HARD TIME
  BY
  TOOKI

(PART TWO OF BACK FROM THE GRAVE)

 

 

                                              CHAPTER ONE


   Susan sat in the holding cell looking at her ink stained fingers from being booked for the murder of Janie Stillwell. She was still in shock that she had even been arrested for shooting her. Janie had been trying to kidnap Susan's sister's daughter and was threatening to strangle her. Susan had only pulled the trigger when she realized that Janie was making good on her threat and was slowing tightening her grip around the young girls throat.
   Susan had been stunned when Rob had jumped to Janie's defense and accused her of murdering the woman in cold blood. True she didn't seem to be arm with a weapon but even if Susan had charged her little Jesse would have been dead. Janie could have and would have snapped her neck like a twig. Finally she lay down on the cot in the small room and closed her eyes. Susan wondered what Hutch and Starsky were doing at this moment.

   "This is bullshit," Hutch raged not far from the cell where his wife was laying down. "How can you arrest her she was only trying to save her niece from being strangled."
   "That is Susan's story," Officer Corbin said as he filled in a form. He had Susan's personal effects lying on the desk in front of him.
   "Oh come on Ben you know Susan." Hutch said looking at the bagged gun on the counter.
   "If it were up for me I would pin a medal on her for what she did." Ben Corbin a long time friend of the family said. "I know the hell this Janie Stillwell put your family through, but it's not up to me."
   "Damn it," Hutch pounded his fist on the counter.
   "Why don't you work on getting her out of here." Ben suggested. "There has got to be some kind of evidence out there."
   "Starsky is combing the airport." Hutch said not wanting to leave Susan there at the station by herself.
    "Listen Hutch it's going to be at least tomorrow morning before you can post bail. I'm figuring with Susan's reputation you won't have much problem getting a judge to post bail especially if you get a judge that knows the family." Ben said as he finished up the paper work. "So why don't you get out of here uh?"
   "Let me see her first."
   "Hutch you know I can't do that," Ben said but he was already going to open the door to allow Hutch behind the counter. "Make it quick uh?"
   "Thanks Ben I owe you buddy," Hutch said as he slipped in. He walked down the hall to the holding cells. Mercifully they were all empty save one, the one his wife was in. She was lying on the cot her arm slung across her eyes. "Honey?"
   Susan immediately sat up then went to the bars. She took Hutch's hands that he had extended into the cell. "Oh God Hutch how could this happen?"
   "I don't know but we will get you out of here," Hutch promised.
   "Tonight?" she asked hopefully.
   He shook his head, "I'm sorry sweetie not tonight, and you know the wheels turn slowly. But there is a hearing set for tomorrow morning and then we will get you out of here."
   "Where is Katie?" Susan asked worried about her sister.
   Hutch shook his head I don't know. "I came here with you. Starsky and Libby stayed back at the airport to help with the investigation."
   "Please find out what is going on," Susan begged.

    "Get away from me you bastard," Katie yelled at her husband as she clung to her daughter. "What do you think you are doing? You know good and well that Janie was trying to take Jesse."
   "Our flight is getting ready to leave," Rob said ignoring his wife.
   "Flight? Flight? Are you kidding me?" Katie screamed in his face. "You think I'm going anywhere with you NOW! I am filing for a divorce and making sure you never see our daughter again."
   "We'll see about that," Rob said and turned on his heel leaving Katie to stare after him.
   Jesse began to cry, Katie got down on her knees in front of her daughter, "It's going to be alright honey." She started to pull Jesse into her arms when she noticed some red marks around her throat. She inspected the marks closer then she looked into Jesse's eyes. "Did Janie try to choke you?"
   Slowly Jesse nodded her head yes in fact her neck still hurt, she had been about to faint when her aunt had shot the woman squeezing her neck.
   "Holy Shit!" Katie explained. Jesse looked at her mother. "Sorry Jess, we have got to find Starsky and Libby."
   When Katie found Starsky he was barking orders at a young officer who was had just stepped on the spot where Janie had been laying. "You are stepping all over the evidence!" he shouted.
   "Listen Starsky," Captain Dan Simpson said, "I know you have a vested interested in case but I am after all in charge." Then he turned to the young officer, Metcalf why don't you see if you can't get some statements from these people standing around. And for God sakes stay off the crime scene."
   "Starsky," Katie yelled at him, she was standing behind the yellow tape that had been used to rope off the area.
   Starsky turned to see Katie motioning franticly at him. "What's wrong?" Starsky asked her almost afraid to ask.
   "Look at Jesse's neck," Katie said pulling the little girls hair back.
   Starsky ducked under the tape and squatted down in front of the little girl. "Can I look honey?" he asked. Jesse nodded; Starsky examined the red marks that were now starting to turn a bit purple.
   He looked up at Katie, "Looks like finger marks."
   "Tell him baby," Katie urged Jesse.
   "That bad woman was trying to choke me, that's why Aunt Susan shot her.” Jesse said tears running down her face.
   Starsky pulled her into his arms. "It's going to be okay. Can I get that man over there to take some photos of your neck?"
   "Okay," she said hesitantly.
   "Hey Jake I want you to take some photos over here." Starsky called to a man standing where the body had been lying he had just finished shooting the site.
   "You have something?" Dan asked coming to see what was going on.
   "Look at the child's neck there are hand prints all over it. Janie was choking Jesse that is why Susan shot her." Starsky said pulling Jesse's hair back again.
   Dan inspected the marks, "Jake get photos." He said the photographer then grabbed Starsky by the arm and pulled him away. "This is probably the reason Susan shot her once but why did she empty the gun on this Janie?"
    "There is a lot of history here that you don't understand." Starsky answered.
   "Well I hope to God a jury will understand." Dan replied.
   "Jury?" Starsky echoed. "I never really thought about that."
   "Well you better think about it and find her a damn good lawyer because if somebody doesn't come up with something she is going to be doing some hard time."
   "Oh come on Dan."
   "I'll tell you the way it looks from our perspective. Susan comes to the airport with a gun that she got through security by flashing her detective's license. She makes statements loud enough for witness to hear that more or less she is going to kill this woman Janie because that would be the only way they would be free of her and then chases her down while she is taking her niece to the
restroom and shoots her in cold blood not just one time but empties the gun into her." Dan said.
   "Dan you and I both know that is not what happened." Starsky said his blue eyes flashing.
   "I wasn't here I didn't see it, did you?" Dan asked. Starsky had to shake his head for he and Hutch were just running up when the shots were fired. "But you know Susan."
   "Starsky I'm not saying that she shot this woman with out a reason. The marks on the girl's neck are going to help. But the burning question is why did she just keep shooting her once the child was free? Susan didn't have to keep firing."
   Starsky ran his hand though his curly hair, "I don't know Dan."
   But Starsky did know Janie had tortured Susan since she was a teen, killing her family, kidnapping her and Hutch's daughter along with their nanny needless to say almost killing him. Who wouldn't snap under all that? Starsky also knew that Janie hadn't come to the airport unarmed, that wasn't her style. But if she had a gun where was it now?

 

 

                                                        

 

                                                CHAPTER TWO


   Susan sat in the courtroom looking straight ahead; Hutch was in the seat directly behind her and Amy Marlin the best criminal lawyer in the country sat next to Susan. Hutch had called up on her as soon as he had gotten home the night before. He knew from seeing the woman in court on many occasions that she was good at what she did. There had been more than once that Ms. Marlin had gotten off a criminal that he had arrested.
   Ms. Marlin was not happy with the judge they had drawn for their bail hearing he was known for being tough on cops or ex-cops found doing wrong. She drummed her pen on her legal pad as they waited for the proceedings to begin.
   Susan turned around to look at Hutch who smile in what he hoped was encouragement, for he to knew the rep that Judge Strickland had. He was a tough Judge and ran on a platform of not letting police officer's walk just because they were cops. Most of the time he was right and nailed his man but there had a been a few times that officers had gone to jail when they shouldn't have.
   "Where is Starsky?" Susan mouthed at Hutch. He just shrugged for he had no idea where their partner was. He hadn't come home although Libby had come in very late. That morning before he left he didn't see him either. Libby had been busy packing up the children for she was taking them to AZ to stay with Cassie and her family while all this was going on. They felt that the children had no business being there with the things that were going to go on and things that were bound to be said.
   Susan turned around in her seat just as Judge Strickland entered the courtroom. Everyone was instructed to rise until the judge was seated. Once he was seated he took a few moments to look at the papers in front of him. Amy Marlin continued the tapping of her pen. Then he looked over the top of his glasses at Susan and her attorney. "And how do we plead?"
   "This is a complicated matter your Honor," Ms. Marlin said rising to her feet. "You see your Honor…"
   "I just want to know how the defendant pleads." He scowled.
   "Guilty sir but with extenuating circumstances." The lawyer answered.
   "Fine, that is for the jury to decide, no bail," he said and slammed his gavel down.
   "But your Honor, Mrs. Hutchinson is not a flight risk, she is the mother of three children, she is an ex-cop and a private detective. She has an unblemished record in all her years on the force."
   "And all that makes her above the law?" Judge Strickland growled. "I think not. Being a cop does not make you a saint."
   "Come on your Honor," Marlin said she was beginning to get angry.
   "Would you like to join your client in jail Ms. Marlin? If you keep this up I will hold you in contempt. I suggest that you get busy and find a way to defend you client." The Judge answered then pounded his gavel again loudly. "NO bail."
   Tears welled up in Susan's eyes as a uniformed officer came toward her. He made her turn around as he cuffed her hands behind her back and led her from the room.
   Amy Marlin jammed her legal pad in her briefcase and left the courtroom followed by Hutch. "What the hell are you going to do about this?" Hutch stormed the moment they were out in the hall.
   Amy turned on Hutch, "We find a way to get her acquitted. It is her word against…well the victim is dead isn't she?"
   "But her niece could have told the judge that Janie was choking her." Hutch snapped.
   "Today was not a trial only a bail hearing. We want to save the girl for the trial we will want to hit the jury with everything we have." Amy said as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket. "The best I can do now is to get her a speedy trial and get her out of jail that way. We might have to deal with the prosecutor."
   "Deal?" Hutch echoed. "You mean like admit that Susan shot that
witch in cold blood. No, Susan will never go for that not in a million years."
   "Well she might have to unless she wants to spend the rest of her life in prison!" Amy said as she turned on her heels and left Hutch standing staring after her opened mouthed.

