Authors:
In all his years of law enforcement, Steve had never heard a more ridiculous, unsubstantiated claim. He was fuming as he paced around the Five-O lab, waiting for Che Fong to finish analyzing a vial of Richard Mint’s blood that HPD had been taken the day he was arrested.

Kealoha had been right; Mint went straight for the person he perceived as the weakest link. However, Steve didn’t believe for one instant that Danno fell apart on that stand out of weakness. Goulart simply hit him in the most despicable manner possible. The thought that someone would use a person’s dead mother as leverage in court made Steve’s blood boil. Steve didn’t know of anyone who would have sat there and simply taken the abuse that Goulart had leveled on Danno.

Steve shot a worried glance at the place where Danno was sitting with his head in his hands. He hadn’t spoken a word since his outburst in the courtroom and Steve was concerned about the kid; it was shocking how quickly he had moved from a raging temper to solemn depression.

Also in the lab was the rest of Five-O along with Chief Dann of HPD.

Che Fong looked up from his microscope. “Steve, Goulart was right. There’s a substance other than alcohol in Mint’s blood. However, I’ll need some time before I can isolate the substance.”

Behind him, Steve heard a door open and close but his attention remained focused on Che. “Could this vial have been tampered with?”

“The seal was intact so someone would have had to replace the whole vial.”

Mike Dann added, “We didn’t kept this vial in our evidence locker and the only people who know where it was kept are in this room.”

“Then we have to operate under the assumption that someone slipped Mint this drug. How difficult would it have been for someone to get a hold of GHB?”

Che stated, “We’ve been aware of GHB for decades but it’s only been used medically for about a year. So I’d say the person would have to have a working knowledge about medical research or had connections to someone who did and the money to purchase it.”

Thinking, Steve pondered aloud, “How dangerous is this drug? Could Mint have taken it himself to give himself an alibi?”

Che looked shocked by Steve’s suggestion. “It’s possible but if he had taken too much he could have killed himself.”

There were too many possibilities for Steve to confident about anything at the moment; he hated the fact that he had missed this, that he had just accepted the report of Richard’s Mint blood-alcohol content without question. It was rare for him to be surprised like this in court and now Danno was paying the price for his oversight.

“Did anyone get the name of the witness who Goulart claimed saw Danno meet Mint before the wreck?”

Chin stepped forward, “I did.”

“Check the story out.”

Before Chin could acknowledge the order, Kono cried out, “Aʻole loa! You can’t believe this!”

Steve stated sternly. “I never said I did but we still have to check.”

Kono shook his head and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Steve demanded.

Kono’s tone was harsh as he answered, “To prove a man innocent.”

Even though Steve was angry that Kono had challenged him in public he didn’t miss the meaning behind his Hawaiian detective’s words. Everyone was innocent until proven guilty unless you were a cop. Goulart’s words had done all the damage the Mint family would need to discredit Danno.

Steve looked to see how Danny was taking the exchange when he noticed that the cop was missing. “Did Williams leave with Kono?”

Ralph spoke up. “I don’t think so.”

Steve remembered the earlier sound of the door opening and closing and realized that Danno must have left after Che confirmed the presence of the drug in Richard Mint’s blood. Steve mentally cursed himself for not keeping a closer eye on Danno; this mess was not his fault.

The door opened and Walter Steward entered the lab. He looked beat as he explained, “Judge Lawson threw the case out. He doesn’t want us coming back until we have found Cain and can explain the substance in Mint’s blood.” Then, after looking around the lab, he added, “Williams’ outburst didn’t help us any.”

“It wouldn’t have made a difference either way,” Ralph countered. “Goulart set his trap well.”

“And the Mints have destroyed a career of another one of my men.” Chief Dann shook his head in disgust.

“Not yet,” Steve vowed. “We haven’t been defeated quite yet.”

Steve was not going to let an innocent officer be discredited in order to let a murderer walk free. Not today and not ever. He would uncover the truth and no one was going to stand his way.

*~*~*

Kono was furious. He had never been so close to punching his boss than at that moment in the lab. What they were doing to Danny was wrong and he refused to play any part in it. He knew that he would be in trouble with Steve later but at the moment Kono didn’t care as he drove toward the spot where all the pilikia had started.

Kono pulled off onto to the side of the Old Pali Road opposite of the where Mint and his car were found. Luckily, it hadn’t rained since the accident and Kono could still see the tire tracks that led right up to the tree.

As Kono studied the ground, he tried to remember the details from that night. They had gone over the car thoroughly but what they hadn’t done was search the area. No one had imagined that night that the wreck was anything other than what it appeared to be.

Assuming that Goulart was right and Mint was incapable of driving that night, it meant that someone else had to have been present at the scene. If the other person had parked by the road, Kono had no hope of finding any evidence but if their man had wanted to make sure Mint was found he would have had to have hidden somewhere.

A few feet away behind the tree, Kono noticed a line of bushes that were thick enough that he could barely see through them. Deciding to test his theory, Kono pushed through the bush to the other side.

A flat area of ground lay on the other side. Kono could see where the grass had been crushed by a large weight and as he carefully explored he spotted a couple inches of tire tracks. Someone had parked a car here sometime before the last rain.

Turning around to call for the lab, a flash of color caught Kono’s eye. Snagged in the bush was a piece of blue fabric that looked like it had come off of a shirt. As Kono studied the fabric he remembered that Che’s report mentioned that some blue strands of fabric were found in the driver’s seat. If this fabric matched, Five-O would have a strong basis to argue that these tires tracks were belonged to the getaway car of whoever drove, and allegedly crashed, Mint’s car.

Kono allowed himself a slight smile as looked at that small piece of blue fabric. “Bruddah, you ain’t goin’ down without a fight."


