Feedback: That would be kind of you…
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these boys, just to this story. It is for enjoyment purposes only.
Author's Notes: Another fabulous idea by the one and only Brook….
This takes place just prior to 'The Set-up', Joe Durniak is alive and well, and still with the mob. He's also still fond of the Starsky family…
Family Ties
Chapter Ten
Ryan pulled open the door of the phone booth, folding the two glass panes together and pushing them aside. Before he stepped out, he jerked up the collar of his coat to protect his neck from the night air. Looking around, he wrinkled his nose at the smell coming from the dumpster in the alley behind Huggy's place. He cautiously headed back around the building to the front, where he had left his car parked. He withdrew his keys from his pocket and approached the 1977 Cadillac, pulling the driver's door open. He gave one last look down the street before climbing behind the wheel and closing the door behind him.
He adjusted his rearview mirror to the appropriate level, then placed the key in the ignition, turning it forward. The engine came to life with a gentle roar, as the Chief grabbed the gear shift on the column, pulling it down and into gear. The tires squealed as he turned them sharply, he looked to his left hand mirror to make sure he was clear of oncoming traffic as he eased the vehicle away from the curb.
Just as his car was straightening out on the street, he looked back into his rearview mirror to check on traffic behind him and gasped as he saw Starsky's dark face, appear from the shadows, eerily illuminated by a passing street lamp, staring back at him. The Chief swerved in reaction as Starsky spoke slowly and deeply into the man's right ear.
"Keep your eyes on the road…don't look back at me…just keep driving until I say stop…you got me?"
"Just who in the hell do you think you are Detective? You don't call the shots here, I do…" Ryan's eyes darted nervously around them. "You could have been followed…How the hell could you have risked this? Are you nuts?" Ryan spewed angrily as his face became red in anger.
"Don't worry, I wasn't followed…maybe next time, when I say 'we gotta talk', you'll listen to me…see I don't like getting the brush off." Starsky responded as he clasped his hand down threateningly on his Chief's shoulder, squeezing tightly.
"You don't follow instructions very well, now do you?"
"Captain Dobey could have told you that." The brunet answered. "Now, I've got questions, and I want answers…" He started as Ryan cut him off.
"You see here, you are in no position to make demands…"
"That's not how I see it, see I think I am in the perfect position. Either I get answers, or I call it off, it's done, your investigation, your secret busts, everything, shot to hell…now you wanna talk or not?" Starsky threatened his superior.
"You listen, and you listen good…you told me you were in…you can't just change your mind like that, it doesn't work that way, not with these guys, what's wrong with you, David?" Ryan's eyes narrowed as he tried to stress the importance of what he was telling his detective.
"I don't think I can go through with this, I stand to lose too much, I don't want the people I care about to get hurt." Starsky started to explain.
"I'm afraid it's too late for that, you should have thought about that before! I warned you. They've been watching you, they already know how close you and Hutchinson are, they see that, and they will use him to get to you. If you really want to protect your partner, than I suggest you do go through with this, for both of your sakes…" Starsky's eyes locked with Ryan's as the weight of what he was saying started to set in. "Look, I can have you in and out in two weeks, I'm sure of it. Two weeks? That's it, that's all it is going to take to protect both you and your partner, think you can handle that?"
"You also told me that you would leave Hutch outta this, and here he is smack, dab in the middle. I want IA off his back, and I mean now! You get on the horn, call IA and tell them they need to shoot Simonetti, that would make me happy. But until IA gets off my partner's back, I ain't goin' nowhere."
"Done. Simonetti will be of his back as of tomorrow, but keep in mind I wont be able to keep him off of yours. He is hungry to see you fall, this is working to our advantage, by tomorrow afternoon, every officer in the department will be convinced that you've gone bad…even Hutchinson."
"Fine, let them think what they want about me, but you protect Hutch. I don't want IA to get him, I don't want this organization to go after him neither, you see to it that he is taken care of, and I'll see this through, otherwise you can find yourself another stupid cop to do your dirty work for you…" Starsky furrowed his brow, increasing the pressure on the Chief's shoulder causing him to wince slightly. "…but mark my words, if anything, anything, happens to Hutch, I'm comin' after you personally! You got that?"
Ryan swallowed hard and nodded in understanding, his voice cracked as he spoke, "I'll take care of your partner, don't you worry." He assured the brunet.
"Good, now pull over." Starsky demanded as Ryan obeyed.
Starsky opened the back door before Ryan even came to a complete stop, he opened the rear door and began getting out of the car as Ryan stopped him. "Detective?" The Chief made eye contact with the curly haired man, through the mirror. "You had be able to handle what's gonna go down tomorrow without the help of your partner, you understand me?"
"I hear ya'. You just keep up your end of the bargain and I'll keep up mine." He said as he got out of the car and slammed the door hard behind him as Chief Ryan pulled away.
XXXX
Starsky climbed the stairs of his apartment, his mind wandering to his partner, left alone, eating for two at Huggy's. A stab of guilt shot through him as he tried to shake it away. He slipped his key into his door and turned it, moving the handle with it as he pushed the door open wide. He entered the room and was met by a soft sultry voice.
