“Hutch! Hutch!”
Heavy steps on the porch and someone calling his name woke Hutch instantly. He turned toward Starsky surprised that he remained asleep. Seeing Starsky’s left arm dangling over the edge of the couch, Hutch slid it under the covers and rose unsteadily to his feet.
Grabbing his Magnum from its holster, Hutch headed toward the door.
“Hutch! It’s Brit. I’ve got help.” Opening the door to enter, she threw her arms around Hutch in relief. “How’s Starsky?”
“Where’s the police?”
“Police?” Brit was momentarily confused. “I couldn’t get to the police, but I found someone else to help us. Or rather, he found me. He said he could help us get Starsky to the hospital. He’ll be here in a just a second.”
Hurrying over to where Starsky lay, Brit studied him by the firelight. “I’m sorry it took me so long. How are you?”
“I’ll survive.” Hutch, anxiously looking at the door, asked, “Where’s the help?”
“Mr. Barnes is outside.”
“Mr. Barnes?”
“He’s waiting for us.”
Those words were enough to put Hutch into action. “I’ll put the fire out and leave a note for the owners in case they show up over the holidays and see that someone’s broken in. You pack up the dry clothes.”
Adrenaline rushing through his body, Hutch moved quickly to write the note and place it on the fireplace mantel. Poking the logs apart, Hutch tossed the remaining drinking water on the embers. Setting the empty pot down, Hutch noticed one of the foil stars had fallen to the floor. He picked it up and slid it into his jean pocket.
Hearing footsteps on the porch, Hutch turned and, looking up, was surprised to see a white-haired, bearded man standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a red and black plaid, wool coat, and a red knit cap protected his head from the cold.
“You ready to go?” The deep voice filled the room, and Brit rushed to introduce the two men. “Hutch, this is Nicholas Barnes. He found me wandering in the forest and said he could help. Mr. Barnes, this is Hutch.”
Hutch looked at the stranger, grateful yet hesitant. His instincts advised caution. He had no idea who’d sent them over the mountain’s edge, and he didn’t know where this man had come from.
“Better bundle him up. It’s cold outside,” Mr. Barnes said brusquely, and then abruptly walked outside.
Hutch nodded and, taking the three steps to Starsky, wrapped the quilt around him and scooped him up, glad that Starsky was too deeply asleep to protest. Breathing heavily, he grunted under Starsky’s weight, but started toward the door, his shaking legs feeling like they would give out at any moment. Brit held the door open, and Hutch, with a quick glance around, exited the room.
Hutch walked across the porch and stopped to shift Starsky who was beginning to stir. “Careful you big lug, or you’ll end up in the snow a second time,” he warned.
Grunting, Hutch carefully stepped down the three porch steps and turned to go to the car.
Stopping, he stared. There wasn’t a car, but a black sleigh. A sleigh, peeling and badly in need of paint, but transportation, nonetheless. Mr. Barnes was busily spreading an old army blanket on the seat. “Lay him down here and we can wrap him up in this.”
Hutch moved forward, and, as he struggled to climb up into the sleigh, Barnes reached down to take part of Starsky’s weight. Together they shifted Starsky sideways onto the seat and wrapped the blanket around him and over his face, protecting it from the wind and cold. The seat was small, but curved sideways, so they managed to get Starsky comfortable.
Once that was done, Barnes climbed down from the sleigh, patting the seat running behind the driver’s seat. “You two bundle up here. There are two more blankets under the seat. The ride could take awhile and the cold, night wind will bite right through you.”
Brit climbed up next to Hutch and they pulled the blankets close around them. Starsky’s face was buried deep beneath his covers and, while Hutch couldn’t see him, he heard Starsky’s painful cough and raspy breathing. Hutch knew the exposure to the night air wasn’t going to help.
Barnes climbed up and settled onto the driver’s bench. He tucked a quilt around his legs and then pulled his red cap down as far as it would go. With a flick of his whip, the sleigh jerked forward as its two chestnut horses started across the snow.
Hutch turned to study the back of the man, grateful for his appearance, unusual though it was. “How’d you meet up with this guy?” Hutch whispered to Brit.
“It’s more like he found me. I’d been hurrying down the hillside as fast as I could, when I tripped and fell.” Touching the bandage on her forehead, Brit winced and continued, “I must have knocked myself out, ’cause I woke up at his place. He’d bandaged my head. I explained where I’d come from and that I needed to get help. Mr. Barnes said the heavy snow had knocked out the power lines and his phone was dead. He said the roads were impassable, but I convinced him that I had to get help for you as quickly as possible. The sleigh was his idea. He’s a collector and had just purchased this one. He said it isn’t in as good of shape as his other two, but it’s bigger since it’s a six-passenger sleigh. What do you think?”
