NO ONE CAN HURT HIM ANYMORE
David Starsky and Ken Hutchison were riding around Bay City in the Torino when they heard of a murder through their machine.
"This is Zebra Three," Hutch said. "We are responding."
The duo had arrived in the scene of the murder. To their horror, the murder victim was a child, who ranged about seven or eight years old. Captain Harold Dobey, who arrived at the scene a few minutes later, was just as sickened.
"What kind of a sick monster would beat a child to a bloody pulp then leave him to die?" Starsky asked as he and his blond partner checked out the little body.
"That's what we're trying to find out," Dobey responded solemnly. "The mother is being interviewed right now."
The detectives went in the house and approached the mother, who was quite thin and pale for her age.
"Mrs. Schwarz? I'm Detective Hutchison and this is Detective Starsky," Hutch went with the introductions before beginning. "We were hoping you could tell us what happened."
The woman seemed to be grieving, shown by the tears in her eyes. "It's my husband! He's... he's crazy! And drunk! You have no idea what've he's been through!"
"Heh. What do you know? A kid being killed a drunk father," Starsky commented half-sarcastically. "Sounds a little half-baked, don't you think, Hutch?"
"Are you calling me a liar? I'm telling you! He's out there and drunk!" Mrs. Schwarz persisted.
"Mrs. Schwarz, how long were you married?" Hutch asked.
"I don't know. I lost count!" the woman answered.
"Well, we're gonna have to take you back to the station with us," Starsky said.
Mrs. Schwaraz was taken back to the station for more questioning while the autopsy was been run on the boy's body, who was decorated with lots of bruises and cuts. Starsky and Hutch, meanwhile, ran through the files until they were called to Dobey's office.
"You two will have to check out Schwarz's story again," Dobey said. "According to her files, she has never been married."
"Never been married!" Starsky echoed.
"So she downright lied to us." Hutch was upset.
"Which means she was using the drunk father story as a cover-up," Starsky added. "Where's the mother now?"
"Back at home," Dobey answered. "Where do you think?"
"Terrific." Starsky clinched his fists as if ready to punch something.
"I can't believe this is just like the case with Guy. Only worse." Hutch said as he and his partner got out of Dobey's office.
"Would you believe that some mothers can be so sadistic and cruel?" Starsky said without waiting for an answer. "I mean how many child abuse cases that involved a drunk father anyway?"
"So you're feeling up to it?" Hutch asked. "It's already under investigation. Starsky? Starsky!" He noticed that Starsky suddenly fell quiet, and stayed that way for a long period of time.
Starsky had been bitter and outraged since the murder scene, but has managed to keep them hidden inside.
Both had been quiet during their ride back to the Schwarz's.
"So, wanna talk about it?" Hutch finally asked his partner.
"What's there to talk about, Hutch? You saw it, too," Starsky quietly replied.
"A child's dead body, yes. What happened during the murder, no," Hutch said. "Starsky, you need to let it out. Keeping it bottled up inside it's not going to help."
"Don't push it, okay?" Starsky advised his worried partner.
"Now I'm just as sickened about this mess as you are, and the sooner we catch the nutjob who killed the kid, the better!"
Mrs. Schwarz was there as soon as the duo arrived at the house, surprised they would even come back.
"What is this! I already told you what happened! Go away!" The woman yelled at them.
"I'm afraid you didn't tell us the full story, Mrs. Schwarz," Starsky said as calmly as possible.
"Why did you lie about having a husband?" Hutch asked.
"What the hell! I'm going to get a lawyer about this!" the woman lashed out.
"That would be a good idea, wouldn't it?" Hutch said. "I've already interviewed some of your neighbors and they haven't even seen a drunk man that lives in your house. Now, the sooner we can get this out of the way, the sooner we can catch the killer."
"Get out! Both of you!" Mrs. Schwarz ordered.
"Excuse me? You don't bark orders at a police officer!" Starsky raised his voice, his rage already on the edge of it's breaking point. "What do you say we tear this place down, Hutch?"
