Previously... Veronica met another dead end in her new case to find out what really happened to Connor Larkin. Veronica and Keith had dinner after a stressful day and it made Veronica think more about the future involving Logan. After digging further into Neptune's corruption, Veronica had been followed after a night of staking out. Earlier she spoke again with Marcie Jacobs who suggested a meeting finally with Larkin's good friend, Greg Bua, a screenwriter for indie flicks and TV movies. Veronica now heads to Los Angeles to meet him and to ultimately stop by Connor's apartment in hopes of discovering concrete evidence that will prove the death wasn't by accident...

Chapter 8

90210 was more famous then Neptune's 90909 zip code for good reason. Less than 6-square miles in size, Beverly Hills was a place for the immensely fortunate to live in comfort, and shop and dine at their leisure. Everybody wished they lived like the privileged kids on the show 90210 or find luck just as Vivian Ward had on Rodeo Drive. The houses were mini resorts and kept getting larger as Veronica drove into the city. Bought for millions, these minimum-five-bedroom ostentatious mansions were owned by wealthy celebrities and reality-TV stars. Veronica passed Charlie Sheen's old residence on the way to Marcie's house. Perfectly cut grass, trimmed bushes, gardens carefully managed, stone pathways, each residence looked ready for a photo shoot for Better Homes and Gardens. Veronica pulled into a cleanly lit driveway on Aubrey Road. Surprisingly, Marcie's Mediterranean cottage appeared small in comparison to its neighbors.

Veronica rang the doorbell a few times. "Just a minute!" A voice shouted from inside. Leaving the front door slightly ajar, Veronica noticed Marcie wrapped in only a blue towel with her hair soaking wet. She had just exited the shower causing drips of water to fall all over the hardwood floors. "You're early!" Marcie exclaimed.

Veronica checked her watch: 4:14 pm. Actually, Veronica was fifteen minutes late. "Should I come back at a better time?"

"Nonsense. Sorry, for my state. I usually don't answer my door half-naked, but I assumed it was you." Marcie apologized profusely gesturing Veronica into the foyer. "Come in. Please." She shut the door behind Veronica. "Do you mind waiting while I change and blow dry my hair? I literally must do something to this mop on top of my head before it turns into a giant frizz ball."

"Yeah, no problem." Veronica sighed. She dropped her bag next to the white coffee table in the living room.

"Feel free to relax. There's a pitcher of lemonade I set out if you are thirsty!" Marcie ambled up the stairs and out of sight.

As if Veronica really had a say in the matter, she plopped down on what felt like a cloud. The sofa curved to her back. Already feeling like a long day after meeting with a new client in the morning, she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. While Marcie tried on clothes, Veronica stared around the place. Everything was white, sand-colored or teal. What might have lacked in space was made up for in the open floor plan with high arching ceilings, gorgeous hardwood floors, skylights, fireplace, and an outdoor porch. On a shelf over the fireplace displayed Marcie's Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series. Her long-running CBS crime show was a mega-hit in the ratings and a critical darling for the past four years. A few other lesser known statues and trophies lined the shelf. A few framed artworks hung on the walls. Mostly abstract paintings, Veronica recognized a small Barbara Kruger print which made her appreciate Marcie a little more. On the coffee table was a clear pitcher of Lemonade and three stacked empty cups. The newest addition of US Magazine was found beside the pitcher. Veronica poured herself a glass and took a big gulp realizing with surprise that the lemonade was spiked with vodka.

Twenty-five minutes had gone by and Veronica now knew Kim Kardashian's favorite places to shop in LA. She carelessly tossed the magazine off to the side as Marcie reappeared wearing a light pink blouse, white shorts, and gem embellished sandals. Her long blonde hair had been curled and pinned up in a half-do.

"Sorry for the delay, Veronica. There was a slight change in plans as I mentioned earlier. After finally getting a hold of him and much convincing, Greg is going to meet us here. His house is near a lot of famous restaurants and stores in Hollywood and after the funeral, I literally cannot deal with anymore cameras in my face." In her right hand was an unopened water bottle. She twisted the cap and took a sip as she settled down next to Veronica. "He promised to be here shortly and if not, I'll put his head on a stick."

"Afterwards, we can head to the Fairfax district, correct? Connor resided at the Palazzo Penthouses."

