And If You Wrong Us Do We Not Revenge?
Chapter 10
"So - how does it feel to be back?"
Hutch waited only long enough till they were safe inside the swing doors of their squad room to pose the question.
Stupid, rhetorical question he knew – as soon as he uttered it he thought as much. One of those shallow, off the cuff questions that was really not typical of the calibre of their relationship. As if he would even have to ask the question. As if he didn't know already how it would feel for Starsky.
Nonetheless he had put it out there, even if more to fill the empty almost awkward void between them, so he might as well wait for the answer. Not that he expected a hell of a lot of honesty to be found in the response. Something about Starsky today told him that he had a guard up around him as solid as a concrete wall. Some platitudinous remark was hardly going to get through his resistance.
He knew his partner too well to not see that his mind was already outside of this room and far away in another place, another mindset. A place that intensified the dangerous glint that was so evident in his eyes, and the tightness in his jaw and upper neck.
There had been the usual overtures from other officers and staff in the garage, out in reception and in the corridor when they first walked into the building. All had offered up warm words of welcome and solicitous smiles and handshakes. Hutch could easily tell though that many of them were treading carefully with the whole welcome back bit. They were unsure of exactly what had gone on with Starsky and his protracted absence. Rumors in the station house spread like viruses and mutated every forty-eight hours at least. There would be many versions of what lay behind Detective Sergeant Starsky's two months or more away. Not many of them would resemble the truth. Those who knew the many sides of David Starsky were playing it safe and conscious of not saying the wrong thing or saying too much. As a personality he was unpredictable and capricious as his moods. He could be fun, playful and spirited one day and brooding, sullen and dangerous the next. No one was prepared to get him off side, or his partner for that matter by putting a foot in the proverbial. For those who had not seen nor talked to Starsky in weeks and weeks, it was obvious which side of the coin his mood lay today.
The last well wisher was behind them now after they had both run the gauntlet down the long corridor from the lift to their offices.
There had only been one other officer inside the workroom when they made their entrance and after a hasty greeting and he had grabbed his jacket and departed. Hutch wondered briefly if he too had seen the look on Starsky's face and hightailed it out of there – or perhaps he was just being mindful of them both needing some space with this being their first day back.
Either way it was just shy of the morning rush hour in the squad room and they were alone in the open office area with a window of a perhaps five minutes before the day shift began shuffling in.
Hutch seemed to have become quickly overly interested in getting the coffee pot heated up and making a cursory flick through his in-tray while all the time trying not to look too interested in how Starsky was re-acquainting himself with the surroundings. Beneath the guise of sorting out his desk he studied Starsky more closely.
Yesterday, after the little showdown about Riley his face had taken on a harder edge but then Hutch had imagined that it would have been displaced somewhat after his phone call last night. During their conversation on the phone Starsky sounded to have been mollified somewhat - to have been gentled by his sense of guilt toward Hutch for his behaviour concerning Riley. This morning though, that hardness was not far below the surface. Brittle and cold lay just beneath the quick easy half smile and the ready comebacks that Starsky had in place as responses for all the singsong greetings that followed him down the corridor.
Hutch was particularly wary of it and more than a little concerned. Since he'd climbed into the car that morning for their first drive back into work in a long while, he could sense the darkness that had settled about Starsky's features. It was as though he was letting the world know in advance that he was not in one of his more playful, ebullient moods today – far from it. The man waiting in the car for him this morning was the Starsky not to be messed with – already jaded and a little surly and the new day barely begun.
Taking in the look, Hutch decided very quickly that it would be wise to leave whatever it was alone for now and he said little of any substance apart from light hearted commentary until they arrived at the station.
Not that he expected this day to be easy for his partner.
He knew from his own experience – they'd both had more than their fair share of returning to work after injury or illness – the feelings of initial alienation and sense of not quite belonging that his partner might right now be experiencing. It was never easy – these first few moments, this first re-immersion after a protracted absence. Like the world had gone on without you and no one but you had noticed your absence, or could sense how out of kilter everything that was once so normal could feel.
After a significant pause Hutch got an answer to his question and he was a little suprised to hear something in Starsky's response that might have been the truth.
"Strange. It's – a little – no a lot - weird I guess. "
"Don't worry – by midday it'll be like you've never been gone from the place. You know this is how it always is. You've been in this seat before Starsky. We both have, you know that."
