Death Becomes Her - Chapter 6 (PG) Posted: 2/1/18

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darkstarrising
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Death Becomes Her - Chapter 6 (PG) Posted: 2/1/18

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Hi all!! :wave:

Here is the sixth chapter of this Moonlight /H50 crossover story, with another four or so to follow.

As always, I don’t own these characters, but dearly love to play with them, nor do I profit in any way from this story.

In memory of our own dear Librarian 7, aka Lucky :rose:

I hope you enjoy!!

Chapter 6


Iolani Palace – early morning

Danny, Chin, and Grover were gathered around the central computer console, waiting for Jerry to arrive. A few minutes later, he did, looking exhausted. “Eric and I worked through the night, and I think we’ve got something.”

Jerry brought up accident scene images of Meredith Mariner’s car on the plasma. “Based on what the cops found, Mariner’s car was hit on the driver’s side door. With her car being a small compact, there was no way she’d survive the crash.”

Grover whistled. “That’s pretty tough to do on a narrow road like that. I’d have expected head-on.”

“Right.” Using his hands as substitutes for the cars, Jerry demonstrated. “It’s like the two cars were passing and at the last minute, the other driver swerved into Mariner’s driver’s side door where it would do the most damage. So, yeah, either the guy was drunk, lost control or this wasn’t an accident.”

Danny nodded. “Agreed. Did you and Eric find out anything else about the other car?”

“Yes, and it wasn’t a car. It was a pick-up truck.” Jerry enlarged an image of the damaged driver’s side door. “Look at how high the impact is on the door, too high for a passenger car, indicating that the damage was caused by a bumper, and a pretty hefty one at that. The cops found white paint transfer on Mariner’s car, so we narrowed down the possibilities to either white truck or SUV.”

“You said pick-up truck…”

“Eric was able to eliminate SUVs and small pick-ups; their bumpers were too low for the impact observed. He also found a small amount of another color – dark grey – on the driver’s door.”

Chin was incredulous. “The cops missed the grey paint?”

“In their defense, it was a small amount and in the crease of the main dent. That helped us narrow the field to commercial pick-ups. The particular type of grey paint is used as a kind of primer on bumpers. After several more hours of searching for a vehicle that fit the damage, we were able to determine that the pick-up was a Ford F-350. It’s the kind of truck used by a lot of construction and landscaping companies.”

“But if the damage was caused by the bumper, that only tells us the color of the bumper, not the truck.”

“Actually, it does. I checked and white bumpers are only found on white Ford F-series trucks, which narrows down the list, but there’s still about 17 trucks like that on Oahu.”

Danny was glad he’d brought Jerry into the investigation. “OK, eliminate trucks less than four years old.”

Jerry re-ran the search. “That brings it down to 12. Still a lot.”

On a hunch, Grover suggested seeing if any of those trucks belonged to a golf club, specifically the one Mariner and Miller belonged to.

“Bingo. That club has one.”

Danny looked askance at Grover. “You think that they’re stupid enough to not fix any damage to the truck after four years?”

Grover just grinned. “Only if they’re arrogant enough to think they got away with murder.”

Chin agreed. “If they did repair it, there’d be some kind of paper trail. Great work, Jerry. You’ve may have just solved a four year old cold case. More important, you’re giving closure to someone who really needs it.”

Jerry watched as the three men left to visit the golf club, knowing full well that wasn’t all he’d done.

*********************************************************************************

Later that morning, 5-0 arrived at the golf club and met with the head grounds-keeper. He confirmed that one of their trucks had been an accident about four years ago and that the guy who’d been driving it at the time was no longer working at the club. In fact, he was no longer among the living, having had another accident only a few months after the first. The grounds keeper provided the driver’s name, Sam Sueda, commenting that the man should have been fired after the first accident.

“I road with him once, and let me tell you, once was enough. Sammy drove like a maniac. Nearly drove us off the road, fiddling with his damn phone when he should have been watching the road. Never rode with him after that. When Sammy banged up the truck, I gave him hell, threatened to can him right then and there.”

Chin queried. “Why didn’t you?”

“The guy was pretty banged-up himself. Looked like he’d gone a few rounds in the ring. Besides, Sammy was going through a tough time, so I cut him some slack. Made him pay for the repairs though, hoping he’d think twice before driving like that again. Guess he didn’t.”

Danny followed up with another question. “Did Sueda tell you what he hit, that first accident, I mean?”

