Chapter 5

That afternoon, Starsky drove the Bentley up to the front gate of a long drive and waited till the driver of blue car in front pressed buttons and the electric ironwork swung back, allowing them admission. Lilly's guest house was not the humble little residence she's outlined to the brunet. As he swung the car along the crescent shaped drive and drew to a halt with a swish of tires over blinding white gravel he looked up at the imposing façade of the two storey house. It was a white stucco place with symmetrical windows facing onto the drive and a central mahogany front door. It looked like the sort of mansion owned by a cotton trader and its grace and favor frontage oozed appeal. Starsky got out of the car slowly and walked up the three front steps as the blue car pulled up a little way off. Hutch got out and walked back to the house, his fingers on his lips as Starsky turned to greet him. He shook his head miming bugs and unlocked the front door. Together they walked into the grey and white marble hallway.

The blond grinned at his partner and walked off into the large kitchen, switching on the radio and the tap, sending the water gushing noisily into the sink. He turned.

'How're ya doin' buddy?' he said softly.

'Better for seein' your ugly mug' the brunet responded, taking a step forward and enveloping Hutch in a bear hug embrace. Hutch returned the greeting and then held the smaller man at arms length.

'Lookin' sharp' he observed.

'And you aint up to your usual sartorial elegance'.

Hutch snorted and looked down at the tight pale blue jeans and the skin tight black tee shirt. The pounds he'd lost over the past months accentuated a flat stomach and broad shoulders and made him look somehow older but no less handsome. 'Nah, Got these outa your closet pal'.

'Uh huh? Well they'd look better on me, but there again, most things look better on me'.

'God, I missed ya!'

'I bet. No-one to level the wisecracks at huh?' Starsky's eyes sparkled with friendship. It felt good to be able to get the banter back after the months without. On the very few occasions Hutch had managed to get away, he reported direct to Dobey and had had to high tail it back to Lilly without time for the two of them to catch up. Both guys had missed the other keenly and even though the situation was dangerous, it felt so good to be able to talk, touch and offer the friendly insults they thrived on.

Hutch looked uncomfortable, his eyes showing concerned. 'Starsk, when I frisked you yesterday. You were hurt'.

'Its nuthin'.

'Didn't look like it'.

'Jeez Hutch! I had an argument with some drunk. He objected to me takin' him down to the tank ok? Tapped me on the ribs'.

'Bruised or cracked?'

'Bruised…..cracked. God I missed ya'. Starsky looked around. 'So, this is Lilly's hide out huh?'

'Yup. This is where she does most of her wheelin' an' deelin'. I've seen some of the toughest guys I know come out of here after a night with that vixen lookin' like they've been chewed up and spat out'.

'She can't be that bad. Seems like a pussy cat. She was comin' on pretty strong this mornin', but I turned her down flat. She was goin' crazy'. The brunet chuckled.

Hutch's mind went back to the previous night. 'Oh yeah she can be pretty special in that department' he muttered, the meaning hanging heavy in the air. Starsky raised his eyebrows.

'Ya didn't!'

A huge grin split the blond's face in two 'Gotta get me a bit of fun. All work and no play……' His face turned serious. 'Be careful buddy. I know ya want to push, but not too hard. She's one tough lady. Dangerous. She has the connections and she has the heavies. Hey, we should um…..turn off the water huh?'

Starsky nodded. 'I'll be careful. An' besides, I got you to back me up. How much trouble can I get into?'

Hutch batted him playfully on the head. 'Plenty, you know that! C'mon lets get ya unpacked. The big boss lady said I had to make sure you didn't need anything'.

'Anything?'

'Within reason Mr Shapiro Sir' Hutch said with a grin and turned the water off, leaving the radio playing in the background.

They looked around the guest house together, talking little now that there was no distractions to fend off the listening devices which were undoubtedly planted around the place. Starsky's directions to the blond were cold and monosyllabic although his face expressed warmth. Hutch understood perfectly and played the slightly subservient although ultimately tough guy to the hilt.

