Author's Notes: I am having more fun that I can possibly express writing in the Real World universe with Mari & ilna. You guys are THE BEST! I'm having so much fun bouncing ideas around and being part of a collaborative process! I couldn't possibly think of two better people to be taking this ride with.
And bottomless thanks to Sandy—who is the best kind of friend. The kind who knows when "it's ok" really means it's anything but and who says "rant to me as often as you need to" and really means it and really listens and whose wicked sense of humor can find the bright side of any situation.
This fic is complete. There were originally six chapters but since we got 10 new email followers (actually more than 10 THANKS!) by yesterday I combined Chapters 1 & 2 and made and extra-long Chapter 1. I'll be posting one chapter a day all week.
Obsession
Five-O Headquarters
Tuesday 8:30 A.M.
Steve McGarrett entered Iolani Palace early Tuesday morning hoping for a slow day. The previous two weeks had been grueling. The team had been working on a human sex-trafficking case, in conjunction with the FBI and HPD, and they were all was exhausted, not only from the brutally long hours involved but from the emotional toll the case exacted on them all.
As he approached the Five-O offices he saw Danny, Kono and Chin through the glass doors, gathered around the smart table apparently deep in conversation and his heart dropped. He wondered if a new case had come in and they were getting ready to call him.
The minute he opened the door his teammates turned towards him and broke into a round of enthusiastic, and only partially mocking, applause.
"What now?" Steve sighed warily as he noticed the silly grins on all their faces.
"Very impressive, Boss," Kono said appreciatively while Chin smiled and nodded in agreement.
Steve froze in place. "What are you talking about?"
He honestly had no idea what had brought on this display. The last time he'd received a welcome like this at the office was the day he'd been named Oahu's Most Eligible Bachelor. The teasing over that had just recently started to die down and he really hoped nothing had happened to kick it up again.
"What are we … we're talking about the flowers," Danny said with a flourish as he stepped aside and revealed two dozen long stem red roses in a crystal vase sitting in the center of the smart table. "What else would we be talking about?"
Steve looked at each member of the team in turn, hoping for a clue as to what was going on. Finally he had to ask.
"Who are those for?"
"Very funny," Chin scoffed. "Who do you think?"
"I have no idea," Steve shrugged his shoulders, seriously hoping they weren't for him.
"Wait," Chin cocked his head to the side. "You really don't know?"
"You mean you didn't … they're for Catherine … are you saying they're not from you?" Danny asked skeptically.
"They're definitely not from me," Steve assured them as he crossed the room, plucked the small white card from the plastic holder nestled in the flowers and read it.
For Catherine,
These flowers can never hold a candle to your beauty but please accept them as a small token of my undying affection.
"Huh." Steve read the card again then turned it over, looking for a clue as to who may have sent the beautiful bouquet.
"Well whoever sent them, they're gorgeous," Kono said as she straightened the ribbon adorning the vase. "Someone has very good taste."
Danny watched as Steve returned the card to its holder and gave the flowers a last once over.
"You really had nothing to do with this," he asked, suddenly serious.
When he'd initially seen the unsigned card he was sure the flowers were from Steve. Such a flashy display would normally be out of character for his partner but it had been a rough couple of weeks and Catherine definitely needed the pick me up so he thought Steve might have decided to do something a little different.
But if they weren't from Steve he had to wonder who they were from, and why the person wanted to keep their identity a secret. The whole thing seemed harmless on its face but there was something about it that made Danny uncomfortable.
"I really had nothing to do with this." Steve checked the flowers and vase, looking for some sign of the name of the florist who sold them, but saw nothing. "Who delivered them?"
"They were sitting outside the door when I got in this morning," Chin answered, suddenly feeling a little of Danny's unease.
"That's weird," Steve shrugged. "Maybe Catherine will know who sent them."
Danny smiled to himself.
Steve and Catherine really were the least jealous people he'd ever met. It had taken him a while to get a handle on the relationship the two of them shared, especially in the early days of his partnership with Steve when Catherine was stationed overseas and her visits to Hawaii were infrequent, but once he did he realized that their lack of jealousy was a product of their absolute devotion to, and trust in, one another.
"Speaking of Catherine, where is she?"
"She went to HPD to give her final statement and finish up the paperwork on the Terriaga bust. She'll be back in an hour or so."
"I'm sure she'll be glad to get that one behind her," Chin said quietly. "I know I will."