   Gil Grissom was examining a body that had just been brought in when Catherine Willows poked her head in the door. "Hey Gil you have
a phone call."
   Gil sighed he hated to be disturbed while he was working on a case. "Can't you take a message?"
   "They are pretty insistence I told him you were busy." Catherine
said stepping into the room. "I'll take over for you if you want to get it."
   "Who is it?" he asked still annoyed.
   "A David Starsky, he said he knows you from LA?" she said.
   Gil looked surprised, he had worked with Starsky and his partners
on several cases when he had worked in Los Angeles before moving to Las Vegas. "Ok, I'll take it," he answered stripping off his rubber gloves.
   In his office Gil picked up the phone. "Hey Starsky what can I do
for you? I thought you had retired from the force."
   "Hi Gil, we did, this is personal." Starsky quickly brought Gil up
to speed on what was going on. They hadn't found any evidence to help Susan what so ever. Starsky's theory of Janie having a gun couldn't be proven.
   "I'll be there on the next fight. Have them hold the body of this Janie Stillwell and don't let anybody else in the apartment or car." Gil told him.

   Libby had just left for the airport with all the kids in tow when the phone rang. Starsky looked at his watch, the bail hearing should be over by now he was hoping it was Hutch with good news. "Hutch?"
   "Yeah it's me," he said grimly.
   "I take it the news isn't good?" Starsky asked.
   "We pulled Judge Strickland." Hutch said he knew that was all he had to say.
   "The bastard denied bail didn't he?"
   "You got it partner. He wouldn't even listen to what Marlin had to say." Hutch said looking around. "They won't let me see her yet they are processing her in for a longer stay." Hutch laughed bitterly. "I'm going to see if I can pull some strings and get them to let her stay here in holding it's not as comfortable but at least she won't be jail with the regular population.
   They both new that putting a cop even an ex-cop in with inmates was very dangerous. You never knew how many of them you put there yourself and for some of the inmates just the fact that you were a cop was enough for them to want you dead.
   "Hutch I called Gil a while ago he is on his way." Starsky informed
his partner.
   "I take it the investigation is going that badly?" Hutch asked.
   "Well it's sure not going good." Starsky said. "I know Janie carried a gun and we have to find it. Her car and apartment have been checked out. If there is anything there now only Gil will find it."

 

                          

 

 

 

 

                                             CHAPTER THREE


    Susan dressed in an orange jump suit stood with her hands clutching the bars of her jail cell. It had chilled her to the bone when she had been handed the suit and her street clothes taken from her. This was for real; she was on the other side of the bars this time. She swallowed hard trying to choke down the fear she felt rising from the pit of her stomach Susan realized that she might not be getting out of jail anytime soon at least not if Judge Strickland had anything to do with it.
   She hear a door open and foot steps she knew that they would soon be moving her out of police headquarters holding cells and into to a more permanent facility. Susan knew all to well that the wheels of justice moved slowing. She was surprised to see it was Hutch with Dan Simpson.
   "How are you doing?" Dan asked.
   Susan shrugged, "As good as I can be under the circumstances." Hutch put his hand over hers and smiled. "Honey we have arranged for you to stay here at headquarters until the hearing. Marlin is trying to get you a court date as soon as possible so we can get you out of here."
   "It's not going to be easy Hutch," Susan said. "I'm going to do some time, maybe a lot of it. I don't expect you to wait for me."
   "Damn it you stop talking like that," Hutch said angrily. "You are going to get out of here soon do you hear me. Starsky has called Gil Grissom, he's on his way."
   "Oh God it's that bad?" Susan said rolling her eyes.
   Hutch tried to grin at her. "We just want the best hon."
   "Where is Starsky?" she asked, she had been asking for him since her arrest.
   "He's busy on the case, he'll be in to see you when he has time," Hutch assured her.
   "Katie?" Susan asked.
   "Hutch looked at the floor for a moment trying to find the right words. He had avoided the subject of Katie since Susan had been locked up. "We…we don't know where she is. After the photographer took photos of Jesse's neck they just disappeared."
   "Jesse's neck?" Susan asked puzzled.
   "There were hand prints to back up your story of Janie choking her." Hutch told his wife.
   "Where could she have gone?"
   "Maybe she is hiding out from Rob I don't know but I'm sure she will turn up with Jesse she will be one of our key witnesses." Hutch said.

    Starsky was in the office when the doorbell rang. He almost didn't answer it but decided it might be important. When he opened the door Gil Grissom was standing there. "Gil," Starsky exclaimed. "You should have called I would have come and picked you up!"
   The two men shook hands as Gil entered the house. "I figured you were busy. How is Susan holding up?"
   "Ok I guess." Starsky said taking Gil's suitcase and leading him to the office.
   "So what have you got so far," Gil asked getting down to business, he wasn't the type to waltz around the issues at hand.
   "No much I'm afraid. Right now Janie Stillwell looks like an innocent victim and Susan the cold-blooded killer." Starsky answered grimly. "The only witness we have in Susan's defense is her nine year old niece. She has finger prints around her neck where Janie was choking her."
   "I would like to get a look at this girl," Gil said looking around the room.  "Where is everybody?"
   "Libby took all the kids and went to stay in Arizona with a family friend we thought it was best if they weren't around all this." Starsky answered him then said. "We do have a wrinkle, we don't know where Jesse is. She and her mother disappeared from the airport right after it happened."
   "I didn't think Susan had any living relatives but you all." Gil asked confused.
   "Sit down and I'll tell you the whole story." Starsky said indicating a near by chair.

    Susan was asleep on her cot when shouts awoke her, a stream of bloody young men streamed into the cell area handcuffed with twice as many police officers accompanying them. They were yelling profanities and jostling each other, the officers were trying to keep the men from further injuring themselves.   "Get her out of there," one of the officers yelled.
   The door to Susan's cell was opened her hands cuffed behind her back and she was led through the crowd of men and out into the hall. "What happened?"
   "A riot broke out downtown," the officer who had cuffed her hands
said. "You sit right there somebody will take you to the Huntington Park Jail."
   "What? Wait a minute I'm suppose to stay here until my hearing," Susan said panic in her voice. "I'm an ex-cop you can't put me there you know what could happen to me?"
   "Listen I'm just doing what I'm told."
   "I need to make a phone call." Susan said.
   "Sit," he ordered and went back to help out his fellow officers.
   Susan sat down on a bench, for a split second she actually thought about just walking out. They were all so busy that nobody was even watching her. But she knew that it would only get her into more trouble.
   Officer Ben Corbin was shocked to see Susan sitting on the bench when he clocked in for work thirty minutes later. "What are you doing out here?"
   "No room in the inn," Susan joked, then she turned serious. "Ben they are going to send me to Huntington, I can't go there."
   "You hold on a second," he said and disappeared in to the holding area.

   "Your name Hutchinson?" Susan looked up a huge burly cop stood before her. "I'm transport here to take you to Huntington."
   "I'm Susan Hutchinson but I'm not suppose to go to Huntington." She said looking to see if she could catch sight of Ben. It seemed as though a fight had broken out in the holding cell area even though all the men were handcuffed. Several more officers went running in.
   "Well the paper work I have here says you do, so on your feet." He said grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet.
   "I have to make a phone call!"
   "Later," he said.
   When Ben was finally able to get away to check on Susan she had already been taken away. "Shit," he said under his breath and picked up the telephone on the desk.

   Just as Starsky was finishing up telling Gil all about Susan's past the phone rang. "Yeah," he said into the receiver.
   "Hutch there?" said a voice.
   "Nope this is Starsky can I help you?"
   "This is Sergeant Ben Corbin down at headquarters I thought you should know that they just moved Susan to Huntington." He said
   "What? Are you trying to kill her?" Starsky jumped to his feet.
   "Hey I didn't have anything to do with it. It's a mad house down here." Ben quickly explained was had transpired.
   "Ok thanks Ben I'll see if I can find Hutch and we'll get over there."
   "Some wrong?" Gil asked as Starsky hung up.
   Starsky nodded, "Susan got transferred to Huntington."
   "Where?"
   "It's a jail that houses un-sentenced prisoners among other
things." Starsky said picking up the phone. "It's not a place for a
cop."

    When Susan reached Huntington she was taken off the transport bus and ushered into the woman's side of the facility where her handcuffs were taken off and she was order to remove her orange jumper that she had been issued at the station.
   "But you don't understand something has been screwed up I was suppose to stay at head quarters." Susan looked at the woman before her.
   "All I know is that you are here, you have to be deloused and assigned a cell." The prison guard said.
   "I have gone through all this already."
   "And you are going through it again." The guard said. "Now you can make this hard or easy it's up to you."
   Susan sighed and began taking off the jumper. She hoped that Hutch would come to her rescue before she was put into a jail cell.

 

                                                

 

 

                                                     CHAPTER FOUR


    Hutch paced in front of Amy Marlin's desk as she talked. "We need hire a detective to hunt down this sister of your wife's."
   "Are you forgetting that I am?" Hutch stopped mid pace to look at her.
   "You are to close to this." She said as she flipped through her Rolodex.
   "Well it sure isn't the first time I have been close to a case." Hutch snapped.
    "Have you thought that maybe Susan needs you around for moral support?" Amy picked up the phone and began to dial a number.
   Hutch grabbed the receiver from her hand and slammed it down. "Listen I know you know your stuff but I know mine too. I was a detective when you were still in diapers. And yeah this is personal so it will make my partner and I work all that much harder. I know we have to find Katie and Jesse or you have no case at all."
   She looked up at him and shook her head. "No case at all is right. To tell you the honest truth I don't have any idea how I'm doing to get her off. The DA has a dozen witnesses that heard Susan threaten to kill Stillwell. And then you have her brother standing there calling her a murderer saying that is sister was only taking the girl because he said it was okay." Amy got up and came around
the desk. "The only witness we have is a nine year old girl who is MIA! Right now I'm just glad that California doesn't have the death penalty or Susan would fry."
   Hutch sat down in the closest chair to keep from hitting the woman. "What the hell kind of lawyer are you anyway?" He asked pounding his fists on the arms of the chair.
   "An honest one, I'm laying it out for you plain and simple. I'm also a good lawyer too and I'll do everything in my ability to get your wife off or to at least get her a reduced sentence."
   "Then I suggest we…" Hutch began but was interrupted by his cell phone. Sighing he pulled it out of his pocket, "What!"
   "Hutch you need to get that fancy lawyer and get to the Huntington jail." Starsky said with out bothering with the niceties.
   "Why what is going on?"
    "Susan was just taken there. They bumped her out of the holding cell at headquarters. There was some kind of riot and they needed
the room." Starsky explained.
   "Holy shit," Hutch exclaimed. "Thanks Starsk." He looked up at Amy. "Ok let's go earn all the money we are paying you. Susan some how got moved into Huntington."
   Amy grabbed her suit jacket off the back of her chair. "Let's go."

