Longer Than

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The boys have a busy week.

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Captain Dobey called Starsky and Hutch into his office after they finished their morning paperwork. “I would like you two patrol starting five o’clock tonight.”

“Sure,” Starsky said.

“There was a disturbance in the Green Parrot two nights ago,” Dobey said.

“What kind of disturbance?” Hutch asked.

“Bar fight leading to an assault and property damage. Just see if anyone want to come forward as a witness, I hate for the perp to walk,” the captain said.

“We’ll see what we can find out,” Starsky said.

“I have my secretary get you the files,” the captain said.

“Thanks.” Starsky copied the names of the victims and the witnesses. One man was changed with assault, but the victim didn’t want to press changes. There was no one else changed only accusations. The file had more holes than fishnet stockings.

***

Starsky, opening his memo pad, walked into the bar followed by Hutch. “Gentlemen,” Starsky said to the two bartenders. “There was an assault and minor property damage two nights ago. Would either of you gentleman like to tell me what happened?”

“I won’t change a thing,” one bartender said.

“All your conspiracy of silence does is make you easy prey,” Starsky said. “Is Sugar in?”

“She’s in her dressing room,” the bartender said.

Starsky walked back there. Two of the entertainers were still dressing. Sugar leaned toward Starsky. “Dear, could you zip me up?”

“I like what you did to the place,” Starsky said after zipping up Sugar’s tight fitting dress.

“So what brings you to our neck of the woods?”

“A man was beaten two nights ago and I’m here to find out why he doesn’t want to press charges.”

“He has the right to do that.”

“Another scumbag will come in here and break tables and beat up customers,” Starsky said in the crowded dressing room as the two other ‘ladies’ made their escape.

“Like you care. ‘The only happy homosexual is a gay corpse’,” Sugar quoted Boys in the Band.

“I’m family,” Starsky admitted.

“That’s why you acted like you had a stick up your ass when your mentor died.”

“Maybe it hit too close to home. Are you going to have your employees make a report if anyone comes in here beating up patrons?”

“You guys in blue only want to come in here and harass us on make-believe charges when I’m trying my best to run an respectable business.”

“It’ll help your business if your patrons feel safe. Thank you for your time.” Starsky left the dressing room.

“She wasn’t any help,” Hutch said.

“No. We can’t wait around here until the next person gets bashed,” Starsky said.

“We can ask Dobey if I can come in a few nights and see if the guy comes back,” Hutch suggested. “You’re too visible.”

“I’ll wear glasses,” Starsky said.

“And shave your head. Your mop is rather distinguishing.”

“I’ll get it trimmed or wear a wig,” Starsky said. “I’ve worn a wig when we have done other undercover jobs.”

“You dye your hair purple and they’ll still recognize you.”

Hutch put his arms around Starsky. “Babe, we’ll talk in the car.”

“Glasses and a wig will be enough. No one will recognize me with short hair and nerdy glasses. I’ll look like an engineer or scientist,” Starsky said when they got to the car.

“Normally, I would agree with you, but they’re still pulling out bullets from the last time you were here.”

“Come on, Blondie; you’re not going to do this alone.”

“We’ll talk to Dobey in the morning. Let’s drive around and look for drug dealers.”

“Sure. I love being on patrol.” Starsky’s voice oozed with irony.

***

After busting a few petty drug dealers, they called it a night. “Starsk, Dobey isn’t going to let us go undercover at a gay bar. No one cares about a few fags getting beaten up.” Hutch walked up the stairs to their apartment.

“And if a few thugs jumped us while we’re doing our grocery shopping,” Starsky said.

“Talking about that. Since we’re working nights, I’ll get up early and buy us some groceries.”

“Hutch, you were evicted, weren’t you?” Starsky asked as he opened the door to their new place.

“Mabel said she was sorry but she couldn’t rent to my kind and I had to find a new place. She’s keeping the plants. I have to go over there and get them,” Hutch said. “It sucks. She wants the plants around, but not me.”

“How could she kick you out?”

“All she said was I’m sorry but the other tenants are complaining. It’s not like being Black or Jewish. Fags don’t have civil rights.”

Starsky raised an eyebrow before Hutch collapsed into the sofa.

“There’s nothing on at this hour.” Starsky threw his clothes off on the way to the shower.

