I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: on we go ... thank you ALL for the very generous reviews!
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Chapter Seven
No Kau a Kau ~ For Eternity
Topher was grinning from ear to ear as he merrily tossed his roadster's key fob in the air while taking the steps from his front door, two at a time no less, as he surfaced into the bright sunshine. With hardly a glance over his shoulder, he slid into his dark red Mercedes SL and used his thumb to ignite the engine. The purchase of the fancy two-seater honestly stretched his budget, especially on the heels of buying a sizable piece of real estate on Oahu. But as Topher fully retracted the roof to the impressive car, he knew it all had been well worth the effort.
The Mercedes had arrived just in time. Special ordered over forty-five days earlier, he'd received a call from the dealership a mere hour after he'd gotten Kono safely to her new home. The provident call further validated his life-long plans as each desire fell into place like clockwork. As soon as he could, he'd dumped the old white SUV back into the well-greased hands of a close-mouthed distant cousin once he had assured himself that Kono was aptly tucked away.
From the moment he'd accepted ownership of the car, Topher Reid had been hiding in plain sight, fully anticipating a visit from them at some critical juncture. He knew that protocol would have the police issuing a BOLO on their missing officer, the family would be in a turmoil and that her fellow peers would focus on subjects related to both current and past cases.
These actions would waste time on their part and do nothing but give him more latitude . Of course, they wouldn't find a thing.
Eventually though, Topher knew that someone in particular would delve deeper. And the fact that he almost flamboyantly refused to hide, might bring that confrontation upon himself sooner; but that was part of his plan. He'd be questioned, threatened and released once he passed their allegations. Then, he and Kono would be free to do whatever they wanted; including either staying on the islands or even leaving altogether where they could be assured of eternal peace.
Snorting under his breath while replaying the future sequence of events, Topher only briefly sobered before the content smile was back in place. Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly would undoubtedly lead that pending charge against him. Nonetheless, it was a challenge which Reid was ready to face, head on. So after ensuring that Kono was safely housed in her plush prison, he was once again out and about running errands, practically begging someone for a confrontation.
With the top down on the classy two-seater, Topher drove to the posh country club to ready himself for the beachside wedding and reception. Everyone knew that Topher Reid was well above the role of wedding photographer. In no great part, his acceptance of this job had grated on his sense of professional worth. Understanding this too, the well-to-do sports legend whom was getting married on the Island had willingly paid an exorbitant sum for Topher Reid's exquisite photographic services. So in truth, he hadn't actually lied about catering to actual work and even attended the role with a bit more enthusiasm for the timely visibility it now provided. Upon his arrival at the fine venue, Topher waltzed arrogantly through the security check-point. He lingered, loitered and made his presence known to the lowliest of busboys up to the minister, himself. After and though he was bored to his very soul, he continued to attend to the newly married couple with an arrogant confidence.
"Excuse me? What?" Topher lowered the camera from his face, schooling his features to avoid appearing as annoyed as he felt. All of about five or six years old, the little flower girl was pulling almost rudely on his shirt sleeve and pointing upwards to his face.
"Does it hurt?" She asked again. She had been infatuated with the tall, handsome photographer as soon as she'd set eyes on him. But he had a black and blue bruise on his cheek and she was childishly concerned on his behalf. "Did you fall?"
"Get back in line, keiki. We still need more pictures," Topher chided her with a not so patient sigh. He tried to propel her towards the bride, frowning when the little one refused to budge. Miles away and simultaneously caught up in his work, he had forgotten about the annoying bruise and her serious reminder now irked him.
"I bet it hurts a lot," she persisted, her bottom lip jutting out at the thought. "How did you get it? Did you fall down?"
He narrowed his eyes, glancing up to ensure the rest of the bridal party was at least taking their places. "Uh ... yeah, I fell," Topher agreed quickly in order to end the awkward conversation. Still she waited, using two hands to swing her flower basket to and fro as it hung past her tiny knees. He made an annoyed sound in his throat as he amended his explanation. "No, it doesn't hurt at all."
"Oh," she breathed out, seemingly relieved as a tiny smile perked one side of her mouth. Her fingers fumbled in her basket, yanking and tugging until she gained her prize. Her smile broadened happily at her success as a few colorful petals fluttered to the grassy lawn. "Here, mister."
