Wallace watched as his girlfriend Amira and Parker towelled off on the beach and Joel Galen, the current object of Parkers affection brought him a beer. Hanging out with an older dude did have some advantages.
"If you guys need to get back today, I can have the Captain send someone with my Yacht" Joel told him sympathetically.
"Thanks man, appreciated" Wallace replied gratefully as he took the pint that was offered to him.
"Veronica's father is Sheriff?" Joel questioned.
"Acting Sheriff" he corrected. Keith Mars had been the only other candidate to run for the post during the last election, but the controversy surrounding the bus crash that had claimed the lives of 6 of his classmates, the new journalism teacher and the bus driver had hurt the elder Mars's chance at victory when Sheriff Lamb implied that it had been caused by a drunk driver with whom Keith had been lenient.
"And this Weevo character… he was a friend of yours?" Joel asked.
"A former classmate… from high school… he was Veronica's friend" Wallace replied as he followed Joel's gaze to the two girls applying sun cream to each other as they got out of the water and reached for their dresses.
"Nasty business" Joel lamented as he sipped his beer. Wallace regarded the older man, 6 foot tall, and a genuine American blue eye, his sandy hair was the opposite of his younger sister Zoe's dark curls. His outfit screamed thousand-dollar-a-plate just for lunch and from what he could tell, he seemed to be captivated by the blond in front of them. At least for the moment, he knew that Parker was a pretty easy going girl, but everything the girl had been through in recent months made Wallace feel protective of her. She was part of his little Hearst family, and he didn't want some billionaire playboy thinking that she was just some toy for him to use for the weekend. No matter how hospitable he and his sister had been to them over the weekend so far.
"Speaking of business… you are hosting an event tonight?" Wallace enquired. It had briefly been mentioned this morning that the tuxedo suits that they had been measured for last night when they came on board would be ready for them at dinner later that evening to attend a Ball at the Catalina Casino.
"Oh… it's just a meeting of the Senior Board of Galen Industries and Associates… they are usually pretty dull, so Zoe and I always make it a point to invite as many non-company people along as well. But of course, all things considered, if you need to leave, we can certainly make those arrangements" Joel assured him.
"I haven't had time to speak to Veronica about it yet" Wallace admitted. The radio silence from the junior Mars was worrying him. He knew how close that Weevil and Veronica were, and he'd only found out after Mac had called him for an update.
The people in my social circle really need to work on their communication… and possibly invest in some bullet proof vests.
"Zoe sent me a text while I was at the bar, Veronica and Logan are joining her and Piz over by the airfield for Brunch" Joel explained as he waved over at Parker who had just smiled at him.
"The airfield?" Wallace asked.
"Yes… My sister fancies herself Amelia Earhart. Zoe has had her pilot's license since she was 18, they were going to do a tour of the island, and give Logan a few lessons" Joel told him quietly. At that revelation Wallace almost dropped his beer laughing despite himself.
Yes… Zoe Galen would eat Piz alive…
"Piz… in an airplane?" he scoffed, the surreal factoid pulled him out of his sombre musing.
"Who is in a plane?" Parker asked as the girls approached them.
"Please tell me it's not snakes…" Amira joked as she curled her arms around Wallace's waist and kissed his cheek.
"Just telling Wallace here about Zoe's piloting exploits" Joel smiled as he handed Parker a drink, although Wallace did notice that the mimosa was accepted gratefully but soon placed untouched on the small table beside them.
She still didn't accept drinks from guys…
"Surely that's not the best idea after all those shots last night?" Amira asked.
"I don't think they are actually going to make it up into the air today… considering" Joel told her simply, although his thoughts were on whether or not he should be calling his best friend Barry Silva to see if Air Marshal Nick O'Connell was on duty today, his sister had a complicated on again off again relationship with the man. It was honestly nauseating. Most people just thought his sister was just a spoiled socialite roughing it for the notoriety. He didn't understand why she couldn't just focus on work or get herself a nice uncomplicated guy like that Slosh Piznarski fellow. He just hoped she could refrain from spoiling his little tryst this weekend with his new found friend or that he'd have to deal with his meddling ex this evening and a slew of dysfunctional family members.
"Considering?" Parker questioned. The girls hadn't been told about Weevil yet; they had been in the middle of a scuba lesson when Wallace had received the call.
"The murder" he explained.
"There's been a murder?" Amira asked.
