A/N: Chin and Kono make some progress while Steve and Catherine talk to Rachel and Gracie.
I know some of you are wondering why Danny's been kidnapped in the first place, and I'll get there. Just thought I'd let you know they don't figure it out in this chapter; it's going to take awhile.
Hope this is satisfactory!
Disclaimer: Let it be 'duly noted' that I neither own nor claim to own any part, person, or plot line of the Hawaii Five-0 franchise.
Chapter Four
Kono couldn't believe she was only fifteen minutes into the security footage. Already, the blurry, grainy recording was sending sharp stabs of discomfort through her eyes and into her brain. With a sigh, Kono pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand and massaged her right temple with the other.
So far, the mere fifteen minutes of footage had revealed nothing about Danny's captors or any information of any sort. A stray dog had peed in the yard opposite Danny's, but other than that, nothing of note.
Kono still didn't understand why this was happening. What could the perps want from Danny? Was it someone from his past, demanding revenge? Was it someone Steve had angered, and they were using Danny as leverage to get to him? Someone that Chin knew, someone that she knew?
Someone that they all knew?
More spears of pain shot through Kono's skull, and she moaned in annoyance. Damn headache.
Taking her hands from her eyes, Kono searched her desk drawers for some Advil, nearly cheering when her mission was a success. Popping two of the pills into her mouth, she dry-swallowed them and turned her attention back to the camera footage.
Nineteen minutes?! That couldn't be right! It couldn't have only been four minutes since she last checked the time...
"This is ridiculous!" Kono exclaimed in frustration. "I hate this!"
"Everything okay, cuz?" asked a voice suddenly. Startled, Kono turned, but relaxed. Of course it was Chin. Who else would call her 'cuz'?
"Yeah, just fine," sighed Kono. "It's just...this screen is kinda hurting my eyes."
"How long have you been watching?" asked Chin concernedly.
"Less than twenty minutes..."
Chin's face broke into a fond smile. "It takes awhile to get used to it."
"So, did Fong run the blood sample yet?"
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, he did," replied Chin. "I just got a text from him asking to see one of us for the results."
Kono leapt up from her chair. "I'll go, cuz," she said quickly. "I love talking to Charlie. And you're more used to looking at horrible camera footage than I am, so..."
Chin laughed at her eagerness to escape the grainy imaging. "Okay, fine. But you owe me, okay?"
"Okay! Thanks, brah! See ya later!"
With that, Kono raced off in the direction of the crime lab, finally feeling like she was doing something useful.
Speedily, she sent a text off to Charlie, letting him know that she was on her way, and in a few minutes, was striding into the crime lab.
Instantly, she spotted the very tall, white-coated man and grinned. "Hey, how's it going?" she greeted him.
"Pretty well, I'd say," replied Charlie, returning the smile. "I traced that blood that was found on the picture of Danny's daughter."
Kono's heart thudded wildly in her chest. "You got a match?" she inquired, daring to hope.
They needed this lead. It had already been at least ten hours since Danny had been kidnapped. They needed to act faster...
"You bet I did!" cried Charlie, and Kono barely refrained from throwing her arms around him.
"That's great! Who is he?"
"This guy, Albert Genovese," said Charlie, pointing at the computer screen.
Kono observed a handsome but surly-looking young man with close-cropped dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. "Looks like he's got a record," she muttered. "Petty theft, car jackings, muggings...a few fist fights..." she frowned, shaking her head in confusion. "But this is all small stuff. His profile doesn't match that of a kidnapper."
Charlie shrugged. "Huh. Well...lemme know if you need anything else."
"Okay! Thanks so much for the info!"
"Anytime, Kono," he said with a grin. "It'll always be my pleasure."
Shaking her head and smiling, she left the crime lab and returned to her office, where Chin was focused on the footage with such intensity that Kono felt almost guilty to pull him away from it.
"Hey, Chin," she said meekly.
Chin paused the footage. "Got anything from Fong?" he asked immediately.
"Yeah, he said the blood belonged to a guy named Albert Genovese."
"Rap sheet?"
"Small crime. Nothing big, no previous kidnappings."
"Hmm, okay. Look into his-"
"I know, I know, background, emails, messages, phone records, family history, bank records, past occupations, I got it."
Chin looked impressed. "Wow, cuz. You're not a rookie anymore!"
