By Monday morning, Danny had learned to avoid any form of media outlet. He'd tried to watch the news Saturday night to find them still talking about him and the shooting. Sunday morning he'd almost begun to believe that it would all blow over soon, and then he opened the Sunday paper to find a front page article on police brutality and whether or not the drugstore incident qualified. It was amazing to him how many so-called witnesses were popping up all of a sudden and how they were all experts on what he should or shouldn't have done. He'd had to bury the paper in the recycling bin so Grace didn't see it and get upset.
Danny glanced at his watch and grimaced as he noted the time, "How ya doin', Monkey? We have to get going if you're going to be on time for school."
"Coming, Danno," Grace crutched her way into the living room, backpack slung on her back and braids swinging wildly as she came to a stop.
"How's the knee this morning?"
Grace shrugged, rocking slightly as the crutches shifted, "Much better. Do I really have to use the crutches for school?"
Danny nodded as he grabbed his car keys, "For now. You have a check up with the doctor tomorrow, and he'll let us know whether or not you'll have to keep using them."
"I hope not," Grace grimaced. "They're uncomfortable, and so's the knee brace."
"I know, kiddo," Danny soothed. "C'mon, let's get you to school."
Grace awkwardly crutched out to the car, Danny holding her arm to help her with balance.
As Danny helped Grace into the car, he heard a "harumph" behind him and turned to see one of his neighbors watching them from her front lawn where she had obviously been pruning a shrub. She stood with arms folded across her chest and a disapproving look on her face. He offered her a short wave only to have her "harumph" again and pointedly turn her back on him. When he looked in his rearview mirror as he drove off, he noticed her watching them before storming off into her house.
The rest of the drive to school was uneventful and Danny was relieved to see they were there with plenty of time to spare. He retrieved the crutches from the back seat and handed them to Grace as she hoisted herself out of the car. "Do you want me to walk you in, or are you okay?"
"I'm okay, Danno," Grace smiled.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure," Grace smiled and waved at a friend waiting on the steps as she slung her backpack over a shoulder and quickly reached up to give her dad a peck on the cheek. "See you later, Danno."
"Have a good day, monkey," Danny smiled as he watched her make her way towards her friend, and they disappeared inside the school. It wasn't until he was behind the wheel of the Camaro again that he realized he didn't know what to do next; he wasn't allowed to go into the office since he was on paid administrative leave. He finally decided to go to the grocery store since he and Grace hadn't been out of his apartment all weekend. They really needed more food, and maybe making pizza together for supper would help him feel better.
He had only gone down two aisles of the grocery store before Danny realized that maybe it wasn't such a great idea to be there. The looks and nudges had started as soon as he'd walked in the door. The paper racks at the front of the store ensured that everyone who entered had seen his face as, once again, the front page headline was about the recent shooting incident. One particular paper even questioned whether or not he should be tossed off the island. He snorted at that one considering that's what he'd wanted for the first year or so he was in Hawaii. He was about to turn around and head for the doors to leave when he decided against it, "Screw it!" He declared and continued shopping, defiantly meeting people's stares with a smile and nod.
As the checkout clerk rang up Danny's purchases several minutes later, she thought he sort of looked familiar. She finally placed why that was as she scanned his last item. She glanced around and noticed someone glowering at him from the other aisle. She placed his last item, some pizza cheese, in the sack and then smiled at him as he swiped his card in the debit machine. She handed him his receipt, "There you go, sir. Have a great day."
"I doubt it," Danny snorted.
"Don't let them bother you," the clerk urged. "They just don't understand a cop's job isn't as clear cut as they think it should be."
Danny's head snapped up, and he met her intense gaze, "Thanks, you seem to be the only civilian on this island who feels this way."
The clerk smiled, "My uncle's HPD. He says the media is out to get you because that senator is poking his nose in things he knows nothing about, and since you're Five-0, you're an even bigger target... And I think he's right."
Danny smiled and nodded at her, "Thank you."
"No problem," the clerk shrugged. "I just thought you should know that not everyone wants to kick you off this island."
"Thanks," Danny chuckled. "I'll try to keep that in mind." Danny gathered up his groceries and headed to his car. He felt a little better on the drive home, hoping that things would return to normal as quickly as possible. He had no idea how much worse things would get before that would happen.
H
5
0
Luka Hara sat in his office at The Academy of the Sacred Heart and tried to fight off fatigue with his third cup of coffee. He glanced at his watch and rolled his eyes heavenward as he noted it was only 10:00 a.m. He had returned late the night before from his training weekend with The National Guard. It had been a particularly tiresome weekend as their usual training had been interrupted by a brief call out to help clear a road from a mudslide and make sure the residents of the affected area were okay.
