Chapter 20

Paris Gellar looked up from the couch of her campus apartment at the sound of a key in the lock. As Rory walked in, the blonde rolled her eyes and went back to looking over her notes: "well, look what the cat brought in," Paris sighed, then at the thud of Rory's bag on the floor she looked back in time to see the other girl kicked the door shut. "Apparently in more ways then one. Logan's looking for you, but I wouldn't go looking for him looking like you do."

"Yeah, well, it's been a tough night," Rory sighed as she came further into the room.

"Please tell me it's not Dean, because frankly I can't put up with another round of you two," Paris continued to chide as Rory rounded the couch and plopped down onto it, grimacing slightly when she realized she sat on Paris's opened binder. Pulling it out from under her and throwing it to the floor, she closed her eyes as she listened to her friend's diatabe: "I mean, you and Logan are bad enough. You want to date a guy, date him, not some second rate imitation. Like I've told you before I know how you can get in touch with Tristan."

"Paris, not all the problems in my life revolve around boys," Rory put in as she looked at the other girl out of the corner of her eye. "Besides I still don't get how you can compare Tristan and Logan!"

"Oh, let me list the ways!"

Rolling her eyes, Rory rose and shrugged out of her coat. "Maybe some other time when I'm not dealing with a family crisis."

"What now?"

"Seems I have an Aunt," Rory answered as she started to pace.

"Are we talking the girl your grandparents raised or something more sordid?" Paris asked, then at Rory's glared defended herself: "what? Even with your grandfather being as stuffy as he is its possible."

"Aside from the ill factor of that, how did you know about my aunt?"

"Duh, Rory. Every. . ." she started, then stopped short. "Oh. You didn't know."

"No."

"It's just. . . well, she was something of a legend around Chilton, you know? I mean the girl finished top of her class, by correspondence no less. In fact that's the reason I worried so much about you being competition."

"Then how come I never heard about her?"

"It's not like her last name was Gilmore on the rolls. The people in the know knew and most didn't say anything because. . . well, it was common DL knowledge that your grandparents didn't take losing her well."

"And since when has things like that ever stopped you?"

"Hey, even at my lowest, I wouldn't have stooped that low. They say her biological mother was a real piece of work."

"Yeah, so much so that she turned out not to be--- her bio I mean."

"What? Then she was what? Kidnapped? They don't think your grandparents had something to do with it, do they?"

"No. Grandma and Grandpa didn't know all the details, but that seems to have been handled. It's the other that they're worried about."

"What other?"

"She's been convicted of murder." Paris couldn't help but laugh at the statement. "It's not funny."

"You mean you're serious? This just sounds so. . ."

"Days of Our Lives?" Rory asked.

"I was thinking more All My Children, but what would I know about daytime TV?"

"Well, it is more reality based than Days, so you might have a point. Although, I have to say we have to stop spending so much time at the Student Union that we actually know this stuff. Besides, this is my reality, and I have to admit it's quite freaky."

"Better you than me," Paris shrugged. "By the way, did she do it?"

"Do what?"

"You said she was convicted of murder, so did she kill the guy?"

"How did you know it was a guy?"

"Usually is. So?"

"My grandparents don't think so, but a jury did. We have till Monday to get it overturned."

"Why? Even if she did do it, and gets the death penalty, it takes years for it to happen."

"They don't want her to spend anytime in jail."

"Ahh. So the plan?"

"Find the one handed man."

"I know you're one of the reining queens of pop culture and all, but I think that's one armed man."

"Au contrie. Her husband was killed--- and it's a different guy by the way--- and all that they recovered was a hand. Someone looking like him has been gas lighting her."

"Interesting technique. Think someone might have hired him to give her an insanity defense?"

"They could of. But her lawyer's blackmailing her over some other guy."

"We are so going to be seeing this on Lifetime one day."

"Definite possibility," Rory agreed. "Anyway, I have to see what I can find out about this lawyer."

"Name?'

"Evangeline Wilkinson."

"Sounds familiar. Can't place it though," Paris shrugged as she got up. "Come on, let's see what we can find on her."

"We?"

"Well, when I'm a lawyer I'm going to have to know how to get a hold of information like this so I'd be unstoppable, right?"

"I guess."

"So, we'll goggle the name and go from there. Can't be much harder than researching a story for Finn, right?"

"Well, it's a start anyway."