"Don't remember ever being back from a formal suspension though – nor you for that matter. This is a completely different sort of weird and I have to tell you Hutch, it's sure not a good feeling. I feel like I should be reporting for parole meetings – clocking in with the counselor to freakin' cover my ass for any back slidin'. Never know – I might just go and throw a loony attack again – end up all weak and smashed up after some traumatic event comes my way. You know Hutch – you never can be sure when you wake up in the morning – you never can be too certain – that today could be that fuckin' day when some bastard puts one over you – rapes the livin' daylights outta you. Leaves ya' as close to a nutcase as you can get – so messed up in the head, there ain't no one gonna trust you with a loaded baretta in ya' hand again. "
Hutch saw the humiliation mix with the anger that was already settled in the dark blue eyes.
Maybe then this was the problem – ill ease at having to face people and the job after a formal suspension. He responded instantly to the whimsical tone of Starsky's words.
"Hey – hey" Hutch dropped the file he was holding and moved over to him quickly.
"Starsky – enough now. I don't want to hear you painting it like this. You're not this person – you're not some fried brain nutcase. Listen to the real you. The strong you. It's all over now buddy. All behind you. The suspension was only ever for your own health – Dobey's way of making sure you got the time you needed to put everything back in the right place with your life. Now you're free of all that shit – free to move on. "
Hutch didn't much like the snorted shorted laugh and flare of anger that chased away the brief cloud of shame.
"You think so? Free of all that shit? Just because I said I was getting to the other side of everything doesn't mean the same as being free of it. One thing is for certain Hutch – I ain't free of nothin' – not yet anyway."
Hutch knew Starsky had the right to hold onto that anger. Hell he had a right to so much anger and so much resentment – it would take more than a few heartfelt "Great to see you back Starsky's" from peers to wipe away what he had gone through. The steely edge to Starsky's voice however was more than holding on to some left over resentment – there was a recharged force of negative energy about him now. A fresh supply of pent-up aggression that had not been there until now. Hutch was trying to think when he had first seen it – this new anger. Since Dobson's funeral yesterday? Or maybe even earlier – since he'd walked out of the hospital from seeing Katy? Like a boxer who had gone down for the count and come back at the final moment – stronger and more lethal for having taken the fall, Starsky was bouncing off the ropes, adrenalin pumping, and fists ready – primed for something that only he could see.
And it was that bit – the bit about what Hutch couldn't see but Starsky seemed to be keenly focused on, that chilled Hutch to the core.
The decision whether to push him to expand a little more on what he meant by the last bitter statement was taken away from him when Dobey threw open his office door and summoned Starsky in.
As Starsky stood, kicked in his chair and rounded the desk to his office, Dobey threw Hutch a quizzical raised eyebrow. He knew his captain was asking him how the lay of the land was this morning with Starsky's first day back. The part of Hutch that wanted to make everything alright for his partner vied with the part of him that knew that running any interference with the Captain on him would be destructive to Starsky's and his relationship right now.
For that reason alone he met the question in Dobey's eyes with a mild shrug and a nod - and then tried to tell himself that maybe that was the case. Maybe everything with Starsky was fine, was cool, and was ok.
Hutch turned away from Dobey before his own face gave anything else away.
First day back at work and he was already covering for his partner in all the wrong ways.
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH
By the time Hutch came out of his own meeting with Dobey, Starsky was already looking bored and was poking aimlessly at the stack of files teetering haphazardly on the edge of his desk.
Hutch had to suppress a smile. Starsky was never ever amused with desk bound work and could never see it as anything other than something to be suffered and endured with liberal amounts of graphic and colorful complaining.
"It's pure torture for you isn't it buddy? Putting you beside a tower of files and outstanding reports?"
"It'll get worse when he expects me to crank up the typewriter. I think I'm going to volunteer to go down to Records to dust the filing cabinets. Anything would be better than thumping that piece of metal with two fingers all day." He pushed the paperwork to one side with a grimace, as though it was something offensive.
"So where's he putting you to work for the next week while I'm stuck here with this mile high pile of freakin' reports and cross referencing?"
"They need another man down in Robbery for the rest of this week. They're down at least two officers. So….."
"So – you're takin' on the role of two officers? Great. What – do they think you're a super cop or just going to work you double time?"
