The Joker is Wild X

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. If I did it would take a whole different path than the one it is on.

Thanks for the reviews, it sure made my day after the mess with chapter 8's posting. I hope the alerts keep going out.

Chapter 10

Chin and Kono were working at the computer table when Steve finally arrived at headquarters. Kono may have been limited to only one hand but she was swiftly sorting through gun sales on a laptop as Chin was viewing TSA video on the table. He would occasionally ask Kono if she thought a face looked like who they were hunting.

"Good to have you back," Chin told Steve with a weary smile. "Thanks for the brief statement outside the hospital, the phones have finally stopped ringing."

"I hope that keeps the press off of our backs for now. It turns out that it was actually a good thing that Grover's family is off island right now. The press bought the excuse that I couldn't say much because we haven't had enough time to inform the family first," Steve sighed.

"And how did Renee take the news?" Kono asked with a grin.

"She would like us to catch Eddington fast or I am in big trouble," Steve answered. "I need to call Sheriff Colson and see what he can tell us about Harter's ticketing of Eddington Jr."

"It would be good if he can give us some leads," Chin replied. "Thanks to his parent's interventions and money, the kid doesn't have a long rap sheet. I've checked boat arrivals and there is no sign of him entering Oahu that way. At least not in the last nine months. I'm still watching tape and hoping we get a match on his face at the airport."

"What was the date on the truck purchase? Check arrivals just before that purchase as a starting point. Unless he had a third vehicle then we are screwed," Steve suggested.

"That's as good an idea as any. I would guess he had no need to switch vehicles before the first shootings though," Kono said thoughtfully. "So far no sales of rifles that use the ammo we've identified from our shootings match. He either brought it in another way or bought it illegally. I followed up on Darcy Reddick, our car deliverer and she has agreed to stop by this morning. She didn't want to take time off from work in case her boss got suspicious. I think she is afraid of him and she has today off."

"Good….good," Steve nodded in approval. "If she isn't working with Eddington then someone gave her instructions on where to take that BMW. We need all the details she can give us."

"Will do Boss," Kono said seriously.

"Okay, I'm calling Middletown," Steve said and headed to his office.

Kono watched him go, then looked at her cousin in concern.

"This island isn't that big…..someone has to have seen him and know where he's staying," she stated.

"I'm adjusting the search to just three months before the Toyota purchase. I'm beginning the facial recognition starting as of the purchase date."

"Could we assume he flew in from San Francisco?" Kono asked.

"We can hope but since he's good at covering his tracks, I doubt he flew out of there. Maybe Oakland….we'll check there if we come up empty here," Chin replied.

Ten minutes later Chin got a ping that showed a match to Eddington's driver's license photo. The relaxed face of Baxter Eddington Jr. was caught exiting the baggage claims area and a cross check of names identified him as Richard Elway. A follow up provided a home address for the ticket purchase in Los Angeles. Further digging said he was listed as a computer software salesman.

"That's the name of the man who purchased the Toyota," Kono said quickly tapping a few keys on the table and brought up the DMV registration form on another screen. "So we know what identity he was using in the beginning. That address can help start tracking him."

"Let's hope so. He had to know we would discover the truck so I'm betting he's shifted addresses by now along with a new identity. It looks like he has been here just under three months."

"The BMW was just purchased four days ago according to the paperwork that hasn't moved through the DMV yet. The name on the purchase papers is Daniel Chadwick. Keiko's Fine Used Cars was very reluctant to forward the paperwork but I made them see reason," Kono explained. "The guy I talked to wasn't thrilled with my suggestion that maybe I should notify the fraud department of Justice to look closer at that. He gave in. Jimmy Keiko wouldn't even speak to me."

"Sounds like we may have to look closer at Jimmy's business once this is over. It will be interesting to see what Ms. Reddick has to say on how this business operates."

Forty minutes later, Kono looked up and saw a lovely young woman hovering uncertainly from the other side of the glass doors. She fingered the visitor's badge nervously and looked ready to bolt. Kono hurried to the doors and invited the woman in. She judged Darcy couldn't be older than twenty-five.

"You're Darcy Reddick, right?" Kono said as the intimidated young woman walked past her gripping the shoulder strap of her purse.

"Yes…..I'm not sure what I can tell you. Am I in trouble?"

"Not at the moment Darcy. I'm Kono Kalakaua. We are hoping you can clear some things up about a BMW you delivered to a parking ramp the other day," Kono said motioning to her office. Chin and Steve suggested she deal with the woman since it might make her more comfortable.

"I…I was just following Jimmy's instructions. I thought it was strange but I've only been working there six months, I need the job," Darcy said sitting in front of Kono's desk.

"I understand. We believe that the man that bought that car is involved in a crime. What we need is as much information that you can give us about Daniel Chadwick, the buyer," Kono explained. She brought up Baxter Eddington Jr.'s picture from his license on her phone. "Can you tell me if this is Daniel Chadwick?"

Darcy looked closely and sighed.

"Yes….that's him. He was so good looking," she said meekly. "He was very nice, he flirted with me a bit while waiting for Jimmy. Oh…he has a bit of scruff now, not clean shaven like in that picture."

"Okay thanks…good. Did you sell him the car?" Kono asked although she knew the answer.

"Oh no, I'm the receptionist. Jimmy handles all the cash sales personally," Darcy informed her.

