Teaser
A man (Ric Marlow) rides a bike and carrying gear to a hotel near the harbor. He opens a room with his hotel key after putting on latex gloves. Going inside, he opens the window to a clear view of the Ilikai Hotel and sets up the telephone so he can talk without holding the handset. He tells the other end, the line will be open the entire time. He sets up a tripod locking onto a base. A woman (Loretta Swit) steps onto the ledge at the Ilikai squeezing herself into the corner. The man sets up an AR-15 with silencer as HFD responds with a ladder truck. Meantime, McGarrett is getting a haircut nearby. He walks outside to figure out what's happening and soon takes control of the situation on the police side. McGarrett runs up to the room and is soon in the scope's crosshairs. The hit man sits and waits.
Act One
Another man (Danny Kamekona) arrives at the Ilikai in front of the ambulance. McGarrett keeps talking to the woman but she isn't answering but he keeps trying at the urge of the psychiatrist who just arrived. An HPD officer reports to McGarrett the room was reserved yesterday by phone and she checked in as "Jane Smith". McGarrett comes up with a plan to go on the ledge to get her back in but the psychiatrist warns him to tell her exactly what he's doing, to complete the actions slowly and back off if she resists. They have the phone hooked and channel four is clear on the walkie-talkies. McGarrett wants KGMB's mobile unit to get a close up of her, broadcast it out to see if anyone knows her and have them call the number in the hotel room to name her. McGarrett returns to the ledge as crowds gather on the street below. McGarrett tries to enact his ledge plan but the woman screams "no" at him and he backs off. The psychiatrist, Dr. Kamekona, takes over still trying to find out her name.
On the ground, KGMB with Bob Seevey broadcasts as the drama unfolds. Seevey asks people to call the Five-O number 277-2977 if they recognize her. Meanwhile, a man (Malachi Throne) watches before his lawyer (James Olson) mutes the television and distracts him with paperwork to sign. The lawyer is in a hurry because he's due in court in 40 minutes. The man finds the "spectacle fascinating" while Bart, the lawyer, finds it "ghoulish". As Bart leaves he reminds his client of an impending grand jury, the man remains unfazed.
The hit man continues to wait as a shopkeeper (John Young) calls the Five-O number. Danno visits the shop asking Mr. Soong if he's sure and tells Danno about the rings she and her fiancé ordered. Mr. Soong muses about what ever happened to the people who order rings but never come back for them. Danno answers, "some of them wind up on a ledge," as he calls McGarrett with the information on her: Betty Landers and her fiancé Howard N. Miller (Norman Dupont). Later, Danno calls in with more on her: she's divorced with a five year-old daughter.
In the hotel room, McGarrett is now armed with what he needs and takes over. He calls Betty by her name and mentions her wedding. It's not until he talks about Howard does he get a response. Betty doesn't know where Howard is but she begs for McGarrett to find him.
Act Two
McGarrett visits a business where the foreman (George Herman) tells him Howard hasn't been in but has called in twice to see how things were going. The foreman asks Alice (Liana Petranek) to take over the switchboard after McGarrett asks about records of calls. Marion (Marika Yamato) brings over her call book to McGarrett who asks about repetitive phone calls and if any were to Betty. The foreman tells McGarrett Betty is one of their designers and there would be no need to call. As this happens, Kono tracks him down to the business reporting that Howard hasn't been to his apartment in four days but Kono found a picture of him and "a batch" is being run for HPD patrol cars. Chin has also put out an APB. McGarrett returns to Marion and the foreman: discovering John Manicote (Glenn Cannon) called him repeatedly. Manicote is the District Attorney! Marion calls him so McGarrett can speak to him, telling him he needs Howard urgently after Manicote confirms he's been in touch with Howard. McGarrett isn't amused when Manicote stalls. McGarrett explains it's Betty on the ledge and Howard is the only one who can save her but Manicote isn't messing around either: he tells McGarrett to meet him at HPD in five minutes.
McGarrett and Manicote meet in the holding cells where they go into Howard's cell. McGarrett is ready to rush him to the scene but Manicote stops him informing McGarrett of the protective custody order. Howard is a witness against Bonamo, the man signing paperwork earlier. McGarrett tells the HPD Sergeant to call in his team verifying no one knows Howard is at HPD. He'll take full responsibility for Howard's well being. The team meets them in the main corridor where McGarrett gives a down and dirty brief and they all take off.
Five-O arrives with Howard at the Ilikai and rush him upstairs. The hit man is ready as Dr. Kamekona keeps talking to Betty. McGarrett leads Howard toward the window where he gives specific instructions for Howard to talk to Betty. Howard starts talking to her and she slowly edges her way back to the open window. Howard promises her he'll explain everything and it wasn't her he ran out on. She edges closer as Howard leaves the cover of the curtained window giving the hit man the perfect target: Howard is shot falling 18 floors.
Act Three
Five-O and HPD waste no time running across the street to try to locate the gunman and possible witnesses. A young couple in the hallway point to the room where the hit man ran out. The hit man left everything intact including the rifle on the tripod! McGarrett goes to the window noticing the line of fire and Howard's body being taken away. McGarrett then talks to the couple who tell him as the hit man ran out they caught a glimpse of the gun. Kono takes their statement as Danno looks over the room where McGarrett wants every piece of lint! Chin walks in briefing Betty has been taken to Kaiser's Hospital because she's still in shock. McGarrett wants her in a private room an HPD officer on her door "round the clock". As Chin leaves, Danno briefs on the gun: AR-15 with .223 caliber, a common military issue. After an HPD officer tells McGarrett Manicote is looking for him, Danno looks through the scope informing the guy "had a dead bead on you the whole time you were in that window". McGarrett knows immediately he wasn't the target.
