"Why do we have to wait for Hutch?" Cassie asked as she peered out the window anxiously.

"Because he agreed to let us use his car." Starsky said with a smile as he walked over towards her. "You don't think I'd put you behind the wheel of my car your first time around? If you wreck Hutch's no one will notice the difference."

"I'm a good driver! Daddy let me practice some before, I won't wreck anything, you'll see." she pleaded.

Starsky was very leery about letting her behind the wheel of his torino, after all he had only entrusted his car to one other driver, and even then he was nervous as hell. Hutch had experience and could handle the large engine and immense power that she possessed under her hood. A fifteen-year-old girl with a shiny new learner's permit was no match for her.

Cassie soon spotted the old beat up Ford rounding the corner and heading up the street.

"HE"S HERE!" she beamed as she headed for the door to greet him.

"Hold it Hot Shot." Starsky yelled as he grabbed her gently by the arm. "I'm coming with you. And don't forget your purse, wouldn't want to get Hutch a ticket for not having it with you."
 
 

"Right." She added "Sorry. Guess I was in a hurry."
 
 

"Don't grow up too fast, You've got plenty of time."
 
 

Cassie ran outside to Hutch and put her arms around his neck, then she kissed him on the check and said, "Thanks for letting me drive your car. I'm so excited I can barely stand it!"

"No problem. I knew Starsk would never agree to let you drive his, he treats it like it's made of glass."

"Not true." Starsky grinned "You know how fast my car is. I just figured she'd be safer in something with a lot less speed that's all."

"At least my car has some class." Hutch argued as he opened the driver's door for Cassie.

"If you like antiques." Starsky teased as he slid in next to Cassie. "You take the window, I want to be next to her just in case."

"Just hush up the both of you and let me concentrate, I'm already nervous enough as it is." she said.

Cassie pulled out the seat belt and put it on. Then she started the car and put it in reverse, she turned around to look behind her as she backed out of the driveway slowly, careful to watch for oncoming traffic.

Starsky and Hutch sat quietly. They both wanted to speak but decided to wait until they saw her make a mistake. So far she was doing just fine.

As she put the gear shifter in drive and started off slowly she asked "What's the speed limit on this road?"

(Neither one of them knew for sure, who looks at speed limit signs, they weren't traffic cops.)

"I think its 35 mph." Starsky spoke up. He didn't want Hutch to laugh at him for not knowing, on the road he lived on.

All during the drive around the little neighborhood, right turns and left, Cassie handled the car like a pro, she obviously had some experience before, they weren't really all that surprised, she had excelled in everything she did up to this point, why should this be any different?

"ZEBRA THREE, ZEBRA THREE, CODE 187, OFF CANYON ROAD, ZEBRA THREE RESPOND."

"Sorry Cassie, we gotta take you home. We'll try it again later." Hutch told her.

"Ok, I'm going, just one more block." The sound of the police band radio had made her jump, but she was glad that neither one of them had noticed.

"ZEBRA THREE, WE ARE RESPONDING, ETA ABOUT, 15 MINUTES, " Starsky yelled into the mic. "You just sit tight till we rap this up. I'll be back as soon as I can." He told her.

Cassie pulled up to the apartment and put the car in park, leaving the engine running she took off her seatbelt and got out quickly. "What's a code 187?" She asked as she stood there.

"You don't really want to know." Starsky said with a smile as he slid behind the steering wheel and shoved the car in reverse.

They were off duty but on call. That was usually the case whenever Dobey needed them he knew they would drop everything, well most of the time, unless their radio was on the blink (or so they would claim from time to time when they didn't want to be bothered or were in the middle of something).

"Dead body off Canyon Road. " Hutch put his hand on his chin "Wonder what this one's all about."

"Probably some drug deal that went bad or some guy got car jacked, who knows." Starsky said as he sped off towards the destination. "Put the light on the car will ya, .I don't want to sit through these lights"

Starsky hit the siren and Hutch attached the light. "What's your hurry? They said dead body, no real rush."

"Don't want anyone to disturb the crime scene, onlookers and rookie cops who don't know what their doin', want as much evidence as we can get."

"Yeah, right, " Hutch remembered the last body they were called to investigate, rookie cops had rolled the body over and even mishandled some evidence, didn't want to go through that again.

Once on Canyon Road, they kept a lookout for police cars or people standing around, some type of evidence of the scene, the dispatcher hadn't been very specific.

Two young boys, about Seventeen and Eighteen flagged them down and looked curiously at the strange looking vehicle that presented itself as a police car, they motioned over to a small area of thick brush, apparently they had been the first ones to arrive on the scene.

As Starsky and Hutch climb out of the Hutch's old beat up Ford, Hutch walks over to the two young boys.

"You two guys are cops?" One of them asked curiously.

Hutch flashed his badge, "Didn't you notice the flashing light and siren?" He asked in a sarcastic kind of tone.

"Sorry Officer, it's just that you really don't look like cops, I mean can't they afford to give you something better to drive?" The young man explained, "Never seen a cop car look like that before."

Hutch looked over at Starsky to motion him over only to find him leaning over the hood of his car laughing hysterically at what he had just heard.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" Hutch snarled at him, "Maybe the walk back will do you some good."

"No, No, I'm sorry, " Starsky knew he wasn't seriously considering leaving him, but he could tell by his tone of voice that he was pushing his luck.

Starsky walked over towards Hutch and put on his serious cop face, after all there was supposed to be a dead body around here somewhere and they were officially back on duty.

"Over here Officer, "The other boy had walked into the brush and was waiting to show them what they had come to see.

Starsky and Hutch walked over to the thick brush and started to push their way through it, Hutch pulled back a branch and when he released it, it hit Starsky right in the face. "Hey, " Starsky yelled

"Watch out, " Hutch grinned at him.

Starsky knew it was done on purpose and probably a little payback for his conduct earlier.

As they neared the bottom of the incline, they found a small clearing, concealed from the road and any nearby homes, this was the perfect place to leave a body.

"Here it is, " The young boy said "Right over here."

Hutch had seen countless dead body's before, nothing could shock him anymore, not after all his years on the force, or so he thought.

"I can't look at it, " The boy said, "Made me sick, Jason won't even come down here."

"Jason is the other youngster, what's your name?" Starsky asked walking up behind Hutch.

"Carl, Carl Turner, Jason is my brother, we just found her while we were hunting for rabbits."

"Rabbits, " Hutch asked, "What were you gonna do with them?"

"Target practice, we took our BB guns back home, it's not illegal to shot them out of the city limits."

"Great hobby, " Starsky said with disgust, " Wait up by the road for the other officers and lead them down here will ya."

"Sure, " Carl said and he walked back towards the road.

"Can't see anything from here, gotta get a little closer." Hutch noted.

From where they stood all that was visible were a pair of bloody feet, no shoes, probably no clothes at all, definitely a female, very small ankles.

Hutch went closer to get a better look. Starsky waited for a comment, a reaction.

Hutch got a better look alright, more than he wanted to see, he opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was his lunch, He turned to one side and Heaved it all over a nearby bush.

"Hey, you ok, Hutch, Oh MY God!!! Starsky ran over to his partner only to discover the reason for his sudden attack, she was brutally mutilated, this guy was SICK, beaten and bloody, her eyes gone, her throat cut, her hands tied behind her and her nipples gone, bitten off!!!

Starsky felt the chunks forming in his throat too, but turned away and grabbed Hutch, standing him up and walking him away from it, the smell was the worst thing, fresh air would do them good.

Hutch took a minute to get himself together bent over and dry heaving.

"Breathe, Breathe, " Starsky told him, "Damn, what kind of SICK PERVERT we dealing with here?"

Hutch finally stood up, unsteady on his feet he leaned on Starsky for support, "I thought I'd seen everything."

"She can't be more than fourteen or so, must be a missing persons on her." Starsky said, "We'll wait for backup and then we can check it out on the radio."

"Poor kid, .How could some BASTARD do this?" Hutch said with disgust.

"It takes all kinds, partner, it takes all kinds." Starsky put his hand on his partners' face, "You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, Yeah, I'm fine."

Four uniformed police officers and the coroner dressed in a white shirt and tie came down the hill towards them, "Where's the body?" He said.

"Over here, don't let anyone touch anything, be careful, " Starsky called to him as he made his way over to the body.

"Just let me do my job, keep those guys back will ya." He yelled at Starsky.

"You guys scan the area for evidence, use something to pick up what you find and put it in plastic bags, Don't touch anything with your fingers and bring your findings to me and Hutch, we'll be at the top of the hill."

