Chapter 19
"Guess Who"
Tuesday morning Steve sat in his office at headquarters examining Keller's file. He rubbed his eyes. They felt gritty from lack of sleep. He forced himself to focus on the words before him. Even though he had gone over the details many times, he hoped there was something he had missed.
His thoughts shifted to the video clips of Keller's meetings with Wo Fat. Steve wondered if the rogue agent's escape could have been orchestrated by Wo Fat, who was established in Hawaii, and had the means to help Keller disappear. If that were the case they needed to locate the car they had a lead on or risk losing Keller completely.
There was a knock at the door and Danny poked his head in. "HPD found the car."
Steve scrambled from behind his desk. That was the news he had been waiting for. "Grab Chin, and let's go."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Steve turned his truck off the main road and followed a narrow lane as it curved along the ocean. Danny sat in the passenger seat trying to think of a way to say what was on his mind. He had to admit he was a little apprehensive about this lead. Not that he would turn and run, but he felt the need to share his concerns with Steve. They were partners after all.
"You do know this might be a set up, right?" Danny said.
"What?" Steve glanced at his partner, and Danny could tell by the look on his face he hadn't heard him.
"I'm trying to share what I'm feeling right now."
Steve looked at him for longer than he should have.
"Hey, watch the road!" Danny yelled.
A horn blared and Steve swerved to avoid hitting an oncoming car. "I'm sorry because I thought you just said you were trying to share your feelings with me while we're in the middle of an important case. But that's ridiculous you wouldn't do that."
"Let me rephrase that, I want to share my concerns that have to do with this case."
Steve gestured toward Danny. "By all means share your concerns."
"I don't like your tone."
Steve sputtered. "Oh, I'm sorry. Please, Daniel, share your concerns."
Danny crossed his arms and looked out his window. "Just forget it."
"Are you serious?" Steve had his aneurysm face. "I just had to sit here and listen to you carry on and now you're not gonna tell me?"
"That's right, big boy. And I wasn't carrying on."
"Okay, whatever." Steve thought that perhaps he had been a little testy with Danny, but he was exhausted and what little energy he had left was reserved for finding Keller. He would apologize later.
As they arrived at the location, Steve spotted two police cars on the left side of the road. On the opposite side, he noticed the car in question parked in the driveway of a moderately sized home.
"Same thing happened last time," Danny mumbled.
"So now you're talking?" Steve replied. Danny flashed him a look and Steve sighed. "Sorry, what happened?"
"We got a hit on a car Keller used, we show up and," Danny smacked his hands together, "boom! The car blows up in our face. Maybe we should call the bomb squad and let them handle this."
Steve pulled the truck to a stop. "You're not bailing on me, are you?"
Danny opened his door. "Thinking about it."
Steve knew the car wasn't the important thing at the moment. It was just the lead that had brought them there. They needed to check out the house and the surrounding area to see if they could find Keller.
Chin and the other officers joined them by the blue Silverado. After a quick meeting, they broke up into two groups and crossed the road. One approached the house from the front while the other went around to the back.
Steve peered in through the open window to the right of the front door. No one was visible. He was about to move to the door when he heard a phone ring from inside the house. He looked back at Danny.
"Maybe it's for you," Danny joked.
Steve frowned and turned his attention back to the door. Clasping the doorknob, he turned it and pushed open the door. The phone still rang. It seemed to intensify as both groups cleared the house room by room.
"Nothing, boss," Chin called as he descended the stairs.
"Not even a gum wrapper," Danny reported, looking at the ringing phone then at his partner. "Are you gonna answer that or should I?"
Steve picked up the bright red phone. "Hello?"
"Guess who?" a familiar voice answered.
"Keller."
"You're so good at this game."
"What do you want?" Steve looked at Chin and pointed to the phone.
"I just wanted to congratulate you on finding the car," Keller commended him. "Unfortunately, you just missed me."
"I will find you."
"I know you will. That's why I'm staying on the line so you can trace this call." He laughed. "So what should we talk about, the weather, upcoming weddings, little brothers? I don't have a brother, but you do. Little Nate is such an interesting study. What's he doing today? Driving around in that nice car of his?"
Steve's mouth went dry. He felt panic tighten his throat. "It's me you want. Leave him out of this."
"You're so noble. Always looking out for those you care about. But you can't protect him forever. He's a big boy and eventually he'll need to go home. You can't possibly keep an eye on him way back in Boston."
Steve felt cold fingers of fear squeezing the life out of him. He couldn't breathe. It seemed Keller knew a lot more about his brother than he realized. "Keller, this is between us. We need to meet somewhere and finish this, just you and me."
"Just the two of us? Doesn't sound like much fun. You punch me, I shoot you and we go back and forth until we're both bloody corpses on the ground. Can you come up with something better?"
"How about you just tell me where you are."
"You're not very imaginative are you? I would have thought with all the time you've spent with my little girl your imagination would have improved."
"What would you even know about that?"
"Natalie's imagination or the time you've spent with her?"
Chin nodded to Steve. He had traced the call.
