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Friends in
High Places Part 5 Thomas Kelley threw the orange away -- it had been dry inside. Must of come from Florida. Why do the schools import oranges when we have our own produce right here? He recalled one of his teachers saying it had to do with the way haoles were trying to keep the Hawaiians suppressed. Before he could think on it any more, he noticed Mano. Thomas thought his name was actually John Stipe, but that's not what most of the kids called him. "Mano," Thomas called to him. The fellow sophomore turned, the tattooed shark's tooth on his bicep peeking out from beneath the T-shirt. Mano's face twisted in a snarl. "You want me?" "Word is you're the guy t to help me," Thomas said quietly, revealing the edge of a fifty dollar bill in his hand. "Shit," Mano muttered and yanked Thomas nearly off his feet, slamming him against the brick wall of the building. "What the hell is this? Huh? You Mister-All-Chinese-American around here." He glanced quickly around them. "Somebody paying you to set me up? They watching?" He pulled a switchblade and had the cold, sharp blade instantly against Thomas' neck. "What you say they watch me slit your throat." His heart racing, but his expression attempting to be cool Thomas replied quickly. "Nobody's watching, Mano. I need from you -- for real. My brother here from China, he needs to feed his habit. Just a little crack. Come on. Good money here." Mano relaxed just slightly, still casting cautious glances around. His eyebrows knit in speculation. "If this is a setup, I'll kill you -- know that. Don't matter your old man got iced. I'll do you, too." He put the knife away. He studied Thomas for another moment. "It's real bad to lose blood like that." His snapped his fingers. "You wanna really help your big brother, huh?" Mano studied the naïve looking student before him. "What the hell, okay -- just once." Thomas managed to take a breath. "It's cool, Mano. Here." He tried to extend the money. "Shit, you crazy? Not here," Mano batted his hand away. "Come to Piikoi and Ala Moana at five. I swear, China-boy, you try to screw me and I'll get you. Understood?" Thomas watched Mano
more swagger than walk away and slowly exhaled. We'll see who walks
so proud in the end, Mano. Brian and Kimo stood nervously by in the small studio office that held the logo of the door of Hawaiian Financial Resources -- one of Pahoa's lesser investments. Jimmy stood, his back to them in a heated argument with someone on the phone. In spite of intensity of emotion, the tones were hushed. At last he hung up, ran a hand through his hair, then turned to face them. Brian was convinced that their boss had just needed to compose himself. Is Rego scared? Of what? If he panics will he let us hang? Most certainly. I need to keep something I can use against him. "Okay, boys, we're gonna have to make a move here. I got my ass hauled in to Five-0 today. Apparently you got sloppy and that van got made at Yung Sen's." Kimo shrugged. "You told us to use a marked van, Jimmy." "But it wasn't for the cops, bright boy, it was for those lousy friggin' Chinese. They needed to get the message." "I guess they did," Brian said with a grin. "And now McGarrett got it, too." Jimmy narrowed his eyes. "You startin' a comic act here, Brian? It's gonna be a real short career." Brian backed away slightly. "Didn't mean nothing, Jimmy, really." "Cappy's gonna have my head when he gets word," Jimmy declared, "so, we gotta make our statement first. By now I'm sure the cops have found that van -- even those stupid, half-blind guys will find it in that cane field. Get out there and wait." Brian and Kimo exchanged glances. "Wait? For what?" Jimmy grinned and tossed them a shotgun. "Kimo, you can use a twelve-gauge, right?" Kimo scowled. "My guess in the big man himself will check out that bait. This is our chance to get McGarrett himself." "What?" Kimo's mouth dropped open. "You're kiddin'. You're crazy, Rego. I ain't goin' after him." "Why not?" Jimmy said. "You too coward?" "I like breathin'," Kimo protested. "Cappy said this guy McGarrett is -" "Yeah, that's my point. Imagine what happens when we get McGarrett." Jimmy paused to grin. "We will have the respect from them all -- I'll have the resources to take down Cappy himself." Kimo glanced nervously at Brian hoping the other man would say something, but Brian remained silent. "He won't be expectin' you," Jimmy insisted. "You know the layout of that cane field. One quick blast -- that's all there is to it." He carefully picked up the shotgun with a handkerchief. "What if they get us first?" Brian commented. Jimmy chuckled. "See to it they don't." He handed the gun to Kimo. Jimmy waited until the two men left, then