Starsky and Hutch: Too Close To Home

The First Call

Jennifer walked down stairs after leaving David in Angel's old room. I walked straight over to Jonathan, put my arms around him and cried on his shoulder. He was rubbing my back as he let out some of his own tears. "It is just like when she was 16." I said through the tears. "I know sweetie, but this time we will find her alot sooner than a week. She is smart and strong. She will make it out of this." Jonathan said as he was trying to calm his wife down but at the same time not really believing the words himself. She nodded her head as I led her to the couch. We sat there for a while before he asked, "How is David doing?" "He is really upset, he misses her and wants her back. He has already started with the 'what if's' about this own thing. I wish I could help him more." she replied. "Being there for him is the best thing that we can do." She nodded once again and we just sat there lost in our own thoughts.

After a few hours, we heard a knock at the door and Jonathan went to answer it. "Hello Bri, please come on in." He said as he opened the door open more and stepped aside to let her in. "Hello, Mr. Hart. Charlie asked me if I would stay with you in case he calls." "Of course you can stay with us. We do appreciate all that you are doing to find Angel...." he trailed off as he saw Max walk into the living room. "Max, will you please take Bri's bag up to the spare bedroom please? She will be staying with us for a while." he spoke as Max picked up the bag. "Yes sir Mr. H." he said as he started walking up the stairs. "Bri, it is so great to see you." Jinnifer said as we walked into the living room. She gave her a hug before she looked at her. "Any news yet?" she asked. "The only thing that we know is that the blood is Angel's but other than that we don't have anything yet." Bri said with sadness in her voice. "Where is David?" "He is upstairs." Jennifer answered.

Bri nodded as she turned to Jonathan and said, "I would like to set up this tracker and recorder on the phone. May I ask which phone you will be using?" "Right over here," Jonathan led her over to the phone on the bar in the living room. Bri got started in setting everything up, she then called Charlie to let him know that all was ready. She then turned to the Hart's when the phone started to ring. Everyone froze as Bri told Jonanth should answer the phone. He walked over to the phone as Bri pushed the button for the recorder to start listening. Jonathan picked it up, "Hello." "I have your lovely daughter and she is so pretty." the voice came through the phone as my heart froze. "If you hurt her, I swear....."I was cut off by the voice. "Oh don't give me that crap. She is way too pretty to be hurt but then again she has already been hurting so I guess that it won't matter. I can tell you that she is right next to me and she is a very nice sight." He said. "I swear....:" "Enough!!!!!!!! I'm done talking, I want you to know that you need to get together $20,000 or she is a dead pretty Angel. But you will get her in bits and pieces if I don't get my money. You have 12 hours to get the money and then wait for my next call. Oh and no cops or she is dead." Then the line went dead. Jonathan looked at his wife, "Get David," he said." She nodded, got off the couch and walked upstairs. Bri called Charlie so that way when they played the recording back he could hear what was said.

Jennifer walked up to Angel's old room and knocked on the door. I didn't hear anything so I slowly opened the door and looked in. I saw David laying on her old bed, cuddling her old blanket and he was fast asleep. I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. I then put my hand on his shoulder as he jumped. David was sleeping and dreaming of their honeymoon, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped only to find his mom sitting on the bed. She put her hand on my heart as she said, "It's okay, it's me." "I nodded as I robbed my eyes. "I'm sorry, mom, I thought you were...." I trailed off and the tears came again. "I know honey and there is no need to be sorry." she said as rub my arm. "We got the first phone call and we thought you would like to hear it." she told me as I looked up at her. "Yes please." I said as I started to get off the bed. I grabbed Angel's old blanket, held mom's hand as we walked downstairs to the living room. My thoughts were on Angel so much that I didn't even see that Hutch and Callie had arrived.

I sat on the couch with mom as I looked up and that was when I saw Hutch. I just looked at him and then looked back down. He has seen me upset but for some reason I couldn't look at him right now. I don't know why but at the same time I wish I knew. "If you are ready, I'll play the recording?" Jonathan said. He got nods from all of us as I held mom's hand tighter. I sat there listening to the recording and the longer I heard what he had to say about my wife, I felt sick. Hurt her, already hurt her, dead and my gosh, I thought. I was about to lose it as I shouted, "He has already hurt her.........I swear if he kills her...." I stood up not really knowing what I was going to do when I felt a hand on my arm. I looked over to see mom standing next to me with tears in her eyes. "I want her back, mom. I want my Angel back," I said through tears as mom pulled me in for a hug. I held onto her as my legs started to give out. I started to fall as I feld two more hands on me. Dad and mom helped me back down on the couch where we all sat.

I had my head buried on my mom's shoulder as I cried harder and harder. "Shhhhhh.........I know you want her back and we will get her back." mom said as she rubbed my back. "Mom, I want her back." I kept saying it over and over. "I know sweetie, I know." I heard her voice crack. That made me hold her tighter as I felt something being put around me. It was Angel's blanket, I grabbed it and held it close to me again. Once I calmed down some, I pulled away to look at mom. I can see the pain, worry, fear and sadness in her face. I could also see the tears that she is not trying to hide at all. "Mom, what do we do now?" I asked her, as I held onto her and the blanket for dear life. "We are going to get the money now and then wait for the next call." I heard dad say behind me. I turned to look at him to see the same facial expressions on his face as mom has. "Do you want to go back up to Angel's room?" mom asked. I nodded my head as I trighted to get up. Dad and mom helped me up as I held onto them both. I took mom's hand, held it tightly as we both walked back upstairs.

Once we made it upstairs and back to her room, I sat on the bed. "Do you want to be left alone?" I heard mom ask me. I shook my head no before I said, "No mom, please stay with me. I can't be alone right now." I said as my voice cracked and looked up at her. She smiled the best she could, nodded and sat down on the bed. I reached over to take her hand into my shaking hand. "Mom, I can't calm down." I said softly. I felt her bring her free hand up to my back and start rubbing it. I sat there trying to get my breath under control when I thought of something. I looked up at mom as I asked, "The blood, Mom did they find out about the blood?" She looked at me with pain in her eyes as she answered, "David, it was Angel's." "Oh no," was all I could say before I got up to run to Angel's bathroom that was in her room. I fell on my knees in front of the toilet as I let out all I had in my stomach. I felt mom put her hand on my back as I reached for her other hand. I held her hand as I heard her try to calm me down. "Shhhhhhh........it's going to be okay." I heard her say. Once I got done, I sat up some to catch my breath. Mom helped me up, I then got cleaned up and walked back to the bed to sit down. I let out a sigh as I picked up Angel's blanket again. I held it close to me as I leaned into mom as she held me and we both cried.