Shadows

By M. Willow

Chapter Fifteen

Several hours later Hutch lay on the bed in the fetal position.  Starsky sat next to him stroking his hair.  He was worried.  Since Hutch had regained consciousness, he hadn’t spoken.  Just laid there curled into himself, his eyes unfocused.  He’d tried everything—speaking in soothing tones, touching his face, lying in bed with him rocking him gently.  Still, he wouldn’t acknowledge his presence.

Starsky hated being in Richard Hutchinson’s house.  True, his friend had lived there as a child, but it wasn’t his home.  Home was Bay City.  Home was with him.

Now, he stroked the blond hair, moving a tendril that fell across his face.

“Hutch, come back to me partner,” he said for at least the tenth time.  The blond just looked at him blankly.  Starsky could feel the connection between them snap.  It was like Hutch had gone somewhere else. 

Starsky heard footsteps as they approached the room.  He braced himself for what was about to happened.  The door opened and a petite blond woman stood there.  She had eyes the color of the blue sky in early morning.  He knew immediately that he was looking at his partner’s mother, Helen Hutchinson.

She came into the room and stood there observing the scene.  She said nothing, just let her eyes linger on them.  He saw the hatred and knew that it was directed at him. Finally she spoke.

“I see that we need to take action again we simply cannot have this scandal.”

Starsky looked into the cold, blue eyes of the woman.  “What are you suggesting?” he asked, running his fingers through the blond’s hair.

“I have made arrangements for him to be moved to a facility that will care for him.  No one will know.  I can see from your actions that you are close to my son.”

“You’re not gonna do anything to him, do you hear me,” he said, pulling Hutch closer to him.   He couldn’t believe he was protecting his partner from his own family.

“Yes,” she said slowly.  “I see why he has not sought another marriage.” Starsky knew that she had misinterpreted his protectiveness of Hutch for something else.  Frankly, he didn’t care.  Rumors had been going along those lines ever since he and Hutch had been partners.  They were both heterosexual, but most people preferred the rumors. 

“I don’t care what you think.  Now, I’m gonna take him outta here and I don’t expect to have problems leavin’.”

“Do you, Mr. Starsky?  Well tell me, do you prefer that he spends the rest of his life in prison.  I can see to it that he doesn’t.  I can send him to a facility in Europe.  No one need ever know.”

“Hutch didn’t kill anybody.  I’ll prove it.”

“Can you?” she said coldly, sarcasm touching the words.  “Or will you find yourself sitting in the same jail cell as he?”

He felt Hutch’s grip tighten on him and he was elated that his friend was responding.  They were in trouble and it wasn’t like he could shoot his way out of this one.  He needed Hutch to come back so they could walk out of here.  He didn’t want to think of the alternative.

The blond woman took a step forward and Starsky again pulled Hutch closer to him.

“You may leave, Mr. Starsky.  I have no interest in keeping you here.  But, he will stay and I shall see to his care.”

“You mean like you did before,” He saw the startled look in her eyes and continued.  “Yeah, he told me about your little brainwashing scheme.” 

“We did what needed to be done.  He needed to understand the truth.  He needed to prepare to take his place as the….”

“Master race,” Starsky added sarcastically.  “You spent your life trying to mold him into the hatemonger that you are.  Well, he must have been a major disappointment to you, lady.”

“He needed to know who he was.  He needed direction.” Her voice was cold.  Starsky could see by the look in her eyes that she actually believed it.

“Well, I don’t like your direction,” Starsky countered.  “Now, I’m gonna leave with him.  Is that clear.”

She smiled, cat like.  “No, it’s not clear.  You see, I have the control, not you.  You’re here in my house.  No one even knows you’re here.”

Starsky knew she was telling the truth.  No one knew where they were except maybe the sheriff and a rescue from him was even worse than their present circumstances.  He was on his own. 

“Over my dead body,” Starsky said slowly, enunciating each word.  And he meant it.  He would die protecting his partner from his evil family.

“I’m certain that we could make other arrangements.  We are prepared to provide financial resources for you.  Set you up anywhere you want.”

“Are you offering me a bribe?”

“Of course not.  I’m merely offering financial help for my son’s lover.  It is no different then what I might offer if you were his bride and he unable to provide financially for you.” 

Starsky cringed at the words.  How little she knew about her son.   “For the record, it has never been like that between Hutch and me and I wouldn’t take a dime from you even if it was.”

“Mr. Starsky, I was only attempting to be civil.  Nevertheless, I am legally responsible for my son should he not be able to care for himself.  As you can see, he is quite incapacitated.” 

Again he felt Hutch stir.  His friend was clutching at him desperately now.  He knew that he’d have to do everything in his power to get them out of there.

He spoke softly, reassuringly, Hutch’s mother watching them with cool calculation.

“Hutch.  You’ve got to come back.  They want to put you away.  I can’t let them do that.  D’ya here me.  I can’t let them do that.”

“Our house is well guarded.  I will have you escorted out if you don’t leave on your own volition.”

“How could you do this to your own son?  Don’t you feel anything for him?”

“Family honor comes above all else.  He is my son.  My feelings regarding him are none of your affair. Do I make myself clear Mr. Starsky?”

“Abundantly.  But I’m not leaving him here with the likes of you.”

Helen Hutchinson headed for the door.  “Then you give me no choice.”

Starsky knew he had to bring Hutch back quickly.  He’d never find him if he left now.  Hutch would be locked away with the Hutchinson influence covering everything up. 

He pulled Hutch to him, holding on for dear life.  He heard Helene open the door.  He saw two burly men enter with guns drawn followed by Richard.  He had seconds to bring Hutch back so they could both walk out of there.  He pushed Hutch away from him, his friend feebly attempting to maintain the contact.  Hutch’s eyes were open, wide and staring.  Still not there but it would have to do.  He locked eyes with Hutch.  He needed two forms of communication now—the silent one, unique to them, words without sound, and the emotional one they both felt.

“Hutch, listen to me.  They’re gonna take you away from me.  No more me and thee.  I can’t bear it.  Please Hutch, you gotta come back.”

Hutch’s blinked as if he was trying to focus.  Starsky felt the electric charge of communication taking place.  For awhile the room was silent and it was just he and Hutch.  He felt his friend coming back.  They had always communicated without words, but never like this.  It was like they were joined, one person, one mind, one soul.  It took his breath away.  And then he heard the voice he longed to hear.

“If you touch him, you’ll regret the day you were born.” Hutch said, ice in his voice.

Hutch was back!

TBC