Marcie's face contorted into a sharp frown. "Ah, yes. I suppose so."

A few awkward, silent minutes gradually passed before Veronica heard a car's engine in the driveway.

The house unlocked, Greg Bua walked right in. He casually wore black Nike sneakers, dark-washed jeans, and a striped green t-shirt. He already had a five o'clock shadow which made him only more handsome. "This is the last time I'm letting you drag me out here, Marjorie. I swear."

Veronica's wrinkled her brow. "Marjorie?" Veronica now remembered Marcie was just a stage name.

"Yes, fun-fact I was named after Natalie Wood's titled character in Marjorie Morningstar. It was my mother's favorite movie as a child growing up in New York before she married my father." Marcie focused her attention back at Greg. "We have a guest. This is Veronica Mars."

Greg's had a dumbfounded look plastered on his tan face as his deep brown eyes moved over to the other blonde in the room. Veronica had her hair pin straight and wore a black blouse, skinny jeans, and her motorcycle boots. "I thought…." He scratched the back of his head. "Well, she looks exactly like my hairdresser."

"Excuse me?" Veronica replied with an acerbic tone.

"This is who you hire?" He said in disbelief glancing at Marcie.

"I can assure you I did my homework, Greg."

Greg sat across from Veronica hunched over with his elbows on his knees. "You're a licensed P.I.?"

Veronica rolled her eyes. "No, I'm the Duchess of Wales." She pulled out a notepad and pen from her bag. "Let me guess, you write misogynistic screenplays and somehow managed to make a career out of it?"

"Ouch." He straightened his posture. "I mean no offense, Miss Mars. Honestly, you're just what every writer imagines one looks like in their detective stories but never do in reality."

"I think I heard a compliment in there somewhere." Veronica's facial expression softened.

"It is. You're gorgeous. If you're free tonight I'd like to take you out to dinner maybe ask you some questions."

Marcie cleared her throat and raised her voice before Veronica had a chance to answer. "CAN WE GET BACK ON TRACK, PLEASE?"

Greg nodded his head. "Of course; sorry. Go on."

Veronica flipped to a clean sheet of paper in her pad. While she had a fantastic memory, Veronica wrote things down for the benefit of the interviewee to not scare them off with her constant direct eye-contact. "What can you tell me about the night of May 13th?"

"Let's see, I knew Connor, Marcie, Alex and his wife, Charlotte all planned to go out to a small club around nine pm. I wanted to go to Vintage on the Sunset Strip instead and tried to convince Connor earlier in the day. However, I gave up after I left three messages on his phone. I ended up going by myself." He poured himself a glass of lemonade and continued, "So I wake up the next morning hung-over at my house. There's some girl from the club I met that night assed out. I send her home a little while later and check my phone. I had about seven voice mails from this firecracker." He pointed with his thumb over at Marcie. "Each more harsher than the prior one until finally she mentioned Connor died. I think she thought I had something to do with it."

"Not true, Greg. What I thought was that you had convinced him to ditch me to go to Vintage which lead to..." Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"I miss him too, Marcie." Greg added earnestly.

"I am so sorry for your loss." Veronica automatically responded as if those words could somehow assuage the pain Greg and Marcie were feeling internally.

"Thank you." Greg exhaled, collecting his thoughts. "At first, I didn't believe Marcie and so I got in my car and drove over to Larkin's apartment. A crime scene down to the yellow tape; I wasn't allowed in. The body had already been removed. Later on I found out it was an OD, which is inconceivable."

"Unlike Alex, you think there was definite foul play? Connor's medical records stated he was only taking Vicodin. It doesn't explain three others drugs that were found in his system."

"Essentially anything's possible, right? Connor was having a rough year, but I never thought…" Greg rubbed the back of his neck. "I spoke to Alex. He thinks Connor got the drugs himself and maybe he had forgotten what he had taken that day and...we know the rest."

"You don't really believe that." Veronica could see it in his eyes.

"No, but the alternative?"

Veronica moved on. "From what I gathered, you didn't visit him at all that day?"

"No. Work. He and Alex like more low key places. Not to say they wouldn't have gone with me to Vintage, but Charlotte had made the plans originally."

"When did you leave the club?"

