Part Four
"Boss, Chin's on the tail of the plate Danny sent in." Those were the first words out of Kono's mouth when Steve and Danny walked into the 5-0 headquarters.
"He is?" Steve asked.
"That was fast." Danny said.
She waved them over to the magic table and pointed at series of dots. "A patrol unit spotted the plate and when he went to pull it over, the driver took off. Chin was on his way back here when he heard about it...Cuz, I'm putting you on speaker, Steve and Danny are here."
The muffled sounds of a siren filled the room. It was right then that both men noticed an earpiece clipped to Kono's ear.
"The SUV belongs to guy named Louis Schonk, a small time hood." Kono said.
"Chin?" Steve asked, looking at the map on the table.
"Yeah?"
"You're coming up on Akina Blvd. Take a left, loop around him and cut him off."
"On it."
All three watched the moving dots on the table, their ears straining to hear anything they could. The dots came to a halt and there were muffled sounds of orders being shouted accompanied by the sirens.
"Chin?" Steve asked, after a few moments.
"Got 'im." Chin's voice filled the room. "He tried to rabbit but a youngster chased him down."
Kono snorted
They could hear someone speaking to Chin but couldn't make out the words. Then they heard "5-0 headquarters interrogation."
"Guys? I'm on my way back, be there in about ten minutes." Chin said.
"See you then, good job." Steve said.
"I'll tell them." Chin said.
In silence that followed, Steve looked first at Danny, then at Kono, a horrible, evil smile spreading across his face.
"Don't smile like that. You worry me when you do." Danny said to him.
Steve made a face at him before saying "Kono, I want you to interrogate the driver."
"Really?"
Steve nodded. "Everyone needs practice in interrogation. Besides, you're close to Leisel in age, he might think he can con you."
"You want me to lead him on? Maybe let him think he can con his way into getting me to let him walk?" Kono asked.
"Yes. That's exactly what I want you to do." Steve replied. He looked at Danny and the faces Danny was making. "Or I can have the Jewish mama do it."
Danny frowned. "I am not...never mind."
"It's not going to be that hard." Kono said, calling up Louis Schonk's criminal record and sending it to the big screen. "Seriously small time stuff." She pointed at specific items. "No more than sixty days in the county lock-up, thirty days here, sixty days there and all for minor stuff, FTA's, failure to pay court costs…He's a wannabe. It's really just kinda...sad. Guy's a loser." She caught sight of the look on Steve's face and added "Well? If you're going to be a criminal...they've got reputations too, don't they?"
Steve covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile and nodded.
"There he is." Chin said, walking into the room. He saw the picture on the screen and pointed at the screen. "That guy...lolo buggah."
There was another snort from Kono.
"Translation?" Danny asked.
"Stupid person." Chin said. "He's driving the SUV used in the kidnapping, he runs from the cops and when he's finally caught, what does he say?"
"I didn't know the cops wanted me to stop." Danny offered.
"Why you pulling me over?" Kono said.
"What'd I do?" Steve added.
Chin nodded. "All of those and a few more."
"You'd think that one of these days, they would come up with something new." Danny said.
"He's waiting downstairs. Who gets to have the fun?" Chin asked.
Kono walked into the interrogation room and shut the door behind her. Seated and handcuffed to the chair was a young man with scraggly blonde hair. In fact, scraggly would describe the young man completely. Scraggly hair, clothes, posture. Slumped in the chair when Kono walked in, Louis took one look at her and straightened.
She smiled and sat down across the table from him. "I'm Officer Kono Kalakaua. I'm here to speak with you. You were told why you were brought in."
Louis nodded, slouching back in the chair. "They said somethin' about my ride bein' used to kidnap someone."
Kono nodded, opening the folder in front of her. "But you have no idea what they're talking about."
"No. I'm not stupid. Why would I do something like that? I don't need to kidnap anybody. I can get any girl I want. You don't look like a cop."
Kono looked up from the folder. "I don't?"
"Nah, you're too pretty." Louis said, leering at her.
She smiled. "Thank you. If you didn't have anything to do with the kidnapping, then why was your SUV identified as the one involved?"
He shrugged. "A lot of people can get to it. The keys are wherever I put 'em."
"You don't keep your SUV locked?"
"Why bother?"
"Well, looking at your record, I will say that kidnapping does not seem to be your thing."
"What'cha mean?" Louis asked, sitting up straighter.
"You've got a bunch of minor things but nothing big. You've never served more than sixty days in the county jail. Kidnapping..." Kono shrugged.
"Yeah, well..."Louis hunched his shoulders. "I'm working on other things."
"Like what?"
"I'm not tellin' you. I'm not stupid."
Kono nodded. "You got a girlfriend?"
He looked up sharply. "Maybe. Why?"
"This her?" Kono took a picture from the folder and showed it to him. The look on his face gave her the confirmation to an answer she already knew.
"What about her?" Louis asked.
"She went missing about the same time as your SUV was spotted. Think the two might have something to do with each other?"
"No! I'm..."
Kono held up her hand. "I know, you're not stupid. Thing is," She put both arms on the table, leaned forward and smiled. "…if your girlfriend's been taken and you help find her? That's quite a turn on for a lot of women."
Louis blinked.
"Might even get you some time in the state prison."
"Really?"
"Really. Hey, it was your SUV they used. At the very least, you'd be an accessory."
Louis swallowed.
Kono leaned back in her chair and waited. She didn't wait long.
"What do I have to do?"
The ramshackle two story house located in the middle of the block of run down houses did not stand out from the rest, save the police and 5-0 surrounding it. With the sun heading towards the horizon, the house was cast in deep shadows, allowing the police ample opportunity to secure the property before the thugs ever knew what happened. One flash bang grenade in the front, one in the back and the trap was sprung. It was a flawless takedown, except for one detail.
Leisel was nowhere to be found.
Amid the chorus' of "Clear!", Steve marched up the stairs, hauled the first perp he saw to his feet and promptly shoved him out the closest window, holding onto the man's ankles as he did.
The man screamed and started to beg for mercy.
"The girl! Where is she?!" Steve barked.
"Girl!? What girl?! Don't drop me, man! Please!"
Steve shook the man in response.
"Please! Don't drop me!"
"The girl! Before I let go!"
Chin came into the room at that point. He took one look at Steve and said "Again?"
"My arms are getting tired!"
"All right! Just don't drop me! She's in the bathroom up here!"
Steve looked over at Chin and Danny, who had joined both him, both men shook their heads.
"Try again! She's not there!"
"She was! I swear she was!"
"Is he really worth the paperwork?" Danny asked, coming up next to Steve and peering out the window.
"Please! Don't drop me!" The man begged.
"That's a bit of a drop." Danny said. "And no grass either."
"If…if she didn't get the next dose of downers, she…she could've crawled off somewhere!"
"Where!?" Steve demanded.
"I don't know!"
"You'll have to do better!"
"Uh…uh…there's a warehouse…end of the block…please!"
Abruptly, Steve yanked the man back through the window and dumped him on the floor. He looked backed through the window but saw only a row of houses. He stepped over the perp, still sprawled on the floor and walked across the hallway. The view out a window on the other side of the house showed a large warehouse not too far in the distance.
Steve turned, caught sight of Kono and waved at her and the others to join him in the room. "Kono, you and Chin check out that warehouse." He said, pointing out the window. "Danny, you and I are going to talk to the…others." He smiled.