CHAPTER 1
The closing credits began to roll by as the house lights were flicked on. Starsky lifted the near empty popcorn container from his lap and placed it on the floor along with the many others that would be picked up by the attendant after everyone was gone. Miranda waited for him to rise to his feet and take in a good stretch so he could help her with the dead wait of the sleeping child she held in her arms.
Max had been giving them hell as usual…not wanting to sit still for any longer than five minutes. He had interrupted them for cries of more soda…more candy…and his endless trips to the bathroom, which caused Starsky to miss almost half of the movie. But all in all…the date had gone as well as could be expected with a five-year-old along for the ride.
It wasn’t his usual style to date a woman with a child and this relationship
with Miranda had been his first attempt. At times during the past few weeks…his
patience had worn thin…but so far he had managed to keep his cool. As he
leaned over them with both hands resting on the arms of the plastic seat
she was sitting in…he gave her a tender kiss. The first one he had managed
to sneak in that night. Then he looked down at the seemingly angelic looking
face of the sleeping child…and wondered how someone so small…could cause
so much trouble. At that moment his thoughts began to wander…back to the
morning that it all began.
It had been about three and a half weeks since that fateful day…when she entered the squad room. She didn’t realize that she had selected the wrong department for her complaint and Hutch was just about to send her off in the right direction when Starsky rose to his feet and stopped him. They weren’t really doing anything at the moment anyway and her pretty features had caught his attention.
Hutch could tell that his partner had an ulterior motive or two that morning as he invited her to take a seat and voice her complaint in a little more detail. She had been receiving some very disturbing phone calls from her now ex-boyfriend. He was unwilling to accept the fact that she didn’t want to see him anymore and aside from the persistent calls…she felt that he might be stalking her. She had stated that she was concerned for her safety as well as the safety of her son.
Starsky thought to himself as he sat with her that morning and listened to her story. She had a kid…but why should that stop him? There was also the fact that this thing with her ex-boyfriend might mend itself and he wouldn’t want to get caught up in the middle of something like that. After all his job would not allow him to get into any hot water over this woman when by all rights…she should be downstairs talking to a uniformed officer about her problem. Hutch knew it too…and he planned to read his partner the riot act about it as soon as they were alone.
Still she seemed determined to have nothing further to do with this guy and with her looks…he just couldn’t let her walk away without leaving the proverbial door open for her. After she had finished with her explanation Starsky took down her phone number and promised to put a tap on her line. Because the calls had a threatening tone about them…he felt he could get it approved without too much red tape.
But that was all he could do for her. So he suggested that she head downstairs and file a report with the proper office while he put a rush on the tap from his end. It would be quicker for her if he went straight to the proper desk and requested it himself. Otherwise it would take 48 hours to be approved.
She thanked him and left the room…leaving the two of them standing in the doorway…watching her walk down the hall to the elevators.
“What the hell was that all about?” Hutch questioned him in a low whisper so that the other officers in the room wouldn’t be able to hear him.
“What?” Starsky asked innocently.
“You know damn well what.” Hutch persisted as he closed the door and stood near it to speak to him. “I know what you’re up to Starsky…I’m not blind.”
“So she’s pretty…Look Hutch…I didn’t tell her I could do anything more than order the tap on her phone.”
“You just wanted the number.” Hutch told him with sarcasm. “I know how you’ re mind works.”
“You’re just mad because you didn’t think of it first.” He told him. “What harm could it do?”
“Stay out of it Starsk.” Hutch warned. “That boyfriend of hers…”
“Ex-boyfriend…”
“Ok…ex-boyfriend…” Hutch said as he was corrected. “Is still in the picture…so don’t get caught in the middle of it.”
“I don’t plan to…” Starsky assured him. “I’m just gonna call her in
a day or so and see how she’s doing that’s all. Just relax…will ya?”
He did call…and they talked for an hour and a half the following day. He wanted to keep his distance but something drew him to her. Even after realizing that she had a small child…and a hot-tempered ex-lover…he continued to keep tabs on her.
That’s how it all started…
They left the movie theatre after Starsky placed the sleeping child into the backseat and wrapped the seatbelt around his waste to fasten him in securely. Then he held the door open for her as she got in …shut it quickly…and climbed into the driver’s seat.
"I’m sorry that Max gave you such a hard time tonight.” She told him as he turned the key in the ignition.
“I told you to quite apologizing for him.” Starsky said with a smile as he looked at her. “He’s just being a kid.”
“You know… Max really likes you…” She confessed to him. “He talks about you all the time.”
“He does Huh…” He said in a teasing manner as he rested his right arm on top of the seat and drew himself a little closer to her.
“Ever since he found out that you were a police officer…he’s been fascinated with you.”
“So I’ve noticed.” Starsky told her. “And how does his mother feel about me?”
“Oh…I don’t know.” She teased back at him. “I think she might come around.”
“You do?…really.” He said as he laughed a little and leaned in to grab another kiss before putting the car into gear.
At that moment…just before their lips met. They heard a strange sound coming from the back seat.
“Max…are you alright.” Miranda called out in a slightly panicked voice as she turned her head to check on him.
“What’s he doing?” Starsky asked with concern as he listened to the boy begin to cough.
“You don’t want to know.” She told him as she opened the car door so she could lift the seat to care for him.
Starsky quickly pulled his door open too…and lifted his seat to get a better look.
Max had thrown up. Starsky just stood there in disbelief as he assessed the damage and watched Miranda pull him into a sitting position…stroking his hair and checking him for signs of a fever.
At that moment... only two words sprang to his mind.
“MY CAR!”