She's Not There
By M. Willow
Chapter Seven
The weeks passed, each blending together, bringing Susan more and more into Starsky's life. Today Hutch had insisted on a meeting with Susan. He'd done it after a disturbing phone call from him last night.
Hutch still recalled the way his friend sounded, the fear in his voice. Hutch had decided to spend one night in his bed. He'd been sleeping outside his partner's apartment for weeks, and needed to get some real rest or he would have become a liability on the streets.
The phone rang at three o'clock in the morning. The first ring and the blond immediately thought of Starsky. He answered quickly, recalling a time years ago when his friend had called needing help because he had been poisoned. A feeling of dread swept over him before he even heard his partner's voice.
"Starsk?" he had said. But the only answer he got was the labored breathing of his partner.
"Starsk. Are you okay? Talk to me, buddy."
"M' scared, Hutch. I don't…I don't know how to handle this. Need you."
"Starsk, I'm coming over."
"No. You can't. Just stay on the line with me."
"Starsk, get her out of your house. Get her out right now."
"Can't."
"Then come over here."
"I can't do that to her again. You saw what happened the last time. She looks like her. She looks like her."
"What are you talking about? Who does she look like?"
"I can't tell you. You'll never look at me the same way again."
"You know better than that. I love you. There's nothing you can say or do that's going to change that."
And then his partner broke down and sobbed. Hutch had sat listening, wanting to go over there in spite of the brunet's wishes. In the end, he had settled for the meeting at the Pitts.
Hutch parked the car and headed into the establishment that had become a home away from home. On Friday nights, the Pitts was usually noisy and crowded. Tonight was no exception. Hutch eyed the barkeeper the moment he entered. Huggy was behind the counter, preparing a tray of beers, but he stopped working the moment he spotted the blond.
Hutch came over and sprawled long legs on the barstool.
"What it is?" Huggy said smiling. The tall, ebony skinned man was pretending to be in a good mood, but he was just as worried about Starsky as Hutch was.
"Here to meet Starsky and his girl."
Huggy's face suddenly went serious. He pushed the tray over to the side, then came around and sat next to him.
"You find out anything?" Hutch asked.
He has asked Huggy to do a little checking for him.
"Nada. Girl don't exist."
Hutch's rubbed the line between his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. Don't exist. Got no history. Nothing. There ain't a person on the planet that I can't get something on."
"You checked with your contacts in Chicago?"
"Checked in Chicago and nearly every other place on the planet, my blond brother. Girl don't exist."
Starsky had said the girl was from a suburb of Chicago. He hadn't been sure of the town, but since the aunt once had money, Hutch had reasonably assumed that finding the woman who'd recently passed would be relatively easy, especially with his own blue-blood contacts. But no one knew Susan Shepard.
Susan wasn't in the DMV either. Hutch had had Minnie check for him. Nothing. That left the mug books. Hutch had spent hours going over the books, but not one picture matched the girl. In short, all he had were suspicions, and he couldn't go to Starsky with just that.
Hutch nodded his head. "I know. I had Minnie run her through the computer. No drivers' license. No school records. Nothing."
"She's a phony. You told Starsk?"
Hutch shook his head. "I wanted to get something concrete first. He's pretty hung up on her."
"Can see that. He's got it bad. You here to get better acquainted?"
"Yeah, I told him I wanted to spend time with them. It's time I meet her head on."
"I think it's time you talk to your other half."
"Can't."
"Why not? Just cause you slept with his girl? Don't mean he won't believe you."
Hutch grabbed one of the beers from the tray and took a swig. "In my mind it does. If I mess up now, that's it. I can't expect him to keep forgiving me."
Hutch swerved around until he was facing the crowd. He could see his partner kissing Susan. "Need a favor. I need to get some prints. Think you can get that glass?"
"It's what I'm here for."
Hutch took his beer and stood. "I better get over there."
"And not a moment too soon. Those two have been making out since they got here. Gonna get the place closed down for lewd and lascivious behavior. I got a reputation to uphold."
Huggy went back behind the counter and drew another beer. He put it on the tray and hurried across the room. Hutch took a deep breath and walked slowly over to his partner and Susan.
--
"'Bout time you showed up," Starsky said as Hutch slid into the booth. Starsky was sitting across from him, his arm slung casually around Susan's shoulders. The girl was snuggled close, making it clear that she had staked her territory. She acknowledged Hutch with a tight smile.