“I was evicted for no good reason. Why should anyone care that I held your hand on the beach?” Hutch couldn’t understand it; he was evicted because he quote held hands with his friend. He didn’t know holding hands was akin to sex. His name was now on the lease with Starsky so all was settled and he wouldn’t be homeless again.

“I need a shower.”

“Pick up your dirty clothes from the floor. Your mother doesn’t live here.”

Starsky picked up his dirty clothes, tossed them in the hamper, then walked to the shower and turned on the water. “Would you like to join me?”

Hutch undressed slowly his eyes looking over the beautiful naked man before him. Starsky would say that his scars made him ugly, but in his love’s eyes they were proof that he survived. Hutch counted four marks from when Gunther’s men had tried to kill him. One of the scars was nearly faded into the tanned skin surrounding it while the three others were darker. Hutch could stare at any part of his love for hours amazed at the strong, vibrant man. Starsky had long regained all the weight that he lost in the hospital and his muscle tone could compare to a twenty-something man leaving the police academy. “So do you think the shower is big enough?” Shaking himself from his trance, Hutch put his own clothes in the hamper.

“I’ll wash you and you can wash me. You can think of it as foreplay.” Starsky kissed Hutch before stepping under the water.

“She had no right. I never fucked you at Venice Place.” Hutch got under the water; the spray was only wide enough to soak one man at a time.

Starsky put shampoo in his lover’s hair. In the dim light of the apartment, it shined like the finest gold. “You treat me like I have more experience. Do I strike you as a faggot?” Starsky washed the blond hair directly under the spray.

“I was talking about your technique; I wasn’t saying that you acted like a pansy on the street. No one is more streetwise than mudder-fucker from Brooklyn.” Hutch enjoyed Starsky washing him with his hands and a bar of deodorant soap.

“I may have had more ladies, but in this area, I’m as naïve as you are. I have wanted to touch you for a long time that could make me bolder.” Starsky kissed Hutch’s back. “I don’t have to become soft because you make me hard.” He kissed his partner back a few more times as the water sprayed around them as Hutch tried to ignore his kisses and continue to wash himself.

Giving up, Hutch wrapped his arms around Starsky. “You feel so good. When I have thought about touching another man it seemed dirty or disgusting, but I find it is neither.” Hutch moved his hands over the scars on Starsky’s chest the exit wounds. “I’m amazed that I’m here touching you.” Hutch gently moved his hand over the wound nearly Starsky’s heart knowing that bullet nearly put an end to his friend’s life, like Starsky’s life history was written in the marks on his body.

Moving away from his partner’s touch, Starsky rinsed the soap off of Hutch. “My turn. Soap me up.” Starsky and Hutch traded places, bumping into each other a few times in the narrow stall laughing as their bodies touched so casually until Starsky was under most of the spray. “I’ll borrow a wig from Vice or get my hair cut in the morning. I’m sure they can make me look inconspicuous. You could dye that mop of yours, not many grown men have yellow-blond hair. There are dyes that wash out in the shower.”

“I don’t want to talk about work.” Hutch rinsed the soap of Starsky, then planted kisses down his back gingerly moving his hands over the still tender scars. “I don’t want to think about anything but your hands and tongue moving all over my body and your hard cock in my ass.”

“Yeah.” Starsky licked Hutch’s neck then rinsed himself again. He stepped out of the shower, wrapped himself in large towel and dried himself as Hutch rinsed once more. Starsky covered half of himself with a sheet as he waited for Hutch to join him in bed. They were using the queen-size brass bed with the king’s down mattress. Although the bed was brought for Vanessa, the luxury didn’t have to go to waste. Starsky loved the expensive Egyptian cotton sheet.

Hutch left the bathroom naked. Starsky turned to watch his beautiful lover approach the bed. Hutch laid on his stomach on the other side of the bed as Starsky continued to stare at him. “God, you’re beautiful. I can’t believe you’re mine.” Starsky planted kisses down the richly tanned back, then moved his hand over the tan line separately Hutch’s bronzed back from his creamy white buttocks. Starsky allowed his fingers to travel down his love’s crack until they reached the pink opening.

“I need you inside me,” Hutch moaned as he arched his back toward the fingers lingering just outside his hole.

“Roll over. I want to look into your eyes while inside you. I love watching your face when you come. Your eyes roll back and your month opens like you’re screaming silently. Kenny, you’re so beautiful.”

“Dave, I need you so much.” Hutch rolled over to his back and kissed Starsky deeply wrapped his arms and legs tightly around the other man. “Fuck me. Make me call out your name.”