walked into the back room to change. Kini and Susie would be meeting him at the pool soon. If I am very lucky, the cops with take out Kimo and Brian and have their cop killers. With less luck, Kimo and Brian get arrested and take the fall. By some miracle they might actually score McGarrett. Any way -- I am home free. As long as I can keep Kini between me and her father I will be fine. And daddy does love his little baby -- that is one of Cappy's many failings. "These guys must be first class idiots," Danny remarked from the passenger seat as Steve's car spun off the highway in the cloud of sand and dust and barreled across the small road towards the cane field to which two officers had directed them. "My thoughts exactly," Steve replied. There had been little conversation between Danno and himself lately. Chin's death is hard on us all, but perhaps none as heavy as Danno. This is personal to me, but it's family to him. This whole deal about Susie never would have happened if he hadn't already been distressed. I just need to keep him working till we get Chin's killer. That will help him more than anything. "We've got a killer smart enough to kill Chin in broad daylight, but not get identified - now he leaves the van used to blow up the Chinese restaurant where a grade school child could ID it. Not consistent." The roar of the Mercury's V8 engine filled the gap momentarily. "Like he wanted us to find it," Danny commented. Steve glanced at him with a nod. "Well, someone did. Maybe Pahoa. A couple of hours as a patron of the HPD lockup probably did wonders for his cooperative skills." "You think he's pointing to way to the killer?" Danny replied. I need to keep our conversation flowing. We need to focus on what unites us, not what divides. We will come back to the issue of Susie, but not right now. Steve nodded. The van lay just ahead of them surrounded already by police cars and Che's team. "Yeah, I do. I also thinks he knows who did this, but wants us to find him for ourselves." He turned off the car, leaving the keys in the ignition and headed towards the group of officers. Danny followed wondering if Cappy could distance himself enough from Chin's killer to come away clean himself. If he can, our investigation into him will be starting over from scratch. What will Kevin and the FBI think of that? Steve paced the site of the abandoned van less than five minutes -- long enough to convince himself that they were doing a thorough job and that there wasn't anything unusual to be found. The flattened weeds and undergrowth and eliminated the possibly for any footprints, but the lab had lifted several prints from the rear view mirror. Steve wondered if it was too much to hope they would provide a direct line back to Cappy Pahoa or Jimmy Rego. Jimmy is angling to be Cappy's son-in-law, no doubt anxious to make his mark in the ranks of Kumu. This was a most unusual dowry to say the least. He motioned Danny back to the car. As they got in, dispatch announced that there was a call for Danny from Kapiolani High School. He used the car phone and, moments later, was talking to an attendance clerk. As he hung up with a sigh of exhaustion, Steve asked. "Everything okay?" "Thomas did not show for his afternoon classes. They didn't know who to call. Lara told them to call me," he commented. Steve gave a wry expression. "Are you assuming guardianship?" "I don't know what I'm doing," he answered honestly. "Until Chin's will is read -- I just don't know." "That's next week." He sighed and gazed out of the window. "I know." Steve's attention was suddenly drawn to the rear view mirror. "I think we're being followed." A set up. This has been some kind of set up intended for who -- me? He began to ease off the gas. Gotta get a good look at him. The old, dark colored Ford spun in the dirt and shell road as the driver took advantage to roar up beside the black Five-0 car. Steve had already spotted the shrub he intended to use to turn the tables, but they were coming on more quickly than he'd anticipated. There was the flash of a rifle barrel as they pulled along his driver's side. "Danno!" he called out the warning. A moment later, they were ducking behind the shrub, to come back behind the would-be assassins: the hunted had become the hunter. Steve managed to get a glimpse of their attacker in the passenger seat. The person was wrestling with a shotgun. It must have misfired. "Danny, take out the tires, we want them alive! Something's wrong here -- looks like the shotgun jammed somehow." Ahead of them, Brian and Kimo were recognizing just that -- the shotgun blast that should have at least riddled the car with enough shrapnel to kill the engine if not the occupants had never fired. Kimo desperate attempts to