Double Clutch, Double Dutch

Starsky tries to reconcile the Hutch he knows and loves with the one who pretended he had amnesia. Why would he do that? Hutch is angry Starsky wouldn’t listen and plunged them into an accident but he regrets his stupid idea for payback. Now he doesn’t know how to apologise. Dobey is wondering how to help.

An extended addition to the episode Partners. Title art by Lapfordlass. First published 2023.

Starsky stomped across the squad room, pulled a file from the cabinet and slammed the door shut. The other detectives in the room looked up, startled, but no-one said anything. They didn’t dare.

Starsky’s bad mood had been hanging around him since he returned to work yesterday. Those that had made the mistake of asking him how he was after the accident got short shrift and decided not to ask again. Clearly, something was eating away at the detective. They might have expected him to be worried (given that his partner had been hurt worse than he had been and was still off work) but Starsky didn’t look worried. He looked mad – furious, at boiling point even. Clearly, something was going on that no-one knew about and there was no way to ask without risking a wrathful answer.

Starsky headed back to his desk and plonked himself down in his chair. He read and re-read the same paragraph three times and then lay the folder down in defeat. It was no good. He couldn’t think straight. He got up and walked over to the window overlooking the front of the building and stared out at the comings-and-goings below. There was just the usual, every day stuff happening around the police station; black and whites coming and going – some dropping off arrested citizens to be dealt with by the booking sergeant before being interviewed by which ever detective was dealing with their case; the occasional member of the public coming in to report something suspicious that they’d seen; plain clothes detectives parking their cars and walking up the steps together. Of these, some had serious looks on their faces, some were joking and laughing to defuse the gloom of the shift, some were giving off an aura of respectful colleagues working alongside each other and some looked as if they would rather work with anyone else! There were also a few that radiated a sense of partnership – friendship. Close friendship.

Two days ago, he would have said no-one could be as close as he and his partner were, but now? He just didn’t get it. How could you think you knew someone inside and out and then suddenly find you didn’t know a thing?

‘How could Hutch make me think he had amnesia? How could he worry me like that? Did he know what my gut felt like and still think it was funny? After all these years? How? How could he do it?’

Hutch’s feeble explanation that it had started out as a bit of payback for Starsky driving them into a truck just didn’t cut it. He’d taken it too far, carried on with the deception too long, said things that were just-what? – plain mean.

‘He did look sorry for about a second,’ Starsky’s understanding head tried to point out to him.

Yeah, his hurt head answered back, ‘but then he was making out like it was my fault! My fault he pretended he had amnesia and worried me sick! My fault! My partner was talking double-dutch; all that nonsense about my double-clutching! That’s just good driving!’

Starsky recalled the yelling they had done at each other in the hospital: both yelling at the same time, neither one listening, hurt feelings had taken over and were demanding apologies.

‘What did Hutch have to feel hurt about? It was an accident for Pete’s sake! How many times I gotta tell him that! You don’t apologise for an accident. Accidents ain’t no-one’s fault. They just happen.’

So he hadn’t apologised and no apology had been forthcoming from Hutch.

They were still yelling when a Head Nurse came in to reprimand them for causing a fuss that was disturbing other patients. They’d subsided into disgruntled silence. Starsky had given his partner one final glare, turned out the light, then climbed into bed and turned his back on him. After a few minutes, Hutch had said his name softly, but he’d pretended to be asleep.

The next morning, Starsky had awoken before Hutch. He’d stumbled out of bed and gone to observe his partner. Hutch lay in an awkward position, his arm still in a sling (to protect his sprained neck), the few scrapes on his face looking more livid than they had the day before, bruising appearing around his eyes. His brow was creased with a pained expression. He was clearly in some discomfort. Starsky felt a momentary pang of sympathy but squashed it.

‘Faking amnesia. What else was he faking?’

But no, Doctor Greene had said his partner had hurt his neck and had a bad knock to the head. That wasn’t fake at least and Hutch would be kept in for another day just in case he had problems and developed concussion.

Starsky had been told that he could go home today. Suddenly, that was where he wanted to be: home and as far away from Hutch as possible. Maybe if he had a day away from his partner, he would cool down and be able to forgive what Hutch had done. Maybe eventually he’d see it as funny. Maybe, but he doubted it.

