Chapter nine
"Oh my God, it's coming from the picture gallery!" Marie gasped.
Hutch ran in long strides toward the small room where Hanson had just disappeared. The noise from the alarm system rang in his ears. He entered the room and saw Hanson, holding a gun in his trembling hand.
In front of him lay a dark figure on the floor. It had a mask over its face and didn't move.
"What's going on here?" Hutch shouted and Hanson stuttered:
"I– I saw him demounting the Pi– Picasso and shouted at him to stop. But he r– ran toward the window. I warned him once more. He didn't listen and started to climb out– out of the window. Then I shot him..." Hanson's voice broke.
"Stay back, please!" George DuPont's voice told the guests very determinedly to stay outside of the room. Hutch kneeled at the side of the stranger and checked his pulse.
"It doesn't look so good," Hutch said and pulled the mask off the face.
"No!" A cry tore at everybody's heart when Marie recognized the man on the floor.
"Jules!" She fell on her knees, cupping his cheek. "C'mon, wake up!" A dark stain spread out on his black t-shirt.
"Ken, what can we do?"
Hutch lifted Jules' head carefully and asked, "Jules, do you know where my partner is? Mr. Starsky. You know, the dark, curly-haired man. I'm sure you know where he is right now. I have to know it!"
Jules moaned and mumbled fighting unconsciousness, "Love… Brian… never let go…"
He fainted again and his pulse got weaker.
"Jules, damn it! It's all over. Tell me about the man you've taken because you thought he was Brian. Where is my partner?"
Hutch felt desperate. If Jules died they would never know where Starsky had been taken.
Marie bent over her brother. "Jules, it's Marie. Hey, look at me. You know I was always on your side. You can trust me. Where have you been, and who was with you?" she stroked his hair and slowly Jules regained consciousness.
"Sis." His voice was hoarse, and he had difficulties breathing. Then he looked at Marie and a little smile crept over his face.
"D'you remember where we played when we were kids?" He coughed and Marie held his head.
"Tell me, Jules, where was it?"
It demanded much effort for him to answer.
"The old arch by the Smitter estate, that's where we played when we were kids and Mom and Dad talked with the adults… I want Brian and I never let go."
He stopped talking and lost consciousness.
"I'll go and call the ambulance!" George DuPont turned and hurried out of the room.
Hutch tried to stabilize the young man. Hopefully the ambulance would arrive in time to take him to the hospital before he lost too much blood.
Hanson was still in shock. "I'm so sorry, but it was my duty to shoot him. I thought he was an intruder…" he said over and over again.
"You'll be asked by the police about that," Hutch stated.
Hanson crouched next to the unmoving man.
Marie turned to Hutch. "Ken? I think I know what Jules meant with the old arch. Somewhere near the Smitter estate is an old building that hasn't been used for a long time. As kids, we played there. It was a little creepy and made it an exciting adventure. Do you think Jules has taken your friend there?" Marie exchanged a glance with Hutch.
"It's possible," Hutch admitted. Then he asked her, "Do you remember where that building is? Would you able to find it? If not, we have to ask the Smitters again."
He looked at her questioningly and saw her frown.
"I'm thinking about our childhood when our parents were still in contact with the Smitters. We discovered it one day, when we were outside, playing hide and seek. It must be behind the mansion, deep in the woods. Let's look for it. If I can't remember the place exactly, we have to ask John again." She looked uncomfortable and Hutch smiled.
"You don't like that guy?"
Marie shook her head.
"There was a time when we were quite close… till our parents decided to split us up. But that's been a while ago. Let's go and find your partner!"
Encouragingly she patted him on the back.
Leaving the confused circle of people behind them, they took the Torino out of the garage and followed the road to the Smitters' winery for the second time that day.
Starsky had lost the feeling for time. His body was hurting badly and his tied ankles and wrists didn't leave him the freedom to move. He was sore and his limbs had become numb.
Though he hadn't eaten for hours, he wasn't at all hungry. He felt sick and feared vomiting again. He didn't want Jules to come back, but on the other hand he felt abandoned. He wasn't willing to believe that Hutch had given up on finding him.
Hutch was like a blood hound when his partner was in trouble. Hutch never stopped till he had found the person responsible for Starsky's misery. Starsky sighed and a little hope came back that Hutch would find him before Jules came back.
