Shadows

By M. Willow

Chapter Five

“So what brings you folks here today?” the large, beefy man behind the counter asked. 

Starsky looked around the small store, finally settling his eyes on the man behind the counter.  He was a little younger than he and Hutch, but his hair was already starting to grey and he had a punch that spoke of a man who didn’t take care of himself.

“I’m looking for flashlights,” Hutch said as he approached the counter.

“Over there,” the main pointed to the right.  Hutch was heading in that direction when the proprietor shouted after him.

“Say, you’re that Hutchinson son of a bitch, aren’t you.  I’d recognize you anywhere.  You look just like the rest of them.  Well I’m Ted Nelson, Sandra’s brother.”

Hutch stopped, turning, and sharply regarded the man.  Starsky could see the sudden look of recognition on the blond’s face as he returned to the counter.

 The man gave a wolf like grin.  “I heard you were coming back.  Thought I’d have to look for ya.  But look here if the devil himself didn’t walk in my door.”

 “So how is Sandra?” Hutch asked, obviously deciding to ignore the man’s angry tone.

“Don’t you know?” Nelson asked.  “She left town around the time you left.”

“No, I didn’t know that. I never came back here and we lost touch.”

“Well, she hasn’t been seen since then.  They say she ran away.”

Starsky could see that Hutch was surprised at the revelation, but felt it wasn’t his place to ask questions.  Needless to say, Nelson was anxious to supply the answers. 

“My folks told me she left because she was pregnant.  She left a note saying she couldn’t face us.  My parents never recovered.  They died looking for her.”

Nelson had stepped from behind the counter and was now facing the blond.  Starsky watched the exchange silently, but he was poised for action.

Nelson looked pointedly at Hutch, his anger making his face red.  “I was pretty young and my parents kept stuff like that from me, but Sandra never came back home.  I promised them on their death beds that I’d keep looking.”

Nelson came closer to Hutch, his fist clinched.  “Now the bastard that got my sister pregnant has the nerve to show his face.  So tell me, wasn’t she good enough to wear the Hutchinson name?”

Hutch stood his ground, never backing off from the angry man.  “I don’t know what your parents told you, but I never got your sister pregnant.”

 “Well your folks said differently.” Nelson retorted.

Hutch started at this announcement.  “What do my folks have to do with this?”

“They gave my parents some money to shut their mouths, that’s what,” he shouted.  “My folks took it because they needed money to find Sandra.  Of course you knew that didn’t you.  You also knew they didn’t stand a chance in hell of finding Sandra, didn’t you?”  He shoved Hutch and Starsky moved forward, but a glance from his partner told him that Hutch didn’t want help so he stood still, body poised to step in if needed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hutch said, glaring at the man.  “If what you’re saying is true, then my parents were mistaken.  I never touched your sister.”

Nelson grunted. “You would say that to cover your ass, you lying son of a bitch.”  He pushed Hutch and Starsky prepared to take action.  Normally Hutch was more than capable of taking care of himself, but now he seemed tired and fragile, like a strong wind could blow him away.

“Listen, if my friend says he didn’t get your sister pregnant then he didn’t.  Now we’re going to get the flashlights and leave.” His eyes were stone.  He wore the expression that had scared many a street tough, but Nelson didn’t even seem to notice it, his full attention turned on Hutch.

“You’re the rich kid that can get away with whatever you want just because your daddy’s got money.  I’ve waited in this damned store for years to beat the shit outta you for what you did and now I got the chance.” 

“I didn’t come here for a fight, but if that’s what you want…” Hutch said, moving his body into a fighting stance.

Nelson made a quick move, shoving his body against the blond.  Hutch fell against a shelf, the contents clattering to the floor.  He pushed the big man back and threw his fist into the right side of Nelson’s face.  Nelson was momentarily stunned, but recovered quickly and charged the blond again. Hutch feinted to the right and threw a punch that knocked Nelson to the floor. 

Nelson glared up at him, but didn’t move.  He wiped the blood from his mouth, his hate evident as Hutch turned and headed in the direction of the flashlights. Hutch returned with the flashlights and took twenty dollars out of his bill fold and slammed them on the counter.

“I came here for these,” Hutch said indicating the flashlights.   “Now, if you insist on making trouble, have at it.  But know this; I’ll be waiting for you.”

Hutch charged out of the store, nearly bumping into a woman as she entered.  He apologized to the woman and continued on his way.

Starsky glared at Nelson.  “You come anywhere near him and you’ll regret it,”

“Don’t have to.  The law will see that he pays for the old ladies death.  I bet he killed her too.”

Starsky crouched down and grabbed the man by the collar.  Nelson’s eyes grew large for an instant. “What do you mean by that?” Starsky asked, tightening his grip.

“What you didn’t know?  Old lady Hutchinson was going to tell me something about my sister before she died.  Said she had some sort of evidence.  I don’t for a moment believe she died from cancer.  She was murdered no doubt by your friend or somebody he hired so he could silence her before she could tell me the rest.”

Starsky shoved the man back to the floor.  He heard the gasp of the woman who came to stand in front of them.

“You want to repeat that in front of the sheriff?”

“Yeah, when it’s time and I’ll tell you another thing.  The old lady was going to tell me my sister was murdered and that your partner did it.  That’s why she had to die, because she was going to blow the lid off the whole thing and your friend was going to be fingered for the dirty, rotten, murderer he is”

Starsky fought to control his temper.  Nelson was obviously delusional, probably from years of searching for his sister.  Hutch’s aunt had died from cancer in a hospital.  He was sure of that.  If she had been murdered, Hutch certainly would have known about it.

Starsky looked up to see the fearful expression of the woman.  “I’m sorry ma’am, just a misunderstanding.”  He cast one more glare at Nelson then stood and headed out of the store.

TBC