"I think we all will," Steve agreed, then changed the subject. "Anyway, she'll be here soon. We can ask her about the flowers then."
Five-O Headquarters
Tuesday 9:45 A.M.
Steve tried, and failed, to concentrate on the files spread out on his desk in front of him. He tapped his fingers nervously. He checked his watch for the third time in five minutes. He thought about calling Duke to see if Catherine was still at HPD, and to make sure everything was going alright, but he knew she wouldn't be happy if she got wind he was checking up on her.
He rubbed his forehead and tried to go back to his reading, then decided he could invent a reason to talk to Duke and just casually ask if Catherine was still there at the end of the conversation. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and started to dial then hung up quickly when he saw her coming through the doors of HQ.
He took note of the tension in her shoulders and the sadness in her eyes.
He'd offered to go with her to HPD, knowing how hard recounting any part of the Terriaga case yet again would be, even if it was necessary to make sure the prosecution team had everything it needed to win a conviction, but she'd refused and said she could handle it, as he knew she would.
He never doubted her strength, or her ability and willingness to do whatever needed done to bring a criminal to justice, but she was asked to go above and beyond on the Terriaga case and it would have tested anyone, himself included.
The FBI had tracked the leaders of a human sex trafficking ring to Oahu. The ring sold girls, some as young as 10, to international "clients" for use in everything from prostitution rings to child pornography. They were extremely organized and extremely careful. The people in charge had been nearly impossible to pin down for the entire two years of the investigation. The FBI had spent countless hours infiltrating the group and then ultimately setting up a sting by creating the profile of an overseas buyer.
After building enough trust to finally get a face to face meeting, the agent slated to play the role of the buyer had to recuse herself because of a family emergency. The FBI was scrambling, afraid they would never have another chance this good to bring down the ring. They needed someone who was a quick study and could step into the role at the last minute. One of the agents on the case had worked with Catherine previously in Navy Intel, knew she was on the island working for Five-O now, and suggested her for the job.
Catherine agreed to play the part, but because the meeting was already set and couldn't be changed she had only a week to get ready. She was forced to immerse herself in the voluminous case file which contained pages of information that would make even the strongest agent sick to their stomach. But it was vital she commit all of it to memory.
She had to be able to talk about, and view, all manner of disgusting material without flinching so as not to give herself away during the meeting. If the ring leaders got even a hint that Catherine was not who she claimed to be they would go even deeper underground and any chance at stopping them would be lost.
She not only studied the human sex trafficking business as a whole but also the cases of individual victims. She read about the very few who were rescued successfully, and whose information had helped build the case, but also about the scores who were not, who had disappeared in to the shady underworld this ring created and had never been seen or heard from again.
When it came time for her to play the role of hard-hearted child sex trafficker it went off without a hitch. Catherine managed to get the men she met with to make all the admissions the FBI was looking for and the bureau was able to make multiple arrests on the spot. Then those men, looking to save their own skin as criminals in that position often do, started naming names that lead to other arrests.
The head of the FBI Sex Crimes Division was so impressed he offered her a job on the spot. Catherine smiled and said thank you then told him she was perfectly happy with the job she already had. She was very proud of the work she'd done on the case, as well as the fact that not only had the FBI arrested their targets but they had managed to nail several locals for the HPD as well.
Still, that night she sobbed in Steve's arms for hours, devastated by the fate of the girls that had been sold before the ring had been busted. The FBI had told her quite honestly that while they would try to recover those girls, the chances were very slim that any would be returned.
Steve was glad the case was finally closed and they could all move on. He exited his office and decided to tease her to lighten her mood.
"Hey Rollins, do you have a secret admirer you forgot to tell me about?" he asked with a wide smile.
Catherine looked up and when she saw him smiling at her couldn't help but smile in return. "What?"
Steve indicated the flowers still sitting on the smart table. "Those came for you this morning."
"For me?" Catherine looked surprised.
"Yeah. Take a look at the card. It's pretty sappy."
Danny, Chin and Kono heard voices in the bullpen and came out of their offices to see if Catherine had any idea who might have sent the flowers. They watched with interest as she crossed to the smart table, plucked the card from the holder and read it.
"Is this a joke?" She looked back at Steve with a questioning look.
"No," Chin assured her. "They were waiting when I got here this morning."
"Someone's trying to make a big impression," Kono said. "I wouldn't mind it if Adam tried to make that kind of impression on me."
