CHAPTER 2
Before he could stop himself…his words had already come out of his mouth. He didn’t want her to think that he was mad at her...or at Max…but he couldn’t control his instinctive reaction.
"He didn’t mean to do it Dave.” She said as she glanced up at his words. The look of disbelief was still present on his face. “If you want…I’ll pay to have it cleaned.”
“No…it’s alright really.” Starsky told her in an apologetic tone. “How is he?”
“I think he just had a bit too much candy…and popcorn…that’s all.” She told him. “He’ll be alright once I get him home.”
“Yeah…I guess it must be a little past his bedtime.” Starsky said as he glanced at the watch on his left wrist. “You sure he’s gonna be ok?”
“I think so…poor baby.” She whispered as she placed the palm of her hand on his cheek.
Miranda pulled him from the backseat and sat him on her lap for the
ride home. The smell in his car was almost too much for him to bare as
he shoved the Torino into gear and headed away from the curb. Before he
made it to the next traffic light…he had rolled his window halfway down…to
get a little fresh air so he wouldn’t become sick himself.
Hutch’s Ford had a habit of breaking down on him about every two weeks or so. After so many trips to the garage for repairs…Starsky had grown accustomed to having to pick his partner up for work once or twice a month without questioning the reason why. With all the new parts Hutch had invested in to keep it running…he would think it would last a bit longer in between repairs.
Starsky pulled into the familiar driveway and laid on his horn as Hutch came running from around the corner of his small house. He knew how Hutch hated to disturb his neighbors in the early hours of the morning…so he did it just to irritate him a little.
“Why don’t you just turn on the siren?” Hutch asked sarcastically as he opened the car door to protest his partner’s obvious rude behavior.
“I never thought of it.” Starsky answered with a grin. “But if it’ll make you happy…”
“Whoa…” Hutch said as he interupted him and his face took on a sudden look of disgust. “What the Hell is that smell?”
He had just taken a seat on the passenger side and hadn’t had time to close the door when the fowl stench hit his nose.
“Oh yeah…” Starsky replied. “Sorry Hutch…I’m gonna have to take my car down to Merle today and see how much he’ll charge me to clean it up.”
“I can’t ride around all day with that God awful smell.” Hutch told him as he rolled the passenger window down and closed his door. “My car may be in bad shape but at least it doesn’t smell like a garbage truck.”
“No…it just looks like one.” Starsky teased him. “Relax Hutch…I’ll take care of it.”
Starsky threw the car into reverse and then into drive before it had a chance to stop rolling backward. A cloud of dust billowed from behind them as he headed out of the dirt driveway. Hutch had his head halfway out of the window and the sudden rustle of dry dirt…flew into the air and into his lungs.
“Watch it will ya!” Hutch gasped as he coughed a little to catch his breath. “You wanna kill me?”
“Will you just relax!” He yelled as Hutch’s comments began to wear on his nerves a bit. “I said I’d take care of it.”
“So who was riding around in your backseat last night…and how many teeth is he missing?” Hutch asked knowing the kind of reaction Starsky would have given to anyone who would dare to vomit in his car.
“Two…But I didn’t hit him.” Starsky said in answer to his question as he kept his eyes on the stretch of pavement in front of him.
“You mean to tell me that someone had the gall to heave his cookies all over your backseat…and you didn’t do anything about it?” Hutch questioned him. “You mind telling me just what the hell happened last night?”
“Not much to tell…it was just a little accident.”
“C’mon Starsk…” Hutch prompted him. “Can’t you be a little more specific?”
“Ok…I’ll tell you…but you gotta’ promise me that you’re not gonna give me one of your lectures.”
“Who…ME?” Hutch said innocently. “I don’t lecture you…do I?”
“Alright…Alright…” Starsky gave in. “It was a kid…”
“A kid?” Hutch said as he turned his face towards the window and let go a small chuckle. “You’re serious?”
“Yeah…a kid.” Starsky said a little annoyed. “So what’s so strange about that?”
“Nothing…” Hutch replied trying to hide the humor of the situation. “So I didn’t know you were the Uncle type.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know…” Hutch explained with a straight a face as he could muster. “Here little Joey…I’d like you to meet Uncle Davey.” He said in a mocking tone. “That’s how women with kids explain away their lovers.”
“Very funny…You’re a real comedian you know that?” Starsky told him as Hutch snickered at him with his hand covering his face.
“So who is she?”
“Nobody you know.”
“Aw…C’mon Starsk…What’s her name?”
“Miranda…”
“You mean the one with the boyfriend who’s been harassing her over the phone?” Hutch asked with surprise. “Don’t tell me that you’ve been…”
“Ex-boyfriend…and so what if I have?”
“Starsky…when are you ever gonna learn?” Hutch scolded him.
“Uh oh…here it comes.” Starsky said with a sigh.
“What?”
“I knew it…Ok Hutch…Tell me how you warned me all about her…Tell me how I always act on impulses…Go ahead.” Starsky said with a cynical tone. “But I’m gonna live my own life…and make my own mistakes…and just this once…I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t interfere.”
The Torino pulled into a parking space in the police garage as he finished his last statement…and with his final word…he pulled the shifter into park and turned off the engine.
“Fine…if that’s the way you want it.” Hutch told him with a serious look. “Just don’t expect me to visit you in the hospital when Romeo decides to do a number on you.”
“That’s not gonna happen.” Starsky said as he opened his car door and stepped out.
“Don’t be too sure about that.” Hutch replied as he pulled his door open and jumped out to finish the conversation, slamming the door shut as he spoke.
“Look Hutch…I know how you love to worry about me…but I’m a big boy…and I can take care of myself.” He told him in an apologetic tone.
“That remains to be seen…but alright. I won’t hassle you about it. Just promise me you’ll be careful. Is that too much to ask?”
“Thanks Hutch.” Starsky said with a smile as he pulled his wrist up to check the time. “C’mon…we’re gonna be late.”
They headed for the stairway taking equal steps to stay together when a final thought struck Hutch’s mind.
“Hey…just do me a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Pay for a sitter for the kid next time…Just trust me on this one.”
“Hey…Ya know…That’s not a bad idea Ollie…” Starsky said in a playful manner as he opened the door and held it for him.
“After you…”