PAYBACK

BY

TOOKI

 

CHAPTER 1

 

   It was nearing ten p.m. when Hannah Starsky stepped out of the movie theater and headed toward her car.  It was a beautiful night but moonless as she made her way the two blocks to where she parked her car the darkness of night fell upon her as the lights from the theater faded into the background. She held her car keys in her hand not as a weapon but as a convenience so she wouldn’t have to dig through her purse in the dark.  She wasn’t fearful as she walked, she felt safe in the area she had parked…that was her first mistake…the old adage that it can’t happen to me.

  She was humming a tune that they had played in the movie as she preceded down the street; she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her.  Hannah stepped from the curb as she approached her car. She fumbled with her keys trying to find the right one; bending over so that she could see the keyhole in the darkness she dropped them. “Damn,” she muttered under breath as she stooped to pick them up.

  Hannah patted the ground and strained to see in the gloom where her keys had landed.  She didn’t hear the man advance on her, nor did she feel him until it was too late.  A hand came round her mouth and an arm around her upper body, he was strong so strong that she was not able to break free.  Hannah tried to kick her assailant with no result.  Being a trained police officer she knew the techniques to fend off attackers but try as she might none of them were working.

  The shadowy figure drug Hannah to the entrance of a near by alley, she lost one shoe in the process and she scrapped her knee on the curb as he drug her none to gently into the even darker area.  She struggled again hoping to catch him off guard but again the attempt was no good.  He only tightened his grip on her until she could hardly breath.

  They continued on down the alley, Hannah tied to hook her one bare foot on a large trash receptacle hoping to slow him down but he only pulled causing a gash to open in the top of her foot where it scrapped the sharp metal edge of the receptacle.

  Finally he stopped, still holding his hand over her mouth he rolled her onto her back and straddled her. He flicked open a switchblade holding it to her throat he whispered. “I’ll kill you if you scream.”

  Hannah tried to remain calm and nodded her head so that he knew she understood the threat.  Slowly he removed his hand from her mouth ready to slap it back if she screamed.  He didn’t really want to cut her throat he liked them alive.

 “I’m a police officer,” Hannah said to him.

 “So,” came the reply.

  Fear began to well up with in Hannah as she realized that she was about to be raped.  His hands began to roam her body, pulling at her skirt, picking at the buttons of her top. 

  He pinned her arms above her head pushing them in to what ever littered the alley, shards of glass dug into Hannah’s bare arms, “Please let me go, if you do I won’t tell anyone.”

  He answered with the blade of his knife that he pressed into the soft flesh of her neck; a small bead of blood formed there the tip of the sharp knife cut her.  Hannah squeezed her eyes closed trying to hold back her tears she refused to cry. 

  All his weight was on her midsection and with her arms held above her head she couldn’t move.  He leaned in to where his face was only inches from Hannah’s face; his breath was pungent as he breathed on her. “Just lay back and enjoy it.”

  His words infuriated her, Hannah bucked trying to knock him off but he clamped his knees into her sides like he was riding a while mustang. He slapped her hard across the face. “Stop it,” he hissed in her face.

  Hannah let out a cry as her face stung from the slap.  “Get off me you bastard!”  She said a bit to loudly.

 This time instead of the slap the man punched her in the face, instantly her nose began to bleed. “You shut up and do what I say.  Or I will cut you.”    

   He pulled at her skirt until it ripped up the side; he ran his hand up her bare leg and hooked a finger in her panties. Hannah tried to roll back and forth but he held on tighter. Once he had her underwear off he caught a hold of her blouse and torn it from her body sending a shower of buttons flying.  He still had her arms pinned to the ground above her head.  As he removed her clothes he ground her wrists into the pavement. Hannah cried out as a shard of glass penetrated her flesh.  He slapped her hard in the face splitting her lip, “Shut up bitch,” he said as he removed his belt with his free hand.

  Once he was finished and after giving Hannah a final kick in the side the man disappeared down the alley and round the corner.  Hannah curled into a ball sobbing from the pain and humiliation, after a few minutes she tried to arrange her ripped clothing enough to cover herself so she could make it to her car.  Hannah found her purse lying a few away she limped toward it.  She didn’t know where her shoes were or underwear, she held her blouse closed with one bleeding hand but there was little she could do with the skirt that was split from the hem to the waist.  Hannah made her way back to her car, searching her purse as she went for her car keys. She was about to panic when she remembered she had dropped them near the car.  Hannah dropped to her knees not caring that she added more cuts to her already scrapped up knees.  She patted the ground until thankfully she finally felt her keys.  Grabbing them she opened her car door, jumped in then slammed and locked the door just in case he had any ideas of coming back.

  Hannah sat for a few minutes trying to gather her thoughts; this man had taken something very precious from her, her pride, her security and her virginity.  Something that she had been proud she still had at her age.  Hannah had made up her mind that she was going to save herself for that special man she would someday marry.  She put head on the steering wheel and wept for what she had just lost. 

  Her next dilemma was where to go; the cop in her knew where she should go but the woman in her was embarrassed and needed comfort not stark white hospital walls.  Finally she started her car and pointed in the direction of savior or at least she hoped he would be.

 

 Hutch was sitting watching an old western, pop corn on the couch next to him and a beer in his hand.  The credits had just started rolling when there was a knock at the door.  He looked at his watch wondering who would be knocking with it nearing midnight.   After placing the popcorn bowl on the coffee table went to answer the door.  When he first opened it he didn’t realize it was Hannah standing before him.  Her hair was disheveled, clothes ripped and bloody, she was shoeless.

  “Uncle Hutch?” Hannah crocked out.

  “Hannah?” Hutch gasped, he caught her as she collapsed in his arms.  “My God what happened to you?”

  “I-I was r-raped,” she said as she broke down into tears again.

  He scooped her up and gently laid her on the couch.  “I’m calling 911.”

  “NO!”

  “Hannah I have to, you know as well as I do.”

  “I don’t want anyone to see me like this,” she sobbed like a small child.
  “I know baby but we have to catch the bastard that did this. Unless you go to the hospital and them check you out with a rape kit there is no chance.”

  “Nooooo….”

  “Hannah,” Hutch persisted, he knelt next to her and pushed her tangled hair from her bruised cut face. “Do you want this to happen to some one else?”

  Hannah slowly shook her head no.  “Call.”

 

 

CHAPTER 2

 

   Hutch paced the emergency room waiting area wrestling with if he should call Starsky.  Hannah had begged him not to but Hutch felt that Starsky should be there.  Hannah’s wishes won out, she was so traumatized already Hutch didn’t want to add to it. He knew that Starsky would go ballistic when he found out. 

  A policewoman was in with Hannah; it had been over an hour since they had first arrived.  Hutch stepped out in the hall just as officer Linda Albright stepped out of examine room four where they were putting the rape case together.  Every inch of Hannah’s body was being examined; anything found would be first used to find her attacker then to prosecute him.

  “Hutch,” Linda called.

  “Is she alright?” Hutch asked worry evident across his face.

  “Hannah needs you.”

  When Hutch entered the examine room Hannah was close to being hysterical. “Honey what is wrong?”

  Hannah grabbed his shirt in both hands and pulled him close her. “They want to test me.”

  Instantly Hutch knew what she meant it was one of the greatest fears of a rape victim these days even greater than getting pregnant.  “It’s okay I’m here for you.”  Hutch put his arms around her holding her close.  “Let me call your dad uh?”

  “No, no,” Hannah sobbed.  She gritted her teeth as the nurse drew her blood into several tubes, then it was whisk away to a lab where they would test to see if she had contracted HIV from her attacker.

  “Is she ready to go home?” Hutch asked the nurse.

  The woman nodded, “If she has any pain give her some aspirin. And don’t worry she won’t get pregnant we took care of that.  She just needs some sleep and some time.”  The nurse pulled a card from her pocket and handed it to Hutch. “If she needs to talk to somebody have her call here they are a pretty good group.”

  Hutch thanked her and collected Hannah who still refused to let him call Starsky.  “You can come home with me for the night if you want but you are going to have to tell your dad eventually.  He’s going to find out one way or another and I think it should come from you.”

 

  Hannah nodded her big blue eyes swam in tears.  “He is going to be so mad.”

  “Not at you honey, you didn’t do anything wrong.”  Hutch said trying to comfort her.

  Officer Albright grabbed Hutch’s arm as they were leaving and pulled him out of earshot of Hannah.  “Bring her in so we can do an artist sketch.”

  “Now?”

  “You know the sooner the better.”

  “Linda I don’t think she is in any shape right now.  First thing in the morning uh?”
  She shrugged knowing they would be losing precious time but also understood Hutch wanting to protect her.

 

  Back at the apartment Hutch waited while Hannah scrubbed her body in the shower.  She stripped off her ruined clothes and tossed them in a heap on the floor then turned on the shower as hot as she could stand it and began scouring her skin with a washcloth until she turned red. She washed her hair repeatedly.  Even after drying off she could still feel his filth on her body.  Hannah put on a blue terry cloth robe and wrapped her long hair in a fluffy towel, when she opened the door a puff of steam escaped from around her. 

  Hutch looked up and smiled at her when she entered the room; he was shocked to see how red her skin was from the scrubbing.  Instead of commenting on it he asked. “You hungry?”

  At first she shook her head but then after a moment nodded, “Yeah I guess I am a little hungry.”

  “Good, how about a pizza?”

  Hannah gave him a brief grin, “Oh Uncle Hutch, you don’t have to do that for me.”

  “Yes I do.”

  While he went to make the call Hannah flopped down on the couch, she closed her eyes weary from the evening’s events. Not realizing it she dozed off, she was back in the alley his stinking breath in her face again. He was ripping her clothes forcing him self into her.  Hannah screamed Hutch was by her side instantly.

  “It’s okay Hannah, you are safe now honey,” Hutch cooed holding her tightly pressing her damp head to his chest not caring that his shirt was getting wet. 

  Hannah was trembling, tears filled her eyes,  “It was so awful.”

  “I know it had to be,” Hutch held her close. “Do you want to tell me about it?”  She had told the female officer at the hospital that had made an extensive report on the incident.  All that was missing was an artist drawing of the assailant. Hutch hadn’t told her about that yet although Hannah should have realized she would have to do it.

  Hannah took a deep breath trying to calm her self and began telling Hutch how she had come out of the movie, gone to her car and dropped her keys.  But she couldn’t get the rest of the story out Hannah dissolved into tears, Hutch held her until there was a knock on the door.  Hannah jumped and looked around fearfully.

  “It’s the delivery guy,” he said.

  After paying for the pizza he sat it down on the coffee table in front of them.  Suddenly neither of them had much of an appetite. Hutch sat back with Hannah nestled in his arms. She felt safe there and quickly fell asleep.  Hutch smiled and touched the side of her face lovingly hating that this had to happen to her.  Then he stretched out best he could and closed his eyes.    

 

  The ringing phone roused them early the next morning.  Hutch slipped Hannah from his arm and grabbed the phone, “Yeah.”

  “Hey Hutch how about if we get an early start and grab some real breakfast,” Starsky said cheerily on the other end.

  “What time is it?” Hutch asked rubbing his sore shoulders. 

  “Almost six.”

  “What are you doing up so early?”

  “I don’t know just wanted to do something different today, so what do you say?” Starsky asked.

  Today was sure going to be different Hutch thought to himself as he looked at Hannah who had curled up and fallen back to sleep.  “Hey Starsky I think I’m going to pass uh? I’m not feeling too well.”

  “Oh,” Starsky said disappointed. “Okay, I’ll be by at the usual time then.”

  “I’ll just meet you there,” Hutch lied, “I have a few things I need to do.”

  “Is everything alright Hutch?” Starsky asked sensing that something was not right with his partner.

  Hutch hated being deceitful to Starsky but he had promised Hannah.  He felt that the news should come from her not him.  “I’m fine. I’ll see you in a while.”

  As soon as he hung up Hannah said, “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “Making you lie to Daddy for me.”

  “You have to tell him.”

  “I will.”

  “You better get ready then you have to go in and see Pete so we can get a drawing of this bastard out there.”

  “Shit, I don’t have anything to wear.” Hannah sighed.  She was still in the bathrobe; her hair was dry but a tangled mess.

  “Hold on.”  Hutch went into the bedroom and returned shortly with a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt.  “They will be big but it’s better than nothing.”
  “Thanks Uncle Hutch what would I do with out you?”  Hanna said taking the clothes, then she flipped open the lid of the uneaten pizza from the night before grabbed a slice and headed toward the bathroom.

  Hutch shook his head and went to the bedroom to get dressed him self.

 

 

CHAPTER 3

 

 

   Starsky’s good mood went down hill quickly, Hutch was always telling him he needed to eat better and he couldn’t understand why he got turned down for breakfast.  Starsky started to stop at his favorite donut haunt but he didn’t feel much like eating so he skipped it.

  He got into work earlier than usual, several of his fellow officers gave him sadden looks as he entered the station. Starsky his fowl mood intensifying didn’t notice but stalked on toward the elevator.  As the doors opened Linda Albright stepped off.

  “How’s Hannah?” She inquired.

