I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: After such tremendous reviews, I sure hope I can make this live up to expectations. Thank you - seriously! Many thanks to the help and support of CinderH, JazzieG, Wenwalke and Synbou. Your continued help prevents a potential debacle!
* H50 * H50 * H50 * H50 * H50 *
Chapter Two
Joanna Pearce hastily rifled through her daughter's small bundle of possessions as she purposefully violated any last tiny thread of trust. The child was exceedingly neat and orderly. The damned CPS social worker termed it something that Joanna didn't quite care to remember. The habit had everything to do with the unsettling chaos in her young life and an attempt to control something of her own. Truth be told, Joanna could not have cared less for the intelligent observations which bordered on a personal affront and suggested as yet, unproven neglect. Regardless, it meant that the kid could be predictable and that only helped her mother find what she was looking for. It didn't take much effort at all to find the jewelry box in the old suitcase and then the black jeweler's bag that was hidden between the old satiny pink material and the flimsy faux leatherette lid.
Her movements were jerky and awkward; full of a nervous tension. She was visibly sweating and it wasn't only from the stifling heat wave that had settled stubbornly over the city for the last many days. Joanna's sweat was more cold with a dark foreboding and she was looking over her shoulder at the slightest of sounds. She had no idea where Kasey was that morning, but the child could come back at any given moment. Her real concern was that the man who wanted her dead was close again and she could practically feel his eyes on her through the thin walls of the apartment. She had stolen a valuable thumb drive and the small bag of gems from him in Las Vegas and now she was pawning the diamonds one by one so she had enough ready cash to stay one step ahead. But after nine mostly uneventful months, she'd gotten comfortable and perhaps even too content on the lovely island.
Over the last year or two, Joanna's strong persona was a coping mechanism to get herself through crowds and certain environments. And moving to Hawaii had been a blessing of sorts since the culture was naturally laid back and peaceful. People were friendly but left her alone if she so desired. And she had learned to let her guard down and had tried to act normal by taking a job as a maid at a local, upscale hotel. It was a first real attempt at joining regular society again and Joanna had been quite proud of herself. True, she had her crippling moments but she didn't have to interact directly with too many people and it was just enough for her to manage.
To top it off, the happy outcome of that success had also pacified the damnable Mrs. Watson to a greater degree. Yet that morning, Joanna's anxiety was skyrocketing. She hadn't felt so out of control in months. Not since Amy had unexpectedly reemerged in Vegas to ruin everything with Butch Curtis. Joanna's fling had become a serious affair with the second in command to a major illegal gambling kingpin. It was hot, heavy and very serious until Joanna discovered she was pregnant.
Stressed and hormonal after learning about the pregnancy, Amy resurfaced after months of being shoved under the mental carpet. She cried at night, became unreasonably emotional, and argued with herself when no one was around. Her much more maternal nature tried to fiercely battle Joanna's determination to end it since young Kasey was more than enough to handle.
And Amy almost won.
She unexpectedly showed her face just as Butch murdered a lesser lackey in front of her. Outraged by a jewelry heist gone sour, Butch had taken Joanna along to the meet. It had been a spontaneous decision on his part after a delicious Italian dinner. After taking the important call, he had sat back and studied her with a sly grin. Arrogant and over-confident, Butch had wanted to know if Joanna was ready to see everything he could do.
Of course, she had eagerly accepted the challenging invitation, and why not? She had already proudly displayed the thumb drive that he had dared her to obtain from the head of the gambling ring. Butch had been shocked and then inordinately pleased by her daring and success; he had assumed they would be a match made in heaven as he made his plans to build his own empire.
So she had gone along without hesitation to meet "his man". But when he tossed her the briefcase after examining the mix of real .. and counterfeit gems ... Butch had gone ballistic. First, he removed his expensive evening jacket, folded it neatly and placed it over Joanna's arm. His tie followed before he handed her his expensive silver cufflinks. Then, when he had rolled up his shirt sleeves, Joanna had involuntarily stepped back. The gun he now held in his hand had materialized out of nowhere.