Catherine exchanged a knowing look with Kono then returned her attention to the flowers. "It's weird though. Who would send me flowers? And roses to boot?"
"Maybe it was that FBI guy, the one who offered you the job, what was his name?" Steve asked.
Catherine rolled her eyes. She knew Steve knew exactly what his name was.
"Ken Jenkins."
"That's right. Ken Jenkins. He was quite taken with you."
"I doubt it was him," she scoffed.
"I don't know." Chin picked up Steve's teasing. "He was trying pretty hard to woo you away from Five-O and get you to go work for the Bureau. Maybe he isn't going to give up without a fight."
"You're both crazy," Catherine smiled. "If they were from him, I think he would have signed the card. Plus, who makes a job offer by talking about undying affection?"
"You might have a point," Chin conceded. "Still, who else do you think would have sent them?"
"I have no idea," she said contemplatively.
"Maybe they're from Jerry," Danny teased, drawing chuckles from everyone.
"I doubt that," Catherine smiled fondly. Jerry clearly had a little crush on her but now that he realized she and Steve were together, as in together, she didn't think he'd be bold enough to do something like this. He definitely had a case of hero worship for Steve and would never want to upset him in any way.
"Better watch out, Boss," Kono teased. "You're gonna have to step up your game. Looks like you've got competition."
Steve smiled confidently. "I can handle it."
Catherine beamed at him. "I don't really feel comfortable keeping them since I don't know who they're from. Maybe I'll send them over to the hospital for someone who needs a pick me up."
"That sounds like a great idea," Steve agreed. "Can I see you for a minute first though?"
"Sure," Catherine said as she cast one last glance at the roses before turning and heading for Steve's office.
Steve held the door open for her as she entered and then followed right behind her as the other team members dispersed.
He indicated the couch with his hand and once she took a seat he settled beside her.
"How'd things go at HPD?" he asked quietly. "Did you get everything finished up?"
"Yes, thankfully. The three locals we busted are naming names, trying to get themselves a deal of course, so it looks like we're gonna get a lot of people off the streets who deserve …" Catherine hesitated, dropping her eyes to the carpet as she fought off memories of the case material, " … let's just say the island will be a better place with them in custody."
Steve ran his hand down her arm and laced their fingers together in a rare office PDA. "I know this case was tough, Catherine, but you should be proud of the work you did."
"I am," she smiled and squeezed his hand. She knew he'd been worried about her. Even though he hadn't studied the case material to the same degree she had, he'd seen enough of the pictures and read enough of the profiles to get a feel for what she was going through.
He'd been an invaluable sounding board for her during the time she was getting ready to meet with the ring leaders. In the aftermath, he'd been a rock and had provided a level of emotional support Catherine could not have made it through without, but quite honestly she was ready to move on and put the entire case behind her.
Suddenly she remembered a conversation she'd had on her way back to the office. "Oh, Abbey Barnes approached me again this morning when I was leaving HPD."
"About?"
"Same as always. She wants a chance to work as liaison on a case or two with Five-O."
"Why?"
"She's ambitious, Steve. She's not sure how much room there is for advancement at HPD."
"She wants to work here?"
"I'm sure she'd jump at the chance. But I also think she wants to show what she can do on a bigger case hoping she might catch someone's attention and get an offer from another agency."
"What do you think of her?" Steve was interested in Catherine's honest assessment.
"I don't really know her that well," Catherine admitted. "I mean we've worked on what … two cases together. And not closely. But she's smart and she's tough and like I said she's ambitious."
"You think she can handle more?"
"I think she deserves a chance to try."
"That's good enough for me. I'll ask Duke to assign her as liaison next case that comes up and see what she can do."
"I'm sure she'll be grateful," Catherine said.
Steve nodded and relaxed deeper into the couch. "Things are kinda slow around here today. Why don't you take the rest of the morning off and go out and do … those things girls do to relax."
"Those things girls do to relax?" she teased.
"Yeah," he nudged her shoulder, "you know, all that mysterious hair and nail and waxing stuff."
"It's hardly mysterious."
"It is to me. And I'm perfectly happy to keep it that way."
"Thanks, but I'll be fine," Catherine assured him. "There's probably a lot I can do around here to make up for all the time I spent on the Terriaga case over the last two weeks."
Steve didn't want to smother her but he wanted to be sure she took all the time she needed to decompress. "You sure?"
