S08E16 - “Legacy Of Terror” - Plot

Act One

A man (Don Porter) sits in a car outside Tahashi Import Export as a woman (Haunani Minn) leaves climbing onto her scooter and riding away. The man grabs a briefcase ringing the buzzer. A man inside (C.K. Huang) completes his prayers releasing the door to allow entry. The man from the car walks in looking around before entering the upstairs room. Tahashi bows to Kelsey who was pleasantly surprised to hear from Tahashi after several years. Tahashi apologizes for the terrible handwriting explaining he is preparing for eternity that waits around the corner for him. Tahashi says his son Kazuo (Mako) will be arriving from San Francisco for perhaps their last face-to-face meeting. Tahashi gives Kelsey a key to a safe deposit box containing a letter "between father and son". Kelsey leaves but not before removing the key from Tahashi's door and locking him inside! Downstairs, Kelsey starts a fire to kill Tahashi and incinerate his business.

Kelsey goes to Tokyo International Bank presenting the bank manager (Herbert Kobayashi) with the key claiming to be Tahashi's attorney and executor. The manager asks for a letter of authority that catches Kelsey off guard as he explains he was handling the will that was yet to be signed. The manager produces a will from Kazuo stating the safe deposit box not be opened until he's present. Kelsey gives up, for now.

Kazuo's first stop is at Five-O to talk to McGarrett and Danno about his father's death: he wants to know the exact cause of death. McGarrett says they don't deal with accidental deaths and he shows Kazuo the coroner's report. However, Kazuo tells them Kelsey was supposed to meet with Tahashi that afternoon based on a phone conversation he had with his father. Kazuo goes on to say Kelsey defended his father at his trial for treason after Pearl Harbor. McGarrett and Danno both know who Kelsey is and will find out if he kept his afternoon appointment with Tahashi. After Kazuo leaves, McGarrett asks what they have on the fire: "no chemical traces, no explosions". McGarrett wants Che (Harry Endo) to look over what's left and Chin to keep an eye on Kazuo. When Danno asks about Kelsey, McGarrett tells Danno to find where he was yesterday afternoon. McGarrett also wants to know who called the fire in and to check with all the businesses near Tahashi's: someone may have seen something.

Kelsey then plays golf with a contact (Moe Keale) to ask hypothetically if he were to inherit millions in gold bullion if it could be taken off the island. Of course it could for 50 percent of its worth! It would have to be taken to Malaysia or Singapore first where the initial black market buyers would be. Kelsey reluctantly agrees to the 50 percent after Lee warns him he needs an alibi for the day of the fire. Lee also asks about the son and if he knows the location of the gold. Kelsey says he'll know soon.

Kazuo returns to his hotel room at the Ilikai where he calls the girl who left Tahashi's prior to Kelsey entering. Kim answers her phone, happy to hear from Kazuo who asks her about Kelsey and the safe deposit box. She tells him Kelsey could have arrived after she left and there's a letter in Japanese in the box but she wasn't able to see it. Kazuo suspects Kelsey killed his father and says he'll be ready to him. In the meantime, they can't see each other for now and he'll be in touch. After he hangs up, Kazuo unpacks his gun.

Act Two

In McGarrett's office, Kelsey claims something else came up with another client and he never saw Tahashi. When McGarrett asks for the client's name, Kelsey invokes privilege. McGarrett does it buy it for a second considering Kelsey ilk of his profession watching him "turn courtrooms into circus arenas" getting the worst of society off with technicalities. Kelsey finally gives up a name: Sam Palley. McGarrett asks why Tahashi consulted him but again Kelsey invokes privilege but lets slip, "but now the will is worthless because the old man died before he could sign it". McGarrett calls out to Chin who escorts Kazuo into the office. Kelsey offers his condolences, which are refused, and he hands over the key. Kazuo excuses himself in order to make some last minute arrangements for the funeral. As he walks out, Danno is questioning Kim about the day of the fire.

A priest (Jo Shinsho) officiates Tahashi's funeral as Kazuo and McGarrett attend. Kim is there as well, off by herself. As Chin stands by the Five-O car, McGarrett looks around at who is in attendance: several members of the Japanese community along with Kelsey and an older haole man (Lew Ayres). Kazuo commits his father's ashes to the niche before condolences are made. As McGarrett walks away, the older man quietly calls after him: it's Commander Blackwell who is former Naval Intelligence and a member of the Friendship Foundation for more than 14 years. He had Tahashi pegged as the ringleader of Japanese espionage in the islands before and during World War II but could never prove it. Commander Blackwell calls Tahashi at the time, "incredibly clever, resourceful, audacious". They part ways as Kazuo approaches Kim who wonders why he hasn't called. Kazuo wants to know what Five-O asked her, which she tells him it was about Kelsey. As well, she lied about the safe-deposit box: she typed the letter in English and it's directions to the gold. Kazuo says he'll stop by her place later after he goes to the bank. Chin follows Kazuo as he leaves the cemetery.

