CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

Leaving out the picture of Lisa's brother, Veronica gathered up the rest of the photos and returned them to the shoebox. Maybe the Marshal can get them to Lisa's parents. She opened the fridge and leaned on the door while she studied its contents. Dinner did not look promising.

When she felt Logan behind her, she craned her neck to see him. The time spent checking on the baby seemed to drain his earlier tension, but his eyes were focused on Lisa's shoebox. Not quite ready to resume their conversation, she deflected. "We need to go food shopping." Veronica closed the door and turned to face him. "And by we, I mean you."

"Nope, that's your job."

She batted her eyes at him. "I'll trade you laundry for it?"

"But you like laundry and I hate the supermarket." Logan crossed the room to the coffee maker. "Especially when you send me with" —he shuddered—"coupons."

"Do they offend the rich boy in you?"

"We wealthy tend to leave those things to the help." He held up a mug. "Do you want one?"

"I'll just drink yours."

Logan made the one cup and doctored it with the amount of cream and sugar she preferred. This was their dance. They were softer with each other now —the jokes less barbed and no cutting remarks— but they still resorted to humor, sarcasm, or snark when they were avoiding the unpleasant. He sat at the kitchen table and Veronica curled up on his lap taking the mug away from him.

She took a long sip. "Mmm… perfection."

"I know I am, but is the coffee good?" Logan wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder before stealing back his coffee.

Veronica smiled. "Is Wyatt okay with her Little People?"

"For now. She wanted to give them all a bubble bath and was less than pleased when I said no to the tub."

"How did you avoid the nuclear meltdown?"

He shrugged. "I'm not saying I did this, but I may have given her a spray bottle of water and told her they liked showers."

Groaning, she buried her face in his chest. Wyatt and water would mean wet toys, carpet, bed, walls, and anything else she could reach to "clean." None of that would bother Logan; he'd walk on the squishy carpet and sleep with wet sheets. He let Wyatt play and experiment and run and make noise, let her be a child. Sometimes she thought he enjoyed all of it even more than Wyatt did. She lifted her head. "I love you, Logan Echolls."

He pressed their foreheads together and kissed her nose. "Enough to go food shopping?"

"And do the laundry." With her fingers she traced the line of his jaw and the contours of his mouth.

Logan nipped at her fingertip. "I see you packed away Lisa's pictures."

"Her parents should have them." Pulling his arms away from her waist, she stood and returned to the refrigerator. She took out a bag of frozen peas. "Why do we keep buying these?"

"You're hoping one day Wyatt will eat them."

Veronica rejoined him at the table, but in her own chair. She put her foot in his lap and the peas on her knee. "Have you ever heard of the halo effect?"

He dipped his head as a familiar smile played across his lips.

"It's not a random question," she protested.

A slight shake of his head. "Okay, I'll bite; what's the halo effect?"

"It's a cognitive bias where your judgments about a person are influenced by an overall positive impression of their character. You wanted to know why I never held Duncan accountable… how did you put it? Never called him on his shit?"

"Yeah, this wasn't random at all."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Do you want to hear this or not?"

He pressed his lips together. Using his thumb and forefinger, he turned an imaginary key and tossed it away.

"In the years right after Lilly died, Duncan represented a happier time for me. Like a touchstone linking me to the old Veronica so I kept viewing all his shitty behavior through this positive lens."

"Right" —he smirked— "A Duncan-sized blind spot."

"Try throwing the key further away this time," she grumbled. When he remained silent, she continued. "The point is… there's an opposite of the halo effect- the horns effect and I may have over-corrected. Now that I see things —Shelly's party, Meg, Aaron— differently, I'm starting to view everything Duncan does as a negative."

"Progress! Finally."

"If you're not going to take this seriously, why am I—"

"Trust me Veronica, when it comes to you, I'm very serious." He put down the mug he'd been holding during the entire conversation and took her hand. "While I appreciate all this effort to share, this is not what we should be talking about right now."

"I'm telling you this because I made a mistake. I was so focused on how the Kane family keeps screwing up my life that I was positive the accident had to do with the espionage and it doesn't."

"It was a logical assumption."

"That's just it - it was an assumption. Maybe if I'd—"

Logan cut her off. "No. You didn't just focus on Kane Software. You looked into Mac's background and Lisa's and you considered her other cases. You couldn't have known they were two separate cases."

Veronica frowned. "I think a part of me wanted Duncan to be responsible for the accident."

"And how do you feel now?"

"Let's just say there won't be Friday nights spent watching the Big Lebowski and eating Chinese food."

"Are you using my material again?"

"Community property, baby- your material is mine."

"Half, Mars," he corrected. "Are you sure you passed the Bar exam?"

Wyatt ran into the kitchen. "Water bye-bye!" She careened into Logan's side, thrusting the spray bottle at his chest. "Water bye-bye."