“Our landlord right below us,” Starsky said.

“I don’t fucking care if he hears the bed rocking. I want you to pound me into the mattress.” Hutch licked his chest hair and moved his hand over his body until it reached Starsky’s erection. Hutch moved down and started to stroke his lover’s cock. “I want you so bad.” Hutch licked the few drops of precum off the tip and licked the outside, teasing the throbbing organ, then he returned to lying on his back pressing his hips up and spread his legs slightly.

Starsky lifted up Hutch’s legs and smeared lube on himself and Hutch eager opening, then penetrated Hutch with one hard thrust until his balls pressed his lover before he started to thrust in and out in a fast even rhythm. “Feels good.”

“God. Yes. Fuck me harder.”

“You feel so good.” Starsky screamed, “Shit” and “Fuck” over and over again until he collapsed exhausted against his new lover. “Kenny, fuck me.”

“Another time. I’m exhausted.” Hutch kissed Starsky’s neck before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

***

Starsky kissed Hutch’s neck as he came in carrying a bag of groceries. “You didn’t need to do the shopping.”

“You were still sleeping,” Hutch said. “After we put the groceries away. We should talk to Dobey about the assault.”

“Kenny, this is our place. You act like you resent me for putting your name on the lease.”

“Dave, I don’t.”

“This is our apartment. I have no intention of kicking you out.”

“I never have been dependent on anyone before.”

“That is part of marriage.” Starsky ruffled Hutch’s hair.

“Van and I had our own money.”

“I don’t want to live that way. Everything that I have is yours.”

“All I have is yours. Have I ever denied you anything?”

“Never.” After patting Hutch’s behind, Starsky put the fruit into the refrigerator. “You make me so happy. Being with you feels so right.”

“I’m afraid that we won’t be able to keep it a secret forever. It feels too good not to want to share it.” Hutch put the last of the groceries away.

“There have been rumors since we graduated from the academy.”

“As long you don’t call me by my first name.” Hutch kissed Starsky deeply. “God, I can’t believe we didn’t realize this sooner. I wanted to kiss you when you brought me back from Hell when I was addicted to heroin.”

“You did.”

“On the cheek and forehead. Why didn’t you kiss me?”

“I didn’t want take advantage of your need for affection. I felt bad about kissing your forehead and holding you against me. I didn’t want to have sex with you then because I didn’t want you to feel like I talked you into it. You were so vulnerable, craving that drug more than life, but it was the first time we slept on the same bed, terrified to let each other go,” Starsky said.

“I wanted to give up, but you wouldn’t let me.”

“But you survived.”

“Because of you.”

“It was your strength.” After stroking that fine blond hair a moment, Starsky grabbed his jacket. “Let’s go. Just don’t hold my hand in the bullpen.”

“I’ll try not to,” Hutch teased as he put his gun in his holster and put on his leather jacket. “I ready to tell Dobey that we need to stop these hate crimes.”

***

Starsky came into the bullpen wearing a blue and white dress shirt, wire framed glasses, a brown causal trousers, with his hair shorter than it was in the academy and brushed straight.

“You looked different. The boys downstairs did a good job,” Dobey said. “Not even your mother would recognize you.”

“I get my hair cut and no one sees the same man,” Starsky said.

“Now, if we could do something about your car,” Hutch said.

“We’ll take yours,” Starsky said. “Put a rinse in your hair and no one will recognize you either.”

“Gordo, I did the paperwork when you were having yourself prettied up,” Hutch said. “Let’s grab some tacos. We need to talk about tonight.”

Starsky put the clear plastic glasses into his pocket. “They suggest that I buy an used brown jacket to finish the ensemble.”

Hutch found them a seat at the The Pits. “Two of your famous burritos. Make mine mild.”

“Starsk, I’ll bring you the Tabasco.” Huggy left the table.

“And two cokes,” Hutch added.

“Coming at you,” Huggy said. “Nice do, Starsk.” Huggy placed the soda on the table.

Starsky tried not to smile too widely.

“Why the new do?” Huggy asked.

“We’re back on nights. There has been a bashing at the Green Parrot.”

“I’m not posing as Hutch’s date again,” Huggy said.

“I’m his date,” Starsky said.

“Starsk thought with short hair and glasses no one would recognize him.” Hutch laughed. “We need to buy him an ugly jacket to complete the outfit.”