Starsky went to look for his clothes, got dressed and snuck out of the room to go discharge himself before Hutch woke up and they had to face each other. Starsky didn’t want to start yelling again but he had no idea what to say to a man, who was like a stranger all of a sudden.

And that had been the last time he’d seen Hutch.

He knew his partner was home. He hadn’t rung his partner to check on him because he just couldn’t face the lame excuses. Instead he’d rung the hospital to check whether Hutch had been discharged and found out he had been. The phone had rung a couple of times last evening but Starsky had ignored it, just in case it was his partner. He wasn’t ready to talk. Or rather he wasn’t ready to listen. Questions were still reverberating round his brain, even now.

‘Where is the Hutch I thought I knew? Is he coming back? And can I forgive him for breaking a thread in our bond of trust?’

Starsky sagged against the window frame. He could feel some of his anger leaching away to be replaced by disappointment and sorrow.

Okay, maybe it was a small, stupid thing Hutch had done – ‘small in the grand scheme of life as Ma would say’ – but that little thread that had been pulled out of their bond of trust meant it had been weakened. Not weakened to the point of collapse, but weakened none the less.

Starsky sighed.

“Starsky?”

He heard his name being softly spoken and turned around to see Captain Dobey standing there looking at him with slightly concerned eyes.

“Yeah, Cap?”

Dobey seemed about to ask his detective something and then looked as if he had changed his mind. Instead he asked, “Are you ready to head home, Detective Starsky? I’m happy to give you a lift. I’m heading out myself.”

“Um…Yes. Thank you, Cap. That’s kind of ya,” Starsky responded. He grabbed his jacket and followed his superior officer out of the squad room and down to where Dobey had parked his car.

Being offered a lift reminded him that his car was with Merle, who had promised to do his best to fix the Torino – good as new. Starsky was hoping it would be ready to collect tomorrow. He was also hoping he might get some help from the department with the cost of repairs, as it was a work-related accident, but that depended very much on whether IA ruled the accident was his fault or not. Either way he was looking at a huge bill to pay when he went to collect his car. It would wipe out what little savings he had.

Surely IA would see that he and his partner had a duty to try to follow the two guys who had committed the 2-11. They’d seen them and been the only car in pursuit at the time. They couldn’t have let them get away. Although Starsky had since heard that Gus Henderson and Billy Joe Lovett had been picked up by other officers a few streets further on and were both safely in custody awaiting their trial. So they didn’t get away even with Starsky and his car put out of action.

“Hey, it’s a 2-11. It’s a robbery. It’s not worth getting killed over!” Starsky could hear Hutch’s voice in his head and the words he had said just before the accident. Hutch’s voice sounded genuinely anxious, fearful even.

He realised Dobey was talking to him.

“Starsky, are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just-just hoping my car won’t cost too much to fix and I’ll get some money back from the department.”

“Yes, I hope that happens too. Otherwise I guess money’s going to be a bit tight for a while.”

Starsky nodded and sighed.

“And how’s your partner doing?”

Starsky shrugged.

Dobey looked at him sideways. They continued on for a while in silence.

“Have you spoken to him since he was released?”

“Nope.”

“Are you planning on checking in on him? Would you like me to drive you there?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause I’m still mad at him!” Starsky exploded. “What he did was unforgiveable! He made a fool out of me! He pretended he was hurt worse than he was! He worried the heck out of me! For what? Some stupid payback for crashing! It was an accident! I couldn’t help it! I didn’t do it deliberately!”

Dobey stayed quiet until they were nearly at Starsky’s residence. He pulled over about a block away, switched off the engine and turned to face his fuming detective.

“Dave. I know what Hutch did was wrong – believe me I was aggravated beyond belief when I realised he’d been faking – but, if you can step back from your hurt feelings for a moment…Is it possible that in Hutch’s eyes you were driving too fast? That you were partly to blame for the accident?”

Starsky went to answer but Dobey put his hand up, saying, “Simmer down. Stop, breathe, count to ten.”

