S012E09 - “A Shallow Grave” - Plot

Act One

A young man (John David Carson) arrives in Honolulu and checks into the Ilikai Hotel. He's warmly welcomed at the Ilikai by a Hawaiian girl (Carmella Letman) who he kisses. But her hand triggers some weird visions for him. He asks about renting a car at the front desk. Picking up the day's 'The Honolulu Advertiser,' he stares at the picture of a man, Coleman (John Ireland) being arrested at least 20 years before. Coleman's face triggers flashbacks with him standing in the pouring rain.

McGarrett talks to the governor about Coleman. The governor was the DA who prosecuted the case. Coleman and two others robbed "the Pacific Jewelry Exchange of pigeon blood rubies and Burmese pearls worth $2 million". They were able to convict Coleman but the jewels weren't recovered and the two accomplices didn't fare well. During their escape, the getaway car crashed killing the driver while the second guy, Rick Miller "completely disappeared". The governor has a theory that Miller took off with the jewels but Coleman has said for the past two decades he left a wounded Miller with the jewels in a shed while he went for help. The governor wants Five-O to find out what really happened because all that was found was the shed and no evidence of anyone wounded or the jewels. The governor would like the jewels returned to the Exchange.

In McGarrett's office, he goes over the case file with Kimo, Duke and Lori. McGarrett says the shed belonged to John and Nora Tarnow (Bill Edwards, Pat Herman). Kimo volunteers to check out the shed and talk to the Tarnows as long as they're still there. McGarrett puts Lori onto Coleman's past: profession, associates, friends, etc. He also wants Duke "cover Coleman's release from state prison". McGarrett theorizes Miller is laying low and will most likely use a middleman to contact Coleman.

A crowd gathers for Coleman's release including reporters (Tommy Fujiwara, Madeline Press, David Palmer). The young man from earlier is also in the crowd but everyone flows around him as Coleman is released. The first person Coleman greets is Jake (John Zenda) who's there to pick him up. The reporters fast fire questions but he doesn't know where the jewels are and the last time he talked to Miller was at the shed. Up and close personal with Coleman, the flashbacks happen again for the young man new to Hawaii. Coleman goes on to say if Miller survived, "it would be a miracle" and if he did, "I hope he got that bag of goodies and is whooping it up in Argentina". Jake owns the 'Moonfire' where Jake was a bartender prior to being arrested. Jake says, "I have the good fortune to get back the best bartender the Moonfire ever had". Jake pushes through the crowd and drives Jake away while the young man's visions continue. Duke takes off as well.

The young man goes to the newspaper to try to figure out what his visions mean. The newspaper guy (Jack Howard) tells him the story of what he remembers. The police saw the car near a phone booth as Coleman tried to look up a doctor but the driver panicked, crashing the car into a telephone pole killing him instantly but no jewels. The Tarnow property is off Plantation Road. Rick Miller didn't have any known relatives because "none ever showed up". The newspaper guy wonders why the kid is interested as the visions start up again. The young man comes up with a story that he writes a little and found the story interesting before leaving.

Kimo drives out to the Tarnow property and they indeed still live there after 20 years. He wants to go over their testimony from the Coleman trial again. The young man also drives to the property having the same kind of visions as he does. According to John Tarnow, there were three men who drove up to the service gate but when they saw him, they took off. Mrs. Tarnow adds there was no way Coleman could have left Miller in the shed because the shed was padlocked. "John here had to unlock it to let the police in". Kimo thanks them for their time and leaves. As he does so, he sees the young man startling him out of his flashbacks and visions. The young man tells Kimo, "I felt pulled here. Like I had to come And that shed. Rick Miller was in there ...". This last part get Kimo's attention and he asks about Miller. The young man remembers but calls it "strange". Kimo's not sure what is going on but shows the kid his badge and takes him in.

In McGarrett's office, the young man tells them about his visions. The young man tells McGarrett he's seen Coleman before he saw him at the prison. He describes Coleman's face as being wet from rain and it dripping from a leather cap he wore. As Lori looks in the personal property list in his file for a cap, the young man says he knew the road and what the house looked like before he got there. The young man says he was in the shed too, felt as if he died there. Lori finds a leather cap on the list of Coleman's effects. McGarrett answers him when the young man asks what's happening to him, "I don't know, Mike. I don't know, but we're gonna find out".