“Don’t use your last names and it should work,” Huggie said. “I hope you find the scumbags. Sugar and I go way back.”

“You’re bi?” Starsky asked.

“No. I was a foolish young man. I thought she was a babe,” Huggy admitted. “We became friends afterwards.”

Hutch downed his soda. “We practiced calling each other by our first names last night. It isn’t the first time we needed to hide our last names for an uncover job.”

“It felt strange calling you Kenny,” Starsky said.

“Right, Dave.” Hutch put his hand on Starsky’s arm. “We got to get you a new jacket; you can’t wear the one with the bullet holes in it.”

“Yes. Mom,” Starsky sneered.

***

Around eleven Hutch parked in the lot of the Green Parrot, Starsky found a man laying on the asphalt in an empty parking space. He wasn’t bleeding, but bruising didn’t show for a day or longer. “Sir, I’m a police office.”

“He had on a mask. He hit me with a baseball bat until I fell on the ground and stopped getting up,” the young man said.

Hutch ran over. “An ambulance is on the way.”

“The man was wearing a mask. He can’t identify him.” Starsky took the man’s hand. “Anything you can tell us would help.”

“You don’t care about some fag,” the man moaned.

“Would you like to make a statement?” Starsky took out his notepad. “With a report, I can convince my captain to have my partner and I spend more of the night here to prevent it from happening, again.”

“Another group of thugs will do it after this one is arrested.”

“But it’ll send a message that assault won’t be tolerated by the Bay City police,” Starsky said. “Leaving a gay bar shouldn’t be a crime.”

“Why do you care?” the man asked.

“I care. I carry a gun all the time, but most citizens don’t.” Starsky looked at Hutch leaning on his Ford sedan. “Where’s that fucking ambulance?”

“I called as soon as we arrived,” Hutch shouted defensively.

“Are you bleeding anywhere?” Starsky asked in a soothing voice.

“Nothing serious. I think I should get a cab and go home. Thanks, officer,” the man said.

“I’ll make the report,” Starsky said. “Can I have your name and address for my records? I would like you to go to the hospital so your injuries can be documented.”

“I don’t need to go to a hospital,” the man said getting on his feet.

“Name and address. We could drive you home,” Starsky asked.

“I’m not getting in a police car,” he said.

Hutch managed to get the man’s name and address and the man insisted that he didn’t need an ambulance so Hutch cancelled the call. “Thank you for your time. My partner and I could give you a ride. It’s part of being on patrol.”

“Sure,” the injured man agreed.

Starsky called the station and had dispatch report time of the assault. Hutch went into the bar to ask if anyone witnessed the man being assaulted without trying to bring attention to himself. Starsky went to the bar and ordered a beer. In his used brown jacket, he looked very inconspicuous like any man getting off of work.

The bartender asked Starsky what he did for a living apparently not recognizing him. “I’m an engineer working at General Dynamics,” Starsky said, trying to sound bored with his job.

“I heard a new contract came in,” The bartender said.

“Plenty of work to go around,” Starsky agreed; he heard that rumor himself. “I’m tired of ordering parts for aircraft.”

“You said your were an engineer.”

“I have to figure out what parts are needed,” Starsky said recovering.

“Boring work,” the bartender agreed.

“Tell me about it,” Starsky said. “I heard that there’s entertainment here.”

“Thursday and Saturday,” the bartender said. “Friday is ladies’ night.”

“Thanks.” Starsky sipped his beer.

Hutch walked out of the bar.

Starsky finished his beer before leaving. “Anything,” Starsky asked at the vehicle.

“No one saw or heard anything,” Hutch said. “What were you talking to the bartender about?”

“Nothing. He didn’t recognize me. An ugly coat and a haircut do wonders.”

Hutch put his hand through Starsky’s greased hair. “The hair tonic had to go.”

“I look like an engineer,” Starsky said.

“I want you back in your sport shirt and tight jeans. I love the way your ass clings to your faded jeans. They are so tight that they leave little to the imagination.”

“You think I’m sexy.”

“I’ve always thought you were a good looking man. I don’t know. Since you were shot, I have seen you in a new light. I love how you smell, taste, feel in my arms. I don’t want to go to sleep without you by my side. Dave, I love all of you; you’re everything to me.”

“I’ll wash out the hair tonic when we get home.”

“You should have got a wig.”