  Starsky brow furrowed, “Fine I guess.”

  It was Linda’s turn to frown.  “I know she was pretty shook up last night.  When is she coming in for the sketch?”

  “Sketch?”

  Suddenly it dawned on Linda that Starsky had no idea what she was even talking about.  “Forget it.”

  “Forget it? What is going on? Where is Hannah?” Starsky demanded becoming alarmed. 

  “I think you need to talk her.” 

  “I’m talking to you. If there is something about my daughter I need to know then spilled it.” Starsky growled at her. He was in no mood to play games.

  After a few moments Linda said, “Starsky, Hannah was attacked last night.”

  “Attacked?  What do you mean attacked?  Is she hurt? Why didn’t she call me?” He fired his questions at her like bullets.

  “Starsky you need to talk to Hannah.”

  “Damnit tell me!”

  “Starsky she was raped, now if you want all the details I suggest you contact Hutch.” Linda said.

  “Hutch? What does he have to do with this?”

  “He was with Hannah at the hospital last night.” She explained.

  “And he didn’t call me?” Storm clouds formed on Starsky’s face.  He jabbed the button to call the elevator once more.  When the doors opened he stepped in and punch another button.

 

  Hutch was at his desk, Hannah in Dobey’s office with the police artist Pete.  Everybody in the office jumped when Starsky pushed open the door so hard it hit the filling cabinets.

  He stalked toward Hutch angrily.  “Where is Hannah?”

  Hutch’s shoulders drooped it was clearly evident that his partner already knew what had happened.  He looked up at Starsky’s livid face looming over him.  “She is in Dobey’s office.”

  Starsky started toward the door, Hutch jumped up and blocked his way.  “Let her finish.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do,” Starsky snarled.  “Get out of my way.”

  Hutch held his ground. “NO, let them finish.”

  Starsky grabbed Hutch, “Listen you son-of-a-bitch my daughter was raped last night and you didn’t even bother to call and let me know.”
  It was like the shooting all over again. He was only protecting Hannah and Starsky was jumping all over him.  “Are you kicking me out of your life again?” Hutch yelled and pushed Starsky away.  “Is that what you are going to do?  I remember somebody telling me that they wanted me to be there for Hannah but you didn’t mean it did you.  I made the choice not to call you, Hannah asked me not to but I made the choice to do as she asked.”

  Dobey’s office door flew open and the captain stepped out.  “What the hell is going on out here? The whole damn building can hear you two.”

   It had taken months after the shooting for the two detectives to get back to really being comfortable with each other.  Both felt like they were walking on broken glass fearing that they might say or do the wrong thing.  It had been hard for Hannah too, watching the men she loved most in her life be so ill at ease. 

  “Excuse me,” It was Pete, he had finished with Hannah, clutching his drawing pad he made a hasty exit squeezing between the captain and two angry detectives.

  Hannah appeared in the doorway, Starsky gasped when he saw his daughters beautiful face.  Her lips were swollen and cracked; there were a few cuts and several bruises that were turning a dark shade of purple.  And that was what he could see the clothes she wore covered the rest. He didn’t see her bruised ribs or the cuts and scratches on her wrists and hands as she had them held behind her.  He couldn’t see how badly her knees and legs were scrapped up or the large gash on her foot.  Most of all he couldn’t see the hurt inside her.

  “Baby,” he said holding his arms out to her.

  Tears spilled out of Hannah’s eyes and down her pale cheeks.  She went to him allowing him to fold her into his arms.  “Oh Daddy.” She sobbed.

  As he was holding her Starsky shot an angry look at Hutch. “I should have been there last night.”

  Hannah pulled away and looked at him.  His eyes were infuriated with rage but she could see it wasn’t her but Hutch he was angry with.  “Daddy no, don’t be mad at Uncle Hutch he was only doing what I asked him too. I didn’t want you to see me like that.”

  He pulled his eyes from Hutch and looked at his daughter, “But I’m your father I needed to be there. Why did you go to Hutch and not me?”  Suddenly he felt jealous that she had chosen Hutch over him. 

  Hutch was a cross between being mad and bewildered. “I can’t do this again.”

  “Daddy!” Hannah sighed exasperated.  “Uncle Hutch don’t go.” Hutch had headed for the door.

  “Hutchinson!” Dobey boomed. But Hutch didn’t turn instead he pushed open the squad room doors and disappeared down the hall.

  Hannah looked opened mouthed at the father.  “How could you do that? Uncle Hutch was only doing what I asked.”

  “He had no right to make that decision.”

  “I’m not a child I have mind of my own he only respected my wishes as an adult.  If I had wanted you to know last night I would have called you.” Hannah snapped starting after Hutch.  “You can see why I didn’t call you, look how you are acting.  Do you think I wanted you running off half cocked in the streets rousting half the population under thirty?”

 Starsky looked crestfallen.  “But…”

 Hannah was gone, out the door hurrying down the hall toward Hutch before he could get on the elevator.  “Wait!” She cried out.

  The doors slid open; Hutch stepped in followed by Hannah who squeezed in just before the doors shut.  “Hannah go back with your dad that’s where you belong.”

  “Come back, please don’t let this put another wedge in between you,” Hannah begged.

  “Hannah that wedge you speak of has never been gone, it was getting smaller but it never left.  I don’t know if Starsky and I can ever get back what we had before.” He looked at her sorrowfully.  “And just like last time I can understand where he is coming from.”

  “But he doesn’t have to lash out at you,” Her eyes filled with tears.  Once again she was coming between them.  “If I had know all this was going to happen I would have just gone back to Mexico with Grandfather.”

  Hutch took her bruised face in his hands and brought her eyes up to meet his, “Don’t say that.  You have no idea how much you mean to your father.  He is so afraid of losing you that he strikes out when ever anything happens involving you.”

  “And in the process he is losing you.” Hannah said sadly.  She threw her arms around his neck.  “Thank you Uncle Hutch, thank you for always being there for me. It’s cost you so much but you are still always here.”

  “I always will be no matter what,” he said looking meaningfully in to her eyes.

  Hannah instantly read what was there what he was saying.  She knew that even if he and her father lost each other Hutch would be there for her. She wondered if it was worth the price of a life long friendship.  “I love you.”

   “And I love you.  Now you go on back and be with your dad, I’ll be fine.” 

 

   Hutch went home, he didn’t feel like going to the Pit’s and having to answer questions that Huggy would surely ask with him turning up that time of day alone.  At least the most important thing was done; a full description of Hannah’s attacker would be in every patrol call by lunchtime.

  His answering machine was flashing as he walked by it, he paused only long enough to punch the button then continued on into the kitchen for a beer.

  “Detective Hutchinson this is Doctor Cameron I took care of your niece last night.  You need to bring her in, we found something in her blood work.”

  Hutch stopped and turned to stared at the answering machine.  He crossed the room quickly and replayed the message hoping he had misunderstood what the doctor had said. But there was no mistake in what he had heard. 

 

 

CHAPTER 4

 

  

   Hannah was sitting on the couch sipping a hot cup of tea in her dad’s apartment when there was a knock on the door.  Starsky had insisted that he bring her back to his place instead of allowing her to go to her tiny apartment.  She had actually been relieved; Hannah wasn’t ready to go home yet.

  Starsky went to answer the door after ordering Hannah not to move.  He was a bit surprised to see Hutch standing before him but glad he need to do some apologizing again he seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.  “Hutch.”  He said opening the door wide. “Look who’s here Hannah.”

  Hutch sighed, he knew that Starsky was sorry and that he would start in apologizing to him but he wasn’t in the mood to listen to it right now.  “I need to speak to Hannah.”  Hannah sat her mug of tea on the table and started to get up.  “I think you had better sit hon.”

  “What’s wrong? Did they find him already,” She asked almost fearful she wasn’t ready to face her attacker yet.

  But Hutch shook his head, “No.” He sat down next to her taking her hands in his.  “Hannah Dr. Cameron called and left a message on my answering machine.”

  “And…?”

  “He said there was something wrong with your blood work and you need to come back in.” 

  Starsky who had sat down on the back of the couch sprung to his feet. “Blood work what are you talking about?”

  “Daddy please calm down.  Last night they took my blood to…” she couldn’t finish and looked to Hutch to finish her sentence.

  “Starsky it’s standard in rape cases these days.”

  Starsky’s face when ashen as he looked from his daughter to Hutch.  “They tested you for AIDS?”

  Hannah nodded as tears spilled down her cheeks.  Hutch stood pulling Hannah to her feet. “Before we jump to any conclusions I think we should go and see just what this doctor has found out uh?” He said sounding much calmer than he felt.

  Hutch started to leave, “Uncle Hutch will you go with us?”  She looked over at Starsky who nodded his approval; if it were bad she would need all the support she could get.

    

  Hannah insisted on stopping by her apartment to change in to her own clothes and to pack a bag to take back to her dad’s apartment.  She couldn’t stand the thought of being alone especially now with the news forth coming.

  Hannah sat quietly in the back seat; Hutch and Starsky were in the front silent as well. All of them lost in their own thoughts, having their own fears.  It seemed like it took them forever to get to the hospital but finally they arrived.  They were all reluctant to go in wanting to delay the news as long as possible.  The nurse took Hannah’s name and asked them to have a seat in the waiting room while she contacted the doctor.  They had barely sat down when the nurse appeared in the doorway motioning for Hannah to come with her.  Hannah and Starsky got up but Hutch remained seated.

  “You are coming aren’t you Uncle Hutch?” Hannah asked worried.

  Hutch looked at Starsky, “Maybe I should just wait out here.”

  “Come on Hutch,” Starsky said.  “We need you.”

  The trio was lead into the doctor’s office; he sat behind his desk a folder laid before him.  Hannah sat down and waited for her death sentence, Starsky took the seat next to her while Hutch remained standing directly behind Hannah his hands on her shoulders. She reached over and took Starsky’s hand as they waited for the news.

  “Miss Starsky, thank you for coming in so promptly.  I got your blood work back early this morning and there are a few things that concern us. I would like to ask you a few questions.”  The doctor said as he took out a pen to make some notes.  “Alright Miss Starsky have you had a loss of appetite and weight recently?”

  Hannah thought a moment, her clothes were a bit looser than normal and she had been eating much.  “I guess so, I have just been working a lot of hours and I’m just too tired to eat.”

  “Well you answered my next question do you have a feeling of fatigued.  How about bruising or bleeding easily?”

  “No I haven’t noticed anything like that…well until last night.”

  The doctor gave her an amused looked then continued. “Discomfort under the left lower ribs?”

  Hannah shook her head.

  “How about infections such as sore throat or bronchial pneumonia, which might have been accompanied by headache, low-grade fever, mouth sores, or skin rash.”

  “NO,” Hannah said looking over at Starsky.

  “Doctor please get to the point you are scaring my daughter.” He also wanted to add that the doctor was scaring the shit out of him too.

  “I’m just trying to get a bit of back ground here.  We also want to do more extensive blood testing.”

  “Do I have AIDS?”

  The doctor looked a bit surprised then realized why she had asked this.  “No you do not have AIDS that test came back negative but you should be tested again in six months some times it will lay dormant but I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

  “Okay that is settled,” Starsky said relieved.  “So what is the problem?”

  “Like I said we need to run a battery of blood test on Miss Starsky but right now it looks as though she might have leukemia.”

  “Leukemia?  Are you telling me I have cancer? And this is better than AIDS?”  Hannah said loudly.

  “Much better Miss Starsky, you are young it has been caught early. I have no doubts that you will go into remission with the proper treatment.”

  The three of them sat stunned looking at the doctor.  Hannah was just short of her twenty-third birthday and she felt like she had just been handed a death sentence. “Treatment? What type of treatment?”

  “We are getting ahead of our selves. Let’s get more tests first then we will decide what we need to do.”  The doctor said as he picked up the phone receiver and depressed one of the buttons.

 

  Larry Ashberry stood in the darkened alley way only blocks from where Hannah had been attacked.  He was waiting for the right time, the right girl.  He was rewarded several minutes later when he spotted a young woman coming toward him.  A smile crept over his face has he melded into the darkness.  He held his breath listening for her footsteps coming his way.  He could tell she was almost to the entrance of the alley; he was poised to jump out and grab her.

  Melinda Johnson was walking home from work; she hated it when her boss made her work over time.  By the time she was off it was dark out side and her car had been in the shop for weeks so she had to walk the seven blocks home.  She didn’t mind it in the day light but she was frighten at night, usually her boy friend would pick her up if she had to work late but he was also working late this evening. 

  Her shadow played in the alley and he knew it was right moment.  He leaped out grabbing her around the waist and clamping his hand over her mouth all in one fluid moment. She never saw him coming.  He drug her down the alley into the deepening darkness.  Then he tossed her to the ground and straddled her pressing his knife to her throat.  “I’ll kill you if you scream.”

  Melinda looked up at him wide eyed praying he wouldn’t kill her.  She didn’t struggle as he tore her clothes from her body, she lay still hoping he would finish soon and leave. 

