Finally.. I've gotten back in the right frame of mind for this and will be posting the rest of it in one sitting because well, if I didn't, i'd continue to be exactly the writer I and most people can't stand XD . So here we go...
CHAPTER 25
"Hey," he spoke as he approached the crowded smart table.
"Steve, you're just in time." Chin commented before sliding a crime scene report up on the monitors.
"That's the Reid house?" Steve asked, though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
"Yeah, and it contained blood from both Jeffrey Reid and Brody Logan." Kono explained.
"Lots of it, by the looks of that." Steve sighed, placing his hands at his hips. "Alright, so we know there was a struggle. We can presume Reid found out his wife bailed Logan out of jail, so he hunts Logan down and ends it once and for all. But where does he go after that? Did we get anything from the pineapple field Logan was found in?" He fired questions at his team, determined more than ever to put their noses to the ground and get this case off all their minds and out of his conscience.
Captain Grover took up delivery of the next bit of information they'd learned. "CSU is still processing but it looks like a cut and dry body drop so far."
Steve let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay so where did he kill Logan then? Where would they go after leaving the house?"
Kono, struck with a sudden idea took to the table typing furiously and swiping a map up for everyone to see. "Max told me at the Reid house that he can't imagine a scenario in which Jeffrey Reid walked away from the fight with Logan, given how much blood they collected in the house."
"Okay, so why the map?" Danny asked what everyone was thinking.
"What if," she began while typing some more. "He had someone pick him up and drive up to the fields to drop the body?"
"That's nice." Danny piped up sarcastically. "Like calling a buddy to help you move a couch or something." He shook his head thinking about what kind of friendship that must be.
"Only with a body." Chin quipped followed by a nod of agreement from Danny.
"Alright, so we pull all the traffic cams from between the Reid house and the field." Steve ordered, ignoring the little sideshow. "With any luck we can catch whoever picked them up."
"My thoughts exactly." She replied before turning towards her office.
Now into full force mode, Steve turned to the two men to his left. "Chin, Lou call every hospital between Wahiawa and Honolulu. If Reid is in rough shape and thinks he successfully dropped Logan's body, he probably feels safe getting fixed up."
"Sounds like a good theory." The newest member of their team agreed. "We'll divide and conquer." He added, nodding to his fellow police vet, and then walking simultaneously towards each of their offices.
"Roger that." Steve spoke affirmatively. "Keep me posted." As everyone left the table besides Danny, Steve finally took a moment to breathe in and out, and take stock of the new life breathed into this case. He'd only taken a second, but it was all he needed to get back the wind he'd felt knocked out of him sitting in the parking lot a few minutes earlier.
"Detective Williams," the blond man spoke up, pulling the SEAL from his breathing. Steve didn't understand until he saw the phone up against Danny's ear. "Yes, yes! Thank you, thank you so much, you have officially become my favouritest person ever, doctor. I will get there as soon as I can and uh, if you don't mind, I'd like to tell her mother."
Steve stood beside, watching Danny's entire face light up and his whole body language become like a cloud, bouncing on air. Without realizing it, his face broke out in a wide grin too, realizing what had transpired during his partner's conversation.
"Yes, I will, absolutely. Thank you, and uh, I will see you in a little while." Danny finished up and pocketed his phone. "She's coming home, Steve. She's packing up as we speak, and then she is free to go home." He outright giggled, and hearing himself sound like that only made the giggles stronger. "We have a couple strong leads in this case, and my daughter is well enough again to come home." He drummed a happy tune on the edge of the table all the while drumming with his foot on the floor. "I dare you to tell me something that could possibly make this day better, Steven." He laughed some more, literally unable to cap the pure bliss he felt in the moment.
It only took a few seconds for Danny to see the pain behind Steve's eyes though, as he clued in. "Oh, man. I-"
"Nah, don't worry about it." Steve waved him off quickly, not wanting his personal ache to diminish his partner's happiness. "What are you waiting for buddy? Go get her, alright?"
"You sure?" Danny asked, feeling a smidgen of guilt over leaving at such a pivotal time in finalizing their case.
"Are you kidding?" Steve replied with a hint of a chuckle. "Go get her, Danny. I'll text you anything we find out, okay? Now, get to that hospital and give her the best hug of her life."
With an energetic clap, Danny nodded quickly. "Yeah, I will do that." He slid his hardly still hands into his pockets and gleefully walked towards the door. "I'll tell her you say hi, and that uh, you're ready to set up a Go Fish tournament, or something." The ecstatic detective waved as he disappeared from Steve's view.
"Hey," Kono emerged from her office with a contented look a few seconds later. "I take it Danny got the okay to take Grace home?"
Steve stood standing with his arms crossed, basking in the rare occurrence of Danny's positivity for a few seconds before answering. "Yeah, how can you tell?" he asked sarcastically. He let out a breath before turning his attention fully to whatever had brought the young officer to him. "We get something?"
