"THAT LITTLE BITTY GRITTY NITTY"

A/N: Dog gonit! Mr. Thomas has beat me to it again! Let me just say this, at the end of this episode is a little surprise in which I had no means of copying from last weeks episode, but I was too late in putting it on the site, so Mr. Thomas beat me. I repeat, I had no intention in copying what had happened to Veronica from last week's episode, (Donut Run). So, to get my line across, I've decided to add a couple of spoilers before I begin, just to let you guys know the direction I'm heading in.

GENERAL SPOILERS FYI:

Aaron Echolls will return, as will Duncan.

Max Verdetta becomes a regular and his relationship with Veronica will grow.

Veronica will 'die' later on.

Jim Chimery, the lab tech from 'Normal is the Watchword', will play a key role in the mystery.

We will find out more on Miss Jackie's relationships.

Jackie, Wallace's ex, does come back, as will Beaver and Mac.

A total riot and gang war will break out.

Weevil and Veronica become closer and more understanding of each other.

And there you go, just a few spoilers just to get the readers pumped for the next episodes, and just to make sure I don't lose anyone's interest. And that Veronica dying thing, you'll have to wait until episode F3x15 'Without A Mexican', to find out what happens. I've also included a list of the next 10 episode titles.

F3X06. DO-RAG ON THE HIGHWAY

F3X07. KILLER INSTINCT

F3X08. OLD YELLER

F3X09. GO GO TO YAY YO'S

F3X10. SNOOPY DOG

F3X11. DOWN THE RIVER

F3X12. DRIVER AND ED

F3X13. STATIC IN THE CITY

F3X14. BOATLOADS OF FUN

F3X15. WITHOUT A MEXICAN

The 'F' stands for FUTURE, since these are Future Fics for Season 3. So, there you go, your 'keep it hooking' spoilers for the week. Thanks for your time, and keep reading!


Previously on 'Veronica Mars':

Veronica turned around to find Logan just standing there, with his hand on his side. Logan took his hand away to find his palm covered in blood.

"Logan?"

Veronica ran over to Logan who was lying on the floor with a large blood stain on his shirt.

------------------------

"I didn't stab Logan. You know it. I'm not that stupid to do such a thing." Weevil told Veronica.

"Then who did?"

"I'm not that sure, but I know none of my guys would have."

"You sure about that?"

"I keep them under my control these days. No more Felix's are running the show."

"You hope that."

------------------------

"I'd like you to meet Max Verdetta. We met a few months back at a P.I. convention." Keith said.

"Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you." Max put his arm out hoping for a shake.

"Ohh! I like having a fan club!" Veronica shook his hand.

-----------------------

'The law just isn't fair sometimes. I've learned that from experience'.

------------------------

"I guess it wasn't enough. They declined your reinstatement?" Veronica asked.

"Well, you said it. They wanted me out of Neptune High, and they did it. And soon enough I'll be out of Neptune all together. That's what they wanted." Miss Jackie said.

"But you can fight this. It's not over."

"They've won, Veronica. And they'll keep winning, until they are stopped. And I believe that that's where you come in. I believe that you will stop them, sooner or later."

Jackie placed the rest of her things into the box, picked it up, and walked for the door leaving Veronica standing behind.

I'll bring these people to justice, and it will be served. I just don't know when… or how…


A beam of neon light shown through Veronica's window onto the mat on her floor. He LED clock just changed figures from 2:22 to 2:23. Next to the clock was a sleeping Veronica who was quickly jolted by the ringing of her cellular phone.

"Hello?" Veronica asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Veronica…" The voice quickly fired out.

"Hello? Duncan?" Her eyes lit up.

Silence. Then the dial tone on her phone.

"Hello?"

Keith ran into the bedroom, his eyes turned a bit down, as if he was saddened by something.

"Dad? What is it?"

He looked down at the floor, in an essence of sorrow.

"What?" She became more intense in the subject.

Keith and Veronica entered Neptune Memorial Hospital a half an hour later, Veronica trying to walk as quickly as possible to see what had happened.