When Kazuo arrives at the Tokyo International Bank, he approaches Chin telling him exactly where he's going after the bank: Hawaii Kai. Kazuo enters the bank as a sedan parks across the street with the two thugs who were with Kelsey and Lee on the golf course.

McGarrett enters the laboratory where Che shows him the lock from the door to the upstairs apartment. The key was still in it during the fire and it was locked from the outside! They now have a murder case on their hands and McGarrett wants Che to keep digging.

Kazuo retrieves the letter from the safe deposit box as the thugs continue to wait across the street. Checking his watch, Chin finally leaves his car when one of the thugs lets the air out of a front tire! Chin gets back into the car as Kazuo exits the bank. Only when Chin pulls out does he discover he has a flat tire! He radios for "an emergency pickup" as the thugs follow Kazuo. Danno responds as Kazuo keeps driving noticing the thugs and loses them in quick succession. Meantime, Danno picks up Chin and radios McGarrett on what's going on: they head for Hawaii Kai.

Act Three

McGarrett arrives at Kim's apartment to find Chin tending to Kazuo outside. Kazuo claims he was beaten by two thugs following him from the bank who he thought he had lost. Danno directs McGarrett inside where Kim is dead. McGarrett notes bruises on her throat. Once Kim is taken away, Five-O talks to Kazuo verifying the letter is the one from the safe deposit box. McGarrett also says they've tangled with Kelsey and Din Lee before. In the letter, Tahashi writes about the photograph album he asked Kim to keep for him. Kazuo says he arrived, asked for the album but before he could look through it, the two thugs burst in and beat him up. Danno points out it's not like Lee's muscle to "be that sloppy" with McGarrett agreeing. McGarrett wonders why all the mystery in the letter: why not just give simple directions to the gold? Kazuo explains his father enjoyed making riddles and "it was his nature to be conspiratorial". McGarrett dismisses Kazuo who leaves to drive himself to the hotel, assuring McGarrett he's fine. As Kazuo leaves, McGarrett makes a plan: Chin to tail Kelsey and to keep Duke (Herman Wedemeyer) on Lee. He suspects the pair are too greedy not to go after the gold right away and he thinks of one other person who may have a line on the gold. McGarrett wants Danno to dig up what he can on Commander Blackwell to see if he's really retired.

McGarrett pays a visit to Commander Blackwell on his boat. Commander Blackwell wonders what took McGarrett so long but he was "dusting off some old files reading about the time that you and Mr. Tahashi were adversaries" saying it was quite the "chess game". Commander Blackwell said it was no game, as they were "deadly enemies" and Tahashi had a knack for covering his trail. They discuss the story of the gold: supposedly Tahashi received a call from the director of the Tokyo Imperial Bank around the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The director was worried about a million dollars worth of gold bullion would be confiscated by the Americans and he wanted Tahashi to secure it. Commander Blackwell tells McGarrett if the story was true, he would know but he calls it "pure rubbish" because he arrested Tahashi a few hours after the attack. McGarrett points out a lot of things can happen in a few hours but Commander Blackwell says there is no way there was any gold. Tahashi later stood trial and was acquitted of treason but during the trial, there was no mention of the gold. After the war, both settled into their lives and actually became friends due to having lots in common. They remained friends seeing each other quite often until Tahashi's wife died and Kazuo left for college. Tahashi then became a recluse turning back to his religion and the old ways of his upbringing. McGarrett thanks Commander Blackwell who asks for a ride, which McGarrett gladly obliges.

Chin sits during his surveillance as Lee visits Kelsey who isn't happy Lee's men "bungled the job". Lee says nothing has been bungled and their strategy hasn't changed: they'll let Kazuo lead them to the gold, which they know exists. Lee believes McGarrett only has rumors so he won't be so diligent about tracking the gold down. Lee also tells Kelsey he knows exactly where Kazuo is: at his hotel with one of Lee's men on him. Lee leaves as Kelsey becomes more frustrated and impatient by the minute. Kazuo calls him wanting to make a deal with Kelsey that doesn't include Lee. He sets up a meeting with Kelsey in an hour at Kelsey's office and he'll enter through the back because Kazuo doesn't want to be seen.

McGarrett drives Commander Blackwell to the Sundown Center, one of the Friendship Foundation's projects for senior citizens. As he gets out of the car, Commander Blackwell asks McGarrett if he is a suspect, "of course, among others". Commander Blackwell asks if someone shouldn't be following him with McGarrett saying he might but Commander Blackwell tells him he would know if someone was watching him.