“Yeah, he said he said it was raining like hell that night and he was driving too fast. The truck hydroplaned off the road and hit a utility pole. Scared the crap out of him. He was still a little shaky the next day when he brought the truck to work.”

“Really? You let employees use the club’s trucks off-hours?”

“Once in a while.” The grounds-keeper gave Danny a conspiratorial wink. “I’ve even done it myself. Besides, but if the owners don’t know, what’s the harm?”

“Did Sueda say what he needed the truck for?”

“Yeah, it seems his old lady kicked him out. He had to get his stuff out of her place.”

“Ah… that must have been the tough time you mentioned earlier.”

“Yeah, he was never the same after that. I tried to tell him there’d be somebody else out there for him. He just had to give it time.” The grounds-keeper sighed. “Something he didn’t get much of.”

While the conversation with the grounds-keeper didn’t provide any evidence for arresting Ted Miller, Danny felt that they should have a conversation with the man. As the three men headed back to their car, Danny floated a theory. “So, maybe Miller slips Sueda a few bucks to drive Meredith Mariner off the road. Sueda gets greedy, blackmails Miller, who decides to get rid of him as well.”

Chin pushed back. “I don’t buy it. How would Sueda know where Meredith Mariner was going to be? How did he find just the right time and place with no witnesses?” Chin shook his head. “What’s more likely is that Sueda told the truth about losing control of the truck on a dark, rainy night and Meredith Mariner was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Grover shrugged. “I have to go with Chin on this one. The HPD report indicated that it had rained heavily the night of Mariner’s accident. Sueda probably panicked after he hit Mariner’s car and concocted a story to keep himself out of more trouble than he was already in. Still, no harm in tossing a few questions at Ted Miller.”

On their way back to the Palace, Danny got a call from Nahele. “Hey, kid, what’s up?” Danny paled as he listened to Nahele. “It’s OK, Nahele, you did the right thing.”

Ending the call, Danny conveyed the bad news to his colleagues. “Steve wouldn’t wake up, so Nahele called 911. Steve’s in the hospital.”

***************************************************************************

The drive to the hospital from Waimanalo seemed to take forever, but in less than 30 minutes, Danny, Chin and Grover found Nahele at the emergency room, looking scared.

Seeing Nahele’s expression, Danny was half-afraid to ask. “Where’s Steve? How’s he doing?”

“He’s in one of the exam rooms. They won’t let me see him or tell me anything, ‘cause I’m not family.”

“Of course you’re family.” Chin tried to soothe the young man. “You did the right thing, Nahele, getting him here.”

As Danny headed toward the exam rooms, one of the nurses blocked his way. “I’m sorry, sir, but this area is off-limits to anyone other than medical personnel.”

Danny decided to take a page out of McGarrett’s book and flashed his badge. “Listen, my name is Detective Danny Williams. I’m with the 5-0 task force and I need to know the condition of Commander Steve McGarrett. He was brought in here about an hour ago.”

“Are you family, sir?”

Danny’s eyes bulged. “Family? Of course I’m family. Steve is like a brother to me and I need to know how he’s doing.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but unless you’re an actual relative….”

At that moment, one of the ER doctors approached the pair, having overheard their conversation. Making a placating motion to the nurse, the doctor took Danny aside. “I’m Dr. Denys. I’m looking after Commander McGarrett at the moment.”

“How’s he doing, doc, huh?”

“Right now, he’s resting comfortably, but I’m afraid he’s quite weak. Is there anything you can tell me about his recent medical history and who his personal physician is?”

Danny took a deep breath, then relayed how radiation exposure had made Steve ill and that the treatment he was being given didn’t seem to be working. “His doctor changed his meds a few days ago, but Steve can’t seem to keep much of anything down.”

“Well, that would explain the dehydration and weakness. We have him on IVs now to get some fluids into his system. Based on my preliminary exam and what you’ve told me, I think it wise that he be admitted for further testing and observation.”

“You think he’s going to be OK, doc?”

“We’ll see what we can do to get him stabilized. I’ll contact his personal physician and get Commander McGarrett’s medical records. After that, we’ll have a better idea.”

The doctor shook hands with Danny who then returned to Chin, Nahele and Grover, relaying his conversation with the ER doctor. “He’s going to admit Steve for further tests, but right now he’s working on getting him stable.”

Nahele looked ashamed. “I should have done a better job watching him, making him drink more.”

Grover took the young man by the shoulders. “Kid, if you find a way to make McGarrett do something he doesn’t want to, you just let the rest of us know, OK? Trust me, you’ve done better than anyone else could have done.”

