"I'm tellin' ya Hutch, the Calzones at this place are outta' this world, we should plan on going there tonight after work!" Starsky said to his partner as they made their way into the squad room to begin their workday.
Hutch rolled his eyes then replied, "Yeah, then I'll plan on having heartburn the rest of the week!"
Starsky frowned and was about to interject when they heard their superior's voice call out to them from his office doorway, "Starsky...Hutchinson...can I see the two you in my office please!"
"Great, what did you do now Starsk?" Hutch asked his friend as the two of them walked towards Dobey's office.
"Me, why do you always assume that I did something?" Starsky said in his defense.
The two detectives entered their captain's office and Hutch closed the door behind them.
"Mornin' Cap'n!" Starsky exclaimed with a smile as he plopped down in a chair in front of Dobey's desk.
"Captain," Hutch greeted his superior as he flashed a smile as well before taking a seat alongside his partner.
Once the two detectives were seated Dobey tossed a folder to Hutch.
"What's this?" Hutch asked as he opened it.
"It's your next assignment!" Dobey informed them.
When Hutch opened the manilla folder and leafed through the pages his jaw dropped when he came across a photograph.
Starsky saw the expression on the blond's face and leaned over to take a peek.
"Hutch, that man could be your twin!" Starsky exclaimed with widened eyes as he looked at the photograph.
"Pretty scary isn't it?" Hutch replied.
"I'll say, anyone with a mug that looks like yours would be!" Starsky said with a smirk.
"Oh you're a real riot Starsk!" Hutch answered back.
Hutch scanned the enclosed report that accompanied the picture then said, "David...Soul?"
"Says here he's an actor and a musician," Hutch went on to read the folder's contents.
"Do we know him?" Starsky asked his partner.
"Don't tell me the two of you never heard of the song Don't Give Up On Us!" Dobey replied in disbelief.
The two detectives looked at each other.
"Well then, how about Silver Lady?" Dobey added as he questioned his men.
Starsky quickly snapped his fingers and said, "Oh yeah...come on silver lady take my word...I won't run out on you again believe me!" he sang.
Hutch looked at his curly-haired friend and shook his head.
"C'mon Hutch, you know the words!" Starsky said as he tapped the blond on the shoulder and continued to sing, "tired of driftin' and searchin' and shiftin' from town to town...everytime I hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm!"
"No Starsk, I don't know the words and clearly neither do you!" Hutch exclaimed.
Hutch then turned his attention back to Dobey as he asked, "Captain, what does he have to do with us?"
"Mr. Soul is currently on tour promoting his new album...and you two have been assigned to protect him!" Dobey replied as he pointed back and forth to his detectives.
"Protect him...Cap'n, we're not bodyguards, can't you assign this to someone else!" Starsky whined.
Hutch held up his hand to silence his partner then asked, "Captain, with all due respect...doesn't this man have his own protection...I mean if he's as popular as you say he is?"
"Yes Hutchinson, he does have his own team of bodyguards...but the problem is this!" Dobey answered back as he passed the blond a letter, one that was made by someone who cut letters out of a magazine and pasted them to notebook paper to form words.
Starsky leaned over and read the letter to himself while Hutch mumbled off the words of the homemade note.
Mr. Big Shot
So you've finally made it to the big times and making the big bucks. I wonder what someone like you is worth, maybe we'll all soon find out. So long for now Goldilocks, I'll meet you in LA.
P.S. I'll be the one you don't see until it's too late.
"Hmmm!" Starsky said as he took the letter from Hutch when he finished reading it.
"So, what do you two make of it?" Dobey asked the pair.
"Mr. Big Shot...it's obviously someone whose jealous of Soul," Starsky said.
"It's clearly a threat of kidnapping with the intent to procure a good deal of money through randsome," Hutch added.
Dobey shook his head in agreement.
"Is Mr. Soul taking this seriously?" Hutch asked his captain.
"He wasn't...until a few days ago when someone broke into his home and the only thing found missing was his itinerary for his upcoming concert tour," Dobey informed them.
"Let me quess...his first concert is in LA and we get front row seats?" Starsky questioned his superior.
"You got it!" Dobey replied back.
"I want the two of you backstage watching Mr. Soul's every move!" Dobey added.
