CHAPTER 13

Hutch braked to a stop in front of the rundown, abandoned warehouse that Jessica directed him to. Digging his handcuffs from his pocket, he snapped one bracelet around her wrist and the other one to the steering wheel before she could object.

"Wouldn't want you going anywhere without me," he told her with a thin smile as he climbed out of the car. Ignoring her protests, he hurried to the old building with a determined stride. The door was locked, but that didn't stop Hutch. He raised his foot and placed a well aimed kick at the rickety door. It crashed open, and Hutch entered the dark, silent building.

"Starsky!" he yelled into the eerie interior of the building. He listened but heard no answering cry. He moved further into the heart of the building, continuing to call out his partner's name periodically. He opened several doors, disappointed when they led to nothing but empty rooms.

Near the rear of the building, he opened a door to find a huddled figure curled up in one corner of the room. The air in the space was heavy with a mix of odors: sweat, blood, vomit, urine, and feces, strong enough to make Hutch's eyes water. Ignoring his own discomfort, Hutch hurried to the figure and fell to his knees beside his battered partner.

Starsky's eyes were closed and his breathing slow and labored. His face was bruised and beaten almost beyond recognition, but Hutch would still have known Starsky anywhere. With a gentle hand, he reached out and pressed two fingers against Starsky's neck. His pulse was thready and irregular, but it was there.

"Hang on buddy," Hutch whispered in a broken voice. "I'm here now. Hutch is here." Now that he had found his missing partner, he hated leaving his side even for the few minutes it would take to call for help. But, he knew he had no choice. Leaning closer, he whispered into a curl-covered ear. "I have to go back to the car to call for help, but I'll be right back. I promise."

There was no response from the unconscious brunet, but Hutch hadn't really expected any. He rose to his feet and ran back to the car. Jessica watched him anxiously as he leaned into the car and grabbed the microphone to call for help. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief when his words confirmed that Starsky was still alive. At least she wasn't an accessory to murder.

Satisfied that help was on the way, Hutch ran back to his fallen partner. Sitting at his partner's head, he gently eased Starsky's shoulders and upper torso into his lap, cradling him in his arms as he waited for help to arrive. Unconsciously, he began to hum a song that Hutch knew Starsky liked as he began to slowly rock back and forth.

He never heard the approaching sirens. It was the sound of footsteps and voices calling out that alerted him to the arrival of his backup and medical personnel.

"In here! We're in here!" He yelled to alert them to his location. Within seconds, the room began to fill with uniformed officers and two paramedics. The last person to enter the room was Captain Dobey. He took in the scene in front of him and immediately began barking out orders and moved to Hutch's side.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Hutch, his ice-blue eyes filled with a torment and fear that Dobey only saw there when Starsky's life was in danger, raised his head to meet his superior officer's gaze. Without a word, Hutch reluctantly relinquished his partner's care to the paramedics and allowed Dobey to help him to his feet. They stepped to one side and watched as the paramedics frantically attended to Starsky.

"…probable internal injuries…"

"…broken ribs…possible flail chest…"

"…numerous lacerations, burns, and contusions…"

"…labored breathing and irregular heartbeat…"

Fractured sentences filtered into Hutch's consciousness as the paramedic's identified Starsky's various injuries, all the while starting IV's and documenting vital signs. Unfortunately, he knew enough jargon and had enough medical knowledge to know that Starsky's life still hung in the balance. Only time would tell if Hutch had found him in time.

The paramedics put Starsky on a portable gurney and hurried from the building, followed closely by Captain Dobey and Hutch. The remaining officers would stay behind to process the scene and gather evidence. Other officers on the scene had taken charge of Jessica. She would be taken back to police headquarters where she would be placed in protective custody until Hutch could get back to her.

At the hospital, Hutch and Dobey were restricted to the waiting area while Starsky was rushed behind the closed doors of the treatment area. Now, all there was to do was wait. Wait and pace. Wait and worry. Wait and pray. Dobey settled into one of the cheap leather seats while keeping a careful eye on Hutch as the agitated detective paced the room like a caged tiger. Every few minutes, his eyes would dart to the closed doors that separated him from his partner. Whenever those doors would open and a doctor would enter the room, he would stop his pacing long enough to hear that they were looking for someone else, then he would resume his pacing in an even more frantic manner.

"Why don't you sit down, son?" Dobey suggested in a mild tone "Pacing a hole in the floor isn't going to make them come any sooner."

"I need some coffee," Hutch said in a distracted voice. "You want some coffee? I'll get us some coffee."

He turned and walked down the hall to a row of vending machines.

Dobey sighed heavily and glanced at his watch. They had already been waiting for almost three hours. If they didn't hear something soon, he wasn't sure just how long he could contain the agitated blond.

Vigils like this were far too common in Dobey's life. And, unfortunately, his best team of detectives was all too often the cause of those vigils. His main role at times like this was to keep the uninjured partner from alienating the medical personnel and unintentionally interfering with the injured partner's care. Once he was allowed to be at his partner's side, Dobey knew that there would be no moving Hutch until Starsky was out of immediate danger.

Finally, after almost six hours of waiting, a doctor in a blood stained set of blue scrubs came into the waiting room. In a weary voice he said, "Family for Starsky?"

"That's us," Hutch said.

The doctor frowned when he turned his attention to a tall blond and a heavyset black man.

"I'm Captain Harold Dobey of the Bay City Police Department and this is Detective Starsky's partner, Detective Hutchinson," Dobey explained.

"Does Detective Starsky have any family in the city?"

"No," Hutch said. "His mother lives in New York. But, I have his medical power of attorney to act on his behalf in medical emergencies.'

The doctor sighed heavily, obviously exhausted from a long shift. "We will need a copy of that directive for the file. Meanwhile Detective Starsky's next of kin should be notified as soon as possible. The next seventy-two hours are crucial. His condition is extremely critical, and I don't expect him to survive."

"Can I see him?" Hutch asked "I need to see him. I have to be with him…"

"He's still in recovery. I'll have someone come and get you as soon as he's moved into the I.C.U. But, you will only be able to see him for a few minutes at a time. His condition will be closely monitored at all times. The rest is up to him. I'm sorry. I wish I had better news." With those parting words, the doctor disappeared back behind closed doors.

"He'll be okay…I know he will. I just need to be with him," Hutch said in a quiet voice that was ragged with emotion.

Dobey had no doubt that was true. He had seen both men pull through seemingly hopeless situations before when all the doctors had given up hope just because they were together and drawing strength from each other and the almost psychic bond they shared. There was no way to explain it but Dobey had seen it happen much too often to question it.