A/N: I am sorry for the long wait time. There really is no excuse, I was having a hard time putting the words down to the story I wanted to tell.
Redeeming LoVe
Chapter 17: Strange Revelations
Amelia DeLongpre. This is the person I have to find. I mean how has Abel kept her out of the media all this time. I mean I would think that Kane would have people hounding her as soon as he got Abel to take the fall for Lilly's death. After looking up her information on the Prying Eyez website I grab my keys and race out of the room.
I got to the University as fast as I could because I knew Weidman was probably right behind me. I knew he had my room bugged and heard me talking about her. It would only be a matter of time before he showed up.
"I'm sorry. I don't think I can do this. I don't even know you," Amelia says as we are rushing to my car.
"Your father's attorney, Clif-Mr McCormack sent me to get you. We found some new evidence, evidence that may prove your father is innocent," I say trying to keep the details as little as possible to keep it from blowing up in my face.
"What?" she questions standing still in her spot as I open the door for her to get into my car.
"Amelia, get in the car. If you don't get in the car, you're putting yourself in danger," I say as I am sure Weidman will stop at nothing to get a hold of her. She told me how she hasn't seen or talked with her dad in years. I explained to her how he was paid off from Kane Software. She couldn't believe what I was saying. I was mostly telling her the truth as I explained that the payout was for him taking the rap for Lilly Kanes murder.
She gets into the car without asking anymore questions as I drive toward the cheapest motel aside from the Camelot. I pull into the parking lot of Ocean Beach Motel and look to the left as I see the beach about a mile down the road. I go into the office and pay for the room. I help Amelia get settled in explaining to her the importance of her staying here. I asked her to call her mom to send the papers, but to send it to a post office under a different name. I had her a cell for her to use. I knew burner phones were better than prepaid.
I told her not to use it unless she had to call me, but she said if she didn't take calls from her boyfriend she would get the police involved. I told her not to tell him where she was staying. She seemed fine about the whole thing saying she would get some much needed studying done since her finals were coming up real soon. I hated lying to her when she asked me if I had seen her dad. I told her I did, but left out the fact that he was dying.
The next morning I am up and out the door before my dad could question me about why I was out late. I was walking the halls at school when I saw a girl kicking her locker muttering to herself. It was amazing how crazy things got during midterms and finals. Since today was the first day of midterms it would mean crazy would be out in full force. I always dreaded this time of the year because I was either cramming material or trying to figure out what to do with Lilly since she seemed to bug me while I tried to study. I missed her.
I was in the bathroom trying to hide from all the stupid people in the school when I heard my name. I looked up from washing my hands to see a 09er looking at me through the mirror. I didn't dislike her, but she was just like the rest of them.
"I heard this was kind of like your office," she says looking around the restroom. "I really need your help," she continues as I look at her disheveled outfit. It looked like someone had doused her with oil.
"A little club soda on the sleeves?" I say as I point to her shirt knowing all too well how to get stains out of my clothing since the 09ers turned on me.
"Oh this is because I had a flat. I had to change it myself, and there was no hole, somebody just let the air out. Do you know Caz Truman?" she says as I study her expression to see if this was a game or if she was serious. I watch her as I throw the paper towel I just wiped my hands on in the trash as she washes her hands.
"Sure, she's a basketball player, and I believe drives a Yukon?" I say thinking back to all the games I once went to.
"Right, I broke up with him two months ago and since then he's been harassing me. This is just the latest of these so-called pranks. I hear that you do things. I need you to make him stop," she half demands as I look up to see if she thought that she could push me around.
"I'd love to help you Sabrina, but I have midterms of my own. I can't just drop everything I have going on to do your bidding," I say as I turn to leave.
"Veronica, this is important. I'll pay you," she says as I can see she is totally serious. This got my attention. I could charge her double and she wouldn't even know it. I listen as she tells me how her life is being torn apart due to crank calls, car alarms going off in the middle of the night and how Caz seems to be stalking her.
"I can give you a hundred now and four more when you prove that it's him. And the sooner the better because I already have to reschedule my AP history test," she says quickly as she hands me $100 dollars before stalking out of the bathroom. I hated to admit it, but I needed the money now that I was hiding Amelia.
I decided to wait until afterschool to approach Caz. I wasn't really sure what type of person he was and I didn't want him coming after me.
"Veronica Mars," I hear him say before he chuckles. "What do you want? I mean I'm sure there is someone who needs your services," he mutters as I want to give him a good smack to the head.