"Positive," she said confidently.
"OK then, but if you need a little break just let me know."
"I'm fine, Steve, really." Catherine placed her hand on his leg.
"If you say so."
She leaned in close, sliding her hand up his thigh, and whispered in his ear. "But I appreciate you worrying."
After checking to make sure no one was watching she leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips, then got up and left his office leaving him sitting on the couch shaking his head and smiling.
Sidestreet
Friday 6:45 P.M.
"And that's exactly where I found him," Chin said, unable to hold back her laughter any longer. "Backed up against the wall while a very angry 80 year old woman in a leotard and rollers poked her finger in to his chest and read him the riot act about how her grandson didn't live there."
Everyone at the table burst into peals of laughter. Especially Lou Grover, who was relatively new to the group and had never heard the oft told story before. The Five-O team had gathered for a relaxing end of the week dinner at Sidestreet and invited the SWAT captain to join them.
Funny stories of past cases had flowed freely during dinner and continued now as the group relaxed over a round of drinks.
"YOU were the one that gave me the wrong address," Danny accused, but he couldn't help smiling at the memory himself.
"I told you when I gave it to you that it was his last known and it was at least a year old," Chin defended. "YOU decided to go in without waiting for backup."
"I could hear people moving around inside. I wanted to get in there before they tried to leave."
"Turns out the noise was the grandma doing her morning yoga," Kono said, then burst out laughing.
Steve and Catherine watched from across the table, his arm casually draped across her shoulders and her hand resting on his knee.
"Go ahead. Laugh it up," Danny said. "I've got plenty of stories about you guys." He pointed at Grover. "And it's only a matter of time for you."
"Are you sure you want to get into a battle of embarrassing stories Danny," Catherine warned with a chuckle.
Steve smiled, happy to see her so relaxed and enjoying time with friends after a period of weeks that had been tough on her, on all of them really. It was nice to take time to just enjoy each other's company for a while.
"Everyone ready for another round?" Steve asked as the waitress approached the table.
"Sure. Why not," Kono said, checking her watch. "I have a couple hours before I have to be at the airport."
"What time is your flight?" Chin asked.
"Ten," Kono replied. She was looking forward to getting away for a week with Adam. The vacation had originally been planned for two weeks prior but had to be re-scheduled because of the Terriaga investigation.
"I'm ready for another," Danny huffed. "Since apparently it's pick on Danny night."
"I can't help it," Chin laughed. "You just happen to end up in the middle of a lot of funny situations."
"I'm in," Grover agreed. "My wife and kids are out shopping and won't be home for hours. And when they do finally get home there will be a fashion show by my daughter where I'll have to pretend I can tell the difference between a dark blue shirt and a navy blue shirt."
Danny smiled an understanding smile.
"One more all around, please," Steve smiled at the waitress as she gathered up the empty glasses and dishes.
As Chin began another story about one of Danny's misadventures on the island Steve leaned over and kissed Catherine on the cheek. "Having fun?" he asked.
"Yeah, I am," She smiled in return.
"Good," he said before turning his attention back to the others at the table.
"Wait..wait..wait," Danny put up his hands in the universal sign of stop. "Why are we picking on each other here? What we should be doing is telling embarrassing stories about Steve."
Sidestreet
Friday 8:30 P.M.
As the Five-O team stepped out the door they realized that at some point while they were inside it had started to rain. They all had to make the mad dash across the parking lot to avoid getting drenched. Steve stopped and opened the passenger side door of the truck before dashing around to the driver's side. Catherine, who was a few steps behind him, jumped in gratefully.
"Thanks," she smiled as she settled herself in and put on her seat belt. "That was very gallant."
"I try," he winked at her.
"This was really fun," she said happily. "Thanks for suggesting it."
"I figured we could all use a relaxing night out."
"I think Grover had a good time too."
"He seemed to." Steve turned on the windshield wipers and pulled out of the parking lot.
"No matter how many times I hear it, the story of Danny and Yoga Grandma will never not be funny."
"My only regret about that whole case is that Chin was the one who rolled up on the scene for back up instead of me," Steve chuckled. "I would have paid real money to see that whole thing go down."
"Too bad Chin didn't think to pull out his phone and video it," Catherine snorted.
"He was probably laughing too hard to hold the phone steady."
She nodded. "But the good news is this is Danny we're talking about. The next repeatable story is just around the corner."