Starsky told them and he and Hutch went back to the car.

"This is Zebra Three, patch me into Captain Dobey's office, emergency."

"Hold on, it'll take a minute." Millie the dispatcher called back.

"Hurry up will ya, " Starsky sounded intense.

"Calm down Starsky, She'll do it, no need to yell."

"Sorry Millie. Please hurry." He apologized.

"Got him, .Go ahead, "

"Captain this is Starsky, dead body off canyon road is a white female about fourteen years old with blonde hair and I don't know what color her eyes were, see if there is a missing persons that fits the description, we got one SICK killer on our hands."

"What do you mean you don't know what color her eyes were?"

"Their gone Cap'n, she doesn't have them anymore. Height approximately 5'2", let us know as soon as you can."

"Right, I'll get back to you. Stay near the radio."

About 20 minutes went by and the other police officers started to come out from the brush, the coroner had the stretcher brought down and they were carrying the body back up the hill, covered with a white sheet.

Dobey's voice finally came back to them, "Zebra Three, got a missing persons that might be your girl, Carolyn Sanders, she's been missing for three days, ever since Tuesday afternoon, last seen at Ridgemont High, she never made it home from school."

"Zebra Three, Cap'n' can you give us her address? We'll have to inform her parents." Hutch asked.

"Find out who her friends were, maybe one of them can help you, so much for your day off, sorry."

Captain Dobey said, "2120 Crescent Avenue. Dobey out."

"Same school Cassie goes to." Starsky told Hutch, "Maybe she knew her, "

"Let's hope not, Cassie's been through enough." Hutch replied.

A uniformed cop walked up to Hutch's car, "Hey, we found something, "

"Let's have it." Hutch held out his hand.

"Here, " The rookie cop held out a plastic bag and dropped it into Hutch's outstretched hand.

Hutch pulled his hand into the car and then dropped the bag on the seat, "WHAT THE HELL IS IT?"

Starsky lifted it up and cringed, "I guess they were blue, " He said as he stared at the bloody eyeball that lay at the bottom, .a few tentacles hanging from it.

Hutch started the car and told the police officer to rope the area off, the investigation team would need to do their job, taking samples, he told him to wait for them to arrive, Hutch put the car in gear and they took off.

"We better take this to the coroner, before we do anything else." Starsky said, "Too bad he took off before we got it."

"I just want to get it out of my car, " Hutch felt a chill down his back, "It's giving me the willies, "

"Whooooooooooooh." Starsky played with him holding it up beside his head.
 
 

"CUT THAT OUT, DAMN IT!!!!!

"You know you really shouldn't play around like that." Hutch said annoyed. "What if that were Cassie lying out there?"

"You're right, I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me." Starsky apologized, "I know if it were Cassie I'd be in a different state of mind."

"It's alright, I guess sometimes we forget that we're cops, but we can't be serious all the time."

"We have to tell her parents, God, I hate that, worst part of working in Homicide," Starsky said.

"They probably already suspect the worst, after all she has been missing for three days, what would you expect?' Hutch asked.

"I think as soon as we flash our badges, they'll know."

"Yeah, cops usually don't bring good news."

"Ain't it the truth."

They dropped off the plastic baggie at the coroner's office and headed over to 2120 Crescent Avenue to break the news to her parents. Hutch had been feeling a little foolish and embarrassed for throwing up at the sight of her, only rookie cops loose their lunch like that and he and Starsky used to laugh at them for it.

As they pulled up to the address they noticed a car in the driveway, they parked and got out of the car,

"Ready?' Hutch looked at him.

"Not really, but let's get it over with."

They knocked on the door and a pretty woman in her late 30's answered, "Can I help you?"

They hung their heads like little boys about to get a scolding, "We're police officers ma'am," holding out their badges so she could see them.

'Carol, have you found Carol? Milford, they're here about Carol!!"

"May we come in?" Hutch asked softly

"Milford?" Starsky whispered to him.

"Oh yes, where's my manners? Come in gentlemen, "

They walked in and looked around, not much to see, meager surroundings, obviously not the upper middle class set, old furniture and torn chairs at the dinning room table, the pattern on them reminded Starsky of his grandmother's house, they waited for her to go get Milford, whoever that was.

"Milford? " Starsky said again to Hutch, "Who names their kid Milford?"

"I don't know, probably named after the family dog."

The lady soon came back up the hallway, walking behind her was one of the biggest men either of them had ever seen, unshaven and muscular with a hairier chest than Starsky's.

"Milford?" Hutch whispered.

"Apparently." Starsky replied.

"Please sit down, Mrs." Hutch started.

"It's Miss, Miss Sanders, Would either of you like something to drink? Some soda, some coffee?"

"No thank you, Miss. Sanders, " Starsky grabbed her by the arm and sat her down gently. "We don't have good news."

"Alright, tell me, I'm ready, .I guess I've been ready for the last two days, I know she must be de, "her voice just stopped and she sat there quietly.

"We found her body, off Canyon Road" Hutch broke in. He knelt beside her. "It might be better if someone other than yourself went down to identify the remains."

"What happened to her? .Do you know anything? I need to know." she pleaded.

"She was beaten and we suspect she was raped." Starsky told her, "We'll know more after the coroner's report, It really would be best if you didn't see her, better to remember her the way she was."

"I have to know for myself, " She cried, "I have to see for myself, so I won't have any doubt that it's her."

Hutch looked down at Starsky and Starsky at Hutch, then they both glanced over towards the other side of the table where the sound of uncontrollable sobs were coming from Milford, great big Milford was crying like a little boy.

"He really loved her, like his own, she was his little angel." Miss Sanders started to cry too, "I'm sorry, I'll come down and identify her later, ok."

"Mrs. Sanders, " Starsky urged, "I'm sorry but we have just a couple of questions for you, then we'll leave, alright?"

"Ok, " she wiped her face with her hand, Hutch reached into his pocket and handed her his handkerchief, then he walked over to Milford and patted him on the shoulder, "You gonna be alright, Buddy?"

"Yeah, .You catch em' and bring him to me, then you can walk away, I'll take care of him."

"We can't do that, Milford. We're cops, gotta let the courts decide his fate, but we understand how you must feel."

"Miss. Sanders, can you give me all the names of Carol's friends, " Starsky took out a pad of paper and pulled a pencil from behind his ear.

"Well let's see."

She gave them a list of names and told them which girl had been the last one to see Carol alive at school.

Starsky and Hutch left the alone and apologized for having to bring them the bad news. They got back into Hutch's car and headed for the Station.

"Can you believe that Milford character?" Starsky remarked, "Sure would hate to get him mad at me."

"Maybe we should do what he said. Sick Pervert would probably get what he deserves." Hutch said.

"Life just isn't that fair, even if we catch him and they lock him up forever, he'll never really get what he deserves."

"Why don't you run down the list of names, read them off to me on the way, we're gonna have to talk to some of these girls." Hutch suggested.

"It's a long list.

Patricia Lockard

Nancy Young

Tanya Barton

Jenny Freeman

Nancy Blake

Vivien Smith

Pam Glover

Gretchen Cupp

Cherie Stanford

Beth Something, no last name

Laurie, no last name

Tara Wilson

and Glyn Davies, apparently some guy that hung around her crowd."

"You know it would be easier to have them meet us in the school gym, or cafeteria, someplace where we can talk to them all together."

"Yeah, we'll stop by the high school on Monday. No one will be there now." Starsky suggested. I have to call Cassie and tell her we'll be a little while longer."

"It's getting close to supper time and I'm starving, " Hutch added.

"I bet you are," Starsky said with a grin, Hutch knew he wouldn't outwardly tease him, (about they way he lost his lunch earlier) but he knew Starsky, he wanted to.

They arrived at Dobey's office around 7:00pm, they knocked and were invited in, Dobey was waiting for them with the coroner's preliminary report on his desk, he had put a rush on it even though the coroner wasn't quit finished with the body yet.

"Come in and have a seat." Dobey began, "This guy was really sick, worst case our coroner has ever seen, and that's saying allot."

"Run down his findings for us, what do you know?" Hutch began.

"Well, her nipples were bitten off probably the first thing he did after he beat her in the face and stomach for a while," Dobey didn't like to talk about such things, but he had no choice at the moment. "The blood loss came mainly from that area and dripped down her legs, that's why her feet where so bloody, we figure she was standing up then."

