S08E13 - “A Touch of Guilt” - Plot

Act One

A waitress (Beverly Kushida) serves customers at a bar including three obnoxious guys. One is Bink (Richard Masur) who tells them a story of swallowing a lit joint to get out of a drug bust. Another (Lance Hool) bothers the waitress after their friend Scofield (Adam Arkin) finishes a toast. The three are football players at the university and the tight end who is the second friend gets too handsy with the waitress and she dumps a beer on him to get away. Scofield and Bink laugh at the rejection with Scofield telling Kim he needs to learn his moves. Kim isn't amused and is downright ticked.

After the bar is closed, the waitress walks to her car but Kim overtakes her forcing her into their car where Scofield drives to the beach. She tries to run but she can't fight all three off, however, she rips Bink's choker off. After they're done, they return to the parking lot where Kim forces himself onto her again wanting a "goodnight kiss" but after shoving him away twice, he goes at her again only to be stabbed by a screwdriver! She drives off as Scofield and Bink help Kim into the backseat of their car to go to the hospital. Scofield is already working on a cover story of what happened: a local stabbed Kim outside the bar.

Danno walks into McGarrett's office in the morning where McGarrett brings Danno up to speed on what happened the night before: Alex Scofield was involved in a stabbing. Danno asks if he's the senator's son, which McGarrett confirms. McGarrett also says Scofield wasn't stabbed but one of his pals who just went into surgery. Danno recognizes Kim Hughes' name saying they're the "big three" on the football: "Scofield, Avery and Hughes". McGarrett wants Danno to check it out what's going on checking with HPD on what they have. McGarrett says they need to move on it due to a request from the governor with a bunch of heat on it.

Bink wakes up startled recalling the night's events and realizing his choker is gone! Meanwhile, a man (Michael Collins) arrives in Honolulu from Washington D.C. talking to the senator on the phone at the car rental counter. Zimmerman tells the agent he'll need the car for two days and he'll be at the Hawaiian Regent. Back at Bink's apartment, he scrambles to leave but Chin is at his door. Chin flashes his badge and tells Bink it'll take five minutes when Bink is reluctant to talk.

At Scofield's apartment, Zimmerman wants to know what he told the police even after knowing what really happened the night before. Zimmerman tells him the "escapade" could have serious political fallout for the senator. Scofield tells Zimmerman what he told the police: Kim was stabbed by a local he hassled a couple of nights before, but the description of the guy is vague at best. When asked about the weapon, Scofield produces the screwdriver in a paper bag! They believe if the police find the weapon on the local guy, the police will have their case and it will all blow over. Zimmerman takes the information and leaves but not before Scofield asks him if he wants the details of what really happened. Zimmerman isn't interested as they have to deal with the lie now and the truth is "just something ugly in the past". Unfortunately, there's a large market for spin-doctors like Zimmerman to "paint" over the ugly things.

Danno and Duke (Herman Wedemeyer) talk to the manager (Terry Plunkett) in the parking of the Makai Lagoon, the bar where the stabbing occurred. Danno and Duke bounce theories off one another because the blood trail ends in a weird spot, like the car was parked in the middle of the lot and not in a spot to the side.

The waitress seeks help at a clinic as she turns her form over to a nurse (Alice Lemon) who asks for specific information on her complaint. The problem is the waitress doesn't want to air what's wrong in the open especially with a bunch of men around: she doesn't feel safe. She walks out of the clinic.

Act Two

In McGarrett's office, he pins photos of Bink, Kim and Scofield onto his corkboard. Chin walks in saying Bink's and Scofield's stories match but their description of the attacker is too vague. Chin chalks it up to the attack being completely unexpected so it's not unusual but it's not helpful either. McGarrett sends Chin to the hospital to ask Kim about the attack and his attacker.

Zimmerman meets with a guy named Malano (Winston Char) who is going to help Zimmerman come up with a patsy for the assault charge. Zimmerman gives a description of what he needs with Malano saying he can get a couple hundred. Zimmerman only needs one who "knows when to open and shut his mouth". The wrinkle is that Five-O is involved and Zimmerman won't be happy, or pay out, until "McGarrett is smiling". Malano leaves telling Zimmerman to stay close to a phone.

