I'm sitting in my car. I have been sitting in my car outside Bennett's house for the past 45 minutes trying to figure out a way to not ask him for help. I cannot so I approach the house. Bennett's 10 year-old sister, Mackenzie, lets me in and leads me to his bedroom door.
I hesitate. Damn that article. I only wrote it because I walked in on Kellie Hamilton crying in the girl's bathroom. She went from a lock for valedictorian to fourth in her class in less than one semester. I had to find out why. My mom would have. Maybe I shouldn't have had the article published. Maybe I should have considered what it would do to my social life first. I take a deep breath and knock.
"What?" I hear Bennett's voice from behind the door.
"It's Ani Case. Can I come in?" I honestly don't expect the door to open but it does. Bennett gestures me to enter. I guess curiosity got the better of him. I tilt my head and get right to the point. "I need a favor."
"Really. Let me guess, you got a D on your Sex Ed test and you want me to fix it. Well I hate to disappoint you but I can no longer help with that problem. I guess you'll have to do extra credit." Bennett said as he walked away from me and flopped down on his unmade bed. "Wait. Do you need a tutor? Is that it Ani? Don't be shy. Just ask me to tutor you into womanhood." Bennett managed to leer and smirk at the same time. It's a particular talent of his. I take my Mom's laptop out of my messenger book bag.
"I need to read the files on this computer but they are password protected. Can you help?" Silence. It's amazing how long 20 seconds of silence can seem. He just looks at me.
"Okay. I'll call you when I'm done." Bennett gets off the bed to collect the laptop and number. Then I kissed him. I rose up on my toes and kissed him quickly on the cheek. I didn't think about it. I just did it. He looks stunned and confused. I probably do too. I show myself out. My phone rings as I walk to my car.
"Hey, I am so winning the bff award today. I just made an appointment for you to have coffee with a certain Logan Echolls today at 2 o'clock. By the way if it comes up, you are interviewing famous alumni for the Neptune Navigator."
"He agreed?"
"Yup. You were very persuasive. Since you have a few hours, meet me at the mall for some retail therapy. You are desperately in need of my fashion advice."
Starbuck's CaféI find an outdoor table. Back Up sits at my feet and I sip my Frappachino trying to picture what my mom's dream guy looks like. Yeah, that's creepy. My parents divorced when I was 2. My dad works abroad as a correspondent. I think he is currently in Spain but I am not too sure. He sends me presents for my birthday and Christmas every year. Both arrive in December even though my birthday is in August. I cannot remember what he even looks like. Mom doesn't really date much so I have no idea what this guy will be like.
"Ani Case?" I look up and see a tall dark haired man with the most gorgeous brown eyes. I nod and he sits down. "Nice dog. What's his name?" He reaches under the table and starts petting Back Up. It's times like this when you forget what a ferocious guard dog he can be.
"Back Up 4.0." Logan looks kind of stunned.
"Odd name."
"Back Up is kinda a family joke and well, we like the name so much we have named all our dogs Back Up. He's the fourth."
"So Ani, what would you like to know?" I reach in my bag to pull out a notebook. I should take notes for my pretend article. I grab Mom's dream journal because it is the first thing I can reach. Over lunch at the mall Aly and I worked out questions to ask. All of a sudden I cannot think of one.
"Umm. You're a writer. What is a typical week like for you? For example last week." Smooth. Mom would be so disappointed. That question was supposed to come much later. It was to be subtly worked in.
"Ani, is Veronica okay? Has something happened?" He is leaning across the table. I stare at him. I try not to cry. "Last week I was in New York City. I flew back last night. I arrived at LAX last night at 10 pm. Oh, wait." He reaches into the bag he had at his feet and pulls out plane stubs. "This should confirm my alibi. I know how you Mars women need alibis from me. Can you tell me why?" His voice is gentle.
"She's in the hospital, in a coma, someone beat her up. We don't know who." I close my eyes and try not to cry but tears come anyway.