In Manicote's office, Manicote tells him a year and a-half of work was shot down as well. All the time, no one was willing to turn against Bonamo until Howard showed up and agreed. Howard was in the thick of gambling but changed his mind on testifying because a car tried to run him down in the middle of the night. A follow-up phone call told him it was on purpose and the next hit wouldn't miss. Manicote secured him in protective custody then McGarrett storms in needing him. McGarrett starts ranting knowing he blew it "top to bottom" listing off what the perpetrators knew: the building wasn't picked by accident; they knew he would reach Betty first; and they knew he could deliver Miller fastest and he did. McGarrett isn't happy about being "twisted, manipulated and used" but he was. McGarrett promises Manicote he will nail Bonamo and deliver him "on a plate" but not for gambling, Murder One! McGarrett leaves.
McGarrett goes to the hospital to see Betty and threaten her with an accessory to murder charge! Her reaction tells McGarrett she wasn't in on the plan, only a pawn. Betty tells him about her daughter being kidnapped and the ransom was for her to go on the ledge to bring Howard into the open so they could talk. She says she didn't know anything about a murder. McGarrett tells her professional hit man Johnny Froman killed Howard but whether Bonamo hired him, they don't know. Betty says she might be able to recognize the voice on the phone again after McGarrett tells her two witnesses identified Froman. She realizes she was used as bait.
Bonamo is at his house hanging out with a pair of Hawaiian babes when Bart shows up. Bonamo tries several times to offer Bart a drink without success especially when Bart demands to know everything between Bonamo and Howard. Bonamo simply says he's sorry Howard is dead because he was worth more to Bonamo alive than dead. Howard was paying down his $180,000 debt to Bonamo starting with $20,000 cash and a verbal agreement on the rest. Bart wants to know if Bonamo had anything to do with Howard's murder but he says he didn't. Bonamo tells Bart he won't lie to McGarrett unless he has to and he doesn't have to in this case.
McGarrett climbs into his car as Danno radios him about a stolen car from Bonamo. It ran off the road into the water and is being craned up as they talk. Danno says the divers found a body. McGarrett arrives on scene verifying it is Froman in the front seat. It all spells trouble for Bonamo who McGarrett wants brought in.
Chaos ensues in McGarrett's office as Danno and Kono bring in Bonamo followed by Bart yelling this is every which way wrong. Five-O is joined by Che Fong (Harry Endo) and Doc (Al Eben). Bonamo denies knowing Froman especially when McGarrett tells Bonamo he's under arrest for his murder. McGarrett spells out Froman was the hit man against Howard and two witnesses can put him in the room where the gun was set up. Froman was found in Bonamo's car but more that, they have physical evidence tying Froman into the room: Che puts him there due to matching earwax found on matches near the murder weapon. Dr. Bergman adds Froman didn't drown as he was dead or unconscious before being in the water with a bruise back of his head. There was no water in his lungs and no foaming in the nose or mouth. Danno has the third item: the case found in the car had Bonamo's prints all over it with $10,000 in small bills. The clincher, provided by Che, is that Bonamo's fingerprints were found on about half of the bills. Bonamo becomes distressed claiming he's framed. Bart sits emotionless as Bonamo continues to claim frame. Bart has had enough, stands up resigning on Bonamo who is now desperately grasping at straws. Bonamo finally tells McGarrett he has no motive because Howard was paying him off: $20,000, then $8000 then $10,000. McGarrett says they've checked and while the payments match Howard's bank, it doesn't eliminate motive. Bonamo leaves screaming with Kono keeping a firm grip on him. Che and Dr. Bergman follow them out when Chin says Bonamo should get an award for his performance.
Danno stands in the middle of the office somewhat dejected wondering if Bonamo isn't really being set up. Sitting down, something is eating at Danno: the evidence is almost too good to be true. He questions why Bonamo would plant $10,000 in the car after hitting Froman with Chin answering Bonamo is the "best liar in Honolulu". Danno persists on it being a frame with McGarrett contemplating but Chin dead set against it: "he's guilty". McGarrett knows if Danno is right, they still have a killer on the loose: Froman's.
Act Four
From HPD, Bonamo calls Bart during his "one free phone call". He tells Bart about a letter he received showing proof he didn't have motive to kill Howard. He convinces Bart to look into this one last thing for him before quitting.
Bart goes to see Betty at her house introducing himself as Bonamo's attorney. She leads him to the deck overlooking the cliffs where he asks her about this proof she has to clear Bonamo. She tells him about a document, of which there is only one copy, being held by an attorney on the mainland giving Bonamo 25 percent of Howard's company to him. It's proof Howard was worth more alive than dead to Bonamo. It turns out she is talking about Howard's will, which drops Bonamo's percentage from 25 to five upon Howard's death. Bart is confused since Bonamo is responsible for Howard's death, why should she help him? She explains she isn't even a widow and really has no claim on Howard's estate. She asks for $200,000 in cash. Bart is floored but Betty explains everything she's been through including her daughter's kidnapping. Bart slips up exclaiming her child was returned safe! Betty spins recognizing his voice from the phone! Bart figures he's blown it but then gets the idea of shoving her off the side since she has proven her leaning toward suicide. Bart forces her to the edge but Betty screams and fights back. McGarrett and Danno rush in, it was their turn to use her as bait, "bait for the second time!" Danno drags Bart off to arrest him as McGarrett assures Betty the fear will eventually subside.
This plot summary Copyright© Bobbi Baker 2019. No reproduction of any kind without permission.