"I'm gonna tell him you said that," Steve threatened.
"Is there anything I can do to buy your silence?" she grinned as she waggled her eyebrows.
Steve burst out laughing. "Was that supposed to be seductive?"
"It is when you do it?" Catherine pouted. "Are you saying it isn't when I do it?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Steve grinned. "But I'm sure you can find a way to convince me using something other than your eyebrows."
"Challenge accepted, Commander," Catherine purred as Steve stepped on the gas just a little harder.
McGarrett/Rollins Residence
Friday 9:00 P.M.
As Steve pulled into the driveway and cut the truck's engine he and Catherine noticed an odd splash of color sitting on the table on the lanai.
"What the hell is that?" Steve squinted his eyes against the darkness and the rain as he opened the door and exited the truck.
"I have no idea," Catherine said as she slid out of the passenger's side.
They dashed up the sidewalk through the raindrops until they got closer and it became apparent that the color in question was actually a large bouquet of latex balloons. They stepped under the porch roof and examined the unexpected gift.
"Who in the world … " Steve asked as he reached out for the card attached the burlap covered weight holding the balloons down.
"Does it say who they're from?" Catherine ran her hands through her hair, pushing the now damp strands away from her face.
Steve looked at the card.
"Ok, this is getting ridiculous."
He passed it over to Catherine who read out loud.
For my Dearest Catherine,
I hope these put a smile on your face. You're beautiful when you smile. You should do it as often as possible.
"Who's doing this," she asked with irritation in her voice. "Sending flowers to the office was one thing but this is our home."
Steve checked the area for anything that might be out of place then turned back to the balloons.
"There's no sign of how they got here," he said.
When Catherine didn't respond he looked at her and saw the annoyance on her face. He reached out, took the card from her hand and tossed it on to the table beside the balloons.
"Leave those there. Let's go inside," he said, holding out his hand to her.
"Who could be doing this?"
She continued to stare at the balloons.
"I don't know," Steve wrapped his arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the house. "But we're gonna find out."
McGarrett/Rollins Residence
Friday 11:00 P.M.
Steve was already settled in bed when Catherine exited the bathroom rubbing in the last of the lotion she had applied. She tossed the damp towel that had been draped over her arm into the hamper and turned out the light. She double checked to make sure the alarm on her phone was set then slid into bed, grateful that they had managed to turn in early, and together, for the first time in weeks.
Steve held out his arm and she settled comfortably into his side, her hand resting over his heart as his rubbed slowly and soothingly up and down her spine.
After a few minutes of total silence he asked, "You still thinking about the balloons?"
"Yeah," Catherine slid her hand down and picked at the hem of his t-shirt. "And the roses. I just can't figure out who would be sending this stuff. I've been wracking my brain but I can't think of anyone."
"The flowers were harmless enough," Steve said, squeezing her shoulder lightly. "But I don't like the idea that whoever it is came to the house this time."
"Me either," Catherine admitted.
"We're gonna figure out who's doing this, Cath," Steve turned his head and met her eyes, "but in the meantime I want you to be extra careful."
"I don't think we need to go overboard. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."
"So far."
Steve didn't want to overreact but something about this situation made him very uncomfortable.
"It'll be fine, Steve," Catherine stretched up to kiss him. "Whoever it is clearly isn't eager to make direct contact. Everything gets delivered when I'm not around."
"Still … "
"I know. I'll be careful," she assured him.
"Thank you." He kissed her softly on the lips.
"Besides … I don't want to talk about that right now. Right now I have other things I want to concentrate on."
"Is that so?" Steve smiled as he pulled her on top of him and ran his hands up her back under her t-shirt.
"Yes, it is most definitely so," Catherine teased. "I believe you challenged me in the truck …."
Catherine leaned down and captured his lips. Just as she deepened the kiss and settled herself on top of her very eager boyfriend his phone buzzed.
She pulled back, rested her forehead against his and sighed. "You have got to be kidding me."
Steve grabbed his phone off the side table and saw Danny's name on the caller ID as Catherine rolled off, jumped out of bed and started getting dressed.
There was only one person who called at this time of night.
And whose timing was this bad.
"McGarrett," he said in a clipped tone. "Ok, we'll be right there."
Steve slid out of bed and moved towards the dresser where Catherine was pulling on her jeans. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her towards him then dipped his head and kissed her deeply. "Hold that thought. We'll get back to it soon."