The doctor met with the two of them.

"What happened?" Veronica asked, worried.

"Well…" The doctor started.

"Honey…" Keith also started.

Sheriff Lamb stormed out and went over to Veronica.

"We need you to identify a body." Lamb told her.

"Body? Of whom?" Veronica asked.

The four entered trauma room one, and Veronica slowly walked over to the body that was laying on the table, covered by a sheet.

The doctor went over to the superior part of the body, hesitated, and then drew the cover back.

Veronica stood stunned at body she saw on the table. She moved a bit closer.

"Oh my god…" Veronica said under her breath.

She turned to look at Keith and Lamb who were standing next to the doorway. She looked back at the lifeless body of Duncan Kane…


Veronica woke up with a jolt. She quickly put herself up in her bed, and started to breath heavily. It all seemed to have been a dream. Yet, Duncan was alive, for which she hoped. Veronica glanced over at the clock that read 3:16.

Keith entered the room. Veronica gaped at his presence.

"Veronica…" He started.

"What?" She became worried at Keith's facial expressions.

Keith and Veronica arrived at Neptune Memorial Hospital a half hour later.

"Please tell me this is a dream." Veronica said as she trailed behind Keith.

The two met up with the doctor and Sheriff Lamb.

"She's here." Keith's voice deepened.

"Take her." Lamb told the doctor.

"To see what?" Veronica asked.

"You should know." Lamb replied.

"What?" Veronica asked.

Veronica followed the doctor down to the morgue where he pulled out one of the carts. He went over to the superior part of the body, hesitated, and then pulled the cover down.

Veronica gaped even larger than before as she saw the body that was lain on the table.

Lamb and Keith entered the room, and Veronica looked back at them, and then back at the body.

"Oh my god…" Veronica said.

Veronica felt a sense of relief that it wasn't Duncan, but was still shaken. She looked back at Keith and Sheriff Lamb before looking back at the cold body on the table. It wasn't Duncan, but it was Carla Jackie…

CREDITS PLAY.


THREE DAYS EARLIER

Veronica watched as Miss Jackie placed the rest of her things into the box, picked it up, and walked for the door leaving Veronica standing behind in the darkened classroom.

'An innocent teacher, gone because of a few who were totally jealous of her. And now, her life's been ruined, and no hard evidence proving her innocence. The criminals of this crime are now sitting behind their desks smiling, while I watch the woman of their demise pack her things and leave. I will bring these people to justice, one way or another.'


Veronica entered the apartment to find Keith watching television with Max. Keith turned to see her.

"Hey, honey." Keith greeted.

"Hey, dad." Veronica replied.

"How's everything?" Keith asked.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Innocent teachers packing their boxes, criminals getting away with it… just that old little bitty gritty nitty."

Keith smiled as he got up from the couch.

"Don't worry, honey. We'll get them." He hugged her; "Want any dinner? I can cook up some macaroni?"

Veronica smiled back.

"Sure."

Veronica went over to the couch where Max was while Keith dug in the fridge for the macaroni.

"Hey." Max greeted.

"Hi." Veronica replied.

Keith looked up from the fridge.

"Max is going to be staying with us for a while until I can get a hold of Vinnie or his parents."

Veronica looked at Max who smiled.

"Oh… that's great!" Veronica replied.

Max looked at the television, then back at Veronica.

"Like 'O.C.'?" Max asked.

"Nah, not really. I have some homework anyway." Veronica trailed off to her room.

'Hmm, I do have some studying… Like how to get Miss Jackie off the hook, and about who stabbed Logan."


Veronica was in her room with her trig book when Max peeked his head in.

"Hey."

Veronica looked.

"Oh, hey."

"Listen, I just wanted to tell you that if I got off on the wrong foot at the start I just wanted to apologize." Max replied.

"No, it's not you. Although you are a little spooky, it's just that a lot's been happening right now. That's all."

"Oh, okay. So, we're cool?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Good night."

"Night." Veronica replied.