"Well Caz, I'm kind of busy so let's play this at fast forward. I ask you to stop harassing Sabrina Fuller. You deny it. I eventually catch you. You're suspended, dropped from basketball and made the subject of a news blurb that everyone chuckles at in the papers. So stop harassing Sabrina, okay?" I snap at him since he pissed me off. I could see Logan out of the corner of my eye. He seemed like he wanted to come over to me, but I held my hand up stopping him.
"I don't know what you're talking about, but look, for whatever it's worth I'm not harassing Sabrina," he says as I stop beside of his Yukon. I watch him open the back up and toss his things in.
"Seriously Caz! Did you even hear me the first time? The flat tires, the escort ad, the midnight crank calls-" I start but he holds his hand up to stop me.
"Wa-wa-wait. She said I did this? We-we've had problems but no way. I would leap off the roof of that school if she asked me, you know," he says and for some reason I felt like he was being truthful, but I have had bad taste in guys before so who am I to really judge this.
"That's a very caring gesture but-" I begin as he stops me once again. I was getting ticked as I put my hand in my bag ready to pull my tazer out and give him a shock if he stopped me once more.
"Not that it really matters what you think, but I swear it wasn't me," he says as he closes the door of his Yukon and takes off.
"I'm not in the mood Logan," I mutter as I feel his presence before I turn around and see him.
"I was just checking up on you. I mean that's what friends do, right," he questions as I mutter something dark and walk away from him. I truly wasn't in the mood for him at the moment. He looked at me for a moment and then mumbled something as he walked away. I wasn't sure what he expected me to do, but at the moment I couldn't focus on him or his crap.
****LoVe****
I couldn't shake the things that seemed to stick out to me as I looked over the Lilly Kane Murder file on my laptop. I wished I had more evidence to go with, but for now I only had the facts I was able to gather. The four folders on one edge of my screen holds various items about her case: crime scene, interview transcripts, suspects and timeline. I stare at the screen for a long moment before hitting the file for suspects. That brings up further folders in the names of Abel Koontz, Jake Kane, Duncan Kane, Celeste Kane, Logan Echolls, Eli 'Weevil' Navarro and Clarence Weidman.
I was planning on doing a stake out at Sabrina's house because she said Caz only comes by at night. I could plan for what to do with Amelia, as I keep a look out. I just didn't see why her dad would suffer just to get a little bit of money. I was trying to figure something out, as the phone rang. I looked at my desk and then at the couch I was sitting on before getting up to answer it. I was alone so I left my laptop open.
"Mars Investigations," I mutter as I was annoyed someone was bothering me.
"Is Keith Mars available?" the man questions as I look toward my dad's office door.
"No, I'm sorry he's in a meeting," I say as I see him moving around in the office talking to a woman. I wanted to laugh as the lady talked about how her husband was stepping out on her. The man on the line tells me he'll call back as I listen in to the rest of the conversation. My dad was explaining things to the lady who seemed like he was talking gibberish. I laughed a little when he handed her things and she left. As I stepped into the little office we shared an amused look before I rolled my eyes. I exit his office shutting the door only to find Logan in front of my laptop.
"Might I ask what is it with the Mars' family?" he snaps at me as I quickly slam the top down and grab it from him. I lay it down on my desk before bracing myself to turn back to him. "God, Veronica, and you really believe Lilly's murder was some sort of vast conspiracy?" he questions moving a little closer to me.
"Logan, I don't know what you saw," I start as he waves his hand dismissing me.
"What I saw was you have a file on Duncan?" he sneers at me as he chuckles softly.
"Well ya, there's a file on everyone," I say as I stand up a little straighter trying to show him I was scared of him. I mean I knew deep down he wouldn't do anything to hurt me, but I just wanted to show him I was a stronger person.
"Yeah. It's thorough," he says moving to stand right in front of the desk. "And I'm glad my alibi held up," he mutters like he didn't believe it.
"Yep, out of the country. Two eye witnesses, it's airtight," I say honestly even if I knew whether he was in town or not he would never hurt Lilly. He took a lot of crap from her and never did one thing to her.
"Let me ask you this Veronica, what do you think Lilly would make of you investigating all the people who loved her?" he questioned as I feel my heart break a little from his sincerity. I point to my chest trying to hold back the tears that were waiting to fall.
"I loved Lilly. Maybe if I didn't I'd be able to drop this," I say somberly as I sink back into my chair as Logan stares at me before pulling something out of his pocket.