"I'll soon find out I guess. Things are often a bit slower in Robbery anyway, so maybe it won't be too bad."
"Why the hell did Dobey have to take you outta this squad? It's our first week back and already he's splittin' us up?"
"Starsk we already knew he'd have to be on desk work. It's the way it goes when you come off – off leave."
"Suspension. I came off Suspension, you came off Leave. It's just a word – you can say it Hutch. And yeah – I know that – but why do they need to send you to a whole different unit?"
Hutch could see the anger rising again and with it some worry, some concern.
What was it about?
Was it return to work insecurity? Guilt over his bad mood yesterday with Riley? Was it Ryan? Was he worried that Ryan was going to come back into his life now that he was a free agent, no ties to the Force?
Whatever it was – there was something there, something he wasn't saying.
"Hey – no big deal Starsk. You'll be here bored and I'll be down there bored too – We can catch up at the end of shifts. "
"With two men down on the team you won't be bored Hutch. You'll be running your ass off on the streets and getting called out to every freakin' slimy break in. They'll be sending you all over the damn city chasing cases."
"So nothing different than we're used to here. I'd be doing the same thing even if Dobey put me out solo here for a week – or with a temporary partner."
"Yeah – 'cept at least I know what your moves are. Down there – who knows what you'll be assigned to."
"Starsky? What's the issue here - ?"
And then just when he was about to push him for some reasoning behind the bitching about his Robbery assignment, Starsky reverted quickly to half hearted humor.
"You're right. It's no different at all. Hey after a solid eight doing this crap, I'll be hanging out for a beer at Huggy's – so make sure you clock off and don't volunteer for any overtime ok?"
"I'll do my best – but – "
"Hey – give me a call when you're due to wrap up for the day ok? So I know your moves. "
"Ok…."
Hutch was looking at him a little curiously as he packed a few things away on his desk and pocketed pen and notebook and checked his holster.
"Just so – you know – I'm not left here wondering if you want a lift home or free to catch a drink or whatever."
"Sure – I'll do my best. But head home at five if I'm not done by then – I'll catch a lift with a patrol or something if I have to."
Hutch walked out of the squad room convinced now that Starsky was unnerved about them being apart. It was just another thing to stew over as he tried to get his mind into gear for his brief secondment in another team.
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH
It took him at least the next two hours for the boredom and tedium of the mindless paper shuffling to still his inner agitation.
Starsky swilled another cup of bitter coffee and stabbed mercilessly at a pad of paper with his pen.
Bad enough that Hutch was out on active duty without him and he was deskbound, but to be seconded to another unit altogether where he had no idea of where he was at any given point during the day was playing right into Ryan's hands.
How in God's name was he supposed to keep tabs on Hutch now? Ryan couldn't be tailing Hutch right this moment for all he knew – cruising around the Department garage just waiting for him to make an exit and to follow him. He clamped down on his fears and told himself that all his thinking was a long shot and hardly realistic. Ryan had no idea of Hutch's work situation yet and could not afford to wait around on the off chance that he would get an opportunity to corner Hutch by himself.
Just when he thought he had convinced himself to stop worrying about nothing the next phone call he took unnerved him all over again.
Surprised that it was his extension that was ringing and thinking that the only call he was likely to be getting today as no one much even knew he was back at work, would be Dobey or Hutch – he picked up expecting his partner's voice.
Instead it was Huggy.
"Heard you had that nose of yours back at the grindstone."
"You heard correctly – and it is a freakin' grindstone I can tell you- I'm stuck on desk work."
Surprised when there was no colorful Huggy comeback, Starsky waited. There was obviously a reason for the call, and this was not Huggy's attempt at social chitchat to divert him from his boredom.
"You planning on coming into the bar anytime soon?"
"Yeah – well I'd hoped that we'd both make it in there tonight for a catch up and a drink with you – since we're back from the wilds of the countryside. Trouble is they've got Hutch posted in another unit and I don't know when he'll be free to get off from work."
"Better that way anyway. I need to talk to you - alone, not with Hutch."
At once the fear rushed back in.
"What? What is it? You got somethin' you want to talk to me about without Hutch then I need to know now. Does it concern him or me?"
"Both of you I guess. But not here – not on the phone. Come in when you can cut free."
"Shit… Look I'll get in there as soon as I can. I'll pull an early lunch break. You sure it can wait that long?"
