****** First, I really want to apologize for the delay (DELAYS) in posting…. I LOVE my job and am so grateful that's I've been so busy but it has really cut into my writing time (LOL) - The story is all finished in my head (as is my next story), I just have to find the time to get it from my head onto the pages ! This is by far the longest it has ever taken me to complete a story and I thank you all for your patience. I appreciate all the hits, follows and comments very much. Believe me when I say that hearing people like what you write does give you the desire to keep writing even when 'real life' becomes overwhelming, so THANK YOU ! ******
Danny drove them back to the Motel room and then while Steve called Chief Jessup, he and Cath took wet towels to the SUV and cleaned the back seat of Kono's blood.
Once done Catherine remained in the room while the two detectives drove to meet Jessup at the police station.
He had agreed to let the two detectives sit in with him while he further interrogated the sole-surviving suspect in the plot, Luke Riley.
Danny was driving and glancing over at him, Steve could see the anger and tension on his partner's face.
"You sure you want to do this Danny?"
Danny raised his eyebrow as he looked at his partner, "Are you serious Steve?"
"Yes, I'm serious. You don't need to put yourself through this. You've been through enough, I can handle this alone"
Danny smirked, laughing softly "You're unbelievable, you know that?"
"What?"
"You've been tortured and pumped full of meth, and instead of being at home and healing, you're here for me…"
Steve responded, "Of course I'm here for you D' and...… I always will be here for you"
A few minutes of silence passed between the men as each of them played over in their minds what the other one had been through…...
Danny had watched Steve suffer so much over the last ten days, physically and mentally…..and all because of Matthew.
And Steve had watched Danny go through the personal, painful loss of his beloved brother. He had made the choice of going after Matthew on his own and now as the haze of the drugs was beginning to clear from his mind he couldn't help but wonder….would things have turned out differently if Danny had gone with him? Not only had he put the people he cherished the most through the hell of thinking he was dead, but for what? Matt was dead…and although Danny told him he forgave him, did he really?
Steve's thoughts were interrupted as Danny asked, "Hey, are you alright?"
"What?"
"You got pretty quiet"
"Just thinking"
"Care to share?"
Steve knew that now wasn't the time to bring this up so he stated simply, "I'm good, I promise….I'm just worried about Kono"
"Yeah…I know"
They drove on in silence, pulling into the police station a little before seven thirty.
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The men were led into Chief Jessup's office and after pouring themselves coffee's they sat at the Chief's desk.
Jessup began, "Men, I first want to offer my apologizes and condolences to you both. Mr. Williams, you and your family have suffered the ultimate loss with the death of your brother and Commander McGarrett, you risked your life and suffered greatly to save Matthew from this vicious cartel assuming he would be protected under our watch. He was entrusted into the care of the Stearns County Police Department, and we failed him and you horribly. I am truly sorry for what you, your team and your family have endured"
The detective's watched the Chief closely, both seeing in him genuine sincerity.
Danny stood, reaching out his hand. The Chief rose and taking Danny's hand firmly in his, they shook "Thank You Chief. You are a good man and I don't blame you for this"
Steve also stood and shaking hands with the Chief he stated, "Thank you Sir for all you've done. I know how it feels to be betrayed by someone you trust, it can be crippling. I hope that you understand that this is not a reflection of your leadership. Stay strong, stay convicted, you did nothing wrong in trusting your men. They strayed from their oath, not you"
Chief Jessup responded to both men, clearly appreciative of their comments "Thank you both. I will admit this has hit me very hard. The men I knew were good cops and decent men"
Danny added, "Money can corrupt even the best man Chief"
The Chief sighed and then continued, "I wanted to talk to you both and give you a chance to be with me when I offer Luke Riley his plea deal. I am set to offer him twenty years without the possibility of parole. As a cop, he will need to serve his sentence separated from the general prison population and will be confined to his cell 23 hours a day. Are you two comfortable with those terms?"
Danny asked, "Tell me a little bit about him Chief?"
"He's twenty five years old and engaged to be married. He graduated at the top of his class at the academy and after three years of stellar service he was transferred to the drug unit. He received special accommodations twice, once in his rookie year. A raid went wrong and his partner was killed. Before backup arrived he personally took out three perps and rescued a teenage hostage. The second accommodation was received last year for his undercover work on a drug case. His work resulted in the apprehension and conviction of a cocaine dealer who was targeting local high schools"
Danny stood and sighing deeply he moved to the large window in the room. They were all quiet for several moments before Danny spoke, "So he was a good man…...I think the sentence is too severe Chief" He turned and faced the others, "Steve, if you're okay with this….I think the sentence should be ten years"
Jessup was stunned, "Are you sure about this?"
Danny responded, "Chief, if you get right down to it….this guy didn't kill Matty and it's obvious that Dern was the ring leader. There's been enough death, enough lives ruined. I leave it up to you..….you know the man. If you think he can serve his sentence and become a productive member of society upon his release, then that's what I recommend"
Jessup looked to Steve, "Commander?"