correct the problem were ineffective. "Get the hell out of here!" Kimo screamed from the passenger seat towards Brian. At the same instant came the unmistakable popping of gunfire as the rear tire their car was shot out. Brian lost control and the car slammed into a ditch. The two henchmen nearly clamored over each other attempted to exit the vehicle with hands raised. Jimmy set us up! That bastard gave us a bum weapon and hung us out to dry! And I can't turn him in without implicating myself in the death of that Chinese cop! Brian glanced at Kimo. Brian glanced back at Kimo. I hope he's smart enough to keep his mouth shut , too! Thomas and Harry had come to the corner together, then Harry moved off pretending to be reading a paperback, just as he recalled his father doing on stakeouts. Thomas glanced around, wondering where Mano was, it was not quite five. He had been worried about being late -- now he worried about being early. He glanced at the body of a pretty girl who was strolling by. "Nice wahine," remarked Mano from out of nowhere. Thomas jumped and turned to face him. Mano laughed. "First time, huh? China boy?" Thomas scowled. "Just tryin' to help my brother." Mano clicked his tongue. "A real family guy, that's you. Where's my money?" He pulled out the fifty. "I can get more next time," Thomas promised. "Next time? There ain't gonna be no next time," Mano remarked. "But -" "I'm just being nice to you here." Thomas frowned. "Look, I need to get stuff for my brother. I'll do whatever you want." Mano shrugged. "So you come in here out of nowhere and you want me to -- what? -- make you a brother or something? Your goods are in the john back of that pawnshop. I don't wanna see you again." Mano started away. "Hey," Thomas grabbed hold of his arm and Mano spun and tight fist raised and ready. "Hands off, Asshole!" Mano growled. Thomas released him, hands raised and took a step backward. "I can offer you something no one else can." Mano gave a half sneer. "Yeah? I can't imagine that." Thomas' mind raced to come up with an idea. "It's true." "Well?" Mano faced him, impatience showing. "Um. I can get you information." Mano waved him off. "You gonna do my homework or something?" "No -- the cops have been clamping down on the dealers," Thomas said quickly, realizing he was making this up as he went along. But Mano was giving him more attention, so he kept up the explanation. "I can let you know where the cops are going to hit." Mano squinted. "And that's supposed to be valuable to me?" "It might be to your boss," Thomas retorted, attempting to take some control. "Look at the paper today? Five-0 and HPD have been catching up with the dealers -- getting the goods. I can tell you so you all can get away and hide your stuff." "How?" Thomas licked his lips nervously. "I still know lots of folks in the police department. I can find stuff out." Mano gave him a sideways glance. "Why?" "I told you -- my brother. Info for goods. How about it?" Chuckling, Mano shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. I'd have to talk to someone first." "I'll meet you tomorrow and bring you what I find out. Sort of like a sample. See what your boss thinks." "We'll see, China boy, no promises." Mano moved off into the crowd. Thomas waited for several moments, trying to slow his racing heart. What have I done? Harry put aside the novel and came over. "Well?" "Stuff is in the rest room over there," he remarked. "Mano said he wasn't gonna help again. I-I had to find a way to make him come back." "Did you?" Thomas bobbed his head nervously. "Yeah. I think so. I told him I'd snitch to him about police plans to stake out the dealers." Harry hesitated. "Good though, Thomas. It'll work. It will just take some time. Once your tipoff keeps Mano's boss out of the slammer, they'll want that info again. Go get the stuff." It was nearly dusk when Steve and Danny returned to the office from the paperwork of the arrest of Kimo and Brian. They each retreated to his own office to prepare for the interrogations. Steve had only been in his office long enough to pick up a book when Susie burst, unannounced through the door. "Steve, Danny told me about what happened! I wanted to make sure you were all right!" she exclaimed taking hold of his hand. Mildly uncomfortable with the action, he chose to ignore it and instead make a point of his own. "I'm fine, but take a lesson from this. These syndicate guys are dangerous." Still holding his hand, she gave an innocent smile. "Oh, I'm not doing anything dangerous. I seen Kini a few times, that's all." Why is a siren going off in my brain. Is she lying to me? "And what about Jimmy Rego?" Still in wide-eyed innocence she answered: "I saw him at the funeral, that's all." Why don't I