The Peake Sisters

Chapter 12: Regrouping

Starsky and Hutch hit the squad room and immediately contacted Detectives Gray and Baxter. The new information regarding Mitch Bernet needed to be shared immediately with the investigating team. Starsky and Hutch knew that Mitch had been brought in for questioning and wanted to hear the results. In addition, they wanted to watch the tape of the murder again, hoping they would catch something they missed before.

The afternoon when they received the copy of the will and seen Mitch listed as a beneficiary, Gray and Baxter requested a search warrant and permission to bring Mitch in for questioning. Captain Dobey worked with Mitch's captain to keep the questioning discreet. Mitch was a good officer with a spotless record and their captain knew how quickly rumors spread through the department.

Starsky and Hutch stepped into the conference room. Detective Gray had a smile on his face but Detective Baxter was definitely not happy.

Detective Gray spoke, "We found out that Mitch is the illegitimate son of Tom Peake." Dan Gray then nodded to Jane and she pulled out a bag from the box in front of her and tossed it on the table. "Guess what we found at Mitch's apartment?"

Hutch frowned, "A strawberry blonde curly wig?" He exchanged a glance with Starsky who was also frowning. I can't believe this. We've known Mitch since we were in the academy together, he's not a killer.

Dan Gray stood up, "But that's not all." He paused, he wanted their full attention. When they were looking at him waiting for him to continue he again nodded to his partner.

Jane pulled out a .38 handgun wrapped in an evidence bag and laid it on the table, "Ballistics evidence shows the markings on the bullet that killed Tom Peake match this handgun". Jane sounded sad, "We found this handgun at Mitch's apartment and he confirmed the handgun belongs to him."

Dan Gray walked to the door and noticed Jane wasn't following him, "You coming? I'm going to talk to the captain about this." He was getting irritated at her defiance of his authority.

She knew this was a bad time to make her partner mad, but this was too important to concede to his senior status, "No. Sit down, and listen to me. I'm not convinced that Mitch is the killer."

Starsky and Hutch remained silent as they watched the exchange that followed and felt the tension in the room.

"He owned the gun that shot the bullet that killed Tom Peake. What more do you need?" Detective Gray shot back at her, his voice slightly raised.

"When? How? Dan, I spent most of the night in here going over these tapes again while I waited on the ballistics report to come back." Jane walked over to the TV and pushed a tape into the machine. "Mitch was not on the premises Saturday morning. He's not in one of these tapes covering the inside and outside of the cycle shop, until he finds Tom Peake's body Saturday afternoon. Someone else turned off the cameras. That means Mitch either isn't the killer or …"

"He had an accomplice", Hutch finished her sentence, "What did you find on the tapes Jane?"

"I kept asking myself why would Mitch dress up like Meredith if he knew he'd turned off all the cameras or even if he knew someone else had turned off the cameras."

Starsky nodded his head, "Good question, but the office camera was still on."

Hutch replied, "But the day of the murder Mitch questioned Meredith about the office camera, he didn't know about it."

"I was at the cycle shop this week and they showed me around, specifically where the security cameras were located." Jane changed the tapes in the machine and continued, "Mitch installed their security system and did a nice job. See that door, in that closet is the controls for all the cameras, except the one in the office. The camera in the service department rotates which would give someone approximately two minutes to access that closet without being caught on the camera." Jane went silent as they all watched the tape until she suddenly paused the tape now showing the door slightly ajar. "Someone is in that closet…" She pressed the play button again and a few moments later the screen changed to static, "Gentlemen, whoever was in that closet just turned off the cameras."

Dan Gray sat with his mouth open, "Damn Jane. Who has access to that closet?"

"Unfortunately everyone because they don't lock it. However, typically the only people to mess with the cameras were Tom Peake or one of his two daughters."

Starsky and Hutch looked at each other. Their minds racing through the possibilities and each kept coming back to the same person.

Starsky looked at his watch and cleared his throat, "We need to take a break and digest this new information. Hutch and I have an appointment with a snitch we need to keep, he claims he has information that might break another case we're working on. Can we get back together in a couple hours?"

Hutch knew they didn't have any appointment but followed his partner's lead and stood. Hutch was following, but Starsky wasn't headed out of the building. As they walked in the door of the records department, Starsky flashed Minnie his brightest smile, "How's my favorite girl today?"

"That smile can only mean one thing, you want something", she said shaking her head back and forth. "But first, here's the file you asked for this morning Hutch."

Hutch replied, "Thanks Minnie", then showed the file to Starsky.

Starsky smiled, "That's just what I was going to ask for."

Minnie looked around the records room to make sure she could talk then leaned forward over the counter. Starsky and Hutch noticed and leaned toward her so she could talk lower. She slid another file toward them, "Some additional information you'll find interesting."

Another officer came through the department door and Minnie straightened up and raised her voice, "And no more special requests, you need to fill out requisition forms just like everyone else".

Starsky gave her a mock salute and said, "Aye, aye, sir… ah… maam."

Hutch silently mouthed 'thanks' to her then followed his partner out the door.

Once they were in the Torino, they dove into the files. Starsky started digesting the over twenty-year old accident report for Janet Peake while Hutch looked at the additional file Minnie had given them.

Hutch was confused, "Starsk, I don't understand this. Minnie gave us the obituary and information for Alice Bernet… Mitch's mother."

"Uh huh. This police report indicates there were two fatalities in the accident that day. One Janet Peake and one Alice Bernet. Hutch, the way this report reads, Alice Bernet ran into Janet Peake in a head on collision." Starsky continued. "Here's the report after all the crime scene guys did their investigations."

Starsky started reading from the folder, "As the investigating officer, it is my opinion based on all the evidence at the scene of the accident, that Janet Peake's car was hit head on by Alice Bernet's car after it had swerved left of center. Witnesses in a car behind the Bernet car state she was trying to avoid debris that fell from a truck driving in front of her. County Coroner indicates both parties died on impact."

Hutch continued reading in his folder, "Jeeze Starsk, it says here that Mitch's dad died soon after as well."

"Ya, I remember Mitch talking about it back in the academy a few times. Guess since I'd lost my dad also, he opened up some to me about it. His dad took losing his wife pretty hard…"