A/N – FYI, this is set (in my mind anyways) towards the end of the season but before the season finale.
~,~,~,~
Chapter 4
~,~,~,~
Rick stared at Higgins. "Why in the world would he come back here? He's not stupid enough to risk everything to escape and then chance getting caught again, just for revenge, is he?"
"I didn't think so." Higgins responded quietly, once again sure that she'd never really known Ian.
"Even if both the U.S. and England froze whatever accounts and assets they could find, I can't believe he wouldn't have had money squirreled away somewhere for just such a contingency. He must have made millions as an assassin. He could use that to live large in pretty much any non-extradition country." T.C. said.
"My thoughts exactly!" She wasn't surprised to hear them voice the thoughts she'd already had, and she really didn't have the answers. She'd kept abreast of things at MI6 through a secure email address that only the few people, those who hadn't turned their backs on her, used. Peter being one of them. He'd given her information yesterday that could be considered a breach of National Security, but he'd done it because he knew what it meant to her. For him to then risk a direct phone call, meant he was either very worried or just plain angry about Marcus and Agent Carson Fowler, an agent she'd never met but whose death she still mourned. "What I do think, is that the agency isn't going to take this lying down. I can guarantee there is already a manhunt underway. Don't be surprised to shortly find yourself knee deep in MI6 agents, gents."
Rick gave her a quick smile at the image, as she'd hoped. However, it disappeared quickly behind a frown as he stared out the window at the darkening sky. "There's not enough light to search for him tonight. By the time we got back to Island Hoppers and got the bird up in the air, we wouldn't be able to see anything." T.C. followed his gaze and nodded in agreement.
"Oahu is an awfully big island. How do you think you're going to find one man, especially if he doesn't want to be found?" Juliet asked.
Surprisingly, it was Kumu who answered. "He'll be wherever there's water and not the big beaches. Somewhere secluded and off the beaten track."
Juliet shook her head. "Again, it's a big island, surrounded by beaches, not all of which are developed. He could be anywhere."
T.C. and Rick exchanged a look. "We'll find him." His tone was sincere and confident. "Look, let's go back to the main house and strategize." He looked around at the empty house, missing his friend and feeling creeped out about being there.
Kumu nodded. "I'll put on a pot of coffee and get some of my reference books from the Cultural Center. They might help you narrow down where to search."
"Thanks, Kumu." Rick replied, the others nodding theirs thanks as well.
Just as silently as they'd walked to the guest house, they walked back to the main one. Once inside, however, it was like a dam burst, all of them talking at once, making suggestions, asking questions. Eventually, Juliet put her fingers to her lips and whistled, instantly silencing the room. "Kumu? That coffee and the books you mentioned?" The older woman nodded and bustled out of the room. She turned to Rick and T.C. "Now, is there anything you can think of that would narrow down where he might have gone?"
"Wait." Rick snapped his fingers a few times and she raised a well-shaped eyebrow, which he totally ignored. "Didn't you say that he came back with a woman this morning? A blonde?"
"Yes."
"Then, let us take a look at the footage. Maybe T.C. or I will recognize her. If we do, she might know where he is."
She nodded and led the way to the laptop. Once it was booted up and her password entered, she accessed the security camera footage. She had to admit, Magnum had done a great job upgrading the security on the estate. Winding backwards, she found the time and angle she was looking for and froze it on the woman's face as the Jeep followed the Ferrari through the gates that morning. She swiveled the laptop to face the two men. Both looked at it closely, as Kumu reentered the room and quietly put coffee mugs near each of them. Rick reached out and grabbed his, without taking his eyes off the laptop.
"Nope, don't know her." T.C. said. When Rick didn't say anything, just kept staring at the screen as he sipped the hot brew, he asked. "Rick? You got something?"
"Maybe. She looks familiar, but I just can't place her. Now is the time we could use Tommy's memory." Juliet opened her mouth to say something snarky and then decided she'd done enough of that lately, even if it would've been meant in a teasing manner. She didn't think any of them were in the mood for it. The smaller man continued to stare at the image on the screen. Suddenly his head shot up. "I got it! Her name's Erica something or other and she works for Eddie Heller!"
"At the used car lot he owns?" T.C. asked.
"Yeah." Rick answered.
"Who is Eddie Heller?" Juliet asked.
