, being dead, Starsky picked up the gun lying beside the body and turned back to Zach.

"Listen to me, Zach. You never, and I mean never, approach officers in the middle of a takedown until they've secured the area. This guy here," gesturing at the injured man, "was still dangerous even if he was down. Until he's been handcuffed or otherwise restrained, he could still kill one of us. In a blink of an eye. I've seen it happen. Even that guy over there," this time pointing at the dead man, "could be dangerous. And if I'd been some scared rookie, I could have shot you before you had a chance to prove that you're just some harmless by-stander. I've seen that happen too."

So angry he was shaking, Starsky stalked up to Zach. Zach backed away, unsettled by the emotion radiating from his friend. Starsky poked him in the chest with a slightly shaking finger. "You're smarter than that, Zach. Hell, you used to be an officer, a combat pilot. You should know better than to rush into a dangerous situation where you've no right to be. I think it's time you grew up."

Leaving both Zach and Hutch staring after him in shock, Starsky strode across the strip to the other hanger and his car. To call in. To request an ambulance, a coroner's wagon, and another unit. And to cool off.

*******

In the week following the drug bust, both partners worked under a lot of stress. Stress caused by their captain pushing them to find the rest of that little gang and stress from within their own partnership. As far as Hutch knew, Starsky had neither seen nor spoken to Zach since that night at the airfield. . Hutch tried to talk to his partner a couple of times about his blow-up at his old friend but Starsky wouldn't open up to him. The first time Hutch brought up Zach's name, Starsky brushed him off. The second time, Starsky angrily told him to "mind your own damn business."

Despite what Starsky told him, Hutch felt that it was his business. What bothered his partner ultimately came to bother him. Starsky moped around, obviously upset by the turn of events. At first, he'd been angry. Slamming drawers, muttering to himself, stalking about like a caged lion. Then as the week went by, the anger diminished until it was gone and a sad resignation settled in. It hadn't gotten to the point where it affected his work - yet - but Hutch knew if something didn't happen, and soon, it might.

After a week of watching his friend suffer, Hutch decided it was up to him to make things right. If Starsky wouldn't talk to him, then he'd see if he could talk to the other side. One afternoon, when they were at the precinct catching up on paperwork, Hutch took Starsky's trip down to R&I as the opportune moment to try and mend fences between the old friends. He placed a call to Mindy.

"Hutch, it's good to hear your voice. What can I do for you?" Mindy's professional phone voice softened to her usual slightly flirtatious one when she realized with whom she was speaking.

"I need to talk to Zach. Is he around?"

"Oh gee, I'm sorry, Hutch. Zach's still in Seattle. Rory's been doing his regular flights for him this past week." Mindy didn't sound too upset by this.

"Why? Is he sick?"

"No. It's a family thing. He's supposed to be back by Monday, though. Do you want to leave a message?"

"That's okay. Thanks, Mindy. I'll catch up with him later." Hanging up, Hutch sat with his hand on the phone for a few minutes, thinking. He looked up at the clock and decided a bit of a diversion was necessary. Hutch called down to R&I.

"Hey, Steve. Is Starsky still down there?" A short wait as Steve handed over the phone. "Hey, Starsk. I was wondering if I could get you to bring me back a sandwich or something. Yeah, yeah. I know we just had lunch a couple of hours ago, but I'm hungry. Come on, buddy. I'll pay you back." Hutch couldn't help grinning as his partner grumbled at him. "Buy yourself something too, Starsky, and I'll make it up to you."

With the promise of free food, Starsky agreed to pick up something for both of them. Knowing that it would take a few minutes for Starsky to make it down to the cafeteria in the basement and come back up, Hutch went to his partner's desk and searched out Starsky's address book. Flipping pages, he shook his head over Starsky's creative filing system. He couldn't find a number for Zach but did find the phone number for Zach's parents. Remembering that Starsky had told him that Zach lived in his parent's house; he placed the call to Seattle.

The phone rang a few times before a slightly breathless woman's voice answered. "Hello."

"Mrs. Dahlman?"

