CHAPTER 6
Soon the apartment was filled with police officers as Starsky sat on the couch with his arm around Max. Hutch took charge of the other officers giving them the story of how they had found her…speaking in a low tone and a distance away so as not to upset the child. The coroners wagon pulled up and Starsky watched as her body was taken away in a large black bag on the stretcher. It was a sight he thought he had gotten used to seeing during the past five years on the force but for some reason… as it passed by him…he felt a cold chill climb up his back. Max was still in a state of denial and shock. He didn’t seem to notice much of the commotion going on around him.
As the body was being shoved into the back of the long black car…a few cars and a van pulled up outside and crews of reporters from the local television stations began to pile out from them and crowd around the open door to the apartment. Hutch closed it quickly and leaned on it as he spoke.
“Who the hell invited the press?” He asked as he looked at the other officers in the room.
“They can smell a story a mile away.” Officer Williams spoke up. “But it was most likely a nosey neighbor.”
Starsky let go of Max and walked over to speak to his partner.
“We can’t take him outta’ here with those vultures outside.” He told Hutch in a low whisper. “Look at him.”
Dobey came around the corner of her bedroom and spotted the band of reporters through the living room window. He knew what kind of a circus it would create when any of them attempted to leave.
“What the hell are THEY doing here?” Dobey asked in anger. “Martin….Williams…get out there and back them up onto the street…give us some breathing space.”
The two officers did as they were told after Hutch held the door open just long enough for them to step out. Then he locked it behind them and stepped a little closer to speak to his Captain.
“So did they recover any good prints?” Hutch asked him in a whisper.
“Yeah…But I wish your partner hadn’t torn the place apart. Some of the prints will probably be his.” Dobey said not at all happy with Starsky at the moment. “At least we still have the evidence in the bathroom. There are plenty of bloody prints in there…hopefully enough to get a conviction.”
“We know who did it Cap.” Hutch told him. “We need a warrant.”
“You have cause to bring him in for questioning.” Dobey replied. “If the prints match…we’ve got him.”
"What about Max.” Starsky asked as he walked up from behind his partner.
He had been leaning against the wall…half listening to Hutch and Dobey as he watched the other officers escort the reporters down to the street.
Max was still engrossed in his cartoons. They had left the television on for him to keep him distracted.
“I’ll call child welfare and they’ll probably have someone come by to pick him up on Monday morning.” Dobey told him. “It’s Saturday and the office isn ’t open.”
“So what do we do with him until then?” Starsky asked with a puzzled look.
“I don’t think Edith would mind a little company. He can stay with me.” Dobey suggested. “You knew the mother Starsky…are there any relatives we can call?”
“I think he has Grandparents in Seattle. There must be a phone number or an envelope with a return address around here somewhere.” Starsky told him as he looked around nervously.
All he could think about at the moment was hitting the streets with Hutch to find Mark Blair…and rip his arms from their sockets.
“If there is…we’ll find it.” Dobey assured them…cutting his conversation short after noticing the urgency in Starsky’s face. “Now…I want the two of you to hit the streets and find your suspect. But remember that he’s only wanted for questioning at this point.”
“Yeah…I’ll question him.” Starsky mumbled under his breath in a tone of disgust.
“I mean it Starsky!” Dobey yelled at his dark haired Detective. “I know you have a personal interest in this case…and if I have to I’ll assign it to someone else.”
“Take it easy Capn’…” Hutch said softly as he stood between them. “He’ll be alright…he knows his job.”
“Just see that you bring him in unharmed.” Dobey told him firmly.
“You got it Cap.” Starsky said as he gave him a playful salute.
They walked out of the apartment and headed to the Torino as a band of reporters ran after them. Starsky made it into the driver’s seat before they could reach them but Hutch was stopped before he could open his door.
They bombarded him with questions in so many different voices that he could barely make out what they were saying. He pushed one of them out of his way and opened the door as he spoke.
“You want a comment?…How’s this?” Hutch said just before he dropped into the seat. “Fuck You!”
The Torino sped off squealing its tires and left them standing in the street. As they watched it round the next corner… one reporter called out to them.
“We can’t print that asshole!”
They headed for the address that Miranda had given him just a few short days before. Hutch didn’t know it but Starsky had driven by it a couple of times out of curiosity. His face was frozen in concentration as he drove and he didn’t speak except for the small snort he had given when he heard his partner’s statement to the press. He knew that when they caught up to this guy it would take every ounce of willpower he possessed…not to beat the hell out of him. But he also knew that Hutch would be there to stop him if he lost control.
They got out of the car and headed upstairs to the apartment. Hutch didn’t ask him…but he was a little curious as his partner led him straight to the front door. They knocked but there was no response. The door was locked and there where about four neatly rolled news papers lying in front of it. Hutch noticed them as he glanced down and then back at his partner.
“Looks like he hasn’t been home in a while.” He remarked.
“We need a search warrant.” Starsky told him as he banged his hand against the door in anger and winced at the pain he inflicted upon himself. “Damn all this red tape.”
“That hand has really been getting it lately.” Hutch said with a comforting smile as he patted his partner on the shoulder. “You have something against doors all of a sudden?”
He just gave Hutch an irritated look as he rubbed his hand to relieve some of the pain. They were just making their way back down the stairway when and old lady dressed in a torn housedress and slippers approached them.
“Can I help you?” She said in a gruff voice as she pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it.
“We were just looking for Mark Blair.” Hutch told her. “Have you seen him?”
“You cops?” She asked with an expressionless face as if she already suspected the answer.
“Yes Ma’am.” Starsky spoke up in a polite voice.
“I figured he was mixed up in something.” She told them. “He’s a strange one.”
“With all due respect Miss…” Hutch began. “You mind telling us what leads you to believe he might be in some kind of trouble?”
“He quit his job a few weeks ago…and he hasn’t been eating or sleeping.” She told them. “I don’t think he’s had a bath either. He looks like the walking dead. I knew it would just be a matter of time before he snapped.”
They looked at each other for a moment and then back at her as Hutch spoke once more.
“Do you know where he is now?”
“Oh he’s IN there.” She said with certainty. “He only goes out at night…you know…like Dracula.”
With that she let go a laugh and turned to walk away…still laughing as she slipped back into her apartment.
“Well…what do we do now?” Starsky asked after she was gone.
“I guess we’ll just have to break down the door.” Hutch told him with a smile.
“What about Dobey?”
“From what we’ve just been told. It looks like we have reason to believe that he might be in need of medical attention.” Hutch explained still smiling.
“You know something Hutch…” Starsky said now returning his smile. “You've
got a point there.”