“My hair grows fast.” Starsky laughed. In a few months or less, he’ll return to having his famous Brillo pad.

“Want to look for drug dealers?” Hutch asked.

“Can we just hassle the hookers and pimps?”

“You’re in a mean mood.”

“There is no point arresting them. They are just back on the streets in a few days.”

Hutch turned down a narrow street. “Why don’t we just watch the show from the car?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“The weeks that I had to work without you were Hell. I couldn’t work with another partner so Dobey had me on desk duty. I fear that I would be fired. I hurried to your place so I could help you with your exercises.”

“You used up all your vacation and even went on leave without pay.”

Hutch pulled into a space across the street from three hookers who were fighting with a pimp. “Dobey wouldn’t let me use my sick time to stay home with you.” Hutch looked at the show on the street and yawned.

“The city made me use all my vacation and sick time before putting me on disability.” Starsky looked at the three girls shouting at each other. One girl walked over to a stopped vehicle as the two other girls gawked at him. The car pulled away so quickly that the girl nearly fell into the dirty street. The car stopped a block or so away. The driver talked to the half-naked girl, then drove away with her.

“I was so miserable working without you that I was afraid that we would have to live off of your disability.”

“Ken, you could have told me.”

“God, you were going through enough.”

“I could never thank you enough for helping me through that.”

“What are friends for? What is deal with the first name?”

“Practicing for when we’re in the bar.”

“Nonsense. Starsk, I’m calling ambulance,” Hutch yelled, as the girl fell into the street.

Starsky had his gun in his hand as he bolted out of the Ford. The smallest girl laid on the dirty sidewalk moaning. The pimp was kicking her telling her to get up. Starsky ran across the street gun pointing at the man. “Get your hands up and step away from the girl.”

Starsky was cuffing the man when Hutch joined him on the opposite side of the street than his car was parked. “Ladies,” Hutch said although he doubts the oldest girl was more than seventeen. “You’ll need to make a statement about slapping her unconscious and kicking her on the ground.”

Starsky lead the two standing prostitutes and the cuffed pimp to Hutch’s vehicle. After Hutch called for backup, they waited for the ambulance. “I’ll meet you at the station.”

“See you, then,” Starsky said.

Hutch rode in the ambulance with the semi-conscious emaciated girl. She didn’t look to weigh more than ninety pounds; she was shivered as her eyes opened.

The paramedic put a blanket on her and took her vitals again. “We need to find her parents. She’ll die out there.”

“As a cop, I see too many girls like her,” Hutch said. “After she’s well enough to walk, she’ll be back on the street.” Hutch turned to the girl, shivering under a thin blanket. “Miss, do you have a name?”

“Candy,” she said.

“Candy, we’ll get you help.”

“I have no money,” Candy complained.

“The state will cover it,” The paramedic said.

“Her pimp should pay,” Hutch said, disgusted from looking at the man kicked her on the hard ground. Hutch got a ride with a man in blue back to the station after taking a statement from the young hooker. Starsky had booked the pimp for assault and the two other girls made statement about witnessing the assault. Hutch felt guilty for observing the argument as long as he did.

The hospital called as Starsky and Hutch were finishing that night’s paperwork. “We need to release the girl; her injuries don’t warrant admission.”

“Starsky, we have to get the girl,” Hutch said.

Another detective, Peterson, shouted, “Starsky, I can finish up here.”

Starsky looked at Hutch. “She’ll die on the streets.”

“We can’t save them all. The hospital won’t keep her. We have to take her to convent house and they will try to convince her to call her parents. It’s out of our hands.”

***

Starsky looked at the clock on the dashboard as Hutch turned the engine over. It was three in the morning. At this rate, it would be past five when they got home. “Another wonderful night. Why do we spend our nights chasing drug dealers and pimps?”

“What would you rather do?”

“I don’t know. Watch the news like normal people. I don’t know how the 49ers are doing.”

“They suck.”

“You think everything sucks.”

“Especially you. You’re the best damn cocksucker I ever had.”

“From you that almost sounds like a compliment.” Hutch finally hit the freeway.

“It is. You don’t bite like most women and don’t pull away when it starts to quiver. I love how your tongue moves over it and how you suck me dry after it.”

“Could you not talk about sex? It could be two or three more hours before we get home.”

“I rather have your long legs over my shoulders and be buried deep in your ass.”

“You draw such wonderful pictures.”

“Do you know why I could never get serious with any of those girls?”