"Yes, this is Anna Dahlman."

Now that he had Zach's mother on the phone, Hutch wasn't sure how to proceed. "Uh, Mrs. Dahlman, this is Kenneth Hutchinson. David Starsky's partner."

Her voice warmed at the mention of Starsky's name. "Oh, of course. Hutch, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am. I was wondering if Zach was there?"

"No, I'm sorry. He's not here right now. Is something wrong? Is it David?" Worry colored her voice.

Hutch quickly reassured her. "No. No, Stars...I mean, David's fine. It's just...well.... Mrs. Dahlman, did Zach tell you what happened here last week?"

"About the drug runners you boys captured? Yes, he told us about that. And that David had gotten very angry with him."

"That's what I'm calling about." A deep breathe. "My stubborn partner is miserable. He misses Zach, and I think he's afraid that Zach won't want to be friends with him any longer because of what he said. Especially since Zach hasn't come back to LA or talked to Starsky since that night." Hutch was surprised at the merry laugh that answered him.

"Oh, Hutch. That's very sweet of you to be worried about those two. But there's something you need to know about my son and your partner. This is the way they've always been with each other. They'd have roaring arguments and wouldn't talk to each other for days on end. Then one day one would show up on the other's doorstep and it would be as if they'd never argued at all. Until the next time. You'll see. Zach will saunter in one day and it will be just like it was before."

A little nonplussed at Mrs. Dahlman's attitude, Hutch pressed for more. "Then why hasn't he come by to LA? I called the office here and Mindy said that he'd not been back all week."

"Oh that. I suppose Zach forgot to mention what was going on here. So like that son of mine. If it doesn't involve flying or planes, it goes right out of his head. Becky, his twin?" Mrs. Dahlman paused until Hutch acknowledged that he knew who she was. "Becky received her Master's degree this week and Zach stayed for the graduation ceremony. With all the family here, he decided he'd stay and visit with his sisters. We haven't all been together since Becky and John married."

Relieved, Hutch had to smile at the way Mrs. Dahlman talked about her son. As if she was as puzzled by him as Hutch was. And the evident pride that transmitted itself hundreds of miles through the phone lines. The two of them chatted for a few minutes about Zach and his sisters. And Hutch's curly-haired, stubborn, aggravating partner. Hutch glanced up in time to see Starsky stop in the hallway just outside the squadroom door. He stood there with his hands full of files and food as he talked to one of the other detectives.

"Uh, I got to go, Mrs. Dahlman. Thanks for talking to me. You don't know what a weight it's taken off of me."

"You're more than welcome, Hutch. And Hutch?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Thank you for being David's friend. He's told us so much about you over the years that I feel you're almost one of the family. Just as David is. I'm very pleased that he has someone to care for him. He's always been very special to me. To all of us. Thank you."

Hutch could feel his cheeks redden as he stumbled over his good-byes to the woman who obviously loved his partner a great deal. He managed to hang-up the phone just as Starsky approached the desk.

"Here ya go, Hutch. Brought you one of those vegetarian atrocities you like so much. And some fruit juice." He almost dumped the wrapped sandwich in Hutch's lap. "Sorry. These files are slippery. And Steve threatened me with violence if I dropped them and messed them up. Who were ya talking to?" All of this while he dropped his own sandwich on the floor and barely kept the files in his arms from following.

Between the two of them, they managed to rescue the files, Starsky's carton of milk, and a cupcake from joining the sandwich. Hutch watched in amusement as Starsky laid out his little buffet in front of him. "Starsky, I didn't mean for you to buy out the cafeteria. I just thought we'd have a little snack, not a full-course meal."

"Hey, some of us use up a lot of energy and need refueling. Just eat your sandwich. And who was that on the phone? You looked a little flustered when I walked in." Starsky took a big bite of his pastrami sandwich and stared at Hutch while he chewed.

Hutch, wishing his partner had forgotten his earlier question, tried to think of a white lie to tell Starsky. But looking into those sad blue eyes, he couldn't bring himself to do that. Instead, he found himself telling the truth.