At the hospital, Kim recalls pieces of the night before but is out of it. Meantime, the doctor (David Palmer) tells Chin a major artery and "abdominal tissue" were damaged but the biggest challenge will be keeping Kim off the football field until the stitches are taken out. As Kim is wheeled out, Chin wonders how long he's been talking with the doctor saying, "since he started coming out of the anesthetic" but he hasn't understood a word. Kim mumbles it was a local who stabbed him over and over. Chin leans in to listen but that's all he gets.

The phone rings in Zimmerman's hotel room: Malano calls with a name of David Matsui (Les Fong) to be the patsy. He's to meet him in an abandoned building in 20 minutes. Meanwhile, the waitress returns to her job as Danno and Duke talk to a couple of employees. She hands her purse to the bartender (Earl Cummings) who tells her the cops are asking questions about the stabbing last night. She takes her purse back and tries to leave only to be stopped by Danno and Duke. She says her name is Lani Okano and when shown the photos of the players, she has a bad reaction not unnoticed by Danno and Duke. She tells them she waited on them but breaks down. Danno wonders if they don't have a suspect as they take her in.

In the locker room, Scofield is having issues with his jersey and asks Bink to help him out. Bink tells him about the lost choker and that he should go look for it. Scofield talks him into replacing it because everything is being handled. Bink is starting to break, keeping their secret.

Zimmerman meets with Matsui who knows Zimmerman needs him. He tells Zimmerman he's "been known to pull a few knives on a few people who deserved it". Zimmerman is willing to pay Matsui $5000 to say he stabbed Kim but charges won't be pressed and he'll probably be out in 24 hours. Matsui is willing to go along with Zimmerman giving him the details. Handing over the screwdriver, he takes Matsui's picture.

Danno enters McGarrett's office with Lani telling McGarrett he believes she has something. Lani is extremely tense and McGarrett tells her to relax, "nobody's gonna hurt you". She's been working at the bar for three months saving money to take typing courses. Lani is reluctant to say anything but McGarrett knows she has some information, she knows who stabbed Kim. After awhile and through her tears and emotions, she tells McGarrett what happened: she stabbed Kim, after they raped her!

Act Three

McGarrett paces his office after he hangs up with the governor as the team walks in. McGarrett lays it out: the press is all over the case looking for every sorted detail and they have two separate versions of what happened. Story one is a simple stabbing, story two involves a gang rape. McGarrett wants a discussion for and against the stories. Duke points out the bloodstains: they ended in an odd place in the parking lot. Chin asks about the weapon: a piece of evidence proving Lani's story but she can't remember what happened to it. Danno isn't surprised and asks why would she lie about it. McGarrett focuses on that aspect assigning Danno to check on Lani's background and to go to the beach she said it happened. He then has Chin pick up Bink and Scofield to see if their stories have changed. Above all, McGarrett wants the truth in a very tough case.

Zimmerman visits Scofield again showing him a picture of the attacker, to show Bink and destroy it. Zimmerman says he'll see that Kim gets a copy too. He warns Scofield to not get backed into a corner with McGarrett.

Danno checks out the beach not seeing anything out of place but he notices an old guy (William Croarkin) searching the sand with a metal detector. After Danno leaves, the old guy hits pay dirt finding some metal: it's Bink's broken choker!

Chin walks into McGarrett's office with Scofield and Bink. McGarrett doesn't play around getting straight to the point: they're accused of rape and McGarrett isn't happy. Scofield doesn't help by being evasive and unhelpful, claiming he never met Lani and doesn't remember her waiting on their table. When McGarrett challenges Scofield on the description of Kim's attacker, Scofield suddenly has a specific description of the attacker. Bink backs him up without saying much, which makes McGarrett suspicious. He goes along telling Chin to take them to his office getting the description on paper and to put out an APB. McGarrett tells Scofield and Bink he may want to talk to them again so don't go anywhere.

Lani walks into a dining room where her father (Seth Sakai) has the newspaper open to the article about her case. Her father provides her no support saying he can't go to work with he case getting so much publicity. Her mother (Ethel Azama) isn't much better telling Lani to stay with her that day to help around the house so that "maybe they'll forget quicker".

A nurse at the hospital delivers a card for Kim holding the picture of Matsui. Meanwhile, Matsui is out on the streets with an HPD unit nearby. An HPD officer goes after him as his partner calls in backup when Matsui takes off running. Matsui makes the pursuit look real evading them via rooftops until he's cornered in a garage. HPD takes him in.