"He says she was raped just as she was dying, running out of blood judging by the fact that although she was torn in her vaginal area, there wasn't much bruising, the blood was almost completely gone from her body, "

They both looked at each other with disgust, then turned their eyes back to Dobey who was talking down towards his desk, he couldn't make eye contact with them as he spoke about it.

"He slit her throat afterward and why he removed her eyes we don't know, he probably slit her throat to make us think that he wanted her to die suddenly, but this guy made her suffer, .he enjoyed it."

'You mean she bleed to death from her breasts, wouldn't the blood clot after a while?"

"He pumped her breasts, kept them bleeding, made sure he bit through an artery, he probably even saved some of the blood, used it for something, that's what the doctor told me."

"What about the eye we found on the scene?" Starsky asked.

"He must have taken them out while she laid in the bushes, discarded it because he had messed it up getting it out, probably kept the other one."

"My God, Cap'n', what the hell we dealing with here?" Hutch looked at him.

"I don't know," He said. "But whatever it is, you can bet God had nothing to do with it."

As they left Dobey's' office Starsky called Cassie to ask her if she wanted to go out for some dinner.

Cassie told him that she had just made spaghetti and had more than enough for him to invite Hutch over.

Hutch agreed and they headed for Starsky's' place.

Cassie loved having the two of them together, Hutch always put Dave in a good mood, Cassie could feel the chemistry between them, A very special something.

The apartment was clean and the she had everything ready for them, the table set for three and she had pulled some beer out of the cabinet and had it in the fridge to get it cold for them.

The sound of a horn beeping and headlights in the rain pulling up to the drive made Cassie beam with excitement, she waited impatiently by the door, she was having fun playing Housewife.

"Hey Cas, " Starsky came in quickly out of the rain, little drops of water falling from his dark curls, "Sorry we took so long but we got tied up."

Cassie went to the bedroom and came out with two towels, gave one to Dave and waited by the door for Hutch, "That's ok, gave me a chance to clean up and make dinner, I'm glad Hutch could come over."

"Like having him around?" Starsky grinned at her. "Me too."

Hutch came in dripping wet and was glad to see a towel waiting for him when he opened the door. , He shook his head like a dog after a swim and got water all over Starsky.

"Watch it will ya." Starsky yelled as he wiped his face off with his towel.

"Sorry," He said without looking at him. "Hi Cas. Sorry about this afternoon, you did pretty good, we'll have to try again soon."

"Well after letting me drive your car the least I could do was invite you over for dinner." She said as she hugged him

"I hate to interrupt this touching moment, but I'm starving, dinner ready?" Starsky asked.

"C'mon, already waiting for you."

They washed their hands, Hutch in the bathroom and Starsky in the kitchen sink, and they all sat down to dinner, things were quite for awhile, all to busy eating to speak and then, Starsky started the conversation, "Cassie, do you know a girl that goes to your school by the name of Carolyn Sanders?"

"No, should I? Who is she?" Cassie was curious, he'd never really asked too much about her friends before.

"She's just a girl that went to your school, we found her today. She's dead." Hutch said.

"OH My God. That's what you've been doing all day, got any leads." Cassie sounded like a cop.

They both looked at her and grinned

"We have to talk to some of her friends, see what they can tell us about the day she turned up missing." Hutch said to her.

"What day was it?"

"Tuesday, " Hutch told her

"You have a list of her friends?" Cassie asked.

"Hey, maybe Cassie knows some of the kids on the list." Starsky spoke up,

Starsky reached into his pocket and pulled out the little notepad with the names that Carols mother gave him, he handed it to Cassie and she scanned it quickly,

"Yeah I know a couple of them." She finally said, "they hung out with a different crowd than I do, "

"We were gonna wait till Monday, when we could talk to them together at school." Hutch said.

"You probably won't get much out of them that way, best to talk to them alone." Cassie suggested.

"Why's that?" Starsky asked.

"Because they won't talk to you in front of each other, they wouldn't want to ruin their reputations, besides no one wants to be called a snitch." Cassie told them, "Don't you guys know anything about street etiquette?"

"We figured that they might want to help us find her killer." Hutch answered.

"Well they probably would, but talking to a cop can be embarrassing, if you have them all together in one room, all you'll probably get are a bunch of wise cracks."

"Guess we'd better listen to her Starsk, she's probably right." Hutch told him.

"What do you suggest we do?" Starsky asked Cassie.

"Call them into the office one by one, talk to them each alone, you'll get better results." Cassie suggested.

They broke out the Monopoly game and got their minds of it for a little while, Hutch was winning of course and Starsky as usual was trailing far behind, it was allot of fun, three hours went by and then Hutch decided it was time for him to go home.

"See ya tomorrow, Partner." Starsky said as Hutch grabbed his jacket and walked toward the door.

"Goodnight Cassie." Hutch called to her, she was putting the game away, but stopped to walk over and kiss him on the check. "Goodnight." she said.

Cassie finished cleaning up and went to the bathroom to take her shower, Starsky sat on the couch watching T.V. while he waited for her, then he grabbed a clean towel and took one himself.

She was brushing her wet hair as she sat on the end of her bed when Starsky came out of the bathroom.

"Goodnight Princess, " He called to her

She got up and walked to her door and hugged and kissed him, (on the check) "Goodnight." She said.

The thunder and lightning were growing more and more intense as she laid down on her bed, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, the loud crashes and the ragging wind always terrified her.

She peered out her bedroom window and watched the rain as it fell sideways past her, then a bright flash of white light and a loud crack sent her backwards onto her bed, .she was really scared.

Cassie walked over to Starsky's bedroom door and knocked softly but got no answer, .She knocked again, and the door opened slowly on it's own, He was sound asleep, She really didn't want to wake him up and she wondered if he would mind, just for tonight, if she laid down next to him. Daddy used to let her when she was afraid, on nights like this, he probably wouldn't mind either, she argued with herself for a minute and decided there would be no harm in it, after all, it was purely innocent.
 
 

She crawled in on the other side of the bed and went to sleep,
 
 

Long sexy tan legs, long flowing blonde hair, deep dark sexy brown eyes, young perky breasts that stand at attention like soldiers, tight jeans that accent a well shaped rear and thin waist line, nipples that pop out from under a low cut pink wool sweater, blood, so much blood, empty eye sockets. OH MY GOD, CASSIE. HE KILLED...HE KILLED HER.

Starsky was breathing very irregularly, deep uncontrollable breaths, sweating, his arms and legs restless.

Cassie shook him, "Dave, DAVE, WAKE UP!"

Starsky opened his eyes suddenly, grabbed Cassie by the arm in anger, then as his mind started to clear he released her. "Sorry, I guess I was...HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?"

Cassie could still see a little anger in his eyes, "I couldn't sleep, the storm was really bad last night, I'm afraid of the, "

"So you just figured you'd come in here and sleep with me? What the hell were you thinking?" He was angry with her, she had never seen him angry before, never like this.

"I'm sorry, really, I didn't mean to make you..."

"Angry? Is that what you didn't mean to do, make me angry?"

He didn't have to raise his voice, the tone of it was enough, enough to hurt her, enough to make her mad at herself. Why did she do it? So Stupid, what was she thinking?

"It'll never happen again, I swear, .I'm so sorry Dave, "

"Get out of here, go to your room." It was all he said to her.

What if Hutch walked in as he had a tendency to do early in the morning? What the hell would he think?

Cassie had crossed the line. Was he angry? He was mad as hell. He loved her but, she would have nowhere to go and he'd loose his job if someone suspected anything, very dangerous ground.

He hurried as he got dressed, shaved, .put his holster on, and Slammed the door loudly as he left, no goodbye, not another word to her.

Cassie just lay down on her bed and cried for a long time. She thought about Dave, he would never forgive her, she felt so mad at herself. So Stupid, So Damn Stupid.!
 
 

It was Saturday, she would normally go to the mall with Stacy or hang on the phone with the Kimberly or Barbara or any one of her other friends, but not today. She would just clean the house as good as she could, water his plants, wash his clothes, iron his shirts, and pray that he would forgive her.

Starsky arrived at the station and went straight for the coffee pot, grabbed it up forcefully and poured himself a cup, no sugar, no cream, he downed it in one large gulp.

Hutch eyed him for a few minutes, he had seen him this way before, he was pissed about something, what the hell could have gotten to him so early in the morning?

"Hey, everything ok? Hutch questioned him.

"Terrific" Starsky didn't want to talk about it, to anyone.

Hutch knew by his one word answer that he wasn't going to get the truth out of him.

"Starsky, Hutch, in my office now." Dobey opened the door of his office and escorted them in.

