Chapter 1 - An Unknown Dilemma
Chapter 2 - A Story Emerges
Chapter 3 - Wars of Words
Chapter 4 - Entitled
Chapter 5 - The Evidence Mounts
Chapter 6 - Playing Favorites?
Chapter 7 - The Tables are Turned
Chapter 8 - Who's Guilty?
Chapter 9 - Aloha, Mom
Chapter 10 - Working as a Team
Chapter 11 - Breakthrough
Chapter 12 - What Money Can't Buy
Chapter 2 - A Story Emerges
Chapter 3 - Wars of Words
Chapter 4 - Entitled
Chapter 5 - The Evidence Mounts
Chapter 6 - Playing Favorites?
Chapter 7 - The Tables are Turned
Chapter 8 - Who's Guilty?
Chapter 9 - Aloha, Mom
Chapter 10 - Working as a Team
Chapter 11 - Breakthrough
Chapter 12 - What Money Can't Buy
Chapter 9 - Aloha, Mom
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Driving down roads he had avoided for the past seven and a half years, Danny prepared himself for a visit he swore he would never make; he prepared himself to face memories he would rather forget.
Have you ever known someone who did the right thing just because it was the right thing to do?
The truth was this case had been leading Danny to this moment all along; McGarrett’s question had only confirmed it. For his conversation with McGarrett had brought to light one thing that he that he needed to do.
He needed to remember.
So it was with pain, trepidation and a heavy heart that Danny drove to a baseball diamond on the outskirts of Honolulu and parked his car.
Grateful that no one else was around, Danny walked slowly over to the diamond and stepped onto the field. Each step was harder than the last but he didn’t stop until he was standing on top of second base, until he was standing on the spot where he had last seen his mother alive.
Danny adjusted the helmet on his head as he nervously shifted from foot to foot. The second baseman was eyeing him closely, daring him to try and steal to third base. Danny smiled; he knew that he wasn’t going to try anything, not with Lew coming up to bat. As Lew walked up to home plate, Danny snuck a glance towards the stands where he saw his mother smiling and waving at him. Turning his attention back to the game, Danny prepared to run so that when Lew hit the ball deep into the outfield Danny was able to sprint around the bases for the winning run seconds before the ball reached the catcher’s mitt.
Danny’s eyes found the place where his mother had cheered him on; in all his years of playing ball, his mother had never missed a single game.
Danny leapt into the arms of teammates; they had won! They had made the city playoffs! The look on the coach’s face spoke of pride in his team and Danny smiled as he slapped him on the back. Danny looked around until he found Lew; the two of them had been playing on the same team since tee-ball and tonight they combined for what their coach was calling the best play he had seen in all his years of coaching. Danny wrapped his arm around his best friend and the two of them chatted and soaked in the excitement of their win.
Why couldn’t have the evening ended there? Why couldn’t have Danny been able to remember with joy the most exciting game of his life? Why did a night of celebration have to end as one of tragedy?
A busload of tired teenage boys pulled into the high school parking lot where their parents would be waiting. Danny frowned as he noticed a cop car with flashing lights waiting beside a group of people. Turning to Lew, who sitting beside him, he poked him awake. His friends’ eyes widened as he saw the scene but neither boy could figure out what was going on. Conversations started all over the bus as their coach stood up and told everyone to remain in their seats while he figured out what was going on. Danny watched as his coach walked over to two police officers and began talking with them. When their coach walked back towards the bus every person aboard held their breath. Danny heard his name called and moved automatically to follow his coach off the bus, his mind racing with questions. He knew something was wrong; his Mom must have been in an accident and was at the hospital or something. Not even the looks of sympathy on the police officers’ faces prepared him for the news that was to come.
Then they told him.
And his world ended.
After that the memories of the next few days blurred together. Lew’s parents let him stay with them. Dozens of people, some he barely knew, stopped by to comfort him but there were no words that were able to heal the hole in the seventeen year old boy’s soul.
There were no words that could bring back his mother.
