Chapter One
Steve replayed the message on his cell phone, listening to the corporate lawyer's voice on the other end.
'Mr. McGarrett, this is Gordon Linfield of the law offices of Linfield, Collins and Strap, calling again, on behalf of Peter McKay III and Cash McKay." the word 'again' emphasized as if it were a heavy burden.
'As I have mentioned in the two previous phone calls, they wish to speak to you about a job offer. Please return my call as soon as possible so we can discuss the specific details of the offer. My number is 212-555-9281. I hope to hear from you soon so I do not have to leave another message. I think you will find the details of my clients offer very lucrative. Thank you and goodbye.'
Steve replayed it a third time, trying to recall the name Peter McKay.
'An old Navy buddy?' he thought, but the name was not ringing a bell.
He shrugged it off, setting his phone down. He and the team had just come off a long, exhausting case and even though he'd heard all three messages from Gordon Linfield, he'd been too busy to call him back. But now the case was put to rest as well as the paperwork. They had three days off and he was planning on sleeping for at least one of them, starting a new job was not on his agenda, no matter who these McKay people were; he had to admit though, it had triggered his curiosity.
He looked at the number displayed on his phone as Danny walked past his office.
"Hey," he called out.
Danny stopped and took two steps back, standing in the doorway of Steve's office. "Make it quick, I'm heading out."
"Area code 2-1-2, do you know where that is off the top of your head?"
He answered without even having to think about it. "New York City. Why?"
Steve shook his head, "Never mind, it's nothing. Go home. I'll talk to you later."
Danny held his hand up for a lazy wave through the glass as he headed for the exit.
"Wait! Danny!"
He stopped again with a heavy sigh and backed up until he was in front of Steve's door. "If you say the Governor is calling, I quit."
Steve chuckled over that, "No. What's going on with Gracie and UCLA? Did she get in?"
That sparked his attention. "Kind of, not really on her terms but she got in."
"What do you mean?"
Well they don't really give scholarships to cheerleaders."
"So. She'll join the squad after she's enrolled."
"Getting on the cheer team isn't really her worry. She's already spoken to the coaches and they've seen her at competitions." He leaned against the doorframe. "It's the matter of tuition. Since Rachel married money bags Stan, child support really wasn't essential for their needs."
"Right," Steve nodded, "so instead you pay for all the extracurricular stuff, cheer, social events, college. I know."
"Right," Danny said rolling his eyes. "Do you have any idea how much it has cost for her to cheer since the 6th grade?"
Steve got an uneasy look on his face, not knowing the exact amount but knowing the challenges Danny had faced over the years. "A lot?"
"Yes a lot. Two trips a year to California for competition, clothes, shoes, hair, dance lessons, coach expense, camp. It's cost me a fortune. Living here in Hawaii has not been the cheapest either. I finally just got a house and now I have college to pay for. Not just any college either, UCLA, which also means out of state tuition."
Steve sat back at his desk. "Do you have anything put away for it?"
Danny shrugged, "Yes, some. I have money taken out of my check and put in a college fund for her, but it's not enough."
"What about an academic scholarship?" Steve suggested. "Gracie's so smart. She has to be eligible for at least one."
"You would think, but they aren't so easy to come by."
"I would mention that there are other colleges out there," Steve said, "but I know how much she has her heart set on cheering for UCLA."
"It's my curse," Danny replied, "and hers too. She told me the other day that if I couldn't afford it that she could stay here and go to U of H."
"Wow," Steve said, shocked over the selfless offer, but then again not really. "She's a great kid, Danny."
"I know, that's why she deserves to go. She worked her ass off for this dream. She's a true athlete. It's just a shame that there's no money at the college level for it. They pay to come watch the football and basketball team, not the cheer team, or so they say."
"Yea," Steve agreed, knowing it must be weighing heavy on his partner.
"Oh well," Danny said. "I'll figure it out. I always do." He stepped away from the open door. "I'm outta here."