"He's a retired marine, came here just after he got out and opened up a car dealership. He's real old school, likes the older cars, so used it was. Can't stand the new ones with all those computer chips. Says you can't get in and get your hands dirty."
"My lord, did I say knee deep in MI6 agents? Hawaii is already chin deep in marines and sailors." She muttered under her breath. Louder, she said. "Well, that explains the Jeep. But, how did Thomas get the money to buy a car? He's notoriously broke."
"Thomas may never have money, Higgy, but he's not broke."
"What? That makes no sense at all!"
"Look, for a little over 18 months, none of us had anywhere to blow our paychecks, you know? How do you think Nuzo could afford to open his salvage business? T.C. to open Island Hoppers? None of us exactly come from old, or even new, money. It wasn't a fortune, but it was enough to get us started. Thomas, though…Thomas won't touch that money without a damn good reason." Juliet pretended not to notice he hadn't included himself in the list of businesses the friends had started. She knew he drove flashy cars and wore expensive watches. She still wasn't sure whether he owned the King Kamehameha Club or just managed it. She wondered if, instead of investing in a business, he'd just blown it all, but it wasn't her place to question him, just like she hadn't felt it was her place to investigate the ownership of the club. What they'd gone through, she wouldn't wish on almost anyone. She refocused on what he'd said.
"Why ever not? He earned that money! You all did, and then some!"
"Maybe, but in his mind it's a reminder of a time he'd like to forget." T.C. answered and he raised his head to look her in the eyes. "And someone…."
"Oh…I…I didn't think of it like that." She replied quietly. "Hannah betrayed him, and all of you, for money. Then tried to kill him again over those damn gold bricks. Greed, avarice, whatever."
"Yeah, whatever." T.C. sounded sad. She knew that they'd all loved the woman, him and Rick as a sister but Magnum, Magnum had been deeply in love, enough so that he was going to ask her to marry him. She didn't think he could yet wrap his mind around what she'd done to him and the others. For him, there was nothing that would have led him to do what she did. He was like a loyal dog, a Labrador Retriever maybe. She shook herself out of her musings, images of a black dog with floppy ears, a lolling tongue and Magnum's eyes, leaving her with some difficulty. She tuned back in again, to find Rick thumbing through the contact list on his phone. She'd seen it a couple times and couldn't understand how one person could know that many people or how he kept track of them all. When he muttered an 'ah ha', she figured he'd found what he was looking for. He pushed the dial button and held the phone up to his ear.
"Rick Wright! To what do I owe this call?" Eddie had picked up the phone, caller id showing who it was, knowing full well that the other man was calling about one Thomas Magnum.
"Hey Eddie, long time no talk! Look, I hate to do this, but this isn't a social call. I'm calling to ask if you know anything about…"
"Thomas?" Eddie interrupted.
"Yeah, how did you know?" He exchanged looks with the rest of them, all of them looking puzzled.
"I may be old, Rick, but I'm not stupid. I knew something was up with that boy, especially when I saw he was carting around his dress whites."
"Oh. Well, yeah, that's what I'm calling about."
"What's going on Rick?"
"Thomas was involved in putting someone in jail. That guy escaped yesterday morning and we're worried he might come after T.M. We need to reach him but he's off grid."
"That doesn't explain why he went off grid. From what you just told me, he knows nothing about this guy and things had obviously already gone sideways."
"He seemed that off to you?" Everyone perked up at his side of the conversation, worry evident on their faces.
"I know the boy, Rick. It wasn't much, but it was enough."
"Look, Eddie, we really need to find him. Did he tell you where he was going?"
"No, didn't say a word. About pretty much anything, except his job and how you guys were doing."
"Ok, how about the Jeep? Was that Erica's or did he buy it?"
"I won't even ask how you knew Erica was with him. He's got it on loan, to see if it's something he wants to buy. He'll be back here in three days. Can it wait until then?"
"You gave him a loaner?" Rick asked incredulously. T.C.'s jaw dropped open.
"Focus, Marine!" Eddie barked out.
"Yes, sir, sorry, sir!" Was his instant reaction as he unconsciously straightened, almost saluting. The man had never been his commanding officer, but he'd reacted instinctively to that tone of voice.
"Now, Rick, what do you want from me? I've already told you that Thomas didn't say anything to me."
"What about Erica? She followed him out here and he drove her back. Do you think she might know anything?"
"I know she doesn't, she hounded me for information about him all day. Daft girl."
