AN UNEASY ALLIANCE
Chapter 4
After he was sure no one would come after him, Ronnie stood bent over catching his breath. He waited until the two men got back in their car and finally drove off. That had been too close. It was only the second time Ronnie had tried to steal a purse and now he was a bit shaken by the experience. It wasn't long after Ronnie arrived in Bay City when he realized he needed two things. He needed shelter and he needed money. The money he'd taken when he left home wouldn't last forever so he had to find a way to get his hands on easy cash. He was too young to work anywhere so for the first few days, he'd just walked around, sleeping in door ways and eating at soup kitchens. It was at one such place that he met a young man not much older than himself. He'd struck up a friendship of sorts with the teen-ager who like Ronnie, roamed the streets with no particular place to call home.
Ronnie left the building but was soon joined by Blake, the boy who had eaten beside him.
After that, the boys joined together for an uneasy partnership. It was by unspoken agreement that they were on their own but that Blake would help Ronnie learn some street skills.
He'd watched Blake effortlessly steal a wallet from an unsuspecting man. He warned Ronnie that this was possible only after a lot of practice. He encouraged the younger boy to start with purse snatchings, particularly after he discovered that his new friend was a fast runner.
That had happened several months ago and occasionally Ronnie tried to use what he'd learned from Blake. The other boy had long since disappeared so Ronnie was definitely on his own.
He wasn't ready to go back to the garage so he decided to go a few blocks away from where he stood. If he went more than five blocks, he'd be in dangerous territory. There was a gang of street punks in that area but he was feeling brave so decided to investigate.
Ronnie turned the corner, on his way over to Waverly playground. He knew the gang called The Blades claimed the area as theirs, but he suddenly had an urge to check out the playground that was right in the middle of their domain. He didn't want trouble but he didn't see why he couldn't use the playground for awhile. He wanted to forget about his family that didn't exist anymore and just be a kid. Besides, that was the only park close by.
Ronnie ambled through the streets, glancing in windows at the expensive jewelry. He stopped at a pawn shop, wondering if his watch was worth anything. He didn't have much money left in his hiding place but getting rid of the watch would be a last resort. Even though he knew his father hadn't loved him, it was still a connection that he thought about often. He put his hand in the pocket and ran his fingers over the smooth surface. Somehow, it brought him comfort, even though he couldn't have explained why.
Starsky and Hutch were asking questions of everyone at the senior center who knew anything about the thefts, gathering facts about the purse snatchings, talking to the men who'd had their wallets stolen and other incidents that worried the group.
Starsky sat at a table that was covered with a checkered table cloth. He munched on a cookie, content to let Hutch ask more questions.
Writing a few words in his notebook, Hutch flipped it closed and slipped it back into his shirt pocket.
Sitting across from them were two older men. Roger had his glasses off and was wiping them with a tissue. He placed them back on the bridge of his nose then continued speaking.
"But you're sure that Delight is okay? She's a special lady and I'd feel awful if she had been hurt." Roger and Delight had a date later in the week. They were going to a movie but if something had happened, Roger would have felt really guilty.
"Roger, she's fine. She's pretty feisty. But she went home after giving us her statement." Starsky spoke quietly, looking directly into the lined face of the man sitting next to him.
"Every time somebody gets mugged, they always say it was a kid, a young person." Will grunted in agreement and sipped at his coffee. He made a face as he added more sugar. He stirred it while he added to what Roger had said.
"I think it's the same kid, just one all the time. Could this be his territory, like you hear some gangs have?" His eyes grew misty with worry.
Hutch reached out to cover the old man's hand with his.
"I don't think it's that serious." He waved his hand in front of him to keep Will from interrupting him. The man had made a face when Hutch seemed to disregard the danger they faced.
"I don't mean to say that you have nothing to worry about. I just mean that I don't think this is an organized, established so-called gang. But we'll be looking for them. Just keep your eyes open and you'll be okay. Call if there are any more problems." Hutch handed him a piece of paper with their phone number on it.
Starsky swallowed the last bite of his cookie and chased it with a sip of coffee.
"My partner and I'll look into it further. Maybe if we scout around, we can find where they hang out. If it turns out to be the same kid, maybe even get him back to his family."
The detectives stared at each other and by silent agreement, stood up to leave. They reached out to shake hands with Roger and Will.
"Just tell everyone to be careful and walk in groups." Starsky grabbed another cookie and raised it in a salute to the group of ladies sitting at another table.
They walked across the large room toward the exit. They passed a table where men played checkers and women sat in front of a few chess boards, deep in concentration. At another table near the door, a group of women sat, knitting and gossiping. Starsky stopped to offer his thanks for the cookies.
"Come back any time officer." The woman waved and Starsky winked at the group.