"Leave her out of this," Steve ordered. "You've hurt her enough."
"And you haven't?" Keller snapped. "I'm not the only one who left her. Unless you've forgotten those four years you weren't around. You didn't even write. Who's the bad daddy now?"
Steve swallowed hard. "I'm gonna find you and this time you're not gonna get away."
"Well, I think I've talked long enough for you to accomplish that," Keller said. "I bid you farewell. Oh, and tell your partner he really shouldn't worry about the car blowing up."
The call ended, but the mock concern in Keller's voice troubled Steve. A sudden beeping confirmed his fear.
"What's that?' Danny asked, looking around.
Steve pulled open a cabinet door near him. "We've got a bomb!" He grabbed Danny's arm and shouted. "Get out!"
The thundering of boots signaled the retreat from the building. A short prayer, panting, and several choice words rose from the group as they sprinted for safety. The bomb exploded and the force from the blast threw them into the air. Steve slammed against the pavement. His hands and knees bore the brunt of the impact. Pain coursed through his right leg and blood oozed from several scrapes on his hands.
The crackling of the fire, the choking of the men and the chattering of the radios filled Steve's ears. He hit the ground with his fist. He was angry at Keller, but more than that, he was angry at himself. Angry that he had allowed his clear thinking to be shut out by his need to get Keller.
These leads were well planned. He had told the others not to underestimate Keller, and yet, he had done just that. He had been desperate to believe that Keller could be so easily found.
Clenching his jaw to keep his frustration from spilling out, he picked himself off the ground. "Anyone hurt?" he called out.
"Only minor injuries," Chin answered.
"What is it with that lunatic?" Danny groaned. "Always blowing things up, damaging people's property, making our lives hell…" He clutched his arm as he caught his breath.
Steve looked at his partner. "You okay?"
"It's just my injury from the first time we tangled with Keller," Danny grimaced. "I hit it on the way out."
Steve looked back at the burning house. "Tell me this isn't happening, Danny."
"Do you really want me to tell you that?"
Steve wiped his arm over his face, but didn't reply.
"Steve, I did trace the call," Chin reminded him. "But you're not gonna like it."
"Where is he?"
"He's a little outside our jurisdiction."
"What's a little?"
"About a hundred miles northwest off the coast of Oahu."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
The last of a rain shower drizzled down on the windshield of Nate's Corvette as he exited the car. The scent of rain and freshly mowed grass mixed in the air as he walked between the headstones toward his father's grave.
Nate saw the familiar figure of his boss waiting for him. Without acknowledging the older man's presence, he gazed down at his father's headstone.
"I'm not sure going against your brother's wishes was a wise decision on your part, Nathan," Mr. Hamilton said.
Nate knew losing his police detail was a bad idea, but he didn't care. "He'll get over it."
Mr. Hamilton gave Nate a curious look. "I'm not sure he will. I think you need to be careful."
"I can handle my brother."
Mr. Hamilton shook his head. He knew this conflict between the brothers would arise if Nate spent too much time in Hawaii. "You're not thinking clearly."
"He's acting like my father. I don't need him to do that."
"Nathan, you have two options. You can let your brother continue to act like your father or you can tell him the truth about yourself." He looked at the younger man. "Which one is less painful?"
"Is there a third option?"
Mr. Hamilton didn't respond.
Nate sighed.
"I should warn you that I've been keeping your brother busy. He needed to think Keller left the island."
"How'd you do that?"
"I was counting on your brother to not think clearly."
"And?"
"And he passed with flying colors."
Nate's brow furrowed. He looked at the older man in disbelief. "I can't tell if you're making a joke or not."
A faint smile crossed Mr. Hamilton's lips. "Your brother behaved as I thought he would. And I fed him the information he wanted to hear."
"Were there any casualties?"
"A house needed to be blown up for dramatic purposes, but don't worry I bought it first. I imagine your brother is at his breaking point by now. That's why, when it comes to ditching your police detail, I wouldn't assume that he will just 'get over it'."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Danny sat at his desk waiting for the eruption of Mount McGarrett. He was sure it would happen any time now, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The only question was what would set him off. For the moment, Steve sat motionless in his office, glaring at the wall. Danny did have some questions regarding another case, but he didn't want to disturb his partner at the moment.
Keller was gone. Legally there was nothing they could do. Of course, that hadn't stopped them in the past, but things were different now. Steve was different. He had Natalie to think about. Danny knew that was the reason Steve was still sitting in his office and had not commandeered a boat to track down Keller.
Danny watched Steve answer his phone. His blank expression changed to his aneurysm face. Danny could hear him yelling. The eruption was beginning, and he imagined it would go on for some time.
"What do you mean you lost my brother?" Steve roared. "He what? You know what, find him. And I don't care if you have to arrest him; I want him in my office as soon as possible."
A/N: Thank you for reading this story, which I hope is still making sense. I know it's taking me a long time to write, but I hope you continue to enjoy it. Thanks for all the encouraging reviews, and I'll try to post more often.