Starsky tried to ‘simmer down’ as he responded with a question of his own, “What has Hutch said? Has he told IA that I was driving too fast? That the accident was my fault?” He felt himself get back up to boiling point. “I can’t believe him!”

Dobey realised that things might be a lot worse than he had first thought. Starsky would never normally question his partner’s loyalty. He raised an eyebrow as he commented quietly, “And I can’t quite believe you…The first thing you assume is that Hutch has deliberately tried to get to get you into trouble?”

Starsky frowned.

“Your partner told IA that it was just an unfortunate accident and that he had complete confidence in your driving ability. That he had no issue with getting back in a vehicle and out on the streets with you as soon as he could.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, oh…Starsky, I can see that what Hutch did has stretched your trust in him, but is it bad enough to want break up your partnership?”

Starsky looked away and then looked back. “No.”

“Good.” Dobey wiped his face with his handkerchief. “You boys need to clear the air. Hutch needs to apologise but he can’t do that if you’re shouting in his face. You need to go see him but you need to listen to him. And you need to ask yourself another very important question: are you still this angry because part of you knows that the accident could possibly have been avoided?”

Starsky looked mortified and as if he was about to launch into another tirade. To try to avoid this, Dobey started the engine and said, “Just think it over, Starsky. I need you two to sort this out so you can get back to doing what you do best.”

As they pulled up outside his apartment, Starsky said quietly, “Thanks, Cap.”

“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As he drove away, Dobey sincerely hoped that his best pair of detectives could find a quick way to resolve their argument. He really hoped so. He’d seen other partnerships break up over some trivial thing that was left to fester and then became the foundation of something much bigger. He really didn’t want to see that happen here.

*****

Hutch waited all day for Starsky to come visit. He knew his partner was mad at him and probably had some more things he wanted to get off his chest before he forgave him. When Starsky didn’t even show, Hutch began to realise that Starsky might be more deeply hurt than he’d realised and the bond between might be more strained than he had hoped.

He really hadn’t meant for it to go so far. It had seemed like a small, but effective way, to cause Starsky to pause and think about how he had totally ignored his partner’s warnings and carried on with the highly dangerous high speed pursuit of – what – two guys who’d robbed a store! Not murderers: thieves!

Hutch felt himself getting worked up. Starsky could be such a show-off when it came to his car. Usually, Hutch didn’t mind. Usually, Hutch trusted his partner’s driving ability. But this time, Starsky had taken leave of his senses. It was like he was some teenage kid who had to prove he could drive better than the other fella, prove that his car was the best and by extension that he was the bigger man. And it had landed them both in hospital.

Hutch winced and changed position again. His neck was still incredibly painful. Like he’d slept in an awkward position for about a year. Every time he moved even a tenth of an inch, his neck went into a spasm. If Doctor Green hadn’t put him on some pretty heavy duty painkillers, he wouldn’t have got a wink of sleep the last two nights. Of course, the down side had been he’d still been asleep when Starsky had left the hospital so there’d been no chance to try and set things right between them.

Hutch sighed. He could accept that he’d gone too far this time. He knew it was true.

The two of them were always pulling pranks on each other, other members of the squad, even Dobey on occasion. It was what men did: push a little, see if the other guy can take it and give as good as he got. He’d never been one for trying to totally humiliate someone though; people that did that were reprehensible as far as Hutch was concerned – the type of person who was on a power trip and liked seeing how far he could push someone before they broke.

He just liked having a bit of fun, having a laugh. He admitted that this time he had also wanted to lash out at Starsky for not listening, for ignoring his opinion. That wasn’t how they worked. As partners, everything they did was about communication, making joint decisions. Except when it came to Starsky’s wretched car!

‘Why does he have to love that car so much? Why does he get behind the wheel and think he’s at a Grand Prix? I just don’t get it! And where did it get him this time? Both of us injured and his car wrecked!’

Hutch recalled now that Starsky had thought the driver of the other vehicle was a ‘good driver’. ‘What?!’ Hutch would have shaken his head if his neck hadn’t been hurting so much. Sometimes he felt like he didn’t know his partner at all. The childlike enthusiasm that Starsky often displayed was one of his greatest charms. Hutch teased him about it, but really loved him for it. But the crazy, reckless ‘do or die’ mentality that very occasionally raised its head? That he didn’t love so much.

