A/n: Sorry about the delay; I've had a few curve balls this past week (of the good kind!) but it's all settled now, and I just need to find my groove. As always thank you for reading.

CHAPTER 9:

It didn't take a genius to figure out what each of the labels meant. After all, his father was nothing short of predictable and honestly it wasn't like grimy tapes labeled with a girl's name and a date could spell anything but trouble. Logan scoured through the titles, Lilly 2004, Karen 2006, Hannah 2008, Cassandra 2009, Andrea 2009…

And it was back to Lilly circa 2004.

Almost robot like, Logan went through the motions, slipping the tape into the old VCR that had collected a thick layer of dust. That and the fact that labels ended with 2009 could only mean one thing in this house.

Daddy dearest had gone digital. It was an observation backed up by the stack of DVDs that occupied the space directly adjacent.

In hindsight, he really shouldn't have played the tape since he had the scene memorized perfectly. He only had to tap into his memories.

"Logan! Wait up," Veronica huffed as she struggled to catch up. There were days when being short just wasn't worth the trouble- like so when you couldn't catch up to someone no matter how fast you were- all because they had longer limbs. And being with Logan always seemed to rile her up- like she had to prove something. She couldn't believe Duncan had left her alone to deal with his friend while he attended to Celeste's many eccentricities.

"Don't be a wuss Ronnie. Didn't you just go on and on why girls are better than boys," Logan grinned pushing the hair out of his face.

Red-faced and half near death Veronica shook her fist at him threatening, "oh you're so dead."

His lips sloped to a half-assed grin. "Whatchoo gonna do?"

Apparently Veronica didn't take well to being mocked. So puffy and sweaty she bent herself in half and launched herself at him; a loud yell sending them both crashing through the door and into the pool house.

Logan was still laughing when Veronica stilled on top of him. "Hey, hey, hey," he tried to get her attention but she seemed transfixed by the sight greeting her. And for the first time, he really started to pay attention to his surroundings. The moans, the groans, and the distinct smell of sex in the air.

"Sorry for interrupting," Logan made to apologize. Several of his friends took advantage of their pool house although they did usually send him a warning text before the deed. He briefly wondered if perhaps Dick had landed that librarian he had been yapping about- a teenage emergency of the highest magnitude of course to invoke the bro-code when Logan took in the sight before him.

Lilly naked. Breasts dangling and heaving. Shapely thighs, straddling a very familiar figure. Reddened indents on delicate skin where fingers dug into.

The memory played side by side along with the video except this time he got to see Aaron's smug mug in every frame, winking and sticking his tongue out clearly at the camera.

"He knew the camera was there!" The shocked gasp next to him yanked Logan out of his trance. He nodded grimly and braced himself for the next scene, which cut into the teenagers tumbling into the room, their expressions almost clearly visible given the position of the camera. Shock and hurt plastered across Veronica's face- like she couldn't quite believe it, and the barely contained fury on his own.

He had known of course- known for nearly a week by then after having walked in on Aaron with his face buried between Lilly's legs- the biggest and final nail on the Lilly-Logan love story. So really hurt was the least of his worries. His immediate concern had been Veronica.

Logan and Veronica watched as their mini- mes stumbled out of the very same pool house. The heavy breathing continued onscreen and Logan nearly retched at the idea that their presence did nothing to deter Aaron's sexual encounter. If anything, the twosome continued their tête-à-tête with renewed vigor.

Like they hadn't been interrupted.

"You don't have to watch this," Veronica squeezed his bicep, trying to provide some comfort.

It took nearly everything to not flinch. "I'm over it."

He didn't look it, but Veronica didn't press. Instead she focused on the names, choosing some other tape. Nearly every home video belonging to the Aaron Echolls collection had something to do with sex and a girl, and from the looks of it, young girls. Bile churned her stomach and Veronica forced herself to read through the labels on the DVDs.

"The last one here, Carmen, 2020."

"Carmen?" Logan asked, finding his voice.

"Carmen," Veronica repeated, the name finally clicking into place. "Logan. Carmen Velasquez. Disappeared March, 2020. Lemme look for a file photo, here…"

If Logan had been sick before, the newest reveal did nothing to alleviate his nausea. All it really did was make him empty the contents of his stomach right outside French doors.

"I'm sorry, what?" Wallace practically yelled as Logan trudged in a carton of the tapes. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Logan's silence alone confirmed that he was in fact, very serious. As much as he'd like to be wrong, the evidence was crystal clear. Aaron hadn't outgrown his fetish of young'uns and proof here was in the pudding. He really should've bashed his head in when he had the chance.

Wallace thumbed through the tapes. "All of them?" He lowered his voice to a near whisper lest anyone hear them.

"Carmen Velasquez. Part of Keith's file."

"Where did you get this?" Wallace frowned.