believe her? Something isn't right here. "You're sure?" he demanded, a fatherly emotion creeping into his tone. I owe it to Chin to keep her safe. Yet it is so tempting to want her to be involved. And perhaps good therapy for her. No, she says out. In his office next door, Danny hung up from his third conversation with Mike Stone in two days. Snatching up his notes, he headed for Steve's office. "I've got the info on Napoli and Liu," he declared coming through the door and stopped cold upon seeing Susie, but for only a fraction of a moment before continuing that they had rap sheets, dirty and long from San Francisco. But his mind wasn't on the words his mouth was forming. How the hell did she get in here? Danny bit his tongue to keep from saying anything about her presence. Steve pulled his hand from Susie's but knew he had not accomplished the feat in time. Danny saw that -- I am sure he's going to go off on this thing all over again. Just when I thought we could put the issue aside. Before the tension could begin, they were all spared by Duke's appearance with the announcement that it was Brian Liu who had picked up the fortune cookies that had gone to Yung Sen's. Anxious to keep things professional, Steve added: "And the lab guys found traces of the explosives in the van." "It's all starting to fall together," Duke added, unaware of the moment he had defused. "But it's all circumstantial," McGarrett replied. "We need the gun. Without it we haven't got anything." Watching Susie so openly flaunt herself over Steve with McGarrett making no attempts to stop her brought all the pain and fury of the earlier situation back to Danny. I need to stop this for the honor of her father! His emotion had caused him to miss the first few sentences of McGarrett patiently explaining about Rego's henchmen in Susie's presence, just barely registering the statement they would need the "smoking gun" in order to make an arrest. Why is he telling all of this with her here? She is friends with Kini Pahoa -- certainly he isn't enlisting her as an undercover! Finding a way to terminate the event, Steve ordered Danny to set up the interrogations and headed for the door, but not before he paused to caution Susie one more time, gently touching her cheek with his hand. Danny thought it might drive him insane. He made to the hallway, Steve at his heels. "Why did she come here?" he asked as they descended the stairway. "She said you told her." "She called me. I told her everything was fine when. I most certainly did not suggest she come up here." Steve turned towards him as they reached the bottom of the staircase, a calm expression on his face. "Well, it made the news before we got back." "The shootout made the news -- we were fine -- the news said that, too! She called me, Steve, and I told her everything was fine. Why did she come here?" he pleaded for reason. Can't Steve see this? He is the most intuitive person I know. How can he be so blind about this? McGarrett very slowly took the time to compose his words more aware than Danny that they were in a semi-public area, even though they were the only ones present. I care about Danny, I don't want to hurt him right now. We've been through a tough day. What if those goons had gotten off their shot? One or both of us might have joined Chin. For an instant his mind lingered over the thought of losing Danny as well as Chin. He promptly shut the thoughts down. How can I get him to let go of this obsession? "I would imagine Susie came because she was concerned. Right now we are all she has. The other Kelley kids won't talk to her. Her best friend's father may be responsible for her father's death. We are the only ones she can come to." "No, Steve, you are the only one she can come to," Danny corrected. "She couldn't have cared less if I got blown away today." "You aren't being fair, Danno." "I'm not?" He could feel tears of frustration in the back of his eyes. Dammit, I am not going to cry like some little kid - I am not. "This is wrong - all wrong. Do you want her going back to Rego to dig stuff up? You just about asked her to!" "I told her to stay out of it." Danny exploded: "And you really think she heard that? She heard that you needed a fucking gun -- I promise she will find it. It wasn't enough to get Chin killed, you're gonna kill his daughter, too!" His voice echoed back from the mahogany wood paneling. The silence that followed was shattering. Steve, expression dark and hands clenched so tightly at his sides that they were shaking, took several moments before speaking during which time Danny stood in shock that the feeling and words had burst out in such a painful fashion. "Danno, I want you to go home," Steve said quietly. "Steve," he