Righting the Wrong's
Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Veronica Mars world. It all belongs to Rob Thomas and the networks etc. No money is being made from this. The characters are not mine, I just like to play with them.
Chapter One: Proposition from a Kane.
Chapter Summary: Just when it looks like Veronica has cost her father the election Jake Kane has a proposition for her that may keep him as Sheriff, but will she take it?
Pairings: LoVe at a later point. Other pairings will be mentioned, implied or explored.
Chapter Rating: This chapter is a T. Will move to M in later chapter's.
Veronica warily turned on the television. Her dad was nowhere to be found, unlike last election night where they had had a gathering for the election results tonight it was just her it seemed. "and over to the latest update on the Neptune Special Election for sheriff. The current results are as follows Acting Sheriff Mars is currently trailing behind surprise candidate Vincent Van Lowe by almost a point and a half. We'll keep you posted as the votes are rolling in, we expect the final result around 9pm tonight. Back to you Jeff".
As the news program went back to the entertainment segment she switched off the TV. It looked like her dad was going to lose the election again. Being Sheriff was all he had wanted. He had risked so much in order to bring justice and fairness to the town of Neptune, and he was happiest doing it.
Veronica felt sick as the feeling of guilt intensified. She had cost him the election. Her need for vengeance and revenge had cost her father the only thing other than her that he truly cared about. She had given Jake Kane back his hard drive with the knowledge that she knew what was on it in the hope that it would stop him from going after her dad. She was too late. If she had just answered her fathers call and found out he knew it was her then she could have taken it back sooner. But she hadn't and her father, in order to protect her had destroyed evidence and the press had gotten wind of it and now it looked like he had once again given up his dream for her. Life was just so unfair sometimes.
Her guilty wallowing was interrupted by a knock on the door. Wiping a tear from her eye she went to answer it.
"Clarence Weidman?" she was surprised at first, but then again she realised that she shouldn't have been there was no way Jake Kane would let her get off that easily, especially now that Nish had the list of Castle members.
"Miss Mars. Mr Kane would like a word with you. He's waiting for us at his house and I might suggest that it would be in the best interests of yourself and your father for you to see him" he was straight to the point. His voice held no hints of emotion giving away no clue as to what Jake Kane might possibly want to see her for.
She would be lying if she said that she wasn't slightly afraid. Having been privy to first hand experience, she knew how Clarence Weidman dealt with those that the family he worked for considered pests. Amelia's boyfriend and Aaron Echoll's were two of those that popped in her mind. There had never been any proof, he was too smart for that, but was it really such a coincidence that just as Duncan was leaving he had kissed her and told her he would always love her and look out for her and that Aaron would pay for what he did, and that if he walked he wouldn't see another day? She didn't think so.
He had obviously picked up on her hesitation and nervousness because he spoke again. "Miss Mars, you will be perfectly safe, the only person there other than me is Mr Kane and the few hired help. If I wanted to get rid of you do you think I would come here and knock on your door where there is at least five people who have seen me walk into the complex? You know me better than that."
She did. She knew him well enough to know that he never left any evidence and was never seen. Weighing up her options she decided that the best thing would probably be to go and see him, but on her own terms.
"Fine. I'll go but I will drive myself and I will tell someone where I'm going so that if I'm not back my dad knows exactly where to look." she pulled out her cell phone and dialled Wallace's number. "hey BFF, so here's the thing Jake Kane has requested my fabulous presence at his mansion and if I'm not back at your house by say" she looked briefly at her watch it was 6.24pm now
"10pm please give dad all my files. Yup those ones and tell him where I went. Thanks BFF". She grabbed her bag and keys off the counter and followed him outside.
"I'm confident you know where you are going. Mr Kane will buzz you in at the gate. I'll follow you" Clarence said.
The drive over took no longer than twenty minutes and Veronica was nervous as hell. Going after the big powerful guys in theory wasn't bad but now she had actually done it she realised it may have not been the best idea and Nish may have been right when she said 'you are going to make a lot of very powerful men very angry'.
Jake had buzzed her in the gate and she parked her Saturn near the door in the driveway. Clearly visible from the street. The grounds where well kept, no surprise there and although the mansion and its grounds were massive it was smaller than the previous Kane estate and somehow seemed friendlier.
Clarence joined her on the doorstep and flashed his key card at the security device causing the door to open. "after you" he motioned her inside the entryway. The room was dimly lit again, the same as when she had broken in. Clarence led her through to the same sitting area she had been in yesterday.
Jake Kane was sitting on the expensive leather couch, an afghan over his knees. He was again unshaven and looked tired and warn out. He laid the book down in his lap when Veronica had walked in but was yet to say anything to her, choosing instead just to watch her closely, almost as if her was looking for something.