Rick had to smile and when T.C. raised his eyebrows at him, he mouthed. 'Tell you later.'
"Okay, how about the car? Is it LoJacked? Can we track it that way?"
"Sorry, Rick, that's a nonstarter. Not installed."
"Damn. Can you at least give me the plate number?" Worse came to worse, they could have Katsumoto put out a BOLO out on it. When Eddie rattled it off, he grabbed a pen and Juliet slipped a piece of scrap paper under it. He wrote it down quickly. "Thanks, Eddie. Ok, well, if you can think of anything, anything at all, you call me, understood? If he shows up there early, you call me, and you don't let him leave. Okay?"
"Will do." There was a pause. "You're a good friend Orville Wright."
"So's Thomas, Eddie. The best." They hung up and the others clamored for information, of which he had precious little other than the plate number. They debated contacting the HPD Detective now or in the morning. Juliet decided sooner was better than later, so picked up the house phone and dialed him herself.
"Detective Katsumoto please." She said when the phone was answered.
While she was waiting, T.C. put a hand on her arm and she looked at him with a question. "Juliet, Thomas's reasons for not being here have no bearing on anything."
"Understood." And she did. While Magnum may play the fool at times, he was actually a very proud man.
~,~,~,~,~
Detective Gordon Katsumoto stared down at the picture that had been faxed to the HPD less than an hour earlier. The face staring up was familiar and he felt his detective's hackles rise. There was only one reason why he would be in Honolulu. Actually, there were two, one of whom was a major pain in his butt. Adding to his uneasiness was the delay in notifying them. The man had been on the run since the day before. If an alert had immediately gone out to all U.S. police departments, he would have had people watching the airport, knowing the fugitive had ties here. Ties that he might just be looking to eliminate. If he'd had the chance, this might already be over. Damn the intelligence community and their keeping their secrets from the police.
He looked up when Sergeant Palakiko waved to get his attention. When she caught his eye, she mimed he had a phone call and he nodded. As he picked up the extension, he recognized the caller id. Robin's Nest. Why wouldn't Magnum be calling him on his cell? Not that he hadn't given the man his number in a moment of weakness, but if dragging him into the P.I.'s cases was going to become a habit, he didn't want the police personnel to become his private answering service. Sighing, knowing he'd been about to contact them anyway, he picked up the handset.
"What do you want Magnum?" He asked in his usual way of saying hello to the P.I.
"Actually, it's Juliet, Detective. Do you have a moment?"
"Is this about Ian Pryce?"
"How did you know?"
"We've finally been notified that he escaped more than 24 hours ago and that he's been seen on my island. What is it with you agency people? We need to work together!" He felt justified in his anger.
"I'm sorry, I just found out myself last night."
"And you neglected to tell me? To tell HPD?"
"I never thought he'd come back here! I was sure he'd head somewhere we'd never be able to get to him…legally."
He heard the honesty in her voice and calmed down. "Ok, ok. Look, we have a BOLO, armed and dangerous, already out on him. Until he's caught, I think you, Magnum, Wright and Calvin should stay on the estate. It's well protected and should keep you somewhat safe."
"It didn't stop him from getting in here before."
"I know, that's why I'll be on my way shortly with some of my men. They'll set up a perimeter and keep watch. I just need you four to stay put. No running around trying to catch him yourselves, do you understand me?"
"I do. However, there might be a slight problem with that."
He sighed. "Isn't there always? What now?"
"Magnum isn't here. He has no idea that Ian is loose, let alone on the island."
"Well, where is he? Call him and get him back there!"
"I'd like nothing more, however, none of us know where he is."
That brought him up short. For Wright and Calvin not to know where Magnum was for any length of time, spoke volumes that something else was going on. "Why?"
"He's just gone…walkabout."
"Walkabout? What, is he channeling Crocodile Dundee now?" There was silence on the other end. He wasn't sure if she was stunned that he got the movie reference or if she was trying to figure out what lie to tell him. "Look, never mind. I'm on my way out there. It should be no more than an hour."
"Thank you. I'll be watching for you. We'll see you soon."
"Yeah." He hung up and shook his head. He couldn't figure out how the three men, and recently the British major domo, had gotten under his skin, but they had. He found himself worrying about their safety, beyond the worry he would have for any citizen. If those four were becoming his friends, God help him.
