Chapter 4

The next day, Starsky dressed carefully again, a navy blue suit and palest blue silk mix shirt this time set off by a crimson tie. He looked himself up and down in the mirror, straightening his cuffs and making sure the gold cufflinks shone brilliantly. Not a vain man, the brunet still liked to look good and never before had he worn a suit on so many consecutive days. It made him feel different, somehow more confident and he was reminded of a line from a book his Mom had made him read as a kid. Atticus in "To Kill a Mockingbird" had once said that to understand a man you should walk a mile in his shoes. Well he didn't care much for the Grensons, but the Armani and Gucci suits made him feel a million dollars and every inch the powerful drug dealer known as Billy Shapiro.

Checking himself one last time and applying a little Santos de Cartier aftershave as a final embellishment, he made his quiet way down in the elevator to the ground floor of the Hilton, had a few friendly words with Gary, the daytime doorman and asked for his car to be brought around to the front. Two minutes later he got into the gleaming black Bentley turned on the quiet engine and set off with a rubber burning start. He loved the car dearly but even the burr walnut interior, the smooth gears and the quiet purr of the 4 liter engine couldn't take the place of his Torino and he sighed as he nursed the car through the early morning traffic towards the west side of the city and to his meeting with Jiminez. As he looked in the rear view mirror he saw, four cars back the familiar dark blue car Hutch had been driving. He chuckled grimly to himself. Lilly was nothing if not cautious. S'ok Blondie. I'll make it easy for ya an' stick to the speed limit huh?

Jiminez! Now there was the fly in his ointment. Jiminez and his new sidekick Simonetti. Starsky had a long history with the IA cop who'd recently asked to be put back out onto the streets. He'd thought Simonetti was one of a kind, but he seemed to have found a soul mate in Jiminez, and neither of the cops seemed to be able to trust Starsky further than they'd be able to throw him. Sure both the brunet and his blond partner had some "creative" methods of solving their cases, but they got results, and in the process they had earned the respect of a lot of the lower lives in the City. But those methods were not to Simonetti and Jiminez' taste and several times, the Puerto Rican had openly criticized Hutch's part in the undercover assignment and had expressed his concern over whether Starsky could pull it off. On each occasion, they'd been given a quiet but thorough tongue lashing by Dobey and told to go on their merry way, leaving Starsky feeling vindicated and a little easier. He knew his methods were unconventional, but they worked. It counted for a lot to be able to rely on some of the snitches. It was those flakes with a foot in both camps who could give the detectives the leads they needed or pointers on who did what, where and why.

Checking that Hutch was still tailing him, he turned down a side street, giving plenty of signal time as he made the maneuver. This was critical and he didn't want to have his partner lose him now, not when he was going to meet Jiminez. He drove the car halfway down the street, parked up by the sidewalk and got out, looking casually around him as he did so. With an easy grace, he straightened his tie and cuffs, put on his sunshades and walked back up the street and ducked down an alley to the prearranged location. He grinned to himself when he saw Jiminez siddle out of a doorway to his left and follow him as he walked towards the undercover cop. The Puerto Rican was dressed in shabby jeans, a dirty white tee shirt and and a navy blue jacket and looked distinctly uncomfortable in the threads that were so different from his usual dapper appearance. Behind him, Starsky could hear a car come to a smooth stop and without turning around, he knew that his shadows had arrived.

Taking that as his cue, he crooked a finger at Jiminez, signaling the cop to walk slowly towards him. Jiminez started to walk and Starsky stood still, hands on his hips, every inch the self possessed, confident dealer.

He waited for a split second till the Puerto Rican was close enough. 'Right there punk. You got sumthin for me?' he asked in a voice that was not loud, but would carry sufficiently for his purposes.

'Uh huh. Boss said to deliver to you and you alone' Jiminez played his part perfectly, his eyes shifting around as though casing the alley.

'Do I look like I want conversation? Hand it over'. Behind him a heard a piece of paper or some sort of trash crumple under a quiet foot and without turning round knew he had the company he'd been expecting. Jiminez looked over his shoulder in mock fear.