"Yeah, you could say that." Kono confirmed. "A dark blue van heading north on the H2 with this license plate," she swiped a grainy photo onto the monitor in front of them. "One driver, one large heap spread across the back seat."
Steve furrowed his brow at the vehicle on the screen as he watched it wind around some of the city's busiest streets. "He didn't even bother to put the body in the trunk?"
Kono shook her head as she tapped on the table to change the camera angles they were viewing. "Fits further into the theory that this wasn't premeditated, and that it was a crime of rage."
Steve agreed and ran his hand over his face. "Okay, now co-ordinate with Chin and Grover to focus on the cameras that pick up hospital parking."
"Yeah." She nodded and typed some more before walking with conviction towards her cousin's office.
Steve only had a minute to himself before his cellphone buzzed in one of the many pockets his pants offered. "McGarrett," he answered firmly.
"Commander McGarrett, I understand you are in the middle of a difficult case so I will make this fast."
"Sir, yes sir." Steve replied quickly, recognizing the hard, stern voice as it came through the phone. "What can I do for you today Vice Admiral?"
"Not today, Commander. Tomorrow. The Hilton Ballroom. Can I count on your attendance at the Naval Ball as a representative of the Reserves Guard? There will be two tickets waiting your arrival at nineteen hundred hours."
Steve's mind was frantic as he tried to process the request from one of his former Commanding Officers. His experience told him it was more an order than a request though. "Sir, it would be an honour." He searched quickly for the right wording before admitting his concession. "But, only one ticket will be necessary, sir. I-"
"Still haven't been man enough to let Lieutenant Rollins make an honest man out of you, I see." Cotton cut him off with his jab. "Man up, sailor! And I expect to see a respectable donation to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society too. Is this clear Commander?"
He worked to decipher which part of his order the VA was referring to before realizing he'd been unresponsive too long. "Five 0 sir," Steve blurted out. "If I may, Vice Admiral. If I can have my entire team, I'm sure we can ensure a sizeable donation."
"Affirmative." Cotton replied sternly. "And I meant what I said, Steve." The Navy veteran's voice got a shade softer.
"Sir, yes sir." The SEAL repeated with the trace of a smile. They ended their conversation just as Chin approached the table once again.
"We have a problem." He explained tensely as Steve pocketed his phone. "No sign of the blue van, and no sign of Reid. We checked every hospital security camera between the Reid house and the field where Logan's body was found. "He's gone, Steve." The look on Chin's face was reflected in the frustration they all felt.
Steve heaved a heavy sigh. "Well, plan B it is then." He hastily fished the cellphone from his pocket once again. "Hey, speaking of plans." He started, hovering his finger over the call button on the name he'd pulled up. "You got any tomorrow night?"
Chin hesitated, trying to read his boss's face before answering. "No, not unless you count eating cold pizza and watching old Magnum P.I. reruns." A little lip curl crept its way up as he finished speaking.
"Mm, maybe not." Steve smiled too, enjoying a moment that wasn't so tense. "An old CO of mine just called and invited Five 0 to the Naval Ball tomorrow night. You in?"
Chin thought for a second before replying. "I can eat cold pizza another night." He nodded with a smile. "I'm in."
"Great." Steve reciprocated with a nod and a smile of his own. "You want to go ask Kono and Grover?" He lifted the phone in his hand. "I'm gonna find Reid."
Chin flashed one last enigmatic smirk before heading for his office once again.
"Steve…" Catherine answered hesitantly after answering his call a minute later. "I'm uh, I'm not at my station, so whatever you need…" she trailed off.
"Yeah I know," he replied, recalling the heads up she'd given him earlier about their evening ritual. "But do you have a minute now?" When she confirmed that she did, Steve took a different approach. "Huh," he huffed, the playful lull already present in his tone. "I'm not sure I appreciate your assumption, Rollins."
"Steve, are you serious?" she asked through a chuckle. "You say assumption; I say known fact."
He rolled his eyes coyly. "Oh, tell me what you really think." He asked sarcastically.
"Well," she laughed. "Prove me wrong then." The joviality in her voice told Steve she was just teasing, but he couldn't help egging her on anyway.
"As a matter of fact, there would be something else. If you were here, I mean." The words surprised even Steve, piercing his insides like a knockout punch. "But…" he started a sentence there was no hope for. He cleared his throat hoping to resolve the uncomfortable air now sitting between them. "Uh, VA Cotton called."
"The Naval Ball." Catherine finished for him, also wanting to get as far as from her references to her current position as possible. "You were going to ask me, right?"
Steve let out some air and confirmed her suspicion. "Yeah." He gave a moment to allow both of their longing emotions to dissipate. "…And I need a favour." He added quickly.
"There it is," Catherine laughed, further helping to clear the pull in the air between them.