They both entered and sat down without saying a word, Hutch was waiting for Starsky to speak so he could try to catch something in his words, some hint as to what was bothering him.

"Carol's mother called me a few minutes ago, Carol Sanders, you know the girl who was supposed to be dead, well according to her mother she's alive and well, and living in Nevada, seems she ran away with her boyfriend, his parents never reported him missing, they said they were glad he left, Miss Sanders had called them looking for Carol, before you too showed up. Apparently she telephoned her mother this morning. She called to let us know, said to tell the nice young men who came to her house yesterday, that Milford still hopes you catch the killer."

"Good old Milford." Hutch said

"I thought she was the only missing persons on record that fit the description." Starsky blurted out. "Who has a daughter missing for four days and doesn't call the cops?"

"We'll have to run dental records, fingerprints may not turn up much, she probably didn't have them on record, allot of young kids don't. Something to tell us who she is, as of right now she's Jane Doe."

"What do we do now?" Hutch asked. "We have no leads, we just can't let this thing go, we have to have something!"

"I ran a description of the MO through R & I, crossed referenced it with other murders around the country, they said there was a similar case in upstate New York about a year ago, seven girls murdered, all in the same way, only different body parts missing, they said he probably has a collection."

"You mean we're dealing with a serial killer?" Starsky looked worried "He's done this seven times before?"

"Did they have anything on him in New York?' Hutch knew he was grasping at straws, if they had anything, they would have caught the bastard.

"Only that he's educated, very intelligent, found notes with the first victims, quotes from novels, things like that, then nothing, he stopped leaving them. I've already sent for copies, they should be arriving tomorrow."

"So all we have is a couple of notes?" Starsky asked, "What about handwriting experts?"

"They just said that we're dealing with a very disturbed personality." Dobey added.

"Great, like we had to have someone in New York tell us that." Starsky sounded sarcastic, "We know he's twisted, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out."

"Take it easy, Starsk, calm down." Hutch said, "Sorry Cap, he's been a little on edge lately."

"Go hit the streets, see if you can find out if there are any young girls missing from anywhere, let Huggy know we found a body, maybe he can help you."

"We'll keep in touch, see ya later, " Hutch grabbed Starsky by the arm gently and headed him towards the door,

"What's with you this morning?" Hutch had had enough, Starsky was gonna tell him what was eating at him or else, he would have to pull out of this mood he was in on his own.

"Nothin'" Starsky wasn't about to tell him.

"Well whatever it is you better let go of it partner, we have a job to do and I'm not gonna spend the rest of the day trying to drag it out of you." Hutch insisted.

"Fine, look it, I'm sorry, I don't mean to take it out on you." Starsky finally broke down.

"Well, whoever you've got a problem with, just let it pass, nothing's worth getting all worked up over."

"Yeah, ok, you're right" Starsky took a deep breath and sighed. It was over, no harm done, really he would talk it out with her, his anger would cool off by tonight.
 
 

They spent the rest of the day on the streets, at the playgrounds, talking to teenagers in the area, they stopped at Huggy's for lunch and a quick beer, but what could he tell them about a missing teenager, not his bag, they were running out of ideas, fast.

They decided to knock off for the day, it was around 6:00 PM when they headed back to the station to see if Dobey had come up with anything new. Dental records would take time to match, other than that he had nothing else till tomorrow when the copies of the notes the killer left would arrive by special courier.

Hutch sat down at his desk and started to work on a couple of reports he had left there when the phone rang, "Hutchinson, "

"Tammy, hey it's great to hear your voice. Are you in town? For how long? Sure, we'd love to, when? We'll be there."

"Was that who I think it was?" Starsky's eyes were wide.

"Tammy Ruggles. Her and her friend C.J, you remember her."

"Sure do. Here in town?"

"Yeah, just for tonight, want to double?" Hutch said sheepishly

Starsky hadn't went on a date, .a real date since Cassie moved in.

"What about Cassie, " Starsky asked.

"She has friends, see if she wants to spend the night with one of them, .you have a life too you know."

"Sure, I'll call her."

He picked up the phone and asked Cassie to call one of her friends to see if she could stay with them, Cassie took it as a sign that he was still mad at her and didn't want her around, she agreed and called Stacy.

Hutch dropped Starsky off at his place and went on home to shower and change, A car pulled to the curb as Hutch was leaving blowing the horn, Cassie came running out the front door just as Starsky was about to go in. He grabbed her by the arm and said her name softly, "Cassie," but she pulled away from him and headed for the waiting car, "Gotta go, they're waiting for me." She didn't want to talk to him, she thought he was still mad and now, she was even a little mad at him, for sending her away tonight, for wanting her to leave.

Starsky watched the car pull away, Stacy's mother, he'd seen the car before. He waked into the apartment and took a good look around, it was clean, really clean, all the furniture dusted, carpet vacuumed, dishes put away. The place looked great, his clothes folded neatly on the couch, and his good shirts, ironed and hanging on the hook on the bathroom door, she didn't put his clothes in his room, probably too afraid to go in. It was a peace offering, she must've spent all day cleaning up for him, she wanted him to notice, and he did.

He picked up his clothes from the couch and his shirts and put them away in his room, which by the way was the only room that she hadn't cleaned. He spent a few minutes straightening up and making his bed, just in case he had company in there later (which was exactly what he was hoping for).

After a long hot shower and a few strokes of his razor, Starsky put on his best aftershave, not the one he wears to work, 'the good stuff' as he liked to call it, more expensive and it always worked on the ladies, a hint of musk and sandalwood.

Hutch stepped out of the shower long enough to grab his razor and shaving cream, although he had had a shave that morning, he always sprouted small stubble by the end of the day, he liked to shave in the shower, helped to soften his skin and he knew how much the ladies liked that soft smooth feeling.

He pulled his good pants out of the closet, fresh from the dry cleaners, and grabbed a shirt to iron. He wanted to look really good for Tammy, he hadn't seen her in awhile, she always looked so great. Too bad her work kept her out of town so much, Hutch wanted tonight to be special. He began to whistle happily as he ironed.

Cassie stared out Stacey's bedroom window, thinking about him, what a jerk, surely he would have forgiven her by now. It was mean of him to send her away, without even talking it out with her first. She wasn't even sure if he wasn't ready to just give up on her. She was a little worried, maybe she had caused him to rethink the whole thing, her staying with him, everything.

"What's the matter?" Stacey asked her, "why are you so down?"

"I did something really stupid, and now, .I don't think he'll ever forgive me, " Cassie was almost in tears.

"Why don't you go downstairs and talk to my mom, she's great at making you feel better."

"I can't talk to her about this, " Cassie hesitated, "She wouldn't understand."

"Sure, how bad could it be?" Stacey grabbed her from behind and led her down the stairway, "go".

Hutch called Starsky as he was putting on his shirt. "Ouch" he yelled, as he touched one of the hot buttons.

"Yeah," Starsky answered.

"Ready?" Hutch said as he sucked on his slightly burnt finger. "I have to pick them up in a few minutes, we'll meet you at 'The Club' for dinner and then dancing."

"I'll be there waiting for you, don't be too long, I'm starvin'" Starsky replied.

"Yeah me too, but I think I'll eat first, " Laughing at himself, "See ya there."

"Yeah, " Starsky hung up the phone and laughed at Hutch, for a change, he was the one making sex jokes.

Hutch picked up the ladies at the hotel. They looked better than he remembered, and they smelled so good. Tammy's hair pinned up to show the slender curve of her neck and Cyndi Jean (C.J.) with long, flowing brown hair, that bounced as she walked. Two very sexy women. Starsky was in for a treat.

He opened the car door for them and they slid in the front seat. For a brief moment, as he drove them to the restaurant, glancing over at the two pairs of long slender legs, he was almost sorry that he had to share one of them with Starsky.

Cassie walked up to Mrs. Taylor who was busy doing the dinner dishes. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure Honey, " She wiped her hands on her apron, "Let's sit down."

"I did something last night that I never shoulda done, " Cassie started, she was afraid Mrs., Taylor would judge her harshly but she felt safe talking to her, she wouldn't tell anyone.

"What did you do? It can't be all that bad." She told her.

"I was afraid of the storm, thunder and lightning, you know how I am."

"Yes, I've known you for a long time, your father had to take you home one night because you were so scared." She remembered.

"Well, it was a really bad storm, I didn't want to be alone, so I..."

"So you crawled in bed with him. Is he very mad at you?" Mrs. Taylor could read her like a book.

