DISCLAIMER: I don't own any rights to Veronica Mars. This story is written as a tribute only. No celebrity endorsement is implied by product placements. All real persons' names are used in the sense of "wouldn't it be cool if this person had this gig?" The institution discussed in this fic is not a real institution. No harm or insult is intended to any real-life organizations or to any participants in the meetings of these organizations. Again, this fic is not intended for those under the age of 17.
A/N: Beta-ed by Poniesforall and Dragynflies. Any remaining errors are my responsibility. Sorry for the delay in updating.
******There's a reference in this section to my one-shot from a long time ago, Friction.******
******Go read it if you never did...don't forget to leave a review and make me happy.******
Last time on The Year of Living Dangerously Part II-Just the important stuff from chapters 131-138:
( for the whole overblown "previously on", see my journal.
vanessagalore•livejournal•com/117038•html )
THIS SUMMARY REFERS TO THE UPDATE POSTED 5/13/09; GO BACK AND READ THE LAST CHAPTER IF YOU MISSED IT.
[Lots of spoilers in this summary; please make sure you've already read this section before continuing.]
Wallace and Weevil struggle to get Sheriff D'Amato to take Veronica's disappearance seriously; they find out Veronica, Keith, and Logan were at the Rio Linda Sheriff's Department around 2:00. They tell Leo about Kevin Carney and his connection between the Fitzpatricks and FBI agent Thomas Carney, of the serial killer task force.
Mike Fields heads to Rio Linda to find out why Veronica isn't answering her phone and to protect the witness they found, diner owner Mel. Mike has uncovered information about a plane crash in Rio Linda in late December; the FBI had investigated, and the plane was suspected to have been carrying illicit drugs. Wallace contacts him with the new information about Agent Carney.
The van carrying the captured Veronica, Logan, and Keith takes them to an oceanside property, where they are loaded onto a boat. They discover that Mac is already there, also being held, presumably for the last two days since Veronica last talked to her. Keith is still semi-conscious. One of the men from Rio Linda, Frank, goes with a man from the boat, Andy, to dispose of the van. Brian, the other captor from Rio Linda, joins two other unknown men on the boat, and the boat sets off, with Veronica, Keith, Logan, and Mac tied up below deck.
Kavner and Harris, the two security guards, are exonerated of the false charges and tell their story to the Rio Linda sheriff's department. They provide the license of the van they had noticed before their arrest. The Rio Linda sheriff puts out an APB on the van; Sheriff D'Amato activates the On-Star system in Veronica's Saturn and provides the Rio LInda sheriff with the information about Agent Carney.
One of the two men on the boar turns out to be LIam Fitzpatrick. He forces Logan, Veronica, and Keith to go up on the deck. Veronica, with the bonds on her wrists still loosened from Logan's efforts in the van, watches for her chance to save them. She tries to appear broken and emotional, which is not a stretch. When Brian is about to check Veronica's bonds again, Logan successfully distracts their captors by provoking a fight. Mac appears close to an emotional collapse from her ordeal.
Veronica's Saturn is found, empty, with no leads of value. Kevin Carney is taken into custody and refuses to talk; Sheriff D'Amato threatens to make Kevin appear to be a cooperating witness, which will incur the wrath of the Fitzpatricks. Mike tracks down Mel, barely managing to rescue him from a Rio Linda deputy who was about to shoot him; Mike gets the FBI involved, and they begin to coordinate with the Neptune and Rio Linda Sheriff's Departments. Mel identifies Agent Carney's picture as the man who was interested in Hannah back in January. The van used to kidnap Veronica, Keith, and Logan is apprehended in Watsonville, California; Andy is arrested, but Frank, who was following in another car, escapes.
Agent Carney reveals himself to Veronica, Logan, and Keith. Carney questions Veronica, who bluffs that many people know of her theories and their whereabouts. He threatens to force her to watch the people she loves most be tortured cruelly before he kills them, and she pretends to acquiesce and talks. She tells him her discovery of the full moon connection between the serial murders and her supposition that Hannah's death was a copycat murder. She explains that she suspected an FBI agent or a policeman was involved because of the inside information necessary to stage the crime. Carney was alerted to Veronica's investigation because Alan, Mac's handler at the FBI, took all agents with access to the Saturday Night Slasher files off duty at the pretend funeral for Mac's family. Liam, frustrated by Veronica's refusal to be forthcoming, punches Logan in the face. Logan impulsively asks why Liam hates him; Liam reveals that twenty-five years ago, Aaron Echolls set up Liam to take the fall for a statutory rape. He vowed to make Aaron pay someday and tried to take his revenge by setting up Logan to be falsely incarcerated for Felix's murder.
Liam denies killing Kendall but admits he wanted her dead He further divulges that Hannah Griffith was killed to force Dr. Griffith to disclose Kendall's new face, as modified by plastic surgery. Both Liam and Kendall had been unable to access a joint bank account in the Caymans. Dr. Griffith had held off Liam's demands by threatening to go to the Feds with the money-laundering scheme, but caved when Hannah was murdered. Liam taunts Logan again, and Logan responds by biting Liam on the wrist, starting another altercation. During the fight, Veronica pulls apart the duct tape on her wrists and starts to work on her ankles. Keith sees what she's doing and joins in the fight, to further distract them. Veronica gets the tape off her ankles and is about to try something when Carney pulls a gun on Keith. She pats the tape back into place and puts her arms behind her back, but the tape that had formerly been on her wrists is now on the deck near Mac's feet; Veronica realizes she will have to make her move now before the tape is spotted. Carney threatens Veronica with the gun; he decides to force her to talk by killing Keith.
Wallace, assisted by Weevil and Dick, runs a background check on Agent Carney and checks Veronica's cell phone records. They listen to Mac's out-of-character phone message and suspect that Mac was trying to warn Veronica of a trap. Dick offers to get the help of the California governor through his family connections. Wallace finds that Carney appears to be connected to an attorney who specializes in offshore corporations, and tracks down properties that might be secretly owned by Carney. One of the properties is in Monterey, not far from Watsonville, where the van was apprehended. Leo interrogates Kevin again and offers a deal. Fearful of the Fitzpatricks' retribution, Kevin admits his uncle had said something about getting the boat ready at the house in Monterey.
Liam and Carney push Keith, still bound, overboard, and Liam amuses himself by shooting at Keith, who is floundering in the water. Liam and Carney are distracted by their sick game, and Veronica takes the opportunity to grab a fire extinguisher. She aims it at Liam's head and kills him; she tackles Carney, and after a vicious struggle, aided by Logan and Mac, she manages to get the upper hand by retrieving his weapon. Her shoulder is further injured by the battle. She forces Carney to untie Logan and Mac. Mac helps to secure Carney with duct tape, and Logan goes overboard to try to save Keith, who has apparently stopped struggling in the water. Veronica goes up to the pilothouse and gets the drop on Brian. Meanwhile, Logan has located Keith in the water; with Mac and Veronica's help, he gets Keith back on board, and they begin CPR. Keith eventually vomits up seawater and begins to breathe on his own. Logan contacts the Coast Guard, who are already in the area looking for them, and they are finally rescued.
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VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Back From the Brink
Logan, Keith, Mac, and Veronica
recover in the hospital.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Mac: Tina Majorino. Nurse #1: Angel Laketa
Moore. Nurse #2: Linda Shing. Dr. Kellerman:
David Spielberg.
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CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT: "BACK FROM THE BRINK"
Sat. 3/21/09, very late: Monterey Community Hospital, Monterey, California
In the darkened hospital room, Logan sits watching Veronica breathe as she sleeps in her hospital bed. He remembers doing this compulsively back in Vermont—unbelievably, just a week ago—counting eleven breaths, twelve breaths a minute, trying to see some sign in normalcy in her visage, even though he was desperately afraid she would never be normal again after what Klein had put her through. Now, she is sedated and resting comfortably. He wonders momentarily what the hell 'normal' means, anyway.
On the Coast Guard cutter, she had watched fearfully from Logan's encircling arms as the paramedics worked on her dad, trying to raise his core body temperature and assessing his head injury. One of the EMTs had tried unsuccessfully to examine her, but she had shaken her head, refusing to leave the comfort of Logan's lap while steadily keeping her eyes trained on her father. Logan finally persuaded her to allow the paramedic to look at her. Veronica had sucked in her breath with an audible gasp when the EMT maneuvered her arm. He radioed in for permission to administer narcotics; Veronica protested loudly, but Logan had convinced her to allow it. As the IV began to work, she had visibly relaxed and her eyes had drooped. She sighed aloud; her eyes fluttered open, and she said to Logan, "Take care of Dad...and Mac." He had nodded, and she had dropped off to sleep.
