CHAPTER 11..FINAL
The Torino pulled up to the gate as the headlights flickered out. A
couple of loud roars from it’s massive engine and then silence swept over
the area as Starsky pushed the driver’s door open slowly. Aside from the
few birds that had made their homes in the trees above there was nothing
but the moonlight to keep him company as he climbed over the large fence
and
made his way slowly up to the turnstile. Getting over it wasn’t much
of a problem. As he took a quick look around at the now motionless rides
and concession stands that lay before him…he quietly pulled the hammer
back on his gun to lock a bullet securely into the chamber.
Hutch made his way through a hole in the fence near the rear of the grounds that he had discovered during his earlier investigation. Starsky had dropped him off in the woods nearby so that he would appear to be alone when he arrived. If not for the moonlight it would have been next to impossible for Hutch to find the small break in the mesh of the metal fence. He knew that timing would be crucial and with more than half of the park between them…he had to run as quickly and as quietly as he could to make up the distance so that he would be sure to be in position when his partner needed him. You would think that after all the times he had been in this situation…he would be used to it. But as he headed down the fairway…he could feel his heart pounding harder than it ever had during one of his morning runs. Adrenaline was a natural stimulant that his body seemed to produce in large quantities where his partner was concerned.
The carousel stood just about a quarter mile from the entrance and to
the left as Starsky had remembered it. There had to be fifteen or so rides
and small structures that Mark could be hiding behind…standing between
him and the distance he would have to travel. He shot a quick glance to
his right as he spotted a familiar attraction that he used to like to patronize.
It was
the one with the ducks…moving by at a slow pace …sporting a small target
on each of their bellies.
“I know just how you feel.” Starsky said in a whisper as he caught sight of them.
Hutch slid to an abrupt stop as he darted behind one of many cotton
candy and candy apple stands that where scattered throughout the park.
He was now only about a fifty or so few feet away from the carousel and
in what he figured was as strategic a position as any. He could see his
partner in the distance…taking small steps and spanning his eyes around
in every
direction using every sense that God had given him and a few that he
had acquired on his own.
As he approached the carousel…Hutch emitted a small bird like sound that to anyone else in the area… would have just blended into the darkness. But to his partner it was a friendly calling card.
“I’M HERE…!” Starsky called out in a commanding voice.
“LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS…PIG!” Mark’s voice called to him from out of nowhere.
Hutch tried to hone in on the sound to see if he could pinpoint where it was coming from. But as far as he could tell…Mark had to be on the other side of the structure …out of his view.
Starsky raised his now empty hands into the air. His gun was holstered with the safety strap dangling from under his jacket. It would only take him a half second to pull it out and fire…that is…if he could find anything to aim it at with any degree of accuracy in the glow of the moonlight.
A shadow of a man slowly stepped out from behind the attraction as Hutch caught sight of it and strained his eyes to focus. From where he was standing…There was no way his partner would have been able to see him.
Hutch watched as he pulled his arm up but he didn’t see the small handgun before he had time to react to it. The bright flicker of light was followed by a short blast that seemed to echo through the park and bounce off of the metal framed buildings that surrounded him.
Starsky dropped one knee and curled up in a protective ball on the ground as Hutch watched in horror. The agonizing cry that emanated from his partner’s throat sent a wave of terror through his body. He instinctively leveled his gun in the direction of the image before him and was about to pull the trigger when he spotted another shadow standing nearby. It was much smaller and he could tell that it was the silhouette of a child. If he had fired at that moment there was a good chance that he might have hit him. So he had to come up with another plan…and fast…before Mark had a chance to reposition his gun and finish the job. Starsky was still alive but unable to walk as he held onto his leg and drew his gun from under his jacket. He would have pulled the trigger at that moment but he had no target. He couldn’t tell where the shot had come from and he was afraid that he might hit Max…or his partner if he wasn’t careful.
Hutch raised his gun into the air to release a bullet harmlessly overhead. He knew the sound of his gun would get his attention…and draw it away from his injured partner. Because Hutch was standing a good distance to his left…he knew it would be obvious that Starsky hadn’t been the one to return his fire.
It was as Starsky had always described it…like a cannon as the blast echoed into the night. It seemed to linger for a few seconds as it bounced off of every nearby structure. Hutch could see Mark’s body jump as he crouched down in fear and took a frantic look around.
“POLICE…DROP YOUR WEAPON AND RELEASE YOUR HOSTAGE!” Hutch called out with authority as he brought his gun down to a more threatening position.
