Act One
At the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the front clerk (William Bigelow) has to deal with an obnoxious family checking in headed by a hick father Sam Ferguson (Slim Pickens) who tosses a bunch of clothes on the counter. Sam says they made reservations for a party of five through a travel agent in L.A. with the mother (Barbara Baxley) stating, "37-C," meaning their room number. A young man (Bo Hopkins) and a young woman (Robyn Millan) back up the older couple. The manager takes care of them the best he can while stressing out and they're shown upstairs.
The family settles in as the bellhop brings in the luggage and sets up the room. When it comes time to tip him, Sam gives somewhat generously but his wife intercepts it giving very little. The mother calls everyone around: Monica (Lynette Kim), Jeb, and Rosalie the young couple traveling with them saying, "it's time for talkin'". She has Sam count out how much money they have, $81, and tells them they need money. Sam nods answering he and Jeb will start looking around.
At Seaside Inn, they want a dishwasher with a sign posted in the window. Once Sam walks in, the sign is taken down. Jeb heads off in another direction a short time later.
Later, HPD is dispatched to the Seaside Inn with Danno riding in an HPD unit. Inside, he meets with Ben standing over one victim and discovers the other victim is in another room. Ben hands over the bagged butcher knives used to kill. In the other room, Chin identifies the second victim as George Wing Lu, the owner. As well, Che Fong (Harry Endo) says there are fingerprints everywhere. Danno hands over the knives wanting him to match any prints found.
Danno briefs McGarrett in McGarrett's office later as fingerprints were left all over the place as if the killer didn't care. The victims were tied up about the wrists and struggled for quite some time before their throats were cut. When Chin brings over the restaurant's ledger he tells them everything matches up with receipts taken in and the killer got away with no more than $250! The phone rings with Danno answering: the prints are not on file at HPD and Danno says, "it figures". He points out someone doesn't leave their prints at a scene like this unless the prints aren't on file. McGarrett says someone has them: DMVs, the Pentagon in the case of military service, the police if one has been arrested or even the hospital where one was born. Danno leaves to send the prints to the computer bank in Washington D.C. As Danno and Chin about out of the office, McGarrett calls them back noticing the photographs: the dishes are neatly put away. McGarrett wants to know about the dishwasher because if there was one, why wasn't the person murdered too?
At the Royal Hawaiian, the family is up to no good hanging out. Sam is happy his hands are clean after the dishwashing job. Rosalie makes a crack about the last time his hands were clean was the car-washing job in Boise, Idaho. Rosalie settles on the end of the couch telling the mother Sadie that Monica is fogging up the bathroom again "playing with the faucets". Sadie walks out then Sam makes a move on Rosalie pulling her into his lap. The situation is creepy with Rosalie being his daughter-in-law! Sam plants a kiss on her and is in the middle of it when Sadie walks back in. Rather than rightly blame Sam for the goings on, Sadie puts it square on Rosalie's shoulders warning her if Jeb saw her "he'd bust your arm right off of your body". Sadie then reminds Sam on Friday will be five days at the gas station for Jeb and that should be long enough.
In McGarrett's office, he's cleaning his gun at his desk as Ben walks in with information on the dishwashers: a new one was hired on Monday as the regular was fired on Saturday. Ben goes on to say the regular checks out and his prints don't match. McGarrett says the new one is their killer but is completely stumped by the motive: two lives for $250!?
At the Royal Hawaiian, the family finishes up a meal with Sadie making racist comments and Rosalie picking on Monica. Jeb leaves for the gas station but is stopped by Sadie long enough to tell his sister Monica "bye".
At the gas station, the boss has Jeb put out the sign about no cash sales after 10:00 p.m. When he asks Jeb where he's from, Jeb says, "we just keep movin'" before cracking the guy with a large wrench.
Act Two
Five-O and HPD are at the gas station the next morning. Ben hands over the bagged wrench to Danno just after arriving with Chin. Danno notices a shirt on a cart picking it up wondering who "Ernie" (Edward Kaahea) is. Ben explains he's a relief man. Danno takes Chin to try to find Ernie.
The family checks out of the Royal Hawaiian with Jeb calling down for a bellhop. After he hangs up, Sadie tells him to get Monica moving as she's holding everyone up. Jeb isn't kind as she sits on the bed fascinated with the phone book cover. She finishes packing deciding to take the phone cover with her burying it under her clothes.