An aunt who he usually only saw one or twice a year flew down for the funeral and explained that Danny would be coming to California to live with her. And so Danny had to say goodbye to friends and the only home he ever knew. The team went on to play in the city playoffs without him. Lew, the team’s star-hitter, suddenly couldn’t hit a ball to save his life as team lost in the first round. Years later, when Danny returned to Hawaii for college, he sought out his old coach who confessed to him that after Danny left the team lost their heart and their will to win; his mother’s sudden death had affected them all.
Danny’s mother had been like that. A woman who always inspired the best in others, who was always there with a helping hand and a smile. Danny knew there had been times when money was tight or her work left her too busy but not once did he ever remember his mother complaining her lot as a widow and single mother.
His mother had given everything so that Danny could have a normal childhood and he had never taken the moment to say thank you.
That was his biggest regret.
That memory of her cheering him on in the stands was the last time Danny saw her. She had tried to congratulate him after the game but he hadn’t turned to look at her when he heard her voice; he was too caught up in his teammate’s celebrations. If only he had known…
Why hadn’t he turned, saw her, hugged her, told her he loved her?
It was pointless to try and chance the past. Danny knew that better than most. However, was it too much to say that he was tired of having to start his life over again? He had started his life over when his mother died, and again when an injury forced him to leave the coastguard. When Danny had taken a job at HPD, he had dared to believe that he had finally found his way home.
Danny kicked the plate and watched the dust rise and then settle on his shoes. He was careful not to hit the .22 strapped to his ankle, even though he wasn’t sure why he still carried it; for McGarrett was wrong, he hadn’t needed it. The Mint family had never threatened him with violence only disgrace. So why should he trust McGarrett?
Have you ever known someone who did the right thing just because it was the right thing to do?
Steve McGarrett’s question refused to leave Danny’s mind. After all he had been through it was impossible not to think of his mother as the answer to that question. There was no one else he knew that had a greater sense of selflessness.
Think of that person and trust me.
Could Danny bring himself to trust?
Did he have any choice?
It seemed wrong to equate McGarrett with his mother yet Danny could almost hear his mother telling him trust his instincts. And his instincts were telling him two things: that Goulart was right in that the evidence pointed to a set up and that Steve McGarrett was the best person to help him uncover the truth.
This was why Danny needed to come out to this place; this was why he needed to remember. For it was at that moment that Danny decided that he would not give up and that he would place his faith in Steve McGarrett.
Danny looked directly at the spot where he last saw his mother alive and for a brief instant he could almost see her there waving at him, cheering him on, urging him to keep fighting.
Then doing what he wished he would have done seven and a half years ago, Danny raised his hand and waved back as he whispered, “I love you. Aloha.”
As the image of his mother faded, Dan Williams finally allowed himself to weep.
Have you ever known someone who did the right thing just because it was the right thing to do?
The truth was this case had been leading Danny to this moment all along; McGarrett’s question had only confirmed it. For his conversation with McGarrett had brought to light one thing that he that he needed to do.
He needed to remember.
So it was with pain, trepidation and a heavy heart that Danny drove to a baseball diamond on the outskirts of Honolulu and parked his car.
Grateful that no one else was around, Danny walked slowly over to the diamond and stepped onto the field. Each step was harder than the last but he didn’t stop until he was standing on top of second base, until he was standing on the spot where he had last seen his mother alive.
Danny adjusted the helmet on his head as he nervously shifted from foot to foot. The second baseman was eyeing him closely, daring him to try and steal to third base. Danny smiled; he knew that he wasn’t going to try anything, not with Lew coming up to bat. As Lew walked up to home plate, Danny snuck a glance towards the stands where he saw his mother smiling and waving at him. Turning his attention back to the game, Danny prepared to run so that when Lew hit the ball deep into the outfield Danny was able to sprint around the bases for the winning run seconds before the ball reached the catcher’s mitt.
Danny’s eyes found the place where his mother had cheered him on; in all his years of playing ball, his mother had never missed a single game.
Danny leapt into the arms of teammates; they had won! They had made the city playoffs! The look on the coach’s face spoke of pride in his team and Danny smiled as he slapped him on the back. Danny looked around until he found Lew; the two of them had been playing on the same team since tee-ball and tonight they combined for what their coach was calling the best play he had seen in all his years of coaching. Danny wrapped his arm around his best friend and the two of them chatted and soaked in the excitement of their win.
