Feedback: Always shamefully solicited, but please remember, none of us are professionals so when critiquing, be lenient.
Disclaimer: I own no one, and nothing. The OC's are ours and the idea is loosely based on a movie called 'The hitcher', no infringement on the copyright is intended. The names have been changed to protect the innocent, namely, me!
Author's Note: This story is being written with the help of a couple of very important people to me. Thank you Eli for your contributions and encouragement, also written with the constant help of Brook, (she is, and always will be my sounding board.)
Red
Chapter Seven
Hutch walked into the bar, he immediately thought that this was not the type of place Starsky would be caught dead in…He cringed at the thought of the metaphor. Holding the door open for Helen, he figured it would probably be wise to stick close to her. Even is she was a police officer, she could wind up getting hurt, given the right situation, or hurting someone else.
They both looked around the bar, feeling a pain of sadness the stabbed their hearts. All eyes followed them as they moved through the establishment, they were sure that they stuck out like a couple of sore thumbs.
It hurt Hutch to think about Starsky winding up at a place like this, even for one night, his friend needed him, and he wasn't there for him. He and Helen walked up to the counter as Hutch reached for his shield and presented it for the bartender.
"My name is Detective Sergeant Kenneth Hutchinson," he pointed to Helen, "this is Detective Helen Davidson. We'd like to ask you a few questions." Hutch informed the man behind the counter.
The man looked at Hutch in disgust, "Whatya need, can't you see I'm busy." He spat as he all but ignored the tall blond.
Hutch moved around the back of the bar and grabbed the bartender, slamming him up against the counter, much to Helen's surprise. He leaned into the frighten man as he pursed his lips and spoke quietly but with deep intent.
"I don't give a shit how busy you are, me an' my friend here are investigating a murder and a missing police officer…now are you gonna answer our questions or are we gonna need to shut this place down for health code violations?" Hutch slowly released the trembling man, "choice is yours…"
"Okay, okay…whatever you say, but can we take this out back, you're gonna scare away the customers." He asked as he started to walk through the kitchen with Hutch right behind him.
Helen stayed behind to try and ask some of the patrons of the bar if maybe they had seen Starsky or had seen the alleged altercation. Hutch and Ramon, the bartender, made their way to the stock room in the very back of the bar. Hutch dug into his pocket and pulled out a picture of Starsky, flashing in his face and pointing at it with his finger.
"Two nights ago, he was in your bar…tell me what happened." Hutch directed, leaving no room for options.
"Yeah, he was here, looked real down too. Tracy tried hard to cheer him up, but he wouldn't let her help, if you know what I mean." Ramon said with a wink of his eye.
"No, I don't know what you mean." Hutch said. "Why don't you try spelling it out for me?"
"Well Tracy is one of our resident 'gals', she keeps the truckers that are passin' through happy, if you get my drift." Ramon started to explain as Hutch realized that Tracy must have been a hooker, that was all his friend needed that night seeing how that is part of the reason he and Helen got into a fight. He started to get the feeling this was not going to wind up good. "Well, she saw that your friend there was really down, and she offered her 'services'."
"And?" Hutch asked, knowing that Starsky would never…
"He turned her down of course, but that didn't stop her from tryin' harder. Ya' know she can be quite convincin' when she wants to be."
"That's just great." Hutch started to get impatient, "Could you hurry this along…get to the point."
"Needless to say, she failed in 'helping' your friend, so Robert, her ex-boyfriend stepped in…He's not all bad, but that night he had a little too much to drink."
"I guess your friend doesn't like to mind his own business and he and Rob got into it…it really didn't last more than 30 seconds, your friend saw to that. After that, management asked him to leave, we police our own here, and we don't like it when strangers get involved in or business."
Hutch took offense to the last comment about Starsky minding his own business, he would only butt in if someone needed help, too bad others didn't see it that way. "Where can I find theses two patrons of yours?" Hutch asked.
"In the bar," he pointed over Hutch's shoulder, "Where they are every night."