  Ashberry didn’t like her compliancy; he liked the struggle, the fight.  The woman he had a few nights before had turned him on.  She had even said she was a cop, that made the danger just that more real.  He felt like slapping this one just to make her cry or even resist a bit. She was lying there not moving; he knew she was alive for he could hear her breath coming in short gasps.  Finishing he heaved him self off her and walked away she wasn’t even worth one last kick.

 

 

CHAPTER 5

 

   “You gentlemen may wait here while I take Hannah down for her testing. This will take a while we are going to need to do a bone marrow biopsy.” The doctor said getting up.  “Miss Starsky if you would come with me.”

  After the doctor and Hannah were gone Starsky got up and began pacing the room.  “This is bad this is really bad.” He muttered to himself.

  “Starsk don’t get upset until we know exactly what is going on.” Hutch advised sitting down in the chair Hannah had gotten up from.

  Starsky turned around glaring at Hutch, “Don’t tell me to calm down, my daughter has cancer!”

  Hutch took a deep breath, “Listen Starsky I’m going to leave. I’m not going to get into this with you.  Every time something comes up with Hannah you go off on me. I’m only trying to help here. You were the one that came to me and asked me be there for Hannah to take care of her, remember?  Is that just after you die? Or anytime?  I’m sorry she didn’t call you or go to you when she was raped. I don’t know why she came to me but she did.  It doesn’t mean that she doesn’t love or trust you I think she was probably trying to spare you.”

  “We have been walking on pins and needles for almost a year now with each other.  I can’t do it anymore. I’m going to ask Dobey for a transfer.  I’ll be here for Hannah and you too but as for working together I don’t think it’s a good idea anymore.”

 “What the hell are you talking about?” Starsky asked staring at Hutch.

  “What am I talking about?” Hutch repeated. “I’m talking about every time something happens to Hannah I’m your scapegoat.  You come at me with both barrels like I’m purposely trying to hurt Hannah or maybe you think I’m trying to come between the two of you? Come you know what I’m taking about. Ever since the shooting things between us haven’t been right and you know it.  Hannah feels it too.  Do you want to know what she told me?” 

  Starsky shook his head no.  “Hannah said that she wishes that she had gone back with Malone.  She would have rather done that than to come between us.  Now what the hell does that tell you?”

  Hutch crossed the room and opened the door, “You tell Hannah I had to leave, and if she needs me she knows where I am.”  With that Hutch walked out slamming the door behind him.

  Starsky stood looking at the closed door in shock.   He wanted to go after Hutch but knew he needed to wait for Hannah.  He didn’t know what he would say anyway.  Hutch was right.  How could he explain to Hutch that he was scared to death?  Scared of losing Hannah, so scared that he was pushing his best friend away.  He didn’t mean too and always wanted to take back his words once they were out of his mouth. 

 

  When Hutch left the hospital he went directly to the station.  He wanted to talk to Dobey and get the paper work in motion for his transfer.  He knew it would probably be a bit of a battle with Dobey but he had his mind set and was not going to let anybody talk him out of it.  He wondered if his letter of resignation was still in Dobey’s drawer or if his captain had thrown it way. 

  As he walked in the front door Linda Albright was talking to a couple of officers.  “Hey Hutch,” She called. “Hold up a minute I want to talk to you.”

  Hutch paused and waited for Linda to finish up her business.  “Any news on the rapist?” he asked as she approached him.

  “Not anything good.  He struck again last night.”  Linda said flipping open a notebook she had been taking notes in.  “A young woman was raped only two blocks from where Hannah was attacked. Same M.O.” 

  “Shit.”

  “I think we have a serial rapidest on our hands. I started going back through old rape cases and I’m coming up with some matches. Why nobody caught this before I don’t know. In the last six months eight cases the rapist has had the same M.O.  I want to keep digging.” She looked at Hutch. “We are putting together a rape task force would you like to come aboard?”

  “As a matter a fact I would.” Hutch smiled at her. It was the prefect answer to his problem at least for now.  He would deal with what to do after they caught the bastard.  “I’ll talk to Dobey.”

  “Well I took the liberty of already doing that I hope you don’t mind.  Both your captain and I agreed that Starsky shouldn’t be on it.  He was even a bit reluctant to allow you since you are so close to the Starsky’s but I convinced him. I want somebody with a vested interest in this case so that it just doesn’t get pushed under the rug.” 

  “Believe me this cases will get solved!”  Hutch said with a determined look on his face.  “So where do we start?”

 

  Hannah lay on a table a sheet draped over her.  A nurse had already taken more blood now she was waiting for the doctor who was going to do the bone marrow biopsy to determine what type of leukemia was present.  She wished that her father could be there with her as she lay in the cold sterile room. Not even facing a high junkie in an alley was this frightening.  At least there she had some control here she had none.

  The doctor came in flanked by two nurses.  “How are you doing Hannah?”

  “Ok,” she said looking nervously at the tray of instruments they had readied for the biopsy.

  “I’m not going to lie to you, this isn’t going to be pleasant but it has to be done so we know what we are up against.”

  Hannah nodded as tears swam in her eyes.  “I understand.”

  The doctor nodded to the nurse’s as he was ready to proceed. First he swabbed the back of Hannah’s hipbone above one of her cheeks with alcohol then he inserted a needle that contained a local anesthetic to deaden the pain. After about 2 minutes he started to tap on the part with the anesthetic to see if Hannah could feel it.  “Can you feel that?” he asked. 

  “No.” came the reply.

  “Good then lets proceed.”  Next, he made a small incision with a scalpel to make an opening for the marrow-extracting needle to go into. The marrow-extracting needle was about 6 inches long with a hard, plastic, unscrewable T handle on the end of it. The doctor lined it up in the hole and started to push it into the bone. “Hannah this is going to hurt now. The anesthetic works on the outside part of the bone, but there is no way to anesthesia the inside.”

  She nodded and gritted her teeth as he unscrewed the T handle and screwed on a plunger so as to suck out the marrow. Marrow is very thick and it takes a little time to get enough of it.  It took nearly twenty minutes for the procedure to be over.  Tears ran down Hannah’s face and she bit her lip to stop from crying out.

  “All right we are finished Hannah,” the doctor said. After the nurse place a bandage on the small incision she instructed Hannah to lie on her back for an hour to stop any marrow from leaking out of the hole.

  “C-c-can I see my dad?”

  “Sure Honey,” the nurse said. “I’ll go and get him.”

 

  When Starsky walked in he was alarmed to see Hannah’s face to pale, he went to her side taking her hand. “Are you okay?”

  Hannah nodded, “They took some bone marrow.”

  Starsky cringed knowing it much have hurt something awful.  “Was it bad?”

  “No too much,” she lied.

  But Starsky could tell by the long on her face that it must have been agony. “They say we can get you out of here in about an hour.”

  “I have to lay here for a bit,” Hannah answered.  “Where is Uncle Hutch? Will they let him come in?”

  “He had to leave,” Starsky said in what he hoped was an even tone.  “He went back to the station.

  Hannah’s eyes narrowed, “Did the two of you have a fight again?”

  “No of course not,” Starsky lied.

  Hannah didn’t believe him; she knew that Hutch wouldn’t leave her unless they had gotten into about something. She was going to need both of them go get through this and she knew that if it went badly and she died that her dad was going to need his friend.

 

 

 

CHAPTER 6

 

  After getting Hannah settled and avoiding her questions about Hutch Starsky went back to work.  He wanted to see if he could track down Hutch and if he had to beg his partner not to transfer away from him he would.  Starsky was relieved to see Hutch’s desk still full as he entered the squad room.  He went directly to Dobey’s office door and opened it.

  Dobey was on the phone when Starsky burst into his office.  Dobey glared at him cupped his hand over the receiver and said, “Out!”  Starsky backed out of the office closing the door.  Then he heard Dobey yell, “KNOCK!”  Which Starsky did.  “Come in.”

  Sighing Starsky opened the door and shutting it behind him.  “Where is Hutch?”

  Dobey held up his hand to ward off his questions until he finished his call.  After a few minutes Dobey hung up and looked at Starsky. “What is so damned important that you can’t knock?”

  “I never knock cap but this is important.”

  “Are you and Hutch fighting again?”  Dobey asked leaning back in his chair. He was concerned about his two detectives.  He that thought things had smooth out since the shooting and ensuing trial but it seemed that things weren’t going as smoothly as he had thought.  He wondered if Hannah’s rape had trigger something between them again.

  Starsky didn’t know exactly how to answer the question they weren’t exactly fighting.  “Has Hutch been here?”

  “Yes, he was here earlier.” Dobey said.  Linda Albright had asked him for Hutch’s help in the rape case.  He wasn’t sure it was a good idea for Hutch to be working on it but he relented.

  “Where did he go are you going to give him a transfer?”

  “Transfer?” Dobey boomed. “What the hell are you talking about?  He is working with Officer Albright on a rape task force. Seems like Hannah isn’t the first one attacked by this guy.  There was one last night and after some digging there have been quite a few rapes.”

  “You mean Hannah was raped by serial rapist?”

  “It’s looking like it.”  Dobey answered. “Now what is this stuff about Hutch being transferred?”

  “Don’t mind me cap.  We just found out that Hannah has Leukemia.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that Starsky, if there is anything I can go just let me know.”

 

  After fumbling in the dark for the remote control Larry Ashbury turned on the TV he wasn’t ready to get out bed just yet. He looked at the clock it was nearly 8 a.m. but he couldn’t tell what kind of day lay ahead of him with the heavy drapes covering the windows.  He flicked on the TV; the news was on what he saw there jolted him fully away.  There was a drawing that was unmistakably him.  They saying he was responsible for two rapes.  He chuckled to himself if they only knew.

  Over the last several years he had raped dozens of women and he had gotten away with it up until now. He was sure that the woman cop had to be his undoing.  But now it was that more challenging.  He wasn’t sure how he had gotten away with it for so many years. He had never covered his face but all the rapes had taken place in the cover of darkness.  Maybe the women were to scared or ashamed to report it or they just didn’t have enough to go on.  Usually he didn’t hit close together in the same area but this last time he felt like a little danger in his life.

  He propped himself on a couple of pillows and listened carefully to the news report Larry wanted to see just how much the cops knew.  He also started planning in his head how he would change his appearance now that they had a drawing.

 

  Hutch sat in a small office with Linda Albright going through dozens of rape cases. They were working from newest to oldest and planned on going back as far as they had too.  Linda had two stacks of files in front her the ones that matched and the ones that didn’t.  The matching files were growing at an alarming rate.

  “It’s amazing that this guy hasn’t been caught before.”  She said lapping her hand down on the sizable stack. “It’s like he makes a living out of raping.”

  Hutch didn’t answer he had a file open in front of him but wasn’t reading it instead he was staring out into space.  He was thinking of Starsky, wishing things could go back to the way they were before…

  “Hutch?” Linda called. “You find something?”

  Hutch looked at her almost dazed, “No sorry, I guess my mind isn’t on this right now.” He apologized.

  “Is everything ok?  She asked.

  “Yeah of course,” but he didn’t sound very convincing. 

  “Hannah doing good?” 

  “How would you be if you had just been raped?” Hutch shot at her, he sighed. “I’m sorry Linda.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Linda, Hannah found out that she has some form of Leukemia, she is at the hospital getting more tests.”

  Linda’s face fell, “Oh Hutch I’m so sorry.  If you want to leave I understand.”

  Hutch shook his head, “No this is where I need to be now.”  He dove into the files with a new vengeance.

  Linda got up to get another stack of files from the file room, when she opened the door Starsky was standing there poised to knock.  “Hey Starsky.” Linda left the door open as she left.

  “Mind if I come in?” Starsky said softly.

  Hutch looked up, “No.” 

  “So you joined the rape task force?” Starsky asked sitting down across from him.

  “Seems this guy has been pretty busy. We have already gone back three years and found dozens of cases.  All the same M.O.”
  “And he had never been caught?” 

  Hutch shrugged, “Why don’t you take some mug books home to Hannah maybe this guy has been arrested before.”

  “You want to come over?  Maybe have some dinner tonight?”  Starsky asked.

  “Naw I think we’ll still be working.”  Hutch said looking down to avoid Starsky’s eyes. 

  “Hutch about earlier…” Starsky began.

  “Starsk could we do this later. We really want to get through these files.”

  “I could help.”

  “We got it but thanks.”

  Starsky looked crest fallen, “Alright but if you change your mind about dinner just come on over.”

  “Sure,” Hutch said already going back to reading.

  Starsky left closing the door behind him. He went to pick up a couple of mug books.  He wasn’t sure how to reach Hutch anymore.  He had blown it so many times.  Why couldn’t Hutch just understand how he felt?  It was a new feeling for him ever since Hannah had come into his life.  Sometimes all he thought of was Hannah, which made him felt guilty about Hutch. It had been the two of them for so long.  Girl friends came and went, they both had a few close calls with marriage but the thing that always held stable was their friendship. 

 

  Doctor Cameron studied the results of the bone marrow biopsy; he frowned as he read the report.  He picked up the phone to dial the lab, once they answered he asked, “I’m looking at the results of Miss Starsky’s marrow biopsy, is this right?”

  “We tested it twice,” the lab technician answered.

  “How is this possible?”