It was easy to see why her water was all gone; her hair was damp and her tee shirt completely soaked. Logan brushed the wet strands of hair away from her forehead. "Do you want more?"

Veronica started to protest. "I don't think—" But the combined effect of Logan's indulgent, happy smile and Wyatt's upturned excited face was enough to silence her objection. She dropped her leg to the floor so he could get up.

Standing, he cinched his arm around Wyatt's waist and lifted her from the floor. "I'll go assess the damages." He carried Wy sideways, tucked under his arm and she pretended to fly with whoosh noises and giggles.

Veronica used the break to call her dad. "Feel like coming over for dinner?"

"Depends- what are we having?"

"Whatever you're bringing." She cocked her head to the side while she thought about it. "But you know I'd never turn down manicotti."

Keith chuckled. "Spaghetti and meatballs for Wyatt?"

"And veal saltimbocca for Logan." Veronica was already thinking of asserting the rules of community property in order to acquire half of Logan's veal. "How did it go with the car?"

"Eli let me store it at his shop."

Weevil's garage would definitely be safer than long-term parking at the airport. "So no trackers or a tail?"

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"After Wyatt goes to bed." Logan was back and leaning in the doorway listening to her conversation. "Don't forget the garlic bread and the antipasto."

"Cannoli too?"

"Did you even have to ask?" She hung up and held out her hand for Logan to come closer. "Dad's bringing dinner."

"I heard." He crossed the kitchen, squeezed her hand, and dropped back into his chair at the table. "No tracker or a tail?"

"I thought the hit-and-run driver followed me from the Watsons so I left the BMW and hitched a ride with the ambulance. I had my Dad go check it over and stash it somewhere safe."

"I'd like to stash you somewhere safe."

"I could put an ad in the paper? Dear Anthony Calabrese, I'm not investigating you anymore so please leave me alone, sincerely, Veronica Mars." She tossed the bag of peas on the table. "But somehow I don't think he'd be reassured."

"The 'not investigating' would reassure me."

"But you're not a wanted fugitive."

When she'd interviewed Lisa for the job at Mars Investigations, there was something about her that reminded Veronica of herself. Not the settled down version, but the 'fire and brimstone, vengeance is mine' Veronica that pursued Lilly's killer with a single-minded devotion.

Drug dealing aside, Andres Salgado was Lisa's brother and he was murdered. Was Lisa on a quest to bring Anthony Calabrese to justice? Her entire motivation for becoming a private investigator could have been to track him down. Getting justice for Lilly is what motivated me.

Logan wasn't looking at her. He was sipping his coffee and staring out the bay window into the yard. Without turning around, he asked, "Are you still going to call the Marshals Service?"

Veronica frowned. Call the Marshals Service. She stared at the shoebox on the counter. Somewhere safe. "I think we already did."

He swiveled in his seat to face her. "Explain, please."

Abandoning the chair, Veronica went back to the counter island and got the shoebox along with the picture of Lisa's brother. "Elena Salgado's new identity as Lisa Watson was established in Seattle; my guess, that's where she was relocated after the trial."

Logan took the birth certificate and transcripts she offered him. "Okay, but that doesn't answer—"

"Scott Watson, or whatever his real name is, was listed as Lisa's emergency contact. Not her parents, but her imaginary brother in Seattle. Why would she do that unless it was important he be contacted right away?"

"So you think he's a Marshal?"

Veronica nodded. "Either Lisa called him when she spotted Anthony Calabrese or my father's phone call alerted him to the danger and he came to Neptune to relocate her parents."

"Why hasn't he returned the call?"

"Lisa's already dead." She shrugged. "His priority would be to bring Lisa's parents in and get them somewhere safe. Finding Anthony Calabrese isn't his responsibility."

"It's not yours either."

"No, it's not," she agreed. "But we both know Lamb isn't going to prove he killed Lisa." Her dad would call in the FBI, but their only interest was apprehending Calabrese for the murder of Andres Salgado and, without Lisa's testimony, there was a chance that case wouldn't even go to trial. Bowing her head, she concentrated on aligning Lisa's paperwork and neatly stacking it in the shoebox.

"Hey" —he lifted her chin with his knuckle— "What's wrong?"

I'm letting Anthony Calabrese get away with murder. "I've never walked away in the middle of a case before."

Logan was watching her with one of his intense stares; the one that made her feel exposed while he read her mind. "Is that what you're doing?"

Meeting his gaze without flinching, she nodded. "I think so."

"What about the espionage case?"

"I'll find Stewart Manning's accomplice and save Duncan's precious Smartpaper from being stolen." Bitter, party of one.

She started to pull away from him and he lightly gripped her chin. "Veronica, if you're dropping the accident investigation because of anything I said tonight- don't." He stroked his thumb across her chin. "We had a deal, remember? You investigate, I worry."