Chin turned to Danny. “So what now?”

“Now, you and Lou take Nahele home, then head over to Ted Miller’s place. Take him in for questioning. If you get anything out of him, let me know.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Stay here with Steve. When he gets admitted, I want to see how he’s doing myself. I’ll catch up with you guys later at the Palace.”

“You want us to start questioning Miller without you?”

“Yeah, go ahead. Something tells me he’s going to lawyer up before you get him out of the house.”

As his colleagues left the hospital, Danny found a seat in the waiting area and for the first time in a long time, started praying.

************************************************************************************

The Miller house – Waimanalo

After dropping Nahele off, Chin and Grover arrived at the Miller home mid-afternoon. When the door opened, Samantha Miller invited them in and immediately started peppering them with questions. “Have you found the killer yet? Was it a jewel robbery? You know, I haven’t slept well at all knowing that murderer could still be out there.”

Grover indicated than an arrest was imminent, then asked to speak to her husband.

Samantha apologized. “I’m sorry. Ted’s not here. He left a little more than an hour ago after getting a call about a meeting on the mainland tomorrow. Something about an investment prospect, but one with a short window of opportunity, as he put it.”

“Do you know when he’ll be back?”

“He didn’t say, but Ted typically stays for a day or two before returning from the mainland. He has a terrible time with jet lag.”

Chin was getting a bad feeling about this so-called ‘opportunity’. “Where is this meeting, Mrs. Miller? And do you know who called your husband?”

Samantha Miller thought for a moment. “I don’t recall Ted saying who called him. What I can tell you is that the meeting is in Los Angeles. If you want, I can call him for you.”

“That won’t be necessary. If you could give us his number, we’ll call him later after he lands.”

Once Chin and Grover left, they headed for Honolulu International Airport, hoping to catch Miller before he took off. There, they were told that there was no record of Ted Miller on any commercial or chartered flight bound for LA. When Chin called Ted’s cell, the call went directly to voice mail.

Once they returned to the Palace, Chin tried again, only to get the same result. This time, he left a message for Ted to call him back.

While his colleague seemed perturbed, Grover suggested that Ted turned his cell off and had forgotten to turn it back.

Chin gave Grover a look. “You really believe that?”

“No, but as they say, hope springs eternal. What’s your take?”

“Ted Miller left the island somehow and isn’t coming back.”

“You think he got scared and took off before we could arrest him?”

“We should be so lucky.” Chin brought up the picture of Simone and Josef dancing on the plasma. “Remember who came to claim Walker’s body?”

Grover’s eyes grew wide. “Damn!! You think Kostan somehow conned Miller off the island and is planning to do him in?”

“Yes, if he hasn’t already.” Chin called Danny wishing he had better news. “Danny. Miller is on his way to LA. His wife said he got a call about an investment opportunity. Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking, too. I’ll give Mick a call and get back to you.” Chin paused. “Any update on Steve? OK, keep us posted.”

When Chin ended the call, he turned to Grover. “Steve’s been admitted, but he’s undergoing a bunch of tests. Danny hasn’t had a chance to talk with him yet.”

“And?”

“And he’s afraid he never will.”

**********************************************************************************

Oahu - Hospital

Danny sat in a chair next to Steve’s bed. After what seemed an eternity, Steve had finished the tests the doctors ordered and had been wheeled into his room late in the afternoon. He’d been given something to help him sleep, so Danny just watched his partner’s chest rise and fall with every breath the man took.

An hour or so later, Dr. Denys came in to check on Steve, but didn’t wake him, instead checking the information on the various devices monitoring Steve’s condition. After a few minutes, he beckoned Danny into the hallway, looking grim.

“Does Commander McGarrett have any family on the islands?”

Danny didn’t like the sound of this. “He has a sister in LA. His mother…God only knows where she is. Why?”

“I suggest you contact the sister at least and tell her that her brother’s condition is deteriorating. The tests we’ve run indicate the presence of multiple small lesions in his intestinal system, which is why he can’t keep anything down.”

“Lesions? What does that mean?”

“Based on what you told me, the lesions are probably a result of the radiation exposure and are likely cancerous. I’m afraid it won’t be long before the cancer spreads to other organs, if it hasn’t already.”

Danny was stunned. “What? You can’t operate or something, huh?”

“I’m sorry, Detective, but there’s no viable way to repair the damage. I’m afraid the prognosis for your friend isn’t very hopeful. Please, contact his sister as soon as possible.”

