Logan slid into the seat opposite Cliff McCormack on the patio dining set and played with the sheet of terms of his bail conditions. Veronica had left for school without him about an hour ago before his court appointed public lawyer had arrived to brief him on the hearing arrangements.
"Depending on the circumstances of your offense – in your case, murder, and on what type of terms and conditions I could secure- you may be permitted to work or attend school, tend to family obligations, attend and participate in counselling appointments, alcohol / drug classes, community service, travel to medical appointments, and participate in any other court-approved activities" Cliff summarised.
"Court approved.. so I am guessing underage drinking on licensed premises are out of the question?" Logan asked.
"I would advise against any grey area activities at least for the time being. The bracelet sends a 24-hour signal to the monitoring agency that provides real-time communication of any irregularities. This also includes a sensor which measures blood alcohol and heart rate levels" Cliff warned him dryly.
"So no downing a 6 pack and lighting up at lunch huh? I can't have a wine with my dinner?" Logan retorted sarcastically.
"I wouldn't even have a wine gum in your possession… how you behave on this tracker will be sent back to the prosecution to use against you in your case" Cliff countered. He wouldn't be able to accompany Veronica on her intended outing this evening after school then, the list in front of him forbade any proximity to being in a bar or licensed premises.
"So I should think about going to church and being a good little boy for the GPS?" he replied sullenly.
"If you think that could help you Legally Blonde your way out of this mess, I say you start building orphanages and saving kittens from trees" Cliff told him bluntly. "Still no chance of you just doing us both a favour and getting a real lawyer… or five?"
"Is there any information on whoever this mystery witness is?" Logan pressed again.
"That would be Dr Tom Griffiths... but according to his testimony you should know that, since according to him, you threatened to have him and his family killed if he said anything" Cliff informed him.
"According to his big steaming pile of lies you mean" Logan sighed. This witness was obviously lying…
"According to the testimony, you were raving like a maniac" Cliff told him.
"Then why did this witness say it took him so long to come forward?" Logan asked. "Did I suddenly stop being so scary?"
"Dr Griffiths says that he couldn't live with the guilt anymore and had to come forward to do the right thing" Cliff quoted.
"Yeah right…" he sighed as he handed Cliff back the signed agreement of his terms and conditions. "I'm innocent… I'll prove it" Logan declared.
"Until then… just try and play by the rules. It would make my life so much easier and since you insist on keeping me around… don't piss me off, or I'll lose some paperwork" Cliff told him dryly.
"What's this part?" Logan asked.
"Oh.. you have a two mile radius limit from your School and your Home. Between the pre-agreed hours, you have to stay within two miles of these two locations, doctors' appointments require authorisation and written approval from a judge or magistrate prior to attendance" Cliff answered. "Thank god for Home Delivery Services huh? Or do you still have staff for that these days?"
Logan looked at him wearily, he had a very limited high priced independent cleaning service maintaining the Echolls family estate ever since the summer and the local domestic staff most of whom had ties to the PCH biker club couldn't be trusted with access to the house. It had meant that Logan no longer had access to a personal chef or daily interaction with the staff who used to work around the house. He hadn't really paid much attention to them before… but without them… the place was too big and empty.
"I get by" Logan retorted. He missed Veronica… his suspension from school would be ending in two more days, until then it seemed he was confined to the Echolls family house. The grounds themselves almost stretched two miles from the main house to gate down to the edge of the hills overlooking Neptune. "Any news on my car?" Logan asked.
"You still cannot have access to your vehicle, you can either have a driver arranged yourself or the Sheriff's department will supply a contact for a suitable service" Cliff explained simply, packing the rest of the documents into his case and clicking it shut. Logan liked him, he didn't usually take to people, and his manner was a little old school eccentric… like he wouldn't be out of place at a poker table with a bourbon in his hand.
"I think I could arrange something" Logan replied. "Is there anything else I need to do?"
"No… just don't miss your scheduled check in with the Sheriffs Department on Saturday" he warned as he shook Logan's hand and the two of them walked to the main door.