He stood up and cleared the protection duty with his boss. The man may not like Magnum, but he knew there was a clear danger and authorized it, not bothering to ask why Katsumoto, himself, was also going, something the man appreciated. There was a caravan of five cars that pulled up to the estate gates just under the promised hour. The gates opened and the detective gave orders for the others to patrol the area, never letting the grounds out of sight, to call in any sightings and not take the man on themselves, stressing that he was a trained killer and he wanted no heroics that ended in his having to do a family notification. Satisfied that he had put the fear of God in them, he drove up towards the main house. He can't say he was surprised to find all three, plus Kumu, waiting for him outside. Even the dogs were present.
He got out and stared at them but not one gave anything away. He sighed. Great, just great. "Okay, inside, all of you."
Once inside, Juliet stuck out her hand. "Detective, thank you so much for coming." He took it and squeezed. He knew she'd been hit hard by who Ian Pryce had turned out to be, that she had felt betrayed and beyond angry at the things he'd done, all for money. Besides, he liked her. Still, he had a reputation to uphold.
"Well, much as I may not like it, Magnum is a citizen of Honolulu and under my protection. Now, where the hell is he?"
Rick spoke up, offering his hand as well. "We really don't know. He left yesterday with a text that he was going out of town and would be off grid. We haven't been able to reach him." Thomas wasn't going to be happy to find out his cell phone answering service was now full, all with messages from one of them. It was reminiscent of when he'd been taken by Hannah's goons.
"Great. Well, I suppose I could put out a BOLO on him as well."
"He's not a criminal, Detective." Juliet responded, not liking the sound of that.
"A BOLO doesn't necessarily mean you're a criminal. It can also just mean that the person we're searching for is lost or missing. We need to find Magnum as soon as possible and it's the most efficient way of doing so. I'll make sure it indicates he's in danger, not that he is the danger. Although sometimes, I don't know how you tell the difference with that man."
"We have the license plate number of the Jeep he's driving." Rick handed him the piece of paper. He'd been hoping HPD would issue the BOLO. When either of his buddies were out of touch for more than a few hours, it set him on edge. He wanted Thomas back here ASAP so that he could keep an eye on him. And on Higgy, of course. If Pryce really was here on a revenge tour, both of them were in danger. They'd been instrumental in uncovering his identity, shutting him down and putting him in custody. Not that that had lasted all that long.
Katsumoto took the paper and called it in. He made sure to emphasize that Thomas Magnum was not to be harmed in any way. He hung up and raised an eyebrow. "Satisfied?" Nods all around. "Okay, then, what were you doing when I got here?"
Rick pointed to the table laden with books Kumu had brought in. "We were hoping to get an idea from some of these books as to where the best place to start looking for him would be. They came from the Cultural Center and are pretty detailed about the island geography."
"Do you have a starting point?"
"Not really, not yet. All we're sure of is that he's most likely on the water and probably surfing. Kumu believes, and we agree with her, that it won't be one of the public beaches."
"That still leaves a lot of space to cover."
"Rick and I are going up in the bird at first light." T.C. said. The detective sighed. He didn't like it when private citizens got involved in police business, but he was also aware that these two knew Magnum better than any other human on the planet. If anyone could sniff him out, it would be them. Even though they hadn't filled him in on what had sent the man 'walkabout', he knew something else was up. If he didn't want to be found, for whatever reason, they were the best bet to get this resolved and Magnum under police protection, as quickly as possible.
"Okay, let's get to work and set up a plan of attack." He took a seat at the table and pulled one of the books towards him. The others followed suit and it was quiet for a long time, the silence only broken when one of them called out a suggestion based on something they read, T.C. marking it on a map and arguing with Rick about the logistics of how to cover the most amount of ground in the least amount of time. They worked late into the night and eventually had a concise plan for the aerial reconnaissance. Katsumoto had to admit, the other two men had impressed him. He wondered if the military instilled this in them or if they went into service with it. Either way, it was a useful skill. They all agreed to get some much-needed sleep. Katsumoto camped out on the couch, while Rick and T.C. took their leave, neither one admitting that they were going to sleep at Island Hoppers so they'd be ready first thing in the morning. Juliet wanted to go with them, but the detective overrode her. He needed her to stay put and under protection, reasoning with her that splitting their attention between finding Magnum and keeping her safe, was counterproductive. She hadn't been pleased but had, begrudgingly, admitted he was right. It was not a peaceful night for any of them.
~,~,~,~,~