Still in the gap between Russkie Business and Betty and Veronica. And thanks to everyone for the massive amount of feedback I've received. 100 reviews. Wow. It is greatly, believe me, appreciated. (BTW: Did people notice the massive plot alteration at the end of my changed RB? Just wondering.)
And don't worry: I still have mucho plot left to get to. Abel Koontz is still in jail, and Logan still needs to stay out of it . . .
Disclaimer: Not mine. Dammit.
X X X X X
When I pulled clear of the second kiss, I was thinking, wildly, about how this answered the question about whether I was attracted to Logan.
But, you know, I honestly couldn't have answered it until that second. Crazy, huh?
"I win," Logan murmured.
"You win," I said. "But make any jokes about 'claiming your prize' and you'll go right back to losing."
He smiled. A genuine smile, not a smirk, not a sarcastic grin. "No plans to say that. But I was half-expecting you to say something about this being the heat of the moment."
"You know, Logan, it was really just the heat of the moment --"
"Won't work, Machiavelli," he said.
"Damn." But I didn't mean it, and he knew it.
I leaned down and kissed him one more time -- a good, lingering, passionate kiss, not "I'm going to rip your clothes off right here and now" but pretty damn good. Then, reluctantly, we stopped and I sat down. "Are you up for a trip to the Sheriff's Office?"
Logan shook his head. "You kids and your slang."
I laughed, then said, "You know what I mean. Your mom did call Lamb and we're all going to have to swear out statements." Not a night I was looking forward to.
"Right," he said, "My mother." He laughed. "I'm beginning to think she might not be quite the fragile flower I thought she was."
"Lynn Echolls seems about as fragile as a brick wall. Maybe now that she's out of your father's shadow --"
"Maybe." He stood up. I came over, concerned, but he said, "Don't worry. Like I said, Dick and his pals didn't abuse me; they fed me and everything. The only thing I am is tired. But maybe we should be outside when our distinguished sheriff shows up."
He kissed me once more and clasped my hand, which is how we walked out of the poolhouse.
When we got back out there, Dick had regained consciousness. From somewhere, Meg had gotten a camera and was happily taking photos. When she saw me holding Logan's hand, she gave me a knowing grin.
Right then is when Lamb showed up, backed by half the Neptune Sheriff's Department.
He stopped in front of me. "Veronica Mars. I should have known you'd be nearby."
Lynn Echolls was five feet behind him. "Veronica Mars prevented my son from being dragged off to Mexico. Treat her with the respect she deserves."
Lamb muttered something inaudible -- that was a good enough straight line I wouldn't have passed it up -- and said to me, with exaggerated courtesy, "Miss Mars. If you and your associates would join us down at the Sheriff's Office at your earliest convenience, it would be greatly appreciated."
I grinned. "Now was that so hard?"
Deputy Leo -- I waved at him and he nodded back -- got stuck with pulling Beaver Casablancas from the pool and reading him his rights.
Lamb got to do the honors with Dick. "Richard Casablancas Jr.," he said, "You are under arrest for false imprisonment. You have the right to remain silent . . "
"Dude, you can't do this," Dick interrupted as he was being handcuffed.
"Dude," I said, "He just did." And then the brothers Casablancas were taken away.
Logan got inside and cleaned up, and then everyone involved started to make phone calls to let their parents know they were on their way down to the Sheriff's office.
Within an hour, the Sheriff's office resembled the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, only not as orderly. Me, Logan, Duncan, Meg, Wallace, Lynn Echolls, Jake Kane, Meg Manning's father, Alicia Fennel, Big Dick Casablancas, Casey Gant, Madison Sinclair and Dad were all screaming, yelling, and saying things at the same time. Big Dick threatened Lamb with another recall "like one that got rid of your moron predecessor" unless all charges were dropped. Dad grabbed my hand before I could say anything. Lynn Echolls said if the charges were dropped, she'd do the same thing. Jake Kane spoke up on her behalf. Meg Manning's father, I noticed, said nothing.
Madison Sinclair was screaming about how I'd assaulted her. No one was paying her any attention at all. I also noticed a lack of other '09ers there to back up the Casablancas' and Madison's versions of what happened.