Max closed the door and Veronica placed the book on the floor, and went back to her computer. She went onto the investigative site, and entered in 'Allison Patterson'. On the screen came one entry. She clicked the link to open the file.

On the screen was a picture of Neptune High's principal, and next to that was random, but useful information.

'Well, Miss Patterson has quite a record. She has really moved about in the school system.'

Veronica scrolled down to check out the earlier dates. She found one from 92' that was interesting.

'Left in the middle of a term as principal of Springfield High for unapparent reasons. Strange, interesting. My kind of fun! It says that she disappeared for a ten year period and popped up again becoming a principal at a school in L.A. where she disappeared once more. She reappeared after Moorehead left and Vice Principal Clemmons' short run as principal… Why did Clemmons give up his job as principal?'

Veronica scrolled down some more.

'One parking ticket in New York, two divorces, one to a Tim Kennedy (1988-1992), and a John Walker (1998-2002). Both men reside in the Neptune area. Invested in stock at the Boatloads of Fun Corp, and got out in 04'. And that's it… Married twice, and coincidentally they both live in Neptune. What are the odds in that?'

Veronica went back to the search page, and entered in Kennedy's name when Keith knocked on the door. Veronica turned to the door.

"Just a second!" Veronica called out closing her laptop.

She got up from her desk, and went over to the door.

"Your macaroni's getting cold." Keith told her.

"Yeah, I'll be right there."

"Is everything all right?" Keith asked.

"Everything's… great." Veronica smiled.

"All right. Hurry on out, we're about to watch," Keith started in his Schwarzenegger voice, "'The Terminator'".

Veronica smiled again and did her voice. "I'll be there."

"Okay." Keith left.

'Well, there isn't really that much else I can do tonight, but I'm wondering about Clemmons now…'

Veronica walked out of the room.


Logan walked down the hall of Neptune High on the next morning to run into Weevil. They both gave a glance.

"I know it was you." Logan started.

"Me what?" Weevil asked.

"Don't play stupid with me."

"You mean I stabbed you, is that it?"

"You should know." Logan replied.

"Why the hell would I want to stab you for? Huh? I tried to help you out, to get you off of murder, and now you're accusing me!"

"You only helped to find out who actually killed Felix."

"Is that what you think? Yeah, maybe I decided to help out a trashy 09er just to help clear my name."

"Yeah, the same thing happened before. Now half my house is extra crispy."

"Great. Now you think that I burned your big bad mansion! I want nothing to do with you, man. All I did was try to find out who had betrayed me, and you."

"Was that for a bonus?" Logan asked.

"You really got one smart mouth on you."

"Yeah, I think I inherited it."

"I want nothing to do with you, and I sure as hell would never stab you. You got the wrong guy."

Dick Dick came over to Logan.

"What's going on? Loser here's trying to take another stab?" Dick laughed.

"Not funny." Logan replied.

"What?" Dick asked.

"Stay out of this." Weevil commanded.

"Who are you, my mother?" Dick asked.

"Well, at least mine's not a hoar." Weevil commented.

"What was that?" Dick asked, taking a step closer to Weevil.

"You heard me, not bug off."

Dick and Logan looked at each other, and charged at Weevil slamming him into a locker. Weevil tried to fight back by trying to give some shots into Dick's and Logan's stomachs, while Dick and Logan tried to crush him.

Weevil pushed Dick off of him, and Logan swung with a nice right hitting Weevil in the jaw. Weevil came back with a charge sending Logan to the ground. Weevil got on top and started to repeatedly smack Logan in the face. Dick came over and pulled Weevil off of Logan, smacking him.

Soon after a crowd formed, teachers came over to break it up. As they did, Veronica walked in to see the three guys. Blood on their faces, their shirts torn. Bruises already forming.

"What happened?" Veronica asked as she stepped up to the three boys.

"These two rich boys jumped me." Weevil replied.

"You had it coming loser." Dick replied.

Veronica slowly backed away from the scene heading in the opposite direction.

'Your average morning in Neptune High I guess I can say. Fights before breakfast, cram studying at your locker before the warning bell, and a trip to your friendly vice principal's office before the late bell.'