When they had arrived at the hospital, Logan had taken charge. The doctors had shooed off the waiting federal agents, telling the agents that none of them were in any condition to be questioned, and for that small favor, Logan was eternally grateful. Mac still seemed to be in shock, and Veronica and Keith were barely conscious, so it had fallen to Logan to sign papers and tell nurses that no one had allergies and just what traumas they had all been through. He had snapped loudly at the nurse when she asked him for their insurance cards, explaining in a loud voice that they had been kidnapped against their will and who the hell knew where their possessions were. She had stared back, almost frightened at his angry demeanor. He muttered an apology and impatiently gave the information as best he could.
Once Keith was admitted to the ICU and Mac had been determined to be suffering from nothing more than dehydration and exhaustion—at least physically—he had rushed back to Veronica's side. Upon feeling the touch of his hand on hers, she had opened her eyes and whispered, "Dad?"
He nodded and replied, "They think he's going to be fine. They're watching him for internal bleeding or pressure on the brain."
"Right, subdural hematoma...like you had," she mused weakly.
Logan added, "They said the cold water probably helped him survive...but it was lucky the Coast Guard was nearby."
She closed her eyes in mute response.
He didn't tell her that they had said the next few hours were important and that there was always a possibility of long-term neurological problems from the near-drowning. Whatever happened, they would get through it. He had to believe that Keith was tough. He tried to push away the memory of that cold, limp body that he had struggled to keep above the buffeting waves.
A nurse frowned and leaned in to look at Logan's bloody forehead. "Has anyone looked at this cut? It needs stitches."
Logan had brushed her aside carelessly, squeezing Veronica's hand. "Everything's going to be fine, Veronica. Don't worry about your dad. They're taking good care of him. I'm making sure of it."
The nurse persisted. "Sir...you need to have stitches."
Veronica grimaced and her eyes reopened. "Don't let an intern stitch you. Get a plastic surgeon. You have enough scars. ...Promise me."
He scoffed, but had finally agreed under Veronica's intense stare. "You're so bossy," he had muttered, not meaning a word of it. "All right, I promise."
The doctor had shaken his head worriedly while examining her shoulder. "You must have been hurting a great deal," he commented. Despite the strong painkillers, Veronica had visibly winced as he palpated her joint. The doctor pulled Logan aside to speak to him privately. "The officer told me she swung a fire extinguisher at a man who was threatening to kill you. It must have been excruciating for her."
"There wasn't a choice," Logan had responded. He had thought, 'She didn't just swing at Liam. She hit the motherfucker, killed him dead. She took on an armed man, with only a fire extinguisher for a weapon and saved us all.'
The doctor sighed. "Her temperature is slightly elevated. You said she's recovering from a kidney infection? I need to speak to the treating physician."
Logan provided the name of Veronica's doctor in Vermont, and after a hurried phone consultation, antibiotics were added to her IV.
"Sir, step back; we're going to sedate her and move her to a private room. I've ordered a surgical consult with our chief of orthopedics for the morning. Right now, she needs to rest." After pushing a vial of medication into Veronica's IV, the rails were raised on the side of her hospital gurney. The doctor pushed Logan aside, and he reluctantly watched as they wheeled Veronica out of the room.
Logan turned to the nurse and said, "You heard the lady. Where's the nearest plastic surgeon?" The nurse began to protest, spluttering about unnecessary caution for a simple wound stitch, but Logan shut her down with a firm shake of his head. "Plastic surgeon," he reiterated. "I have excellent insurance."
The nurse sighed and picked up the phone to issue a page.
After the plastic surgeon had finished fastidiously stitching the cut over Logan's eyebrow and the nurse had cleaned all the dried blood from his face, the federal agents became more persistent and had insisted that Logan give a statement. Their questions had taken a solid hour; Logan had described the man called 'Frank', who had apparently eluded capture. At times, the agents had fallen silent and looked at Logan in disbelief, seemingly unwilling to accept that 5'1" Veronica Mars had somehow managed to kill 6'2" Liam Fitzpatrick with a fire extinguisher and then subdued a seasoned, armed FBI agent. Logan related the revelations that Carney had made and tied them to the money-laundering scheme that was already splashed across the news. The agents seemed to be shaken by the idea that a high-level FBI agent could be responsible for everything Carney had freely admitted on the boat. When Logan asked what Carney had said when he was questioned, the two agents exchanged a quick glance and admitted that Carney had refused to say a word except to ask for an attorney.
When the agents had finally concluded questioning Logan, the hospital admissions department had offered him a private room, but he had asked for a cot in Veronica's room instead. They had argued, saying that it "was contrary to hospital policy" for a non-relative, but Logan was adamant. He wasn't leaving her. He had tried to lie down, intending to close his eyes, but sleep eluded him. Logan was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but he kept reliving the fight on the boat—he was still incredulous that they had somehow managed to survive. He finally gave up and moved to the chair next to Veronica's bed where he could sit and watch her sleep.
She stirs a little now in her sleep, and he tenses, waiting to see if he needs to call the nurse. She relaxes again, and he realizes he had stopped breathing. He catches himself timing his breaths to hers, somehow symbiotically tied to her without even trying.
It all seems so fucking random, and that's what scares the shit out of him. If Liam had turned around and ducked when Veronica was aiming the fire extinguisher at his head...if Mac hadn't been able to kick Carney in the face when she did...if Keith hadn't kept his head above water for as long as he did...if Liam had been a better shot...if he hadn't been provoked into biting Liam...if Veronica hadn't grabbed the gun before Carney could.... He shakes his head. They had been so goddamn close to dying.
He hears the quiet snick of the door opening, and he turns. Mac walks in, trailing an IV on a wheeled metal stand, her face pale and her movements uncertain. "The nurse said...she said I could see how Veronica's doing. She's okay? She looks...." Mac sighs anxiously. "She looks so tired."
"Mac, you should be sleeping," Logan protests. "Veronica's okay. They have her on antibiotics and painkillers. The surgeon's going to look at her shoulder tomorrow. You should go back to bed and try to get some rest."
"When I close my eyes, all I see is...." Mac's voice trails off. After a silence, she continues shakily, "You know, my...my last hope was Veronica, that she would understand the message I left her...when they brought you guys on the boat, I knew...I knew I was going to die. Logan, I keep seeing them push Mr. Mars off the boat, and Liam...pointing his gun, pulling the trigger...." She starts to cry and shake visibly.
"Mac, it's all right, you're safe now," Logan says. He stands up and folds her into his arms, careful to avoid the IV coming from the back of her hand. "Are your parents coming?"
She nods against his chest. Mac mumbles, "Tomorrow." Suddenly, she laughs incongruously. "Dick apparently got the governor involved; Schwarzenegger sent his personal jet to fly my parents up here first thing in the morning."
"Dick did what?" Logan replies, surprised.
"One of the agents said the governor authorized sending out the Coast Guard...that's why they were already in the area."
"How did they know where to go?" Logan asks, puzzled. He strokes Mac's back, trying to calm her shaking.
"I think Wallace figured it out. I don't know. I think...everyone was trying desperately to figure out where they had taken us. Somehow they figured out that something was wrong."
Logan thinks, not for the first time, how foolish they had been to traipse up to Rio Linda. Their precautions now seem ridiculously inadequate: hiding by using cash, with just two security guards following, both he and Keith armed...not nearly enough. But then he realizes: if it hadn't been Rio Linda, Carney and Liam would have tracked them down in Neptune sooner or later, probably with tragic results. He shakes his head again; the effort of assimilating all the traumas of the last twenty-four hours is still beyond him. And he knows that it's even worse for Mac, trembling in his arms after living with this terror for two—almost three—days. He whispers into the top of Mac's head, "Mac, you need to rest. You're exhausted."
"Logan...I keep thinking this is the dream; I'm going to wake up and still be tied up with Carney pointing a gun at me." She says tremulously, "You know, he killed Alan in front of me. He just picked up a gun and shot him...there was blood everywhere...on the wall, it dripped down, oozing...." Mac sobs quietly. "I was too scared even to scream. Logan, he killed him. He killed him." As she talks, her voice speeds up and rises in pitch, betraying her anxiety. "I can't close my eyes, I can't! You're sure Mr. Mars is okay? He was in the water for so long!"