As he took another sip of coffee, his eyes fell on the folded paper he'd brought from home. He'd found it sitting with his briefcase from work when he'd arrived home at nearly midnight the night before. He hadn't taken the time to read it when he got home, but had brought it to work thinking he'd better read it before he got home that night. The fact that it was so obviously sitting with his stuff meant that his wife wanted him to read it for some reason. He wasn't sure if that meant there was an interesting article she wanted to discuss with him, maybe a social event she wanted to attend, or even a sale at her favorite store and she was giving him a warning that the credit card bill would be higher that month. He decided his paperwork could wait a moment while he took a quick glance through the paper. He unfolded the paper, dated the day before, and almost spit his coffee out as he read the headline: "IS DETECTIVE WILLIAMS A MURDERER?" Below the glaring headline was a grainy picture of his friend, Danny Williams.
Luka read the article through quickly and then read it a second time more carefully. He shook his head and read it a third time, hoping it would make more sense. He slowly put down the paper, not believing what he'd just read. He'd met Detective Williams and Commander McGarrett almost two years before when they'd happened to be in the building when armed men had taken some students hostage and rigged the building with explosives. He'd helped guide the two men through the school as they'd freed students and eventually taken down the men who had threatened a student to convince his dad, a judge, to throw a trial. Five-0, and Danny in particular, had also helped save the school from arson in a complicated scheme aimed at one of the teacher's husbands. Since then he'd seen Danny at various school programs. In his role as counselor at the school, he'd also talked to Grace Williams as needed, which was not very often. Occasionally, however, she'd need a kind and impartial ear to bend as she still coped with her parents' divorce and various issues that brought about. He'd also spent several weeks talking with her after she'd been kidnapped by Danny's old Jersey partner. He could remember so clearly the look on Danny's face when he'd come in to tell him about that and asked if he'd mind speaking to Grace. Danny himself had come in a few times to talk to him about the incident and Luka knew how hard the two of them worked to get past that incident, and how close a bond the father and daughter shared.
A knock on the doorframe of his open door startled him out of his thoughts. Luka looked up to find Grace Williams hesitantly standing there, balancing on a pair of crutches. He quickly shoved the paper out of sight, "Hi, Grace. What can I do for you?"
"Can I come in and talk for a few moments, Mr. Hara?"
"Of course, Grace," Luka motioned to one of the two seats opposite his desk. "What do you want to talk about?"
Grace twisted her hands in her lap and chewed her lip for a moment before looking up again, "I think my dad is in trouble."
"What do you mean, Grace?" Luka didn't want to assume Grace's anxiety was related to what he'd just read in the paper.
Grace took a moment to gather her thoughts, "I know he had to shoot someone Friday night, and... and he told me that she died."
Luka nodded, but kept quiet to let the girl speak.
"And Uncle Steve and Sergeant Duke stopped by Saturday morning to talk to Daddy, and they seemed kind of sad. I think Danno was mad."
"Do you think he was mad at them?"
Grace shrugged, "He's always kinda mad at Uncle Steve, but not really mad. Do you know what I mean?"
Luka nodded; he'd been around the two of them just a little, but in talking with Danny, he'd quickly figured out when the man was really mad and when he was just blustering as a way to cope with something.
"And then I heard a couple of kids talking, and even a couple of teachers, this morning about how he killed that girl and didn't have to," tears started to form in Grace's eyes and her voice trembled, "They said my dad is a murderer and should be in jail."
"Oh, Grace," Luka came over to her side of the desk and knelt in front of her. "It'll be okay."
"Will it?" Grace looked at him and wiped at her eyes trying to dispel the tears.
"I only just read about what's going on," Luka told her, "but I know that your dad is a good cop, and I'm pretty sure this will all blow over. I'm sorry you're hearing unkind things said about your dad, but you need to keep in mind what your dad is really like and not listen to what those other people are saying."
Grace nodded and sniffed back the tears, "You're right. My dad is the best."
"Thatta girl!" Luka patted her arm and smiled at the girl's resilience. "It might take a few days, but this will blow over, and your dad will be just fine."
Grace stood and accepted her crutches from Luka, "Thank you, Mr. Hara."
"You're welcome, Grace. You know you can come talk to me any time you need to," Luka reminded her. "Here, let me write you a pass to get back into class."
Grace left the office feeling better than she had though still a little sad. She really hoped that Mr. Hara was right and everything would be okay soon.
Luka was about to resume his seat when there was another knock at his door. He gave his coffee cup a short, longing look as he turned to see who wanted him now. He found an older, gray haired lady standing in his doorway with a large briefcase in hand, "May I help you?"
"Mr. Hara, my name is Gladys Wentwood. I am with Child Welfare Services. I am looking into an allegation of abuse involving one of your students here. The secretary out front indicated you could help me."