Veronica walked into Clemmons' office, and sat down. Clemmons looked down from his paperwork and lifted his brow before starting.

"Veronica…"

"Clemmons…"

"What brings you here once more? Received another tardy?" Clemmons asked.

"If you keep my waiting I will be, but I just want to know something."

"That's all you want to know, Veronica. What is it?"

"Why did you quit your position as Principal and go back to being Vice Principal?" Veronica asked.

Clemmons lifted his brow once more.

"Well, you see… I was not at authority to become principal. The nomination was not in my direction. So I had to resume my position as Vice Principal."

"That's great, but what really happened?" Veronica asked.

"There is nothing else. That's what happened."

Veronica didn't believe it, but she went with the flow.

"Okay, so our principal, how did she get nominated?"

"I am not so sure about that. All I know is…"

"What exactly do you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know that she's a free floater? Going from school to school, leaving without any reason?"

"What? I'm sorry, Veronica, but I do not…"

"You know the reason why you left as principal. Was it because of her? A deal? Or was it a threat?"

"Veronica…"

"What? There has to be a reason! A reason why."

"I don't know! All I know is that the superintendent chose who was to become principal of this school. Talk to her."

Veronica glanced one more stare, then stormed out of the office.

'Superintendent Sheryl LeBlanc. She's been around years. No one's liked her, and they've even tried to get rid of her, but with no luck. Of course, she's not your all together superintendent, but more of a… flashy hooker type.'


Veronica parked her black LeBaron in the parking lot of the Neptune Board of Education, and walked inside. She went over to the front desk where no one was sitting, and snuck into the back office hall and entered the superintendent's office.

Veronica sat down and waited for the return of Cheryl LeBlanc. When she came in, she became startled at the fact that Veronica was in the room. LeBlanc was dressed in a red and black short skirt, large high heels, a top that barely covered, dark red lipstick, and wavy blond hair."Excuse me?" LeBlanc started.

"Oh, hi! I'm Veronica Mars." She smiled.

"How did you get in here?"

"Your wonderful secretary let me in."

LeBlanc looked back at the door, then at Veronica.

"What do you want, I'm busy."

"I was just wondering how you picked Principal Patterson to become principal. Because how I remember it is that Vice Principal Clemmons had become principal after Moorehead had left."

LeBlanc was startled at what Veronica had said.

"You do know a lot…"

"It's in my family gene pool to know a lot."

"Well, Miss Mars. She was selected by a nomination, which she was voted in by. Mr. Clemmons had no authority on him becoming principal."

"You do know about Patterson's records, don't you?"

"Which are those?"

"She left in the middle of a term as Principal for unknown reasons, disappeared off the face of the earth for ten years, and surfaced back into the system mysteriously at a school in L.A. and again disappeared until she principal of Neptune High."

LeBlanc was speechless.

"I… I…I know nothing about that."

"You didn't check her records?"

"Yes, I did, but none of what you just told me was in the record."

"Oh…"

"Why is all of this?" LeBlanc asked.

"I'm just trying to get a teacher off the hook, and prove her innocence. That's all."

"Oh, well. I'm sure she is. Now, if that is all…"

"Yes, yes."

Veronica waved her hand, and knocked the cup of pens on LeBlanc's desk onto the floor.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

"It's not a problem." LeBlanc replied.

Veronica reached down, and started to collect the pens. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pen. She placed it in with the rest of the pens and placed the cup back on the desk.

"Well, thank you for your time." Veronica got up from the chair, and left the room.

LeBlanc looked around with a ghastly face as Veronica left.


Principal Patterson was sitting at her desk when the phone rang.

"Miss Patterson."

"Yeah, Allison. We've got trouble. I just had that Mars girl in my office just a few minutes ago."

"Oh god, no. She's trying to spoil everything. What did you tell her?"

"Nothing she already knew. I didn't have to say a word. She knew everything about her."

"Okay, listen. We need to get her away from this mess before she screws everything up. Don't worry, I have a plan."