"Why did you come to me?"
"She wrote about you, in her dream journal."
"Veronica Mars dreams about me?" He looked pleased. "Is that it?" I nod and hand it over to him. I know I probably shouldn't. Hell I probably shouldn't have read it myself. "Spy pen." He says to himself.
"What?" Logan holds up the pink pen that is attached to the dream journal. He twists the cap and pulls out a piece of paper.
"Spy pen. Used to hide secret messages." Logan looks at the note and hands it to me. "It's for you."
Ani- Stay out of your Mom's stuff! Since I have your attention… Honey, you should live, be crazy, take that guy you have a crush on and kiss him! Find your Logan and have the courage to trust him. -Mom
"So, Mom was trapped in a fortune cookie factory."
"Any Lotto number on the back?" Logan asks. I flip the note over and cannot help but laugh.
"No, but she did include how to say safe sex in Mandarin Chinese." I have put Mom's note back in the spy pen and pack up my things. "We should go to the hospital." Logan just nods.
St. Vincent's HospitalWhen we arrive we see Grandpa Keith sitting in a chair by Mom's bed. He is holding her hand.
"Grandpa?" He looks so tired.
"Logan? What are you doing here?" He looks at me. "Actually, I already know. It's good to see you. Sweetie, do your homework. I am going to run home to clean up. I'll be back soon." He kisses me on the forehead before he leaves. Logan takes his place and I set up at the table and chair in the corner to do my schoolwork.
"Logan, do you want something to read? You could read out loud it won't bother me. I have Seventeen Magazine and Anna Karenina."
"Interesting combination. Thanks, I'll take both." He starts by reading Seventeen to my Mom. Logan is reading about the new summer colors of lip-gloss when my cell rings.
"Hi."
"It's Bennett. I'm done."
"I'll be over in 15 minutes." I pack up my messenger bag as quick as I can. "Logan, I have to go. Wallace should be here any minute." I practically run down the hallways of the hospital.
Bennett Durgan's HouseI knock and Mrs. Durgan answers the door. "You must be Ani. Bennett is expecting you. I am so sorry to hear about your mother. We went to High School together. I know she'll be fine."
"Thanks, Mrs. Dugan."
"Please call me Cindy. We will be serving supper in 15 minutes. I'd be thrilled if you'd join us." I nod. "Bennett's in his room."
I knock and this time the door opens immediately. Bennett says nothing but motions grandly with his arms for me to enter. "Your Mom's password was xq/i2z9. I wrote it down." He then walked to his desk and handed me the laptop. "How is your mom?"
"Same." I don't look at him. Concentrating on stopping the tears that are threatening to flow.
"Maybe you should leave these files alone. Let the police handle it."
"My mom is lying unconscious in a hospital bed. I cannot just go to cheerleading practice and party at Dog Park. I cannot pretend everything is normal." I put my mom's laptop and password into my messenger bag. "Thanks though." Then I rise up on my toes to kiss his cheek. Bennett places his hands on my shoulders and stops me. I return to my flat feet and turn to go. I feel completely humiliated. Then, Bennett's hand quickly reaches for my arm, spins me around, and we kiss. This is a real kiss. It's a heart racing, no breathing, and body-thrilling kiss.
"Bennett! Dinner!" Mackenzie yells. "Ani! You should come too!"
We break apart and each take a step or two backwards. My breathing is in gulps and gasps. "Your mom invited me for dinner." Bennett nods. He looks stunned and his eyes are searching my face.
He nods. "We should go then."
"Ani, you remind me so much of your mother. Did you know I helped your mom out on some of her cases when we were in school?" I shook my head. Mom didn't like talking about the past very much. "I was a computer geek even then and would crack passwords, determine sources of emails, set up websites and other things for her cases. It was so much fun." Mrs. Durgan paused for a moment and looked at her son. "None of it was illegal though. Oh, and I never did anything that would hurt someone, like say selling grades." Bennett broke eye contact with his mom and looked down at his plate.
