Chapter 10

They had decided to interview Ray first and see what they could learn about Blinn and Monroe from him. "Hutch, how you wanna do this?"

"You said he's nervous, right?"

"Nervous as a rookie being yelled at by Captain Dobey." They both laughed.

"You want to play a game of ping-pong then?" Hutch asked.

"Yeah, that'll work on him. If not, we'll switch to good cop/pissed off 'cause-he-beat-you cop."

Hutch opened the door and they entered interrogation room four. Ray was sitting in a wooden chair at a small white table. He jumped when he saw Hutch walk in behind Starsky. Hutch positioned a chair on the right of Ray while Starsky moved another chair to Ray's left. They sat as close as they could to Ray, who was now squirming in his seat.

"I want my lawyer."

"Ray, we just want to ask you a couple of questions. You don't really need your lawyer here for that," Hutch said as Ray turned his head toward Hutch.

"We just want to know what you know about, Blinn," Starsky said.

"Where does he hang out?" Hutch asked.

"How long has he been working for Monroe?"

"When did you see him last?"

"Did he work for Big john too?"

Starsky and Hutch volleyed questions so fast that Ray didn't have time to think before he could answer. He was turning his head from Starsky to Hutch with each question they fired at him. He forgot all about asking for his lawyer and was trying to answer their questions. He finally put his hands up in the air, "I give up." He put his hand in front of him on the table and took a deep breath. "What do you two really want to know? Who are you after?"

"You tell us?" Hutch asked. He wanted to know if Ray knew who was really in charge.

"You're after Monroe, aren't you? Well I'm not giving him to you. I value my life. That's one mean dude."

"We know. That's why we want him," Starsky said slowly as he moved in so close to Ray that he could feel Starsky's breath as he spoke.

Ray shuddered. "He'll kill me."

"I guess then we'll just turn you loose, then," Starsky whispered in an eerie voice.

"Good idea, Starsk. Then we can let it slip that our good buddy, Ray here, told us everything we need to go after Monroe."

"You can't do that. You wouldn't." Ray squirmed in his chair.

Hutch stood up and leaned over Ray. "You beat me while I was tied up and you left me to die. Now, tell us what we want to know or else…" He was looking at Ray with a spine-chilling stare with his baby blue eyes.

Ray swallowed the lump that was in his throat. "Okay, okay. I really don't know much, 'cept that Monroe not only wants to take over Big John's turf. He's going after Marso-somebody's area next."

"You mean he's going after Marsolenni?" Starsky asked as he sat back in his chair.

"Yeah, him. But he wants to use you to help him. He'll do it too. He's that mean."

"What about Stratton and Martin? Did you kill them?" Starsky asked.

"No. No, I swear it. Blinn killed them both on Monroe's orders because they wouldn't let things go. They just kept digging deeper into Big John's murder and they were getting close. Stratton already figured out that Monroe and Spitzer were fighting over John's turf. Spitzer never had a chance. Monroe's too powerful. He's the kinda of guy who gets what he wants, ya know?"

"So are we," Starsky said, never taking his eyes off Hutch.

Hutch gritted his teeth from the pain he was in, faced Ray and said, "Either you tell us something we can use or so help me…" Hutch grabbed the table just before he started falling. Starsky jumped up and caught him just in time to ease him onto the floor. Hutch was out cold. If looks could kill, Ray would have dropped dead on the spot from the one Starsky just gave him. Starsky slightly shook his head, no. He knew Dobey was on the other side of the two-way mirror and he didn't want anyone coming in just yet.

Starsky bent down next to Hutch, "Come on, Buddy, wake up."

"Aw, ain't that cute," Ray said sarcastically.

Starsky wanted to jump up and put Ray out on the floor but he stayed beside Hutch instead. Hutch blinked his eyes and looked at Starsky, "What just happened?"

"I think you wanted to take a nap."

Hutch was embarrassed about passing out like that while interrogating a suspect. "Help me up, will ya?"

"Sure. Take your time," Starsky said as he helped Hutch up and into a chair.

"Yeah, take your time, Hutch. I got all day," Ray said.

"Shut up," was the simultaneous response he received.

Hutch nodded at Starsky letting him know he was okay, at least for the moment. Then he looked at Ray.

"You can throw away the key. I ain't saying anything else. I've said too much already."

"Good idea. Put him away, Starsk. We'll get Blinn to turn on Ray here and pin the murders of two detectives on him."

"No. I told you, I didn't kill them."

"I'm sure that Blinn will tell us differently," Hutch said. He was barely able to sit up.

"Okay, okay. What if I told you Marso what's his name, is after Monroe He knows Monroe's trying to move in on his turf.