"Around 1 am. I went home with a girl. Even if you think for a second I could do something like that to my oldest friend, my alibi holds up for the entire day."

Veronica figured Greg would be innocent. The notion of using poison or drugs crushed up to murder someone was unfortunately stereotypically done by a woman and usually by a scorned ex-lover. "Do you know Katelyn Renner?"

Greg blinked twice. "Ah, Marcie told you? So you know about us, too, then?"

"Greg…." Marcie pleaded. "She doesn't need to know anything more about that."

Veronica spoke up. "If it can help my investigation by all means tell me as much as possible. In my meeting with Alex, he mentioned there were a bunch a ways someone could score painkillers, basically telling me something I already knew. So where do you think Connor would have gotten them if he had?"

"I guess at Vintage or any club for that matter. Just us guys, liked that one the best because the age is 25+. Those teens from the Disney Channel who can't handle their liquor aren't allowed entry not that they'd want to anyway. The music is 80s and 90s mostly. Alex knew another producer who dealt everything you wanted to get your hands on. He'd go there once in a while. I'd score some MDMA for a good time, but that's about it."

Veronica scribbled down a few more things on her notepad. "Tell me more about Connor and Katelyn. You must have known what was going on and for how long."

"Connor had a major fight with Marcie about two months ago. Marcie drove him away. They were technically on just a break." He faced Marcie who stared down at her feet. "Look hon, no disrespect, but it was always your way or the highway and he chose the latter that time."

"I can be difficult and stubborn sometimes." Marcie added glancing back up at Veronica. "I never stopped loving him though and to find out by word of mouth hurt more than I could bear."

Veronica unfortunately had past experience in that department. So much had changed and yet, not so much at all. "That's why you two..."

"Connor started hooking up with Katelyn right around the time she had cast him as the original lead in her new feature. They met on multiple occasions and continued to do so even when he got back with Marcie. When Marcie found out, she used me to get to him. She knew I always had a thing for her but would never dare make a move because of Connor. Well, after I thought they broke up for good…I…" Greg trailed off. He faced Marcie to make sure it was okay to go on.

Marcie gritted her teeth. "Look, once I found out I was pregnant, I stopped things with Greg. He understood. Connor ended whatever affair he had with Katelyn. Things were really good. Do I think Katelyn could have poisoned Connor? I don't know."

Veronica's eyes darted back and forth between the two. "Why would Katelyn Renner need a body guard on set of her film?" As much as Veronica would like to avoid her altogether, she would need to speak to Trina some more.

Greg cut in. "Unsure, but she is definitely eccentric and marches to the beat of her own drum. Maybe Katelyn deluded herself into believing she needs protection."

"The club, Vintage, is where you can get the painkillers, Greg?"

"It's one place. I can take you there if you'd like."

Veronica shook her head. "Is there anyone you can think of that would have wanted Connor dead besides pointing the finger at Katelyn. An obsessed fan? A disgruntled colleague?"

"My guess, it's some girl who held a grudge. Or someone that had been in the same position as Katelyn was…"

Marcie's jaw dropped. She gasped, "You don't think?"

"What?" Veronica brow furrowed.

"Before Marcie and Connor became really serious, Connor had one other affair that lasted shorter than it took for my movie that year to leave the theaters. She was a clinger. God, it was, what, four years ago? Sarah Kingsley or Caffrey maybe?"

"I have no idea." Marcie added. "That was when we didn't speak for several months."

Veronica's wheels in her head were turning. She had a few new theories to mull over. "This is definitely helpful. Thank you Greg. I'll have to check out that club this week. Just one more thing, do you know who you got the drugs from?"

"I know what he looks like but I think Alex knows his actual name." Greg checked the clock on the wall. "I should get going. I have a lot of re-writes to do tonight. Marcie, I'm sorry for not returning your calls. I promise I am here for you." He smiled at Veronica. "I'm going to give you my card, Miss Mars. I really do have questions about your job. You could be my muse for a possible film idea. Call that number. We can talk over dinner sometime soon?"

Veronica politely grabbed the card and slipped it inside her bag with her notepad. "I'll have to check my day planner. I think the next few months are all filled up."

His hopeful smile faded. "If you change your mind."

As he left, Marcie manage to let out a chuckle. "I can't believe him. I think he's exhausted all the girls in Hollywood that now he's branching out."