After the doctor left, Danny went back into Steve’s room and sat by his friend’s side. “You stupid, pig-headed, masochistic idiot. Think you’re invincible, huh? Let me tell you something, Mr. Indestructible, you’re not. You never were, and now look where you are. ” Danny paused, wiping a tear from his eye. “All I want is for you to wake up and tell me you’re going to be OK. C’mon, Steve, wake up. Don’t leave me, not like this. Please.”

When Steve remained asleep, Danny put his head in his hands and cried.

*************************************************************************

A short time later, Danny updated Lou and Chin, who said he’d contact Adam and Kono. Danny then called Mary Ann McGarrett and Joe White, leaving messages that they should call him back as soon as possible.

Steve had been ferried in and out of the room a couple of times for more tests, but hadn’t regained consciousness. Now, he lay in the hospital bed, looking as close to death as possible and still be alive.

Danny mentally wrestled with what to do next. Even if he had a number for Doris, he wasn’t sure he’d call her, feeling her son’s illness would only inconvenience whatever the hell she was doing. Catherine? Again, no number, but Danny was more inclined to give her a head’s up. He’d really believed her when she told him she was here to stay, but then something happened. Something that drew her away from Oahu and from Steve. Danny was sure Doris was somehow to blame for that, but what did Doris have on Catherine that would make her leave Steve and break his heart again?

Danny didn’t know, and right now, he didn’t much care. Taking out his phone, he texted one person who would want to know and who cared whether Steve McGarrett lived or died.

Beth St. John.

Danny didn’t know if she and Mick were still on the island or not. For all he knew, they had spirited Ted Miller away for Kostan to wreak his vengeance on. As such, it wasn’t likely she’d answer a call, but she’d at least read a text.

Steve in hospital. Dying. Tell Mick and Kostan.

Within minutes, Danny got the notification that the text had been delivered and read. When no call or return text was forthcoming, Danny knew there was nothing else to do but wait.

**********************************************************************************

Iolani Palace – evening

After receiving the bad news on Steve, Chin and Grover returned to the Palace. Their continued search for Simone Walker’s murder would also keep their minds off any worse news they might soon receive.

Chin poked his head into Grover’s office. “Got a minute? I’d like to bounce something off you.”

“Right now, I got all the time in the world. Bounce away.”

“Remember that conversation that you had with Samantha Miller’s employee, Nadia?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

“Something Danny said later is stuck in my head, you know, ‘nothing says I love you like a pre-nup’.

Grover chuckled. “Typical Danny.”

“True, but it got me wondering just how Nadia knew so much about Miller’s pre-nup. It’s usually not the topic of casual office conversation.”

Grover shrugged. “I figured that Samantha Miller was just bitching to Nadia because she was unhappy.”

“OK, but why?”

“Because she resented her wealthy, stingy hubby making her work.”

Chin countered. “The same husband who gifted a casual friend with a $50 grand club membership? Doesn’t that seem a little odd for a ‘stingy’ man?”

That got Lou’s attention. “Yeah, it does. What are you thinking, Chin?”

“That Ted Miller is being set up.”

“OK, I’m listening.”

“I asked myself why Samantha Miller would share such personal information like her pre-nup? What could her employee do but listen and sympathize? But then it struck me. Maybe Samantha wanted to make Ted look bad. By telling Nadia, she’s creating an ally, albeit an unknowing one. She tells Nadia, Nadia tells someone else and pretty soon…”

Grover nodded. “Ted Miller looks like a schmuck who makes his poor wife work even though he’s rolling in dough.”

“Right, but why? Why go to all that trouble if you’re so unhappy? Why not just divorce the guy?” Chin pulled out his phone. “Jerry, can you come up here for a minute? I need your help with something that’s right up your alley.”

A short time later, the three men were looking over the hacked pre-nup agreement between Ted and Samantha Miller.

Grover whistled. “Well, I’ll be damned. You may be onto something, Chin.”

Chin placed another call as he left the room. “If I am, I only hope I’m not too late.”

Jerry was confused. “I don’t get it. Too late for what? What did the pre-nup tell you?”

Grover tried to convince Jerry to not ask any more questions. “Trust me. Nothing that you want to be a part of. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want any part of this either.”

“Why don’t you have a choice?”

“Jerry….you got to just trust me, man. It’s for your own good.”

At that moment, Chin returned. “I talked to Danny and told him our theory. He’s going to pass the information on.”