“Honestly?” Hutch paused a moment before proceeding. “I’m afraid I’m in a dream and I’m going to wake up.”
Despite the cover wrapped around him, the inactivity left Hutch feeling cold and stiff. The wind had picked up, blowing the snow sharply across his frozen cheeks. Hutch leaned across and, despite stiff fingers, tucked the blanket tighter around Starsky, trying to protect him from the biting wind.
Mr. Barnes silently guided the horses through the woods, letting the moonlight show the way. The blowing snow covering Barnes’ red cap made it difficult for Hutch to determine where the cap ended and the beard began. Burying his own face deeper, Hutch realized that Brit was asleep, her head leaning against his left shoulder. Shifting to put his arm around her, he leaned back against the sleigh and enjoyed the luxury of closing his eyes. What a way to spend Christmas, thought Hutch. As he finally drifted off, visions of Mr. Barnes dressed as Santa Claus flashed through his head. Smiling, he promised himself he’d tell Starsky his crazy thoughts as soon as possible.
š ›
The movement—no, the lack of movement—startled Hutch. Blinking his eyes rapidly several times, he shoved the covers away. Starsky! He had to get to Starsky! Feeling someone touching his shoulders, restraining him, Hutch shoved the hands away and looked around frantically.
“Easy
does it. Just lie back. We’re taking care of your friend.” The voice was soft and reassuring. Hutch watched as two male orderlies gently
lifted Starsky out of the sleigh and onto a gurney. Hutch ran his stiff right hand through his hair and gave the
outside of the small hospital a quick once over. It certainly didn’t compare to their usual haunt, but its bright
lights meant warmth and care for Starsky.
Anxious to join the gurney rolling through the automatic doors, Hutch stepped down from the sleigh. He was surprised to see a wheelchair waiting for him, and gentle, but firm hands guided him toward it. Too tired to argue, Hutch sank into the chair and commanded, “I’m going wherever he is…”
š ›
An hour later, Hutch,
sitting in the wheelchair positioned directly outside the emergency room doors
separating him from Starsky, argued with the nurse. “Look, Miss…” Quickly reading the nurse’s nametag, Hutch
continued, “...Miss Watson, I appreciate your insistence, but my leg is fine
and I can wait until I hear how my partner’s is doing. You said it wouldn’t be much longer.”
Sighing, Nancy Watson looked dubiously at her patient. “Okay, but only for a little while longer. Then, I don’t care how much you object, I’m taking you into Treatment Room B and stitching up that leg.”
Pleased
to have postponed the inevitable, Hutch smiled appreciatively “Would you mind getting me a cup of coffee?”
Nancy
couldn’t resist the warm smile of the tousled-haired blond and hurried off to
fill his request.
Hutch, glancing across the hall and into a small waiting room, stared at a five-foot artificial Christmas tree standing in the corner, it’s tiny, blinking lights and shiny tinsel reminding him of the season Starsky loved so much. Seeing Brit asleep, Hutch stood unsteadily and walked toward her. His muscles had tightened up, making the walking slow going. Leaning against the receptionist counter, he stopped to arch his back and relieve some of its tension. As he glanced through the glass entrance doors, Hutch noticed Nick Barnes outside, climbing into the driver’s seat of his sleigh. Hutch headed toward the doors. The man had disappeared the moment they’d arrived and Hutch hadn’t had the opportunity to thank him for getting Starsky to the hospital. Hoping to catch the elderly man before he left, Hutch increased his speed, but as he exited the doors all he saw was the back end of the sleigh.
“Hey,” he called out, arms waving to get Barnes’ attention, but to no avail. Disappointed, he let them drop to his side.
“Come back in, Detective Hutchinson. It’s cold out there and your coffee is getting cold,” Nancy chided her patient, as she stood at Hutch’s side.
“’Kay,” Hutch agreed reluctantly, the snow flurries obscuring the back of the sleigh as it disappeared into the night. “I never got to say thank you.”
“That’s okay. St. Nick has more to do tonight,” Nancy said smiling.
“St. Nick?” Hutch, shivering in the cold air, looked at Nancy in disbelief.
“Mr. Barnes has been a fixture around here for years, but he has the reputation of being a curmudgeon. He’s a retired English Literature professor. A number of years ago the kids in town started calling him St. Nick because of his white beard and hair. When he began buying the sleighs a couple years ago, the name really stuck.” Smiling, Nancy watched the disappearing figure. “Mr. Barnes grumbles about it, but I think he secretly loves it. I heard he found his latest sleigh out east and then had it transported here. On Christmas Eve he travels around the area, letting the kids see him. Helping them believe.”
Looking into the darkness, Hutch whispered to himself, “Well, I know one big kid he helped believe tonight.”