S09E18 - “To Die In Paradise” - Plot

Act One

In front of the Ambassador Hotel, a man (Christopher Connelly) sits in a car and smokes waiting on something or someone. He pulls up to the front of the hotel as a woman (Pamela Franklin) steps out of the hotel to go to the airport. A young girl (Jane Page Goo) asks for Bobbie Jo's autograph before she get in the car. She realizes too late she's in trouble demanding the driver pull over and let her out but he refuses. There are no door handles in the back seat and she smashes a window with her guitar case. He turns the corner quickly switching vehicles from a black limousine to a white Econoline van. Bobbie Jo tries to escape but is gut punched for her efforts. The driver grabs her guitar case and luggage shoving them into the van. Once in the van, he hands her a cassette recorder and they drive down the road.

The driver takes her to the docks where his partner (Stephen Young) is waiting on him with a small boat. They force Bobbie Jo on board as the driver goes to make a phone call. He calls a Mr. Ducco (Tommy Leonetti) in Hollywood. His secretary tells him it's an urgent call from Bobbie Jo Bell in Hawaii. However, Ducco is quickly surprised: it's the driver demanding $500,000 in cash. To show he means business, he plays the recording Bobbie Jo made in the van. The driver tells him he'll be contacted tomorrow at the Hawaiian Regent Hotel. After the call, a dock guard (Lee Woodd) tells them about the small craft warnings in effect. The partner says it's no problem, especially when the driver shoves the guard into the water from behind!

At the Territorial Building, Duke briefs about a pair of suspects being picked up for a savings and loan holdup: one having a warrant for murder in Colorado. Duke says everything else from HPD is pretty routine. Danno walks into McGarrett's office with news of Bobbie Jo was reported missing by her manager in LA. She was last seen taking a cab to the airport: an Islandia cab, which was reported stolen yesterday to HPD! McGarrett tells Duke to go over the stolen car list again in the search for Bobbie Jo.

Danno and Che (Harry Endo) find the cab and go over it, noticing the back window was broken from the inside and not where the car is currently parked. Danno explains it has all the markings of a kidnapping but there's been no ransom demand yet. Chin shows up saying a van was stolen from a nearby garage but they don't have a lot to go on. Che tells Danno not to hold his breath, the cab hasn't been washed for days so there are fingerprints everywhere.

The driver tells his partner Quincy to wake up as the three are on a beach. Dennis points out the boat broke up on the rocks last night and it's perfect: no one knows where they are. Quincy is hungry for bacon and eggs, which Dennis promises. Bobbie Jo wants to know where they are but the two men tell her not to worry about it getting her to her feet and they start walking. They hike into the woods hoping to find a highway in short order, but it doesn't happen. They do come across a young man (Kevin Coates) who lives off the land and has a makeshift alarm system with bells and shells. They asks which way to the highway and he recommends the Na Pali trail but says it needs a day to dry out from the storm. He also tells them about a nearby shack with "a roof and a bed" as the owners won't be back for a few weeks, they left to have a baby. They move on with Bobbie Jo looking around for her chance to escape.

Ducco arrives in Honolulu, checking into room 1211 at the Hawaiian Regent with the hotel clerk (Judy Canon) handing over the key. Meanwhile, McGarrett drives to the docks where it's believed they took Bobbie Jo as the stolen van has been found. McGarrett meets with Danno who introduces Jack Tonoa, the security guard who was pushed into the water. Tonoa tells them he only got a good look at the one guy and when he got out of the water, the phone was ringing. McGarrett hopes they made it to wherever they were going.

Back with the trio, they continue marching in the woods finding the shack they were told about. As the pair goof off, Bobbie Jo makes another run for it! Only after she's slipped away do they realize she's gone!

Act Two

Bobbie Jo makes a run for it though the woods with Dennis and Quincy closing in on her fast. She doesn't get far because she twists her ankle trying to escape. Dennis makes her get up as Quincy stomps away in frustration because he wants to get rid of her.

McGarrett and Danno go to the Coast Guard Base speaking to an officer (Donald Carter) who tells them they're mopping up after the storm. Because a Coast Guard vessel was assisting another boat off Oahu, they would have seen a small boat heading east so they assume the boat made its way northwest toward Kauai and Niihau. The officer says they would have been lucky to make Kauai due to the sea conditions at the time. McGarrett also says they could have gone down at sea when the officer tells them a harbor check is occurring on Kauai. Danno says they have a slow long search in front of them because there are lots of places to hide with only a few roads. McGarrett adds, "And a very small police force".

