Chapter 3

Kono parked on the street in front of the modest Hawaiian home. On the drive over, the gathering grey clouds had finally blown in and the rain was now falling heavily. Her hand subconsciously rubbed the dry seat as she judged the distance to the front door.

Peering through the windshield to the sky above, she commented, "I don't think it's slowing down yet."

"We aren't going to get any answers from here," Chin reached for the door handle.

With a deep breath of resolve, Kono found herself on her cousin's heels as they made a quick dash down the front walk of the little bungalow. From under cover of the roof overhang, she looked back down the walk to admire the colourful blooms lining the path. The bent flower heads seemed to be waving at her through the rain. She felt her heart tighten at the prospect of bringing despair to such a cheery home.

Chin was watching her and asked, "You ready?"

At her nod, he reached towards the doorbell. The door opened before his fingers connected. A kindly Asian woman smiled at them.

"Hello. May I help you?"

"Mrs. Salvator?" Chin asked. At her curious nod, Chin introduced himself and Kono. "May we come in? We need to speak with you."

Her smile changed to a look of apprehension as she opened the door and stepped to the side to allow them entry. The two Five-O officers stepped in to a well lit living room.

"Can I get you anything to drink; coffee or tea?" Mrs. Salvator asked as she gestured for the officers to sit in comfortable chairs.

"No, thank you," Kono smiled tentatively as she sat. She really hated this part of her job and looked to Chin for support. Chin patted her shoulder and Kono sighed gratefully as her cousin went to Mrs. Salvator's side. Taking the older woman's hand, Chin helped her into the chair she had indicated for him to take.

Kono could now see worry and fear set on Mrs Salvator's face as Chin began to explain their presence. "I'm sorry to have to tell you, but there was an accident at the harbour."

Tears sprung from Mrs. Salvator's kind eyes, as she shook her head in denial at the news. Chin gripped her hand a little harder. Kono could almost see some of her cousin's calm pass through their connection to the woman who still needed to hear more. By the time Chin mentioned the explosion at the harbour, Mrs. Salvator had started sobbing. When Chin admitted to no survivors the older woman was a crumbling mess, clutching Chin's shoulders as her tears soaked the front of his shirt. Chin held Mrs. Salvator until her sobs became hiccups and she was able to sit up on her own.

Kono reached out for Mrs. Salvator's hand. "Is there anyone we can call for you?"

"My sister, Margaret, lives in Waikiki. Her number is in my address book in the kitchen," Mrs. Salvator was able to offer a ghost of a smile in gratitude for Kono's kindness.

Kono rubbed Mrs. Salvator's shoulder before she headed to the room at the back of the house. She found the address book in the drawer under the portable phone base. After looking up the number and dialing, she stood in the doorway to watch her cousin with the older woman, glad to be just the back-up on this mission.

"I know this is all a shock," Chin said kindly, "but if you're able to answer some questions it would help us to figure out what happened."

Mrs. Salvator took a deep breath before she nodded permission for Chin to proceed.

"Do you know what your husband was doing on the docks today? According to the schedule on the office door, there weren't any tours going out today."

"The steering was off. It was the final repairs. Akino called not long ago," Mrs. Salvator paused to check the clock on the mantle, as if to confirm she was still living in the same day. More tears flowed as she continued. "We were going out to dinner to celebrate."

Chin squeezed the hand he was holding and gave the new widow the necessary time to compose herself before asking, "Is there anyone you can think of who may have wanted to hurt your husband?"

The question caught Mrs. Salvator by such surprise she forgot she was crying. "No one would hurt Akino. He was friendly with everyone on the dock."

Chin only nodded before asking another question. "Can you tell me about the police report and the vandalism?"

"You think someone went from breaking windows and spraying paint to killing my husband?" Mrs. Salvator didn't seem able to comprehend the idea.

"We don't know," Chin admitted. "But we want to check out every possibility."

