Chapter 5

Each man sat tensely on the floor, 15 feet away from the one he hated most in the world. Each held his gun squarely aimed at the other, unblinking, unflinching, unspeaking for several minutes.

"Looks like we have a standoff," Dan Williams spoke first.

Gregson answered, "Hardly. I'm being kind by not killing you—yet. This .38 will do more damage than that little gun you're holding."

"At this distance? My bet would not be on you, Gregson." Thinking a little cockiness would not hurt an already bad situation, Dan spoke, "I don't suppose you noticed what that trophy you hit me with at the door was for?"

Gregson looked blank.

"Marksmanship."

Gregson had no witty reply, so Danny pressed his challenge. "I could shoot this .22 to knock the .38 out of your hand…, or hit you right between the eyes."

"Not before I would kill you outright," Gregson proclaimed. "I may not be the marksman that you are, but as you said, 'at this distance,' it would be too easy…and very satisfying to me personally."

"But you lose either way. Any shot at all will bring down a net of cops over you and you'll be back in prison in no time…, if you survive."

Gregson glowered at Williams, knowing the truth of his statement.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRINNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGG again rang the apartment telephone.

This time, each gunman continued to concentrate his aim at the other. Neither moved.

H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~

Steve McGarrett replaced the handset back down on the telephone's base on Jenny's desk. No answer. I would like to talk to him again—make sure he's OK. I'll try again later.

Having listened to the taped phone conversation between Danno and Walter Gregson, McGarrett was angry at the taunting nature of Gregson's call.

"By now, you two could have had a nice little house together on the beach, maybe a couple of kids…. Have you been lonely, Dan?"

On the heels of having discovered just that morning the extent of Danno's relationship with Jane Michaels and his plans for their marriage, Steve felt the pain especially keenly for his friend. What an ugly piece of work!

H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~

Dan Williams silently berated himself for letting the situation in his apartment get to this state. Gregson could do a lot of damage with Danny's .38 police special that he held. Even if Danny's skilled shot from his little .22 caliber gun could be more precisely aimed, it wouldn't matter a lot in the end.

I can't just let this go on. I'll fire at his hand, and he'll drop the gun. The bullet might go through his hand right to his chest. "I'd rather they kill me…" Gregson had said.

Yes! I HOPE it goes to his chest! I hope it kills him.

I want to kill him. I want to kill him.

H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~

As the situation in the apartment lengthened, Walter Gregson uncharacteristically questioned his own brilliance.

The cop is right! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Why did it matter so much to me to get to this guy?! Maybe because it's the last thing I'll ever do?

Maybe because if I had had the forethought not to kill the one girl whose boyfriend was a top cop, I could have gotten away with it and had Sally's money all to myself. Why didn't I THINK back then? It might have worked if it hadn't been for him.

I hope he's suffered. Probably not! He's had his freedom! He's moved on to other girlfriends, I'm sure, while I've… I've rotted in a cell with the scum of the earth—forced to be with them, and be subject to their sordid lifestyles. They have no idea who I am!

I won't go back there. I can't. Either I've got to get away, or die trying. And if Williams dies—well, all the better.

H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~

Get hold of yourself, Williams! As much as I'd like to kill Gregson, there'd be questions. Steve would know I would have recognized the possibility of hitting his chest, so there'd be no excuse. And it wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be right.

I could shoot at the window above him. A .22 wouldn't shatter it, but it might be enough to draw the neighbors' and HPD's attention…, but then he'll just fire the .38 at me. He's bound to hit me this close.

I don't care…. I can't let him get away. Not after what he did to Jane.

And I can't take any more of this standoff. I'll take the first opportunity…

H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~ H5O ~

So, that's it—shoot to kill and then get away before the cops come.

"Hand over your car keys, Williams."

He didn't expect that but had no doubt he wasn't going to make it easy for Gregson to get away.

"No." Danny stared back mockingly.

In the next moment, he realized he could read Gregson's thoughts – he'll shoot first, and then get the keys without a fight. So, reluctantly, he reached in his coat pocket with his left hand and dangled keys between himself and his adversary. "Come and get them."

BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

It wasn't the phone this time.

It was the doorbell.