December 10th- Lies and Other Crimes Part Three by DPPatricks

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Click here to read Part 2

Part Three

She sat up straight and met their unrelenting stares. “As soon as Cliff and Darrel were sentenced, my father and the sheriff began to plan. They called a town meeting because, if a grand conspiracy such as the one they foresaw could be achieved, they’d need the cooperation of every resident.”

She got up and poured herself more coffee before sitting back down. “The phrase, ‘company town’ fits this place to a T, believe me. No one had the nerve to go against my father. They all knuckled under. Everyone watches you both and they report every word you say.”

“No wonder,” Dave mused, “I’ve felt like I’ve had bugs crawling under my skin.” His left hand went to the scar on his head before he looked at Marcie again. “What did they do here?”

“I was told you’d been shot a few years ago,” she said. “Something about a mob hit in a restaurant. All Doc Morris did was open the scar and re-stitch it.”

Dave grimaced. “All.”

She ducked her head in apology but continued. “My father and Sheriff Wharton came up with the scenarios for your two… accidents, and everyone was told what to say to you in order to reinforce the fictions.”

Ken couldn’t hide the fact that he was impressed. “That’s an amazing achievement, when you think about it, Starsk. A few hundred people carrying on a performance like this.”

Dave grunted, sounding really pissed. “They’ve even got the kids involved, Hutch! Little Joey Parsons was telling me all the details of my supposed heroics at the Seven-Eleven!”

“He believed it, Dave,” Marcie said. “The children are innocent. They tell you only what they’re convinced happened.”

“But the adults aren’t innocent, right?” Ken drank some brew and she knew him well enough to realize he was replaying scenes in his head. “Ed, Rudy… Gus and Jimmy… my supposed co-workers…”

“The festival’s wardrobe mistress… what’s her name?” Dave asked.

“Stella,” Ken provided.

“Everyone,” Marcie admitted.

Ken turned his gaze on Dave and Marcie could almost feel the heat of their combined rage.

“Do you understand, now?” Her fear for Ken was in her voice but she didn’t mask it. “You can’t stay here. You both have to leave!”

Not breaking eye contact with his partner, Ken shook his head. “No. Deputy Lombard and I are going to remain right here, playing our roles, until you bring the cavalry, Ms. Thompson.”

“You worked up the nerve to tell us,” Dave said. “Now you’re going to have to follow through and help us.”

“But…” Marcie had played her last card but they weren’t going to leave! “I don’t think I can!”

“Well, you had better think again.” There was steel in Ken’s tone. “You’re in this right up to your eyebrows and, unless you do something to mitigate your involvement, you’ll be facing the same charges as your father and Sheriff Wharton. I can’t guarantee that the D.A. will agree to let you off completely, but I give you my word that Starsky and I…” He glanced at his partner and got a nod of approval before returning his hard stare to Marcie. “Starsky and I’ll do whatever we can to get you off with as light a sentence as possible…. As long as you promise to do everything in your power to bring an end to this mess.”

Bring an end to this mess. How, she wondered, was she supposed to do that? None of her father’s and Pam’s sweet-talking had prepared her for this! Could she go for help? Where? To whom? Was that even a possibility? Oh, Lord, why did she have to fall in love with Ken Hutchinson? Why hadn’t Leslie volunteered to be his fiancé? Leslie could have handled it. But, no, Pam wouldn’t allow anyone but her best friend, Marcie, to have the pleasure of playing a major role in this farce. Marcie always did what Pam said. Always. Until… until she’d fallen in love with Ken Hutchinson.

Ken’s firm voice broke into her frazzled thoughts. “We have to come up with a believable reason why you’ll be away for a day or two.”

She drew in a deep breath and forced herself to focus. “I’ll be away for a day or two?” Finishing her coffee, she got up and poured more before sitting back down. “I guess… maybe… I could have another panic attack.”

“A what?” Dave asked.

“The week before I married my first husband, Jeff, I ran away. Doc Morris called it a panic attack.” She looked at each of them. “It could happen again.”

“Okay.” Ken wasn’t convinced but didn’t seem to have a better suggestion.