"I'm already spoken for."

Marcie took a sip of water. "Right. What do you think?"

"About the case? I'm working under several assumptions. Greg seems to be telling the truth. I'll go to Vintage and see if I'm able to narrow down my suspects."

"I should warn you, it's not easy getting in. That's why it was a good fit for us. Not much paparazzi either. I'd go with you, but not in my condition."

Veronica could get Logan to come. The son of a late mega movie star was a golden ticket into most selective joints. She didn't like using his status, but with no help from Marcie she didn't want Greg Bua to be an option. "I'll find a way."

"Oh, if you plan on staying longer here and don't feel like driving back, I won a gift basket that included a two-night stay at the Sunset Regent. You're more the welcomed to take the two nights. It's in West Hollywood so close by to those clubs. I also checked out at the Grand so if you find out anything, don't hesitate to call."

"Wait, what about Connor's apartment?"

Marcie's hands balled up into fists. She was avoiding this part. "You just need the video right?"

"And if there is a way to get inside. You have a key, right?"

"Yes." Marcie sighed knowing full well it had to happen at some point. "Okay, let's get this over with before it gets dark out."

Veronica followed behind in her car as Marcie lead the way toward the complex.

*x**x**x**x*

Twenty five minutes from Downtown Los Angeles and located in the Fairax district, the Palazzo Penthouses contained over the top apartments for the rich not yet wanting a long-term commitment. Super-deluxe apartments had a colorful history in Los Angeles. Wealthy movie stars were among the first tenants of elite residential buildings. The Palazzo Penthouses were as luxurious as they came. A gated entrance not to mention twenty-four hour guard security, Veronica needed Marcie. Luckily, Miss Jacobs was a familiar face and not many questions were asked.

They reached the concierge office building. Marcie greeted a guard with a balding head sitting in a chair at a desk. The guard was in his late-sixties with white stubble covering his lower jaw. No ring on his finger, he had been divorced for the past ten years. "Hello Joe, how are you today?"

Joe smiled warmly making wrinkles and crows feet even more visible. "Miss Jacobs...I'm so sorry to hear. It came as a shock to the whole community."

"Yes. Thank you." Marcie took out a tissue from her short's pocket and dabbed the corners of her eyes. "I was wondering if you could do something for me."

"But of course, anything."

"Can you let me see the security cam footage from say May 12th to the 14th?"

"I'm afraid I am an unable to do so. We follow strict rules."

"Are you sure? It didn't stop you before." Marcie batted her eyelashes. She used different methods of persuasion until a single tear slid down her cheek. "Please, Joe? As a friend to a friend." She was good; Veronica imagined Marcie put on a whole production every time to get what she wanted if denied.

Inconspicuously, the security guard glanced around the room for a moment. No one was paying any attention to them. The rest of the guards were on duty patrolling the premises. "Oh, alright. The best I can do is copy. No email. I'll need a flash drive."

Veronica eagerly rummaged through her bag and pulled out hers. "Here you go!"

Joe shot a dubious look at Veronica. He granted Marcie's request, nonetheless. He pressed a few keys on the computer. Five or so minutes later, he responded, "I uploaded our video records of those days. I'm not sure what you plan on finding. We don't miss a thing. The LAPD, too, had been thorough in lieu of recent events. Nothing happened out of the ordinary, I'd remember."

Veronica took the USB and stored it away in her bag.

"Thank you Joe. Truly. You're a Godsend." Marcie gave the biggest million-dollar smile she could muster and lead the way out into the courtyard. She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Connor's apartment is to the left."

When Veronica and Marcie arrived at his front door, Marcie stood still, her feet planted firmly on the ground. She would not budge. "You're sure you don't want to come in?" Veronica inquired one last time.

"No. His neighbors always go on a vacation this time of year. No one is around. I'll be fine out here."

As Veronica entered Connor's place, everything was pristine and seemingly left untouched. She noticed the kitchen first. Quartz counter-tops lined with state-of-the-art steel appliances. She opened the fridge to find mostly beverages: half empty two liter bottle of Coca-Cola, gallon of orange juice, sun tea, mix-match of beers, and a large bottle of rum. In the sink were two Collins glasses, a mug and a plate. Nothing else held Veronica's interest.