Danno and Chin find Ernie working on his motorbike. Ernie confirms they have his shirt but he loaned it to "Connery" who he first saw Monday night at 9:30. Chin says Connery has a Social Security number and a local address, which are being nailed down. Ernie gives a description: about the same build as Ernie, maybe smaller; light brown hair. Danno stops him hoping he can work with a sketch artist with Ernie willing to try. They take Ernie to the police station.
The family arrives in Hilo via Aloha Airlines. In their suite, the family "talks" again with Sam counting out their money: $120 and change. Sadie says they need some money. They're about to leave to look for jobs when Sadie yells to stop them: to say goodbye to the women. When they're finally out and about, Sam and Jeb spot a beauty salon needing a 'beautician'. Sam thinks Rosalie will be good for it. Later, Rosalie checks it out wearing a short shorts outfit. The owner (Ric Marlow) takes immediate notice telling her to come back at 5:15 p.m. after he closes. Rosalie walks out, for now.
In the laboratory, Che has another clean set of prints to work with but the ones on the wrench do not match Ernie Briggs nor do they match the restaurant. Washington has returned with a big blank on the prints sent before. McGarrett and Che are stumped, especially since McGarrett can buy one person slipping through but not two. Hopefully this set will be more fruitful since Chin walks in saying the Social Security number and address are bogus. Danno walks in behind Chin briefing on the gas station money: "an armored truck picks up all cash at the station at 5:30 every evening then from ten o'clock until closing time, they accept nothing but credit cards". The cash on hand only totals between $50 and $150! McGarrett starts to see a pattern with Danno and Chin agreeing: a new man recently hired before each killing, the only one to "escape"; neither killer wiped off any fingerprints; both robberies could have been committed just as efficiently without murder; and the big one: "these creeps kill for nickels and dimes". The last fact is the signature to the M.O. McGarrett wants a nationwide inquiry for any killings for small amounts over the last two years. As Danno is about to walk out, he turns as Ben walks in with a sketch of "Jeb Connery," which McGarrett orders enough copies for all precincts.
Back in Hilo at the beauty salon, the other beautician (Charlotte Gibbons) walks out leaving the owner alone with Rosalie. The owner propositions her to start hooking for him so they "can make a bundle". Rene's proposition is stopped by Rosalie wanting to think about his offer and a customer walking in but she gives it considerable thought. Back at the hotel, the family hangs out with Sam pressing Rosalie about a time to strike. She claims to not know how much cash Rene has on hand and she's not ready to leave yet. Sam tells her it's not her place to make that call and she storms out with Jeb behind her to go to the pool. Sadie then throws a fit about the laundry not being done right complaining things have gotten worse since Houston. Sam then gets an idea to use Monica the next morning.
The next morning, Monica spies on the beauty parlor from the parking lot across the street. She tallies the number of customers going in and out coming up with 21 for that day. In the hotel room, Sam knows Rosalie is lying and decides he and Jeb need to hit the place. While they're gone, Sadie and Monica will pack everything up to check out.
At the beauty salon, Rosalie adjusts her makeup as the other beautician leaves for the day. Rosalie agrees to the plan asking for a yellow car. Rene is thrilled saying Blanche, the other beautician, has no idea she's "out of a job yet". As Rene is closing up, Rosalie watches Sam and Jeb enter knowing what's coming next. Jeb pulls out a knife as Sam closes the shade.
Act Three
Five-O is on the scene in Hilo as Chin arrives with Blanche. Danno and Ben go over the crime scene with the lab technicians. Ben finds the knife with Danno telling him to "get it over to Che". Blanche walks in becoming visibly shaken at the outline on the floor. She left early because of a cancellation. Danno asks her who was there when she left: Rene "and the new one". Blanche says she was tramp and Rene had the hots for her. When she says this, Danno keys on the pattern again but Chin points out it's a woman this time. Blanche is willing to work with a police artist to come up with a sketch and take her back to Honolulu.
The family moves on to Maui via Hawaiian Airlines. Rosalie is every which way ticked off because she discovers Monica was spying on her and saw Rene "feeling up and down your neck". Rosalie storms to a bedroom slamming the door before Jeb yells at Monica about what else she saw. Sadie backs him off telling him he can do with Rosalie what he likes but he's not to yell at Monica.
