Chapter 3 ~ The Search For The Wicked Witch

"You looking for some action?"

"How young are you?"

Leaning on the car window, the girl twirled a pigtail. "How young do you want me to be?"

"Get in." The man leaned over and opened the passenger door.

Starsky watched the car pull away. "I feel sleazy."

"We're not doing anything sleazy." Hutch muttered from underneath his hat. He'd stretched out in the backseat of the Lincoln, his hat over his face and his boots up on the edge of the open window, while Starsky watched their 'girls'. "He's a cop. They'll drive around for awhile and then he'll bring her back."

"If my mother knew I was doing this kind of thing –"

"Your mother's in New York, Starsk, she's not going to know."

"Your mother might not know." Starsky brushed a speck of lint off his silk shirt. "My mother will know. I'll call her Friday night and she'll know."

"My mother wouldn't know if I sent her film."

It bothered him to think of the cold way Hutch's parents treated him. Reaching through the open window, Starsky patted his leg.

He looked back up as another of their 'girls', Anne, walked inside the hotel with a man. To keep things as low key as possible, they'd enlisted their friends to be johns for the girls. For the past two days off duty cops had come by at designated times and had either gone inside with one of the girls or had picked them up and driven away.

Starsky smiled at Julie, the one policewoman still leaning against the light pole in front of the hotel. He'd been smitten with the redhead the moment he saw her. She winked at him. The feeling had been mutual.

Julie and the other two policewomen were all slim and looked younger than their age. Starsky had felt a twinge of guilt when Julie had changed into her short skirt and sleeveless top, her hair pulled back in a long ponytail. She looked barely eighteen – if that – making him feel like a dirty old man.

A dark green sedan cruised slowly by, catching his attention. "There's Marroquin’s men again." Starsky stretched and turned casually to keep the car in sight.

"Yeah?" Hutch slid his hat back and eased into a sitting position so that he could see over the edge of the window.

"Two in the front, just like before." The car had passed by earlier, and a quick check of the license number had shown the car to be registered to Marroquin’s video company.

"About time he noticed us." The blonde nudged his friend's hand. "I'm not getting any sleep in this joint."

"The beds aren't that bad." Starsky looked down at him.

"The bed is fine, it's the noise from my neighbors that's keeping me up."

"Your neighbors? I'm in – oh." A grin spread over his face. "We'll try to keep it down."

"Isn't that what you were doing last night?”

"Jealous?"

"The way she was laughing?" Hutch raised his eyebrows. Whatever Starsky and Julie had been doing last night involved laughing and giggling. A lot of it. "That's not what I'm used to hearing in the bedroom."

"The sounds of silence?" Grinning down at his partner, Starsky ignored the glare.

"Smartass."

"I'll try to be less entertaining tonight. Hey, you know, Gloria thinks you're cute. Maybe – maybe – "

"Maybe? Maybe what?" Hutch looked up again to see Starsky staring down the street. "Did they come back?"

"Comin' quick." Stepping back, he slid the Beretta from the holster at the small of his back as Hutch opened the Lincoln’s door and got out

Ayala and Summers, the two SWAT officers, already had their guns out and were taking up protective stances near the front of the car.

"Julie, get inside!" Starsky moved toward her when she shook her head. "Inside, now!"

"No!" She shook her head. "You may need help!"

"Get – " He grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the hotel entrance. "Inside!"

Julie glared at him and rubbed her arm, but she went inside. Unlike the men, she was unarmed. Sprinting for the stairs, she hoped that she could get her gun and get back downstairs before it all went down.

The sedan lurched to a halt in front of the hotel. Both men got out and walked casually toward the Lincoln.

Ayala stepped in front of them while Summers stayed back a step and to his left.

"You Swede?" One of the men asked, looking past Ayala and Summers at Hutch, having pegged them as muscle.

"I'm Sauer. " Hutch leaned against the car, relaxing now that it was clear Marroquin’s men were there to talk. "He's Swede."

"You're working a little out of your territory." The man pulled the edge of his jacket back, exposing the butt of a gun beneath.

"Are we?" He turned to Starsky. "Did you forget to look at the map again?"

"North is up, right?" Starsky eased the gun back into its holster but kept his hand at the small of his back just in case things turned sour.

"Mr. Marroquin runs this area." Gun Flasher ignored the comments. "You want to run girls here, your action goes to him."

"You know, we like our action." Starsky leaned an elbow on Hutch's shoulder. "What about you, Sauer, you feel like sharing our action?"

"Can't say as I do."

"Ten percent." Gun Flasher's partner said. "Ten percent and we'll be back tomorrow to pick it up."

"Bring pizza." Starsky yawned.

