The Peake Sisters
Chapter 13: The Set-UpWhen Starsky and Hutch returned to Metro they found Jane sitting in the conference room alone staring out the window deep in thought.
Hutch cleared his throat trying not to startle her, "Do you want to get Dan back in here? Starsk and I have a theory we want to discuss with you."
Jane turned to them and replied, "Ah… Dan has a prior commitment for the rest of the day." She walked over to the table, "So whatever your theory is, lay it on me."
"Without Dan?"
She put her hand on the evidence box and looked Hutch straight in the eyes, "Look, Mitch is a good cop and this is a lot of incriminating evidence, if you have something that can help him, I want to hear it. We don't have a lot of time, we have to move on this."
Hutch gave Starsky a nod and started, "Look Jane, we can't say for certain that Mitch isn't involved but… ". They continued for the next hour spelling out their thoughts and theories on the case and how they intended to flush out the killer.
Before leaving Metro, they spread the word they would be arresting Meredith for the murder of Tom Peake. Most of the officers and detectives at Metro were aware of the case and the accusations against Mitch. Part of the rumor was Meredith's fingerprints were found on the gun.
The rumor they leaked also indicated Starsky would bring her in quietly and that the officers watching the Peake home had already been reassigned to other duties.
Starsky stood in their living room talking with Mercedes and waited for Meredith. As soon as he saw her come down the steps, he rushed over to her and picked her up, "Pack you bags! The captain gave me two days off and I'm taking you up to one of those resort places."
"What?" Meredith looked over at her sister, "Can you get away from work?"
Starsky set her down, "Ah, Hutch got called home on a family emergency; it's just going to be you and me". He gave her a wicked wink, "Think we can find something to do for a couple days?"
She was all smiles and her eyes sparkled, "Oh, I'm sure we can think of something to do. Let me go pack a few things."
As soon as she disappeared, Starsky turned to Mercedes, "Thought a couple days away might help her. Will you be ok by yourself?" Ok partner, anytime now would be good to call.
"Yes, I'll be fine, and a couple days will help her. Dad and Meredith were close, she took his death harder than I imagined…", she was interrupted by the phone ringing. She picked up the phone but it didn't work, so she excused herself and went to a phone in another room.
Starsky checked where she was so he knew he was out of her view. He then unlocked the French doors and opened one so it was slightly ajar. Mercedes still wasn't back, so he reached down and plugged the phone back into the wall.
Hutch and Jane sat parked down the street and watched as Starsky and Meredith left. "Poor kid, she doesn't have a clue, does she?"
"It's only a theory, we could be wrong." Hutch looked over at Jane, "So what's the real story with Dan?"
"Well at this point, I guess I can tell you. Dan is retiring, his paperwork is being processed as we speak. He's been a good partner, I've learned a lot from him."
"Any idea who you'll be partnered with next?"
"No, not yet. It's not official, but I'm transferring up to the North Precinct, effective when this case is cleaned up and I have handed over our pending cases to other teams."
So Mr. Hutchinson one day you're going to look around and see me 'cause I'm coming after that fine looking physique of yours.
Hutch looked over at her and tilted his head in disbelief, "That's too bad, you're a good detective, we'll miss you." I'll miss seeing your blue eyes and soft smile in the mornings.
Starsky looked over at Meredith, he didn't think she had stopped talking since they left her house. "I need to run into work for a little bit, I forgot to give the captain my report this morning. Care to take the nickel tour?"
"Sure, as long as you don't handcuff me."
Instead of taking his normal spot Starsky pulled around to the back garage and receiving area. Mitch should still be at work so he'd see Starsky's car with Meredith in it. If their theory was right, they needed to get Mitch to react and react fast. He sat thinking for a moment then turned to Meredith, "Ah, this entrance will be faster, but for security I'm going to have to cuff us together, ok?"
"Really?"
"Ya, and ah… think of this like I'm bringing you in... don't smile so much Think back to the day you had to come in for questioning, you were pretty solemn then."
She put her hand on his arm, "David? You're not arresting me for daddy's murder are you?" Is that what this is all about?"
Oh God no. "No, I'm not arresting you. But bringing you here in handcuffs might flush out your dad's killer."
He didn't have to say another word as he watched her look around the back receiving area of Metro. She looked out her side window toward the motorcycle garage and sadly whispered, "Mitch." He signaled Hutch on the radio and by the time Starsky had moved around the car to open her door there were tears rolling down her cheeks. He handcuffed their wrists together and slowly walked her into the building.
Across the parking lot, Mitch stood at his office window with his hands clinched in tight fists and watched but didn't believe what he saw. Come on Starsk, handcuffs aren't necessary. Meredith isn't a killer. How did her fingerprints get on my gun? He couldn't stand this any longer, he needed answers.
After receiving Starsky's signal indicating he was at Metro, Hutch and Jane moved to the bushes along the side of the house and soon watched Mitch's car screech into the driveway and come to an abrupt halt. He sprinted to the front door and knocked loudly before entering the house through the unlocked door where he confronted Mercedes.
"What the hell is going on? They just arrested Meredith."
Mercedes looked at him dumbfounded, "No, she just left here with Dave Starsky for a couple days at a resort up the coast."
Mitch grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, "No, I just stood in my office as Starsky walked Meredith into Metro, in handcuffs."
"No," Mercedes turned her back to Mitch, "what evidence would they have?"
"Mercedes, they found Meredith's fingerprints on my gun. The gun I gave you a few weeks ago." He angrily pushed her backwards, "You set Meredith up?"
"There were no fingerprints on that gun until I handed it to you when I returned it. I know that for a fact Mitch."
"Mercedes I saw the ballistics report; my gun was the weapon used to kill Tom."
"It's your gun with your prints, why aren't they arresting you?"
"Mercedes?" Mitch forcefully pushed her backwards into a chair, "Oh my God, you were trying to set me up? You said you didn't want the gun in the house because Meredith was so distraught."
Hutch and Jane looked at each other. The conversation was going the right direction so far, definitely confirming part of their theory. However, they still weren't sure if both of them were involved or just Mercedes.
"And you bought it, you fool."
That confirmed it, it was just Mercedes. Jane shifted her weight as if to stand but Hutch reached out shaking his head back and forth in a no motion. He wanted to hear more.
"But why?"
"Dad talked to me, he planned to put you and Mike in charge of the store. His two beloved sons. He told me you were going to retire from the force and take over while Mike continued his racing."
"But Mercedes, I love being a cop; I told your dad I wouldn't retire. I told your dad that you had put your life into the store and you should be the one left in charge." His voice was cracking at this point, "I couldn't take the store away from you. God Mercedes, I love you. I have always loved you. Tom only told me a few weeks ago that I was his son. I never knew."
Mercedes looked at him with distain, "We lost our mom that day because of your mother. YOUR MOM caused the accident that KILLED our mom."
"NO!" Mitch shouted back at her, "I've looked at the old files, it was an accident, there was debris in the road". He sat down on the couch, "It was an accident. I lost my mom too." He then slumped backward on the couch, "And then I lost my dad…"
Hutch and Jane watched and listened to their conversation through the open door. For several minutes Mitch just sat staring at Mercedes in disbelief. Without warning Mitch shot from the couch and roughly grabbed Mercedes, "Come on, we're going downtown. You're going to tell them everything and get Meredith out of this."
As the two struggled, Hutch and Jane entered the room taking control of the situation. Mitch sank into the couch once again and looked up at Hutch with complete devastation on his face, "She killed Tom… Tom was my dad…"