*~*~*


All Danny wanted to do was run, run as far away as possible from the nightmare that was his life. So he raced through the streets of Honolulu not caring where he went or how conspicuous he looked in his police uniform.

Danny ran until his muscles ached and his lungs screamed for air. Stopping, Danny leaned against a brick wall as his thoughts bombarded him.

What had just happened?

Did they really think he was guilty?

How could he have lost control of his tempter like that?

Was this the end of his career?

Danny didn’t need a crystal ball to know that he was in deep trouble and that his days as a police officer were probably over. He had messed up royally and the worst part was that as a result of his stupidity a murderer would probably walk free.

Danny wasn’t sure what hurt more: Goulart’s attack or the guilt from his failure to counter it.

As Danny’s breath came back he started walking again and passed a group of tourists chatting. They were looking out toward the shore as one woman exclaimed, “This truly is paradise.”

Paradise.

Danny wondered what that woman would say if she had any idea of what the real Hawaii looked like. Lounging on the beaches, the tourists didn’t see the women prostituting themselves or the bodies of young kids who were involved in a gang war. Living in four star hotels, they didn’t see the Hawaiians living in squalor or the overdeveloped land. Sightseeing at all the major landmarks, they didn’t see the faces of the winos or the druggies.

No, the tourists came to Hawaii to get away from all that. And the last thing they would want to see would be a disgraced cop.

Hit with a sudden urge to escape the crowd of people, Danny hailed a cab. The driver looked surprised to see him but drove him to his apartment without a word.

Once home, Danny changed out of uniform and grabbed a beer. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do but drinking away the memory of the past few days sounded like a good place to start.

Danny’s plan was interrupted by a knock at the door and he figured that the Lew and Ben must have heard the news. He debated how he’d convince his friends to go away when he opened the door and saw Steve McGarrett. Danny’s heart leapt into his throat as he blurted out, “Am I under arrest?”

Steve stepped inside the apartment and had a kindly look on his face as he answered, “No, Danno. You’re not under arrest.”

Danny closed the door to hide the irritation that flashed across his face. The way Steve said Danno made Danny’s blood boil; it was affectionate, almost fatherly, it was proof that Steve McGarrett did treat him differently than the other officers on the force. Danny knew that it was disrespectful but he was angry and frustrated enough to not care as he turned back towards Steve. “Why do you keep calling me that?” he demanded.

Steve looked surprised at the question. “I seem to remember you insisting that it was your name,” he joked before realizing that Danny wanted a serious answer. “Ever since that night in the office it feels wrong to call you anything else.”

Determined not to lose his temper again, Danny tired to keep his tone civil. “Look Mr. McGarrett, I don’t want to be rude but…”

Before Danny could finish, McGarrett interrupted, “I thought I told you to call me Steve.”

Danny gritted his teeth, McGarrett wasn’t making this easy. “With all due respect, sir. No rookie officer should be on first name basis with the top law enforcement official in the state.”

“You’re a rookie only in time on the force, Danno. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Part of Danny’s brain heard the compliment but the rest of him was too angry for it to sink in. “Is that so?” he shot back. “Then why won’t anyone tell me what’s going on?”

McGarrett sighed and suddenly the detective seemed older as he replied, “It was never about a lack of trust.”

Danny wanted to laugh at the absurdity of that statement. “I’m not stupid, Mr. McGarrett. I can tell when someone doesn’t trust me.”

“Steve,” McGarrett insisted.

The stubborn instance became too much as Danny snapped, “Fine, Steve! But don’t stand there and tell me that no one knew that something like this might happen! Not when all of HPD was avoiding me because of happened to Leota and Mason!”

Danny knew that he has dangerously close to losing control as his hands closed into fists and he stared lividly at the man who had dared to invade his sanctuary.

McGarrett, however, didn’t fail to notice. “Officer Williams, sit down!”

The force in McGarrett’s order brokered no disobedience. Once Danny was seated and got his voice back under control, he stated, “You thought if I knew the truth that I would back out.”

Steve looked sympathetic. “No one could have read the future, Danno.”

Danny hung his head in defeat. “Then I’m trapped. No matter what I do my career is over. Mint holds all the money and all the power and…”

“Danno…”

Danny held up a hand. “Hear me out. I don’t know what came over me but I played right into his hands. Goulart said I wasn’t mentally stable and I gave him all the proof he needed.” Guilt was threatening to overwhelm Danny as he whispered, “It’s over.”

Steve’s resolve was firm. “Mint doesn’t have everything going for him. We have truth on our side.”

“Truth!” Danny jumped up. “What is the truth in this case?”

“I will find out,” the detective stated firmly. “I promise you that.”

McGarrett could have promised him the moon; it would have been just as likely that Danny would receive it. “You can’t solve every mystery!”

“You were meant to a cop Danny Williams. And you will be a cop when this is over. I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t mean it.”

It just seemed too much, too unbelievable. “Why are you doing this for me?”

“I’d do this for you and for any other officer that was in trouble for doing their job.”

Danny thought he heard the conviction behind McGarrett’s words and he wanted to believe them but he couldn’t. “That’s not the rest of the guys on the force are saying. They don’t think you be this protective for any of them.”

“Just because jealousy blinds people to the truth doesn’t make it any less true, Danno.”

Danny wanted to believe him, needed to believe him but…

Steve looked straight at Danny and said, “Have you ever known someone who did the right thing just because it was the right thing to do?”

Unable to meet Steve’s steady glaze, Danny looked down as he whispered, “Yes.”

“Think of that person and trust me.”

Then, without another word, Steve walked out the door leaving Danny alone in his thoughts.