“You seemed serious about Terry.”

“They weren’t you. We spend a hundred percent of our working hours together and over seventy-five percent of our free time together and I never tire of your company. What woman could compete with that?”

“None.”

***

Hutch helped the girl sign out of the hospital and, after giving her a hot meal at a 24-hour diner, took her to Convent House. The woman at the door signed the girl in and told Hutch that she would take it from there. Hutch wished the girl luck, but knew she would be back on the streets. She had the gaunt, wide-eyed look of a drug addict and would go back to prostitution to get her fix. Hutch knew the pain of addiction, but he had Starsky to pull him out of it. This girl felt like she had no one. Finally, Hutch parked in front of their apartment complex.

“We have to get to the Green Parrot earlier tonight,” Starsky said.

“I’m too exhausted to think.”

“I’m horny.”

“I noticed that earlier.” Hutch kissed Starsky as soon as they locked the front door. They hurried out of their clothes like it was a race. Hutch kissed Starsky deeply not waiting until they were in the bedroom pressing his naked body into his lover. “Fuck me on the floor.”

“I prefer you in the bed,” Starsky said. “Hutch, why do you like being fucked so much?”

“I can’t explain it.”

“Fuck me,” Starsky insisted.

“It hurts the first time and it doesn’t feel real good until the second or third time.”

“And you surveyed other faggots.”

“I knew a few queers in my college days and they did talk about anal sex, but I was speaking from my own experience.”

“I want you inside me.” Starsky moved his fingers and mouth over his beloved’s body, feeling the hard, rippled muscles under his fingers and sucking the silky finely hair skin. “Make me feel as good as I make you feel.”

Hutch put lube on his fingers. He moved his fingers over Starsky’s crack and opened him up with one finger finding his prostate easier than Starsky found his. Starsky moaned and arched his back. “That was just one finger.” Hutch put in another finger and moved it around inside stretching Starsky as he kissed Starsky’s back and fondled his ass with the other hand.

“I can’t believe how much this is turning me on.” Starsky moaned as he pushed back on the fingers.

Hutch pulled out his fingers and started to lick the puckered opening.

“I want more than your tongue,” Starsky whined.

“Patience.” Hutch put some lube on his cock and a little more on the opening. It was much tighter than a woman’s pussy or even Vanessa’s ass. Hutch moved slowly moving pass the tight ring of muscle. “You feel so good, so hot and tight. How are you doing?”

“Good. It burns a little, but otherwise it’s pleasant.”

“I’m going in deeper.” Hutch changed his angle so he would bump against Starsky’s prostate.

Starsky let out a moan. “Shit.”

“It’s intense.” Hutch moved back and forth slower than he did when he fucked his wife. Vanessa always wanted it hard and fast.

“Faster.” Starsky yelled with each thrust that hit his prostate; he had trouble believing that Hutch never did this before, then, again, an ass is an ass.

Hutch reached around Starsky to stroke him in rhythm of his thrusts until Starsky shoot cum over his belly and Hutch’s hand, then he collapsed spooned against the other man. “That was wonderful.”

“I can see why you like it. I felt things I never felt before.” Starsky turned to Hutch and kissed him deeply. “I’m too tired to do you.”

“There’s always tomorrow.” Hutch wrapped his arms around Starsky.

“Let’s sleep in.”

Before closing his eyes, Hutch kissed Starsky’s neck. “I love you so much.”

“Good night, Kenny.”

“Dave, it’s five in the morning.”

“Whatever.” Starsky squeezed his eyes close. He didn’t want to think about men beaten up outside a bar, teenage prostitutes hooked on drugs, and other teens selling the drugs. He wanted to live in a quiet world for a moment where rape and murder weren’t everyday events. “You’re going to call me Dave at work.”

“I’ll just tell them that we’re using our first names for an undercover job,” Hutch said. “You worry too much.”

***

Hutch slept woke to the smell of pecan pancakes, looked at the clock/radio and saw it was near one in the afternoon. Hutch hurried into his clothes. “Did Dobey call?”

“No. He knew that you took that girl to the hospital,” Starsky said. “Have breakfast.”

“You look better without that goop in your hair,” Hutch said. “I feel like we’ve been married forever. It’s seems strange that we’ve only been lovers for a month when it feels so right.”

Starsky handed Hutch a plate of pancakes and a bottle of syrup. “Because we’re too stupid to see it.”

