Chapter 15

Starsky stood outside the front door of the apartment and wondered just what he'd done wrong. So far as he was concerned, he hadn't coerced Gina into their few hours of passion. He was more than prepared to sit, talk, play Monopoly – whatever. And yet she'd come on to him, hadn't she? In fact she'd come on to him so strong that for a while he wondered if this was the same girl who had shied away from everything but just the straightest of sex. But that night she'd done everything. It was like she'd been reading the Karma Sutra, the Perfumed Garden and every Black Lace novel ever written. He was both stunned and at the same time thrown completely off balance.

He rubbed absently at his wrists, now raw and smarting from their tight confinement and he thought back. She'd collapsed against him after his earth shattering climax and had flung her arms over his chest, burying her head into his shoulder as though she was trying to hide away.

The brunet was the sort of guy who liked to kiss and cuddle after sex. He enjoyed making his women feel special, as though they were the most important people in the world. So to have his girlfriend suddenly get up off the bed, gather up his clothes and tell him she'd see him in the morning was, to say the least, disconcerting. As he'd started to pull on his jeans, she been almost waiting at the door and she gave him no time to shoulder into his shirt or kiss her goodnight. Instead, she stood by the open doorway with his car keys in her hand, gave him a perfunctory kiss on the cheek and closed the door behind him, leaving him open mouthed and nonplussed in the corridor.

For a moment he thought about banging on the door again and asking for an explanation, but when he thought about it, what was there to explain? He'd hurt her, he knew that. Lost as he was in his frenzy, he had forgotten just how big he was and how delicate she was and he hadn't taken care of her. He'd hurt her and he cursed himself, knowing there and then that he'd probably blown any chance of seeing her again. The thought left him saddened and, angry at himself, and he walked slowly back towards the elevator and out to his car with a frown on his face and a heavy heart.

Inside the apartment, Gina stood with her back to the door and sobbed as she pulled her negligee around her. She'd hated the evening. Well wait. She didn't hate what she'd done with the man who could turn her on just by looking at her with those deepest indigo eyes. That wasn't it at all. No, it was why she'd done it. How she'd been forced to do it, and what the outcome would be. As she wiped her hand angrily over her face, Ramsey stalked out into the bedroom with a smirk on his face and patted the sofa as he sat down.

'Marvelous darling. Absolutely marvelous. I had no idea that you could be quite so creative!'

She turned away from him as he tried to kiss her, feeling more than dirty enough as it was. 'Can I go now?' she asked angrily.

'Why would you want to go? Don't you want to see what a lovely couple you made? Wouldn't you like to hear him begging you again? I like the way he cares for you darling. It's so intense. Makes for a good show.'

'You said I could go once I'd done that. And you promised he'd never know anything. Are you going to keep your word? She asked him, her eyes flashing as her temper rose.

He grinned at her. 'Probably. Maybe. I don't know. The two of your together were…. Well. I'd love to see you do that again darling. And like I say, he'd never have to know anything about it. It'd be just our secret.'

She stared at him. 'You're sick, you know that don't you? I'll never do that again. Never! Apart from anything else, he'll probably think I'm so much of a whore that he'll never want to come near me again anyway.'

'Oh I don't know' Ramsey snickered. 'What man could resist being tied up by the woman he so obviously loves. That was so inventive darling. And you say you aren't talented? Could have fooled me!'

Gina bounced up from the sofa and started gathering her clothes. She headed for the sumptuously appointed bathroom and closed the door behind her, drawing the small bolt across to give her some measure of privacy. Hastily she got herself dressed again. The longer she spent in this apartment, the more she felt as though she'd lose the contents of her stomach down the pan. Just the thought of Ramsey watching, let alone videoing her and Starsky left her feeling little more than a harlot and she wanted to shower and scrub away the memory. And yet she wouldn't do that here. Even the water was dirty and tainted at that apartment.

Ensuring she had everything with her, Gina unbolted the door and made her way outside and into the living/bedroom. As she passed the television she was horrified to see that Ramsey was already playing the tape of her and her lover and she could hear Starsky's rough shout as he came the first time. She wanted to stuff her finger in her ears, but instead she bolted for the door as Ramsey's slimy voice rung in her ears.

'See you at work tomorrow darling. Pardon me if I don't see you out. I um… I have my hands full' he snickered as she slammed the door behind her.

OOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Next morning Starsky dragged himself from his bed and showered quickly. He still felt like a complete bastard about the previous night and as he heard his partner's impatient honking of the car horn outside his door he hoped that Hutch would for once be sensitive and not make fun of his failed love life. Taking his cuffs, badge, holster and finally his gun from the hook behind the door, he closed his door and headed down his steps to Hutch's battered car. As he got in he cast a sideways glance at his partner.

'Had a good night?' Hutch asked smoothly.

'What's that s'posed to mean?' Starsky growled.

'Just what I said. Did ya have a good night? Nothin' complicated.'

The brunet sighed. 'Sorry. Yeah, to a point it was incredible.'

'Wow. Up to which point?'

'To the point where we had an earth shattering climax and then she threw my clothes at me an' shoehorned me outa the apartment.'

'Did you argue or somethin'?' Hutch asked, seeing that his partner was in obvious pain.

'No. I could understand it if we had. But she was ok till we… till I…' he sighed again, the breath coming up almost from his toes.

'Well don't leave me in suspense buddy' Hutch urged as he turned on the engine and pulled away from the sidewalk.

'Well ya know I was sayin' about whether girls come in different sizes? I've always been real careful with her. But we were… well what we did was kinda….. I guess what I'm sayin' is I got carried away an' I hurt her an' I think that's why she got shut of me so quick' the brunet said sadly. 'I didn't mean to, but ya know what it's like when sumthin' is just so good ya can't hold back?'

'Aww buddy. I'm sure she'll be fine. You'll see.'

Starsky scowled, still angry at himself. 'Dunno. Hey, where're we goin'?' he asked as he looked out at the passing traffic.

'Back to the film studio. I got a feelin' that there's somethin' there we need to check out. An' before you ask, no I don't know what. It's just a hunch.'

'Sounds fine by me. We got zip so far. Go for it.'

'Oh an' I got a call from the hospital' Hutch said. 'Alice can come home this afternoon.'

'Yeah? That's great' Starsky muttered. 'She'll be able to rest better at home. Ya can never get any sleep in those places. If they aren't stickin' ya with needles they're wakin' ya up to ask if ya want a sleepin' pill. She'll be much better off in her own bed.'

'Well um. She…. She aint goin' home to her own bed' Hutch murmured slowly, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

'Where's she goin' then? I didn't think she had any relatives. An' I know most of her girlfriends aren't around durin' the night' Starsky snorted at his own humour.

'She's um, comin' home to mine. I said I'd look after her for a while.'

'What?'

Hutch cast a sideways glance. 'Well it's not like I haven't had practice. How many times have I had to do the Florence Nightingale trick with you buddy?'

'That's not what I mean Blondie an' you know it! Ya can't take her home Hutch. She's a material witness. It'd be wrong on so many levels. As I seem to recall I did the same thing once. Remember Sharman? I thought you'd knock my head off! This is just the same thing buddy. You could lose your job!'

'No-one needs to know. The thing with Sharman an' you went down fine. No-one got hurt an' she was all the better for it. Alice is on her own Starsk. She needs someone to look out for her.'

'And this has nothing to do with what happened between you and Sarah?'

'No!'

'Hutch, be careful buddy. This is only gonna lead to trouble. You should leave well alone.'

'And this from the guy who can't even fuck his girl without worryin.' Hutch winced at his own words. 'I'm sorry buddy. That was way outa line.'

'Nah, you're right. I just don't want ya getting' hurt' Starsky said sadly.

'I know. An' I won't. It isn't like that with me an' Alice. She just brings out the Mama in me' Hutch chuckled as he pulled up outside the film studio again.

At the front of the building there was a small store with blacked out windows and a door covered by flaked paint. They got out of the car and approached the front door just as one of the customers came out carrying a rectangular parcel in a plain brown wrapper. He looked up as the two men approached and ducked down the alleyway at the side of the building leaving the two detectives to walk into the shop. As they opened the door they were faced with posters hung from the ceiling proclaiming XXXX videos in various categories and Starsky elbowed his partner.

'Would ya look at that? Everythin' a dirty old man needs for a night in alone huh?'

'And then some' Hutch agreed. 'An' speakin' of dirty old men, isn't that…..' the blond pointed at a figure over in the corner of the store over by the back door.