Grinning, Kono giggled. "We grow up fast around here. Anything from the video?"
"Not yet," Chin sighed. "But I'm only thirty minutes in. One hundred fifty-four minutes to go."
"Oh, okay." Kono bit her lip. "Sorry for shoving that off on you."
"It's fine," assured Chin with a smile. "I'm pretty good at this, anyway. And you're good at digging up stuff on our suspects!"
"Aw, thanks, cuz!"
She began to leave when she realized that they were down not only a detective, but a navy SEAL as well.
"Chin, where's Steve?"
"Oh. He went to talk to Grace. He's going to tell her that Danny's missing."
Kono's doubtful expression matched that of her cousin's. "Is he sure that's the right decision? Shouldn't he talk to Rachel first?"
"That's what I asked him...I don't think he even thought about Rachel," said Chin. "But he seemed to think so."
Taking a deep breath, Kono let it out slowly. "Well, let's hope Steve's right."
5-0-5-0-5-0
"Want me to come with you?" asked Catherine.
Steve shook his head. "What happened to 'you'll have to do it yourself'?"
The couple stood outside Danny's house on the front lawn. Earlier in the day, Catherine had left, felt awful for doing absolutely nothing to help find Danny, and had come back to find Steve still at the house, giving orders and asking constantly if anyone had found anything.
So far, only Danny's and Grace's prints had been lifted from the scene, and aside from the blood splatter on the picture frame that Fong had taken with him, there was no foreign DNA to be found. It was discouraging, but Steve wouldn't give up. Most of the time, a lot could be gained from a tiny blood sample. A face, and if a face, then records, an address, associates, family members. Also, they had the security footage. Surely, someone was scouring that piece of evidence right then.
"Steve," sighed Catherine. "I know what I said, but I want to come. I want to be there for Grace."
"Rachel will be there for her," Steve said, not unkindly. "I know it'll make you upset to see Grace cry when I tell her Danny's missing."
Catherine bit her lip. "I want to go with you," she repeated again, and Steve nodded. "Okay, fine. We'll leave right now."
But before they took off, Steve pulled aside Sergeant Duke Lukela and relayed to him directions to make sure everyone gave the cataloguing of the scene their one-hundred percent best effort, or they wouldn't be able to leave.
In understanding, Duke nodded. "Of course, Commander. You've got my word."
"Thanks, Duke. Catherine? Let's go."
5-0-5-0-5-0
For the third time that afternoon, Grace Williams called her father.
And for the third time, the recorded message proclaimed, "You're calling Detective Danny Williams. I am currently unavailable, so if it's important, please leave a detailed message."
"Danno, where are you? It's me, Grace! I just thought we could get shave ice tomorrow instead of go to the beach, since I know you hate the water...please call me back this time, Danno!"
With a sigh, Grace finished leaving her message and flopped down on her bed. She didn't understand why her dad wouldn't pick up! Something like worry niggled in the back of her mind, but she knew Danno was probably busy tracking down bad guys.
The thought made her smile.
"Gracie?" called Rachel from downstairs. "Have you called your father yet?"
"Yeah! He didn't pick up!" Grace shouted.
"How strange," she heard her mother murmur.
"Is he not answering you either?" Now confused and admittedly a bit frightened, Grace leapt off her bed and bounded down the stairs. "How many times did you try him?"
"Five," said Rachel. "He must be busy."
"Maybe...I'm going to try again." Determined, Grace dialed her father. It rang. Once. Twice. "You're calling Detective Danny Williams. I am currently unavailable, so if it's important, please leave a detailed message."
"Danno! Mommy and I are worried about you! Please answer your phone...or I'm calling Uncle Steve!"
She hit the end call button. "He doesn't like Uncle Steve in his business," Grace explained to her mom. Rachel blinked, still trying to process that Grace had threatened her father.
She was definitely a Williams.
"He's probably on a case," mused the girl. But still, the strange feeling tickled in the back of her brain, and it wouldn't go away. What if Danno was in trouble? Maybe she should call Uncle Steve right now...
"I'm sure your father's fine, Grace," Rachel assured her. "Out chasing the villains, as per usual."
Grace worried her bottom lip. "I don't know," she admitted. "I've called him three, four times now! And you've called him five!"
"I know, sweetheart, but you know how busy he can get! He's probably just-"
Riiing!