"He's fine. Mac, you're safe now; Carney's in custody, there's no way he can hurt you. It's all right." He pats her shoulders, trying to soothe her. "You were so brave to try to send Veronica a message. You must have been so scared. You're all right now, Mac. Let me get the nurse. Maybe you should have something to help you sleep."
"No!" she protests loudly. "He made me take something. I won't take anything!"
"Okay, okay, I won't call the nurse. Mac, I'm right here. This isn't a dream. We're all safe. Your mom and dad are going to be here soon."
"Logan, I'm so sorry...I wanted to warn Veronica about them, but I couldn't think of anything else. I'm so stupid. Of course she didn't figure it out," she says with bitter self-loathing.
"Mac—you did great. If you hadn't been there, we might not have—" Logan breaks off suddenly, realizing the almost coincidental nature of their victory over Carney and Liam is not the best way to reassure her. "Mac, it's all right. We're all safe."
"Please don't make me go back to my room. I don't want to be alone," she begs him, desperately clutching his waist. "Please don't make me be alone. Let me stay here with you and Veronica. I'm so scared."
"Of course you can stay." He sits down and cautiously pulls her onto his lap. "Just put your head against me. You can close your eyes if you want. I'm right here. Veronica's right there. We're all okay. Look at Veronica. She's doing fine. Her dad's okay, you're okay, I'm okay."
Mac whimpers softly, and he rocks her gently in his arms. Gradually she relaxes her head against his chest as he strokes her back. He is suffused with fury at Carney for doing this to Mac.
He remembers going with Veronica to find Mac quaking with fear in her room at the Neptune Grand after Beaver had abandoned her; this is too much for her. Mac doesn't deserve this. He recalls silently rejoicing with Veronica freshman year as Mac began to date again and seemed to forget about Beaver. Their conversations had been oblique and vague, with neither he nor Veronica willing to spell out just what Beaver had done to all of them. 'Mac's doing good, don't you think?' 'She seems happy.' They never said the unspoken words: 'after what that bastard did.'
And then...he abruptly thinks about Hannah, begging for her life, protesting as Carney shot heroin into her veins and dyed her hair back to her natural color. Poor Hannah, after enduring the school and finally turning eighteen so that she could maybe resume her life and then...suddenly they took her, and she wouldn't have understood why this was happening. Did Carney gain her confidence by showing her his FBI identification? Logan remembers how fragile and delicate she had appeared...but tougher inside than she looked, willing to defy her father to continue seeing him, and brave enough to run from the school when she got her chance. And then...living all alone in Rio Linda: unwilling to make friends, lying low and surviving any way she could.
He pictures the gruesome autopsy photos that Veronica had reluctantly shown him and angrily imagines Carney wielding a scalpel on Hannah's chest, carefully imitating the design from the Slasher's victims. He has a vivid flash of Carney frowning, concentrating as he worked on the dead girl's tender skin, comparing his efforts to a crime scene photo and then staging the body exactly as it needed to be, with Hannah's limp form nestled up against a reeking dumpster in a seedy Los Angeles alley.
He shakes his head to try to erase the horrifying image. Logan realizes that Mac has fallen into an exhausted slumber in his arms.
The overwhelming question—the one that sucks all the oxygen from his body when he lets himself go there—is how will Veronica be?
He knows. He saw it in her eyes. She had almost given up, had almost refused to let him rebind her wrists, even knowing that it would mean giving up their only chance. She had been so close to broken. Klein had started the job—well, if he's honest with himself, he had been the one to start the process, by running away from her back in January—Klein had started to break her and almost succeeded, but Carney had been determined to finish her off. And she had accepted that fact. She had accepted that she had been beaten.
Somehow he had managed to pull her back from the brink...Logan had convinced her not to give up, and somehow she had done it, she had saved them.
But he wonders how she will be...now that it's over, now that she knows she can be broken.
Sun. 3/22/09, very early: Monterey Community Hospital, Monterey, California
The nurse gently taps Logan's shoulder. "Mr. Echolls. We need to get Veronica ready to see the surgeon. Ms. Mackenzie, I think your parents are going to be here soon."
Logan opens his eyes. Mac is still clinging to him. "Mac, are you okay?"
She nods. "My parents are here?" she says to the nurse as she struggles to sit up on Logan's lap.
"Soon. Come on, Cindy, I'll take you back to your room. Mr. Echolls, you can use the bathroom to freshen up."
Logan looks down at his clothes; he's filthy, and his shirt is stained with blood from the cuts on his face. "I don't suppose you have any clothes I could wear."
She looks at him sympathetically. "I'll have an orderly bring you some scrubs."
Logan splashes some water on his face, avoiding the dressing on his forehead wound. Someone taps on the bathroom door and passes him a set of hospital scrubs and a plastic bag with a toothbrush and other toiletries. He hesitates, then throws his clothes in the wastebasket. He emerges and goes to the nurses' station. "How is Mr. Mars doing?" he asks anxiously. He doesn't even remember falling asleep, but his neck is stiff from sleeping in the chair. He had intended to check on Keith periodically through the night, and now he's suddenly nervous that something happened while he was sleeping.
She smiles broadly. "He's doing fine. We're going to keep him for observation for a couple days, just to make sure there are no aftereffects from the blow to his head or his time in the water."
His time in the water, Logan notes. Not—his almost drowning, his use as a target by a psychopathic methhead.
He returns to the room. The nurse has helped Veronica to a seated position and arranged breakfast on a tray for her. She glances at Logan and says, "I can order a meal for you, as well, if you'd like to stay with her."
"Yes, please. Thank you." The nurse leaves, and Logan says to Veronica, "How are you feeling today?" He sits down on the chair again.
"Did I dream that Mac was sleeping on your lap last night?" she asks, a little puzzled.
"She couldn't sleep. She didn't want to be alone, so she stayed in here with us."
"I'm glad," Veronica says quietly. "Is she okay?"
Logan shrugs. "Yeah. She was dehydrated and exhausted, but no injuries. How are you feeling?"
"It hurts," she says quietly, avoiding his eyes.
"Do you want me to get the nurse?" he offers quickly.
She shakes her head. "Not until after I see the surgeon. What about Dad?"
"He's doing fine. They're going to keep him for a couple days just to be sure."
Veronica sighs in relief and looks away again.
He has a million things to say to her, and he can't think of a single one. Finally, he settles for, "I'm sorry you're hurting."
Veronica glances at him. "Did you get stitched up?"
"By a plastic surgeon, just like you ordered." He pretends to salute, and she smiles weakly. "Veronica...you're going to be fine."
"Right."
He stands up and sits down cautiously on the bed next to her. "You are going to be all right. You...you did an amazing thing, Veronica." Logan caresses her cheek gently. "I'm going to take care of you. Whatever you want, whatever you need."
She swallows, and her eyes fill with tears. "You're not mad at me?" she chokes out.
"What?"
"You know, for insisting we go to Rio Linda and...you know. The usual. Not being careful."
"You saved us, Veronica."
"I almost—" She breaks off suddenly as a doctor strides into the room.
"I'm Dr. Kellerman. I understand we have a little shoulder problem here." The doctor glances at Logan meaningfully, and Logan moves to the chair to allow the doctor to begin his examination. "Let's see what's going on here. Can you get out of bed? I need to see you standing." The doctor helps Veronica out of the bed and has her stand in front of him. "Turn around, please. There's definitely some asymmetry. Can we sit back on the bed? Sit up straight, now."
'We?' Logan is pretty sure that the doctor is an ass. He sucks in his breath and tries to hold his tongue.
Veronica grimaces as she struggles to sit down and keep her back straight. The doctor uses the back of his hand to feel the temperature of her shoulder joint, then begins to check her clavicle from the sternum to her arm. He palpates the muscles in her upper back. Veronica suppresses a gasp at several points, and the doctor presses harder.
"You're hurting her," Logan finally comments in exasperation.
"It's necessary for the examination. You're the husband?"
"Boyfriend," Veronica replies through gritted teeth as the doctor touches a particularly tender spot. "Ahh!" she exclaims.
"Sorry. Can you put your arms up? Clasp your hands behind your head."
Veronica complies, slowly, in obvious pain.
"Now, behind your back."