"Okay, I just came to give you this," he says softly as he holds out a check to me. I look from him to the check. "Here, thanks. For, uh, you know, looking for my mother," he barely says wiping at his forehead. I take the check looking at it before looking back to him. I hated how far we seem to go before reverting back to our broken ways.
"Your mom was always nice to me. She was one of the few women I looked up to," I say honestly as I fold the check and tear it in half. I knew I shouldn't do it, but I couldn't take the money knowing how broken he was after finding out the truth.
"Yeah, I thought you might do that," he chuckles as he pulls an envelope from his back pocket and tosses it on the desk before walking out. I should have known he would think ahead, but I had meant it. His mom was someone I looked up to, but after finding out that Aaron hurt Logan I felt bad for her as well.
***OCEAN BEACH HOTEL***
I didn't want to have to check in with Amelia, but I needed to know she wasn't doing anything to hurt me getting to the bottom of why Clarence wanted her. I also wanted to know why her dad decided to take the rap for a crime he didn't commit. She couldn't figure it out either. She had no clue why he would have a pair of girl's sneakers on his houseboat.
The only evidence that pointed to him being near Lilly was the shoes. Yet, I knew for a fact from my dad's files that the shoes were in Lilly's room the night she died. So my question has been all along if he killed her why he went back for the shoes.
I laid down on the bed beside her as she told me the story of why her mom left her dad. I couldn't understand why Jake Kane would try to cheat him out of his rights when he was the inventor of the streaming video. I guess that's why he chose him to take the fall, trying to make up for cheating him out of his share of profits over the years. I was getting pissed off at Jake Kane for how he took what he wanted with no consequences. I wondered if that was what it was like when he got with my mom. I felt bad though for Amelia as she questioned why her dad would go to prison over money when he was innocent.
I couldn't sit around and dwell on the fact that Abel was taking the blame for a crime he didn't commit because I had to be somewhere else. I was walking up to the Fuller house when I notice a truck passing the house very slowly. It was hard to tell if it was a guy or a girl behind the wheel. I didn't want to be here, but a case was a case at the moment. Sabrina's mom was quizzing her on who knows what when I was shown into the room. I could tell right away that Sabrina's mom didn't like me, but I wasn't sure what I had done to her.
"What do you have for me on the case?" Sabrina says once her mom is out of the room. I was a little offended that she would think I needed her to tutor me. I probably got better grades than she did.
"Caz Truman denies it. I put a tracker on his car just in case. Otherwise, we just wait to see if something happens," I say as I
"There is no if. Something happens every night," she mutters opening her book back up.
"Well, that's why I'm here," I say as I pull my laptop out of my bag and start typing on it. It was now 10:45 and there hadn't been anything yet. I knew exactly where Caz's Yukon was. "Yukon's still in the garage," I say as Sabrina looks up at me from behind her textbook.
I was getting stir crazy so I went to the window to look out only to catch the same pickup truck driving slowly by the house. I was about to try for the plates when the phone rings. I quickly answer it and type the phone number in the 'Prying Eyez' website to find it to be Nestor Greeley of Encinitas. Twenty grand on credit cards, two divorces and a repo'd Sebring. You have been a bad boy. It was some jerk trying to intimidate Sabrina. I hang up on the jerk and catch the truck driving by once again.
I asked Sabrina if she knew anyone who drove a pickup truck, but she said she didn't. I decided to catch the creep in the action and got an idea when I saw the old baby stroller in the corner of the room. Sabrina was looking at me curiously as I put my plan into action. I was hiding behind a bush and just when the truck comes near to the house do I push the stroller out into the street. The driver slams on the brakes to stop themselves from hitting the stroller. I quickly look in the window to find Caz.
"Hello, Truman," I smirk as he looks from me to Sabrina. Caz tries to explain why he was there, but Sabrina is telling him once more that it is over between them. I actually felt sorry for him. Caz had just stood up to leave when someone knocked on the door. When I went to see who it was, it wasn't just one person, no it was a huge crowd who had come because of a flyer advertising a midnight party rave. I couldn't believe that this was getting more crazier by the minute. I made sure all the weirdoes left before heading out myself. I was fully exhausted.
****LoVe****
I went to the Sac and Pac to pick up some food for Amelia since I had asked her not to leave the room. I was worried Weidman was looking for her, and well I couldn't put anything past him. I was carrying the two bags of food as I knocked awkwardly on the door. I was thankful that Amelia asked who it was before answering the door. Amelia opens the door with the chain still on and checks only after seeing it was me does she close the door and reopen it to let me in.
"I brought some brain food." I joke as she gasps and laughs upon pulling out something.
"Sno Balls!" she exclaims as she bounces back on the bed. I just smiled seeing her happy for the moment. I sit down on the bed beside her.
"Oh, I talked to my mom. Sorry I freaked out. She was just visiting her sister in Squirrel Point. She says she'll mail that stuff tomorrow," she says after stuffing one sno ball in her mouth.
"That is great," I say as I think about how soon this will al be over with if things keeping going at this pace.
"Veronica? Could you arrange a visitation with my dad? For the first time I can remember, I really want to talk to him," she says softly as I turn to look at her. I could tell from her expression she was serious about this.
"Yeah. Sure, uh, it may take a few days," I say nervously as I think over everything. Just long enough to get the proof of the Kane payoff.
I had headed to the office to do some things after my meeting with Amelia. She threw me for a loop when she asked to see her dad. I wasn't expecting that at all. I was holding the telephone in my hand when my dad walked into our kitchenette holding a cup in his hand.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your Achiever Dinner?" he questions as I look up from where I was just staring as I was thinking.
"Dad it's the Scholastic Excellence, and I will," I say as I turn around from where I had been looking. My dad heads back to his office as I give up on trying to make the call to Cliff. I am getting up as a man walks into the office.
"Miss Mars," Vinnie VanLowe says as he walks right into our office reeking of over sleazy attitude.
"Mr. VanLowe," I mutter as I stand up fully.
"I, uh, hope you're not thinking of dying that hair because when you come work for me, you'll find that straying husbands are most likely to chase skinny blondes," he sneers at me as I feel my lunch making a return. He moves closer to me and all I want to do is move further away from him. "No, I'm kidding, of course. They'll chase anything. But seriously, don't dye that hair," he says laughing as I feel like I have bugs now crawling all over my skin. My dad decides now is the moment to come out of his office.
"No hair advice for me, Vinnie?" he questions as he looks towards me before stepping closer halfway blocking me from Vinnie.
"Actually Keith I was just coming by to say thanks. You know, uh, once you set up shop here, I got a little nervous, um, a former detective, sheriff, uh, law enforcement machine, hitting the Neptune PI scene, working the whole B-movie, back alley vibe. Clients love that. I thought I was toast but here we are sending each other referrals," he replies still eyeing me up which was making me very uncomfortable while he just grins.
"Referrals? Did I send you a-," my dad questions as he looks back at me. I knew we sure wouldn't send anyone willingly to him.
"The red-head, with the husband problem. She came running to me once you rejected her issue," he says smiling.
"Ahh, right. Well I wasn't actually referring so much as warning. I thought she should know what kind of creeps were out there preying on the weak," my dad says as I stifle the chuckle I almost made. Vinnie is making himself comfortable by sitting on my desk.
"I was thinking, uh, we might work together, you know, juggle some cases, maximize the market," he says as if he was partners with my dad.
"Actually, Vinnie, we're not-," he begins but I give him a questioning look.
"Ah, you're on the fence, okay, okay, okay but I have ten cases, five hundred a day, I can't handle them all. I'll farm them to you for three, and I'm talking no-brainers, free of major ethical issues. Easy money. Win-win. Just saying. Think it over," he says as I roll my eyes at how he could sink so low as just dealing with cases for money only. Before I knew what he was doing he tossed a pack of business cards on my desk and walks out the door.
"Veronica go get ready for your dinner," he half demands and half groans. I've been dreading it for weeks. Two hours at the Kane estate… I head back to our apartment and take a quick shower before curling some the tips of my hair to give it a wavy look. I think pull on a simple black sheer dress I hadn't worn yet, but knew would be perfect for this. I wanted Logan with me for support, but I wasn't sure how he was dealing with the new information he had got off of my laptop.
I drive to the Kane mansion; at one time it was my home away from home. Lilly and I was always there when we weren't at the beach or somewhere else. I knew the mansion like the back of my hand. I walk slowly up the steps that lead to the front door. I paused taking several deep breaths before ringing the doorbell. …with the top five ranking juniors and seniors trying not to gag as they talk about the scholarship they're offering in Lilly's name. I now just have to wait for someone to answer the door. It's been a year and a half since I stood outside this door and watched my best friend's body carried away. A year and a half's worth of questions only I know and only someone in this house can answer.