"Please have a seat, Mrs. Wentwood," Luka gestured to the seat Grace had recently vacated. A quick glance out his door into the office area revealed the office manager watching him intently.
"That's Ms. Wentwood," she took a seat on the proffered chair, back ramrod straight as she opened her file. "We received a most urgent call this morning from a citizen alleging that a Miss Grace Williams is being abused by her father, Detective Daniel Williams. I am here to get a few questions answered, and to remove Miss Williams from the premises, if necessary, and deliver her to a foster family immediately if the facts warrant."
Luka's mind whirled as he stared at the Child Welfare Services representative. The mere thought of Grace being abused by her dad was so absurd in his mind that he couldn't form a coherent response.
Ms. Wentwood continued, "The citizen reports that Detective Williams and Miss Grace Williams were not seen at all this past weekend, and when they did appear this morning, Miss Williams was on crutches with a brace on her knee. After the recent incident involving Detective Williams killing a teenager, the citizen is afraid for the safety of the minor, Miss Williams."
"This is absurd!" Luka was finally able to spit out. He took childish pleasure in the look on Ms. Wentwood's face at his rather unprofessional response. "Grace Williams was just in here concerned about her dad over the recent shooting incident. I personally know Detective Williams and know that there is not even the slightest chance that he is capable of harming his daughter. He has worked very hard the last few years to gain more custodial rights, and I wish there were more fathers... more parents like him!"
"Nevertheless," Ms. Wentwood responded, more stiffly than before, if that were possible, "I need to interview Miss Williams and see for myself."
Luka went to his doorway to request Grace be sent to his office; the office manager gave him a shake of her head to indicate her disbelief as well. After the incident with the kidnappers, and then later with the arsonist, the office staff were rather partial to Detective Williams and his ability to keep their school safe. None of them believed that he was capable of harming his sweet, little daughter. They all knew how he doted on her and would do anything to keep her safe.
Fifteen minutes after leaving, Grace was back and headed to the counselor's office. She quietly knocked again, "Mr. Hara? My teacher said I should come back and talk to you?"
"Yes, Grace, please come have a seat," Luka pulled out the other visitor's chair, moving it towards the far corner of his desk. "This is Ms. Wentwood. She has some questions for you."
"Okay," Grace agreed, puzzled.
"Miss Williams, I am with Child Welfare Services. Do you know what that is?"
Grace shook her head and looked hesitantly at Luka; she didn't like where this was going already.
"We are in charge of keeping children like you safe," Ms. Wentwood explained. "Would you mind showing me your arms?"
"My arms?" Grace uncertainly asked.
"Yes, your arms," Ms. Wentwood leaned forward so she could examine the arms when Grace presented them.
Grace held her arms out so the strange lady could look at them, flinching when she moved the short sleeves of her uniform shirt up and peeked underneath. She let them fall back to her lap as the woman turned back to her clipboard.
"Hmm," Ms. Wentwood muttered as she examined Grace's arms and then started to jot notes on her paper. "No bruises yet, but that could mean they're deep and not yet apparent."
"Wait a minute," Luka intervened as he heard the woman's muttering. "What are you doing?"
"The complaint report I have indicates that," Ms. Wentwood looked over her glasses at a piece of paper, "Mr. Williams had a tight hold of the child's arm as he dragged her to the car and pushed her inside."
"What?!" Grace asked in alarm as the words sank in. "My dad didn't drag me to the car and push me inside! He was helping me balance on these stupid crutches; I'm not very good with them yet."
"It's okay, Grace," Luka assured her as he noticed tears forming in her eyes. "Ms. Wentwood..."
"How did you hurt your knee?" Ms. Wentwood steamrolled right over Luka. "Did your dad do that?"
"What? No!" Grace looked again at Luka, panicked at all the questions the woman was asking about her dad. "I fell."
"Hmmm," Ms. Wentwood hummed, jotting down another note on her paper, "Fell, hmmmm?"
"Yes," Grace leaned forward, willing the woman to listen to her and really hear her as she explained. "I fell off the top of the pyramid at cheerleading practice on Friday. I twisted my knee."
"Mm-hmmm," Ms. Wentwood never took her eyes off her paper as she continued to write.
"What's going on?" Grace wondered, looking between the two adults.
Luka hesitated, hoping Ms. Wentwood would offer some sort of explanation. When she didn't, he tried to offer a gentle answer, "It seems that someone has accused your dad of abusing you..."
"What?!" Grace was astounded. "Why would anyone do that?"
"It's okay, Grace," Luka reassured her. "We'll figure this out."
"My dad would never abuse me! He couldn't... he just couldn't," Grace couldn't continue as tears started to roll down her face. The last few minutes had come so out of the blue for her that she felt like she was in the middle of a bad dream.
