S08E22 - “Love Thy Neighbor, Take His Wife” - Plot

Act One

A man (Kimo Kahoano) practices his speech prior to a big gathering he's supposed to be at. He gets into his van but a gunman (Dennis Redfield) holds a gun on him from the back forcing him to drive to an estate. Security cameras record the van in the driveway but doesn't catch a second gunman (Danny Kamekona) jumping out of the van running into the yard. Once he's there, he chloroforms a woman (Alba Francesca) to take her. Her neighbor (David Huddleston) hears some commotion walking to the property line to check it out. They make him drive back to his place where they force him inside and knock him out with drugs.

The masked pair take the van to where their truck sits trading vehicles leaving the van abandoned.

McGarrett takes a call from Mr. Wingfield (James Karen) about what happened giving the name Ben Tanaka. McGarrett goes to the main office briefing Danno and Duke (Herman Wedemeyer) that Del Wingfield's wife has disappeared and what to know what they know about Ben Tanaka. Danno says Ben is "a big honcho" with the Earth People, "a well-organized ecology movement". McGarrett explains Wingfield has footage of Ben and his van at his house about the time his wife Lisa was taken. Danno and Duke are skeptical about Ben being a kidnapper because he can stop work on one of Wingfield's new high-rises. McGarrett wants Duke to contact the FBI with what they have so far. He then tells Danno to contact DMV to find out the license number of Ben's van and "put out a want for him for questioning". McGarrett grabs Chin to leave as Danno remembers a big demonstration at Wingfield's latest construction project with Ben scheduled to speak there. Danno offers to drive out with McGarrett agreeing.

The kidnappers drive to their hideout where the second gunman takes Lisa inside. She wakes up but he puts his mask on before she can see his face. He pulls some clothes out of a dresser handing them to her without saying a word. Meanwhile, the first gunman checks out the boat anchored nearby. The kidnappers settle in turning on the radio.

McGarrett and Chin arrive at the Wingfield residence where Wingfield meets them telling them the tape is ready. McGarrett watches the tape asking Wingfield if he is positive it's Ben and he is.

Ben wakes up in his house, drowsy from the drugs. A girl (Janit Baldwin) walks in to find Ben out of it. He tells Julie two guys made him drive to the Wingfield mansion and she tells him about Lisa being kidnapped that morning. Ben knows he's being framed and when he hears sirens, he decides to run because no one would believe his story. Julie begs him not to run but to no avail. He hands her his speech and says he'll be at their special place before ducking out the back.

The neighbor Vince approaches McGarrett and Wingfield where Wingfield introduces them. Vince offers to help in any way "with this Tanaka" and McGarrett asks how he knew Ben was involved. Vince says Wingfield told him everything over the phone and mentions his daughter hangs out with Ben and his crowd at the university. He goes to say she's supposed to be a student but lives at home and is never sure when she's with Ben or she isn't. He's told her to stay away from Ben. Danno radios McGarrett: Ben's van has been found and he was no show at the demonstration. Danno brings up Lisa's headband, which Wingfield positively identifies. McGarrett tells him it was found in Ben's abandoned van.

Act Two

Ben hitches a ride from a guy into the middle of nowhere running into some nearby woods. Meanwhile in McGarrett's office, Chin briefs the servants didn't see or hear anything including the gardener who didn't see the van. He adds they're loyal to Lisa and were in the house when she was taken from the backyard. Duke says the only neighbor with a view is Vince and McGarrett talked to him but he wasn't helpful. McGarrett is bothered by the camera, which Chin says was only installed a week ago because of Earth People demonstrations in front of the house. Danno walks in just returning from the Earth People demonstration at Wingfield's latest high-rise project. He says Ben was a no-show but Julie Rhoads, Vince's daughter, was one of the speakers and she has something going with Ben. Chin notes Vince is Wingfield's neighbor and chalks it up to "Small World Department". The phone buzzes: they're ready at the Wingfield estate to trace any calls from the kidnappers. McGarrett sends Chin out to the estate, as he wants Danno and Duke to keep digging.

