Danny in the Big Apple Part 1:
Old Friends
(Investigating an assault and a drug ring, Danny Williams meets his nickname-sake.)
By Sylvia
(This story has some
crossover with another great CBS cop show, “Cagney
and Lacey,” and with NBC’s “Law and Order.” I’m using the 1
Story note: I goofed
in the previous story in this series, about Danny going to New York, by
promoting Truck to Five-O a bit early; in his review of the Season 12 premiere,
Mike Quigley wrote that Truck was still an HPD cop, going undercover for Five-O
in that episode.)
Story background:
James MacArthur has said that the tag of “Danno” came
from a real-life friend Jack Lord had when he was young. I have no idea who the
real “Danno” is, but I’m taking it into the fanfic world. Whoever the real Danno is/was, I hope he has
known the influence he had on popular culture.)
June, 1979
This must be what it feels like to be the new kid in school, Danny Williams thought.
He looked out of his glass-enclosed office at New York City’s 1 Police Plaza at the scene: Uniformed officers and plainclothes detectives sitting at their desks, typing or writing reports, questioning witnesses or suspects. Others bringing in hookers, dealers or pickpockets. And all in a large room, painted a less-than-inspiring battleship gray.
A far cry from his cubicle at the
The cubicle was much smaller, of course, but it had a window. He could open it anytime to catch the trades. The view outside that window was lovely and historic. And for all the time he spent there, he may have spent much more in Steve McGarrett’s office.
Throughout the Five-O office, even when they were busy – and
they were almost always busy – there was an upbeat atmosphere. Part of that was
due to the Hawaii Five-O secretaries, from May to Jenny to Lani
to Luana and their deputies. But
much of that was due to the relentless quest for justice of the head man. And, Danny realized, a lot of it had come from the mix of
detectives, who represented
He could see the jaded air here, in spots. At the scene of a drug-related homicide earlier in the week, he’d seen it in the demeanor of Detective Lenny Briscoe. Briscoe was about Danny’s age, maybe a little older, but already world-weary. Too much death.
There were also hints of the politics Gerry Meyers, now his boss, had warned him about. Before Danny went to the first meeting about the narcotics task force, Gerry warned him, “There’ll be seven pairs of eyes in there. One will be yours, one will be mine, and five will belong to guys who’ll be looking at you with anger because they all think they should have gotten your job.”
Danny had laughed, but when he went to the meeting, he saw what Gerry meant. It was hard to warm up people who were potential rivals, something he remembered well from his early days at Five-O, when there were a couple of HPD officers who were cool to him because they thought they should have gotten the job he got.
Things were much better, though, with rank-and-file officers he was working with. He respected their toughness, and they seemed to respect his knowledge. In just a couple of weeks, the early jokes about him coming from the land of the pineapples had stopped.
He also had his own secretary, a good one. Bronx-born Jeanine was every bit as good as the Five-O secretaries, and a tough cookie besides. “You got an appointment, Toots?” he heard her bark more than once to a politician or “poobah,” as she called it. He smiled as he wondered what May and Jenny would have thought of that.
She buzzed him now. “Boss, you got Officer Lacey on Line 2.”
“Thanks, Jeanine,” Danny said, and picked up the phone. Mary Beth Lacey was a wife and mother of two young sons who was diligent at both home life and police work. She served as both police partner and surrogate sister to Officer Christine Cagney, a tough-as-nails cop who, Danny suspected, hid a softer side. He’d already worked with them on a couple of assignments and liked them immensely.
“Williams,” he said. “What is it, Officer Lacey?”
“Sir, we have a beating that happened at
It was the first major investigation Danny had been handed. Lee Skylar, a high-end, high-priced drug dealer, had been rolling in the dough and handing out cocaine as if it were chocolate for the better part of a year. He was slick, and the department was having trouble getting the goods on him.
“What happened?” he asked.
“A cabdriver was beaten. We think one of Skylar’s men had been taking some of the merchandise for himself, was high on it, and beat up the cabdriver in his state,” Mary Beth said.
“How is he?” asked Danny.
“He’s at
Danny thought a moment. “Do you know his age?”
“Early 50s,” Mary Beth said.
Danny remembered something.
“I’m on my way, Officer,” he said, put down the phone and headed out, remembering a conversation with Steve about a month before….
Late May,
“What’s in your old neighborhood now?” Danny asked Steve.
“A lot of the same buildings, but a different population,” Steve said. “It’s the same cycle: Immigrants come in, have children, the children become successful and move the parents out, new immigrants come in.”
Danny and Steve were sitting at Uncle Lee’s in
“We were from all kinds of backgrounds,” Steve said. “Gerry, of course, and his family. His father and mother had
both emigrated from
“How’s that, Steve?” Danny asked, puzzled.
“One of the kids was named Daniel Costello,” Steve recalled. “He was a little smaller than the rest of the kids, curly, light brown hair. But in the stickball games, he could play shortstop like the devil.”
Danny laughed.
“So for his nickname, we combined his first name with his last,” Steve remembered. “And presto-“
“Danno,” Danny Williams said, still laughing.