Joanna temporarily lost her strong influence as Amy flickered in and out of being when Butch brandished the weapon. The man they had cornered in the basement of the old tenement was wiser than Joanna; he had seen what was coming from the beginning. Still, he had begged and pleaded for his life to no avail as Butch held the weapon to his forehead. Her eyes had lost focus and then sharpened as Amy looked out in undisguised horror. The click of the bullet entering the chamber and the subsequent discharge brought her to the fore in all her screaming glory. Then the corpse and the volumes of blood had completely undone Joanna's fading resolve to regain any semblance of control.
Her blind panic further aggravated Butch Curtis and misunderstanding what was happening, he dragged Amy to his truck as she screamed and made a scene that he had zero tolerance for. But the tide turned as her military training kicked into gear and without knowing how, Amy's fingers found his gun in their brief but violent confrontation. Just moments later, the inside of Butch's truck was covered in a crimson sheet from windshield to driver's side window.
Amy was gagging and then vomited down the front of her shirt as the tinny stench of blood filled the small space. Her face, hands and clothing were equally spattered with droplets of red. The bullet had gone through Butch's neck at close range, tearing a horrific hole through his windpipe. He was slow to die as his hands scrabbled at the gaping slippery tear and he suffocated on his own blood. Her bloodstained hands were covering her ears to block the ungodly noises he was making as he wretched and then finally slumped over the steering wheel.
She stayed like that for minutes on end in a state of shock as she gaped in horror and stared at the dead man. The wretched confusion in her mind allowed Joanna a soft whisper; a mere reminder that she could help because she was stronger than Amy. And where Amy could only hold her head and rock in time to her panicked moaning, Joanna made an offer to protect her and fix it.
"Let me fix it, Amy. I know how. Just let me in." The mantra in her mind became one on her lips and Amy willingly took the back seat to hide from the shame and despair.
"Joanna can help. Joanna can do it. Joanna can fix it."
Joanna fought hard to return that night but it had been almost impossible. In her moment of final triumph, she had remembered the briefcase Butch had angrily tossed in the back seat. With a firm determination, she dove for the treasure and depressed the gold metal pins to open it. She took a number of precious things that she thought she might be able to pawn, leverage or use to her advantage. One of those items was the small bag of diamonds that Butch said were "the real deal". Together, they were worth millions. Separately, they could be pawned singularly and possibly draw very little attention.
However, in the back of her addled psyche, Joanna knew that Butch Curtis's employer would eventually come looking. He would know because she was too involved and then he would kill her because she had gotten much too close. She had slept with Frank Curtis and then moved on to his handsome cousin, Butch. He might be able to cope with that transgression, however she had now taken Frank's personal contraband and stolen his secrets. Without a doubt, he was already missing the thumb drive from the safe in his office. She had seen his face and also met some of his best Wall Street high-stakes gambling clients.
Even though Butch was in the process of stabbing Frank in the back to gain a major portion of the empire ... Joanna Pearce had murdered the powerful man's favorite cousin and right-hand man.
She had been surprised that Kasey had never once mentioned the blood on her clothing or their need to leave Las Vegas so quickly. She had never questioned Joanna's demands to hide the small black bag within the recesses of her own meager belongings. After they fled to eventually reach California, not once did Kasey question the severity of her mother's tummy ache or her need to stay bedridden for days on end. With a child's patience and what seemed to be a never-ending trustful innocence, she cleaned their small rental and did as her mother asked. Kasey made tea, found food and then learned about all the personal benefits of stealing.
Eventually when she recovered from her miscarriage, Joanna had beaten down Amy for the last and final time. Amy was weak, pathetic and had nearly destroyed an idyllic existence. It wouldn't happen ever again. And sometimes .. just sometimes.. she began to wonder if the kid was simply too much trouble to deal with, too.
