Next chapter. I still don't own anything.
BTW, I hope everyone noticed I'm posting two chapters at a time, judging by my stats, some people may have skipped chapter five! (Going to post this same notice at the head of chapter eight, too.)
Chapter Seven - Synergy
Starsky was in his office finishing up some paperwork when the intercom buzzed.
"Mary Polanski to see you again, Detective Starsky."
"OK, send her in." Interesting. He hadn't expected her back this quickly.
The pudgy little psychic rushed into his office, half leading, half pulling another person along with her.
"Detective Starsky, I found him!" she squeaked breathlessly, pushing the other person ruthlessly forward. "The third man in my vision, I found him!"
Starsky looked dubiously at the man standing in front of his desk. He seemed to fit Mary's description, at least. Short, stocky, and disheveled, he had the brown eyes, reddish hair, and freckled, mottled complexion Mary had described. And he was wearing a rumpled seersucker suit and an aged straw skimmer. He was also wearing dirty sneakers, and had a cheap camera around his neck.
"Hi, I'm Dave Starsky" He stuck out his hand to the smaller man.
"Carl Kolchak" His handshake, at least, was firm enough. "I'm a reporter with the INS, I've just been reassigned here to Bay City from Chicago. I know who you are, your partner was the one who brought down James Gunther."
"Yeah. But... why are you here?"
Kolchak shrugged extravagantly. "I don't know!" His voice turned into something that could best be described as a squawk, Starsky noted. "She, she dragged me here! Something about seeing me with you and your partner in visions. I was given her name as a potential information source here in Bay City, that's all."
"You don't know anything that could have something to do with whatever it is she's seeing?"
"How do I know?" Kolchak replied indignantly. "I don't know what it's about. How do I know if I know anything?"
Starsky came out from behind his desk and circled slowly around Kolchak, studying him. Kolchak glared back. He didn't look very promising, just annoyed. Still, if Mary's prediction was worth anything at all, he was important. Starsky reached a decision.
"It's getting late, and it's time for me to go home. You guys come to dinner, we'll talk this whole thing over with Hutch." He stopped and thought for a moment. "Mary, have you ever tried deliberately looking for this vision? Maybe see more of it, what it's about?"
Mary shrugged. "Yeah, sorta'. It didn't work too well 'cause I was alone, and too afraid. But if I had all three of you together, and I could concentrate, then maybe..."
"What would you need?"
"Well, any shiny thing like a mirror would do but the best would be my crystal."
"OK, can you get it and bring it with you?"
"Well, sure, but someone has to drive me. He brought me here." She gestured at the slowly simmering Kolchak.
"Can you bring her back to her place and then over to us?"
"Oh, nice of someone to ask me something." Kolchak snapped. "Yes, I can do that if you tell me where we're going."
"OK, good. Hang on a minute, though, I'd better clear this with Hutch." He picked up his phone. "Margie, can you patch me through to Zebra-3?" It gave him a pang to use his own old call-sign, knowing he wasn't part of the team any more.
A moment later he had Hutch on the line.
"Hutch, what were you planning for dinner? 'Cause we have guests coming."
"Guests? Who? How many?"
"Uh, it's a long story. I'll explain when you get home. But there's two. Oh, and can you bring Barlow, too?" After all, the kid might be useful, Starsky thought.
"Uh, OK. Hang on." There was a whispered conversation. Then Hutch was back. "He said he'll stop in to say hello, but he and Angelina have plans for dinner. Starsky, what's all this about?"
"It's about what we talked about last night."
"What, Mary Polanski and her vision?"
"Yeah. She found the third man."
"How convenient. Starsk, doesn't that make you suspicious at all?"
"Hutch, just have dinner for two extra people tonight, OK?" Starsky snapped in irritation. "I'll see you when you get home."
He banged down the phone. "Come on," he said to Mary and Kolchak, "I'll walk you to your car."
They walked out to the parking lot.
Starsky wasn't scared of dying anymore. Been there, done that, he knew it was nothing to worry about. He did worry, though, about things on this side, disability and pain for instance. He'd had more than enough pain to last him the rest of his life no mater how long that was. And he didn't ever want to be in a situation that would leave him nothing but a burden on his loved ones.
But most of all he worried about what his death would mean to Hutch, what would happen to him if he were left behind. He wished he could convince Hutch of what he knew with such certainty, that they would be together eventually, even if they were parted in the world for awhile.
Still, even with those worries, the parking lot didn't bother him the way he knew it did Hutch. He led the way towards where the Torino was parked.
"Where did you park?" he asked Kolchak as they walked.
"Over there." Kolchak waved towards the street.
"You should see his car!" Mary chirped. "It's gorgeous, Detective Starsky."
"It's OK," Kolchak said noncommittally, but with a pleased expression.
"Oh yeah? What is it?" Starsky asked, intrigued. The rumpled little man looked more as though he'd be at home in one of Hutch's junkers than anything fancy.
"Oh, just a '66 Mustang convertible, nothing special." Kolchak waved depreciatingly.
Starsky's eyes widened. Something less likely than this scruffy little dirtball driving a '66 Mustang was hard to imagine.
"Good condition?" he asked.
"Not bad, considering I just had to drive it here from Chicago. Needs a tune up, probably, by now."
"I have a mechanic I can recommend," Starsky said. "Best in Bay City." And, almost a member of the family, now, but Kolchak didn't need to know that. "Mention my name and he'll give you a discount."
"No kidding? Well, thanks." Kolchak smiled dubiously. By now they had reached the Torino. "This your car?" he asked. Starsky nodded. "Nice."
Now it was Starsky's turn for modesty. "Yeah. Merle did a good job patching her up after the shooting, too."
Kolchak walked around the car. "I like the paint job. But doesn't it make sneaking up on the bad guys hard?"
Starsky grinned in memory. Maybe the little reporter wasn't such a bad guy. "When we really needed to be undercover we used Hutch's old wreak."
"Uh, guys?" Mary Polanski broke in, "I hate to break up the mutual admiration society, but we have things to do."
"Huh? Oh, yeah." Starsky pulled himself together. "Right." He scribbled on a scrap of paper and handed it over. "OK, here's the address where we're staying and I'll see you there as soon as you have Mary's crystal."
Kolchak took it, and he and Mary walked off across the lot.