  “It happens once in a while.  We had a pretty busy night that night.  Lots of blood work sent from the ER.”

  “Alright thanks,” the doctor depressed the button then looked at the first page of the report to get a phone number for Hannah.  He dialed it and waited for the young woman to pick up.

  Hannah had been napping when the phone rang; she grabbed the phone from the floor and set it on her stomach then picked up the receiver. “Yeah.”

  “Miss Starsky?”

  “Dr. Cameron?” Hannah sat up quickly almost dumping the phone on the floor. 

  “Could you possibly come back to the hospital?  I need to talk to you again it’s very important.”

  “S-sure,” Hannah said feeling herself panic.  “I’ll be there as soon as I can get dressed.”

  After hanging up from the doctor she tried the station to see if she could get a hold of her dad but he wasn’t there.  Next she asked for Hutch but was told he wasn’t around either. Hannah hung up pondering this wondering if it was a good or bad sign that neither of them were there. 

  She got up to dress hoping that Starsky would show up before she left.  Hannah had to know what her fate was, she wrote a quick note since he wasn’t there once she was ready and went out to wait on a cab.  She made a mental note to get her car from Hutch’s.

 

 

 

CHAPTER 7

 

 

   Hannah sat twisting a stray strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail as she waited in Dr. Cameron’s office. Finally the door open, the doctor came in and sat down at his desk. He leaned forward in his chair looking at Hannah, “Miss Starsky I don’t know how this happened but you are fine.  You blood work was messed up with someone else’s.”

  Her mouth fell open after all she had been through, “Fine? I’m fine? I don’t have leukemia?”  Hannah asked flabbergasted.  “No AIDS? Nothing?”

  He shook his head looking a bit sheepish, “It happens from time to time.  We had two vials of blood in the lab marked Starsky I guess nobody bother to look at the first name. We found it out when we did the bone marrow biopsy and it was normal so we retested the fresh blood from this morning.”

  “What?” This news jolted Hannah. She didn’t know any other Starsky’s in California. “Are you trying to tell me it’s my father that is sick?”

  Dr. Cameron looked at Hannah’s file with all her information on it. “Says here your father’s name is David, is that correct?”  Hannah nodded as she held her breath.  “The name on the other sample was Nicolas, do you know him?”

  Hannah let out her breath.  “No I don’t.”

  He smiled at her.  “So how are you doing?”

  Hannah laughed, “I was so scared about having leukemia that the rape took a back seat. But I’m doing okay, I guess I can go back to work?”

  “No reason not too unless you feel you need a few days. I can get a note to your employer if you need me too.”  The doctor offered.

  “Thanks but I think I’m ready.  I want to catch this bastard.”  Hannah said with conviction.

  Doctor gave her an odd look, “I think you should leave that up to the police.”

   Hannah laughed again.  “I am the police.”

  “Oh,” Dr. Cameron replied.  “I knew your father was but I didn’t realize that you were too.”

  She thanked the doctor, and then went to find her dad and Hutch to give them the good news.  What an emotional roller coaster ride she had been on today.  And like she had told the doctor she hadn’t even thought of the rape, the shock of being told she had leukemia had over shadowed everything else.  Now that relieve was flooding her, she was just happy to be alive and would do everything under her power to catch the rapist.

  Hannah had the cabbie take her to Hutch’s so that she could pick up her car while she was there she checked to see if Hutch happened to be home which of course he wasn’t.  By the time she got home Starsky was pacing the apartment, “Where the hell have you been?” he shouted the moment she opened the door.

  “I left you a note.”

  “Note? I didn’t see any note,” Starsky raged at her.

  Hannah walked into the kitchen and took the note she had left him off the refrigerator and handed it to him.  Starsky read the note and turned even paler than he had been. “You were at the hospital? Why didn’t you call me?”

  “Daddy I tried, called Uncle Hutch too but couldn’t find him either.”  Hannah said as she threw her arms around his neck.  “Daddy I’m fine, they mixed up the blood work, there is nothing wrong with me.”

  Starsky push her away from him so that he could look into her eyes.  “You don’t have leukemia?” She shook her head no.  “How could they have messed up like that?”

  “Another Starsky,” she grinned. “Can you image there are three of us running around in this city.”
  Starsky pulled her back into his arms.  “Oh baby I’m so happy for you…for me. I sure wasn’t ready to lose you yet.”

  “I wasn’t ready to lose me either.” Hannah said holding tightly onto him.  “I was scared though I thought it was your test.”

  “Me?”

  “Well the name was Starsky but the doctor said the name on it was Nicolas Starsky.”  Hannah said releasing Starsky.  “I feel like celebrating lets call Uncle Hutch and see if he wants to go out to dinner.”  Getting no answer from Starsky she turned to look at him. “Is that…” she stopped when she saw the expression on his face.  “What’s wrong?”

  “My brother’s name is Nicolas.”

  “Brother?” Hannah asked, he had never said anything about a brother, in fact he never talked much about his family…her family.  She knew she had a grand mother in New York but that was about it and Starsky never elaborated.

  Starsky flopped down on the couch and looked up at her. “Are you sure of the name?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Can dinner wait a bit I need to check out a few things?”

  “Sure, I’m going to call Uncle Hutch.”

  “I think he is still at the station.  He has joined Officer Albright’s rape task force.” Starsky told her as he looked for his address book. He wanted to call his mother and find out about Nick.

  “Task force?  I’m not that important.” Hannah joked. 

   Starsky smiled he was glad to see her joking around; this type of thing destroyed some women.  “As important as you are it’s not all about you. Another girl was raped last night, same guy. So Linda started doing some digging and seems like we have a serial rapist on our hands.”

  “Oh my God,” Hannah gasped.  “How many?”

  “Dozens,” Starsky said finally finding the book. He opened it to his mother’s number. “I’m going to make a phone call then we’ll go to the station and talk Hutch into coming with us.” He didn’t bother telling her that he had already turned him down once.

 

   “Hello?”

  “Hi Ma.”

  “Davy how are you? It’s been such a long time.”

  “I know I’m sorry,” Starsky said guiltily.  “But you know how it is.”

  “I know,” Mrs. Starsky said but she didn’t actually.

  “How is Nick?”

  He heard a sigh from on the other end of the phone.  “You know, he’s being Nick.”

  “In trouble again?”

  “In and out,” she replied.  “Right now he’s out I guess I haven’t seen him in a couple of weeks.”

  “There isn’t a chance he is here is there?” Starsky asked.

  There was a long pause, “Davy he hasn’t been feeling good. He won’t go to the doctor. I have been after him for a while.”

  “Ma I think he might be here.”

  “What makes you think that?” she asked curiously.

  “I thought I saw him the other day.” Starsky lied.  He didn’t want to get into how he came to think Nick was in town. For some reason he hadn’t told either of them about Hannah.  Nick just wasn’t somebody he really wanted Hannah to know but as for his mother he wasn’t sure how she would react.  She was from the old school, dating, marriage then children. He wasn’t sure how she would feel about Hannah especially him not knowing about her for the first eighteen years of her life.

  “Your guess is as good as mind.” She said. “If you track him down give me a call so I don’t worry and see if you can get that boy to a doctor.”

  “Sure ma,” Starsky said, “I’ll give you a call later in the week.”  He felt even guiltier as he hung up. He use to talk to her weekly but once Hannah had entered his life those calls had stopped.  Maybe this is why Hutch was so mad; he didn’t feel as though he were pushing his friend away but maybe he was.

 

   As Starsky was on the phone with his mother Hannah called Hutch on her cell phone.  It took a few minutes for somebody to track him down but finally he came to the phone.  “Are you alright Hannah?” Worry in his voice.

  “I’m fine Uncle Hutch!” Hannah said exploding with joy. Quickly she told him the results of her test.

  “Hannah that is wonderful.” He exclaimed. 

  “Daddy and I want you to come out to dinner with us to celebrate.” Hannah asked.  “Please don’t say no.”

  “Hon I’m pretty busy. Did your dad tell you what I’m doing?”

  “Rape task force. I want to be on it.”

  “Hannah I don’t think that is a good idea.”

  “Since when did I ever do anything that was a good idea?” Hannah teased.  “Who better than the one that was raped?”

  “We’ll talk about it later.”

  “Over dinner?”

  Hutch sighed he could never say no to Hannah, “Alright young lady. I’ll meet you two. Where?”

  “How about Huggy’s?”

  “Fine by me,” Hutch hung up. He went back into the office he and Linda were using.

 “Trouble?” She asked looking up. 

  “No, in fact it’s good news, Hannah’s test was screwed up she is fine.”

  “That’s great news!”

  “Yeah it is,” Hutch said shaking his head. “She wants to be on the rape task force.”

  Linda frowned, “What did you tell her?”

  “That I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

  “It’s not, but I have a feeling she is going to end up here isn’t she?” Linda grinned.

  Hutch shrugged, “Knowing Hannah probably.  Hey you want to come to dinner with us?”

  “Us?”

  “Hannah invited me to come and celebrate with her and Starsky.”

  Linda made a face. “You think that she really wants to sit across from the woman that interviewed her about the rape?”

  “I doubt if she would care.”

  “You sure about this?” Linda asked. She had a long time crush on Hutch and felt like a schoolgirl every time she got around him. 

  “Yeah come on.”

 “Alright looks like we will have more help in the morning anyway.” Linda answered meaning Hannah.

 

 

CHAPTER 8

 

 

   Hannah and Starsky were already at The Pit’s by the time Hutch and Linda got things wrap up.  Starsky was on his second beer while Hannah was sipping a coke.  The couple sat down across from father and daughter.  Hutch noticed immediately that Starsky was distracted and Hannah a bit worried.

  “Why so glum?” Hutch asked. “I though we were here to celebrate.”

  “I need to talk to you,” Starsky said sliding out the booth.  Hutch looked over at Linda shrugged and followed him over to the pool table.  Starsky leaned on the edge of the table and looked at Hutch.  “I think Nick is in town and I think he might be the one with leukemia.”

  “Come again?”

  Quickly Starsky explained to Hutch about the mix up in Hannah’s test.  “Hutch I haven’t told Hannah about Nick.  And I haven’t told him or my mother about her.”

  “Why?” Hutch asked perplexed.

  “I’m just not sure ma would understand and Nick, well…I just didn’t feel he need to know about her.”

  Hutch nodded understanding the reason about his brother.  “You don’t think your mother would love to know she had a granddaughter?” He had just assumed that Starsky had told her.

  Starsky shrugged, “It’s just too complicated.”

  “I don’t understand why you want to shut everybody else out when it comes to Hannah.” Hutch said wondering how Mrs. Starsky would feel when she finally found out.

  “Never mind,” Starsky said as he started to walk away.

  Hutch grabbed his shoulder, “I’ll help you find Nick if that is what you are asking.”

  “You mean it?” Starsky said coming back.

  “You know I do.”

 

  Back at the table Linda was asking Hannah more questions about the night she was raped. At first she had been hesitant about asking but Hannah had been the one to bring it up.  Out of the clear blue Hannah asked. “You like Hutch don’t you?”

  Instantly Linda blushed and looked down at the tabletop.  “What makes you ask that?”

  “The way you watched him as he was walking away from the table.”  Hannah smiled.  “Does he know?”

  “I don’t think so,” Linda replied looking longingly across the room at the two detectives.  “I think he was just being polite when he asked me her tonight since we had been working late.”

  “Why don’t you make the first move then?” Hannah suggested.

  “Oh I couldn’t do that,” Linda’s blush deepened.

 “Sure you can.”

  The two men reappeared at the table with fresh drinks for everyone.  “So what are you two talking about?” Hutch asked.

 Linda turned her face from him not wanting Hutch to see how red her face was.  “The rape task force, I’m starting tomorrow.”  Hannah piped up.

  Linda shook her head she was thankful for the cover but the task force hadn’t even come up yet.  “I don’t know Hannah.”

  “Hannah, you are not joining the task force you have no business being on it.”  Starsky said sliding in next to her.

  “Daddy,” Hannah sighed. “I’m not a baby.”

  “No just the rape victim,” Hutch added his two cents.

  “Thank you, listen to Hutch.”

  “Oh like he is so much better than you are? Give me a break.  I want to help stop this bastard.  Why should I sit by and let another girl get attacked? I know what he looks like I will never forget that face as long as I live.”  Hannah closed her eyes, her emotions getting the best of her.  Two tears slid from under her eyelashes.  “Damn,” she muttered under her breath, she hated the fact that she was crying. Tears weren’t going to convince her dad she could handle being on the task force.

  Starsky put his arm around her shoulders.  “We’ll talk about it tomorrow uh?  Let’s just celebrate you being okay uh?”

   “Sure,” Hannah said knowing that she was in for a fight.

   The rest of the evening went smoothly, Huggy even joined them once the crowd had thinned out.  Hutch tried to get Starsky to play some pool with him but he wasn’t in the mood.  He was worried about Nick and why he was there.  Hannah suggested that Hutch play Linda, while they went off to play pool Hannah turned in the booth to look at her father.

  “What’s wrong Daddy?”

  He furrowed his brow, “What could be wrong?  You are fine; Hutch is here having dinner with us what could be wrong?”
  “I know you and there is something wrong.”

