TITLE: Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
CHAPTER FOUR: Gone Daddy Gone
AUTHOR: Sarah
WORD COUNT:
SUMMARY: AU. Lilly lives. Veronica Mars moves to Neptune her Junior year, leaving behind the tragedy that shaped her past in Waterford.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing…seriously.
AN: I'm putting little recaps of what has happened previously, I know from personal experience it is hard to keep up with what is going on with WIP's, so here is a little summary to give you guys a refresher.
Previously …..
Veronica gets on Lilly Kane's bad side and is an outcast at Neptune High. Her father found information proving that the accused murderer of Lianne didn't do it and her killer is still out there. Veronica is determined to find her mother's killer, Keith is also investigating but is unaware of Veronica's involvement. Veronica found out that Lianne attended Neptune High and dated Jake Kane. Her ex-boyfriend, Troy Vandergraff, returned to Neptune High. Logan and Veronica have formed an awkward friendship after initially disliking each other. Phew….I think that is it.
Chapter 4
Gone Daddy Gone
We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year…..
Veronica lets out a deep sigh as she and Wallace maneuver through the large crowds of middle age Moms, bratty kids and rebellious teenagers with way too many piercings. The cheerful Christmas carols that had been on constant repeat since they had entered were grating on Veronica's last nerve. And it didn't help that she had been pushed, prodded, and poked by random shoppers all day long.
"I can't believe you made me do this."
"It's Christmas V, you know the time for being merry and spreading the love. Where is your Christmas spirit?"
"I love Christmas." She exclaims indignantly before she adds, "And don't you mean the time for increased rates in suicide."
Wallace just sighs, shifting his overloaded shopping bags in his hands before looking down at Veronica's empty hands.
"Aren't you going to get anything?"
"I already did all my shopping online, the wonders of modern technology. I can do all my shopping from the comfort of my home and avoid this hell hole. "
"What did you get your dad?" Wallace asks curiously.
"I am still working on that. I want to send him to this Padres Fantasy camp, but it's a bit above my budget."
"Don't worry; I'm sure you'll think of something. You're Veronica Mars." Wallace says with something akin to admiration in his voice.
Veronica rummages through her locker searching for her bio book, she has a test in less then ten minutes and she hadn't been able to get any studying done last night on her stakeout.
I vow never to bring Wallace along again, that boy does not know when to shut up.
Her focus veers from her locker raid when she sees her ex-boyfriend mere metres away and looking primed for a fight.
"I want my Laptop back." Troy says gruffly marching up to Weevil.
It is probably not the wisest move, seeing that Weevil has several thugs flanked by his side, but thinking about it….. Troy had never been rational; he was more into grand, chivalrous, stupid gestures.
"Not gonna happen white boy." Weevil sneers menacingly. "I won that money, square. It's not my problem that I had to find other ways to compensate."
"I didn't take the money!" Troy all but shouts looking extremely frustrated with the situation.
Weevil remains calm, "Well somebody did."
He shoves Troy not so gently into a set of lockers and walks off, thugs in tow.
Troy curses under his breath before straightening himself out and pushing away from the lockers. He scans the crowd and Veronica winces when his eyes lock onto her. He visibly perks up at the sight of Veronica and determinedly swaggers over to her.
"Hey, Veronica."
"Hi." She says in a less then chipper tone, turning to face him for a millisecond before continuing her locker foray.
She lets out a gasp, "Aha!" and tugs the missing book out from her locker. She shuts the door and finally gives Troy her attention.
"I see you're making friends and influencing people everywhere you go." She says dryly.
"Huh?" He looks at her utterly confused; it would almost be adorable if it wasn't him.
"Weevil?" She says gesturing over in the general direction of the lockers where they had their argument just minutes earlier.
"Oh, yeah…About that, I was wondering if you can help me out?" He looks hopeful, desperate even.
She is about to decline but before the polite refusal can make it out of her mouth Troy is continuing with his little narrative.
"There was this poker game at Logan's last night. Weevil won five grand and someone stole his money. Now Weevil is taking any valuable processions to make up for the money that was stolen from him. He stole my laptop."
She was going to help; how could she not help now that she had been pulled in. Solving mysteries was her niche; she loved the thrill, the clues, the trepidation, the excitement, but most of all, she loved the big reveal at the end. So even though it would mean braving her Ex Boyfriend and Co. she would do it, but she wasn't going to let him off so easily.
"That's nice Troy. But I don't see how this concerns me."
