Sammy's notes: Mari & Ilna-you're the best. Always a pleasure co-writing with you partner.

McRollers-thanks for reading.

Mari's notes: Sammy & Ilna, thanks for being the best of everything. Co-writes are way too much fun!

REALMcRollers & Readers we love you all.

Send in the Clowns

Two Weeks Ago

Side Street was hopping with the sound of chatter and clinking glasses. The team had just wrapped a major weapons trafficking case, and decided to celebrate with an early dinner and drinks. Catherine had joined Steve, Danny, Chin and Kono after she'd been at HQ to debrief them on the case for Lea.

Sitting around a back table, enjoying appetizers and relishing a little downtime, the means the traffickers had used to conceal their shipments came up. "I thought the ones using the chicken roosts were nuts," Danny said, "But these guys brought on the mal occhio," he made the symbol for the 'evil eye'.

Steve shook his head. "Again? Really?"

Danny took a sip of his beer and glanced around the table, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yes, because," he said, "clowns." He nodded at the others. "They're evil. Surely, all of you sane people agree with me."

"I thought we were here to celebrate closing the case, not discuss your childhood nightmares," Steve teased.

Catherine grinned. "I have to side with Steve on this one, Danny. Clowns can be a little weird, but evil? I'm not so sure."

Danny waved a hand towards the couple. "Of course you would agree with him. Monobrain."

Chin nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm with Catherine. Clowns are harmless entertainers, for the most part. No need to see evil lurking behind their smiles."

Kono leaned back in her chair. "Sorry, guys, but I've gotta agree with Danny. Clowns definitely have an eerie vibe, like they're hiding something sinister."

Danny's eyes lit up with victory. "Ah, Kono, my sister-in-arms! Finally, someone who understands the true nature of the diabolical creatures!"

Steve rolled his eyes, busting his partner, "Come on, Danny. Not everything in the world is out to get you. Clowns are just people in funny outfits, trying to make other people laugh. Give 'em a break."

Danny leaned forward, his expression turning mock-serious. "Have you ever looked into the eyes of a clown? Beneath the makeup and wigs, you can see the darkness." He crossed his heart. "I swear."

Catherine chuckled, shaking her head. "Danny, you're not exaggerating…" she held two fighters a hair's breadth apart. "Just a little?"

He once again waved a hand. "I assure you, my issue with clowns is deeply rooted in logic and reason. Just look at the history of clowns." He ticked items off on his fingers. "They've been around since ancient times, even if they were called jesters or whatever, but there's always that sinister undertone. And need I mention John Wayne Gacy?"

Kono leaned forward with a grin. "Danny, since clowns give us the creeps, maybe we should all dress up as clowns for Halloween this year. It could be the ultimate test of courage."

Danny's eyes widened. "Absolutely not. I refuse to go anywhere near a clown costume, let alone wear one myself. Are you trying to give me nightmares, Kalakaua?"

Their server arrived and the conversation shifted to other topics, leaving the clowns behind for the moment. But in the back of his mind, the detective's opinion remained steadfast.

Present Day

The task force was gathered around the smart table with Catherine, discussing a plan of action.

Steve pointed to the screen. "So, we've got two vics discovered at the Happy Times Circus and Carnival and their ID's didn't match the prints Max pulled from the bodies."

"That's right." Catherine swiped pictures of the ID's taken from the victims onto the overhead screens. "Cal and Sally Perkins reported their driver's licenses stolen almost a year ago when they were mugged outside of a warehouse near the docks at 2am."

"That doesn't sound suspicious at all," Chin scoffed.

"Right?" Catherine replied. "According to Duke they stuck with that story for about 6 hours then they both cracked. Turns out they'd just left an illegal poker game."

"Did they have a lot of cash on them?" Kono asked.

"No, that's the strange thing," Catherine said. "They both lost big that night."

"Thing is," Steve said. "The pictures on the ID's do kind of resemble the two victims. Same height, same hair and eye color. If you didn't look very close you'd assume they were legit."

"So you think Cal and Sally Perkins got mugged because they fit a certain physical description?" Danny asked. "So someone could steal their identity?"

Catherine nodded. "I think there's a good chance."

"Did they recognize the mugger?" Chin swiped to the next set of pictures which were from the crime scene. "Was it someone from the poker game?"

"They weren't sure," Catherine said. "They were both pretty shook up. By the time the officers assigned to the case tracked down the warehouse it was sanitized. No proof anyone had ever been there and not a scrap of evidence left behind."

"Shouldn't HPD take the lead on this case since they have all the information on the previous robbery?" Danny asked.

"Duke said HPD will be on stand-by for any help you need, but he was happy for you to take this one off his hands," Catherine said. "They have all they can handle right now dealing with a batch of fentanyl laced pills that just hit the streets and a wave of gang violence. He forwarded over all their case notes."

"Also," she continued, "The property developer leasing the land to Happy Times for the month is an old college friend of Pearl Tanaka," Catherine explained. "Jonas Yamata. He'd already gotten a couple of complaints even before the murders. He's scared to death he's gonna get pulled into something bad. Lea and I promised her Five 0 would look into it. Besides that, the property borders the back area of the Aloha Isle strip mall which Jonas also owns."

"And which every teenager in Honolulu frequents…" Kono added.

"Exactly. It's crazy busy right now and Mr. Yamata is very concerned about keeping his customers safe," Catherine said with a nod. "I have to get back and wrap up. The plans and layout for both areas are uploaded." She stepped back from the table. "I'll tell the kids you'll call during story time if you can," she told Steve before waving at the others and saying, "Keep us posted."

As Catherine left HQ, the team refocused on the map of the grounds where the carnival was being held.

"Looks like all of the customers enter through one gate." Kono pointed. "Here in the front."

"The trailers that serve as dressing rooms for the staff are all the way in the back," Chin said. "There is no public access to that part of the grounds. There's a fence that separates the two areas. There's one opening in that fence and it has a guard on it 24/7."

"Where exactly were the bodies found?" Steve asked.

Chin consulted Max's report. "On the public side of the fence by about 15 feet. But Max is pretty sure they were killed on another part of the property and dumped there."

Steve studied the overhead screens. "So we're looking for the spot where the murders actually took place."

"The tipline got a call saying the carnival's main attraction, The House of Horrors, is the source of some … strange occurrences," Chin noted.

Steve looked at his watch. "What time are they open for business tonight?"

Chin checked the paperwork. "Five."

"OK, I say we head over there and get a closer look at what's going on," Steve suggested. "The workers are all transients so they won't be familiar with us. We can walk around and get the lay of the land and no one will be the wiser."

"Sounds like a good plan," Kono said.

"Danny, you're with me. Chin and Kono, check out the ride operators and the horror house. Carnies are pretty closed mouthed, get whatever you can from them and the vendors."

"Will do," Chin and Kono said in unison.

"Ok then." Steve turned off the overhead screens. "Let's head out."

"Oh goody," Danny grumbled. "I can't wait."

# To Be Continued Wednesday!

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