The brunet took that as his cue and quick as a snake striking, he lunged forward and took a hold of Jiminez by the collar, slamming him against the rough stone wall of the alley. He leaned his body into the slim frame. 'What're ya waitin' for punk? I asked you a question.

Jiminez had his face mashed against the concrete, his profile facing down the alley away from the approaching goons. 'Easy. Don't enjoy this too much Starsky' he muttered. Out loud, he let out a nervous laugh. 'Its here. It's right here, Inside pocket'.

Starsky leaned his face close to his captive's 'Gotta be thorough. Wouldn't want 'em to suspect anythin' would we?' he said softly and with a grin. 'Hands where I can see 'em' he said out loud and patted Jiminez' jacket down, reaching inside for a white envelop containing his money. He took it and stowed it in his own inside pocket of his jacket before taking delight in cuffing Jiminez around the head with an open hand. He snorted at the surprised yelp. 'An' be more respectful next time punk. Now fuck off'.

The big Puerto Rican yelped again, took one look over his shoulder and disappeared up the alley at a fast lope just as Starsky heard the sound of a gun cocking behind him. Slowly, as though he hadn't a care in the world, he turned and stared coldly at the three men who surrounded him. Hutch, Bo and another guy were in a semi circle around him and he looked from one to the other with contempt, hands held loosely by his sides and head slightly on one side, as though weighing up options.

'Guys. Ya got nuthin better to do than to follow me around the city huh?'

'Madame Lilly wants a word' Bo said firmly.

'Yeah? She must have heard my reputation if she has to send three of ya to get me. I'm flattered, or I would be if she'd sent real men an' not Larry, Curly an' Mo' as he said the last he poked Hutch in the stomach almost playfully. Their eyes locked briefly and Starsky read the concern and something else in the crystal blues. For Gods sake don't push too far babe.

Bo indicated Starsky to walk back up the alley to their blue car parked blocking the entrance. As they got level with it, the black guard took hold of the cop's arm and spun him around so that he landed face first doubled over the hood. The breath whistled through Starsky's teeth with a quiet "whoof" as he felt rough hands patting him down. They seemed to take great joy in being more than thorough over his sore and bruised ribs and by the time they'd finished, Starsky knew he'd have a streak of damp fabric down the back of his shirt from the sweat inducing search. He remained quiet throughout and finally Bo divested him of the white envelope with the money, his Beretta and the Bentley's keys. The latter he threw to the third guard while he steered Starsky to the back door of the blue car.

'Get your hands off me' the brunet growled.

'Shuddup an' get in' Hutch pushed him. Starsky watched as the third man walked towards the Bentley.

'Hey, bozo. Drive nice with my car ya hear? I won't be happy if ya scratch my paintwork' he shouted after him.

Hutch pushed him again. 'I said shudup an' get in'.

'An' I said take your filthy hands off of me' Starsky retorted, smacking Hutch's arm out of the way and getting into the back seat. He watched thankfully as Hutch got in beside him. Bo got into the front driver's seat, started the engine and pulled slowly away.

The remainder of the drive was done in silence. It wouldn't do for the dealer to be seen conversing with the hired help, but it felt good to be sitting by his partner again. Surreptitiously Hutch took a sideways glance at the brunet and could hardly repress the chuckle. In the past four months he'd become so absorbed in becoming Cal Gibbons that it was only at the dead of night when he'd had time to wonder what Starsky was doing or how he was. Now he took in the sharp designer suit, the silk shirt and tie and the steely look in the brunet's eye. He' always admired the way his partner could absorb himself into a character, but this was his finest performance yet and a million miles away from a New Yorker with a penchant for jeans, sneakers and beef burritos.

Hutch had had a tough time. Going in as a hired heavy he'd had to prove himself from the start and he'd thanked his lucky stars for the time spent on the high school wrestling team as Bo and the others tested him to his limits. He'd had his injuries, but he'd also had his compensations, last night being no exception. It was obvious he was the brightest of Lilly's bunch and she seemed to appreciate brawn that had brains with it too. On several occasions she'd come on to the blond, culminating in last night's performance. Hutch was in no doubt that she wanted him purely for his body, but abstinence was not something he was used to and he'd got as much relief from the encounter as she obviously had. It was almost perfect, lust and sex with no ties. What every man dreamed of.