"So when does he arrive?" Hutch asked.
"His plane is due in early tomorrow morning...you two will pick him up at the airport and escort him to his hotel and then on to the theatre," Dobey stated.
Just then Dobey's phone rang out and the captain picked it up and spoke into the reciever, "Dobey!"
When the voice on the other line answered Dobey replied, "Yes Chief...I've just filled my men in on the situation...yes Sir!"
Dobey placed his hand over the end of the phone before speaking to his men, "Well what are you sitting around here for...don't you two have a city to patrol?"
Both Starsky and Hutch looked at their superior then each other before Hutch replied, "Uhhhh...yes Sir!"
The two men got up from their chairs and Hutch picked up the file containing all the information pertinent to Soul's case then he and Starsky excused themselves and exited the room while Dobey went back to his telephone conversation.
...
The next morning Starsky and Hutch picked up Soul at the airport and drove him to his hotel then went onward to the theatre where Soul went through various sound checks to prepare for the night's concert.
While Hutch and Starsky watched him set up for the evening's performance Starsky asked his partner, "Aren't you at all freaked out by the fact that he looks a lot like you...I mean don't you think it's a little weird?"
"No and besides...I'm much better looking than he is!" Hutch said with confidence and a smirk.
After another hour or so of rehearsal Soul and his band took a much needed lunch break and ate in their rooms backstage while the two detectives sat outside Soul's door keeping an eye on things.
As the rest of the day drug on and the theatre started to spring to life both Hutch and Starsky kept a watchful eye on everyone backstage as they came and went.
Occasionally Starsky would peek out from behind the stage's curtain to watch the audience gather in their seats.
"Man Hutch...did you see that crowd out there...the place is really packed!" Starsky informed his partner.
Hutch walked over towards the curtain and pulled it back slightly so he could see out.
When he did several young girls screamed and squealed with delight, "It's David...It's really him!"
Hutch quickly let go of the curtain and stepped back behind again as Starsky laughed at the terrified look on the blond's face.
A member of the production team walked up to the two men and informed them that the concert was about to begin and the detectives donned their headsets and checked their walkie-talkies.
"Well Partner shall we get this party started?" Starsky said to his partner as they proceeded to walk back to Soul's dressing room.
Hutch tapped lightly on the dressing room door and said, "Uhhhh Mr. Soul...we're ready for you Sir!"
A few seconds later the door opened and Soul walked out running a nervous hand through his blond hair.
He smiled at the two detectives then took a deep breath as he allowed them to lead the way down the long hallway that went to the back of the stage area.
When they reached their intended position the emcee's voice was already calling out to the crowd, "ladies and gentlemen...let's give a warm L.A. welcome to Mr. David Soul!"
Starsky nodded to Hutch as he made his way to the other side of the stage to his post.
A few seconds later the heavy velour curtain opened up and tons of colorful lights danced across the stage as a deafening roar from the crowd rang out.
Hundreds of young girls and women began to chant, "David, David, David!" as the music began to play.
Soul looked at Hutch then took another deep breath as someone backstage handed him his guitar.
"Well Hutch...here we go!" Soul said as he walked away from him and onto the stage.
The applause was overwhelming when the blond singer greeted the crowd and began to strum his guitar.
When Soul opened his mouth to sing all the females in the audience began to scream.
Soul's opening number was his hit single Silver Lady and the crowd continued to go wild as he sung the words.
Hutch looked out into the crowd then over to his partner on the other side of the stage in bewilderment.
When Soul finished his first tune and began his second Hutch spoke into his two-way radio, "Anything out of the ordinary yet Starsk?"
"Nah, nothing as far as I can tell...how 'bout you?" Starsky asked back.
"Nothing!" Hutch replied as he gazed out into the crowd.
Hutch noticed a woman in the front row of seats mouthing the words to the music as Soul sang.
Beside her was a smal boy who held a sign that read, KIDS LIKE YOUR MUSIC TOO! and it made Hutch chuckle.
It not only got Hutch's attention but it got Soul's attention as well as the singer walked over to the edge of the stage and knelt down.
Hutch and Starsky immediately became more alert as they kept a close eye on the performer and the members of the audience.