Hutch looked back at the bar as he noticed that the noise level coming from there had increased ten fold. His heart skipped a beat as he thought about the other officer with him. Helen…He ran back into the crowded establishment.
XXXX
Starsky had fallen asleep; he faintly heard the car pulling back up. His chin was planted firmly into his chest as his mouth was open slightly. In his dream, he was behind the wheel of his beloved Torino, Hutch at his side, Helen in the back seat, where she belonged.
His dream was disturbed by the low rumblings of the Thunderbird pulling up into the cabin's driveway. He slowly raised his head, reality and pain crashing back down on him like a ton of bricks.
He heard two voices, one he recognized as Kevin's and a woman's voice. His stomach lurch upward into his throat as he realized they had company. The poor girl from the drive thru at Mc Donald's was now Kevin's latest prey, his conquest.
They were far enough away where they wouldn't be able to see Starsky unless he created a scene, or they were looking for him. His initial reaction was to scream out, tell the girl to run for her life, but if he did that would Kevin kill her immediately? If he kept his mouth shut, would Kevin have his fun with her, her being a consenting willing partner, and then drive her home, or let her walk. Either way, that scenario was far more appealing than the first.
He watched as Kevin parked the car, the dark night sky filled with stars, it was clear and cool, too cool for Starsky and his damp wardrobe. Kevin smiled and literally skipped around to the passenger side of the car, opening the door and offering his hand to his date. He could hear her giggling; she was definitely a willing partner. She stood up and leaned right into his embrace as he took her mouth to his, kissing her deeply, roughly, his hand reaching around and grabbing her ass, squeezing hard. She didn't protest, and Starsky almost felt guilty for watching, but he couldn't look away, it was like watching a train wreck, you didn't want to watch it, but you had to.
He pulled away from her, smiling warmly into her face. "There's someone I want you to meet."
Starsky gasped, knowing at that second that she was as good as dead.
"Okay." She said enthusiastically as they started to walk across the large yard towards the tree.
"No, God no." Starsky whispered to himself, trying to will them in the other direction. "Run damn it…" He chanted, hoping that she would instinctively sense the trouble she was getting into.
Kevin put his arm around her, grabbing her by the neck, affectionately at first, until the came within a visible distance of the man tied to the tree. The young woman stopped in her tracks, Starsky heard the gasp that escaped her as she caught sight of him and realized she, herself was in trouble.
"Fuck." She said, her voice a whimpering barely audible word. "No…please…no…" Her face lost all color as the terror on her face was something Starsky couldn't bare to look at.
She tried to pull back as Kevin grabbed a fistful of her hair and drug her closer to the wounded captive.
"Kevin let her go…you don't need her…you got me…don't…don't hurt her, I'll do what ever you say." Starsky pled, his eyes darting at the girl and then back at Kevin. His mind racing, what could he say to stop this from happening?
By this time the girl was screaming and crying hysterically, both her hands on his wrists trying to get him to let go of her hair, he just pulled harder. With a mighty shove and a wince of her face, he shoved her to her knees, into the dirt.
"Stupid fucking bitch! You're all alike." Kevin spat as he knelt next to her, pulling her hair, snapping her head back to face him.
"Please, don't hurt me…don't hurt me…I'll do whatever you say, I won't tell anyone, please just let me go." She begged as Starsky watched her try to save her own life.
"Do it Kevin, just let her go…for God's sake Kevin, she's just a kid…" Starsky pulled against his ropes and chains trying desperately to get loose and help the girl.
"David I want to formally introduce you to Kristie, Kristie meet David." He made the introductions.
The teenage girls' eyes locked with Starsky's, the fear she was feeling transmitted through them, now he knew why they were called 'the windows of the soul'. He saw inside her, saw the regret she was feeling for ever lying to her parents, the regret for shunning that geeky kid at school, regret for going off with a complete stranger after work.
"Please help me Mister." She sobbed as she gazed deeply into Starsky's indigo eyes.
Starsky stared back, his eyes expressing fear, sorrow, pity and guilt. Guilt for not being able to stop what was about to happen to her. He pulled against his restraints with everything he had; he could feel the bruising and bleeding begin around his wrists.