"I can't," she whispers, and Logan realizes, she's scared. She's scared of the pain, and she's scared of this doctor.
"Try."
Her left arm goes easily behind her back, at waist level, but she can't force her right arm to rotate backward at all. The doctor tsks audibly and palpates the joint once again, and Veronica emits a sharp cry of pain before the doctor gives up. He walks over to a light box and, apparently angry, shoves the x-rays onto the screen to examine them.
"How did this happen?" The doctor turns and faces her.
"I'm a private investigator. About a week ago, the man I was investigating forced my arm behind my back and dislocated it. Then...." She glances at Logan for moral support.
Logan jumps in. "We had an appointment scheduled for tomorrow with an orthopedist in Neptune, where we're from. We...we ran into some difficulties over the weekend and the shoulder was stressed again."
The doctor opens a file folder and reads the case notes. "You were kidnapped and used a fire extinguisher to assault a man?" He looks up at Veronica. "What were you thinking? Weren't you supposed to be resting?"
She's stunned by his words. "I...."
Logan interrupts defensively, "She was taking it easy. They couldn't do surgery until she recovered from a kidney infection."
"And you thought the way to recover from an infection was to travel around and get kidnapped?" the doctor responds sarcastically. "I'm sorry, this is ridiculous."
"What?" Logan says, stunned.
She says, "I'm sorry."
Logan glances at her in shock. "Veronica! Why are you sorry?"
"I shouldn't have—"
"Veronica, this isn't your fault," Logan protests. "You were assaulted."
Kellerman says rudely, "The likelihood of a complete recovery is very low at this point. You can't expect miracles from surgery. You'll be lucky if you recover fifty percent of your mobility and strength. And the pain? It's always going to be a problem." He shakes his head in disgust.
Veronica's lip is quivering, and her eyes fill with tears.
"Get out!" Logan says angrily.
"Excuse me?" the doctor replies.
"You're fired. Terminated. Your services are no longer required," Logan bites off. When the doctor merely stares at him, Logan continues, "Get the fuck out. You're not the only surgeon in the world. We'll be consulting someone else." Finally Kellerman shrugs and leaves.
Veronica is crying soundlessly, trying to hold herself still. Logan walks to her and helps her lie back down, pressing the call button for the nurse.
The nurse hurries in. "What happened? Dr. Kellerman threw her file on the desk and stormed out."
"She needs her pain medication, please," Logan says in a tone that indicates there will be no discussion. The nurse backs out of the room quickly. Logan gently hugs her, making sure not to hurt her, and whispers, "I'll call my orthopedist. We'll go down to LA. That guy's a jerk."
"He's right," she sobs. "What was I thinking? I should have been staying in bed at home, not running around getting hurt even worse. Now...Logan, what if he's right?"
"He's not right." Logan tries not to mentally replay the scene of her slamming the fire extinguisher into Liam's skull and the subsequent brutal fight with Carney. "You're going to be fine." He smoothes the hair from her forehead. "Trust me. I'm going to take care of you."
The nurse returns with a small bottle and inserts Veronica's pain meds into her IV. Logan continues to hug her and caress her until her face demonstrates that she has some relief. Veronica closes her eyes, and Logan lifts the handset on the phone by Veronica's bed and dials a number he has memorized.
"Dick...yeah...yeah, we're okay. Listen, I need you to do me a big favor. Do you still have Barry Randall on speed-dial?...Right, our favorite trust attorney....Tell him I need to talk to my orthopedic surgeon, today, as soon as possible. Dr. Remick at UCLA Medical Center. He's probably on the golf course today. Randall goes to him too, for his back, and I bet he has Remick's cell phone number....Yeah, have Remick call me on this number."
When Logan hangs up, Veronica protests, "We can't go to LA."
"Why not? I'll rent a private ambulance. Or a helicopter. Whatever."
"We can't leave Dad. I won't leave Dad. I won't let him wake up alone."
"I won't let that guy operate on you, Veronica." They stare at each other, at an impasse. A few minutes later, the phone rings suddenly, and Logan grabs it.
"This is Logan Echolls," he answers. "Dr. Remick, thanks for calling so quickly." He puts his hand over the mouthpiece and says quietly to Veronica. "I think I have a solution, Veronica."
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Confiteor
Veronica has her shoulder surgery;
a guilty conscience in Neptune.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Leo: Max Greenfield. Keith: Enrico Colantoni.
Wallace: Percy Daggs III. Rebecca: Paula
Marshall. Dr. Remick: Christopher Grove.
Sacks: Brandon Hillock. Tom Griffith: Rick
Peters. Father Patrick: James Joseph O'Neill.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE: "CONFITEOR"
Tues. 3/24/09, morning: UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
Wallace sits with Logan in the waiting room outside surgery. Logan drops his unread magazine and stands up to pace around the room again. Wallace comments, "She's gonna be fine...wrestling bad guys to the ground 'fore you know it."
Logan scoffs, "She better not be wrestling bad guys." His cell phone, brought by Wallace from Neptune, rings again, displaying the name JAMES, R. He triggers the send button. "Rebecca? Oh, hey Keith. No, she's still in surgery. Rebecca's taking good care of you?...That's good. I'll call you the second the doctor comes out."
Twenty minutes later, Dr. Remick emerges and reports that the surgery went very well, and he expects her to make a full recovery. "Thank you, doctor," Logan says sincerely.
"She's going to need to do a lot of physical therapy," Remick warns.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure she does it."
Remick raises his eyebrows. "The way you did?" Remick had severely chastised Logan for skipping out on his physical therapy. Logan explained that he spent his time in Texas doing his exercises and walking on the beach. Remick had quickly examined his knee, and, laughing, said, "I don't know how you did it, but you're doing great."
"I had a good surgeon," Logan had replied. Now, he says, "Veronica is much more compliant than I am."
Remick says, "You can come in to see her in a few minutes. The nurse will come get you."
A short while later, Logan is holding Veronica's hand in the recovery room. "How do you feel?"
"Dopey," she says crankily.
"Wallace is outside too, remember? Your dad called, and Weevil. Mac too."
"That's good," Veronica replies drowsily.
"Dr. Remick said it went very well. He told me to crack the whip to make you do your PT."
"We've got to stop getting hurt," she murmurs before shutting her eyes again.
Tues. 3/24/09, very late: Coronado Bridge, Neptune, California
Sacks triggers his radio. "Sheriff, come in."
"D'Amato here."
"We got a jumper on the Coronado. Abandoned car. There's a note on the front seat."
Leo sighs. "You're sure they jumped?"
"Yeah. There was a witness."
"Do you have a name?"
Sacks pauses. "Um, Sheriff? The note's addressed to Stephanie Denenberg."
"I'll be right there."
Wed. 3/25/09, afternoon: UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
One day post-surgery, Logan and Veronica are hanging out quietly in her hospital room. Their conversations are still punctuated by long silences where neither knows exactly what to say. The focus of the last few days has been on Veronica's surgery: Logan took charge, speaking to the doctors and presenting Veronica with all her options. Dr. Remick had recommended open surgery rather than arthroscopic, since the joint had been stressed several times and he was concerned about hidden damage that might be missed arthroscopically. So when the conversation lagged, it was easy to deflect by turning the topic to medical concerns.
After accidentally changing the channel to a cable news station and seeing her picture on the television screen, Veronica had asked to leave the television off. Federal agents have questioned her several times; each time Logan notes that her mouth settles into a tight frown and her brow creases with worry.
Logan's phone rings and he triggers the send button. "Hello?...Hey, Mac; yeah, she's awake." He starts to offer the phone to Veronica but realizes that her face is filled with dread. He puts the phone back up to his ear and says quietly, "Mac...can Veronica call you later?...All right...Me too." He puts the phone down. "Veronica? What's the matter?"
"Nothing," she lies, avoiding looking at him.
"I don't believe you. What's going on?"
She sighs and looks down at her lap. Her left hand fiddles nervously with the blanket. "I know Mac is probably blaming me for what happened."
"I don't think so."
"I almost got her killed," Veronica says vaguely. "And she witnessed her FBI handler getting killed."
"She's not blaming you, Veronica. No one's blaming you. You know that Carney and Liam were responsible for a lot of murders, and who know how many people's lives you saved by investigating."
"Uh-huh," Veronica agrees without conviction.
"You solved Hannah's murder," he tries.
"I'm just not sure it was worth it."