"Yeah – look it may be nothing. Don't go gettin' too strung out Starsky. I just thought you'd wanta know that's all."
Putting down the phone, Starsky could not help but agree.
It could well be about Ryan.
And if it was about Ryan – he most definitely wanted to know.
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH
Less than an hour later he was in at the Pits hunched over yet another coffee his stomach could well do without, in the booth he and Hutch always seemed to gravitate toward. He was fast irritating himself with the jarring tapping sound of his spoon against the cup while he watched and waited for Huggy to finish up with his phone call.
A few minutes later his tall gangly black friend sidled up to him and slipped into the bench seat opposite.
Starsky's first words to him were clipped and tinged with irritation.
" 'Bout damn time – what am I invisible to you? I've been sittin' here for over ten minutes."
"Well hello to you too stranger. Haven't seen you for nigh on two months and your first words to me are straight from the heart. What suddenly made you so important Prince of the Poleeeece? I had a phone call to finish up. Anyway - I'm all yours now. So how you been hanging my friend?"
Huggy was half joking and half waiting for an apology. Starsky could see it, but wanted to tell him not to hold his breath. His mood was not up to Huggy's theatrical behavior today.
"Long time no see. I get it Huggy. I know it – but push that aside for now will ya'. You called me about something I need to know. I rushed down here – I'm here – and I wanna know. No games, no smart words – just give it to me. What do I need to know about?"
"Damn man – but whatever that time away was s'posed to accomplish hasn't made you any smilier since I last saw you."
"Huggy – please. Just tell me what the fuck is going on."
He knew he had cut into him, could tell in the way that the chocolate brown eyes already heavily hooded, looked down at his hands before looking back up. He felt a pang of guilt but then quickly swept it away. Anger and resentment were his energy source now and he was getting better each hour with harnessing the fuel supply to drive his engine.
Somewhere along the line he had set himself a course, a mission, and staying angry somehow kept propelling him forward toward the end goal.
"The man you most love to hate has been frequenting my bar of late. Over the past two weeks I reckon he's been in here more than five times – generally late at night."
"And…"
"And so he's taken to spilling his guts here and there – some of it might be of interest to you."
"Why the hell haven't you told me 'bout this until just now?"
"How the hell was I meant to, right back at you? If I'm not mistaken you and Hutch have been stashed far away in the land beyond, and that is the very reason that this creep is prowling around your haunts trying to shake up your lives. I didn't have a direct pipeline to you as you well know – while you undercover cops were undercover altogether."
"You could have contacted Dobey if there was anything important."
"Well until last night there wasn't – and anyway – thought that young Officer Riley would be passing on all the lowdown to the good Captain. I filled him on anything I thought he should know about Ryan's late night visits."
"You've been relaying information to Riley? About Ryan? About what he talks about in here? About us? About me?"
He could hear his indignation kicking up a few notches and saw Huggy's confusion.
"Sure. Riley's a brother cop and tight with Hutch – he was as keen as mustard for anything I could give him on that bad excuse for a human being."
That piece of information didn't make sense – not at this moment anyway. Not now when Starsky was more concerned with what Huggy hadn't yet told him. Why would Riley be interested on news about Ryan from Huggy? When he was already aligned with him? Or was it that Riley was fishing for any possible feedback from he and Hutch via Huggy that Ryan might find useful?
For the moment he pushed it aside. He had other priorities right now.
"Last night?"
"Last night – after that other dude's funeral – the other Captain…."
"Dobson – Captain of the Nineteenth….And?"
"Yeah - well. Ryan came in here –late – put away an impressive amount of alcohol in a very short time, and in an even shorter amount of time he made himself pretty unpopular with a couple of other uniforms from a neighboring precinct. You'd know them – you've shared a few beers with them over the past year of more. But that's not important. They took off fairly soon after Ryan started up his best obnoxious act – yelling out about how much he hated Dobson, how his staff were happier without him – that sort of stuff."
"None of that is surprising." Especially Starsky thought to himself since he more than likely killed the man himself. He kept those thoughts from Huggy. It seemed that there was nothing in Huggy's information arsenal that was going to get him all fired up or worried. Most of this stuff was background on a man he already knew was heartless and sick.