"Sorry I'm late. Had to catch up on a few things."
Susan leaned in and gave his partner a passionate kiss. Hutch cleared his throat and the two broke apart.
"Sorry," Starsky said, then took a swig from his glass. He was having beer, but Susan had wine in front of her.
"I'm glad you could come. I want us to be friends," Susan said, all sweetness, batting long lashes. How could anyone so beautiful be so inherently evil, he wondered.
Starsky clasped her hand and pulled her closer to him.
Hutch did his best to hide his horror at seeing his friend with Susan. "Yeah," he said. "It would be nice."
Susan smiled broadly, then her eyes narrowed, becoming cold. Of course, Starsky couldn't see any of this. He was sitting right next to her, but couldn't see the expression in her eyes.
An hour later, and Hutch was growing tired of the cat and mouse game. He was pretty sure Susan was up to something, but as yet, nothing had materialized. Just small talk. Again he found himself wondering if he had been wrong. Seeing things that weren't there. The answer came swiftly.
"David, do you think they have that song we like on the juke box."
Starsky shook his head. "Doubtful. Huggy tends toward current music. Can't picture him playin' anything from the 50's."
She turned her face toward the brunet, her lips closed in a pout. "Oh, David, you think you could go see? It makes me happy just to hear it." Then she smiled at Hutch. "We have this song we really like."
Starsky blushed as he got up. "Be right back."
Susan's face went cold the minute he left the table. She was a hunter and Hutch the prey. Still, he tried to be civil. "Nice place, isn't it?"
"You think so."
Hutch noticed her voice was a little different, deeper and the accent had changed too. Definitely not Midwest. Eastern maybe.
He nodded his head, taking a quick glimpse in Starsky's direction. The brunet was standing at the juke box. Realizing he might be there for awhile, Hutch again attempted conversation. "We like it. Have you met Huggy?"
Susan took a sip of wine. "Does it matter?" She sat forward, golden eyes hard. "We don't have a lot of time. And I don't intend to spend it talking about that silly bartender, so let's cut the crap." She smiled, showing perfect white teeth. "You don't like me, do you?"
"Not really," he answered truthfully. He made sure his voice was just as cold as hers.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't trust you. You're up to something and I'm going to stop you, lady." His voice was low and dangerous, but she didn't shrink back
"I want David. And you're in the way. I intend to remedy that situation." She spoke quickly, her voice ice.
"That a threat?"
She sipped her wine, sitting back in her seat. "Your words, detective Hutchinson. "I believe it's illegal to threaten cops."
Hutch pried his eyes away and saw Starsky walking toward them. He spoke quickly. "What's your game?"
"Getting rid of you."
He couldn't believe how bold she was. She sat there looking at him, her eyes hard, not blinking.
"Hey, why don't we order another round?" Starsky asked, smiling as he slid next to Susan. And that's when the girl dissolved into tears.
"Hey, baby. What's wrong?" Starsky cupped her chin, wiping the tears from her face.
Hutch sat there, knowing what was coming, incapable of doing a damn thing. Too late, he saw the trap.
"Oh, David, Ken said he doesn't like me." She was taking deep breaths between each sob.
Hutch just stared.
"Oh, baby. I'm sure you're mistaken."
Starsky's eyes meet his. Hutch squirmed in his seat.
"She's mistaken, isn't she, Hutch?"
Hutch had never lied to his partner. He wouldn't start now. He took a deep breath. She's not mistaken, Starsk. I said it."
Susan was sobbing audibly now, her body shaking.
"You can't mean that, Hutch," Starsky said incredulously. "Why would you say somethin' like that?"
"Because it's true."
"See, I told you," she babbled accusingly "He doesn't like me."
Starsky's head shot around, locking eyes with him for a second, a silent question in their indigo depths. Then his partner stood up, gathering the sobbing girl in his arms.
Susan was leaning against him, her body shaking, sobbing loudly with each step. Over and over again she said how much she wanted Hutch to like her, but he never would. Every eye in the bar followed the retreating couple, then turned to Hutch with disdain once they were gone.
Huggy came over and collected the glasses carefully, wrapping one in particular, and handing it to the distraught blond. "Tough break. Chick could get an Oscar for that performance."
Hutch nodded his head. He'd fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the books. It would have been funny if it weren't so damned serious.
TBC