The acknowledgement seemed to appease the Asian woman. "Two days ago, when I came by with lunch for my husband, there were men replacing the windows; and last week he had to power wash graffiti off the office walls." Now Mrs. Salvator looked a little confused. "But Akino said it was just kids. He called the police, but said I shouldn't worry."

Kono, after saying good-bye to the woman on the phone, quietly returned to her cousin's side. She guessed from the conversation that Mr. Salvator had been protecting his wife from the troubles at the office, but they needed more information. "Did you have any concerns with the other tour business on your dock?"

"Aloha Catamaran Tours?" Mrs. Salvator frowned. "For the first year and a half, everything was fine. Then about six months ago Akino comes home complaining that Thomas Terashima is being too pushy and he is worried."

"Six months ago?" Chin asked. "Did your husband ever say what Mr. Terashima was being pushy about?"

Mrs. Salvator thought a moment. "No. Things got a little worse this past month. He would come home upset and tense, but I thought it was because of the vandalism from the kids. This week Akino said everything is under control; the police will put a stop to the problems." Mrs Salvator lifted red rimmed eyes to meet Chin's sympathetic gaze. "And today you tell me my Akino is gone."

Kono wished there were magic words that could help put a loved one's torment to rest, but she knew no such words existed. "Your sister said she would be here soon."

Mrs. Salvator nodded that she had heard, but the tears had started falling again.

Chin placed a business card on the end table by the grieving widow's chair. "Please call us if anything else comes to mind. We will do everything possible to find out why this happened."

The cousins quietly let themselves out. The rain was still falling, but neither of them rushed to the vehicle. Kono was still a rookie but she knew that if she was going to be a cop, and she had plans on being a good one, she couldn't afford to allow her heart to break with every crime scene and family notification. She would acknowledge the unfairness of it all, but then turn the heartache to determination to see the case through. She'd put the people responsible for the crime behind bars where they belonged. So side by side, she and Chin allowed the raindrops to fall and roll down their faces in place of tears that wouldn't be shed.

~H50~

Steve and Danny were in the Camaro, on their way to Thomas Terashima's residence. They had looked for him at his tour office but Raina Leilani, the sole employee working behind the counter, was reluctant to share information on her boss. After flashing their badges and hinting at a trip to police headquarters she became helpful and provided Terashima's home address.

"So are you going to tell me what our little shopping trip this morning was about?" Steve asked.

Steve felt completely ignored as Danny turned to watch the scenery going by his window.

"Danny!" Steve raised his voice to get his partner's attention.

Steve had to fight his grin as Danny looked like it was painful to have to tear his eyes away from the greenery flashing by; as if he would loathe to miss any award winning views. Steve wasn't taken in. Danny's favourite hobby was complaining about everything Hawaiian.

"Hmm?" Danny was sticking to his charade.

"Really Danny?" Steve wondered how far his partner was planning on taking this. As Danny only raised an eyebrow, Steve assumed he was willing to take it at least a little further. "Shopping this morning? Wanna tell me what's going on?"

Danny waved one hand dismissively. "I told you I needed…"

"Something for an outing with Grace. Yeah I know." Steve could hear the frustration in his own voice. Danny only smiled.

Rather than choke his partner into submission, Steve took a deep breath. "It's just a birthday party at a pool, isn't it?"

"Yes, Steven. You agreed to hold off with blowing up any buildings and providing near death experiences to Hawaii's low life while I have the afternoon off and everything."

Steve nodded his head. He remembered that 'discussion', but still hadn't figured out the near panic attack that was this morning.

"So why'd you drag me on that little outing earlier today?" Steve turned slightly so he could better see any reaction. Danny's answers were rarely in his words. Lord knows that man had so many words Webster's dictionary was jealous; but if you watched his eyes, you would find what you really needed to know.

Danny shuffled about in his seat.

"You okay there?" Steve couldn't help the teasing.

