The Flying Trapeze

Chapter Three

Zebraboymom

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me. I'm starting a writing campaign to own them. Think it will work?

Author Notes: Hi guys. I got in late last night, so this is sort of short compared to the other chapters, but I wanted to post. A break in the case.

It was still dark outside when Kono felt the presence of someone in their jungalow. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck go up. Steve still had his arm wrapped protectively around her and she had her arm and a leg slung over him. She tried to lie really still, but alert Steve at the same time. She listened to his heart rate and she realized he was awake too and just as aware they had an intruder. His grip on her tightened protectively. What would he do? Kono waited for his cue until a throat cleared and a husky voice spoke in a stage whisper.

"Now if I was Chin, you two would be in a world of hurt right now. You two should see yourselves; very cute, very cozy."

Steve groaned in relief.

"Danny what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"Chaperoning you two?"

"I'm serious Danno."

"What you do after hours is your business, but right now I've got some bad news. They found our couple. They were murdered. The FBI found their bodies washed up on the beach an hour ago. Chin sent me to get you. No one from the camp knows yet, but we have to move fast. You guys can't be caught on the scene."

Steve and Kono were out of bed in an instant.

"Oh, nice PJs, Kalakaua."

"Shut up Danny."

Kono was back in police mode.

They dressed quickly and headed out at a jog. It was a moonlit night so they were able to move fast. Danny led them down towards where they had been surfing earlier. The beach was swarming with FBI agents and a CSI team. Steve walked right up to Chin and the guy he assumed was Sam Weston, the FBI guy.

"Talk to me Chin."

"Steve this is Sam Weston. Agent Weston this is Steve McGarrett and Detective Kono Kalkaua."

"Sorry to meet you under these circumstances Commander McGarrett."

"We were really hoping to find them alive."

"Yeah, us too. It's a shame. It just doesn't make any sense. Young couple, no criminal record comes to Hawaii to have fun at a circus camp and three days later they're dead. Looks like we will wrap everything up here and move the bodies to the lab before dawn."

Steve kneeled down to uncover the bodies. Weston was right. They were young twentysomethings. Both had their throats cut. Steve couldn't help but feel bad that they hadn't figured things out sooner. He looked up at Kono who was examining the woman. The ME was writing on a clipboard.

"They weren't in the water for more than a few hours. Can't tell yet exactly when they were murdered, but most of the evidence has been washed away. This is going to be a hard one to solve."

Steve stood to face Weston.

"We'll stay undercover for a few more days until the full autopsy report and see if there are any leads at all. Will you tell the others at the camp?"

"That's the plan. If someone at the camp did this, we want them to think the case is over. The FBI will no longer be a presence. Let the killer or killers start to feel safe again. That's where you guys fit in. Keep playing your parts and I'll keep you posted about any results through Chin or Danny. Be careful though. This was the couple that was training on the trapeze just like the two of you. It might or might not be connected. Just watch your back. Nice to have met you McGarrett."

Steve shook his hand and motioned the team over to a rock. Steve leaned against it, folded his arms and looked at the team expectantly. Kono was the first to speak.

"Okay, so they didn't just leave on their own or get into a fight and decide to call it quits. Either someone that works at the camp is involved or one of the couples, but why? What were these two into?"

Danny shared some surprising news.

"I followed our little gigolo and he met up with David Crowder's girlfriend Janet tonight. They used one of the empty jungalows that's in really bad shape. He was with her all night, so if the bodies were dumped tonight, he's off the hook."

Chin had some surprising news of his own.

"Looks like James and Lani aren't all they appear to be. One of the riggers said they had been in trouble for leaving camp at odd hours and missing rehearsals. Nobody saw them the night the couple disappeared. They were nowhere to be found. FBI questioned them, but didn't go any further. Why didn't Weston share that with us?"

Steve looked over at Weston and the man was watching them. The agent quickly averted his eyes.

"Chin, get on the phone with HQ and find out everything you can about Sam Weston. I want to know how long he's been in the islands. I want to know what cases he's been working on. I want to know where he's been before this. Let's meet up tonight down here again and see what we know."

"Danny, you need to go through every bungalow of the couples we targeted again. There may be new evidence. Do you know where James and Lani bunk?"

"Yeah, they have their own jungalow."

"Go over it with a fine tooth comb. Weston deciding to pull everyone out doesn't make sense to me. Why wouldn't he press even further? It's obvious the answers are here at the camp. I don't buy the whole let the killer get comfortable scenario. Do the two of you know most of the agents on his team?"

Chin and Danny nodded.

"I want to know if any of them show up during the day today. If so, then Weston is lying to us and I want to know why? Let's close this case."

The four of them headed back to camp and then split up when they got to the jungalow where Kono and Steve were staying.

"Be careful everybody. We're on our own here. The FBI doesn't have our backs any more."

Steve and Kono slipped back into bed with their clothes on. It would be daylight in a couple of hours anyway. They lay facing each other, too keyed up to go back to sleep. They lay there in silence. Steve spoke first.

"I want you to be careful tomorrow. Stay close to me, okay?"

"Steve, don't get over protective of me now. It could affect the case and I want to find the people responsible for this. You've always trusted me to do my job. Trust me now."

"I do. Just don't read too much into me wanting you close. I'd say the same thing if it was Danny and to my knowledge and recollection I have never kissed Danny. We just need to be careful, okay?"

"Yeah. I understand."

"Kono, about earlier…"

"I wasn't pretending either."

There she said it. It was out there.

"You mean you…"

"Like you. Yes. That's why I left the campfire. You surprised me when you kissed me back, but I thought it was just part of the act for you. That's why I was crying. I wanted it to be real and the fact that it wasn't…well…I just couldn't handle it. It felt too real and I knew it wasn't. I blurred the boundaries and I'm sorry."

"So, you're saying you have real feelings for me?"

"Yes. Okay? Yes! Now can we just put it behind us and move forward. I don't want to lose my job and I promise to keep it professional from here on out."

"You better not."

"What?"

"You heard me. I meant what I said Kono. Maybe you had already gone to sleep, but I said I love you and I'm saying it again. So hear me and hear me good. This last year working with you has been the best experience of my life. I enjoy the whole team, but I have found myself having some very strong feelings for you. This time alone has only confirmed it for me."

Kono's eyes shone in the moonlight and she just stared at Steve unable to speak. He reached and placed her hair behind her ear and then slid closer to her.

"How do you feel about that?"

Silence. He put his hand on her neck and ran his fingers into the hair at the base of her neck. His thumb stroked up and down her neck from her ear to her shoulder.

"Kono?"

More silence. Maybe he had completely misread her. Steve started to remove his hand and move away from her.

"Don't."

Steve pulled her closer to him.

"Talk to me Kono."

"I'll try. I care about you too. I think I'm falling in love with you, but I'm afraid the situation is affecting my feelings. I want to be sure it's us and not the circumstances. I've had feelings growing for you all year and yes, I think I love you too, but can we take it slow and be sure?"

"We can take all the time you want."

"Can I ask another favor?"

"You can ask me anything."

"Would you hold me like you did earlier and maybe we can catch a couple of hours sleep before we have to get up?"

"I love holding you. Come here."

Steve pulled her into his side and Kono snuggled into him. He kissed her eyes shut, her cheeks, and finally settled his lips on her mouth and kissed her sweetly He ran his free hand up into her hair and let it drift through her silky locks. It was so soothing that Kono was asleep in minutes. Steve was close behind her.