Soul motioned for the little boy to come forward.
The child looked over at his mother and she nodded as she she got up and walked him over to the stage.
As Soul continued to sing he reached down and shook the little boy's hand then gave the child's mother a quick peck on the cheek and smiled at them both.
They returned to their seats, the woman grinning from ear to ear.
The concert went on for another thirty minutes before Soul ended with his final number then thanked the crowd for coming.
Once again the audience roared loudly as the curtain closed.
As Soul walked off the stage he said to one of his own men, "How about asking the boy with the sign and his mother to come backstage will ya'?"
The man nodded and dashed off to catch the woman and her child before they left the building.
"Terrific show Mr. Soul!" Hutch said with a smile as he shook Soul's hand.
"Please...cal me David!" the blond singer insisted.
Hutch smiled and nodded as Starsky made his way over to them.
"Very impressive Sir!" Starsky said as he too shook the blond's hand.
"It's David, Starsk!" Hutch said as he tapped his partner's arm.
"Thanks fellows...you two care to join me in my dressing room for a glass of champagne?" Soul asked the two detectives.
Starsky was about to accept when Hutch spoke up, "Sorry Sir...uhhh David but were on duty!"
Starsky rolled his eyes at his partner and shook his head.
"Let's get you back to your dressing room though!" Hutch said as he began to lead the way back down the long hall with Soul following behind then Starsky.
...
Hutch and Starsky were sitting in the dressing room waiting as Soul was in the bathroom splashing cold water on his face.
Just then there was a knock on the door and Hutch went to answer it.
He opened the door slightly and looked out.
When he saw one of Soul's men standing there with the woman and small boy from the audience he allowed them to enter.
The man who brought the two fans called out to Soul that they were here and Soul came out of the bathroom all smiles.
"Hi-yah there!" he said politely as he asked the woman her name.
"My name is Robbin and this is my son Daniel, " she answered nervously with one hand on her son's shoulder.
"Daniel huh...it just so happens that I have a brother named Daniel!" Soul said as he ruffled the child's hair slightly.
Robbin nodded her awareness as the little boy beamed with delight.
"Jerry will you get me a couple of photos please!" he asked his crew member.
The man nodded and went over to a table off to the side and retrieved two photos of a smiling Soul.
The blond then proceeded to autograph each one made out to them personally by name.
They chatted for several more minutes until Soul's man told him there were a few more people waiting outside for him to meet.
Soul nodded then thanked Robbin and Daniel for coming to the show then he hugged the boy and kissed Robbin once again on the cheek.
"I'll show you the way out, "Hutch said to them as he opened the door and they followed him out.
"We need to catch the next shuttle bus," she told the detective politely.
Hutch nodded then walked them down the long corridor that led to the back of the building where the buses had been loading.
When they walked outside there were no buses in the parking lot.
"Ooops...looks like you'll have to wait for the next one!" Hutch said as they looked out onto the deserted lot then looked down at his watch.
"It shouldn't be too long of a wait!" he added.
Robbin smiled in appreciation as she looked down at her son then out onto the darkened street.
There was a moment of awkward silence then Robbin said, "You really don't have to wait out here with us...I'm sure you have more important things to do."
"Oh it's no bother at all...besides I enjoy keeping company with pretty ladies!" Hutch said as he flashed a smile at Robbin then winked at her boy.
Daniel chuckled at Hutch's comment while Robbin blushed a deep shade of red.
"What's so funny...you don't think your mom is a pretty lady?" Hutch ribbed the boy playfully.
The child laughed again.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you look an awful lot like David?" Robbin asked the handsome blond.
Hutch was about to reply when suddenly two men rushed out of the shadows from behind them.
Hutch shoved Robbin and the boy out of the way and swung at one of the men and struck him in the stomach.
He was about to reach for his gun when he was hit from behind in the back of the head with a heavy object.
Robbin screamed at Daniel to run and get help as a hand clamped over her mouth to silence her.
At first the boy was reluctant to leave his mother but when he saw how desperate the situation was he quickly hurried off.
The last thing Hutch remembered was being lifted to his feet and dragged over to a waiting vehicle then tossed roughly inside.
"Robbin," was the last word mumbled from his lips as he slipped into unconsciousness.