An HPD officer (Arte McCullough) finds the wanted car at Avalon Apartments and calls Five-O about it. Danno tells him to stay on it until they get there. As Five-O is en route, two men and a woman hang out in the apartment. Danno and Duke show up with the officer briefs there's three altogether in apartment 14. Danno and Duke go to the front while the officer covers the back. Danno knocks on the door telling Strang (Joe Kuon) and Regan (Bob Apisa) to open up. When they refuse and there's a commotion, Danno kicks it in pulling one in from the window and Officer Tolaka having to stop the other. Strang and Regan claim they know nothing of the photo album but Danno isn't buying it. All Duke finds is some ammo and pot but no sign of the album. Danno says the girl can be let go but to book Strang and Regan on suspicion of murder.

Danno walks into McGarrett's office reporting on the latest: Strang and Regan swear they didn't go near Kim's apartment and lost Kazuo a few blocks from the bank. McGarrett is skeptical but Danno doesn't have anything to stand on except a "gut instinct" they're telling the truth. The photo album isn't anywhere to be found and they figure out there's on possibility: Kazuo could be lying as his is the only story about what happened in Kim's apartment. Danno leaves to telex San Francisco to run a check on Kazuo and he tells one of the clerks to telex NCIC as well. Meantime, an HPD officer brings in an older man (Henry K.F. Lee) who says he witnessed the Tahashi fire. In McGarrett's office, he recognizes Kelsey as the man going in before the fire broke out. McGarrett then tells Danno to pick up Kelsey on suspicion of arson and murder.

Kazuo walks into Kelsey's office where Kelsey is promptly thrown over the railing! Chin hears the scream and radios McGarrett about what happened: Kelsey's dead from a fall six stories up! McGarrett and Danno arrive on scene after the ambulance as Chin tells them Kelsey was pushed. Kazuo is in the crowd saying he went there to kill Kelsey, showing McGarrett his gun, but "someone beat me to it".

Act Four

Duke brings Lee into McGarrett's office screaming there's no reason for him to be picked up. McGarrett tells him his lawyer is across the street in the morgue! Lee is shocked but McGarrett continues as Lee could be facing up to three murder charges! Lee claims he had nothing to do with any killings. McGarrett keeps pushing until Lee tells him of the plan to take the gold to the Far East and sell it. With Lee's help, McGarrett tells Duke to book him on criminal conspiracy. "Thanks for the charge".

In the lab, Che continues working on the Tahashi fire finding something interesting. Meanwhile, Danno enters McGarrett's office with information from San Francisco: Kazuo is investigator for Asian Insurance Incorporated. He's been indicted three times but no convictions from charges of intimidating witnesses and filing false claims. He has a "reputation" toward violence and a known karate expert. McGarrett puts it together: Kazuo was using Kim to keep track of his father who was "pathologically secretive". McGarrett tells Chin to call the Ilikai to see if Kazuo is in his room and if not, put out an APB on him. As that happens, the rest of the team figure out Kazuo knows where the gold is and is playing it cool so no on follows him. Duke points out Kazuo's in the clear: Kelsey's dead, Lee is in jail and they've stopped tailing him. Chin reports Kazuo isn't in his room as Che walks in with a deed to a cabin in Kipapa Gulch. It's owned by Tahashi, Commander Blackwell sold it to him in 1949! McGarrett figures Tahashi hid the gold there in the back yard of the man hunting him. Danno says that's probably where Kazuo is heading right now. McGarrett throws down the deed and the team takes off.

Kazuo arrives at a cabin in the middle of a forest going inside finding a crate in the floor. Before he gets a chance to open it, Five-O and HPD arrive. McGarrett sends Chin toward the back to hopefully surprise Kazuo while sending HPD officers in the opposite direction to cut him off from behind. McGarrett takes a bullhorn and tells Kazuo he's under arrest, to come out with his hands up. However, Chin walks right into becoming Kazuo's hostage. As the other HPD officers come into range, McGarrett tells them to comply. Kazuo demands they go grab the crate and bring it out to the truck. McGarrett is tired of Kazuo's bull and walks toward him. When Kazuo takes a shot, McGarrett ducks behind the corner of a building while a shot is fired from the brush taking Kazuo down! It's Commander Blackwell who only gave Kazuo a flesh wound. The officers bring out the crate and opening it: three gold bars are left! McGarrett tells chin to take Kazuo to a hospital and book him. As everyone leaves, Commander Blackwell explains the crate was once full and the two "warhorses" decided to use it for good: "scholarships to the young, built the Sundown Center for the elderly": people who lost ties to their country of birth and too old to truly start over. McGarrett tells Commander Blackwell that hopefully the governor approves and if he doesn't, McGarrett will go after commander Blackwell next!