S11E08 - “A Long Time Ago” - Plot

Act One

A man (Burr de Benning) drives into a mall parking lot scouting the area around him. Getting out of the car, he goes into a liquor store where Mrs. Tanaka (Marika Yamato) readies her cash for the bank. She calls to the bank to Arthur to watch the front as the man walks in. He pulls a gun on her asking for the money when she opens the cash register, but there's not much cash in it. He asks for the rest but she tells him it's early but he doesn't buy it. "Don't play games, hmm?" he says before shooting her in cold blood.

Danno enters McGarrett's office as he looks at a police sketch of the robber. McGarrett has identified the killer as Roy Crawford: "assault. Murder. He's wanted in five states". The problem is that liquor isn't his thing, banks are. McGarrett wonders if he didn't need seed money for a bigger job. McGarrett wants Danno to talk to the eyewitness who is still at HPD. McGarrett knows if Crawford is in Hawaii, they're in for a bigger crime wave.

Danno goes to HPD to speak to Arthur who stepped out in time to see Crawford shoot Mrs. Tanaka. Arthur calls her "a good woman" who gave him a job and wonders who will hire him now. When Danno asks about the murder, Arthur becomes exasperated but Danno is looking for specifics, which Arthur provides. He tells Danno they were standing close together with Crawford grabbing her and saying, ""don't play games"". Danno keys on this clue as he tells the officer to take care of Arthur and make sure he gets home. As Danno leaves, another officer brings a female suspect (Katherine Cannon) in that Danno immediately recognizes as Melissa Cole. When he finally stops them, she recognizes him as well recalling "O'Farrell High". She was picked up by store security due to shoplifting but she says it was "a mix-up". Danno tells her she has to "go through the routine" but he'll see what he can do. She kisses him, before she's taken to be processed.

In McGarrett's office, Duke briefs the partial prints lifted from the cash register seem to match Crawford's. He goes on to say the lab is sending the prints to the FBI for verification and there were skin and hair particles under Mrs. Tanaka's fingernails that are currently being tested. Danno is only half listening until McGarrett gets his attention. Danno says the killer has to be Crawford based on reports from Seattle and Denver and his tagline being "don't play games": he said it again at the liquor store. McGarrett wants to outsmart Crawford, see if they can make him "crawl out from under his rock". Danno doesn't answer and McGarrett asks if he's okay but he's obviously "preoccupied".

A banner goes up advertising a grand opening with $1 million on display. The manager (Bill Bigelow) talks to the security guards about their planned big display: the money will arrive two hours before the bank opens on Friday morning. The guards disperse with one guard (Beau Vanden Ecker) getting into his car and driving away. Crawford sits up in the back seat! The guard tells him, "it's a piece of cake".

Danno walks Hotel Street with one guy yelling out he doesn't know anything to Duke. Once Danno and Duke meet up, they decide to try Kimo (Moe Keale). They split up with Danno still walking and Duke buying a newspaper standing in front of the window to Kimo's place. Kimo goes out back where Danno asks him about Crawford: Kimo claims to know nothing except the name. Danno reminds Kimo that he owes Danno, which he remembers but he can't help. Danno presses the issue telling him to ask around.

Later, Danno drives Melissa to a new apartment after bailing her out of jail. They talk a bit as he tells her she'll have to answer for the charges. They arrive at the apartment building where she asks why he's helping her out and all he says, "you know" but she wants him to say it and he doesn't. They enter the apartment where Melissa unpacks with the first thing being a framed picture of her daughter Beth. Melissa says she's staying with friends on the mainland. Danno tells her with a new start, she can bring Beth over but Melissa squashes that idea right away. They kiss and it's not breaking up anytime soon!

Danno enters McGarrett's office bright-eyed and bushy tailed reporting they didn't get a thing out of any snitches. McGarrett tells him the FBI report came back on Crawford confirming his prints on the cash register. He goes on to comment on the rap sheet of a suspect they arrested yesterday who turns out to be Crawford's girlfriend: Melissa! Oops!

Act Two

Danno goes to the restaurant where he got her a job to speak to Melissa, asking Chuck (Heydon Cheigh) where she is. Danno finds her and he wants to know why she wasn't straight with him. The shoplifting charge is Honolulu is her third! The two prior incidents led to convictions in both cases. He then asks about Crawford and she immediately becomes defensive claiming she didn't know he was in Honolulu. He tells her he'll pick her up and they'll talk after work. Melissa tries to make up but Danno doesn't want to hear it, walking away.