“I’d have to call my father,” Marcie said. “Tell him I’m having the same feelings I did before Jeff, and I need to get away for the weekend. I’ll say I’m going down to my friend, Janet’s, in Los Angeles. It’s what I did last time. He’ll believe me.”

Ken nodded. “But you’ll go past L.A., to Bay City.”

“Where you’ll find the Metro Division of the BCPD…” Dave continued.

“It’s at Fifth and Main,” Ken added, “just off Exit One-Twenty-One.”

“Captain Harold Dobey is the man you need to see,” Dave told her. “Don’t talk to anyone else!”

Marcie had a terrible thought. “What if they don’t let me? What if no one believes me?”

Ken smiled at Dave and they must have shared a memory because Dave suddenly grinned, too. Ken turned his confidence on Marcie. “Give them this message to relay to Dobey. Tell them Rafferty and O’Brien sent you.”

Dave chuckled. “That’ll get you an audience.”

“And Marcie…” Ken put a hand over her trembling one. “Tell Captain Dobey everything.”

“Don’t leave out a single detail.” Dave finished his beer and glanced at Ken. “My partner and I’ll keep things calm here until Dobey can gather his forces.”

“Think he’ll call in the Feds, Starsk?” Ken asked.

Dave hunched a shoulder. “Maybe. They didn’t take us across state lines but it is kidnapping. Shit! That would complicate things.”

“Plus,” Ken mused, “he’ll have to contact the sheriff’s department in the next county. The one here is sure as hell compromised.”

“So, what you’re saying is…” Marcie stared at each of them. “It may take your captain a couple of days, at least, to come up with a plan? Especially since it’s a weekend? You two are risking your lives until then. You know that, don’t you?”

Dave stared at her. “It’s what we do, Ms. Thompson.”

Ken patted her hand. “It’s become an undercover operation for us now, Marcie. And we’re pretty good at those.” He got up, pulled two more beers out of the fridge. “Figure out what you’re going to say to your father while I talk to my partner for a minute.” He headed toward the living room and Dave followed him.

Marcie sat, drinking more coffee and mentally writing the speech she would deliver to her father.

Hutch and Starsky pulled the drapes tightly closed on all the windows before turning on a light. They sat next to each other on the couch, bathed in the sparkly glow of the decorated tree.

Starsky’s deep blue eyes met Hutch’s. “You hate the holidays and all the commercial shit. I remember.”

In spite of his roiling emotions, Hutch couldn’t help but smile. “If we pull this Christmas miracle off, buddy, I may have to change my mind.”

Starsky rolled his bottle in his hands. “You trust Marcie not to tell her father?”

Hutch matched the soft voice. “She didn’t have to let us know what’s going on.”

Starsky gulped brew. “No, she didn’t.”

Marcie came out of the kitchen and took the small arm chair across from them. “I know you have no reason to believe me but I’ll do what you ask. Would you draw me a map, please? I’m pretty good with directions but better with a map.”

Hutch put his beer down, got up and went to the desk in the corner. When he came back and sat down, he began to draw a rudimentary layout of freeways and Southern California cities. “Bay City is just south of L.A. Interstate Five connects them. There’s an exit at Main Street and Metro is only a block west of there. You can’t miss it.” 

She took the piece of paper and studied it. “I’ve never been there.” When she looked up, her eyes held determination. “But I’ll find it. And I’ll tell your Captain Dobey that Rafferty and O’Brien are in trouble and need as much help as he can give them.”

Hutch nodded. “That should work.”

“Dobey’s a good cop, Ms. Thompson,” Starsky said. “He’ll figure out what needs to be done and then do it. It may take a day or two, but he’ll come charging up here with so much support, this town, and everyone in it, is going to be bottled up and jailed before they know what’s hit ‘em.”

“Be sure, Marcie,” Hutch softened his tone but kept it firm, “that you tell him exactly how many people are involved. He needs to know what he’ll be facing and bring all the personnel and transportation necessary.”

“Child Services, Hutch,” Starsky said. “There are going to be kids with no place to go when it’s all finished.”

“You’re right, Starsk. The children are going to be the innocent victims.” He looked at his supposed fiancé again. “I don’t know where we are in these mountains. How long a drive do you think it’ll be?”

