Chapter 18

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Mahalo

Junior walked up the stairs to the commander's quarters. He had a wonderful dinner with Tani. They did linger over drinks and after dinner drinks. She had the breakfast shift the following morning so they called it a night at 0130.

At the top of the stairs, he paused and looked out over the darkened base. All windows were dark except various checkpoints. Junior was too excited and happy to go to bed. He was falling in love with Miss Tani Rey. Her smile made his heart skip a beat. Her touch made his pulse quicken. Above all, when they were together, little else mattered.

One night, the commander was reflecting on his friendship with Lt. Wyler. He had said one of his favorite things in the world was seeing his fiancée's smiling face waiting for him after a mission. It made everything he endured, everything he did worthwhile. Suddenly, Junior could see Tani and her beautiful smile in his life. He sighed and smiled to himself.

He shivered in the cool early morning/late night air. He entered the small quarters. All was quiet except the television in the main room. The Weather Channel droned on rather quietly while the screen illuminated the room just enough where he didn't bump into the furniture. The commander was most considerate or he did wish to be awakened in the night by Junior falling over the coffee table.

Junior noticed all the magazines were piled on the far side of the table and a notebook placed on the table near the head of the sofa. He picked it up and turned so he could read the message by the light of the television.

"Junior –

Detective Williams invited us to a cookout and brain storming meeting at his home tomorrow at 1200. Be prepared to eat, drink and play a little touch football while we put this matter under the microscope. Sleep quick.

Steve"

Junior smiled, he liked barbeques and football. He made up the couch quickly and stripped down to his skivvies. The weather forecaster was particularly robotic sounding and Junior was asleep by the commercial break.

0600

Steve hit 'snooze' on his cell phone. There were no classes today. He'd be playing football later so he could skip the track this morning. He was sleepy but managed to cancel the snooze and reset the alarm for 0730. After all, it was the weekend and the week was a week from hell. Sleeping in wouldn't affect anything. So he changed it to 0800. "Go back to sleep, Junior. I think we earned a couple of extra hours of rack time.''

Through the door came Junior's sleepy reply. "Yes, Sir!" He was back asleep in seconds.

Steve stayed awake long enough to hear Junior's reply. Sighing, he turned on his side and hoped he could rejoin Catherine in his happy dreamscape.

0800

Steve's cell played "Revele" loud, bright and clear. He sat up, silenced the offending noise and shook the sleep from his eyes. He hit the head and once he heard Junior moving around in the front room, he exited the bathroom. "Morning, Junior. You're up first this morning. Bang on my door when you're done." A thought hit him as he was shutting his door, "Make sure l get up please."

"Morning sir, yes I will."

Steve closed his door and stretched. He sat on the floor and did 100 sit ups. After a brief rest, laid down flat, rolled on his belly and did 100 push ups. His morning ritual completed, he laid down on the bed and checked news sites on his laptop.

Hearing the shower start, he finished reading the latest timewaster the Congress was debating then went out to the kitchenette. He poured himself a glass of orange juice and downed it. He then loaded and set the coffee maker and filled the toaster. While the bread toasted, he set down two napkins and refilled his glass with orange juice. The shower ceased and he poured another glass of juice for Junior. By the time he located a butter knife, the toast was ready.

"I left you some hot water sir." Junior joined Steve in the kitchenette. "That coffee smells amazing."

"Let's hope it tastes as good as it smells." Steve said as he passed the first two pieces of toast over to Junior. He reloaded the toaster with the last of their bread. "Let's leave early and pick up a few groceries. And a couple of six packs."

"Good idea. At least we'll get beer we know we'll drink." Junior downed his juice then started on the toast. He took one piece and offered Steve the other. "Did you sleep well?"

"Ten hours worth. Thanks." Steve took a bite. "How was your date?"

Junior finished his toast. "Perfect. She's everything I could have hoped for: smart, funny, classy."

"Frankly, l didn't expect you back until morning."

"She had the breakfast shift or I think she would have invited me back to her place." Junior reached for the butter dish as the toast popped up. "I think she feels it too."

Steve poured coffee for the both of them. "That's what happened with Cat and I. We knew it and when both feel it, it's downright magical."

Junior grinned, "You got that right."

"Will that be all for you, gentlemen?"

Steve paid as Junior grabbed two of the grocery bags. "You got our stuff, sir."

"Okay." Steve put his change away and grabbed the other two bags.

Dressed in civilian clothes, they blended right in with the locals. After stowing the groceries, they made their way to the Williams' residence.

"You don't think Detective Williams will be offended you're bringing stuff, do you?"

"After hosting a few of these shin-digs myself, l know l would appreciate it. Besides, l want a steak so to make sure I get one, buy one for everyone.''