"You better, or all our asses are in."

Patterson placed the phone onto the receiver, and began to work again.

On the other end was a sly Veronica. She smiled, and placed her cell phone back into her back.

Patterson's phone rang again.

"Patterson."

"Yeah, Allison. We need to talk."

Patterson became confused.

"Cheryl?"

"Yeah. That Mars girl you told me about, she came into my office asking me about you."

Patterson sat completely still, and only one word from her lips was uttered.

"Mars…"


'Okay, now I'm cooking. It looks as though the happy hooker has something to do with the 'conspiracy' of Carla Jackie, and in fact is a very close friend of Allison Patterson. What plan was Patterson talking about? And was the mess that I've been screwing up? This just keeps getting better and better…'

Dick Dick, Weevil, and Logan all sat in the interrogation room at the sheriff's department while waiting for Lamb or one of his Deputies to come in. The three tried to keep themselves occupied while trying not to look at one another. Logan started to tap on the table. Weevil looked squarely at him, but he kept tapping.

"Could ya stop that?" Weevil asked.

Logan stopped and looked at Weevil.

"What? Am I bothering you?"

"Smartass." Weevil uttered.

"What was that loser boy?" Logan asked while resuming the tapping.

"Stop tapping, or your balls will be between your teeth." Weevil replied.

"Dumbasses, both of you stop." Dick blurted out.

"I told you to stay out of this." Weevil yelled.

Lamb came into the room.

"Okay, children. What do we have here?" Lamb asked.

The three started to talk together.

"Hey! Hey! I don't care!" Lamb yelled as he went over to Dick.

"Hola." Dick smiled.

"Shut it. Now, all I want to know is who started it?" Lamb asked when one of his deputies came into the room.

"Sheriff…"

"Not now, I'm busy!"

"Sheriff, there's been a murder."

Lamb looked back at the deputy.

"Okay, I'll be right out." Lamb replied and looked back to the three guys. "All right, the three of you, beat it. I don't want to see you back here."

The three looked at each other as Lamb left the room.


Lamb went over to one of his deputies.

"What happened?"

"Murder. Carla Jackie. It was reported that she was strangled, then stabbed a numerous amount of times."

"All right, let's get down there."


Veronica arrived at school a little later, and met up with Wallace.

"Hey, I tried calling you, but your phone was off." Wallace told Veronica.

"Yeah, I had to go do something, no prob."

"So, seen Max lately?"

"Yep, last night. At my house, where he sleeps now."

"He moved in?" Wallace asked.

"Yep, how joyous!"

"He is freaky, isn't he?"

"God only knows."

The bell for the next period rang.

"Got to go, talk to you later?"

"Yeah, see ya." Veronica replied.

'While the children are at play, Veronica Mars is bugging away. Hey, that rhymes.'


Veronica snuck into the teacher's lounge with her bug in hand. She went over to the plant that was hanging near the corner of the room, and neatly tucked the conspicuous object into the plant, but so that she could see the room, and also hear what was going on.

After the bugging of the lounge, she snuck into the principal's office and got another bug ready. This time, it was in the shape of a stapler, but only with sound. She dumped the original stapler into her bag, and replaced the new one into the original position as the old one.

As she was about to leave, Patterson came into the room, and was startled once more.

"Miss Mars!"

"Hi, once again. I was wondering, do you have any other flyers for that carnival that is coming up?"

"Um, yes. I think I do."

Patterson went over to her desk, shuffled around a few papers, and pulled out a flyer and handed it to Veronica who looked at it.

"Well… I guess there ain't no magic mountain high enough, thanks." Veronica started for the door.

"Miss Mars. Next time, please make an appointment and please knock next time. You just startle me to death."

"We wouldn't want to go that far, would we? Thanks for the flyer."

Veronica left the room.

'Well, I've got to say, that was one close call, now to see if my little buggies actually work!'


Veronica reached home, and went inside to find Wallace there with Max watching t.v. The two looked to see who it was.

"Hey!" Wallace greeted.