"Well it kinda does."
Crap.
"See, I had this journal and for a while you were kind of a feature in it."
"A feature with a cleverly disguised pseudonym?" She says hopefully, mentally cataloging all the things Troy could have possibly wrote about her.
"Not really."
Double Crap. There are a million things Troy could have written about me that I'd sooner impale myself on a rusty spike than have someone else read. I really need to get that laptop back .I don't need the 09ers having any more ammo against me.
"Ok. I'll help."
He beams, "Thanks V. I owe you one…maybe we could go out sometime for…coffee?"
"No." She says abruptly.
"I just wa-
"Bye Troy."
She looks down at her watch just as the final bell for class rings.
Great, now I'm late for bio.
Eli "Weevil" Navarro, Troy Vandergraff, Sean Friedrich , Connor Larkin and Logan Echolls. What did these guys have in common? Untrustworthy? Yes. Idiots? Yes. Would freely walk over my corpse for a packet of free gum? Yes. Possibility of committing theft? Hell Yes.
Oh, they were all evil enough to take the money but why would they? Weevil had been ruled out immediately and the rest of them didn't need the money. It looks like a little digging is in need.
One of them had stolen the poker money, so who was it?
"Why were you even at the poker game? It doesn't seem like your scene. Not to mention that it was only a few weeks ago that your little rendezvous with Lilly became public. I don't think Logan would have welcomed you with open arms."
"I heard your boy Troy- "Veronica fixes him with a steely glare, he looks kind of intimidated, or as intimidated as a biker could be of a tiny blonde girl.
He coughs, "I heard Troy talking about a poker game and I didn't want to bypass the chance to win easy money off a bunch of idiots. I asked if I could buy in and he had said it was fine. Echolls wasn't even mentioned. He was his usual jackass self to me, nothing more, nothing less."
"Okay ", she says not entirely buying into it "tell me everything about that night."
Veronica had spent ten minutes talking to Weevil and all she had found out was: Logan had a crush on a girl in second grade that thought he was girl, Troy was drunk, and all the guys liked to ogle at Lynn Echolls.
I'm off to a smashing start.
She could probably get more information from Troy about what happened, but that would mean talking to him and talking with him was bad. Ditto for Logan. That left Sean and Connor.
I'm guessing the guy who isn't surrounded by ten bodyguards might be easier to talk to. Just a hunch.
Veronica sat behind her desk in Mars Investigations frowning at the large pile of old case files that she was desperately trying to sort through. She had walked in ten minutes ago to find her father was currently with a client, she could hear the rise and fall of a feminine voice coming through the door. Another suspicious house wife with an adulterous husband, she sighed.
Keith's office door swings open and he appears in the doorway with Lynn Echolls not far behind him.
Lynn Echolls. Glamorous has-been Hollywood starlet. Soap star extraordinaire. Aaron Echolls' wife. Logan's Mom. Definite ogle material.
"I'll work out who is behind all this Mrs. Echolls." Keith says, with the normal blend of sympathy and professionalism in his tone.
"Thank you, Mr. Mars." She replies slipping her dark sunglasses over her eyes.
There is a certain allure to Lynn Echolls. She looks so graceful and composed, which is surprising as she is a rich housewife who has just exited a P.I's office. Maybe she is just good at hiding her feelings, a trait Veronica is sure must run in the family.
For all her super stardom and alleged diva behavior she still gives Veronica a warm smile before she leaves.
"Whoa, Mars Investigations is really moving up in the world, Lynn Echolls?"
"She's worried about her husband; he seems to have found himself a crazed stalker." Keith says searching through the pile of papers Veronica had just organized.
"Dad, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. Do you know much about Jake Kane?" She says offhand. Something about him had been worrying her.
He tenses at the mention of Jake's name and looks wearily at Veronica.
"No. Why?"
"No reason." She says quickly. She knows it is pointless trying to keep a secret from her father but the longer he remains ignorant the better.
Keith looks like he wants to say something but thinks better of it. Instead he makes an extremely weak attempt to change the subject.
"How's school?"
Oh to be rich. I would be happy with enough money to give Dad his dream Christmas present….and a pony.
The garish mansion looms above Veronica as she dashes up the stairs of the Friedrich estate. Veronica rings the doorbell and it is only seconds before an elderly man dressed in a neat suit answers the door.
"Mr. Friedrich?" She questions.
"Yes, how may I help you Miss?"
"I was wondering if I could talk to Sean?"
"He's not available."