"Did you talk to Chadwick very long? Did he tell you much about himself?" Kono questioned.

"When he first came in, he came to my desk and began to ask questions about myself. He seemed very nice, I have no idea why anyone would think he committed a crime," Darcy said defensively. "Jimmy came out of his office and quickly took him into his office. They were in there for over two hours."

"Was Jimmy expecting him?"

"I don't know but he sure didn't waste too much time coming out to deal with Chadwick. Usually Jimmy gives me a heads up if he expects a special buyer to arrive," the young woman tried to explain. "But he did come out quickly so maybe he knew Daniel was coming."

"How did you end up delivering the BMW to that ramp?" Kono enquired.

"Jimmy told me where I was to take it and where to park it. Exactly where. It had to be on the top level. I didn't know why and I didn't ask. I was to lock the keys in the car because he gave Daniel the other set. I just did as I was told," she said, looking very frightened. "I wasn't wrong, was I? It isn't illegal to park a car in a ramp, is it?" The girl was now scared and she was beginning to sort through the situation and realize what she was part of. "Am I going to have to look for a new job?"

"I'm not sure about that yet but I am getting the impression that some of your boss' deals are a bit shady," Kono told her. "Have you seen any signs of illegal operations?"

"No…I am not told too much about some sales and stuff. I answer phones, mail paperwork and stuff like that. Jimmy's special customer's paperwork never crosses my desk. I don't ask questions or I think he would fire me."

"Okay….don't worry, you aren't on the hook for what your boss is doing. We're just looking for all we can learn on this car sale. Your cooperation is helpful," Kono assured her.

"I'm afraid," the young woman confessed.

"Don't worry Ms. Reddick, we won't let you be in danger. Why don't you go home, relax, go to work tomorrow and let us deal with your boss."

"Okay," the woman agreed. "I'm going to still start hunting for a new job."

"That's a good plan," Kono advised. The two women exited Kono's office to where Steve and Chin waited.

"Steve, Chin, this is Darcy Reddick, she is trying to help us catch Eddington," Kono said quickly.

The two men nodded to Darcy and the woman suddenly blushed when she felt McGarrett's eyes on her. Her knees went weak as the task force leader focused his attention on her.

"I….uh….don't know how much I can tell you. I said all I know to Officer Kalakaua. I do recognize Daniel Chadwick from the photo I was shown. But I don't know very much about him," Darcy said sadly. "He only talked to me briefly and it was mostly flirting."

"Could you help us with information Mr. Keiko might not wish to share?" Steve asked.

Wanting to do anything McGarrett asked, she nodded eagerly.

"I'm probably going to get fired anyway," she said with a shrug. "I'll do the best I can."

"We appreciate anything that you can do," Steve said with a small smile.

Not having a reason to stay longer, Darcy left after a final look at McGarrett. She knew that there wasn't a chance he would see her as anything other than a witness.

"So do we go visit Jimmy Keiko?" Chin asked Steve.

"It's the best lead we have at the moment," Steve said. "He spent the most time with our suspect recently." Before he could say more his phone rang with the Governor's caller ID.

"Yes Governor," he answered quickly. He listened as his new boss expressed her concern about the news that had just reached her. "I'm sorry ma'am, I meant to call sooner," Steve said as he headed into his office to try and answer her questions. When he emerged later he was met with worried looks from the cousins.

"The Governor was very concerned when she heard the news about Lou. I assured her that he is fine and brought her into the loop on my plan. She says she has our back and to shift the cruise ship robberies over to HPD detectives for now. It was made very clear that I am not to keep her in the dark on something this serious again," he finished with a rueful smile.

"Well she is the boss," Chin chuckled.

"It's a relief that she isn't angry about the cruise ships," Kono added.

"She made me promise to brief her on how this case goes from here," Steve said quietly. He knew he should have called her when Danny and Kono were shot. She deserved to know when her task force was under attack but he had been caught up in the case and forgot about briefing her. It did seem that this Governor wasn't ready to give him free rein on many things. "Well with that settled, Chin, shall we go see Jimmy Keiko?"

"Sounds like fun," Chin grinned.

*H 5-0*

When they arrived at Keiko's Fine Used Cars, they found the sales lot quiet and inside they were welcomed warmly by the man at the reception desk. The warm welcome ended the minute Jimmy Keiko saw the badges at their belts. He ushered them into his private office, not wanting any of the employees to hear their discussion and promptly denied there were any illegal sales in his dealership. When Chin asked about a sale to Daniel Chadwick, the man paled considerably and shook his head. In a panic he looked at McGarrett hoping to see some support and found himself trapped by a cold stare. He knew it would not be wise to pretend he knew nothing about Daniel Chadwick. He decided to tell his best version of the truth.

"I got a call from this guy…..he said he was looking for a high end car with low mileage. When I told him that we had several cars that would fit the bill, he said he had looked around the lot the other day and had one in mind….a BMW. He said he wanted that one and he would be in with the full list price in cash," Jimmy told them. "It was a smooth deal, he didn't even haggle. He gave me the instructions on how to deliver it…..they were a bit strange but not illegal so I agreed. I understand that Tom sent the paperwork over when Officer Kalakaua insisted. Beyond that I have nothing more to say." He looked between the two hopefully.

End chapter.

I think that Jimmy is going to wish he was never born, how about you? Baxter is still covering his tracks but there have been mistakes and now the team knows they have the right guy. Thank you for reading.