"And you really excel at it" —she gave his hand a gentle squeeze— "I'm not doing this for you." Standing, she grabbed the bag of peas from the table and returned them to the freezer. "There's a little girl inside who needs—" Veronica bit her bottom lip to stop the slight tremble and then offered him a weak smile. "—A towel and a dry shirt."

His eyes said he understood. "Brave move... trying to take away her water."

"Wish me luck."

"You're going to need it."

Veronica walked down the hall and peeked into the bedroom. Wyatt was busy trying to fill the tank in the Little People aquarium so her dolphin would float. She needed both hands to squeeze the trigger of the squirt bottle and the effort ruined her aim sending a spray of water across the carpet.

"Do you want Mommy to help you?" Veronica held out her hand for the bottle.

Wyatt seemed undecided; torn between her desire to do everything herself and the realization she needed help. I know exactly how you feel. "Fish 'wimming?"

"You want your dolphin to swim?"

"Mama do." She relinquished the spray bottle and Veronica shook it. There wasn't much water left. Surprise. Twisting off the top, she dumped the remaining water in the tank, but it wasn't enough to make the dolphin float to Wyatt's satisfaction. "More."

"Maybe we should let him swim in the kitchen sink with his friends?" With pursed lips and a furrowed brow, the baby thought about the offer. Veronica sweetened the deal. "Don't you think Ollie the Octopus wants to swim too?"

Wy's love for the purple floating octopus had her grabbing the dolphin and racing for the kitchen. Veronica stopped in the bathroom to collect the octopus and a hairbrush; then she detoured through the laundry room for a clean towel and a dry shirt before following Wyatt in to the kitchen.

The baby was holding out her dolphin and pointing to the sink trying to explain the new plan to Logan. She was getting very frustrated with his inability to understand what sounded like, "Leewimink."

Veronica grinned and rattled the octopus at him. "Ollie is going swimming in the sink."

"So your plan for taking away her water was to offer her even more water?"

"Brilliant, right?"

"Not the word I would choose, but okay."

Putting the octopus in the farmhouse sink, Veronica turned on the tap and added enough water to make him float. She picked up the baby and sat her on the counter. After towel drying her hair and changing her shirt, Veronica gave Wyatt the rings to toss on Ollie's tentacles. While she was busy flipping the rings into the water, Veronica brushed her hair and put it in pigtails. "Now what were you saying about my plan?"

"That it was genius."

"That's what I thought you said." Veronica retrieved the rings from the sink and handed them back to Wyatt. "Watch her while I go clean the bedroom?"

"Leave it; I'll clean it later." Logan eyed her knee. "You should go sit."

Without protest, Veronica took the article and photo of Andres Salgado and went back to her chair by the newspaper clippings. The first few articles contained general background information on the illegal drug market and the Sinaloa cartel's part in it- moving coke from Columbia through Mexico and into Los Angeles before trucking it into Chicago. Once the drugs reached Chicago —hundreds of kilos each week— it was Andres' job to store it in warehouses and deliver it to the middlemen who mixed it and resold it to dealers throughout the city.

Anthony and Vinnie Calabrese wanted in on the operation and decided to take on the cartel. Veronica shook her head. The article called it faccia tosta —nerve— but she thought that was too complimentary a term. Idiotic, crazy, absurd would have been better descriptors.

The brothers targeted Andres Salgado inside his Gold Coast luxury mansion. They tortured him first presumably for the warehouse locations and then they ended his life with a bullet to the back of his skull. What they didn't know was that he'd stashed his sister Elena in the panic room he'd installed and she watched the entire thing on the CCTV. When the police found her, she was a wreck, but she still managed to give them a complete account along with the killers' names. However, somebody must have tipped off the Calabrese brothers because Anthony was gone by the time the SWAT team arrived.

In pretrial motions the prosecutors tried to argue for a trial in absentia, but were denied. Veronica smirked. Now that's faccia tosta. Trials in absentia were rare since they didn't jibe with due process and the Supreme Court had already prohibited them for defendants not present at the start of their trial. Motion denied, Anthony was added to the FBI's most wanted list and the prosecutors proceeded with their case against Vinnie.

Elena's —Lisa's— testimony convicted Vinnie without much deliberation. But each time she was questioned about her brother's business and his involvement with the Sinaloa cartel, she claimed to know nothing. Veronica didn't know if her claim was truthful or if it was just self-preservation. Either way Lisa made sure that the cartel would have no interest in her or her testimony.

Leaning back in her chair, Veronica put her leg on the ottoman and closed her eyes. The cartel was not after Lisa so Anthony Calabrese had to be responsible for the accident. She doubted Anthony was lying low as a computer programmer at Kane Software. An investor maybe? The trophy wife's drug dealer was too young. Young enough that he should be delivering Dominos and not coke. And what kind of moron would be involved dealing coke when he was wanted by a drug cartel?

