Author's Note: These chapters will try to remain as close to the original storyline as possible. Since my focus is on Weevil, plots that were paramount to the TV show may only be visible in the sidelines here. (This chapter starts off still in 3x03 after Veronica has talked with Larry and found Logan at the Benesian.) If anything seems like it needs more explanation with the cases Veronica is facing, watching the show or rereading an episode summary might help. Expect more dialogue in the next chapter!

Chapter 2

Eating leftover Chinese food and being around Weevil had been the high point of Veronica's day, which said a lot. After questioning her acrylic-coated witness and stalking her own boyfriend, Veronica had come home to mourn her sanity. She dropped her bag on the bedroom floor, crawled into bed and pouted.

The differences between her lifestyle and Logan's created more of a divide everyday. In the summer without responsibilities, they had been able to enjoy each other fully. Starting the school year had put a real dent in her image of him. College required focus and effort that Logan refused to give. She thought the two of them had grown together from everything that happened in their lives, but he was still just surfing, playing poker and avoiding reality. Maybe he would always have his feet firmly planted in the trust-fund, refusing to branching out on his own. She felt guilty just thinking it, but part of her urged that it was a possibility.

There was a rap at the door and her thoughts dissipated. Veronica looked up to see her dad silhouetting the doorway, his head cocked to the side. She smiled an invite without moving. Her father came to sit at the foot of her bed.

Veronica raised her eyebrows to show she was listening as her father began, "Eli was on stakeout tonight. A child abuse case-"

"I read the file before he picked it up." Her voice was hoarse from holding back tears earlier. Her father pretended not to notice and nodded.

"Well, he...hmm. He got some of the basics right..." Already sensing the 'but' in this story, Veronica pushed herself up, covers tumbling off of her as her dad sighed and continued, "The grandparents wanted custody, right? Eli finds out it's the boyfriend hitting the kid, not the daughter-in-law. So he-"

"He hits the boyfriend." Veronica felt the air leave her lungs. She should have expected it, but she wanted so badly for this to work. To see Weevil's life take an easier turn, to- was that a small smile?

"Well, yes. But first he took the photographs we needed through the living room window. Then, he hid the camera in the bushes. When he entered the house, he told the daughter-in-law that he heard her screaming from the driveway while on a night stroll.

"A night stroll? In a residential neighborhood miles from his apartment?"

"Not the most believable story, pretty sure the cops who arrived didn't buy it, but he kept cover."

"What about the camera?"

"Went back to get it after the cops came. So there's photographic evidence of the boyfriend hitting the child and we now have it on record that there was domestic abuse happening in the house. The clients probably missed their chance at custody of the kid." Keith took a deep breath, "But, they've already stepped in to discuss a restraining order against the boyfriend with the daughter-in-law. The grandfather even thanked us for decking the guy." Keith grinned and rubbed his daughters arm reassuringly, "This was not the smoothest operation. The results aren't what we were hired for, but he did alright. He may have some detective blood in him after all."

Veronica sighed in relief then smiled sweetly, "You know, I have heard that gang-affiliated convicts make the best private eyes."

"Is that what they say? Night, sweetie."

Keith kissed the top of his daughter's head and stroked her back lovingly before closing the door on his way out. Veronica's smile lingered as she imagined Weevil behind her desk, sorting through stakeout photographs and filing receipts. She had planned on helping him find a job before arriving at the car wash earlier that week. Veronica hadn't intended to aim high, but figured she could at least find something that looked better on a resume than Jumbo's Clown Wash. When her job search only turned up service industry jobs, she had turned to her dad. It had always been a goal of hers to change his opinion on Weevil. Having dad shoot daggers at her tattooed accomplice every time he was within ten feet had always been problematic.

I didn't change my spots either.

Weevil's dejected words on their first post-jailtime encounter had her wishing she could turn him around right there. Tell him all the gushy things dad told her when she was facing problems. Be a friend for him. It was a barrier she didn't know how to cross. Their constant exchange of dirty quips blurred the line even farther. They were friends by all definitions of the word, but it had never been addressed. For all she knew, there wasn't enough to fuel them beyond favors and a sense of goodwill for each other. What they had already worked. It was a reciprocal relationship, which was more than she could say about herself and Logan right now.

And with that, her mind was right back where it had been before her father's visit.

Sighing, she scrunched back under the covers.

"Stupid Logan."

Eli sat nervously at the front desk of Mars Investigations. He had slept only a few hours. The chair squeaked as he shifted to throw a paper ball into the waste bin. He missed.

The night before hadn't gone smoothly at all. Seeing a kid the same age as his nephews getting slugged by a man who wasn't even family had hit a nerve. Eli knew beating up suspects wasn't what the sheriff ordered, but he had stuck to Veronica's advice to maintain cover at the least. She had been wise to give him a backup plan.

Saving my ass again, he thought. He would have charged through the front door, camera swinging around his neck with no idea how to explain himself. Instead he had created a shaky alibi for himself and called Keith with an update after retrieving the camera. After all his experience doing favors for Veronica, Eli hadn't expected the fieldwork part of this job to be difficult.

The door creaked open. Eli straightened up and looked at the door remorsefully, hoping the night hadn't gone bad enough to get him sacked. With only a week to go before his little parole therapy session, he definitely didn't have time to look for another job. He stood up as Keith walked in, looking resigned before the day even started. They made eye contact and Eli took a shallow breath to steady himself.

"Morning, sheriff."

"I told you Eli, I'm not the sheriff anymore." Keith's tone was disgruntled, but Eli detected no anger.

"Right. Sorry, boss." Keith gave him a crooked smile then paused in front of the desk, a strange look on his face. A long sigh came out of the ex-con, rolling his head to look down at the desk. After a moment Keith addressed him.

"It could have gone better. But honestly? It could have been much worse."

Eli's eyes shot back up. The sheriff was still smiling slightly as he dropped three new folders on the desk. Still trying to wrap his mind around it, the young Latino just stared at the folders on his desk.

"The first two require round the clock stakeouts, surveillance over the course of a few days. Petty things, learning routines. The last one is a favor from Veronica. She said it's worth two grand, if you still have access to your uncles tools. Feel free to finish that one today. If you're gonna be working here as a secretary, she's gonna need to show you the ropes this weekend with those filing cabinets before you really start. Favor for a favor, I suppose you're familiar with the concept."

"Yeah, I can do that. Alright. Thanks, Mr. Mars." He grabbed the folders and flipped through, barely taking anything in.

"And Eli?" He was certain the sheriff was only pausing for dramatic effect. Veronica did that all the time. "Next time, just take the pictures. And get out of there. This is meant to be a very passive job... most of the time."

The phone rang at the end of this speech and Keith darted to pick up the receiver himself, but Eli beat him to it.

His voice was gruff and intimidating when he answered, "Hello, this is Mars Investigations. How may I help you?"

Keith laughed out loud when Eli gave him a self-satisfied nod. Eli pulled the mouthpiece away from himself.

"Think I'm gettin' the hang of this, sheriff."

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