The place consisted of two reception rooms and a large hallway leading onto the kitchen downstairs and three large bedroom each with their own bathroom upstairs. Starsky opted for one decorated in deep blue. It faced out over the front of the house and from there he had a good defensive view of any visitors he might get. They'd just finished exploring and the brunet was starting to unpack when the telephone rang in the hallway. The curly haired man walked out and picked it up returning a moment later as he crooked a finger at Hutch.

'Hey, Blondie. Your boss wants ya' he said coldly. Hutch rolled his eyes silently and hurried out to the phone. Starsky heard a muffled conversation and Hutch mumbling yeah a few times before he put the phone down and came back in to the bedroom, a worried look in his eyes. Starsky V's his eyebrows in question and the blond picked up a pen and wrote swiftly on the pad on the dresser.

Got to go. One of the smaller dealers didn't pay.

Lilly's ordered us to persuade him.

Hate this shit.

Out loud he coughed once as though attracting Starsky's attention. 'Is there anything else? I have other places to be'.

Starsky wrote his own addendum to the sheet of paper and angled it so that Hutch could read it.

Be careful buddy. See ya.

'Fine by me. Close the door on your way out. An' if you see your boss, tell her thanks for the house huh?' Starsky flipped a wave as Hutch nodded and left. From the window on the first floor, the brunet watched his partner get into the blue car with a heavy heart. He hated this. They should be working together instead of flying off in opposite directions. He sighed, turned back to the opulent room and started to hang up the suits in the closet.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hutch drove out of the gates with a heavy heart. He'd participated in one of these "encouragement" sessions once before and although he hadn't personally laid a finger on the guy he'd been forced to watch as Lilly's three other goons had worked him over pretty badly. So badly, in fact that he'd spent five days in intensive care and had lost his hearing as a result. Now he wondered which unlucky sod was the next victim, and would he be able to slide into the background in the same way? He sighed. Seeing Starsky that afternoon, albeit for just a few short minutes had made his day seem lighter some way. He recognised that it was sappy, but being apart from his partner felt like his right arm had been cut off. It wasn't natural. He'd once asked the brunet what he would think of a male/male relationship where the partners were with each other for 75 percent of the time. Would they be gay? Starsky hadn't answered outright and instead had asked who he was talking about. Hutch had explained their circumstances and yes, they did spend at least 75 percent of their time together, but they were in no way lovers. Just the very best of friends and a well oiled law machine when they worked together.

The blond pulled the blue car up outside the disused factory over on the south side of the city. It was the usual place for meetings like this and as he got out, he saw Bo's black pick up truck parked by the doorway. Hutch walked over to the large back door and pushed it open looking around cautiously before going inside and closing it behind him. Inside, the place had a small wood paneled entrance hall. To the right were a set of offices and to the left a door which gave out onto the saw mill. Old sawdust littered the abandoned floor and the machinery that had proved to be someone's fortune maker for years now stood idle and rusting. Saw horses, table and band saws stood in serried ranks across the floor and at the back of the large open plan room Hutch could see Bo, Ramp and Mel all in a group around a smaller man.

With a heavy heart, Hutch walked over to join the group, his heart giving a lurch as he realised the fun had already started. He immediately recognised Rats McGuiness as the man in the middle of the group. Not only did he know him from Lilly's operation, but in the past he and his partner had pumped Rats for information on drugs shipments and the little man had been more than co-operative. Hutch's concern that he could be recognised, however was short lived as he saw that Rats had been bound hand and foot and was blindfolded. The little dealer had his head thrust back as though he were trying peer beneath the strip of material across his eyes and as the flaxen haired cop got closer he could hear the man's nervous pleadings.

'Guys, guys, ya got me wrong. I didn't do nuthin. I didn't do nuthin at all'.