"I wouldn't want to be in your shoes… that business with your father over the summer is… unsavoury" Cliff commented as he turned to make eye contact with Logan as he stood in the doorway.
"Unsavoury… that is one way of putting it" Logan sighed.
"It really doesn't buy you much Jury Love. I just want you to be prepared… the Echolls name, is a bad brand and your stocks are plummeting in the court of public opinion lately. Just do us both a favour, try and stay out of trouble" Cliff suggested before turning and heading back to his Blue Lexus parked in the driveway.
Logan couldn't settle, he had completed his homework assignments that the guidance counsellor Becky had emailed him and played a few hours of video games. He had texted Veronica about the 2 mile limit from is house and being banned from going to a license premise, that part was really going to suck.
"Still want a Lap Dance and I'll wear knee socks?"
It had made him laugh, at least she hadn't freaked out on him after his tantrum in the kitchen earlier. He would have to warn Duncan to be on the lookout for minions of his fathers, but he wasn't sure how to approach that conversation without bringing up that he had gotten back together with Veronica. He missed Duncan, the two boys had practically been brothers, partners in crime… then they had both fallen in love with the same girl. Yes, Duncan had seen Veronica first… but then he had let her go, she had grown and changed from the person she had been who was best friends with Lilly Kane. They had both tried to reclaim those pieces of who they had been before… and it hadn't worked, because she had wasn't the same girl anymore. She was Logan's, and he was hers.
He wouldn't be able to call over to the Java the Hut later for coffee, it was along the pier.. exactly 1.34 miles outside his radius. This meant no surfing either. House arrest was going to suck.
"Dude… you didn't hit the waves, what gives?" Dick Casablanca's asked when Logan answered the door.
"Ankle Bling my friend" Logan told him, lifting his jogging bottom leg up to show it off.
"Bummer… you not allowed to get it wet?" he asked as he walked inside with a box of take out.
"It's not advised, although they were kind enough to supply a rubber ankle sock encase I needed to shower or wanted to use the pool" Logan explained as he took the pizza box from Dick.
"So you got like a city limit or something?" Dick asked as he pulled a piece of pineapple pizza off and took a bite.
"2 mile radius" Logan informed him, showing him the google map screensaver he had made on his laptop of where over his property was covered. "I go over that line… and I end up back in the company of our lovely Local Sheriff"
"Damn.. man that sucks. Totally had a line on these cheerleaders from Pam out by Route 15.. anyways there was a lacrosse game… but if you can't get out, I'm not sure we could convince them to come up here to Casa-de-Killer ya know?" Dick told him through mouthfuls of burning cheese and pizza.
"Have you spoke to Veronica or Duncan today?" he asked.
"Dude… Duncan's face is so busted up, I saw him yesterday… you got some swing" Dick told him.
"And Veronica? Have you spoken to her today?" Logan asked, he wanted to know if she had been able to tell him the information about Kendall Casablanca's his stepmothers real identity.. about the bus crash potentially being used to kill him.
"Man… seriously.. you need some gene therapy to cut that girl outta you… I don't know what is with you, you got serious game and then you go and get yourself whipped by one of these girls and fall in love…. And it's like you get obsessed. Not healthy man… I recommend therapy" Dick told him earnestly. Dick Casablanca's was one of the most loyal people Logan had ever met, even when there had been doubts about his innocence over the Lilly Kane murder investigation during those first few weeks until Abel Koontz had falsely confessed, Dick had insisted that both he and his brother would have Logan's back. Until the grave, he had told him when Logan had been sitting on the high way freaking out and crying after Sean and Lacey had called them about Lilly's murder. He had held Logan together most of that summer while Keith Mars had been tearing through everyone in Lilly's life. "And I hate head doctors…"
"I'm guessing that's a no…" Logan offered.
"What the hell could I have to talk to Veronica Mars about?" Dick scoffed.
"Well…" Logan said as he took a deep breath and began to tell his best friend the story of all the information they had found.