His kidnapper had an ambiguous personality. He hadn't known any scruples when he had touched Starsky and had felt his rejection. He was blinded by his arousal, and Starsky feared that he wouldn't be able to get away as easy the next time. He was sure that Jules would take what he wanted, and Starsky wouldn't have any chances to defend himself, let alone to engage Jules in a conversation.
The imagination of being touched sexually made Starsky gag. He was sweat-beaded and his heartbeat went up. Before he began to hyperventilate he had to calm down. He forced himself to take deep slow breaths and after a while he was feeling better. He began to think about his situation rationally.
The worst was that he couldn't move with his wrists and ankles tied. He had tried to grind the ropes against the wall and had hurt himself more. It was hard to flex his fingers; they were numb and ached with the slightest movement.
Starsky moaned because of the pain. Helplessly he lay panting on the mattress, his stomach churning.
He had to think positive again. How much fun they had had on their way to Napa Valley. They had sung a song, and he had enjoyed reading Sammy Grovner's book. Hutch had made fun of it, but Starsky knew from the glances Hutch had thrown him that he appreciated Starsky's cheerfulness.
Starsky took a deep breath – and suddenly he remembered their bantering when he had proposed to practice the rope trick from Sammy's book with Hutch. This trick was about how to untie yourself, but Starsky couldn't recall exactly how it had to be done.
He started flexing his fingers. Slowly, he was able to bend them a little more and he felt the rope tighten around his wrists. Concentrating. Starsky moved his fingers more and more. Patiently, he fumbled for the rope, trying to figure out what kind of knot Jules had used.
The exertion made him sweat profusely, but it lifted Starsky's spirit. Finally he had a new goal: to get rid of the ropes.
"Yeah!" Starsky cried out when he was able to loosen the knot. He felt grateful to Sammy Grovner for giving some tricks away in his book.
Starsky rubbed his hands till he could move them a bit easier. Then he untied the ropes around his ankles, too. To get up, however, was almost impossible. He was so weak, his legs wouldn't carry him, and he sank back on the mattress.
He bent his legs and stretched his arms and was relieved when he felt his strength come back. At last he got up slowly, feeling still dizzy, but being free of the ropes gave him enough power to examine the room again, this time more.thoroughly.
He moved near the wine casks in one corner of the dark room and noticed that there was a little space between the heavy casks and the wall behind. If he hid behind them and got one of them to roll, when Jules came back, maybe surprise would be on his side and Jules would get distracted. Then he could flee…
Starsky crouched between a barrel and the wall. He was about to settle down when another idea hit him. He moved toward the oil lamp and doused it. Now it was pitch black in the arch.
Starsky slid down against the wall and its dampness made him shiver. His clothes were dirty and crumpled, and the odor of sweat mingled with the air of the room.
Suddenly he realized that he was thirsty again, but he wasn't up to crawling back to the mattress to fetch the bottle of water Jules had left behind. Starsky tried to keep awake but his tiredness outweighed his survival instinct and he dozed off.
The sound of heavy bumps against the door startled Starsky. "Hutch?" he whispered, hoping for a moment that his partner had come to rescue him. But the impact of the blows, accompanied by curses, told Starsky that someone else tried to enter the locked arch. He sensed that it couldn't be Hutch, so he stayed behind the casks, not daring to breathe.
The headlights illuminated the narrow lane that led along the Smitter estate.
"Somewhere along here must be the turnoff that leads to the old arch," Marie whispered, and Hutch slowed down to find the right way. Earlier, they had lost their way two times, and had ended first, in a quarry, and then in a dozing flock of sheep.
"Look over there. I remember the wood, it was so scary at night. I feel a little strange now, too," Marie admitted and groped Hutch's sleeve.
They drove on till the next bend. Hutch braked abruptly.
"There's a parked car." Hutch frowned and heard Marie gasp.
"It's Dad's car. Wow, he was going fast in getting to your friend. I didn't know that he was driving here."
Hutch motioned her to be quiet. He couldn't explain it, but he had a weird feeling that something was wrong. Quietly they got out of the car, and Hutch avoided slamming the door shut.
They crept nearer to the building that was hidden behind trees and bushes.
Once, Marie stumbled and Hutch supported her, holding her arm. In the darkness he could only sense her grateful mile.