Hutch sighed. It was no good pointing out to Starsky that he’d been driving like a madman; Starsky wouldn’t accept that and definitely wouldn’t accept that he had been driving faster than was safe.

Besides, even if Hutch could get him to admit it, it still wouldn’t take away the sting of his own foolish behaviour. He was embarrassed as he thought of it now. If he was ever going to smooth this over with his partner, the apology would have to be heartfelt. Maybe it needed more than just an apology? Maybe a grand gesture might be called for – to show he really was sorry – but what?

*****

Starsky stewed all night but when he finally went to bed he slept soundly. By the morning, he knew he was beginning to calm down and starting to remember other little things that happened – like how his partner had sounded as he’d tried to get Starsky to slow down, as he’d hung on for dear life. He’d told Starsky he thought he was about to throw up. Hutch had never, ever before said he felt sick because of Starsky’s driving. He usually braced himself as Starsky zipped in and out of traffic or went careening around a corner, but in a way that said, “I trust you completely.”

Even the time the brakes had been cut on the Torino, and they had been sent hurtling down a long hill with no way to stop, Hutch hadn’t complained, just hung on, knowing that Starsky would get them out of the situation if he could. Hutch’s knuckles had looked white then…and two days ago.

As Starsky showered, he thought about what Dobey had asked.

‘Could the accident have been avoided?’

It was their duty to go after the criminals who’d committed the 2-11…but maybe…maybe they could have followed at a safe distance and radioed ahead so that other officers could have helped them box them in and arrest them without incident. In fact, as had eventually happened.

‘Yes,’ Starsky admitted to himself, ‘I could have slowed down and let Hutch put the call through for back-up.’

He stepped out of the shower and dried off, thoughts still rolling around his brain. Was he ready to forgive Hutch? Just about. This stupid prank wasn’t worth losing his partner over. Was he also ready to apologise? He guessed he’d be able to manage it – as long as Hutch didn’t get on his case. He really hadn’t meant for them to end up in an accident. It was just bad timing.

‘Okay, maybe my speed contributed!’ he admitted grudgingly.

Starsky dressed and waited for the cab to come and take him to Merle’s. He was hoping to collect his car before he went into work. He patted his jacket pocket ad made sure he had his check book ready. There was the blare of a horn and he headed outside.

The cabbie drove him to Merle’s garage. Starsky paid the man and then walked inside the building, pleased to see his car looked good as new. Merle had been a magician yet again. He saw Merle was in his tiny office, talking on the phone. Starsky walked over and loitered in the doorway. Merle saw him and nodded, indicating he wouldn’t be long.

As soon as he finished with the call, Merle jumped up.

“The amazing Merle the Earl has done it again,” he declared. “You’ll find she’s running at one hundred and five percent. Perfection!”

He took a set of keys off a hook and handed them to Starsky.

“Thanks,” Starsky said, as he took them and then headed over to sit in his car and listen to the engine. He could tell instantly that it was running even better than it had been a week ago. “Thanks,” he said again. “Now, what’s the damage?”

Merle looked at him nonplussed.

“What do I owe ya?”

“Nothing, man! Already paid for. Thought you knew.”

“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who paid?”

“That partner of yours – the one with no taste in cars – turned up late last night and paid the full amount. Said he owed you for something.”

“Oh.” Starsky felt the last of his irritation and disappointment draining away.

Merle looked at him and said, “Look after your car. I can’t always wave a magic wand, you know!” then he turned on his heels and stalked off to start work on another car.

Starsky carefully backed out of the garage and headed towards Hutch’s place.

*****

Hutch heard the knock on the door and felt a surge of hope battling with a desire to avoid the inevitable. He just hoped his gesture had been enough. He still wasn’t sure if it would be – after all, Starsky would normally just walk in but clearly didn’t feel able to today.

Hutch walked over to the door, took a breath and opened the door. His partner was standing the other side, his face unreadable.

“Hi.”

Hutch stepped back and allowed Starsky into the apartment. He stood awkwardly, not quite sure whether to sit or stand.

