Chapter 3

'Starsky! STARSKY ….. for God's sake Staaarsk….oh shit' Hutch shouted after his partner's retreating back before clutching at his chest with his right hand. He staggered backward and tripped over one of the chairs in the visiting hall, landing heavily on the hard wooden surface. He bent over, head close to his knees as he battled with the angina-like pains in his chest and fought to breathe. Having only been out of hospital a few days, he really shouldn't have been there. Hell, he shouldn't even have been out of bed, but he'd persuaded Traff to drive him over to the prison after phoning and speaking with the warden.

The door to the hall opened on the public side and the soldier rushed through, skidding to a halt next to the blond. Traff fell to his knees in front of his friend and looked up into Hutch's face.

'What's up buddy? Where's Curly? Are they keeping you waiting?'

Hutch looked up, his face still crumpled in pain and shook his head. 'He came in, took one look at me and left. What've I done at him that he doesn't want to see me? How can he be like that?'

Traff looked perplexed. 'I have no clue Pal. Who knows what's goin' through that curly head? But you have to understand he must be hurtin so much.'

'Uh huh? Well so am I. God knows I'm not a selfish guy, but fuck Traff. I just wanted to see him.'

'Didn't he even stop to say hello?' Traff asked.

'He didn't even stop to draw breath. But he looks like shit. He's hurt. He has a black eye, and he's walkin' like he's hurt.'

'You got all that from the few seconds you saw him?'

The blond snickered. 'I've worked with the guy day in, day out for years. I know him better'n I know myself. Or at least I thought I did. I've seen him hurt too many times not to notice. He kinda walks stiff, like he's tryin' not to breathe too deep? And he was walkin' like that today. I need to see Warden Mallozzi.'

'You need to come home and get some rest buddy. Look at ya. You're all in and you're obviously in pain. C'mon. We can try again in a few days. Maybe then Curly will have worked some stuff out.'

'We're here now. Just help me up an' we can go an' see the Warden. He might have some answers. Maybe Starsky's already spoken to him. Who knows? I can't leave him like this' Hutch pleaded.

'You can't do much about it Pal. This is a jail, not a hospital. You can't just sign a slip an' take him home ya know.'

'I gotta do somethin'.'

Traff saw it was no use arguing. The Hutchinson stubborn streak had gotten the blond through the days of fever and the pains of his recovery. Now it was hell bent on making sure his brunet partner was, if not ok, then at least well looked after. And to be honest, Traff too wanted answers about his long time friend too. This was so out of character that he felt like he was in one of those science fiction films where a doppelganger comes down to earth and takes over some unsuspecting man's body. Unfortunately, this was reality and not some film, and Starsky, Traff and Hutch were caught in the middle of the tortuous reality.

With a stifled hiss, Hutch lurched to his feet and leaning heavily on Traff, the two men made their way from the room and along the corridor back to the reception hall. Hutch rapped on the glass bandit screen of the reception desk and when the young woman greeted him, he asked to see Warden Mallozzi. The girl looked sceptical but said she'd make the call and a moment later came back to say that the Warden would see them there and then.

After a wait of no more than five minutes, a uniformed guard walked into the reception hall and led them through long corridors and up some steps to a top floor corridor and to a large corner office. By the time the long walk was over, Hutch was gasping for breath and weary, the pains in his chest burning with lack of oxygen. He stopped for a moment outside the large office and got himself together before knocking on the door and waiting for the voice inside to tell him to come in.

Warden Alfred Mallozzi was an old friend of Captain Dobey. And ex cop who had found himself a new career path, he was a huge bear of a man with a round, genuine face, bright honest eyes and a smile so wide that it lit up a room. Unlike a lot of other Wardens, he genuinely cared for the inmates in his facility and although he couldn't keep his eyes on every corner of the prison, he earned respect from prisoners and most of the guards alike. He had a head of steel grey hair atop a bronzed face and as the two men walked into his office he stood, flashed a grin at Hutch, nodded at Traff and invited them to sit down.

'So, how is he?' Mallozzi asked as he poured coffee for both men.

'I have no idea. He wouldn't even speak to me' Hutch admitted bitterly.

'He wouldn't huh? Well, you have to understand that jail affects men in different ways. Starsky has only been with us a short time. Maybe he just takes more time than usual to settle down.'

'No, you don't understand Sir' Hutch interrupted. 'He's hurt. He's bruised and I could tell he was hurt. I want him out. I need him safe.'

The warden smiled sadly. 'If I could get him out, don't you think I would? I have no idea what his motives were for what he did. Hell, he's on remand, I don't even know if he did what he's supposed to have done. That isn't my job gentlemen. But as for getting him out of here? I can't do it, and I know you know that. Ken, believe me, I know how tough this is for you, and if you're telling me that he's picked up injuries while he's been in here, then I will certainly make investigations into them. But as for protection, he's in solitary. I don't know how much safer I can make him and I'm sure he already sees solitary confinement as an added punishment.'

'I know you're doing what you can Sir' Traff nodded. 'I think what Hutch is saying is that Curl….Starsky isn't acting normally, not even half way normal considering he's locked up. Isn't there anything you can do?'

'Can't you force him to see me?' Hutch asked.

Mallozzi shook his head. 'I'm sorry Ken. He may be my prisoner, but he still has some rights, and one of those is choosing who he wants to see. If he won't see you, I can't make him, and it wouldn't do any good even if I could.'

Hutch sighed. 'I know. I'm just….. I can't handle seeing him like this. It's not him.' The blond snorted. 'Neither is shooting me. Something made him do it, but as to what….'

Mallozzi watched as Traff put a reassuring hand on Hutch's shoulder, and came to a decision.

