S07E24 - “6,000 Deadly Tickets” - Plot

(Prepared by Bobbi Baker)


x

Act One

Two men walk out of 'Simpson Tours' as two guys wait in a car watching them. As the guard (Beau Van Den Ecker) and the man carrying a large briefcase (Norman Wright) walk down the street, the other men follow them. The passenger (Jack Hogan) retrieves a gun from the glove box as the driver (Derek A. Mau, Jr.) keeps pace moving into position at an intersection. The passenger jumps out shooting the guard immediately and struggles to take the briefcase even though he's tried to shot the man carrying it. It doesn't take long, however, as both men lay in the street and the thieves speed away.

Various HPD units respond to the shooting including Nick (Daniel Kamekona) and Ben from Five-O. On the scene, Nick introduces Ben to Mr. Simpson (Bill Edwards) who owns the travel agency the men stepped out of. When asked how much money was taken, the answer isn't money but airline tickets according to an employee (Peggy Anne Siegmund). Simpson backs her up saying there were 6000 tickets in all. Ben radios the information to Five-O.

Danno, Chin and Ben walk back with Simpson and his employee asking about insurance. Simpson explains there is no need for insurance because the tickets have no value until they're filled out and validated. Danno tells him they're worth $1 million in the "hot-ticket market" with Simpson not being sure about that fact unless someone has a fake validator. Simpson explains the ATC, Air Traffic Conference, in Washington, D.C. issues the tickets to all travel agencies in the country and he'll report the loss to them. Ben says it seems impossible for anyone to get away using a hot ticket but Chin points out that the security at lot of airports may not catch it. Danno tells Simpson should anything else come up, to let them know immediately and the three leave the office. Danno puts Chin in charge as he heads to the airport to pick up McGarrett.

McGarrett just completed grand jury testimony in Hilo when he received Danno's message. In the car, Danno briefs him on the airline ticket theft: three separate descriptions of the getaway car and nothing on the hit man. Danno adds they knew exactly when to hit. As well, Simpson has 20 employees and any one of them could have been in on the theft. McGarrett wants to see Simpson.

The hit man sits in an office where his boss (Kwan Hi Lim) looks through the case at the tickets. The boss takes some out and tells the hit man to start peddling them to "the regular customers" because he can't wait "for another ice age" to let the paper cool off. The price is $50 a copy and if there's pushback the boss grins, "you know what to do".

Simpson is floored when McGarrett and Danno talk to him about the possibility of an inside job. McGarrett points out the employees must know there's no financial loss to Simpson should the tickets be stolen but Simpson can't get past the murder aspect of it. Danno says the employee may not have known the men would have been killed or worse, didn't care. McGarrett gets back to the tickets: ATC delivers the supply of tickets every three months and never on a specified day. So how would the killer know to steal the tickets today? Simpson believes the killer watched the place but Danno says he might have been tipped off. Simpson becomes less cooperative by the minute especially when McGarrett suggests polygraph tests. McGarrett explains the black market for airline tickets has been negligible but with 6000 tickets now out there, it requires the case to be broken and he's determined to do it with or without Simpson's help.

At Cacatian's Travel Service, Ollie (Vernon Hayes) tries to talk his co-worker (Thomas Fujiwara) into leading a tour group that's only interested in seeing the sights. The hit man walks in with a pile of tickets throwing them on Ollie's desk. Ollie tries to push back but the hit man isn't having any of it threatening to take the place apart and sending Ollie to the hospital! The hit man throws a lighted match into the trashcan before walking out. The co-worker takes a batch of tickets telling Ollie he can hustle them easily but Ollie doesn't like the risks involved talking about going to the police on the whole operation. His co-worker leaves as Ollie contemplates his next move. He calls Five-O with Jenny (Peggy Sherman) answering but Ollie hangs up before saying anything.

Chin arrives at Simpson's travel agency where he briefs McGarrett and Danno about the bullets: .38 caliber and probably magnum loads due to the damage caused. The ballistics are being run by Che (Harry Endo) through NCIC and HPD. Che also found something interesting under Marvin Wilson's nails as he struggled with the killer: hair. McGarrett asks where Ben is with Chin saying he's testifying in the Hayward case, which Manicote (Glenn Cannon) says they're a cinch for all the counts. Satisfied, McGarrett drives to the laboratory to talk to Che.

Simpson's employee Irene Lewis undergoes a voluntary polygraph test. Meantime, Che briefs McGarrett and Danno about the hair found under Marvin's nails: the hit man has hair implants. McGarrett tells Danno to put Ben on this angle to find every salon that does this type of work. He then turns back to Che who shows him the slugs: the gun hasn't been fired often and he's certain it's not a Saturday Night Special. Nick walks in reporting all of Simpson's employees have agreed to take the polygraph tests. McGarrett realizes Marvin is the one employee who can't take a polygraph and it's possible he gave the inside information. Danno points out the secretary was supposed to deliver the tickets to the bank that day and it was a complete fluke Marvin had them. Nick says it would explain why he got two slugs. McGarrett wants Danno to check the angle anyway just so the bases are covered. The phone rings: Jenny calls for Steve telling him Harry Rosen (Jack Kosslyn) is in the office wanting to speak to him. Rosen is an investigator with ATC and just arrived from Washington.