"I'll see you tomorrow night?"
'Tomorrow?" Danny questioned, and then recalled the dinner invitation. "Oh yea, the BBQ. I'll see you then."
"Good, because you know you'll miss me by then."
Danny chuckled as he walked away, raising his hand once again as a form of saying goodbye.
Steve sat back in his chair, thinking about Gracie and recalling stages over the years when he had attended a handful of her cheer competitions himself. She was good at what she did, no, he thought, she was exceptional. She'd earned her way up the chain to Captain and even having the talent to choreograph a few of the routines that had won them championships; one even a National title.
He felt for Danny, knowing how much he himself wanted Gracie to go to UCLA, he could only imagine the burden that weighed on his partner's shoulders over it.
And Gracie's desire, well, that was without question, it had been her dream for as long as he could remember. Once she got the plan in her head, it was all she talked about. UCLA was the place she wanted to be. He couldn't quite recall the exact age, somewhere between eleven and twelve, but he did remember the event that had triggered it all. She had attended a cheer camp at UCLA and had trained with the cheerleaders there. She had actually got a chance to cheer before a live football game at The Rose Bowl and from that moment on, she was hooked.
He felt his stomach rumble and moved on from that thought to food. It had been at least twelve hours since he'd eaten anything and even then it was just a sad sandwich that they had picked up at a convenience store while getting gas for the Camaro.
He tried to decide what he was hungry for, but was so hungry that everything sounded good.
He shut down his laptop and grabbed his keys off his desk and figured if he passed something on the way home that was too tempting, he'd, stop, otherwise he knew there was food in the fridge and freezer this week.
Home is where he just wanted to end up.
…..
Steve came down the stairs the next morning at a little past eleven. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept in this late but needed the extra hours and felt rejuvenated because of it.
He was dressed in his favorite board shorts that were covered in a variety of Hawaiian flowers but still managed to look masculine. He was ready to go for a swim when there was a knock at his door.
He made a face; not wanting visitors, hoping it was just a solicitor that he could quickly get rid of.
He made his way over to the door in his bare feet swinging the beach towel in his hand over his shoulder.
He opened it to a slightly older man with salt and pepper hair that was well groomed, wearing a suit and tie. Not the norm in Hawaii no matter how much Danny argued the fact. He looked down at the brown leather briefcase in his hand.
"Aloha," Steve said. "Can I help you?"
The man looked him up and down as well. Gordon was not expecting the man he had read up on to look the way he did in person. The pictures he had seen of Steven J. McGarrett were in uniform and not the same image of the man that was standing before him now, shirtless, shoeless and in a bathing suit. Although his build was impressive, the tattoos were not in his opinion and no one he associated with would ever answer the door dressed that way.
"Steven J. McGarrett?" he asked.
"Yes," Steve replied, looking at him oddly and then looking past him as well, getting a visual of his surroundings that didn't look out of the ordinary, except for the black Cadillac El Dorado parked next to his truck. "What can I do for you?"
The man held his hand out. "I've left several messages with you that have gone unreturned, so it was requested by my client that I visit you in person. So here I am."
Steve ignored the out stretched hand, his expression became a cross between shocked and a little disturbed as well; knowing whom this person was before he even said his name.
He forwent the handshake, dropping his hand back to his side. "I'm Gordon Linfield, of the Law Offices of Linfield, Collins and"
"Strap," Steve said simultaneously with him. "Yea, I know who you are, and I heard the messages," he said with a slight annoyance in his voice. "I've been pretty busy. What are you doing here?"
"As I said on the phone Lieutenant McGarrett…"
"Lieutenant Commander," Steve corrected him. If he was going to throw his military background out there, whoever he was, then he'd better get it right, he thought.
"Right," Gordon nodded, "my apologies, Sir." He scolded himself for the error but was not really accustomed to dealing with any kind of military personnel, hoping to win him over by addressing his rank but now hoped he hadn't offended too much by not getting it correct.
