Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner
Duncan, Weevil and Felix are watching The Big Lebowski. He knew that they were there because Ronnie was working.
Duncan gets annoyed when Weevil starts quoting it.
"Dude!" he exclaims.
"Sorry, I've watched this V and the Sheriff way too many times." he tells them with a grin.
Logan comes in, Why didn't you guys wait for me?"
"Not sure when you were going to get here." Duncan tells him.
He sits down. "So, where's Ronnie?"
"Blondie is at work." Felix says.
"She's a the Hut tonight but her and Mac are meeting up to see if the can hack the stations files." Weevil says grabbing a slice of pizza.
At the knock, Logan jumps up and says that it's his room service.
Kendall walks in and with a smirk at the boys on the couch walks into Logan's room.
"Talk to you guys later." he smirks.
"You know I suddenly have this urge for coffee." Weevil says standing up.
"Me too." Duncan and Felix join in.
The three of them leave the room, knowing exactly what Logan is doing with Dick and Cassidy's step mom.
Mr. Pope lets the FBLA club know how each are doing in their investments.
Seems she and Cassidy are doing the best out of everyone.
Gia has joined the group and Dick is, of course, flirting with her.
"How am I doing?" Dick asks.
"Not good. You should have invested in more than one thing." Mr. Pope says. Dick had put everything into Casablancas Realty.
"I'm keeping it in the family." he jokes.
"Well, now you have nothing. Mr. Echolls isn't that fa from you." Mr. Pope says as Dick slumps in his seat.
Gia seems annoyed that he has stopped flirting with her.
"I'm not worried. I always bounce back in the end." Logan snarks.
"Well maybe it's a good thing Mr. Kane isn't here to see how poorly he is doing." he says turning his back to the group.
She and Logan share a look, both unsure and worried that Duncan isn't in class.
Keith watches as the new mayor, Woody Goodman, misses a putt and laughs at himself.
"So any news about the bus crash?" he asks.
"Lamb has assured me that he's working on it." Woody states.
"So there's been some progress..."
"Absolutely. You know it's thinking like that that makes you the person to talk to. I have an idea of how I want Neptune to be. Cleaner and safer. I am going to turn Neptune into a city like Santa Barbara and Camel did. By upping the tax base."
"Really?"
"Yes, the boundaries with be south to the marina, north to the airfield and east to the reservoir."
"That sounds more like a country club than a town."
Laughing slightly, "You're exaggerating. Thee will be nine thousand people and they are going to need a Chief of Police. You." he says pointing at him. "The county will still have Lamb but this way there is twice the protection. Everyone wins."
"I doubt that I would be able to afford to live in the town that I would be protecting and serving."
"We'll make it worth your while." Woody says with a Cheshire grin. He pats him on the shoulder and gets in his golf cart and leaves.
She sends Duncan a quick text to find out where he is before going into the girls' bathroom with and 'Out of Order' sign on it.
Eli, Logan and Felix are waiting for her.
"Anything?" Logan asks.
"Seems the Sheriff has bumped up his firewalls since the last time Mac hacked him."
"Wait.. Mac has..." Felix asks.
"The less you know the better." Eli tells him.
"Very true." she says as he wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her into his side.
"Don't worry boys, we'll find out who this guy is and what his end game is. Have either of you pissed someone off...wait a minute, I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. Felix have you pissed someone off recently that might have it out for you?"
"I don't know Blondie."
"What about your girlfriend. She hear anything?" she asks.
"You've been holding out on me. Who you seeing?" Logan asks.
"Better if you don't know." Felix says.
"Might be better if he does know." she says.
"V..." Eli starts.
"Felix has been seeing Molly..Molly Fitzpatrick."
"Are you fucking crazy?!" Logan yells.
"Molly's family has nothing to do with this. She would have told me if they did. She knows nothing." Felix says coldly.
"Felix." Eli says with a glare.
Felix storms out of the bathroom.
"I'll talk to you later, Ronnie." Logan says leaving her and Eli alone in the bathroom.
"Querida..."
"I know, okay. I just don't trust the girl at all."
"I know but Felix does."
"I won't accuse her or her family again." she says giving him a kiss. Not until I have proof.
"I need to talk to you." Duncan says grabbing her as she comes out of the bathroom.
He pulls her into a empty classroom with Eli not far behind them.
"You remember that hard-drive that Lizzie asked me to keep safe."
"Yeah."
