Chapter Four

The Neptune City Courthouse was about as chaotic as Veronica expected it would be. She was grateful she had thought to make a quick stop at 'Sherry's Rent-A-Wreck'. Her father often used Sherry's non-descript vehicles for stake-outs and surveillence. Veronica had left her father's Taurus at Sherry's yard and now drove a ten year old Honda by the front of the building. The street was choked with media vans and deputies were busy keeping the traffic flowing.

Veronica parked the car in the multi-story lot behind the courthouse and glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure her shaggy brunette wig was on straight. She hurried into the building and spotted Cliff hanging around the front hall. She stepped up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to look at her with no recognition on his face.

"Can I help y- Veronica?"

"Hey, Cliff."

"I was just keeping watch for you outside," he told her, nodding to the front of the building, the entire length of which was glass windows.

"Yeah, I wasn't really feeling the front today." Cliff gave her a wry grin.

"Can't say I blame you there. Well, Mrs. Steadman asked to see you as soon as you got here, so I'll take up upstairs." A commotion outside caught their attention as other people in the front hall crowded towards the windows. Cliff and Veronica joined them just as a limo pulled up. The driver opened the door and out stepped Logan and Trina Echolls.

Veronica sucked in a breath and unconciously placed her palm on the glass as the siblings made their way slowly through the crowd. Trina stopped now and again to answer a question, occasionally dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. But Logan said not a word, just stood beside his sister grim-faced and silent. Veronica closed her eyes briefly, then stepped back from the window and turned to Cliff.

"Let's not keep Mrs. Steadman waiting."

Logan gritted his teeth and tried to block out the voices of the reporters as he and Trina attempted to enter the courthouse. He refused to answer any questions or respond to any statements, though it was difficult.

"Logan, did you know about your father and Lilly?"

"Do you think your father killed Lilly?"

"How do you feel about the affair?"

"What about Veronica Mars? Was she having an affair with your father, too?"

That one stopped Logan in his tracks and it took all of his self control not to break the man's nose. He grabbed Trina by the arm and dragged her the rest of the way into the building. She frowned at him, but didn't want to make a scene in front of the press. Once inside, she scanned the hallway and spotted who she was looking for. The expensively dressed statuesque woman Trina approached looked vaguely familiar as Logan followed.

"Katie," Trina greeted, giving her an air kiss on the cheek.

"Trina, lovely to see you again. And this must be Logan," Katie said, turning to Logan. Trina nodded and introduced them.

"Logan, this is Katie Campbell. Katie, my brother, Logan." They shook hands and Logan finally placed her.

"Katie Cambpell, the lawyer. You got that baseball player off when he killed his wife." Katie's smile froze on her face.

"He was cleared of those charges," she informed him stiffly. Logan raised his eyebrows.

"Right," he replied. "And I suppose you're going to do the same for dear old Dad?" Trina glared at him.

"Logan, stop it. Katie is going to clear Dad of these stupid charges," she whispered fiercely. "You could be a little more helpful." Katie nodded her agreement then smiled and motioned to one of the conference rooms off the main hall.

"Why don't go somewhere a little more private?"

Anna Steadman ushered Veronica and Cliff into her office and offered them seats as she took her own behind the desk. She was obviously a no nonsense woman, flat heeled shoes and a severe bun that nonetheless had a few frizzy strands of hair escaping. Veronica felt sorry for the criminals of Neptune.

"I spoke with your father this morning."

"So did I, he told me."

"Then you know we can't charge Aaron Echolls with the murder of Lilly Kane." Veronica looked at the ground and swallowed. She had expected the news, but it still hurt. "We can, however, charge him with statutory rape, the attempted murder of you and your father, and the breaking and entering and assault of Steve Todd." At Veronica's blank expression, Mrs. Steadman clarified. "The owner of the house where you were attacked." She paused. "Aaron Echolls could still get a good fifteen years."

"Almost as long as Lilly lived," Veronica observed. Mrs. Steadman gaver her a sympathetic look, then cleared her throat and stood.

"Well, it's about time for the arraignment to start. I'd like you present just in case the judge wants to speak to you." With that, she gave them the court room number and promised to see them downstairs. Veronica and Cliff entered the elevator and were descending when Cliff spoke.

"I'm not sure what the nature of your relationship is with Logan Echolls, but it would probably be best if you didn't have any contact with him." Veronica didn't shift her gaze from the floor indicator and Cliff wondered if she'd heard him.

"Yeah, I know," she finally said. He realized she hadn't actually agreed, but he didn't push it.

Logan and Trina were seated at the conference table while Katie Campbell paced on the other side, speaking as if addressing a jury. There was a fluid grace to her movements, her hips rotating just so, her hands expressive, her cool blue eyes radiating intelligence.

'Makes the women admire her and the men desire her,' Logan thought as he listened to her tick off the charges against his father.

"Wait a minute," he interrupted. "I didn't hear a charge for the murder of Lilly Kane, seems like a big one to leave out."

"They don't have enough evidence to charge him with her murder. The tapes prove a sexual relationship, nothing more." Logan winced at her matter of fact statement.

"Those tapes can't be real," Trina declared. "I'll bet Veronica Mars and her dad doctored them or manufactured them or something." Katie appeared to think this over.

"It's a possibility, I'll have the tapes examined." Trina looked slightly mollified as Katie turned to Logan. "Trina, if you'd step out for a few minutes, I'd like to speak to Logan alone." Trina looked at her brother, then back at Katie. She sighed and left the room. "I'd like to talk to you about Veronica Mars." Logan kept his expression carefully neutral.

"What about her?"

A/N: Yes, I know it's VERY short. I'm sorry, I just wanted to get something posted to let you guys know I hadn't left the story hanging. I'm kinda winging it, but I assure you I do know how it ends . . . mostly. I'm just not sure about the in between.