Topher looked down at the long stemmed flower held so high between them in a fisted set of pudgy fingers. The head of the flower bobbed in the breeze and even trembled as the little hand stretched higher. "Take it," she demanded as she stood on her toes to thrust upwards. She had chosen the prettiest flower and was determined to make the man smile. "So you feel better."
"I don't want ... fine," he said almost too curtly, clearly annoyed as he took the bloom causing the little face to fall in disappointment. Topher rocked his jaw hard to the right as her dark eyes welled almost instantly. He cursed under his breath because this was not the type of attention he wanted to garner. Though he was loathe to do it, he hunkered down to get on the flower girl's level. Without a word, he found a way to shorten the stem so that he could wend it through one of the button holes on his jacket. "Okay? Now get back in place, keiki."
She hesitated with basket in hand, wanting more from the handsome photographer. She lost her smile in confusion, doe-eyes clearly asking him for attention. Instead, he placed a hand on her head to pivot her towards the picturesque ensemble. "Go to your mother," he said, aiming her for one of the bridesmaids with a gentle shove.
From that point on, Topher might have had a pretty flower stuffed through a button hole, but he completely forgot his encounter with the saddened flower girl. Focused on getting his job done while feeling the pressure of time leering over his shoulder, he was simultaneously preoccupied with thoughts of Kono.
He frowned uncomfortably as an odd sensation prickled the back of his neck and he stopped to gaze around the posh venue. The event was winding down and guests were beginning to depart; also his cue to do the same and he sighed in relief. However, something suddenly felt off and he paused longer to study everyone in his vicinity. He saw nothing though except for happy guests celebrating the union of two very special people.
Topher snorted under his breath, a wry smile pursing his lips. There was nothing - no one - to be concerned about and only Kono to return home for. At that pleasant thought, he even dared to whistle the wedding march as he repacked his expensive equipment with a diligent care. A check of his watch reassured him that Kono would still be sleeping and he made a spontaneous decision to visit Ehukai Beach Park. There, in the midst of a busy parking lot, he would sit openly in his new car and enjoy the remnants of a fine afternoon.
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If Topher Reid thought he was being ignored, he couldn't have been more mistaken. While Danny slept in the office, Chin and Steve had quickly identified his legal name change from Christopher Reed to Topher Reid in Denver, Colorado nearly six years earlier. Though they were struggling to confirm his current location, floodgates of information on the man had been opened.
"What can you tell us about him?" Steve asked. "Is he still in Denver?" He and Chin had developed a rough outline of Reid's life, the latter half of which was more impressive than they had anticipated. "Is he on assignment somewhere?"
"Let me start with telling you that Topher's a pompous, arrogant bastard. He's a pain in the ass to work with. For all of that, I can't deny that he delivers," Casey Mark, the editor for a popular sports magazine informed them by phone. "But I guess that's evident based on how busy he is and the accolades he's won." The man they were speaking to sounded older and hardened based on the coarseness of his voice alone. Steve could envision the lit cigarette dangling from a lopsided mouth as he rasped and coughed each word into the connection.
At first intrigued by their findings, Chin felt his hopes about Reid fading. Casey Mark was the third magazine editor they'd contacted once they'd discovered the facts around Topher Reid's employment. By far, this editor had been the most helpful. Mark further explained that Topher Reid only took those assignments that he wanted and when he freelanced, sold to the highest bidder. He held no loyalties per se and led an almost nomadic lifestyle. In general and as reconfirmed thrice by Casey Mark, the comments about Reid's mercurial personality were also consistent: he lacked friends, didn't stay long and had an enormous ego. Regardless, the formerly troubled young man had a career and a good one at that. He was wealthy, well known and if not well liked amongst his peers, he was definitely respected.
"Do I know where he is right now? Not actually ... no. He's hard to pin down and only takes on assignments as he sees fit. But with his reputation, he can afford to do that." The editor paused before trying to answer Steve's last question. The lengthy amount of dead air allowed Chin and Steve time to share a dismal look about the pending collapse of what might have been a solid lead. Chin sighed deeply as he looked away from the Smart table to where Danny was sleeping. Besides locating Kono, the failure had more riding on it and losing Reid as a suspect would still be something which Chin, himself, would have difficulty letting go.
There was a series of loud phlegmy coughs on the intercom which made both men wince in distate until Casey Mark cleared his throat well enough to make one very important statement. "Rumor has it that he's in your neck of the world actually. Martino Mantz is getting married this month in Hawaii and he asked Topher to cover the wedding. I can't say if he agreed or not; weddings are well beneath Topher's usual repertoire."