"Last night I started to read some of the stuff on it."
"Duncan..." Eli says.
"I was reading her emails and found that she was trying to help an abused kid."
"Oh shit." she said placing her hand on her stomach.
"The thing is Meg babysat all the time so I have no idea who she was talking about." Duncan said handing her the stuff that he had printed out.
"So she was emailing Child Protective Services. It wasn't physical abuse so Meg didn't have any proof. She never says who the kid is."
"I know, Ronnie I..."
"We'll find him." Eli says placing his hands as Duncan's shoulders and forcing him to sit down.
"Thanks." Duncan whispers.
She kneels down in front of him and covers his hands with hers.
"Okay, so according to Meg's emails, this boy is between seven an ten." Duncan says when they each the office.
"His parents are psycho." Eli says leaning over her at the desk.
"Yeah, they make him write things like, 'I was bad. I deserve to be punished.'" Duncan says.
"This will not narrow things down." she says booting up her laptop. "Meg asked if one of the books will help."
"She must have stolen one of the books."
"We need to get our hands on that book." she says.
"Yeah and how are we going to get inside that house. There is always someone home and her parents hate me. The only time I was able to go over was on Sunday night when her parents were at a church group.
"So we go on Sunday." she says.
"No, me or one of the boys will go." Eli says straightening.
"Weevil, man.." Duncan stats.
"Trust me. If someone gets caught its better for everyone if its me or the boys." he says.
"I don't have..." she stats.
"We have been doing this a lot longer than either of you. Trust me, querida."
"Okay, until then we need to try to figure out who this boy is. Write down who she babysat for." she says handing Duncan a pad of paper and a pen.
It takes him a while to write down the names.
"That is a lot of families." she says when he hands her the pad, completely full of names. She looks at him in shock.
"Meg babysat a lot. Her parents don't give an allowance so she has to work. They didn't want her, Lizzie or Grace to be spoiled."
Looking over the list, "Well, the Goodman's wont need a sitter now that Gia is home. I am going have to do a lot of convince for the others. We need to try to get writing samples."
"Samples?" Eli asked.
"To compare to the book." Duncan says.
"Bingo." she says.
"Hey, kids. Guess who just got an invitation to the departments bachelor auction." Kieth says as he walks in.
"Seriously?" she mutters.
Her dad hands her the invite. "So, Duncan, she putting you to work now too."
"Umm dad..." she starts.
"I'm not going to like this am I?" he says sitting down.
"No, Sheriff."
"Lay it on me." he says sitting down.
They tell him about what Duncan found and their idea to steal the book to compare to writing samples she hopes to get.
"Keep me updated. Veronica, thanks for telling me." is all he says before going into his office.
She starts calling some of the families and is able to get a job with the Fuller family.
She and Gia work together during Ms. Hauser's class about STDs.
With very little maneuvering she is able to get an invite to a sleepover at Gia's house.
After class she approaches Ms. Hauser. The nameplate has a paper over the Mrs. part.
"Ms. Hauser, I was wondering if I could take over for Meg."
'Excuse me?"
"Babysitting your son. I know Meg is going to wake up and I am trying to cover her babysitting jobs for her."
She brushes her off. She leaves the classroom but notices a book on Ms. Hauser's desk, 'You're Forty and He's Gone.'
She goes to the Fuller house and she has barely walked through the door before Mrs. Fuller shows off Sabrina's college achievements before giving her a schedule for Edwin's evening.
"I've scheduled that the two of your will get to know each other by making cookies, then dinner. Edwin will read after dinner. He'll get ready for bed than color pictures until bedtime." she finishes just as Mr. Fuller and Edwin come in.
"Hello Veronica, might have given you an easy night. Edwin should be pretty tired from playing." Mr. Fuller tells her.
Mrs. Fuller shows her the phone list on the fridge and tells her not to invite any boys over.
"I nearly had to let Meg go because of that boyfriend of hers." Mrs. Fuller says.
Edwin gives both of his parents a kiss as they leave.
Edwin follows his mom's schedule to the letter.
She gets a call from Duncan while Edwin is reading, 'Moby Dick'.
She gives him an update and promise to get a writing sample.
She hangs up as Edwin comes over to her.
"It's time for me to color." Edwin says looking at the clock.
"Knock yourself out." she says. Tempted to look for puppet strings on that one.
She watches Edwin color in the kitchen and nearly screams when there is a knock from behind her.
