"Why, why you gotta be so blind?
Won't you open up your eyes?
It's just a matter of time 'til you find
He's no good, girl
No good for you
You better get to getting on your goodbye shoes and go, go, go...
Better listen to me
He's low, low, low..."
Carrie Underwood- Good Girl
(Steve's POV)
Lori was giving Danny, Marissa and I the run down on our new case while walking the halls of the woman's volleyball team locker rooms.
"Victim's name is Brian Scartelli. He is the head coach of the woman's volleyball team. Looks like our guy was coming out of the shower when he was attacked. The killer slit his throat. Cell phone and wallet are missing otherwise nothing else seems to be disturbed." Lori dished.
"So what robbery gone bad?" I asked.
"Nope more than that. He was beaten and someone meant to cause him a lot of harm" Lori replied.
"That is a serious beating this guy got here. He must have pissed somebody off." Danny jumped in leaning closer to the victim's body.
"Or someone wanted information out of this guy." I answered.
"HPD hasn't turned up any witnesses. The last people to see him alive were his players. Bunch of them came down and gave him a Gatorade bath." Chin stated walking into the crime scene.
"Everyone says that his team loved him. Same with his fans, the athletic department and even the media." Marissa cut in.
"He was living in guest house that is owned by a rich couple Karl and Trisha Joyner in Kahala." Chin said.
"The event was televised maybe one of the cameras caught something." Lori stated.
"You guys go through the footage. Danny and I will check out Kahala." I order.
In the car Danny kept rambling about the expensive homes that the rich owned.
"How much do you think that house cost?" Danny asked pointing out the window.
"Hell of a lot more than you and I earn" I replied taking a glance at the house in question.
"Hell of a lot more than a college volleyball coach earns. Yet this guy Scartelli is living it up. I guess some guys just get all the luck." Danny rambled.
"Yeah lucky, Danny this guy is dead. Yeah he is a lucky guy coz look at the house he is living in" I answered.
"That's my point. What are the perks of being a cop? Danny asked.
"What?" I questioned.
"Pay sucks, the hours suck and sometimes. Oh wait not sometimes all the time I get shot." Danny said dramatically as I nodded in agreement.
"What are you talking about?" I asked. "You hardly ever get shot at."
"Is that a joke?" Danny asked casting me a glare
"When is the last time you got clipped?" I questioned.
"You are not a funny person .Are you trying to be funny. You're not. Here is my point alright living practically rent free in some rich guys guest house seems like a nice perk for keeping the world a safer place" Danny ranted trying to get his point across.
"You are homeless now. Why don't you try decorating I am sure I can get Marissa to help pick some place mats and curtains out for you" I replied pulling up to the Joiner house
"You scoff, but that homeless scenario wasn't far off. Did you know I am getting kicked out of my apartment?" Danny stated.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"They are knocking down my building and making them into luxury condos because that's what this island needs more condos." Danny answered.
Mr. Joyner was more than willing to help by letting us into Brian Scartelli's guest house. Danny and I searched the guest house and came across some provocative photos of one of Scartelli's players.
"Send these photos to Marissa and see if she can get a lock on who this girl is" I said placing the photos back on the desk.
"I do not think these were taken by someone who seems like a second father." Danny said snapping photos of the pictures found.
"Well maybe her father or boyfriend found out what was going on off the court between these two." I said checking the desk drawers.
"That's a good point because if I found pictures like this of Grace. I would go to their house and kill them." Danny stated.
"Yeah me too." I replied.
As Danny and I headed back towards HQ Marissa called with some information.
"Get a name?" Danny asked.
"Melanie Ayers. The team's star player and according the videos that Lori and I went through she is the only one who wasn't at the game last night." Marissa replied.
"Why was she injured?" I asked.
"No she was supposed to play." Lori jumped in.
"According to Melanie's phone records she was talking to him 6 or 7 times a day for the last couple of weeks. " Chin added.
"Did he have any other contact like that with any of his other players?" I asked.
"No. But I found that Scartelli was renting a cheap hotel room out in Aeia. He paid for an entire week." Lori stated.
"Doesn't make sense he has a luxury pad." I reasoned.
