AN: Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and followed this story on this rather long ride. Thanks for sticking with me; I appreciate you all! And a huge thank you to honu59 for being a supportive beta and friend.

Chapter Five: Finishing Touches

This case was going to end in the same way it began: in a beautiful environment made ugly by the presence of evil in his midst. For SteveMcGarrett found Mrs. Larson lounging across an elegant looking French style sofa with a cigarette in her hand. She didn't even look at him as she said dismissively, "My husband is at work. You will need to travel there if you wish to speak to him."

Scanning the opulent room, he said, "You have many beautiful things in your home, Mrs. Larson."

"Something tells me you aren't here to critique my decor, Mr. McGarrett."

Steve wandered over towards the grand piano. "Oh, but I've always been fond of beautiful things: beautiful art, beautiful music..." The piano was not his instrument, but he knew enough to tickle a few keys, testing different ones.

Larson stiffened in her seat. "Beautiful women, according the papers." She was staring at the piano in a way that betrayed her nervousness.

Steve shrugged off the insult. He knew that he was close to getting what he wanted. "Your son was murdered with a garrote made out of piano wire." He continued hitting different notes as he worked his way up and down the scale.

"So you think it is appropriate to torture his grieving mother by playing the instrument that caused his death. Have you no shame?" Tears began to well up in her eyes.

"No," Steve replied as he hit a key that emitted no sound. To make sure his suspect saw him, he hit it two more times to the same effect. "I'm here to arrest his killer. I think we both know that the wire that should be struck by this key is the one a witness saw you use to murder your son."

The tears disappeared as quickly as they appeared. She knew the jig was up. "You seem to know everything, Mr. McGarrett."

"Not everything, Mrs. Larson. I know enough to ensure that you will spend a very long time in prison. But what I don't understand is why? Why kill your own son? Money doesn't seem like a enough of a motive for a woman of your means."

The woman took another drag from her cigarette before replying, "I gave him everything. His life, his education, his art. We paid for his training, his studio, his paints. And the first time I ask him to do something for me, he refused me. He called me selfish. What child puts his hobby before the needs of his entire family?"

Looking at the grand piano, the chandelier, the art on the walls, the high end furniture, Steve just shook his head. "The items in this room alone are worth more than your son's paintings ever will be? If you cared as much about the family business as you say, why didn't you just sell all this?"

"And announce to the entire island that we are struggling? You're right, Mr. McGarrett, you don't know everything after all."

Steve could only stare dumbfounded as this woman put out her cigarette and then cocked her head as to say 'arrest me.' In that moment, he realized that she really didn't care. She'd done her job. She punished her disobedient son and provided her family with the funds they needed to save their business. He would have his men look, but he doubted that he would be able to prove that the husband or the elder son had foreknowledge of the murder of her youngest - even if they did.

So as Steve escorted Mrs. Larson to the waiting officers, he couldn't help but be disturbed by her words. Even though it was his job to analyze and study evil, perhaps it was a good thing he didn't understand it all.

The visitors' center at the Botanical Gardens was filled with dozens of paintings. Almost a hundred people were milling about, drinking, looking at art and waiting for the auction to begin. But Ben only had eyes for one object in the room: a painting of a fisherman hauling in his catch.

He had seen this painting before when he had explored Gabriel's studio. But with the weight of the investigation now gone, he was able to look at and really appreciate the art before him. For the more he studied the work, the more he couldn't help but see himself in the art. This was a picture of the man he could have been if he had taken a different path in life. It was the life of his father and most of the men in his family. It was the life his family had expected him to lead until he began to excel in school. After that, all everyone talked about was how he would get to lead a better life then they ever had.

The day he received his college scholarship had been the best day of his life. He'd left and he'd rarely gone back except to visit his family. He been so happy to escape that life that he had thrown himself into his studies and into his work with a passion. But the more he looked at this painting, the more he remembered that, while living on the docks was a hard life, it wasn't a bad one. Men like his father had pride in their work and would have done anything to make sure that there was food on the table and their families were cared for. There was love and care and closeness. He wouldn't be the same man he was today without those days. He just needed to remember.

"Powerful, isn't it?"

Ben forced himself to breath normally; he had expected Beth, no Lanuola, to be here and he thought he was prepared. But the friendly tone of her voice had caught him off guard. Could they, just once, simply talk?

"It looks so real," Ben said.

Lanuola smiled. "Gabriel did have a gift for capturing the essence of people in his works."

Ben cocked his head in surprise. "I thought you didn't approve of Mr. Larson."

"Turns out Gabriel was a better man than I thought."

Ben understood how difficult those words were for his ex. No matter how bad things had gotten, she'd always clung to pride. "He did surprise us all." And you are surprising me.

"I would've liked to have seen the looks on his family's faces when the will was read."

Now Ben was smiling. There had been no small amount of rejoicing in the Five-O offices when they learned that the artist had left everything to a nonprofit on the island dedicated to supporting local artists. They had decided to hold an auction to raise money for a scholarship in Gabriel's name so talented artists of all backgrounds would have a chance to share their talents with the world.

"People are more complex than they appear."

"They always are."

Somehow they moved from talking about Gabriel to talking about them. And they weren't yelling. Ben didn't want to ruin this moment, but he had to say, "You changed, Lanuola, and more than just your name."

"So did you."

"I don't regret the decisions I made. But I do regret that my decisions caused us to grow apart. I miss our friendship."

Lanuola met his eyes and admitted, "I've missed you, too. I'm glad we never married, but if you're willing, I think we should try to be friends."

Ben nodded. "I'd like that."

It wouldn't be easy, Ben knew that. Even now that they had gotten through the hardest part, the awkwardness returned. It would take time for it to go away.

Lanuola gestured toward the crowd. "I need to get back to work."

"Me too." Five-O was working security for the auction. Mr. Larson challenged his son's will and there was some fear that he might try something at the event. "Aloha."

"Aloha."

Taking one last look at the painting, Ben realized that he'd spent so much time focusing on his future that he'd forgotten to honor his past. It may have been hard and it may have been painful, but it had made him into the man he was today.

They say that art is window into a man's soul and Ben knew that this case had helped him take a long look into his own. For that, he would always be grateful.

PAU