Reverend Leeds was not having a good day. He sat facing McGarrett, Duke Lukela on one side, Kono on the other, just in case he misunderstood that he wasn't allowed to leave. His lawyer, David Smithfield, formerly of the ACLU, now of the firm Lake, Toshi, and Smithfield, sat in the chair next to the Reverend, trying to keep the man quiet. Reverend Leeds, who had a long career based on knowing when silence was not golden, was mentally pondering the alternatives. The alternative being that Charles Arthur Rhodes could be on his way to Thailand by now, while McGarrett was glaring at him from six feet away.
McGarrett slapped the file folder down on his desk. Leeds jumped at the noise.
"I have seen all sorts of cons, crooks, and charlatans in my day, Mr. Leeds, but, you, you take the prize. Or should I say, you, Mr. Hudson, take the prize?"
Leeds paled. It had been years since anyone had tied any of his alter egos to his real identity. "How?" he managed to get out.
"Computers, Mr. Hudson. Those machines are making it so much easier to track down things that people would dearly love to stay hidden. All you have to do is give that Iron, no, Silicon Brain the right search parameters and wait for the answers. What it told us about you, Mr. Hudson, is that not only are you a charlatan and a crook, but a coward and a fink."
"No need to get personal, Mr. McGarrett," Leeds said. "My record speaks for itself. I am ready to cooperate fully with your investigation."
McGarrett stood up, pacing in circles around the desk. It was a tactic that usually had the suspect ready to jump out of their own skin in minutes. Leeds just sat there.
McGarrett returned to his desk and sat down, leaning forward to glare at Leeds. "I know that thus far you've managed to escape jail time by rolling over on every last partner in crime you've ever had and turning state's evidence. Not this time. This time you are going to jail. Where and for how long depends on how you answer the next few questions. You got that?"
"You don't have to answer anything, Mr. Leeds." Smithfield said. "I'm advising you now to..."
"Shut up, Smithfield." Leeds said. "I know enough about you to get you permanently disbarred."
Smithfield shut up. "May I leave?" he asked.
"Yes, but don't plan on taking any sudden trips," McGarrett said. Smithfield left as swiftly as dignity allowed.
"Mr. Hudson, you have been advised of your rights and have waived your right to remain silent and are aware that this interview is being recorded. Do you understand and agree with that statement?"
"Yes. And I expected as much. From what I've learned about you, Mr. McGarrett, is that Five-O doesn't like to lose."
"As of now, I've got enough proof to charge you with conspiracy in the murder of Roxanne Harris and the attempted murder of Sergeant First Class Margaret Alden." McGarrett said, throwing out a very slender thread of hope to Leeds. "I've read you record, Mr. Hudson. All of it. You may be a liar and a thief and a con man, but you're no killer. Only you made a mistake and got involved with Big Chicken. How much was your percentage of the take?"
"Not as much as you'd think. I only got ten percent."
"Only ten percent? Ten percent of the money and you get left to take one hundred percent of the blame. We found enough ketamine at the mission to knock out every horse on this island. Any idea what that was used for?"
"No, Mr. McGarrett, I'm not familiar with the term."
"It's a sedative. For livestock. Apparently it was being used to control the girls smuggled in to work as prostitutes. What did you do? Drug them when they refused?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Mr. McGarrett."
McGarrett slammed his fist down on the desk. "Yes, you do. Do you know what DNA is?"
"Some sort of genetic material, is my best guess."
"Yeah," said McGarrett, "Genetic material. Unique genetic material. I've got some whiz kids down in the lab who can take one cell and match it up to the only human being on this earth that it could have originated from. I've got three very young girls down at Queen's hospital right now. We found them in the basement of your mission, bruised, bloody, and terrified. If I find one scrap, one iota, of DNA from you on any one of those children, all bets are off."
"Let me re-assure you, I had nothing to do with that."
"No," McGarrett said. "But you let it happen. You knew it was going on and you didn't do a damned thing to stop it because your kind never does and that makes you just as guilty. You collected your ten percent and ignored everything else and when it went bad you were going to do what you always do, sell out your partners, change you name, and run. Not this time, Mr. Hudson. The only thing you're going to hope to salvage out of all this is a stay in a better prison."
"What would you like to know, Mr. McGarrett?" Leeds said, resigned. He had enough money stashed in offshore accounts to buy a new life when his sentence was over. Maybe it was time to get out of the religion racket.
"I'm going to give you a description. You're going to give me the name of who it belongs to. If you lie to me, the phrase hard time is going to get a whole new definition."
Leeds nodded.
"Tall, skinny, dark hair, probably has long thin arms. Knows just enough about cars to get into some serious trouble. Ring any bells?"
"Barker. You've just described Barker."
"Who is Barker?" McGarrett asked.
