Back in Neptune
Keith Mars sat in his car on a stakeout. He had to sip cold coffee in an effort to keep awake. He'd been sitting there for four hours waiting for his hunch to be proven correct.
Lianne showed up outside the Camelot. He watched as the woman he used to love stumbled drunkenly around in the dark with a large and nearly empty bottle of vodka in her hand. A man came out after her, laughing loudly but obviously much less drunk than she. He steered her back into the cheap motel room. Keith didn't move his camera to take any pictures. He had only came to see if any of the men she was with would fit Logan's description. The one that came out had. That was enough for Keith.
It wasn't bad enough for her too run out on me and Veronica only to return and steal her college money. Now she to do this to Veronica, too?
He had no idea how he ever could have loved a woman who had so little concern for her own daughter. Her only daughter. What she had done to him was one thing, but he was sick of her finding ways to hurt his little girl with her reckless debauchery. It was like she couldn't care less what she did to Veronica.
He produced the papers he had brought with him and left them in front of the motel room door before driving away.
Meanwhile, in Australia
"There's a stain on this paper. Was it on there when you got it, Duncan?"
"No. I had a drink in my had when I read it and was so upset, I spilled it."
"Oh, okay. Well it's definitely a woman's handwriting. That, coupled with the fact that her note implies that she doesn't think you provide a suitable home, are both good signs."
"You think it's good that she took Lilly because she thought I was a bad parent?"
"Yes. It means that whoever the kidnapper is probably isn't planning on hurting her, just smuggling her to other people to raise. At least that means your daughter's safe."
Whoever kidnapped Lilly knows who he is. He must have been a sitting duck. They knew he couldn't go to the police to report her missing. Why is it that I'm beginning to think Meg's parents have found Duncan? That's exactly the kind of home they wanted the baby adopted to. I want my laptop.
Until late that night, she was doing research on exactly what the Mannings had been up to lately and the adoption agency they had wanted the baby to be placed with. Meg had definitely been right about how scary these people are. They might not physically hurt the baby, but I wouldn't want my child growing up that way.
Veronica called her dad. "Can you find out if the Mannings have contacted the Christian Children with Christian Homes Adoption Agency lately?"
"Sure honey. Why?"
"Would you believe that I'm laying on the beach right now and the question just popped into my head?"
"So I'll take that as an 'I don't want to know'. Anything else?"
"Yeah, where was Logan the other night?"
"It's better if you don't know but don't be mad at him, Veronica. Okay? Trust me. We're just protecting you. So, how's your vacation going?"
"Great. Um, what about the Kanes? Could you see if either of them has been in contact with the Mannings lately?"
"Sure. Can I talk to Logan for a minute?"
Veronica handed the phone over suspiciously. Logan walked out of the room and earshot with it.
Suddenly Veronica started to get very sleepy again. She fought it, but by the time Logan returned to the room, the scene had changed from her searching through her laptop for leads to her asleep, still halfway sitting up on the bed. Duncan stood awkwardly beside her, staring down at her as if in some kind of trance. Logan quickly walked in and struck up conversation with him to get him to stop. Ever since they'd arrived, Logan had wanted to pound Duncan every every time he saw him look at Veronica that way. But he had practiced self control and constantly reminded himself that the guy's daughter had just been kidnapped.
After Duncan had gone to sleep, Logan looked at Veronica's laptop and went through her open files.
Parking lot security camera. Kanes. Dates don't match. Prescription. Of course, not much of that made any sense to him.
The next day, Logan went to the security office of the store from where Lilly had been kidnapped. The manager didn't have a problem letting him watch the tapes, but Logan had to be careful to make sure the younger teenager didn't notice him making a copy of it and taking the copy with him. After all, one couldn't be around Veronica Mars as much as he was without picking up some tricks from her. The boy never even noticed. Logan didn't bother to pay much attention to the tapes as the boy played them as he knew he'd be watching it over and over and over when he got back to Duncan's.
Duncan had gone to work. He worked in an office where not too many people saw him every day. While he was gone, Logan followed Veronica's orders to search the house over for any type of medications or prescription drugs, although he didn't see why or what that had to do with anything.
After the search, he sat down on the couch to watch the tapes with Veronica. She wanted to see them before Duncan got back.
Veronica fast-forwarded the tape to the time Duncan had given her and then played it in slow motion as soon as she saw his car. He had told her that he had been leaving the beach, but it looked like he had just pulled up. He had just pulled up and was getting out of the car. He opened the back door and leaned in near where the baby's car seat would be and then stood and went to the back of the car. He popped the trunk open and from what the tape showed, he appeared to be unloading something. No one had been by yet. Duncan was still at the back. He stopped whatever he was doing and his head snapped up quickly for no apparent reason. He reached up and covered his face with his hands and his body shook. He ran around to the side, apparently screaming. He checked the back seat repeatedly before finally sinking to the ground and curling into a ball next to the open car door.
Veronica and Logan looked at one another.
"Veronica, no one was there. No one came near the car to take her."
She only stared blankly back at him as Duncan came in. Logan switched off the television.