“Yeah,” Steve said. “And I remembered that when I hired you. You even looked a little like him, with the curly hair.”
“Have you kept in touch with him?” Danny asked.
“Yeah, usually through Christmas cards,” Steve said. “He’s a cabdriver now, has a wife and three children. Good guy. Maybe you’ll meet him.”
Danny stood outside the intensive care unit with officers Cagney and Lacey. They watched Daniel Costello through the window of the room; his wife, Maria, and their children were by his side.
“Was he able to say anything?” Danny asked.
“He was out like a light,” Christine Cagney said. “Officers Isbecki and Petrie have taken the thug who beat him up downtown. Name of Gilmartin. They’re trying to question him, along with Detectives Samuels and LaGuardia.” Bert Samuels and Paul LaGuardia were two veteran detectives in the same precinct; there were rumors that Samuels would be promoted to head the precinct soon.
“He’s going to have to go through detox first before they can talk to him if he was that high,” Danny said. Christine nodded.
“Sir, here comes the doctor,” Mary Beth said, motioning to the hallway.
The bespectacled man stopped in front of them. “I’m Dr. Barney,” he said.
“Detective Dan Williams,” Danny introduced himself. “These are Officers Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey. What can you tell us about Mr. Costello’s injuries?”
“He has a severe concussion, a broken arm, broken ribs, bruises,” Dr. Barney said. “He was beaten up pretty badly. We expect him to wake up gradually.”
“So he’ll live?” Mary Beth asked.
“Yes….The question, of course, is how well he recovers from his injuries,” Dr. Barney said. “I know you wish to question him, but I don’t expect that to even be a factor for the next 72 hours.”
Danny blew out a breath. “Damn,” Christine whispered.
“Thank you, Doctor,” Danny said. Dr. Barney nodded and walked into the room to examine Costello.
Danny spoke to the officers. “We need to set up a police guard for him, inside and outside the room. By now, Skylar knows about what happened, and that there’s a potential witness.”
“Yes, sir,” Mary Beth said. “I’ll talk to Sgt. Coleman.” She was referring to Desk Sergeant Ronald Coleman, a competent and good-natured officer who took a lot of ribbing about having the same name as the famous actor, without the movie-star looks.
Danny looked through the window again, as Maria Costello held her husband’s hand and spoke to him. He thought he heard her call, “Wake up, Danno….wake up.”
How many times, in a somewhat different context, had he heard those words from Steve?
“Danno….must be her pet name for him,” Mary Beth said with a smile.
“No….he got that name playing stickball,” Danny said.
“You know him?” Chris said, startled.
“No, but we have a mutual friend,” Danny said.
Danny sat at his desk, going again through the files of the Skylar case, trying to think of any additional thing that could be done. There would be no progress in questioning either Gilmartin or Daniel Costello for the foreseeable future.
He threw down his pen in frustration and rubbed his temples. This wasn’t getting him anywhere.
Then, Danny smiled as he remembered how impatient Steve was with holding patterns, though he could do a good job – the best, actually – at waiting out a crook.
Steve. Suddenly, Danny realized he should call and tell him
about his friend. He picked up the phone to dial the now-familiar long distance
number to connect him to the
Then he put it down.
Should he do this now?
Since Danny had started his new job, he and Steve had communicated with each other at least once a week, usually on work matters. Danny knew how hectic things were at Five-O with him gone.
Duke Lukela had agreed to become Five-O’s acting second-in-command – but only until Steve picked a permanent one, presumably Kevin Wilson.
That should have gone smoothly – Steve had Wilson working
with him and Duke on a couple of assignments – but then Wilson’s HPD partner
had been shot during a bank robbery whose ending wasn’t resolved as smoothly as
the Bruce Kubota one had been.
Sandi Welles was
temporarily assigned to work with Five-O before she left for
Did Steve need one more headache from the mainland – knowing that an old friend was in peril and not being able to do anything about it?
And was it his old friend, anyway? Danny believed this Daniel Costello was the same man who had grown up with Steve, but he wanted to be 100 percent sure before he let Steve know. He also wanted Costello to wake up and confirm that information himself.
Meanwhile, Danny had to think of a strategy to deal with Skylar until Costello woke up and Gilmartin was free of the influence of the drugs. Then, he remembered how Steve dealt with similar matters.
“How many officers do you need, Danny?” Gerry asked.
“Enough to try to put a serious dent in Skylar’s operation until we can get positive testimony from everyone involved,” Danny said.
Gerry eyed the younger officer. “So that’s the way Steve
does things in
“Sometimes,” Danny said, with a slight smile.
“Must be nice to sidestep bureaucracy,” Gerry said.
“Believe me, he doesn’t,” Danny said.
“This is Steve McGarrett we’re talking about; yes he does – in any way he can,” Gerry said. “Remember, I served in the Navy with him.”
“Right,” Danny said. “And I assume here, there’s a bureaucratic roadblock?”
“Yes, but I’ll ignore it,” Gerry said. “Go with what you need to.”
“Are you sure?” Danny asked.