murmured, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" McGarrett raised a hand to silence him and gave a slow pained smiled. "One thing I am very sure of, Danno - you meant every word. You just didn't mean to say them." Danny looked at the floor in agony. How could I have just blasted away like this? Steve is my friend. I need to trust him. Nothing makes sense right now. "I can't go home," he muttered, emotion squeezing his throat. "Steve, I need to be on this right now. We've got those interrogations." McGarrett shook his head. "I don't want to lose you, too. You need some time." So he can be hanging out with Susie and I won't know it? The thought shocked Danny as soon as it popped up. "The interrogations -" "They will keep until tomorrow. Let's give Liu and Napoli some time to think about their sins." Steve gazed at Kimo Napoli through the oneway glass of the mirror for another moment. The man seemed immobile, sitting at the table, hands folded, without moving. What is he thinking about? Does he expect someone to save him? Jimmy Rego perhaps? It's show time. Steve walked in to the interrogation room. "Good morning, Napoli. Hope you had a good night's rest at the taxpayer's expense." Napoli did not respond. "Your friend Jimmy Rego has disappeared. Did you know that? Went to his apartment and he's split. Why do you think he did that?" Kimo sat staring at the table. "Don't know any Jimmy Rego." "He's not going
to rescue you, you know. We've got you cold on attempted murder of a police
officer. That's life, Napoli. You're what, twenty six? Want to spend the
next fifty years or so in a maximum security prison -- no chance for parole?
Think about it. That is a long time. No fresh air, none of that favorite
Greek food of yours -- no women. Of course there might still be sex. Someone
else will see to that. Is that how you want it to be?" Steve came
down to Kimo's eye level across the table. "The van used to blow
up the restaurant has your prints on it. You picked up the fortune cookies.
We know you did the restaurant. That's three counts of murder and two
counts of attempted murder. Doesn't look good to me. Now why would a nice
guy like you just start all this carnage for no reason?" Brian Liu had wiped the sweat off his balding forehead with the back of his hand for the third time just as Danny entered. "It's hot in here," he complained. "AC is out," Danny answered, loosening his tie and opening the top button of his shirt. "Could get a lot hotter." Liu shook his head. "You can't just shut off my AC." "Sure I can." He lit a cigarette and felt the membranes of his throat tighten against the offensive smoke. I can't believe I smoked these nasty things for so long and had a hard time quitting. He slowly blew the smoke across the table towards Kimo. "I hear you enjoy a good smoke." Brian rubbed his hands. "Not me." His nerves were twitching for the nicotine. Dammit I wish I had a smoke. Danny blew another small cloud of smoke into the room. "I used to love a good smoke. It made everything all right with the world. You know?" Liu stared at the smoking cigarette. "You want mine?" Danny held it out. Liu hesitated, then slowly began to stretch out his hand. Danny crushed the butt against the tabletop. "Sorry, Brian." He brought his face close to Liu's. "Everything costs something. What do you think you have I might want to buy?" "Jimmy Rego told you to keep your mouth shut, didn't he?" Steve demanded. "You think he's going to take care of you? We've got it all on you, Kimo. Your only way out is to turn state's evidence on Kelley's killing. Did you pull the trigger? I'm gonna make sure it looks like you did. But if Rego did it -- maybe I can help with your charges. There's hard time and then there's hard time, Napoli. It's up to you." Kimo did not move or speak. "Why did your boss give you a rifle that wasn't any good? We were supposed to get you, Kimo. I'll bet he was hoping we'd kill you. Now, why would he want that? Maybe Jimmy needed enough time to escape." Steve shook his head. "It's creeps like Rego who depend on peons like you to be stupid enough to take the fall. What'll it be?" "I know you were
the one who did, Kelley, weren't you!" Danny was yelling at Brian.
"You and Kimo. Did Jimmy tell you to do it? Huh? Or was it your own
idea? We've got enough on you, Liu." He tossed the black and white
of Chin's dead body onto the table. "You can see to it that you take
a few with you, or you can go alone. You aren't gonna make it two years
on the inside. Every Asian in Hawaii has your face and name. They will
get to you -- even on the inside. Chin was my friend -- you got that --
and I'm not gonna let you get away with any kind of a deal short of wrapping
up Jimmy Rego and giving him to me -- cause I know you can do that."
