Part VI

Activity at Metro had kicked up to frenzied levels as Dobey came back and put every available resource on finding Bambrick and Hutchinson. If Bambrick followed through on the killing, his life would be effectively over as well, so it was two lives at stake.

When they contacted Bambrick's only relative in the area, his sister willingly went with Starsky and two other officers to open up his apartment so that they could look for clues as to where he might have gone. Janice Bambrick just stood inside the door, hugging herself as they searched.

"It's my fault. This last year, he acted like he'd finally accepted Tom's death. Tom was like a father to both of us... just took us under his wing when he found out we didn't have any family other than each other. I never suspected... Don's always been the most ..."

Sympathetic sapphire blue eyes stopped searching the room and moved back to the distraught woman. Is that the way he'd sounded to Hutch when he was taking all the blame onto himself for someone else's actions? He laid a hand on her arm and wasn't a bit surprised to see the tears in her green eyes.

"Please believe me when I say that I know exactly what you're going through. Hutch says I'm a pro at taking the blame for things... and I think you might be in the same league I am. But you aren't a mind reader, no matter how close you and your brother are. This isn't your fault. I don't think it's your brother's fault either. I think he's the wonderful guy you remember, but he was wounded worse by what Prudholm did than anybody knew, including the guys that get paid to spot this stuff. Right now, we have to find him and get him help before things spiral any further out of control."

Janice nodded and took a deep breath to steady herself. Eyes moving over the room, she suddenly froze and then she practically ran over to a picture hanging on the wall, pulling it down. It was a picture of her, her brother and Tom - all with their arms around one another in a rural setting.

"Here. Tom's family had land not far outside of the city that Don inherited. He'd take us there sometimes for picnics or hiking or just to get away from everything for a weekend."

Something in Starsky's guts told him this felt right and the urgency to get moving to get there as fast as possible kicked in.

"Give me directions."

"I'll go with you."

"I don't.."

"Please? Don might listen to me. That guilt you were talking about? I might be able to help you save your partner. I need to try if I'm going to live with myself."

Starsky called out to the two officers and told them he'd fill-in Captain Dobey on the way over the radio. Then he reached for her hand.

"Let's get going. The Captain might skin me for this, but I'm not going to make you have to live with wondering about 'what ifs'."

He helped her into the passenger seat of the Torino then headed off as she directed before keying up his radio.

"Zebra Three to Metro One. I need to speak with Captain Dobey."

"Metro One to Zebra Three. Dobey here. Where are you, Starsky? I thought you were searching Officer Bambrick's apartment with Reed and Malloy?"

"I was, Captain. But Janice Bambrick thinks she may know where he took Hutch. She's showing me the way there. Just north of the city off of 105."

"That's out of our jurisdiction, Starsky. We need to co-ordinate with the local authorities there."

"Captain - I'm not trying to arrest the guy. I'm trying to stop him before it's too late!"

"I'm not going to order you back, but I am going to order you to be careful. I'll contact the force up there and see if I can get you some back-up."

"10-4, Captain. Zebra Three out."