"Wait crappy hotel room would make sense if he had something to hide." Danny cut in.
"Alright, Lori and Chin check out the room. Marissa see what else you can find and check in with Max and see if he found anything else that might help. Danny and I will go talk to Melanie.
(Chin's POV)
The woman at the front desk was more than willing to share what information she had on Brian Scartelli.
"Ma'am have you seen this couple in the photo?" Lori asked showing the woman a picture of Melanie and Brian Scartelli.
"I have seen the man but that's not the woman he comes in with." She replied handing the picture back.
"Are you sure?" Lori asked.
"Positive. Nice lady." The woman replied.
"Did you get a name?" I asked.
"No but you could ask her yourself. She hasn't checked out, she is in room 104." The woman said.
"Thank you" Lori said before we headed towards the room.
The room was empty except for the woman's clothing.
"Well it looks like our mystery woman is coming back all her belongings are still here" I stated scanning the room.
"What I got a print let me send it to Charlie and see if he gets a hit" Lori exclaimed.
Waiting for Charlie's reply we listened to the messages that were left for woman in question left by Brian.
"Charlie got a hit. Print belongs to a Trisha Joyner." Lori said.
"That's Karl Joyner's wife." I said.
McGarrett answered immediately after the first ring "Chin" he answered.
"Scartelli rented a hotel room for a Trisha Joyner. I think she was leaving her husband." I said.
"Well that's gotta hurt. You let the guy stay at the guest house he eats your food, drinks your beer and helps himself to your wife." Danny replied.
"Well according to the messages found on the answering machine Karl Joyner wasn't taking it so well." I answered.
"You guys wait for Trish to come back to the room. Danny and I will check on Karl. Send whatever you can find back to Marissa." Steve ordered before cutting off.
I lounged in a chair as Lori paced aimlessly around the small room.
"Trisha has to be back soon right." Lori asked looking through a pile of magazines.
"She left all her clothes and she didn't check out. She'll be back." I answered leaning back with my eyes clothes.
Lori went back to pacing causing me to open my eyes to see what she was doing.
"Sorry patience isn't my strong point." She laughed lightly.
"You're a lot like Steve you know that?" i asked.
"Am I?" she questioned.
"Humm" I replied.
"What his deal any ways? And what is up with his wife?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean he is kind of hard to get a read on. Except for the Daddy issues those are right out there front and center. And not like I am trying to shrink him or anything but I would like to get to know my boss a little better. But Marissa seems to be a whole different story. She is always running out the door to take care of personal business." She replied casting a nervous glance my way.
"You know what let's pretend I never said anything." She rambled.
"You got it" I replied quizzically.
We heard someone walking towards the door when we noticed and man holding a gun and opening the door. The guy took off in a sprint when Lori shot him in the waste.
"Hold your fire." I demanded.
"Why?" Lori asked giving me a quizzically look.
"Because the driver is my cousin." I stated.
(Marissa's POV)
Chin sat in one of the conference rooms waiting for Steve to join him. I could see the tension in both their stances once Steve stepped into the room.
"What happened?" I asked Lori watching through the glass windows.
"Chin's cousin was driving a getaway car." Lori replied.
I casted a quick glance at her before I joined the two men in the conference room.
"Marissa give us a minute." Steve demanded.
"Is it about Kono?" I asked.
Both set of eyes landed on me.
"What do you know?" Steve asked me.
"I have seen some guys come and pick her up a few times. But when I asked her what was going on she kindly told me to stay out of it." I replied taking a seat next to Chin.
"I didn't know it was this bad." Chin whispered.
"What do you know?" Steve answered angrily.
"What we all know. Kono lost her badge and she is in bad place. I have seen the same guys that Marissa is talking about too. She hacked into the HPD database using my password claiming she wanted to look at what they had on her." Chin replied.
"What's her connection to Joyner and his money laundering?" Steve asked.
"I have never seen her with the thugs she was hanging out with today. She has been hanging out with guys like Ray Mapes now." Chin answered.
"Who the hell is Ray Mapes?" Steve questioned raising his voice.
"Ray Mapes is an ex-cop. He lost his badge when he got caught shaking down drug dealers. I figured that she was feeling that's all she was good enough for. I know that feeling." Chin said solemnly.