"He was so angry, he slammed the door when he left this morning, and he sent me over here to spend the night. I don't think he wants me around anymore." Cassie put her head down.

"Nonsense, .he won't stay mad at you, when you love someone, you can't just turn it off like a faucet. He really does care about you Cassie, I bet he calls tonight just to check on you."

"Really, " Cassie looked up.

"Really." She hoped he would at least. "Now go back upstairs and don't worry, ok."

"Ok" She kissed Mrs. Taylor and went back upstairs.

Starsky was setting at the restaurant bar waiting, when Hutch walked in with their dates. Starsky slid off the barstool and put his arm out, bent at the elbow. "Shall we," Starsky said with a smile as he looked at C.J.

"We shall," She grinned, .she placed her hand on his arm and he lead the way into the dining area.

Hutch had his arm around Tammy's slender waist as they walked to the table, being the gentlemen that they are, they pulled the chairs for them and slid them closer as they sat down.
Starsky called for the waiter and ordered drinks for everyone, he already knew what they preferred.

"So when do you have to leave?" Starsky asked C.J.

"We're here until tomorrow afternoon." She said, "I'm really glad we had this layover. I've been so stressed lately, we could both use the break, "

The waiter brought their drinks. Hutch told him to give them a minute to order.

"Here's to taking a break." Hutch said and raised his glass in a toast.

"Here, Here." Starsky replied as he lifted his.

"Hutch dear, would you order for me please," Tammy spoke up. "The lobster sounds really good. C.J. and I would like to visit the ladies room."

"I'll have the Prime Rib" C.J. added. "She just can't go by herself, we'll be right back."

"Don't get lost," Starsky kidded and they both stood up as the ladies left.

"So, what do you think?" Hutch whispered to Starsky.

"I think this dinner is gonna cost us a fortune" he said.

"OH, It'll be worth it partner, just wait" he teased.

They came back from the powder room and had their chairs pulled for them again as they sat down. Hutch had placed the order and twenty minutes later it was ready, that's what they liked about this place, quick service.

They talked and laughed and ate their meals, spent a total of an hour and a half enveloped in conversation and drink, lots of drink.

Starsky left the tip and handed Hutch a twenty and a ten to pay for his half of the meal.

While Hutch paid the tab, Starsky lead the girls outside to wait for him, it was cold and C.J.'s shoulders were bare, Starsky put his coat around her, They had planned to take both vehicles so that they could split up afterwards, that was the plan.

Hutch pulled up behind Starsky at the Disco Tech and parked. They would leave at the same time anyway, so it didn't matter. They escorted the girls inside and found a table, ordered some more drinks, and waited while the girls made another trip to the bathroom. "What is it with the bathroom ritual, Why do they always have to go together?" Hutch asked Starsky.

"Maybe they don't trust each other, or maybe they go in there to talk about us."

"If we did that, they'd think we were funny, ya know."

"Speak for yourself Blondie." Starsky grinned as he downed a beer.

They danced for a while, to the Bay City Rollers, The Bee Gee's, and K.C. and The Sunshine Band, great music. Hutch excused himself and then Starsky, each keeping an eye on the others date so some John Travolta wanna be didn't come along to steal them away.

After a few hours of dancing, drinking, (more the girls than the guys), they headed out to the parking lot to go back to their apartments, that is if they could talk the girls into it.

Laughing and leaning on each other for support, they were all pretty drunk, and pretty exhausted. Starsky and Hutch kept their drinking down to a minimum, although they were feeling the effects, they knew when to stop, so they could drive and so they would have the stamina for what would come next. (sorry about the pun)

Hutch pulled Tammy over to him, who was by this time giggling and finding it hard to keep her balance, she was aware of what was going on, and had no reason to protest. He looked into her eyes and flashed a deadly smile, the kind that would make your heart melt, stone cold sober.

"Wanna go back to my place?" He teased.

"I don't know. " She hesitated, "What about C.J.?" she said as she smiled back at him.

"Starsky will take care of her, she'll be alright." he said in a whisper.

"HEY STARSK, Hutch yelled over to him, and saw him already kissing on C.J.'s neck and laughing.

"She'll be fine." He said as he turned to Tammy.

He opened the door for Tammy and walked around to the other side, as he opened his door he yelled to Starsky, "Goodnight Romeo." All he got was a hand waving him on, his mouth was already occupied.

Hutch pulled up to his house on the lake and shut the engine off. Tammy was sitting very close to him, kissing him on the neck almost all the way home, laughing and talking and cuddling, getting ready for what would, well you know already.

Hutch opened the door and held an outstretched hand for Tammy, helping her out and shutting the door behind her. As they entered the house, Tammy was a little nervous, .she had been here before but she still had that nervous feeling.

Hutch walked over to the cabinet and took down two glasses and pulled a bottle of chilled wine from the fridge, unopened.

He walked up to her slowly and then reached behind her to shut off the brightest light in the room, the flood lights in the back of the house shown through the glass doors and gave him enough light to see, barley

In a small desk drawer he found two candles and set the glasses and the wine down for a minute, he took her by the arm and sat her down on the bed, struck a match and lit the candles one off the other, he held out the match for her to blow it out, already in their holders he set the candles on the head board and opened the wine, poured it into the glasses, and set it back down.

Hutch leaned toward her and handed her a glass, then he picked her arm up and put his arm underneath, so they could drink it in that old fashioned way.

All of a sudden he lost his balance and fell towards the bed on top of her, wine spilling everywhere. (He may have done it on purpose) Laughing as he recovered and found himself, looking into her eyes.

"You're so funny when you try to be serious." She laughed at him, "You were doing fine up until you lost it."

"OH, you think that's funny do you?" Hutch grabbed her by the arms and sat on top of her, "Here I am, trying to be..." He bent towards her as he spoke, lowering his lips to hers.
 
 

Starsky was having a good time, trying to maneuver his way into the front seat with C.J. holding onto his waist, he climbed in through the passenger side because she had a bear hug lock on him. Laughing the whole time, the two of them.

He drove home, laughing and playing with her, she was tickling him, she remembered his vulnerable spot, and he was finding it hard to keep the car under control.

As they pulled up to his apartment, he turned off the engine and grabbed her hands so she couldn't tickle him anymore, it was his kind of foreplay, he loved it.

He opened the door for her and helped her to his front door, she was laughing and still trying to tickle him.

As the door opened, they fell to the floor, probably because Starsky was leaning on it for balance, and she was leaning on him.

Starsky was very impatient, after all it had been a few months since he let his chained up hormones loose, and Hutch knew it, .He had set it all up for him, perfectly, and he was gonna take full advantage of it.

C.J. was the perfect girl, no strings, no explanations, just passion tonight and a goodbye in the morning, his kind of woman. He didn't want a commitment right now, life was too short.

"Now it's my turn," He said with an evil grin, "Now your gonna get it!"

"Don't make me hurt you." C.J. kidded, as she ran around the couch from him, "I know your weakness."

"Your gonna hurt me?" He smiled, "Then come over here and hurt me."

He was standing in front of his bedroom, with the door slightly opened.

"Ok, you asked for it, " She said as she ran at him, grabbing him around the waist.

They both fell into the room, and landed on the end of his bed, she was tickling him again.

"He finally had enough and felt the urge to get down to business,

Starsky grabbed both her hands and pulled them up above her head, then he looked her dead in the eye and grinned, "Like I said, now it's my turn."

He leaned into her, kissing her passionately, opened his mouth and forced hers open gently, then he pulled one of his hands down and placed it on her neck, kissed her a little harder and slid his hand down to her breast, under her shirt.

Hutch kissed her gently for a few moments, lifting his mouth off and then back on her lips again in a playful manner, he liked to take things nice and slow, the candlelight flickering softly, he reached up with one hand and killed the flood lights on the deck. Now he could be a little more aggressive, just a little, taking his time, he began to unbutton her blouse, kissing her softly between her breasts, she moaned with pleasure at his touch and placed her hand on the back of his head, he took it as a good sign, and proceeded to slide a free hand under her skirt.

Starsky began to growl with pleasure as he kissed her, a sound that he made instinctively, a low growl that made his Adam's apple move up and down, a sign that he was really enjoying himself.
He reached down and grabbed hold of her shirt, lifting it up high enough to expose her breasts, no bra, just two firm large breasts, that called to him. He headed south, she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled at him, moaning with delight, then he kissed her again, rubbing himself on her, as he slid his body higher. She could tell he wasn't playing anymore.