Later, Melissa goes to visit Kimo herself to try to track down Crawford. She sees him because "Tommy from Seattle says you know everything and everybody in Hawaii". They haggle a deal for information because "the heat's on": $300 for Crawford's location, same time tomorrow. She agrees before walking out. When Kimo suggests she can knock off $100 with sex, she glares at him before leaving.

Melissa pulls out a diamond ring from her belongings as payment to find Crawford. Danno arrives at the apartment finally tracking down Melissa after missing her at the restaurant and he's not happy. He starts yelling at her that they're dealing with a serious situation as Crawford has already killed a woman. She yells back that she didn't even know he was in Hawaii and she hasn't been his girlfriend or seen him for two years. She softens her approach claiming she didn't know what Crawford was or what he was into so she ran. She tells him she wants to start over building a life rather than ripping things to shreds but Danno can't buy it, leaving as fast as humanly possible.

A guy (Christerpher Neddels) finishes putting a windshield into a truck as Crawford steps outside a shack to admire the handiwork. Ray, the security guard, steps outside to look it over too. Crawford forces the guy inside the truck so they can test the glass: is it really bulletproof? Crawford takes a shot and it works! They all go inside to go over the bank plans.

The next day, Melissa shows up at Kimo's where they make their deal but Kimo wanted cash. She tells him the ring is worth a lot more than $300. He grabs her but Melissa breaks free taking no gruff from him. Accepting the diamond ring, he gives her a matchbook to 'Dockside Bar' where Crawford has been seen having drinks. Kimo says that's all there is no matter what anyone pays.

In McGarrett's office, tempers are running short as Danno reports Melissa hasn't seen Crawford in a couple of years. When McGarrett asks if Danno buys her story, he snaps back but McGarrett moves on to what Duke may have. Duke has something that is more interesting: Seattle police had Crawford cornered six months ago but he "shot his way out" killing a cop. Duke also says Melissa was with him at the time and she was taken in for questioning but released. Duke also confirms there was a baby involved as well but after the shootout, "they dropped out of sight". Danno shoots lasers at McGarrett demanding to know why he wasn't told! McGarrett shrugs saying he remembered a wire service story and he wanted Duke to check it out. McGarrett excuses Duke as the fight is on! McGarrett lays it out in no uncertain terms that he's in charge and he doesn't have to report to Danno! Danno says he should have been in on the loop because he's investigating Melissa! McGarrett realizes they're about to lock horns over nothing and backs off. He offers to take Danno off the case but he refuses, knowing now he let personal feelings get in the way. McGarrett wants them to visit her together.

Melissa returns to her apartment with her mail finding a letter that deeply upsets her. She takes the framed picture of Beth and starts sobbing.

Act Three

McGarrett and Danno show up to Melissa's apartment as she readies to head for the Dockside Bar. When Danno knocks on the door she's excited to see him until she sees McGarrett in the next breath. Danno introduces McGarrett before they enter. McGarrett confronts right off the bat: lying about seeing Crawford two years ago when they know for certain she saw him less than six months ago. When she asks if she's being charged, McGarrett tells her she could be charged with obstruction of justice to harboring a fugitive if she knows where he is and she doesn't share. McGarrett tells her she'll go to prison if Crawford kills again and she didn't help to stop it. As he goes to leave, she asks if she can talk to Danno and he agrees.

Danno and Melissa walk to the roof where she reminisces about their time in high school. She says things turned out so differently mentioning she's being watched. Danno tries to keep her on track asking what she wanted to tell him. She finally says she thought he would accept her more if he thought Crawford was ancient history rather than more recent. Melissa says Crawford was good to her, even getting her a job in Vegas once. Danno asks if she'll help them and she tells him about the Dockside Bar. Danno goes inside to use the phone: calling McGarrett on the information. McGarrett will have the place staked out and wants Danno to stay with her for now to try to eke out every bit of information out of her in case the Dockside doesn't pan out. When Melissa walks in, Danno switches gears suddenly offering to take her to lunch. She doesn't know what to make of it.

At the Dockside Bar, Crawford finishes a drink and gives a hooker (Debi Parker) a tough time, grabbing her arm and forcing her to sit with him. He then orders "two doubles".

