Chapter 10:

After Steve had closed the door behind him, it was quiet in Danny's office. Steve mentally stared after the teenager as she left the hall to get something from the vending machine.

"Earth to Steve, Earth to Steve. Where you are with your thoughts?"

"What, oh yeah sorry Danno."

Steve's eyes fell once more on the spot where he had last seen Helen. She really did look a lot like her mother, but there was something else on his mind. He shook his head angrily to get the thought out of his head. Then he started telling Danny who Helen was and what she wanted here.

"She found a newspaper article about us in her mom's files?" Danny grinned widely. "Someone must have been keeping an eye on you from a distance."

"Maybe, maybe not. After all, we already have a pretty good success rate and the media also reports about us across state borders. So it could also be a coincidence."

"Okay, and what do you think of the accident?"

Steve frowned. "I'm not sure, I mean, the CPD ruled it an accident, but Helen's adamant it was homicide, and I mean, if an NSA analyst gets killed in something like this, you definitely do a double take, or what do you mean?"

Danny nodded. "I suppose so."

"Okay, would you be so kind as to have the CPD send you the report? I'll speak to the governor. I'd like the official okay that we can investigate this case. Not that that would stop me, but I could imagine that it might open a door or two for us."

"Okay, you're probably right about that. Where's Helen gone?"

"She wanted to get something to drink, I'm sure she'll be back soon."

Steve was already turning to leave when Danny called him back again. "Tell me, where is Catherine? I haven't seen her all day."

"She's staying with a friend and taking care of their two-year-old. The friend has some investigation today where she cannot bring the child with her and her husband is overseas on assembly. Well, and the grandma who was supposed to be watching broke her leg yesterday and Catherine stepped in at short notice. She will be back this afternoon."

Danny nodded, noticing Steve's slight smile as soon as he spoke of Catherine. He knew exactly how happy the two were together and couldn't imagine seeing Steve with another woman. Now Danny picked up the phone to request the accident report from the CPD and pushed his thoughts away.

Steve left Danny's office and went back into his own. Then he picked up his phone and dialed the governor's number. When he spotted Helen in the hall, he waved her back into his office. When she saw that he was on the phone she quietly stepped closer. Steve briefly pointed to his couch while listening to the person on the other end of the line. "Yes, Governor, that shouldn't be a problem. … What is the name of your contact? Detective Conroy? … Good, thank you, sir. … Yes, tomorrow morning. … Right, Detective Williams, Lieutenant McGarrett and I. The others are taking care of the current case here on the island. … Thanks sir. Yes, I'll get in touch if we need anything else."

Steve hung up just as Danny entered his office. He looked at Helen curiously and then held out his hand. "Detective Williams, you can call me Danny."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Helen."

"Nice to meet you."

Then he turned back to Steve. "The CPD just sent the file. There isn't much in it, we should take a look at it together right away. What does the governor say?"

"We have his ok. He also finds it strange that the NSA didn't investigate the case and suspects that something went wrong. He's on the phone with his colleague in California. He also recommended an old school friend who appears to be a CPD detective. We should talk to him."

"Good. When do we fly?"

"Tomorrow morning, you, Catherine and I and of course Helen."

During the conversation, Helen's eyes got bigger and bigger. "You spoke to the governor on the phone?"

Steve grinned. "Yes, Five-0 reports directly to the Governor of Hawaii and I got his ok to investigate your mother's case."

Danny leaned her over to Helen and whispered to her. "Let me tell you one thing. He would have come to Coronado to investigate anyway."

"Yeah, Danny's right about that. Just don't let the governor hear that. Now come on, let's take a look at the file."

At the table, Danny called up the file and divided it between the various screens. It really didn't include much. Because everything was classified as an accident, there was neither information from forensics nor an autopsy report. Just a few photos of the accident car and the scene of the accident.

"Not much."

"I would rather say terribly little. What was the detective's name again? Maybe he can secure the car for us so that the forensic team can take a look at it."

"Good idea." Steve typed in the detective's name on the keyboard, then clicked dial.

A deep, husky voice answered, "Conroy."

"Hello Detective, this is Commander Steve McGarrett of the Five-0 Task Force. Are you free right now?"

Then Steve explained why he was calling and that they would be coming to Coronado the next day.

"All right, Commander, it's a bit unusual, but you're right. I'll see what I can do about the car. Do you want me to pick you up from the airport?"

"Yes, that would be great. I will send you our flight details and thank you in advance for your support."

"Sure, then see you tomorrow."

"See you."

Steve looked thoughtfully at the photos on the monitor. Something about the picture bothered him, but he couldn't quite say what.

"Steve? Are you listening to me?"

"Sorry Danny, what did you say?"

"I said, maybe you should talk to Catherine."

"What is he supposed to tell me about? That he is now acquiring teenagers?"

Catherine closed the hall door behind her and held out her hand to Helen, who immediately grabbed it and shook it.

"Hi, I'm Catherine."

"Helen."

"Hi Cath, glad you came. Was everything ok with your friend?"

Catherine nodded. "Yes, everything is fine, so I am now fully there for you."

Satisfied, Steve nodded. "That's good, because we're flying to Coronado tomorrow."

Steve briefly updated Catherine as well. Catherine looked sadly at Helen.

"I'm sorry about your mother, Helen."

"Thanks."

Then she looked at the three adults one by one again. "And thank you for taking the case. That means a lot to me."

Steve watched the girl carefully. Did a tear actually glisten in the corner of Helen's eye? He smiled slightly. Tough on the outside and a young, nice girl on the inside.