Why couldn’t have the evening ended there? Why couldn’t have Danny been able to remember with joy the most exciting game of his life? Why did a night of celebration have to end as one of tragedy?
A busload of tired teenage boys pulled into the high school parking lot where their parents would be waiting. Danny frowned as he noticed a cop car with flashing lights waiting beside a group of people. Turning to Lew, who sitting beside him, he poked him awake. His friends’ eyes widened as he saw the scene but neither boy could figure out what was going on. Conversations started all over the bus as their coach stood up and told everyone to remain in their seats while he figured out what was going on. Danny watched as his coach walked over to two police officers and began talking with them. When their coach walked back towards the bus every person aboard held their breath. Danny heard his name called and moved automatically to follow his coach off the bus, his mind racing with questions. He knew something was wrong; his Mom must have been in an accident and was at the hospital or something. Not even the looks of sympathy on the police officers’ faces prepared him for the news that was to come.
Then they told him.
And his world ended.
After that the memories of the next few days blurred together. Lew’s parents let him stay with them. Dozens of people, some he barely knew, stopped by to comfort him but there were no words that were able to heal the hole in the seventeen year old boy’s soul.
There were no words that could bring back his mother.
An aunt who he usually only saw one or twice a year flew down for the funeral and explained that Danny would be coming to California to live with her. And so Danny had to say goodbye to friends and the only home he ever knew. The team went on to play in the city playoffs without him. Lew, the team’s star-hitter, suddenly couldn’t hit a ball to save his life as team lost in the first round. Years later, when Danny returned to Hawaii for college, he sought out his old coach who confessed to him that after Danny left the team lost their heart and their will to win; his mother’s sudden death had affected them all.
Danny’s mother had been like that. A woman who always inspired the best in others, who was always there with a helping hand and a smile. Danny knew there had been times when money was tight or her work left her too busy but not once did he ever remember his mother complaining her lot as a widow and single mother.
His mother had given everything so that Danny could have a normal childhood and he had never taken the moment to say thank you.
That was his biggest regret.
That memory of her cheering him on in the stands was the last time Danny saw her. She had tried to congratulate him after the game but he hadn’t turned to look at her when he heard her voice; he was too caught up in his teammate’s celebrations. If only he had known…
Why hadn’t he turned, saw her, hugged her, told her he loved her?
It was pointless to try and chance the past. Danny knew that better than most. However, was it too much to say that he was tired of having to start his life over again? He had started his life over when his mother died, and again when an injury forced him to leave the coastguard. When Danny had taken a job at HPD, he had dared to believe that he had finally found his way home.
Danny kicked the plate and watched the dust rise and then settle on his shoes. He was careful not to hit the .22 strapped to his ankle, even though he wasn’t sure why he still carried it; for McGarrett was wrong, he hadn’t needed it. The Mint family had never threatened him with violence only disgrace. So why should he trust McGarrett?
Have you ever known someone who did the right thing just because it was the right thing to do?
Steve McGarrett’s question refused to leave Danny’s mind. After all he had been through it was impossible not to think of his mother as the answer to that question. There was no one else he knew that had a greater sense of selflessness.
Think of that person and trust me.
Could Danny bring himself to trust?
Did he have any choice?
It seemed wrong to equate McGarrett with his mother yet Danny could almost hear his mother telling him trust his instincts. And his instincts were telling him two things: that Goulart was right in that the evidence pointed to a set up and that Steve McGarrett was the best person to help him uncover the truth.
This was why Danny needed to come out to this place; this was why he needed to remember. For it was at that moment that Danny decided that he would not give up and that he would place his faith in Steve McGarrett.
Danny looked directly at the spot where he last saw his mother alive and for a brief instant he could almost see her there waving at him, cheering him on, urging him to keep fighting.
Then doing what he wished he would have done seven and a half years ago, Danny raised his hand and waved back as he whispered, “I love you. Aloha.”
As the image of his mother faded, Dan Williams finally allowed himself to weep.