Chapter Eight

Huggy Bear sighed as he looked after the two "thugs" he had labeled when he first saw them. The one man with black hair had become a regular. Huggy was amused to hear the man declare Huggy had the best food around. The man never seemed interested in the food, scanning the premises as if looking for someone in particular. And by the "casual" questions he asked both Huggy and Beth Ann, it was a kid with blond hair and blue eyes, tall and slender that the man, Sal as he introduced himself as, was interested in.

Huggy had warned Beth Ann and the other waittress staff to give non-commital answers to the questions. Beth Ann had said, smiling, no she had not seen the young man again, but she wished he would return as he was so pretty and sweet.

Huggy drew pleasure in pointing out every blond that came in to Sal and when Sal was annoyed, Huggy confessed he was "near-sighted".

Sal had left this specific night, fuming and muttering about stupid people and that he hated coming to this "dump". After Huggy put up the "closed" sign and his staff had left Starsky emerged, laughing.

"You sure have Sal going," Starsky commented. "But be careful you don't push it too far: Sal is dangerous."

"Don't worry about the Bear," Huggy replied. "You hungry?"

"Thirsty, mainly."

"Beer coming up," Huggy said.

"Oh, I left something in my car," Starsky said. "Parked it a couple of blocks down so Sal wouldln't see me."

"Beer will be waitin' for you, m'man."

"Oh, and how 'bout a salad, Hug?"

"A salad? You wouldn't know one if you saw it," Huggy harrumphed. Grumbling, he got a salad as well and sat, waiting for Starsky to come back.

Starsky wasn't alone. A tall man wearing a black cap, slid into the chair beside Starsky.

Huggy trusted Starsky, but the other man made him nervous. "You a cop?" he addressed the other.

"Not yet" was the reply as Ken pulled off the cap.

"Hey man, good to see you, but you're taking a chance coming here; Sal is here almost every night," Huggy warned.

Ken shuddered. "Believe me, I never want to see that creep again."

"Huggy, this is Ken Hutchinson. Sal drugged him and kidnapped him a couple of weeks ago."

"Starsky rescued me," the blond added.

"And Sal has been furious with me ever since." Starsky sounded matter-of-fact.

"Ken knows about my undercover role," Starsky added. "No way to keep it from him. Turns out he will enter the next police academy."

"You old enough?" Huggy asked bluntly.

"Got a special exemption from Chief Stanley." Ken smiled proudly.

Huggy had brought a coke for Ken.

"Overachiever," Starsky commented as he finished the first beer and reached for the second. "Dobey knows him from his application. And to keep him from accidentally divulging who I am and from filling charges against Sal that would expose the operation, he has been with me ever since."

"I just want to help you," Ken said wistfully.

"You keep out of it," Starsky flashed at him.

"Hmmm," Huggy sat beside them. "I keep hearing Sal boast about setting up a coworker he wants to get even with. That you, m'man?"

"The one and only. I was lucky to find out about his last attempt."

"I don't think he will give up, Starsky. Maybe we should set him up." Ken suggested.

"Maybe YOU should stay out of it and let ME do what I need to. I have been thinking on it, and if the opportunity presents itself, I'll nail him. Get Moreno to trust me more. And when that happens . . . I'll get Moreno." Starsky signaled for and drank his third beer. He didn't sound nervous at all, but very confident.

Huggy raised an eyebrow. Ken was frowning.

He needs help, Ken thought. I can't let him go it alone.

Outside Huggy's, one of Sal's favorite snitches was observing the scene. He smiled happily, thinking of the large reward he would get from Sal. He then shivered. He needed drugs. He would get the money from Sal and then get the drugs.

TBC