“Yes,” Gerry said. “What you’re proposing is the kind of thing we need to be doing, exactly the reason I wanted to bring you here. Don’t worry about the higher-ups. I will.”
“Thanks, Gerry,” Danny said.
“Freeze! Everyone get your hands up!” Christine Cagney yelled.
“Hands in the air!” Victor Isbecki and Mark Petrie said.
“You’re all under arrest!” Danny called.
“Not one move!” Bert Samuels yelled.
The five of them, along with a dozen other officers, spread out through the warehouse, corralling Skylar’s men, taking them into custody. Dogs sniffed around the boxes, many barking when they found something. They barked frequently.
“What’s this all about?” one of Skylar’s boxmen, Daginoff, asked as Danny cuffed him.
“The cost of doing business,” Danny said, handing him off to an officer. “Book him,” he said to the officer.
“On what charge?” Daginoff asked.
“Bad merchandise,” Danny said. He, Samuels and Petrie walked over to where one of the dogs was. Petrie cut a box open. There were bales of cocaine.
“You bet it’s bad merchandise,” Samuels said.
In his own office, Danny looked across the precinct floor at Gerry, pacing back and forth, yelling at someone on the phone. Danny guessed it was someone who was higher up, complaining about the raid. Danny got up and walked into Gerry’s office.
“They found millions of dollars of cocaine, Ed!” Gerry yelled into the phone. “This wasn’t toasters Skylar’s people had in that warehouse!”
Danny stood as Gerry listened to the yelling on the other end of the line.
“They had a warrant!” Gerry yelled. He glanced at Danny, who nodded to confirm this fact. “They had every right to go in there, Ed! They should have gone in there! I green-lighted it, and I’d do it again! Goodbye, Ed!”
Gerry slammed down the phone, with an effort Steve would have admired.
“Who’s rattling a cage?” Danny asked.
Gerry sighed and took a bottle of liquid antacid out of a desk drawer. “Some bigwig who has civic dealings with Skylar,” he said. “The nature of the beast. He kills the kids on one end, and gives money for their schooling on the other end.”
”There’s nothing new about that, Gerry,” Danny said. He recoiled a bit,
watching Gerry pour some of the antacid into a paper cup. “You OK?”
“Huh?” Gerry asked. “Oh, yes….Standard operation for dealing with Big Apple bureaucrats,” he said, waving at the antacid bottle.
Once again, Danny wondered what he had gotten himself into by accepting this job. He thought of Steve and how he would handle a similar bureaucratic temper tantrum. Steve doesn’t get ulcers, he gives them, Danny thought wryly.
“Any progress on either Gilmartin or Costello?” Gerry asked.
“We’re still waiting,” Danny said. “Costello’s condition is improving; he may be able to talk tomorrow.”
“Good,” Gerry said.
“Gerry, did you know him as a kid?” Danny asked.
“I’ve been wondering if it’s the same guy,” Gerry said. “You know, of course, he has the same nickname Steve gave you?”
Danny nodded.
“I haven’t seen Danno Costello in years,” Gerry said. “You’ve got a city of 8 million people, you go in different circles, you lose touch.”
As Gerry’s phone rang again, Danny quietly compared this to
Gerry was on yet another phone call with another bureaucrat. As Danny left his office, he wondered at the fates of maintaining a friendship across 5,000 miles, as Gerry and Steve had, and not maintaining one in the same city.
“He’s awake,” Christine Cagney said as Danny walked into the intensive care unit two days later.
“Great. Thanks, Officer,” Danny said. He walked over to Maria Costello, who had walked away from her husband’s bed for a moment.
“Mrs. Costello, we haven’t had a chance to formally meet yet,” Danny said. He pulled out his badge. “I’m Dan Williams of the New York Police Department, narcotics division. I promise I’ll try not to tax your husband’s energy, but I do need to ask him some questions if he’s up to it.”
“Of course, Detective,” she said. “Please follow me.”
They walked back to the bed. Maria sat down. “Danno, Danno, dear, there’s a police officer who wants to talk to you,” she told her husband. “His name’s Dan, too.”
“Thank you,” Danny whispered to Maria. He looked down at the heavily bandaged man in the bed. “Mr. Costello?”
“Yes, sir….Dan what?”
“Williams.”
“Good to meet you, Dan Williams,” Costello said, extending his good arm. Danny shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Costello,” Danny said. “I wish it could be under better circumstances. If you don’t mind, I need to ask you some questions about what happened to you in your cab.”
“What happened is, I got clobbered,” Costello said. “Kid was nuts or something.”
Danny sat down. “Did you get a good look at him?” he asked.
“Yeah, when he got into my cab,” Costello said. “I was
taking a fare from
Danny nodded.
“This one, young, blond, but losing his hair fast, you know?” Costello said. “I could see he was kind of off to the moon already….saw it in his eyes….but I asked him anyway, ‘Where to?’ Then, he grabbed me around the neck, and said, ‘the cash box, Mister.’
“I wasn’t gonna argue with him, you know? I’ve been robbed a couple of times; you try to protect yourself, but it’s sometimes the nature of things for a cabdriver,” Costello continued.
