Chapter 4- A really big clue to finding David
Danny was getting frustrated as he searched for signs of David Morrison, the hotel had been clear about the check in time and had seen him a few times. But after that things seemed to get a little blurry. He'd shown David's photo to some stores and businesses surrounding the hotel but so far got back a big fat zip. How could nobody have seen the guy,
Danny wandered across the road then jumped in fright as a car tooted at him as it missed him by inches. Heart hammering Danny sat in his car. For all he knew the incident that saw him hospitalized cold have been him being hit by a car while crossing the road. All future Danny had said was "I was walking down.."
He'd surmised that whatever happen hadn't been deliberate. Steve hadn't seemed concerned in that meeting or told Kono or Chin he was looking for someone who'd assaulted him. So it must have been an accident. Vowing to be more careful Danny was about to leave the car and try as Steve put it to be 'more creative' when his radio sprang to life. Danny answered it and found himself getting patched through to Steve. "Danno, just thought I'd better let you know that I've had a call threatening the life of the 5-0 team. The guy sounds like a real nut so be on your guard Danno."
Danny smiled to himself obviously his call had provoked a response from Steve. "will do Steve", Danny acknowledged. He put down the radio knowing that later on he'd have to risk making another threatening call to Steve. That was the only way he could be sure they'd beef up security.
Out of the corner of his eye Danny noticed one of Hawaii's local tourist scammers "Norty" or Fredrick Norton. Danny wondered if the hustler could have seen or tried to scam David Morrison. Being careful to look unconcerned Danny left the car and wandered in Norty's direction. Unfortunately the scam artist saw Danny coming and made a run for it.
Danny sprinted after him and having the advantage of age and fitness on his side quickly ran the hustler down. "Look Mr Williams", I aint done nothing", Norty pleaded. Danny put his hands by his side and forced himself to look relaxed.
"I didn't say you had Norty, all I want is some information".
The small time hustler began to relax, "alright", he stated, "whatca want"
"Have you seen this man", Danny flashed David Morrisons photo. Norty looked at it, "naah", he stated. Danny suppressed a sigh and went to turn away. "Hold on", Norty interrupted his voice sounding puzzled, "let me see that again". Danny let him take the photo. "It could have been him', Norty said softly, almost to himself.
"where, when, Danny asked quickly. "Look it could have been him Mr Williams, not that it was, this guy kinda looked a bit different but a bit the same", Norty stated confusingly. "Just tell me what you know", Danny demanded. "Well I was looking around for customers when I noticed that guy. I started to size him up, as a…Norty looked at Danny, prospect for a sale", he continued. "But I decided against it", Norty said with a firm voice. "Why", Danny asked curiously. It wasn't like Norton to back down from scamming some unsuspecting person. "Well firstly, he didn't exactly fit the bill as a tourist. I saw him leave the hotel but he didn't have a map yet he seemed sure of where he was going , then when he got closer I noticed", Norton looked around. "Noticed what", Danny prodded. "That he was carrying a gun", Norton stated with a shiver. "His jacket flapped open a little and I clearly saw it." That kind of put me off scam, Norton suddenly seemed to remember who he was talking to," umm selling him stuff". Danny nodded yep something like a gun would definitely put Norton off. "So where did he go", Danny asked. Norton pointed toward one of the stores, "in there', he stated.
Quickly thanking the man Danny strode toward the store, which sold TVs ,radios and other electronic equipment. He hadn't really considered this store as a probable place for David to go before. Danny found a shop assistant and flashed his badge. "Excuse me', he asked, 'have you seen this man", he flashed Morrison's photo. The assistant looked at the photo and frowned, "maybe', he muttered. "You're not sure", Danny prompted. That seemed to be all he was getting lately uncertainty. "Yeah well it might have been him", the assistant stated. " He came in wanting to buy some electronic parts, so he could fix his TV, or so he said". Danny put his head on one side, "what do you mean or so he said". "well just that the parts he wanted to buy wouldn't fix any TV that I know of. When I mentioned it to him, he started getting upset. I was thinking of calling the manager when the guy ran out the store."
