Chapter Text
Title; "The Fall Guy"
Warnings: Bad language and some violence
Rating: FRM
Thanks to my beta Deb for all the hard work
Chapter One
It was a fall day in Bay City but unlike other climates the Southern Californian one did not paint with the rich colors of Nature's palette. It was a good day to be alive; at least Detective David Starsky felt it was. The dark haired man parked his car outside his partner's apartment and ran up the stairs. Starsky stopped just outside the front door and listened. He heard voices so he let himself in, using the key he always kept on his key chain.
Ken Hutchinson was in the process of tickling a stunning blonde woman who squirmed in his embrace and squealed at Starsky when she saw him. "Dave! Please get this lunatic away from me."
Starsky smiled but made no attempt to intervene. In fact he stood leaning against the door he had just closed and crossed his arms. "Ma'm, I never interfere with my partner when he's apprehending a suspect and you sure look suspect to me." Starsky's dreadful imitation of a policeman was enough to gain Hutch's attention and in doing so allow the tall blonde to uncurl from Hutch's hold. The woman pulled her silk kimono style dressing gown around her and backed away from Hutch.
"I swear you guys are going to kill me." But her smile denied her words.
She grabbed a glass from the kitchen counter and went into the bathroom, stopping at the door just long enough to blow a kiss to Hutch.
Five minutes later the detectives were in Starsky's car and on their way to Parker Center to begin their 8:00 am to 4: 00 pm shift. Experience had taught the pair that clock watching was not for busy police officers and more than likely the 4:00 finish would not be possible. The banter between the two men was good humored as Starsky maneuvered his much-loved Torino through the streets of the city. The main topics for discussion were Hutch's latest and surprisingly, steady, girlfriend Linda whom the duo had just left behind in Hutch's apartment as well as the procession of pretty girls who paraded through Starsky's life but never became firm fixtures. Hutch had been seeing Linda for six months and it seemed, on the surface, pretty serious. Linda was a tall, beautiful blonde who worked in real estate and, although she accepted Starsky's presence in Hutch's life without complaint, there was something else there. She didn't complain or whine to Hutch about his relationship with his partner, but she also didn't greet Starsky with open arms. On analyzing his partner's relationship, Starsky felt that something was missing. Hutch wasn't all starry eyed like he had been with Gillian but he did seem happy, so on one level Starsky accepted that fact and was glad of it. Starsky seemed unable to find anybody who came near his dead girlfriend, Terry, and so he played the game with a different woman every week. Hutch didn't comment on his partner's choice of girlfriends and Starsky was vague in his praise of Linda. Overall, the last few months had been good for both men, and they were in pretty high spirits as they entered the squad room on the last day of their workweek, with two days off coming up.
They had just reached their desks when Captain Dobey opened his office door, and upon spotting them called the two men into his office. Hutch exchanged a quick glance with Starsky that seemed to ask silently if he had been up to anything and got a shake of Starsky's head in return. Captain Dobey waddled his bulky form into the chair behind his desk while Hutch sat in an overstuffed chair and Starsky perched on the arm of it. Dobey tossed back the last of his coffee from a mug and placed it down on his blotter, then coughed once as if trying to gain some time. Finally he looked at the two men and spoke. "Were you two together last evening?"
Hutch spoke for the two of them. "No Cap'ain we left here about seven thirty and Starsky dropped me off."
"Damn!" Dobey said the expletive quietly and then added, "Where did you go, Starsky?"
"Cap'ain what's this about?"
"Just answer the question." Dots of perspiration appeared on the older man's face.
"After I dropped Hutch off I went home and stayed there for the rest of the night."
"Was anyone with you?"
"Cap'ain did my mother call you? Or are you just interested in who I'm dating?"
"Starsky, answer the question. It's important."
"I was alone. I heated up some pizza, drank a few beers, watched an old Bogey movie on TV, and then hit the sack."