Warehouse/Downtown Honolulu
Saturday 2:00 A.M.
Steve and Catherine each took their own vehicles, as was their habit, to the crime scene. On the way they got filled in via three-way call with Danny on what was known so far. Three mutilated bodies were found in a warehouse in Honolulu. They had been discovered by an HPD officer responding to a report of a door that looked as if it had been pried open. He had secured the crime scene and called it in. Because of his description of what he saw inside the warehouse Five-O was contacted immediately.
When Steve and Catherine arrived a little after midnight they found Danny and Chin huddled under a hastily erected HPD tent, attempting to avoid the persistent rain that was still falling, interviewing some of the first responders and people milling around the scene trying to determine if there were any witnesses or if anyone had any information about who the dead men in the warehouse were or who might have committed the crime. They parked their vehicles at the edge of the cordoned off area, got out and approached the other team members.
"You better prepare yourself before you go in there," Danny said.
"That bad?" Catherine asked. They'd seen a lot of gruesome crime scenes over the years. She couldn't imagine what could make this one so much worse.
"That bad," Chin said as the four of them jogged towards the door.
When Steve and Catherine entered the warehouse they saw a bloodbath as bad as anything they'd ever seen. The bodies were unidentifiable by any of the usual means. The fingertips had been removed, as had all the teeth. At first glance those things were nowhere to be seen. However, the floor was littered with disarticulated fingers, toes, ears, and one bloody piece of flesh that looked suspiciously like a nose.
The faces of the victims were slashed beyond recognition. There were chunks of flesh removed from various parts of the bodies that looked as though they had been cut out to obscure tattoos or birth marks.
There was blood pooled on the floor and splattered on virtually every wall and upright surface. It looked as though the victims had most definitely put up a fight but had ultimately been overpowered by the murderer or murderers.
As they approached what was left of the bodies Max looked up with a grim expression.
"We're going to have to hope for a DNA match, Commander, there's very little chance we'll be able to identify the bodies by any standard means."
"Whoever did this really wanted to make sure we couldn't identify the vics," Steve said as he surveyed the carnage.
"So why not dump them in the ocean? Or throw them in a volcano? Why do … this?" Danny asked incredulously as he sidestepped around an ear as well as an HPD evidence marker bearing the number 85.
"Excellent question," Max nodded. "It probably speaks to the pathology of the perpetrator. There are some who believe …"
Officer Abbey Barnes approached the group and cleared her throat.
"Excuse me, Max." Steve turned to face the eager young officer. "What have you got?"
"We've secured the scene. The CSU team has bagged over 100 pieces of evidence and we're still working. We've collected blood samples, hair and fibers, and are currently collecting other forms of trace evidence from the bodies before they're transported to the ME's office."
Steve remembered his promise to Catherine that he would give Abbey Barnes a chance to prove herself as soon as an opportunity arose.
"That's great. Thanks. Why don't you take point on this and serve as the liaison between Five-O and HPD. I'll clear it with your boss."
"Thank you, sir." Abbey was practically bouncing. "That'd be great. I won't let you down, sir."
Steve smiled. "I'm sure you won't. Get with Charlie Fong and our evidence techs and get me a summary of all the evidence from the scene as soon as possible."
"Will do." Abbey turned and crossed the warehouse to talk to the CSU team with a definite spring in her step.
Catherine smiled at Steve. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet. Let's see how she does."
Five-O Headquarters
Monday 7:00 A.M.
Steve and Danny returned to headquarters after a quick stop at Max's lab that yielded absolutely no new information. As they entered the office they saw Chin and Catherine standing at the smart table.
"Anything new?" Danny asked hopefully. Every hour that went by without a lead, even something as basic as identifying who the victims were, made the chances of solving the murders far more remote.
"Nothing yet," Chin responded.
"HPD is running plates on all the cars in the parking lot but so far all the owners are accounted for. They still have a way to go though," Catherine said. "They'll let us know if anything turns up."
"The warehouse is leased to a company called Exotic Imports." Chin swiped a copy of a State of Hawaii Business License up to the overhead screen. "They deal in high end goods. They look legit at first glance but I'm still digging."
"Does anyone with the company have any idea who the dead bodies might be?"
"The warehouse supervisor says the place should have been empty all weekend. HPD is trying to get in touch with the company CEO to see if he has any idea," Chin said.
