A/N – Thanks so much for all the reviews last chapter and to everyone who's been reviewing since the first one. Thanks for staying with me. No L/V love in this part, but I promise, promise, promise that it is coming!
XIII.
There were empty take-away bags strewn across the lounge room floor. Keith, Veronica and Logan were sitting on the floor around the coffee table.
"So he wasn't in Vegas?" Veronica asked incredulously after her father had told the two of them the status of the Stintson case.
"No, but I'm sure whoever led me out there is the 'Clark Gable' guy that paid off the Carter's."
"Did you really handcuff an eighty-year-old woman?" Logan asked.
"It never happened, okay?" Both Logan and Veronica laughed. All of a sudden though, Veronica grew serious.
"Wait...so...there isn't a $15,000 reward?"
"No, honey. I'm sorry. I know you were looking forward to having hot showers." Logan observed the look that passed between father and daughter. He hadn't realized how much they relied on their cases for money. Logan had always thought of them as a hobby for Veronica. But seeing the looks on their faces at the thought of losing $15,000, he had never felt so low in his life. 'They do so much and get so little. I do nothing and I'm swimming in money.'
"I was only being greedy with that hot water dream anyway. Are you still going to look for this guy?"
"I'm guessing that whoever is after Stintson isn't going to be showering him in gifts. If whoever is trying to find him succeeds, Stintson could get pretty hurt. I just don't know who the other victim of the credit card scam was." Logan took a bite of what was left of his burger as he listened to Keith.
"Shouldn't his name be in a police report somewhere?" Logan asked around a mouthful of food. Veronica grimaced at the sight, while Keith nodded his head.
"Definitely. But getting those reports on computer is a slow process at the Sheriff's Department. Most of their files are of the old paper and cardboard variety. I'd have to get them from the station itself."
"I could ask Leo," Veronica offered.
"How you get that boy to do favors for you after breaking up with him, I'll never know." 'Leo,' thought Logan. 'Who is he and when did she have enough time to go out with him?' He felt uncomfortable at the thought that he was bothered by this Leo guy. Logan didn't even want to consider the reasons. He realized the conversation was still going on without him and he decided to pay attention.
"...but if he's willing to help, you may as well take advantage of it." After deciding on their next move for the case, Veronica got up and started to pick up the bags off the floor while Keith took a mouthful of his coke.
"So, how's your case going, honey? Any more photos show up?" Logan nearly choked on his food and looked to Veronica to see what her reaction would be. He knew that she didn't want her father to know about the photos in her room, but she couldn't exactly keep the photo at school a secret.
"A new one showed up this morning," Veronica answered as she finished throwing the rubbish away.
"Anyone we know?" Logan's head darted between Keith and Veronica. She shot Logan a look as if to say, 'I can handle this', and then walked into her bedroom. She came back out with the photo.
"Okay, Dad. Before I show you this, you have to promise me that you won't go all Kevin Costner on me." 'Fat chance,' Logan thought as they waited for Keith to answer.
"I don't know what that even means. Just show me the picture." Veronica handed her father the photograph and took a step back.
Keith looked down at the photo and then looked at both Veronica and Logan.
"You've both known about this the whole time and you're only telling me now."
"Dad..." Veronica began as Keith stood up. Logan decided to stand as well.
"Don't you dare 'Dad' me. Do you have any idea what you're doing Veronica? You have no idea who this guy is or what he's capable of." Veronica glanced at Logan and then back at her father again.
"That's not his MO, Dad. He's just trying to scare me off the case."
"Well, he's succeeded in that. I don't want you working on it anymore."
"Dad!"
"No, Veronica."
"Look, he hasn't tried to hurt me, and he didn't physically do anything to anyone else. It's just a scare tactic. And I'm not going to let him win." Keith saw the resolve in his daughter's face and knew he couldn't stop her.
"If he does anything else concerning you, that's it. Got it." Veronica quickly shot Logan a 'don't you dare say anything' look and then nodded at her father.
"Got it."
"I mean it, Veronica." He turned his gaze towards Logan. "And I want you or Wallace with her at all times." Logan had never felt so on-the-spot in his life.
"Yes, sir." Veronica remained silent. She wasn't happy about having to have Wallace and Logan around her all the time, but she had a feeling that it wasn't up for debate.
"And I want all the other photos as well. I'm sure you have the originals." Veronica nodded. "Leave them on the counter in the morning. But right now I think it's time that everyone should go to bed." Keith worded it like it was a suggestion, but both Logan and Veronica knew by the tone of his voice that it was an order.
Keith went to his room and closed the door. As soon as he did, Logan turned and looked accusingly at Veronica.
"You should have told him about the other photos."
"You saw how he reacted to that one. If he knew about the others, I wouldn't be allowed to leave the house."
"That wouldn't be such a bad idea."
"Logan..."
"Bed!" Keith shouted from behind his closed door. Both of them shared one last look before Veronica went to her room and shut the door behind her.
Logan lowered himself onto the couch and looked around the room. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into?'
ooooooooooooooo
"Wakey, wakey sleeping beauty," Keith whispered.
"Stop trying to steal my cabbage patch doll. You've got your own," Logan muttered in his sleep. Keith smiled.
"Okay, now I wish I had my tape recorder with me." Logan shot up at the sound of Keith's slightly louder voice.
"Huh...what...you..." he said as his surroundings became familiar. "What the hell? It's still dark."
"That's because it's three o'clock in the morning, Sunshine. And keep your voice down, I don't want to wake up Veronica." Keith sat down beside him.
"If I didn't know that you owned a gun, I would tell you where to stick that 'Sunshine' of yours," Logan said sleepily as he rubbed his eyes.
"Well, you and Veronica certainly have something in common."
"Yes, but I also see the annoying gene was inherited on her father's side." Keith smiled.
"I like you." Logan woke up completely after hearing that. It wasn't the sort of thing that parents were usually saying to him.
"Thanks, I guess." Keith waited a moment before speaking.
"I want you to do something for me."
"Why am I suddenly wishing that I hadn't woken up?"
"It's not anything bad. Plus, you have to do what I tell you because I have three words for you...Cabbage...Patch...Doll." Logan turned bright red.
"How did you...?"
"Let's just say that you should be careful about who you choose to sleep next to...But, I want to talk to you seriously for a moment." Logan noticed the tension in Keith's voice and knew that whatever he wanted to talk about was important.
"Okaaaay."
"It's about Veronica and this photo thing. I know that I can't stop her from pursuing it. But I would like her to take extra precaution."
"I agree. But shouldn't you be saying this to Veronica?"
"I will be. But I wanted to ask you first." Logan's curiosity was definitely getting the best of him.
"About what?"
"I know that Veronica has talked to Wallace about you staying in their rental apartment." Logan nodded. "I was wondering if you could postpone that for a little while." Keith stopped and waited for Logan's answer. Logan knew what Keith was asking and he was touched.
"You want me to stay here?"
"Just until this photo thing is over. I can't be here all the time, however much I wish I could. I don't want Veronica to be here alone."
"I'd be happy to, Mr. Mars...I mean Keith. I don't want anything or anyone hurting Veronica either." Logan spoke his words with such determination that Keith knew that he had made the right decision. He clapped Logan on the back.
"You're one of the good guys." While Logan still had those words running through his head, the lights switched on.
"What are the two of you doing up?" A sleepy looking Veronica asked.
"Nothing important, honey. Logan was just having a bad dream and I was singing him a lullaby..." Keith turned to face Logan, who was shell shocked. "...And down will come baby, cradle and all."
Logan's warm and fuzzy feelings about Keith quickly disappeared.
ooooooooooooooo