"That was Mrs. Dahlman." Hutch had to stop and grab the carton of milk that Starsky knocked over when Hutch spoke.

"Mrs. Dahlman? How come she phoned here? Is Zach okay? The girls?" Panic in his voice.

"Calm down, Starsk. Everyone's okay. It was me that phoned her."

A different Starsky faced him now. Gone was the frightened man, and in his place was a slowly angering one. "You called her. You called Mrs. Dahlman. What the hell for?"

"I was concerned, Starsk. Do you really want to talk about it here?" Looking around at the other officers in the squad who were all industriously trying to ignore the two of them.

"Here's as good a place as any. Partner. Now, why the hell did you call her? What do ya mean, you were concerned?"

"Okay, if you really want to know, Starsky, you've been miserable all week. Since you got mad at Zach and he left town. I know that you're too damn proud to find out if everything's all right, so I did."

"Who the hell made you my keeper, Hutch?" Starsky was doing his best to keep his voice low, but his hiss seemed very loud against the backdrop of ringing phones and clacking typewriters.

"I'm your partner. And your best friend. Something you've reminded me of a few times in the last while, Starsky. What affects you affects me." The two of them glared at each other over their desks. "Aw, c'mon, Starsk. I did it because I got worried. I phoned Mindy and she said that Zach hasn't been back all week. That there was some family thing going on and he wasn't coming back until next week. I'm not going to apologize, Starsk. I'm not. I'm glad I phoned. Mrs. Dahlman was very helpful and happy that I called." He didn't say the *so there* that seemed to hover over them, but he sure felt like it.

Hutch watched the emotions parade across Starsky's face. Anger slowly gave way to resignation. Then Starsky looked perplexed. "What family thing?"

"Becky's graduation or something. I wasn't really paying attention once I knew everyone was okay." Hutch worked hard to keep a straight face as something that looked like horror flooded his partner's eyes.

"Oh my God! I forgot. Beck's Master's degree. Oh Lord." Starsky moaned as he pulled his daybook towards him. Thumbing back a couple of pages, he stared at the book. "Oh, damn! The ceremony was Wednesday. I was going to send her a card and a present. She's worked so hard for it." Starsky looked mournfully at Hutch. "She's going to kill me. I swear she will. You should have seen what she sent me when I made Sergeant. This is so much bigger than that."

"Calm down, Starsk. Send her something by courier. Heck, call Rory and get him to take it up with him on the next flight. She'll forgive you."

"You don't know Beck. She's not exactly the forgiving type." If it wasn't for the fact that Starsky would get mad at him all over again, Hutch would have laughed at the half-frightened, half-remorseful expression on his partner's face. Muttering to himself, Starsky hauled the city directory out from his bottom desk drawer and started flipping pages.

Hutch, confident that Starsky would forgive him for his interfering, left his partner to finding the perfect gift and went back to typing reports. The rest of the day passed in relative peace. And not another word was said about Zach for the next few days.

And by the following Tuesday, Zach turned up at Starsky's place with a pizza and a big smile.

*******

The days following Hutch's conversation with Mrs. Dahlman seemed to fly by with little progress in either the drug case or much of anything else. The men that Starsky and Hutch arrested at the airfield weren't talking. And they seemed to be small fish in whatever was going on. The Public Defenders office provided lawyers for the pilot and his remaining accomplice when they firmly stated - when they spoke at all - that they had no money. The men refused to name names, provide any information or even a defense for bringing almost two pounds of high-grade heroin into LA. The partners were stymied.

The pilot, Steve Torenz, the same man who had leased the hanger, owned the plane. The other two were his brothers, Mark - the man Starsky had killed - and Phillip. They were adamant that they were the only ones involved in the drug running, and that they were totally responsible for distributing the drugs in the city. But it was soon evident that this was not the case. The overdose deaths continued. Word on the street surmised that fresh supplies of the potent heroin was still reaching the pushers. And their customers.

***

Hutch threw the file folder down on his desk in disgust. The sharp slap of the cardboard hitting the metal startled Starsky who was trying to type - for the third time - a report. Grabbing up a well-used eraser, Starsky rubbed at the page while glaring at his partner.