  Starsky sighed this wasn’t the right place or time but there would never be a right time either.  “Hannah I have never told you this before but I have a brother his name is Nick.”

  Hannah looked at him stunned for a moment then recognition dawned on her.  “Nicolas Starsky?”

  “Well I’m not sure but I called my mother in New York and she hasn’t seen him and said something about him being sick. So when you put two and two together…”

  “It adds up.”

  Starsky nodded, “You mad?”

  “About?”

  “Me not telling you about Nick, about never taking you to see your grand mother?”

  Hannah’s eyes narrowed, “Does she even know about me?”

  It took Starsky a while to answer her question his silence told her what she needed to know.  Finally he said, “No.”

  “Are you ashamed of me?”

 “OH God no Hannah, don’t ever think that.  Maybe I’m ashamed of me I don’t know.  I should have gone after Rosie I should have married her no matter what I should have been there for you from the beginning.”

  “Oh daddy!” Hannah threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.  “I love you.”

  “I love you too sweetie,” he said softly.

  Linda and Hutch returned to the table arm in arm laughing.  “I guess it’s about time to go.  Work in the morning.”  Linda said.

  “I’ll take you back to the station to get your car.  See you guys tomorrow?”  Hutch asked.

  “Yeah,” Starsky said.

 

   When Starsky and Hannah arrived back at his apartment a lone figure sat at his front door.  As they got closer Starsky called out.  “Nick.”

  Nick Starsky jumped to his feet.  “Hey big brother.”

  “What are you doing here?” Starsky asked, “I called ma and she said that she hadn’t seen you in a while. How long have you been here?”

  “Few days,” Nick said then leaned in close to Starsky’s ear, “Who’s the looker? Bit young don’t you think?  Maybe more my speed care to share?”

  “Back off Nicky,” Starsky said.  “Nick I would like you to meet my daughter Hannah.”

  “Oh so that is what you are calling them these days?”

  “Don’t be such an asshole,” Starsky growled.

  “You aren’t kidding?”  Nick was taken aback.

  “No this is your niece.”

  “Hi Uncle Nick,” Hannah said she went to him tentatively and hugged him.

  “Hannah, nice to meet you,” he said hugging her back.  “Where has Davy been hiding you?”

  Hannah giggled she had never heard anybody call her dad Davy.  “In the closet,” She joked.

  “I think I’m going to like this one,” Nick said winking at Hannah. “You going to let us in so we can play catch up bro?”

  Sighing Starsky unlocked the front door.  “You got any suitcases Nick?”

  “I have a motel room don’t worry about it.”

  “Are you going to tell me why you are here and why it has taken you so long to come around?”

  “I had some things to do first.”  Nick said flopping down on the couch. 

 

  Hutch took Linda back to her car, he leaned in the window, “I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” Linda nodded then deciding to take Hannah’s advice she kissed Hutch.  He pulled back surprised, “What was that for?”

  Linda looking a bit crushed by his reaction and embarrassed said, “Just for being you.” She said so softly he could scarcely hear her.

  Hutch smiled and leaned back into car, he took her face in his hands and kissed her.  “That is just for being you too.”

  “How tired are you?” Linda wanted to know.  “Would you like to come to my apartment for a drink?”

  Hutch felt as though he should talk more to Starsky about Nick being in town but decided it would wait until morning.  “Sure, I’ll follow you.”

 

 

CHAPTER 9

 

  After Hannah went to bed Starsky flopped down on the couch next to his little brother.  “So you going to tell me what you are doing here?”

  “Can’t I come to visit with out the third degree?” Nick snapped, “Oh yeah I forgot that’s your job.”

  “You don’t have to be nasty. Ma was worried about you.” Starsky said.

  Nick sighed.  “Yeah I know I’ll give her a call.”

  “Don’t say anything about Hannah uh?”

  Nick hiked his eyebrows at him.  “So ma doesn’t know either uh?”  Starsky shook his head.  “Why you keeping her a big secret?”

  “Long story and I don’t want to get into it now.”

  “Okay fine,” Nick stood up, “It’s alright for you to question me but I can’t ask you a question.”

  “Sit down Nick.”

  “I’m going back to my motel!” he stormed. “I should have known better than to come here.”

  Starsky grabbed Nick’s arm just before he reached the front door, “Nick I know.”

  “Know what!” But Nick knew what Starsky was talking about, he wasn’t sure how he found out but by the look on his brother’s face it was clear he knew.

  “Come on Nicky cut the crap. You came here because you were sick.  They have very good doctors and hospitals in New York so why here?”

  “Maybe I didn’t want ma hovering over me.  Maybe I wanted to be here with you, uh?”  Nicks eyes welled with tears.

  Starsky pulled him into his embrace.  “Oh Nicky it’s going to be alright.”

 

  When Hutch awoke the next morning he found a blond head lying in the crook of his arm. They had already been a bit tipsy when they had gotten to Linda’s house where they then polished off a couple of six packs.  Now here he was in her bed and not sure of what happened. 

  He glanced at the clock setting next to the bed it was just short of six a.m. Hutch decided that he would get up and go home to shower and change. He tried to move Linda but she wouldn’t budge.  He knew it was going to be awkward when she woke up.

  Hutch came to realize that the only way he was getting up was if he woke Linda.  As he slid his arm from under her head she opened her eyes and smiled up at him, “Morning.”

  “Morning,” Hutch said as he continued on out of bed and began getting dressed.

  “Where ya going?”

  “Home to change, I’ll meet you at work uh?” Hutch answered.

  “Don’t you want some breakfast?”  Linda asked as she jumped out of bed and throwing on a robe.

  Hutch shook his head, “I’m not hungry.”  Which was the truth, his stomach was churning and his head spinning from all the beer he had consumed the night before.

  Linda looked disappointed, she leaned in the doorway of the bedroom allowing her robe to fall open. “I’m sure we could think of something else to do.”

  Hutch looked her up and down then smiled. He came back across the room, he pulled her robe closed and kissed her lips. “I know we could be we have to get to work.  I don’t like that bastard running around out there. Who knows who his next victim might be.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Let me talk to Starsk first. I promised him I would help him look for his brother.  He’s in town but so far hasn’t contacted Starsky. His mother is worried.”

  “Alright,” Linda sighed as she pulled her hair up on her head and secured it with a clip.  “I’ll see you at work.”

  Hutch picked up his jacket from the back of the couch, “Hey Linda.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I had a really good time last night.”

  “Me too.”

  After Hutch left Linda flopped down on the unmade bed and covered her face with her hands. She wasn’t use to just falling into bed with men that came home with her in fact she rarely if ever would bring a man back to her apartment.  She hoped that she hasn’t been to forward with Hutch last night.  The beer had loosened her up enough to get what she wanted but now she was wondering if it was what Hutch wanted?  It had probably been just a one-night stand for him… a quick piece of ass.  Not that she could blame him since she was practically throwing her self at him.

  Groaning she got up heading for the shower, she was not looking forward to going to work and having to face him.  Things had seem okay when he had left but given time to think about it who knows how he would react when he saw her later at the station.

  When Hutch opened his apartment door the phone was ringing, he rushed to get it knowing it would be Starsky.  “Yeah.”

  “In the shower?”

  “Yeah.” Hutch lied he wasn’t in the mood for the kidding to start. “Sorry I didn’t call you last night, I know you wanted to look for Nick.”

  “He was sitting on my door step when we got here.” Starsky explained.

  “Everything okay with him?”

  “Hutch you know Nick, he’s dancing around it. He knows that I know but we haven’t talked about it.  He basically admitted that he has Leukemia but didn’t come right out and say it.  When I tried to get into with him he ran out.”

  “He’ll tell you in his own time.”

  “But I know from the scare with Hannah it has to be jumped on right away and I don’t think he is getting any treatment yet.”  Starsky said fearfully.  His little brother drove him crazy and he didn’t approve of his life style but never the less he was still his brother.

  “Why don’t you talk to Dr. Cameron about it?” Hutch suggested.  “I’ll go with you if you want.”

  Starsky hesitated a moment, “That would be great Hutch, thanks.”

  “Hannah still set on helping with the rape task force?” 

  “Probably since Nick was here when we got back we didn’t talk about it.” Starsky glance at the bedroom doorway where Hannah had just emerged fully dressed. 

  “If you are talking about me, yes I’m going to work on the task force,” Hannah said almost challenging her father to argue with her.

  Starsky was too tired to discuss it with her. He had been up most of the night worrying about his brother.  “Oh go on.”

  Hannah was surprised she wasn’t going to have to put up a fight.  She crossed the room to place a kiss on his cheek.  “I’ll see you at the station.” She was out the door before he could change his mind.

  “I’ll come get you.” Hutch offered.

  “Thanks, I don’t feel much like driving.”

  Hutch was worried now, Starsky not feeling like driving?  “Hey partner don’t let this get you down.”

  “Are we still?”  Starsky asked almost sounding like a schoolboy.

  “What?”

  “Partner’s?”

  Hutch had to smile, no matter what went on between them and how hurt his feeling got he couldn’t stay away from Starsky especially when he was down and needed him.  “Yeah of course.  Hey I’m sorry about the other day. I guess I was just blowing off steam.”

  “I’m the one that should be sorry, it’s just when it comes to Hannah I…” Starsky stopped he didn’t really know why he acted the way he did when it came to Hannah.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Hutch said.  “Let me grab a shower and I’ll be right over.”  Hutch bit his lip as he realized his slip up but Starsky didn’t comment.

 

  Dr. Cameron was surprised to see Starsky and his partner sitting in his office.  “Is Miss Starsky alright?”

  Both detectives got to the feet to shake hands with the doctor before all sitting down.  “She is fine. I’m here about Nicolas Starsky the test that was confused with Hannah’s.”

  “Things like that happen everyone in a while,” Dr. Cameron said wondering if he was in for some kind lawsuit.  “I’m sorry that Miss Starsky had to under go the marrow biopsy it’s not very pleasant but…”

  Starsky held up his hand understanding where the doctor was going.  “Dr. Cameron we aren’t here to condemn you for the mix up. I’m here because Nicolas Starsky is my brother.”

  “Oh!” the words came out in a whoosh as the doctor sat back in his chair. Very little actually surprised the doctor anymore but this one caught him off guard.  “I’m sorry to hear that Detective Starsky.”

   “I need to know how bad he is?”

  “I’m sure you must know that I can’t divulge that information with out the patients consent.”

  “Dr. this is my brother.” Starsky said tensely.

  “I understand that but I can’t help you. Bring your brother in and we can discuss his case if he is willing.”

  “Listen,” Starsky barked at the man.

  Hutch put his hand on Starsky’s arm to calm him.  “Dr. Cameron, is there nothing you can tell us?”

  “Just a moment,” The doctor picked up the phone and dial an extension. He spoke quickly to the party on the other end.  After hanging up he looked at the two men in front of him. “My nurse is getting his file.”

  Starsky smiled gratefully at Hutch. 

  There was a knock at the door and the nurse entered.  She handed Dr. Cameron a manila file folder. He flipped it open and read for a few moments. 

  “Well?” Starsky asked impatiently.

  “He has not been back since he was told the results of the test.” The doctor looked across his desk at Starsky.  “I can’t tell you what the results of the test are but I would urge you to bring your brother in…strongly urge.”

  “It’s that bad?”

  The doctor didn’t speak but only nodded.

 

 

 

CHAPTER 10

 

  Hannah was on the phone when Hutch entered the room.  Linda was still searching files, “Ladies.” He said. They both smiled at him, Hannah noticed that Linda went a bit red.  She made a mental note to find out what happened last night after they the Pit’s from Linda.

  Hutch sat down across from Linda and picked up a file. “That’s our last stack.  Hannah is calling some of the victims.”

  “Do you think that is a good idea?” Hutch asked looking over at Hannah who was talking and taking notes.

  “I don’t want to try to tell you or Starsky what to do concerning Hannah. But I think this is good for her, kind of her therapy.”  She glanced at Hutch over the top of the paper she was reading; Linda wondered what he was thinking.  “About last night...”

  “Listen Linda, I’m really sorry about running out on you like that this morning.”

  “I know Starsky’s brother. Did he find him?”

  “Yeah, he turned up at Starsky’s last night,” Hutch answered but didn’t elaborate.

  “That’s good.” She went back to reading.

  “Doing anything for dinner tonight?” Hutch asked, he hadn’t really thought this through but he did like Linda and it seemed like the right thing to do after his hasty retreat.

  She shook her head, “No.”  Hannah caught Linda’s eye from across the room and winked giving her an ‘I told you so look’.  “Dinner would be nice.” 

  They all went to work diligently not looking up until the door to their tiny office opened.  Starsky poked his head in; he waved at Hannah but asked if he could speak to Hutch in the hall.

  Hutch followed his partner out into the hall, “What’s up?”

  “Could we all have dinner together tonight?”  Starsky asked. “Maybe the two of us could corner Nick and talk him into getting back to Dr. Cameron.”

  “Starsky I think I’m that last person that Nick would listen too.”  Hutch said.  He and Nick hadn’t really gotten along. Hutch was always able to see past the front he put up for Starsky.