Logan, Felix and Eli are on the patio and motion for her to let them in.
"You were suppose to come later." she snaps at them and pushes them into the library.
"Doing okay in here."she asks Edwin as she grabs a folder out of her bag.
At Edwin's nod she quickly goes to the library.
"You know I never would have picture you a babysitter." Logan snarks.
"Hey, I need the practice." she mumbles.
"Don't worry Blondie. You still have some time." Felix says.
"Okay Mac was able to get some information on this so-called witness. It seems Mr. Tom Griffith is a respected plastic surgeon." she says pulling a photo of the guy out to show the boys.
"I've never seen him before." Logan says and Felix says the same.
Hearing the Fuller's returning, she pushes all three out the door.
She is able to get to the hallway in time to greet the returning parents.
"How did it go?" Mrs. Fuller asks.
"He was perfect. I can only hope that I am able to have a kid that well behaved." she says with a smile and unknowingly places her hand on her stomach.
Mr. Fuller escorts he and pays her.
He offers to call her again.
He shocks he a little by hitting on her before handing her a drawing that Edwin made for her.
Out of the corner of her eyes she can see Felix holding onto Eli so she knows that he head that comment about makeout session on his yacht.
As he goes back into the house, she unfolds the drawing, which shows a surprisingly accurate depiction of her having been brutally beheaded.
Never sitting for them again. Nope. Not happening.
She sends Wallace another email, updating him on everything that is going on and once again asks that he responds.
"Watch were you are going." Ms. Hauser snaps as she collides with her.
"Sorry Ms. Hauser. I was just hanging up some flyers." she says showing her the flyers for babysitting.
"Do you have references?" She asks trying to hide the invitation for the bachelor action that had confidently been placed in her cubby-hole.
"Of course." she says as Ms. Hauser takes a flyer and walks off.
She smiles to herself at an job well done.
"Now I wonder what has you in a good mood." Thumper asks as he comes over to her and hands her a drink.
"Just happy." she says tossing the rest of the flyers in the trash and takes a sip of the tea that he gave her. Not as good as coffee but keeps the stomach calm.
"How you doing, mama?" he says throwing his arm over her shoulders.
"Bad morning that is getting better."
"Morning sickness?" he whispers as they join Felix and Hector.
"Got a couple more months of it hopefully." she says.
"Not so sure about that. My moms had it though he entire pregnancy with my little sister." Hector tells her.
"The entire time?" she whispers suddenly afraid.
"Every person is different." Felix says. "Stop trying to scare her."
"I needs to go to class. Talk to you boys later." she says as she gives each of them a hug.
She is finishing her homework when the doorbell rings.
"Taking the day off." she asks Backup who didn't react at all.
She finds Ms. Hauser, dressed to the nines with her son.
She thrust a paper bag in her hands.
"This is Albert. He is not allowed to eat or drink anything that isn't in this bag. He is not allowed to watch TV. THe two of you can play but please don't wind him up. Follow these things and he will behave himself.
"Albert this is Veronica. She will be watching you today."
She leaves after she introduces them.
"I want ice cream." Albert says minutes later.
"Well your mom said you can't have that."
"I WANT ICE CREAM!" he yells running around the living room.
Backup stats growling about having his spot on the couch disturbed as Albert starts jumping on the couch beside him.
"Eli, can you pick up some ice cream and get over here fast."
Less than twenty minutes later, Eli walks though the door with ice cream.
"Ice cream is here, querida. Didn't think you were having craving yet." he says.
She places her hand over his mouth and motions to Albert sitting quietly on the couch.
Watching a movie that she had put in.
"You are lucky that I am already knocked up cause that kid would make me rethink having children." she says as she goes tough Albert's bag to find a writing sample.
"He can't be that bad."
"Turn off the movie and see what happens. I dare ya." she says with a smirk.
Albert is passed out asleep when Ms. Hauser arrives later that night.
With a grin, she collects her son and leaves.
Mac and she sit in Griffith's office.
He enters and introduces himself.
"We are pleased to meet you."
"Now what can I help you two lovely ladies with today."
"I want to get my boobs done." Mac states.
"I have been trying to tell her that she doesn't need them done at all but she just found out that her boyfriend is cheating on he with a girl that has bigger breasts." she says silently apologizing to Thumper.
"Well, your boyfriend is an idiot. You are positively gorgeous and don't need to change a thing. I can't in good concious help you." he states.