“What about Steve? How’s he doing?”

“Not much change. Right now, he’s sleeping. Danny says all he can do is pray for a miracle.”

*************************************************************************************

Kimiko’s compound – evening

Ted Miller’s eyes fluttered open. He was lying on a stone bench in a garden overlooking the island below. Where he was exactly or how he got there, he hadn’t a clue.

As he slowly sat up, a man approached him. “How are you feeling, Mr. Miller?”

Ted tried to focus on the man, succeeding after a few moments. “I…I’m a little dizzy. Sore, too. Not … not sure what happened.”

“You were in a car accident.” The man handed him a cup. “Here, drink this.”

Ted took the proffered cup and drank slowly. “What is this?”

“Something to make you feel better. I just wouldn’t try to stand up right away.”

After drinking some more, Ted lowered the cup. “Where am I and how did I get here?”

“What do you remember?”

While his eyes had started functioning properly, Ted’s memory was less cooperative. “I was home. Getting ready to go to the office…no…no, that’s not quite right. I got a call…a meeting in LA. Once in a lifetime opportunity. Had to get to airport.”

After another few sips, Ted continued. “They sent a limo for me. Had to pick up someone else, but I’m not sure that happened. After that, nothing.”

Ted rubbed a sore spot on the back of his neck, then shook his head as if to clear the cobwebs. It wasn’t working and his words began to slur. “Don’t understand. What happened? Where am I?”

“At a cross-roads, I’m afraid. What you say next determines whether you live or die.”

Ted Miller stared glassy-eyed at his inquisitor, wondering if this was all just some bad dream.

The man grabbed Miller by the hair, forcing him to look into his eyes. “Did you kill Laura Winters?”

Miller stared, stupefied, but his inquisitor persisted. “I’ll ask you one more time, and this time, I’d better get an answer. Did you kill Laura Winters?”

Before Ted could answer, his inquisitor’s eyes flashed silver as he bared fang-like teeth, roaring “Answer me!”

Terrified at the demonic sight before him, Ted croaked out his reply. “No! No, I didn’t! I swear!”

The inquisitor released his captive, letting him fall to the ground. “Right answer. You live.”

********************************************************************************

Beth St. John watched Mick interrogate Ted Miller from a distance, hoping the drugged drink would negate the need for physical violence. She knew her husband was angry and would have happily presented Miller with his severed head, if they had proof he was indeed responsible for Simone’s murder. Had Miller acknowledged his guilt, he’d have been flown to LA where Josef would have had the pleasure of wreaking vengeance on him in a manner Beth didn’t even want to think about.

When a limo arrived at Miller’s home earlier, the driver indicated they’d be picking up another passenger on the way to the airport. As Miller entered the limo, the driver, who was holding the door for him, jabbed his passenger with a sedative, knocking him out. With a little help from one of Kimiko’s family, a type of truth-inducing concoction was given to Miller to drink. While not entirely fool-proof, between the sedative already in Miller’s system and the concoction, a truthful answer was more likely than not.

Miller’s denial only confirmed Mick’s earlier suspicions that 5-0 was zeroing in on the wrong guy. He’d heard their conversations from the safety of the balcony outside Steve’s office, but Mick felt something was off, and shared his concern with Beth.

‘OK, I get that killing Simone would have kept her boss on the island, but why go to extremes? If Miller wanted to keep Mariner close, why not travel with him? The man’s got money, maybe not as much as Josef, but Miller doesn’t need to kill anybody to get what he wants.’

Beth acknowledged the logic of Mick’s argument, so they set Ryder to work looking into Mariner and both Millers, paralleling the digging Jerry was doing for 5-0. When Ryder discovered that Jerry was also delving into Josef and Mick, he was told to stonewall Jerry’s search on them.

What Ryder did discover bolstered Mick’s belief that Ted Miller wasn’t responsible for Simone’s death. Miller was a wealthy man and a shrewd investor, but he was also a philanthropic one, donating large amounts to charity all over the island, always anonymously. The man was not only generous, but humble as well.

With two of Kimiko’s family returning Miller to the limo, Beth approached Mick. “So now what?”

“When Miller wakes up, he’ll be told the limo swerved to avoid a collision and that he hit his head and blacked out. He won’t remember me or anything about our little talk. He’ll then get a call saying that the meeting in LA has been cancelled. Where he goes after that is up to him.”

“You don’t think he’ll go back home?” Before Mick could answer, Beth got a second text from Danny.