After the two men got back into the sedan and pulled away, Hutch pushed Starsky toward the hotel entrance. He doubted the goons would come back, but better safe than sorry.

They stepped into the lobby with Ayala and Summers close behind, to meet Julie running down the steps with her gun drawn.

"You missed it, sweetheart." Starsky said as she rushed over to them. "The bad guys have – ow!" He yelped as she stomped on his foot.

"The next time you do that – " She lifted her foot as if to stomp again. "I'll break it!"

"Sorry – ow – " Hobbling to the sofa in the center of the lobby, he sat down and rubbed the top of his foot. "You didn't have your gun, and I was worried they'd shoot first and talk later."

"You were being sexist."

"No, Julie, now that's just not true." Hutch started up the stairs to their 'headquarters'. "Why just this morning Starsk said that you handled yourself better than any woman he's ever dated."

"What?"

"Now wait a sec – " Starsky leaned back as Julie turned on him. "I didn't say that!"

"Oh..." Hutch poked his head back around the corner of the stairwell. "And when you consider how many women he's dated – that's quite the compliment."

Starsky lifted his feet up as she tried to stomp them. "Don't listen to him!"

"I'm not listening to you!" Turning, Julie marched across the lobby and up the stairs.

Starsky limped for the stairs, ignoring the snickers from Ayala and Summers as they slipped past him and continued up the steps. Hutch was waiting for him on the first landing. "Thanks a lot, buddy."

"You looked like you needed help."

"If that's help – " He elbowed the blonde. "Don't."

Upstairs they found Anne sitting with Summers on the threadbare couch in the room they'd designated as their office. The little blonde and the large, dark SWAT officer had hit it off as quickly as Starsky and Julie had. They were an incongruous pair, the top of her head coming up just under his chin. And they were completely crazy about each other.

Julie was sitting on the other end of the sofa, and she ignored Starsky as he came in.

"Looks like we attracted Marroquin’s attention." Summers said. "What's the next move?"

"When they show up to collect – " Hutch sat down in one of the ratty chairs. "We send them back empty handed."

"Think the big man will come after us?" Ayala asked.

"We can hope." Starsky sat down on the arm of the couch next to Julie, who pointedly ignored him. "Maybe we can wrap this up quick and go celebrate."

"Not with you."

"Business as usual tomorrow?" Ayala asked.

Hutch looked to his partner. Starsky nodded in agreement. "We keep the girls in though, no more going off in cars. I know they're cops, but I think they'll be safer here."

"Now that's sexist." Starsky laid his arm along the back of the couch. "He's been a bad influence on me."

Hutch smiled as he watched Starsky try to patch things up with Julie. He didn't think it would take long for his partner to win his way back into her good graces.

"Come on... " Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. "Can you blame a guy for being worried?"

A grin tugged at Julie's lips. Despite herself, she was finding it difficult to stay angry at him.

"Business as usual." Hutch continued. "Then when the collection boys show up, we let them know we're not paying up, and send them back to Marroquin."

"With a few bruises?" Summers grinned.

"And assorted bumps." Ayala nodded. "I like it."

"I think it's time to close up shop for the night." Starsky stood up and offered Julie his hand. "How's Chinese sound?"

"Sounds good." She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. "Let me change into something less illegal."

"Not that I mind the cheerleader look..." He smiled down at her. "But maybe in private?"

Julie laughed as they left the room and Hutch sighed. "Looks like another sleepless night."

The next day passed uneventfully. At regular intervals, undercover cops showed up to take the girls inside, leaving again after a sufficient time had passed.

Uneventful, but nerve wracking as Starsky and Hutch took turns leaning on the Lincoln or sitting on the sofa that Ayala and Summers had dragged outside for them. Their girls had stayed close, aware that without guns, they were the most vulnerable members of the team.

As the night faded into early morning, the tension climbed up to a level that made everyone jumpy and short tempered.

Hutch decided it was time to call it quits. "Let's go on inside. They'll either show or they won't."

The old man at the desk ignored them as they came into the lobby. He'd been paid enough to ignore them, and that's what he intended to do.

Ayala stopped at the foot of the stairs, motioning for Summers to take a position on the landing while the others continued upstairs.

"What have we got to eat?"

"Starsk, do you ever not think with your stomach?" Sitting on the couch next to his partner, Hutch put his feet up on the coffee table.

"Sometimes." Starsky elbowed him to scoot over so that Julie could sit down between them. "Depends on what else there is to think about."

"So where's our collection boys?" Julie kicked off the high heels she was wearing. "My feet are killing me."

"You should let Starsky give you a foot massage, he's great at it." Catching the looks from the others, Hutch colored. "Or so I hear."

"Hey – " Summers stuck his head in the open doorway. "They're coming up the block."

"Right on cue." Starsky got up, giving Julie a quick kiss.