"Why the cookies?"

"Walkers' Shortbread; very popular in the United Kingdom. I found out yesterday his wife is British. When my dad had his friends over, the guys that brought my mom a 'hostess gift' were always welcomed back.''

Junior smiled. "Scoring points with his wife. Sneaky"

"Trying to secure allies." Steve said with a smirk. "I doubt this is her idea of a 'fun' Saturday. Maybe a taste from home will help the extra work go down."

"Steve Poppins. I get it."

"Don't call me that." Steve sat a bit straighter and he finished speaking with a smug half smile, "Ensign."

So, there was the line and Junior stepped over it. "Sorry, sir.''

Steve busted up. "Just kidding."

Junior smiled. "Okay, okay. I get you. Hey, this must be it. Lots of cars."

"Park so we can take off if we need to."

"Emergency back at the base?"

"Huh? No. I just don't want to wait on someone else in case we figure this out."

"Gotcha."

They parked and approached a brick, two story house with a neat yard. "So, this is how the other half lives."

"Other half?"

"Mainlanders sir. When I was a kid, the tourists seemed surprised we didn't live in grass huts. Now that I'm in a mainland suburb, it isn't that much different, just less green." Junior observed as they walked.

"Just different climate, roads are wider and the houses closer together. Other than that, humans live in community settings unique to their environment. But, basically the human need for community is the same." Steve agreed as they approached the front door.

Before either sailor could knock or ring the doorbell, the door opened by a pleasantly regal looking brown hair woman with a warm smile. "You two must be the gentlemen from the Navy."

"And you must be Mrs. Williams." Steve said with his best smile.

"Rachael, please." She said graciously as she step aside. "Please come in gentleman. Everyone is in the den. Just follow the voices."

Steve and Junior were half way across the living room when they got ambushed. "Hi!" Said the little girl, holding her toddler brother's hand. "Who are you? I'm Grace and this is my little brother, Charlie."

Steve put his grocery bags down. "Hi Grace, I'm Steve." He held out his hand.

Grace offered her hand, unsure of what was to come.

Steve knelt on one knee and kissed her hand. "I'm charmed to meet you." He turned to Charlie. "Nice to meet you as well, Charlie."

Charlie stood there, one hand in his sister's hand and the other in his mouth, grinning.

Steve straightened up and tussled the little guy's hair.

"Take your paws of my son." Danny came into the living room. "You are going to scare him, you thoughtless giant.'' He picked up his son. "Did that big navy goof scare you, Charlie?"

Charlie giggled and put his head on his dad's shoulder; Danny's 'mini me.'

Grace walked to the Commander and tilted her head to look at him. "Do you really have a stick up your butt?"

The child's innocent bluntness almost made Steve laugh, almost. He remained stoic and took a knee and looked at the Williams' daughter in the eye. "No stick. I promise."

"I don't believe you. My Danno would never lie to me." Grace folded her arms defiantly.

Steve straightened up to his full height. "Danno? Who's Danno?"

"My dad is right about you: you aren't very smart, are you?" The little girl stated matter-of-factly.

"Grace Williams! Manners! Shameful behavior! To your room with you, young lady. Off with you!" Even now, angry with their precocious daughter, Rachel's voice and tone sounded more like a proper English teacher in a fancy prep school addressing an unruly class than an angry mother dealing with embarrassment in front of new professional acquaintances.

Grace turned and ran to her room.

Steve was trying to keep his smile in check as he bent over to retrieve the bags of groceries but he locked eyes with Junior. Both sailors lost their composure and broke up into boisterous laughter. Wiping the tears from his eyes and still smiling, Steve looked at Danny.

Being a trained law enforcement officer, Williams had experience at keeping a neutral face no matter what he saw or heard. But being fair skinned, his involuntary blush response was harder to conceal. Danny was still a lovely shade of pink as he fussed with his son's shirt, avoiding the naval officer's eyes. "OK. Everyone follow me to the den." Danny turned and hastily walked further into the house.

"We make a quick stop in the kitchen first." Rachel called after him. She led Steve and Junior to the kitchen. "You boys didn't need to bring a thing but thank you."

Steve and Junior helped unpack the groceries. "I think Danny would appreciate a moment." Steve said quietly.

"Probably." Rachel agreed. "I apologize for our daughter's words."

"No apology necessary." Steve smiled his best smile. "Don't give it a second thought."

"Steaks?" Rachel was surprised. "Very generous, Commander."

"Steve, please, Mrs. Williams."

"OK, Steve. Rachel, please.

"Rachel, this is Junior."

"Ma'am." Junior smiled.

"Rachel." She smiled and continued unpacking the groceries. "Ah, Walker's shortbread."