He shows them out as he leaves.
They sit in the car and she notices that Griffith is leaving the office.
They decide to follow him.
He stops at a cigar shop.
After a half hour, she breaks down and goes inside. Mac stops her before enteing.
"Let me. I don't want to hear it from the boys that you got sick due to the smell."
Agreeing she lets her go in her place and heads back to the car.
"Well?" she asks when Mac gets back to the car.
"I didn't see him at first but I noticed him collecting a bag from some guy at the register. Maybe he just needed time to find one that he liked." she says with a shrug.
"Maybe."
"Hey, don't you have a sleepover to get to." Mac says with a grin.
She groans and lets her head drop onto the steering wheel.
Gia opens the door to her carrying a sleeping bag.
"Hi, you need to take you shoes off. My mom won't let anyone wear shoes in the house." she says indicating a spot to put her shoes.
Why are there so many shoes. Do they kill their guest to steal the shoes.
She hears giggling.
Oh please tell me that they kill their guests.
"I have a surprise for you." Gia says putting a hand over her eyes and stats leading her into the house.
My Spidey sense is telling me that something bad is going to happen.
"Surprise!" Gia says removing her hand. Revealing Madison and other girls.
I am in Hell.
Gia's little brother Rodney is writing thank you cards after his birthday.
"Hi, Rodney." she says but he tuns away.
Gia is pondering the snacks when Rodney knocks a bowl of water and a sponge off the table and onto the carpet, freaking out a little.
She uses the opportunity to grab one of the completed thank you cards.
"It's only water. He's a little intense at times." Gia says as they walk back to the bedroom.
She looks behind her to see Woody and Rodney talking quietly.
Rodney gathers his things and the two of them walk off.
"I think I hear my mom." Gia says.
"I'll check." she says thankful fo ra reason to leave the room.
She watches as Gia's mom talks to Woody.
She gets a little closer.
She can't hear what she is telling Rodney, but soon he gets up and Mrs. Goodman leads him away.
She feels uneasy as Woody walks in the other direction to a different room and closes the door.
The girls are gathered in a circle by the pool.
Gia is on he left and Madison is on the right.
"'Pretty Woman' is my favorite movie. Vivian is my hero." Madison states.
"Vivian was a hooker." she mumbles. It fits.
"Only because she had to be." Gia states.
"You know Veronica, I am surprised that you are not covered in tattoos. I mean you are a biker's girlfreind." Madison snarks. "Maybe one on your chest so that Weevil has something to look at."
"So, Gia. How are you and Dick doing?" she asks innocently.
"Are you talking about my Dick?" Madison asks.
"You dated Dick?" Gia asks.
"Yes." Madison seethed.
"That's so weird, he's never mentioned it at all."
As if on cue, Dick and Cassidy climb up on a rock beside the pool. Dick is drunk off his ass.
"I've come fo the panty raid." Dick yells.
Okay time to leave.
"Talk to you later Gia." she says getting up and leaves.
"You going to be okay?" she asks Cassidy before leaving.
"Yeah." he tells her with a nod.
She throws he sleeping bag on her bed and lies down.
"You know when you leave a sleepover early. I am suppose to show up with a trench coat over my pajamas to pick you up." her dad says coming into the room.
"I drive now and am not nine."
"You'll still be nine to me when you are thirty." he goes to leave before stats smelling her jacket.
"Do the two of you need to be alone?" she jokes.
"Explain." he says holding out her jacket.
She takes a sniff and can smell the smell of cigars.
"Mac was tying to find a gift for her dad at this cigar shop. I stayed in the car but the smell must be strong if went form her clothes to mine in such a shot time."
"Was it on Ocean Avenue."
"Yeah."
"Tell Mac to look somewhere else. That place is notorious for dealing drugs. Mostly for the Fitzpaticks."
Sunday rolls around and she is pacing in Duncan's suite waiting for the boys.
Felix and Logan try to play their game but aren't really paying attention at all.
"I can't wait any longer." she says gabbing her car keys and is out the door before any of the them can stop her.
She gets to her car and Duncan jumps in.
The two of them head over to the Manning house.
"He's going to kill me." Felix says as he and Logan watch her car turn the corner.
"He wont' kill you. He'll just make you wish you were dead." Logan says. "Come on. Maybe we can get them before they get to the house.
"Are you forgetting who is driving?" Felix asks as they get into Logan's jeep.