They jerked to a halt when they saw the splintered door and heard a menacing voice.
"It's stupid to hide, Brian. I know you're here. It's payback time. You'll never betray me again. You turned my son's head four years ago and dared to come back to use his devotion to you to ruin my business for the second time."
"My son just got shot while he tried to steal my Picasso – you two wanted to start a new life with my money? Forget it! Just in case you didn't know, I don't care a lot for my wayward son. But I care about what YOU have done, you little piece of shit!"
"I always thought we were business partners, and I trusted you with our secret job – now, Brian MacPherson, you come out immediately and tell me what you did with the millions of raised money I entrusted to you!"
"Four years ago our mission was becoming more and more important, and you know I was fighting for the rights of our brothers. But our go-betweens waited in vain. The money you were to give them, to pay for the guns, never arrived! Don't you believe in the IRA any longer? We can't give up the fight for a better life for our brothers in Northern Ireland, but traitors like you, I give short shrift. You spoilt this night for me, too. My guests are acting like roused chickens. No way they'll donate a single dollar tonight."
"Show yourself at once, Brian, or I'll shoot in all directions!"
Frozen, Marie and Hutch heard the ranting in the darkness inside. Someone bumped into something and a shot was fired.
Hutch got into action. If Starsky was inside the arch his life was in danger. Hutch heard more noises of kicking against something and of DuPont cursing himself for not having brought his flash-light.
Hutch entered the room cautiously, avoiding making any noise. At this moment he heard a sound from the left as if something heavy was set in motion. Someone gave a yelp, and it seemed as if a body hit the ground.
Hutch couldn't see anything, but a moaning came from DuPont who had obviously been put out of action.
Hutch looked around and when his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, he could just barely make out a mattress and ropes lying beside it. He bent down to pick some up.
Silently, he neared DuPont who was writhing on the floor, half stuck under a cask. He tied the man's wrists, ignoring his whining.
He knew that Marie was behind him and he let her cope with her father's dirty business, and felt his way through the room. He stumbled over a big cask and looked for support along the wall.
He groped something soft and a whimper came from just in front of him.
"No, Jules, I can't do it. Please leave me alone." A sob broke free and Hutch was overwhelmed to hear Starsky's strained voice.
Hutch ran his hand along the figure in front of him and felt the other tense and jerk back.
"No, I don't love you. I'm not Brian. Please let me go."
Now Hutch was getting concerned. He tried to lighten the mood.
"Don't say you don't love me, babe. It's me, Hutch, and of course you aren't Brian. Jules has been shot and can't harm you."
Saying these words, Hutch realized what Starsky may have endured during his capture and he felt desperate all of a sudden. His relief, that he had found Starsky, was clouded by the suspicion that maybe Starsky had been seduced by Jules. That would explain his frightened behavior.
"Oh God, what did he do to you? Are you hurt? Don't be afraid. Talk to me!"
Hutch drew back and felt Marie's hand on his shoulder.
"How's your friend?"
"Not so good," Hutch said, looking up into Marie's sorrowful face.
"Hutch?" Starsky tried to scramble up from the floor, but was too weak to stand. He slid down the wall and moaned.
"Buddy, yes, it's me. You're safe. You wanna come outside with me?" Hutch said softly, and for the first time since he had neared his friend, Starsky looked not so scared, though his face was very pale and he still seemed to be in a state of shock.
"Give me a hand, then I can help you up." Hutch reached out. Starsky hesitated, then he held his hand toward Hutch who took it and swallowed the lump in his throat.
He had to concentrate on the task ahead; to bring Starsky back safe and sound. To deal with the psychological damage would be the next step.
"What're we going to do with my father? I fear the police will want to have a word with him," Marie said and Hutch acceded.
"I hope I can reach the police from our car. They can take care of your father. I'll take Starsky to the emergency room to get him checked."
"No, take me home, Hutch. No doctors…" A weak mumble showed Hutch what he had expected, Starsky hated hospitals and ER's.
"We'll see, buddy." Supported by Marie and Hutch, Starsky was led to the Torino. Hutch motioned him to sit in the back but Starsky refused. So Marie sat down in the rear and Hutch helped Starsky into the passenger's seat. Leaning his head back against the headrest, Starsky watched every movement Hutch made. In between, he looked around, watching the dark surroundings, a haunted expression on his face.
8