"A useful idiot," Leeds replied. "Thinks he knows everything and never shuts up. He got a DD from the Navy. Claimed he was a Seal who killed his team leader. Of course no one believed him."
"What's his first name?"
"I haven't a clue. I truly wasn't that interested. He wanted everyone to call him Bulldog, thought it made him sound hard. He kept trying to convince us he was a made man from the East coast mob."
"Where is he?"
"He took off when Sheriff Murphy gave us the heads up."
Duke, Kono, and McGarrett all exchanged glances.
"What do you mean, when the sheriff gave you the heads up?" Duke asked in the calm, even voice he was famous for.
"It was all pre-arranged when Rhodes got out. Rhodes said that the police were going to do their best to send him back to jail. Enough money to the sheriff's campaign fund got a lot of protection. When the word went out about the raid, the sheriff kindly intervened. It gave Rhodes and his friends time to escape out the back way while Murphy was causing a scene out front."
"What friends were those?" McGarrett asked.
"The only two who could tolerate being around Rhodes for more than ten minutes. Barker and Frank Collins."
"Do you have any idea where they went?" Duke asked. Frank Collins was all around bad news.
"No, I don't. All I know is Rhodes is planning on disappearing off this Island as soon as he takes care of what he's been calling 'unfinished business,' whatever that means."
"You don't know?" McGarrett demanded.
"No, and I wasn't going to ask either. I'm going to hazard a guess it's got something to do with those two WAC sergeants. Rhodes is obsessed with those two."
Duke didn't say anything, just reached down, grabbed Leeds by the lapels and lifted him out of the chair. "What two WAC sergeants and what do you mean by obsessed?" he said in a quiet even tone that sent chills up the phony reverend's spine.
"Enough, Duke!" McGarrett said. Duke let go, dropping Leeds back into the chair. "Mr. Hudson, if you have any idea what Rhodes is planning, you need to tell us, because if anything happens to either of those women, I will personally see that you live to regret it."
"All I know is he found this picture in the paper. You and the little one at some sort of party at the governor's. Had me hire a PI to find out who she was. Had her followed for a couple of months. High dollar surveillance too and I've got the bills to prove it. Then he found out the tall one was seeing that other cop and you'd have thought he'd hit the lottery. He had her followed, too. And that redheaded sailor. He was annoyed when he found out she was out of state. He wanted all of them under surveillance. I have no idea why." Recognition dawned on Leeds when he saw the look in Duke's eyes. "Oh, my God! It's you, isn't it? The other cop?"
"Yeah, it's me alright, Brudah. Because I sent that creep up on the felony that gave him repeat offender status." Duke said. "Busted him for the sell and distribution of narcotics to underage kids. That was before you got him sent up for receiving stolen property, Steve. I was still a rookie on probation."
McGarrett nodded in agreement. Duke Lukela had came out of the academy with a sense of duty that was damned near fanatical. As he recalled, Duke's hair had been turning silver even then. "Why was Rhodes having Sgt Alden and Sgt Yablanski followed?"
"I don't know. He said you needed to know your enemy. It started out with just the little one then he found out her friend was seeing that Hawaiian cop and it got worse. Said they were insurance. Insurance for what he never said. Maybe he's going to use them to get safe passage off this island. I didn't ask. He didn't tell. The less I knew, the better I liked it."
"Who was the PI?"
"Pacific Security and Investigations. They're on Maui. Rhodes didn't want to use local talent, in case they got caught."
"But they did get caught. Because he wanted then to. To see how close they could get without setting off the alarms. One thing puzzles me, though. If the women were insurance, why put holes in that Mustang's brake lines? She could have been killed!"
"No, no," Leeds stammered. "It wasn't intended to hurt her, just disable the car. She'd be stuck out in the open, away from home, with any luck with that big blonde friend of hers. Easy to get to. It didn't work out that way. Barker screwed up."
"No, Mr. Hudson, he didn't," McGarrett said softly. "He didn't know what he was trying to disable, or that Sgt Alden knows that car inside and out. It took her about ten minutes to know something was wrong and go back home. Kono, get him out of here. Put him in a holding cell and call the DA. Get me a warrant for Pacific PI's files. I want that surveillance report. See if you can find out more about Barker. Check with the Navy first. Look for anyone by that name with a DD. Then let Manicote know the good Reverend is ready for confession. I hope he didn't have any plans for the night."
"For 'dis, he'll cancel them." The big Hawaiian smiled, lighting up the room, "Look like we gone get rid of 'dat idiot sheriff. Come on, Rev. Time to go make a statement."
Danny, accompanied by a deputy sheriff, came in as Kono was leading the reverend out.
"Steve, we've got a problem." Danny said. He was holding what looked like a warrant.
"Do your duty, officer," the deputy demanded. "Arrest that man!"