"No." Danny was adamant. "I am not okay, Steven." His hands joined in the conversation. "I hadn't realized that asking a friend for help would lead to the Spanish Inquisition."

"Ahh," Steve grinned. "You admit I'm your best friend!"

Danny groaned and covered his face with his hands as he leaned back into his seat. "Your SEAL ears must be full of water from that morning excursion you call a swim." Danny straightened up a little and turned to face Steve, making sure there were no barriers between his words and Steve's ears.

"I said I asked a friend. I never specified how many were on my list before I reached your name and I most certainly never, NEVER used the word best!"

Steve's grin grew. "You love me and you know it."

"Only when I don't hate you," Danny growled. "Guess how I feel about you right this moment?" Danny's glare could freeze water, but Steve felt like laughing.

"You're so crazy about me you wanted my opinion on new swim trunks."

Danny was shaking his head, his hands waving in the air. "Your opinion? God no! I'd end up in camo board shorts. Definitely not cool."

Steve almost felt hurt. "So why drag me through the hell of this morning?"

"I'm on a tight schedule."

"Schedule? What schedule? What are you talking about?"

"Kono," Danny sighed.

Steve was so confused. "I thought it was for Grace?"

"Of course it is. Haven't you been listening to me at all?" Danny's hands combed through his hair.

"I've been trying, Danny, I swear. But you're not making it easy." Steve rubbed his forehead with his finger tips. "What does Kono have to do with Grace attending a friend's birthday party?"

"Everything!" The way Danny was looking at him, Steve almost put a hand to his own shoulder to feel if a second head had started to bloom. "The pool has a rule about adult to kid ratio. I'm just a number in an equation for approval. Kono's the crazy lady who promised my loving daughter I'd look cool enough to not embarrass Grace in front of all of her friends. I think her whole class has been invited to this shindig! Who does that? These parents are insane."

Now Steve was starting to understand. "So you need to find some decent threads for the pool. What's wrong with what you've already got? Is it so bad there's pointing and laughing?"

"Hardly," Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just because I haven't been the cause for the fashion police to make an appearance doesn't mean that Grace is willing to trust the opinion of some of the larger bikini clad tourists."

Steve could agree with that, but still he doubted there was anything wrong with his friend's current beach wear. "Well, the party isn't until next week so you've got time."

Danny was shaking his head again. "Kono's offered to help, called it 'girl bonding'." He squirmed in his seat. "I know I'm not up on all of the current fashions, but I think they've gone too far."

Steve lifted an eyebrow, questioning Danny's sanity.

"Pink, Steven!" Danny's hands began conducting a symphony. "They mentioned the color pink! I would do anything for my little girl, but if I don't find the perfect trunks before Kono goes shopping, when next Friday comes I'll be calling the parents and saying I'm sick."

Steve worried that tears might start rolling down his cheeks, he was laughing so hard.

"Not funny," Danny snorted.

Steve was thoroughly enjoying the mental image at his friend's expense when his attention to the road was harshly brought back into focus with his partner's shouted warning. A large delivery truck cut into their lane, its back bumper in line with the front of the Camaro. Thankfully Danny's car had good brakes and Steve had even better reflexes. The bumpers never met and both vehicles continued on their way.

By the time they pulled up in front of Terashima's house Steve was down to the occasional mirth induced sniffle.

"I haven't laughed that hard in a long time," Steve said as both car doors closed. "I might have to ask to use the bathroom."

Danny scowled, "I'm good. I went back on the highway when you almost rammed that truck."

Steve smacked his friend's shoulder as they approached the main doors covered by the column supported balcony. Both became serious as Danny's knuckles rapped on the door.

"I hope he's home," Steve looked up at the thickening clouds. "I don't want to have to spend the afternoon running around in the rain."

Danny looked his partner up and down. "You afraid your hair might get wet? 'Cause you can't be worried about those clothes."

Steve grinned but didn't comment as the door opened.

~TBC~