"Hey Wallace, Max."

"Hi."

Veronica went over to the couch.

"What's going on?" Veronica asked.

"Nothing really. This guy just got Punk'd!" Wallace replied.

"He had it coming!" Max responded.

"Well, I'll see you guys later, I have some homework."

Veronica went into her room, and went over to her laptop.


'Okay Allison, how about a background check?'

Veronica typed in her name in the field box, and pressed enter. Moments later, the result came up. 'No results found'.

"What the?"

Veronica tried again. Still nothing.

"Looking for someone?" Max asked as he came into the room.

Veronica turned around.

"You startled me."

"Just like everyone else today?" Max smiled.

"How do you know what I did today? Were you spying on me?" Veronica got up from the chair.

"No."

"How did you know? Is my father paying you to follow me around?"

"No! I thought that you may need some help on this."

"I don't need any help."

Veronica sat back down, and tried to search for the superintendent's name once more.

"There's nothing, I've already checked."

Veronica looked at Max.

"Whatever's going on here, it's major."

"Then you know about Patterson's record?"

"I tried to get more info from the school in New York." Max replied.

"Well… close the door and sit down. Tell me what you have."

Max closed the door, and pulled up a chair next to Veronica.

"The current principal there said that she quit was because of some dispute that had become unresolved. It seems that after she had quit, she left the country for ten years. I don't know if that's true or not, but then she came back to the states and got a job as principal at a school in L.A. just like that. This was in 1998."

"When she also got married."

"Yes. And do you know what else? She was hired by the Superintendent of that county. The last term of LeBlanc before she moved to Neptune and became Superintendent here."

"So, they are friends, and LeBlanc kept getting Patterson jobs."

"That's what it seems…"

"What if they're connected?" Veronica asked.

"To what?"

"I don't know. This whole Jackie thing. Maybe there's a larger picture to all of this and we're not looking deep enough."

"It could be."

"If we could prove that the Superintendent is involved in all of this, then we could link the hiring of Patterson to her, and get Jackie off the line because this was all a conspiracy to start with."

"It could…"

"Here, I hid these today."

Veronica logged off of the search program, and plugged into her computer the two wireless receiving cards for the bugs. Sound and picture came onto the screen of the teacher's lounge.

"I don't think that there'll be any activity tonight, but maybe tomorrow."

Max looked at the screen.

"Wait. Put the volume up."

Veronica looked at the screen, and placed the volume up. Five faculty members were discussing.

"What are we going to do?" One of the teachers asked the principal.

"Don't worry, I'm in the process of taking care of it."

"What if it's ruined, the plans?" Another asked.

"They're not going to be ruined. And don't worry about that Mars girl, all she is is an annoying little fly that can do no harm."

"I hope you're right."

"Don't worry!"

Max looked at the corner of the screen to see a sixth person.

"Who's that?" He asked.

Veronica looked at the figure making his way toward the exit.

"He's African American it looks like. Nice suit."

The two watched as the five dispersed from the room.

"I think you're right, there is something going on. Nothing more we can do tonight."

Max got up from the chair.

"Night." He left the room while Veronica watched the screen but was blanked out.


"Veronica! Help me! PLEASE?"

Veronica looked around in the darkened room.

"VERONICA!"

"Duncan, where are you?"

"VERONICA!"

Veronica woke up from her nightmare, she looked around the room. Then at the clock. 1:52. Max quietly entered.

"You all right?" He asked.

"What? Yeah."

"I heard you in the living room, I was worried."

"It's nothing."

Max sat down on the bed next to her.

"It's just my ex, that's all."

"Oh."

"Duncan, he ran off with his ex-girlfriend's baby because of her abusive parents. And I know that it's for the best, but… I know that I'll probably never see him again."

"If it's his girlfriend's…"

"It's not like that. She's dead. He promised that we'd help take care of it. We planned his getting away with the baby."

"Oh… I guess that it's in the best interest of the baby."

"Yeah, it is. I miss him, but I keep getting these damn nightmares."

Max looked down at the bed.