"Now you are the founder of your own software company. Is that fun too?" I ask.
"It's not bad. Mac honey, eat your vegetables."
After dinner I grab my bag and Bennett walks me to my car. "So, now what are you going to do?"
"Read through mom's files. Find out what stories she was following. Get a clue." I unlock the door of my convertible. Mom always says a teenage girl in Neptune must have her own convertible. I don't disagree. "And you?"
"Party at Dog Park."
"Right." I throw my bag in the car. Bennett reaches out, places his hand in my hair and kisses me. I break the kiss and ask, "What are we doing?"
"No idea." He kisses me again.
"You hate me."
"Not so much." He says as he runs his thumb across my jaw line. This time I kiss him. My phone starts ringing. I don't recognize the number but pick up anyway.
"Hello."
"Ani, this is Logan Echolls. Don't worry your mom is fine. We are all just wondering what trouble our little Lois Lane has gotten into. You ran out of here pretty fast."
"Hi Logan. I am heading back to the hospital right now."
"Avoiding the question are we?" I get in the car, wave to Bennett and put my car into drive.
"Actually, I have been attempting to follow mom's secret pen advice. Any tips you can give me from Seventeen Magazine?"
"Never forget to bring your taser on a first date."
St Vincent's HospitalI enter the waiting room of the hospital and see my uncle and grandfather talking to the Sheriff. They stop speaking as soon as they see me.
"Hello. You must be Ani. I am Sheriff Navarro." He offers me his hand and gives me a warm smile. Somehow even with the smile he still seems menacing or at least very powerful.
"The Sheriff here was just catching us up on the investigation. You should go see your mom now." Wallace said. It was obvious that he was not a fan of Sheriff Navarro.
"I want to know. What have the police found out?"
The Sheriff sighed. "I was just telling these gentlemen we have not found out much. She paid for lunch at Cho's Pizza at 11:35 and she was found beaten 2 blocks away at 12:15. What she was doing there, who she met, anything beyond those two facts, we don't know. I do assure you though, we will find out. Now go see your mother before visiting hours are up." I nod and walk to my mom's room. Logan is still sitting by her side.
"I'm going to go get some coffee. You want anything?"
"A soda would be great." I take his place by mom's side and for the longest time I just hold her hand in silence. Her hand is cold. "Mom, please wake up. You mean the world to me, do you understand that? Are you listening to me? I need you to wake up." The door to the room opens.
"Veronica has never been good at following orders. Here's your soda. They didn't have Skist, only upscale brands." He hands me a Coke.
"Thanks." I stand to give him his seat back.
"That spot is reserved for you. She'd want you there more than me." He says. I smile. Grab my bag and go to my makeshift desk in the corner.
"You are a close second dream boy and I have work to do." He sits and begins reading again from Anna Karenina. I start looking at mom's files. I find three story notes that were saved in the last week. One of those stories must have led to this.
Story Notes
1
Investigating disappearance of Angelina D'Agostino. Intern to
James Rimes
Story Notes 2
Disappearance of funds/ possible embezzlement at Neptune High
Story Notes 3
Disappearance of Rueben Fennell's stole bicycle.
I disregard the last story idea. Mom must have promised my 7 year-old cousin she would find his bike. The other two do have promise though. The hospital room's door opens and in walks a doctor.
"Hi. I'm Doctor Justin Smith. I'm sorry to tell you this but visiting hours are over in 10 minutes and I need to check on my patient." Logan has stopped reading but doesn't move.
"I'm Ani, her daughter. I…I don't want her to wake up alone."
Dr. Smith nods and walks over to Veronica's bedside. He proceeds to check her vital signs. "I'll let the nurses know you will be staying." With that he leaves the room.
"I'm not staying. I have some things to follow up on. Will you stay?" Logan nods. "Grandpa, Wallace, Alicia, people will be in to say goodnight. Do you want me to pick anything up for you?"
