Chapter 7

The Pits was smoky, smelly, and crowded, which meant Huggy Bear would be in a good mood. He'd have to be because being seen with the Captain of Bay City Detectives wasn't something high on his list of things to do. It was ten o'clock when Dobey pushed through the door and looked around. Starsky looked past Huggy's shoulder and waved to his captain. Under different circumstances, the New York cop might have enjoyed what was about to ensue. Sliding in beside Huggy, Dobey barely fit in the booth, and Huggy was less than amiable about the arrangement, but the back booth was the best place to talk. Ignoring Huggy's annoyance, Starsky asked, "What'd you tell Edith?"

"Nothing, but she knows something big is going down. Where's Hutch?"

"Would someone mind telling me what's going on?" Huggy complained. "I get a call from surfer boy and he tells me to clear my schedule. Then, you two show up like we're all buddy buddy, and I don't mind telling you that I have my standards, not to mention my image, which you two don't exactly help."

"It's a long story Huggy, and I don't think you want to know."

"Does it have anything to do with the C.I.A. being in town?" Huggy added while popping a stale peanut into his mouth.

Starsky and Dobey furrowed their brows at each other, then turned slowly to stare at the lanky black man.

"Or perhaps the fact that Mohammed Ahman is passing through the city with a heavy piece of merchandise?"

Dobey barked, "How the hell do you know about this?"

"It's my job to know about this. Besides, it's all over the street. What I can't figure is how you all fit into a C.I.A. operation?"

Starsky looked across the bar and answered, "I think we'll let surfer boy fill you in." He waved to get Hutch's attention. Within seconds, Hutch was sliding in beside Starsky and motioning to a waitress for a beer. He skipped the salutations and pointed out, "Green's out back and Phillips is out front, making themselves very noticeable."

Dobey nodded, "Yeah, I saw them when I came in." Starsky nodded in acknowledgement as well.

"Hold on a second, fellas!" Huggy interrupted. "You mean to tell me that my place is being staked out by a bunch of government spooks?"

"Take it easy, Huggy," Hutch soothed. "They're here for me, not you. But I'm gonna need your help."

"Sure," he sounded less than pleased.

"Really…, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Huggy smirked at the men, "Is it dangerous?"

"Nope," Hutch lied.

Huggy knew better, but he was more puzzled by the detective's unusually high level of calm mixed with a hefty dose of energy, a combination he couldn't ever remembering seeing on him before. Judging by their expressions, Dobey and Starsky were a little intrigued as well. "What do you want me to do?"

"Actually, I'm gonna need everyone's help on this one, even you Captain," Hutch said.

Dobey opened his mouth, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught the waitress approaching with their drinks. She delivered three beers and a cola (her boss never drank anything stronger than a soda on busy nights) and left.

Hutch spoke low and steady, "This is what I know: the runner, Mohamad Ahmad, is bringing the merchandise through the city on Thursday. He's booked at the West End Hotel off Wilshire Boulevard, which, not so coincidentally, happens to be the site of a convention of Muslim business owners. He's requested a room with a safe. After he checks in, he'll put the merchandise in the safe and leave. That'll be the cue to the next runner. The new runner will then enter the room, get the merchandise from the safe and continue on the next leg of the journey. The transfer is the weakness and it happens very fast; that's where you come in. I need for you to keep Ahmad from leaving the hotel for at least 30 minutes."

Huggy said, "Am I to understand that you're going to relieve this gentleman of his merchandize?"

Hutch averted his eyes, displaying for the first time some reluctance. Starsky answered for him, "We have a good reason for wanting it."

"What makes you think this Mohamad cat won't have body guards surrounding him?"

Hutch answered, "He doesn't work that way; he works alone. Basically, he's greedy."

"What do you expect us to do?"

"Remember when I said the hotel is the site of the annual convention of Muslim business leaders? I managed to get three tunics and three turbans." Hutch finished his beer and stood up before they could respond, "I left the outfits in the back alley. Starsky, I'll be in touch."

"Where you going?"

"I have a lot to do between now and then. Captain, keep an eye on those spooks. Don't let them get in the way."

Dobey tried to protest but Hutch was already walking away. The three sat a minute longer before Huggy Bear said, "I guess I should practice my Pashtu accent."