In McGarrett's office, Rosen explains the ticket situation is out of hand costing the airlines millions of dollars a year. Rosen explains agencies are supposed to only keep two days worth of tickets on hand and if they have more, ATC reserves the right to pull all their tickets. Danno notes the paradox: ATC sends three months worth of tickets. Rosen explains once they're recorded, they go into a bank vault. McGarrett wonders about the computer terminals at the airline check-in counters and Rosen says they're tied into the airline offices, which handle reservations. McGarrett suggests they feed the HPD computer all the serial numbers taken in the Simpson heist and tie the airlines' terminals into the HPD computer to provide an instant check of the serial numbers. Rosen likes the idea as it "just might work".

The polygraph tests continue with Simpson completing his. Sergeant Watt (Wilder Parker) calls into McGarrett.

Act Two

Ollie's co-worker shows up at a bar speaking to the bartender (James Kahoano Jr.) about a potential client (Robert Turnbull) sitting at the bar. He approaches Mr. Franklin saying he has his tickets: four round-trip to New York. When Franklin says they're full price, the co-worker says Franklin only has to pay $600. The co-worker tells him there's nothing to worry about because the people at the counter only have time to check the price and the destination. Franklin pays him the $600 taking the tickets while the co-worker takes the cash and tips the bartender.

McGarrett and Rosen arrive at Simpson's agency talking to Simpson about his polygraph. McGarrett tells him, according to the polygraph, Simpson is withholding information and Simpson is unhappy at the accusation. Simpson wants a lawyer present but Rosen asks how he expects to do business if ATC doesn't replace the stolen tickets. Simpson nearly loses his mind saying ATC has no right but Rosen corrects him referencing the agreement between Simpson and ATC. Simpson relents, leading them into his office. Once in the office, Simpson explains there is an extortion ring at work with his quota of 20 stolen tickets a month but he burns them because he can't jeopardize his business: he essentially eats the tickets because the other consequences are worse. McGarrett asks who's behind it but Simpson claims he doesn't know. Simpson explains his situation with family in Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco: unless protection can be 100 percent guaranteed for all of them and his business, he won't help them. McGarrett warns Simpson that all he's doing is delaying the inevitable as the price will keep going up until he's forced out of business.

The co-worker returns tossing cash onto Ollie's desk but Ollie has had enough. The co-worker warns Ollie because there is no plan to handle Win Low's bagman when he comes around sniffing for the money. The co-worker leaves to go talk to Win Low, the boss running everything, asking for more airline tickets. Win Low denies it at first until the co-worker tells him one of the customers is about to "holler 'cop'". Win Low stops him, wondering which agency he's a tour guide for. The co-worker would like to keep selling tickets even if his boss goes out of business. Win Low is impressed with him giving him a job application looking for the name and address of his present employer.

Ollie informs a client of their reservations on a cruise as a red Mustang with the hit man as a passenger stops long enough to bomb the place!

Act Three

HFD and HPD respond to the bombing with McGarrett and Rosen arriving on scene during the mop up. McGarrett meets up with Nick as Ollie is taken to the coroner's ambulance. Nick says there was a witness who saw a car stop and speed away just prior to the explosion but she couldn't give a description of the car. McGarrett tells Nick to find anything he can too include business records and employee names, especially hot ticket stock. As they talk as the scene, Ollie's co-worker drives by noting the aftermath including Ollie being loaded and McGarrett's and Rosen's presence. Chin shows up briefing McGarrett the inside man for the Simpson robbery was probably Marvin because his bank records show a $2500 deposit two days prior to the robbery with another $2500 deposited the morning of. McGarrett leaves Chin in charge of the scene to give Nick a hand while Ben continues on the hair lead.

Ben talks to a man who tells him they have done implants on seven men with that hair color. When Ben asks for their names, the guy hands over the before and after photographs. Meantime, Danno radios McGarrett saying a family is being held at the airport security office after it was discovered they were trying to use four stolen tickets. The discrepancy was discovered with the HPD computer tie-in. McGarrett tells Danno to "bring him in".

Irene enters Simpson's office telling him Ollie's office has been bombed. Simpson is shocked at the news.

The man from the airport is brought into McGarrett's office: he's Franklin from the bar! Franklin claims to not know anything at first but when McGarrett informs him the tickets were part of a robbery where two men were killed, he finally tells him. Franklin explains he got the tickets in the Kopiko Bar where Lew the bartender gave the guy his name. McGarrett orders Franklin booked for receiving stolen property with Franklin asking how he explains this to his family as McGarrett answers he should of that before the "bargain hunting". McGarrett and Rosen discuss the next move, as McGarrett wants the guy in charge, not the "small fry". He suggests they use Lew as an initial contact that could eventually lead to the ringleader if they go for a big buy. Rosen offers to go undercover himself with McGarrett cautioning him the locals fastest solution to a problem is death. Rosen isn't too concerned; he's done undercover work before.