"I'm sure it was worth it to Ms. Denenberg." He falls silent, watching her, trying to figure out what to say. He runs through all the possibilities in his head but her apathy is completely unnerving. Logan suddenly says, "Do you think Liam was telling the truth?"
"What?" she replies, turning to look at him.
"Liam said he didn't kill Kendall. Do you believe him?"
"I suppose. Maybe one of the other Fitzpatricks did it," she answers listlessly.
"Aren't you curious at all?" he says, surprised.
"No. I don't care about Kendall."
Cautiously, he offers, "In the newspaper, it said that they are presuming Liam was responsible for her murder."
Veronica shrugs. "He had an alibi for that night. Wallace and Weevil were watching him, and then he was arrested."
"I think the exact phrase they used was criminal conspiracy to commit murder. And what about the forensic evidence?"
"What forensic evidence?"
Logan pulls out the newspaper he had hidden in the drawer beside Veronica's bed. "The article says 'hair and fiber evidence belonging to the victim were found on items recovered from Paddy's Used Car Emporium.'" He watches her face: momentarily, she looks interested, but she struggles against it and shrugs again, refusing to look at the newspaper. He continues, "If Liam didn't do it, then somebody sure wanted to make it look like he did."
"Let's talk about it later, okay? I'm tired now."
Bullshit, he thinks. She uses the remote to lower the head of her bed; she lies down and closes her eyes, but he's quite certain she's not sleeping. After a few minutes, he leaves the room and makes a few phone calls.
About an hour later, Logan is reading a magazine while Veronica sleeps. He keeps casting a glance in her direction, certain she's avoiding talking about what's really on her mind. There's a light tap on the door.
"Knock, knock? Veronica?" Keith walks into the room slowly, followed by Rebecca James. He looks weak and gaunt, but he is smiling.
Rebecca says to Logan, "He insisted on coming. The doctors wanted to keep him for another day, but he convinced them to release him."
"Dad!" Veronica sits up and grins broadly.
Keith sits on the bed and hugs her gingerly. He helps her adjust the bed so she can sit up easily and plumps her pillows for her. "I wish I could have been here for you, honey. How are you feeling?"
"What are you doing out of bed?" Veronica asks sternly. "Logan told me they ordered bed rest."
"You can't crack Keith Mars' head that easily," he jokes.
"What about—" she worries aloud.
"I'm fine, Veronica. I just have to take it easy. I wanted to see my little girl, and since I have a chauffeur...." Keith shrugs, grinning. "Chauffeuse?" He glances at Rebecca, who blushes slightly. "How are you feeling, Veronica? Are you hurting? I'm glad Logan brought you here to a surgeon that he had confidence in."
Veronica replies quietly, "I'm okay. I didn't want you to wake up alone."
"I wasn't alone. Rebecca was there," Keith corrects. "What did the doctor say?"
"They said the surgery went very well, and they're going to release me tomorrow morning if I'm still doing okay." She sighs. "Four months of rehab."
"That's okay. Rehab is not a big deal, Veronica. It's just some exercises...you're used to working out. You'll be chasing down the bad guys again in no time."
A shadow crosses her expression. "You're really okay, Dad?" she asks nervously. "I'm so sorry about—"
"Shh. There's nothing to be sorry about." Keith glances at Logan, who frowns slightly. "Honey, I'm so proud of you."
Veronica flushes deeply. "I was lucky."
"No, you used your training and took advantage of an opportunity the way you're supposed to."
Rebecca interjects, "Veronica, is there anything you need? We could get you some books to read, or some magazines."
"Some manicotti?" Keith suggests.
Veronica barely smiles, and he frowns. "Honey? What's going on?"
"Nothing," she lies.
Before he can press her further, there is another knock on the door. Leo D'Amato walks in hesitantly. "Keith. I'm glad you're here. I was hoping to speak with Veronica and Logan." He glances at Rebecca.
Rebecca says, "I think I'm going to get something to eat. Veronica...what can I get for you? Please...let me do this."
Veronica sighs. "I don't know...I guess a cheeseburger."
Keith draws Rebecca aside and murmurs in her ear; Rebecca nods and leaves. Keith says, "What was so important that you drove up to Los Angeles, Leo? Did something happen with the case?"
Leo draws up a chair and sits down. "I don't know if you saw the news about a jumper off the Coronado last night."
Veronica immediately tenses. "Who was it?" She glances at Logan, who swallows compulsively.
"Tom Griffith," Leo replies brusquely. "His body was recovered this morning. He left a note for his ex-wife. She gave her permission for you to read it." He begins to read aloud.
'Dear Stephanie,
'If you are reading this, I finally had the guts to do what I should have done three years ago. I'm sorry for destroying our marriage with my drinking and drugging. As I'm sure you suspected, I allowed myself to get into debt with the Fitzpatricks, and they slowly began to take control of my life and my business. At first it was small things: stitching up a knife wound, writing prescriptions for Percocet, lasering off a gang tattoo. And then I found out that they had killed Ms. Patrino to quash her lawsuit against me...and then they owned me.'
Leo looks up and says, "Ms. Patrino was a patient of Dr. Griffith's who was suing him for malpractice."
Keith remarks, "Stephanie told us about her. So Griffith is confirming that the Fitzpatricks did arrange to have her killed in a car accident?"
Leo nods.
'Then they needed a credible witness. For some reason, Liam Fitzpatrick wanted to set Logan Echolls up for murder. He told me they had evidence to prove that I had been the one to murder Ms. Patrino. He made it clear...I would go to prison if I didn't do what he said. So I did it. I lied to the police and said that I witnessed Logan Echolls with a bloody knife in his hand standing over that dead gangbanger's body.
'When Echolls found out I was the witness, he went after Hannah. He told me in no uncertain terms what he would do to her. I made a deal with Echolls: I would drop my testimony, and he would stop seeing Hannah. I told Liam that the police had found a discrepancy in my statement, and I had to withdraw it. Liam didn't believe me, but the damage was done. I couldn't go back to the police and change my story a second time.
'Then Hannah started arguing with me, telling me that she intended to have a relationship with Logan whether I liked it or not. She told me she knew I was doing drugs and was working for the Fitzpatricks. I don't know how she found out.'
Leo pauses. "I assume Hannah found out because Veronica was investigating Dr. Griffith on Logan's behalf."
Veronica nods.
He continues reading.
'The next day, Liam called me in a rage: Hannah was with Logan Echolls at the Neptune Grand; what the hell was she doing with him? I rushed over there and got her out.'
Logan looks nauseous. Someone told Liam that Hannah was with me? Of course...I never thought about how Griffith knew Hannah was there that day.
Leo notes Logan's expression. "Probably that guy Oswaldo Cortez who told me about you and Kendall. I have a feeling he was watching you for Liam. It's a funny thing: we arrested Oswaldo the other night on a pretty solid drug bust. Almost too solid...like somebody wrapped him up with a shiny bow and gave him to us. But Oswaldo's not talking. Somebody really scared him." He glances from Logan to Veronica. "If you know anything about Oswaldo's bust, I'd love to hear it."
They are silent. Finally Veronica says quietly, "We don't know anything about Oswaldo."
"Uh-huh." Leo looks dubious. "Why was Liam having Logan watched? Any ideas?"
Veronica glances at Logan, who nods slightly. She explains, "On the boat, Liam told us...Liam claimed that Logan's father set him up to take the rap on a statutory rape twenty-five years ago and that's why he hated Logan so much. Liam brought drugs to a party, and when the girl accused Aaron of raping her, he blamed it on Liam and got the girl to change her story...and probably paid her off." She knows Leo will eventually see the reports from the interviews they did with the FBI agents; there's no point in trying to conceal this.
"Do you think it's true?" Leo asks Logan.
Logan sighs and mutters, "Yeah, I do. When I talked to my dad after he was arrested...it was almost like he had convinced himself that he didn't have a choice, that Lilly was to blame for her own death. I could see him blaming the drug dealer at the party, even justifying it to himself that the guy was actually responsible for what happened, and convincing himself that God's gift to womankind deserved to be free." He looks out the window. "I think Aaron was a sociopath." He turns back and focuses a challenging gaze on Leo. "And it doesn't surprise me at all to hear that he raped another young girl."
"I guess there's no way to prove it now."
Logan tries for a diffident tone. "If there's any way...if you don't have to mention it in your report...."