   As Susan was led to her new cell several of the female inmates recognized her immediately and began cat calling. "KNOCK IT OFF,"
the guard yelled.
   "Looky who we got," one woman yelled, who Susan and her partners had busted for running a prostitution ring. "What did you get busted for cop?"
   "I said to shut it up," the guard warned again. But the noise didn't stop it only became louder until it was a dull roar. Susan followed the guard until they came to an empty cell its door was open. "You are in here."
Susan slipped in the guard gave a signal and the door slid shut. "Please call my husband."
   "You are going to be just fine princess." The guard smiled at her. "Don't worry they can't get in any more than you can get out."
   After the guard left the noise only got louder, Susan was pelted with threats as she sat on her cot trying to ignore the roar out side her cell. She knew that if she had to mix with the population she would be dead before nightfall.

   Amy showed her ID at the gate and they were allowed to enter the prison walls. After parking they went directly to the warden's office. They were asked to wait in the outer office while his secretary went in to announce their arrival. Hutch could hardly sit still and wanted to get up to pace but Amy wouldn't let him. "You let me do the talking when we get in there uh?" she whispered to
Hutch. Hutch scowled at her but nodded.
   "You may go in now," the secretary proclaimed after a very long ten-minute wait.
   "Remember I do the talking," Amy hissed under her breath as she opened the door to the warden's office. "Warden McKay."
   "Ms. Marlin, what brings you here today?" Warden McKay said standing up to shake her hand. He looked at Hutch with question on his face.
   Hutch stepped forward to also shake his hand. "I'm Ken Hutchinson sir, my…" Amy shot him a look and he fell silent.
   The warden noticed the look that past between them but made on comment. "So what can I do for the two of you?"
   "My client a Susan Hutchinson was brought in here a few hours ago. She was suppose to stay in lock up at headquarters but there was a mix up and she was sent here." Amy explained.
   " Ahhh yes, that story is all over the news. So is she innocence?" he asked raising his eyebrow at the attorney.
   "I only defend the innocent Warden McKay," Amy said smiling at him.
   "Yes of course you do. I think we have several of your innocence's locked up right here." The warden sat down behind his desk. "That is neither here nor there why are you here? Mrs. Hutchinson is being held until her trial, that is not unusual."
   "You are right about that but what is unusual she is or was a cop and as you know cops make a lot of enemies over the years. Being in an open prison population with inmates is not in the best interest of my client." Amy sat her brief case next to a chair and sat down. Hutch remained standing.
   "I will concede you that Ms. Marlin," the warden said. "She will be kept out of the general population but she will have to remain locked in her cell or go to solitary confinement.
   "I don't think solitary will be necessary her cell will be fine." Amy said. "Now I would like to see my client."
   "Just a damn minute," Hutch interrupted. "I don't want Susan here. I want her back down at headquarters."
   The warden looked at him surprised. Then suddenly put the two names together. "The husband?" he asked looking at the lawyer she nodded. "Mr. Hutchinson I assure you your wife will be safe here."
   "No this is unacceptable, she has done nothing wrong. She saved a child from being killed. She has spent most of her life working for the good of this city and now she is just going to be locked up like street trash?" Hutch raged.
   "Mr. Hutchinson calm yourself." Warden McKay glared at him. Then his face soften, "I understand how you must feel but I can't release her it's not up to me."
   "Hutch sit down," Amy ordered. Hutch flopped down in the chair next to hers. "I'm sorry for Mr. Hutchinson's out burst sir," she apologized for Hutch. "He is under a lot of stress as is my client."
   "I understand but like I said my hands are tied. But I can let you see Mrs. Hutchinson, give me a few minutes and I'll arrange a room so that the three of you can talk." McKay said.

   Hutch and Amy sat in a small room it held a table and two chairs. Here Hutch paced endlessly waiting on Susan's arrival. Finally the door opened and Susan stepped in followed by a female guard. Her hands were cuffed behind her, Susan's hair was a mess from the shower that she had been forced to take and she had traded the orange coveralls for gray. The guard keyed open the cuffs then left.
   As soon as they were alone in the room Susan rushed to Hutch and fell into his arms. "You have got to get me out of here. They are going to kill me if you leave me here." Susan pleaded clinging tightly to Hutch.
   He held her closely and looked over her head to their lawyer. He didn't have the heart to tell Susan she couldn't leave. "It's going to be okay honey," was all he could manage.
   "Susan why don't you sit down, we need to go over the events of that day." Amy said hating to interrupt them.
   "We have already been over and over it. I'm screwed that is all there is too it unless you have tracked down my sister." Susan said but she sat down across from her lawyer.
   "We haven't found your sister yet, but we are working on it," Amy looked up at Hutch.
   "Starsky is working on it," he said crouching down next to her.
   Susan looked at him, "Why hasn't Starsky come to see me?"
   "He is busy trying to find Katie," Hutch said but he was wondering himself why their partner hadn't been in to see her.
   "This isn't getting us any place," Amy said as she pulled a legal pad from her brief case. "Now let's go over it again maybe you missed something."
   Susan sighed then closed her eyes trying to remember the events of
the day clearly. "Libby and I went to the restaurant that Janie blew
up…"
   "We have no evidence that she had anything to do with that stick to
the facts as you know them." Amy said.
   "Fuck you," Susan snapped. "I know what I know. That damn woman has been trying to kill my family for as long as I can remember she killed my parents, almost killed my sister and when Katie didn't die she played with her life so much that now she is gone. She took my daughter, tried to kill my partner. Hit the car my best friend and our children were in. Yeah I killed her and I won't take it back I won't say I'm sorry. She deserved to die."
   Amy stared at her for a moment then picked up her legal pad and jammed it back into her briefcase. "I think you need to get your self a different lawyer. If you aren't going to work with me I can't help you. You go spouting that crap in court and they just might reinstate the death penalty just for you."

 

 

                                             

 

                                                CHAPTER FIVE


On the way back to her cell one of the inmates hissed at Susan, "Nice to see you Carlston."
   "You back in side Marie?" Susan said without looking at the woman. "What did you do this time?"
  "Keep it moving," the guard said poking Susan in the back.
  "You better watch yourself honey." Marie said under her breath. Susan pretended that she didn't hear the woman as she continued on to her cell. The sound of that door closing almost made her heart stop. What was she going to do if her Lawyer couldn't get her out? She knew at first change one of those woman was going to put a blade in her back. Now it didn't matter if she had put them there or not just the fact that she had been a cop was enough for every prisoner in there to want her dead.

   Gil stood in the center of Janie Stillwell's apartment and looked around. He carried a black case, which he put on the floor and opened. Gil took out a pair of rubber gloves and a small flashlight. Starsky stood silently by the front door and watched as Gil began to scrutinize the apartment. Starsky still haven't been to see Susan since she had been arrested. For some reason he just couldn't bring himself to see her behind bars. He hated feeling helpless, Katie had disappeared with out a trace something he just couldn't understand she had to know how important what Jesse had to say was. He also knew that Katie had to be scared, she had seen her husband do so many about faces in the
last several days it was enough to make anybody freak out.
   "Well the woman definitely owns a gun," Gil said breaking through Starsky's thoughts. He held up a bullet that he found wedged between the wall and the carpeting. "Looks like she was loading the gun and dropped one."
   "Ok so where is the gun?" Starsky asked looking around the room.
   Gil dropped the bullet in a plastic bag and sealed it. "We will take this to the lab just to make sure it's hers. I'll raise prints off it there." He slipped the bag into his black case then went back to her desk; he had all ready been through it once. After inspecting it for a second time he pick up the trash can next to the desk and set it on the chair so he could look into it. As he went to set the can back in its place a crumpled piece of paper caught his attention. It was almost hidden for view by a curtain. Gil bent over and snagged the paper wad and careful opened it.
   "What did you find?" Starsky asked leading over Gils shoulder to get a better look at it.
   "Didn't you say a car side swiped your wife?"
   "Yeah," Starsky answered.
   "What kind of car?" Gil asked looking at the paper.
   "It was black, everything happened so quickly after that we never got the change to follow up on that." Starsky said knowing that they should have taken the time. But they were all so sure who it was they didn't really see much point.
   Gil held the paper out to Starsky. He took it and studied it. It
was a receipt for a rental car, it had been a midsize and it had been
black. "That the car?"
   "If I had to take a guess I would say so," Starsky answered.
   "It will be easy enough to find out if there was any damage to it," Gil said putting the receipt down in another plastic bag.
   "I don't see how this will help Susan though. This just gives her one more reason to kill the bitch." Starsky said in disgust.
   "Yes but it will also show that Stillwell is a dangerous woman and a jury might believe Susan's story especially when she is backed up by her niece." Gil said as he walked down the hall to the bedroom.