Hutch also had no bra problems. It was the fashion. He didn't mind, less to remove.
Short skirts, also in fashion, meant easy access to other pleasures. Hutch was in heaven.
She began to help him remove his shirt and trousers, kissing him and giggling.

C.J. lifted her body up so he could easily slid her panties down, then he grabbed hold of his belt and pulled it from around his waist with one steady motion, throwing it in the corner. She opened his shirt and ran her hands up his chest, he slid it off his shoulders and tossed it aside, all without breaking their kiss.

Tammy was on top of Hutch now, kissing him and giggling, running her hands down his hairless chest, towards the thing that she wanted most at the moment. Hutch rolled over and pulled the blanket over his back, covering them both, and proceeded to give it to her.

C.J. left his mouth, now both kneeling on the bed, she moved her hands down, and began to undo his pants, kissing him on his chest, slowly moving lower. When she had almost reached her target, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up, looked at her and said, "Close your eyes."
Then he kissed her softly at first, then with increasing passion. He lowered her back down gently and began to pleasure her, for an hour.
 
 

Cassie had stayed up as long as she could, finally giving up on the hope that Dave would call. Guess he really didn't care about me, she thought to herself. Stacey was already asleep and the room was dark, Stacey's mother had just turned off the light in the hallway. She opened the door and found Cassie staring out the window into the night, "Go to bed now Honey, don't worry, he'll call in the morning, He was probably just too tired, I suspect he's already in bed by now." She said, trying to comfort her.

"I'm afraid, I'm don't want to loose him. What if he hates me now, what if..." She broke into tears as Mrs. Taylor held her, "There, there now, it's gonna be alright." Mrs. Taylor was sure of one thing, if he didn't call in the morning, she would call him for Cassie's sake.

Both Starsky and Hutch had been thinking about what they had witnessed the day before, blocking it out so it wouldn't interfere with their off time, but during the night, at the point where dreams and reality combine, .it managed to creep back in.

The same dream, same as the night before, more intense, more frightening, blood all over his hands, all over everything, flashbacks of other bodies, so much blood, and Cassie, Cassie was dead, why was it Cassie, why her?

His breathing heavy and irregular, tossing next to C.J. he called her name, "Cassie."
C.J. woke up and grabbed him by both arms. "Hey Dave, wake up, who's Cassie?"
"GET OUT OF HERE!" He yelled as he sat up suddenly, remembering the morning before, thinking it was Cassie who woke him.

"What's with you, are you ok?" She put her hand on his face. T'his was way out of character for him. He never yelled at her, he was always so sweet to her in the morning. "Who's Cassie?" she asked again, "And why are you so mad?"

"Sorry, really bad dream. Cassie is just a kid. She lives here with me. I took her when her father died, he was a cop too." He explained.

"Is that who you were yelling at?"

"No, just a bad dream, that's all."

"You said, Cassie, get out of here."

"Just drop it, ok." He said as he got out of bed, "It's nothing."

"Where is she?" She persisted.

"Spent the night at a friend's house/ You wanna go get something to eat?" he said changing the subject.

"Sure, why not. Call Hutch and Tammy, we can all go together." C.J. suggested.

"Wanna take a shower?" He asked.

"After you."

Hutch was up early, kissed Tammy as he got out of bed and jumped in the shower. After putting on some clothes, he went into the kitchen and poured two glasses of orange juice, walked over to the bed and woke her. "Hey sleepy head" he said as he nudged her. "Drink this and get ready. We'll see if Starsky and C.J. wanna get breakfast."

"Mornin' Handsome, give me another kiss and I'll consider it." Tammy said sleepily.
He kissed her, smiling as he bent closer, two soft long ones.
 

The phone rang as C.J. was in the shower. Starsky was putting on a shirt and ran into the kitchen to answer it. "Hutch?"

"NO, Mr. Starsky, its Stacy's mother. Cassie was worried about you. She doesn't know I'm calling. She stayed up half the night, can you do me a favor?"

"What would you like me to do?"

"Call her in a little while. You have the number?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'll call in an hour or so. Goodbye Mrs. Taylor"

"Goodbye."

He grabbed Stacey's number off the fridge and put it in his pocket, then he pushed the button on the phone and dialed Hutch.

Hutch was waiting for Tammy to get out of the shower when the phone rang. He picked it up "Yeah."

"Mornin' Partner. Wanna grab some breakfast?" Starsky asked.

"I was just about to call you. I was gonna ask you the same question."
"Meet us there in 20 minutes?"

"Better make it 30, she's in the shower."

"We'll be there."

"Right." Hutch ended, "See ya."

Hutch knew where to meet him, same place they always went, great food.

C.J. walked out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her and walked up behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. "Where's my morning kiss?" She teased.

He turned around and smiled at her, grabbed her gently around the waist and leaned in to kiss her.
She put her arms around him and her lips on his, then she tickled him again, he had a firm grip on her towel. "Do that again and you might be sorry," He said with that killer smile on his face.

Starsky and C.J. were already at the little corner coffee shop when Hutch walked with Tammy. They were sitting in a booth built for four. Hutch let Tammy slide in first. He threw a smile at Starsky and he returned it, their way of telling each other that last night went well.

Tammy looked at C.J, "So, did you enjoy yourself last night?"

Starsky turned his attention to his date. He was curious as to how she would answer the question.
"It was alright," she said.

That's it, just alright? Starsky was thinking, in front of Hutch no less, this he will never live down.

"Alright, huh, " Hutch said then he looked over at Starsky, with the corner of his mouth turned up.

"Where's the waitress?" Starsky complained, "I'm hungry."

"I'll bet, " Hutch added.

Hutch flagged down the waitress and they placed their orders. Starsky excused himself so he could go outside to the payphone and call Cassie. He dropped in a dime and pulled the number out of his shirt pocket, punched in the digits and waited three rings and he was about to hang up when Stacey's mother answered, "Hello."

"Hello Mrs., Taylor, can you get Cassie for me?" He said.

"I wish you would have called a few minutes ago, you just missed her. She and Stacey went to the mall. They wanted to see a movie. I told her she should wait here in case you should call, but she said she didn't think that you would. I couldn't tell her that I spoke to you earlier. I didn't want her to know I called you."

"They have movies this time of the morning?' He asked.

"The early matinee starts at 10, it's almost 9 now. They wanted to sit up front, all the kids go early, it's cheaper." She explained, "It may be none of my business but, she seems to feel that you don't care about her. I know it's silly, just a phase she's going through, thought you might like to know."
 

"Yeah. Hey, thanks for keeping her last night," he answered. "I'll talk to her when I pick her up this afternoon, ok?"

"Girls are very sensitive Mr., Starsky, they get upset over nothing." She added, "Thanks for calling."

Mrs. Taylor hung up the phone. She didn't want him to know what Cassie told her. She didn't what to loose her trust, poor girl needed a mother, she was the closest thing.

Starsky went back to the table, walking in on their laughter. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing, really. Don't be so paranoid." He laughed, "We weren't talking about you."

"Just tried to call her," he said, "Went to the mall, what is it about women and the mall?" he asked as he sat back down.

"You'll never understand it, partner, just let her go, you'll see her later." Hutch told him.

"Who are you talking about?" Tammy asked, "Another woman?"

"She's fifteen. Starsky takes care of her. She's been with him for a few months now."
 

"How did she end up with you?" Tammy questioned him.

"Her father was a cop, right Dave " C.J. added.

"Friend of mine." Starsky told her.

They left the coffee shop and went by the hotel, waited for the girls to change clothes and put their luggage in the back of Starsky's car. Hutch left his car parked.
They spent the rest of the day bowling, until 3:00pm, the girls had a 4:00pm flight.
Starsky drove them all to the airport and he and Hutch kissed them goodbye, the girls had to change into their working clothes before catching the plane.

Starsky drove away from the airport and headed back towards his neighborhood.
"Wanna go with me to pick up Cassie?" Starsky asked.

"You better call first and see if she's back yet."

Starsky pulled over at the first payphone he saw and got out, leaving the engine running. "Be right back"
he told Hutch.

He made a quick phone call and got back in the car, put it in drive and sped off.

"Well, was she there?" Hutch asked.
 

"She's still gone. I'll have to call back later." Starsky told him, "Wanna get a beer, shoot some pool?"

Hutch knew he was talking about Huggy's place, hadn't really hung out with him in a while, off duty.

They spent a few hours at Huggy's. Starsky called Stacey's house a couple more times and by the third call, he was starting to worry a little. So was Mrs. Taylor. Stacey had taken her car. A year older than Cassie, Stacey had a driver's license, but she wouldn't stay gone this late, it was already 7:00.