"I thought you'd never get back."
Instinctively, he reached for his weapon before he realized that Carmen had returned.
"Jeez, whatya wanta do, get yourself shot…don't ever do that again!" He scolded her as she looked up at him from the couch, with sad face just begging for his forgiveness. "Besides, I thought we were meeting at your house?"
"Guess I couldn't wait." She hissed as she stood and slithered towards him. "But who could blame me…?"
Starsky held up one finger at her, trying to get her to stop her approach. "I think you need to stay right where you are, I know what you're after, and I already told you, that wasn't necessary…" He stopped in mid sentence as he sniffed the air, then again, "What's that smell?" A third sniff, "Is…is that pizza I smell?" He became quickly distracted.
"Good detective work, officer." She teased as she slipped right past him and into the kitchen, opening the oven, grabbing a pot holder off the counter. "Did they teach you that at the academy?" She smiled as she bent over, checking the food and exposing her assets to the brunet. "Boy, aren't you the romantic one?" She asked, feeling his gaze on her backside. "Let's see…pizza or me?" She teased mercilessly as she shifted her weight from foot to foot.
"Well I did skip dinner tonight?" He said, wagging his brow at her.
"Thanks a lot…" She muttered, pretending to have hurt feelings.
"Look, you seem perfectly nice and all, but I have had a really shitty day, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to be spending the evening with me. I mean I appreciate you cooking me dinner and all, and I know you said you were supposed to 'make me happy', but like I said before, that really isn't necessary, I'm fine."
"So what are you saying? We had a date tonight, and now you're wanting me to leave, all because you had a shitty day? You had better watch it, David. I'm beginning to think you don't like me." She said as she stood straight up, staring him down.
He drank in her vision, her eyes, her long silky hair and olive skin and realized this was a first…David Starsky trying to get a beautiful woman out of his apartment, instead of in.
"I just want to take things slow, is that okay with you?" He asked, and then shook his index finger at her, "and besides, my mother warned me about girls like you, you're dangerous, a real femme fatale…"
"Oooh, I'm impressed, you speak French."
"Honey, that's not all I do in French." He teased as he made his way to the stove.
On the counter he saw a fresh tossed garden salad as he reached in and grabbed a cold crisp piece of lettuce and popped it in his mouth. Carmen removed the pizza from the oven and set it on top of the stove, taking a knife from the drawer and slicing it with precision.
Starsky thought about the irony before him, a woman, he knew had ties to the mob, was in his kitchen with a very sharp knife in her possession, and he wasn't in the least bit worried about his safety. Some detective he was…
XXXX
Hutch took a cab back to his apartment, taking Starsky's food home in a doggie bag, hoping he would be feeling better by morning. Once inside his place, he put the leftover food in his refrigerator, and heading directly for his phone. He dialed the number for the station and waited for an answer.
"Metro Division, Millie speaking, how may I direct your call?" A pleasant voice on the other end greeted him.
"Hi Millie, this is Detective Hutchinson, could you get me R & I, please." Hutch requested.
"Sure Hutch, hold on."
There was some clicking on the line and then another ringing tone…
"R & I, how can I help you?"
"This is Detective Sergeant Kenneth Hutchinson, I need you to run a check for wants and warrants on one Carmen Lambaro, female, approximate age 25, also check on any priors, would ya'?"
"Will do Sergeant, give me about 30 minutes, where can I reach you?"
"Don't worry, I'll call you back." Hutch responded as he hung up the phone.
Hutch headed for the bathroom, starting the shower as he moved into the bedroom stripping off his clothes as he passed through the apartment.
XXXX
Starsky was just finishing the dinner Carmen had prepared as he finished off the beer in his bottle. Carmen rose from the seat across from him and took his plate from in front of him, bending over enough for Starsky to get a clear view of her chest through her black lace shirt. Under the see through shirt she wore a red camisole, drawing attention to her near perfect figure, a tight, black leather skirt rounded off her outfit.
She leaned towards him, until they were nearly nose to nose, "You ready for dessert?" She taunted him as he pulled back and stood up quickly, trying to get away from her as fast as possible.
He knew she was good, and he knew it wouldn't take much for her to have her way with him, so he wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.
"Listen, I know what you're thinking, but you have to believe me when I say, I really don't want this to happen…here…um tonight…" He stammered. "…look, I'm gonna go grab a shower, it's been a long day…don't take this the wrong way, but I think it'd be best if you were gone when I got out, okay?" He said as he as he went into the room not waiting for an answer.
Carmen heard the shower start as she continued to clean up after dinner.
XXXX
Hutch was on the phone with R & I, his notepad on the counter in front of him as he was taking notes.
"Uh-huh…I see…yeah…got that…ok…thanks for all your help…" He hung the phone back up.
"Dammit Starsk, whatya gettin' yourself into, Buddy?" He said to himself.
To Be Continued…