  “Please, at least be there for me uh?”
  “I already asked Linda out for dinner.” Hutch answered.

  “Bring her, we’ll do burgers or something.”

  Hutch couldn’t turn down Starsky there was too much desperation in his voice.  “Alright as long as Linda doesn’t mine.”

  “Thanks buddy.”

 

  By noon the news of the task force had been leaked to the press either by accident or on purpose.  Officials were demanding answers now that it seemed there was a serial rapist on the loose. Nobody but the officers in the small room knew just how bad the situation really was.

  Larry was working on his car in the street the radio blaring when a special report come on.  The words serial rapist caught his attention; he stopped working going to sit in his car to listen.  He wasn’t happy to hear that a task force had been form; he would just have to be more careful.  Larry was already lying low after the last two rapes.  He didn’t want to end up in prison.

  Anyone that knew Larry Ashberry would never have guessed he had attacked dozens of woman.  If asked people would say he was a quiet polite young man that would do anything for anybody.  He was known for helping his elderly neighbors with their groceries, planting flowers in the local park and even baby-sitting.  He seemed to be a perfect catch for any young woman.  Little did they know. 

 

  Several of the women that Hannah had tracked down agreed to come into the station to be interview.  They were hoping they could put a profile together on the rapist in order to catch him quicker. Every squad car in the city had a drawing of him taped to their dashboard. 

  Reporters were camping outside the station trying to get an interview with anyone that would talk to them about the task force.  Starsky had to wade through them to leave the building at lunchtime.  He wanted to head over to Nick’s motel to see if he would come to dinner.

  Nick was lounging by the motel pool when Starsky tracked him down.  Nick sat up surprised to see his older brother.  “So what brings you here?” 

  “How about dinner at my place tonight?” Starsky asked.  “Drink a little beer, throw some burgers on the grill? What do you say?”

   Nick shrugged, “Beat’s hanging around here.”

  “You know you can stay with me.  Hannah will to be going back to her apartment soon.”

  “Oh I thought she lived with you.”

  Quickly Starsky explained what had happened to Hannah. Then he said, “I spoke to Dr. Cameron this morning.”

  “Who?” Nick asked coyly.  He knew perfectly well who it was, he had sat in the man’s office nearly an hour discussing what treatments were available for his leukemia.  Leukemia…that was the first time he had even said the word to himself. 

  “You need to go back and see him, you haven’t started treatment and it’s very important that you start now.”

  “Can you put some suntan oil on my back?” Nick said rolling over.

  Starsky stood up, “Be at my apartment at seven.” 

  As Starsky walked away Nick pulled down his sunglasses and watched his big brother go though the gates that surrounded the pool and into the parking lot.  He wanted to go after him tell him he was scared to death, he was going to die.  Tell him that he had the worst type of Leukemia and the doctor didn’t give him any hope of the treatments working.  Even with a bone marrow transplant it was doubtful.  Dr. Cameron told him that they could prolong his life by doing chemo but it would only stretch it by a month or two no chance of remission.  That was when Nick had walked out of his office and not gone back.  It was his fault for ignoring the warning signs his body had been sending him.  He didn’t even know why he had come to L.A., he guessed to see his brother one last time. And he didn’t want his mother to watch him die. 

 

  After interviewing a dozen women Hannah was mental and physical exhausted, each time she heard one of the stories it transported her back to that night.  It just made her all that more determined to catch him.  Every case was the same, they had been pulled into and alleyway.  The youngest victim had been sixteen the oldest fifty-one.  A lot of the women wouldn’t discuss it with her, slamming the phone down in her ear; others were too frighten to come forward or had family that knew nothing of what happened to them.  But there were enough coming forward that they were getting a clear picture of what motivated the rapist.  

  A sociologist sat in on the interviews that Hannah and Linda conducted.  He took notes and would asked a question or two when he needed something specific.  Hal Beckman promised to have a full profile on the rapist by morning. 

 A map now hung in the small office colorful pushpins adorned it marking the exact locations of each rape, a strip of paper hung from each pin with the victims name and date of the attack.  There were frightening amounts concentrated in some areas making the officers wonder why somebody hadn’t stumbled upon it before now.

   After the last woman left Hannah put her arms high over her head and stretched.  She was ready for a nice hot bath; a cup of tea and some mindless TV show on the tube.  She had also decided that she was going back to her apartment, she wasn’t going to let him rule her life.  Hannah wondered if her dad would protest the fact she was going home. She was still bemused by the fact that he had just let her join the task force without a fight.  Hannah knew that he was worried about his brother.  She wasn’t sure what she thought about Nick Starsky.  He had been rather crude when they had met suggesting that she and her father were dating.  She realized that there was no way for Nick to know who she was but she still found his words offensive. Hannah found it hard to believe that the two of them were brothers.

  Hannah left the interview room to go down the hall to retrieve her purse from the office they were working in when she saw Linda and Hutch coming up the hall toward her.  “You about ready?”  Hutch asked.

  “For what?”

  “We have all been invited over to your dads for dinner, didn’t he tell you?”

  Hannah groaned, “No, I haven’t seen much of him today. I was planning on going back to my apartment this evening.”

  Hutch grinned at her, “I guess you better wait until tomorrow uh?”

  “I guess so. Let me get my stuff and I’ll follow you guys over.”

  Linda gave her a big smile as they were going down the hall, Hannah couldn’t wait to her alone so she could ask what was going on between her and Hutch.

 

CHAPTER 11

 

  Nick was helping Starsky with the fire when there was a knock at the door, Hannah who had been there for twenty minutes or so went to the door.  Hutch and Linda stood there each with a grocery bag, they had stopped to get a few things for the cook out.  Hannah smiled broadly and took Linda’s bag as she led them into the kitchen. After depositing the contents of both sacks into the refrigerator they all went to the patio where the brothers had a fire going.

  When Nick looked up and saw Hutch standing in the doorway a scowl spread across his face.  He had assumed that the dinner was going to be for family.  “Look who finally got here,” Hannah said.

  “We got beer, chips and some other stuff,” Hutch explained.

  Nick’s scowled deepened; he pushed past the newly arrived guests without speaking going back into the apartment.  Starsky who was minding the coals didn’t notice Nick’s attitude but it didn’t escape Hannah and Hutch.

 “Make yourself at home,” Starsky said indicating chairs on the patio.

  Linda and Hannah sat down but Hutch said, “I’ll be back in a minute.”  He went in search of Nick who he found pouting on the couch.  “Hi Nick.”

   Nick didn’t answer; Hutch sat down next to him.  Finally Nick turned to look at him. “What do you want?”

  Hutch wasn’t surprised by Nick’s anger he and Nick didn’t get along very well and he was wondering why he had bothered coming in to try and talk to him.  “Just to talk that’s all.”

  “‘Bout what?”

  “You know Starsky is worried about you.”

  “I think that is between my brother and I, it has nothing to do with you.” Nick barked at Hutch.

  “I care about Starsky so yes it does have something to do with me.”

  Nick jumped to his feet.  “You aren’t family, you aren’t anything to us.  So you can take your care and concern and spread it some place else.”

  Hutch was taken aback this time by the venom in Nick’s voice.  “Hey I’m only trying to help.”

 “I don’t need your help. Maybe if you weren’t around then David would be there for me, be the brother I need!”

  Hutch blanched at his words.  He got up from the couch and headed for the door, then he remember Linda and went back toward the patio.  He stuck his head out the sliding glass doors, “Linda we are going.”

  Linda looked confused but got up.  “Going?” Starsky asked just as confused as Linda.  “We haven’t even cooked yet.”

  “I’m sorry Starsk, Hannah,” He said, grabbing Linda’s hand he practically pulled her into the apartment and toward the front door.

  Starsky rushed after them, Hannah followed her father.  As Starsky passed Nick on the couch he asked. “What did you say?” But he continued on after Hutch not stopping long enough for Nick to answer.

  Hannah stopped looking at her newfound Uncle.  “Did you say something to Uncle Hutch?” she inquired. She knew nothing of the history between the three men.

  “What if I did?” Nick said jumping angrily to his feet.  “And what is it with this uncle stuff? I’m your uncle your only uncle. David and I don’t have a third brother.”

  “Uncle Hutch is family.”

  “Well he might be your family but he sure isn’t mind.” Nick threw his words at her.  “And how do I know you are even family?”

  “NICK!” Starsky roared. He had just reentered the apartment, Nick’s words made Starsky even angrier than he was.  He hadn’t been able to catch Hutch.  He and Linda had gotten in the car and sped off, not even stopping when Starsky had called out for him. 

  “I don’t have to put up with this from you,” Hannah shouted. She picked up her things from the chair near the door.  “Daddy I’m going home, you can call me later if you want.”

  “Hannah don’t leave. Nick didn’t mean it did you Nicky?”  Starsky said looking from his brother to his daughter.

  Nick didn’t speak; his lips were a solid line of contempt for the young woman in the room.

  Hannah kissed Starsky on the cheek. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” 

  Starsky stood staring at the door as Hannah closed it then he whirled around, anger written on his face. “What the hell did you do?”

  “What did I do?” Nick yelled.  “What are you doing?  You adopt every stray that comes along what about your real family?”

  “You listen here Nicolas,” Starsky answered. “Hannah is my daughter and you will respect her.  As for Hutch he might not blood but he is family and you will not talk to either of them like that again.” 

  Starsky was expecting for Nick to yell at him or storm out but his brother dissolved in tears. Nick sat down on the floor his legs unable to hold him as he was shaking so badly.  “Davy, I’m dying.”

  Instantly Starsky’s face soften and he sat down next to Nick.  “Not if you get in and get your treatment started.”

  “You don’t understand.  There is nothing they can do.  The leukemia has progressed too far.”

  “Now you don’t know that.”

  “Yes I do, that doctor you went to see told me.  They did all those tests, I waited too long Davy,” Nick wailed.  “I have been sick for a long time I just didn’t do anything about it. I should have I know there was no excuse except I was just plain scared.”

  “But leukemia is treatable people go into remission and live long lives.” Starsky said desperately near tears himself.

  “If it’s caught in time.  I have too many cancer cells spread though out my body.  God Davy they even found some in my brain.”

  Starsky pulled Nick into his arms, “We will go to see Dr. Cameron tomorrow.  We will find some treatment that will work.”

  Nick pulled away from his brother and looked at him.  “They can give me chemo but it will only prolong my life by maybe a few months, it won’t put me into remission.”

 “Then we will do that.”

 “I don’t want live what time I have left sick. I want to enjoy my self do what I can as long as I can.”  Nick looked at Starsky.

  “We are going to see the doctor in the morning.”

 

  “What was that all about?”  Linda asked as they sped away from Starsky’s apartment.

  Hutch didn’t say anything for a few blocks.  Finally he said, “Long story.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Sighing Hutch begin telling Linda how the few times he and Nick Starsky had contact with each other they hadn’t gotten along. Then went on to tell her about how things went bad between him and Starsky after Hannah’s shooting. He had never shared that will anybody before. 

  Linda sat silently listening to Hutch when he was done she said,  “Starsky loves you like a brother anybody can see that.  But you know when Hannah came along things changed for Starsky he became a dad. Suddenly it’s not just him, he is responsible for a child even if that child was grown when he found her.  Children have a way of turning your world up side down.”  There was a catch in her voice.

  Hutch looked over to see tears standing in her eyes.  “Are you alright?”

  Linda nodded, “Nobody knows this but I have a child, a girl.  I gave her up for adoption when she was just a baby.  I was young, unmarried and knew there was no way I could give my baby the life she deserved.  So I gave her up but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wonder how she is doing, and where she is.”

  “How old is she now?”

  “Fifteen,” Linda said softly.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Linda shrugged, “I know she is better off. Sure I could take care of her now back then I was just a child myself. What kind of life would that had been for her?”

  “So I guess you are saying that until I have a child of my own I won’t know what it’s like? I won’t understand?”

  “Something like that. It’s a hard feeling to describe. Your child takes over everything, your heart, soul, everything you do revolves around that child or at least I feel it should.  I guess that was why I gave my baby up. I wasn’t ready for my life to revolve around another human being.”

  “What you did was very brave, it shows just how much you loved her.”

  “Thanks Hutch, I have doubted that decision many, many times.”

  “Have you ever tried to find her?”

  Linda hesitated for a few moments then shook her head.  “No but if she ever comes looking for me I’ll be here for her.”

  They rode silently the rest of the way to Linda’s apartment.  Hutch thought about what she had said about loving a child and the sacrifices you make. He suddenly smiled to himself, he understood why Starsky acted the way he did. His child was hurt he was only doing his job trying to protect her. He lashed out at him without meaning too.  Hutch felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.  He wanted to turn around and go back, he wanted…no needed to see his partner, his friend.  But then there was Nick, there was no getting past him and he was fine with that too.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 12

 

 

  Hannah was fuming by the time she got home. How dare this Nicolas accuse her of not being who she said she was?  He had been cruel to Hutch and down right nasty to her.  She flipped on the light as she stepped into her apartment, then she stopped, it had been the first time she had been there since she had been attacked, the first time she had really been alone.  Hannah glanced over her shoulder into the darkness, then slammed and locked the door.  She shook away her feeling of fear and laughed at herself.