Danny nodded again, sympathetically. Poor fellow, he thought to himself. All this, and he isn’t even a cop.
“Well, he took the cash, but he didn’t stop there,” Costello said. “Started beating me up….all over, head, face, body. I kept yelling ‘Stop! Stop!’ until I couldn’t see anymore. Then I didn’t even feel anything anymore…until I woke up this morning.
“I’m lucky, you know?” he continued.
“How?” Danny asked.
“I’ve still got my brain,” Costello said. “I don’t know how the rest of me will come out of this. I’ll have to be at home for a while, but I’ve got my brain.”
“Yes, sir, you certainly do,” Danny said. “Do you think you would recognize this man if you saw him again? We’ll bring you a picture of him; we know you can’t get down to police headquarters right away.”
“Sure, sure,” Costello said.
“Thank you, Mr. Costello,” Danny said, shaking Costello’s hand.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Williams,” Costello said.
Should he ask? Why
not?
“Mr. Costello, I have another question for you, but it has nothing to do with this case,” Danny said.
“Go ahead,” Costello said.
“Do you know a man named Steve McGarrett?” Danny asked.
Costello’s bruised face brightened. “You know Sparky?” he asked.
Danny struggled to suppress a grin. “Sparky?” he said.
“Yeah, yeah, that’s what we called him during the stickball games. He was a sparkplug, always got the other team riled up.”
Danny wasn’t surprised.
“He started calling me ‘Danno,’ all the other kids followed.
Natural leader, Steve was. Grew up, went to
“I worked for him,” Danny said. “In
“Really?” Costello said. “Yes, he is a good friend. How long did you work for him?”
“Fourteen years,” Danny said. “I left at the beginning of the month to take the job I have now.”
“Must be a big job, and you must be a good cop, if Steve
lets you go to that,” Costello said. “He still writes Christmas cards and keeps
in touch from time to time. I’d love to take Maria and the kids to
“Sure, we talk on the phone about once a week,” Danny said.
“Good, good,” Costello said. “Tell him I say hi.”
“You bet,” Danny said. Should he ask about Gerry? He decided not to, for now.
But as Danny turned to leave, Costello asked, “Hey, you work for Gerry Meyers?”
Danny turned around and looked at Costello. “Yeah.”
“Tell that so-and-so I say hello,” Costello said. Danny noticed he was smiling.
“Are you trying to make me feel guilty, Danny?” Gerry asked.
“No, but I think Mr. Costello was,” Danny said, chuckling.
“I’ll go see him in the hospital,” Gerry said. At Danny’s meaningful look, Gerry added “Tonight.”
“Good,” Danny said. He walked back to his own office. Now he could call Steve.
It was early in
“Hi, Steve,” Danny said.
“Danno? Not our regular weekly call,” Steve said. “You OK?”
“I’m fine,” Danny said. “How are you? Any progress on full-time staffing?”
“Not yet,” Steve sighed. “What’s up?”
“Remember you told me about your friend, Dan Costello, just before I left?” Danny asked.
“Sure. You meet him?” Steve asked.
“Yes, but I wish it had been under better circumstances. He’s in the hospital, Steve.” Danny explained the details.
“My God,” Steve said.
“He’s going to be OK, but it’s a long recovery process,” Danny said.
“What about the investigation?” Steve asked.
“We’ve been waiting for the guy who did it to come out of withdrawal,” Danny said, shaking his head.
“Unbelievable,” Steve said.
Just then, Mark Petrie came over to Danny’s office and tapped on the door. Danny looked up.
“We can question him now,” Petrie said. “Want to join us?”
Danny nodded and motioned he’d be there in a few minutes.
“Steve, we’re going to go question him right now,” Danny said.
“I’d tell you what you can do with him, but…”
“Yeah,” Danny said. “I understand.”
“If you go back to the hospital, give Costello my best,” Steve said.
“I will,” Danny said. “Take care of yourself, Steve.”
“You too. And Danno?”
“Yeah, Steve?”
“Get that Skylar.”
“You bet,” Danny said, and hung up the phone.
Danny headed into the small room where Petrie, Isbecki and another officer, Paul McEwen, had Gilmartin seated.
Gilmartin was pale and had some telltale injuries as the result of his withdrawal over the last several days. But Danny noticed some other bruises that seemed to be inflicted by someone else. He didn’t think Costello had been able to put up much of a fight. McEwen had been the officer most frequently by Gilmartin’s side.
Petrie and Isbecki asked most of the questions, while McEwen stayed in the background. Danny listened to the back-and-forth between the officers and the suspect, but watched McEwen’s body language as well. There was a nasty contempt on McEwen’s face. As Gilmartin looked around the room and his eyes fell on McEwen, Danny noticed fear.
With his history of cases, Danny could understand the emotions police might feel towards the people they were arresting. He remembered when he had turned himself in more than a decade ago after shooting teenager Thad Vaughn. After he was cleared, Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua told him that the drug pusher “Big Chicken” had been bleeding after Steve arrested him and brought him in. Much later, he’d asked Steve about it; his friend had acknowledged losing control.