Keith finishes for him, "If this doesn't have to be public knowledge, we'd appreciate it, Leo."
Leo nods thoughtfully. "I can't see that it would be necessary, and the publicity would be unreal, possibly even prejudicial for a trial. I'll try to keep it out of the reports."
Logan's relief is palpable.
Leo looks down at the note again and continues reading.
'I didn't know what to do. Liam was psychotic, ranting about Hannah and Logan. I knew I had to get her out of town and away from him. I remembered a client telling me about a private school, a boot-camp type place where he had sent his son. He was bragging about how it turned his kid around; it made me sick to my stomach. But I remembered what he said about the security: the students were supervised at all times, and no one could get in or out. Liam was calling every five minutes, screaming at me that I had to fix this.
'I called the school; they said they could take Hannah immediately. They could arrange a pickup for that night. It was just a temporary solution, for a month or two while I looked for something better. I always knew Hannah was stronger than she appeared. She stood up to me about Logan, and she got through the divorce better than most kids do. No matter how bad the school was, I thought she'd be okay there for a short while. I managed to convince you that Hannah was going to end up pregnant or worse because of Echolls. You believed me when I told you that Echolls had already been in rehab twice and had a long record of arrests that had been settled with big payoffs. When I told you that I had found narcotics and condoms in Hannah's room, you said okay, and I let the school take her away. I'm glad you didn't see her crying, begging me not to send her away. It was the hardest thing I ever did. But I knew she'd be safe from Liam at the school.
'I was frantically trying to get the money together for a high-security boarding school in Europe that caters to the children of royalty. I didn't know how I was going to explain it to you. And then...the school called. Somehow, Hannah had managed to escape.'
Leo pauses. Logan's face is particularly pained.
'I swear to you that I sent Hannah to that school to protect her.
'And then...a year later, Kendall Casablancas showed up and blackmailed me into doing surgery on her face. She had heard me making my deal with Logan and threatened to tell Liam everything. I had no choice...I did what she asked.
'I don't know how Liam found out about Kendall's plastic surgery. Maybe my scrub nurse talked...I paid her a lot of money to keep quiet, but maybe she went to Liam and asked for more. I denied it, but Liam was persistent. His threats were getting more violent; he broke into my house and searched it. I had to hire a bodyguard for my wife, and I was constantly looking over my shoulder. You didn't know it, but I paid a guard to sit outside your house and watch as well. Then Liam got arrested in November, and I thought he was going to go to prison. I thought maybe it was all over. Maybe I could finally stop working for the Fitzpatricks. Stephanie, it's all true, what the papers are saying. The Fitzpatricks were running their drug money through my clinic.
'Then in January, I got a picture of Hannah in the mail. She had dark brown hair and there was a newspaper in the photo supposedly proving that it was recent. At first I thought it might be a fake; Hannah looked very different. But the more I looked at it...I couldn't take a chance. I knew Liam was still in prison waiting for trial. But I was scared. There wasn't a letter with the photo. I didn't know who I was supposed to contact. I thought about turning myself in, but if they had Hannah, I thought they might kill her anyway. I thought about killing myself, but I didn't have the guts, and I was worried they'd still hurt her. The next day, I got a phone call. A girl's voice—it sounded like Hannah—she just said "Daddy," and then the line went dead.'
Keith muses, "They were keeping him off balance, making sure he'd cooperate."
'Two days later, I got another phone call. A voice I didn't know said, "Confess your sins. All will be forgiven," and hung up. At first I couldn't figure out what they wanted, then...I went to St. Mary's Church and delivered a picture of Kendall's new face to the Fitzpatricks.'
FLASHBACK: Dr. Griffith parks in front of St. Mary's Church. Looking around nervously, he walks quickly into the church past a sign that says 'CONFESSION HOURS: Tues./Thurs. 4:00-6:00pm.' He carries a manila envelope under his arm. He looks around and notes three booths on the right side of the church. There is a light burning on top of the center compartment. Griffith checks his watch: 4:05. He approaches cautiously, then, taking a deep breath, he pulls back the curtain on the rightmost compartment and enters the booth. He looks around and realizes he's supposed to kneel.
He clears his throat. A mesh screen slides open, and a voice says quietly, "Yes, my son."
"I was told to confess my sins. Uh...Father."
"The Lord told you to come?" the priest says leadingly.
Griffith is genuinely confused and wonders if he misinterpreted the voice's instructions. "Father, I'm not Catholic, I don't know how to do this."
"I see. Say with me if you can, 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.'"
Griffith mumbles along as best he can.
There is a silence, and then the priest prompts, "Have you anything to confess, my son?"
"Yes, uh, bless me Father, for I, uh, I have sinned." Griffith waits. When there is response, he says hesitantly, "I helped a very bad woman. She knew...she knew something that I had done...before." He had debated all day just what the Fitzpatricks were trying to accomplish with this charade. "I made a deal with the devil...I went against the men who were my...uh, business partners to save another man from prison."
"Why would you do that?"
"He was threatening to hurt my daughter if I didn't help him. This woman heard me talking to him."
"I see," the priest says leadingly. "And how did you help this bad woman?"
"I gave her a new face to protect her from my partners. I...I felt I had no choice."
"You always have a choice, my son. In Deuteronomy, the Lord said, 'Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.'" The priest's voice turns cold and harsh. "'Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!'"
Griffith's heart stops when the priest says 'so that your descendants might live.' He says quickly, "I'm trying to make the right choice now. Please...I know I...I sinned before." He waits expectantly, but the priest is silent. "I have her picture," he finally mumbles.
The priest intones, "'God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." After a pause, the priest adds, "Amen?"
"Oh yeah, Amen," Griffith hurries to add. "Are we uh...am I okay here?"
"That's between you and your God."
Suddenly angry, Griffith says, his voice slightly raised, "What about my daughter?"
"Go in peace." The sliding panel slides shut.
"WHAT ABOUT MY DAUGHTER?" Griffith asks again angrily, pounding on the partition. There is no response.
Griffith stands up, breathing heavily; he leaves the envelope in the booth and gets out of the church as fast as he possibly can.
(END FLASHBACK)
Leo continues reading.
'I was a wreck. My wife insisted we get out of town for a while to relax or she would divorce me. While we were away, Hannah's body turned up in Los Angeles. It was a message: "Don't ever fuck with us again."
'I swear to you, Stephanie, I thought the picture was a fake. I couldn't believe Hannah was alive after all that time. None of the private detectives had turned up any sign of her. But I gave them Kendall's picture anyway, to protect you and my family. I swear to you, I would have done anything they wanted to prevent them from hurting Hannah.
'When Kendall showed up in Neptune a few weeks later, she insisted on meeting me in the park. She tried to blackmail me again, tried to squeeze some money out of me. It sounded like some scheme of hers had fallen through, and she needed money desperately. I told her that Liam already knew what she looked like, and if she was smart she'd run for her life. A few days later, she was dead.
'I don't expect you to forgive me, but I wanted you to know that I tried to protect Hannah and my family. But I can't live with the choices I made. I can't face my family, my son.'
Leo says quietly, "It's signed, 'I always loved you, Tom.'" He sighs wearily. "It confirms a lot of your theories, Veronica."
She nods without speaking.
"Why did you...why are you telling us this?" Logan asks curiously. "I'm assuming you won't make this letter public."
"Ms. Denenberg asked me to share it with you, after everything you went through to catch Hannah's murderer."
"We still don't know who killed Kendall," Logan observes. "I think if Griffith had done it, he would have admitted it. What do you think, Veronica?"
She shakes her head. "No, he didn't do it. He's a coward. He wouldn't use murder to solve his problems. He let them force him into working for them rather than take a stand. He sent his daughter away instead of going to the police. He lied to his wife...his wives."
Logan glances at her, happy to see a hint of the normal Veronica, thinking aloud and deducing. She catches him looking and frowns slightly. Logan says aloud, "What's the status of the investigation into Kendall's murder?"
"We're at a dead end. The district attorney intends to file charges against Padraig and Ciaran Fitzpatrick for conspiracy to commit. But the case is weak; I don't think they'll be bound over for trial."
"There's forensic evidence, right?" Logan presses.
Leo shrugs. "Hair and fiber from Kendall. No other forensics. All it really proves is that Kendall was in that particular car at one point."
Keith frowns. "Was the car clean?"
"We only recovered part of the car; it had already been chopped for parts. But we found the seats, and the owner identified them by a stain on the upholstery. And the forensic techs were able to lift a hair and a few fibers from the passenger seat."