'Ramsey. Ian Ramsey' Starsky finished for him. 'What the hell is he doin' here?' He walked over to the smart suited lawyer who was in deep conversation with the store owner. He glanced up as he felt the cop draw close and snickered as he recognised the brunet. Without any sign of embarrassment he pasted a grin on his face.

'Why Detective Starsk! I seem to be seeing so much of you recently!'

'It aint by choice' Starsky growled.

'Oh, I don't know' Ramsey replied cryptically. 'What can I do for you two gentlemen? Have you caught the man who robbed by office yet? Or is that beyond your capabilities?'

Hutch put a restraining hand on his partner's arm, holding the brunet back. 'We're working on it' he said smoothly. 'More to the point, what are you doin' here?'

Ramsey smiled easily, but his eyes never left Starsky as he replied 'We all have urges Detective. There's nothing wrong in a little innocent diversion, I'm sure you'll agree.'

'Whatever turns you on. 'Specially if ya can't get the chicks' the brunet grunted and turned away.

'Maybe I'll see you later' Ramsey said easily.

'Not if I have a choice'

'No, maybe not' the lawyer mumbled and turned back to the store keeper. As the two detectives waited the owner took Ramsey quietly to one side.

'You were saying you were looking for an investment a while ago' the man said quietly.

'Uh huh' Ramsey agreed softly. 'What have you got for me?'

The storekeeper pushed a crumpled piece of paper into his hand and the lawyer took it and looked at the penciled telephone number scrawled on it. 'What's this?' he asked.

'The number of a guy in Reno. He's been doin' a little business in the back studio and he's lookin' for investors. Somethin' ya might be interested in. It's kinkier than the stuff you've got there.'

'Yeah? How?' Ramsey asked.

'Take something from the bondage section and tell me what you think – complimentary of course. Try this for size' the man thrust a lurid covered video at Ramsey. 'And if you like what ya see then phone him. It'll be worth your while' the storekeeper said as Ramsey surreptitiously slipped out of the back door.

Hutch watched him depart as his partner continued poking around the videos and as soon as the coast was clear, the blond moved to the front door and slid the bolt home, locking it. The storekeeper looked up.

'Hey, what the hell d'ya think…. Oh shit' he said as Starsky flashed his badge at him. 'I don't know nothin' about anythin' the man said, waving his arms around vaguely.

'We didn't ask ya yet' Starsky responded smoothly. He picked up one of the videos on the small Formica counter. 'The Trap' he read out loud. 'Oh for Pete's sake! Where do people get off on this sorta junk? "As Jake is tempted by Erika's talents, she soon whips him into shape"' The front cover showed a man strung up by his wrists, naked, with a woman dressed in a black leather corset wielding a whip at his back. Starsky threw it down in disgust. He turned his attention to the shopkeeper again.

'Who uses the studio at the back, Jeff?'

'You know who uses it. Janos Martini.'

'Uh uh. He owns it, we know. But a little birdie told us he aint the only one who uses it. Wanna join that little birdie an' sing some more for us?'

'I don't know nothin.' I told ya' Jeff hedged. 'I wanna see my lawyer.'

Starsky snorted. 'Hear that Hutch? He wants to see his lawyer!'

Hutch nodded. 'Now ya see Jeff, I find that hard to believe. An' I think my partner does to, don't ya Starsk?'

'I do. For two reasons Jeff. First, what's a nice law abidin' storekeeper like you want so see his lawyer for? And two, what lawyer would want to protect scum like you?' And then the light dawned. 'Oh wait! Hutch. Who did we just see in here? An' what does he do for a livin'? Well aint that convenient?'

Hutch grinned. 'S'ok Jeff. Ramsey is a personal friend of ours. What he knows, we know. So why don't ya just tell us who's usin' the studio out back huh?'

Jeff looked dubiously at the two detectives. 'I don't know fellas. I mean I…. '

'C'mon, don't be coy' Hutch said quietly. 'We wouldn't want to have to bust your high class boutique for tradin' without a license maybe?'

The storekeeper swallowed, a tiny trickle of sweat making its way down the side of his face.

'Ok, ok. I don't know his name, honest I don't. But he has a place out in Reno and he's been rentin' the studio. Here. I got his telephone number. Just don't…. don't tell him I told ya huh?' The man scribbled down a number on a piece of paper and handed it over. Starsky took it with a grin.

'See? Wasn't that easy? Have a nice day Jeff' he said as they two detectives let themselves out of the back door.