Chapter Nine
Vanessa was nearly asleep by the time they reached the apartment block. Hutch parked her car in the underground garage and helped her out of her seat, guiding her over to the elevator and out into the lobby of the building. The security guard, behind the desk, nodded at him as they walked past. Once inside the elevator, Vanessa woke up a little and tried to hug Hutch, putting her arms up around his neck.
"Don't do that," Hutch said, as he firmly pushed her arms down and stepped away.
Vanessa looked confused and swayed a little before leaning up against the side of the elevator. She frowned at him.
Hutch was relieved when the elevator doors opened. He stepped out quickly and hoped that Vanessa would follow under her own power; he was loath to touch her again. When they reached the front door of 303, she fumbled in her pockets, then her bag, and finally produced a key to unlock the door. She walked slowly in until she came to the living room. Hutch left the door slightly open and followed her cautiously.
When she didn't speak, he said, "Sit down, Vanessa. I'll make you some coffee."
He went into the kitchen and quickly reheated the pot that was usually on the go and brought a mug of black coffee back into the living room. Vanessa was sitting at one end of the white sofa and patted the space next to her. Hutch handed the mug to his ex-wife and went and sat on the armchair, well away from her. She frowned at him and then took a sip of her drink and grimaced.
"I don't like black coffee, darling. You know that."
"It'll sober you up faster…What on earth are doing drinking this early in the day?"
Vanessa shrugged. "I needed a little pick me up after I got the red letter about the car payments."
"Where's your money gone, Vanessa? The apartment's all paid for thanks to my grandparents…You've only got household bills and the car – your trust fund should have been enough to tide you over until you could get a job or sell this place."
"I don't want to sell this place. It's home. I wouldn't get anything as suitable for entertaining guests if I sold."
"Van, you need to get your priorities right. Live like a normal person for a while."
Vanessa pouted. "A boring person, you mean. That's not me, darling. I have to have people around or I get bored, you know that. And I like to be called Vanessa."
Hutch sighed. "Well, if you want to keep entertaining guests, you'll have to get a job to pay for it."
"Yes, all right." The words sounded slightly annoyed. Vanessa steadied herself and then said, "Kenny, darling, you obviously still care otherwise you wouldn't be here. Can't we work things out so you'll come home?"
Hutch looked at her in disbelief.
Vanessa moved along the sofa until she was closer. "You've made your point, moving out and staying with that Starsky person, but now it's time to come home. I promise I'll be good. I'll be everything you want me to be. I'll even put up with you being a cop."
Hutch shook his head. "I wasn't making a point, Vanessa…I…You hurt me…You made me miserable and I nearly killed myself and that 'Starsky person', as you call him, saved my life."
Vanessa's eyebrows went up.
"You seem surprised, Van," Hutch said. "Yet you systematically tried to destroy me because you couldn't have things your way. How did you think it would end up? I had to get out, one way or another. I nearly chose the wrong way but, thank God, Starsky was there and got me back on the right way. Read my lips – we are over."
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears of frustration and annoyance, not sadness.
Hutch stood up. "Before I go, I just want to know one thing…Did you try to burn down Starsky's home?"
Vanessa shook her head. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."
Hutch tried to listen to her answer with his cop's instincts – he still wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or not.
"Well, I hope not…If it turns out you did, I will make sure that you get the punishment you deserve."
He started to walk towards the door. "Good bye, Vanessa. Please don't try to contact me again."
He'd almost reached the door, when he heard a sliding noise and Vanessa said, "My life's over."
He swung round to see that Vanessa had opened the door to the balcony and was walking towards the white metal balustrade that surrounded it. She grabbed a chair as she passed and dragged it towards the side. Hutch was across the living room in seconds.
"Vanessa, don't!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Starsky knocked on the open door loudly and called out his friend's name, "Hutch!" before carefully easing it back and peering inside. He couldn't see anybody.
"Stay behind me," he whispered to Evans and slowly made his way into the apartment, along the short entrance way, which opened out into the living room. His eyes swept the room and then he looked through the glass doors onto the scene on the balcony.
"Oh!" Evans said.
Vanessa was standing on a chair, leaning precariously over the edge of the white balustrade. Hutch was standing just the other side of the doorway, eyes fixed on Vanessa, talking quietly. Starsky saw one hand move behind his back and the fingers signalled him to wait. He was glad his friend knew he was there and that he didn't have to deal with this on his own.