"Jeez, Hutch. I was almost through this thing without one mistake and now look what you made me do. What's eating you?" Starsky blew away eraser crumbs and examined the paper. Satisfied that it would pass muster; he continued typing.

"This damn case is what's "eating me," Starsky. We're no further ahead today than we were last week when we arrested those bozos." He flopped down into his chair and leaned back, rubbing his face with his hands. "I'm tired, Starsky. Really, really tired." Hutch propped his elbows on the desk and stared across at his partner. "Unless we get some fantastically lucky break, we're never going to find the main people in this. And more fifteen-year-olds are going to shoot-up that poison and die."

Starsky's sympathetic smile was thin. The day before, while tracking down a lead that quickly disappeared, they found a "shooting gallery." An abandoned warehouse that drug addicts and pushers used to conduct business. On the dirty, rat-dropping strewn floor of that warehouse, they found the body of a young girl. A teenager who should have been worrying about what to wear to her high school prom instead of lying dead with a needle stuck in her arm. That discovery had hit Hutch hard. The girl, with long pale blonde hair and what once must have been a sweet, girl-next-door face, looked very much like Hutch's little sister at the same age.

"I know, Hutch. I know. But something will break. We just have to work harder, is all. Hey, it's almost end of shift. What's say we call it a day and go get something to eat? Maybe pick up something and take it back to my place." Starsky, his smile warm, consoling, and just slightly mischievous, brought an answering smile from Hutch.

Trying to sound stern, and failing miserably, Hutch nodded at the paper in Starsky's typewriter. "How about that report? Dobey will have our hides if he finds out we left early without getting our paperwork done."

"It's all done, partner. You just have to sign it under my John Henry and we're away." Starsky laid the paper down in front of Hutch and offered his pen. Shaking his head, Hutch scrawled his name under Starsky's and handed the pen back. Grinning, Starsky retrieved the paper and pushed it into another of the every present file folders. "There. Now we're done, partner. Let's get out of here before someone thinks of another report they want written up."

Not wasting any time, both detectives collected their jackets and headed out the door. If anyone had asked, they would have claimed that they were running down a lead. That would only have been half a lie as they decided that they really needed one of Huggy's burgers to make things better. And who else would they check with about what was happening on the streets than their own personal connection?

***

The early dinner crowd was large, loud, and happy when Hutch and Starsky walked into Huggy's just after five. But not so large that Huggy didn't immediately spot them. Waving the partners over to join him at the bar, Huggy greeted them with a smile..

"Well, if it isn't my two favorite crime fighters. What brings the daring duo down to my humble establishment?"

"Huggy, we came because we're in need of comfort and nourishment and couldn't think of any place better. At least not one we can afford." Starsky grinned.

"Well, dollar for dollar, there's nothing more comforting than a Huggy Burger. Now as for nourishing, if meat's what you're craving then you're more than saving." Huggy pursed his lips as he thought over the rhyme. "That didn't come out right. Anyway, Zach's looking for you, Starsky."

Starsky looked around the crowded bar with feigned disinterest. "Oh? Is he here?"

Hutch and Huggy exchanged knowing glances behind Starsky's turned back. Huggy knew about the bust at the airfield and the dressing-down that Starsky had given Zach. Knew, because he'd asked Hutch earlier in the week why his usual cheerful partner was so morose.

"No, he's not here, Starsky. He called about ten minutes ago. Said he'd just missed you at the station and was trying to track you down. If he calls back, what do you want me to tell him?" Huggy casually asked as he pretended to watch one of his waitresses talking to a customer at the other end of the bar.

Before Starsky could answer, Hutch spoke up. "Tell him if he wants Starsky, he's at home. Can you fix us up a couple of burgers for take-out, Hug? It's been a real rotten few days. The two of us want to do nothing more than crash somewhere quiet and ignore the world for a few hours." Ignoring the glare aimed at him by his partner, Hutch smiled at Huggy, nodding his head in a "go ahead" gesture.

