Safe House

Chapter 4

The days were long in solitary confinement. Starsky spent long hours counting the tiles on the ceiling, then tiles on the floor, the cracks between them and even the hairs on the back of his hand. He knew that Hutch was only on the other side of his door, sitting on watch outside, and that gave him a measure of comfort, but he always became anxious when Hutch's shift was coming to an end, although Richardson had never tried anything on since that first day. But the brunette couldn't relax and the enforced inactivity didn't help any.

He'd resorted to doing press ups and running on the spot, just to keep his fitness levels up, and looked forward to the few minutes company he got, when his partner brought him a meal, always lingering a little longer than was really necessary, feeling Starsky's growing anxiety levels.

On the fourth day of incarceration, Hutch as usual brought in the cardboard tray with his indescribable food on it. The brunette looked at it in disgust.

'God, it's even worse that hospital food. I never thought I'd be longing for that awful jello they kept forcing on me last time' he griped as Hutch sat down on the bed beside him.

'How ya doin' Gordo' he asked softly.

'Oh terrific. There are 144 tiles on the ceiling, five of which are cracked and that stain over there looks like an elephant when the lights in the right direction. I've started talking to myself and I'm goin' stir crazy, coz I've started answering myself back. How are you?'

Hutch smiled, glad that his partner's sense of humour was still with him. 'Got news, buddy. There's a hearing tomorrow at the courthouse and Ramsey's needed. They're holding the real hearing out of town, but you're gonna get a reprieve and get sprung from here at noon, to be at the Bay City courthouse for one. Its been kept quiet, so hopefully none of the press will be there – or at least not as many as last time'.

The brunette's face lit up at the news. 'So, now it starts. Oh great, now I get to change from the boring ceiling in here to the boring ceiling in the courthouse cells. My life just gets better an' better' he picked listlessly at the curled up offering that was supposed to be a cheese sandwich. 'You my escort? He added.

'Wild horse, partner, wild horses…..' Hutch stood to leave. 'It'll get messy from now on in buddy. We gotta watch our backs out there'.

Starsky nodded watching the tall, uniformed back as it exited the room and locked the door behind it.

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Across town, a similar conversation was taking place. 'The hearing is at noon. 'Ramsey'll be there at about 12.45, straight into court, then straight out, so we gotta be quick. There'll be at least three guards with him, so that's one for each of us, an' mush brains here' he looked over at Bernie 'will be on lookout'.

Bernie smiled at his brother glad that he too had a job to do. He didn't really understand what was going to happen, but Dennis had given him a job and he'd make his brother proud of him.

The other two men, Bobby, who was tall and thin with a scar down his left cheek, and Tyrone, an enormous black ex boxer, treated Bernie like an idiot, but Bernie didn't mind, just so long as he could make Dennis happy.

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In Spain, Ramirez was getting increasingly angry with each passing day. He had spoken to Dennis several times on the telephone, asking for news of Ramsey and when he would be able to get his money back. He might be the ringmaster on this particular heist, but even big fleas have bigger fleas that feed off them, and his suppliers in Colombia were getting restless. Having seen the outcome of a Colombian necktie, he didn't want to model the fashion himself.

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That night Starsky found sleep impossible. He couldn't explain the feelings he had. It was like an irritation in his gut that wouldn't go away. It needed scratching but he couldn't get to it. It made him want to stretch and run, but of course that just wasn't an option. So instead he settled for mindless physical exercise. After 100 push ups and 100 squat thrusts, he was out of breath and sweating in the small airless cell, but he'd worked his anxiety up into anger, and he knew anger would make him sharper and more focussed for tomorrow. And so, cultivating that anger and keeping it under tight control, he once again lay down on his small hard bunk and waited till his breathing returned to normal before turning on his side and staring at the wall 'til dawn.

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Hutch was having similar problems on the other side of town. He'd finished his shift and gone home to shower and change and let Dobey know the plans for tomorrow. After going over the plans with his Captain, he'd spoken with Miller and Samuels, who were taking the real Ramsey over to the other courthouse for the real hearing and now he was getting ready for sleep before the big day tomorrow. He felt wired, like he'd run a marathon, or won a big poker game. His concerns were for his partner. Whilst Hutch would at least have the use of a weapon, the brunette would be chained and defenceless. It was up to Hutch to protect the both of them. If they could get through this, they would have a pattern for the next hearings and hopefully the whole outcome would be to their advantage.