Mick tensed. “McGarrett?”

“No. Danny says that Miller was set up. Then there’s just one word. ‘Pre-nup’.”

Mick took out his own phone and turned Ryder loose on hacking the Miller’s pre-nup. It wasn’t long before Ryder got back to them.

Ending the call, Mick just grinned. “I’ll be damned. For once, Danny’s right.”

*************************************************************************************

Oahu Hospital - evening

When the doctor entered Steve’s room, Danny’s head snapped up, embarrassed he’d been caught dozing.

The doctor apologized then introduced himself. “Forgive me for waking you, Detective. I’m Dr. Sato. I’ll be looking after Commander McGarrett tonight.”

“No problem, Doc.” Danny watched nervously as Dr. Sato took Steve’s vitals, then scanned the information on the various monitors. “Any change?”

“No, and for now, that’s a good thing.”

“What does you mean, for now it’s a good thing?”

“What I mean, Detective Williams, is that your friend is resting and his body is still fighting the disease. That is a good thing.”

Danny sighed. “Great, but why doesn’t he wake up or move or something?”

“The medical answer would be long and tedious, giving you nothing more than a headache. The answer that will help you is that his body is focusing all of its energy on fighting the disease, so your friend neither moves nor speaks, conserving his energy.”

“OK, that I can understand.” The next question was one Danny was afraid to ask. “Tell it to me straight, Doc. Can Steve beat this thing?”

“The odds are not in his favor, but there is always hope.” Seeing Danny’s concern, Dr. Sato suggested he take a walk outside for a few moments. “I would like to perform a more extensive examination of your friend, one best done in private. Besides, the night air will refresh you for the rest of your vigil. I assume you’ll be staying tonight?”

Danny stood and stretched. “Yeah, I will. A little coffee wouldn’t hurt, either. Is fifteen minutes long enough, Doc, to finish your exam, I mean?”

“Yes, I would think so. Perhaps your friend will be awake when you return.”

“No offense, but right now, that would take a miracle.”

“Miracles come in many forms, Detective. Enjoy your walk.”

***********************************************************************************

When Danny returned, the doctor was gone and Steve looked pretty much the same as before.

“So much for miracles.”

He’d checked his phone when he was outside finding no response from either Mary Ann or Joe White, but there was one from Beth.

We agree. No harm done.

That, at least, was a relief. If Miller had been delivered to Kostan, an innocent man would have met a horrible death. Kostan might appear civilized, but Danny knew firsthand that the vampiric veneer of civilization was thinner on some of his kind than on others. Kostan definitely fit into the ‘thinner’ category.

While he was wondering what to do with himself next, Chin entered the room with an unfamiliar man.

“How’s Steve?”

“No change. Still waiting for a miracle, that’s all.”

Chin introduced Danny to his companion. “Iokua is a friend, but he’s also a Kahuna Pule, a priest. I know Steve understands and respects the island ways, so I thought Iokua might say some prayers over him.”

“Can’t hurt.” Danny motioned for the priest to approach Steve’s bed. “Please, any and all help is greatly appreciated.”

Iokua smiled, trying to put Danny’s mind at ease. “I can’t promise a miracle, but I’ll do what I can.”

Danny moved to stand by Chin’s side, allowing Iokua unobstructed access to Steve. Bowing his head, Danny prayed in his own unique way.

OK, God. You know I don’t believe in miracles, but this is a great opportunity to make me a believer. Well, not a believer, actually, but I would be more open to considering the possibility…Anyway, bring Steve back to us. It’s not his time, you know that. He’s got so much more to give, so much more to live for. Please, God. You took Matty away. You owe me.

A few minutes later, the priest concluded his prayers, then shook hands with Chin and Danny before leaving.

Chin offered to relieve Danny and stay with Steve. “You’ve been here all day. Why don’t you take a break and go home for a while. I promise I’ll call you if anything changes.”

“Appreciate the offer, Chin, but I can’t leave. What if Steve wakes up and I’m not here, huh? I’ll hear about it for the rest of my life.” Danny sighed. “What if I’m not here when he dies? No way I can live with that.”

“Hey, nobody’s dying tonight, least of all Steve. Besides, what would he say if he woke up and you weren’t focusing on Walker’s case?”

Danny couldn’t help but grin. “That’s cute. Using my own arguments against me, huh?”

“Well, if it worked on me, I thought it might work on you.”

“Nice try. Anyway, since neither of us are leaving, bring me up to speed on the Walker case.”