“Did you see it?”

“For a long time. I often wanted to kiss you, knowing that you would kiss me back.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Nerves. Our relationship was so good; why chance ruining it? When you were in my bed, I knew there was no deny it. I couldn’t attack you until I was a hundred percent. I didn’t want a pity fuck; I needed to be a strong and healthy as my blond.”

“You have always been stronger than I. So do you think Huggy knows?”

“He would be a fool if he didn’t.”

Starsky greased his hair and put on his brown jacket. “I look like a geek.”

“You look very handsome.”

***

Hutch parked the Ford LTD a few blocks from the Green Parrot. He looked at his watch hoping that ten-thirty wasn’t too late, but Dobey insisted that they patrol before staking out the bar.

Sugar hugged Hutch upon seeing him. “Who is the handsome fellow on your arm?”

“Dave, you remember Sugar?” Hutch asked.

“You’re looking lovely this evening. First names only,” Starsky whispered. “We’re trying to find the man that beat up two men so far.”

“Would you fellows like a table?” Sugar asked.

“Sure,” Hutch said.

“Dave’s car sticks out like a sore thumb,” Sugar whispered.

“We brought mine,” Hutch said. “I’ll have a Guinness.”

“I’ll have a Killigan’s Red,” Starsky said.

“I’ll have your drinks in a minute,” Sugar said. “We have entertainment tonight. Kenny, I heard from a reliable source that you sing.”

“I’m undercover,” Hutch whispered, then mumbled under his breath that he was going to kill Huggy.

Starsky put his hand on Hutch’s hand. “I don’t think singing would blow your cover.”

Most of the night, Hutch sat close enough to Starsky to put his hand on his thigh. Hutch periodically scanned the room for confrontations, but all was quiet. Near midnight, Sugar begged Kenny to go up to the mike and sing.

“Kenny.” Starsky pounded his hand on the table.

A few others pounded their hands on their tables and chanted Kenny. Hutch started to blush as he walked up to the microphone. He asked the piano player to play “Longer Than,” by Dan Fogelberg. “I dedicate this to someone that I have loved longer than I care to mention, my life partner, David.”

“Longer than there’ve been fishes in the ocean
Higher than any bird ever flew
Longer than there’ve been stars up in the heavens
I’ve been in love with you.

“Stronger than any mountain cathedral
Truer than any tree ever grew
Deeper than any forest primeval
I am in love with you.

“I’ll bring fire in the winters
You’ll send showers in the springs
We’ll fly through the falls and summers
With love on our wings

Through the years as the fire starts to mellow
Burning lines in the book of our lives
Though the binding cracks and the pages start to yellow
I’ll be in love with you.

“I’ll be in love with you
Longer than there’ve been fishes in the ocean
Higher than any bird ever flew
Longer than there’ve been stars up in the heavens
I’ve been in love with you
I am in love with you.”

Hutch got a standing ovation; he sang another song with Sugar. Other than the two songs, the night seemed uneventful. Hutch went into the back as Sugar was closing up as Starsky went outside. “You don’t have to stay,” Sugar said. “Are you and Dave a couple?”

“Of idiots. I didn’t see how much I loved him until he nearly died.”

“You look happy.”

“We are. Dave is down to one or two painkillers a day. We got our lives back.”

“You both look great. I hope you find the bastard.”

“Me, too.”

Starsky came into the backroom and dragged Hutch by the arm to the parking lot. A man was dead in the same place the injured man was the day before: he was probably killed while Hutch was singing his song. Starsky had his attention on Hutch singing and had stopped scanning the bar for commotion. “I didn’t see anything suspicious.”

“We’re inside the bar. He’s beating up people in parking lot. This have must have happened while I was singing. I told you it wasn’t a good idea.”

“The men doing this would have to know we were cops,” Starsky said.

“We can’t let it happen again,” Hutch said.

“Standing in a parking lot would look awful suspicious.”

***

Hutch visited Convent House the next afternoon. The girl had left; she probably found a new pimp. Hutch joined Starsky who was watching a soap opera. “I need some loving.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The girl left the shelter.”

“You can’t save everybody.” Starsky cuddled with him. “Last night, you promised to love me long and thoroughly and the next thing I know you’re snoring.”

“When?”

“Now. Kenny, do you think we’ll get the men that killed that 28 year old?”

“We’re close. I don’t want to talk.” Hutch started to lick his partner’s earlobe.