 After fixing a light dinner, Hannah settled down to watch some TV she wanted to talk to her father but she wasn’t about to call over there possibly getting Nick. She had almost dozed off when a report on the news jolted her awake.  She heard her own name, blinking the sleep out of her eyes she stared at the screen. There was a photo of her fresh out of the academy, and the reporter was talking about the rape task force.  Then the anchorman went on to tell how Hannah had been a victim of the serial rapist and was heading up the task force. 

  “Son of a ….” Hannah said, she started to grab the phone to call Starsky but stopped she was not going to call.  Then she thought of Hutch but figured he was still at Linda’s and she didn’t have her number, besides it was late.  Instead Hannah decided she would go to bed.

 

  Hutch and Linda went to his apartment for the rest of the evening this time.  They lit several candles; the living room was bathed in a soft glow as they curled up on the couch together.

  “So.” Hutch said as he played with the ends of Linda’s hair. 

  “So.” Linda snuggled closer to his chest.

  They both laughed, neither really knew what to say.  “One of those awkward moments.” Hutch said.
  “I have never told anybody about her.”

  “You said that so why me?”

  Linda shrugged as she played with the top button of Hutch’s shirt.  “I guess I felt I could trust you.”

  “I’m not here to judge anything you have done Linda,” Hutch said softly, his breath was warm in her ear.

  “I know, it’s just…” Linda began.  “I don’t trust many people…men I guess I should say.  He hurt me bad, the baby’s father.  I thought he loved me, said that we would take care of the baby together, make it work some how.  The next morning he was gone. His mom said he went to stay with her sister; she looked at me as if I were dirt I guess he told her.”

  “I’m sorry,” Hutch cooed.  “I can’t even image how hard it must have been to give her up.”

  “I had my mind made up before she was born and in the end I’m glad he went away. We would have probably tried to keep her, all three of our lives would have been messed up.” Linda said somberly.  “They took her way as soon as she was born and I was never suppose to see my little girl. But I had to say good-bye to her so I snuck down to the nursery I stood and looked through that glass at her for what seemed forever.  Finally my nurse came looking for me, the moment she spoke my name I began sobbing they had to sedate me.” There was a catch in her voice.  “I have never told anybody that either, not even my family. My mom came and took me home the next day; we never spoke of it again.”

  Hutch tighten his arms around her, he didn’t know what to say.  There was nothing that he could really say to her but he understood even more now about the love for a child. 

  “I want to see her,” Linda whispered. “God help me I want to see her.  I have never tried to find her but I have wanted to so many times. I have even had the phone in my hand to try to find out but I can’t go through with it. What if she hates me?”

 “How could she hate you?” Hutch turned her face toward his and kissed her gently.

 

  Hannah jerked awake, her heart was racing she sat up in bed straining to see in the darkness. Had she been dreaming or had she really heard a sound.  Hannah held her breath listening for any unusual sound but she heard nothing but the air conditioner running.  She eased her self back under the covers and pulled them up to her chin resisting the urge to tug them over her head as she had done as a child. 

  She had nightmares every night since her attack but had kept them to herself not wanting to worry her dad and Hutch.  Hannah refused to give into her fear.  She would not let him win.  She was about to doze off when she heard a shuffling noise out side her bedroom door.  “Shit,” she swore under her breath.  Hannah reached quietly into the drawer of her bedside table where she kept her gun.  Silently she pulled out her weapon then crept out of bed.  Once again she held her breath to listen, but no sound met her ears. She knew she would never be able to get back to sleep unless she check out her apartment.

  Hannah felt silly as she stole to her bedroom door, pressing her self against the wall she looked out into the hall just as she had been taught in the academy.  The hall was pitch black; Hannah wished she had left a light on some place her in her apartment. It had begun to rain sometime while she had been sleeping so clouds obscured the moon.  Maybe that was what she had heard the rain hitting the windowpane, relieve flooded her body.  Then she did the one thing that her teachers had drilled into them not to do. Hannah let her guard down.  Lowering her gun she stepped in the hall and started toward the bathroom.  She was hoping a drink of water would do the trick and she would get back to sleep.

  As Hannah started to walk into the bathroom a dark figure appeared in front of her. She screamed and started to raise her gun but it was knocked from her hand with a single blow.  She tried to turn to run back down the hall to the safety of her bedroom where she knew she could lock the door and call for help.  The figure grabbed a hand full of hair and jerked her backward. She stumbled in to her assailant’s arms.

  “So we meet again,” said the voice she would never forget.

  Terror ran though Hannah’s body, how did he find out where she lived?  Then she knew the news media had handed her to him on a silver platter.  With her name splattered all over the evening news it would be a simple matter for him to track her down.

  “You think you are so special don’t you?” he hissed her in ear.  “You think because you are a cop you are going to bring me down?”

  “If you kill me the whole department will be all over you, you sick bastard.”

  “What makes you think they will link the rape to your murder?”

  “We know a lot about you it won’t take much for them to figure out that you were my killer.”

  “Bullshit if you know so much about me I would have been in jail by now. You don’t even know my name to you Hannah?”

  Hannah cringed when he used her name. 

  “WHAT’S MY NAME?” he shouted at her.

  “I-I don’t know.”

  “Just as I suspected, you know nothing except that I have raped more women than I can even count.  How many of them have you found, how many of the bitches are going to get up there and testify against me?”

  Hannah tried to pull away from him.

  “Ah…one last go around before I kill you?  How about some place a bit better than the alley? You might enjoy it more.”

  “Fuck you,” Hannah said her voice dripping with venom.

  “That can be arranged.”

  Larry pulled Hannah down the hall; one hand wrapped in her hair his other hand gripping her upper arm so tightly it was painful.  She had to get away from him; she had to find her gun. But she had no idea where it went when he knocked it from her grasp.  Hannah tried to twist away from him but he held on fast to her hair, she could hear it ripping out by the roots but she didn’t feel the pain.

  When they got to the bed room Larry shoved her toward the bed.   “Don’t think of screaming you will be dead before anyone can get here.  For you see I’m a dead man anyway. You have my picture plastered on every TV set every newspaper in the city.  I can’t go to jail; they will have to kill me.

 

 

 

Chapter 13

 

   Starsky still sat on the floor talking to Nick the food long forgotten, it had been years since they had really talked to each other.  Birthdays, Christmas’s, happy times and sad, Starsky had never known how hurt his brother had been when he had left New York.  Nick didn’t hold anything back, he sincerely told Starsky all his feelings.  It took Nick a long time to get over Starsky taking off and leaving him there alone.  Sure he had their mother but with their father gone Starsky had taken on that role to him. When Starsky left for California it was almost like losing his father all over again. 

  “Nicky I’m sorry, I guess I never realized,” Starsky said hating the fact that he had cause his brother so much pain.  “You were off in your own little world, getting into trouble doing stuff you knew you shouldn’t be doing.”

  Nick shrugged,  “You were doing your own thing, we were drifting apart at first I thought I could get your attention by doing those things. Then I realized I could make real money walking on the other side of the law.”

  “I wish I had known how you felt, I would brought you out here with me.”

  “And leave ma there by herself?” Nick asked.  “You know both of us could never have left. So it takes something like this for us to become brothers again?”

  Starsky closed his eyes leaning his head against the wall, “We were always brothers.”

  “On paper.”

  “Oh Nicky,” Starsky slowly opened his eyes and looked at his younger brother.  “Don’t feel like that. I love you, you know that.”

  “And what about Hutch?”

  “He’s my friend, I love him too. What’s wrong with that?”

 “You let him get in between us.”

  “No, you came here got yourself in a heap of trouble tried to play me and Hutch saw through your game. He pissed you off, Hutch never came between us, you let your career come between us.  I guess I had on blinders because you were my brother I wanted to see the best in you.”

  Nick let his chin dropped to his chest he knew Starsky was right.  “I guess I have given Hutch a hard way to go haven’t I?”

  “And put me in the middle while you were doing it. I don’t want to have to pick between the two of you and I shouldn’t have too. I have room in my life for both of you.”

 “Don’t you mean all three of us?”  There was a bit of a bite in Nick’s voice.

  Starsky sighed, “Come on Nick she’s my daughter.”

  “Where has she been?”

  “You really want to hear this story?”  Nick nodded.  “Alright but do you mind if we eat while I’m telling you?  I’m starving.”

 

  Larry advance on Hannah lying on the bed, her mind was whirling trying to think of a way to get away. She knew if she didn’t he would kill her when he was finished with her.  He had nothing to lose anymore.  “Turn yourself in to me. You haven’t killed anyone.”

  Larry tipped his head back and gave a loud laugh.  “They will put me under the jail. You know how many women I have raped I won’t be out anytime soon.”

  “You need help.”

  “Oh please don’t play shrink with me.”  Larry grabbed Hannah by one leg and pulled her closer to him. He kneeled on the bed looming over her.  “Maybe you should have thought of the consequences before you stirred all this up.”  He hissed at her.

  Hannah tried to twist away from him, he held fast to her leg, “Please let me go,” Hannah begged hoping she could keep him talking until she could figure out what to do.

  To her surprise Larry released her, Hannah pulled her legs up under her as she sat up on the bed.  “Don’t think I’m just going to walk out of here,” he said.  “Maybe with you out of the way they will drop this task force.”

  “You really don’t believe that do you?” 

  There was the bang of a car door out side, which caused Larry to look away for a split second. Hannah did a backward roll of the bed dropping to the floor. She mentally thanked her mother for putting her into tumbling classes when she was young.  She scooted under the bed getting in the middle so that if he came after her he would have to crawl part way under.

  “You little….” Larry dropped to the floor and looked under the bed straining to see her in the darkness. He could see a dark form huddled just out of his reach. “You can’t stay under there forever.”

  As Larry reached for her Hannah moved luring him further under the bed, being smaller and more nimble she was hoping to be able to get up and out of the room before he could maneuver himself from under the bed.  Hannah had almost reached the far side when a wild sweep by Larry snagged the bottom of the nightshirt she was wearing.  He started dragging her toward him trying to get a better hold on her clothes.

  Hannah knew she was fighting for her life, after this stunt he wasn’t going to be playing games anymore he would just kill her and be done with it.  Hannah flipped over on to her back, brought her knee up as far as the underside of the bed would allow and kicked as hard as she could.   She felt her foot make contact with her attacker.  He yelped in pain and released Hannah. She scurried out from under the bed and darted toward the bedroom door. 

  Larry nursing a nose that was gushing blood pushed himself out from under the bed best he could.  He stuck his legs in Hannah’s escape path, not seeing them in the dark Hannah tripped over them and went sprawling into the hall way catching her shoulder painfully on the door frame.  Hannah looked down the hall toward the bathroom from her position on the floor; she could just make out the shape of her gun lying just out side the bathroom door.

  “You bitch,” Larry breathed as he crawled toward her.  Blood was streaming down his face from his broken nose.  Hannah kicked at him again as she grabbed hand fulls of carpeting trying to drag her self toward her gun.

  Larry was able to get a hand on her ankle but she slipped from his grasp as his hands were covered with blood. He rained curses up on Hannah but she didn’t take the time to respond as she stealthily made her way toward her gun. She knew her only chance of survival was to either wound him badly or kill him. Hannah did care which it was as long as she was the victor.

  The phone rang, both of them stopped moving each holding their breaths, the sound had startled both of them.  Hannah wondered what time it was, how long this drama had been going on.  At this time of night it could only be one of two people calling. Probably checking up on her to see if she was okay.  She also wondered if she didn’t answer the phone if they would come looking for her or just think she was sleeping soundly?  For a split second she considered heading for the phone in the living room instead of the gun but realized that would be suicide. There was no way the caller could get to her in time her only hope was the gun. 

  Hannah took time to look behind her; she could see Larry on his knees behind her staring in the direction of the ringing phone.  She took the chance she was given, jumped to her feet and made a mad dash down the hall to her gun.  She kept waiting for him to leap upon her before she could reach it but that didn’t happen.  She bent down scooped up the gun and spun around pressing her back against the wall the gun in her out stretched hands.

 

 

CHAPTER 14

 

 

   The ringing phone roused Hutch from his sleep; he had to slid his arm from under Linda before he could roll over to grab the phone.  “Yeah,” he whispered not wanting to wake Linda.

  “H-H-Hutch.”

  Hutch knew immediately it was Hannah and that something was wrong. He couldn’t ever remember her not calling him Uncle.  He could also tell by the sound of her voice. “Hannah what’s wrong?”

  “H-h-he’s dead,” she stammered into the phone. 

  “Who’s dead? Where are you?” Hutch said sitting up in bed not caring if Linda woke.  When she didn’t answer him Hutch barked into the phone. “HANNAH ANSWER ME!”

 Linda opened her eyes the phone had indeed woke her but she had just lay there until now. She sat up also, putting her hand on Hutch’s bare shoulder she asked. “What’s wrong?” Hutch shrugged.

  “He’s dead.” Her voice was shaking so badly he could hardly understand her.