"Think Starsky! This is important, did you see anybody? A neighbor, a store clerk, anybody?"
Starsky looked at his commanding officer and said. "I didn't see anyone. Look, what's this all about?"
"Last night Jacob Hamlin was murdered. Assassin style, one slug to the heart and one to the back of the head, and someone fitting your description was seen leaving the building around 10pm."
Hutch was on his feet in an instant. "Hold on here, Captain! Am I missing something? Some pro kills Hamlin and the only suspect you can think of is my partner?"
"It's not like that, Hutch. A witness named Starsky as the guy she saw leaving Hamlin's place right after the shots were fired. I.A. is all over this and in fact, two of their detectives are on their way to talk to you. I was just trying to give you a heads up about it." Dobey's voice dropped. I know you didn't do it, Starsky, but Hell, from the outside it appears you have motive enough to want Hamlin dead."
" Along with about fifty other people." Hutch shot back while pacing the office. "Hamlin? Wasn't he the guy that you nabbed when I was in Duluth last spring?" Hutch's voice was soft.
"Yeah, that's right, Hutch. I was doing mostly paperwork but I backed up Granger and Bolger on a narco bust. Hamlin made a run for it and I brought him down with a tackle. His attorney screamed blue murder about 'police brutality' but a rookie detective called Peters made a slip up on reading him his rights. Anyway Hamlin's high priced attorney got him off on a technicality. I lost it in the Court and shouted I'd get him. I meant 'get' as in 'bust' him but I suppose realistically more could be read into it" Starsky remained seated and seemed to be the coolest of the three people in the office. "Cap'ain I'm sure there's been a mix up and if it will clear things up quicker, I'll talk top these IA guys and sort it out."
Hutch stopped his pacing and stood between Dobey's desk and Starsky. "I'll phone the union and get them to send a lawyer to be present during the interview."
Starsky's deep blue eyes locked with Hutch's worried ones, and he reached up and patted his partner's elbow. "Ma has a saying - 'don't trouble trouble before it troubles you' - and she's right. Look, Hutch, I have nothing to hide so I don't need a lawyer. We'll face this the same way we face everything, - together."
Hutch's answer was interrupted by the arrival of two men at Dobey's office door. Both men were tall, well over six feet, but that was where the similarities ended. The first man flashed his badge at Dobey and introduced himself as James Butler. Butler was a thin man in his early fifties with silver, crew cut, hair. He wore a navy lightweight suit and the most remarkable thing about him was his nose, which was large with a hooded shape. His companion was younger, about thirty-five, and he was rotund with streaks of brown hair pulled crudely across his balding plate. His eyes were lost in the mounds of flesh that made up his face and Hutch's first thought was how had he made the annual physical. That thought was pushed aside as the man introduced himself as Frank Darcy. Neither man proffered their hands, just their badges, as the introductions were made. Butler immediately turned to Starsky and began questioning him as he got his notebook out of his inside pocket.
"So, Starsky, if you have an alibi for last night we can clear this up in a jiffy - otherwise I'd say you're in pretty deep trouble."
"What the hell do you mean?" Hutch's eyes were ablaze.
"Easy, partner! They're just doing their job." Starsky eased himself into the chair that Hutch had vacated.
"Sensible move, Starsky. It will make it much easier for all of us if you co-operate with the investigation. Now where were you last night between nine and eleven pm?"
Starsky looked at Butler. "I was home, alone, all evening."
"No girl, huh? We heard you were a real lady killer." It was Darcy's turn to speak.
Starsky laughed quietly. "You're not very practiced at playing 'good cop/bad cop' are you?"
Darcy's face reddened. "Look we also heard you were a real smart ass. We're going to run a proper investigation, so you'd better start co-operating."
Hutch looked at Darcy. "He is co-operating. What- the hell do you want him to do?"
"Well, if he confessed it would save us all a lot of time." Butler's eyes locked on Starsky as his remark was addressed to Hutch.