Keith asks, "How did you find the seats?"
"A witness saw Kendall getting into the car. He identified the make and model, although he didn't see the driver. The car was reported missing by Lawrence Crawford, and the stereo system turned up in a chop shop in San Diego. They got the stereo from Paddy's," Leo explains. "By the time we got to Paddy's, every valuable part from the car was gone, probably scattered across the country and already installed into other vehicles. We're still hoping that more of it turns up."
"Not likely at this point," Keith observes.
"And Ciaran and Padraig both have pretty solid alibis for the night in question, and of course, Liam was in police custody that night."
"What about some other Fitzpatrick flunky?" Keith asks. He turns to Veronica. "What do you think, honey? Do you have any ideas?"
She shakes her head and stays silent. For a moment, they all seem to be staring at her, and she flushes under the scrutiny. "I don't know," she says finally in a low voice. "I don't want to think about it, okay?"
"Okay," Keith replies, puzzled. He is about to add something, but out of the corner of his eye, he sees Logan shake his head imperceptibly, and he holds his tongue.
Leo says, "I have to get back to Neptune."
Keith stands up and offers his hand. "Thanks, Leo."
They watch as Leo leaves. Veronica says quietly, "Do you think it's going to be okay with him now? You know. Are you going to be able to work with him, Dad?"
Keith nods. "I think so. He didn't have to come all the way here. I think he wanted to make sure we heard the news from him."
Rebecca returns with several large pizza boxes. Keith smiles and says, "Excellent."
Veronica smiles wanly and says, "What did you do?"
"Well, it's not Mama Leone's, but close enough. The nurse said this restaurant was one of the best in Los Angeles," Rebecca explains as she sets the boxes. "Keith thought...pizza might be easy to eat with one hand."
Logan braces himself. Veronica tenses slightly but forces herself to relax. She says unenthusiastically, "Thanks, Rebecca. That was very thoughtful."
Rebecca laughs nervously, picking up on Veronica's tension. "Come on, I hardly ever eat carbs. I want to enjoy this."
With a faint smile, Veronica says sincerely, "Thanks for staying with Dad, Rebecca. I really didn't want to leave him alone in Monterey."
"I know, Veronica. Anytime. I'm glad you thought to call me," Rebecca responds. She opens one of the boxes and hands Veronica a slice on a paper plate as Logan maneuvers the table in front of her. "It's got to be better than hospital food, right?"
Keith grabs a slice and bites into it without bothering with a plate. With his mouth full, he mumbles, "I don't know about you, honey, but I needed some real food." He chews a little and continues, "I feel better already."
Veronica laughs quietly. "Dad, don't make me laugh." She takes a tentative bite and then, despite herself, begins to go at it with gusto.
A little while later, Logan's cell phone rings and he takes the call, muttering into the mouthpiece. "Okay, I'll talk to her and get back to you." He ends the call and looks at Veronica. "I was thinking...I think we need to get away for a couple days. I talked to my travel agent. There's a room available at the Hotel Villa Portofino in Catalina this weekend. Just the two of us, nothing but lying around on a deck chair, enjoying the sunshine and the ocean breezes. Lots of silly drinks with fruit and umbrellas, room service. No doctors, no FBI agents, no stress."
Veronica protests weakly, "I don't know, Logan. I think I just want to be home."
"Veronica, I need to get away too," he reminds her softly. "A change of scenery would really do me good, with nothing to remind us of the last few weeks." She finally nods her agreement hesitantly.
Keith adds, "I think it's an excellent idea. Honey, Rebecca and I are going to head out. We're going to stay at Logan's beach house for the night, and we'll come back in the morning to get you out of here." Veronica looks at him quizzically, and he admits reluctantly, "I'm a little tired, and my head hurts."
Her brow creases with worry. "Dad, maybe you should see the doctor—"
Firmly, he replies, "Veronica, I'm okay. I just need to take it easy for a while. Don't worry, Rebecca won't let me do anything." He sits down on the bed and hugs her gently.
She whispers, "Dad, I love you so much. I thought I...I can't lose you. You're sure you're okay?" She grabs on tight with her left arm, wishing she could throw both her arms around him.
"I"m sure," he says. "I love you too, honey. I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it."
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
It's Called Self-Surrender
Veronica and Logan get away for the weekend.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY: "IT'S CALLED SELF-SURRENDER"
Fri. 3/27/09, afternoon: Villa Portofino, Catalina Island, California
The ferry ride across the bay from San Diego to Catalina Island is uneventful. After a few comments about the last time they were here, Logan allows the conversation to lull. They sit outside, enjoying the sun despite the relatively cool temperature. He watches her as she stares silently across the water, thinking unknown thoughts, huddled in one of his oversized sweatshirts with the sleeve dangling. The stiff breeze keeps whipping her hair into her face, and he gazes at her as she brushes it from her eyes without comment.
At one point he tenses, realizing to his horror that perhaps the trip was reminding her of that summer after senior year, when she had been so traumatized by Beaver and her dad's brush with death at his hands. "Veronica," he says in a low voice. "Are you sure this trip is okay...maybe it's too...I'm sorry, I didn't think about it that you might not want to focus on almost losing your dad again. We can turn around and get the next ferry back—"
Veronica whirls around to face him. "No. It's perfect. You were right, we both need a change of scenery. And...I'll always remember that trip...you were so patient with me, so loving. I wanted to tell you I loved you that day." She leans gently against him, and finally he relaxes. He puts his arms around her, keeping her warm and safe, wishing it was always that easy to take care of her.
Logan's travel agent had pulled a few strings and managed to secure the Capri Suite, with a private balcony overlooking the ocean so they wouldn't need to mingle with other guests unless they wanted to. Logan carries their two small bags into the room; he had told Veronica salaciously that all she would need for clothes was her bikini, and maybe not even that.
Veronica sits down on the comfortable king bed and smiles at him. "Alone at last," she comments quietly. Her legs swing a short distance from the floor as she relaxes on the luxuriously high bed. "Maybe we could...lay down for a little while before dinner?"
He kneels down in front of her and begins untying her sneakers, removing them gently and rubbing the arches of her feet. Logan glances up at her; she is watching him intently. He slides a finger under the cuff of one of her socks and, keeping his eyes trained on her face, eases it slowly off her foot and presses a delicate kiss to her instep, suddenly horny as hell and hoping the feeling is reciprocated. "I've missed this foot," he murmurs.
"Just that one? What the hell's wrong with the other one?" she teases gently.
"Mmm. Let me take a look." He grasps the other sock and slides it off as he follows the fabric with light kisses down her ankle to her foot. Logan massages her foot as he places it on his shoulder, running his other hand under her calf to stroke her leg through her jeans. "This foot is acceptable as well," he says matter-of-factly, following his words with a sly grin.
"Don't you dare tickle me," she warns.
"I would never." He caresses his hand firmly under her leg, remembering that she is extremely ticklish behind her knee, even through her jeans. "How do you feel about biting?" He pulls her calf to his mouth and pretends to take a bite.
"Maybe," she admits. "As long as I get to be the biter, as well as the bitee."
"Ooh, kinky." Logan stands up, carefully allowing her leg to drop. He moves to the head of the bed and grabs several pillows, arranging them in a pile behind her. "Lie down, so I can pleasure you," he says smarmily. He sits next to her on the bed and eases her down gently. "Comfy?" She nods, and he adds, "Would you like something to bite on so you don't scream? We don't want to disturb the other guests."
"Cocky, aren't we?" she teases him as he pops open the button on her jeans.
He slides the zipper down and trails his fingers across her exposed satiny underwear. "High standards. I'm not going to quit until you're hoarse from moaning my name."
"What was your name again? Bill? Danny? I know, Harold."
There's just the slightest quiver in her voice, and for a second he wonders what she's thinking. She's trying too hard. He lies down next to her and cuddles with her, his hand tracing patterns on her stomach. "We don't have to...we have all weekend, you know; we have forever if you want." When she doesn't respond, Logan adds, "You've been so quiet today—"
"No," she whispers. "I'm okay. Please don't." She breathes out hard, not quite a sigh.
Don't, he thinks. Don't stop? Don't ask me? Don't say it? He contents himself with stroking her torso. "You feel so nice," he whispers, and he takes the chance of slipping his hand under her blouse, just feeling the edge of her bra. "I love to just be alone with you; it feels like forever since we could just be together."