The doorbell put an end to her musings and she went to let her father in. "I'm surprised I had to ring the bell; I figured you'd be able to smell the garlic from a mile away."

"Gwanpa!" Wyatt flew across the room and hugged his legs. Tilting her head back, she asked, "Puppy?"

Keith grinned. "Partner's home sleeping."

"Puppy night-night?" At his nod, she pouted and let Keith go.

Hanging his head, he sighed. "I was usurped by a dog for my granddaughter's affections."

Logan chuckled. "Don't feel bad, I was abandoned for pancakes."

"That's because she eats like her mother." Keith held up the bags of food as proof.

"For that remark, you two can have cereal while Wyatt and I experience an Italian feast."

"Hey, why do I have to eat cereal? I didn't say anything." Logan took the bags from Keith.

"It was just a matter of time."

Keith picked up his granddaughter and wrapped an arm around Veronica's shoulder. "It's okay kiddo; we love you and your appetite." They started walking toward the dining room. "So what happened to your knee?"

Wyatt said, "Mama boo-boo," at the same time Veronica replied, "I'll tell you about it after dinner."

Keith and Veronica emptied the bags while Logan got plates and silverware. They ate family style and Veronica watched Wyatt beguile the two men on either side of her throughout the meal. She stole black olives from their plates because she needed one for each finger, convinced Daddy that he didn't need any cheese, and then hoodwinked Grandpa into letting her have two mini-cannolis for dessert. "You two are the worst."

Logan unstrapped the baby from her booster seat. "And where do you think she got those skills?"

"No idea," Veronica said as she popped another cannoli, Logan's cannoli, into her mouth.

He shook his head at her thievery. "Come on Bean, let's go take a bath."

"No M.O.V.I.E., she's watched all her television for the week."

With a soft smile, he leaned over and kissed the top of Veronica's head. "Don't worry, Mom- just bath, books, and bed."

Wyatt was okay with the first two items on his list, but the last one had her squirming to get down. "No bed." She held out an arm toward Keith in search of rescue. "Gwanpa."

Logan snagged her hand and kissed her fingers. "We'll come back to see Grandpa after bath time." He bundled her from the room, distracting her with the promise of finger-paint and extra stories.

"You never wanted to go to sleep either- always afraid you'd miss something," Keith said with a fond smile.

"Feeling nostalgic for your youth?"

"No, for your youth, when my biggest worry was getting you to eat your vegetables." The smile was gone. "What happened to your knee?"

Veronica started with the information Max found on Lisa, talked him through her search of the Watson's house, and then told him about the attempted hit-and-run. "I left the car there just in case they kept eyes on it; I didn't want to lead them home."

Keith nodded. "I made sure I wasn't followed- a few sudden turns, ran a few yellow lights and stopped at the Sheriff's Department."

If there was a tail she had no doubt that her father would've spotted it. "Lisa had a file of newspaper clippings on her desk. Logan organized them and they're in the living room." Veronica wanted to see if he would come to the same conclusions. "Go take a look while I clean up."

After storing the leftovers, she loaded the dishwasher and made two cups of coffee. Veronica carried the mugs into the living room and passed one to Keith. He accepted the mug with a thanks and jabbed his thumb toward the board. "Witness protection?"

Veronica nodded. "But how did she get her investigator's license?"

Keith took a sip of his coffee before answering. "There wasn't anything preventing her. She wasn't a criminal and her prints would be clean."

The Marshals Service was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice- the same agency responsible for fingerprints and background checks when you applied for an investigator's license. "You'd think they'd want to keep their protectees out of any type of law enforcement."

"The left hand doesn't always know what the right hand is doing." He frowned at the board. "It's also possible that she left the program. Officially" —he injected just the right amount of cynicism into the word— "No witnesses who followed the rules have been killed while in the program."

"So her parents might have fled on their own?"

"Maybe."

She showed him the photo of Andres. "I got it from Lisa's apartment. At first, I thought it was Scott, but you can almost make out the letters r.e.s. on the back." Veronica shared her theory on Scott Watson being Lisa's WITSEC agent.

"Do you think Lisa called him when she spotted Anthony Calabrese?"

Veronica shrugged. "Or your messages alerted him." She picked up the article that detailed Anthony's role in the murder. "I just don't know how Lisa found him? Did she move to California to follow a lead? Was she investigating Calabrese this entire time? Or did she come across him by accident?"

"You think this is why Lisa was killed?"

"Don't you?" Veronica countered.

"I don't know, honey. If Lisa found him, why not call the FBI?"

Bringing in the FBI might have stopped the accident, but not necessarily. All these years later, Lisa would still be the prime witness in the case against Anthony and that was enough of a reason for him to want her dead. "Maybe she didn't have time."

"Or maybe she didn't find him at all and he found her."