She's Not There

By M. Willow

Chapter Two

Susan kept a close eye on her surroundings. Part one of her plan had worked: locate her former lover and convince him to let her move in with him. Nothing like a damsel-in-distress number to grab a man's attention. Especially this man. Ten years had made him into a walking Adonis. His blue eyes seemed bluer. His chiseled body perfect. It was all she could do to control herself. But getting him into her bed would have to wait.

He'd given her money to shop for the evening's meal. Now all she had to do was trigger his memory. She would start by making his favorite dish. Later they would make love.

Memories flooded over her. She was standing in the produce aisle, thinking of the man she loved, needing his touch, his warmth. It had been over ten years, but she remembered everything as if the years hadn't passed. He had been hurting then, his touch communicating pain and despair. He was a tender, passionate lover. A man given to deep feelings. When they made love it was with abandonment, a closing out of the rules and convictions of society. They were both young and sex was an adventure.

"You keep me sane," he once told her. "I will never be able to tell you how much you mean to me."

And she had dissolved into tears because it was the first time anyone had needed her.

Now, she had a chance to reclaim what time had taken away. And only one man stood in her way: Kenneth Hutchinson.

She'd known about his partner, of course. The blond was one of the victims of the plague and the reason David had made his plea on television. Had it not been for him, she may never have found David. She was, in a way, grateful. She was really sorry he had to die, but the men were too close. She had to be the only person in David's life. It had been that way in the past, and she was determined that it would be that way again. Ken's elimination was already in motion.

Susan saw a woman in the produce aisle. She was tall with black hair and a slim figure. They locked eyes for a moment and then the woman moved on.

--

Hutch was frustrated. In the two hours since Susan Shepard had entered their lives, Starsky had stared listlessly out the window, refusing to talk. Hutch had tried everything, but the brunet had shut himself off, ignoring his questions. Starsky could be stubborn when he wanted to.

Right now, he was staring out the window, almost as if he were willing the girl to return. His fear was palpable. Hutch watched him closely while considering his options. He needed to stay close, but in the past few months, Hutch had avoided any contact with the women in his partner's life, which meant it would seem intrusive to suddenly want to hang out.

He could just drop by. Pretend to need help on one of their cases, but Starsky would easily see through that. So that left him nowhere.

Hutch ran a trembling hand through his fine blond hair. She was a Trojan horse, a way to get into his partner's life, Hutch was reasonably certain of that. Of course, he could easily just be hypersensitive. What man wouldn't be after Kira?

Kira, the woman Starsky thought he loved. Only she had a mission. A mission to break a relationship that seemed unbreakable. He supposed it was a need for power that drove her to do it. But maybe he was seeing Kira in every woman. Maybe Susan really was just an innocent victim and he was misreading the looks she gave him.

Hutch joined Starsky at the window, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Penny for your thoughts."

Starsky shrugged. "I wish it were that simple, Blondie."

"This have anything to do with Susan?"

Starsky looked at him, "Not that I can see."

And Susan breezed into the room.

TBC