  “Are you alright?”

  “Yes,” came the answer.

  “Are you at home?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll be right there, you sit tight.”  Hutch said then he handed Linda the phone and said to her.  “You keep trying to talk to her I’m going over there.”

  Linda nodded taking the phone.  “Hannah it’s Linda you stay with me Hutch is on the way.”

  Hutch slipped on a pair of jeans and pulled on a shirt as he was going out the door, then he backtracked and grabbed his gun. Once he was in his car he flipped on the lights but left the siren off.  Then he picked up the radio and called dispatch.  “This is Zebra Three, I need you to patch me through to Detective Starsky’s home number.”

  “Hutch that you?” said a female voice on the other end.

  “Yeah Barb, just patch me through this is an emergency.”

  “Sure Hutch.”

  The phone rang more than a dozen times before Starsky picked it up.  He sounded a bit out of breath.  “Yeah!”

  “Starsk something is wrong at Hannah’s, I’m on my way over there.” Hutch explained quickly. 

  “I’m on my way,” Starsky said slamming down the receiver.  Nick was standing in the doorway; they had just gotten in from a drive. After they had finished eating they both decided they needed some air. “Nick I got to go something has happened to Hannah.”

  “Sure.”

  “Why don’t you hang out here, take my bed I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Starsky said as he dashed out the door.

 

  Larry had gotten to his feet, staggering toward Hannah with out even thinking she yelled.  “This is payback you bastard!” And began firing her gun not stopping until it was empty and all she could hear was the clicking of the empty barrel.  Larry fell face first to the carpeted floor, he moaned a few times then lay still.

  Hannah stood there the gun still in her out stretched hands; she was shaking so badly that she couldn’t move. Finally she made her way into the living room to the phone.  She picked it up dialing her dad’s number but it rang with no answer.  Next she tried Hutch hoping that he had gone to his place not Linda’s for she didn’t know Linda’s number.  Hannah had been relieved when he had picked up the phone but then found that she could hardly speak and the tears finally came coursing down her cheeks.

  Now she sat next to the front door, her gun still in hand as she waited for Hutch to come and save her. She had the phone held limply in her other hand and could hear Linda’s voice but she didn’t make an effort to talk back to her.  Hannah heard the bang of a car door and someone running up the steps to her apartment.  There was a sharp knock on the door then the doorknob rattled.  Hannah dropped the phone then reached up and unlocked the door so on the next turn the door flew open and Hutch stumbled in.

  He looked around wildly in the darkness as he started to call out to Hannah she spoke.  “Uncle Hutch.” The words where full of relief.

  Hutch knelt next to her, “Hannah are you alright?” 

  “I am now.”

  “Are you hurt?” He asked taking the gun from her still shaking hands.

  “No, I’m fine.” Hannah managed to get out through her tears.  Then she pointed toward the hall. “He’s in there.”

  “Who?” Hutch asked as he stood up pulling Hannah with him until they were both standing.  He flipped on a lamp close by, and then started across the living room floor.  Hannah had a death grip on the back of his shirt as she followed Hutch.

  Hutch turned on the hall light to reveal a man sprawled face down on the floor, blood seeping out from under his still body and soaking in to the carpet.  He turned and looked at Hannah, “Who the hell is it? Did he break in here?”
  There was a loud bang from the living room they both jumped and turned to see Starsky charging into the room. “HANNAH!”

  She ran to her father throwing herself into his arms.  “Oh Daddy,” she sobbed clinging to him.

  “What happened?”  Hutch motioned for him to join him in the hall.  Starsky looked down at the body.  “Who the hell is that?  Did he hurt you baby?”

  “I-It’s the rapist.” She finally blurted out.

  “The one that raped you?” Starsky said his face turning red with anger. 

  He started toward the man on the floor but Hutch grabbed him. “Starsky he’s dead, let it go.  Take Hannah out side I’ll call and get a car out here.”

  Starsky nodded, he wanted to beat the man, hurt him the way he had hurt Hannah and all those other women.   But instead he put his arm around Hannah’s shoulders and led her out side the apartment.

  Hutch found the phone by the front door, when he went to pick it up he could hear Linda on the other end wanting to know what was going on.  “Linda, it’s Hutch.”

  “Thank god, what is going on?”
  “Hannah killed the rapist.  I guess he broke in here to have one more go-around with her.”

 “Oh my god is she alright?”

 “Shook up but she seems fine.” Hutch answered.  “I’m going to get a squad out here so I need the phone but I’ll call you as soon as I’m done.”
  “I’m coming over.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Yes I do.”

 

  As Larry Ashberry was being wheeled out of Hannah’s apartment zipped into a body bag she buried her face in her father’s chest so she didn’t have to look.  “It’s over,” he soothed as he stroked her hair.  “It’s all over.” 

  “Miss Starsky we are going to need you to come with us.” A young office told father and daughter.

  “I’ll take her down,” Starsky said sensing Hannah’s fear.

  “I’m sorry sir you can’t do that.”

  “Apparently you don’t know who am I.” Starsky snapped. 

  “Sir,” the office began when another office came up behind him.

  “Starsky what are you doing here?” the older cop asked.

  “It’s Hannah that did the shooting.” Starsky explained.  “I’ll bring her down to the station after she puts on some clothes Sam.”

  “Sure thing Starsk.”

  “But…but..” the younger officer sputtered.

  Sam turned and looked at him.  “Let me introduce you Simmon’s. This is Detective Starsky and his daughter officer Hannah Starsky.”

  Matt Simmon’s made an O with his mouth.  “Detective Starsky I’m so sorry I didn’t realize.” 

   Linda came up and slipped her arm around Hannah’s shoulder, “Want me to come with you to get dressed.”  Hannah nodded she had spoke very little since the shooting.

  “Thanks Linda,” Starsky said then went to find Hutch who was talking to a couple more officers who had responded to the call. 

  “How’s she doing?” Hutch asked as Starsky walked up.

  “Linda took her in to get dressed before we go down town.” Starsky answered.

  “Thanks guys,” Hutch said to the men he had been talking then to Starsky he said. “They say it was clearly self defense, there should be no charges against Hannah.”

  Starsky nodded, he had been through an emotional wringer the past twenty-four or so hours.  First thinking Hannah had leukemia, then finding out it was his brother, and then the big blow up with Nick and now this.  He wasn’t sure how much more he could take.  “Are you coming with us?”

  “Of course, I think Hannah needs all the support she can get right now.  That is if you don’t mind,” Hutch added.

  “Thanks for being here Hutch,” Starsky said then he hugged his partner quickly. 

  “Where were you anyway?” Hutch asked as they walked toward the open apartment door.

  “Out with Nick we did a lot of talking, got a lot of things straighten out.  Hey man I’m sorry for the way he treated you.” Starsky said looking at Hutch in the darkness.  “And I’m sorry for the way I have treated you too.”

  “Listen Starsk you don’t have to apologize you were only protecting Hannah.”

  “Yes but I didn’t have to…” Hutch held up his hand and stopped Starsky.

  “It’s over and forgotten buddy don’t worry about it. 

  This time Starsky hugged Hutch tighter and longer, “Thanks I knew if anybody would understand you would.”

 

 

 

CHAPTER 15

 

 

   Several hours later after the questioning of Hannah at the station, Starsky retuned to home to find his apartment empty.  He checked the bedroom but his bed was still made, it was clear that Nick hadn’t spent the night.  He had left Hannah in the good hands of Linda and Hutch who had taken her back to her apartment to pack up her clothes.  Hannah had decided she wouldn’t be able to live in the apartment anymore and Linda had generously asked if she would like to live with her until she could find another place.  Hannah was delighted and took her up on the offer immediately.  It was nice to have an older woman to look up too. 

  “Nick,” Starsky called out knowing he wouldn’t get an answer.  Just in case he checked on the patio but he wasn’t there. “Shit,” he said under his breath. 

  Starsky pulled out a scrap of paper he had Nick’s motel room written on and called there but there was no answer.  He called information and got the main desk number but he was told that Nick had checked out hours ago.  Starsky sighed and flopped down on the couch.  Nick was gone, same old Nick, Starsky thought after last night that things were going to change but he could see they never would.  Nick would just go on being Nick, at least until he succumbed to the leukemia.  He wasn’t even sure how long his brother had.  Starsky thought of calling their mother and telling her about Nick but changed his mind.  If Nick wanted her to know then he was going to have to tell her himself, Starsky would be damned if he was going to be the one to break his mother’s heart. 

  There was a soft knock on the door then the door opened and Hutch stepped in.  “Don’t want to intrude but just wanted to let you know we got Hannah moved into Linda’s.”

  “Thanks Hutch,” Starsky said rather dejectedly.

  Hutch looked around the room, “Where is Nick?”

  “Gone.”

  “Decided to go back to his motel?”

  “No I think he has probably left town.  I called the motel he has checked out.”  Starsky looked up at Hutch. “I thought things were finally going to be different.”

  Hutch sat down on the couch next to his best friend.  “I’m sorry Starsk, Nick and I never got along but I feel bad if I came between you and your brother.”

  Starsky gave his partner a smile.  “You didn’t come between us. Nick came between him and I along time ago.  I guess his anger drove him to try and hurt me but all he has done is hurt himself.”

  “Maybe he will head back to New York and get some treatment.” Hutch suggested trying to make Starsky feel better.

  “From what Nick told me the Leukemia has progressed too far there isn’t much that can be done.”

  “Man Starsky that is rough.  If you want to go looking for him Linda and I will keep an eye on Hannah for you.”

  Starsky smiled again, “Thanks for the offer but I think I have done all I can do. Right now my place is with Hannah.  At least I can be here for her. I guess I messed up with Nick.”

  “Listen you didn’t make Nick choose the life style he did.  He had to know you were always there for him.”

  “He thinks I abandoned him. I guess I did, all I could think of was getting away.”

  “Starsky you were not the father of the family.” 

  “Wasn’t I?” Starsky asked. “I was the only one Nick and ma had left after dad died.”

  “But you were only a kid Starsky, nobody expected you to take over that roll.”

 “I guess Nick did.”

 

  Nick had the cab stop in front of Starsky’s apartment, he saw Hutch’s brown heap parked out front. He had thought of stopping to say goodbye but changed his mind upon seeing Hutch’s car.  They would all be better off with out him anyway.  Besides he didn’t want Davy hovering over him once he got so sick he couldn’t care for himself.  Nick had also thought of going home but for the same reason he didn’t want to go there either.  How could he let his mother watch him die?  He hadn’t exactly decided where he was going to go...maybe the mid west, some place he had never been.  After a few minutes he told the cabbie to drive him to the airport.  “Goodbye big brother,” Nick mouthed silently as the cab rounded the corner and Starsky’s bright red Torino slipped out of sight.

 

  Hannah and Linda slowly pulled the pushpins from the map of the city they had crated marking all the attacks Larry Ashberry had made.  Hannah had insisted on coming in and helping Linda disassemble the room they had created for the task force.  Hannah picked up the list of victims they had compiled from the data, she sat down at the phone and picked up the receiver. 

  “What are you doing Hannah?” Linda asked as she folded the map up.

  “I’m going to call them all. I want them to know that he is dead.”

  “They will hear it on the news,” Linda answered.

  Hannah nodded, “I know but I want them to hear it from me.  I want them to know he was the one that attacked them. I want them to know they are safe…at least from him.”

  Linda put her hand on the top of Hannah’s head.  “Okay darlin’ do what you need to do.  I’ll finish up here.”

  It took Hannah over two hours to finish calling everybody on their list.  A few hung up on not even wanting to hear that he was dead, some wept when they heard the news, others thanked her for what she had done. When Hannah finished she felt like she was ready to go on with her life.  The first thing was to start looking for a new apartment. She never wanted to set foot in her old one.  Hutch had promised to go in and pack up the rest of her stuff and put it into storage. 

  “You ready to go?” It was Linda sticking her head in the door.  After finishing up she had left Hannah alone to make the phone calls.

  “Yeah,” Hannah said as she left she dropped this list of numbers in the trashcan on her way out.

 

  As the two policewomen were walking out of the building Hannah and a young man collided with each other.  “Excuse me,” he smiled at her with bright blue eyes that lit the room up.  He was tall and muscular with sandy blonde hair. 

  “My fault,” Hannah answered. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

  “Hey maybe you could help me?”  He asked.

  “Sure I’ll try.”

  “I’m looking for a Captain Dobey.”

  Hannah smiled for she knew the way very well and told the young man what floor he needed to get off at.  “Thanks Miss…uh.”

  “Starsky…Officer Starsky.”

  “You work here?” He smiled broadly.

  Hannah nodded, “And you are?”

  “Sorry don’t know where my manners are,” he flashed that dazzling smile again. “Name is Bradley Conners but my friends call me Brad.”

  “It was nice to meet you Brad.”

  Again there was that smile. “I guess that means we are friends since you called me Brad, Officer Starsky.”  He said heading toward the elevator.

  “Hannah.” She called after him.

  “Uh?” he stopped and turned to look at her.

  “First name is Hannah.”

  “Well it was nice to meet you Officer Hannah Starsky.”

 

 

THE END