McGarrett just stared at the deputy. The man looked familiar. "Who the hell are you?" he asked.
"I am the Honolulu Sheriff's Public Information Officer."
"And you are here to do what?"
"You are under arrest for assaulting Sheriff Murphy. In front of witnesses. And on camera."
"Really? I didn't know he cared. Danno, who signed that warrant?"
"Judge Ito on Molokai. The warrant was transmitted by fax. He couldn't find a judge here willing to sign off on it." Danny said. "You want it?"
"Save it for the scrapbook. Deputy, I don't have time to be arrested right now, as I have more pressing matters to attend to. Call my secretary Monday and we can arrange something for next week, say around Thursday?"
"This is no joke, McGarrett! The tape of you hitting the sheriff is all over the news channels."
"I suspect it is, Deputy. What did you say your name was anyway?"
"Hardin, John Hardin. I'm the new..."
"Yes," McGarrett said, his eyes turning a cold ice blue. "I know who you are and I know what you are and if you don't get out of my office I'm going to throw you out." He said, getting up and coming around the desk to stand in front of Hardin. They were approximately the same height, but McGarrett had at least forty pounds of lean, hard muscle mass on the skinny deputy.
"Duke, could you open the doors to the lanai, please?" he asked in a calm, icy cold voice.
Duke opened the doors, letting in the cool evening breeze.
"You wouldn't." Hardin said.
"Try me," McGarrett said. "The next time one of my officers tells you to never set foot on this Rock again, you better listen. Duke, put that moron in a holding cell until we can get him a flight back to the mainland. When you're done there, call your girlfriend. She's probably worried."
McGarrett stepped out on the lanai. After talking to both Leeds and the deputy, he was badly in need of fresh air. Danny had the same idea and joined him. "What did you find out at the hospital, Danno?" he asked.
"Stuff that's going to give me nightmares for weeks. I'm not feeling sorry for Roxie anymore, that's for sure. Found her passport. She's been flying all over the Pacific, recruiting. She'd go to impoverished villages with offers of factory work for the young girls. She'd give the parents a few hundred bucks, load the kids onto a container ship and bring them in like cargo. There's a whole damned network out there smuggling these kids in for the sex trade. The kids get here, they find out they're in debt to the trafficker for everything from transport to room and board. They're drugged and starved until they comply. Once they're trained, they're shipped all over the world. We're going to need an entire new division to handle the caseload we're about to get."
"What about the girls in the basement?" McGarrett asked, dreading the answer he was about to receive.
"All three were sexually assaulted," Danny said, face pale with rage. "Multiple times by at least three different people. Got lots of DNA. We finally found a translator who could understand their language. They're from a small tribe in the south of Burma. Two sisters and a cousin. The trafficker told them their parents would be killed if they didn't comply. Sandy has probably taught them a few new English words that I didn't know she knew. That is one very angry woman."
"Yes, but a smart one. Make sure she gets everything she needs for the investigation."
"Will do. Anything else?"
"Convince two female army sergeants they need police protection."
"Sorry, boss. I'll let you and Duke handle that one. I'd rather face a pack of rabid pit bulls with pissed off geese for backup." Danny patted Steve on the back. "I'm off to the lab to see what other goodies they've managed to turn up. You planning on going home tonight?"
"Eventually."
Danny left McGarrett standing on the lanai, looking out over the lights of the city. Somewhere, out past the city lights to the south was the darkness of the open water. It's time,he thought, time to start thinking about the future. Time to bring Five-O into the next century. And when I'm done with that, when it's working the way it should work, it's time to retire. He hadn't told Maggie yet, but the day after she had filed retirement papers for the Army, he'd filed his for the Navy Reserve. At the end of the year, the day after his birthday, he'd be done with the Navy.
He went back to his desk. There was still much to be done.
It had been a long night. Compton and Marks were ready to go home. Maggie and Lu were semi-dozing at opposite ends of the sofa, refusing to go to bed until McGarrett and Lukela made it back. Compton was convinced the two women were conspiring to drive them nuts. First there was all that wedding talk, accompanied by the perusal of every bridal magazine available in the Islands, then they had made them watch "Steel Magnolias" on the VCR and if he ever heard the phrase 'blush and bashful' again it would be too damned soon. The movie had ended in time for the late news. Both women had watched in fascinated disbelief as the sheriff's posse alerted most of Hotel Street to the raid on the mission and the station replayed the clip of McGarrett decking Murphy.
"Whoa!" Compton said, "That was cool! Can't think of anyone more deserving. Most of HPD would love to have done that. Oh, hell, why aren't we taping this?"
"He won't get into trouble over this, will he?" Maggie asked.
"Nah," said Marks. "Sheriff will be lucky if he don't go to jail for obstruction. He's been pissed off with McGarrett ever since he got upstaged by that security dog."