"Weevil." Logan didn't offer much in terms of an explanation, not even when Wallace raised an eyebrow as if to say 'without me?' "And she's not the only one. Also includes a Carla Smithers. Age 17. Disappeared in 2019. Also from Neptune High. And guess who plays a starring role?"

Wallace looked grim. "Well we could get a warrant. If you're sure…"

"He's in every one of those fucking tapes. So yeah, I'm pretty goddamn sure. Kinda hard to argue with video evidence."

His partner looked frozen for a second before he regained his faculties. "Um yeah. So all the missing girls. They're all here?"

"No, but two are. And that's good enough…and don't forget several counts of statutory rape."

Wallace winced knowing Logan wasn't going to like this. "What about the rest? Do you think your da...sorry, Aaron is the only person behind this?"

"Interrogation. He'll fold easy. Not exactly the kind of guy who is loyal." Logan looked cold. Hard.

"Yeah," Wallace murmured before repeating it once more. "Yeah, ok. I'll get the ball rolling."

The evening sun dipped across the sky leaving behind a pinkish yellow hue that stretched for miles around. Had he been in any other mood, Logan might have enjoyed the warmth and the view- a rarity in smoggy congested LA. Except he was stretched across the patio, laying in wait for his 'dad' to come home, mulling over the prospects of Aaron's involvement.

With the girls, the disappearances, with Keith, with Duncan, with Cassidy?

It shouldn't have surprised him- really what did he expect from a man who cheated relentlessly on his wife, and beat his son within every inch of his life?

Except perhaps in some small corner of his brain that he had liked to think that something somewhere traumatic along the way had made Aaron Echolls into the violent abuser he was. That if hadn't been for that one violent event, he might have had a normal childhood, a loving father even. He hadn't seen this coming- but given Aaron's history, he supposed Lilly couldn't possibly have been the only girl in his colorful sexual past.

What were a dozen or more underage girls?

Logan swung back the bottle, wincing at the taste- warm beer was disgusting. He made a face, briefly wondering if he should have been more forthcoming with Wallace. They had a lead on the missing girls- they might even find Keith, and if, and that was a big if, IF Veronica was right, then it would also solve the Kane mystery.

He didn't think Wallace would take too kindly to harboring a criminal.

Weariness tugged at every muscle in his body. He should be in there with Wallace, getting in touch with local enforcement, or with Veronica, grilling her about her last minutes with Duncan. But all he wanted to do was lay there, and do nothing. Logan shut his eyes for a brief moment.

He just needed a minute.

Logan hadn't always been about appearances- not until he was eight. Even then he knew, that true attractiveness was meant to be effortless. Initially he took great pains to hide purpling bruises, and emerging cracks in his skin. But by the time he was a teenager he realized that bloodstains, soreness and even the occasional broken bone were explained away easily when accompanied with a lazy smile and an even lazier attitude.

He didn't really give a fuck.

A good population of Neptune genuinely believed him to be a klutz and unwilling to give up his secret, Logan played the part. Walking into walls, bumping into desks and tripping over his feet were his go-to moves; carefully constructed ruses to explain away the inexplicable when faced with prying eyes.

Not that it happened very often. Long sleeved shirts were after all his best friends.

Few people got close to him. He made out with his shirt on- after all topless girls were far more interesting than topless boys. His partners never once complained and Lilly for all her annoying curiosity was satisfied as long as she was the one putting on the show.

Or perhaps she just ignored the unsightly scars on his back- it probably explained why it was always dark when he was naked.

He didn't care. In fact it worked out fine that she was the exhibitionist.

So it was a pretty big fucking deal when Aaron stumbled out of the pool house, a careless grin and shrug in tow. "Guess she wanted to know what a real man felt like. It's alright sweetie," he addressed Veronica. "You can have your turn too." Aaron's eyes gleamed with the exact same emotion that he wore when he had Logan pick out a belt for his 'well-deserved beating.'

Fuck that.

Veronica's soft gasp barely registered through the haze of rage that permeated his mind. It wasn't about Lilly- it was never about the girls. His dad loved to humiliate him- lord it over him and when Logan flinched as Aaron continued to stare inappropriately at his 'friend.'

Perhaps that was why he firmly put himself between the two. "Leave her alone."

One lone eyebrow greeted that statement. "Or what?"

Logan really did not consider the next step- a fact that was apparent in his face, but the look on his father's was enough for him to take action. He squared his shoulders, looked Aaron firmly in the eye and repeated, "leave. Her. Alone."

His father stepped forward looking mildly affronted. "Or what Logan?"

The second time around, Logan didn't blink. He shoved Veronica to the side raising an arm, fully intending to land a blow when Aaron grabbed him and twisted his arm, kicking the back of his knee and forcing him down on the concrete. "Tsk, tsk."