"Maybe they had some kind of shady side business going?" Danny suggested.
"You never know," Chin said. "I'm checking every possibility."
"Max said he'll have a preliminary report in a couple of hours," Danny added, "but don't hold your breath … there's probably not gonna be much there. He's sending DNA out right away but the results will take a while."
"Okay. Let's keep digging," Steve sighed. "Chin, as soon as HPD tracks down the CEO have a face to face with him. Get a feel for whether he's telling the whole truth or not. Cath, keep checking those license plates. Also, if you can get a list of everyone with access to that warehouse, that'd be great."
"Will do," Catherine and Chin said in unison as they turned and headed for their respective offices.
Steve turned to Danny. "Someone has to miss these guys eventually, right? Let's check missing person's reports from the surrounding islands. I'm gonna check in with Kamekona and see if there are any rumors in the air. We have to find out who these guys are before we can find out who wanted them dead."
Five-O Headquarters
Tuesday 3:00 P.M.
Steve returned from briefing the Governor on the progress in the case, or more accurately the lack thereof, and found the rest of the team gathered in Chin's office brainstorming ideas to help them gain some traction. They'd been spinning their wheels since the discovery of the bodies and the frustration was taking a toll. The only good news was the rain that had been pouring down for three days had finally let up, although according to the forecasters it was only a temporary break.
"Anything new," he asked wearily as he entered Chin's office.
Chin shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. I've been combing through the business records of Exotic Imports looking for anything shady but so far they look like they're totally legit."
"And no one from the company has any idea who the three dead guys in the warehouse might be?" Steve asked with a hint of skepticism.
"They say they don't," Chin answered. "I'll keep trying."
"I'm gonna search missing person's reports from a bigger area," Danny said. "Maybe the victims aren't local. Maybe they were here on business."
"Worth a try," Steve nodded.
"I'm gonna meet with Abbey Barnes over at HPD and re-inventory every piece of evidence. See if there's anything we missed," Catherine said.
"Sounds good," Steve said wearily. "Maybe a set of fresh eyes will break something loose. I'd love to say let's call it a day but the Governor is pushing hard on this one. We need to keep going until we at least identify the victims."
"On it," Danny said as he stood up to leave.
"Something has to break our way soon," Steve said.
"Hopefully," Chin said sardonically.
"That's what we've been saying for what …two days now? And still nothing," Danny pointed out.
Catherine looked at her watch. "If I leave now we should be able to get through the evidence before midnight."
"Thanks everyone," Steve said sincerely. "I'm gonna head over to the courthouse and see if anyone had a beef with Exotic Imports that might have turned ugly." He turned to Catherine. "Walk out with me?"
Catherine smiled. "Happy to."
Five-O Headquarters
Wednesday 11:00 A.M.
Catherine stalked through the door into the bullpen, hair damp from the rain that had started up again, carrying a pink teddy bear and radiating anger. She'd spent the morning canvassing the warehouse district for the third time, trying to turn up anyone who might have seen something unusual on Friday night. It was a long shot, but at this point they couldn't pass up anything that might lead to a break in this case.
Danny started to make a smart remark but it died on his lips when he sensed Catherine's anger.
"What's going on?" he asked, taking a few steps towards her.
"THIS," Catherine spat out, holding the teddy bear at arm's length, "was in my car. IN. MY. CAR."
Before Danny could say anything else, or ask for any details, Steve came out of his office.
"What's that?" he asked, pointing to the bear.
Catherine turned towards him, one hand on her hip, the other shaking the bear angrily.
"It was in my car when I came out of the last warehouse. IN. MY. CAR."
"Is there a note?" Steve's jaw clenched and his posture stiffened.
"Yes." Catherine handed him a crumbled piece of paper. "Same kind of crap as the first two."
Steve read out loud.
My Fairest Catherine, I hope this brightens your day. Try not to work too hard.
"OK this has gone beyond harmless and funny. This is serious now. "
"I agree," Danny said. He took the bear from Catherine and held his hand out to Steve for the note. "I'm gonna send these down to the lab and have them processed."
"You don't have to go that far," Catherine argued, not wanting to overreact. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Maybe I'm making too much of this. I'm just … irritated. Someone obviously thinks this is cute and it's not. In fact they're probably doing it as a joke but I'm just in no frame of mind to find it funny right now."