Whatever was happening, Starsky knew the sight of him would probably only make it worse. He whispered to Evans for the pair of them to move slightly to the right so that they would be out of Vanessa's line of sight, if she looked into the living room, but staying close by in case Hutch needed them.
Starsky's heart pounded as he listened to what Hutch was saying.
"Vanessa, this isn't the answer."
"It's the only one I can think of…this way you'll feel sorry for me, at least."
"I do feel sorry for you but you're not thinking straight. Come on, come down, and we'll work out a plan together of how to sort out your finances. You know lots of people who would love to have you working with them. You're bright, beautiful, young. You've got a whole life ahead of you."
Vanessa's tone turned wheedling. "Tell me you love me, Kenny, and I'll come down."
Starsky couldn't believe that, even in this situation, Vanessa was still trying to manipulate Hutch. He saw Hutch freeze and then something changed in his friend's posture.
"Vanessa. You are unbelievable! You are still trying to manipulate me. I've had enough of whatever this is." He started turning as if to go through the door back into the living room. His eyes locked with Starsky's briefly.
Starsky saw Vanessa turn an enraged face towards Hutch and she stamped her foot. The chair wobbled. Hutch saw Starsky's eyes widen in shock and quickly turned back, just as Vanessa started to fall. In one long stride, he reached her and grabbed for her leg but the pull of gravity was too strong and she slipped from his hands. He could only watch in horror as Vanessa fell, turning his head at the last moment so as to not see the actual impact.
"Oh my God!"
Hutch's horrified eyes looked desperately at Starsky. A second later, Starsky was by his side and wrapping his arms around his shaking friend.
"Starsk…I didn't want this…I didn't want her dead."
"I know, buddy, I know. This is all on Vanessa. You tried your best."
Hutch went to look over the balcony but Starsky pulled him away.
"No, you don't need to see that, babe. Come on, come with me."
He pulled Hutch away from the balcony and into the living room and sat him on the sofa, keeping an arm wrapped around him. Evans had pulled himself out of his shocked state and got on the phone to the police, who informed him that units had already been dispatched at the request of Chief Stewart. He passed this information on and soon they heard sirens outside the building. A few moments later, there was the sound of the elevator door opening and feet coming down the corridor. Starsky was relieved to see Moores and Bennet.
The two detectives questioned them briefly and then allowed the three of them to follow them to the station in Starsky's car to make their formal statements. It was almost six by the time they were allowed to head back to the academy. At Starsky's request, Moores said he would see that Vanessa's parents were informed. The last thing he wanted was for Hutch to have to do it.
Hutch was quiet on the way back and, several times, Starsky glanced at him with worried eyes. When they'd parked up, Starsky suggested to Evans that he go ahead and meet the others for dinner and let them know what had happened. As they walked through reception, Chief Stewart appeared and stopped them. He placed a hand on Hutch's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Cadet Hutchinson. Anything I can do to help you, let me know."
Hutch nodded and Starsky said, "Thank you, sir. We appreciate that and we appreciate you acting so quickly to send help."
"Well, I wish it hadn't been needed…I think you should go and rest this evening, Cadet Hutchinson. Come and see me tomorrow, if you want to talk. My door is open."
"Thank you, sir."
The Chief nodded at Starsky and then let both of them leave. They walked in silence to their room.
"I'm all right if you want to go have your dinner, Starsky," Hutch said, as they walked through the door.
"No way, buddy…If you don't want to go for dinner, I'll go over in a bit and bring some food back here, but I'm not going off and leaving you right now."
Starsky sat down on the sofa. Hutch wandered up and down.
"What d'ya need, buddy?"
Hutch stopped and looked at him with eyes brimming with tears. "I need to turn back time so this afternoon never happened…but it did, didn't it…I hated her and I loved her, Starsk."
"I know, babe."
"Nobody should die like that."
"I know."
"Was it my fault? What could I have done differently? I shouldn't have called her bluff. I made her do it."
With that declaration, Starsky was on his feet with his hands on Hutch's shoulders. "Hutch, listen to me. I saw what happened. You were right; Vanessa was playing you."
"But-"
"No, you listen. When you called her bluff, she turned around and she was furious. I saw her face. She stamped her foot with frustration and that's what made her fall."
Hutch searched Starsky's eyes, seeking the truth.
"You're not just saying that?"
