“Withdrawal”

Chapter 3

 

Tony, pacing the lobby, stayed clear of the windows.  “Billy, keep an eye on those people.  I don’t want any talking.  I’ve got to think.”    

Billy walked closer to the hostages, waving the gun back and forth threateningly.

Katie noticed that his hand was trembling.  She could see Starsky on the floor, half-leaning, half-falling against the base of the counter.  By the amount of blood visible on his shirt, she knew he was losing a lot of blood.  Hearing him moan slightly, she wondered how she could manage to get over to help.

            “Billy,” she whispered as he came nearer.  “Mr. Martin here is an elderly gentleman.  He’s not feeling very well.  He needs some water.”

            “Shut up!” yelled Tony, but Billy cautiously moved closer to Katie.

            “Look,” she said, trying a different tactic.  “I’m eight months pregnant.  I really need to go to the bathroom.  I feel sick.”

            Billy’s eyes grew into saucers as he realized she was telling the truth.  “Tony,” he yelled, panicking.  “There’s a pregnant lady over here!”

            Tony turned to look at him and said, “Yeah, so what about it?”

            “She could have the baby!”

            “She’s not gonna have the baby.  Just let me think.”

            Katie pleaded again, “Please, Billy, can I go to the bathroom?  I’m not feeling so well.”

            “Tony, I’m taking her down to the bathroom.”

            “Yeah, sure, I’ll watch these people.  Don’t let her out of your sight.”

            Katie stood up slowly and walked toward the small hallway leading back to the storeroom, break room, and bathrooms.  Trembling, she moved her left hand along the wall for support as she slowly walked down the hall, with Billy following a few feet behind.  All she heard was the pounding of her heart.  

            At the women’s bathroom, she slowly pushed open the door and started to enter.  When Billy followed, she turned and looked at him, embarrassed.  “You aren’t going to follow me in here, are you?” 

            Billy, blushing, decided to wait outside.  “I’ll be right here, so don’t try anything,” he warned.

            Once inside, Katie leaned against the closed door and wondered what had possessed her to think she could help in any way.  Feeling the trembling in her legs begin to subside, she finally straightened.  She opened a tiny closet and found a couple of old but clean towels.  Taking them out she placed them on the right side of the sink, and then she glanced around the room wondering what, if anything else, she could do.  In the corner, Katie spotted a chair some of the office smokers used on their breaks.  Glancing up, she saw the bathroom window above the sink.  Quietly, she picked up the chair and placed it under the bathroom window.  Carefully climbing onto the chair, she reached up and unlatched the window.  She knew it was probably a stupid idea since she couldn’t climb out, but she prayed that someone would find it and climb in.  Returning the chair to its proper place, she took a few short steps over to one of the stalls and flushed the toilet, in case Billy was listening.  Then, walking over to the sink, she turned on the water, washed her hands, and filled a small paper cup with water.

            Exiting, Katie carried the cup and the towels.  Smiling gratefully at Billy, she said, “Thank you.”  He glanced at the items in her hands but didn’t say anything.  They walked back toward the lobby.  As Katie entered the back of the lobby, she could see Starsky, with eyes half-open, still in the same position, blood spreading across his left shoulder. 

            “What’s that for?” asked Tony when he saw her returning with the water and towels.

            She stopped, heart in her throat.  “It’s just some water for Mr. Martin.  He hasn’t been feeling very well, and I worry about his heart.”  An eternity passed while Tony stood there, looking her over, considering her response.  Katie could feel herself begin to tremble again.  She stood still, afraid to move.  Finally, he motioned with his gun for her to go ahead. 

            Katie knelt next to the elderly gentleman sitting in the chair.  Whispering softly, she offered, “Here, Mr. Martin, here’s some water.”

            Mr. Martin nodded his head and gratefully took a small sip.  When he finished, she dipped the corner of one of the towels in the water and wiped his forehead.  He gave her a brief smile and whispered his thanks.  Katie stood up wondering how far she could push her luck.  She started taking small steps toward Starsky.

            “Now what are you doing?” asked Tony angrily.

            “Well, I found these towels in back, and I thought maybe...they could be used to stop his bleeding,” she said hesitantly, pointing with the towels at Starsky.

            Tony looked at her and then at Starsky.  “Okay, go ahead,” he motioned.  “I don’t want a dead cop...yet.”

            Katie hurried over to Starsky and knelt next to him.  Finding a weak pulse, she tried to talk to him quietly.  “Detective Starsky, this might hurt, but I’ve got to apply some pressure to stop the bleeding.”

            Starsky moaned and his eyelids fluttered at the sudden pain.  Mumbling, “Hutch?” he tried to focus on the figure bending over him. 

            “Let me try to help you sit up a little better,” she offered.  “You look like you’re about to fall over any second.”  She carefully put her hands under his arms and tried to help him straighten up.  Starsky tried to help, bending his left leg for more leverage.  While they had succeeded in shifting him to a more upright position, the movement brought shooting pains on his left side.  Waiting a moment for him to catch his breath, Katie then applied continuous pressure to the wound.  At his sudden intake of air, she brushed the brown curls out of his eyes, whispering to him to try and relax.  Using one of the towels, she wiped the perspiration from his neck and face.

            “Are you okay?” he whispered, as he noticed an uncomfortable look cross her face.

            “Oh, yeah.”  She smiled at him and said, “It’s only the baby kicking.”

            A look of concern crossed his face as he asked, “When’s the baby due?”

            “Not for another three weeks.  I’m fine.  You just relax.” 

            Starsky looked beyond Katie to see where the robbers were standing.  Hutch has to be out there, he thought.  He’s gonna find a way in.  He has to...

            Frowning, he tried to concentrate.  Katie had said something, but he couldn’t quite sort it out.

            Blinking Katie into focus, he asked, “Katie, you...”  He paused, waiting for the pain to subside.  “...said the baby isn’t due for three weeks?”

            “Yes, that’s right, why?”

            “Just thinking, that’s all.”  He was silent for a moment, as a jumble of thoughts rushed into his head and he tried to sort them out.  Maybe there was a way he could get Katie out of here and get a message to Hutch.  He knew Hutch would be worried about him.  After all, he would be if the roles were reversed.  He needed to concentrate.  Concentrate, until he could come up with a plan before he passed out again.