Act One
A pair of women climbs out of a cab in front of the courthouse. A lawyer (Andy Griffith) walks out meeting the women with good news: the money they found can be theirs in 30 days. They found $5000 but have to spend $1000 to properly file the paperwork. The blonde woman (Joyce Van Patten) hands over her $500 but her companion (Ann McCormack Livermore) only has $200 but the lawyer says that's enough gladly accepting it. He tells them he'll file the papers and will contact them in 30 days handing out his card before walking away. The women split up shortly after with the companion taking a cab.
The "lawyer" goes to a car where his daughter (Kimberly Louis) asks how it went. A little later, the blonde woman joins them in the car where she asks if she can pick a mark! The Lovejoys are in Honolulu to rip people off! As Arnold starts the car, the family begins singing.
In McGarrett's office, he goes through some slides of Frank Butrell (Bryan Da Silva) who is a bagman for Charlie Walters (Bob Basso). McGarrett briefs the team that Butrell always takes the same route on the same day, Friday, and doesn't even try to hide it. Butrell is nothing less than a walking billboard telling business owners they must pay him to stay in business and healthy. The route always ends at Charlie's house at 4:00 p.m. McGarrett orders the team to move in at 4:05 p.m. with the hopes to bust Butrell, Charlie, grab the money and hopefully the "little black book" showing who is paying. One witness can put Charlie in prison ten to 20 years. As McGarrett finishes the briefing, Butrell hits a man with a set of brass knuckles making his point clear then goes to the cash box and pulls out $1000 in payment.
On the street, Arnold is now impersonating a police officer! His wife and daughter hang out by a payphone before she calls him over on a bogus address lookup. The wife has found a mark, Butrell, and she's waiting for him to walk out of a furniture store. When Butrell hits the street, Arnold sees him and they know he's the one.
Danno sits in the car with Ben calling for units three and four to call in. Both officers are seeming to do innocuous things but they have rifles in the front seats of their vehicles with clear views of Charlie's house. McGarrett and Chin track Butrell based on his past routes and timings.
Five-O isn't the only ones watching as a mobster (Seth Sakai) rides in a car driven by one of his thugs (Moe Keale) following Butrell closely. The mobster tells his two thugs in the back seat to get ready to steal from Butrell but no shooting: hit him over the head. As they stop the car, Butrell walks past Mrs. Lovejoy and her daughter comes running up to him on the street. The thugs are about to get out but the mobster stops them, "there's something screwy going on". With her daughter causing quite a stir, Mrs. Lovejoy runs up and makes things worse! She accuses Butrell of hitting the girl and hysterically tells people to call the police. Arnold runs up into the situation quieting everyone right away. He asks for identification from Butrell who sets down his briefcase but the daughter swipes it running to sights unseen! The mobster wants to follow the kid as Arnold takes off after her. Mrs. Lovejoy and several people in the mob hang on to Butrell to keep him from going anywhere. Butrell finally draws a gun on the group and takes off but doesn't see anyone around the corner. The mobster finds their car and follows them even after Mrs. Lovejoy gets in.
At Charlie's house, Five-O is all set to move in when Butrell shows up but he doesn't have the briefcase! Danno immediately radios McGarrett reporting the latest development. McGarrett believes Butrell was tipped and there's no other way to explain it. Chin says no way was Butrell tipped. McGarrett shuts down the bust.
The Lovejoys enter their hotel room with her yelling about Butrell pulling a gun on her in broad daylight! Rhoda wonders if Arnold even cares, which he does. Rhoda isn't finished telling the daughter she was supposed to take the wallet, not the briefcase. They decide to open the case and nearly fall over from shock with the amount of money in it! Rhoda is all excited but Arnold knows exactly what they have, money from a mobster especially when he finds the brass knuckles. The total take is nearly $100,000 according to the little black book. Arnold says they need to leave but Rhoda says the first place they'll look is the airlines. Where are they going to go?
Charlie is livid when Butrell reports the briefcase was taken. Charlie nearly has a coronary yelling so much. Butrell tries to tell him a woman, a kid and a guy dressed like a cop scammed him. Charlie doesn't believe him blaming Butrell for handing over the briefcase to Shibata who has been trying to muscle in on Charlie's racket for years. Butrell pleads his case but Charlie isn't listening pulling his gun and shoots Butrell three times: for a woman, a kid and a guy dressed like a cop. Charlie's thug (Nick Nickolas) wonders if Butrell was telling the truth. If he was, Charlie just made "a terrible mistake".