Maggie had rolled her eyes towards the ceiling and considered a shot of whiskey. Lu was relieved that Duke had been nowhere near the place.
One more chick flick, this one called "Places in the Heart". Both the women were dozing and Marks and Compton were hoping for prowlers, especially after Compton found himself getting way too interested in a stupid movie about cotton farmers. Only that little Sally Field was doing a great job and Danny Glover was on point with his role. He'd even seen Marks surreptitiously blotting a few tears.
He was saved by his rover unit beeping.
"Compton," he answered.
"This is McGarrett. We're pulling into the driveway now."
"Yes, sir." he said, "come on, buddy, time to go to work." He and Marks took up defensive positions on either side of the door.
Maggie and Lu were instantly awake. Military training did that. Sleep to awareness in seconds. Both reached for the weapons on the coffee table.
You could feel the relief in the room when McGarrett and Lukela came in, both looking tired.
Lu was on her feet in seconds, crossing the room to cling to Duke as if he were a lifeline.
Maggie tried to stand, only to have her back muscles cramp. Stress, the docs at Walter Reed had told her, could trigger the muscle cramps. Steve was by her side in seconds.
"You okay, baby?" he asked, holding her close.
"Just my spine reminding me it's still in there, nothing serious." She let herself relax against him. "We saw you on the news, which means we got about half the story because all channel nine has from your office is a big "no comment".
"Murphy was way out of line. That's all."
"Why do I have the feeling you are not being telling me everything."
"It's complicated and I'm too tired for explanations. In the morning." He bent to kiss her on top the head. "I'll be right back. I need to talk to Compton and Marks for a minute."
Duke was already thanking the officers for their time and trouble. Steve walked them outside to their patrol car.
"Anything to report? Anything unusual?"
"Only that blush and bashful are actually pink and pink, sir," Marks said, shaking his head in horror at the memory.
Steve grimaced. "Made you watch chick flicks?"
"Steel Magnolias and Places in the Heart, sir. I'm glad you made it home when you did," Compton replied, "Fried Green Tomatoes was up next."
"Go home," Steve said. "Take tomorrow off and go see your girlfriends. Normal duty for Monday unless Sgt Lukela has other plans. And thank you."
"You're welcome, sir." Compton said. "Anytime. Only next time, we pick the movies." They got into the patrol car and left, this time without flashing lights.
Steve went back into the house to find Maggie and Lu in the kitchen, Duke nursing a glass of pineapple juice to which Lu had added a generous splash of spiced rum.
"Sit," Maggie said. "You need to eat. Both of you."
Lu was making omelets with mushrooms, cheese, and bacon while Maggie was slicing cantaloupe and pouring pineapple juice.
"No argument from me," he said, sitting down at the kitchen table. He glanced over and Duke, then looked again. The silver haired Hawaiian was watching Lu's every move, a contented little smile on his face. Damn, add one more to the Army's scoreboard. The next Army/Navy game was going to be interesting.
"Did you remember to take your meds?" Maggie asked.
"No, sorry, got busy and forgot." Steve said, which was probably why he was starting to get a headache. Maggie brought him the pill. He swallowed it with some pineapple juice. Lu served the food while Maggie made cups of chamomile tea.
Both women sipped their tea. Steve and Duke both had a feeling that they were about to be asked some very pointed questions. It didn't help that the two women sitting across the table from them were both reporters.
"I know that look," Steve said. "You're both in reporter mode. No questions tonight, please."
"It's been a long day, Susan," Duke said. "And it is complicated. In the morning."
"Can you at least tell me when my car is going to be out of the shop?" Maggie asked. "What was wrong with it anyway? I hope that hydraulics pump didn't go out. Those things are expensive."
"Che says it'll be ready Monday afternoon." Steve said.
"Why does Che have my car?" Maggie asked, frowning.
"It's getting the same alarm system installed that all Five-O cars have. It'll be ready Monday afternoon. You had a leak in the hydraulic line. It's been fixed." Steve said, leaving out the details of how the leak got there.
"Maggie, does it seem to you that they're both being a bit evasive with the answers?" Lu asked.
"I know they are." Maggie said. "It's getting on to two in the morning and all of us are tired. Duke, the guestroom upstairs has been made up, so, whenever you're ready, Lu can show you the way. I don't know about you, Big Guy, but I'm ready for bed."
She and Lu picked up the empty dishes, putting them in the sink until later.
Duke was falling asleep on his feet. He leaned against Lu as they went upstairs.
"I'm getting too old for this," Steve mumbled as Maggie stood behind his chair, gently massaging his shoulders.
"Bedtime," she said, taking his hand and pulling him to her.
"Best idea I've heard all night." He bent down and swept her off her feet.
"Hey! Put me down! You're too sleepy."
"Only for some things." he said as he carried her into the bedroom.