"You son of a bitch!" He cursed Kevin, his lips pursed together in anger as he struggled even harder.
Kristie was shaking, her body trembling as Kevin forced her face into the sand, pulling her closer to Starsky.
"Whatsa matter, David? You want a taste of this?" He taunted as he pulled her face back up to meet Starsky's. "Maybe when I'm finished, I'll let you play with her…if there's anything left…" Kevin said cruelly as he picked her up by her hair and started towards the house.
"Don't fucking do this! Please God…don't let him do this!" Starsky screamed as he succumbed to a fit of coughing, his lungs burning, his body aching as he let his head fall to his chest in a sorrowful gentle sob. "Damn it, Hutch…where are you?"
XXXX
Hutch flew through the stock room and back into the main room of the bar. He quickly heard the patrons hooting and hollering as they seemed to be getting more excited. He saw Helen surrounded by several men, and a few women. He immediately picked out Rob by the bruising and fat lip his face displayed. The large man held Helen by the shoulders as he laughed and looked to his friends for encouragement.
Hutch actually enjoyed seeing the 'impression' that his partner had left on Rob, but obviously it wasn't quite enough to teach him, not to pick on women. The tall blond slowly and calmly walked up behind the man as Helen struggled to break his grip.
Helen pulled and twisted trying to free her wrists as he just tightened his hold. "Let go of me." She seethed as she jerked her one hand free causing him to wildly grab to get it back in his control, eventually doing so. "You know the punishment for assaulting a police officer?" She asked.
"No, but I bet you're gonna tell me…problem is, I got about 50 witnesses here that will swear that you assaulted me." He laughed as he leaned into her, coming face to face with the petite detective.
Hutch firmly tapped the large man on his shoulder, and he answered without even turning around to see who had touched him in the first place. "Wait your turn." He retorted thinking it was just one of his buddies.
The tall blond wasted no time, tapping him again even harder. With an irritated sigh he turned to face the object of his interruption just to be met with a stiff right hook, sending the man flying to the ground.
"I think the lady told you to leave her alone." Hutch said as he shook his right hand, trying to shake the throbbing away. Hutch turned to face the rest of the crowd to make sure no more surprise attacks awaited them. "Now listen up!" He announced as he waved his badge high above his head, turning in circles so all could view it. "Two days ago, my partner was here, in this bar…he was asked by management to leave…after having an altercation with your friend here." He pointed to the sorry man who remained on his backside on the ground, holding his jaw. "No one has seen him since. Now me and Detective Davidson here, would like to ask you all a few questions." He looked back down at Rob, "Like where were you for the rest of the night, and following day?" He orated as the crowd appeared to calm down, and began to disengage. "Let's start there." He knelt next to Rob.
"You really think I had something to do with it?" Rob asked as he scooted back, propping himself up against the bar. "You think I'm that stupid?"
Hutch let out a snort of laughter. "By the looks of you, yeah, I think your that stupid, and apparently, so did Starsky. Now spill it, I wanna know everywhere you went, who you talked to, when you slept, shit and ate! Now!" Hutch's intense icy blue eyes piercing the man he was questioning, his index finger shaking threateningly in the man's face.
"Hey, it was your partner that hit me first, ask anyone." Rob's voice started to shake, Hutch was getting to him.
"Yeah well maybe you deserved it." The tall blond said as he stood and addressed the crowd. "How 'bout it, anyone here wanna stick up for this slime ball?"
Most of the patrons just turned their back and walked away, hoping that Hutch wouldn't come to talk to them next.
Helen busied herself asking Tracy, the prostitute that originally started the conflict between Starsky and Rob, her own set of questions.
XXXX
Kevin roughly shoved Kristie into the cabin, the wood paneling giving the place a certain rustic charm. In the middle of the large living room was a huge stone fireplace, framed by a large sofa that sat right in front. The red head smiled as Kristie looked up from the ground, her terrified eyes pleading with him, begging him to spare her life and allow her to live. He was God! He thought to himself.
