Chapter Six

After I left I go for a long run on the beach to clear my mind. A couple of hours later I'm knocking on Eli's door. I hear the pitter-patter of little feet coming towards me and the door opens revealing his niece Ophelia.

" Hi, Tori. " She says excitedly.

I smile down at her. " Hey is your uncle Eli here? "

" What did I tell you about opening the door? "

God just his voice is enough to make me feel ten times better. Coming to the door he sees it's me he pulls me inside and closes the door. Ophelia's so excited to see me that she's literally jumping up and down.

" Uncle Eli, can we watch Finding Nemo? " She asks after she calms down with a puppy dog face.

He rolls his eyes and puts the movie in. I sit next to him and fold my legs underneath me. Placing his arm around my shoulders he pulls me closer to him and I rest my head on his shoulder.

" I see bad news travels fast. " He mumbles before I can mention his grandmother.

I nod. " Yeah, that and my dad is working for your grandmother's lawyer. " I said sitting next to him on the couch.

He rolls his eyes. " Yeah, I met the guy. He says I should confess. He already has me down as guilty. "

" If it makes you feel better I know you didn't do it. " I say lacing our hands together.

His eyes meet mine and I can feel the electricity in the air. Looking down Ophelia is sprawled out on the floor with her blanket. By the middle of the movie, she's knocked out so this is my shot.

He leans forward so that our lips are mere centimeters apart. Closing my eyes I can feel his warm breath on my face when we both hear a car pull up outside. The headlights flash on the little girl's face waking her up.

She goes over to the window and says " uncle Eli there's a blonde woman outside. " She says rubbing her eyes.

I shake my head and say, " Veronica ".

" Ophelia go to your room and lay down. " He tells her.

He then looks at me. " Stay here. " He says going out to see what she wants.

I stand up fully prepared to eavesdrop. I go to the side door and look out of the window next to it. Veronica's looking at Eli's motorcycle pretty hard. I know one of the charges on the Echoll's card was for a new bike paint job.

Luckily Eli has been working on his bike since before he had a license. I was there the day he painted the body and it hasn't changed.

" I've hospitalized people for less than what you're doing right now. " I hear him say from the front porch.

She turns around and gives him her " I'm innocent " smile. " What admiring your paint job? "

" I know what you're doing and admiring my paint job ain't it. " He says coming into view standing in front of her on the other side of the fence.

" I'm just following up for the lawyer that's representing your grandma. " She says retracting her claws.

He rolls his eyes. " Yeah, I met the guy. he says I should confess. " He says for the second time now.

" You think you will? " She asks making me wince.

I don't have to see his face to know he's glaring daggers at her. I don't have anything to say to you man. "

" Weevil, your grandma's in jail. " Veronica starts.

He doesn't let her finish. " Are you reminding me cus' I almost forgot? " He says smartly.

" I'm just saying with your reputation you can't blame McCormack for thinking- "

He again doesn't let her finish. " MY reputation? Oh well, then I guess what everyone says about you is true too huh? That you like it a little freaky don't you? That you spy on Duncan Kane and send him pictures of yourself. "

Ouch, low blow Eli.

" Be honest Veronica you think you're this big outsider, but when push comes to shove you're still one of them. You still think like one of them! Push off I don't want you around here. " He says with disgust oozing out of his mouth.

Seeing my sister standing there looking like that after she defended him doesn't sit right with me. I know that his words hurt her, but she did come into his neighborhood.

She nods in defeat. " Tell Tori that dad said if she isn't home by curfew she'll be grounded again. " She says before leaving.

Looking at my watch I see that it was fifteen to ten. Meeting him back in the living room I grab my bag. " I have to go. "

" You heard. " He says flatly.

I snort. " You know I'm nosy. " I say trying to lighten the mood. " She didn't mean any harm. "

" I know. I shouldn't have said what I said, but I'm sick of people expecting the worst of me. " He says sighing.

I go up to him and put my arms around his neck. " I don't. "

" You're the only one. " He whispers as he leans down with every intention of finishing what we started before Veronica interrupts.

His lips meet mine briefly and all of the wind is knocked out of me. He pulls his face back and hugs me tightly. " Be safe on the way home. "

️ ️

On Monday there still isn't any word on the Navarro case. It's like walking on pins and needles. Mrs. Navarro is the glue that holds their family together. They need her home. Eli is trying but he's no Leticia Navarro.

Walking out of the lunchroom with a cheeseburger, the only thing I really like on the menu, I scan the crowd. Spotting Veronica's table I make a beeline over. Once there I see her and Wallace looking over some papers intently.

" What's that? " I ask sitting down and shoveling some fries in my mouth.

Veronica hands me a stack of papers. Looking down I see its attendance records. " Eli's attendance records? "

She nods. " He was in auto shop seven of the eight days that the purchases were made. "

" So that proves that it wasn't him. " Like we've been saying this whole time.

Veronica gives me a thumbs up. " Exactly. "

After school, we go straight to dad's office. Cliff's already here and they're talking about someone being arraigned.

" I don't think he did it. " Veronica says walking over to them with his attendance records in hand.

" Who didn't do what? " Dad asks.

Veronica lays the records on her desk. " Weevil. Listen I was looking through the attendance records at school and I just don't think it's possible- "

" Veronica... Victoria... " Dad interrupts in exasperation.

" Yeah? " We both bite back in unison.

He sighs. " Cliff just got back from the courthouse. "

" They released Letty Navarro a few hours ago. " Cliff finishes.

My ears perk up. " That's great! " I say happily, naively thinking everything is okay. The look on their faces tells me otherwise.

Cliff shakes his head. " They released her because Eli " Weevil " Navarro came in and confessed. "

My heart sinks into my stomach. I know he didn't do it but I also know he wouldn't let his grandmother rot in jail. Both me and Veronica are speechless. My dad tries to get up to comfort me but I put my hands up.

" No. Just no. " I say rushing out of the office for the second time this week.

️ ️

The next night dad and I are eating at a little diner when he gets a call from Veronica. She was taking pictures of Body Chang, an award-winning surfer, for the Neptune navigator. Apparently, she rode with Duncan and they got pulled over for outstanding parking tickets and she needs us to come to get her.

We pull up to them on the PCH. " Stay here. " Dad tells me and for once I listen.

I know he's gonna have questions for her so I climb into the back seat. He and Veronica get in the car after a few minutes and we head home.

" So... What's up? " Dad asks breaking the silence. " Are you and Duncan starting to hang out again? "

Veronica stays quiet.

" Honey... Are you and Duncan starti- "

" No! It was a school assignment that's all. " She says to get him off of her back. " Can we stop by the Neptune grande? "

" What for? " He asks.

She looks at him. " The Navarro case. I need a little help. "

My ears perk up.

" Wasn't that case already solved. I thought they had the confessed criminal in jail. " He says making me glare at him from the back seat.

Veronica gives him the same glare.

He looks like it's the last thing he wants to do but he sighs out. " Oh, all right fine. What do you need me to do? "