"Marsolenni. The name's Marsolenni," Starsky said sounding irritated. "And we don't care if he's after Monroe."

"We'd be more surprised if he wasn't. But your boss has a job ahead of him if he's trying to take Marsolenni on," Hutch said.

"He'll do it. Like I said before, he gets what he wants."

"Starsk?"

"Yeah?"

"Get him outta my sight."

"You got it." Starsky tugged at Ray's shirt and stood him up. He opened the door and handed Ray to a uniformed officer who was waiting outside.

As soon as Ray was out of the room, Hutch put his head on the table and started sweating. "Hey, you okay, Hutch?"

Hutch shook his head no. Starsky leaned Hutch back in the chair and took Hutch's jacket off him. He wanted to take Hutch back to the hospital but Hutch refused saying he'd be fine in a little while. Dobey came in and ordered them both to go home and get some rest. He knew if he took Starsky off the streets Hutch wouldn't put up such a big fight.

Starsky wasn't about to leave Hutch alone anyway and Captain Dobey knew that. Starsky drove to Hutch's place after having the prescriptions filled. He helped Hutch up the stairs. Starsky opened the door to find Monroe sitting on Hutch's couch. He couldn't draw his gun because he was holding onto Hutch.

"Come on in. We've been waiting for you." Starsky saw three men with Monroe.

"Friends of yours, Starsk?" Hutch asked.

"Not hardly."

Hutch pushed Starsky just enough to let him know he wanted to walk in on his own. Starsky slowly let go of Hutch, ready to grab him if he fell again. The two walked in and took a seat on Hutch's couch. "Hutch, this is Monroe and his goonies."

"So you're the one who gets off on hurting little girls. Nice of you gentlemen to drop by my place. Next time, let me know you're coming and I'll arrange not to be here."

"Now, Hutchinson that's no way to talk to a friend."

"The day I call you a friend is the day I put a bullet in my own head."

Monroe laughed. Starsky wasn't laughing. He could feel Hutch tensing up. Starsky knew it was only a matter of time before Hutch passed out again and he didn't want it to be in front of Monroe and his clowns.

"What do ya want this time?"

"I just wanted to welcome Lieutenant Hutchinson home," Monroe said. A sarcastic smile came across his face.

"Thank you, now go away," Hutch said, trying not to sound like he was going to pass out any minute and leave Starsky alone to fight these goons if it came down to it.

"I'll be leaving all in good time, gentlemen. Hutch, I take it Starsky has already told you what I want and what he has agreed to."

Hutch glanced at Starsky and nodded. "He told me you want to make us a deal. We leave you alone and you let our friends live, right?"

"You don't waste any time getting to the point do you?"

"No."

"Then yes, that about sums it up. And the other part is that no one can know of our little deal. Not even your precious Captain Dobey."

"He told me that too," Hutch said weakly.

"I want to make sure for myself that you are in agreement with your partner about our little arrangement."

Hutch nodded, "I usually agree with him."

"Usually?"

"Let me make myself very clear. Starsky and I will do whatever it takes to keep our friends safe. Is that plain enough for you?"

"Just as long as we're on the same page."

"We're on the same page, all right. We just play by a separate set of rules. Make no mistake, our deal ends at letting you operate. We will not do any of your dirty work, understand?"

"There's no need for that. I have enough staff to handle the internal operations of my business."

Starsky had enough of this chit-chat and stood up. He pointed his finger at Monroe, "Look, you can see he's not doing well right now. Now I'm going to ask you to leave us alone a couple of days. Dobey put us both on leave for three days and we can't even show our faces at the station so if you got anything big planned you'd better cancel it or our men might just intercede."

Hutch remained seated and added, "You want us to stay away from your territory-fine. We got the message; we'll keep our men away too. Just don't go hurting any more little girls."

"Like I said before, if you do as I ask no one else needs to get hurt."

"I'd let you out myself, but I think you can find your own way out," Hutch said. He started leaning toward his right but stopped himself.

"Good day, gentlemen. As a goodwill gesture of our agreement, you won't hear from me until the three days are up."

"As a goodwill gesture on our part, you should know that we plan on removing the bugs you've planted in our offices and apartments," Starsky said as he sat on the arm of the couch next to Hutch.

"And that goes for the one in Captain Dobey's office," Hutch added.

"Since you know about them, they won't serve their purpose now will they?"

"Nope, and we'll continue to look for them," Starsky said.

"You have my word; there will be no more recording devices." Monroe promised.

"Good," Hutch said.

"Make no mistake, you will hear from me again."

"Do me a favor will you, please?" Hutch asked.

"If I can, Lieutenant."

"Trip when you go down the stairs."

Monroe didn't say anything else as he followed the three men that were with him out of the apartment.