Tired of the uncomfortable silence she spoke "you rang?". Jake swept his hand in a general arc around the other sofa's and recliner's. "please Veronica, have a seat." he turned to Clarence. "have the cook prepare the usual refreshments please." he sat up further in his chair as Clarence left the room. Veronica sat on the edge of the closest sofa and waited for him to speak.
"Veronica we appear to be in a somewhat difficult situation. I ask for you to hear me out before interrupting and that we could speak as adults, which means honesty. Complete honesty on both sides no holds barred. If you can do this and we can agree on a solution I will make sure that your father remains Sheriff. I know how important that is to him". he was still studying her closely, obviously watching for her reaction.
"I will give you fifteen minutes in which to freshen up, the bathroom is down the hall to the right, and to make your decision. You know who I am, you know who the Castle is. I hold no delusions as to the capabilities you have or what you may have done as insurance, but if you agree to talk with me then I meant what I said about honesty. If you do not wish to talk then it's likely your father will lose the election, and you will return home safe. This is not a threat, just the facts. I know you saw what was on the hard drive and that you have given a list to a girl named Nish, but without evidence she will have a hard time proving anything and I know how smart you are. After what you saw I doubt that you would have made a copy of it nor do you want anyone other than me to know you know what is on that, so there it is all laid out. I will see you back here in fifteen minutes." he laid back against the couch and picked his book back up, clearly dismissing her for the time being.
Veronica headed down the hall way in the direction of the bathroom Jake had mentioned. Her head was swimming with thoughts, her heart racing. Could Jake Kane really swing the election in her dad's favour? She had no doubt he could, especially with his connections. Was he serious when he implied that she could leave and nothing would happen to her? That he could trust her to never reveal what she had seen? He seemed to be honest and he had looked her in the eyes the entire time he had spoken. When people lied they generally refused to look the person in the eye and Jake Kane had been no exception in the past. Veronica had been so lost in thought that she hadn't paid any attention to where she was going except for walking in the general direction that Jake had told her the bathroom was in. When she realised where she was she was not only surprised but shocked. She was standing in Lilly Kane's bedroom. Well obviously not her bedroom seeing as this wasn't the Kane estate, but it was an exact replica right down to the air vents on the wall, the photo's on her desk and the stuffed white bear sitting on her comforter. The same white bear that Veronica and Lilly had won at the last winter carnival before her death.
"so Lilly where's Logan?" Veronica had asked Lilly as they walked around the carnival eating pink fairy floss, dressed in their pep squad winter uniforms of sweat pants and a school jacket over their summer uniform. They had finished their shift at the booth that sold pep squad pies and were now free to enjoy the rest of the carnival.
Lilly winked at her and gave her the usual mischievous grin. "Why Veronica Mars you crushing on my BF?" Lilly teased. Veronica blushed at the suggestion, she would always regret telling Lilly that Logan was hot. Lilly giggled a very girly giggle and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "you know him Veronica Mars, got all jealous of the fabulous that is me and stormed off, man that boy is really gonna have to learn that he needs to share. After all Danny was only complementing me on my hotness, not my fault he used his lips to do it"
"Danny?" Veronica couldn't place the name.
"yes Danny ford. Caitlin's like totally hot older brother who is a freshman at Hearst. Logan's being his usual self, he stormed off after seeing us and Donut's off comforting him as usual. So now who's going to win me a bear?" Lilly pouted her lips.
So Lilly had done it again, flirted with some guy in front of Logan. Veronica sighed. Poor Logan.
"Maybe I should go and check on them?" Veronica started off in the direction of the car park hoping they would be in Logan's SUV before Lilly pulled her back.
"uh uh Veronica Mars. You're my BFF and I want to win a teddy bear so lets go." Veronica allowed herself to be dragged over to the frog pond, getting herself once again caught up in the excitement that was Lilly Kane.
It had taken the girls almost an hour, thirty dollars and many denied requests from the male population to aid them but in the end Lilly had gotten her bear. A huge white bear wearing a red bow.
That bear had remained one of Lilly's favourite things and had stayed on her bed long after she had ditched every other stuffed toy in her bedroom. Veronica smiled at the memory, now Lilly's killer was dead it didn't hurt so much anymore, the memories not so haunting, and less painful. She heard a soft cough and looked up to see Jake standing in the door way.
"I thought you may have gotten distracted in here, sometimes I come in here and sit for hours and it's almost like she never left. Have you made your decision Veronica?" he asked.
Had she made her decision? Somewhere in the nostalgia of a long ago winter fair she had, so many people had been hurt by her, in her quest for revenge against everything. Logan, Duncan, Wallace, everyone in some way but mostly her dad and if there was some decent way she could make it right for once then it was time Veronica Mars took that opportunity, and swallowed her pride.
AN: Like it hate it? Let me know. Thanks for reading.