"I'm worried in case…"

"He's dead?"

"Yeah."

"I don't think you should worry."

"Why?"

"I don't know, just a feeling…"

"Yeah, yeah…"


Weevil walked down the hallway, bumping into Logan who was walking the other. Logan went over to Veronica who was next to her locker.

"Any clues?" He asked.

"None yet."

"Come on! Just follow him around or something. At least make it look like you're busy finding proof for my interest."

"I'm seeing what I can dig up. There isn't that much to go by."

"Ask around, there were many people there."

"Yeah, too many. This'll take a little while."

"Well… just hurry up."

Logan knocked on Veronica's locker door twice, and walked away.

'My mother always told me that ex-boyfriends were going to be impatient. I wonder what Patterson's up to?'


"What? She's dead? How? I'm not sure, I'm telling you that I had nothing to do with it! Well then, find out!" Patterson slammed the phone down while Veronica knocked on the door, then opened it slightly to peek her head in.

"Knock, knock?"

Patterson looked to see who it was.

"Not now, Miss Mars!"

"I just wanted to know about your relationship with Miss LeBlanc. It really is an interesting one!"

"There is nothing to tell!"

"How did you get those jobs as principal? You did apply as principal wherever she was Superintendent! Did you do her good in bed?"

"What? NO! Get out!"

Veronica chuckled, and left.

'How about a little talk from spy radio?'

Veronica took out her laptop, and listened in on Patterson.

"Miss Mars." Clemmons passed her in the hallway.

"Mr. Clemmons."

Veronica went back to listening.

"Yeah, listen. We've got major trouble! Call him up. Ask him what he knows."

'Why is it that every criminal on the face of this planet his to use pronouns instead of actual nouns like names?'

"Just find out!" Patterson yelled slamming down the phone.

'And the awful cat like yells?'


Veronica woke up with a jolt. She quickly put herself up in her bed, and started to breath heavily. It all seemed to have been a dream. Yet, Duncan was alive, for which she hoped. Veronica glanced over at the clock that read 3:16.

Keith entered the room. Veronica gaped at his presence.

"Veronica…" He started.

"What?" She became worried at Keith's facial expressions.


Keith and Veronica arrived at Neptune Memorial Hospital a half hour later.

"Please tell me this is a dream." Veronica said as she trailed behind Keith.

The two met up with the doctor and Sheriff Lamb.

"She's here." Keith's voice deepened.

"Take her." Lamb told the doctor.

"To see what?" Veronica asked.

"You should know." Lamb replied.

"What?" Veronica asked.

Veronica followed the doctor down to the morgue where he pulled out one of the carts. He went over to the superior part of the body, hesitated, and then pulled the cover down.

Veronica gaped even larger than before as she saw the body that was lain on the table.

Lamb and Keith entered the room, and Veronica looked back at them, and then back at the body.

"Oh my god…" Veronica said.

Veronica felt a sense of relief that it wasn't Duncan, but was still shaken. She looked back at Keith and Sheriff Lamb before looking back at the cold body on the table. It wasn't Duncan, but it was Carla Jackie.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Veronica asked.

"She was murdered, two days ago. In cold blood." Lamb explained.

"Well, why am I here?" Veronica asked.

"I wanted you to I.D. the body, and get entertainment from your expression."

Veronica looked at Lamb in disgust. Keith put his head down.

"Your prints were at the scene. We have a witness that says he saw you before the murder."

"What?" Veronica was shocked.

"What, LAMB? My daughter? You told me that we had to come down here just to ID a body!"

"I was wrong. Veronica Mars, you're under arrest for the murder of Carla Jackie." Lamb took out the cuffs.

"What?" Veronica was even more stunned.

"What? Lamb! No, this is insanity! My daughter would never do that!"

"Step away, or I'll have to hold you in contempt."

"Dad?" Veronica asked as Lamb started to put the cuffs on.


NEXT TIME: Keith must try to get Veronica free, and find evidence to prove her innocence. Only one key could either make or break Veronica's innocence. That's next time…