Julie sits by the pool as Vince tries to convince her Ben is guilty but she hangs onto her claim he didn't do anything. She jumps into the pool to avoid Vince. Later, Vince calls Wingfield from a payphone disguising his voice. He demands $500,000 in small bills for Lisa's safe return but Wingfield wants to talk to Lisa. Vince says he'll arrange it before hanging up but it wasn't enough time to trace. Chin also asks Wingfield if he recognized the voice but Wingfield isn't sure. Chin also asks if Wingfield intends to meet the ransom demand: he feels he has no choice.

In the laboratory, Che (Harry Endo) is working with another scientist (Jan Shapiro) comparing the phone call with a known recording of Ben's voice as McGarrett and Danno look on. They determine Ben did not make the ransom call. The professor says the caller used a "sophisticated filter to disguise his voice and did it well" but she's picked up a few characteristics to pinpoint where the caller is originally from: Southwestern part of the U.S. While that doesn't narrow it down a lot, it might be helpful. Che escorts the professor out while McGarrett go over what they have: Ben is bright so why use his own van and license plates for the kidnapping? The caller demands $500,000 in small bills from a payphone used a lot over the course of a day yet disguises his voice. They're dealing with either a professional or a "very cool amateur". Even so, why would Ben ask for $500,000 in ransom even if he's gone "super-militant"? McGarrett wants Ben brought in quietly and alive.

Ben hangs out in a park near a waterfall only to be seen by a couple walking by. He takes off running but they're left bewildered. Meanwhile, Lisa meditates as the first gunman walks in with a container of yogurt for her. He asks her why she's married to "a square dude like Wingfield". She moves off the bed against the opposite wall to get away from him but he eventually backs off. Stepping out of the room, the kidnappers argue about the first gunman having a "party" with her later and possibly not handing her over. He is facing two murder raps on the mainland and figures he has nothing to lose but the second gunman tries to keep him in line. A noise gets their attention as Vince shows up! He hands over the tape recorder so Lisa can speak a few words so Wingfield will know she's okay. Vince tells the first gunman to stay away from Lisa and to not lay a finger on her. Later, Vince goes to payphone to play the tape for Wingfield. After the tape is played, Vince gives instructions for the money drop: locker 186 at the Waikiki Bus terminal with the key taped to the bottom of the sink in the men's restroom. The drop is in one hour. After they hang up, Chin calls McGarrett about the latest contact including the phone number used: 555-3631. McGarrett assigns Danno to find the address and he wants Chin to return to the office. Danno comes back with a public phone booth, which was expected. McGarrett mentions that Chin said Lisa talked to her husband and sounded okay and McGarrett suspects they used a tape recorder for that part.

Che outfits a briefcase with a tracking device in it. The receiver is an earpiece attached to a pair of glasses. Chin tries it out as Danno muses as to why the kidnapper picked a bus terminal in the middle of the day. Duke walks in: Ben has been spotted "back of the Buddhist temple on Nuuanu Street" while Julie is still at Ben's. McGarrett decides to go see her alone handing the drop to Danno: Ben can't be in two places at once.

McGarrett arrives at Ben's where Julie nearly slams the door in his face. McGarrett wants to bring Ben in unharmed and believes Julie can help to that end. It takes some convincing, but when McGarrett tells her he believes Ben is innocent of the kidnapping does Julie agree to help. She doesn't want to see him hurt either and McGarrett says if he can help it, Ben won't be hurt.

Act Three

Danno, Chin and Wingfield arrive at the bus terminal with Danno briefing Wingfield: three plainclothes officers are inside; they'll follow him in one at a time and leave the locker unlocked. Wingfield goes in with the money. Once inside, Winfield finds the key as the officers trade positions for surveillance without being obvious. As Danno stands at the ticket counter, Wingfield puts the money into the locker. Chin stands by an opposing wall listening to the signal as Wingfield walks away from the locker.

As McGarrett and Julie drive to Ben's hiding place, she talks about her future with Ben and why he father opposes it. She admires Ben for standing up for what he believes in. Julie goes on saying her mother died several years before and that's when her father lost it becoming "unglued". She says he even started failing in business even though he made a bundle in oil in Oklahoma. Julie says her father is hanging in and while they live next door to the Wingfield estate, the home is "mortgaged to the hilt".