"Why are you here Mr. Linfield?" Steve asked again with a heavy sigh, feeling the ocean calling. It had been three days since he'd been able to go for his daily swim and he was itching for it.
"I think we might have got off on the wrong foot, Mr. McGarrett." He held his hand out again. "My apologies for the intrusion. I have come a long way to see you."
Steve thought of the 2-1-2 area code number and Danny's comment that it was from New York, wondering if this guy came all the way from there just to see him? His curiosity now outweighed his itching for a swim.
He shook his hand this time, "You can call me Steve. Mr. McGarrett was my father," he grinned.
Gordon smiled politely, pleased that he may have got back into his good graces. "May I come in, Steve and have a word?" Using his first name was an uncomfortable one, not used to such informality in his line of work when dealing with clients.
Steve moved out of the way, opening the door wider, "Sure, c'mon in." He closed the door as Gordon entered and surveyed his surroundings.
The house was a modest one compared to what he was used to, but the view out the back through the kitchen was just as impressive as a view of Central Park in his opinion. The living area was clean and well kept for a bachelor, which was commendable for a man who lived on a policeman salary, assuming he did the cleaning himself, which also told him he was not lazy and took pride in where he lived as well as his job from what he had read about him.
"From your voicemail you had mentioned a job," Steve said, "I'm sorry to say that I already have a job that takes up a great deal of my time, that's why I hadn't responded to your messages. I apologize for that as well, I'm usually pretty good about keeping up on things, but like I said. I've been pretty busy at work."
"I understand," Gordon replied, "no apologies needed, Mr. McG…, Steve," he corrected. "The job of a Police Officer is both demanding and admirable. I understand your not getting back to me, which is why I came to Hawaii. I thought it might be more convenient for you."
'Bullshit,' Steve thought, 'he's here for something he needs to get done for whoever this client Peter McKay the third is, and how the hell did he know I was a cop?' he thought suspiciously, but not necessarily threatened by him.
"Where is a good place to talk?" Gordon asked, glancing around what he considered a small living room.
It had been unseasonably warm the past week and if you weren't used to it, it could feel ten degrees warmer than it actually was, and Steve could already see a bead of sweat building on Gordon's forehead.
"Why don't we go out back where it's cooler," Steve suggested.
"Very well," he agreed, waiting for Steve to lead the way.
They went past the kitchen to the french doors. Steve opened them and motioned to the lanai table and chairs. "Have a seat, I'm going to grab a shirt. Can I get you anything to drink?"
"Yes, please," Gordon, replied, "club soda would be very refreshing."
Steve smiled, "Well if you want refreshing, I have a cold Longboard but if you want water it's going to be tap."
Gordon smiled uneasily, hoping he hadn't offended him once again. "Water would be just fine, thank you."
Steve rolled his eyes as he turned toward the laundry room, going in and grabbing a T-shirt off the top of the pile on the dryer. He shook it open to put on and glanced at the decal on the front of it. It was of a surfer hanging ten with the same words written across the wave he was on. He tossed it aside considering it too relaxed for the guy sitting on his patio. He suddenly felt a little out of his element even though he was in his own home. He chose a dark blue polo shirt on a hanger above the dryer instead, slipping it on as he came out. He went to the front door next and put on a pair of black slippers he usually wore to the beach or to run errands, just wanting something on his feet. He then went to the kitchen for the drinks.
He came out to the lanai a few minutes later and Gordon had most of the table covered with his open briefcase and a small set of papers neatly organized in front of him.
Steve set the drink down on the corner edge and took the seat directly across from him. "What's all this?"
"You have a beautiful view," Gordon complimented as he looked out toward the beach, which was essentially Steve's backyard. "Have you lived here long?"
"Yes. It was my parent's house before they died. I grew up here for most of my life." he didn't bother to fill him in on the gory details of his teenage years and being sent off to military school after his mother was killed.
