CHAPTER 9
"NICOLAS, STOP! GOD…PLEASE STOP!" Rachel cried as she rushed forward and grabbed her younger son's arm, trying to pull him off of David. With a growl, Nicky shoved his mother away. Rachel stumbled backwards and fell, hitting her head on the edge of the kitchen table hard enough to render her unconscious. Blinded by rage and hatred, Nicky continued to beat his defenseless brother.
Nicky stopped his brutal attack just as suddenly as he had started it and looked down at his brother's battered face. "You got what you deserved…" he muttered as he staggered to his feet. As he turned, he saw his mother lying on the floor, bleeding heavily from a gash on her temple. "Ma?" he whimpered, taking a stumbling step backwards. "FUCK!' he hissed as he grabbed the gun off the floor and ran out the front door.
Hutch was finishing up a report on the Gunther case when Captain Dobey opened his office door and motioned for Hutch to enter his inner sanctum. Slapping shut the file lying in front of him, Hutch stood up and followed Dobey inside closing the door behind him.
Dobey sat down at his desk and looked up at Hutch, his face solemn and grave. Hutch immediately went on high alert, sensing that something was wrong.
"I just got off the phone with Jacob Starsky in New York. Rachel and Starsky have both been taken to the hospital. They were attacked by an unknown assailant in the Starsky home sometime this morning."
"What?" Hutch exclaimed as his knee gave out and he sank into the chair facing the Captain's desk. "Are they okay?"
"Rachel has a severe concussion and is still unconscious. Starsky appears to have been the primary target. He was severely beaten and is in a coma. I've already made arrangements for you on the next plane to New York. It leaves in two hours."
"Do the police have any idea who did it?" Hutch was an expert at concealing his feelings but inside his heart was pounding with fear. He was terrified that Gunther had somehow attempted another attack against Starsky.
"Not yet. They're hoping Rachel can tell them something when she wakes up."
"Thanks, Cap." Hutch turned and hurried out of the office, leaving the building. He had just enough time to go home and pack a few things before catching his flight. He was overwhelmed with guilt. Once again, he had let Starsky down by not being there when Starsky needed him the most. As he boarded the plane for the cross country flight to New York, he made a silent vow to find whoever had done this to Rachel and Starsky and make sure that they paid and paid dearly.
It was early evening when Hutch's plane landed in New York. Grabbing his bag on the way out of the terminal, he climbed into one of the cabs waiting for fares at the front entrance.
"Saint Rita's Hospital and step on it." Hutch ordered as he climbed into the back seat of the cab. The cab driver nodded and pulled away from the curb with a jolt that pushed Hutch back in his seat. Luckily, thanks to his previous visits to the city with Starsky, Hutch was prepared for the reckless way the cab driver maneuvered through the heavy traffic on the way to the hospital.
When the cab pulled up in front of the hospital, Hutch pulled some bills out of his pocket and handed them to the driver with a curt, "Keep the change." Turning on his heel, he hurried into the large mid-city hospital.
Spotting a bank of elevators just inside the main entrance, he stepped into an empty car and pushed the button for the fourth floor where the ICU was located. Stepping out on the right floor, he turned towards the waiting room. The room was crowded with people. Hutch recognized some of them as part of the extended Starsky family. An older gentlemen dressed in the traditional garb of an orthodox Jew turned as Hutch entered the room.
"You must be Ken." He said, holding out his hand formally. "I'm Jacob Goldburg, Rachel's brother."
"I'm glad to meet you. I wish it could be under different circumstances." Hutch replied politely as he shook Jacob's hand firmly. "Is there any word on Rachel or Sta...uh…
David?"
"They think Rachel will be all right. We are just waiting for her to wake up." Jacob said "The police said it looked like she was pushed and fell backward hitting her head on the edge of the table." He paused before continuing. "I'm afraid that David is still in a coma.
He also has a severe concussion and a hairline fracture of the skull. The police think he was the target of the attack. He has a broken jaw and a broken nose as well as some bad cuts and bruises."
"Who found them?"
"I did. I went over there around noon because David had a therapy appointment this afternoon. I found the front door ajar and when I went inside, I found them both in the kitchen. I called the police and the ambulance immediately."
"Do the police have any suspects?"
"Not yet but because of how badly David was beaten, they think that it was personal."
Hutch glanced around the room, immediately noticing that one family member in particular was glaringly absent.
"Have the police talked to Nicky?"
"No. Nobody knows where he is. He got into an argument with Rachel a few days ago and left. Nobody has seen him since." Jacob arched an eyebrow and grasped Hutch's elbow pulling him to one side so they could talk in private. "Do you think that Nickoli had something to do with this?"
"If he did…I'll kill the little bastard." Hutch growled. He looked at Jacob apologetically. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said that."
Jacob shrugged. "It is no secret that Nicholas is jealous of David. He always has been…but to do something like this to his own brother? I do not want to believe he would do something like that…and I know that he would never hurt Rachel."
"Not intentionally." Hutch said "But you said that the police think she was pushed and fell. What happened to her could have been accidental. David was obviously the intended victim. The violence of the attack proves that."
"I can promise you this…if Nicholas had anything to do with what happened to his mother and to David…he will not find sanctuary within the family. I trust that you will find out who is responsible."
"I have no jurisdiction in this city." Hutch told him "But, I promise you that I will do whatever I can to help find out who did this and make sure they pay for it. Can I see them for a few minutes?"
Jacob nodded. "The Doctor is in with David right now but I'm sure he will allow you to see them when he is finished." He smiled warmly as he laid his hand on Hutch's shoulder. "You are David's family too."
Hutch nodded gratefully. It felt good to be accepted by these strong, independent people who had every reason to hate a Nordic blond of European descent. Too wired up to sit down, Hutch remained standing as he waited with the rest of the Starsky family for word on their loved ones.