Act Two
McGarrett and Ben arrive at Charlie's house and push their way into Charlie's office. McGarrett is there to talk about Butrell who was found in Ke'ehi Lagoon that morning and one of the last places he was seen was at Charlie's. McGarrett also knows Butrell was shot to death: "three bullet holes in his fancy shirt". He suspects Charlie did it but Charlie denies everything. McGarrett and Ben stomp out knowing they're not going to get anywhere with Charlie.
The Lovejoys go downstairs of their hotel and check a bigger suitcase with the briefcase inside at the front desk in order to secure the money. They leave the suitcase with Mr. Roebling (H.F. Hap Kollmeyer) giving him a fake story about they're fashion designers and how the suitcase must be kept out of sight. Mr. Roebling secures the suitcase as their daughter visits the sales desk at the hotel asking for change, which the clerk happily gives as another customer (John Alexis Howard) looks on. Too late, he realizes she never gave him a quarter! Reading over the paper, the daughter runs to her parents who look quickly for ships sailing out of Honolulu and find the "Cornwall".
The Lovejoys go to a cocktail bar where they meet a friend of a friend, Mr. Quan (Kwan Hi Lim). Inside the smoky bar, Arnold approaches Quan telling him he needs passage for the three of them. Quan sits and talks to them about passage once they drop the name of Red Cole in New Orleans. Quan offers them passage for $1800 and another $2000 to list them under "Smith". Quan wants the money by 4:00 p.m. that day, Arnold agrees.
In McGarrett's office, he shows a picture of Butrell to Mr. Frazier who was hit by Butrell with brass knuckles earlier. McGarrett explains other bagmen will be along unless they nab the guy at the top but Frazier won't cooperate.
At Charlie's house, he slaps a guy (Harold Sakata) being held by Willie and another thug (Charles Bollig) for lying. Charlie is desperate to find his money and lists and suspects Shibata has both. Charlie doesn't want to hear the story again about a woman, a kid and a guy dressed like a cop.
The Lovejoys return to their hotel room only to find it completely ransacked! Two of Shibata's thugs, including the driver from earlier, hold them at gunpoint. The Lovejoys are taken to Shibata where the driver grabs the daughter but Rhoda immediately starts beating him with her purse until he lets go! They're pushed into a rundown building to meet Shibata face-to-face. Shibata threatens to shoot Rhoda in the head unless Arnold coughs up the money. Arnold explains they won't give the money to anyone else except him so Shibata wants to go together but before they can leave, they have company.
Outside, Charlie and Willie wait to talk to Shibata. Willie signals for a second car with about six thugs in it. Shibata doesn't like the numbers and tells his guys it's time to go. Shibata runs back into the office growling to Arnold they'll talk later then runs out to his Lincoln Continental that explodes in spectacular fashion with car parts flying in every direction! The Lovejoys take cover under an open window but move quickly to find a place to hide because Charlie and his thugs are coming in!
Finding the door locked, his guys shoot it to bits as the Lovejoys keep trying to find someplace to hide. Willie breaks down what's left before Charlie and his guys walk in. They search the entire building and tear apart Shibata's office where Charlie finds the Lovejoys' name. He tells Willie to put word on the coconut wireless it's $1000 for the person who fingers them. Rhoda watches the offer through a hole through a wooden box she's hiding in.
Act Three
McGarrett and Ben check out Shibata's warehouse finding the leftover mess, "looks like those pictures from St. Valentine's Day". Ben goes into Shibata's office finding the notepad and sees the impression left showing McGarrett. McGarrett brings up the impressions discovering "Lovejoys" on the pad. He orders an APB and wants them picked up.
At their hotel room, the Lovejoys pack and argue as a persistent knocking, at least six times(!), gets the daughter's attention. Arnold and Rhoda decide to stop arguing and put on their sunglasses as a disguise. Arnold asks who it is with Danno answering "Five-O. State Police". Oops! Arnold looks to go out the window but Rhoda stops him and answers the door with a plan of her own asking for identification, if she opens the door. Arnold makes his way to the bathroom to hide as Rhoda opens the door enough as the chain allows. Danno who showed great restraint and patience with them, shows his ID and tells Rhoda to forget an escape because there's a man on the roof and a man below on the ground.