  Katie sat holding Jesse as she slept in a small dingy motel room. She had taken Jesse and fled the airport after the photographer had finished taking his photos of Jesse's neck. Katie bushed Jesse's hair back from her neck and looked at the bruises there. She had to go back, she knew that Jesse's was probably Susan's only hope. Katie hadn't been sure why she had run she just needed to go some place quiet and collect her thoughts. Carefully she lay Jesse on the bed and picked up the telephone.
   Hutch had just gotten back from the jail when the phone rang. He hated leaving Susan there but he wouldn't have been allowed to stay. Amy had gone back to her office to see if she could get a hold of the DA and see what kind of deal she could make. "Hutchinson," he said into the phone.
  "Hutch?"
  "Katie! Thank God we have been looking for you." Hutch said breathing a sigh of relief. "Where are you?"
   "At some motel in the valley," she answered as Jesse stirred in her sleep. The child had had nightmares the past two nights. She had woken Katie up screaming in her sleep.
   "I'll come and get you," Hutch said.
   "I'll catch a cab, I'm sure you have enough to do. How is Susan?" Katie asked.
   "In jail still, the judge denied bail."
   "Oh God Hutch I am so sorry," Katie said trying not to cry. "I'll be there just as soon as I can call a cab."
   "Katie please let me come and get you. I'll go crazy sitting around here," Hutch said. Finally Katie relented and gave him the address to the motel they were in.

   Gil had just finished up in the bedroom, finding nothing when Starsky's cell phone rang. "Yeah."
   "Starsky, I just head from Katie I'm on my way to get her." Hutch informed his partner.
  "Hot damn," Starsky grinned. Gil looked at him eyebrows raised. "Hutch is bringing Katie in."
   "Good have them meet us at the lab at headquarters I want to get a look at the child's neck." Gil said as he packed his black box up. Starsky relayed the message to Hutch then he and Gil left Janie's apartment.

   Susan was sitting her in cell when there was a buzzer and all the doors flew open including hers. For a moment she just sat there almost afraid to move. Several guards shouted. "Time for exercise and then dinner."
   She huddled in the corner of her cell hoping that possibly nobody would notice her there. But a guard came by and glanced in. The woman stepped in said, "You too honey, everybody out."
  "But I'm suppose to be locked down, kept apart from the other prisoners." Susan told the woman. Amy and Hutch had told her they had discussed it with the warden and he had agreed it would be best. "Talk to the warden he'll tell you. Please just lock my cell door."
   "Get out of there honey, god you newbies burn my ass. You think you are too good to eat with the rest of them. Now get your butt out to the exercise area."
   "It's not that," Susan tried to explain but the guard grabber her arm and forced her out of the cell. "You have to listen to me I was a cop if you put me out there…"
   "Oh save it honey you got to come up with something better than that."
   The Warden was standing looking out his window, which over looked the exercise yard. It was something he was proud of, a state of the art track went around the outer edge of the yard and every year they would have a track and field day. There were also some weights so that the woman and men could keep themselves in shape. To his surprise the incidents of violence had dropped dramatically since the program had been started. He noticed there as a little commotion in the far corner of the yard. He opened his desk drawer and took out a pair of binoculars that he kept there just for times like this. He could see several women standing around what it looked like another woman laying on the ground. The Warden immediately picked up the phone and called the
office. He wondered where the guard on duty was.

   Marla Hammond stood in the shadows and watched as several women
took down her trouble inmate. That would teach her not to be a problem and to do what she was told when she was told. Her radio went off, "Yeah?"
   "You got a fight going on over there you want to do something?"
   "Sure, sure," Hammond made a lazy stroll toward the growing crowd
of women. They were beginning to get loud and a bit out of hand. More inmates were running over to see what was going on. Suddenly Hammond was a bit alarmed and called for back up, which arrived in moments.
   "Ok that's enough," shouted one large female guard that they all called Mac. "Break it up, get on back in side. We are going to lock you down; everybody is eating in their cells tonight. A collective groan rose from the crowd.
   Several other guards started grabbing the inmates and pushing them toward the doors where more guards were waiting. Finally all the prisoners had been moved away leaving Susan crumpled on the ground. "Come on get up," Hammond demanded, toeing her but Susan didn't move. Hammond bent down to grab her by the arm when she did Susan's limp body rolled over and protruding from her rib cage was a toothbrush that the handle had been sharpened into a knife. "Holy shit," Hammond breathed. She grabbed the radio from her shoulder. "Get the doc down here NOW! Mac give me a hand!" she
called to the other prison guard.

 

 

 

                                                 CHAPTER SIX



   Starsky and Gil pulled up in front of the police impound lot. Gil wanted to go over Janie's car again. They had waited on Hutch to bring Katie and Jesse to the lab so that Gil could in inspect her neck and hopefully maybe even raise some prints but Jesse had showered since in incident. There was no argument that Jesse had been with Janie but the question was if she was with her against her will. After Gil had finished with the girl Hutch took her and Katie
to Dan Simpson so that she could make a statement then on to the
lawyers office. While they had been at the station Starsky had gotten permission for them to inspect the car and showed the paper at the gate where
they were let in immediately. Flashlight in hand Gil inspected every little nook and cranny of the car. It definitely wasn't the car from the accident, that car had been black this one was white. Gil was fishing under the drives seat when Starsky's cell phone rang.
   "Yeah," Starsky answered.
   "You the one looking for a wrecked black rental car?" the voice asked. It sounded like a teen on the other end.
   "Yeah that's me, you find one?"
   "What do I get if I have?" the voice bargained.
   "Fifty?" Starsky said hoping he had that much on him.
   "Make it seventy-five and you got your self a deal."
   Starsky sighed. "Okay. Where is it?"
   "You come to me first, when I have the money then I'll tell you exactly where." The voice said.
   Starsky closed his eyes in order to maintain his control; he was in no mood to play games. "Fine where are you?" After the caller game him an address Starsky leaned in the passenger side of the car. Gil was still digging around under the seat, "Find anything?"
   "Pretty clean," Gil said standing up.
   Starsky stood up also and looked across the top of the car at his friend. "I think we might have a lead."
   "The call?" Gil asked.
   "Yeah, on the rental car, I don't know how much good it's going to do but lets go check it out."

   Hutch introduced Katie and Jesse to Amy Marlin. As they sat down and Amy was about to take notes on Jesse's story the phone rang. She held up one finger asking them to hold on and answered the phone. She listened for a few moments then her face went ghost white. "We'll be right there."
   "What's wrong?" Hutch asked worriedly.
   "It's Susan she was stabbed out in the exercise yard." She said as she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair.
   "Dear God," Hutch said as his face went pale. Katie immediately began to cry.

   "What the hell was she doing out in the exercise yard?"
   "I don't know but I'm damn well going to find out." Her face contorted in anger.
   "You wait here with Jesse," Hutch ordered Katie as he dashed out of the office with Amy.
   Once in the car Hutch asked for more details but Amy didn't have them. She had only been told that Susan was at the prison hospital. Hutch exploded when he heard that. "She is getting moved in to a real hospital."
   "We don't know how bad it is. It could just be a scratch." Amy told him, but the guard on the phone made it sound like it was much more than a scratch with out really saying how bad. Just remembering the tone of the guards voice made Amy push harder on the escalator.
   When they pulled up to the prison gates they were ushered in without all the checking they had to go through before and they were taken directly to the hospital section of the prison. A doctor was waiting in the hall for them. "Mr. Hutchinson, Ms. Marlin, she is being prepped for surgery." The doctor told them with out mincing words.
   "NO NO," Hutch protested. "Not here, I want her in a real hospital."
   "I assure you Mr. Hutchinson this is a real hospital. We have one of the finest surgeon's in the state on staff here. Your wife is in good hands."
   "Nothing against you but I want her moved." Hutch demanded. "She didn't belong here in the first place."
   "I'm sorry but she is in no shape to be moved. She was stabbed in the chest and her left lung was punctured. Mrs. Hutchinson needs surgery now, if she is moved she could die."
   "What the hell was she doing out there?" Hutch yelled as he put his hands over his face. Amy steered him over to a bank of chairs.
   "That is what I'm getting ready to go and find out." She said. "Will you be alright?" Hutch nodded. "Why don't you call your partner?"

   When Starsky and Gil pulled up to the address Starsky had written down, a boy that couldn't have been much more than fourteen greeted them. "'Bout time was getting ready to jam." The kid held out his hand.
   Starsky shook his head, "Where is the car?" The boy cocked his head toward the alley in the middle of the block. He still held out his hand. "Take us."
   "Awww man just give me the dough." He whined.
   "You show us the car…man and I will." Starsky said taking a step toward the kid.
   "OK OK," he said. They followed him to the entrance of the alley. "Half way down, see it?"
   Starsky squinted down the darkened passageway. He shoved the kid
own the alley "Show me."
   "Hey what is this," the kid protested.
   "You want the cash or not?" Starsky asked. "I just want to make sure I'm getting what I paid for."
   "I'm not taking another step until I see the dough," the kid said stubbornly.
   Starsky fished in his pocket and pulled out several bills and held them up. 

   The kid shrugged and took the two men deeper into the alley. Just as he had said about half way down was a black car parked up against the side of the building. The whole passenger side of the car was dented in and the front bumper was mangled.
   "Okay kid, here ya go," Starsky said handing him the money. With out another word he grabbed the money and disappeared down the alley. Starsky turned to Gil, "What do you think? Has it been too long to raise any prints?"
   Gil just grinned and shook his head; he had already put on rubber gloves and was opening his black case.

   Hutch tried Starsky's cell phone again, he had already tried several times with no answer so he left a message. Hutch figured Starsky must have been out of range for he always answered the phone. He paced around the waiting room, it was very quite unlike the bustling hospitals he was use to, there had only been one nurse walk by. He wanted to go and see what was keeping Amy but was afraid to leave. Hutch was glad that he wasn't going to have to deal with
the children, at least not yet. If it were too bad he would give Libby a call and have her bring them all back.
   At last Amy appeared in the waiting room. "Heard anything?" she asked causing Hutch to jump he had been in deep thought.
   He looked up and shook his head. "I can't reach Starsky either. So what was the warden's answer?"
   "Some kind of mix up," She said sitting down next to him.
   "Great they mess up and now my wife is fighting for her life," Hutch said burying his head in his hands.
   It was nearly an hour later when the surgeon came down the hall. He held his surgery cap in his hands and wore a grim expression on his face. Hutch jumped up the moment that the doctor entered the waiting room. Hutch's heart fell to his stomach when he saw the doctor's face. The doctor reached out to put his hand on Hutch's arm but Hutch drew away. If he allowed the doctor to touch him it would make everything real. "Mr. Hutchinson…I'm afraid your wife didn't
make it. She had a tear in the heart wall…"Hutch was no longer listening. Amy stood in place frozen in horror, how could his happen? Hutch took a couple of deep breaths then started going down, the doctor grabbed him just before he hit the linoleum.
   "Sit down," the doctor instructed. Then he turned to the Amy knowing that she was only their lawyer he asked, "Is there somebody you can call for Mr. Hutchinson?"
   She nodded numbly then remembered that Hutch hadn't been able to raise his partner. But she pulled her cell phone from her pocket willing to give it a try again.

