Dangerous Trails - Chapter 3 (PG-13)

[francis]

Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

Chapter 3

Steve was accompanied by a sturdy blonde man who watched Mick with a gaze that would miss nothing. Mick immediately was on high alert.

“Mick Jenkins, this is Detective Danny Williams, he’s my partner at Five-0. We have a few questions. Please come with us, we got a room to talk in private.”

Mick shook his head. “I need to wait until I know more about Beth. She’s still in surgery.”

Steve didn’t budge. “The nurse knows where we are. They will update you as soon as possible, but we need information. Please come with us.”

Mick surrendered to his fate. In the empty office Danny took one chair while Mick took the other. Steve leaned against the wall to the side.

Danny started the conversation. “I’ll tell you what we know up to now isn’t much. Your name is Mick Jenkins, you and your wife Beth are here for your honeymoon. You have come here from San Francisco last Tuesday and stayed at the Kahala Inn. Is that right, so far?”

Mick nodded. Seemed as if they didn’t know anything.

“Please tell us how you came to be in that helicopter.”

Mick had thought about that and started without hesitation. “Beth and I were having dinner at the Kahala Inn restaurant. We were approached by an elderly couple who sat at the table next to us last night. They made contact and asked if we would like to share a helicopter ride with them. They said they were too expensive for them, but there would be enough room for four and we could share the expenses. Beth was really excited about the prospect so I agreed. We met today after lunch at the airfield.”

“What airfield was that?”

Mick hesitated. “I can never remember those Hawaiian names. It was outside of Honolulu, a small airport west of Hickam.”

“Kalaeloa Airport?” Steve wondered.

“Yes, that’s the name. I wondered when it didn’t look like a tour helicopter but the couple told us they had flown with them before and recommended the pilot...”

“What was their names?” Danny interrupted.

“They called themselves Peter and Ruth. The pilot was called Gary.”

“No last names?” Steve wondered.

Mick shrugged. “We didn’t ask.”

“What happened then?” Danny asked.

“We flew along the coast due east and then from Diamond Head north over the forests. We wanted to go west later and then along the coast again to the north shore. I’m not sure why we crashed. Something seemed to be wrong with the machine, then the helicopter tipped and Gary didn’t move anymore, then Peter, who sat shotgun, tried to take control but failed, and we crashed.”

“How did you get out almost unscathed?” Steve asked.

Mick hesitated. “I was lucky, I guess. Beth on the other hand was unconscious, and I was afraid that the machine might catch fire, so I hurried to get her out. When I laid her down I realized she was bleeding a lot from her leg, and tried to stop the flow. That’s when you came by. I never thanked you for saving her life. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, Mick. But see, I don’t buy the tour story. First of all, Dr. Bergman, our local ME, told me that the pilot’s neck was broken before the crash happened. That’s why he was hardly bleeding. Neither the pilot nor the other couple had any ID with them. We couldn’t find their identities yet. We checked you, too, of course, and could only find that you are from San Francisco, but nothing beyond that, no records, no diploma, not even a parking ticket. The helicopter was stolen from Hickam AFB two days ago. There is no helicopter tour starting from Kalaeloa Airport, but the helicopter was parked there until this morning. The guard there admitted to having been bribed to not report the foreign machine and leave the pilot alone. Do you have anything to say about any of this?”

Steve had moved from the wall and stepped up and down in the office while talking.

Mick felt uncomfortable. “Listen, I have no idea about that. Seems like quite the set-up, but Beth and I don’t have anything to do with this. Maybe they tried to kidnap us, but I still don’t know why they would do it this way, or why the pilot was dead. When the heli started lurching I held on to Beth and the walls as good as I could. I didn’t see what happened in the front of the machine.”

Steve nodded. “Okay. We’ll look into this. Please stay around for further questions.”

Mick gave him a sad grin. “As if I would leave without my wife.”

A knock at the door interrupted. A nurse put her head around the door. “Sorry to disturb, but Mrs. Jenkins is out of surgery. She’s not awake yet, but she’s in SICU now. You might see her now if you want.”