“Just before I came over here, Ted Miller returned home, a bit sore and confused, but otherwise uninjured. He got my voice mail and called me back, agreeing to come in tomorrow morning to discuss the Walker murder.”

“You think he’ll show?”

“I do, actually, but just in case he decides to make a run for it, I’ve got two plain clothes cops on stake-out who’ll catch him.”

“What about the wife?”

“I’m beginning to believe Samantha Miller is smarter than she acts. Patient, too. If what we think is true, she’s been working on her little scheme for a few years. She won’t do anything rash to draw attention to herself. As long as she thinks Ted and 5-0 are clueless about her plans, I think she’ll just wait for another opportunity.” Chin glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was within hearing. “Besides, I wouldn’t be surprised if a certain PI is conducting his own stake-out. You told Mick what we found, right?”

“Yeah, which is why Ted Miller got home in one piece, only sore and confused.” Danny stretched a bit then sat down. “What I don’t get is where Walker came in. Why did she have to die?”

Chin sat across from Danny. “Lou and I asked the same question. When we looked at the Miller’s pre-nup, there were certain provisions for how Ted’s considerable assets would be dispositioned in the event of death or divorce. No surprise that there wasn’t anything about Samantha having to work 20 hours a week. That was just something she made up to make Ted look bad.”

Chin started to tick off the pre-nup clauses. “In the event that Ted died, Samantha would receive half of his estate, with the other half going to charity. In the event of divorce…”

Danny added. “Let me guess. If they divorce, she gets nothing.”

“Not exactly. If Ted divorces his wife for cause, such as her infidelity, you’re right, she gets nothing. If he divorces her without cause, or if she divorces him with cause, she gets 20% of his estate.”

“OK, that sounds pretty standard. So what made you think Samantha was setting her husband up?”

“There was another clause, one that stated that if either party were to be convicted of a major felony and incarcerated, the other party would be free to divorce them with no penalty.” Seeing Danny’s confusion, Chin explained. “Meaning, if Ted were convicted of Walker’s murder, Samantha could divorce him and get the 50% of his estate she would have gotten if he died.”

“So you’re thinking that Walker…”

“Was a victim of opportunity. Samantha Miller knew Walker lived alone, had no significant other or friends stopping by…”

“She was an easy target.” Danny sighed. “Problem is that while your theory makes sense, we don’t have any proof.”

“You’re right. We don’t yet. Maybe Ted Miller can help us with that in the morning.”

**********************************************************************************

LA – Josef’s compound

In the last few days, Josef thought he’d experienced every extreme emotion known to man, leaving him emotionally drained, but in the end, it was all worth it.

On the journey home, he prayed for a miracle but didn’t expect one. Based on his experience with Sarah Whitley, there was every indication that Simone was trapped in the same limbo that Sarah had been in for a half century. Every indication except one; Simone’s neck wounds had healed after her death, slowly, but healed, nonetheless. That one difference was the thread of hope that Josef clung to, that Simone would eventually rise and be with him for eternity.

If she wanted to be with him, that is.

That was the million dollar question. Ten years was nothing for Josef, but it was more than a quarter of Simone’s life. How had she changed? Did she still care for him or had her feelings cooled? Would she be horrified at her new condition, for which he was indirectly to blame, or would she embrace it and Josef along with it? These and numerous other questions plagued Josef as he anxiously waited for her to rise.

Hours after they’d returned home, he’d been summoned to Simone’s room, finding her awake, confusion clouding her eyes. Dropping to his knees, her confusion only grew when she saw him.

‘I never thought it would be like this.’ she’d said.

‘Like what, Simone?’

‘Heaven.’

He’d smiled then, amused that she’d think he’d ever have a shot at heaven. ‘Why do you think you’re in heaven?’

‘You’re here.’ A smile crept across her face. ‘If this isn’t heaven, it’s the next best thing. Can you ever forgive me, Josef?’

That had nearly undone him. When she reached for him, he drew her close, crushing her to his chest.

‘There’s nothing to forgive, there never was. Just tell me this time that you’ll stay with me.’

‘I’ll stay for as long as you’ll have me.’

‘Eternity, then.’


Hours later, Josef received a call from Mick, bringing him up to speed with their investigation. Hearing that Samantha Miller might be the guilty party, Josef thought for a moment.

“Mick, keep an eye on her. Whatever you do, don’t let 5-0 arrest her. I have plans for Samantha that I wouldn’t want ruined.”