In McGarrett's office, he tells them what he knows: they arrived in Hawaii September 8th and they're staying at a hotel "without any visible means of support". He asks about their daughter being in school as Chin stands by. Rhoda says they do their own tutoring. McGarrett is unimpressed bringing up their arrest record: five arrests in five states on various charges of bunco, swindling and fraud. He is disgusted with them and doesn't believe when Arnold says they're reformed. McGarrett can prove it because they stole "take money from the biggest mob in Honolulu". McGarrett says they have put together the story from witnesses who remember a woman, a child and a man in a policeman's uniform. McGarrett has Chin take the daughter out for an ice cream soda. Once they leave, McGarrett gets real: Charlie won't let them go about their merry way, he'll want them dead because of the little black book with the lists of extortion victims. He'll assume they've read it and know it. Arnold and Rhoda state their case: they're small potatoes and in order to keep going, no deals with the police. McGarrett says their only chance is with them because he can offer protection and "safe conduct" back to the mainland because he knows they're in danger and tries to convey that threat to them. McGarrett knows he just hit a wall with them and lets them go. As the Lovejoys leave, Danno enters the office with information about the suitcase at the front desk.
The Lovejoys return to their hotel to find Charlie and Willie at the front desk. Without the money, they can't pay for passage on the "Cornwall". So Arnold tells her they have to work for it and they run out. As they drive away, Rhoda tells her daughter where's she is going: double feature with popcorn. Mother and daughter argue about the ratings!
Arnold and Rhoda go to see a minister (Grady Sutton) with a fake story about Arnold being released from prison and they need a car for a few hours. The minister hands over his keys. The Lovejoys then go all over getting loans against the car impersonating the minister!
After gathering all the money, they go to see Quan with $3250 when he wants $3800. He is about to call the whole deal off until they convince him they'll have the rest first thing in the morning. Rhoda offers if they don't have it, he doesn't have to take them. Quan takes what they have and agrees to the rest being delivered first thing in the morning. The phone rings as Quan leaves the booth. The bartender takes the call asking for the Lovejoys and they try to leave but he stops them saying someone will get hurt if they don't take the call. It's Charlie looking for a trade: the Lovejoys have his money and little black book and he has their daughter!
Act Four
An HPD policewoman walks into McGarrett's office with the big green suitcase the Lovejoys checked at the front desk, Danny takes it from her. Also in the office are McGarrett, Chin, Che Fong (Harry Endo) and the Lovejoys. The hotel didn't give the policewoman any issues after she showed her badge and ID. Once she leaves, McGarrett opens the briefcase and Arnold says it's just as they found it. McGarrett says they're going to return it the same way but removes the black book first telling Chin to dust it and make photocopies. McGarrett realizes they took a big risk to go to Five-O and asks if they're willing to take one more. Arnold and Rhoda both nod. McGarrett begins briefing them on the plan to include a pen with a signaling device.
The Lovejoys arrive at Charlie's house with Five-O close by. Willie lets them into the house and they're reunited with their daughter. The team is on edge because they don't know what's going on inside but Charlie wants to conduct the business. Arnold places the briefcase on Charlie's desk and opens it upon Charlie's request. Willie walks out to grab "the doctor" (George Herman) who walks in to set up chemical testing for the money at random places in the stacks. He also tests for radiology running the Geiger counter through the entire briefcase. Charlie tells his thugs to count it, which they do and come up with $88,214 when there should be $98,214. Charlie goes off about the missing $10,000 pulling his gun. Arnold tells him to hold on pulling out another bundle from around his waist. Charlie handles the money himself without testing and begins counting. Arnold snaps the pen sending the signal to Five-O and they move in fast along with several HPD units. Charlie tells the Lovejoys they're about to take a ride to Kahuku Point but it's took late as the police close in. Just as McGarrett hits the door, Charlie dumps the money putting the book in the briefcase and telling his thug to burn it. Five-O and HPD enter Charlie's office seeing the money on the desk. Charlie claims he's been saving since he was a kid. McGarrett tosses him the court order and has Che do his thing: pulling out his own Geiger counter: the bundles Arnold put on the desk are the only ones that crackle! Charlie goes off with McGarrett turning to Arnold saying he's being offered a bribe. Arnold states all the money is Charlie's, it's what they took from Butrell and they'll testify to that. McGarrett says to Danno, "book him" and to Chin to mark the money for evidence. Charlie is taken away yelling entrapment.
In McGarrett's office, he has the $3250 they gave Quan. McGarrett plans to pay back the reverend, the two loans and other odds and ends in return for no pressed charges and they never return to Hawaii. The daughter answers for them, "they promise". McGarrett hands them three tickets to the mainland after handing the $3250 to Danno who tells them all their stuff is packed and the car is downstairs. They leave for the car and try to pull one more scam on the way to the airport but the driver is Ben who turns smiling flashing his badge! Aloha!
This plot summary Copyright Bobbi Baker ©2019. No reproduction of any kind without permission.