Lamb took quick statements from everyone actually involved in the day's events and sent everyone home with the promise to call them in later. Big Dick Casablancas, Lynn, and Logan were still there as I left, the first two making threats, Logan just standing there quietly. I didn't have the chance to tell him I'd call him later, but I hoped he'd make the assumption, now that . . .
Now that he'd "won." I was going to have to do some thinking about that one . . .
But first, it was time for some quality interrogation time with Dad. I told him what had happened on the ride home. He asked a couple of questions but mostly let me maintain the narrative flow.
Once we got home, he said, "Now, Veronica, what have I told you about invasions?"
"Never get involved in a land war in Asia?"
My Princess Bride reference was apparently ill-timed. "I don't know," Dad said exasperatedly, "Whether to be proud of you for rescuing Logan, furious with you for starting a riot, or simply laugh at the idea of Dick Casablancas staging an 'intervention.'"
"I'd go with one or three," I said. "And I didn't 'start' anything. Dick and his friends started it."
He shook his head and sat down. "You're right. That's not fair of me. Honey. Tell me. What the hell were you thinking?"
"Lamb would have laughed and you were at work. I couldn't think of anything else TO do."
"That's because you didn't tell me what was going on," Dad said angrily. "I would have dropped what I was doing and come running over to help you – and it would have gone a lot more smoothly than getting Duncan and Wallace involved in a brawl."
I must have been close to tears, because suddenly Dad came over and hugged me. "Sweetie," he said. "Look. I understand why you did what you did. Someone you cared about was in trouble. I didn't realize how much you cared about Logan, but that's a conversation we can have later. But you usually know better than to charge in without thinking like that." He pulled out of the hug.
"I was thinking," I said. "I got Lynn Echolls involved."
"Probably the smartest thing you did," Dad said. "Look. Your motives were noble and everything seems to have come out okay. And you're giving Lamb conniption fits, which is always a plus. But next time –"
"What next time? Dick is going to jail."
"You know the way things work in Neptune. He'll be out on bail pending the trial – if there is one."
"There will be," I said. "Lynn Echolls? Not a happy woman right now."
"I noticed. She's a much different woman now that Aaron is dead."
"No," I said, "I think she's becoming herself again."
X X X X X
I made a couple of phone calls that night from my room. The first to the Fennels, mostly to apologize to Mrs. Fennel. She accepted the apology -- with bad grace, but she did accept it. "But Veronica," she said, "Don't get my son involved in anything like this ever again." I promised I wouldn't, and hoped I could keep the promise.
Neither Duncan nor Meg were answering their cells, but I did actually reach Jake Kane at home, who did not seem in the least upset. "I've always told him he needed to be more passionate about things," he said. "This might not have been what I wanted him to get passionate about, but it's passion. Don't worry, Veronica. I'm not mad at you." Then he added, "And Lamb won't sweep this under the rug. I can guarantee that."
Chalk that one up as a major surprise.
Then I called Mac to let her know what was going on. She'd heard about it already. "Everyone's already talking about it, Veronica. The Neptune High Online Forum is buzzing about your "daring rescue" or how "that bitch got Dick Casablancas arrested."
"I'm betting the latter outweigh the former by about 100-1."
"Surprisingly not," she said. "You've got a couple of 09'ers backing your version of the story. And someone took pictures of the whole thing and posted them to the thread. Dick in a dead faint at Duncan's feet. Some deputy dragging Cassidy out of a pool and putting handcuffs on him." God bless Meg. "What is your version of the story?"
She couldn't stop laughing when I was done. "You tasered Madison Sinclair?" she said. "Why didn't you call me?"
"You're not action girl," I said. "You said so yourself."
"To see that," Mac said, "I'd've been Lara Croft."
And finally, I called Logan.
"Hi," he said. "And how was your day."
"Oh, rescued a friend, kissed that friend, got an asshole arrested, got chewed out by my father, and had Jake Kane say something nice to me. You?"
"I was still concentrating on the kiss part," he said.
"Me too," I admitted. "So, what does this make us?"
"You're my snuggly-wugglykins, of course." I think he could hear my roll my eyes. "Let's not overanalyze this, Machiavelli. Let's just see what happens, okay?"
"Okay. Speaking of school –" and I explained what Mac had told me.
"Then let's face it together. Pick you up tomorrow morning?"
"Deal."
So, school tomorrow. This promised to be extremely interesting . . .
I wonder if Dad would let me borrow his body armor?