"Smartass!" Hutch's eyes were ablaze.
Butler took over. "Look, there's a witness who identified you to the uniforms when they arrived. She's due downstairs in fifteen minutes so you can volunteer to be part of a line up and we'll see what happens after that."
"Sure I can do that. See, Hutch. She'll know it wasn't me and this whole thing will be
cleared up."
"She named you, Starsky, so I wouldn't be making holiday plans any time soon."
Butler addressed Starsky and then turned his attention to Dobey. "As his commanding officer it might be better if you held on to his gun and his badge."
"Why? As far as I know no charges have been pressed against my officer."
Darcy smiled. "Well! I'd say that will change shortly."
Hutch was forced to wait in another room as Starsky took part in a line up with five other men. The witness picked him out within thirty seconds and was then driven home. Darcy made a great show of having Starsky hand over his gun and badge to Dobey then he immediately took the gun for forensic examination. A District attorney by the name of Sam Bailey appeared on the scene and, to Hutch's amazement, charges were brought against Starsky. Butler and Darcy questioned Starsky while Bailey looked on through the observation glass. Hutch was not allowed to be present, so he turned his attention to getting a good criminal lawyer for his partner. Within two hours Hutch had engaged the services of Steve Canning, who was recommended by a cousin of Huggy's.
Hutch liked the man the minute he walked into the squad room. He was about thirty, with neat cut, dark brown hair, and he had a pair of dancing brown eyes that shone from a good-natured face. After introducing himself to Hutch and hearing the scant details, he proceeded to Starsky's side. Once in the interrogation room he brought the questioning to an end. Starsky was brought up for arraignment where the D.A. pleaded for an exorbitant amount of bail and hinted at witness intimidation if Starsky were allowed out. Bail was set at one hundred thousand dollars, and Starsky was quickly taken away to face his first night in jail while Hutch hurried to arrange a bail bond.
Hutch felt helpless as he watched Starsky being led in and out of the courtroom. Starsky had smiled at Hutch as he was led away in handcuffs, but Hutch felt his stomach plummet to the floor. Bile rose in his throat as he forced himself to wink at his best friend. Dobey tapped Hutch on the arm. "Ken, we'll need to raise ten thousand dollars so that we can get a bail bonds company to go surety for the rest. Edith and I have about five thousand in our savings; can you come up with the rest?"
Hutch stared at his commanding officer for a moment before the information sunk in. "Yeah! Captain I'll make a few calls, but I don't think Starsky would want you to risk your savings like this."
"Son, Dave is family and he's no risk so you just make your calls and we can get our boy out of there." Dobey was gone in an instant.
Hutch used the pay phone in the court hall to make some calls. He phoned his bank to get the balance on his little-used savings account and then phoned Huggy. An hour later Hutch walked into Dobey's office accompanied by his lean, tall friend. Dobey nodded to Huggy but addressed Hutch. "I stopped off at the bank on the way back from court and got a cashier's check for five thousand."
"I got two thousand cash." Huggy said and laid a wad of fifty and twenty dollar bills on Dobey's desk. Hutch pulled out a tightly banded wad of hundred dollar bills. "I've got three, so let's get this to the bondsman and get Starsky out. Hutch took the cashier's check and Huggy's cash. "Thanks Cap'ain and be sure to thank Edith for me."
"Just go get our boy." Dobey's voice was gruff.
Huggy brought Hutch to a bails bond office about ten blocks from "The Pits" and the men were greeted by a slimy man in his early sixties by the name of Ray Drake. The feel of Drake's clammy hand against his own made Hutch wince, but he handed over the money and the check and was given a receipt. It was too late to make bail for Starsky today, so it meant that the detective had to spend a night in jail. Hutch was desperate to see his friend, but he was also too late to see Starsky as Visiting Hours were over
Hutch spent the evening going over the witness's statement and studying the crime scene photographs. He also spoke with the police officers that were first on the scene, but all to no avail. He stopped in at "The Pits" about 10 .00pm and Huggy immediately appeared with a glass of beer.