“It takes about six to get to L.A. so I guess, maybe another half?”

“Dobey’s always there by eight on Fridays,” Starsky noted. “If you stop a few times, and you should, Ms. Thompson, don’t drive straight through, leaving here around midnight will put you there at just about the right time.”

“Can you do this, Marcie?” Hutch was concerned for her in spite of everything she’d been a party to. “Will you?”

It took her a minute but she met their stares without evasion. “What my father and this town have done to you both is wrong. My brother and Darrel Wharton deserved what they got. You didn’t. I’ve taken part in everything so far, but no more…. Yes, I can do it.” She stood up and moved to the phone on the end table. “Now, before I lose my nerve…” She picked up the handset and dialed while Hutch and Starsky listened.

“Hello, Daddy… I’m sorry to bother you so late but I didn’t want you to worry when you found out I’d gone down to L.A. for the weekend…. No, it’s nothing serious, I’m just feeling a little strung out. I guess it’s all the wedding plans, and the pageant and… everything else. I feel exactly like I did before I married Jeff…. No, of course I haven’t changed my mind. I just need to get away for a few days, that’s all. I’m fine, really. And Ken’s fine. We’re fine. But I need to spend a little time away from here…. I’ve taken care of the coffee, the compound’s mixed in the grounds. Every morning when Ken makes a pot, he’ll get his dose, so you won’t have to worry about a thing…. No, really, it’s nothing more than a panic attack….” She smiled grimly at Hutch. “You know me, Daddy, run away for a couple of days, get my feet back under me and I’ll be fine again. Jeff never had any complaints, did he? … Yes, I’ll be careful. And I’ll call you from Janet’s…. No! I’m not giving you her address or her phone number. You’d only come down and insist on taking us out to dinner. Or Disneyland…. Thanks, Dad. Thanks for understanding…. Love you, too. Bye for now.”

Hutch stood up. “Well done. Now I suggest you pack a bag and then try to get a little sleep. I’ll wake you at twelve and have a Thermos of tea ready so that you’ll be able to stay awake.”

She straightened up. “Thank you. Both. I was terrified to tell you but couldn’t have lived with myself if I hadn’t.”

Starsky stood as well. “We appreciate it, Ms. Thompson.”

She started toward the bedroom but stopped and turned back. “Do not say a word to Pamela. She’s in this as deeply as her father.” She blew out a breath. “And she’s mean.”

“Boy, do I know that,” Starsky muttered.

CHAPTER FOUR

When Marcie had closed the bedroom door behind her, Starsky slumped onto the couch again. “Well, that’s not quite what I expected when she flagged me down this afternoon.”

Hutch sat beside him. “But it answers our questions — why we’ve been so unsettled…”

“Why we were drawn to each other…”

“Seemed to hear each other’s thoughts.”

Starsky smiled what Hutch realized was his patented lop-sided grin. “We’re partners, Hutch.”

For the first time in two months, Hutch felt as if his feet were firmly under him again. “I wish it wasn’t so late. You need to call your mom.”

“I will, first thing in the morning, after Pam’s left for work. Gotta figure out what to tell her about where I’ve been.” He snapped his fingers. “What about calling Dobey right now?”

Hutch nearly choked on his swallow of beer. “Yeah… why don’t we?”

Starsky quickly lost his momentary high spirits. “What could he do at this time of night, though?” He considered for a few moments. “Marcie’ll be there first thing tomorrow. Face to face, she’ll be able to tell him everything he needs to know.”

“You’re right. Tonight, it would be too confusing.”

Starsky shot him an intense look. “She’s in love with you, you know.”

“Yeah.” With everything he’d learned and sensed and felt in the last half hour, Hutch knew his partner was right. It hurt a little to think what she might have to endure, even though she’d been a big part of the plan. Then another thought occurred and he voiced it immediately. “Hey, what about your… what about Pam?”

“She’s another kettle o’ fish entirely.” Starsky drank some beer. “Guess I’d better call her. If I don’t, she’ll have her father and Stan out looking for me.”

“What are you going to say?”

Starsky grimaced. “You were married. Vanessa, right? What would you have told her?”

Hutch shook his head. “Don’t think I ever lied to her.”