Back at the shack, Dennis manipulates Bobbie Jo's ankle finding it's not broken. She tries walking on it but there's no way that'll work. They talk about the next part of their plan as one has to go for a boat but Quincy says the Coast Guard will be looking for boats. Bobbie Jo recommends a helicopter and they come up with a cover story that they were out camping. Dennis tells Quincy he can call Ducco to "sit tight" but when he balks about being the one to call, they flip for it and Quincy loses with Dennis telling him to buy cigarettes.

When Quincy leaves for the store, Dennis searches for something to smoke and finds a ukulele. Bobbie Jo takes in and begins singing heard through the valley including the young man they met earlier. After her song, Dennis tells Bobbie Jo what happened to him and Quincy: they were producing bootleg tapes selling them for $4 each at gas stations and drive-ins. Ducco hired some investigators and led the police to what Dennis and Quincy were doing, sending them to prison for 18 months. Ducco wanted them to serve five years and Bobbie Jo is sympathetic telling Dennis Ducco makes $500,000 plus on just her! The young man shows up at the shack with a bag of vegetables and a wrap for her ankle. He takes care of Bobbie Jo as she introduces herself as "Josie" and he's Colin Lamb. Colin tells them there are two other people who live in the valley: Bible Jim (Lee Jay Lambert) and Amanda (Mary Taylor) who are a couple of miles higher. Dennis is edgy not liking the fact that Colin is hanging around making up a story that he's heard Colin's alarm system. After Colin leaves; Dennis warns Bobbie Jo not to get any ideas because it could get Colin killed!

In McGarrett's Territorial building office, the Coast Guard officer shows up briefing them that wreckage from the boat was found on Niihau with pieces of guitar among it. He tells McGarrett his original hunch may still be correct, as the current between Kauai and Niihau are pretty consistent during this time of year. Chin walks in with a phone trace from the pay phone: "a long-distance call was made from the marina phone booth to a Stanley Ducco, president of Lucky Label Records in Los Angeles". McGarrett wants Chin to call back but he's already tried getting the secretary who would only tell him Ducco is out of town. McGarrett then comes up with a better idea: get the names of Ducco's bank and travel agent. If that won't work, he wants Chin to check with the airlines. Danno wonders if Ducco will cooperate and McGarrett believe he will, once he realizes his recording star could have perished at sea.

Quincy makes it to the store after a long hike in time for the owner (Winston Char) to open for business. Quincy asks the owner where the nearest airport is: Lihue is 30 miles away. He then asks about helicopters and finds out Princeville is only three miles. Plans change as a news bulletin is put out over the radio as every available helicopter is being used to search for Bobbie Jo and her two abductors. Quincy blows it off, as they're "to expensive".

In Honolulu, Ducco answers the phone in his hotel room with Quincy on the other end. Quincy makes sure Ducco has the money and tells him to go to Kauai and to check into the Princeville Hotel under the name of Frank Carter. Ducco wants to speak to Bobbie Jo and Quincy tells him in due time as long as Ducco arrives alone. Quincy hangs up and Ducco calls for Aloha Airlines to make a reservation when McGarrett knocks on the door. Ducco lets him in where McGarrett tells him he knows about the kidnapping and the $500,000 he pulled out of the Federal Reserve. Ducco tells McGarrett he has it under control but McGarrett warns him he's playing a dangerous game that doesn't guarantee her safe return. Based on the news reports, everyone thinks Bobbie Jo is dead but somehow Ducco knows she's still alive. McGarrett tells Ducco he's dealing with half-witted amateurs who don't know when to call it off. Ducco assures McGarrett he'll tell him when the kidnappers will contact him, which is a total lie because he just got off the phone with Quincy!

Outside, McGarrett meets up with Danno who tells him Ducco made one local call this morning and one just a bit ago to Aloha Airlines: this according to the switchboard operator. McGarrett knows Ducco is lying but also knows the trio is still alive by the way Ducco talked. The problem is a big force can't go over as the kidnappers may harm Bobbie Jo. Danno knows the island pretty well and has a hunch as to where they may be hiding out. McGarrett agrees to send him alone with his hiking gear!

At the store, the owner tallies everything for Quincy: $38 for groceries, $46 for the pack, $32 for the boots and the shells. The total is $106 before the shells as Quincy says he's going to do some hunting: for pigs!