McGarrett takes a phone call in his office about Matsui being picked up. He wants HPD to set up a line up while he gives Danno Matsui's address to search the place for a weapon. Later, Danno and another HPD officer search the apartment eventually finding the screwdriver in a dresser as McGarrett takes charge of the line up. He makes Scofield wait in the hallway as Bink identifies Matsui.

Act Four

Che Fong (Harry Endo) works on the screwdriver in the laboratory and calls McGarrett. McGarrett briefs the team on the results: the fingerprints are Matsui's and the blood type matches Kim's, their reaction is sullen. Chin reports Kim made a positive identification of Matsui in the mug shots. When McGarrett asks if Lani is lying, Danno reports she's clean with no political ties and has no reason to lie. He also says her story makes more sense. Chin back this up because no one at the bar remembers Matsui and why would take on Kim with two other football players right there? Duke has a problem with the weapon: Matsui is more likely to use a switchblade but not a screwdriver. Danno adds, "you would expect a screwdriver from somebody groping around a car seat, looking for a weapon". McGarrett agrees wondering how many meetings Scofield and company had to get their stories straight. While they don't have a next move, McGarrett wants Scofield and Bink followed for the next couple of days putting Chin and Duke on the task with Danno on standby. They walk out and Zimmerman walks in.

Zimmerman thanks McGarrett for wrapping the case so soon. His attitude toward the rape accusation rubs McGarrett the wrong way when Zimmerman says; "It doesn't take much to set off political fireworks these days. Looks like somebody was trying to do that". As Zimmerman readies to leave, he says something about recommending Hawaii to the senator the next time he has a few days. McGarrett looks forward to it as he has some questions for the senator as well!

Lani is shoved into a corner even more as her father forces her to go to the police station to back off her statement. His position is that the family can't go on with what happened. Their only chance is for Lani to recant her statement so that he can go to work and her mother can walk down the street. Lani refuses at first but has to go along with his wishes.

Bink returns to the beach looking for his choker but all he finds are seashells with Chin and Duke watching him. Bink gives up getting into his truck and driving off with Chin and Duke following.

At HPD, Lani's father argues with the officer (James Benton) about her recanting her statement, as the officer is sure she's not doing it willing. However, when Lani she is willing to recant, he has no choice.

Bink leaves a jewelry store as Chin and Duke keep watching. Chin radios Duke as Bink walks toward him as he goes to see what Bink did in the jewelry store. Meanwhile, Danno enters McGarrett's office with bad news: Lani's recanted her statement and no charges are being pressed against Matsui. McGarrett knew this was going to happen: "the perfect whitewash". They both empathize with Lani because she's got no recourse. The phone rings: Chin reports Bink was just in a jewelry store to replace a choker he said he lost and just prior, he was on the beach where Lani said she was attacked looking for something. McGarrett tells him to stay on the lead. McGarrett then has Danno get with HPD to search the beach.

On the beach, HPD doesn't come up with anything. When Danno drives up, Chin tells him they've checked the area twice and Danno remembers the old guy with a cheap metal detector. They begin questioning to find out where the guy lives.

Lani sits looking in the mirror recalling her attack and decides to do something about it herself! She finds her father's gun and takes off. Meanwhile, Danno and Chin track down the old guy asking about the choker. He claims not to have found it, even though he asks if it's worth anything! Danno and Chin walk out as the old guy pulls it out of a drawer! Meanwhile, Lani enters an apartment building. Later, the old guy pawns the choker stopped by Danno on the way out!

When Scofield and Bink return to Scofield's apartment, Lani is waiting for them with the gun drawn! She makes them sit down as Danno calls into McGarrett reporting they found the choker. McGarrett tells him to pick up a warrant and meet him at Scofield's apartment where he's with Bink. Lani wants Scofield and Bink to go to the police telling them what really happened. Scofield isn't playing, refusing to call the police. Lani says the police will listen to Scofield but he still refuses. McGarrett knocks on the door then breaks it in finding Lani holding the gun on them. McGarrett talks her to give up the gun, telling her they don't have to say anything: they know what happened and that Lani's story is true. McGarrett takes the choker from Chin showing Lani what they found: their story falls apart as Bink tells them they did it. Scofield yells at Bink it's being taken care of as they walk out. McGarrett asks if Lani is willing to make another statement and she agrees. Recourse at last!