"Please, I will only be a minute."
"Sean is not permitted to receive visitors." He says, promptly shutting the door in her face. She thinks she hears a muffled voice call out, "Mr. Friedrich?" as she turns away from the house. She looks back skeptically before jumping in her Le Baron.
Well, so much for that.
Keith pops his head out of his office, midway through putting on his suit jacket.
"Hey, honey. I'm just going to run out. I've got some information for Lynn Echolls."
"I can do that for you." Veronica says, jumping up from behind her desk and reaching for her own jacket.
He raises his eyebrows at her eagerness.
"I was going over anyway; I had to talk to Logan about some school stuff." She says quickly, stumbling over the words.
"Ok, but don't be too long, we're having mac and cheese for dinner tonight."
Veronica scrunches up her face in disgust. "Well now that I know that, I may never come home."
She walks hesitantly through the pool house. Things have been moved around, junk is spilling over all available surfaces, the furniture is out of place and in odd positions. It looks like a wreck. Logan sits amongst it all playing his X-Box animatedly, grunting and shouting at the screen every few seconds. He hasn't even acknowledged her but she knows that he knows she is there. His demeanor had immediately changed the moment she walked in the room.
"This is why I suggested attack dogs. But no, my mother wanted an alpaca." He says finally looking over to where she is standing awkwardly in the room.
"I came over to drop something off for my Dad." She says waving a manila folder around as if to show him the proof.
"And you wanted to say hi to little ole' me? I'm touched, really." He is smirking, but when isn't he?
She rolls her eyes. "I wanted to talk to you about the poker game."
He looks over her and Veronica finds it very unnerving. "I think Connor is the guy you want to see."
"Larkin? Like Connor Larkin?" She says in wonderment, even though she is fully aware already that he was apart of the game.
"He's a mortal, believe me. They just draw his abs on." He says in obvious annoyance.
"Why would Connor steal the money? He's a zillionaire."
"Well, everybody's got their issues, right?" Logan says putting a finger against his nose and sniffing loudly.
"Plus," he adds "the guy's got something against me."
"I would be more than happy to question him. I have a feeling he's not the easiest person to get to, probably has a team of bodyguards to protect him from girls like me."
Logan shakes his head, "I honestly don't get it." He opens up his cell phone and punches in a few numbers. "Hey man. It's, uh, Logan Echolls. Yeah. Hey, listen, can you get, uh, my friend…"
Logan pauses looking over shyly at Veronica – but that can't be possible because if there is one thing Logan Echolls is not it's shy. Before she can even decode the unusualness of his action and his surprising helpfulness he has decided to revert to jackass mode.
"… a drive-on today to see Connor? Yeah, Veronica Mars. No, Veronica, "V" as in virgin."
Veronica glares at him
"Yeah." He says, closing his cell and turning towards Veronica. "There you go."
"Look at you, all helpful." She states slightly mockingly.
"Thank you" She says seriously, holding eye contact for a little longer then necessary.
Logan breaks the moment,"Hey, your peskiness being unleashed on Connor brings me joy." The words are meant to be unkind but he is smiling at her. Logan Echolls, a walking contradiction.
Veronica shakes her head deciding she has probably overstayed her welcome and marches out of the door. Logan follows her out, dramatically flailing his arms while shouting "Annoy, tiny blonde one. Annoy like the wind!"
She was heading into dangerous territory, crossing over to the dark side, approaching the 09ers' lunch table. The only thing that was holding her back from running far, far away was the fact that Duncan and Lilly weren't there and she had the leader of a Mexican bike gang following her. She had heard that Duncan and Lilly were spending Christmas in Napa with their grandparents. So it seemed for once she had gotten lucky.
"The good news is I know who stole the money. The bad news is, I know who stole the money." She says not bothering with pleasantries.
They should all probably look more surprised with her presence at their lunch table, but they don't. Word had gotten around quickly about Veronica Mars's work as a teen detective and it was common knowledge that she didn't take her cases lightly.
"Here's what I suggest, Logan will hold another poker game, tomorrow night."
"Will I?" He says challenging her self- imposed authority.
He snaps to attention suddenly "I can't. My mother's Christmas party is tonight."
"Mm, so no BYOB. Here's how it will go down."
Veronica sits next to Logan. He is surprised, but does not move away. Instead he glances over at Troy who is captivated with Veronica's Little-Miss-Bossy-boots-know-it-all act.
