Starsky was staring at the many pictures of his best friend on the wall while Hutch searched possible hiding places. A high school picture of the boys baseball team, winning the national title. All with proud smiles. A tall, slender blond with the bluest eyes and white teeth, holding the MVP trophy while the championship trophy was in front of the group. Hutch was in the middle of the group and next to him was another slender blonde with blue eyes, proud smile and her arm around her big brother's back. This could have only been the year Ken was sixteen and Mickey was thirteen. The Duluth duo, the star pitcher and the groundbreaking girl shortstop. The movie stars of the group of awkward high school boys. Ken looked about fourteen, geeky, but still nice looking and Mickey had pigtails.

Three years later Minnesota University won the college baseball national championship and again the MVP was a nineteen-year-old movie star handsome blond, with his sixteen-year-old sister by his side. Ken had matured and now looked 17 and Mickey had lost her early teen's awkwardness and looked the sixteen years she was. The pigtails were gone, her long hair braided.

Starsky noticed in amusement that the number of Mickey's uniform in both pictures was seven; nothing to do with her hero Mickey Mantle, he laughed to himself. Ken's uniform sported the number one.

Hutch had checked a few hiding places and found a couple of notebooks from Mickey. Starsky sat beside him on the couch as they both read.

The first note began with: I've decided to accept the challenge and today is my first day at the police academy. It's funny to see all the guys trying to look at me side-wise without me knowing it. Okay. I'm the elephant in the room, get over it. Classwork is easy for me, Ken has helped me with lessons, so I have a jump on the competition. It didn't take long for the guys to realize I wasn't going to wash out in the classroom.

Firearms: I'm doing as well as any other.

Self-defense. One wise guy yelled that I wouldn't have a baseball glove to protect me. The rest are scared to partner with me. They can't get over trying self-defense with a female. The only way to break the ice was to throw a few of them around until they see me as a worthy opponent. Finally, some are catching on.

Running. I'm faster than over two-thirds of the men. That has not made me popular. Hey, Ken and I ran track, remember?

Obstacle course. It's okay. I don't have big hands and arms and it is showing here. Good thing I always climbed trees, so I got over the wall quicker than most. My arms and legs are really aching even though I worked out leading up to the academy, but I won't complain. The first female cadet cannot be barely adequate; she must excel. I have bruises on my legs from tripping while on a sprint, and banged my shin hard, but stiff upper lip. I haven't been able to sleep for 3 nights because of pain. I am getting tired and missed some questions I knew in the classroom.

I think I heard of a "dare" the unattached cadets made to see who could get me on a date. I've frozen any attempts by them to flirt, insulted some that won't take no for an answer, and finally one, Del Stevens, is one that will keep trying until I say yes. I said he could take me to dinner and dancing. He was so proud until he picked me up. I did my best to look as unattractive as possible, opened doors for him, insisted rather loudly on paying at the restaurant, and was the clumsiest dancer he's ever seen. He was so mortified there was no kiss attempt and after the details of our date get around, I doubt any other cadet will try again. I wonder if Del has gotten over the fact that in dancing, I always tried to "lead".

Starsky and Hutch were laughing at the entries, plus a few other sly pranks Mickey had paid on her fellow cadets and the ones they started playing on her. The pages gave Starsky a glimpse into her personality. They continued reading.

The academy is over, and I finished first in the classroom exams and a respectable fifth in the physical part. I'm happy. First big problem, surprise, surprise, no one wants me as a partner, and all are afraid they'll get stuck with me. My concern is my partner will feel he has to protect me and get himself hurt or killed. No matter how many times they are told to treat me the same, it's still going to be hard.

Short straw was drawn by a ten-year veteran, Ben Carter. He is huge, six feet five inches and about 240. All muscle, it seems. I've been teased that I can hide behind him when the shooting starts. The surprising thing to Ben and me is that a belligerent perp sometimes calms down when he recognizes me. "Hey, little Mickey! Never forget you and Ken winning the national championship with my boy Ralph! Best catcher, ever, hey! Couldn't stop talking about how talented a pitcher Ken was!" And suddenly our prep/snitch turns friendly and gives us more information than we would have asked for. Our success rate skyrocketed. The ones who act negatively towards a female officer I just ignore or get a little physical if that's what it takes. Ben loves seeing me get one up on a smart-aleck perp. He lets me do the interviews now, standing back with a big smile on his face.