Huggy, after glancing from Hutch's earnest smile to Starsky's frown, decided what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, went off to place the order. Leaving Hutch to calm down his partner.

"Hutch." Starsky's quiet voice left no doubt as to his feelings.

"Starsk, the man's looking for you anyway. Why not meet him halfway?" Hutch looked into the dark blue eyes and saw them relax a bit. "Mrs. Dahlman told me how you two used to fight when you were kids. And how you got over it." Hutch relaxed himself as an embarrassed grin crossed Starsky's face.

"Yeah, I guess I forgot that. We sure led Zach's mom and my aunt on a merry chase when we would get going. And poor Beck, too. She always seemed to be in the middle. They all learned pretty quick to stay out of it and let us settle things. Sort of like Dobey does when you and I get mad at each other." His grin widened.

"Who? Us? We never fight." Hutch laughed.

"Yeah, right." Both partners turned as Huggy's snort alerted them that he'd returned to the conversation.

Starsky, really grinning now, threw his arm around Hutch's shoulder and turned an innocent look on Huggy. "Hutch's right. We never fight. Maybe disagree loudly sometimes, but never fight."

"Well, if that's what you guys call those yelling matches I've witnessed, then I never want to be around when you really do have a fight." Huggy's grin was as big as Starsky's as he handed each of them a large brown paper bag. "Here's your burgers. I threw in salad and some desert. Figured you guys needed something more than just meat. Now get out of here and leave me to the more sane customers. Hey - you - touch that waitress again and more than your bar rights will get cut off." With barely a wave to his two friends, Huggy was off to where one of his girls was trying to fend off a rather inebriated customer.

Seeing that Huggy had everything under control, Starsky and Hutch collected their meals and left. The drive to Starsky's was quiet though, as each of them sat deep in thought. It was Starsky who finally broke the silence.

"Uh, Hutch?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"What for?"

"For caring."

"Huh?"

A little chuckle. "For worrying about me and Zach. I know that it's been kinda rough for the last while. What with the case and all. You didn't need to worry about me being mad at someone else, but you did anyway. I just wanted you to know I appreciate it. And before you say anything about it's because we're partners and all, don't. You did it because you're my friend."

Hutch couldn't think of any way of answering that, so he made do with a pat on Starsky's shoulder. Leaving his hand laying on the back of Starsky's seat, he felt himself relax for the first time in days. Maybe everything was going to turn out right after all.

***

The hamburgers were long gone and they were both into their third beers when a knock on the door roused them from their half-doze in front of Starsky's television. They looked at each other; Hutch noting the little smile that flared in Starsky's eyes. Hutch watched as Starsky made a production of putting his beer down on the coffee table and struggling to his feet. Watched in fond amusement as he wandered towards the door, taking his time.

Another knock, louder this time and a raised voice didn't hurry Starsky at all. "Hey! Dave! I know you're in there. Open up."

"Yeah, yeah. Keep your shirt on, you moron." Starsky muttered. Hutch almost choked on the swallow of beer he had just taken. Starsky finally reached the door and paused to open the little window in it. "Yeah, who is it?" Hutch could hear the grin in his voice.

"Very funny, Dave. You know damn well who it is. Open up this door, will ya?"

"Oh, it's you." Starsky slowly unlocked the door, still taking his time. He glanced over his shoulder at Hutch and winked. Hutch just shook his head and took another mouthful of beer.

Starsky swung the door open and held it with one hand as he leaned against the doorframe, effectively blocking the entrance. "Yes?" He drawled in a bored voice.

Zach, a smile on his face and a pizza box in his hand, was unfazed by Starsky's show of nonchalance. "Hey Spud, I brought some pizza. You gonna let me in?"

Hutch, watching this performance was struck again by the similarities in the two men. He'd met his partner's brother, Nick, on a trip back east with Starsky early on in their partnership. The two brothers, David and Nick, looked enough alike that one could see the family resemblance, even down to the Starsky swagger, but that's where it ended. The personalities of the two real brothers were as alike as night and day. Nick was a touch surly, with a chip on his shoulder and the expectation that the world owed him something. Starsky - David - embraced the world and wanted to do whatever he could to improve it, even if it cost him. Hutch was not even sure he liked his partner's baby brother, although he tried for his friend's sake.