"It's in my statement, buddy…I wouldn't lie to you, babe, I promise."
Starsky saw the relief fill Hutch's face and then the sorrow.
"I-I still wouldn't have w-wished her dead."
"I know, babe," Starsky said, and he did know. He knew Hutch's heart was so big, it would try to find the good in everyone, and try to forgive the bad in everyone, too - even Vanessa.
Starsky pulled Hutch into a loving embrace and held him as he finally let the tears fall.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
It was Graduation Day; everyone in their group had passed with good results and all of them would be able to start their rookie training next week. Starsky had been the only cadet to get all perfect scores in Firearms, for which he received a gold medal. Starsky's mother, brother, uncle and aunt were all there to celebrate their achievement. Each cadet was allowed two tickets for the ceremony - Hutch had given his away to Starsky and told him to invite Al and Rosie. He didn't want to bother inviting his parents as he knew they disapproved of his choice of career and he didn't think they would show up even if he did invite them.
They took their celebrations to The Pits. Huggy was charming to all his guests, although he did admit he wasn't sure that he wanted to get a reputation for being friendly towards cops. "You'll ruin my cred-ibil-iteee on the streets," he moaned.
After a couple of hours, Bee and her parents said they had to be going. Bee hugged everyone but when she got to Starsky, she half-hugged, half gave him a peck on the cheek.
Erica rolled her eyes at her roommate. "For goodness' sake, give Dave a proper kiss. The pair of you aren't fooling anyone!"
Bee blushed. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
Erica glanced at the group. "Most of us are going to be detectives, dummy. We've got eyes!"
Starsky laughed and after a second Bee did, too, then she gave him a 'proper' kiss and promised to call him next week, before heading off with her parents.
Starsky's mother said, "I like her."
Evans and Myerson and their families left and gradually the group dispersed with promises to meet up at The Pits on the second Saturday of April. Uncle Al and Aunt Rosie left and Starsky, Hutch, Nicky and Mrs Starsky gathered up their jackets to go.
Huggy appeared. "Hutch, you found somewhere to live yet?"
"No, I've got a couple of places lined up to look at tomorrow. I've moved back in with Starsky for a couple of weeks now his apartment is okay to live in."
Huggy produced a piece of paper. "Got details of two that ain't been listed yet. I know the landlord, he's okay. Give him a ring and he'll show you round."
"Thanks, Huggy," Hutch said, as he looked down at the piece of paper. One was in a block called Decker Heights; the other was called Venice Place.
Starsky drove his Mom and Nicky to the small hotel they were staying in. He and Hutch climbed out so that Nicky and Starsky's mother could get out of the back seat. Nicky slapped his brother on the back and said goodbye to him and nodded affably to Hutch and then walked into the hotel. Before she left them, Mrs Starsky kissed them both and took their hands in hers.
She said, "I want you to know, I couldn't be prouder of both of you. I love you both. Take good care of each other."
Hutch said, "We will, Ma."
Starsky gave his mother a huge hug and said, "We'll be careful, Ma." He stepped back. "I'll pick you up at ten tomorrow to take you to the airport. Love ya."
As he drove them home, Starsky placed his arm across Hutch's shoulders and said, "We made it, buddy. Rookie training starts next week and I can't wait."
Hutch nodded. "Thanks, Starsk. Wouldn't be here, without you."
Starsky looked at him. "And I wouldn't be making good on a life-long dream if it wasn't for you. Fifty-fifty, buddy, remember."
"Yep. I remember."
They were nearly home when Starsky turned the car around and headed back the other way.
"Where are we going?"
"To the beach. I feel the need to yell," Starsky said.
Hutch grinned.
When they arrived, it was late and the beach was deserted. They walked down to the water's edge and then looked at each other and nodded.
"1,2,3. WE'RE GONNA BE THE BEST PARTNERS BAY CITY HAS EVER SEEN!"
A few startled seagulls took off and circled overhead.
"Think they agree?" Hutch said, watching them.
"Of course," Starsky said, "They know it's true. Me and thee all the way, partner."
Hutch wrapped his arm around Starsky's shoulder as they headed back up towards the car. "Like the sound of that…partner."
/\/\/\/\/\
A/N Well, we've made it to the end! I hope you feel I didn't deal with Vanessa to horribly! It's just how the story unfolded. happy to receive feedback by review or PM and thanks for reading!