At the bus terminal, the officers keep their eyes open for the pick up. Vince arrives dressed as a maintenance worker going to a place under the lockers. He retrieves the case by opening a false bottom on locker 186! Chin realizes the signal is fading but by the time they figure out what's going on, Vince is long gone. Danno wants to find the basement.

In the park, McGarrett and Julie walk as she tells him she and Ben go there a lot. They stop near the waterfall and McGarrett sends her down alone so he won't spook Ben into running. McGarrett circles around as she calls out for Ben who finally makes an appearance. McGarrett captures him and Ben isn't happy about Julie leading McGarrett there. McGarrett doesn't care, marching him to the car. Later, McGarrett asks Ben for his version but he's not sure what the point would be. McGarrett coaxes it out of him: Ben knows he was framed, forced to drive to the Wingfield house by two gunmen but he's sure they were only muscle.

At the hideout, the first gunman goes in to see Lisa again. This time he chases her around the room but she rips his mask off! Now the trouble begins, she has seen his face!

Act Four

Danno walks into McGarrett's office with Vince's bank statements: no only is he broke, he owes Wingfield $300,000! It's "double-barrel motive" because Vince is broke, he borrows money to invest in Wingfield's high-rise but work is stopped by Earth People led by Ben who has a thing going with Vince's daughter. They discuss it further: Vince is from Oklahoma, a.k.a. Southwest U.S. and who else would know how things are laid out than the next door neighbors. McGarrett wants Duke to tail Vince to see where he leads them. As well, McGarrett has a plan to smoke out the kidnappers because they know Vince isn't working alone: he wants Lisa back alive and her life is in serious jeopardy. Chin walks in with Bob Skinner (Bob Turnbull) who is there to see him. McGarrett wants Bob to put out a bulletin saying Ben has confessed and will lead the police to Lisa and the $500,000 ransom. He hands Bob the details to use in his speculation.

At the hideout, Molony holds a gun in his hand taunting Lisa who still holds his mask. The second gunman breaks in telling him to go out and listen to the radio as Bob reads the fake bulletin. The kidnappers freak out but Molony is determined to find out what is going on as he leaves to go talk to Vince.

McGarrett arrives at Wingfield's house amid a crush of reporters. He gives the usual "no comment" as he enters the house with Danno stopping the press at the door. Meanwhile, Duke keeps up his surveillance of Vince at his house. Molony sneaks up behind forcing Duke out of the car and knocking him out!

Julie takes a swim as Molony walks into Vince's study and loudly demands to see the money. Vince obliges as Julie eavesdrops. Satisfied, Molony wants to take the money with him but Vince doesn't want him leaving alone so they leave together. Julie calls Five-O and is transferred to McGarrett and she tells him who's responsible: her father Vince who just left with someone and the money. McGarrett, Danno, Chin and Wingfield get into the Marquis Brougham and speed out in time to see Vince fly down the road. McGarrett calls for a backup unit as they give chase. Meanwhile, Duke comes to making it back to his car.

Vince and Molony arrive at the hideout and walk inside. Once inside, the second gunman asks about all the stuff on the radio with Vince certain it was a McGarrett smokescreen. They work on splitting the money but Molony makes noises bout how they're being ripped off because they did all the work. As the second gunman makes his way to the boat, Danno and an HPD officer nab him and stuff him into their hiding place. Inside, Vince tells Molony he'll leave first and then he can go driving down the road to release Lisa. However, Molony wants her killed because she's seen his face. Vince refuses and it turns into a fatal argument for Vince. Outside, McGarrett moves in because they've heard the single shot. McGarrett demands surrender in one minute but Molony has other ideas grabbing the briefcase and Lisa. He uses her as a human shield as they run for the beach. Molony fires at McGarrett and in the process, Lisa falls giving the sharpshooter a perfect target and he hits Molony in the arm. Meantime, Danno runs in to find out about Vince. McGarrett disarms Molony handing him off to an HPD officer. Wingfield runs to the beach to find Lisa still face down but she's okay. As McGarrett retrieves the briefcase, Danno reports Vince is dead. McGarrett looks at the briefcase knowing Vince died for that then tosses it to Danno.