Turning to Simone, he asked “Mick has a lead on your killer. Are you up to leaving heaven for a bit?”

“To get justice?” Simone’s eyes flashed. “You bet I am.”
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Moonlightsonata
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 6 (PG) Posted: 2/1/18

Post by Moonlightsonata »

It's somewhat late so my thoughts after reading this will be somewhat random.

So happy that Simone has risen instead of being left in limbo. Happy for Josef.

I haven't watched 5-0 in ages so I am a little unclear about the radiation issue. Is the radiation poisoning an issue that has come up on the show?

I have to admit to be a little confused about the whole business with Miller and his wife but I will reread the story tomorrow and maybe I can get it more.

Thanks again.
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darkstarrising
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 6 (PG) Posted: 2/1/18

Post by darkstarrising »

Moonlightsonata wrote:It's somewhat late so my thoughts after reading this will be somewhat random.

So happy that Simone has risen instead of being left in limbo. Happy for Josef.

I haven't watched 5-0 in ages so I am a little unclear about the radiation issue. Is the radiation poisoning an issue that has come up on the show?

I have to admit to be a little confused about the whole business with Miller and his wife but I will reread the story tomorrow and maybe I can get it more.

Thanks again.
Thanks, Moonlightsonata :hug:

About the radiation bit.... near the end of h50's last season (episode 7.18), Steve and Danny were tracking down some stolen uranium, which the bad guys used to make in a 'dirty bomb'. Before the bomb goes off, Steve tries to diffuse it, but he knows he has to somehow shield himself from the uranium's radiation. The only thing handy is a car battery (which contains lead, which blocks radiation's ability to penetrate the body). Considering the size of a car battery, it could only shield a part of the chest area, so Steve gets zapped by radiation. Near the end of the seventh season, Steve lets Danny know he is suffering from radiation poisoning, which can lead to death.

Halfway through the eighth season, the radiation poisoning storyline has all but vanished. I fear that its resolution was handled 'off-screen', as Peter Lenkov is wont to due with various storylines, relationships, etc. In my story, I wanted Steve's radiation poisoning to be dealt with and that's what I've tried to do.

Hope this clears things up and thanks again for reading. :hearts:
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allegrita
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 6 (PG) Posted: 2/1/18

Post by allegrita »

About Steve's radiation poisoning, I'm wondering who Dr. Sato really is, and whether he might know Kimiko. :chin: Steve needs a miracle, or some sort of extraordinary help! :hankie:

I was never comfortable with 5-0's theory about Miller. It was based on a giant assumption for which they had almost no evidence. The wife seems like a much more reasonable suspect. :yes: But I don't know what to think about the car accident 4 years ago. :dizzy: Was it an accident? Why did the driver die shortly afterward? Can we believe the guy who told the story? :shrug:

I'm so glad Simone has awoken! :hyper2: She and Josef deserve happiness. :hearts: Now I'm praying that Katherine has learned about Steve's condition, and will go to him. Those two are star-crossed. :sigh: They deserve happiness too!

This story has me on the edge of my seat. Thank you so much for your gift to us!
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darkstarrising
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 6 (PG) Posted: 2/1/18

Post by darkstarrising »

allegrita wrote:About Steve's radiation poisoning, I'm wondering who Dr. Sato really is, and whether he might know Kimiko. :chin: Steve needs a miracle, or some sort of extraordinary help! :hankie:

I was never comfortable with 5-0's theory about Miller. It was based on a giant assumption for which they had almost no evidence. The wife seems like a much more reasonable suspect. :yes: But I don't know what to think about the car accident 4 years ago. :dizzy: Was it an accident? Why did the driver die shortly afterward? Can we believe the guy who told the story? :shrug:

I'm so glad Simone has awoken! :hyper2: She and Josef deserve happiness. :hearts: Now I'm praying that Katherine has learned about Steve's condition, and will go to him. Those two are star-crossed. :sigh: They deserve happiness too!

This story has me on the edge of my seat. Thank you so much for your gift to us!
Thanks, alle, and you know me too well!! :hug: A lot of procedurals throw the 'red herring' in from time to time, but that doesn't mean Miller isn't impacted by all that has occurred. What that impact is becomes clear later on in the story. :biggrin:

As for Josef and Simone - I agree - they both deserve happiness. I always loved the character of Sarah Whitley (and sincerely with there might have been more about her if a second season were to be had), but Simone is more in tune with the man Josef is now than Sarah would have been finding just how much the world and her Charles had changed in 50 years.
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