CHAPTER SIX

David had just gotten home and was getting ready to hit the sack when he heard the loud knock at the front door. Sighing, he went to see who it was. Rachel had already left for work and Nicky wasn't home, so he was alone in the house. He opened the door to find two uniformed policemen standing on the doorstep. One was a younger officer, probably a rookie with a fresh, innocent face and neatly trimmed hair. The second man was older, in his early fifties with a stocky build, heavy jowls, and a belly that hung over his belt. The older man Starsky recognized immediately. It was his father's old partner, Pete Garrett.

"Hey, Pete." David said with a friendly smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you, David. May we come in?" Pete asked in a somber tone that immediately sent up red flags for the brunet.

"Sure…come on in." he said with a hint of frost in his voice. He stepped aside to let the officers into the house, carefully closing the door behind them. He turned to face the two men and said, "Okay, shoot. What's this all about?"

"You were seen last night at a place called The Golden Slipper with Ice and a bunch of the old gang." Pete said "You planning on hooking up with them again, Davey?"

"I didn't know it was against the law to have a couple of drinks with some old friends." David said, staring at the man calmly without showing any fear. "You been checking up on me, Pete?"

"Not you, son. Ice and his bunch have been under surveillance for quite some time." the older man said "Organized crime is ready to move in on them any day now. Imagine my surprise when word got back to me through the grapevine that little Davey Starsky was back in town and meeting up with his old running buddies."

"Let's cut to the chase, Pete." David said in an irritated voice. "What you really want to know is if I'm going back on my word and kicking it with the gang again, right?"

"Something like that. Are you?"

"No."

"And you expect me to believe you?" Pete countered as his young partner stood silently in the background watching the interaction between his partner and the dark haired man.

"I don't really give a fuck what you believe!" David said sharply, raising his voice. He saw the rookie's hand nervously shift towards his gun before turning his attention back to his father's former partner. "I told you, I'm not back in the gang. I just met them for a couple of drinks, that's all."

"For your sake, I hope so." Pete said in a warning tone. "Cause there ain't no second chances this time, Davey. When Ice and the others go down this time, they're gonna do some hard time. I'd hate to see you get caught up in something if you're just hanging out with some old buddies and shooting the shit."

"Okay, you did your duty. You warned me. Is there anything else?"

"I'd just hate to see you go down that road again." Pete said "I owe it to your dad to try and make sure that doesn't happen."

"Leave Pop out of this." David said, a distinctive warning tone in his own voice. "I'm not some stupid kid anymore with a chip on his shoulder."

"No, you're an ex-vet with a chip on his shoulder and a gut full of hate."

"Get out of here, Pete." David said firmly, opening the door to usher the two men out.

"All right, I'll leave…but I'm going to be keeping my eye on you, Davey. I've already got my eye on Nicky." With that parting shot, Pete and his nervous young partner left. David slammed the door shut behind them and struggled to control his mounting anger. He had almost allowed himself to get drug into the middle of something that could have cost him dearly. He had a feeling that as long as he remained in New York, he would never be able to run from his past. Maybe it was time to move on. With heavy steps and an even heavier heart, he climbed the steps up to his second floor bedroom to get some sleep.

When his mother got home from work that evening, she found David sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. He looked up as she came into the room and smiled faintly. "Hey, Ma." he said "Sit down. I need to talk to you."

"About what?" Rachel asked, feeling a twinge of fear, as she looked into her son's dark eyes. She had a feeling that he was about to tell her something that she didn't want to hear.

"I quit my job today..." he began, staring down into his coffee cup and sighing softly. This was going to be harder than he thought but he knew that it was the right thing for him.

"Oh, Davey…not again!" Rachel interrupted before he could continue, preparing to scold him for being so irresponsible.

"Let me finish," he said, raising his head and holding up his hand to silence her. "I quit my job" he repeated "Because I'm going back to Bay City. I already bought my bus ticket and I leave tomorrow."

"David! No! You can't go. You just got home." Rachel cried, tears glistening in her eyes but not falling.

"Ma, I have to. This isn't my home anymore. We both know that. I don't belong here. If I stay, I'll end up back on the streets just like before."

"Why? Did something happen that you haven't told me about?"

"Sorta. I ran into Ice yesterday."

"Ice! David, you know he's nothing but trouble! Is that where you went last night before you went to work? To hang out with him?" Rachel demanded, her voice rising in anger and concern.

"Yes, I saw Ice and some of the other guys last night but I swear nothing happened."

"Then why this sudden decision to go back to Bay City?"

"Because somebody spotted me with them last night and word got back to Pete Garrett. He paid me a visit this morning."

"Pete? Your father's old partner, Pete?"

"The one and only." David said sarcastically. "He came to warn that the organized crime unit is watching Ice and the others. He wanted to make sure that I wasn't kicking it with them again."

"Surely, Pete knows better than that." Rachel said

"Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. I'm not sure he believed when I told him I just met them for a couple of drinks. He'd said he'd been keeping an eye on me."

"That's still no reason to leave!" Rachel said insistently.

"Ma, you're not listening. It's why I have to leave. If I stay here…I could end up just like Ice or even worse. It's too easy for me fall back into my old habits if I stay here." He reached out to touch the back of his mother's hand in a gentle caress. "I need you to understand…You sent me to Bay City in the first place to keep me from getting into any more trouble than I already was. This time, I'm choosing to leave on my own before I get into trouble. This isn't my home anymore…it hasn't been since I was thirteen. Bay City is home. That's where I belong."

"You're a good man, David. Just like your father." Rachel said with a sad smile. "If this is what you feel you have to do, then go. With my blessing." A single tear found it's way down her cheek. "I don't want you to turn out like Nicky. You still have a chance to make something out of your life."

"I love you, Ma." David said with a tender smile, his mouth trembling with emotion.

"I love you too, David. I'll start dinner while you pack."

"I'm already packed and I'm taking you out to dinner tonight."

Mother and son exchanged a smile as Rachel stood up and went to her room to change for a rare night out on the town.