The next morning they went early to Hickam, where a Cessna Citation X was ready for them with a full tank. The team only had a duffel bag and a backpack with their equipment. They had all already taken their seats when Steve got up again and disappeared into the cockpit.

"He's not really doing that now, is he?" Danny ground out angrily. He didn't like flying anywhere with Steve in general, but the fact that Steve, according to Danny, was flying the way he drove didn't exactly improve Danny's mood.

Confused, Helen looked at the detective. "What is he doing?"

Catherine grinned broadly. "Fly."

"Steve is a pilot?"

"Oh, Steve is much. Commander, Navy Seal, task force boss, my husband, pilot."

Danny cut her off, "Neanderthal, control freak, death driver, incorrigible."

Helen looked from one to the other. "May I go into the cockpit?"

Catherine nodded. "Sure. Wait until the seat belt signs go out, then you can go ahead."

Helen fidgeted restlessly in her seat. Then, finally, the seat belt signs turned off. She immediately unbuckled the seat belt and ran to the cockpit. She cautiously stuck her head in.

"Helen." Steve looked at her in surprise.

She blushed. "I wanted to take a look too."

"Sure, come in. This is Nick, our pilot."

"Hi, Nick."

"Hi, that's good that you're coming, I was just about to get a coffee anyway, be careful that Steve doesn't mess around here. Steve, you want a coffee too?"

"Sure, thank you."

"Helen?"

"Uh, no thanks."

Nick stood up and gestured for Helen to take his seat. She looked in awe at the many instruments, levers and displays. Amused, Steve gave her a sideways look.

"Would you like to steer?"

"Seriously, now?"

Steve nodded. "Yes, otherwise I wouldn't ask."

"Yes."

"Then take the yoke with both hands. … So it is good. … And now you pull it towards you very easily. Slow. … Good. ...And now a little away from you again. And now hold it like this. … Fine. And now let's see if our course is right or if we have to correct it."

Steve pointed to an instrument. Concentrated, Helen corrected the course in the right direction. "Wow, a natural. Then I can go to sleep."

Nick stood behind Steve and Helen with two steaming cups of coffee. He now handed one to Steve, who gratefully accepted it. Helen, on the other hand, sat behind the yoke with bright eyes and was happier than she had been in a long time. Six hours later, Nick gently touched down the Cessna at the Coronado airbase. Contrary to her style, Helen hugged Nick tightly to say goodbye.

"Be well, Helen. See you."

A tall man with a full beard was already waiting for the four at the hangar. He was something of a teddy bear, but under his bushy eyebrows a pair of very attentive green eyes gazed at them. They greeted and introduced each other. Then the giant spoke up.

"I would suggest you check into the hotel first and then hog your base. I let you set up a room which you can use as your HQ for your stay here. Then we can look at the car. I had it transferred to forensics yesterday."

"Thank you, Detective Conroy."

"Call me, Ben."

"Ok, Ben, I'm Steve."

They loaded their bags into the Suburban and got in. Fifteen minutes later Ben stopped the car in front of a small cozy hotel. He handed Steve a car key.

"I got you a car for your stay here. It's right over there in the parking lot."

"Thanks Ben, you really thought of everything."

"All right, then check in. See you at CPD in a minute?"

"Alright, see you then."

The four got out, got their things out of the trunk and entered the Island Inn. At the reception, Steve took their keys. As the receptionist handed him four keys across the counter, Steve shot Catherine a look, which she returned with a small grin. Steve pushed one of the keys back over the counter. "We only need three rooms, my wife and I, we share one."

The receptionist nodded: "Sure, wait, I'll give you another room. These are all rooms for one person."

Steve traded another key which he then gave to his wife.

"I wish you a pleasant stay."

"Thank you very much."

The four walked up the stairs to their rooms.

Fifteen minutes later everyone had freshened up and met again in front of the hotel entrance. Steve unlocked the Grand Cherokee and they got in. Danny entered the CPD's address into the navigation system and Steve drove off.

Arrived at the CPD, Ben showed them their temporary HQ. He had thought of everything. Monitors, a surface table and even a well-stocked gun cabinet. Satisfied, they connected their equipment to the existing media. Steve had just finished when Helen came up to him. "Um, Steve?"

"Yes?"

"I'd like to stop by at home, see what's right and get some more clothes. Would that be possible?"

"Sure, no problem. Is it far from here?"

She shook her head. "No, about a ten minute walk."

"All right, then let's go."

Her face darkened. "I don't need a babysitter."

"No one says that either. I'm just curious, after all, I was together with your mom once."

"Okay."

Steve handed Danny the car key and left the department with Helen. They walked side by side in silence. Soon they were standing in front of a pretty blue frame house on Orange Avenue. Helen pulled out her key and unlocked the door. Astonished, Steve entered. Clean lines defined the furnishings, but in such a way that they didn't appear sterile. Liana really seemed to have had a knack for something like this. Helen was already running up the stairs to the first floor, two at a time. "I'll be right back. Look, Mom's car key is in the closet, maybe a second car is good?"

"Yes, you could be right."

Steve pulled open the drawer and took the Chevrolet key. He opened the connecting door to the garage and stood in awe. There was a yellow Camaro Transformers Edition. He briefly stroked the vehicle's hood and then stepped back into the house. Since Helen hadn't reappeared yet, Steve made a little tour of the basement. In the living room he froze. It was pure chaos here. Drawers had been ripped out of the cupboards and their contents scattered throughout the room, the situation was similar in the study. Steve quickly stepped back into the hallway.

"Helen? ... Helen?!"

"Steve! Help me!"

"Helen!"

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Steve sprinted up the stairs as fast as he could...