Chapter 4
McGarrett told her everything, straight from the beginning. The lights flickering, the noise, what he saw and felt. The more he spoke, the crazier he sounded to himself.
Julie sat patiently, never interrupting. She didn't speak for a moment after he finished. "Sounds like you have a ghost problem."
She answered so frankly that it surprised him. His answer was immediate. "There are no such things as ghosts."
She was not surprised by his rebuff and was ready to counter it. "You've ruled out other possibilities. What else could it be?"
She let him think for a moment before continuing. "Somethings just can't be explained. Like how one can hurt or kill a child. This is no different."
She has a good point. He thought.
"Have you tried talking to her?" she asked.
McGarrett shook his head. I cannot believe I am having this conversation. "No, but she appears the most in the spare room."
"She must be connected to it some how." Julie mused. "Maybe something bad happened there."
"Nothing was mentioned when I spoke to the land lord. But he might not know." Steve commented. "I can check police files to see if there were any incidents. Its only six years old so I don't have to look that far back."
If this is an open case, there is no real reason for 5-0 to get involved. The red tape was always tricky. LEO's didn't like their cases taken from them any more than 5-0 did when the FBI swooped in. "The leg work might be tricky."
"Why?" Julie broke into a grin. "because a ghost tipped you off? That sounds like a cop-out."
McGarrett's quick laugh surprised her. He called for the check and paid it. "I need to get back to the office.
Julie scribbled her number on a napkin. "Call me if you want some help."
Steve pocketed the note. "I'll remember that."
"Try to talk to her." She reminded as he left.
When he was back in his office, he put a call into HPD. "I need any kind of report for Garden Park apartments. Go back six years. Bring them to 5-0."
He tackled his work with renewed vigor. Finally able to focus now that something was being done about his … roommate.
That night Steve went home, almost hoping that she would show herself. But by midnight, she still hadn't appeared. He stretched out on the couch with a book. He fell asleep with out even realizing it. Hands suddenly shook him awake. His eyes popped open to see the girl standing in the thresh hold of the hall way.
"Help me."
Steve moved slowly, worried that she might spook like a mouse. "What is your name?"
The girl just stared at him, her pretty face full of sadness. She moved to the spare room.
He surged to his feet and followed. He found her gazing at the blank wall. He ventured to speak again, feeling like an idiot. "What happened to you?"
She turned to him. "He did it."
"Who? Who did it?" McGarrett's cop radar went off. Julie was right, something did happen to her.
"He did it." she repeated. She vanished into the wall, as if she didn't have the energy to stay.
McGarrett went to the wall to see if anything was left. Nothing obvious. As he stood in the quiet room, he heard a flapping noise. He looked around, but only saw an air register near the ceiling. On closer inspection, he saw that the screws were loose. Perfect hiding place.
He pulled the vent cover off the wall and peered inside. He found a small, leather-bound notebook. Flipping through the pages, he realized that it was a journal. The handwriting looked like a young girl's with the large bubbly letters. The name in the front was Melanie Hililoa.
The desire to read the journal was strong. But it was three in the morning and he was exhausted. He went to bed instead.
The next day the files he'd requested were delivered. There were eight in total. He flipped through them, looking only at the names and photos. The fourth one down caught his eye. It was her, Melanie Hililoa. Her address at time of death was the same as his.
A quick skim of the file told him what he needed, almost. She was found dead in her bedroom, his spare, by the sister she lived with. The apartment was a mess, jewelry, money and some radios missing. It was ruled a robbery gone wrong. THe file was dated three years ago. The photos were saddening, but revealed nothing to him.
McGarrett sat back in his chair. Burglary gone wrong... would a ghost stick around for a burglary gone wrong? Maybe, because there was no justice. That doesn't jive. She had said 'he did it'. Sounds like she might know who did it. She wouldn't have known her killer if it was a stranger.
His thoughts were interrupted by Danny ran in with case breaking news. McGarrett grabbed his jacket and hurried after him. He wished that he had time to chase this case.
Three days later he returned home. He had been at the Palace nearly the entire time, returning only to shower and get a quick bite. It had been a grueling case, but they finally got the family annihilator behind bars.
He glanced down at the little journal on the coffee table. He still hadn't had the time to read it. Now he had the privilege of being wrapped up in end of case red tape. And now the man was claiming frame up.
McGarrett went to shower. He stood in the spray of the hot water, letting it relax his tight muscles. He needed help, but was not willing to be laughed out of the office. There was no way to explain the opening of a closed case except to tell about the ghost. Maybe he should call Julie. He could give her the notebook and she could read over it for him. It's not like it was evidence, yet.
He reached down to shut off the water and heard a commotion in the living room. He grabbed a towel and hurried out of the bathroom.
"Oh come on!" he muttered to himself.
His living room had been trashed. The furniture was toppled, books, tapes, and papers flung everywhere. There were even dishes from the kitchen all over. The ghost of Melanie stood in the middle of the room.
"Help me!" she screeched. No longer a pitiful plea, this was an out right demand for attention.
McGarrett dressed before cleaning up the room. Almost an hour later he was able to her to bed.
The next morning he arranged to meet Julie outside the café she worked at.
She smile when she saw him. "I was wondering if you would call. You want a table?"
"No, I don't have time." McGarrett gave her a distracted smile. He handed her the notebook. "I found this in an air vent. It belongs to... her. I haven't had the time to read through it yet."
"OK, I'll see what I find." She said.
"Be thorough." Steve told her. "It may bring to light another suspect in her death."
Julie understood and slipped it into her apron pocket. She loved a good mystery. Plus it gave her an excuse to see him again.
