Still in Russkie Business territory, but you won't recognize any of the dialogue. An alteration occurs here. (Sorry, minor glitch in first upload.)

Disclaimer: All belongs to Rob Thomas, none to me.

X X X X X

"So should we take your car or mine?" Logan asked.

"What's with the presuming we'll drive there together?" I asked.

"It'll save gas," he said. I simply stared at him. "And it'll give me a chance to continuing weaving my magic spell around you."

"Ah-hah. I knew you had ulterior motives, Echolls."

"I always have ulterior motives, Machiavelli," he said.

"What the hell. I'm enjoying watching you try," I said. "But your yellow monstrosity, okay?" We couldn't take the Le Baron. I still had a drawer full of Aaron Echolls' do-it-yourself porn in my back seat and nowhere to stash it. I had an idea about that, though, and after Logan and I went our separate ways I made a call.

At lunch that day, I didn't even tell Wallace about what I'd learned the previous night -- I couldn't, no matter how much I wanted to -- though I did tell him about the bonfire. Logan did not sit with us today. He did, however, stop off for a few minutes' conversation and sarcasm along the way and took special pains to exchange pleasantries with Wallace.

Another point in his favor. Not that I'm keeping score or anything.

I also called Dad and told him I had to beg off doing receptionist duty that day "because I was doing my investigation into the shot glass and note." He seemed disappointed, but he understood.

I walked out with Meg, asking if she'd gotten any more messages from her secret admirer. She hadn't, unfortunately.

We collided in the parking lot when she turned and I didn't. "Your car's over there isn't it?" she asked.

"I'm not going that way," I said, "I have some business I have to take care of elsewhere." I pointed to Logan, who was standing by his X-Terra. Logan gave a small wave and smile when he saw us looking in that direction.

"Aha," she said.

"Aha, what?"

"Nothing. Just that you've been spending a lot of time with Logan recently -- and he did publicly blow off Dick Casablancas and Madison Sinclair so he could sit with you."

I said, "Yeah, he's on this campaign to 'win me over.' I'm finding it tremendously amusing."

"And you have no interest in him?"

I said, "Not other than as a friend."

"Uh-huh. Well, just have fun with your 'friend.'"

Then she walked off. I called after her, "Don't think I didn't hear those air quotes!"

"Air quotes?" Logan said as I started to get in the SUV.

"Never mind," I said firmly.

"I do have a bit of good news," he said as we pulled out of the parking lot.

"What?"

"Neither of the two elder Kanes is going to be in attendance. Jake's still at work and Celeste is off doing . . . you know, whatever kind of fundraiser rich women want to go to when they want to pretend they're doing something good and noble. Save the lesser spotted monarch shrimp, or something."

In my best piteous voice, I said, "Poor little lesser spotted monarch shrimp. They need our help so much."

"I made that name up, you know."

I gave him a don't-be-stupid look. "Darn. And I was going to contribute $50, too. Guess I'll have to use it for something more important, like food." After a second, "So, are you going to try to exercise those ulterior motives?"

"I thought I already was," he said. "You mean you haven't fallen for me yet?" I shook my head no. "Damn. I'm going to have to kick this campaign into high gear."

"If your hire skywriters to emblazon your love for me across the sky, your chances drop to zero."

Logan picked up his cell phone and flipped it open. "Memo to Hiram: Cancel skywriters." He flipped it closed again. "So I guess my plan to rent out all the billboards and beg you to be my snuggly-wugglykins are out?"

"So out," I laughed. "Though it might be worth it for the pleasure of seeing Dick and Madison have twin seizures."

Logan said, "Changing the subject . . . what do we do after we get the note?"

"I have to meet someone for another case," I said. "And you?"

"Not what I meant."

"As '80s sitcom as it sounds, I think we need to take things after that one step at a time. Let's get the note and the tapes first and we'll worry about later, later. Oh -- we do need to get Duncan out of the room while we get the tapes."

Logan nodded. "I have that covered." An expression of disbelief must have crossed my face, because he said, "Trust me."

"An alien notion, but I'll try it. As far as later goes -- Dad and I don't even have Abel Koontz free yet."

"You will," he said confidently. "I have faith in you, Machiavelli. Once you set your mind to something you're impossible to shake off. You're like a cute blonde leech."

"So now my choices are being compared to a cynical Italian political philosopher or a bloodsucking invertebrate. Not doing yourself any favors here, Echolls."

"I did say cute," he protested. "Besides, Machiavelli has a bad rap."

"How would you know?"

He looked actually offended. "Because I've read him. I don't just get those inspirational quotes of the day out of the nearest 'Chicken Soup for the Soul."

After a minute or so, I said, "I'm sorry."

"Thanks." After a second or two, he relaxed and said, "Some of my 'friends' have the intellectual depth of a wading pool. I kind of have to dumb down to fit in."

"You do a very good job of it." This time he could tell I was teasing; he just grinned.

We drove the rest of the way in an amiable silence.

X X X X X

Duncan was waiting by the front door. He seemed to be in a good mood. "Not surprised you arrived together," he said as he gestured for us to come inside.

"Well, I was going to fly in using my mutant powers, but I left my cape at home," I said. I asked him how the dance preparations were going and he said they were going fine. I declined to ask him who, if anyone, he was planning on taking. There's being friendly with your exes, but that kind of pushes it into the "stalker" category.

"C'mon," Duncan said. "I know you want to get in and out of here as fast as you can." He hustled us through the house.

"Fast, sure, man," Logan said. "But if I'd realized this was a track meet I would have worn different shoes."

Duncan stopped. "Too fast?"

"Just a little." We went into Lilly's room.

The place didn't look like it had been touched except by maids since she died. I could see her lying on her bed or rummaging through her closet, picking out clothes - -for me, of course, not her, since "I'm fabulous in anything I put on. I could come to school in army boots and a wedding dress and the next day? Everyone'd be doing it!" I could never quite persuade her to actually give it a try, though.

I reached into my bag for a screwdriver.

"You carry a screwdriver around with you?" Duncan asked.

"Comes in handy more often than you'd think," I said.

I dragged a chair over under the vent and started to remove one of the screws. I nodded to Logan when I started to take out the second and he took Duncan into the hall with him. They started talking about something I couldn't quite hear.

In the vent -- damn.

Some part of me had still been hoping I'd been wrong. But, in addition to a note -- which I confirmed was from Logan -- there were three tapes. What looked to be Aaron Echolls' writing marked the dates.

Sounded like Logan and Duncan were done. I shoved the tapes in my bag and began to screw the vent back on.

As they came back into the room, I hopped down from the chair, moved it back, and handed Logan the note. "That's yours, all right." I said.

"Did you read it?"

"No. Just checked the handwriting."

"Thanks." He folded it up and stuck it in his pocket.

We walked back to the living room and I nearly collided with Duncan when he came to an abrupt stop in front of me.

"Logan," I heard. "Good to see -- oh. Veronica."

I grinned. "Hello, Mrs. Kane," I said.

Guess the lesser spotted monarch shrimp was on its own.