Disclaimer: Don't own 5-0.
Chapter Two
I had only been with vice two days when the harassment began. I started as snide comments about being haole then escalated to a dead fish in my desk. Angry, I took the fish to Malia and demanded the harassment stop. With a gaze like steel and emotion to match, Malia told me to suck it up and get back to work. If I couldn't handle a little adversity, then I had no business being a cop.
Now, as I sat on the edge of the seat in Steve's office, I refused to look at my former captain. My eyes were focused on McGarrett, who had sent Danny out while we talked.
"I know this is hard for you Leilah, but Captain Malia came asking for your help. No one else on this island has the contacts or the trust on the streets that you have. All I'm asking of you is to listen to what he has to say," Steve implored.
With a resigned sigh, I nodded and Malia began, "The last couple of months people have been going missing. We didn't pay much attention at first because these people were high risk anyway: homeless, prostitutes, druggies. We didn't think the disappearances were related because other than being high risk, these people had nothing in common; they didn't hang in the same crowds or have any contact that we could find. It wasn't until we found three of them dead together in a warehouse that we thought they might all be kidnapped by the same suspect. Only problem, in that part of town, no one will talk to cops and we've run out of leads."
"So you want me to dress up as Cherry, go back on the street and see what I can find," I finished.
"If you need more convincing, look at this," Malia handed me a manila case folder.
As I took it, Steve practically jumped out of his chair and held out a hand, "Wait, she needs to be warned first."
But it was too late, I opened the file to find a picture of a body, bloodied, bruised, and broken. In my time on the force, I had never seen anything like it. The other pictures revealed two other bodies in similar conditions. One man in his late fifties, one young woman no older than eighteen and then came the worst part. The third victim was
the one person that had been for me while I was in vice, my hooker friend Starla.
I could tell Steve was talking to me, but I didn't hear any of it. When I left vice, my cover remained in tact but I had left my cell number with Starla in case she ever needed anything. I'd told her I was just cleaning up my life and she promised she would do the same. Her daughter had turned five and Starla was supposed to start a housekeeping job last time I talked to her. The world seemed to grow hazy around me and my stomach lurched.
Before I knew it, I was rushing to the restrooms and loosing the wonderful dinner I had just shared with Danny. Tears were running down my face and I was shaking horribly. When there was nothing left in my stomach, I realized there was a comforting hand on my back and my hair was held away from my face. I fought to pull myself together as the toilet was flushed and I was helped up.
Danny gently led me to the sink where I rinsed my mouth and splashed my face. The tears continued to fall silently as Danny pulled me into a hug. I didn't hear a knock or footsteps but suddenly Steve was there too, wrapping his arms around us so we stood there in a group hug.
After a few moments, Steve pulled away, "Let's go have a seat."
I let myself get lead back to the office where Danny sat next to me on the couch. Malia didn't waste any time, "Will you help us now?"
Danny glared at the older cop, "Give her some space, will you? Whatever the hell you want from her can wait."
"We don't have time to be sitting around waiting for some haole female to reign in her emotions," Malia shot back.
Danny shot off the couch, ready to throw punches but Steve stepped between them, "Let's get a few things straight, Captain Malia. First, there will be no disrespecting any member of my team. Second, if you expect our help, I run the show and next time I tell you to wait, you wait."
Malia glared at Steve, "I don't need all of you, just her."
"If you want one of us, you get all of us," Steve countered.
With a smirk, Malia replied, "Not according to the governor."
Steve knew he'd been had. His jaw clenched and he balled his hands into fists, "I want to be kept in the loop. If anything happens to her on your watch, I'll hold you personally responsible."
Malia shot a cold look to me, "Be at my office tomorrow morning, eight sharp. Get caught up on the case." He handed me a case file as he left the office.
Numbly, I held the file but didn't open it. Danny still had an arm around me and continued to hold me as he addressed Steve, "We can't let her go out there on her own."
"We don't have a choice," Steve sounded weary as if this was a battle he'd already tried to fight and lost. "The governor has a different assignment for us. But as I said, we'll be kept in the loop."
Danny shook his head, the hand not around me flying through the air, "That's not good enough. You know as well as I do those in HPD don't work well with a haole. She'll be out on her own and given the danger of this case, we can't allow that."
"It's ok, Danny," I finally got the words to come out. "I'll do it. I have to do it. For Starla."
Author's Note: I don't get my stories beta-d so if there's any mistakes, sorry. :) Also, feedback is welcome and I hope you guys are enjoying the story!