Starsky walked over to Hutch who was lining up his next shot, .at the pool table.
"Still not back yet, Mrs. Taylor is worried. Listen Hutch, maybe we should look for her, check the mall. I'm starting to worry too," he said.

"She probably just lost track of the time, that's all." Hutch assured him, "But if you're really that worried about her, I guess I'll go with you."

They searched the mall, every store, the entire place, no Cassie, no Stacey. It was almost 8:30.

Starsky got on the radio and called in to the station, to see if there had been any accidents involving two teenage girls, he was starting to panic.

By this time Hutch was starting to worry too. He didn't want Starsky to
know, he tried to keep him calm. "She's probably pulling the same stunt
we used to pull as kids, staying out late, worrying our parents,"
Hutch knew Starsky wasn't buying it.

"Come on Hutch," he said, "you know Cassie. She never did this
before, it's not like her."

"First time for everything, " was the reply.

At 9:00pm, Mrs. Taylor heard her car pull up in the driveway. "Thank
God" she said out loud. She waited for them to come in, but was
surprised to see only Stacey emerge from the vehicle.

"Where's Cassie? She was supposed to be with you. Mr. Starsky is
worried out of his mind." She scolded her as she took the car keys out of
her hand. "And you're grounded young lady."

"I'm sorry Mom, we didn't mean to be so late. Cassie and I meet a
couple boys from school and we went out for pizza. I didn't mean to
worry you." Stacey answered, "She should be home by now."

"Who is she with?" she asked. "You just let some strange boy drive her
home? You were responsible for her safety."
 

"He's a nice guy Mom. We know him from school. His name is Mark,
he's on the football team, it's alright." She protested, "If I didn't
trust him, I wouldn't have let her go."

"I better call Mr. Starsky, maybe he's home." She said as she shut the
front door and locked it. "Go up to your room."

She tried to call his house but got no response, then she remembered
that he was a policeman and tried the station house. They weren't
there either. She asked to speak to someone in charge and in a moment
Captain Dobey's voice came on the line, "How can I help you?" he asked.

"My name is Kaylene Taylor. I'm calling because I need to find Detective
David Starsky, he's looking for Cassie and I need to tell him she's
alright, she's on her way home." Mrs. Taylor told him.

"Thank you for calling Mrs. Taylor, I'll try to reach him, sure
he'll be relieved," he said, "Bye now."

"Goodbye," She ended and hung up the phone. Then she went upstairs to
talk with Stacey.

Starsky was driving around, hitting the pizza joints, video
arcades, everywhere he and Hutch could think to look for a fifteen year
old girl. Starsky was fearing the worst, his dream, his
nightmare. Cassie in the arms of that killer, had he been
having a premonition? Had he been too blind to see it coming? He should
have kept her near him, and then maybe she would have been safe.

A voice came over the radio, "Zebra Three, patch through from Captain
Dobey, Zebra Three respond."

"What's Dobey want?" Hutch asked, he lifted the mic. "This is Zebra
Three, go ahead."
 

"Is Starsky with you?" Dobey asked Hutch.

Starsky took the mic from Hutch. "Right here Cap."

"A woman just called me looking for you" he told them. "Mrs.
Taylor said Cassie was alright and on her way home, just thought I'd
relay the message."

Starsky drew a deep breath and let it out, "Thanks Cap'n', "

"Thank, God." Hutch breathed a sigh of relief too. "Let's go to your
place."

Starsky turned the Torino around in the middle of the street and gunned the
engine as he hurried home. He was relieved, but now he was starting
to feel a little angry. Where had she been? He didn't like
getting worried like that over nothing.
 

They pulled up to the drive and Starsky shut off the engine, the place was
quiet. She hadn't made it home yet. Starsky got out and unlocked the
door to his apartment. They decided to wait for her.

A shiny dark blue convertible sports car pulled into the driveway after a
few minutes, revving the engine as it sat there, a young dark
haired boy was driving and Cassie was in the passenger seat laughing.
Starsky could see through the window, "Come over here Hutch, hurry."

"What?" Hutch said as he walked over and peered out to see.

"Who's that with her?" he asked. "Some football jock? He better
not touch her."

"Lighten up will ya, she's fine, didn't you date when you where that
age?"

"That's what I'm afraid of." Starsky added, "I'm going out there."

"No, no you're not buddy," Hutch said restraining him. You leave
them alone, you'll only make things worse."

"Come on Hutch , let me go" he said as he struggled with him.

"No, if she needs you, she'll yell, she knows your here."

Starsky turned his attention back towards the window. That creep had
his arm around her and, Jesus he was kissing her. "I'll kill
him, get out of my way Hutch. I'm gonna kill that little punk."
 

"Take it easy will ya, .god, you'd think, " Hutch stopped
himself. What did he think? Was Starsky jealous? Was
he, .no, why should he be, he shrugged it off. "Starsky, it's just
a kiss, leave her alone, it's innocent."

Hutch had Starsky by the arm, holding him back, as he peeked out the window
again, still kissing, he'd have to keep a tight grip on his partner or
that poor guy was gonna have a whole lotta Starsky all over him.

Cassie finally removed her date from her lips, and his hand from under
her shirt, "I gotta go now." She told him, "Dave is waiting for me."

"That the cop you live with?" he said, "Alright, hey, pick you up on
Saturday?"
 

"Sure, .now that you know where I live." She smiled, and opened the car
door, "See ya."

"See ya, babe." He said as he pulled out of the driveway.

Hutch watched the car pull away and released his grip on his
partner, Starsky bolted to the door and surprised Cassie as he flung it
open, "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" He yelled at her.

"Take it easy buddy, let her get inside first, want the neighbors to
hear you?" Hutch said pulling him back.

"I don't care who hears me. Cassie it's after nine o'clock at
night. I Want Some Answers!" He was pissed.

"I'm sorry, we just went out for pizza, " she started, "didn't realize
it was so late."

Hutch noticed her shirt, before Starsky did, opened a little more than
was decent, he turned her around to face him and pulled it
together, telling her to hurry up and fix it with his eyes, before
Starsky noticed,

"You shouldn't worry us like that Cassie, we were looking all over the
place for you." Hutch said calmly to her, as she buttoned her shirt back
up.

"You were worried about me?" She looked at Hutch and then turned around to
see Starsky, "You were both worried about me?" she asked. Starsky was
angry, .she seemed now not to notice it too much.

"What Do You Think? You're Only Fifteen, And Who the hell was that
guy who dropped you off?" Starsky asked her.

"Just a boy from school. You'd like him Dave, he's on the football
team." She sounded excited.

Hutch threw a quick smile at Starsky. He played football too, and all
the cheerleaders.

"You gotta watch guys like that Cassie, They only want one thing."
Starsky said to her.

"You were worried about me, you really were." She said, then she did
something unexpected, she walked up to him and kissed him on the check and
hugged him, "You really do care about me," she said in his ear.

Starsky just stood there, caught completely off guard. He was supposed
to be mad at her, but now he just didn't feel it anymore, just glad to
have her home and safe.
 
 

"Let me take Hutch back to his car and I'll be right back," he told
her. "Lock the door behind me."

Starsky walked towards the door and Hutch went over and grabbed Cassie by
the head and kissed her on top of it like a little kid, "He'll be alright
now." He said.

"Thanks Hutch, I owe ya." she whispered to him.

Starsky dropped Hutch off at the little corner coffee shop where he had
left his car and headed back home, stopping at the little store around the
corner to pick up some soda for Cassie, her favorite kind.

He pulled up in the driveway and locked the car for the night before
heading into the apartment. Cassie had taken a shower and was brushing her
hair, sitting on the couch with a bag of chips, watching t.v.

"Want some soda?" He asked her.

"Yeah, that'd be great, I'm thirsty." She said.

He poured her a glass with some ice and sat it down in front of
her. "So what's his name?" He asked her.
 

"Mike, Mike Schwartz," she told him. "He's so nice, and he's
funny too, he makes me laugh."

Starsky sat closer to her on the couch and put his arm behind her, "Cassie
you have to be careful. I used to be that age too, he might seem
nice, but," his thoughts went somewhere else all of a sudden. "How old
is he anyway, is that his car?" He wondered.

"Yeah, he works at night in the mall, we waited for him to get off so we
could go to the pizza place," she told him.

"Ok, that's one, how old, Cassie?" He looked serious.

"Seventeen," she hesitated. She knew he wouldn't like it.