"So? Ryan Lancaster is the prick of all pricks. Not a humane bone in his body. None of this is news to me. You called me down here to tell me this? Damn it Huggy - "
The spoon still in his hand was now flung down with a clatter onto the table.
It was Huggy's turn for indignation.
"Jeez Starsky – you are one short tempered prick today. First you go at me for not keeping you informed and then you get all high and mighty over the fact that I call you down to talk. I didn't have to call you down here at all my man - 'cept I was worried. Now I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have bothered. If it weren't for Blondie maybe I'd get up and walk off right now – leave you sitting here with your dark cloud over your head for company."
Huggy's ire didn't seem to reach him.
"What do you mean – if it weren't for Hutch? Is this about Hutch?"
"Seems to me that someone other than the select few know about Hutch's run in with the needle – and when that someone happens to be Ryan that bodes very badly for our blond buddy."
Starsky leaned forward and grabbed Huggy's wrist.
"What exactly did he say?"
"Just made heavy hints that Hutch might find himself up against the draw of the fix – that he might find he gets pulled back into the addiction. Once a junkie always a junkie sort of line. It was all bad anyway. The man is one piece of shit."
"I should have known he wouldn't leave that alone…."
"So he has known about this for a while?"
"I don't know how – but yeah – and it was a threat he has used against me before. Saying he would come forward to the Department and expose Hutch's heroin ordeal…"
Huggy was frowning.
"Well – I don't know if that was what he was hinting at last night. Seemed to me Starsky – that he was letting me know – so that I would quickly let you know, that Hutch might find himself in danger with the drug again."
"I'll kill him before he does that to Hutch again."
Huggy pulled back, narrowing his eyes at the menacing vow.
"Yeah – well that would leave you feeling good for all around five minutes and then you'd fuck up the rest of your life – goodbye Ryan, goodbye life as you know it and hello life sentence."
"It will be fuckin' worth it – just to have those five minutes."
Huggy did a quick glance around – wary that the vehemence and pure chill in his friend's words were somehow being picked up by others.
He lowered his own voice.
"Will? Starsky –I don't like the verb tense you're choosing to use there my friend. I suggest you think carefully 'bout where your rage is taking you. What's the point in saving Hutch if you lose him for good anyway?"
"He'd be saved. He'll be safe. Ryan won't be able to hurt him ever again – finality, closure."
"Listen to yourself man – what is with you! You think for one minute Hutch would want to be safe at that cost? That price is way way too high for him to pay."
As though he realized he'd gone too far with Huggy he broke the intensity of the moment, and dropped some of the ice-cold conviction in his voice.
"I just don't want Ryan to destroy our lives anymore – he's done enough. It's as though he won't be happy until he has wiped us both off the map. Such a sick sick fuck Huggy."
"I get that. I hear you – but I don't want to hear you thinking the only solution to get him out of your lives is to – to –"
Huggy thought it was almost possible to see the gears shifting in Starsky's mind as he attempted to shake off his concern. He knew he gotten too close, knew that Starsky had bled out too much of himself to him and now he was trying to pull it back.
"Don't worry – just me and my less than smiley mood lettin' loose. You said it yourself – I'm acting like a prick today – and this is just the prick in me talking."
"What if the prick in you doesn't go away? What if you lose control of him completely? What then my man? What then?"
"I've got it under control ok? I told you, it's just the heat inside of me trying to get out. I've gotta get back to the station – first day back and Dobey will have my ass for lounging down here with you. He knows I'm not covering cases or hunting leads so he'll be gunnin' for me if I don't get back to that damn desk."
He stood up.
"And Huggy. None of this – and I mean none of this, gets back to Hutch. We clear on that?"
"Why wouldn't you just assume I knew that would be the situation? Give me some cred here Starsky. I think I know how the two of you work by now. The rules of the game with you two never change."
"Ok – good. And also – I'm telling you, not asking - to keep Riley outta the loop with any of this too."
"Oh? You're telling me are you? You know what – I'm going back over to my bar and getting back to work. I've seen enough of your bully act today. Next time I see you in here, I hope you've sorted out some of this heavy shit that's making you act like this."
Shrugging into his jacket Starsky seemed to reflect on that for a moment.
"Yeah well? Blame it on the Department for lockin' me in a room with a shrink for weeks on end."
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH
It was after two in the afternoon when he got back to the station.