I hear the clapping of heels on the tile floor right before the door opens. I was surprised though to see that it was Jake and Celeste who came to the door all smiles, but when they see me they drop from their face faster than you could throw a ball.
"Veronica, I didn't, uh…" Jake starts but stops as he gives me a cautious smile before continuing, "Welcome."
"Thank you, Mr. Kane," I say trying to avoid looking directly at his face.
"Veronica come in. The others are already here," Celeste bites out as she walks away just as I enter the house. Jake held the door open for me before motioning for me to follow him. Jake veers off toward a side direction as I look around at the people who were all contending for the scholarship; Duncan, Sabrina and Hamilton Cho. I look toward the side door where the pool is to find Jake and Celeste who appear to be arguing probably over not knowing I was going to be here. It's hard to be back knowing what I know now and not wonder. Celeste Kane has plenty of reasons to hate me.
I remember Lilly and Celeste agreeing about me one time before she was murdered. Lilly said it was nothing, but Celeste went out of her way to make me feel unwanted. I heard Lilly even go as far as muttering 'that was no way to treat your stepdaughter' when Celeste demanded that I don't come back to the house anymore. This was right after Duncan had broken up with me. I just thought it was because we were no longer dating, but who knows now.
"I am proud to announce an annual award in the name of our daughter, Jake says as I am drawn back to reality from my memory. Celeste stands at Jake's side smiling proudly as he speaks to us. "Starting this year, Neptune High's Valedictorian will receive a full-time scholarship to the university lucky enough to have him or her. So, best of luck to this year's seniors. May the best scholar win," he concludes as I watch him and Celeste raise their glasses. There is some cheering and applause.
Jake went on to explain how he would be paying for one of us to go to college anyway as he placed his hands on Duncan's shoulders. I wanted to look anywhere but at the two of them. I wondered if Duncan knew I could be his sister, or if Jake had thought about finding out if I was his or not. He doesn't look like a killer but you don't get to run a Fortune 500 company without a killer instinct. I mean just because he was Lilly's dad really doesn't prove anything. My dad knew he was hiding something which turned out to be a sordid affair with my mom.
I try not to think about the idea that a parent could easily turn on one of their own kids, but you hear about it all the time in the news how parents kill their littler kids. Jake begins to usher everyone to the table. "Come on over here, let's chow down. It's rack of lamb tonight," he says smiling as I slowly join the group headed for the table until a familiar voice catches my attention.
"Veronica," Lilly calls out in a ghost like whisper as I look around, "Come on, dorkus," she continues as I see her shadow moving out the familiar doors that led to the pool area. I hadn't been out there since I saw her dead body, head busted in. I follow ghost Lilly, who was still in her pep squad uniform to the pool. I find Lilly covered with the blood and gore from that day just casually laying on a sun lounger as if everything was alright in the world.
"My god, worse party ever. What are you doing at Nerdfest?" she asks as I try to look anywhere but at her head.
"I had to come back, there's something's wrong, they're hiding something," I say as slowly as I could trying to keep my courage while I had it.
"Please. Veronica. They have their faults but they are hardly murderers. Wow, you've got some imagination if you think mommy dearest or daddy dearest would get their hands dirty," she chuckles as I look past her at the pool.
"Then who did it Lilly? Explain to me what your little secret was, help me find the person who did this to you," I mutter as I see her just smile while I jump when another voice startles me.
"Veronica, you okay?" Duncan says softly as he joins me on the pool deck. I turn quickly to catch him just standing behind me with his hands in his pockets looking at the spot where Lilly was found. "So, who are you hiding from?" he asks as I look away from him.
"No one really, I was just…" I start but stop not knowing what to really tell him. Do you just tell someone you followed their dead sister out of the house to the spot where she was murdered?
"Veronica, relax. I come here sometimes too to think about her. At first I begged my parents to sell the house. Couldn't even walk by this spot, imagining the last thoughts that went through her head/ But now, it's kind of nice. In a peaceful sort of way. When I'm here, I feel like she's still with me. Come on inside. We don't bite," he says trying to make a joke, but I still wasn't sure about all of it. He gives me a smile as he holds his hand out motioning for me to follow him, so I do.
***LoVe***
I was still thinking about everything that happened the night before, but just couldn't seem to see why it bothered me so much that I was there. That was the main problem I had was being back at that house. I found Sabrina is crying as I joined her for lunch.