"Why didn't either one of you come to me?" Steve demanded.
"I should have told you" Chin stated.
"Do you both realize by not knowing how deep she is we don't know if we can protect her?" Steve said taking a seat in front of us.
"I am sorry" Chin said.
"Did Kono see you?" Steve asked Chin.
"I don't think so." Chin replied.
Steve barged out of the conference room and told Danny and Lori to track Kono down. He was going to bring her in.
Danny got a hit on Kono's phone and the four of them were out the door before another word was said.
(Steve's POV)
Kono decided to speed up when she noticed the Camaro behind her. I quickly pulled my truck in front of her making her slam on the breaks.
"Get out of the car, Kono" I demanded pointing my gun towards her.
She didn't say a word and she climbed out of the car and put her hands behind her head. Danny quickly cuffed her as Lori checked on the passenger that was shot earlier.
Kono was offering no compliance when I demanded to know what she was doing. She stared straight ahead but kept her mouth completely shut. Chin came in and interrupted a few minutes later.
Chin switched with me but he was far less aggressive then I was at handling the situation.
"Whatever you are into I am here. We are family right? Nothing is ever going to change that. Listen you are not alone not today or any other day but you need to talk to us." Chin said sitting in front of Kono in the interrogation room.
"I can't" Kono whispered.
Captain Vincent Fryer stormed into the room
"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded.
"You are done here McGarrett." Fryer stated taking a step closer to Kono.
"Kono, get up" Fryer demanded.
"Hey what are you doing she is in custody." I stated.
"No she is mine." Fryer stated.
"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked.
"She is working for me" Fryer said before stepping out of the room.
I followed him into the hall way leaving Chin to talk to Kono some more.
"You think you can just come in here and mess with my team?" I asked Capt. Fryer.
"Don't flatter yourself McGarrett it has nothing to do with you." Fryer said back.
"You're interfering in on a murder investigation." I stated.
"My investigation involves your murder investigation." Fryer answered.
Frank Delano was an ex-cop dirty that Fryer was trying to take down. He black mailed Kono into helping him take down Delano and his organization that Karl Joyner and Brian Scartelli were both involved in.
Fryer and I walked back into the interrogation room as Kono was giving Chin the run down on Delano's organization.
"Don't you realize that Fryer is using you for revenge" Chin yelled.
"I have a history with Delano" Fryer stated.
"You are putting Kono's life on the line so you can go after your ex-partner?" I asked.
"Without Kono I have nothing on him. Let's send her back in and we can get this scum bag off the streets" Fryer said.
"You don't have to do this Kono" I said casting a glance towards her as she stared at her ringing phone.
Kono answered the phone and quickly told Delano she was on her way to meet. After coming up with a plan Kono headed out and team got ready to make our move.
Marissa and Chin were working on the hacking into Kono's phone trying to activate the speakerphone component. Chin was successful and we got ready to make our move. Danny, Chin and I left with Lori in tow to set up out front of the bank that Delano had taken Kono and the missing woman Trisha Joyner.
Fryer and HPD set up road blockage outside the view of the bank. Everyone was on high alert waiting for Delano and his men to make his exit.
One of Delano's men was starting to get nosy when I took him down and moved him away out of sight. It was only a matter of seconds before Delano and his men came rushing out of the bank with Trisha Joyner held as hostage. Delano knew he was surrounded but he opened fire anyways. Fryer took him down immediately with a single shot to the shoulder.
Marissa showed up on scene a few minutes later to check on Kono. The rest of the team was helping HPD with the scene when I decided to talk to Fryer in private.
"Hey Fryer" I said. Once I got his attention I decked him in the jaw.
"No one messes with my team alright" I stated.
Spitting the blood out of his mouth before he spoke "Dully noted Commander."
I casted one last glance at Fryer before telling the team it was time to head home.
Hey Readers i am sorry for the wait. I finally found my muse to start writing again. I thank everyone who add me as a favorite/subscribed and i appreciate all the reviews i have been getting. Didn't really get to check for all errors and i don't use a beta so please excuse them :) I end school in a few weeks so i am hoping for more time to write over winter break. Thank you all so much. Read and please Review!