"I'll tell you who did it and you'll buy me into the game. I'll just take the place of whoever stole the money. Unless you still might think you want him around?"
"You know, even if you keep talking, it's not gonna happen." Sean exclaims arrogantly.
"Oh. I thought you guys might all want your stuff back." Veronica exclaims sarcasticaly.
"Yeah. If I get my five grand, some items could…" Weevil pauses, reaching over to grab a slice of pizza sitting in the middle of the table "…magically reappear."
"And if you think about it, anyone who doesn't see this as a great offer is obviously the thief. Kind of a no-brainer."
Veronica stands up from her seat and Logan can't help but mourn the loss of contact.
"Do you even know how to play poker?" Sean asks Veronica condescendingly.
Troy begins to talk, "V's a real-"
Before he can say anymore Veronica gives him a swift kick in the back of the leg. Fortunately Logan is the only one who notices the interaction and the conspiratorial wink Troy gives Veronica.
"No." Veronica says her voice oozing with mock awe "But it must be really hard if all you guys play."
So Sean, the not so rich boy was the thief, whoop di doo! Veronica had bigger fish to fry at the moment.
Logan had just called an emergency break after she had totally decimated them in poker. She had to admit it was nice showing off her killer poker skills, even Logan was mildly impressed. The break had come as a welcome relief from Troy's constant flirting and Logan's pissy attitude. The break also provided her with an opportune moment to finally settle something.
She had seen Jake enter the Echolls library minutes ago and suspecting that he was alone she had quickly followed. But before she could enter the sound of two familiar raised voices caught her attention. One of the people speaking was Jake Kane, of that she was certain….but the other person.
I know that voice.
Veronica steps closer peering into the crack of the slightly open door. She can't see Jake, who is standing on the other side of the room, but the other man is clear.
Mr. Vandergraff?
Well it makes sense; Troy's father is manager of the Kane Software branch in Waterford. Lianne had worked for him; she was a secretary. That was where she had met Michael Adams, her supposed murderer. Mr. Vandergraff and Jake Kane must be having a little impromptu business meeting, but at a high society Christmas party?
Veronica edges closer so as to make out the conversation in the room. It isn't that hard to hear even through the large oak door, their voices are raised and harsh.
"Look Lawrence, it is not cost-effective. It will never work, it's impossible."
"Jake, I have put a lot of thought, a lot of time and already a lot of money into this venture. It is the best way to go with this branch of Kane Software. As manager of the Waterford branch, I think I know what is best for the company."
"I think that is where you are wrong. Nothing goes through the business without my approval and this is not happening."
"I didn't want it to come to this. Take a good look at this before you make your final decision."
Through the crack, Veronica can see Mr. Vandergraff open his briefcase and remove a manila folder which he hands over to Jake Kane. She can't see Jake's reaction and she almost misses his next words they are spoken so softly.
"O.K. Send me over the paperwork tomorrow, I'll have it to you by next week."
Lawrence Vandergraff takes back the folder and goes on blithely packing up his stuff and shaking Jakes hand.
"Excellent. You won't regret this Jake. Now I had better get back out to the party go schmooze some more for the company."
Veronica rushes away from the door, quickly walking out of the hallway.
"Veronica?" Mr. Vandergraff calls out hesitantly almost not sure if it is her.
Damn.
She spins around and plants a look of surprise on her face.
"Mr. Vandergraff, how are you?"
"I'm fine thank you. Troy mentioned you were attending Neptune High, what a coincidence."
"Yeah, it sure was a big surprise."
"I'm so sorry about what happened with Lianne. She was one of the best workers and women I have ever known."
"I feel as if I am to blame…I mean I hired Mike." His eyes well up and Veronica feels sorry for the old man. He had always been nice to her when she was dating Troy.
"Don't worry, Mr. Vandergraff. Sometimes these things happen…." She trails off; comforting the self pitying isn't one of her strong points.
"Yes," he says clearing his throat and gaining his composure "You should come over some time; I know Troy would love to see more of you."
Yeah that's going to happen.
Veronica just smiles at him and he quickly says his goodbye claiming he must return back to the party.
Finally.
She pushes through the door.
She walks into the Library shutting the door behind her with a click. "I've got a question for you."
"Hello, Veronica." He looks befuddled at her presence and tugs on the corner of his tie in what may or may not be a nervous gesture.
"Were you having an affair with my mother?" The question comes out sharp edged and abrasive. She is sick of darting around the issues, she needs to get straight to the point.