The conversation with Huggy had rattled him so badly that he was putting the call through to Robbery before he had a moment to think about it.
"Hey there. Not out on a scene? Thought you'd be busting your balls with back to back call outs today?"
"Hi yourself. Just got back in fact – solid busy first few hours but hopefully we'll have a lull now. Did I say that Robbery was quieter than Homicide? I need a damn coffee and some food. What about you? Are there any typewriters still in working order in the office?"
"Ha ha – just so happens I haven't broken one – yet."
"Yeah well, it's only your first day – give it time. Hey – by the way, one of the guys in the unit asked after you – said he saw you driving out of the garage a while ago? Don't tell me Dobey's let you off the chain already?"
Starsky twisted his mouth up. Seems they were keeping tabs on each other as usual. There would be nothing achieved in hiding the fact that he'd gone to Huggy's and nothing lost by admitting that was where he'd been. A usual enough event in their daily routine.
"No such luck. Just took an early lunch and dropped in to catch up with Hug. Haven't seen him in a while you know. He said Hi – and wants us both in for a drink soon. I think Hutch – he really means he wants you to settle your tab for the past six months."
The usual tab debate would help divert him from further questions.
"You mean our tab and by the way, it's your turn and you know it. Just because you went to hospital doesn't exempt you from your debts."
Yep – the tab thing always worked. Guaranteed to make Hutch lose his line of thought and no doubt, questioning.
"Great – such empathy for a sick friend."
"No doubt you added something else to the running bill. Anyway, good you got to see him. Somehow I don't think I'll be making it in there tonight. An afternoon like this morning and I'll want bed and nothing else. Look not sure what time I'm going to finish up here today – so maybe I'll call you later at home. Don't hang about – like I said, I'll tag a lift with someone else and bring my car in tomorrow."
"Alright – I was thinking of going into the Range later this afternoon anyway. Get some practice in."
"Guess that's not a bad idea. Ok – catch you later. Take it easy on the typewriter. Save your fingers for the trigger at the Range."
Starsky heard him chuckle lightly as he put down the receiver.
Another two hours to kill before he could legitimately and decently make an exit to the Range.
The idea of hitting the target range had come to him yesterday – around much the same time that he had first laid eyes of Ryan again.
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH
Riley had rounded the corner from the washroom and was headed toward his locker when he saw him. Fleetingly he wondered whether it wouldn't be wise to simply back out of the door quietly and avoid the face-to-face meeting. After all not another soul was in the locker room except the two of them and some form of acknowledgement or communication was inevitable.
Somehow he didn't think the communication was going to be in the realm of friendly or pleasant.
Starsky was turning away from closing his own locker, a small booklet in his hand, his eyes running down some penciled notes. He recognized it as the standard issue Record book for the Target Range.
Too late now. Too late to avoid what in the end had to be faced eventually anyway given that they were both stationed in the same unit on the same floor.
It was always going to come to this – he just didn't expect it to be the first day Starsky was back and in quite this way. Just the two of them in a barren room together.
Starsky's head raised at the sound – perceptive and quickly responsive. His cop like reaction time was definitely not rusty and for the first time when Riley saw those eyes track straight to him he could imagine what a formidable force he might be on the street.
The man standing in front of him now showed little trace of the wounded, hurt and psychologically worn down victim Ryan had abused. Instead Starsky was poised, hyper-alert, his concentration acute and fixated.
Palpable fury was emanating from him in waves and Riley knew that most of the fury was in honour of him alone.
He looks like some wild animal, something feral. Is that dark look on his face from thinking about me? Did I make him seem that way? Face this now Riley – face him. Don't back away.
Riley looked fury head–on and waited.
Somehow he knew Starsky's first words to him would be in his enigmatic style – and they were – but with such a heavy lacing of menace that Riley could never mistake Starsky's intention. To intimidate the shit out of him.
"Well look who it is. Is this the dumbest luck or what Riley? You walk into the locker room – a room I rarely even use these days – and who should you find standing here? The person you'd probably least like to be in a room with by yourself."
"I don't feel that way at all Starsky."
"You don't? Well ain't that nice? That's good - real good. I'm glad you feel like that Riley because you know - I've been waiting for a chance, just like this one, for the two of us to be alone - no Hutch - no big brother for you. Just us - so you and I can have a little talk. A talk that is long overdue."
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH