Chapter 1 - An Unknown Dilemma
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Edited by: Trish

September 1962

The night was dark expect for the twin headlights of a squad car that slowly wound its way down the Old Pali Road. There was a pervasive silence in the air that spoke of a peaceful night.

Unaware that the silence was deceitful, Officer Dan Williams of the Honolulu Police Department held back a yawn as he continued driving down the road. While he usually had no problem staying awake all night, Danny’s current shift was rather boring as he had only seen a few cars driving around Oahu. His partner, if he had been there, would have told the rookie officer to be grateful for the boredom but Danny was still young enough and naïve enough that he failed to appreciate the wisdom in the older officer’s words. For Danny failed to realize that trouble didn’t only come from a man waving around a gun; trouble could come in all shapes and sizes. It had never crossed Danny’s mind to think that anything short an act of violence could mean the end of an officer’s career.

Could mean the end of his career.

That trouble could come from a wrecked car, the driver within, and a rookie officer just trying to do his job.

As Danny approached a bend in the road, he turned the wheel only to slam on his breaks as his lights shined upon the source of his future troubles.

*~*~*

Meredith smiled coyly at the handsome man beside her as she signaled for him to be quiet. Sticking her head around the corner, she checked the dorm hallway to make sure that it was clear. It was well past curfew and she was sure to be in trouble if she was caught sneaking a guy into the women’s dorm. Seeing that their way was clear, Meredith gestured for her date to follow her.

As Meredith prepared to open her dorm room door, her date whispered, “Won’t your roommate be upset?”

“Susan? She won’t say anything. Not after how many times I’ve covered for her when she’s snuck Richard in.”

Meredith heard no more objections so she quickly opened the door to her dorm room only to have her hopes for a romantic night dashed. Lying sprawled across the floor was the body of her roommate. “Susan!” she cried out as she hurried over and knelt beside her roommate.

Looking at Susan, Meredith’s eyes widened as she reality of situation struck her. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she looked at the man standing in the doorway, unable to put the harsh truth into words; her friend was dead.

*~*~*

The lights illuminated a blue Dodge dart as Danny’s car came to sudden stop. The car looked like it had swerved off the road and went head first into a tree. He couldn’t tell from his car if there was anyone inside. “Williams to Central.”

“Central. Go ahead, Danny.”

“Has anyone reported an accident on the makai side of the Old Pali Highway? Plate: three-bravo-whiskey-four-six-two.”

There were a few moments of silence before Central responded, “Negative.”

“Investigating.”

“Ten-four.”

Grabbing a flashlight, Danny exited his squad car. His eyes gazed around the area but he spotted nothing other than the sedan and some bushes that faded into the dark night. As Danny walked closer to the car he noticed a figure sitting in the front seat. He shifted the flashlight to his left hand and placed his right on his .38 as he cautiously approached the car.

The front end of the car was smashed from where it hit the tree and as Danny shined his light through the broken window into the driver seat a college-aged man turned and looked at him, his eyes blinking. Before Danny could announce himself, the man said matter of factually, “Hey Fuzz, my car’s not working.”

Danny didn’t need to smell the alcohol on the man’s breath to know that he was drunk. The idiot was lucky he had only crashed his car and as much as Danny could tell without even hurting himself. For a man to sit possibly for hours in a wrecked car and think that it would start driving again meant that it was likely that he had more than few drinks. Anger crept into Danny’s thoughts as he realized that it was a miracle that this man hadn’t killed anyone, that he hadn’t hit another car instead of a tree...

Stop it, Williams! You’re a professional.

Regaining control of his emotions, Danny ordered, “Exit your vehicle.”

The man looked at Danny strangely and blinked as if he didn’t understand what he had said so Danny repeated himself slower and more firmly, “Exit your vehicle, now.”

The man reached out and groggily opened the car door and would have fallen flat on his face if Danny hadn’t grabbed him and pushed him against the side of the car. After patting him down, Danny took his wallet from the man’s pocket and studied the man’s driving license. The man’s name was Richard Mint, he was twenty years old and from the look of his clothes, his car, and the address on his license Danny assumed that he had money, a lot of money.

Putting the wallet back, Danny stepped back and ordered Mint to walk in a straight line toward him. He wasn’t surprised Mint was barely able to take a few tentative steps before he began to stumble. Danny grabbed him again to keep him from falling but this time snapped handcuffs around Mint’s wrists. “You’re under arrest for driving under the influence.”

Danny proceeded to read Mint his rights even though he was probably too drunk to realize what was going on or to be able to remember this conversation in the morning. However, Danny followed procedures as he helped the stumbling drunk into the backseat of his squad car.

Opening the front door, Danny reached over and grabbed the mike and reported in. “Williams to Central.”

“Central here.”

“Accident was one car, no injuries. Bringing in the driver on charges of driving under the influence. Name: Richard Mint. Can you run a check against the license plate?”

Danny lowered his arm as he waited for a response but his words were met with silence. After the silence became awkward Danny asked, “Central, do you read me?”

*~*~*

Having worked night-shift dispatch for years, Officer Erin Dolan considered herself prepared for anything that came over the radio. But she had worked with HPD long enough to know what the implications of a Mint being arrested would mean. How could she tell Williams to do his job, treat Mint like any other suspect, when she knew what had happened to the last officer who had gone down that road?

Looking at her partner in the room, Erin could see an identical look of shock and fear on the man’s face. He wouldn’t help; no one would willing get themselves involved in this case if they could help. That’s the problem; you’re already involved whether you like it or not.

“Central, do you read me?”

Williams was on the radio again, waiting for her reply. Erin debated her response when she spotted Lieutenant Kealoha walking past. “Lieutenant!”

Kealoha stopped and Erin gestured for him to listen as she responded to Williams. “I read you, Danny. Can you repeat the name of the suspect?”

“Richard Mint.”

Kealoha’s eyes widened as he asked. “What the charge?”

Erin replied gravely, “DUI.”

The Hawaiian officer swore briefly in his own language and then told Erin. “Tell him to bring him in.”

“Yes, sir,” Erin said. Then reopening her channel to Williams she ordered, “Bring him to the station.”

“Ten-four.”

Even from her seat, Erin could hear the confusion in Williams’ voice. The officer knew something was wrong but he had no idea what it was. She quickly thought of what she knew of Officer Dan Williams; he was young, cute, a hard-worker, and generally well-liked around the force. It would be a shame to see him go; she just prayed that she didn’t go down with him.