Chapter 13: To set a Trap
The 5-0 team revisited the plan over breakfast. The more they discussed it the better it sounded. Chin played devil's advocate and kept offering everything that could go wrong. This helped focus the entire operation. Danny leaned back in his chair.
"I don't think we've ever planned anything this extensively," he rolled his eyes. "Think I've kind of gotten used to running in with guns blazing."
"Don't forget the stealth ninja moves, bruddah," Kono teased.
"I almost feel pretty good about this," Steve said drawing three sets of dubious eyes. "Except for the part where we actually put it in motion. Still have to talk with Jones."
"That's the lynchpin," Danny agreed. "Without that link it's all bull hockey. In fact, we've over-planned."
"I said that," Chin protested and received a glare. "Well, I used different words, but yeah, there are too many variables we have to pull together first."
"I concur," McGarrett nodded. "Let's get everything cleaned up and packed. Once we're free we pick up Jones." They had already agreed they didn't want HPD to pick the rep up early. The element of surprise was important and they did not want the Pono brothers to get any inkling of their impending take-down.
If the governor's driver was surprised by the entire team on the sidewalk waiting he did not show it. Instead he helped pack the suv and drove them back to the Palace. Once they'd brought all their stuff upstairs Steve and Kono took off to locate and bring in Jones. Danny and Chin tracked Amerisource shipments.
"There was a theft reported this morning," Kelly put the information on the table screen.
"Was the shipment in the delivery van?" Williams asked.
"Supposedly it was," he said. "The driver didn't load it himself. But the orders are double checked as they go into the van."
"So the drugs may never make it out of the warehouse," Danny said.
"Except there are several robberies with masked people and guns taking the boxes out of the vans," Kelly reported. He called up a list of all the stolen shipments then the report details.
"Geeze, look at that pattern!" Williams exclaimed as he ran through the reports. Kelly squinted at the information.
"There is no pattern!" he stated. The Haole snorted.
"It appears to be chaos," Williams said patiently. He began shifting information so that it was sorted by drivers.
"Oh!" Chin said. "You saw that?" Danny smirked.
"Yep," he replied.
"You really are crazy, Haole," Kelly said with admiration. Now that the information was realigned two drivers always 'lost' a shipment somewhere between the warehouse and the delivery point. All other drivers always were held up by the perps.
"So this might not be Jones at all," Chin said.
"Too much of a coincident that only his shipments are taken," Danny pointed out. The older detective nodded. "And today's driver, Dean Matson, has had several other shipments 'disappear' off of his truck." The chimes on their cell phones drew their attention and soon they were heading down to interrogation.
By the time they made it to observation Brian Jones was nearly in tears. Of course, with McGarrett standing over him and staring at him silently helped to 'soften' him up. Kono sat across from the man.
"So, you've been supplying various pharmaceuticals to a 'private' concern for the past year?" she asked pointedly.
"Uh, I just, you know, made sure tracking information was available," he said definitely terrified. "Couple times a month, I'd leave it on my windshield."
"How did you know when?" Kono asked.
"I'd get a call, on my cell," he admitted. "Different times. Slowed up a few weeks back. Figured that he was done with me."
"Rohypnol," Steve stated with a reinforced glare. Jones cringed.
"I'd slip it in the shipment," he admitted. "I have, uh, friends in the European office. I'd mark the box with a large 'd' on the side."
Danny looked at Chin. Damn! This was way more convoluted. They definitely had hit the jackpot. The door opened and a couple HPD detectives came in and asked to be brought up to speed.
Soon the FBI was brought in as well as the DEA.
"More letters than Grace's alphabet soup," Danny commented, receiving a snort from Chin. They continued to listen as more tracking information was given.
"How are we going to get the Ponos now?" Kelly wondered aloud. Williams assumed a very contemplative expression as his mind wandered through all the information they'd unearthed.
"Well, we know the fibbes and DEA will deal with the international angle," he considered. "HPD will want some sort of role as well. I think our initial idea, of getting the Ponos to pick up a delivery in a location of our choice is the best idea. Two of those drivers 'lose' the product; all we need to do is find out if they do the delivery themselves or if they hand it off."
"I agree, we can easily stake out the vans; we just need to keep the lid on the operation until Jones gets another call," Chin agreed. With this in mind they started to negotiate with the other law enforcement personnel in the room.