“What about this? Everybody already knows we’re friends… What if I say I saw you sitting outside the post office again, and you told me Marcie was going to leave for a few days. I didn’t know what to say… what to do…”

“So we came back here and had a few beers.”

“Had she already left?”

“No, she was packing.” Hutch thought about it. “I tried to settle her down, reason with her but she’s determined. She’s called Janet and her friend is expecting her.”

“Since she did it before, that’s believable.” Starsky drilled him with a look. “So, what about us? How do we handle the next few days?”

“Carefully?”

“That’s one thing I remember I’ve always loved about you, blintz, your grasp of the obvious.”

After Starsky left, Hutch knocked on the bedroom door and waited for the muffled “Come in,” before he opened it.

Marcie was sitting on the bed, her head in her hands, but looked up. “Has he gone?”

A small suitcase and her large purse were on the floor at the foot of the bed. Hutch walked over and sat next to her. “Yes.”

“You’re both crazy.”

He didn’t feel like smiling but he did. “You’re not the first person to tell us that, believe me.”

“Then why?” She got up and began to pace. “You could get away! Get back to Bay City and tell your Captain Dobey what happened. You wouldn’t be risking your lives the way you will be by staying here!”

“If we left, what would happen to you?”

“I don’t care! Don’t you understand? I don’t care anymore. I’m in love with you and it was driving me insane, what they were doing to you. What they intended to do… eventually.”

“Everybody in town knew they were going to kill us?”

“Maybe not everybody. Even if they weren’t told, I’m pretty sure they suspected. When you finally disappeared, they’d never speak about it, but they’d know.”

“Being involved in murder isn’t something the average person can handle, Marcie. Someone would talk… sooner or later.”

“But you and Dave would be dead! What good would it do you, even if they did?”

“Point taken. The other consideration is, if we left, your father and the sheriff would get the truth out of you and probably run. They’d leave the residents here to take the blame, and save themselves. You know they would.”

“You’re right. That’s exactly what they’d do.”

“Which is why Starsky and I are staying. We’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing for two months and no one will know their tidy little world is about to fall apart.”

“You have a lot of faith in your captain.”

“It’s called trust, Marcie. Starsky and I trust each other and we trust Captain Dobey. He won’t let us down.”

“I won’t, either.”

He took her hand. “You’ve had a difficult few months and we’re grateful that you decided to help us tonight. We’ll do whatever we can, when it’s all over, to help you.”

“I wish things could’ve been different, Ken.”

“If wishes were horses…” He hoped his voice didn’t sound too callous.

“Everyone would ride,” she finished.

Although it was late when Starsky got to his house, Pam was waiting up for him. Furious. “Where the fucking hell have you been?”

He took his coat, hat, and holstered gun off, hanging them on the coat tree, before turning to her. “Taking care of town business. I called you.”

She glared at him, fists planted firmly on her hips. “Baby sitting Foley after his bride-to-be skipped town? Again? That bitch has absolutely no spine!”

“Don’t be unkind, Pam. She’s not as strong as you are. She just needs some time. Foley’s sure she’ll be back by Monday. But he was upset.” He headed toward the kitchen, really wanting one more beer.

She grabbed his arm and spun him around. “Don’t you dare try to brush me off with ‘she’s not as strong as you are,’ and ‘he was upset’. Maybe Foley killed her. Did you ever think of that?”

Starsky took a deep breath, keeping a tight rein on his control. “She was packing when we got there. Not dead. Not even close.” He edged past her. “I’m having a beer. You want one?”

“I figured you’d already had your limit at Marcie’s house, sweet cheeks. I’d rather fuck.” She started to drag him toward the bedroom.

He resisted. “I’m tired, Pam. I don’t want to tangle with you tonight.” She actually hissed and he caught her hand, stopping the slap inches from his face. “My shift starts at eight.” He dropped her wrist and turned away, donning his holster, hat and coat again. “Instead of that beer, I think I’ll catch a few hours of sleep at the station.”

As he stepped out the door and off the porch, her scream followed him. “I’m calling my father! I won’t be left standing here while my husband deserts me.”

Thank God, she’s not really my wife, Starsky thought.

