Chapter 7

As Lenny turned his brown Ford sedan onto Palm Court, his mind was racing. Nick wasn't going to be happy that he had returned without the money. Lenny wasn't all too happy about that either. Kahuku could be right; Fong might still be alive. If that's true, we're back to square one.

While he was still five houses away from his bungalow, Lenny was startled to see Nick being escorted from the house by two men in business suits: one stocky fellow who looked Chinese and a tall broad shouldered Samoan man. He slowed down and parked the car on the side of the street, far enough away so that he wouldn't be noticed, and watched. When the pair got Nick to their car, one of the men opened the rear door for Nick to climb in. Damn! They must be Five-O! And leave it to Nick…I'll bet he's gonna lose his cool and spill his guts…he's gonna blow it for both of us!

Lenny waited until the car bearing his partner departed. He knew that he was on his own now and he had to think fast. If Fong is still alive, I'll just have to finish the job myself. On the bright side, I won't have to split the bread with anyone, it'll all be mine!

o-o-o

Danny shifted uncomfortably on the hard wooden chair in the small reading room inside the courthouse. He had spent the last thirty minutes pouring over the transcripts of the trial that, thanks to Che's forensic work, had resulted in a prison sentence for Matthew Blackwell for the crime of rape. Danny had copied into his notebook every name mentioned in the court record. But even after repeatedly reading through the names on his list, none rang any bells other than from their involvement in the rape case; none had any connection to Tony Kahuku as far as Williams knew. Frustrated by what seemed like a wild goose chase, he ran a hand through his curls then drummed his pen on the table, contemplating what to do next. Dig deep! Steve's command echoed in his ears. Dan hated to return to the Palace empty handed.

With a defeated sigh, Williams rose from his seat and gathered the paperwork to return to the court clerk. On his way to the clerk's office, he passed by the courtroom where the trial in question had taken place. The doors opened and the occupants of the courtroom filed out. As Danny stepped aside to let them pass, he had an idea. After the small crowd had dispersed, the detective entered the empty courtroom and sat down in the same seat he had occupied weeks ago when Blackwell's trial was in session. Dan unbuttoned his olive suit jacket and took a deep breath, clearing his mind. Then he closed his eyes and mentally recreated the proceedings. As the events played out in his mind, he saw Che on the stand, calmly reporting his findings that effectively proved Blackwell's guilt. Then Dan recalled a woman who had been seated close to the defendant. How could he not have noticed her? The poor woman was quite emotional, in tears throughout most of the trial and had to excuse herself several times to leave the courtroom to regain her composure, or so Danny had assumed. The woman looked to be in her late forties, probably of Hawaiian descent; she was neatly dressed but her clothing did not reflect a lot of wealth. From her age and behavior, Dan surmised that she could very well have been Blackwell's mother. Dan opened his eyes, pulled out his notebook and again scanned the list of names, stopping when he read 'Judith Ann Blackwell, mother of Matthew'. So what? Still no connection to Kahuku! he thought, another dead end wearing away his patience. He glanced at his watch and frowned. I've got to get back.

Williams rose, re-buttoned his jacket and picked up the documents he needed to return to the clerk. On his way out the door, he passed a pay phone on the wall opposite the courtroom. Dan stopped and doubled back, deciding to take advantage of the convenience and call in. He lifted the receiver, inserted a dime into the coin slot and dialed his boss's number. After a single ring, he heard the familiar blunt greeting.

"McGarrett."

"Hi Steve, Danny," he began in a tone that relayed a measure of his frustration.

"Any luck at the courthouse, Danno?"

"No. I've been over the transcripts backwards and forwards, and nothing…a big fat zero!"

"Well, it was worth a try."

Danny could hear the understanding and support in Steve's voice and his own mood lightened as a result. He also detected a certain edge in his boss's tone; that usually meant there had been some progress in the case.

"Come on in, Danno; Chin and Ben have picked up Nick Manolo and I want you here when they get back. He was packing a .38; might be our first solid lead. Depending on what we can get out of Manolo, we may have to pick up his housemate, too."

"Will do, Steve. Bye."

Danny replaced the receiver but before his hand lost contact with the instrument, the image of Mrs. Blackwell getting up and leaving the courtroom surfaced again in his mind. He stared at the pay phone for a few more seconds then his tense expression suddenly transformed to a look of determination. Maybe this isn't a dead end after all! Opening the cover of the phone directory that was chained to the wall, the detective located the number for the phone company, inserted another dime and dialed.

"This is Detective Dan Williams, Hawaii Five-O. I need a list of all calls made from…," he glanced at the center of the phone dial and read off the number, "538-5151 on April 25 through April 30 of this year. I need names, numbers, dates and times. Please Telex the list to Five-O headquarters as soon as possible. Thanks."

Danny replaced the receiver and returned the trial transcripts then left the courthouse and headed back to the Palace, hoping that his last ditch effort would bear some fruit.

o-o-o

Lenny could tell that his home had been searched. While he was in the kitchen making a fast peanut butter sandwich, he noticed that many items were slightly out of place and contents of drawers had been rearranged. It left the man with an uncomfortable feeling of being violated. Damn cops! Lenny returned to the living room, sat down on the worn couch and propped his feet up on the coffee table. Think…I gotta think! Okay, McGarrett knows where I live; won't take him long to find out what I drive…gotta dump the car. He took a bite of his sandwich and chased it with a swig of milk directly from the carton, after which he wiped his mouth on his unbuttoned sleeve. Then, I need to find out if 'Mr. Wizard' is still alive. If he's dead, it shouldn't be too hard to get proof. Lenny continued to stare into space, trying to come up with a plan. After he finished his sandwich, he stretched his legs, accidentally bumping into the overflowing ashtray on the coffee table and spilling some of its contents on the morning paper.

"Geez, Nick, you and those cigarettes!"he yelled out to his absent partner. Someday those things are gonna kill you! he thought as he leaned forward to sweep the butts back into the ashtray. As he cleared the ashes from the newsprint, his eyes were again drawn to the headline on the front page:

HEAD OF CRIME LAB CRITICAL AFTER SHOOTING, NOW IN MORGUE

That's it! The morgue! At least it's a place to start.

Lenny had a certain talent for blending in and going unnoticed and it was time to put that talent to work. He got up and put the milk back in the refrigerator then grabbed his car keys and left the house.

o-o-o

Lenny abandoned his brown Ford sedan in a covered parking garage that was within walking distance of an inexpensive rental agency. With that detail out of the way, he arrived at the county morgue just before noon in his newly rented blue van and parked. Lenny would have to enter the building inconspicuously, and he had no idea how many people worked there or how difficult it would be to sneak in. Allowing himself more time to think, he approached the small brick building then leaned against a nearby tree with his arms folded, studying the entryway. Before long, the front door opened and two men walked out. One man wore a suit and tie, had thick wavy graying hair and carried a small black bag. The other man was much younger, tall and slim with reddish hair and freckles, and was dressed in khakis, a short sleeved oxford shirt and tie. Lenny was just able to catch their conversation as the men passed by.

"…enjoy your lunch. I'll be late getting back. I'm going to go check on Che."

"Okay, Doc, don't worry, I can handle things here while you're gone. Give my best to Mr. Fong!"

"I will, Jeff, thanks."

So Fong is alive! And now I'm gonna get a guided tour that ends right on his doorstep! What a lucky break! Lenny made his way back to the blue van, got in and started the engine, all the while keeping his eyes on the older man as he walked to the parking lot and got into his own car. The car backed out of the parking lot and Lenny followed at a discreet distance.