Danno takes Melissa to a park after lunch where they talk some more. She dropped out her junior year due to a modeling job, the same year he went to Berkley. They start to smooch only to be interrupted by the radio: Central calling! McGarrett patches through; Crawford has been spotted at the Dockside and to get over there. Melissa goes along and there's no way anyone is going to talk her out of it. Danno starts the engine and takes off.

Danno and Melissa arrive at the Dockside where he tells her to stay put. Duke is already there as a brown Toyota pickup pulls in with a bunch of chickens in the back. The driver, who was the same one that put the bulletproof glass into the other truck for Crawford, get out and enters the bar. Melissa notices the truck as Danno meets up with Duke who will be with HPD at the rear exit. Danno waits for McGarrett to show up as Crawford's buddy walks into the bar interrupting Crawford's plans with the hooker. Crawford is ready to kill him but the buddy tells him about the cops outside. Crawford contemplates his next move as McGarrett arrives. When Melissa see it's Crawford in his buddy's clothes walking to the pickup, she sneaks up to the tailgate and jumps in just prior to him driving off. Meantime, McGarrett and Danno break in the front to find Crawford but he's already gone! The hooker tells them what happened and they leave only to discover Melissa is gone too.

Crawford drives to the shack and as soon as he parks, she surprises him. They smooch, as they get very cozy with each other.

Act Four

McGarrett and Danno assist in the search of Melissa's apartment going to the bedroom. McGarrett finds Beth's picture with Danno saying she's staying with friends on the mainland but McGarrett finds the letter that upset Melissa so much: a bill from a funeral home, Beth's dead! McGarrett surmises if they knew why she would lie about Beth, they may figure out why she's lying about everything else. McGarrett also tells Danno the shoplifting charge is legitimate because store security had her cold. As they walk out, Duke shows up saying Kimo is in custody after confirming Melissa went to see him. McGarrett wants Duke to contact the mainland to find out how Beth Cole died and to move Kimo to McGarrett's office.

In McGarrett's office, Kimo yells at them claiming his innocence but McGarrett isn't buying it, especially since he says he doesn't know Melissa. McGarrett threatens to yank him back to Oahu State Prison if he doesn't start telling the truth. Kimo comes clean saying she was looking for Crawford and the only thing he could tell her was about the Dockside Bar. McGarrett tells Duke to take him back to HPD as Danno is left in dust with yet another lie.

At the shack the next morning, Melissa wears one of Roy's shirts as he asks about the cop she was seeing. She gets a perverse pleasure out of making him jealous. He tells her no one else but him and he has to go out for a couple of hours then they'll have enough to live on for their lifetimes. They kiss, as this was exactly what she wanted.

At the bank, the armored car delivers the $1 million and the bank manager signs for it. As the armored car pulls away, Crawford's reinforced pickup screeches to the bank, smashing the glass wall! The robbers shoot off some gas and start taking the money from the display. A nearby HPD unit responds calling in the robbery. McGarrett and Danno take off from Five-O as the HPD officers shoot it out with Crawford and his buddy killing the buddy and wounding Crawford. Ray jumps on the hood to escape but is shot by the HPD officers as Crawford rams his way out of the situation.

Crawford arrives at the shack where Melissa notices right away that he's hurt. He wants her to load the bags from the back into the car as he makes his way out of the truck. Back at the bank, McGarrett gets a statement from the manager as Danno talks on the radio. Guthrie, the manager, recognized Crawford as the man who escaped from his picture in the newspaper. Danno runs in: Melissa called the office wanting him to meet her at a shack near Waimanalo Beach at 10:30 a.m. where she'll explain everything. McGarrett is hopeful but suspicious.

At the shack, Crawford is patched up as Melissa busies herself knowing Danno is on the way. Crawford is ready to leave but she keeps him down to make a sling for his injured arm. Danno shows up sneaking up on the shack as Crawford notices his gun missing and shoving Melissa out of his way. Danno enters the doorway with his gun drawn but everything becomes clear, as Melissa wants Danno to kill Crawford! She fires Crawford's gun hitting a lamp and allowing Crawford to escape! Danno disarms Melissa and gives chase to Crawford who is eventually stopped on the beach by McGarrett and Duke. Duke arrests Crawford as Melissa comes screaming from the shack and it takes everything Danno has to stop her. She sobs uncontrollably as McGarrett explains what they found out: Crawford killed Beth in a drunken rage when she wouldn't stop crying. Danno laments on what could have been but things never seem to turn out the way you want when you're a kid.