She had matched dates that her mother had late office meetings with dates Jake Kane was in town for business. She didn't believe in coincidences.
He is shocked and she isn't sure that he has even processed the question yet because he is standing there, eye brows creased and not making a sound.
"Were you having an affair with my mother?" She asks again, her bravado not failing even though all she wants to do is run and never think about this again. There is a reason they say ignorance is bliss.
He seems to regain control of himself, his diplomatic speech on hand, "Look Veronica, I don't know what you-"
"Just answer the question, were you having an affair with my mother?" She can't stand the secrets and lies and thinking the worst. She just wants to know the truth. After all that's what she aches for, the constant thing she is reaching out to grasp, the truth.
"Yes." His voice sounds so hollow. His face is awash with guilt.
And although she was prepared for this and knew the answer to the question before Jake even said it, it still doesn't hurt any less to hear it out loud. She may pretend that she is extremely jaded and cynical but there was still apart of her that had always had faith in her parents, her moral examples.
A panic settled over her, how long had it been going on, was there a chance her father wasn't her father?
Bile burns the back of her throat and she feels the prick of tears.
"How long?" She cries.
He hesitates, "Since she began working at Kane Software in Waterford."
Relief washes over her, there was no chance Jake is her father. Lianne didn't start working at Kane Software until Veronica was about five years old.
"I'm sorry, Veronica."
She doesn't know how long she is going to last before she has a break down, it seems like all she does these days is cry. She can't stand looking at Jake, she just wants to be left alone to wallow and cry and scream.
"Could you please leave. I need to be alone." Her voice sounds foreign to her ears. She sounds like a lost little girl.
It is only after he has walked out the door, when she hears the loud thunk of the door closing, that she sinks to the floor and lets the sobs rack her tiny body.
Everything is a lie, their marriage was a lie, my life is a lie, everything is one big fucking lie.
She cries for herself- How could she do this to me, for her father – Oh god, I wonder if he knew, and for her mom- Why didn't she just leave? Why couldn't she be happy with us?
Her tears have steadied and her breathing has returned to its semi-normal pattern by the time the grandfather clock strikes ten. She becomes consciously aware of the amount of time she has been absent for but she still can't bring herself to sit up.
"Here you are, we thought you got lost or sold to slavery by some seedy business man. Gentlemen prefer blondes, apparently."
Logan walks further into the room and looks at her; she can only imagine the thoughts going through his head. He is at her side in seconds.
"Hey, what's wrong?" His voice is so soft, so gentle, so unlike anything she had ever heard from him.
"Nothing, I'm fine." She says hastily wiping the remnants of tears off her face.
"Yeah, you really look fine Veronica." She thinks he sounds slightly angry which in turn makes her angry, does he really think he has the right to know her deep dark secrets.
"Did someone do something to you? Was it Weevil, did he try to hurt you? Cause I would be more than happy to kick his ass." He doesn't even attempt to hide the bitterness in his voice.
"Weevil has nothing to do with it."
"Then what?"
"Can you just leave it alone?!" She snaps frustrated with his pandering.
She turns away from him and stares straight ahead, refusing to look at him. They sit there in silence for minutes.
"Look, I'm sorry-"She turns to face him and her breath catches.
When did he get that close? He obviously hasn't heard of personal space.
Tears have stained her face and her nose is red. She doesn't need a mirror to tell her she is not looking her best at this particular moment. But it doesn't matter, because Logan is staring at her. His intense gaze is unwavering from her face. And it surprisingly isn't a look of disgust, but something else Veronica is having trouble defining…lust, maybe? His breath warms her cheeks, a mixture of peppermint and whiskey. Pure Logan.
She knows what is going to happen and she knows she should pull away before it does. But she stays rooted to the ground waiting. He finally moves in the extra millimeter and his lips graze over hers. It is a flutter, barely a touch before a loud piercing scream erupts through the house, sending the two of them scrambling from their current positions and rushing out of the Library.
"Somebody call 911." A voice screams. Veronica thinks it is Lynn but she can't be sure. The whole room is in chaos.
Aaron Echolls body lies in the middle of the room motionless, blood seeping through his white shirt. Veronica stands on the edge watching the scene unfold almost as if in slow motion, Lynn's large uncontrollable sobbing, her father restraining the young attacker, the guests fluttering around and Logan standing next to her so still, almost catatonic.
End Chapter 4
A big thanks to the bestest beta eva Desiree' !!!
AN: Love to hear what you guys think of the chapter!
-Sarah