'This is highly irregular, but God knows I owe my life to Harold Dobey countless times over and I know what it's like to be out on the streets with a partner and to trust your life to another man. Here's what I can do. I can't force him to see you, but I can force Starsky to see the prison psychiatrist. Maybe if he undergoes some counselling, he can start to deal with what's happened? We're having a lot of success at the moment with hypnotism, maybe that would help?'

Traff looked hopefully at his buddy. 'What do you think?'

'I dunno. Hypnotism? He needs help, not to squawk like a chicken or bark like a dog. And it don't work for everyone. I know I can't be hypnotised, one of my Dad's friends once tried it out on me.'

The Warden shook his head. 'This is therapeutic, but you're right, not everyone can be hypnotised. But it's worth a try, isn't it? It's the best I can offer.'

For a moment both men considered. 'Ok Sir. Please, if you can organise it, it's worth a try. Shit anything is worth a try at this stage.'

Mallozzi smiled. 'I'll organise it and I'll make sure the doctor tapes the sessions. We might be able to use some of the information. And that way, you'll still be able to see your friend, even if it is second hand. Now I need you to go home and rest. You're still recovering, I know. There's nothing more you can do here son' the Warden said kindly. 'Just leave it to us huh?'

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Starsky shuffled back to his cell without a backwards glance. Feeling raw, and angry at himself as he did, there was no way that he could face seeing Hutch. The glance he'd had at his partner made him realise just how close he'd come to killing him. Hell, in his frenzy, that had been his aim all along and only fortune had made his aim faulty.

Hutch had looked frail, sick and old beyond his years, but the look of eagerness and compassion in those crystal blue eyes had been what had made Starsky bolt for the door and he'd managed to make it back to his cell in double time, despite the chains round his ankles hobbling him and impeding his gait. At the cell door, he waited while the guard removed the cuffs from ankles and wrists and unbuckled the heavy leather belt from round his waist and then, with a sigh of relief, he heard the door to his cell clang closed as he flung himself down on the hard, narrow bunk. Wearily, he laced his fingers behind his head, led on his back and stared at the annoying spider shaped stain on the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to wander back to the beginning of the whole sorry tale, for the first time since he'd voluntarily given himself up.

'Hutchinson, Starsky, I want you in my office now' Dobey's voice sounded loud in the confines of the office and reluctantly, the two detectives got up, poured another cup of coffee and headed into the inner sanctum. Starsky also took a tidy sheaf of papers with him and as they sat down, he placed them on Dobey's desk. The Captain eyes them suspiciously.

'What's that?'

'My expenses, added up, indexed and filed to within an inch of their lives' the brunet smiled, obviously pleased with himself. The Captain, however, had other plans for them and merely brushed the paper clipped pile to one side.

'We got bigger fish to fry than expenses' he announced and opened a large buff coloured folder on the desk in front of him. 'I want you two to go out to the Willows Children's Home out on East Shore Drive. We've had a report that they've found a skeleton under the floorboards and they want cops down there right now.'

'Skeleton under the floorboards? A skeleton? It's hardly homicide Cap'n. Shouldn't you be getting' the coronor's office involved instead of us?' Hutch asked, trying to read the file upside down.

'When I say I want you down there, Hutchinson, I mean I want you down there. I know the difference between a cop car and a coroner's wagon. So get off those chairs and get your buts down to the home huh?'

Starsky beamed at his partner as he stood up and retrieved his expenses sheets. 'God he's magnificent when he's angry, aint he?' he said as he made for the door.

'What did he just say?' Dobey thundered.

'He um…. He said have a nice day Cap'n' Hutch said smoothly as he followed Starsky out into the corridor.'

Starsky's musings were interrupted by a noise at his door and as he pushed himself into a sitting position on his bunk, the door opened as Rafferty the guard came in. The brunet eyed him suspiciously, it being highly unusual for him to see anyone during the day. His only contact with human beings in the past 3 weeks had been the hour of "communal time" per day and the visits he had had with the lawyer that the state had provided for him.

The guard leered at him as he closed the door behind him.

'Thought you'd escaped earlier did ya? You ought to know that eye candy like you gets plenty of attention in a place like this.'

Ordinarily, Starsky would have been swift to retort, some wisecrack never far from his lips. But since the incident that had brought him here, he had no energy left for clever responses and no fight left in him and so instead of opening his mouth, he conserved his energy, accepting that what was to come was fair retribution for what he'd done to his best friend.

It didn't stop him backing up on his bunk, however, as Rafferty bore down on him and he finally felt the cold, hard wall at his back, meaning he could back no further. Starsky sighed and waited.

'Stand up when a guard talks to you' Rafferty commanded.

Reluctantly, the brunet got to his feet and stood, hands at his sides and his eyes fixed on the ground in front of him. The big man wielding the baton seemed pleased.

'Now take off your shirt and lets see what you've got to offer.'

Again, there would have been a time when the curly haired cop would have answered with his fists and with a smart retort, but circumstances had changed him and with a sickly knowledge of what was to come, Starsky pulled the rough denim shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor.

Rafferty cast an appreciative eye over the lightly furred, olive toned skin, it's silvery surgical scars standing out white in the harsh glare of the cell's neon light. Lightly, the guard traced one of the longer ones with his finger from just above Starsky's navel upwards towards his throat. His hand loitered mid chest and playfully squeezed a nipple, staring into his captive's face as he saw indigo eyes narrow. There was no other reaction however and Rafferty grinned to himself. It was refreshing to find a guy who didn't fight him all the way and roughly he put his hands on Starsky's shoulders forcing him down to his knees.

Rafferty opened his zip with his free hand, the other being entwined in the brunet's curls and as his cock sprang free from its prison, he snorted softly.

'You know what to do. Show me how good you are with those lips, cop, and maybe you'll get a reward.'