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Serious Misstep (1/1)

"Thanks very much for your help on this," a burly man in an FBI windbreaker said as the team gathered in the parking lot of 5-0 headquarters and prepared to head out. The name tag on his jacket identified him as Agent Cohen. "This is going to be a pretty high-profile arrest. I don't expect any problems but you never know. We have a lot of moving parts. Multiple agencies are waiting to get a piece of this guy. FBI, SEC, ATF … the full alphabet soup."

"We're happy to help," Steve said as he secured his TAC vest while Danny, Chin, and Kono checked their weapons. "When the request came through it was just for an assist. No other info. Who's the target?"

"We wanted to play it close to the vest until we had all the warrants signed and ready," Cohen said. "We're after State Senator Josh Collins."

The team exchanged looks.

"You know him?" Cohen asked.

"My wife works for the governor," Steve said. "She's mentioned his name a few times."

Two months earlier

The team could tell by her body language and general demeanor as she entered headquarters that Catherine was not happy.

"Everything okay?" Steve asked as she approached him.

"Well, I just threatened a state senator, so there's that," Catherine huffed.

"Do I need to start gathering bail money?" Danny teased.

The comment worked as intended and Catherine's tension dissipated immediately.

"I think we're safe." She smiled. "He's all bark and no bite."

Steve leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Wanna tell us what happened?"

"I just found out that Senator Collins is going to block the governor's plan to implement new rules for short-term lenders," Catherine growled. "It's not even going to make it out of the finance committee."

"Can he do that?" Steve retrieved a bottle of water from the small refrigerator under the coffee station and handed it to her.

She took a sip. "Unfortunately he can."

"By short-term lenders do you mean those payday loan places?" Chin asked. "Those places are worse than loan sharks."

Catherine nodded in agreement. "They prey on people who are scared and desperate. They present themselves as an answer to someone's financial problems but in reality they create a debt spiral people can never get out of. The governor has a plan to limit the amount of interest they can charge and to curb their aggressive collection tactics."

Kono looked confused. "Why would anyone want to block that?"

"Because two of the island's largest short-term lenders are headquartered in his district and my guess is they're lining the pockets of Senator Collins," Catherine spat out, the disgust in her voice very apparent. "His father would be mortified by the way he's behaved since he took office."

"Oh, that's right," Danny said, suddenly remembering the back story. "He won his father's seat in a special election last year, didn't he?"

Catherine nodded. "Jack Collins served that district as state senator for almost 30 years. When he found out he had terminal cancer he resigned, a special election was set, and before he died he backed his son for his old seat. I'm sure he had no idea once his son got into office he'd start looking at the senate as a way to make money. Everyone knows he's selling his votes and peddling influence wherever he can."

"Isn't there anything anyone can do to stop him?" Chin asked.

"The ethics committee did an investigation last month but it ended up so tied up in partisan bickering it didn't get anywhere." Catherine picked at the label on the water bottle. "It's very frustrating."

"I wanna get back to the threat," Danny said. "That doesn't sound like you."

"He came to my office to tell me he intended to block the bill," Catherine explained. "Like he wanted to see my face when I heard the news. He's THAT kind of guy."

"You've dealt with difficult senators before," Steve pointed out.

"I know. It's just that … it's bad enough the bill is getting blocked but the fact that it's by a senator from the governor's own party makes it a hundred times worse."

"I hate to sound like a broken record but where did the threat come in," Danny asked.

"As he was leaving he told me that he had no loyalty to the party or to the governor. That he's going to do things his way as long as he's in office. He said that if I didn't like it maybe I should resign and become a full-time mom. Make sure that my kids didn't get on the wrong path while I'm busy having a career."

Steve's neck muscles tightened.

"I told him to never mention my children again," Catherine said. "And he said 'Or what? You'll sic the commander on me?'"

Danny shook his head. "That was the wrong thing to say."

"Yes, it was," Catherine agreed. "I told him that if I ever heard him say another word about our kids, or even breathe in their direction, Steve McGarrett would be the least of his worries. I'd end him myself."

Back in the present

"Well apparently someone wanted this guy taken down pretty badly," Agent Cohen said. "About six weeks ago I got an envelope containing a full investigative report on this guy and his habit of soliciting bribes. One went to the SEC too because apparently our boy has been engaging in some insider trading and to the ATF because it looks like he took a number of bribes to support licensing of several bars and a gun store to a person he knew was serving as a front for convicted felons."

"He's been busy," Kono observed. She bit her lip to avoid a smile and couldn't make eye contact with Chin, Danny, or Steve because she was sure they were doing the same. She knew only one person capable of creating a report that detailed in a matter of days.

Cohen's radio crackled with the news that everything was in place and they all headed to their vehicles for the short trip to the senate office building where the arrest would be made.

"His luck is about to run out," Agent Cohen said. "I just wish I knew who sent us the report. That thing was an investigative masterpiece. Laid the whole case out on a silver platter. All we had to do was confirm details and follow the trail of clues provided. I'd hire whoever did that investigation in a heartbeat."

Steve smirked and said in a voice loud enough for only the team to hear. "She already has a job she loves as the governor's chief of staff."

"This guy is going away for a long time," Cohen said as he opened the door of his black SUV.

As the team peeled off towards their own cars Danny grinned. "And for anyone who needed a reminder, that is why you don't mess with Catherine Rollins."

THE END

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