CHAPTER 7

Veronica had a hard time deciding if she should go to class or not. In one way it might be humiliating now that she knew what everyone had been staring at her for; but in another way she didn't want anyone to think that she was ashamed of her friendship with Logan.

She was deciding to go to class just as her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" she said, not recognizing the number on caller display.

"Veronica?" a familiar voice asked, making her gasp in shock. The last time she had heard that voice it had been on TV. She was suddenly nervous and unsure of herself. If she said something wrong right now she would regret it for the rest of her life.

"Mr. Kane?"


Logan didn't go into school.

After reading the paper from back to front, he was hardly able to move back to his room, let alone deal with whatever would happen at school. He was sure that the first time he saw Veronica she would shy away from him.

He wasn't so sure that he would survive it.

The tabloid had used Veronica's interview in a way that Logan had never imagined; honestly. All her quotes were accurate, with nothing read into her words that weren't there. It simply said that they had both lost someone they loved and were helping each other through their grief. And that Veronica didn't hold Logan accountable for his father's actions. All in all, they played her as what she was: an innocent and giving young woman who was trying to give and take comfort in her time of need.

What they implied of Logan was another story altogether.

He hadn't said anything, but that hadn't stopped the reporter from describing the looks Logan had gave him. Apparently he 'looked as murderous as his father' and 'followed in his father's footsteps' to take advantage of a young impressionable girl.

As he read the article he felt icicles form throughout his entire body. Maybe the guy was right. He had wanted to beat the crap out of him, and he was holding on to Veronica like a lifeline. When he told Veronica not to say anything to the reporter, had he been 'hiding something'?

He certainly wasn't trying to scheme his father out of a conviction, but was he trying something else? Like using Veronica's grief to tie her to him because he didn't want to be alone.

He just couldn't face her without knowing the answers to his own questions. He didn't want her to see his uncertainty and take it for guilt. Logan wasn't going to push her away until he was sure that it was best for Veronica if he did.


She knew that people had noticed her leaving, just like she knew what they would think; she was hiding her embarrassment over being duped. But she didn't care right now. The Kanes were finally opening up their castle gate and letting her in. She wasn't about to question the timing, she was just going. The car was waiting for her at the entrance to the school and she got in.

That fateful day when Veronica had found the tapes hadn't really counted. She had sneaked in with the security code Lily had given her and had sat crying silently in Lily's room. It had only been as she was leaving that Veronica thought to check the grate.

Lily had always kept her most secret things there. And Veronica thought that it would be what Lily for those things to stay secret. But then she had found the tapes and keeping it secret was no longer an option.

Veronica had left the house without anyone noticing her and went directly to where her mother's car was parked a few streets away. Then it had been a long drive to the Sheriff's department and her father's office. Through it all she hadn't seen one of the Kanes, other than on TV, since her father had been called on to the scene of Lily's murder. When Veronica had looked into Duncan's eyes, she hadn't seen anything that looked like the boy she used to know, and her impressions of Celeste and Jake that night were lost in the shock of seeing her best friend dead.

Nerves spiked as the car pulled into the large driveway of the Kane residence. The memories here had always been good, but she wasn't sure if what she had seen in the last weeks had ruined that or not.

As she walked though the foyer with Jake Kane five minutes later, revulsion and horror filled her chest and she had her answer. She would never come back here again.

Jake led Veronica towards his study with an apprehension he wasn't used to feeling in the petit girl's presence. Even after he had talked with Leanne, he had never really thought about Veronica as someone who would harm him or his family. She was too good, and so close to both of his children that Jake had assumed that it would translate into loyalty.

He wasn't so sure anymore.

If her loyalty to Logan was stronger, then there would be nothing he could say to change her mind about him. But Veronica staying away from Logan was important. He didn't want any more scandal then necessary when it came out that she was his daughter. And it would come out.

He had sent off the blood samples as soon as he had gotten off the phone with Veronica and had put a rush on it. He would have the results in a week and another daughter soon after that.

"Please have a seat" he told her as he went around his desk to sit. Veronica did as he asked and folded her hands in her lap nervously as she waited for him to go on. Jake noticed her nerves and smiled sadly. "There was a time that you were as comfortable with me as Lily was" he told with regret evident in her voice.

Veronica finally made eye contact with him, but the expression in her eyes was of surprise. She didn't seem to agree with him. Jake had to wonder to himself if the connection he had felt between them had ever really been there, or if he had created it after Lily's death. He wouldn't let himself continue too far down that line of thought. Veronica was his daughter and if they didn't already have a connection, they soon would.

"You're probably wondering why I asked you to come over here, Veronica" he continued, ignoring his own previous statement. "I know how close you and Lily were, and I didn't want to think that you felt cut off from her family" he paused to try and get an idea of what Veronica thought of that. Other than an expecting look, her expression didn't give anything away. "The sheriff's department is finished their investigation of Lily's room and people are allowed back in. I wanted you to have a chance to pick something of hers to keep"

Veronica's expression was suddenly very easy to read; grateful eagerness was in every line of her face. Jake thought briefly about how Celeste would react when Veronica took a piece of Lily's jewellery and smiled. "Anything you want, Veronica"

"Really?" she asked, making Jake think that she was more like Lily than he had thought.