They approach the back door.
"I can't tell where the boys are?" she whispers.
Duncan gabs a hidden key and unlocks the door.
They go inside quietly.
They go up to Meg's room.
"Mama, what the hell are you doing here?" Thumper whispers when she enters the room. Eli just glares at her.
"I go impatient. Yell at me later." she whispers.
The four of them search the room.
She checks the closet while Duncan checks the air vents.
"You giving away Lilly's secrets?" she asks.
He smirks as he pulls the notebook out. He palms a letter that is in there as well.
"I wouldn't have thought to look there." Thumper says.
"Me either." Eli whispers.
Duncan had the notebook to her and she pulls out the writing samples that she has one her.
She opens the book as the boys look over her shoulder.
The sentence "The path to God is paved with righteousness" is written over and over again.
"People suck." Thumper whispers.
She nods he head in agreement.
Looking a the samples and the notebook she comes to a staling realization.
"What is it?" Eli asks.
"This isn't a boy's writing." she whispers.
"It has to be." Duncan says.
She picks up a picture of Meg, Lizzie and Grace in a 'Sisters Are Forever' frame.
"What if she was covering?" she asks.
She gabs the notebook and writing samples and leaves the room.
The boys follow her into Grace's room.
She opens the closet door and moves some stuff to find stacks and stacks of notebooks.
She looks through two of them, and they are filled with the same writing as the notebook in Meg's room.
"This is insane." Thumper and Eli say.
"I can't believe this." Duncan whispers.
There's a bumping sound
She shushs them.
The bumping sound is heard again.
She moves aside some clothes in the closet to see a lock in the wall.
Thumper moves her out of the way and unlocks it.
Grace is behind the door, inside a hidden room, wearing a nightgown, and has shadows around her eyes.
"Grace? It's okay." she says.
"They'll know if the door was open and they won't believe her." Grace says quietly.
"You need to come out of there."
"Daddy said I'm not ready."
"Grace do you remember me?" Duncan says coming forward.
"I don't want to be tested. Daddy said I wasn't ready."
She leaves Duncan to try to convince Grace to come out and pulls out her phone. She motions for Eli and Thumper to leave.
Eli gives her a look but the two of them run out.
Duncan tries to get Grace to come out of the hidden room, but she won't do it.
Suddenly, the lights turn on and Stewart Manning enters the room with a baseball bat.
Duncan quickly gets in front of her to protect her.
"Grace, come out." Mr. Manning calls out.
"Grace." he calls again and she comes out of the closet. "Go downstairs. You mother is in the kitchen."
Grace obeys without a word.
"Get down on the floor." he tells the two of them.
Duncan tries to talk to him, but Mr. Manning yells at him to get down on the floor.
They get down on the floor.
Mrs. Manning enters, and Mr. Manning tells her to call the sheriff.
Lamb enters the room and looks at the two of them.
"I came home from chruch and found these two going through my daughter's things."
"That's bull. He had Grace locked in the closet and we wee tying..." she stats standing up.
"Shut you mouth, you filthy, lying whore." Mr. Manning seethes.
Lamb quiets him and goes to handcuff her.
As he does that, she whispers "There's a small room inside the closet and that they locked Grace in there."
He ignores her and motions for them to leave.
"I'll be back for your statement, Mr. Manning."
Lamb opens the door of the police car and has them get in.
As Lamb enters, Mr. Manning starts saying that he wants Veronica and Duncan prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Lamb completely ignores him and goes to the closet.
He moves the clothes aside and opens the hidden door as Mr. Manning says that he has no right to just come into his house and start poking around.
Lamb looks at the hidden room and then tells Mr. Manning that he heard his father say that exact same speech once.
He leaves without another word.
Lamb gets in the car and starts it.
After looking around, he turns the car onto the next street and pulls over.
He gets out, goes to the other side, and opens her door.
"Get out.' he tells them.
They do, and he unlocks their handcuffs.
Then he gets back into the car and drives off.
She goes home and finds he dad, Eli and Thumper waiting for her.
"Are you okay, honey?" her dad asks.
"They came home and called Lamb. Lamb let us go." she says as her dad pulls her into a hug. "How did I not know Meg was dealing with that, dad? Why didn't I see it?" she cries.
He just holds her and rubs her back.
Mr. Manning walks by his wife and picks up a newspaper.
He looks out the window and sees Lamb parked in front of his house.