"I'm sorry to here about your parents," Gordon replied, but he already knew of their deaths and where Steve had gone to grade school, military school and basic training, both for the Navy and for BUD/S and he knew precisely how long this house had been owned by the McGarrett family.
Steve nodded and smiled slightly to be polite, glancing down at the paperwork. "So…why are you here?"
"Are you familiar with McKay Enterprises?"
Steve narrowed his eyes, searching his brain again for the familiarity of that name. "Not that I can recall."
"How about cell phones, or laptops or iPads, Smart TV's?" Gordon said with a wide grin, knowing if you didn't live under a rock, you'd heard of all of those things.
"Ok, sure, of course."
"McKay Industries is the lead manufacturer of key components that go into all of those products and more. Peter McKay II engineered the microchip back in 1993 that would go into those products for picture enhancement. What we know today as HD, High Definition and I don't believe I need to go into detail of the success of the company's that he sells his product to, a couple of which that you know of as Apple, Samsung and Sony to name a few. His son Peter McKay III is now the president of the company after his father's untimely death nine years ago."
"I get it, so what does Peter McKay want with me?"
"Well, it is not Peter McKay per say that has inquired about you, Mr. McG…Steve. It's his son, Cash McKay. Cash, his father as well as his sister Amanda, are clients of mine."
"Cash?" Steve questioned the brother's name. "They named their kid, Cash?"
Gordon smiled uneasily, feeling this was the first thing that he found they had in common. They both thought the name 'Cash' ridiculous. "Yes, I realize it is a very unorthodox name for a child, but then again, well, the McKay family is very…how should I say, unique in that aspect." He wanted to say spoiled, overindulging, and plain lazy, but that was not his business, his business was getting them what they wanted when they wanted it and making a lot of money in doing so. In a nutshell, they were his most important clients.
"Ok," Steve said suspiciously, "so when are you going to break the news of why you are here, because to be quite honest this is my first day off in a while and I have things I'd like to get done."
Gordon took a drink of his ice water and set the glass back down, looking across at him; "Cash McKay would like to hire you as security aboard their yacht as he and Amanda sail the Cook Islands."
Steve sat back and looked at him liked he was crazy, "What?! You got to be kidding me?"
"I certainly am not." He picked up a two page stapled paper and handed it across to him. "This is a contract that would pay you the lump sum of $10,000 for a two week security job. You would have your own private cabin and all expenses would be paid for your first class transportation to the Cook Islands, there and back."
Steve took the papers being handed to him in shock and awe, his eyes focused on Gordon wondering who the hell these people were that had money like that to just toss around and why they felt they needed security and how in the hell they came to choose him.
He glanced over the contract that looked more complicated that it should have been. The top portion was laid out with the money and how it would be distributed to him but the bottom portion was filled out with rules and clauses that went along with the job. He smiled at a the first two…
1. Subject will wear uniform at all times that will be provided at no cost.
2. Subject will not mingle or interact with members of the McKay family or any guests of the McKay family while on board the vessel or during excursions unless it entails to the specific job hired for.
Steve grinned as he scanned down the page and then flipped over the first stapled sheet to see that the list went on, ending at number 24. He had to admit the $10,000 was intriguing but the rules were ridiculous. He didn't have to think it over for too long, he and had no intention of taking this job, not that the money didn't sound good, but it just seemed to good to be true and the list of rules solidified that. It sounded like a baby-sitting job for a bunch of rich kids. He pictured parties on the yacht, and onshore excursions that would be difficult to control. It would be a nightmare is what he was thinking. Yet, he was still curious as why they came to him.
"Why me?" he asked.
Gordon took another drink of his water and sat up straight. "Cash McKay was here in Hawaii several months back and during that visit you had broken up a criminal drug ring that was doing business on Oahu. There was a write up about you in the local paper. It was impressive and it also made an impression on Cash. A couple of weeks back he contacted me about this cruise they want to take aboard their father's yacht and asked for you specifically. So here I am."