"Anything" he told her again, discovering that he was just as indulgent towards Veronica as he was to Lily.

Veronica couldn't believe it. She was standing in Lily's room with Jake Kane and he was telling her to take anything she wanted. And Veronica knew exactly what that would be.

She went to Lily's bureau and picked up her jewellery case. Opening it up, Veronica could see the various trinkets and expensive gems that Lily had collected during her short life. Reaching inside, Veronica lifted the entire tray out of the small box, revealing a hidden compartment underneath.

She could feel Jake shift behind her in surprise but she continued without turning. He may be in a strangely giving and sentimental mood, but she wasn't going to bet on him staying that way. Especially not after he saw what she picked.

"I want this" Veronica said, not even aware that her voice came out as a whisper. She turned to show Jake what she had picked and heard him gasp in surprise.

It was a small pencil sketch of Lily's face. Made up of only quickly drawn lines and thumb-blurred shadows, it was made by an artist in France during the Kane's vacation there last year. The artist had used the drawing to try and convince Lily to sleep with him. It was sensual while still being innocent and the most beautiful depiction of Lily that there was.

"When Lily showed this to me, she said it was a picture of how she wanted to look" Veronica told Jake in a tender voice. "She didn't believe me when I told her that she always looked like this".

"What are you doing here?" Celeste's voice interrupted Jake's answer. Her voice was venomous and lashed at Veronica like a whip.

"Jake said..."

"Ohhh, Jake said" Celeste snapped back at her, emphasizing Veronica's use of Jake's first name. "Are you such good friends now?" she asked mockingly.

"Celeste" Jake said in a warning tone, clearly not pleased to see his wife. Veronica felt like she was intruding on a personal argument and realized for the second time that she never wanted to return to this place. After getting this picture of Lily, all that would be left here would be bitterness.

"I'm going to just leave" Veronica said quickly, not wanting to make Celeste upset. The two of them had never really gotten along, but Celeste was a mother grieving for the loss of her child and Veronica felt for her.

"No!" Jake said, making both women look at him. His voice had been urgent and Veronica had the sinking feeling like he was going to take the drawing away from her.

"Yes Veronica, please stay and paw through Lily's jewellery some more" Celeste said in a falsely pleasant voice, her eyes stabbing into Jake's like daggers. "I'm sure you haven't stolen everything you want yet."

"Stolen?" Veronica repeated, not understanding. Did Celeste really think that she was just here to take some of Lily's expensive jewels?! She would never even think of doing that. The only necklace that Veronica wanted in memory of Lily was the one Lily had given her for her last birthday.

"I told Veronica to take what she wanted" Jake said tonelessly, staring down his wife. "She's entitled".

"She's entitled!" Celeste repeated. "Entitled!!" Her voice rose to the point of hysteria and Veronica took a step back from her. She had never seen the icy woman lose her cool and was starting to become nervous. "Why, because she was Lily's best friend, or because she was her sister?!" Celeste spat out.

Jake's face paled and his arm twitched, making Veronica think that he had wanted to slap her. Celeste, herself was looking triumphant, her eyes gleaming evilly as she turned back to Veronica.

"Did you know that Veronica?" she asked in what sounded like a mildly interested voice. "Did you know that your mother was a whore who slept with my husband?" Veronica flinched inwardly from the words, but couldn't move. "Did you know that you were dating your brother for almost a year?" A sob came from Veronica's chest as everything started to sink in. "Your mother knew" Celeste finished, her smile still in place, but the hatred behind it clear. Just like her dislike of Veronica always had been.

And now Veronica understood it.

She turned to look at Jake and saw the truth in his eyes. A wave of nausea went through her so strongly that she almost didn't make it to the bathroom. She was wracked with convulsive vomiting for what seemed like hours, but in reality were only minutes.

When she pulled herself together and looked up she saw Duncan in the doorway of the bathroom, staring at her. She wiped her hand across her mouth and got up, wanting to rinse her mouth but not wanting to do it while he watched.

"It doesn't get any better" he told her in a dead voice. It was the first time he had spoken to her a long time. And now Veronica knew why.

She pushed passed him and went back to Lily's room where Jake was waiting. Celeste was gone, but veronica didn't care. She went to where she had dropped Lily's picture and picked it up. Moving back towards the doorway she stopped.

"Was there a blood test?" she asked, her voice as dead to her ears as Duncan's was.

"I'll have the results by the end of the week" he answered, regret and longing clear in his voice.

"Phone my cell as soon as you know" she told him as she walked out of the room. She kept walking until she was clear of the house and down the road. Taking out her cell phone she dialed her home number.

"Hey mom" she said with an even inflection. "I need you to pick me up".