"That's because it isn't funny." Steve reached out and rubbed her arm.
"The notes aren't threatening at all," she pointed out. "And the guy, whoever he is, hasn't approached me directly. I just … it makes me feel uncomfortable."
"We're gonna get to the bottom of this," Steve assured her. "Harmless or not, this needs to end."
Before he could say anything else Abbey Barnes rushed through the doors and into the bullpen. She approached the group, either not noticing or choosing to ignore the pink teddy bear in Danny's hands.
"We have a lead," she said excitedly, waving a piece of paper that appeared to have the Crime Lab logo on top.
"What is it?" they all asked simultaneously.
"Okay, well, we know the lab didn't come up with any hits on the blood samples we collected from the scene the first time around."
"Right." Steve nodded.
"So I decided to ask them to run everything again, you know, just in case, and this time I suggested they widen the search to include databases other than criminal. You know, people who had given blood samples for medical reasons, or genealogical ones. I was reading an article online about how lots of organizations are allowing their databases to be searched, with the donor's permission of course, as a way to help law enforcement identify unknown victims."
"And?" Danny asked impatiently.
"And this time they got a hit," Abbey revealed. "According to Dr. Bergman it doesn't match any of the bodies so it has to be the perp, or one of the perps."
"That's great work, Abbey," Catherine said encouragingly, the teddy bear incident all but forgotten.
"What's his name," Chin asked. He had been drawn into the bullpen by Abbey's excited arrival. He moved towards the smart table prepared to start a search on the possible suspect.
"Jack Fitzsimmons," Abbey said. "From Honolulu. His mother suffered from some sort of genetic abnormality and he gave blood and DNA samples to aid in the research. That's how we found him."
Chin started typing furiously.
"Do we know where he is right now?" Steve asked.
"No. We have a work address and a home address but we aren't sure where he is."
"Great work,Abbey. Send all the info to our phones," Steve said. "Danny, you and Chin head to the guy's house and see if he's there. I'm gonna call Grover and have him meet me at the guy's job. Catherine, you head over to HPD with Abbey and get any information you can on this guy. No time to waste here—we have to get him off the street."
Waialua Plastics
Wednesday 11:45 A.M.
Grover and his team met Steve at Waialua Plastics, where Fitzsimmons had been employed for eight months, and entered the building immediately. Fitzsimmons's supervisor told them that he hadn't shown up for work all week.
"What can you tell us about his him?"
"Not much really. He's a good employee. This not showing up is very much out of character for him. He always does his job and never creates any problems. His evaluations are positive as far as I remember. I can pull his file if you'd like."
"Please. Also what about his personal life?" Steve asked. "Does he have a wife or girlfriend? Anyone here he's especially close with?"
"I don't really know anything about his personal life. He was quiet. Kept pretty much to himself. I don't think he had any close friends here but please feel free to ask around."
"Thanks, we will."
Steve and Grover talked to the people who worked closest to Jack Fitzsimmons but none of them had much to say about him. They said he was quiet, a bit of a loner but always friendly. None of them knew anything about his personal life.
"Dammit," Steve said angrily as they exited the building.
"We have a name now, Steve. It's a small island. He can't hide forever," Grover pointed out.
"You're right. I just wanna get this guy off the street. If he's the one who committed these murders … he needs to be locked up as soon as possible."
"Agreed."
"Hopefully Danny and Chin had better luck."
"Here's hoping," Grover said.
Apartment of Jack Fitzsimmons
Wednesday Noon
Danny and Chin, weapons drawn, cleared the third floor apartment rented to Jack Fitzsimmons room by room, finally arriving almost simultaneously outside a closed door in the back.
Danny tried the knob. It was locked.
He called to anyone who might be inside.
"Five-O. Open the door."
No response.
"Open the door or I'm gonna break it down."
Still no response.
He looked at Chin, who nodded in silent acknowledgement, then kicked open the door. They entered, weapons up, and saw immediately that the room was unoccupied.
Their mouths dropped, however, once they had a minute to take in their surroundings.
Every flat surface was covered by what appeared to be discarded water bottles, paper food dishes, empty lipstick containers and crumpled trash bags. Every inch of the walls were covered with pictures, the subject of which was clearly unaware she was being photographed.
Hundreds of pictures.
One subject.
One very familiar subject.
Catherine Rollins.
"We gotta get Steve over here right away," Danny said, his voice tight. "And find Catherine now."
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