Danny also remembered throwing the hood Charley Mangan against a car after Steve was shot,
not long after his own case was cleared. To this day, Kono’s
words still rang in his ears: “Cool it,
Danno. Ain’t no good walking
that line.”
And he remembered his behavior when
his girlfriend, Jane Michaels, was murdered by Walter Gregson.
Danny had suspected Pete King, an artist Jane had helped, and had taken his
anger and grief out on the man. Danny believed his career had
been saved by the grace of two men – Steve McGarrett and Pete King.
Danny wasn’t going to let any officers on this squad get away with any kind of brutality. “Officer McEwen, follow me, please,” he said.
“But the suspect-“ McEwen said.
“Officers Petrie and Isbecki will continue questioning him,” Danny said, with a nod to the two other officers. “Let’s go.”
The two men went out the door. “Tell me about everything that happened during Gilmartin’s withdrawal,” Danny said.
“Well, he was bouncing off the walls,” McEwen said. “He was crazy. He kept thrashing around, thrashing at everyone.”
“He wasn’t literally ‘bouncing off the walls’ though,” Danny said. “Officer Tanion said he was in restraints for most of the last three days.” That was Officer Bruce Tanion, who oversaw the detox center.
McEwen nodded.
“Those bumps on his face seem pretty new,” Danny said. “Any idea how he got them?”
“No sir,” McEwen said, his voice hoarse.
“I’m sure you all know I don’t tolerate, under any circumstances, no matter how heinous the crime, no matter how personal, any physical action by any of the officers that is not consistent with legal arrest and detainment procedure,” Danny said. “You understand that, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir,” McEwen said, still in a whisper.
“Don’t go back in there,” Danny said. “I’ll assign another officer to keep watch on the prisoner.”
Danny started to walk back in. “Detective Williams?” McEwen asked.
Danny turned around. “Yes, Officer?”
“Uh-“ McEwen stammered.
“Do you need to talk, Officer?” Danny asked.
“Yes, sir,” McEwen whispered.
“Follow me,” Danny said. To the officer standing outside the query room, Danny said, “If Petrie or Isbecki ask, tell them I’ve had some urgent business.”
“Yes, Detective,” the officer said.
Danny escorted McEwen into his office and shut the door. He motioned the young officer to sit down. “What’s going on, Paul?” he asked.
“Gilmartin and I have a history,” McEwen said.
“Oh?”
“We grew up in the same neighborhood. He dated my sister….he killed my sister. Got her hooked on drugs; she died in his apartment,” McEwen said, his voice breaking.
Dear God. “Why didn’t you say something before?” Danny asked already knowing the answer. McEwen was silent.
Danny sat back in his chair. “You know, an officer who brutalizes a suspect for any reason could be at least suspended, or fired,” he said.
McEwen looked at him with fear in his eyes.
“What I’m going to do, Paul, is take you off this case and put you on leave,” Danny said, pulling out a piece of paper. “I’m also going to assign you to the assistance program NYPD has.”
“Do you know what this will do to my career, Detective Williams?!” McEwen asked.
“Hopefully save it,” Danny said, filling out the form. “But I’m not sure that’s the end of it. Internal Affairs will investigate. They may act next. And Gilmartin may decide to sue the department, or his attorney could press for dropping the charges.”
McEwen shook his head. “That scum….” He began.
“He is scum,” Danny said. “But you’re an officer sworn to uphold the law, no matter what. When McEwen began to protest, Danny repeated, “No matter what.”
McEwen was silent. Danny gave him another form. “Please report to Dr. Randall immediately,” he said. “I’ll call ahead.”
McEwen got up. “Gilmartin…” he started.
“We are dealing with the case, Officer, which is no longer your priority,” Danny said, standing up. In a lower voice, he urged, “Paul, please?”
McEwen, tears in his eyes, opened the door and walked out. Danny called Dr. Mike Randall, who was in charge of the assistance program for police officers, then walked into Gerry’s office with the form.
“Oh, man,” Gerry said. “Potentially big mess.”
“Yeah,” Danny said. “This isn’t going to cover it.”
“No way,” Gerry said. “Petrie and Isbecki still questioning Gilmartin?”
Danny nodded.
“Get back in there and see what you can save of this case,” Gerry said. “I don’t want this falling apart because a young cop decided to play vigilante.”
Danny walked back in to the interrogation room. He took a glance at the transcript of the questions and answers. That, plus McEwen’s actions, didn’t make for heartening reading.
He sat down. “Mr. Gilmartin’s decided to take a vow of silence, I see,” he said.
“I ain’t gotta say nuthin’ about nuthin’ – especially when cops beat me up,” Gilmartin said.
Petrie and Isbecki looked at Danny. “What cops, Gilmartin?” Danny asked. “Just one? More than one? One who may have known you before?”
“I want a lawyer,” Gilmartin said. “I ain’t talking.”
Petrie looked at Danny, shaking his head.
“OK, take him back to his cell,” Danny said, looking at another officer who had replaced McEwen.
The officer and the officer who had stood guard outside took Gilmartin. Danny, Petrie and Isbecki stayed in the interrogation room. “What’s up?” Isbecki asked. “McEwen confess?”