Veronica found Marcie smoking a cigarette outside. Whether Veronica unintentionally gave a disproving look or not, Marcie felt embarrassed.

"I know, what with the baby at and all. It's the first one since. I've gone cold turkey but—"

"I'm not here to judge."

"Anything amiss?" Marcie asked, shakily, as she dropped the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped on it.

"Nope, except did Connor drink rum and coke frequently? There was a large bottle of some brand I've never heard of." Not surprisingly as Veronica usually stuck to the cheaper bottom shelf variety.

"Yes, such a girl, that was his favorite drink besides tea."

"It's just curious why there were two glasses in the sink if he had been alone that night. They were washed not that fingerprints could really prove anything."

*x**x**x**x*

Marcie convinced Veronica to go back to her place to watch the footage together. Sitting on the soft couch, Veronica slid the flash drive into Marcie's computer.

Once the file downloaded, she glared at the screen keeping in mind the date and time stamp at the bottom. Joe, the security guard, was right. Nothing out of the ordinary. A few people coming and going. Pool parties in the afternoons. Marcie averted her eyes every time Connor appeared on screen. Eventually, she fast-forwarded the time to eight pm on May 13th. Veronica watched intently. Connor had already entered his apartment hours ago and was alone. At 11:22 pm, Veronica could make out a figure walking alone across the courtyard in the direction of Connor's apartment. Bingo. Unfortunately, as the hours slipped by, the figure did not reappear and the sun had begun to emerge. By that point, Veronica noticed others passing by heading toward the gym or to breakfast. Then she spotted Marcie at 7:03 am on May 14th.

Veronica attempted to zoom in on the figure, but it became too blurry. She shutdown the laptop. Her heart pounding out of her chest. She needed to find just one discernible feature to guide her into discovering the true ID.

Veronica quickly pulled out her iPhone and dialed Mac. She didn't care that it was late. Veronica had skipped dinner and was simply running on the need for information. "I'm going to send you a file. Stamped at 11:22 pm on the 13th. I need you to try to improve the image quality on the video."

"You're like the energizer bunny; you don't quit." Mac yawned. "I'll check my email as soon as I can and let you know. What did you find?"

"Unless it's a giant black cat wearing a hood, I think the person who drugged Connor Larkin."

*x**x**x**x*

Everything else could wait until tomorrow, Veronica surmised. After removing her clothes from the day and changing into a comfortable cami and shorts, Veronica turned on the lamp on top of the nightstand. At two am, she had lost track of time at Marcie's and the drive back had been excruciatingly long. She slipped under the covers and inched closer to Logan giving him a quick peck on the lips. He lay still on his back before opening his eyes.

He gazed over at the alarm clock. "About time." He mumbled, exhausted.

"Traffic was brutal and there was a major accident on the highway. I was picturing being in Neptune by next Halloween. I was coming up with costume ideas and everything." She joked while turning the lamp back off leaving the moonlight filtering through the blinds as the only source of illumination.

"What did you decide on?"

"I kept going back and forth between a mime, a ninja turtle, and Daenerys Targaryen."

"I vote Daenerys."

"You only say that because it's the one with the least amount of clothes."

"Less to rip off."

Veronica rolled her eyes. Logan would be gone by then. She felt her chest tighten. "On another note, how would you feel about going to a club in Hollywood on Friday?" Veronica had already asked her dad to watch Pony for the specific night which Keith agreed to happily.

Logan lifted his head and peered up at Veronica. "I don't have to take Ruby Jetson out as my date, do I?"

"Nope." Veronica bit her lip. "Actually, Vintage is the place most frequented by Connor's friends." Veronica spent the next few minutes summarizing the day, the footage, and the plan she had for nightclub. "This could finally be it. Not to mention, I'll be wearing that red dress I've heard makes all the boys swoon."

"Okay, I'm in."

"That was easy."

"You don't have to try hard, Veronica. I would do anything for you."

Logan had fallen back asleep before Veronica whispered out loud, "I love you." The three little words tumbled out of her mouth more than ever before. Logan had effectively broken down almost every one of her walls. While she still had fear of what was to come, Veronica snuggled up closer to him and drifted off to sleep. The real conversation she wanted to have with him could wait.