Act Three

Quincy returns to the shack where Dennis gives him a hard time for being gone for a lone time. Bobbie Jo stands back watching the pair as Quincy takes off the pack holding mostly food. Quincy tells Dennis they are not going anywhere anytime soon because every helicopter is being used to find their bodies: pieces of the boat have been found. Quincy also called Ducco telling him to be at the Princeville Hotel and wait for their call but Ducco wants to talk to Bobbie Jo before they're paid. Dennis tells her it's close to the original plan: they'll turn her over once they're paid and she goes record another top-selling record recouping the $500,000. Dennis becomes irritated when he realizes Quincy failed to pick up cigarettes but he was able to buy new boots. About the time they're going to argue, a couple walks up: it's Bible Jim and Amanda. They're on their way to Yang's Store where Quincy just hiked back from. They refuse to pick up cigarettes for Dennis and go about their happy way because they don't recognize Bobbie Jo.

Danno makes it to Kauai and to Yang's Store where he calls McGarrett. He has a hit on the sketch from the dock guard's description and the guy was hiking the Na Pali trail. Danno isn't ready to call in reinforcements yet as he has to figure out which valley they guy is hiding in. McGarrett tells him they'll be standing by as Danno has a radio to "call in on the local police channel and have them pass the word". Danno hits the trail running into Bible Jim and Amanda and they compare notes: Danno decides to check out "the big shack by the macadamia-nut grove".

Back in Honolulu, Ducco makes his move to leave his hotel with Chin watching him in the lobby. He tells the desk clerk he's heading to Kahuna Recording Studios working on a record. Chin follows as Ducco gets into a cab, telling the driver (E.H. Marc Baxley) to go to the airport. Duke sits in the car outside watching him leave as Chin runs to the car so they can go mobile. Chin radios McGarrett with the details and he takes over.

At the shack on Kauai, Quincy cleans his gun as Bobbie Jo tells them she'll make dinner as long as one of them gets some water. Colin shows up with a crutch for Bobbie Jo who wants to see Colin anyway since the wrap on her ankle has become loose. She passes him a note while no one is looking but Quincy notices the movement. Dennis wants Colin gone offering him $30 to go to town to pick up cigarettes. Once out of the shack, Colin reads the note: Bobbie Jo tells him she's been kidnapped and to contact the police!

In Honolulu, Ducco continues his cab ride when the driver is diverted to the Dolphin Hotel for a priority pick up. Ducco wonders why they've stopped when McGarrett climbs in!

On Kauai, Quincy tracks down Colin cocking the rifle forcing Colin to empty his pockets! At the shack, Danno shows up much to Dennis' annoyance! He looks around taking everything in noticing Bobbie Jo and the gun shells. A gunshot rings out putting the expression of fear on Bobbie Jo's face as she looks out. Danno just walks off, as Bobbie Jo knows her chances for rescue just went down.

Act Four

Danno explores the trail finding blood and discovering Colin's body under some heavy brush off the trail. He uses the small radio he has but only gets static when trying to call Lihue Dispatch. Giving up on the radio, Danno checks his gun as Bible Jim and Amanda watch. Meanwhile, near the shack, Dennis runs back to Quincy with a map belonging to Colin. It shows a mule trail that connects to Highway 53. When Bobbie Jo makes a crack about them not being smart enough to follow a mule trail, Dennis rips her crutch from under here saying they don't have to be nice to her. As Quincy makes a move on her, Danno tells them to freeze holding his gun on them. A gunfight ensues as Bible Jim whacks Danno's wrist with his staff! After several shots, including one hitting Quincy, the pair gets it together to escape. Danno shows his badge telling Bible Jim about the kidnapping.

Dennis and Quincy drag Bobbie Jo along the mule trail working their way up a steep mountainside. Meanwhile, at the Kauai Police Department Bible Jim tells McGarrett, the Kauai Police Captain (Robert Lee) and Ducco where the trio is going. McGarrett wonders if they can land a helicopter on the trail but the terrain is too steep and rugged. However, they can land on the other side on the top but again, they'll be seen when they start on the trail. McGarrett thinks they can surprise them when they emerge off the trail to the highway. He tells the captain he needs an unmarked helicopter and fast.

On the mule trail, the trio makes their way up as Danno follows them. Sometimes, there's not much of a trail with the surf constantly crashing below. McGarrett is airborne as the trio stops momentarily where Dennis and Quincy debate on whether Danno is behind them or not. Dennis is determined to go all the way to the top to meet up with Ducco. Quincy decides to stay behind to make sure Danno isn't following them and if he is, Quincy will take care of him. Dennis and Bobbie Jo finally reach the top only to be stopped by McGarrett and Chin!

Further down the trail, Quincy decides he's going to hunt Danno while McGarrett makes his way down. When Quincy fires, McGarrett zeroes in on him killing him with three shots! Later, Dennis is in the back seat of a police car as Chin and Duke watch McGarrett boards the helicopter with Bobbie Jo. Meantime, Danno hikes to the top boarding into the back seat of the helicopter.