Captain says all reports on me have been good. Oh, I make mistakes, but no major ones. I see the glint of success in Chief McCallum's eyes.

The first real test was chasing a couple of jewelry store robbers. We were the closest unit to the silent alarm, but when the two men came out, they were firing and running. Ben stayed behind the car and got one; the other barely stopped. I took off running like mad and identifying myself as a police officer. It didn't impress him. He was taller than me, but heavier and didn't look to be in great shape. I gained vaulting a fence he had to climb. Training for climbing the Wall worked! He would turn and shoot, and I ducked and rolled and fired back. I hit him once in the leg, but a glancing wound and he barely slowed. But I could see little children in a yard two houses ahead, so I flew up the porch steps and leaped on him, knocking him down and then cuffing him. It was a calculated risk; I would have looked a fool if I missed, but when Big Ben and our backup unit came up, the perp was gasping for air, and when my hair came undone from under the cap, he was sullen. "Damn, caught by a girl cop. Didn't think they had girl cops."

Big Ben was so proud, and then tough guy starts whining about his wound. I was finally able to stand straight and Ben stared. "Hey, Mick, you didn't say he shot you."

"Because he didn't," I replied, then became aware of blood dripping from my left arm. Drat, it hurt! Big Ben sits me down on the porch, ambulances were already coming, and a rag was pressed against my arm to stop the bleeding. Tough guy was carrying on and I just looked at him in contempt. "Crybaby." That made the other officers laugh. They didn't notice how hard I was biting my lower lip to keep from crying. The two EMTs that arrived were Ken's friends, Mark and Jeff. They overdid the concern. I had to lay in the cot; they wouldn't let me walk to the ambulance. Jeff kept asking me if I was all right, any dizziness, etc. and how bad I was hurting. I snapped, "Since this is the first time I've been shot, I don't know how bad it is supposed to hurt." Then I added, "Take care of crybaby there, he's complaining enough."

Jeff and Mark glanced at each other and smiled as my brother cops laughed. They promised to call my family, I sighed. In the ambulance I started shaking and turned whiter, Mark said, and was nauseous. I took deep breaths, but felt my eyes leaking. Jeff scolded me for trying to be too brave. Mark asked if I had been scared. I didn't have time to be scared!

Surgery went well, of course, though I have Kenny's problem with anesthesia, nausea and dizziness. Chief showed up to congratulate me; Big Ben's report was glowing, though Chief and the others cautioned me about taking off after a suspect. I didn't want to say, but I don't think Big Ben could have caught him. Big Ben told me the day after the shooting I had a new name, Golden Girl. Joshua was away working at the Mayo Clinic; Judith came and cried. I was happy when she left. Mother and Father came, sat, were uncomfortable, and barely said a word. Carlton had the sense to stay away. Kenny called from Bay City and said he would be on the next plane out. Ingrid was the hardest visitor; she tried so hard to keep from crying and not show how worried she was. I had to remind her that this is what I signed up for and Hutchinsons never quit. She asked me the one question I knew she had been wanting to ask, did I become a police officer just to mirror Kenny? She believed me when I said no. Kenny arrived and was able to comfort Ingrid and lend his experience in an officer-involved shooting to me. He had stopped by the station during his visit and laughingly told me the perp, a Billy Boston, had been teased unmercifully in jail for being run down by a girl. Kenny also asked me if I was more nervous because of getting shot. Yes, I will be even more cautious in the future, and I'm sure I'll notice butterflies in my stomach more, but I wouldn't have changed anything I did. Big Ben, who seems to be taking credit for my performance, shook Kenny's hand, nearly knocked him across the room as he gave a pat on his back, and assured him he would take care of me. "Your sister is my favorite partner." Since his partner was the much-maligned Jose Gallup, anyone would be a step up. Review board, therapy, the wound wasn't bad. The two perps copped a plea and so I didn't have to testify. I got teased the wimp didn't want to hear about his collar. Then I heard I was getting a new partner. Jed Rollins.

TBC