He had the power to allow her pathetic existence to continue, or end it all right here and now, he chose the latter.
"Please d…don't do th…this…don't hurt me…" She sobbed.
Having her beg for her life was almost as satisfying as the act of sex itself, but he felt the need to satisfy his human urges tonight, not his spiritual ones. He unbuttoned his jeans as he walked toward her, his eyes becoming more and more excited, the closer he got. With one hand he reached down and grabbed a handful of her hair and lifted her from the ground, shoving her onto the couch. He lifted his hand high above his shoulder and brought it back down across her cheek. She let out a squeal as her hand covered her face. Kevin reached down and grabbed her red shirt in both hands, ripping it open to expose her ample cleavage, being supported by a lace push up bra.
"Red, that's my favorite color…" he hissed as he bent down and cupped her chin forcefully in his hand and devoured her mouth with his. Her muffled cries escaped his lips as his other hand reached down and grabbed her legs, spreading them apart and climbing in between them.
She remembered what her mother had told her, the only way to truly stop a man from raping you…give up…consent; it would no longer be rape. She kissed him back, her hands rubbing over his chest, trying to remove his shirt. Her hands dropped to the top of his jeans, pulling them down at a fevered, animalistic pace. He moaned as he felt her give into him, give into his power, his control. He backed up and smiled as he helped her finish undoing his jeans. Instantaneously, the look of fear returned to her eyes as she let out a scream and delivered her left knee, burying it deep into his groin. His eyes shot open wide in pain and shock, the color drained from his face as he wordlessly fell forward on top of her. She pushed him by the shoulders off of her and onto the flor as she jumped up and ran out the front door.
Once on the porch, she looked across the large yard at the man tied to the tree. She remembered the look on his face, the need to try and help her. She felt the need to help him. Starsky looked up to see the hysterical girl leaping off the porch, running at him.
She reached him in record time, frantically trying to untie and unchain his restraints. She squealed out loud as she had a hard time controlling her movements, she couldn't think, they both kept looking up at the house.
"Where is he? What'dya do?" Starsky asked as he had a hard time keeping an eye on her as she darted around him.
"I kicked him in the fucking balls!" She spat as she started to cry. "I can't get this off of you…shit! Help me…"
"Kristie!" Starsky shouted, but she didn't even hear him.
"Dammit! Help me…oh God, oh God, oh God…" She screamed, losing all semblance of control.
"Kristie!" He yelled with more conviction. "Listen to me…you gotta go…get the hell outta here."
She looked up and locked eyes with his, she knew she was condemning him by leaving him behind. "I can't, I need to help you." She mouthed.
"Do it! Now!" He spewed as she continued to stare into his eyes. "Kristie! Get the fuck outta here…move it!" He shouted.
She knew what she had to do, she reached up and gently cupped his cheek in her hand. "Thank you…" She sobbed as she stood and ran off.
Starsky watched her until she was out of his sight, he looked back up and saw Kevin stumbling through the front door, one hand on the door jamb and one on his groin. The brunet detective winced, something only a man could truly sympathize with.
Kevin limped over to his restrained prisoner, looking around the cabin. "Which way did she go?" He gasped.
"Who?" Starsky quipped, closing his eyes, knowing that he was probably going to pay for that remark.
Without warning a backhand struck the left side of his cheek, Kevin's knuckles connecting harshly with Starsky's cheekbone.
"Oh, her." He spat the bloody saliva from his mouth at Kevin's feet. "Dunno." He answered which earned him a closed fist punch to the opposite side of his face.
"Shit!" Starsky moaned as he shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs and pure exhaustion from his mind.
"Listen cop, don't fuck with me, I'm in no mood." Kevin threatened as Starsky looked up defiantly at the red head.
"And neither was she." Starsky quipped, immediately regretting his lack of ability to keep his own mouth shut.
All Starsky saw was a flash of bright lights as Kevin connected his foot with the brunet's groin. He heard Kevin say "Let's see how much you like it," just before the dark haired detective passed out.
To Be Continued…