In McGarrett's office, he holds the two sketches together. Danno theorizes they're either married or "shacking up". Chin walks in with their first break: a similar suspect is wanted in Dubuque, Iowa for four murders and $300 taken from a coin operated laundry. Chin briefs the description came from a super at a boarding house where he stayed for ten days prior to the killings. There was a family of five including the couple who he thought were husband and wife. McGarrett lays it out: up to three more people "hopping from place to place". Danno becomes concerned about where they are now and if they can catch them before their next "hit and run".
As Jeb works near a boatyard, the telexes at Five-O light on fire. Danno walks into McGarrett's office: information beginning 1970 in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Delaware, Washington D.C. The pattern repeats over and over in Ohio, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada with total deaths at 125 over "the past three years" with total take being approximately $40,000. McGarrett directs Danno to send out a revised bulletin to the islands adding those establishments on it. He then calls in the FBI.
Jeb works on a boat as a patrol car pulls up with two officers speaking to a witness and showing him the sketches. They leave but Jeb becomes very nervous. Back at the hotel he tells Sam and Sadie what happened. Sam isn't worried but Sadie says they shouldn't take chances. Sam argues they haven't even had a parking ticket in three years in 24 states! Sadie wants Sam to count the money as she tells Jeb to go find Rosalie. She then tells Monica who is having a tea party to start packing. If there's enough, they'll get tickets back to Honolulu then back to the mainland that night. Meanwhile, Rosalie is flirting with an older man Harry (Alan Krassner) in a hotel bar asking him what they're going to do after dinner. Harry suggests a motel down by the fishing pier but she interrupts asking for $1000 from him. She's trying to make a break and threatens blackmail if he doesn't pay up. Jeb shows up ruining those plans for her too! However, Rosalie plays both sides happy when Jeb leads Harry to his hotel room.
Act Four
At the Royal Hawaiian, the front desk clerk who dealt with Sam and the family earlier calls McGarrett. The clerk calls them "not normal" after recognizing the sketches of Jeb and Rosalie. McGarrett listens intently as Danno and Ben standby. McGarrett asks about "not normal": what does that mean? The clerk gives an example: they stayed in $125 per day suite and in the end, stole a telephone book cover. McGarrett hangs up briefing Danno and Ben: Mr. and Mrs. Sam Ferguson, Mr. and Mrs. Jeb Ferguson and Miss Monica Ferguson. Tow faces and sketches along with all five names. Chin walks in with a report from Maui PD: they killed the Bronsons last night at 10:00 p.m. at the Royal Wailuku Hotel. This latest bit of news upsets both McGarrett and Danno, especially since they just got their names. Reading the rest of the report, they stole over $1000 and some jewelry; a different M.O. but McGarrett thinks otherwise. He throws out what would they do if they were the Fergusons. Danno names Kauai and Molokai but Chin and Ben both agree: hightail it to the mainland. McGarrett agrees sealing the islands sending Chin to the Big Island to supervise operations as its airports. He puts Danno at Honolulu making sure people at the checkpoints read the bulletins. He then sends Ben to the harbor. He then contacts the Chief of Police on Kauai.
At the airport, passengers are screened inside the doors. Sam puts the clothes over the sketches of Jeb and Rosalie. Sam, Sadie, Jeb and Rosalie have their items looked over before walking through the metal detectors. Monica tries to go through the metal detector with her suitcase but is stopped by security. The security guard (James Ishida) opens her case finding the telephone book cover stolen from the Royal Hawaiian while her family waits nearby. The guard then calls a red phone in a hallway where Danno answers. The guard calls a "Code Red" at checkpoint seven and Danno moves in fast tossing the handset down. Jeb and Rosalie make a run for it only to be stopped by Danno. Sam and Sadie run too late and are soon surrounded by HPD. With all the chaos, Monica holds the cover in complete fascination.
the family is brought to McGarrett's office in handcuffs! Rosalie is singing like a canary trying to pull her hide out of the fire. McGarrett asks her if she's willing to make a sworn statement with Rosalie saying yes before jumping up screaming at them that they ruined her chances to make it big twice. Sadie goes to her and starts slapping Rosalie before being broken up by the Five-O team. Sadie is disgusted by her disloyalty before Ben takes Rosalie out to get her statement. Things then get really creepy with McGarrett telling them they're being charged with murdering over 150 people. Sadie answers, "they wasn't kin. They were all strangers" and in her screwed up mind, strangers don't count. She also tells McGarrett they never stole a cent because the victims were all dead! McGarrett orders them to be booked and Danno and Chin take them out.
This plot summary Copyright Bobbi Baker ©2019. No reproduction of any kind without permission.