 

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

 

   Gil had finished up on the car in the alley when Starsky noticed that he had several messages on his cell phone.  He punched in the code and began to listen, the blood drained from Starsky’s face and he started running down the alley.

  “Hey,” Gil yelled at him, “Where are you going?” 

  “Something is wrong at the jail,” he called over his shoulder.

   “Hold up I’m coming with you.”

   It seemed to take them forever to get to the prison.  Starsky almost lost it when they were detained and check from head to toe before they were allowed to enter. 

  Starsky dashed down the corridor following the signs to the waiting room.  He glanced in; at first he didn’t even see his partner who was almost curled into a fetal position at the end of the couch.  Then he saw Hutch, his forehead resting on his knees that he had drawn up on the edge of the couch.  Starsky rushed to his side.  “Hutch?” he questioned.  When his partner didn’t respond he called his name again.  “Hutch what is going on what has happened?

  Amy appeared in the doorway, Gil behind her. They had met out in the hall and she had quickly told him what had happened.  Both of them were shelled shocked as they watched Starsky try to reach his partner.

  Finally Starsky grabbed Hutch’s arm and shook him.  “What the hell is going on?”

  Hutch looked up, his face was gray and Starsky has never seen the total look of devastation that he was looking at that moment.  Hutch just shook his head and fell into Starsky’s arms sobbing.  Starsky twisted around to look at the lawyer and Gil, they both had the same devastated look on their faces. It suddenly sunk in, the only reason for their expressions.  “Where is Susan?”

  Amy sat down next to the partners and put her hand on his shoulder.  “Starsky I’m so sorry to have to tell you this but Susan died about an hour ago.  We have been trying to reach you.” 

  Tears coursed down Starsky’s face as he wrapped his arms around Hutch and laid his head on Hutch’s.  They sat like that for a long time, the doctor tried to come in and tried to speak with them but neither man would respond.  Finally he gave up leaving them in their grief. 

  Finally Gil approached them,  “Hey fellows how about if we get out of here.”  He put his hand on Starsky’s back.  

  Gil looked at Amy and shook his head.  He stepped into the doorway where she was waiting.  “I need to get back to my office.  Susan’s sister and niece are there they need to be told and I don’t think either of them are in any shape to do that.”  She slipped her suit jacket on that had been lying over the back of the couch.  “I guess you will be going back to Las Vegas?”

  Starsky looked up his face wet with tears. “No, you can’t leave Gil.  We have to clear Susan’s name.  She is not going to die with this hanging over her head.  This is not the end.”

  “I’m not going anywhere Starsk,” Gil assured him.  “Let’s get out of here.”

  Starsky nodded and slowly got up pulling Hutch after him.  “Come on partner, we got to work to do.”

  Hutch shook his head, and barely above a whispered said, “I can’t leave her here.”

  Starsky knelt in front of his best friend and took his face in his hands.  “Babe she’s not here anymore.” He said with a catch in his voice. “She is not going to die like this to you hear me?  Now get up and move.”

  Hutch gradually got to his feet but he didn’t take his eyes from the floor.  “Need to see her before I go.”

  “I don’t think that is possible,” Amy said with a twinge to guilt, she knew how bad they both were hurting.  “Let’s get her to some place nicer then you can see her.”

  “Come on Hutch,” Starsky said as he put his arm around his shoulder.

 

 

  Gil followed them out but Amy held back on the pretense of her phone being dead and she needed to call her office.  Once she was sure they had gone Amy walked down corridor to a door at the end of the hall.  She gave one knock then entered, the room was dark save the filtered light coming through the half closed blinds.

  “How are they?” came a voice. 

  “Not good, devastated.” Amy answered.

  “There is no other way?”

  “Not that I can see.  I don’t think they are that good of actors and we need people to think you are dead. That will give Gil more time to clear your name plus get you out of this place now.  I think there is more working here then just a few screw ups.”

  Susan gingerly got up from the chair she had been sitting in.  She had been indeed stabbed but not as badly as the doctor had portrayed.  Susan had asked to see the lawyer as soon as she had arrived.  She had a feeling that things were just not right.  Nothing concrete but just one of those nagging feelings.  When Amy had come into the room the doctor had been stitching up her side, it had been a long cut but not a very deep one.  That was where they cooked up the plan that the doctor would tell her partners she was dead. 

  She walked toward Amy stopping only inches from her face.  “You get this solved quickly. I don’t want them living like this any longer than they have too.”

  “I need to let Gil in on this,” Amy whispered.  “He has to know, that way they will work quicker.” Susan shook her head.  “Can you trust him?”

  “Yes I can trust him but but…” Susan walked back toward the window.  She knew that Amy was right they needed Gil on their side.  Finally she nodded slowly. “Ok, ok.”

  Amy sighed, “Let’s get you out of here.”

   

  On the way to the lab, Starsky and Gil explained what they had so far which really wasn’t much.  Without Rob there was little they could do with the evidence they were finding.  The only eyewitness was little Jesse and Rob.

  Hutch barely acknowledged what was being said and the only thing that was driving Starsky was his need to clear Susan’s name.  Starsky could focus on anything but the task at hand.  He wouldn’t allow himself to think about Susan.  He knew his heart would break if he did.

  When they pulled up in front of the station Gil gather the samples he had gotten from the car and went directly to the lab.  As the two partners enter the station they could tell from the looks of sympathy that every one there knew what had happened. 

   Dan Simpson was getting off the elevator when he spotted Starsky and Hutch.  “I’m so sorry guys.”  The captain told them.  “You use what ever you need to get to the bottom of this.

  “Thanks Dan,” Starsky said shaking his hand. Hutch only stared blankly in to space.

  As they started to walk away heading toward the lab Dan grabbed Starsky’s arm pulling him away from Hutch.  “Is he okay?”

  Starsky shook his head, “How would you be if your wife was just killed?

 

 

CHAPTER EIGHT

 

  Amy Marlin pulled her blue BMW in front of a newly renovated farmhouse.  She got out went around to the truck and pulled out a suitcase then she went around to the passenger side.  Susan opened the door and got out.  Amy steadied her; Susan was still a little woozy from the medication she received at the prison hospital.  “You’ll be safe here.” 

  Susan nodded but didn’t smile; she hated her partners not being in on this.  She could only hope that they understood.  She followed Amy to the door and waited while she unlocked the door.

  “Make yourself at home,” Amy instructed as she set Susan’s suitcase near the stairs.  “Mrs. Wiley will get you anything you want.”  Susan looked around rooted to the place she was standing.  Amy smiled at her “Let’s hope this is over soon.  I have to get back to the office.”

 “Thanks Amy,” Susan said. After the lawyer left she looked around at her surroundings.  It was a very nice getaway.  Susan walked into the living room; a man was standing looking out the patio doors.

  He turned when Susan entered the room.  “Hey,” he said softly.

  “Hi Rob,” Susan said.  She started to sit but grimaced and held her side.  Rob stepped forward and help ease her down.  “Thanks.”

  “Are you okay?” Rob asked sitting next to her.  Amy had called when Susan had been stabbed.

  “Yeah I’m fine, it’s just sore,” Susan gave him a half smile.  “How are you holding up?”

  Rob shrugged, “I’m okay.  Katie hates my guts anyway so it doesn’t really matter.”

  “When she finds out what you are doing she won’t be mad.”  Susan said.  “I still can’t believe you got Janie to go along with this.”

  “It was either go along or spend the rest of her life in prison. I guess the fancy hospital Ms. Marlin found for her is better than prison.”

  Susan nodded knowingly.  “It’s not a very pretty place.  I just hope we nail Judge Strickland. He is responsible for the deaths of several good cops.” 

  “I’m glad I can help I know I have really screwed up and Janie was well…” Rob hesitated.

  “You had nothing to do with what Janie was doing.” Susan smiled at him. 

  “But I wasn’t much better.” Rob said getting up and going back to the patio doors.  “I don’t know what is going to happen when this is over but at least I will have done something good.”

  Susan nodded as her thoughts turned toward, Hutch and Starsky. She also wondered if her children had heard anything, if Hutch had called them, if Starsky had talked to Libby.  They had better nail every nail in Strickland’s coffin because she was causing a lot of people she loved heartache.

 

  The morning papers screamed of the ex-police woman’s stabbing, Hutch dropped the paper on the kitchen table; he still hadn’t called the kids in Arizona. How was he going to tell them their mother was dead? 

  Starsky walked into the kitchen in nothing but a pair of worn Levi’s.  He looked like he hadn’t slept all night.  “’Morning Hutch,” he said as he opened the refrigerator door.  Hutch didn’t answer but he wasn’t surprised, his partner had said a word since they had left the prison.

  They had left Gil in the lab the night before and it hadn’t looked like he had ever showed up at the house.  Starsky figured he must have worked all night long trying to pull that single clue that would help them.

  “You going into the lab with me?” Starsky asked his partner.  Getting no answer Starsky spun around.  “Damn it Hutch talk to me. You know it’s hard on all of us and you aren’t making it any easier not talking to me.”

  Hutch stood up so quickly that he knocked the chair over backward that he was sitting in. It banged to the floor as he advanced on his partner.  He backed Starsky up against the refrigerator door,  “You still have your wife, your family. I just lost my life, I lost my only love, I have lost everything. So I’m sorry if I’m not talking to right now buddy.  It’s not about you is it?” 

  Hutch stormed out of the room leaving a stunned Starsky to stare after him.  He had never seen his partner in such a state that he wouldn’t even speak to him. They had been through it all together.  He could have been mad at Hutch but he wasn’t he knew it was only the anguish that was talking, the sorrow.  He would be there when his partner needed him.

