Summary: Hutch goes undercover alone, while Starsky watches out for him, but all is not as it seems and trouble for Hutch ensues.
Disclaimer: I don't own S&H or make any money
Starsky and Hutchinson entered the police station still debating the outcome of the previous night's pool game. Or rather, Starsky was debating it and Hutch was trying to make him see sense.
"But Hutch, I should have won. Technically, I did win. Anyway, it's scientifically proven, left-handers are better at sports, so I don't even know why I need to play against you to prove that."
"Well in your case that obviously isn't true," Hutch teased.
"It is, though," he insisted, "because your average right-handed opponent doesn't expect you to be left handed and so they mess up. So there."
"I don't think that applies to pool, Starsk. It applies more to things like... table tennis." Hutch got an evil gleam in his eye, knowing that Starsky couldn't resist a bet.
"Huh. Well in that case maybe I was just blinded by all that hair of yours, blondie. If it takes a game of table tennis to prove that I'm the best, then that's what we'll have to do."
"You're on. I thought I told you not to believe everything you read in those trivia books anyway. Maybe you should try reading something a little more intellectual."
Unable to think of a response to that, Starsky settled for making a face at his partner, but Hutch just grinned. The dangerous-driver they'd caught on their way to work, who was being escorted between them and had been following the discussion as though it were a tennis match, now wore a very confused face. The pair of detectives dropped him off with a couple of other officers, then continued to their usual workplace.
They reached the doors to the squadroom and Hutch gallantly held the door open for his partner to go through first, receiving a smirk from Starsky in response, then followed him in. They were just getting coffee when the door to Dobey's office opened and the Captain peered out, searching the room. Spotting Starsky and Hutch, he called them into the office, this time yelling at Starsky before he could kick the door shut.
The pair stopped short as they realised the Captain had company; a tall, middle aged, suit-wearing man to whom Hutch took an instant dislike.
"Starsky, Hutchinson... this is Captain McCaffrey, and he's got a case you might be interested in."
Captain McCaffrey spoke. "Detectives... I do indeed have a case for you, and it will involve some undercover work, but that will only require one of you."
Starsky and Hutch looked at each other, then back at McCaffrey. "Captain, we work best together," Starsky informed him.
"I'm aware of that, but you two have a good reputation, and a good undercover record, so I'd like you to be the ones working on the case, and as I said, the undercover element will only require one of you. I'm sorry, but the orders for this come from people higher up than me. I believe Hutchinson would be best suited to the job."
"Why him, why not me?" asked Starsky, a little offended.
"No offense Starsky, but this requires someone who can appear a little more... upper-class, than you." McCaffrey smiled in a particularly annoying way.
"None taken," replied Starsky through a forced smile, not fooling anyone for a minute. Hutch was also beginning to take offense on Starsky's behalf, although he didn't mind working a case alone so much.
The man continued regardless. "There's a lawyer in the city, who we have reason to believe accepted payment from a criminal to get rid of a key witness, in order to alter the outcome of a case where he was defending that criminal. We also think there could be cops on his side who he's paying to keep quiet, and we're not sure how deep this thing goes. Hutchinson would need to go undercover working for this lawyer, maybe as an assistant, and see what he can dig up."
"I don't like it." Starsky stated.
"Starsk, you never like it. It'll be okay. I mean, there'll be safety measures in place, right?" Hutch asked McCaffrey, seeking reassurance for Starsky more than for himself.
McCaffrey quickly agreed. "Right, we can have a couple of plain-clothed officers nearby at all times to check on you, and a number you can call to check in, or if anything goes wrong."
"See, Starsk? It's okay." Hutch tried to convince him, knowing full well that Starsky would also be unofficially watching out for him.
Starsky reluctantly agreed, although he made a silent promise to Hutch that he would be looking out for him. Sometimes it seemed as though they could read each others' minds.
The next couple of hours were spent working out the details of the case, and it was decided that a contact they had should pull some strings to get Hutch a job in the firm with the suspected corrupt lawyer, where he would hopefully be in a position to collect enough evidence of any criminal activities. First Hutch had to get a fake identity, resume and references, and be told the information he would need to appear convincing in his new role.
***
That evening, over dinner, Starsky was arguing yet again. This time, he was arguing about Hutch's decision to accept the undercover mission.
"I'm your partner and I'm meant to watch your back. How can I do that if you're gonna go it alone?"
"Maybe I don't expect you to. Honestly, buddy, it'll be okay. We've done these things before."
"Yeah, and look how most of them ended up," Starsky grumbled.
"I'm sure this'll be fine. Anyway, you'll be looking out for me won't you, so how can anything go wrong?"
"Yeah, I will be, but don't tempt fate."
"Starsk, you don't really believe in fate do you?"
"Don't change the subject."
Hutch got up from the table, went into his kitchen, and retrieved two beers. Handing one to Starsky, and placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, he told him, "Shut up and drink up. It'll be fine."
Secretly Hutch was slightly nervous about the undercover work, as he always was, but he wasn't unwilling to carry out the work. He also expected that Starsky was more worried than he was; Hutch knew he'd be the same if it was Starsky going into an undercover case alone and without immediate backup.
TBC