The car drew up outside Le Quatre Seasons and Hutch nodded his head for Starsky to get out and follow Bo into the restaurants deserted interior. It opened to the public only at night and now there were just two waiters and the chef going over the night's specials by the bar. None of them looked up as the three men walked purposefully through to the back room. Bo knocked on the door and at the quiet "come in" opened it for Starsky to walk through. He did slowly, standing just inside the door, arms relaxed at his sides and a small smile on his face.

'I told you I'd be back. Did ya have to send the dogs for me?' he asked quietly.

Lilly sat by her desk, pen in hand as she looked at the handsome dealer.

'I missed you'.

'I'm flattered'.

'Please, sit down' she said softly, rising and walking to the chairs by the fireplace. The white negligee floated around her as she walked and the feather trim skimmed the floor. Her eyes never left the dealer's face. Starsky walked further into the room, dropping down gracefully into the chair opposite her. He looked back at Hutch and Bo. 'Do we need the audience?'

She flicked a nod at the two men and they left, only Starsky seeing the fleeting look of concern on Hutch's face. It had been so much easer when Starsky hadn't been involved. He'd only needed to think about himself then. Now he worried for the brunet, knowing just how many risks the smaller man would be willing to take to get the job done. The door closed, Lilly turned her attention to her visitor. She'd been thinking about the handsome sable haired man all night. In fact while she'd been riding Gibbons to oblivion, she'd been imagining what Shapiro would feel like beneath her, and she resolved to find out soon.

'Tea?' she asked.

'No'.

'Coffee?'

'Explanations'.

'I was curious to know what your answer would be' she said, sitting back and crossing her legs neatly.

'I told you my answer. I'm not the sort to change my mind readily.

'How would you feel about a 60/40 split? Would that change your mind?' Lilly rose from her chair and came to sit by Starsky, resting her hand lightly on his blue suited leg.

'Sounds better'. He said calmly. He ignored the hand and she redoubled her efforts.

'The guest house is still free. Perhaps you'd reconsider that offer at the very least. It's so much more……comfortable. Better furnishing, bigger beds……and closer to my restaurant'.

'My hotel's fine'.

'Oh but I insist' she said huskily, her fingers trailing northwards towards his crotch. Her eyes were hooded and dark and invited sex and secrets, willing Shapiro to come back to the bed with her now.

He sighed 'If you insist. Maybe for a couple of weeks huh? Have your goon deliver my car back to me, give me my gun back and we can talk' he said, his voice amazingly level considering her fingers had now reached almost to the bulge in the front of his pants. His eyes however, never flickered.

'And the deal?'

'You make it sound more interesting. 60/40 and I skim off the best shit for my own. The rest you can do what you want with'.

Lilly leaned forward, putting her hand up to Starsky's face and pulling him gently round until he faced her. Her eyes searched his as her other hand started to work at the buckle on his expensive leather belt.

'I knew you'd come around' she whispered. 'Maybe we should celebrate. Consolidate our assets?'

'And what did you have in mind?'

She smiled at him, he tongue flicking out to run across her slightly parted lips. Lavender eyes glinted. 'I think we should get to know each other a little better' she whispered. 'Now it looks like we'll be business partners it wouldn't hurt to…..'

Starsky looked long and hard into her eyes, reading the lust there and he snorted to himself. He sneered at her callously, roughly pushed her hand away and stood. 'I never mix business and pleasure. Leads to too many complications' he said as he walked to the door. 'Send the address to my hotel room. You know where I'm staying. I'll move in this afternoon' He pulled open the door and stepped into the hallway, leaning his head back against the wall to regain his composure.

Inside the room, Lilly sucked in a breath. She was unaccustomed to being rejected. Most men saw her as a stepping stone to success if nothing else. But this Shapiro guy? 'Damn' she whispered, walking unsteadily to the desk to pour a whisky. Well, there would always be nights at the guest house.