“You wanna sit?” Hutch asked.

Starsky deliberated then headed past the couch towards Hutch’s greenhouse. He didn’t know why but it just felt the room they should talk in. It was Hutch’s peaceful place, the room where they played card games together or shared the weekend paper if he’d stayed over and drunk too much to drive home. It was a place where they talked, didn’t shout, and Starsky hoped it would help him keep calm. He sat down at the small square table and Hutch, radiating nervousness, followed suit.

Starsky guessed he should speak first. “Thanks for paying for the car. That was big of ya.”

Hutch’s face showed embarrassment, relief and guilt as he said, “Well, I figured I needed to show you how sorry I am…Starsk, I am sorry, really sorry.”

“I know you are. I see that…but why, Hutch? It was a rotten thing to do!”

Hutch swallowed. “When I came to, I couldn’t remember a thing for a few minutes. I couldn’t remember how I’d ended up in the hospital. My head was throbbing, I couldn’t think, I couldn’t remember my name when the nurse asked me. It only lasted a few minutes, but by the time the doctor came to check on me, I had remembered and I was feeling pretty mad at you.”

Starsky bit back a response and let Hutch keep talking.

“You were driving too fast, partner,” Hutch said quietly. “And…I didn’t like that you ignored my opinion. We’re partners, we decide everything together…except when it comes to your car.” Hutch could have said more but decided he’d better stop before he wound Starsky up again; as it was he could see irritation crossing his partner’s face. “But, be that as it may, what I did was stupid, mean even, and I regret it. I know it’s pretty unforgiveable but I’m hoping you can forgive me?”

Starsky took a deep breath. “Yeah.”

“Yeah what?”

“I forgive ya. And I’m sorry too, Hutch. We coulda radioed ahead and got someone to help us box those guys in. We didn’t have to follow them at such speed. I shoulda listened to ya. I promise I will next time. Okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks…Are we okay?”

“Yeah, we’re okay. And the accident was partly my fault so I’ll pay half for the repairs and if the department pays me anything towards them, I’ll give you half of that as well.”

“No, you don’t need to. I-”

“I do need to. Like you said, we’re partners, we do everything fifty-fifty. Agreed?”

“Yep,” Hutch said, a relieved smile appearing on his face.

“Good,” Starsky said, a grin finally breaking out on his face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box which he threw to his partner. “Got you something.”

Hutch peered at the box and frowned. He felt annoyance welling up. Starsky was in danger of undoing the entente cordial they had just achieved with his ‘gift’.

“What’s this? Is this supposed to be a joke?!”

“Yes, of course it’s a joke! But a joke on me. It’s also to seal my apology.”

“How’s it an apology if you’re saying you’re going to continue driving like a maniac so I need to take Dramamine to get in a car with you?!”

“I’m saying,” Starsky replied calmly, “I know it’s not always easy being my passenger and having no control over the speed I go…and I’m sorry if you ever feel unsafe.”

“Oh…okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

And suddenly everything was okay, back to normal.

“You heading into work now?”

“Yeah. Better put in an appearance. How’s your neck? When can you come back to work?”

“It’s a lot better. Tomorrow, I hope.”

“Good.”

As Hutch walked Starsky to the door, he shook the packet of travel sickness pills in the air and said, “Thanks for these, partner. I’ll keep these in my pocket and wave them at you every time I think you’re going too fast as a reminder of what can happen!”

Starsky rolled his eyes and said, “I bet you will too!”

Then they grinned at each other.

“See ya, Blintz.”

“See you, Gordo. Try to stay in one piece without me and don’t damage your car again. Merle can only do so much you know.”

Starsky protested, “Hey, Merle said something similar! Like I want my car to be damaged!”

Hutch just looked at his partner and Starsky nodded at him before heading down the stairs and off to work. As Hutch closed the door, he gave a sigh of relief. Hopefully, the door had also closed on the whole sorry chapter and would never be mentioned again. That was another good thing about his partner, he didn’t hold grudges. All was forgiven and would soon be forgotten and Hutch vowed to himself that, whatever the provocation, he would never do something so stupid again.