Danny looked startled. “Confess to what?”
“We saw the bruises, Detective,” Isbecki said. “And the look on Paul’s face.”
Danny sighed.
“Meanwhile, this scum may walk, Skylar may walk, that poor cabbie in the hospital doesn’t get justice,” Petrie said.
“Well, this case isn’t over yet,” Danny said. He stood up. “I’ve still got a photo to show a witness.”
“Ahhh, it’s Danno #2,” Dan Costello said.
“How are you, Mr. Costello?” Danny asked. He knew that by the use of the nickname, Steve had called the hospital.
“Now, now, enough of this ‘Mr. Costello’ business. If I can call you Danno, you can call me Danno.”
“OK, you’ve got it, Danno,” Danny said with a grin. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” Costello said. “How about you?”
“Well, I’ve got a picture to show you,” Danny said.
“The wife and kids?” Costello joked.
“I’m afraid not; I’m not married,” Danny said with a smile.
“Well, some gal will find you a fine catch,” Costello said.
Danny sat down. “How did you meet your wife?” he asked.
“My first year as a cabdriver, this beautiful, dark-haired woman got into my cab from a restaurant, escaping a date who was drunk and offensive,” Costello said, getting a starry-eyed look on his face. “For me, it was love at first sight – but I still charged her the full fare.”
Danny laughed.
“I didn’t want to get in trouble with the boss, you know,” Costello continued. “But as Maria was getting out of the cab, I said to her, ‘I don’t know if you want to go through this again, after tonight’ – she’d told me everything; cabdrivers are like bartenders and shrinks, you know – ‘but I’d like to take you out to dinner some night.’ We’ve been together ever since. We got married three months later. Every day, even with this, has been a blessing.”
Danny smiled and grasped the older man’s hand. “I’ll bet,” he said.
“Now I’m ready to see your picture,” Costello said.
Danny handed him Gilmartin’s mugshot. “Ugh,” Costello said. “Yeah, that’s the one. If you want to wheel me in to see a lineup or something, I’ll point him out for you.”
“Thank you,” Danny said. He wondered whether to bring up the possible issues with McEwen’s behavior and decided not to. One crisis at a time.
“Hey, guess who called me here?” Costello said with a smile.
“Steve McGarrett,” Danny said.
“That’s right,” Costello said. “You told him about this?” Danny nodded. “Thanks. You and Steve are real close. We talked about you, you know.”
“Uh-oh. Actually, I figured he’d called you when you used my nickname,” Danny said, with a grin.
“Steve says you’re a great cop, the best,” Costello said. “If he says so, I know it’s true.”
Danny’s chest swelled with pride for the double compliment – from his former boss and friend, who knew him well, and from this gentleman, whom he’d known a relatively short time.
“I’d better go out and earn that compliment,” Danny said, shaking hands with Costello.
“You will,” Costello said. “Thanks, Danno.”
Danny chuckled. “And thanks, Danno Number 1,” his expression softened – “for the identification.”
As he walked out of the room, he saw Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey approaching him, with concerned looks on their faces. “What’s going on?” he asked.
The two young officers looked at each other, then at him.
“Gilmartin’s dead,” Christine said.
Danny estimated he’d broken several speeding records getting back to headquarters. Maybe I should ticket myself, he thought wryly.
Otherwise, all he could think about was: How? Why?
Cagney and Lacey had told him Gilmartin had died of a heart attack, probably from the drugs. Danny parked and walked into the coroner’s lab.
Dr. Samantha O’Brien was young, but efficient. She was all
business but very plain-spoken – a far cry from Doc Bergman and his technical
jargon. Steve would like her, Danny
thought. But Doc’s family.
“What have you got?” Danny asked, imitating his mentor and friend.
“Heart attack,” O’Brien said. “He was off the full force of the drugs he’d had the night he was arrested, but there was still plenty left to do damage. That came from repeated drug use. Any idea how long he’d been an addict?”
“We’re still working on that,” Danny said.
“I noticed he had bruising, but that wasn’t due to the drugs,” O’Brien said. “He looked like he’d been in a fight.”
“Yeah, so I understand,” Danny said. “Listen, Doctor, has this been publicly reported yet?”
“I wanted to wait until you got here, then report my findings to you,” O’Brien said.
“OK, please hold off until I’ve had a chance to speak to Commissioner Meyers,” Danny said.
“Something wrong, Detective?” O’Brien asked.
“No,” Danny said. At O’Brien’s dubious look, he added, “I promise.”
“You know, Detective, that’s the same look my kid gets when I ask him if he’s cleaned his room,” O’Brien joked.
“Let’s put it this way, Doctor; I’ve gotta go clean my room,” Danny said.
“It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” Gerry told Danny. “Wait to announce Gilmartin’s death?! Why?”
“There’s something we need to try, to ferret Skylar out,” Danny said. “I’m convinced that with his back against the wall, he’s going to act like he has nothing to lose.”
“We’re already up a creek because of McEwen, and now,” Gerry
said. “…..Did Steve ever do this?”