So now, Joanna used one arm to wipe the sweat from her clammy face. She was still on her knees in Kasey's bedroom and holding the old jewelry box. Her uniform for work was soaked and her hands were unsteady. Frank Curtis was on the island and even staying in her hotel. She had seen him that very morning in the lobby where she was working quite happily as a first-shift maid. Frozen in shock, Joanna watched him take the elevator to the penthouse suite and then had run to the employee's restroom. She had hidden there for so long after becoming physically ill, that her manager had come looking. Honestly worried for his employee's health, he had insisted that she leave for the day with full pay. Thanking him profusely, she couldn't escape fast enough.
She was suddenly overwhelmed and Joanna used it all as the excuse she needed to leave Kasey behind. Traveling with a ten-year old would be a liability and Joanna couldn't afford any additional unwanted attention until things were set up on the other end.
Kasey was resilient, smart and would land on her feet. She would not be gone for long and the child would be fine. Joanna told herself that repeatedly as she stuck to her latest ill-conceived plan. This move would be the biggest and boldest yet; and with luck, the last. So now, she didn't dare bring her young daughter until plans were solidified and she had a safe haven permanently secured in Munich. They also would need new identities and passports; something Joanna hadn't ever coordinated to such an extreme. But she would use the money from pawning this latest diamond to get what she needed so desperately.
Lost in her thoughts, Joanna jumped and then cursed as a door slammed out in the hallway. It was just another neighbor coming or going about their daily business. Dumping the gems into the palm of her hand, Joanna selected the largest diamond and then replaced the black jeweler's bag where it was hidden behind the broken plastic ballerina. She then shoved it back into the battered child-sized suitcase and pushed it under the bed where she'd found it.
The thumb drive was fastened with duct tape to the air conditioning vent in the hallway to the tiny apartment. Dragging a chair over, she stood on it and pried the vent down to reassure herself that it was still there and then decided to leave it for safe-keeping. Besides Kasey, the small black rectangle and the rest of the diamonds were her motivation to return. There was just the tiniest objection and insecure feelings of doubt that echoed from the corner of her subconscious as she slammed the vent shut again before dragging the chair back to the rickety kitchen table.
But her resolve was strong as she strode into her larger bedroom and took a small soft-sided bag down from the shelf in the closet. The solitary diamond chip was carefully stowed in a small box in an inner pocket. Joanna then changed quickly from her hotel uniform into street clothes, fixed her hair and packed her bag with a few of her tailored outfits. She would need to look her very best in order to orchestrate her last minute scheme.
"Kasey." She closed her eyes for just an instant as she trampled any remaining doubts into the dust and then walked out the door without a backwards glance. "I'll be back, baby."
But all of that had happened nearly five days earlier, proving without a doubt that her meaningless promise had fallen with a hollow sound into the black hole that was their dingy apartment.
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Doctor Alphonse 'Ponch' Ramirez sighed with a hearty satisfaction as he ended a long, double-shift at Tripler Army Medical Center. He purposefully made the sound quite loudly and without apology, drawing the attention and smiles of a few of his nearby co-workers. He was looking forward to a long weekend where he wouldn't be required to do a blessed thing except pick up a golf club. In fact, his wife Ellen also had the weekend off which was an incredibly rare event. Ellen was a head trauma nurse at TAMC, so the two often spent time in the same building crossing similar paths but always on the job and hardly ever had time to relax as loving husband and wife. A long four-day weekend would be a blessed treat indeed. And they were both steadfast in ignoring the weatherman's dire predictions for heavy rains and high winds as the heat wave brought serious weather changes on the near horizon. Ponch was determined to have at least one day on the links.
Ponch would make it home a full three hours before Ellen and his plan was to have a romantic dinner waiting perfectly cooked and ready to go with all the trimmings. He was not only an exemplary trauma room surgeon, but an excellent cook taking joy in the creation of perfect gourmet dinners. Planning ahead, he had all the appropriate fixings for a lovely steak dinner with a bottle of the best wine he could locate in his pleasant personal selection of library wines.
