Stakeout Duty

45

Just an ordinary day on a stakeout.

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Starsky arrived while Hutch was still in the shower, which meant that he could raid Hutch’s kitchen for some breakfast – undisturbed and uncriticised.

“Not that Hutch ever has much good stuff in his fridge or cupboards,” Starsky thought.

But this time he was wrong; for some reason his partner had bacon in the fridge. Starsky took several slices and fried them alongside some eggs.

Hutch came out of the bathroom to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. He smiled to himself, but yelled, “Don’t you ever have any food in your house? Why are you eating mine?”

“No money left till payday,” Starsky said by way of explanation, although the truth was he liked eating breakfast at his partner’s house. “You want any?”

“No, thank you! I’ve already had my healthy breakfast,” Hutch answered primly.

Starsky shook his head, finished his mouthful and then put the portion of food that he’d set by in between two slices of bread. He then wrapped the breakfast sandwich in brown paper. Quickly, he washed up the things he’d used, just in time for Hutch to appear, fully dressed and ready to go.

Starsky opened the fridge again and pulled out two bottles of root beer.

“While you’re there, get my sandwich from the fridge, will you?” Hutch asked.

Starsky nodded, his mouth full of banana. Hutch smothered a grin. The only time his partner ever ate anything healthy was at the end of the month when pay was running out and he had to economise for a couple of days by eating Hutch’s food instead of his own.

“And making his sandwiches out of my food too!”

Hutch took his own sandwich from his partner and placed it into a brown paper bag along with a couple of apples. Starsky headed out. Hutch locked the front door and then followed his partner down the stairs.

As the two of them set off to work in Hutch’s car, Starsky moaned, “Why can’t we take my car?” Hutch took a swipe at the feet that were already up on his dash.

“’cause it’s my turn to drive and we want to be inconspicuous. Move your feet.”

“My car isn’t conspicuous!…And no, I’m comfortable.”

Hutch opened his mouth and closed it again. What was the point of correcting his partner? It wouldn’t change anything. Starsky had already moved on anyway; this was evidenced by him opening the book he had bought with him to read while they were on this tedious assignment. Hutch drove to the stakeout location and parked the car just around the corner. They climbed out, but not before checking to make sure they weren’t being watched. Cautiously, they made their way into the back of the building that was being used by their department to watch the apartment block where the mother of Kevin O’Malley resided. They knocked on the door and Simmons let them in.

“Anything to report?” Hutch asked.

“All quiet. No sign of the dutiful son yet. Good luck. Hope he turns up today. I don’t know how many more night shifts I can take!”

Hutch nodded in sympathy. Starsky straddled the chair near the window and picked up the binoculars, peering up and down the street.

“I’ll watch the first hour then we can swap,” Starsky said.

“Okay. Same as yesterday and the day before…”

“He’ll come today. I got a feeling.”

“You said that yesterday!”

Hutch sat on the bed and opened up yesterday’s newspaper to the crossword – he’d nearly finished it and was hoping to get it done today. After an hour, Starsky stood up and handed the binoculars to his partner.

“I’m hungry.”

“When aren’t you?” Hutch asked with a roll of the eyes.

Starsky shrugged and opened up his sandwich and wolfed it down. He opened up his root beer and drank half of it then settled down with his book. Every so often, he would read out loud something of interest to his partner. Hutch listened with half an ear as he was still trying to think about his crossword while he watched the street.

They swapped duties at the end of the next hour and swapped again at the end of that one.

As Hutch took up his station at the window again, Starsky said, “I think I’ll do a quick trip to that store along the street and get something to eat for lunch.”

Hutch frowned. “What if O’Malley turns up?”

“Then we’ll go arrest him as soon as I get back. I won’t be long and he’s bound to stay a few minutes with his dear old mother.”

“Okay.”

As he headed to the door, Starsky said, “I figure I’m doing us both a favour.”

“How’d you figure that?”

“Well, nearly every meal break we’ve ever had is interrupted by something. I reckon if I go buy some lunch, O’Malley will turn up for definite.”

Hutch considered this piece of Starsky logic…or superstition and had to agree. He nodded.

“Want anything?”

“No, I’ve got all I need. I came prepared and I’m not a bottomless pit like someone.”

Starsky just grinned and headed out.

Hutch kept a watch on the building opposite and the vehicles moving up and down the street. After eight minutes, a green sedan came slowly along and then parked. A man got out. Hutch squinted at him and, when he turned to lock his car door, Hutch could see it was their target. He watched as O’Malley crossed the street and walked up the steps then disappeared inside.

The door behind Hutch opened as Starsky returned, carrying two coffees and a bag full of snacks.

“You were right. O’Malley just turned up.”

“Perfect. Let’s nab him as he comes out and then we can have our lunch in peace for once.”

And so, half an hour later, O’Malley was in the back of a black and white headed to the precinct and Starsky and Hutch were sat at a table in the apartment, eating their lunch without fear of interruption.