On looking at Danny’s face, Gerry answered his own question. “Of course,” he said. “Who else would you have learned this from?”
“You said you wanted new ideas,” Danny said.
Gerry heaved a big sigh and looked at the younger man sitting in front of him. “OK,” Gerry said. “Go ahead. Take what you need. But at 8 a.m. tomorrow, we announce Gilmartin’s death and an internal affairs review of McEwen.”
“OK,” Danny said. “Thanks.”
“WITNESS POINTS FINGER TO SKYLAR MAN” shouted the headline
of the New York Chronicle to Lee Skylar as he sat in his
Skylar angrily threw the paper against the wall. All this setup, only to have Gilmartin stupidly beat up this Dan Costello. And all his people being arrested.
He walked over to the desk and got out a gun with a silencer. Well, Costello wasn’t going to go any further.
Skylar, wearing a hat, got to the intensive care unit. “I’m here to see my uncle, Dan Costello,” he told the nurse on duty.
“Room 404,” the nurse said.
Skylar, surprised, walked on. Boy, what a stupid nurse, he thought. She doesn’t even check.
As he walked down the hall, the nurse picked up the phone…..
Skylar quietly walked into the room, where the patient lay on the bed, all bruised up. Boy, Gilmartin really did a job on him, Skylar thought. And now I’ll do the rest, and finish off Gilmartin, too. He raised his pistol toward the figure in the bed.
“Freeze, Skylar,” Danny Williams called from behind him. “Hands up.”
Suddenly, in front of Skylar, the patient – actually Detective Bert Samuels – sat up, brandishing his pistol. Officers Mark Petrie, Victor Isbecki and Christine Cagney also emerged, guns drawn.
Danny and Samuels searched Skylar and found two more pistols. “A setup,” Skylar said, shaking his head.
“You bet it was,” Danny said. “And we’re setting you up for
a lifetime stay at Riker’s
“On what charge?” Skylar asked, an innocent expression in his face.
“We’ll start with attempted murder….” Samuels said.
“And plenty of drug dealing charges to go along with it,” Petrie said.
“And we think we’ll dig up another body or two….Your boxmen are being very helpful,” Christine added.
“Gilmartin,” Skylar said.
“Oh, no. Gilmartin’s dead,” Danny said. “Died this morning. Heart attack from massive use of your drugs. We have plenty of tests confirming usage.”
Skylar, now cuffed, looked at Danny in shock.
“Yeah, Skylar,” Danny said. “It’s over.”
The next day
“This is a good day for NYPD,” the commissioner said.
He faced an audience of reporters with notebooks, tape recorders and television cameras. Behind him stood Gerry, Danny, Samuels, Petrie and Isbecki. As the commissioner recounted the success of the officers and detectives in busting Skylar and his gang, Gerry’s secretary came to the podium and whispered in her boss’ ear.
As Gerry made a move to go, Danny asked, “Where are you going?”
“I’ve got a bigwig back in my office,” Gerry said. “When you’re done here, come back to the office; I need to introduce you to him.”
Danny smiled. “Do I want to meet him?” he asked.
“Well, let’s just say you’re taking one for the team,” Gerry said with a grin, patted Danny on the shoulder and departed.
The commissioner was still talking, but wrapped up with, “And for more details about this case, I turn it over to Detective Dan Williams of the narcotics special task force.”
Danny took the microphone and discussed the details of who was arrested and how, starting with Skylar. He wrapped up by thanking Samuels, La Guardia, Coleman, Petrie, Isbecki, and Cagney and Lacey. The two female officers were still at the hospital with Daniel Costello, who’d been moved to a safe location during the operation to nab Skylar.
A reporter raised his hand. “We’re hearing some whispers about Internal Affairs investigating police brutality in this case, and that Gilmartin’s death was related to that….Can you comment?”
Danny looked straight at him. “We have an officer who is in counseling and is under investigation for his actions. We will not identify the officer until the investigation is concluded.” At the groans of protest, he raised his arms and said, “Since he is in counseling we do not identify him. That is our policy.
“In addition, the coroner, Dr. O’Brien, has given her full report about Mr. Gilmartin’s death. That is available to you.”
Danny knew at least a quarter of the reporters in the room would probably write or broadcast their pieces with the word “whitewash,” but he also knew Paul McEwen deserved the time to set things right.
“Thank you all,” Danny said, and left the podium.
Danny approached Gerry’s office with trepidation. After the way the press conference had concluded, he really wasn’t in the mood to meet a bigwig, whoever it was. He knocked on the open door.
“Come on in, Danny,” Gerry said. A man with dark hair with his back to Danny stood up, with Gerry. Danny walked in.
Gerry smiled. “I think you know this bigwig.”
Danny walked toward the man and his jaw dropped. There, big as life, was Steve McGarrett.
Danny laughed. “What are you doing here?” he asked, as he shook Steve’s hand and embraced his good friend and former boss.
“I’m here to see some old friends,” Steve said. “Gerry here, and two guys named Danno.”
Danny smiled. “He’s recovering very well. I’ll take you both to the hospital.”
“Let’s go,” Gerry said, standing up. He led the way out the door, Steve and Danny trailing behind.