His first obligatory task though upon getting home was to check his personal voicemail and he sighed dejectedly as his younger half-brother's voice came over full of his unfortunate, wounded strain. It was an odd, improbable relationship since neither knew of the others existence prior to their father's funeral eight years earlier. Mike was an illegitimate, secret accident but their father had been generous during his upbringing. The brotherly encounter at the funeral had drawn stares and created quite a stir based on their intimidating physical similarities alone. And instead of what would have been understandable resentment and antipathy, the two had embraced each other to become as close as if they had grown up in the same household.
"Ponchie, it's Mikey. Just calling .. to say hi." He smiled at the affectionate 'Ponchie' since no one would ever dare call the imposing surgeon such a nickname to his face. But the next long pause was sad, full of his usual sense of loss and depression, and it made the doctor scrub unhappily at his face.
"We almost caught up to them in California. But now it's been months and we lost her again. Still no sign of Becca ... or Amy. It will be three years .. next week." His raspy, heartbroken voice trailed off before he ended the call and Ponch knew he would need to call his brother.
"I don't know what I can do anymore. Becca's birthday was last month .. she's ten-years old now."
"Damn." He mumbled under his breath as he checked the time out of a ridiculous habit. Ponch knew every part of the conversation by heart. Of course he knew about Vegas, then the rumors in Mesa followed by what seemed like a big break in L.A. Hope had led to excitement and then a bitter let-down when the two disappeared. The prior month's call to Mike on Becca's birthday had been emotionally incomprehensible. Worried about his brother's growing depression, Ponch had spontaneously flown out to visit him.
In the last three years, Mike rarely slept or ate and he'd answer his elder brother's return call any time of day or night. It was a known fact that Ponch would do the same for Mike. And usually they each would pick up on the first ring.
Ponch became more upset as Mike's voice trailed off and the call simply ended with a solid click. Three years was a long time to live with not knowing but hope always lingered. The private investigator had at least been able to reassure them that both Becca and Amy were alive. But it wasn't enough anymore after coming so close in L.A.. Mike needed them back - he especially needed his daughter to be safely home. Sighing dejectedly, Ponch hit his speed dial back to the States as he sadly closed his eyes and muttered softly.
"No Mikey, I can't believe it either."
His sister-in-law, Amy had taken Ponch's niece almost three years earlier and right out from under their very noses in Virginia. She was supposed to be seeking in patient treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from her last tour overseas. Her life was in shambles and it made their small family unit a similar mess. And it wasn't as if the couple hadn't tried; they had tried hard and they had done so with an over-riding commitment. But when Amy had accidentally threatened Becca with a butcher knife, there was nothing more for Mike to do in order to protect their young daughter.
At first Amy had willingly agreed and the plans for her treatment were amicable. However, something changed dramatically and Amy filed for divorce as well as full custody of Becca. Mike had desperately tried to remind her of their plan; to coax her back into treatment and their friendly strategy to get things back on track. Everyone knew that her legal case would fall apart and fail. Friends and family worried about her emotional response to the pending court refusal. Their worries were realized because when she was truly denied and her formal requests completely rejected, her anger knew no bounds.
She was supposed to stay away from Mike and Rebecca until a future hearing confirmed an improved condition with the objective to re-establish her parental rights. She wanted it and Mike had faith it would one day be restored but then, she couldn't wait as her behavior took a startling change in a completely different direction when a therapist discovered an alternate personality creeping through their weekly interactions.
The inconceivable had occurred when Amy disappeared with Rebecca. Mike was almost financially ruined, but still relentless in his search. Ponch and Ellen funded whatever they could to help. Ponch could rely on at least one phone call per week from his younger brother to share what had become the same dismal update.
Now in the quiet of his home, Ponch called Mike back before he began preparing his special dinner. After the disturbing conversation, he continued with his plans with his usual skill but with much less enthusiasm.
He would only begin to feel better when Ellen finally came home.
~ to be continued ~