"And they say that punctuality is out of style." Standing, Hutch checked his Magnum. Loaded, ready and in easy reach.

"You girls – " The three policewomen frowned at Starsky. "Get your guns, just in case we need backup."

"Nice save."

"Thanks." Following Hutch and Summers downstairs, Starsky glanced back over his shoulder. "Apologizing over twenty dollars worth of Chinese food isn't my idea of fun."

“It’s not a lesson if it doesn't hurt."

"By the way, I borrowed twenty bucks."

"What?" Hutch felt for his wallet. "When – damn it, Starsk!"

"Shh..." Starsky swaggered down the last few steps into the lobby.

Gun Flasher and his buddy stood just inside the doorway. Ayala and Summers were in defensive positions to each side of them.

"We're here for Mr. Marroquin’s cut." Gun Flasher's friend threw a money pouch at their feet.

"A cut?" Starsky ignored the bag. "Weren’t you supposed to bring pizza?"

"Mr. Marroquin is a businessman. He understands the free enterprise system." Bag Man said. "He also understands the system of large business looking after the interests of smaller businesses by providing protection."

"What a real American." Hutch took off his hat and held it over his chest. "Makes me downright misty."

"We'll ask nicely today." Gun Flasher said. "Tomorrow we don't ask so nice."

"So pay up now and save us all some trouble." Bag Man smiled as if he hoped for trouble.

"Well, the way Swede and I do business – " Hutch put his hat back on. "We get paid."

All they needed was one move. One twitch toward a gun or a step forward. Ayala and Summers waited for their moment. They wouldn't jump them without cause, but they didn't need a lot of cause. Not after seeing the pictures of the girl in the hospital.

Bag Man turned slowly and walked out of the front door, Gun Flasher following.

"Well, that was exciting." Starsky blew out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

"I wouldn't count on it being this quiet tomorrow." Ayala watched the sedan pull away. "There's only so nice these guys are gonna play."

"That's what we're here for." Shrugging, Starsky headed back upstairs. "I'm still hungry."

"When are you ever not hungry?" Pulling out his wallet, Hutch threw a twenty to the old man behind the desk. "Order some pizza, would you?"

"Same as before?" The old man snatched the bill up off the scarred desktop.

"No anchovies this time."

"Hey, I like anchovies." Starsky protested.

"Too much sodium." He patted the other man's chest. "Not good for your heart."

"I wasn't gonna eat 'em for my heart."

Gun Flasher and Bag Man showed up on time the next night, bringing two more friends with them to play.

"Well, well, look who's come to visit, Swede."

"I don't remember sending out for an order of scum." Starsky folded his arms across his chest.

"Mr. Marroquin’s been very patient, but his patience is at an end." Bag Man pulled a new money bag from his jacket. "He wants his cut now. Plus ten percent for his patience."

"You just said he didn't have any patience." He turned to Hutch. "Didn't he just say he didn't have any patience?"

"I think he said his patience had run out." Hutch corrected him.

"Oh. Oh, well that's different." Starsky turned back to Bag Man. "So's mine."

The goon behind Bag Man rushed forward, only to run into Ayala. The SWAT officer looped a large forearm around the man's throat and lifted him off his feet.

Summers set himself to meet the second goon's attack, spinning and planting a foot in the man's chest. A grunt of air and the man fell to the floor.

Starsky had his gun out before Gun Flasher's had cleared the holster. "Ah, ah, ah! Mine's quicker."

"Mine's bigger." Hutch covered Bag Man.

The barrel of Hutch's Magnum was visible from the corner of Starsky’s eye. "Now you’re overcompensating."

Ayala and Summers collected the guns from Gun Flasher, Bag Man and their buddies, patting them down quickly and efficiently.

"You go back to your boss." Hutch picked up the money bag and threw it at them. "And you tell him we're not going to pay him a single thin dime."

"He'll put you out of business." Bag Man caught the bag and put it back into his pocket.

"Tell him we're not going anywhere. As a matter of fact – “ Hutch snapped his fingers. "We're thinking of expanding."

"We are?" It took Starsky a moment to catch up to his partner's train of thought. "We are, yeah."

"Get them out of here." Slipping his gun back into his holster, Hutch waved a hand toward the door. "They're stinking the place up."

"We're expanding?" Putting his gun up as well, Starsky watched as Marroquin’s men left the hotel. Ayala and Summers kept their guns out until the sedan pulled away. "When did this happen?"

"We're not getting anywhere, Starsk." Pulling off his hat, Hutch raked a hand through the blonde hair. "We can spend weeks playing with him. It’s frustrating."

"I'm not frustrated."

"You're getting laid."

"That helps." He agreed. "So what do you have in mind?"

Chapter 4