“I saw your press conference, Danno, and heard the details,” Steve said.
“We’ve got some stuff to repair,” Danny said.
“You’ll do it. I have faith in you and those officers.”
“
“Yeah,” Steve said. He smiled at his friend. “Good job by them. And Danno?”
“Yes?”
“Well done.”
Danny grinned. Even after all this time and 5,000 miles, a compliment from Steve put him on Cloud 9.
The three men walked into the hospital room, where Chris and Mary Beth still stood guard. Gerry introduced them to Steve, and they saluted as Steve nodded. Chris Cagney’s mouth dropped open as Steve walked past her.
As Danny walked by, he heard Mary Beth tell her friend and colleague,” Christine, get your eyes back in your head.”
He smiled. For years, Steve had teased him about his aptitude with the ladies, but Steve had a pretty interesting effect on women himself.
He caught up with Steve, who was speaking to Maria Costello. “Thank you, Steve, for coming,” she said in a low voice. Daniel Costello was dozing. “I can wake him up.”
“I’m up,” Costello said, his eyes closed. “What’s going on?”
“Hi Danno,” Steve said. Out of reflex, Danny Williams turned toward him, then chuckled quietly.
Costello opened his eyes. “Sparky?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Steve said, shaking Costello’s hand.
“You came all the way from
“Yeah, I just came to see some old friends, as I told Gerry and Dan Williams,” Steve said.
“About time you come around and visit, Steve,” Costello said. All in the room laughed.
As Steve, Costello and Gerry talked, Danny looked at the three friends, who had shared so much in about five decades.
“I’ve been talking to this boy,” Costello told Steve. “He’s one hell of a cop.”
“Agreed,” Steve said.
“He taught me everything I know,” Danny said, motioning toward Steve. Then he added, with a grin, “but not everything he knows.”
Everyone laughed.
“And I owe you again, a lot of thanks,” Costello said, extending his hand, which Danny shook, “as well as to these two young ladies,” he said, looking at Christine and Mary Beth.
“It was our pleasure, Mr. Costello,” Christine said.
“I second that, sir,” Mary Beth said.
“And you-“ Costello said to Gerry. “I don’t see you for years. I have to get beat up before you even bother-“
“Oh, stop it, Costello,” Gerry said, chuckling. “You can’t make me feel any more guilty than I already do.”
“Well, don’t be such a stranger the
next time,” Costello said. “Steve has an excuse; he’s in
“Hotfoot. Your nickname?” Danny asked Gerry, who nodded sheepishly. The others in the room grinned.
The three friends exchanged more talk and pleasantries until a doctor came in to examine Costello.
“I hate to break up this party, but we do have to examine him…..And anyway, you’re violating the limit on people in an ICU room,” the doctor said.
“Won’t do to have a bunch of cops breaking the law,” Steve
joked. He went over to shake Costello’s hand and hug Maria. “My friend, there’s
a place for you in
“Thanks, Sparky,” Costello said. “You gotta leave now?”
“Yeah….I planned the shortest stop in
“You too, Sparky,” Costello said. “And you too, Gerry.”
“I’ll be back,” Gerry said.
“So will I,” Danny said, shaking Costello’s hand.
“Take care of yourself too, Danno Williams,” Costello said.
Gerry and Danny took Steve to the airport.
“You’re the only human being I know of who would travel 5,000 miles to visit a sick friend,” Gerry joked.
“I’m glad he’s doing well,” Steve said. “You guys deserve a lot of the credit.”
“Not me,” Gerry said. “This man, those two women protecting him, and all those others you saw on TV. I’m just a bureaucrat.”
“Well, you’re the one who talked a stubborn cop into letting his second-in-command go,” Steve said. “And I’ll still never forgive you for it, Gerry.”
The three men laughed. “Take care of yourself, Steve,” Gerry said. “I know you’ll keep in touch.”
“You bet,” Steve said, shaking his friend’s hand.
“I’m gonna go grab a cup of coffee,” Gerry told Danny, knowing the two wanted a moment to talk.
“OK. Thanks, Gerry,” Danny said.
Danny turned toward Steve and chuckled. “We keep saying hello and goodbye, don’t we?” he said.
“Yeah,” Steve said. Danny took a good look at him and noticed the fatigue.
“How are you doing?” Danny asked.
Steve looked at Danny. “I’m doing,” he said. “The Kumu’s started giving us fits again.”
“Oh, boy,” Danny said. “So who’s your roster now? Duke and …..”
“Sandi, Ben and Kono’s come to help us for the time being,” Steve said. “Soon, we’ll get Kevin Wilson back. And I’ve warned Nick I’m going to tap into his HPD veterans pool.”
Steve smiled at the look of concern on Danny’s face.
“Don’t worry, Danno. This city is your concern now,” Steve said.
“Yeah, but I never stop being concerned about the people I left behind,” Danny said.
Steve’s flight was called. The two quickly embraced. “Thanks, Danno,” Steve said. “Take care of yourself.”
“You, too – Sparky,” Danny said, a twinkle in his eye.
Steve laughed and walked toward the gate.