Ms. Wentwood looked over her glasses at Grace as the girl tried to sniffle back her tears, "The complaint I have is quite severe. Couple that with the recent shooting incident Detective Williams was involved in, along with the fact that not so long ago, he allowed his old partner and friend, Rick Peterson, to abduct you..."
"What?" Grace choked out as she shuddered at the mention of Rick Peterson's name, and all the bad memories and feelings she'd worked so hard to get over came flooding back. "NO! That's not true. Tell her, Mr. Hara. Tell her my dad didn't let that man kidnap me. He did everything he could to get me back... and he did! He saved me from..." she momentarily balked at saying the name but screwed up the courage to do so when she thought about this woman using this against her dad, "from Rick Peterson, and he put him back in jail where he belongs. He would never put me in danger, and he wouldn't, and hasn't, hurt me. That's all a lie!"
"Well," Ms. Wentwood tucked her papers aside. "I think the facts speak for themselves."
"Wh...what does that mean?" Grace almost whispered, afraid she knew exactly what the lady meant.
"I think it's clear that you cannot possibly go with your father until I look into this further. I will find a suitable foster family to pick you up this afternoon when school lets out."
"What?!" Grace stood, quickly grasping the edge of the desk as she wobbled, "NO! I don't need a foster family. I want my dad! He would never do those things! Never!"
"Grace," Luka came and stood next to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder for support. "We'll figure this out. Ms. Wentwood, unless there's something I'm missing, I don't see how you have enough evidence to remove Grace from her father's care."
"Well, Mr. Hara," Ms. Wentwood practically snorted. "That is my decision to make, not yours. I will inform you of the identities of the foster parents this afternoon so Miss Williams can be placed in their care at the end of the day."
"No!" Grace looked pleadingly at Luka who rubbed her shoulder briefly to calm her.
"Ms. Wentwood, what about family? If Grace has family willing to care for her while you... investigate her father, would that be acceptable?"
Ms. Wentwood thought for a moment, "Yes, that would be acceptable so long as Miss Williams did not have contact with her father during this time so he cannot threaten her in any way."
Luka swallowed down a nasty retort, "Grace, how about if you spend a few days with family?"
"I want to be with my dad," Grace stubbornly insisted. "My mom is in Vegas."
Luka nodded, aware of the custody situation and Grace's mother's frequent trips to the mainland, "What about your uncle?"
"Uncle?" Grace was momentarily puzzled, especially by the sly look on Luka's face.
"Yes," Luka nodded at her. "Isn't Uncle Steve close by?"
Grace grinned for the first time all morning, "Yes! I can stay with Uncle Steve!"
"Is Uncle Steve married?" Ms. Wentwood questioned.
"No..."
"Then you cannot," the matronly lady shook her head. "It would not be proper for a young lady to stay with an uncle who is not married."
Grace hung her head for a moment before coming up with another idea, "What about Auntie Kono? Could I go stay with Auntie Kono? She's a woman, and she's not married so there's not even a man there."
"Yes, that could be acceptable," Ms. Wentwood studied the girl's face. "Normally, I like to meet the family the minor will be staying with..."
"This is happening quite fast," Luka smiled at her. "I'm sure that the normal restrictions and regulations you normally have in place have an allowance for something like this. I can personally vouch for Grace's aunt as I have met her and know her to be a fine, upstanding woman in the community."
Ms. Wentwood hesitated and made a decision as she glanced at her watch, "Well... I suppose that is acceptable this time. I need to go pay a visit to Detective Williams to inform him of the investigation and make him aware that he is not to contact Miss Williams until further notice."
Luka nodded and watched as the woman marched out of his office on her way to ruin Danny's day. He waited until she was out of sight before he turned to Grace and gave her the best smile he could muster, "I'm sorry about that, Grace. I'm going to give your dad a call to give him a heads up about Ms. Wentwood and what's going on. You and I both know he is not going to be happy."
Grace offered a half smile at his last statement. She wiped away her tears though she felt fresh ones forming at the corner of her eyes, "I know she said I shouldn't, but can I talk to Danno when you call?"
Luka smiled, "Of course, and then we'll give Auntie Kono a call and let her know you'll be spending the night with her. That was a really great idea you had about staying with her. I'm sure your dad won't mind at all under the circumstances."
"I can get you her number if I can get my phone out of my locker," Grace told him, pleased that he had complimented her on her idea and glad Ms. Wentwood hadn't pressed the issue. She was sure that if she knew the true relationship with Kono, she never would have agreed.
"I can get Kono's number out of your file," Luka told her. "Your dad listed his whole team as emergency contacts and told me he'd trust all of them with your life if he wasn't able to be here."
Grace smiled and felt a little more encouraged than she had in hours. She was still upset about what was going on but knew that with the help of his team, her dad would be okay and so would she.
A/N: Do you guys still love me? Any guesses on how Danny is going to react about this bit of news?