"I hope you like it."

"Adore it. Thank you, Steve."

The sailors grabbed a soda each and joined the others in the den.

Danny's den was a man cave. A dorm mini fridge, a full sized pool table and 50 inch flat screen on the wall. Two leather recliners facing the TV with children's furniture nearby. Right now, the pool table was covered with a plastic table cloth and pulling double duty as a work table. Danny had the murder board taped on the wall as a visual aide. "Thank you for joining us, gentlemen." The head detective said dryly.

"Hi everyone. Thanks for including us." Steve said as he and Junior took the last two plastic patio chairs. Jerry handed them each their own packet. Steve put his packet in his lap while he opened his orange soda and took a healthy drink. After finding a place to stow it, he opened the packet. "Wow. A lot of information."

"Yeah, I thought it may be helpful if we all saw everyone's else's little discoveries. May be we'll be able to see more patterns of suspicious behaviors. Or, hopefully, a clear motive jumps out at us." Danny said.

"Motive? I thought Lt. Wyler's death was accidental. Collateral damage." Kono asked for clarification.

"Well, the Lt. was murdered. Yes, 'by accident' but by a gun discharged in anger regardless. Someone shot that gun. Someone avoided being murdered. I want those two people. One for murder and one for failing to report and anything else I'm in the moody to throw at them. God help them if they actively misdirected us." Danny was pacing as he ranted. "Personally, l think the bartender and the manager are as guilty as sin itself but why? For what end? I want answers or ammo in hand so I can sweat it out of them."

Minutes went by as team members read from their individual packets. Danny paced while the others read and perused the material. Questions were asked and answered in a fast, free paced manner. Suddenly, the room quieted when Junior asked Kono a seemingly off topic question.

"Kono, why do women suddenly wear heavy …" Junior patted his cheek since he lacked the knowledge of what to call it. "… Cover on their face one day to the next? I was talking to Tani Rey, a waitress in the coffee shop and she said something that I think may be a piece of this puzzle but I don't understand its relevance. She said that the manager, Lynn, was talking to the bartender in the coffee shop yesterday. They were discussing the bar budget she thought. When the bartender lifted his coffee mug for a refill, Lynn flinched. Later, in the ladies room she saw Lynn applying makeup over what she thought were bruises."

Kono frowned. "Pancake? Foundation? Concealer?"

"That's the word! Concealer."

"Women use it to cover flaws, blemishes, small imperfections. But I've seen battered women use it to blend away bruises. It has to be touched up frequently to hide that big of an area." Kono explained.

Danny clapped his hands together triumphantly. "There's our players. I would bet dollars to donuts. What if she was laying in the bed and she saw him coming with a gun. She moves or grabs the gun, it goes off through the wall, kills the sleeping Lt. Wyler. They straighten the room and say nothing. Now we got to prove it."

"Maybe they didn't know that stray bullet killed someone. Lt. Wyler's room was quiet, no TV on. I bet when the maid found him they went into cover up mode." Jerry speculated. "With the new key card system, I bet no one knows the information that program can provide."

"Any results on the short and curly you found in the sheets, Candy. Ah, sorry. Kono?" Danny pointed to their forensic technician.

"Not yet. DNA is being run against samples I took from the staff. I ran it with a 'rush' order on. I used your name sir. I hope that was ok." Kono asked. "The lab rat told me the results would be on your desk by 9 a.m. Monday morning."

"Anything to put the fear in them that way they do what's promised." Danny said with a smile.

Kono consulted her notes. "Sang Min Soo."

Jerry started chuckling. "Spicy!"

Danny looked at Jerry. "What?!"

"Technician Soo really likes Kono. He crossed a line when we were logging the evidence in. Kono handed it promptly and professionally. His reaction was a big smile and 'spicy'.''

"Skinny jerk." Kono said under her breath.

Chin and Junior exchanged amused looks. Both liked the spirited forensic trainee.

"If I don't have that report on my desk by 9:01 a.m., I know who to jump on. Don't worry; I'll make it 'spicy'."

Steve liked Danny's plan. He related to protecting one's own team.

Rachel knocked on the door frame. "Excuse me, but your coals are ready."

"Thanks, Rach. Gentlemen, and Miss Kono, let us adjourn to the patio for burgers and dogs and some brews. Take your chairs."

Everyone grabbed their chairs and filed out a side door to the backyard patio. Danny stood by the door directing traffic. Rachel was standing next to him. "You've got steaks too, Daniel." Rachel added. "Steve brought them."

Daniel looked at Steve as he approached carrying his plastic chair to the patio. "Rare?"

Steve looked at the detective innocently, "Oh, yes. Please."

Danny rolled his eyes heavenward. "Oh God, please, give me strength."