He paused, still eye to eye with Kimo. "You're gonna do that, aren't
you. Cause I'm gonna find a way to make sure you're the next one iced.
You got me?" "You back, China Boy," Mano remarked to Thomas. "This your third buy in two days. You gotta be a high roller." Thomas did not speak right away as the two one hundred dollars bills were replaced by the small plastic bag of cocaine. "My brother is worth it." "Hum, we all got our brothers, huh man," Mano replied. "Um, you don't have -- you know -- something on the inside where I could get a break?" Thomas asked. Mano made a face. "My boss don't know you, kid. He'd kill us both. You best just keep spending that inheritance and leave the big stuff to your new pal Mano. You just keep getting those tips." He glanced away. "I'm gonna need money soon. My word is good, isn't it?" "Yeah, man, but that isn't my deal to do, you know." "Let me talk to your boss man then. If I'm keeping him out of jail, that ought to be worth something." Mano paused to think about that option. "You bring me something good, then I'll go talk more to him. We'll see." Thomas turned away
and headed back again towards HPD. Alia opened the door and rolled her eyes upon seeing Susie on the other side. "Why are you here?" she asked, a weariness in her tone. Susie hesitated. "I don't want to fight with you," she started. "I need to talk with you." Alia turned and walked back into the living room. "So talk, Susie." She sat down on the couch and crossed her arms. "I know you think I abandoned you all," she sighed. "I didn't mean to. God, Alia, I don't know how to do this." She bit her lip. "I couldn't come home. Daddy -" she blinked. "- Daddy made me stay in California." Alis threw up her hands. "I can believe you! You are out here insulting our dear father who is dead! He cannot even speak up for himself!" "Wait! Wait!" Susie pleaded. "I want to make it right now, Alia. Look - look what I have." She opened the paper sack. "What?" Alia began to reach inside. "No, don't touch it." She pulled the bag back. "It's the gun that killed Daddy." Alia's mouth dropped open. "How -- Susie -- " Her look became skeptical. "It doesn't matter how I got it. I did. I want you to know that I am trying to make things right for us. I loved Daddy, I risked my life to get this from the guy who killed him." "You know who killed Daddy?! You didn't tell Danny?" "Danny already knows," Susie replied. "No -- no one's been arrested. He would have done something." "Trust me, Alia, he knows -- he and Steve have to get the evidence to arrest him and here it is." "That gun." Alia pointed at the bag. She was silent for a moment. "That's really it." She peered into the bag. "Susie -- it is so….black." Susie sat silent for a moment. "Alia, we've had our differences, but that is over. I need to take this to Steve, but I wanted you to know." Alia rose from the couch. "That kind of evidence belongs in something better than a shopping bag." She pulled out the box of silverware and dumped it noisily across the dining table. She held out the dark wood toned, felt-lined box. "Use this." Susie carefully placed the gun in the box. The two sisters stood another moment staring at it's dull metal finish before Susie closed the box and left for Five-0. Pahoa had been staring at the surface of the unopened record ledger on his desk for nearly twenty minutes. Although he had not spoken a word, there was no doubt in Billy Swan's mind about what his boss was thinking. A terrible thing to have to weigh your daughter's happiness against the ultimate well being of both your enterprises and perhaps your life. Cappy finally lifted his gaze towards Billy. "I told him to go to Europe. I wanted them to leave today. It would have been better than this. Kini believes I will help her -- and I will -- more than she knows. She deserves so much better than Rego. Yet, I do not have the heart to hit him myself. She would know." He folded his hands in front of himself. "When McGarrett comes I will allow him the pleasure of his hunt." He sighed once again. "I need a well-timed anonymous call to Five-O." They both still stood staring open-mouthed at the woodgrain box in Susie's hands. Danny wondered if either of them was going to ask the essential question. How did you come to have that? Where did it come from? Steve seemed to be in shock as well. So much for not taking risks. Like father like daughter. "Are you sure?" "I got it from Jimmy Rego's apartment." "You were at his apartment?" Steve asked, stunned. She gave a victorious grin. "He never knew it." Steve shook his head. "Let's get this to the lab." I will