But here where two men, unrelated by blood, more alike than the two born of the same mother. Zach had the same teasing grin, the same "I'll like you until you prove to me I shouldn't" attitude that Starsky had. He was in love with life and had the same desire to take as much fun out of it as did Hutch's partner. They even tended to look alike in the tilt of the head or the same half-grin. And, even though Hutch still felt some twinges of jealousy at how close his partner was to Zach, he found himself liking him more all the time.

"Aw, come on, Starsk. The man brings food. He knows how to make a peace offering." Hutch grinned at the two from his vantage point on the couch.

Starsky, a feigned scowl on his face, looked from his grinning partner to his trying-to-look-contrite friend standing in the doorway. "Well, I don't know if I'm ready to accept a peace offering." Pointing with his chin, he gestured at the pizza box in Zach's hand. "What kind is that?"

"Pepperoni with extra cheese." Zach was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

Starsky heaved a huge sigh and stepped back from the door. "Okay. I guess you can come in. That's Hutch's favorite." Starsky staggered as Zach pulled him into an one-armed hug, almost dropping the box in the process.

"Thanks, Spud." Zach released him with a slap on the back and walked into the apartment. "Hey, Hutch. How's it going?"

It wasn't long before the pizza was history and a second six-pack of beer along with it. The trio had moved from the couch to sit on the floor playing a rather boisterous game of Monopoly. A game that both Hutch and Starsky were losing badly. Starsky was trying to negotiate a deal with Hutch to pay off his debt after he landed on one of Zach's properties that boasted two hotels. Unfortunately, Hutch was as broke as his partner was and just laughed at him.

"Tell you what, Spud. I'll make you an offer you can't refuse." Zach's Cagney imitation was as bad as Starsky's Bogart, but he was obviously having too much fun at his opponent's expense to care.

Starsky looked at him suspiciously through the tops of his eyes. "What?"

"I'll excuse your rent, this time, and throw in a hundred bucks so you can pay off that utility charge of Hutch's that you owe if you promise me something." Zach's innocent expression wouldn't have fooled a blind man.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Starsky pushed the few bills he had laying in front of him around with a finger. "Is it going to hurt? Or cost me more than another couple beer?"

"Well, it shouldn't hurt. And it won't cost you nothing besides a day of your time."

Starsky exchanged a worried look with Hutch who shrugged, having no idea what Zach was up to. Looking down at the shambles of his little Atlantic City empire, Starsky gave into the inevitable. "Do I get to hear what I've got to put up first or is this a take it or leave it proposition?"

"Take it or leave it, Spud. Either you take my offer or you're out of the game, my friend. What's it going to be?"

Closing his eyes, Starsky bowed his head. "Okay. It's a deal. There's no way I'm letting the two of you beat me without trying everything. What'a I got to do?" Hutch could see the smile tugging at Starsky's mouth as his partner tried to look the part of the broken gambler.

"Go flying with me on Thursday. I've got to fly up to Fresno with a delivery for Bradshaw's and could use the company. I'll be leaving here around seven and should be back by dark."

Starsky smiled in relief. "Can't do it, buddy. We've got to work."

Zach grinned maliciously. "No you don't. I talked to your Captain and he said that it sounded like a fine idea. In fact, there's somebody in Bakersfield he wants you to talk to about the drug smugglers. Captain Dobey said that both of you should go up there and talk to this guy. He's going to give you all the info tomorrow when you get to work." Zach leaned back against the couch and stretched his legs out in front of him on the floor.

Starsky, his mouth hanging open in shock, stared at Zach, then his partner. Hutch, trying his hardest not to laugh at his friend, shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess if Dobey says we got to go, we've got to go. It's okay, Starsk. If you get scared, I'll hold your hand."

"And I'll make sure I have lots of airsick bags for you, Spud." Zach chimed in.