"You don't even have a warrant!" the former mother said.
"Who said anything about a warrant?" Hutch said as he and his outraged partner looked everywhere for some evidence.
"Hutch, look at this," Starsky said as he got out a blood-stained knife.
Hutch went over and examined it. "Mrs. Schwarz, do you know anything about this?"
"I don't know how it got there," the woman replied in contempt. "It must've been from my drunk ex after he left."
"Great. First she said husband, and now it's an ex," Starsky said.
"You know cuts were found on the boy's body, right?" Hutch said.
"Of course I do! What do you think I am? Stupid?" the woman shouted.
"There's absolutely no need to shout," Hutch said calmly. "We were hoping you won't mind telling us why this knife was used on a young boy."
"That's it! I'm calling my lawyer!" Mrs. Schwarz went to grab her phone when Starsky aggressively pushed her against the wall.
"Starsky. Not so hard," Hutch advised his partner, who ignored him.
"Mrs. Schwarz, let me tell you something," Starsky told the woman. "Abuse and murder on the child is just about one of the worst crimes ever commited. Moreso when commited by some deranged bitch. Now either you're a willing accomplice to the murder, or you just happen to be an abuser yourself."
"What's that supposed to mean? You could've broke my back while pushing me against the wall!" The woman retorted.
"You know? That would be because this case had me more wound up than any other I've ever been in!" Starsky shot back. "There are monsters in this world, and anybody regardless of age or sex fall victim to them. This, by the way, comes from a guy who couldn't even escape abuse on his eighth birthday."
"That's because you proably deserved it, didn't you?" the woman suddenly turned cold.
"What?" Starsky was shocked, and just as pissed.
"Kids. They will never understand, will they?" Mrs. Schwarz gave a laugh that was almost hysterical. "They make messes, funny faces, even very stupid mistakes. As soon as they begin to walk, they quickly become one big nuiscense. Thus, the need to put in some discipline! He was too damned petty for this world!"
This made Starsky finally snap. He lashed out in anger, threw her to the ground and gave her a no-holds-barred beatdown with Hutch trying to stop him. Starsky kept stomping on her with his foot, until he finally broke down upon seeing blood coming out of her mouth. He fell to his knees and sobbed while Hutch provided comfort with a gentle rub on his back before approaching the woman to make the arrest.
Later that night, Starsky was lying on the couch in Hutch's apartment, still anguished about the beating he had inflicted upon Mrs. Schwarz. Hutch was sitting on a nearby chair reading a newspaper when he noticed how miserable his partner looked, and rushed to his side as soon as he started crying.
"Sorry, pal," Starsky said with tears falling from his eyes. "I just... I guess this case has got me all riled up."
"It was a child murder case, Starsk," Hutch replied as he gathered the brunette into his arms. "Almost anybody can get all riled up. Just wonder how many more sick bastards he have to put out of the streets."
"That kid..." Starsky said. "I think I know how he felt before his murder. Being beaten for something he didn't do, or even wasn't his fault." His voice broke, and it was followed by more pain-wrecking sobs as he cried on his partner's shoulder.
"Shh. It's alright, babe. She is behind bars and her son's in a better place now. No one can hurt him anymore," Hutch soothed while a tear managed to drop from his eye.
"Yeah," Starsky nodded. "Lucky charges weren't made against me for assault or battery on his mother."
"Maybe the neighbors were all too happy she got a taste of her own medicine?" Hutch suggested before both partners laughed.
"Thanks, Hutch. That cheered me up some." Starsky smiled through his tears.
"Only thinking of your emotional well-being, buddy," Hutch replied while patting his partner's back.
Both detectives broke off their embrace and sit back on the couch.
"So what do we do now that the case closed?" Starsky asked.
"You could order some pizza for starters," Hutch suggested.
Starsky perked up. "Pizza? Hutch, are you sure?"
"Why not? You could use a treat after your ordeal." Hutch smiled.
"Hutch!" Starsky quickly hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best!"