Mari & Ilna: What can I say? I'm enjoying this adventure every bit as much as I was on day one. Maybe more.

REAL Worlders-thanks for all the enthusiastic support. You guys are the best.

Unfounded Accusations (1/1)

"Don't we always swear we're not going to let the paperwork get backed up again?" Danny asked as he surveyed the stacks of lab reports, witness statements and arrest records covering every flat surface in Steve's office.

Steve nodded. "We do."

"And yet, here we are once again." Danny flopped down disgustedly on the couch. "Why do we keep doing this?"

"We've been a little busy this month." Steve double checked all the items on the evidence list in front of him, signed the form and placed it in the pile to be forwarded to Frank Kaewa's office. "You know, solving actual crimes."

Danny scowled. "You know what we need?"

"No." Steve grabbed the next report off the pile. "But I'm sure you're gonna tell me."

"We need someone around here whose only job is to do paperwork."

Before Steve could reply to his partner's oft repeated suggestion his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and his forehead creased slightly. It was a little strange for John to call him in the middle of the day. "Hey, John. Everything ok?" he asked by way of greeting.

"I'm fine … we're fine … I just … there's something I need to talk to you about." Steve could hear the tension in his friend's voice. "Are you busy right now?"

"Nothing that can't wait," Steve replied immediately. "What do you need?"

"Is there any way you can meet me for lunch?"

"Sure."

Maybe bring Danny along if he's free?"

"I'm sure he'd be glad to come along." Steve looked at Danny who immediately jumped to his feet and pulled his car keys from his pocket. "He's been looking for a way to get out of doing paperwork all morning."

"Sounds good. How about Sidestreet in half an hour."

"We'll be there."

"What's up?" Danny asked as Steve disconnected the call.

"John wants us to meet him for lunch." He sent Chin and Kono a quick text letting them know where he and Danny would be, then slid his phone back in his pocket. "By the sound of his voice I don't think this is a social call."

Steve and Danny arrived at the familiar restaurant to find John already seated at a table in the back with a man they didn't recognize. He glanced up as they approached, and Steve couldn't miss the look of relief that passed over his friend's features.

"Thanks for coming, guys. Steve McGarrett. Danny Williams. This is Special Agent Frank Marone from NCIS."

Marone extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Both Steve and Danny shook his hand then took their seats on the opposite side of the table.

"I thought we knew everybody at the Pearl NCIS office," Steve said as the waitress approached with two large ice waters. She'd waited on the team many times and knew their beverage of choice during working hours. She placed the waters on the table and told the men to signal her when they were ready to order.

"I'm new," Marone said. "Just got assigned here two weeks ago. I've been meaning to get over to your office and introduce myself, but things have been crazy since the day I got here. I got dropped right into the middle of a smuggling operation and had to hit the ground running."

Steve nodded sympathetically. "I know how that goes."

"My predecessor spoke very highly of you and your team," Marone said sincerely. "He was very impressed at how willing you were to put aside jurisdictional issues and work together to get crimes solved."

"That's the goal, isn't it?" Steve took a drink of water and looked at John. "But I get the feeling you didn't ask us here just to introduce us to the new Agent in charge of the NCIS office."

John took a deep breath. "You're right. I need your help."

"You have it," Steve replied without hesitation. "What do you need?"

"I got called into Captain Willoughby's office this morning," John said. "Apparently someone is trying to make trouble for me. Big trouble."

Steve's jaw tightened. "What's going on?"

Special Agent Marone picked up the story. "A young woman by the name of Rose Kapahu came by my office yesterday afternoon. She said she's been approached by a man in a club and offered money if she would make false accusations against a naval officer."

"What kind of allegations?" Danny asked.

"The man wanted her to say that the officer tried to pick her up. Got aggressive when she resisted. Roughed her up a little," Marone said.

"I'm guessing the person she was supposed to accuse was you?" Steve asked John.

John nodded. "It was."

"Luckily Ms. Kapahu got cold feet when it came time to make the accusations and decided to come clean about what was actually going on," Marone said. "She came into my office and filed a report. I took it straight to Captain Willoughby."

John rubbed his forehead. "Luckily, Captain Willoughby is satisfied these were false accusations."

"What do we know about Ms. Kapahu?" Steve asked.

"She grew up here on the island," Marone said. "She's estranged from her family. She's raising a 1 year old with no help from the father. They're about to be evicted from their studio apartment for non-payment of rent. The guy offered her $1000 and it felt like all the money in the world, so she took it."

Steve began taking down a few notes on his napkin. "Then had second thoughts."

Marone nodded. "She told me she has some experience with unwanted advances from men and didn't think it was right that someone innocent should get accused when there are so many guilty men who don't get punished. She didn't go into detail, but I ran a background check on her and it looks as though she had issues with at least two of her mother's boyfriends. CWS got involved and both times the mother swore she'd break up with the man and keep him away from Rose. I'm not 100% sure that's the way things actually went down though."

Danny clenched his fist. "Poor kid."

"She's terrified," Marone said. "She figures this guy is gonna eventually realize she didn't make the complaint and come after her for the money, which she already gave to her landlord."

"Did she get the guy's name?" Steve asked, already knowing the answer was probably no. If she had NCIS would likely not be asking for Five-O's assistance.

"No," Marone confirmed. "Not much of a description either. Apparently, the guy had on sunglasses and a baseball hat."

"Might not hurt to have her sit with a sketch artist anyway," Danny suggested.

"That was my thought too." Marone nodded. "Problem is her mother's new boyfriend is active duty. An MP. She's afraid if she works with us he might find out and use it to help her mother try to get custody of her kid."

Steve rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe she'd feel more comfortable talking to me and Danny."

"That's what I was thinking," Marone replied. "We need her to help us nail this guy before he finds another woman who has less of a conscience. I asked Lieutenant Parker if he could think of anyone who might have enough of a grudge against him to do something like this, but he couldn't think of anyone. This girl is our only hope for tracking this guy down."

John pinned both Steve and Danny with a pointed look before either could open their mouth. It was clear he wanted to discuss what all three of them were likely thinking, that it was possible Commander Davidson was behind this, outside the presence of Special Agent Marone.

"We'll go talk to her this afternoon," Steve said.

"You might want to use kid gloves," Marone suggested. "Like I said, she's on edge. She asked me if she could go to jail for taking the money."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Danny stated emphatically. "She's scared. And desperate. And apparently alone. Anybody her age in her situation would have probably done the same thing."

"We can work all of that out and get her set up with people who can help," Steve promised. "We just need her to make sure she tells us everything she knows about this guy."

Marone checked his watch. "Unfortunately, I can't stay for lunch. I have a meeting with the mayor in twenty minutes." He looked at Steve. "You'll keep me informed?"

"I'll give you a call after we interview Ms. Kapahu," Steve replied.

As soon as Marone was out of earshot John said, "I have a feeling this is Davidson's work."

"Why didn't you tell Marone that?" Danny asked.

"It's complicated," John explained. "If I accuse Davidson and it wasn't him, or he covers his tracks before we get any evidence, it could not only hurt my career it could hurt Carrie's. I have to have proof before I go after a superior officer."

"Danny and I will talk to this woman and see what she has to say," Steve said. "Meanwhile, you need to be careful until we find out what's going on. Make sure you can account for every minute of your time. Where you go, who you talk to, that kind of thing."

John nodded. "Thanks, guys."

"Don't worry," Steve promised. "We're gonna get to the bottom of this."

THE END

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