With his father's attention focused solely on him, Logan noted dazedly that Veronica had made a run for it. He let his eyes shutter to a close, annoyed that the secret was finally out.

Now everyone would know where he got those bruises from.

"Hey man," Wallace's voice broke through his thoughts. "So I spoke to the local Sheriff. Lamb something. Real winner there. Didn't seem all that interested till I mentioned the involvement of missing minors and the FBI."

Logan snorted. "Guess he back-tracked pretty quickly after that."

"Yep. He's rushing the warrant and stuff."

"That's good," Logan answered absentmindedly. He twirled and picked at the leaf that had floated down the trees, his brain somewhat stuck eighteen years ago.

"So yeah…listen. About tomorrow, if you want me to stay…"

"Wallace."

"I might have to give Jackie a rundown on the whole shebang but I can stay."

"Wallace." Logan smiled. "It's ok. We got this guy."

Wallace still looked like he was stuck somewhere between relief and doubt. Thankfully, Wallace decided to let it go, choosing instead to focus on the specifics of the case. It was part of who they were- when things got rough, it was always best to think about the job. "So, you think your dad might know where these girls are?"

Logan raised an eyebrow, finally recalling that he hadn't filled in the blanks yet. He quickly recounted the events of the day, leaving behind any mentions of Veronica.

"You got all this from Keith's files."

"And Weevil," Logan corrected. "Plus I'm finally in the local gossip club. The things I know…"

"So, this dude Cassidy, your dad, and Duncan are all somewhat involved you think?"

Grimacing, Logan shook his head. "Can't be sure, but from what I heard today... I mean Aaron is a sick bastard but he definitely does not have the brains to pull off a large-scale operation. And from what I hear…this Cassidy kid could potentially be the mastermind."

"And what if it turns out that neither Cassidy nor Duncan had anything to do with this. That it's all on your dad?" Wallace wondered out loud what Logan had been thinking all along.

God, better fucking not.

"Hey…" a softer voice interrupted the partners. Wallace seemed to take one look at Logan's face and excused himself mumbling an inane excuse.

"Hey," Logan answered wryly.

"So…" Veronica drew out the word as if looking for something to tack on. The pool house had brought on memories- the good and the bad- memories that she no longer cared to associate with.

When Logan continued to stare at her questioningly, she finally remembered that it had been more than a couple minutes since she last spoke. The sun had all but disappeared and the sultry evening heat was attracting bugs that seemed to be making a beeline towards her mouth.

"So," she cleared her throat again. "I'm sorry," she said genuinely because it seemed to be the right thing to do. "For both today and back then- it sucks that you had to watch it twice."

"Do you think it would have sucked less if it had only been once?" Logan asked and Veronica took a step back, stunned at his tone.

"I mean," she amended quickly.

"It's alright. I know what you mean." Logan brushed it aside choosing instead to divert his gaze away from her.

Summer bugs continued to flit across the air, the buzzing of their antennae the only sound in the otherwise uncomfortably silent conversation.

Logan was the first to speak up, "you know. It wasn't my first time. Back then," he added emphasizing on the 'then.'

"It wasn't?"

"Wasn't. Well was the first time someone else was there while I witnessed…" he waved his hands in front of him, unable to articulate.

"So you knew? And you didn't say anything?"

"Not my place Ronnie," his voice slithered over the hated nickname. She itched to correct him, let him know that it was Veronica. She hadn't been Ronnie in a long time.

"Lilly… Lilly loved you."

Logan shook his head. "Not like I loved her. Besides who didn't want a chance at the star of Breaking Point and Breaking Point II?"

Veronica raised her eyes, and seemed to choose her words. "Not me."

Logan wasn't sure how long his head had been making rhythmic contact with the tile. He had felt the initial blow- the acute pain but then had turned numb, barely feeling the tug of his dad's fingers on his hair by the third hit, and blacked out into oblivion when his skull had made contact with the concrete the seventh time.

So you could say he was more than surprised when he came to flashing red and blue lights, paramedics swarming him and his dad sitting yards away, cuffs slapped on his wrists.

"I've no idea what was going on," a snooty voice piped him, impatient with the hullabaloo. He would recognize that voice anywhere. Lilly.

"Son?" A male voice this time hovered closer to his ear and Logan strained to focus on the face above him. Keith Mars.

Despite the pain, thoughts and threads of common sense weaved together, putting the puzzle in place. Veronica had called for help. For her dad. The one person she trusted above everyone else- and unlike Logan's own, the man had come through, rescuing both his offspring and her friend.

Dread and nausea churned in the pit of his stomach as Keith gently enquired if he could get up. The lights continued to blink- colors from opposite ends of the spectrum nearly blinding him as a sinking realization settled in.

He couldn't face Veronica again.

The secret was out.