deal with her risk-taking later. Right now it paid off. How will I explain this to the governor? Susie nearly danced out of the door behind him, glancing over at Danny with a smile. I have done what they could not do -- no what Danny could not do -- a Kelley child outdid Daddy's favorite. My siblings will welcome me back now. Alia already has. And Daddy is honored that his killer will face justice. I brought this together! Less than an hour later, Susie still in their midst, it was confirmed that the gun had killed Chin and Jimmy Rego's prints were all over it. "Iron clad, Danno," Steve declared, a fist squeezing tightly as he spoke. "We got him. I am going out to Cappy Pahoa and make him give up Rego. Hopefully I can use Jimmy to get Pahoa as well." "Steve you have a phone call at the front," a lab tech announced. McGarrett turned away to the phone, leaving Danny and Susie face to face. "I did it for Daddy," Susie said to the unasked question. "You took a terrible risk. If he had caught you-" Danny started. "He would have killed me," she completed. "And no one would have wept, Danny. It was worth the risk. I got the gun -- I proved to Alia that I really do care about our family." "Alia? Is this all about Alia?" Danny asked. She crossed her arms. "It is all about winning my way back into my blood family. I was able to deliver Daddy's killer -- something you weren't able to do." "This isn't a competition, Susie," he said quietly. "Everything is a competition," she retorted. "Especially with you. I am going to have my family back now. And none of us needs you anymore." Trying to steel himself against the emotional attack, Danny gave a slight shake of his head. "I did not ask to be needed, Susie. Tim wanted me involved. If you all can make this work, that's fine by me." Is it? Yes, it is. My relationship with Chin's children seems to be as she said -- one of competition -- whether I like it or not. The game is over. Life goes on. Steve stuck his head back into the room. "Danno, I am going out to see Pahoa. We just received an anonymous tip that he may know where to find Rego. Get a detail to stake out Rego's apartment." Susie cocked an eyebrow.
"Duty awaits," she said with a small smile. Thomas carefully stepped into the cool, tiled cityroom at HPD, wondering what kind of reception he would receive. Maybe they won't even remember me. But that was not the case. "Thomas! Give me high five!" a young officer shouted coming towards him, right palm up. Thomas complete the high-five action. "Looking good, man," the officer, younger than Tim, gave him a smile and a playful shoulder punch. "What brings you here?" "I, um, thought I'd just hang out a bit. You know." "Sure. Watch out, we'll get you enlisted before the day is out." The young officer took him back into the report room. "Good day here -- they just called in a backup to the North Shore. Five-0 has the guy to shot your dad pinned down. Stick around, you'll want to see this!" Thomas blinked in
surprise. Yes, this I really do want to see. Cappy Pahoa had sat quietly in the office of his home for hours, the door shut, just waiting. It was disturbing how dangerous this had become, how one man could have placed everything I worked on for ten years at risk. I did it for Kini. She wanted to bring him from the mainland. I just opened my arms to him and made him family. Let that be a lesson. The door opened quietly behind him and Cappy did not turn to look. There is only one trusted enough to get through that door and only one who would dare. Not even Kini had that privilege. "Yes, Billy Swan," he said without turning. "It is done," he quietly informed his superior. "McGarrett has Rego." Cappy gave a quiet nod and rubbed a hand across his face. "Kini?" "She is not involved, she knows nothing." Cappy gave a deep sigh. "She is a sentimental romantic, but she is not a fool. She will determine how this came about. When she does -- I fear I shall lose her, Billy." He did not reply. "Maybe we can send her and her fiend, Susie, on a trip abroad." "Susie,"
Cappy repeated, finally turning to face his body guard with a remorseful
grin. "The daughter of the man who Rego killed. Does it not seem
interesting to you how the police learned so much about Jimmy? If I could,
I would keep Kini away from her as well." He stared back down at
his desk. "Prehaps it is time for Kini to go away to school."
It broke his heart. Kini was his only child, birthed by his only true
love now dead these six years. Send Kini away? He might as well cut out
his own heart and feed it to the sharks.
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