Rosen sits at the bar where Lew serves him a drink and they discuss the lack of money. Rosen tells a story of a job offer in New Jersey but he's not willing to spend full price on the airfare. Lew suggests a cut-rate ticket, a bargain: all he needs is his name and number. Rosen writes down the information as "Bill Siebert" and Lew tells him "maybe" he'll get a phone call. Later, Rosen does get the phone call as Danno starts a trace and records the conversation. Ollie's co-worker calls offering a ticket for Trenton but Rosen throws him for a loop: he wants 1000 tickets! The co-worker initially wants $120 each for the tickets, then $100, then $75 and Rosen keeps taunting him saying he plays for "onesies and twosies". Once the trace is complete, Rosen gives his final number as $50 each ticket! The co-worker is floored and tells Rosen he has to call him back. They hang up with Danno calling McGarrett: Shige Yagamato, "apartment house on Kapiolani Boulevard, number 1617".

Shige contacts Win Low about the potential buy with Win Low not liking a guy out of the blue wanting 1000 tickets. He tells Shige he'll think it over as the hit man listens in. The hit man thinks it's a smart cop they're dealing with and should pass. Win Low figures there's only one-way to find out, telling the hit man to call Shige back.

Rosen paces the hotel room wondering if he dropped the price too low. Danno says they just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, Win Low tells Shige to set up the meet at Mount Tantalus for 10:00 a.m. the next morning. Shige calls back Rosen for the meet with Rosen making sure Shige will be there alone with the tickets to prevent a rip-off. He hangs up telling Danno the place and time with Danno lamenting Tantalus is the perfect place for a rip-off but Rosen knows he can't back out.

The next morning, Shige leaves his apartment as Chin and Nick watch and they follow him when he pulls into traffic. Shige is oblivious even when he parks next to an office building. Shige enters but doesn't return when Chin and nick realize they've been had and run into the building with no sign of Shige. Chin has Nick look out front where he suspects Shige switched cars and goes to call McGarrett on what happened.

Rosen waits at a picnic area for Shige to appear with a case full of cash. Danno and a policewoman keep their eyes on him when they get the word Shige lost Chin and Nick. Danno tells McGarrett they'll pick him up once he makes the sale. However, Shige and the hit man approach for the deal when Shige recognizes Rosen because he was on the scene of the bombing.

Act Four

Shige and the hit man go back to Win Low telling him the guy, Rosen, was with the cops at the bombing scene. Discussing the latest developments, Win Low wants Shige to call Rosen back and set up a new meting at 5:00 p.m. at the boat rental place near the Makali Bridge. He also tells Shige to call him from a pay phone and to stay put until he hears from him.

Rosen calls into McGarrett about the second meet. McGarrett doesn't like it at all but Rosen sees it as them being cautious. McGarrett orders Danno to have Chin and Nick take up positions near Ala Wai Boat Dock with Danno joining them. He plans to follow Shige once the sale is made rotating with Chin and Nick. Ben walks in with information from Washington on one of the hair transplant guys: Fred Burke, the hit man. Ben says he used to work in Chicago as an enforcer. McGarrett takes Ben to "put a little heat on Mr. Simpson".

McGarrett and Ben speak to Simpson who tells them he was about to call about Ollie. He started Ollie in the travel business even helping him set up his own agency. McGarrett shows him a picture of Burke and Simpson confirms he's the first man who contacted him and he works for Win Low. McGarrett tells Ben to have HPD find Win Low and stake him but to not move in until he gives the okay. McGarrett will arrange protection for Simpson as long as necessary.

Chin and Nick watch at the Ala Wai Boat Dock as Rosen waits for Shige. McGarrett watches from his car, as Danno and Ben keep up surveillance in a third car. Burke sneaks in behind Rosen and shoots him taking off with the case. Chin and Nick move in as Burke boards a boat to escape. The chase is on as the cars try to keep up driving on the street as the boat speeds in the canal. Nick tells Chin to call an ambulance as he stays with Rosen. Chin joins the chase as McGarrett tells Danno not to let them reach the Ala Moana Bridge or they'll make to open ocean. Burke is able to fire on McGarrett who is chasing them on a trail. Danno, Chin and Ben reach the Ala Moana Bridge firing upon the boat forcing them to turn around. McGarrett slides his car like crazy on the grass backpedaling the direction he drove from. McGarrett hits the driver on his end after several shots bringing the chase to an end. At the boat dock, the boat driver is carried away as Burke is arrested. Danno reports the good news from the hospital: Rosen has a good chance of making it. McGarrett tells Chin and Ben to pick up Win Low charging him with murder one, three counts for starters.

This plot summary Copyright Bobbi Baker ©2020. No reproduction of any kind without permission.


RETURN TO:
Main Page • Season Seven, this episode (S07E24)
Season 7 Quick Index • Next Season (Eight)