"What's wrong, Sabrina?" I ask as I open my bottle of water and take a drink.
"I…was just exhausted. All of this crap. I got an 86 on the AP Bio exam," she mutters dejectedly.
"AP Bio is a killer, a B isn't-" I am still speaking as she cuts me off.
"I lost it, the top GPA, the Valedictorian spot," she says continuing her crying.
"You lost it because of one test?" I question really not understanding why this was such a big deal for her.
"I had a hundredth of a point lead and now I'm a hundredth behind. Why haven't you gotten him to stop?" she half snaps at me as I look at her.
"Sabrina, it's not Caz, I'm sure. Wait, who's in first place now?" I mutter as she continues her crying.
"Um, him," she says pointing at one of the kids I saw the night before.
"Hamilton Cho?" I ask as I was surprised his family owned Cho's Pizza.
"Yeah," she says as I get up and walk toward my locker. I wanted to be anywhere but right beside of her at the moment. I instead ran into Troy who was smirking at me as he pulled me close to his body.
"Well hello to you sweet thing," he chirps into my ear as I push on him to let me go.
"I'm not in the mood for this right now Troy," I snap as he pushes me roughly into the lockers behind me.
"Your never in the mood to play when I want to, but I bet if Logan asked you for a little rough play you would be all over him," he sneers in my face as I finally push him off of me and make my way toward the journalism room. As soon as I entered the room I saw Logan seated with earbuds in his ears listening to whatever it was. The sight alone made me relax slightly after what Troy had just done t me. I couldn't understand why he couldn't leave me alone.
"Hey," I barely heard the whisper right near my ear as I turned around punching the person behind me. I had been caught off guard. Logan was holding his hand to his face as I realized who I had just hit.
"I'm so sorry, I tought you were someone else," I say quickly as I look around to see we were still in the empty classroom.
"I should have tapped your shoulder before getting so close," he mutters as his eyes grow wide before he continues, "You must have had a run in with Troy. I saw him earlier in the morning and was going to warn you, but I got busy and forgot," he is rambling as I kneel down in front of him.
"Logan, it's not your fault. Troy is annoying right now," I say as he stands up helping me back to my feet.
"Did you get lunch?" he questions as I notice that I only had my water in my hand other than my bag.
"No, I was talking to Sabrina and then ran into Troy and then hid in here," I mutter realizing how hungry I was. He walked over to his seat and picked up a box of something.
"Here, it might be cold but at least its food," he says as the bell rings and he walks back to his seat. I open the box to find lasagna. The small gesture on his part just made my day. I ate up as fast as I could to keep working.
After school I head over to Cho's Pizza to check up on the new GPA winner. Hamilton is working behind the counter, cleaning up from the looks of it. I look over the very imaginative offerings only to settle on ordering a pizza.
"I'm actually a little hurt this is your first Cho's pizza, Veronica," Hamilton says jokingly as I notice not many people were in the restaurant.
"What can I say? I lack pizza imagination. So…hear you got into Oxford. Congrats," I say trying to keep my bitterness out of the conversation. I didn't want to go to Oxford, but it would have been an impressive school to attend.
"Yeah, sweet only if I can come up with about a billion dollars or so. I mean we all know how much college is," he says tossing his cloth on the counter while looking around.
"Well. I hear you've edged into the lead for Valedictorian now. If you don't blow it in the next nine weeks, that Kane scholarship will pay for Oxford entirely. So, Sabrina…" I start as I see the corner of his lip curl into a grin.
"the teenage witch, I mean that is what she is at most times," he says chuckling as I look past him.
"I guess you don't care for her," I say as he comes closer.
"Do you? Does anyone? I mean Veronica did you even know her before today," he questions as I think about it. I had known who she was, but no I really didn't know her.
"She's had it pretty tough this week," I counter as he mocks rubbing his eyes as if he was crying.
"Boo hoo. You know how many breaks she's had? She got AP credit for a school sponsored trip to Rome. Her mom is the School Board President. I mean, how can I compete with that? I work twenty hours a week, no tutors, it's just the way it is here," he mutters as someone hands him a pizza. He moves to the counter and hands it to me.
"Money talks, etcetera, etcetera. You know what I'm talking about," he replies as I see an older man moving toward him holding out several pizzas.
"Hamilton. This order's ready," his dad says as I watch Hamilton put on a delivery cap.