"Hutch, you turn anything yet?"
"No, Huggy, it looks like a pretty straightforward homicide except it smells to high heaven."
"I know, Blondie. That Jacob Hamlin was a no good son of a bitch so there ain't many people grieving for him. The word on the street is that most everybody who knew him would happily buy Starsky a drink for a job well done."
"So the word is that Starsky killed him?" Hutch brooded into his glass.
"'Fraid so, but you'll turn up the truth, Hutch. Starsky is depending on ya."
Hutch refused Huggy's offer of food and drove home. It was only when he saw the lights on in his apartment that he remembered Linda. She was supposed to cook dinner for him. Hutch entered his apartment and found Linda curled up on his couch asleep. He kissed her head and she woke with a start. "Ken, are you all right? I was afraid something had happened to you."
"I'm fine, Linda, I just forgot to phone. It's been a terrible day, and Starsky has been charged with murder."
Linda looked amazed. "Whoa! Slow down and tell me what happened."
Hutch spent the next ten minutes telling her about the day's events and Linda responded by massaging the back of his neck. She listened without interruption and when he had finished she said. "Do you think Dave did it?"
Hutch saw red. The whole dreadful day came back to haunt him and the words tumbled out of his mouth. "Of course he didn't do it. You know the man, for God's sake, Linda. How could you even ask that?"
Linda pulled away from Hutch's embrace and stood up. "I know Dave but I love you. Don't you see I'm sorry about Dave but I'm glad you're not involved?"
"Involved?! Of course I'm involved! My best friend is sleeping in jail tonight, accused of a crime he didn't commit. You just don't get it, do you? Starsky is more than my partner - he's the brother I never had. Starsky isn't capable of killing anyone."
"Well, I'm sorry, Ken, but he has killed before."
"Yes, he has. We both have - in the line of duty. Does that make me capable of murder, too?"
"You're deliberately twisting my words. I'm sorry for you and for Dave, but I think it might be better if I went home tonight and you can call me when you've had time to cool down." Linda kissed Hutch on the chin and left.
Hutch grabbed a beer from the refrigerator as he listened to her receding footfalls on the stairs. He was mad and tired and worried sick about Starsky.
The next morning Hutch was up at six thirty but he didn't go for his usual run, instead he brewed some strong coffee and tried to get his mind to work on the facts of the case. It was useless; every time he went over details all he could see was his partner being led off in handcuffs. He was waiting outside the jail by 9.00 am., sitting in his beat up car. He kept his eyes trained on the only door visible in the wall of the jail. The bail bonds man had assured him that his partner would be free by 10.00 am. and so Hutch waited. By ten minutes past ten Hutch had got out of the car and was pacing in front of it like a caged tiger. At ten fifteen, the steel door swung open and three men emerged. Hutch recognized Starsky immediately and rushed to meet him.
Starsky was wearing the clothes he had on the day before and there was no bounce in his stride. The other two men parted in silence just outside the wall while Starsky walked towards Hutch but he didn't lift his head, just kept watching his feet. Hutch closed the gap between them. "Starsk, you okay?"
Starsky kept his head down. "Peachy! Thanks for raising my bail." Hutch was now in front of his friend and he gently tilted Starsky's chin up. Hutch gulped. "Who did it, Starsk? For fuck sake, you have to tell me who did this?" Hutch's voice was loud and Starsky seemed to wince at the sound. Hutch pushed his anger down and let his concern take over. "Are you hurt anywhere else? I'll take you to the emergency room?"
Starsky looked up. His right eye was swollen shut and the bruises on his cheek stood out in Technicolor against his pale skin. His upper lip was cut and there was a crust of dried blood on the stubble of his chin. "I'm all right; just take me home, Hutch." The blond man went to replay but shut his mouth and quietly took Starsky's right arm and led him to the car.