Act Two

Still in McGarrett's office, he asks Mike if the visions aren't the result of something he's read or heard about. Mike is sure he's seeing things in the first person. Asked about more details about Miller, Mike is blank. McGarrett senses Mike is about to hit a wall and changes the subject to where Mike is from: Danbury, Connecticut. Mike has his parents and just completed final exams, "I never crammed so hard in my life". At the team's suggestion to get a good night's sleep, Mike leaves. McGarrett, Kimo and Lori discuss Mike and how he knew about the cap because the only time it's mentioned is on the personal effects inventory in Coleman's file. McGarrett sends Lori to talk to "a lady professor who works Parapsychology, occult phenomena and so on" a Dr. Ramsey (Linda Ryan).

At his hotel, Mike tries to rest but the visions are relentless. Water dripping from a sink is the catalyst for an entire scene playing out in his mind. Coleman is dragging another man from a red Chevrolet Bel-Air with license number F6-3958 in the pouring rain. Mike tries to forget but other visions start bombarding him. Mike gives up on sleep.

At Moonfire, Coleman is getting back on his feet by tending bar and waiting tables. Mike shows up and finds Coleman behind the bar. Mike says, "I gotta talk to you, Buzz". Coleman freaks out never seeing Mike before. Only Miller ever called Coleman 'Buzz' and now Coleman wants to know if Miller sent Mike. Mike is more confused than ever and goes silent. Coleman grabs Mike and has a meltdown where Jake and another waiter have to pull them apart. Mike takes off. Jake tells Coleman to get it together and Coleman does that.

Lori walks with Dr. Ramsey at the university talking about the paranormal and reincarnation especially where it relates to Mike Harper. Lori explains Mike felt "compelled" to travel to Hawaii and knows what things look like before he actually sees them. Dr. Ramsey suggests regression based on everything she's been told. Dr. Ramsey's professional interest is piqued to find "how this flesh and blood Mike Harper meshes with the phantoms of 20 years ago". Dr. Ramsey agrees to help Five-O.

A woman tourist (Jo Pruden) walks around the War Memorial. She hears low voices having a conversation about making a deal. The conversation goes south, ending with a thud. Upon closer inspection she finds a body in a maintenance room. McGarrett arrives on scene a short time later. Duke reports he was hit with "a blunt instrument" that hasn't been found. Duke also says some footprints "by the rear door" sized 10 1/2 to 11. McGarrett talks to the woman who has been shaken by the entire ordeal. She tells him about the conversation she did hear, which was Coleman's side. She's pretty positive the other person was a man but she couldn't understand anything he said. McGarrett walks her to her car.

McGarrett's next stop is to speak to Jake at Moonfire with Duke. Jake tells them about the incident between Coleman and Mike. Jake was surprised that Coleman would cause a scene there and he's met by McGarrett's cynicism. Jake is unimpressed. As they walk away, McGarrett wants Mike picked up "on suspicion of murder".

Act Three

In McGarrett's office, no punches are pulled as McGarrett asks Mike point blank what he said. Mike's answer intrigues McGarrett, "Buzz? Why did you call him Buzz?" Mike doesn't know but tells McGarrett no one but Miller called Coleman 'Buzz'. Mike also tells McGarrett he froze and "he kept shaking me like that man at the shed". Mike states he didn't kill Coleman and McGarrett dismisses him telling to wait outside. Lori walks in: Mike's mom (Electra Gailas) will be arriving at 11:10 a.m. on a flight from San Francisco and Dr. Ramsey believes she can help. Lori set the appointment for 2:30 p.m. Lori comes in from left field wondering what motive Mike would have to kill Coleman. Is he really the reincarnation of Rick Miller and blames Coleman for his death? McGarrett counters with Kimo's theory that Mike is after the rubies. Kimo walks in with a file: the only mention of 'Buzz' is on the police report of Coleman's arrest and its contents were never released. Kimo wonders if Miller and Mike didn't meet up and make a deal of their own to take care of Coleman. McGarrett says it would work if Mike wasn't so visible.

