Chapter 28: Into Action.
Kono walked into the Five-O Bullpen to find Steve pacing the length of the room. He stopped when his saw her, slammed the envelope down on the Smart Table and she took a defensive stance as he came toward her.
"You had better calm down right now, McGarrett, or I will beet the living crap out of you," Kono stated.
"I know you will," Steve said as he raised his hands to surrender, "I'm not going to do anything that I am going to regret. I'm only looking to put some pieces together before we run out of time." He added.
"What are you talking about?" Kono asked and relaxed slightly.
"What did you find?" Steve asked.
"The bullet with the unknown DNA contribution did match your father's secondary weapon," Kono stated handing the file to Steve.
"He shot Wo Fat," Steve stated.
"We can't conclusively say that without a positive identification through DNA, but yes, that's what it looks like." Kono said. "What's with the envelope?" she asked and watched as Steve shuddered. "What's going on, Steve?"
"Wo Fat was just here," Steve stated, "he left this, it's in Italian so I have no idea what it says."
"He was here?" Kono asked in shock, "and you didn't detain him."
"He pulled a gun on me," Steve sighed.
"That's never stopped you before," Kono stated.
"He gave me information into the case," Steve said and began his pacing again, "I don't have any conclusive evidence against him. I can't hold him, well I probably could for something, but I don't know. Am I loosing my mind?"
"Maybe," Kono sighed as she took the envelope from Steve and looked it over. "What did he say to you?"
"It could all be lies, I don't know what to believe, but what he said was in line with what we already know, and what Danny's instincts were telling us as. He believes that Giovanni is the killer." Steve stated.
Kono sighed, pulled up as much information on Giovanni as she could and even pulled credit card records. "We'll we know he is on the island now. I can cross reference with his credit card purchases to see if he was here before."
"I don't think you'll find anything there, but I have a strange feeling that we'll find answers in the letters." Steve sighed.
"Then we need Danny," Kono stated. "I could try to decipher them with the computer, but really someone with fluency in the language will be much quicker."
"I know," Steve sighed and resumed his pacing.
"What are you thinking Steve?" Kono asked, worry in her tone now.
"I'm pretty sure that Kat's grandmother was the one that recognized her and was corresponding with her. I think if anything, the old woman was trying to warn her granddaughter." Steve sighed.
Kono clicked away at the Smart Table and sighed when the picture of the eldest Valentella popped up. "Francesca Gloriana Aquino-Valentella died on February 14th, 2002 at the ripe old age of 109 years old. She was predeceased by her husband Anthony, sister Vivica and granddaughters Isabella and Katherine." Kono stated reading from the obituary. "She is buried in the King Kamehameha cemetery, Oahu, Hawaii. How did you ever put that together?" Kono asked.
"It's in the diary." Steve sighed and turned sharply as the doors to the office swung open.
"We have to move now," Danny stated as he and Chin rushed into the office.
"The DNA wasn't a match to Ricardo, he's being released." Chin stated.
"Wo Fat was here, dropped this off, can you read it Danny?" Steve asked snatching he envelope out of Kono's hands and handing it over to his partner.
"He was here?" Chin asked, "Again."
"He waited till you all left and then came in," Steve stated. "He's been watching our every move and has been two steps head of us this whole time. He believes that Giovanni will be leaving Oahu tonight, on a private family jet, with his brother Ricardo."
"Sounds like guilt to me," Chin stated.
"Chin, Kono, see if you can get a handle on that plane." Steve stated. "Danny, I need you to tell me what is in that letter." He added and pointed at the envelope in his hand.
"Alright," Danny stated and scanned the letter. "This letter if from Alonzo Valentella to Wo Fat. It's an invitation for collaborations in Hawaii. He is to meet with the brothers to negotiate the partnership in organ and human trafficking. The meeting was set for today." Danny said as he looked up at Steve.
"He was leaving the meeting when we crossed paths with him," Steve stated.
"He's also just handed over the Valentella's to you," Danny stated.
"Why would he want to share profits with another crime organization?" Steve asked. "Better question, why would he want to meet with a man he's already shot?"
"Who shot who?" Danny asked.
"Come here," Steve stated and led Danny into his office. He flipped through the diary, pointing out the passage, "Wo Fat shot Giovanni on his first visit to Oahu. He left the bullet with Kat as leverage against her family. She was told to get my father involved in the case so that she would have protection while they were trying to establish their organization in Hawaii."
"Good call, put the police heat on the family before they can do anything," Danny said nodding.
"I think that's why Kat lived so long." Steve stated. "Once my father was killed, her connections to HPD were gone and her brothers could reap their revenge at last. But I think Kat's grandmother warned her. I think that's in the letters and I think that is why Kat gave in so willingly to working with us."
"Because you and Five-O could pick up where John McGarrett left off." Danny stated.
"Exactly," Steve stated, "and now that they know we are onto them, they are trying to flee Hawaii."
"Why else would you leave your organization unattended? We have all the other major players in custody." Danny stated.
"My thought's exactly, but I don't think they were betting on us getting this involved or they would have never contacted Wo Fat to put these new 'business ventures' into progress." Steve stated. "Or they underestimated Wo Fat."
"I think you're right." Danny stated, "But why would Wo Fat come to you?"
"He told me I was still useful." Steve stated. "And I think I'll remain useful until we take down the whole of the Valentella organization in Hawaii. We're nearly there."
Danny nodded his agreement, "Why was he protecting Kat?" he asked.
"He loved her," Steve said, "and she never turned him in. He knew he could go to her and get help anytime he needed it, but he also knew that she would never stand for the things that he did. I think, to an extent, she was too afraid of him and on the other hand, she felt like she owed him something."
"So they were lovers in a dangerous time?" Danny asked half mockingly.
"That's not funny," but Steve smiled all the same.
"Nicely done, McGarrett, looks like you may have learned something after all," Danny smiled and headed back out into the bullpen.