Mick jumped up and followed her without another glance at the two detectives.

Steve sighed. “Tell Kono and Chin to ask around at the restaurant about the couple. Show photos around. We need their identity.”

Danny nodded. “What will you do?”

“I’ll break into their hotel room. I doubt we would get a warrant, and I doubt Mr. Jenkins would allow it, but something’s off with him. I want to know what it is.”

“That’s so not by the book.”

“Don’t throw the book at me. I get results, don’t I? Come with me?”

Danny huffed. “I will need to, keep you from illegal activities as much as possible. Poor me.”

Steve only grinned.

xxxxxxxxx

[jen]

Haven't watched 5-0 in a while, but I'm surprised that they would interrogate Mick during a hospital vigil. Not very compassionate or considerate and hints that they already suspect Mick of something nefarious. As vampires have been doing relocations as modern society formed around them, Steve and Danny should only uncover layers of a carefully constructed frame (if this was a part of the honeymoon plans, but honeymoon plans can be very fluid and spontaneous, too). However, if this was a kidnapping as Mick suggested during his 'interview' it would explain the man whose neck was broken prior to the crash, as Mick probably recovered sufficiently to resist their kidnappers and free them, causing the crash. If Mick's wounds that didn't heal involved silver, he is going to need a local contact that he can trust.

McGarrett breaking into the hotel room may bring some surprises that will be difficult to explain, if that really is where they are staying and not a front for a more secure, vamp friendly place.

Great story, Francis!! Looking forward to more!!!!

Thank you!

Jenna

[darkstarrising]

I wonder what Steve and Danny are going to find in that hotel room

Somehow, I see a huge confrontation coming between Mick and Steve.....wonder who will win? Vamp vs SEAL? I'll go with the vamp.

Great story, francis looking forward to more.

[Lucy]

Of course they'd want answers wherever they could get them.....it would truly be cruel to pull Mick away from Bath while she was in surgery..... Steve has never been "cruel".

Danny is in for a world of discovery if Mick has been as conscientious as I think he would be.

Of course there is the story Mick told.....and the truth....waiting to hear the truth.....

[allegrita]

Ooh, if Mick and Beth had to relocate quickly, they might not have had time to make detailed identities. I hope Logan can give Mick a hand long distance. I wonder if any of Mick's story about why they took the helicopter ride is the truth??

And I hope that Mick's got a safer place to keep his food stash than the hotel room. Because that might be kind of difficult to explain. Hmm, I wonder if there's still ice in the bathtub?

[francis]

allegrita, now I'm glad that I just finished the next chapter or you could accuse me of stealing your ideas. You're so on my wavelength, baby!

[Lucy]

Ooh, if Mick and Beth had to relocate quickly, they might not have had time to make detailed identities. I hope Logan can give Mick a hand long distance. I wonder if any of Mick's story about why they took the helicopter ride is the truth??

And I hope that Mick's got a safer place to keep his food stash than the hotel room. Because that might be kind of difficult to explain. Hmm, I wonder if there's still ice in the bathtub?

Good question, Alle!
There's no real explanation for that much ice without a few cases of BEER!

[Marigold]

Just Mick and Beth's luck... They get Steve, with his "off the book" investigative techniques, looking into them. I sure hope they haven't left anything unusual lying around their hotel room.

Thank you, Francis!

[cassysj]

Oh boy, Steve is a hard guy to get around. I'm curious to see Mick & Steve together

[nutmegger911]

Hoo boy. Talk about a bad day getting worse; McGarrett is a lot more astute than Mick is used to. And he's pushing for details while Mick is still off kilter over Beth.

I really liked the way you described Danny - so much information packed into that one little sentence. That's good, tight writing. Well done.

[MoonlitRose]

Oh gosh, it looks like Danny and Steve have a bone, that they won't let go of!!!!

Maybe Mick should call Josef for some help after all!



Great story, Francis!!!