'Shuddup punk. Boss lady says ya haven't paid up for this months shit'. Bo kicked out at the bound man and as his toe connected, Rats squeaked and lost his balance. He fell heavily to the round and stayed there, frozen in terror.

'I can get it. I'm sorry, I can get the money. My woman's been sick an' I….'

Bo kicked out again. 'Do we sound like we're interested? Ya got the money now?'

Rats licked his lips nervously. Um….no. But I can get it for ya. Just let me go an' I can pump some of my customers. It's been a tough month ya know. Money's tight'.

'Maybe we should give him a chance' Hutch said from the back of the crowd. Rats turned his head to the voice and with a lurch of his heart Hutch wondered if he'd recognised who it belonged to. He clamped his mouth shut and prayed.

'Yeah, yeah, gimme a chance' Rats agreed readily, struggling to get to his knees. 'I can get it, I swear. Just gimme a break huh?'

'Ya had your chance, You were late last month and the boss lady gave you a chance then'.

'I know, I know, but ya know how things are' the little man wheedled.

Bo ignored the pleadings and with a sickening feeling in his stomach, Hutch saw the three other goons space themselves out around the dealer. Bo led the attack with a gut wrenching kick to the little man's back and from there, Ramp and Mel joined in until they were lost in a frenzy of boots and fists, the sound of flesh connecting heavily with flesh loud in the echoing building.

Every fibre in Hutch's body rebelled against the treatment meted out to the small man. This went against every scrap of training and every part of his moral make up and he fought with his conscience. Did he blow his cover and save the little man now, did he turn his back and walk away and still the three goons would wonder about him, or did he grit his teeth and join in? Shit! He didn't join the force for this.

In the background, Rats' cries were getting weaker and at an invisible signal from Bo, the kicking and blows stopped, leaving the dealer bleeding in a heap on the ground. He'd gone quiet and was breathing heavily and noisily through his broken nose, great sobbing breaths rending the air.

Hutch let out the breath he'd been holding. Obviously, the decision had been taken from him. He watched as Bo stretched down his long black arm and turned the little man over roughly. Rats collapsed onto his back, whimpering and in the background, Mel fiddled with one of the machines and hit the start button. Bo and Ramp took hold of an arm and leg each and picked Rats up, carrying him over to the band saw that Mel had started. The sound of the machinery and the loud whirring penetrated the dealer's pain and his head quested from side to side as Bo dumped his body on the table and he and Ramp tied him securely to the flat table.

'Please….' He mumbled indistinctly through his broken mouth. 'I can get the money, I know I can….please?'

Bo ignored the pleadings and grinned down at him, a cold leer on his face. 'Too late punk. The boss lady don't like defaulters. Bye'. He flicked a switch, setting the blade moving towards the bound man's body as Rats started to cry out and struggle on the table, tearing at the bonds holding him still.

Hutch closed his eyes against the horror of it and heard Bo, Ramp and Mel began to walk away. He followed, his heart heavy as the terrified screams filled the air in the old factory. At the door of the building he made his decision.

'Shit, dropped the car keys' he said loudly, patting himself down dramatically. 'Catch ya back at the restaurant' he said as Bo and the others got into the pick up truck. Bo gave him an odd, almost pitying look, set the engine in motion and drove away as Hutch turned back into the factory and bolted into the saw shop. Rat's screams were still rending the air, but he was getting weaker and Hutch ran over to the saw, the blade now mere inches from the little man's head. With a trembling hand, the blond flicked the switch to the off position, watching in satisfaction as the circular saw blade started to slow. It stopped with only a half inch or so to spare and Rats gave a final whimper.

'Who's there?' he whispered, no energy left to summon his voice.

Hutch bent down over him, wincing at the terrible bruises and cuts over his body and face. But at least he hadn't been sawed painfully and slowly in half. He'd survive.

'No-one ya need to know about. Shuddup, get yourself home an' lay low' he hissed urgently, leaving the small man still tied and now in a dead faint.