 

  Katie stood on the front porch of her sisters house not sure if she should knock or not.  If she hadn’t come back into Susan’s life she would still be alive. 

   She had been in shock when the lawyer had come back to the office only to tell her that her only sister was dead.  How could this have happened? How could things have gotten so out of hand?

  Just as she was about to knock the front door opened, Starsky who was in the process of buttoning his shirt step out.  “Katie!”

  “Hi Starsky,” she said trying to hold back her tears.

  “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “Okay, I guess,” She answered.  “Hutch how is he?”

  Starsky shook his head,  “Not saying much.”

  “What about the children?” she asked almost not wanting to hear.

  “We haven’t called yet and I’m guessing it hasn’t made the news there since Libby hasn’t called.  We can’t wait much longer. I sure don’t want them getting the news that way.” Starsky answered.  “You want to come in?”

  Katie shook her head.  “I just really wanted to find out if you had found Rob yet?”

  “Not yet but we are looking.  I think our only hope of clearing Susan’s name is to get him to recant his story.” Starsky said as he shut the door.  He hated to leave Hutch in the state he was in but he had to get out on the streets and see what he could find out. 

  “Please keep in touch,” Katie said as she pulled out a piece of paper from her purse and wrote down a number. You can find Jess and I here.

  “Okay,” Starsky said tucking the paper in his shirt pocket.

 

  After Hutch stormed out of the kitchen he went up stairs to their bedroom, or what use to be their bedroom. Now he guessed it was his bedroom.  He had to call the kids he had to tell them that their mother was dead.  He had to make arrangements he had to…to…  How was he going to do this, it had been forever since he had done it alone and then the only person he had to worry about was himself.  He got up from the bed where he had been sitting and stared into the mirror on the dresser.  His face was pale and drawn looking; there were dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.  Hanging from the corner of the mirror was a photo of him and Susan that had been taken only last summer.  The wind was blowing her long hair and she was smiling as she looked at him.  He gently pulled the photo from the mirror and held it in his hand then with his other hand he swept the dresser clean of it’s contents as he yelled his rage for all to hear.

 

  Gil was looking into a microscope when Starsky arrived in the lab.  “Anything?”

  Gil looked up at the sound of Starsky’s voice.  He shook his head, “Nothing that is going to help us.  Janie Stillwell’s prints which proves she was in the car but not that she was the driver that hit your wife’s car.  Unless you find her brother I don’t see much hope. I have done everything, run every test I know but I can’t find anything to give Susan a reason for shooting her.

   

 

 

 

CHAPTER NINE

 

 

  Judge James Strickland sat at his desk, still in his robes.  He picked up a folder looked at it a moment then with a content look on his face tossed it in the trash.  The name on the top of it had been Susan Carlston-Hutchinson.  Another cop he was rid of, they were such a useless bunch.  They never did their job right and most of the criminals were back out on the streets because of their carelessness.   Anytime he got a chance he sent them away and a cop in prison was a dead cop, he made sure of that.

  The phone ran distracting him from his thoughts.  “Strickland,” he said into the phone. The Judges face contracted into an anger scowl, “Hammond what you doing calling me here?”

  “Cool your jets Jimmy,” Marla Hammond growled in the phone.  “I did what you wanted that woman cop is dead.”

  “What are you doing calling me here?” he repeated.  “And don’t call me Jimmy.”

  Marla sighed,  “Fine Judge Strickland.  It’s time for me to get out of here.  There is a lot of heat over this cop. Hell she’s not even a cop but a private dick.”

  “She was a cop and that was good enough for me.” He answered.

  “Well she has a couple of partners that aren’t going to let this lie.” She informed the Judge. “It’s time I disappear before this whole thing is blown.”

  “Fine, what do you need?” he asked distractedly looking at his watch. He was going to be late for dinner at this rate.

  “A million,” Came the answer.

  “Dollars?” Judge Strickland said incredulously.

  “Yes dollars,” Hammond said.  “I have put a lot on the line for you.  I have made sure any cop you sent to prison was taken care of now it’s time you take care of me.”

  “Where am I suppose to get that kind of money?” he asked.

  “Oh come on Judge I’m not stupid. You live in one of fanciest mansions around, you have a fleet of flashy cars so don’t give me that.” She stormed at him.”

   “That doesn’t mean I can lay my hands on a million dollars just like that.”  He wiped a bead of sweat that was starting for form on his forehead. 

  “You got a week buster then I go to the cops, how about that?” She threatened.  “I’m handing in my resignation at the end of week and I better have that money by Monday or I’ll be at the police station bright and early.”

  The receiver went dead in his hand; Strickland slammed it down in its cradle.  “Shit,” he muttered under his breath.  So much for dinner, he had to take care of this problem before it got anymore out of hand.

 

   The doorbell rang causing Susan to jump, Rob spun around and looked at Susan.  Mrs. Wiley came from down the hall to open the door, they heard her speaking to someone then the door closed.

  A familiar face appeared in the doorway, Susan jump up not caring that the stitches in her side pulled a bit and hurled her self into Huggy Bears arms.  “God it is so good to see you.”

  He returned her hug, “How are you doing?”

  “Alright,” she said taking his hand and pulling him toward the couch.  She looked over at a surprised Rob.  “Rob this is a good family friend of ours Huggy.

  Rob nodded at the man.  “Good to meet you.”

  “What’s going on out there?” Susan asked craving news of her partners.

  “Starsky was in this morning but no sign of Hutch.  Starsk said Hutch is hurting pretty bad.” Huggy told her.

  Tears welled up in her eyes, “This has got to be over soon.”

  “Well there are some rumblings around, it’s one of the prison guards that arranges the deaths.”  Huggy informed her.  “Every time a cop goes down in jail her name pops up.”

  “And you know this how?” Susan asked.

  “You know better than to ask me a question like that. Have I ever steered you wrong?” He said a bit hurt that she would even question his word.

  “Oh Huggy I’m sorry, this is just so hard on me and even worse on the guys. Out side of you, Rob and Amy nobody else knows my death is fake.”

   “It’s okay,” Huggy said holding up his hand.  “I understand.”

   “Do you have this guards name?” Susan asked.

  “Hammond.”

  Her jaw dropped, “That was the guard that forced me out into the yard where I was stabbed.”

  “She probably supplied the inmate with the weapon.”  Huggy said shaking his head.

  “But what about the men’s prison?”  Susan puzzled.
  “I’m not sure how it works but it’s only her name I am coming up with.”  Huggy said.

   “Just how many officers have been killed?” Rob asked, he had been taking in all the conversation.

   “Nine if you want to count me,” Susan said.  “Three police women, the rest men.  All sentenced with lame crap, within 24 hours they were dead.”

  “Yours wasn’t exactly lame,” Rob said then he cringed.

  Susan laughed at his expression.  “We just wanted to go to the extreme this time. So there was no mistake that what I did was wrong.”

  The other officers that Judge Strickland put behind bars were put there on charges that were for the most part trumped up.  Some how Amy had put two and two together she had been the lawyer on all the cases but two.  When her clients kept turning up dead she started doing some checking.  Susan had given Amy Huggy’s name and he went looking for information no questions asked when he found out that his friends were involved.

  Amy sat at her desks pondering what to do now she had the name of the guard that Huggy had implicated in the deaths of the officers now all she had to do was to figure out a way to get this woman to help them and fast.  If what Huggy was telling her was true this woman had 8 people killed and one stabbed, how would she approach her with out getting hurt herself she knew this guard didn’t have much to lose at this point.  She picked up the phone to call her boss wondering if she could cut some kind of deal with the guard but she wanted to run it past her boss first.

  When Marla Hammond’s phone rang she was expecting it to be the Judge but instead it was Amy Marlin.  When Amy told Marla who she was the guard froze for a moment not knowing what to say. 

  “Are you there Miss Hammond?”  Amy said into the silent phone.

  After collecting herself Marla answered, “Yes I’m here.  What are you offering?” She had been around enough to know that when a lawyer calls you, you have been caught dead to rights and they want to make a deal. And she was right.

  “I want to offer you a deal,” Amy said with out mincing words.

  “Talk,” Marla simply said.  She knew there was no way the judge was going to give her any money and he was most likely at this point in time trying to find somebody to off her also.  If he had her in his back pocket she was sure there were others.

  “I have a question first, you be straight with me and we have deal you play with me and you are on your own.”

  “Ok shoot.”

  “Have you been arranging the killings of police officers in jail for Judge Strickland?” Amy asked point blank.

  Marla had to smile; she liked this woman, right to the point.   Marla sighed, “Yes I have. Now what have to got to offer me?”

  “I can keep you off death row if you will testify against the judge.”  Amy said.

  “That ain’t much, I sure don’t want to be behind bars,” Marla frowned.

  “I’m sorry but if have arranged 8 murders and one attempted murder.” Amy said. “That is about the best I can do.  Plus they were police officers. Now if you can prove that the Judge had something he was holding over you there is a possibility you might get a bit lighter sentence.  Was he?”

  “Attempted murder?” Marla was curious.

  “Yes Susan Hutchinson didn’t die,”  Amy informed her.  “Now did the Judge have something on you?”

  “Well yes and know. After the first killing I arranged for him I wanted out I didn’t want to do it anymore but he said if I didn’t keep helping him he would turn me in so I just kept doing what he ask me to do.”

  Amy tapped her pen on the pad of paper she was taking notes on.  “Marla I don’t know if I can do much more for you but keep you off death row. I might be able to get you into one of the nicer facilities but that is about it.”

  Marla was silent for a few moments as she thought.  She knew that if she didn’t go along she was as good as dead for unless the Judge was behind bars he would come after her.  “Alright,” she said finally. “What do you want me to do?”

 

 

 

CHAPTER TEN

 

 

 

   When Starsky got home that night the house was dark, he knew that Hutch was home since his car was still parked in the driveway.  He called to his friend as he opened the door but he was only greeted with silence. Starsky flipped on the living room light and looked around Hutch was nowhere to be seen. He checked the office and the kitchen still no Hutch.  Starsky kept calling; finally he headed up stairs after peeking in the back yard.  He found Hutch sitting on the edge of his bed with a packed suitcase at his feet.  The floor was littered with the items that had been on the top of the dresser.