"Martino Mantz?" Steve stumbled over the name as he stared with interest at the phone as if he could see Mark through osmosis. A lot of very special interaction was lost without being able to see someone face to face, however the editor sounded impressed. Across from him, Chin's fingers were already hammering the display. His fingerips thudded duly on the Smart table's surface as he quickly pulled up Mantz and his eyes literally bugged out at the date of the man's nuptials.
The hoarse laugh ended on a bark, followed up by a sickly cough. "World class soccer player from Spain. Reid's Hawaiian, which I'm sure you're well aware of. Mantz tried to use that as a hook, plus his ample checkbook, but I don't know how it all worked out. Like I said, Reid's a pompous bastard and may have declined. Still, my suggestion is look under your noses. It's the best I can do ... by the way, what do you want with Topher?"
The question was perfectly appropriate yet now, the silence which resonated during the conversation was owned by both Chin and Steve. "We just need to ask him a few questions about someone he used to know," Steve vaguely offered the inquisitive editor.
"Cloak and daggers, gentlemen?" Casey Mark coughed and gagged around another throaty laugh. "Whatever. I've kept a secret or two in my own line of work. It's something I understand well; if I hear anything else about Reid, I'll let you boys know."
The click on the opposite side of the Pacific ended the call almost too abruptly, but Chin was in the process of swiping the Mantz-Harmon wedding details to the main overhead screen. "Today ... the damned wedding is today. Royal Hawaiian."
Steve rapped the table hard with his knuckles as Chin virtually vibrated in place waiting for the pending permission. His eyes were broodingly dark as he considered the proper next step. They had nothing but conjecture and didn't even know if Reid was covering Mantz's wedding. It wasn't yet worth waking Danny ... almost, yet not quite the right time. With a worried glance towards his office, Steve wanted to be in two places at once but his executive decision would wind up being fair as Chin voiced his thoughts verbatim.
"I'd like to crash that wedding," Chin said snidely before walking over to the glass to peer inside the office so he could see the couch. "I don't think he's moved an inch and he looks just as bad. Even sleeping, Steve."
"Get out there," Steve finally conceded. "I want an unmarked unit in the wings to back you up ... take notes and ask questions. I want updates every thirty minutes. See what's there and who's there, Chin. Then we decide what to do. "
Chin was out the door before Steve even finished speaking, gathering gear and contacting HPD for support while on the run. Steve didn't need to add that Chin was prohibited to act if he saw Reid at the wedding venue; that was understood. However, there was zero doubt that the photojournalist could count on a rather relentless shadow.
Virtually tip-toeing, Steve snuck back into his office with plans to quietly use his own computer and manage communications with Chin. For the hundredth time, he wondered how right Chin's hunch might be about Topher Reid and Kono's past history. And then, if so, how dangerous the now grown street-kid could be because of so many unknowns. Steve frowned as he stood over Danny who lay partially on his side to avoid putting weight on his healing shoulder.
He dragged a weary hand over his face since Chin was at least right about one thing thus far: Danny did look bad. It wasn't going to happen, but his partner needed to be home and resting in a real bed. As he stared down at the sleeping man, Danny's earlier words came to his mind and Steve winced at the recent memory. "This is how a stalker is born?"
Of course his thoughts flew to Kono and where she might be or if she could be badly injured. He grimaced almost in pain at the sheer lack of communication from her kidnapper. Other than Reid as an option, they had no other leads ... nothing at all to act upon. Steve shook his head ruefully as his stress mounted. He did take time to tally what they did have from Danny's poor eye-witness accounts, to the damaged pieces of plastic and glass which the CSU lab determined had come from expensive photographic equipment.
"It's not a bad start," Steve softly murmured. He pursed his lips thoughtfully as he considered the very interesting fact that Reid could be on Oahu attending a wedding. Coincidence? Maybe, but maybe not one at all. In fact, they've had less to work on and gained more. Wanting to also be on the move, Steve's frustrated sigh was louder than he intended it to be. He accidentally disturbed Danny who briefly fidgeted in place before relaxing once more.
Choosing to focus on the possibilities, Steve quietly moved to sit behind his desk. No matter where he was, Danny needed to sleep. While he rested, Chin would be crashing the wedding of an international sports star with the intent of locating a very attractive person of interest. Though he was frustrated and extremely worried about what might happen next, Steve would wait.
They at least had something and it was good enough to re-energzie a feeling of hope.
~ to be continued ~