III

John Manicote, Oahu County's beleaguered DA, frowned as he paced from one side of the room to the other. Steve managed to remain calm, but he knew his friend was at his breaking point. He kept quiet for the moment, the only sounds in the office coming from a ticking clock on the wall and some birds chirping outside.

"This just doesn't make sense, Steve," he said. "First Senator Grayle is angry that you came to his party …"

"Though his wife invited me," Steve interjected.

"That was confirmed by her, yes, but he was still angry that you chose to come," Manicote went on.

"How about Sen. Treadway assaulting one of my officers," Steve sneered, "or is that perfectly legal?'

Manicote shot an exasperated look at Steve. "I'm not trying to excuse Treadway's behavior, but the fact remains that something is going on here which goes beyond a so-called curse brought on by some crooked psychic."

"We checked Madam Lahaila's background, and the strange part is that she's legit," Steve said. "She was a consultant to many business and government officials, with uncanny results. She told Mrs. Grayle that Gov. Jameson was going to win the election before he had even announced that he was a running for his party's nomination."

"I'll give her that," Manicote said, "but she could not have been right all the time."

"Unless she had help –someone to assure her that her readings would come true," Steve said.

"I'm all ears, Steve," Manicote urged.

"Grayle was angry because Five-0 uncovered the bribes and kickbacks some members of staff were getting from the construction companies. He had nothing to do with it, but it was still humiliating for him nonetheless," Steve explained. "In the process of that investigation, we also found out that Claire Treadway was having an affair with one of those contractors, so it was even more mortifying for Sen. Treadway."

"So both of them had axes to grind against Five-0," Manicote surmised.

"Definitely," Steve replied, "but there's more. The contractor in question was none other than James Keesling, who's got his hand in every organized crime cookie jar on this rock and the other six islands. Madam Lahaila used to work in one of Keesling's night spots on the Big Island."

"So it all falls right into place," Manicote said, "but it doesn't explain why Treadway assaulted Jayna."

"That's something she'll have to tell us," Steve said. "She should be out of the hospital by now."