  “Are you alright?” Starsky asked squatting next to his partner.  Hutch was still holding the photo of him and Susan.  Starsky put his hand on Hutch’s knee, “Hutch?”

  Slowly Hutch looked up at Starsky, his eyes were red rimmed, sad and tired. “I’m leaving in the morning.” He said so softly Starsky could hardly hear him.  “I have to tell the kids.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Starsky said. He was ready to get out of town, out of this life, he needed Libby, the kids and then he felt guilty. He still had his wife that he could run to, Hutch didn’t.

  Hutch shook his head, “I want to go alone. I know Libby and the kids are there but…”

  “You don’t have to explain buddy, I understand,” Starsky dropped down on his knees and pulled Hutch off the bed. They both knelt on the bedroom floor hugging each other tightly. They had just lost the woman they had both loved for so many years. Nothing would ever been the same again.  They stayed like that for a long time until finally Starsky suggested that they get something to eat. He knew it had been hours and hours since Hutch had had anything.

  Hutch shook his head as he got to his feet. “I’ll just stay here, I feel close to Susan in this room.”  Then it was like for the first time he noticed the things he had swept to the floor.  He carefully began picking them up one by one and placing them back on the dresser.

  At first Starsky didn’t know if he should help or not, he noticed a small framed photo of the three of them at his feet. He picked it up and looked at it, he choked back the tears as he set it on the dresser.  He wondered how he was going to go on.  She always had the strength for all of them she had been his rock when things had gone wrong especially in his private life.  When Maddie had been murdered Susan had been there for him, when other relationships had gone astray she had always known what to say to him.  And he had loved her so very much too much.  She had loved him too, they had a special relationship that he would never have again not even with his wife. That made him feel sad sometimes when he thought about it.  But he had learned to live with it all of them had.

  After Starsky finished helping Hutch arrange the dresser he headed down stairs. Just as he reached the bottom step the doorbell rang so instead of heading to the kitchen he went to the door.  Gil stood on the porch a taxi waited at the curb for him.  “Gil!” Starsky said surprised to see him.  He had left him still at the police station peering at slides through a microscope.

  “Hey Starsky,” Gil said grimly.  “I hate to do this to you but I have to leave. They need me back at the lab.  I’m not getting anywhere here.”

  “There isn’t really a point now anyway. It would be nice to clear Susan but the facts are the facts she did shoot and kill Janie and as to why I guess that really doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “You take care of yourself and Hutch. Tell him I said Good-bye.”

  “Will do and thanks for all your help Gil,” Starsky said shaking his hand.

  “I just wish I could have done more.”  Gil answered, he waved as he was walking toward the cab.

  Starsky stood in the door watching their friend get into the cab and speed off into the darkness.  Suddenly he thought of the night that they had decided to all live in the same house they had been sitting on the front steps. He walked out and sat down as he remembered what Susan’s laugh sounded like, the smell of the perfume that she seldom wore and the way she pulled her hair back from her face.  He broke into heaving sobs; he would never see her again.  He had been strong for Hutch up stairs but all he had wanted to do was rant against the injustice in the world.

  A hand gripped his should and for a split second he thought it was Susan for she was always there. But it was Hutch that sat down next to him.  He pulled Starsky into his arms, “I know you are hurting as much I am buddy.”  Hutch said. “I understand I always have even if I was jealous from time to time. She was a very special woman.”

  “Gil is gone,” Starsky managed to get out.  “He just left go called back to his lab in Vegas.”

  Hutch nodded, “There is nothing left here for him to do anyway. It’s over.”

  Starsky leaned away from his partner and looked at him.  “Now what?”

  “I don’t know,” Hutch said shrugging.  “I guess we bring the kids home, Libby will have to be the mother to all of them. You think she is up for that?”

  Starsky smiled though his tears, “You know she is.”

  “We couldn’t have picked better God parents.”  Hutch said.  He paused for a moment, and then asked, “Do you think you and Libby could handle Davy and Mikey for a few days?  I’m sure Jess will be around too.”

  “Sure why?”

  “I think I will need to get away once I bring them back,” Hutch explained, he had been thinking of that too.

  “Where will you go?” Starsky asked worried that his friend would be leaving. He didn’t think it was a good time for Hutch to be alone.  In fact he was a little fearful to even let him be by himself.

  Hutch gave him a half of a smile for he knew what his partner was thinking, “Don’t worry Starsk I’m not going to do anything stupid. I don’t think the kids could stand losing both parents.  I want to go back to the Smokies.”

  Starsky looked at him curiously.  “Hutch you and Susan were almost killed there.”

  “Yeah but before Roffman got a hold of us we had a wonderful time. I just want to go back up to that waterfall where we stopped and scatter her ashes.”

Hutch looked at Starsky to see his reaction.

  “Ashes?”

  “I know we have never really talked about it before but I think Susan will like that. Being free, away from the city she loved being in the Smokies so much.  I thought we would have the service here and then I would take her there.”  Hutch said softly.  “If that is okay with you.”

  Actually Starsky wasn’t sure it was okay with him but he knew he was just being selfish wanting a grave site to visit, to put flowers on, to remember what he had lost….what they had lost.  Slowly he nodded in agreement, “What ever you think will make her happiest.”

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 11

 

   Starsky sat in the back of the courtroom, Hutch sitting listlessly next to him and Katie sat clutching a tissue on Starsky’s other side. She hadn’t stopped crying since the day Susan had died.

   Starsky had no idea what they were doing there. Amy had called at 4 am and asked that he, Hutch and Katie would be in court the next morning. Hutch wasn’t happy since he was supposed to be catching a plane but Amy had been adamant that they all be there.  

   Starsky looked around but there was no sign of the female lawyer.  In fact there wasn’t anyone in the courtroom he knew except Judge Strickland who had just entered the room.  Starsky noticed that Hutch looked up when the judge sat down but didn’t say anything.  The man made Starsky’s skin crawl, if it hadn’t been for his unreasonable ruling Susan would still be alive.

  “Alright lets get started” the judge announced. 

  A uniformed officer sat at one of the tables his lawyer got to his feet.  “My client was only doing his job.  It was a clean shoot, no question.”

  “I think I would like to hear the evidence first if you don’t mine.” Strickland snapped.

  Hutch looked up at Starsky, “What is the purpose of this?”

  Starsky shrugged as he looked around again for Amy.  “She just said to be here that we would be interested in this case.”

  “More like rubbing salt in the wounds.” Hutch snapped.  “I’m getting…”

  But before he could finish that court room doors banged open and Amy walked in flanked by four police officers, she walked down the isle until she was standing in between the desks that the defense and the prosecutor were sitting at.

  “What is the meaning of this Ms. Marlin?” Judge Strickland demanded.

  “You getting ready to sentence another good police officer to death?” Amy Marlin stepped closer to the judge.

  “Ms. Marlin you are out of order either take a seat or leave unless you want to be tossed in jail.”  Strickland said as he got to his feet.  The police behind her were unnerving him. 

  One of the police officers stepped next to Amy, “Judge James Strickland you are under arrest for the murders of eight police officers.”

  “Is that so.”

  The officer walked up and handed the judge a warrant for his arrest. He quickly scanned it, and started to stand up two more officers closed in on the Judge.  “What is this?  Carrying out a sentence is not murder.”

  “No it’s not, but sentencing them to punishment that didn’t fit the crime and then ordering their deaths while they were in prison is.”  Amy said holding up a several print outs of the officers that had been murder in prison. 

  “Your last victim didn’t even get her day in court before you shipped her off where she was stabbed.” 

  This statement jolted Starsky and Hutch; this was the first time they had heard that Susan’s death was linked to others.  Katie’s hand slipped over Starsky’s and gripped it tightly.

  “This is totally ridiculous,” the judge sputtered but didn’t move.  The two police officers on either side of him didn’t look as though they would let him pass.

  Amy ignored his statement and kept talking, she stepped a little closer to the bench as she waved a paper in front of his face. “Susan Hutchinson was sent to prison with out a trial.  She was removed from local lock up and put in Huntington Park Jail.”

  “I’m sure there was a good reason for it.” He sounded stern but his look of confidence was waning quickly.

  “The only good reason was your signature on this piece of paper requesting that she be moved there.”  Amy said holding up yet another piece of paper.

  “They needed those holding cells, Ms. Marlin.”

  “Mrs. Hutchinson shouldn’t have been in one of those holding cells to began with. She is a respected member of this community, an ex-police officer with man commendations, she was not a flight risk.”  Amy said strongly.  She had the whole rooms attention at this point.

  Hutch and Starsky looked at each other not knowing what to think.  Why hadn’t Amy told them any of this?

  “You don’t have any proof, so what if I had her moved that isn’t all that unusual.”  He said.

  “Oh but I do,” Amy said and motioned for one of the flanking officers to open the courtroom doors.  A woman walked in, all could see Judge Strickland’s face go white and he sat down in his chair with an audible plop.  “I guess you recognize Jailer Marla Hammond?  She works at Huntington Park Jail or did until she quit the day after Susan Hutchinson was stabbed.”

  Starsky’s brow furrowed as he picked up on the words Amy was using to described Susan, not once had she said she was dead only stabbed.  He started to turn to see if Hutch was picking up on this when Amy once again motioned the police officer to open the doors.

  This time Rob Thomas stepped through the doors sending shock waves jolting through Katie. Hutch started to get to his feet but Starsky held him firmly in his seat.  Katie was now digging her nails in Starsky’s arm as she watched her husband walk down the isle toward the lawyer.

  “Judge you have been set up but good.  You took the bait and now you have hung yourself with the line.” Amy smiled sweetly at the judge.

  “I…I don’t understand.” He stammered. 

  “We put bait out there that you couldn’t pass up.  You requested to be the Judge on the Hutchinson case didn’t you? She wasn’t scheduled to be in front of you at all was she? Just as you always request to be the judge anytime an officer came into court.” Amy asked but she continued without waiting for his answer. “You wanted to nail another bad cop didn’t you. Wanted to see any cop in jail for all the wrongs that they had done for all the criminals they let go. The criminal that killed your beloved sister in cold blood. But then it wasn’t enough just to see them go to prison you decided you would be the judge, jury and executioner.”