"No. I'll call someone. They'll bring what I need. Be careful tonight."
"I'm going to a party. How dangerous can that be?" Logan gives me a look that I cannot quite describe.
Dog ParkBy the time I arrive, the keg is tapped, the bonfire ablaze, and couples are making out on beach blankets. I am not in the mood for a party but I need information.
"Ani! Ani, I cannot believe you're here!" Aly comes running across the beach and gives me a sloppy hug. "We are playing I Never. You have to play. Come on!"
"Aly, I don't think I should play. I am following up on a lead. I need to stay sober. I have get information from Betsy about her father and his mysteriously disappeared intern."
"What better way to get information than by playing I Never? Hey, how did it go with Bennett?" I immediately start to blush. "I knew it! I knew he had a thing for you! I mean why else would he not date me?"
"Whoa. Nothing happened. Well, not really. I mean we kissed but that's it. We aren't dating or anything." Aly just smiled and continued to drag me over to the group playing I never.
"Everyone! Look who's here." Aly plops down on the sand between Bennett and her boyfriend Eric. "Ani, sit by me. Bennett could you scoot over, just a little. Whose turn is it?"
"Mine." Replies Bennett. "Okay. I've never made out with Alyson Nance." I pour myself a drink from the pitcher in the center of the circle. He sheepishly says, "Sorry Al." Nearly every guy around the circle drinks.
"My turns coming up and I will get you back." She says with a smile. My turn. Might as well start trying to get information.
"I have never walked in on my father having sex." An ewwww was given by many people sitting around the circle. I do notice Betsey did take a drink. Not sure how that information has helped me.
"I have never French kissed Ani Case." Aly says with ultimate triumph in her voice. I look around the circle and see a surprising number of guys including Eric take a drink.
"Liars! I have never kissed you."
"Spin the bottle. Eight grade." Replies Eric matter-of-factly. Around the circle guys murmur spin the bottle and varying junior high school grade levels. "Fine. Let's clear this up then. I've never French kissed Ani Case outside of a spin-the-bottle related game." I am so dumb. I am so dumb. I cannot believe I walked right into that. Only two people around the circle drank. Alex Russell, my freshman year boyfriend of 1 month and Bennett Durgan.
"Dude. Say it isn't so. Say you haven't kissed the NARC. I mean when? How? Why?" Malco asked.
"Yes. I kissed Ani. Betsy, I think it's your turn." I start to get up. I have definitely had enough of this game. My questions for Betsy will have to wait.
"I have never taken matters into my own hands while thinking of Ani Case." That statement freezes me in place, halfway between sitting and standing.
"Whoa. It's always the quiet ones. Nice job Bets!" Aly says as she scans around the circle. "Come on gentlemen. Drink up! I know you all want the NARC." I watch in horror as nearly every guy in the circle drinks, even Malco.
"Ugggh. I need to leave."
"Wait!" Says Bennett as he starts walking after me. I stop and he runs back to the circle, chugs his beer and walks back to me. "So, uh, what do you think?"
"Like...in general, or is there a specific arena in which you'd like my opinion? I mean do you want to know what I think of the quality of my beer. Or do you want to know what I think about Malco picturing me naked?" I shudder at this thought. "How about what I think about my mom lying motionless in a hospital bed while I am here at this lousy party? What?"
"Right. Sorry. What do you know so far about your mom's investigations?" I let out a deep sigh and sit down.
"Nothing much. Mom didn't leave much in the way of notes and I am no investigator. I've watched her my whole life and I still have no idea how she does it. I cannot even get information from a 16 year old girl."
"Anything I can do to help? I'm normally quite good with 16 year old girls." I cannot help but smile.
"I think I have heard that somewhere. Actually, I could use your hacking skills. I need complete financial records of Neptune High. Right down to how much money they spend on Polly the Parrot's bird seed."
"Easy."
"Well, I'm off to find Betsy. If nothing else maybe she can help me get an internship."