"I agree with my partner...… but you make the call sir"
"I think you should listen to him first and ask any questions you may have. He knows that Dern is dead and he knows about Kono. My concern is that there's something he hasn't told me"
Steve responded, "Let's talk to him Chief"
As the three men left to move to the interrogation room Steve squeezed his partner's shoulder and nodded to him, smiling softly.
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They entered the interrogation room to find Luke Riley sitting at the cold steel table. His hands were cuffed in front of him and his feet were shackled. He looked at Jessup and then as he glanced at Steve and Danny, he clearly became nervous. His voice shook slightly as he nodded, saying simply "Chief"
Chief Jessup took a seat directly across from the prisoner with the two detectives standing on either side of him.
"Luke, you know who these men are and they want answers"
Riley didn't hesitate a moment. "Nothing I can say to the two of you will change anything that's been done and I will not even attempt to diminish my role in this. When Dern can to me and told me what he was planning to do I was in total shock"
Steve asked, "Why do you think he came to you with this?"
Riley sighed, "Chief…. I need to come clean" The young man was literally shaking as he continued, "Michael Dern was a cocaine addict. The undercover operation last year with the dealer targeting high schools...he never stopped using...….oh shit Chief, I should have come to you right away"
Riley was quiet for several moments before Jessup said softly, "I told you Luke, he's dead…...I need to know everything, and I need to know now"
Riley continued, "I'm ashamed that I let it happen. I should have been brave enough to stand up to him...….the team had gone out for a few beers the night the case wrapped up. It was a Friday night and Michael left before midnight saying he had a headache. I left a few minutes after he did. When I was driving home I realized I had left my cellphone in Michael's office when we were writing up the case report. I saw his car in the lot when I pulled in, but I sure didn't expect to see what I did. He didn't hear me coming and I walked in on him snorting coke. He had the evidence box on his desk along with a backpack full of coke. Damn it Chief….he was stealing the fucking evidence. Why didn't I come to you? Basically, I was scared to death. He was a seventeen year veteran and I knew about his relationship with you. He had taken down the ring that killed your son and it had led to an addiction that he never beat. He feared for his job and he convinced me to stay quiet about the drugs. A few weeks later I told him he needed help and that night, the two of us were alone on a stake out when Gabriel Paranda showed up. We drove to a secluded location and Michael pulled his gun on me. He told me that I had two choices…..never again mention the coke and I could live, or go to you and look out over my shoulder until one of his 'connections' took care of me. When he told me about this plan a few weeks ago, he said he needed my backup and he made it pretty clear that I had no option. Chief, I know I should have come to you…and now I'll pay for my mistake for the rest of my life. I wasn't brave enough to stand up to him, I'm sorry" He looked from the Chief to Steve and Danny, "As I said, I am not diminishing my role in any of this. I should have stopped him…..I could have stopped him. All I can say to you is that I am deeply ashamed of my actions. I am truly sorry for the death of your brother Detective Williams and for the injuries you suffered Commander McGarrett. The Chief has told me what happened to Miss Kalakaua and I pray that she'll be okay"
Chief Jessup looked at Danny who nodded to him affirmatively.
Jessup addressed Riley, "Luke, I told these fine men of my plans to offer you a twenty year sentence with no chance of parole. They asked me if I felt you could be rehabilitated. I feel you definitely can be and now after hearing what you've told me, those feelings are even stronger. You're a young man who served honorably, but the decisions you've made have erased all of the good and that's truly a shame. I wish you had come to me, but now you must pay for what you've done. These men would like your sentence to be ten years, no more, no less and know that for your protection you will be held in solitary with only one hour a day outside your cell"
Luke Riley looked at the two 5-0 detectives, "I don't even know what to say…thank you. You have given me an opportunity to do my time and still have a chance to start over. Thank You"
Danny looked at him coldly, "I want you to understand something Riley. My brother made a mistake and he was paying for it dearly by living in witness protection and being separated from his family. Your decision as a group to kill him for money…..and to try to kill us is something you have to live with for the rest of your life. I want you to know that Matthew was loved by me, our parents our sisters and his nieces and nephews and we all mourn for him. He made a horrible mistake but he was good man and he didn't deserve to die. You've done good things but you too made a horrible mistake. I don't ever want you to forget our faces, or Matthew...…but I want you to have a second chance at life and I forgive you"
Luke Riley was sobbing as he looked at the blonde detective, "I swear to you I will never forget Matt or either of you. If I could take back what happened I would. I promise I will serve my time and I will make something of my life when I'm released. I will never, ever again compromise my values…you've given me my life back and I thank you"
Steve then spoke, "Don't give us a reason to regret it"
"I won't sir"
Jessup then added, "I'll have the paperwork drafted up in the morning and then we'll transfer you to the prison Riley"
The young man was obviously grateful as he responded in a voice shaken with emotion, "Yes sir, thank you...all of you"
The three men left the interrogation room and returned to the Chief's office.
***** MORE TO FOLLOW – hope you'll let me know what you think ! *****