"Gotta run. Pop, I'll be back in ten," he says as I see him move toward the front door of the restaurant. Of course I agree, Hamilton. The world is unfair. That's why I don't feel good about putting a tracker on your car.
I was having a crappy day, but thankfully a long walk on the beach with Backup was going to hopefully lift my spirits tremendously. I was feeling much better after spending the last half an hour with my faithful dog. I wasn't prepared though to find my dad sitting in his armchair waiting for me. No that was never a good sign.
My dad told me how Weidman came to see him in regards to missing person. Of course I thought for sure he wasn't going to put two and two together about how I was the one hiding her, but my dad was smarter than me. He knew exactly what I had been up to. I was surprised that even though he was a little ticked off with me for hiding all of this from him. He at least gave me the okay to continue as long as I was being safe with the things I was doing.
My dad told me how he found that Jake Kane had made a phone call to Weidman before he called the police. There were so many holes popping up in the alibis that I was beginning to think the Kanes could have really murdered their own daughter and was covering it up. This didn't sit right with me.
I wasn't happy either when I was watching the Pizza place to see if Hamilton was behind the scheme with Sabrina either. I was beginning to think someone else was out to get her, but couldn't seem to reason who would want her to fail. Of course as I was in the middle of thinking over several scenarios of how Jake could have covered up his daughters murder my phone rings. Someone was allowing their car alarm goes off and then right before the cops came they would turn it off. I asked her to get the plates next time the alarm went off.
***LoVe***
Logan
I had been trying hard not to obsess over troy lurking about once again hurting Veronica, but I was ticked off that he was still bothering her. I was also waiting for Veronica to corner me about things that have been going on.
"I'd like to know when you plan on telling Duncan and everyone how I'm psycho or, at least, unhealthily obsessed. I'd like to be prepared," Veronica defensively snaps as she pulls me into the Journalism room. It seems we have been meeting more like this lately than normal.
"You know Veronica, something's been bothering me. About Duncan having whatever he has, that weird kind of epilepsy. Are you sure?" I say honestly as it was bothering me because I had been one of his closest friends and didn't even know about it, but blondie was able to trudge the information up without any problems.
"About that?" she begins looking around the room as she closes the door before moving closer.
"Yeah," I say really wanting to know what she had.
"Yeah," she counters as I see a smirk on her face.
"I mean you have to admit I've known him since kindergarten, why didn't he ever mention it to me?" I mutter as I lean back into a desk really hurt that he wouldn't even tell me his friend.
"I don't think he or his parents wanted anyone to know. I think they still want him to be president some day," she says as I think over everything his parents have done since Lilly's death.
"Does that mean that he has, like, fits or something?" I question as I think back to one time I was over at the house with them.
"Possibly. Other times the attacks might manifest themselves as hysterical laughter or uncontrollable crying. Or a blind rage," she says as I realize what I had seen was probably one of his fits. I can see her staring at me waiting for me to continue. "Logan does any of that sound familiar to you?" she questions as I look past her for a moment trying to think straight as I think back to the day I was remembering. I slide a little closer to her as I nod my head.
"I'm only telling you, okay," I say softly as she nods her head.
"Last year when…" I start but stop as I realize the crap I had done over the past year toward her. I look up to the ceiling and take a deep breath trying to clam my nerves. "…I was over at their place, I heard s-screaming from the next room. I heard Duncan's voice and thought someone had broken into the house and when I got there, I found him on the floor and he-he had his hands around his dad's throat. And I tried to pull him off. An-and all of a sudden he went limp and he was Duncan again" I tell her about the scene I had witnessed.
"What did Jake say to you?" she asks after a moment of silence.
"Nothing. We helped Duncan to his room and it was over. I tried talking to Duncan the next day at school but…he acted like he didn't remember a thing," I say as I remember how Duncan was so different from one moment to the next. It was as if nothing had happened in the time span for him.
"Was this when Lilly died?" she asked I stand up and shake my head.
"No," I mutter as I move away from her. "This happened the same week that he broke up with you. It's weird, huh," I ask as I leave her to ponder what I had said. I didn't want her to really answer me, but I wanted her to know things were different now.
I had heard from some of the guys that Veronica had solved an important case for Sabrina Fuller who was in the running for the Valedictorian race against a great guy Cho something. Veronica had found out that Cho's dad had hired someone to cause Sabrina trouble. I felt bad for the guy because he seemed to be a nice guy. I thought maybe I could ask my dad for an advance and maybe send him the cash. It wasn't his fault his dad did what he did. He shouldn't be penalized for his father's mistakes.