"He's a senior?" Starsky's nostrils flared. "No way, Cassie, He's
too old for you."

Starsky was glad to have a reason not to like him. He already didn't as
soon as he saw him all over her, but now he had a real reason. "I saw
him kissing you out there, you're way too young to have him kissin'
you like that."

"I won't let him do anything, I'm not ready for that yet." she assured
him.

"Yeah, but what's to stop him Cassie, if he wanted to, he
could, probably knows you're a vi..." Starsky stopped the word from coming
out, he remembered when he was in high school, guys on the football
team went after virgins, it was the thing to do.

He was standing up now, pacing back and forth as he spoke to her, just
like his father used to do to him, never thought he'd see the
day, now he was the one handing out the lecture.

"I'll be fine, you have to trust me. Daddy would have. I'm
tired. See ya in the morning.' She said as she kissed him on the check
and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"Wait a minute, I'm not done talkin' to you, Cassie!"
 
 

Cassie came out of the bathroom and went straight to her room, she knew he wanted to talk to her some more, but she was tired. She was content in the fact that he was worried about her, that he cared about her.

She got into bed, and turned out her light. Then she heard him, knocking on her door.

"Cassie, you awake?" He called to her.

She thought about it for a minute, and then decided to answer him, "Come in."

He opened the door and walked over to her bed, "Cassie, I..." He couldn't find words to tell her what he was feeling, what he really wanted to say to her, he sat down on her bed next to her.

"What?" She asked, she knew he was trying to say something, something he obviously had trouble saying.

"You scared the hell out of me tonight. Don't you know how much I care about you? Look, just don't ever do that to us again, ok?" He said as he touched her hair.

"Us, " she was confused.

"Yeah, Hutch and me. He was worried too. I know you're growing up. I know your gonna have boyfriends and I know I'm gonna have to deal with it. Just let me know where you are, we got some kind of killer running around and I thought..."

"You thought I was picked up, maybe even raped or something, that's why you were worried?"

"I'm a cop, I'm gonna think the worst. God I was glad to see you walk through that door." He confessed as he picked up her hand and held it.

She saw something, something in his eyes, the way he held her hand, but she didn't know what it was, all she knew was that he was being honest with her. Daddy would have never admitted his fear, he probably would have grounded her for life.

"Alright," she said to him. "I'm really sorry. I promise from now on, I'll tell you exactly where I'm going."

Starsky put his hand on her face and kissed her on the cheek. "Goodnight Princess," he said and got up to leave.

"Hey," she called to him. He turned around to look at her. "Goodnight" she told him.
 
 

The next morning, bright and early, Cassie got up and headed into the kitchen. She put on some coffee for Starsky and poured herself a glass of orange juice. After she was dressed and ready, she knocked on his door. "Hey, Dave, you awake?"

"Yeah," a groggy voice came back to her. No bad dreams last night, finally.

"I made some coffee, there's still some danish in the fridge, want some?"

"I'll be there in a minute." He rolled over and climbed out of his bed, he hadn't had a dream at all that night, not at least anything he could remember, must've been really tired.

He stumbled into the bathroom to shave after he got dressed and bent down to get a fresh razor from his supply under the cabinet because the one in the holder was getting dull.

He grabbed what he thought was the box and lifted it up. It wasn't his. Kotex, what the hell?

He thought about it for a minute and put it back, realizing she was old enough but the thought hadn't really crossed his mind before. He put them back and grabbed his new razors, put one in the holder and went about his business.
 
 

Cassie was waiting for him in the kitchen, with a hot cup of coffee and a danish on a plate.

He walked into the room grabbed the danish and the cup and said, "Let's go."
 
 

He dropped her off at school and headed on to work. He would be a little early, maybe even beat Hutch for a change. He pulled the Torino into the parking garage and found Hutch just getting out of his car.

"You're here early." he said. "How'd everything go last night with Cassie?"

Starsky opened his car door and got out, his danish was gone, and he downed the last of his coffee, then he put the empty cup back in his car.

"Pretty good, we had a talk, she's ok."

Hutch started to laugh, "You were really something last night, get out of my way, I'm gonna kill him."

He was bending over now laughing at him, "Starsk you should've seen the look on your face, it was priceless."

"Come on gimme a break. I'm new at all this." Starsky told him, "You shoulda' let me out there."

"That poor kid would have probably pissed his pants, " Hutch said with a grin, "I know you, "

"Yeah well, I would've just scared him a little, that's all, I probably wouldn't a hit him." he added.

"That's why I didn't let you out there. Cassie would have never forgiven you." Hutch told him.

They walked on into the station and began to work on the stack of pending reports that were lying on their desk when Dobey walked in. "See you for a minute," he said to them.

They walked into his office and shut the door, then they sat down in the two available chairs in front of the desk, "What's up Cap'n', " Starsky started.

"That dead girl, found out who she was. Lori Valentino, dental records, and a ring she had on her finger, not much to go on, but we think that it's her, a runaway, found her missing persons in Oregon. This guy must've just dumped her body on his way through town. Found another one, same M.O. about 100 miles south of here, headed towards Mexico via California I guess. I handed the file over to the Feds this morning, looks like you're off the hook," he told them. "Back to your beat today, make your usual rounds," Dobey suggested. "Oh and by the way, try to keep a handle on Cassie will ya."

"Sorry about that Cap'n'," Starsky said. "She was just out with a guy, didn't tell me."

"Did you ground her, that's what I would do." Dobey spoke from experience.

"Just had a talk with her Cap'n" He added as he got up to leave.

"Remind me to have a talk with you, about kids." Dobey told him, "Get outta here."

They spent the rest of the day patrolling, decided to take Starsky's car, the regulars seemed to behave themselves when they saw it in the neighborhood, making themselves known was an easy way to keep peace on the streets.

Starsky took Hutch with him to pick up Cassie and to take her home, then it was back to the streets again, rousted a few hookers and broke up a couple of fights, nothing major.

When it was time to go home, They headed back to the Station and Hutch got his car. "Wanna go out tonight?" Hutch asked. "We could take Cassie bowling or something."

"Maybe tomorrow, I'm beat and I still have something to talk to her about. Something I forgot until today."

He told him.

"Alright, guess I'll see ya in the morning then, bowling tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Sure." Starsky yelled as he was getting into his car, then he fired up the engine and headed for home.

As he walked into the door, he yawned and took off his holster, throwing it on the couch, he didn't know why he was so tired, but he just couldn't stand up anymore, he sat down on the couch and put his feet on the coffe table.

Cassie came out of the kitchen with a plate of food for him, a fork and a napkin, she went back and grabbed a cold beer from the fridge. "No, not tonight, I don't feel like a beer." He said, "Got any soda left?"

"Sure, I'll pour you some, don't move." Cassie told him as she ran back into the kitchen for a glass.

Starsky was grateful for the service, he was too tired to get it himself, and he was hungry.

As she returned with his glass she lifted a pillow from the other side off the couch and put it under his feet, then she took his shoes off. Something was up. Starsky could handle the dinner, but the pillow and shoe bit, Cassie wanted something, she was being a little too nice.

"Ok, What gives?" He asked her as he grabbed her gently by the arm. "Why the special treatment?"

"No reason." She said with an innocent smile, "You look tired so I figured I'd help you relax."

"You expect me to buy that?"

"Its the truth, honest." Cassie said, "by the way, Cap'n Dobey called here today."

"He called here, .he knew where I was, why'd he call here?" He asked.

"To talk to me I guess," She said. "Please Dave, don't ground me."

"Oh, he said I should ground you, He told me the same thing." He said, "I'm not gonna do that this time, because I'm gonna give you a chance to show me I can trust you, don't make me have to."

"No, I won't, you can trust me I really want to go with Mike to the game on Friday. I wanna watch him play."

Starsky was almost sorry he didn't ground her now. Right after the game, that's when it usually happens.

He remembered his old high school football days, not all that long ago. Behind the bleachers, in the backseat. Mike had a convertible, hope he leaves the top down, .if he planned to mess with her, he'd put it up.

"You can go, if you're home by 9:00. The game will be over by then. Promise." He said.

"Promise."

"Hey, by the way, one more thing, come here." He motioned for her to sit down so he could talk to her. "If you ever get scared, ever, tell me. I don't care what it is, I'll be here, and next time there's a storm remind me to sit with you till you fall asleep." He told her, "No, more scaring the shit out of me in the morning, deal."

"Deal", she said as she gave him a hug, and spilled his soda all over his shirt.
 
 

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