As he let the hot water wash away the clinical disinfectant smell of the jail with needle sharp droplets stinging his skin, he tried to rehearse the steps he would take tomorrow to protect his partner. He went over in his mind the layout of the jail, the van and the street around the courthouse. Dobey had put three black and whites in the vicinity to back the detectives up. Hutch just hoped that would be enough.

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The day dawned bright and clear as if to mock the growing anxiety the two men were feeling. Starsky had been woken early and had been taken for a shower, whilst Hutch showered privately at his apartment, putting on the hated wardens uniform and secreting his handgun in its holster under the jacket of the uniform. He'd cleaned and checked it the previous evening, oiling the mechanism, rotating the chamber and loading and reloading the bullets, until he was satisfied that there would be no catches or hitches with his cannon of a gun. The weight of it in his hand gave him a small measure of comfort and he hoped he was overestimating the need he may have for it tomorrow.

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At 11.00am the following morning, Hutch walked into the jail for his shift and made his way to blue wing where he and two other guards signed out their prisoner. Hutch walked into Starsky's cell, flanked by the others, mentally getting back into character.

'Against the wall, Ramsey' he ordered. 'Legs spread, arms out'. Starsky slowly complied facing the blond as one of the other guards fastened the belt once more round his waist and secured his arms and legs. Throughout the process, he had kept his eyes locked on his partner's as Hutch stood by the door. To an outsider, it may have been an act of defiance. To the two men it was a measure of comfort in an uncomfortable situation.

This is gonna be OK. I'm fine Blintz

I'm here for ya, buddy

As the quartet progressed slowly down to the waiting prison van, Hutch managed to put his hand on Starsky's arm, as if to keep him down. Both men treasured the touch and gained strength from it.

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The journey down to the courthouse was once again done in complete silence. The inside of the van was warm and stuffy and dark as the windows were black tinted glass to avoid prying eyes. It was an uncomfortable journey. Starsky had nothing to say to the two other guards, even if it had been permitted, whilst Hutch just wasn't in the mood for idle chat. As the building drew close and the van slowed, Hutch stole a glance out of the darkened windows, looking for cameras, strangers and guns. He spotted one black and white at the corner of the street opposite and hoped the other two weren't too far away, as the door to the van opened.

Dennis, Bobby and Tyrone sat watching the approach of the van from their rented blue panel van parked inconspicuously across from the courthouse. Dennis had spotted the black and white earlier and knew that it would spell trouble. He had told Bernie to go into the shop at the corner of the street and cause a diversion. For Bernie, that would be easy. If he couldn't make himself understood, he would simply hit someone or something. At the moment that the prison van arrived, Bernie had walked into the shop and started screaming at the top of his voice.

The two patrol officers in the black and white car were now compromised. Did they watch a prison van which may, or may not be in danger, or did they go into the shop and investigate the apparent disturbance? Finally making a decision, they headed into the shop, leaving the prison van for someone else.

Dennis saw his opportunity and the three men were out of their vehicle instantly. All had weapons, which they now drew and headed quickly over to the prison van.

Hutch was sat towards the back of the van, next to his prisoner, the other two guards sitting by the doors. One opened the door and started to climb down the steps, looking over his shoulder at his friend, who was getting ready to follow. He didn't look out into the street until the last minute and certainly didn't see the butt of the gun as it was brought down onto the back of his head by the huge Tyrone.

Within seconds, two of the three henchmen had overpowered the second guard, who was reaching for his panic button as Dennis crept round to the front of the vehicle and calmly shot the driver, his gun silenced to minimise attention. Hutch reached for his gun as Starsky, who was still chained to the side of the vehicle, started to shout, kicking out as far as his chained ankles would allow. Tyrone, moving impressively quickly for a man of his bulk, aimed his weapon at Hutch and pulled the trigger. Bobby was on the brunette detective in seconds and pushed a wadded up cloth into Starsky's mouth, securing it there with a piece of duct tape, effectively silencing him. As Tyrone used a pair of bolt cutters to cut the chain attaching the struggling brunette to the side of the vehicle, Bobby brought his gun down onto the side of Starsky's head.

The last thing Starsky saw before stars and darkness claimed him was the sight of Hutch, unconscious and bleeding on the floor of the van.