"Oh God." Was about all Starsky could think of to say.

*******

Thursday morning found the Torino parked beside Zach's red jeep. Hazy golden sunlight bathed the airfield, turning even the mundane hangers into something just a touch mystical. Hutch leaned against the car, breathing deep the air that still smelled fresh and clean after the previous night's rain. Starsky was pacing in small fretful circles around the car, muttering under his breath.

"Starsky, will you stop worrying? Can't you just enjoy yourself? Look at the sky, feel that soft breeze. It's a beautiful day." Hutch might as well as been talking to the Torino as to his partner.

One more circuit of the car, then Hutch grabbed Starsky by the arm as he started to pass him. "Come on, partner. It's going to be fine. Honest."

Starsky stood there for a minute, breathing as heavily as if he'd just run a mile, then lifted dark eyes to Hutch's. Hutch could feel the slight tremble in the muscles under his hand and shifted his grip to his partner's shoulder. "Starsky, if it bothers you so much, just tell Zach you can't do it. I'm sure he'll understand."

"I can't help it, Hutch. I know I'm being stupid, but I just can't help it. Something inside sees those puffy little clouds on the horizon over there as thunderheads. Feels that breeze as the beginnings of a hurricane. Envisions the plane blowing up in mid-air or a seagull flying into the propellers. I know, in my mind, that nothing bad's going to happen, but in my gut I feel like the world's about to come to an end."

Hutch rubbed the tense shoulder, trying to think of something to ease his friend's fears. "Starsky, you've flown before. Nothing bad has ever happened. If you keep believing that it's going to be okay, it will be."

Scared dark blue eyes stared into his as Starsky swallowed hard. "I never told you about the first time I came out to LA, did I?" Hutch shook his head. Starsky dropped his gaze and now stared down at the blue Adidas scuffing the dirt. "We were flying over the prairies when we hit turbulence and our plane dropped several hundred feet. Scared the-you-know-what out of me. Out of all of us, really. No one was hurt, we were all strapped in, but it was awful." The dark eyes rose again. "But the thing that scared me the worst, when that plane was dropping, was that I was happy about it. Like I'd rather be dead than face what my life was becoming."

Hutch felt his own stomach drop at the very idea. His hand gripped Starsky's shoulder hard.

"Later, when everything turned out okay, I started to have nightmares about it. We'd drop for thousands of feet. For hours. Feeling this horrible sensation of falling, people screaming, and this almost overwhelming desire for it all to end. Then I'd wake up. And I'd be so scared that it had really happened, that I really was dead, that I'd lay there in the dark and shake. After that, I couldn't fly without being scared."

"Aww, Starsk." Hutch couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Sometimes...sometimes, I'd wish that we really had crashed or that I could live through one, just so I'd stop being scared. You know...when you're afraid of something and then it happens and it wasn't as bad as you'd always thought. And then you're not afraid of it anymore. But nothing's ever happened. Not even when I was in Nam. And every time I fly now, the feeling is worse than the time before." Starsky pulled away from Hutch's consoling hand and turned to stare out at the runway. "You remember when we had to go up to San Francisco to collect Mello's daughter?"

Hutch nodded, even though Starsky wasn’t looking at him. He remembered that case. The mob informant, the undercover police woman. The leak in the department. The crazy, terror-filled drive back to LA. Yeah, he remembered it. And now that he thought about it, he remembered how his partner had sat almost hunched in on himself all the way on the plane ride to San Francisco.

"After that, I even went to see the department shrink. Not that he did much good. But I'm afraid that once I give into the fear.... That the first plane I don't get on because I'm scared, that I'll never be able to fly again."

He turned back to Hutch again. "Don't you see? There's going to be the day that a case is going to hinge on my getting on a plane. And if I'm not able to force myself onto that plane, I might as well give up being a cop. And I think doing that would kill me."

It shook Hutch to see his usually brave-to-the-point-of-foolhardy partner this apprehensive. Here was a man who'd pulled more death defying feats than Houdini, and he was shaking in fear. Hutch would have given anything to take some of that fear into himself if it would have helped his partner.