"Our guy Reid, Cath. He's gone under and we need to find him before he can hurt anymore people. You said you're not at your station, but I'm desperate here." He sighed, reliving some of the frustration surrounding this case as he filled her in on their most recent discoveries.
"Yeah." She swallowed hard, taking a second to watch her surroundings. The important nature of Steve's favour wasn't lost on her, and it in fact only made Catherine feel worse about her current situation. "I, uh, I can call someone." She offered simply. "I'll let you know as soon as I can." She made sure he understood she'd do her best before the conversation turned more comfortable once again. "I would love to go, Steve." She spoke carefully, savouring the sweet in the bittersweet moment she found herself in.
"Yeah." He agreed, feeling bittersweet about their situation too. "Next time right?" he tried to sound positive even though he wasn't feeling it.
Catherine assured him quietly before they said their goodbyes and hung up leaving him alone in the common area of their headquarters once again.
After taking a minute to think clearly, Steve went to get the attention of his team. He filled them in on Catherine's help and that he would keep them in the loop of any further developments. He instructed them to continue looking into Jeffrey Reid on the possibility that the going to a hospital to get fixed up theory was going nowhere. Steve knew a thing or two about guilt, and that lead him to thinking about another scenario involving Reid and his involvement with Brody Logan. It also made him think about his sister, and how hours had passed without another word from her. He waved a quick bye and headed towards the door, feeling like he owed her an apology, and in person at that.
On the way to his house, Steve called Danny to check in that everything went smoothly with getting Grace home. As his partner described the mini welcome home celebration they'd had for the pre teen, Steve was reminded of the request from VA Cotton. The Detective happily agreed to attend, declaring it another way to celebrate his daughter's good health. He also informed the father of his suspicions about Jeffrey Reid, and how imperative it was that they find him. Danny agreed and the pair worked out a plan to execute the second Reid resurface.
After making a quick stop at the grocery store and about a hundred expectant glances as his phone, Steve walked through the front door of his house. "Mary?" he called, feeling even more guilt over his earlier actions when he realized she was clearly ignoring him. He walked through to the kitchen and still, no Mary. Steve was about to walk through to the stairs when just as he was turning away from the windows facing the backyard, something outside caught his eye.
He stood frozen, knowing that his eyes had to be deceiving him. It wouldn't be the first time that a mentally draining case had caused him some perception issues. He watched the chairs on the sand for a good few minutes, steadfast in his objective to have reality come crashing back down on him and the optical illusion disappear.
"Steve," a very surprised Mary spoke behind him. "What-"
"Am I…" he spoke over his sister, in a trance all of his own. "Who…?" he spoke again as she joined him at the counter with a content grin and crossed arms.
Hardly able to contain her sense of joy, Mary watched him watching the old wooden chairs she'd associated so closely with her childhood for a minute. Seeing her brother's face in that moment made everything she'd been through to get there worth it for Mary, and she enjoyed that feeling for another minute before finally breaking. "It wasn't really bread I was trying to get you to bring home, Steve." A tiny whisp of a chuckle escaped Mary's lips.
Without so much as a blink, he pointed blindly to the counter beside his stove. "I bought a loaf." He explained although the sheer bewilderment in his tone was stronger than he could control. "Joan's bread, I bought…" the words just stopped forming as if a timer had gone off inside Steve's brain. Like a buzzer going off, Steve abruptly realized the time had run out on his hallucination. "She's…" He tried again to form a thought, but the timer hadn't yet run out on his complete shock over what was really happening.
"Yeah, Steve. She is. Now go out there!" Mary jabbed him encouragingly. After a beat, he finally tore his solid stare from the chairs outside to look his sister in the face. "You didn't…?" he asked, his brain failing at figuring out how he could possibly be looking out at the long, dark hair of the woman he loved more than anything swaying with the warm island breeze as she sat in chair she knew Steve sat in to talk to her each night.
"Just a ride from the airport, is all." Mary came clean quickly. "Now what are you waiting on Steve? Get out there!" She jabbed him again, this time a little harder. Her words resonated with him in a way so profound Steve didn't even feel his legs moving before he was walking across the yard to the chairs that meant so much to him, but ironically couldn't hold a candle to the woman sitting in one.
"Catherine." He spoke as clear as the Hawaiian air around them as he came upon the back of his chair.
She turned sharply, her face as bright and dewy as the bright afternoon. "Hi." She smiled bigger than he'd ever seen before. It made Steve feel like every lonely night, every long distance phone call and every life threatening mission was worth it if he knew he'd be coming home to that smile every time.
"I don't understand…" he spoke slowly, his grin pairing with the uncertainty on his face as he walked to the front of the chair.
She stood up and closed the few feet between them. "Steve," she paused to give herself a second to breathe. It was then he noticed how glossed over her eyes were. He only had a second to focus on that though, before she uttered the two words he'd waited to hear for a long time, even when he didn't realize he needed them. "I'm home."