At the university, Dr. Ramsey begins the regression therapy on Mike. McGarrett and Kimo are also present as she begins. She works backwards from his last birthday to his 15th to his 10th to his 5th. He describes the goings on at each. When Dr. Ramsey wants him to think back further, Mike resists, "no". The sequence with the Bel-Air repeats as other visions flash. Mike remembers being very alone then a door opens to the shed and he's buried. Coleman says, "won't die buried". A new person enters the flashback, a young blonde woman holding her arms out to him while crying. Coleman yells, "wait!" Things get hairy as Mike sees Coleman shaking Miller but Mike gasps for air and goes into cardiac arrest during the session. Dr. Ramsey is able to revive him with a shot of adrenaline, but barely. McGarrett and Kimo walk out trying to figure out what they just witnessed. McGarrett sends Kimo to find Lori to see if she's arrived with Mrs. Harper yet. Dr. Ramsey steps out after sedating Mike. She explains to McGarrett Mike was reliving an awful experience and tried to die. She claims reincarnation is a possibility in this case. McGarrett scoffs at the idea. They enter her office.

In the session room, Mike flashes onto the young blonde woman. He awakes more fully, stumbling to a window. Coleman flashes in his mind again as Mike opens the patio door. Climbing over the railing, he goes from car to car to find one he can take.

Act Four

In Dr. Ramsey's office Mrs. Harper states her disbelief about Mike's involvement. McGarrett points out the biggest problem: Mike knows things he shouldn't unless he was involved somehow. McGarrett asks if the Harpers brought him to the islands when he was too young to remember. Mrs. Harper flatly says no, they didn't. But, perhaps someone else did, she doesn't know for certain. Mrs. Harper explains they adopted Mike when was three from the children's home in Chicago. McGarrett orders Lori to call them right away to see if they have anything on Mike. McGarrett theorizes Mike may have been present when the thieves showed up and thus is a witness. It would explain the visions he's experiencing but it also means he could answers questions that have been around for 20 years.

Mike makes his way to the street where he finds a car for the taking. He leaves, nearly hitting a Mustang on the way out.

In Dr. Ramsey's office, Mrs. Harper is confused because Mike is suspected in a murder committed yesterday, not 20 years before. McGarrett answers Coleman's murder could be the result of what transpired 20 years before. If Mike's visions are right, then Coleman and Miller were at the Tarnow place, which means the Tarnows lied. As well, they could have gotten rid of Miller before the police got involved. Coleman always said he was going for a doctor and McGarrett theorizes he may have been telling the truth. McGarrett lays it out: the Tarnows know the jewels are buried somewhere on their property but only Coleman knew where. He was released and John Tarnow approached Coleman for a deal, only Coleman refused leaving Tarnow no choice. One of the assistants calls in to say her car is gone before Dr. Ramsey checks on Mike. Lori walks in verifying Mike was on Oahu on vacation with his parents before they were killed in a car wreck a couple of months later. Dr. Ramsey comes back telling McGarrett Mike is gone. McGarrett assumes he took the "secretary's car" to go to the Tarnow place. McGarrett grabs Kimo to go there and assigns Lori to "take care of" Mrs. Harper.

Mike shows up at the Tarnow place where he tries to get into the shed with no success. Mrs. Tarnow looks up from the paper with Mike's picture in it only to see him wandering around the shed. She asks if he's with connected with Coleman. Mike answers Coleman tried to help him and he was in the shed. She tries to unlock the padlock but it's stuck. Mike helps and winds up stumbling into a bunch of mannequins that is part of his visions. Mike remembers where Coleman dug and goes to the spot digging by hand. Mrs. Tarnow threatens to hit Mike but McGarrett, Kimo and HPD arrive. Kimo holds her as HPD captures Mr. Tarnow. McGarrett asks Mike if he's okay. Mike points to the place, "he buried it in the garden here". McGarrett orders HPD to start digging and they find Rick Miller's remains not very far down. Mike insists there's a little bag in the same spot so HPD keeps digging. Further down, the bag is found. It's the jewels! Mrs. Tarnow is the one person not happy, lamenting they could have had them all this time if the grave were only a bit deeper.

In McGarrett's office, Mike is grateful for Five-O's help. Dr. Ramsey informs everyone the woman Mike saw was his biological mother. Apparently, he wandered off from his parents and she found him in the shed but not until he saw everything with Coleman and Miller. The Exchange is so thankful for the return of the jewels, they give Mike a $10,000 enough for him to finish college. Mahalo!