Interrupted by the doorbell, Rachel froze mid-sentence. The bad feeling in Grace's head exploded into mind-boggling proportions.
Danno's not coming home. Danno's gone. Danno's not coming home...
"It's okay, sweetie," soothed Rachel. "It's okay. Go into the living room while I answer the door, alright?"
Trembling with fear, Grace took a hesitant step backwards, her huge eyes glued to the door.
There would be a police officer out there, sounding sorry but not really sorry at all. "Detective Williams was shot down in the line of duty today, ma'am," he'd say. "I apologize for your loss."
Grace's breathing quickened as the horrible scene flashed in her mind. This couldn't be happening. Not to her. Not her Danno.
Rachel opened the door.
"Good afternoon," said a familiar voice.
Instantly, Grace recognized it and rushed forward. "Uncle Steve!" she cried out.
"Hey, Gracie," he replied with a smile, embracing her tightly.
"Where's Danno?" Grace inquired, peeking beyond her favorite uncle. "Is Danno with you? Is he working? Why aren't you his back-up?"
"Grace, calm down," breathed Rachel. "Give Commander McGarrett some space."
"No, it's okay, Rachel. Grace, remember my friend Cath?"
"Yeah! Do you know where Danno is?" the girl begged Catherine for an answer.
"Let's go inside and sit down while Uncle Steve talks to your mom," she suggested instead of answering Grace's question.
Heart pounding wildly in her chest, Grace snapped her mouth shut and followed her Aunt Cath into the living room, leaving Steve and Rachel in the entryway. Grace couldn't make out many words, but she heard her mother's distressed tone and Uncle Steve's insistent voice.
"...rather find out from the media?" she heard him demand. "Would it be better that way?"
And then, a few minutes her mother was walking slowly into the room, biting her lip. Uncle Steve walked behind her.
Slowly, Rachel descended onto the sofa next to Grace. The young girl tapped her feet nervously as Steve and his girlfriend sat across from them on the opposite couch.
"Gracie," began Steve gently. "I have some news about Danno."
Grace's stomach plummeted; she felt her mom's hand on her back. "I'm not sure I was right about letting you-" Rachel began.
"No!" cried Grace with surprising volume. "I want to know what happened to Danno! I can handle it. He's my dad, I deserve to know where he is." She took a shuddering breath, looking her Uncle Steve directly in the eye. "Uncle Steve, is Danno dead?"
Steve leaned forward in his chair, grasping his adopted niece's hands tightly. "No, no he's not dead, Gracie." He paused, searching for the right words. "The thing is, Gracie...we don't exactly know where Danno is right now."
Grace felt like she was falling. "Danno...D-Danno's...miss-missing?" she stammered, horrified.
Deep blue eyes filled with apologetic expression, Steve nodded.
Focusing on the floor, tears quickly spilled down her cheeks.
"But we're gonna find him, Gracie, okay? Grace, look at me."
Tenderly, he raised the young girl's chin and brushed a tear from her face. "Do you trust me, sweetheart?"
Her chest aching and heart throbbing, Grace instantly nodded. There was no one in the world, besides her Danno, that she trusted more than Uncle Steve.
"We're gonna find Danno, Gracie. We're gonna bring him home, okay?"
"When?" inquired Grace. Her chin quivered. Never before had she wanted a Danno-hug more in her life. "When will he come home?"
Steve hesitated. "Soon," he replied finally, firmly. "He'll come home soon. Okay?"
Stoutly, Grace nodded. "Okay."
"Okay. I need you to be strong like Danno, Gracie. Be strong. Everything will be fine. Can you be strong like Danno?"
"I can," whispered Grace. "I can be strong like Danno. For Danno."
"Good girl." Steve opened his arms wide. "C'mere."
Face distorting, Grace leapt into Uncle Steve's embrace and clutched tightly to his shirt. Rachel's heart broke as she heard her daughter dissolve into heart-wrenching sobs.
Gently, Steve rubbed Grace's back, shushing her softly.
In her uncle's arms, Grace breathed in the comforting scent of ocean salt and cologne. It wasn't Danno, but Uncle Steve was basically her second father. She trusted him and loved him so much that it made her cry even harder.
"I love you, Uncle Steve," she wailed. "Please find Danno!"
"I will, Gracie, I'll find him. I love you too, sweetheart."
To Be Continued...
P.S. Danny's up next!