I was surfing later that afternoon with Dick when he told me how his dad over heard Jake Kane talking to an investor to send out an anonymous check to a kid. When I questioned Dick more about it he said his dad couldn't remember the kids' name, but his dad owned a restaurant in Neptune. I was sure it was the Cho kid. I smiled thinking how I knew Jake wasn't perfect, but at least he had a good heart at times. I was able to get some great waves and luckily for me my dad was out of town.
***LoVe***
Veronica
A few days later I was still feeling bad for Hamilton when my phone rang as I was working on my homework. Amelia was calling to let me know her mom had sent over the papers and was waiting for me. I was thankful that at least one good thing was finally happening.
"Dad, we've got it. Amelia has the settlement papers at her hotel," I say as I am already packing up my things.
"Good work, honey. Let's go," he says heading to the door. The ride to the Ocean Beach Motel was a quiet one as I had nothing to say nor did my dad. We arrive at the door to Amelia's room. I knock on the door, but there is no response and that make me nervous. I use my key to open the door only to find Clarence Weidman in the room, putting some papers in a briefcase. There is no sign of Amelia. I am really disappointed when I see Amelia was long gone.
"Well as luck would have it I won't need your services, Keith," he says smugly.
"Where is she?" I snap as I want to lunge right at him, but hold firm in my spot.
"Gone." He says.
"You took her?" I ask looking toward my dad who still seemed to be shocked he was even here.
"Miss DeLongpre took her self, but she was particularly upset with you, Miss Mars, for failing to mention her father's declining health," he says as I realize just how he got to her.
"Let's go, honey, come on," my dad says as I just stand still.
"Where did she go?" I questions as he seems bored with me.
"Miss. Mars where would you go if you had your own Swiss bank account? Thank you for bringing Amelia to Neptune. She just finalized her father's settlement with Kane Software," he says as I am visibly ticked off I rush out of the room not wanting to be in the same space as him. I heard my dad following after me, but I didn't stop until I was to my car. We left together, but shortly after we made it back to the office he head home. I just couldn't bring myself to leave. I had more unanswered questions than I had before. I was also mad that my dad changed the code on the safe. I was sitting in front of it when my dad walked into his office. What do you do when the best chance you've had at cracking the case, packs up her suitcase and heads to Biarritz or St Tropez or wherever rich people disappear to?
I hadn't turned the lights on in his office so when they flicked on I knew I was busted. "Oh, hey honey, what are you doing on the floor in the corner?" my dad questions me as he makes his way toward me.
"Dad, I-" I start as I have nothing to tell him.
"Veronica, don't just sit there on the floor," he says as he reaches out and grabs my hand helping me up. "Here sit in the chair," he continues as he squats down in front of the safe. I slink further into his chair.
"I changed the combination on this thing, you know," he says causally like I hadn't noticed that he had. He tumbles the combination. "41-54-17," he says slowly as the safe opens and he pulls out the Lilly Kane murder file.
I thought he used random numbers, but he admitted that the numbers were the flight numbers from his and my mom's honeymoon. I couldn't believe he would actually use something like that. He sets the file on the desk and we both dive in looking through the information he had collected. There were more things in it than I could have imagined. I knew things weren't adding up but then my dad was good at painting a picture using the facts and details.
"Obviously, Jake and Celeste lied about their alibis but what made you think they were involved in covering up Lilly's death?" I finally say after looking at some key information he had gathered and highlighted.
"When the call came in that Lilly had been found, I was the first one at the scene," he says as I look up at him because I knew this firsthand. I had been in the car with him. I had waited patiently for him to come back, but he was in the house longer than what was normal.
He told me the story of when he was questioning both Jake and Celeste things just didn't seem to add up. One key thing was the fact that they was doing a load of laundry that late at night especially when they have maids to do the little things like that. No, I wasn't surprised by that because they were strange, but what he found in the dryer was key to me. He said he found Duncan's soccer uniform. My dad looks sympathetically at me as he lets that little piece of information sink in. I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I knew I was beginning to find it hard to think at all.
Duncan and Lilly were so different. They didn't always like each other, but they always loved each other. He never would have hurt her. I knew they had their issues, but I couldn't see Duncan really killing Lilly. I mean he could have had one of his fits and did it, but if it was an accident why would his parents cover it up. I just could shake the image of Duncan leaning over Lilly shaking with rage. No this wasn't good at all.