"The Deans murder? Or a New Murder?" Parker added.
"There's more than one? Are you sure you don't attend Homicidal College instead of Hearst?" Joel asked incredulously. So far this new move to Neptune was seemingly more and more like wrong step on his families part. In the few months since they had been here, his new car had been vandalised by a group of young teenage bikers, he'd had his company phone stolen and there had been that awful incident with that the night he'd spent with that vanity fair reporter who had seduced his sister and extorted their family for a payoff or he was going to release a tell all and video.
A new job, a new city and a new lease on life seems perfect, but it's been far from that, at least until he had met the resident pint-sized sleuth who had retrieved the stolen company phone and helped to get hard drive from the reporters hotel room. If Veronica hadn't already been taken… Joel would have gladly offered to give her a year off college for a world tour on his cruise ship. The mere scrape of a girl had come to his rescue.
"I had a call from Mac while you guys were gone" Wallace sighed as he kissed Amira on the head; he knew from their time together that his girlfriend and Eli Navarro were friends. He'd been in their same year at school but spent some jail time with her older brother after graduation. His cousin Mateo Lobos was a delivery driver for the Bombay Gardens restaurant her family owned. "Weevil was found dead this morning."
"Oh God…" Parker gasped, reaching for her drink, suddenly needing something to wash away the bile rising in her stomach. She knew the maintenance guy from the many times he'd been around the dorms and campus with Mac. He'd walked them to her car a few times and had helped to throw out some drunken frat guys from her building shortly after the rapes had started. He was a good guy. She hadn't known him until before Veronica had asked him to keep an eye on her and Mac, he'd been sweet and protective. "Is Mac okay?" she asked. Her roommate had been in high school with him.
"She's in shock" he told her quietly as he hugged his girlfriend to his chest.
"It's so horrible…" Amira murmured as he rubbed his hands down her shoulder comfortingly.
"Where's Veronica?" Parker asked.
"With Zoe and Piz" Wallace replied simply. He wasn't expecting an answer to his messages for a while from her; emotional availability and Veronica went together like go together like ham and vanilla ice cream. She was with Logan… it was the only reason he hadn't taken off in search for his best friend. She would surface when shew as ready, her deliberately cultivated unapproachable aura fastened to her, detached and controlled. Ready to get retribution and go on a hunt for the culprits, and when she did, he'd be right there to help her. Wariness made his neck prickle and he watched as Joel moved a tendril of blond hair out of Parkers face and tucked it behind her ear.
Amira looked at the small bag of Golf clubs that Joel had loaned him and gave him a small smile. She was quiet, closed off, one of the kids on the school bus last year had been one of her friends, so the senseless violence of losing someone else they knew, felt ugly and alien. It filled their minds with unresolved questions.
"I spoke to Sheriff Mars" Wallace told her quietly.
"Veronica's dad?" Parker asked.
"Yeah.. they won't have more information until the Forensics' come back tomorrow.." Wallace told her. Although he didn't explain that it meant that Veronica would probably use that as a reason not to cut their trip short. The too-blunt spoken, too-perceptive Mars Family rarely made a move unless there was a purpose or a method to the madness, since there were no connections to be found until the answers arrived, he knew that both the formidable duo would be in agreement to wait until the gossip and speculation had died down.
"Lots of people drink Green Tea Coconut Water" Emerson Hartfield laughed as he returned from the sand dunes with his golf bag.
"I still think it makes you a sadistic bastard" Miller Corban complained as he tossed the beverage onto the small table and nodded in greeting at Joel, his eyes leisurely appraising the young women further down the beach.
"Who is ready to go to lunch?" Emerson asked the group.
"Glad you care more about your stomach than me" Miller scoffed.
"You will appreciate it when you lose a few pounds and that all American Laker girl finally agrees to go on that date with you" Emerson laughed, his deep baritone filled the space.
"Like I'd even have to try, her screw me eyes beg for sex every time I walk by" Miller retorted.
"Keep dreaming" Emerson told his friend as he had the decency to at least look a little apologetic for their language when Parker gaped at them.
"The proof is in her sodden cotton panties" Miller said as he tossed his towel on his bag and headed to the bar.
"Wow.." Amira said wide eyed.
"Miller Corban ladies and gentlemen… the epitome of narcissism" Joel sighed in embarrassment.
"You think he's bad now… wait until you see him in a Tux" Emerson warned.