"I don't know how to help you, Starsk. All I can offer is the knowledge that Zach's a good pilot. That he's spent probably thousands of hours in the air and he's still walking around. And I'll be with you. I know I can't stop anything bad happening, but at least I'll be with you if it does." Hutch wanted to hug his friend, comfort him the way he had dozens of times before, but he wasn't sure if that's what Starsky really needed right then.

He never got the chance to ask as just then Zach approached from the direction of the hanger. Whistling, he sauntered up to them. Hutch watched in amazement as Starsky visibly pulled himself together. The transformation both bothered and pleased Hutch. Bothered him because he knew bottling up that much fear was not healthy. Pleased because it let him know that Starsky could fall apart in front of him but not in front of his oldest friend.

"Hey guys. Isn't it a beautiful day for a little jaunt?" Zach looked every inch the pilot. From his leather bomber jacket to his dark, pressed khakis Hutch had to admit that Zach was rather impressive. Aviator style sunglasses hid the brown eyes, but the grin stretched across his face expressed his pleasure at the thought of flying with his friend. "You ready to go up, Spud? I hope you didn’t eat too much this morning. Wouldn't want you having to use too many of those bags, ya know." Zach poked Starsky in the stomach.

Slapping at Zach's hand, Starsky's laugh sounded a bit hollow. "Very funny, Zach. I'll have you know I've not gotten airsick since that time with you and the flight instructor. And I had my usual breakfast, thank you very much for caring."

Hutch, knowing his friend was expecting it, chimed in, "Oh, no. Cold pizza and rootbeer? We're in trouble, Zach if he does get airsick. Just how far apart on the seats on that plane anyway?" Hutch winked at Starsky when he turned a feeble smile on him in thanks.

The three walked back to the hanger, both Hutch and Zach gently teasing Starsky. The Piper was sitting on the tarmac, glistening in the morning light. When Zach had first shown Hutch and Starsky around his operation, he'd proudly recited the statistics on the plane. Twenty-seven feet long, wingspan of almost thirty-three feet, it was the largest of the Cherokees. Zach had it modified for cargo, taking out two of the six seats and installing some racks and closed cabinets in the cargo area. As he had told Starsky, he sometimes even slept in the plane, so he had some basic necessities, such as a sleeping bag, tucked away in one of the cabinets.

Both Starsky and Hutch grinned as Zach ran a loving hand along the plane's fuselage as he did a final check. The double doors were open and Zach waved the partners into the plane as he removed the chocks. Starsky took the passenger seat in the cockpit and Hutch took the one directly behind him. Hutch patted Starsky's shoulder as he settled down in his seat. Starsky turned and gave him a brave smile, then reached for his seatbelt and strapped himself in.

"It's going to be okay, Starsk." Hutch tried to reassure in a low voice.

"Yeah, I know. I'll be fine, Hutch. But thanks."

Zach threw the chocks into the plane and climbed in after them. Shutting the doors, he quickly stored the chocks away in a bolted down box near the door and walked, bent over, to sit down in the pilot's seat. Grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat he starting flipping switches and moving knobs. All of which Starsky watched closely.

"Okay guys. This is it. You ready? It's speak now or never." He looked over at Starsky, serious now. "If you really don't want to go up, Dave, it's okay. I won't think any less of you if you don't."

"Hey, I'm fine. Let's go, okay?" Starsky's steady voice didn't betray any of the fear Hutch knew was still there.

"Okay. Just relax and enjoy the trip, Spud. We should be landing in Bakersfield in less than an hour. I've got some cargo to load there that should give you guys time to talk to your contact. Then we'll head for Fresno. I'll make my deliveries, we'll grab some lunch, and head back. How's that sound?" Zach kept up the chatter as the plane's single engine caught and roared into readiness. He kept talking as the plane taxied to the runway, stopping only long enough to radio for clearance. He was silent for the few minutes it took to get the Piper into the air, but he handled the plane with such calm efficiency that Hutch could see Starsky relax as the plane became airborne. And they were on their way on the first leg of their journey.

*******

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