“COME ANY CLOSER AND I’LL KIILL HIM…I SWEAR!” Mark yelled back now suddenly
taking on a defensive tone. He took a few steps backward and grabbed hold
of Max tighter…holding his gun an inch from his small head and positioning
him in front of his own body.
“GIVE IT UP MARK…YOUR SURROUNDED…THERE’S NOWHERE TO RUN!” Starsky called out trying as hard as he could to keep the pain in his leg from revealing itself in his voice.
“WHY COULDN’T YOU LEAVE US ALONE? I LOVED HER…CAN”T YOU SEE THAT? IT WAS ALL YOU”RE FAULT…” Mark cried out as his voice cracked in desperation.
“PUT THE GUN DOWN AND WE”LL TALK ABOUT IT.” Starsky called back to him with sympathy. “ LET MAX GO.”
“SHE LOVED HIM…MORE THAN SHE LOVED ME.” Mark told them still screaming but on the verge of tears. “HE KEPT US FROM BEING TOGETHER…JUST LIKE YOU TRIED TO DO PIG.”
“IS THAT WHY YOU TOOK HIM?” Starsky asked in a loud voice...but less threatening as he tried to confuse him enough to break him down. “HE’S JUST A KID MARK…YOU DON’T REALLY WANT TO HURT HIM DO YOU? IF YOU DID YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALREADY.”
“NO…I DON”T WANT TO HURT HIM…I don’t want to hurt anyone…I just wanted to be with her…I just wanted her to love me.” He said as he fell to his knees in tears. “I didn’t want her to die…I didn’t mean to kill her…I didn’t….”
Hutch had crept up from behind him, as his voice grew weaker. Max had been released and Hutch had watched him as he ran up to kneel next to his partner on the ground. The gun that he was holding was now resting in his limp hand against his leg and Hutch gingerly reached for it and took it from him. The crisis was over…he had been defeated…by his own private torment and the reality of what he had done.
Max threw himself into Starsky…almost causing him to loose his balance as he leaned on his right elbow and wrapped his left arm around him…still holding onto his gun. Now unable to holster it…he let it fall to the ground as he spread his fingers and gripped Max tightly around his shoulders.
“Take it easy pardner.” Starsky told him as he winced with pain with the sudden jolt to his body. “I told you I was comin’ to get you didn’t I?”
Max buried his face into Starsky’s jacket and began to cry out as if he had just received a severe spanking.
“Mommy’s gone…” He whimpered sadly as his tears fell onto the fur lining of Starsky’s collar.
“I know Max…I’m sorry…God I’m so sorry.” He told him as he squeezed him tighter and felt the lump rise to his throat.
The tears clouded his vision as he caught sight of his partner coming towards him. Hutch had cuffed Mark to the carousel and pocketed the small handgun he had taken from him. The bullets where smaller than what they where used to and he knew that the wound in Starsky’s leg couldn’t be too severe…though it probably hurt like hell.
“I’ll radio it in…” Hutch said as he knelt down to speak to him. “But first I think we should try to get you into a more comfortable position.”
“I can manage…You go on ahead…Max and I’ll be here when you get back.” He told him half-whispering as he held back as many of the tears as he could.
Hutch nodded his understanding and lifted his hand up to touch him on his left shoulder and allowed it to slide off as he stood up and headed away at a jog.
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The sound of sirens wailing in the distance got Starsky’s attention just as he glanced up to see his partner running up to him from out of the darkness. He had crawled over with Max’s help to lean against the carousel and now held the sleeping child against his chest.
“Ambulance is on the way.” Hutch said him as he knelt down to speak to him.
“SHhhhh….” Starsky replied stroking Max’s thin blonde hair with his left hand. “You’re gonna wake him.”
“Poor kid…” Hutch remarked as he reached his hand up to brush a stray hair from his face. “He’s really been through hell.”
“Yeah…” Starsky said with a sigh. “I sure am gonna miss him.”
“Remember what I said about you not bein’ the Uncle type?” Hutch asked him with a grin.
“Yeah…”
“Well…I was right.” Hutch told him still smiling. “I think you’d make a better Dad.”
“Just give me a few years…” Starsky teased him. “Maybe I’ll make YOU an Uncle.”
“You’ll have to find a woman willing to put up with you first.” Hutch
replied with a laugh. “Odds are…I’m pretty safe.”
END
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