A/N – Thank you to everyone who reviewed both chapters. I really hope you like it so far.
III.
Basketball practice had been particularly brutal since the Pirates loss last week. Wallace sat alone in the locker room rubbing his tight calf muscle. He stopped when he heard whispering behind him. There was a time when he would have left it well enough alone, but since he started hanging out with Veronica, the detecting bug had rubbed off on him. He stood up slowly and crept to the edge of the lockers and peered around the other side.
"Okay, we're talking $3,000 and it'll be done by next week." Wallace didn't recognize the voice of the guy facing away from him, but he did see Jake Thompson speak next.
"And you're sure it can be done and I won't get caught, 'cause you know going to school with Veronica Mars makes it extremely hard to get away with anything." Wallace smiled at what Jake had said. It might annoy him sometimes when Veronica blew him off for a case, but he was always proud when other people knew how good she really was.
"Don't you worry about Miss. Mars. That little bitch is going to put her nose where it doesn't belong one day and pay the consequences." Jake didn't seem to be calmed by the reply.
"Yeah, but I really can't afford to get caught, and I'm kind of on a time limit."
"You'll see result by next Tuesday. And don't contact me again. You know where to leave the money." With that, the faceless guy walked off and Jake soon left behind him.
Wallace went back to his locker and grabbed his bag. He wasn't sure what was going on. But he was sure Veronica was going to want to know about it.
ooooooooooooooo
"Thanks so much for seeing us, Mr. Young. I know today mustn't have been easy on you," Veronica said. Logan, Mr. Young and herself were seated in a tidy cottage style kitchen. Mr. Young had made them each a coffee and they were seated around the kitchen table.
"Thank you, Veronica, Logan. I must say I'm surprised to see the two of you together." Logan snuck a quick glance at Veronica, but her face remained stoic as Mr. Young continued. "But, I don't really know what you expect to achieve by coming here. I really can't help you."
"Look, sir. I just wanted to ask a few questions. I'm not here to disrespect you and ask if there is any possibility that the contents of the photo could be true..." Mr. Young glared at Veronica as she hurried along, "...but I would like to know if you have noticed anything strange."
"Strange, how?"
"Doors that you thought were locked but were opened. Any signs that someone other than you had been in your house?" Mr. Young glared again. He was begging to understand what Veronica was getting at. Logan could feel the hostility coming off of him in waves, but Veronica either didn't seem to notice or didn't care.
"Look, Veronica, I apologize. I shouldn't have even humored you be letting you in. But, I really don't want to discuss anything and I would really appreciate it if you would now leave." He stood up and so did Logan. Veronica shot up out of her seat.
"All due respect, Mr. Young, but this is serious. You must know that Carla Banton tried to commit suicide after the photo of her having sex with Margaret David's father showed up. This guy is wrecking people's lives and you're just standing there shrugging it off like it's nothing." Logan could see that now Veronica was getting pretty worked up and if he didn't get her out of there soon, she was going to do something she would regret. He went over and gently grabbed her elbow.
"Veronica..." he began before Mr. Young interrupted him.
"With all due respect to you, Veronica, this guy seem to do pretty much the same thing you do except that you carry on by calling it 'detective work'." Logan's eyes went off Veronica and looked directly into Mr. Young's.
"Hey, she's trying to help you, man. If you don't want her help, fine, we are leaving. But, you are not going to talk to her like that, and I sure as hell am not going to let you." Mr. Young narrowed his eyes at both of them.
"If that's true, then leave now and stop bothering me." Veronica didn't say anything. She just spun around and headed back towards the car. Logan gave one final glare and walked out to catch up with her.
"What the hell was that Veronica? I though you were Miss. 'John Travolta' Cool. We didn't get anything from him." They had reached the car and Veronica turned back to face him with a smile on her face.
"Yes, but I certainly got a reaction out of him." Logan was puzzled but couldn't help but smile.
"You are unbelievable, you know that."
"I may have heard that once or twice before."
"But other than showing Mr. Young to be a bitter and angry man, what else does that prove?"
"Ahh...dear Watson. It shows that the contents of the photo have some truth in them." Logan's jaw felt like it dropped to the ground.
"You're saying Mr. Young is a...I can't even say it."
"I don't know if he is, or if he wants to be. But there is truth in it. I've been working off the assumption that the guy making the photos is doing his fair share of detective work as well." Veronica started up the car and pulled out of the parking space.
"So, you're saying this guy digs up secrets and then exposes them by mocking up some photos for all to see."
"Exactly. But trying to find this guy is a son of a bitch."
"Why Veronica, do you kiss your father with that mouth?"
"Every night. But, honestly, this guy is pretty slick. He seems to know all my tricks and more. It's driving me insane." Veronica focused hard on the road, a thousand thoughts running through her head. Logan watched as her mind ticked over. He was constantly amazed how her brain worked and connected things together. He was shaken out of his reverie by a phone ringing.
"Could you get that?" Veronica asked as she turned left. Logan reached down and picked up her cell phone.
"Hey, Veronica. It's your hot brother lover here and have I got some news for you." Logan tensed up.
"Excuse me. Who the hell is this?" Veronica glanced over with interest at Logan.
"Wallace. And who the hell are you?"
"Logan."
"Why are you answering Veronica's phone?"
"She
asked me to." There was a slight pause.
"Whatever. Anyway,
tell Veronica that I'm waiting in her apartment and I have some
information for her." Veronica noticed Logan's distant look, which
pretty much seemed to say 'don't mess with me.'
"And how may I ask did you get in there?"
"I have a key," Wallace answered smugly, knowing that the whole conversation was annoying Logan. Which, in turn, he found very interesting and incredibly revealing.
"Fine, I'll tell her." With that he hung up the phone and looked to Veronica.
"Wallace said to meet you at your apartment." Veronica was a little surprised when she discovered the change in his personality was caused by Wallace, of all people.
"Okay. Do I have to ask what your problem is?" Logan tried to shake off the weird feelings that had built up in him and turned towards Veronica with a smirk.
"Nothing Mars, I'm peachy keen."
"Yeah, sure." The rest of the car ride was ridden in silence.
ooooooooooooooo