“Come back here!”

Not bothering to turn around, he got in his car and drove the short distance to the station.

“Go home, Stan,” he said as he walked through the door. “Pam and I’ve had a… disagreement and I’m going to bunk here tonight. It’s quiet. I can handle anything that happens.”

Stan stood up, shoving the porno magazine he was drooling over into a drawer. “Are you sure?”

“Sure I’m sure.” Dave walked to the coffee pot and poured himself what he knew would be undrinkable mud. “Give my best to your dog.”

Not waiting to be told twice, Stan grabbed his coat and hurried out the door.

Unfortunately, only a few minutes later, before Starsky could get settled on the cell’s cot, Sheriff Wharton showed up. The lawman’s natural ruddy complexion was bordering on heart-attack territory but Starsky couldn’t find a shred of sympathy for him. “What’s up, Sheriff?” He got to his feet and walked out of the cell into the front room, picking up his coffee cup.

“My daughter called! What the hell do you think you’re doing, walking out on her like that?”

Starsky poured a cup of coffee and offered it to Wharton. “Pam likes to play games, sir, you know that. I wasn’t in the mood tonight. That’s all.”

Huffing in obvious reluctant understanding, the sheriff took the cup and sat down behind his desk. “I’m told she does that.”

Starsky sat on the arm of the wooden guest chair. “Marcie Thompson’s left town for a few days.”

Wharton was clearly surprised. “She’s what?”   

Starsky sat down in the chair and took a swallow of sludge. “I found her fiancé sitting outside the post office and he told me she was feeling a little confined… needed to go see her friend in Los Angeles for the weekend.”

Wharton shook his head. “Done it again, has she?”

“Apparently.” Starsky crossed his knees, hoping to convey unconcern. “I drank a couple of beers with him at their house, while she was packing, and was a little late getting home.”

A knowing grimace crossed the sheriff’s face. “And Pam over-reacted.”

Starsky lifted a shoulder in a non-committal response. “If you say so, sir.”

Wharton took another sip of coffee and made a face. “Do yourself a favor, Dave…” He got up, went to the front door, opened it, and threw the rest of the liquid out onto the sidewalk, before he looked back at Starsky. “Stay here for the next night or two. I’ll have a talk with Pam tomorrow, then we can both let her settle down over the weekend.” He put the empty mug on Stan’s desk and cast Starsky a speculative glance. “You wouldn’t say no to a pot of fresh coffee in the morning, would you?”

Starsky knew the reason for the question but didn’t let it show on his face. “No, sir, I sure wouldn’t. This machine we’ve got here makes terrible stuff.”

“Vinegar,” Wharton muttered.

“Excuse me?”

“My late wife always swore by vinegar, but it’s never set right with me.” Shaking himself out of his reverie, the sheriff smiled. “I’ll make sure Pam brings a full pot down to you.”

Starsky stood up and attempted to appear grateful. “If you can do that, sir, you’ve got a better handle on her than I do.”

The sheriff turned away but not before Starsky had seen the smugness. “It’s called practice, Dave. Lots of practice.” With his hand on the doorknob, he turned back. “Pam loves Christmas. I predict she won’t hold onto her mad for too long.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Get some sleep!”

Starsky stretched out on the cot in the station’s only cell but he didn’t even close his eyes. Instead, he went over everything he and Hutch had learned that night. None of it did anything to calm his rage at what had been done to them, but it served to focus his anger. By the time he had replayed all the scenes of manipulation and machinations he and Hutch had been put through, he was honestly looking forward to continuing to play the part of the simple, small-town deputy, until Dobey could bring help.

At five a.m., he picked up the phone on Stan’s desk and dialed eleven digits. “Hi, Ma. It’s me…. Hey, don’t cry. I’m okay…. No, honestly, I’m fine. It’s just been an unbelievable couple of months and I’m really sorry for what I know you must have been going through…. Right, okay. Are you sitting down?… Good…. Well, apparently, it all started when Hutch and I — What? Oh, yeah. Hutch is fine, too. We’re gonna come see you as soon as this whole thing is wrapped up…. Yeah, I’m getting to it, just sit down and listen, okay?”

To be continued…