The assistant looked at the photo again, "that doesn't look exactly like him, but there is a resemblance." Danny began to wonder if David was deliberately changing his appearance for some reason. It was beginning to look like he may be up to something and Danny couldn't lose sight of the fact that David was a friend of the Governor and hence had access to an important political figure.
"Can you give me a list of the parts he wanted to buy", Danny asked.
He'd give the list to Che and see if he could suggest a purpose for the parts.
The list was handed over and Danny decided to return to David's hotel and ask more questions. The Hotel was the only point where the identification of the photo had been definite and Danny wanted to see if he could trace the moment David decided to disguise himself..
The hotel manager rolled his eyes when he saw Danny, "Mr Williams, you're scaring off the customers", he chastised. Danny ignored him. He'd already searched David's room and come up with nothing so what else could he do. "I need to talk to the last person to see Mr Morrison again. Danny took out his note book, the desk clerk, Patrick Reeve". The manager sighed, "you're taking him away from his job, Mr Williams and we are busy." Danny looked around the almost empty lobby and raised an eyebrow. The manager noticed Danny's look, "well we were busy", he stated firmly emphasizing the word 'were'. "I only need a minute of Mr Reeve's time", Danny clarified. There was another sigh, " "It's not like I'm trying to impede your investigation Mr Williams", the manager replied, it's just that I now know that Mr. Reeve was not the last person to see Mr Morrison". Danny raised his eyebrows higher. "really", he prompted, "can you tell me who was the last person to see him." The manager sighed loudly anticipating that Danny was going to be hanging around a while longer, "Well to explain things, Mr Morrissey came down to the desk after about an hour in his room, he asked if we'd give him some change, then he went back into the lift and we thought he was returning to his room. However I've just found out that our security guard saw him up on the top floor. That's where we have our penthouse suites that are leased full time. They pay for extra security so there's usually a guard up there", the manager explained.
Danny got in the lift himself and went up to see the guard. He flashed David's picture.
"Yep, I saw him", there was not doubt in the guards voice." I found him wandering around by the apartment doors down there", the guard indicated 3 closed doors. "when I asked him what he was doing, he just said he'd wondered if there was a viewing deck up here". I said no and that these were private apartments and out of bounds to guests then I escorted him to the lift". So you saw him go back down ", Danny asked. The guard nodded, "yes and I saw that the lift stopped on the 6th floor for quite a while obviously that's where his room was."
Danny frowned David's room was not on the 6th floor. Getting back in the lift Danny stopped off at the 6th floor himself. He got out and looked at a long row of doors, knocking on each one and asking everyone if they'd seen David would take a long time. He began to walk down the corridor, just to see if he could ascertain any reason for David to get out of the lift on this floor. He slowed as he saw a large flap covered hole in the wall. Noticing a maid cleaning one of the rooms Danny asked her what the hole was for. "That's the laundry shoot sir, we bring all the sheets and the like to this floor and push them down there." To illustrate her point she shoved some blankets in the hole." Danny nodded and was about to turn away when he heard the maid swear. Looking at the shoot Danny noticed that sheets were now sticking out the top. "Damn it something's stuck in there", the maid exclaimed. "Stupid guests are always putting stuff in there, last week we even found a chair."
Looking at the blockage Danny felt goose bumps rising for no particular reason, 'where does this shoot lead", he asked. "The maid told him and Danny found himself re entering the lift and heading for the basement. There he flashed his badge and was let into the laundry room. Several employees were grumbling as they were pulling masses of bunched up sheets out of the shoot. "Someone's been playing jokes", the laundry supervisor grumbled with a head shake. Another bunch of sheets came out and Danny saw they were causing the staff problems as they tried to lug them out of the shoot. "They're probably wet, that's another favourite joke by guests, stuffing soaking wet…", he stopped and went pale as the full length of the wad of sheets was revealed. Danny saw that they were indeed wet but not with water. A red hue soaked through them and as the wad hit ground Danny clearly saw the cause. A body was wrapped securely in the blankets. On looking at the face, Danny knew that one part of his job was over, he'd just found David Morrison.