"The Ziam bust," Steve said, recalling the article as well. It was from an upcoming journalist and it was her first real assignment. He had agreed to meet with her and reluctantly do the interview only because she had practically hounded him day and night until he finally caved. Kylie was smart, beautiful and although they argued that she had embellished the article, he couldn't help but be pleased by the outcome. She had got her first write up and he got a date out of it. The liaison lasted a month, neither one of them too disappointed when it ended. It wasn't due to lack of chemistry, but lack of time. Careers ended that relationship.
"Just sign on the bottom of page two?" Gordon requested, handing Steve a pen that he had taken from a black case. "You're flight to Rarotonga leaves on the 20th."
"Whoa, just hold on a minute," Steve said, holding his hands up in front of him as he sat back in the chair. "I'm not accepting this job."
It was Gordon's turn to look at him like he was crazy. "Mr. McGarrett, I have to say that I'm surprised over your quick decision to turn down this lucrative offer. I don't mean to insult you in any way, sir, but your salary is public record since you work as a public servant. You make $81,000 a year, which breaks down to about $1600 a week before taxes. I'm offering you $5000 a week to do a job you are overqualified for."
"How do you know? You're judging my qualifications by one article?"
"Not really," Gordon responded. "Cash and Peter McKay also had me to do a background check on you. Your résumé speaks for itself. It only enhanced Peter McKay's desire to hire you for his son and daughter's security on this cruise."
"How many people will be on the boat?" he asked. If it was just the two of them, it might be worthwhile to look into it at least.
"I don't have that information. That will be up to the McKay's and the discrepancy of the Captain. You will answer to him."
That pretty much did it for him. Not only would his hands be tied, but also, he'd have to indulge a Yacht Captain who was probably all about serving the clients and any kind of security detail he would want to enforce would be scrutinized.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm really not interested."
Gordon was not looking forward to relaying the message of decline to Peter McKay or Cash. "Please," he asked, "take some time to think about it. My flight leaves tomorrow at noon. Mr. McKay is looking forward very much to having you on board his vessel for the safety of his family."
"Wait a minute. Mr. McKay as in Cash, or Mr. McKay as in Dad, Peter."
"Peter McKay III has requested security while they sail aboard his yacht, Cash was granted the privilege of choosing the security detail, with final approval from his father of course. They have chosen you."
"Why do they need security? Are they being threatened in some way?"
"No, not at all."
"Ok, so I'm beginning to understand a little more here. It's Dad's yacht and they just need someone to walk behind them when they go shopping to make sure they don't leave a credit card behind, or to keep a handle on the parties? It really sounds like a baby sitting job to me and I'm not in that line of work."
Gordon couldn't conceal his disappointment, but he also couldn't argue Steve's point because it was exactly the way he had just laid it out. "There is always the issue of a threat against the family, but that is normal when you have the kind of money that the McKay's do. But yes, the last time they were on the yacht it did get rather, how should I say…slightly out of hand."
Steve huffed, "Slightly out of hand how?"
"They did several thousands of dollars of damage to the yacht, but that was two years ago, and they both are more responsible adults now."
'Bullshit,' Steve thought. 'Its an overpaid baby sitting job.'
Gordon could clearly see the less than enthused expression on Steve's face. He began to quickly gather his papers. "Please, just think it over. I'll reach out to you tomorrow for a final answer."
"I'm afraid I already…"
"Twenty thousand," he offered. "You take the night to consider." He closed his briefcase and stood up.
Steve's expression had gone from bored over this visit to irritated as he walked him to the door. The extra $10,000 also annoyed him, he said 'no' and throwing the extra money out there was sure sign that he felt as if he could buy him.
"I'll think about it," Steve appeased him. He just wanted him to get out so he could go for a swim. He'd call him later and turn it down again.
He closed the front door and looked out the window as Gordon got in his car and backed up.
"Geez, pushy little guy," he mumbled, going to the back door. He came out to the lanai and stripped the polo shirt off as well as the slippers and headed straight to the water.