“Let’s continue this in the bedroom.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

***

Hutch drove them to the station. “We’ll have to do a traditional stake out near the bar.”

“It might not work. One man was beaten inside the bar and two in the parking lot,” Starsky said. “If I was plummeting men in a parking lot, I would be suspicious of two men sitting in a car even if we pretended to be make-out.”

“Going in and out of the bar won’t work.”

“We’ll stake out the parking lot somehow. Maybe one of us can be in the parking lot and the other inside and we can have a wire between us,” Starsky said. “I’m glad we brought your car.”

“The Torino looks like a striped tomato.”

“I get the message.”

“Starsky. Hutch. My office.”

“You were staking out the place and a murder occurred,” Dobey shouted.

“You can’t be everywhere at once,” Hutch said sheepishly.

“We need someone inside the club and someone in the lot,” Starsky said.

“Use a two-way. Hutch, stay in the bar. Starsky, walked around the parking lot. Do I have to tell you everything? Figure out the dynamics yourself. I don’t want another murder or beating; is that clear?” Dobey put his fist down on his desk.

“We’ll get them,” Starsky said.

The first night was quiet. The second night, Hutch heard a thud and screaming from Starsky, who was pacing the parking lot in his ‘engineer’ clothes. Hutch ran out as he heard on his wire: “Die faggot.” “Faggot, cocksucker, you have no right to live.” A man was hitting Starsky with a baseball bat, missing most of the time, while another was kicking him with heavy boots.

Hutch pulled out his gun. “Police, you’re under arrest.”

The two young men stopped kicking and beating Starsky. Starsky identified himself as a cop, as he tried to sit up.

“But we saw you in the bar two nights holding your girlfriend’s hand,” one of the men being told his rights interrupted. The man looked at the other cop. “You sang him a love song.”

“We’re undercover, you idiot, and you were just told that anything you say may be held against you,” Hutch said.

“Take Einstein and Newton down to the station,” Starsky said trying to stay on his feet.

“Starsk, you need to go to the hospital,” Hutch said. “I called for back-up and an ambulance; they should be here any second.”

The patrolmen arrived shortly before the ambulance. “Good job,” they said to Starsky and Hutch.

“Why does it take an ambulance an hour to get here?” Starsky asked as the ambulance finally pulled up.

“They probably remember you,” Patrolman Gonzales said.

“You do make frequent visits,” Hutch teased.

Starsky became unstable on his feet; Hutch lowered him to a curb. Hutch and the patrolmen talked as Starsky felt himself became nauseous and disoriented from the pain. Starsky tried to sleep in the ambulance but the paramedics asked him a ton of annoying questions because one remembered him from the garage shooting.

***

Hutch and Dobey came into Starsky’s room after what felt like hours later. Since Starsky had a head injury and some internal bruising, they wanted to keep him overnight. Nothing was broken and the internal bleeding seemed minimal. The doctor felt that Starsky would be a hundred percent in less than a week and able to work in three to four days.

“I heard about the song that you sang to Starsky,” Dobey said.

“It was an act. The man was beating up fairies. We had to act the part. If I didn’t touch Starsky’s leg a few times, it wouldn’t have worked,” Hutch explained.

“This is off the record,” Captain Dobey said. “I would be an idiot to let either of you go.”

“What do you want us to say?” Starsky smiled weakly through the pain.

“The truth would be nice. I feel closer to you two boys than my own son,” Dobey said.

“We’re involved,” Hutch said.

“I guess this is a new development,” Dobey said.

“A little more than a month,” Hutch admitted.

“I’ll leave you gentlemen alone,” Dobey said.

Hutch eyed the door. “Captain?”

“I won’t tell a soul. It isn’t like this rumor has been traveling around the station since you were in academy.” Dobey left.

“They could have killed you,” Hutch touched Starsky’s face.

“I was pretending to be leaving the bar and I was struck from behind,” Starsky said. “Shit, it hurts to breath.”

“One of the two geniuses was charged with the first beating. After a line up, they might be charged with murder,” Hutch said. “Gonzales thought they would spill their guts before tomorrow morning.”

“Why couldn’t you be the one beaten up?”

“Dobey ordered me to be inside the bar and you to be outside. You’re the one that shot up the place. We have the next three days off. I’ll make you some chicken soup when you get home.”

“With Tabasco sauce.”

“Only you would add Tabasco sauce to chicken soup.”