CHAPTER 2

As Starsky and Hutch got out of the Torino in the police garage…they were running just a couple minutes late and decided that they’d make their usual unscheduled stop by the convenience store before heading out to the streets. But first it was inside to check in with Dobey and grab a quick cup of coffee.

They walked into the squad room and headed straight for the coffeepot. But, before Hutch could get his cup full they heard a familiar gruffy voice coming from behind them.

“Starsky….Hutch…in my office.” Dobey said in a professional manner as he held the door open for them.

“Sure Cap’n” Hutch replied and set the pot back down on it’s stand.

The three of them made their way quickly inside and took their usual positions…Hutch in one chair and Starsky in the other in front of Dobey’s desk.  Starsky very casually placed his feet up on one of the corners but they were immediately knocked back down with one brush of Dobey’s arm.

“Keep your feet off my desk.” Dobey growled at him. He was in more of a fowl mood than usual this morning but it wasn’t that evident until now.

“What’s going on?” Hutch asked in a calm voice as he motioned to Starsky to sit up straight…because Dobey was in no mood for his little games.

“You remember that body we discovered a few days ago.  The John Doe who was strangled and cut up.” Dobey asked them.

“Yeah…No leads…coroner said he was gay but that was it…aren’t Murphy and Johnson working on that one?” He asked.

“We found a little more information on him…he was a stripper…worked out of that new strip club on Olympic Blvd.” Dobey told them. “The Coroner says that the weapon was a Ginsu knife.”

“Ginsu…” Hutch asked.

“Yeah you know…the one that slices and dices…” Starsky teased him.

“Knock it off…” Dobey said in a harsh tone. “There’s something else I haven’t told you about the case…I didn’t feel that you needed to know everything since you weren’t assigned to it.”

“What else?” Starsky asked.

“The young man had been mutilated alright…it was missing.” Dobey said as he tried not to actually say the word.

“It?” Hutch asked.

“Yes….it….his…you know..” Dobey answered him.

“Wow…with a Ginsu…that’s cold.” Starsky replied as his whole body shook at the thought.

“So why are you telling us all of this.” Hutch asked…afraid of the answer…he really didn’t want to work around this case…they already had enough to do…but that wasn’t the reason.  Hutch didn’t want to deal with it because it involved gays and that made him a bit nervous.

“I want the two of you to take over…Two more of the strippers have come up missing and we feel that the murder may be linked to the club.” Dobey replied.

“You want us to pose as gay customers?” Starsky asked with a tone of disbelief…no way was he about to do that.

“The club only allows women in the door…all the dancers are men…only some of them are gay.” Dobey answered him.

“What then?” Hutch asked this time.

“You can’t pose as a bartender…we suspect him…and the cook in the back can’t know that you’re cops…you’ll have to pose as…”

“Strippers?” Starsky asked with a bit of shock in his voice. “You don’t want us to pose as male strippers do you?”

“This club has the men strip down to a small bikini bottom…not G strings…I thought that you might….” He was interrupted.

“No way Capn’…we gotta draw the line somewhere…I’m not about to dance like that in front of a bunch of screaming women.” Hutch told him.

Starsky thought about it for a minute…this was just the thing to get back at Hutch for Cassies’ skimpy cheerleading outfits…it would be just like a walk on the beach for him…it’s not like they’ll be totally naked…and maybe it would teach Hutch a lesson. Besides…Starsky thought it might even be a little fun…one of his secret sexual fantasies.

“Ok…Cap….I’m in.” Starsky said with a grin and then glanced over to watch Hutch’s face as his chin hit the floor. ----------------------------------------------------