  “They deserved to die,” Strickland said he was now furious and got to his feet.  “Cops botched up the investigation on that serial killer so badly that he got off and his next victim was my sister.  She was only seventeen!”

  He started to leave but the officers blocked his way again.  “Sit down,” one of the officers told him.

  “Well you failed this time,” Amy said.

  Hutch and Starsky looked at each other trying to comprehend what Amy was saying.  But it became evident when Libby walked though the door with Susan at her side.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

    This time Starsky didn’t even try to hold Hutch back.  He leaped from his seat and made his way past the other on lookers until he was in the isle way.  He was stunned to see Susan there.  Hutch just stood there looking at her not sure that she was real until Libby touched his arm.

  He tore his eyes from his wife and looked at Libby who was smiling at him.  “She is just fine.”

  By this time Starsky had made his way past everyone and was looking at Libby wondering just what she was doing there.  She was supposed to be in Arizona with the kids. She smiled at him and mouthed, “I’ll explain later.”

 Starsky couldn’t get to Libby as Hutch was still rooted in front of him still unable to move.  Hutch had spent the last two days grieving his dead wife, wondering what he was going to tell their children and here she was standing before him.

  Amy was still talking but none of them were listening.  They all remained fixed in their spots until the lawyer was finished talking and Judge Strickland was hand cuffed and taken away. There was an uproar in the courtroom as everyone stood up and began to exit the court. 

   The public pushed past the Hutchinson’s and Starsky’s and once the room was empty save the two families, Amy Marlin and the Thomas’s, Hutch finally moved toward his wife.  He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know if he should be angry or jubilant.

  It was Susan who spoke first as she took his hand, “Hutch I’m so sorry to put you through all this. I know it must have been awful.”  She looked up into his handsome face that was still crease with worry.

  Her words broke the silent bewildered group, “What are you doing here?” Starsky asked Libby. “Just what the hell is going on?”

  Libby smiled at him.  “I have been in on this from the beginning. That is why I suggested taking the kids out of here. We didn’t want them to think that their mother had been killed so we got them away and told them all what was going on.”

  “So everybody knew that Susan was alive but Hutch and I?” he asked incredulous.

  “Gil had no clue either.” Libby answered. “Nor Katie.”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Starsky demanded.

  Katie was standing behind Starsky glaring at Rob.  Amy stepped forward and said, “Let me explain.”

  “I sure the hell wish somebody would.” Starsky snapped.

   Amy put her hand on Hutch’s back, “Why don’t we sit down?” she suggested.

  Susan pulled Hutch toward one of the seats he followed her with out releasing her hand.  Rob stepped forward and tried to take Katie’s arm but she jerked away putting Starsky between her and her husband.  Starsky sat next to Susan immediately taking her hand, Libby sat on his other side he grabbed her hand also. Katie joined them and Rob sat down across the isle hoping that after the explanation that Amy was going to give that Katie would at least speak to him.

  Amy stood in front of them, she knew that Starsky and Hutch had every right to be furious with her and everyone involved in the deceit but it had to look real or it wouldn’t have gone off as well.  She couldn’t let Strickland slip though her fingers.  She had been trying to find a way to nail him for several years and when she finally saw her chance she took it. She was first apologetic to them all and what they had been through.  Then she began to explain why she did it.  “Some of what has been going on is real, some manufactured and some things just simply fell into place for us.  First off and I don’t know if this is good news or not…” she gave Rob apologetic look.  “Janie Stillwell is still alive.  Yes Susan did shoot her but didn’t kill her, my team and I moved in on this quickly and whisk her way. She is in a mental hospital getting the care that she needs.”

  “You got Janie to go along with this?” Starsky asked. He was a bit gun shy when it came to Janie and didn’t trust anything about her.

  “Well it was either she agree to be hospitalized or go to jail for the rest of her life.  She is in a very secure facility she wont’ be escaping you can rest assured.”  Amy guaranteed Starsky.

  Katie glared at Rob, “And what about him?” 

  “Don’t be so hard on your husband Katie,” Amy said, “If it weren’t for him this whole plan would never have worked.  Without his award winning scene at the airport, this whole case would have been blown.”

  “And Susan?” It was the first words Hutch had spoken.

  Amy sighed then smiled at Susan, “She is the real hero here.  I know how much she put on the line to help me in this case and it’s mainly due to her that Strickland in going to prison now.  I never planned on her getting sent to Huntington Park and I was truly trying to get her out of there Hutch when we went. I’m not naïve; I knew how much danger she was in the moment she set foot in Huntington. But I couldn’t get her released with out tipping my hand. I had no idea who was with Strickland.  Actually her getting stabbed was the best thing then I could remove her.”

  Hutch’s mouth fell open and he looked at his wife with concern.  She smiled at him, “I’m fine it was just a few stitches, nothing like they must have been telling you.” She was still waiting for his anger she remembered the time he had done a similar thing to her where she and Starsky had thought he was dead.  She had been so angry she could hardly see straight.

 Hutch put his arm protectively around her.  As if reading her mind he said, “I am just glad that you are alive.”

  “I second that,” Starsky quipped as he grinned one of his award winning smiles at her.

  “It’s nice to be here.  When they came after me out in the yard I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.”  Susan told them then she looked at Amy, “What about Marla Hammond?”

  “I’m sure she will get some jail time but with out her testimony we would never have gotten Strickland. So also had a male guard that handled the male inmates he will get the book thrown at him.  As for the prisoners that actually did the killings most of them we already in for life any way, I think that was why Marla picked them.”

   Rob got up and knelt in front of Katie, “Please give me another chance. I’ll go to counseling anything you want.  I want a chance at a real life with you.”

  “We’ll see,” was all that Katie tossed at him. But she did allow him to sit next to her.  It would take her a while Rob had still done some awful things in his own right that had nothing to do with the case that Amy had been working on.

   “I just want to thank you all so much for your help and you will have to return to court to testify in Strickland’s trial.” Amy said as she gathered up her things.  “I think it’s about time to let you all go home I’m sure you all have a lot to talk about.”

  Susan got up and embraced Amy, “Thank you too if for nothing else making all this move quickly.”

  “I knew what was at stake here,” Amy said, and then she turned to Starsky and Hutch. “Don’t be too hard on your wives with out them Strickland would still be sending police officers to their deaths.

 

 

 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 

 

   Janie Stillwell lay in a hospital bed in Wildwood hospital for the criminally insane.  Amy Marlin had to pull a lot of stings and call in a lot of favors to get Janie in the hospital but it was the only way the woman would go along with the plot to catch the judge. Janie hadn’t cared about that she was only interested in one thing…saving her own skin.

  Janie was being kept sedated as per Amy’s instructions until the whole thing with the judge was over the last thing the lawyer needed was for Janie to decide to start talking.  But little did Janie’s caregivers know she had rigged the bottles of fluid running into her arm. 

  A nurse came in to check on her patient, satisfied that all was well and the nurse turned and left.  Janie had laid perfectly still her eyes closed forcing herself to breath normally while the nurse was there but the moment the door closed her eyes flew open.  She must have been stupid to go along with all this.  Let Izzy or Susan or what ever her name was to fire blanks at her… to play dead…she should have won an Oscar for her performance not be locked up in some nut house. She wasn’t crazy she just wanted to get even, even with everybody that had done her wrong.  Now she could add that dim-witted brother to her list to get even with. How could he double cross her like that? Janie sat up and stripped the IV from her arm.   She would get Rob she would get them all they would be sorry.   Thirty minutes later when the nurse walked in to Janie Stillwell’s room she found an empty bed, a hospital nightgown that was tossed over a chair and the IV was dripping forming a puddle on the floor.  

 

   The house was alive with activity, shortly after they had gotten home from court Huggy and Kit had shown up enough food from the restaurant to feed a small army and that was what had seemed to have come to the house.  Libby had brought the kids home with her and it seemed like everybody they knew had crowded into their home to rejoice in the fact that Susan was still a live and to celebrate Judge Strickland’s removal from the bench and being promptly jailed.

   Starsky stepped out on to the front porch to get away from the din; he shook his head as he thought that only the night before he had been out here to morn the lost of Susan. How odd life was and he felt as though he had seen it all.  He sat down on the top step as he had done the previous night but this time when he felt the hand on his shoulder he knew it was really her. 

   “What are you doing out here?” Susan asked as she sat down next to him.

   He shrugged, “Just thinking I guess.” 

   She put her arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder, “I know this was all so hard on you and Hutch.  I’m really sorry. You mad?”  

   He shook his head, “How could I be mad after what you did? You put everything on the line.” 

  “Yeah including my family who had no choice in the matter.”  Susan said regretfully.

   Starsky brushed away her words, “You are being hail a hero by the press you know.”

   Susan laughed, “Ah my fifteen minutes of fame.” 

   “You deserve much more than fifteen,” Starsky said softly as he looked in to her eyes then even more softly, “I thought I had lost you.” 

   Susan shook her head, “You can’t get rid of me that easy.” 

   Starsky hesitated only a moment and then kissed her quickly on the lips a kiss, which she returned. “I don’t want to live with you.” 

  “Nor I you,” she said. 

  They heard the squeak of the screen door, seconds later Hutch joined them on the steps.  He put his arm around Susan and touched Starsky on the arm.  Starsky looked over at his partner who only smiled at him. 

  They were together and that was all that matter to Hutch.  He had seen the kiss but there was no jealously only joy that they could still share their life together.  And as they sat there the sounds of the stereo filter out to them…

 

 

…I know your eyes in the morning sun

 I feel you touch me in the pouring rain

And the moment that you wander far from me

I want to feel you in my arms again 

 

And you come to me on a summer breeze

Keep me warm in your love then softly leave

 I believe in you. You know the door to my very soul

You’re the light in my deepest darkest hour

 You’re my savior when I fall

 And you many not think that I care for you

 when you know down inside

that I really do

 

 And it’s me you need to show how deep

Is your love?  How deep is your love

I really mean to learn. ‘Cause we’re

Living in a world of fools breaking

Us down when they all should let Us

 be we belong to me and thee…