"Yeah," she exhales.
And then he feels it: she consciously relaxes into his caress. She rolls her head sideways, closing her eyes, and her hand fumbles for his hand trapped under his body. Her fingers lace with his, and she holds on tight.
"I've missed this," he mumbles, brushing his lips against her extended neck.
"Me, too," she says, turning her head to graze his lips with hers and opening her eyes to look at him.
There's something playing behind those eyes...she's still concealing whatever it is she's thinking. "It's okay, Veronica, we're okay," he tries, between kisses.
"I know. Love you, Logan."
When he tongues her, she shudders a little and closes her eyes. Her hand clasping his tightens almost painfully.
Almost dreamily, she says, "What was that about making me scream your name?"
He leans down and nuzzles her neck. "I want to make you forget your own name before I'm through. Veronica, Veronica, Veronica," he whispers into her ear as his hand skims the skin underneath her breast.
"Yes," Veronica whispers. "Make me forget...." She arches into his hand, and he slips under her bra, his fingers splayed, gently drawing his fingertips across her breast. Almost too quietly to discern, she says, "Touch me there, play with me...please, Logan."
He feels the heat on her face from her blush, and he kisses her cheek soothingly. "Feels good?" he asks. "I love this, tell me what you want." His finger circles her areola, almost but not quite touching her pebbled nipple.
"Don't hold back," she breathes. "Come on...." She inhales and says more bravely, "Come on, big boy."
He almost snorts with laughter. "Big boy?" He lightly tweaks her nipple between thumb and forefinger, and she gasps.
"Harder...please," she says; he obliges, tormenting her nipple, and her answering moan is unforced and instinctual. Almost hoarsely, her voice raw with need, she admits, "God, I love it when you touch me there. Flick...flick your finger against me, Logan, please."
She never talks as much or as explicitly as this; his cock is suddenly painfully erect and straining against his jeans. He rises up on his elbow, letting her hand go, and positions himself over her, his left hand toying gently with her nipple. Logan leans down and kisses her gently. "What's going on, Veronica? Talk to me."
She presses her leg against his crotch, and he groans a little. "I am talking," she replies distantly.
"It's not that I mind all this sexy talk, but usually foreplay for us is you calling me an asshat," Logan reminds her, unable to keep the worry out of his voice.
"Asshat."
"If only you meant it," he says, kissing your neck. "You're okay? You trust me, right?"
"You have no idea," she says, almost wringing out the words. Heartrendingly, she begins, "Logan, just—" She stops short and says instead, "Please, Logan. Joke around with me. Tell me again how you're going to make me scream. Come on, where's my obligatory psychotic jackass when I need him?"
He's uncertain, but he can't see the harm if it makes her happy. So he whispers in her ear, "Such a horny little girl. You want me to touch you, don't you? You always did like the unreformable bad boys." He pinches her nipple a little stronger, and she presses hard against him.
"Mmm, unreformable. I bet you know all sorts of tricks," she snarks quietly, not quite convincingly.
"Oh, I do. And I'm going to use all of them." He remembers suddenly how excited she got on the airplane back from Texas, and he nuzzles her ear, flicking her earlobe with his tongue as he works her nipple. He murmurs hoarsely, "You're wet for me right now, aren't you? It's all you can do not to grab my hand and pull it to your pussy."
"Oh, god," she replies, arching beneath him.
Releasing her nipple, he trails his hand slowly down to her crotch and caresses her lightly through her underwear, making sure not to touch her where she most wants him to. To his surprise, she's already damp with arousal.
"You're such a tease," she groans in frustration, pushing her crotch wantonly against his hand. He's unrelentless, touching her lightly, pulling away as she tries to press against him, and Veronica moans again. "Damn you."
"I'm just returning the favor, baby; you know you've been working that sling for two weeks now, trying to drive me crazy. You know how gimps turn me on."
"Ugh. Differently-abled, please, is the proper term." She reaches down and tries to guide his hand, but he bats her away and sits up.
Logan stands up again at the end of the bed and reaches to pull her jeans over her hips. "Lift up, darling," he commands. He makes sure to leave her panties on; she tries to push them down as well, and he grabs her hand and kisses it to prevent her. "Not yet...I'm taking my time with you." The jeans slide down her legs; he pulls them free and tosses them behind him onto the floor and settles himself again between her knees. He makes eye contact with her as he begins to kiss from the inside of her knee up her thigh; he listens for that slight catch in her breath as he gets close and then...her frustrated exhalation as he stops just short. Making sure she's watching, he places his fingers on the front of her panties, with his thumb poised above her slit. As lightly as possibly, he caresses her with his thumb, and she twitches helplessly at his too-gentle touch. He teases her with his restraint, and she tries again to guide his hand with her own, but he prevents her by lacing the fingers of his other hand with hers.
The whisper-light strokes torment her, and she moans, "You're not playing fair."
"I love your panties," he whispers and leans in to kiss her on the damp fabric. She almost rises up at the sensation but winces at the resulting pain in her shoulder. Logan immediately pulls back. "Are you all right?" he asks with concern.
"Dammit. Don't stop...please don't stop," she pants. "Lohhgahhn. Are you happy? I'm moaning your name," she adds, slightly cranky. "Dammit!"
He huffs a laugh. "And you're so sweet about surrendering to me, aren't you." Mischievously, he pulls the crotch of her panties to one side and blows a hot breath on her. She arches in response, and he pulls back to look at her suggestively as he lets her panties go back in place.
Veronica moans again in frustration. "I surrender, okay? Just...kiss me there again...harder...please?" she begs. "I surrender, Logan."
He puts his thumb back to stroke her incrementally harder, and she breathes deeply, exhaling in pleasure at the feeling. "Let yourself go, Veronica," he murmurs. "Let me love you." Logan kisses her gently and begins to tongue her through her panties, feeling the contours of her arousal through the soft slippery fabric. Her legs raise slightly, and he pulls her calves on top of his shoulders and sucks at her hard.
"God, Logan. I've missed you. I've missed this. Oh, please...."
He releases her momentarily and whispers, "Tell me what you want." He sucks again, and she arches helplessly against him.
"God...I'm already begging you, Logan please, what do you want from me...." Her head moves from side to side; he knows she would be flailing against the sheets without the restraining sling on her arm. "Please...take my panties off...fuck me with your tongue...I surrender...." she pants desperately.
"Say it a little louder, the whole hotel didn't hear you yet," he says smugly.
"Dammit, if I didn't love you so much—"
"But you do." He pushes her legs down and moves up over her on the bed, kissing her intensely, letting her taste herself on his tongue. "You taste so good, Veronica. I love the way you feel under my tongue." He hoists himself up and reaches for the slim waistband of her panties, drawing it down over her hips and down her legs. Veronica, impatient, pushes at the flimsy material, trying to be rid of it, and he chuckles. "You're so beautiful."
"Shut up and fuck me," she whines. He kneels back down and bends to her. His thumb presses harsh circles against her clit as his tongue dips into her, sucking out her wetness and probing as far as possible. "Oh god, oh god, Logan, I love you, please," she begs.
He switches, beginning to flick his tongue diligently against her clit and inserting two fingers into her slowly. She arches and gasps, panting out, "Logan, Logan." She's never been this vocal, and he loves it. "God, love you, love you." His tongue is spurred on, battering her tender flesh as she thrashes around his thrusting fingers. "Logan, Logan, I love you," she mutters repeatedly. She lets out a loud cry and arches high, and Logan is thrilled, secretly hoping that half the hotel does hear her in her abandon. She vibrates against his tongue and clenches around his fingers deep inside her; he feels her intimate muscles pumping wildly against his cheek as she tries to draw him in further with her legs. When she finally calms down, he moves up to kiss her mouth again; she grasps the back of his head with her hand and tongues him fiercely. Breathlessly, she whispers, "I want you inside me. Make me come again. Please, Logan. Love you."
He finds their bags beside the bed, feeling her eyes on him the entire time. He locates a condom and quickly shucks off his shoes and jeans, not even bothering to pull off his socks or his shirt before stroking himself quickly to a full erection and sheathing himself in the condom. He's hard as a rock; Veronica's arousal always does that to him and her unusual vocalizations today were like an electrical charge to his cock.
She reaches for him, gazing directly into his eyes as she caresses him, just the way he likes it, just hard enough. He's unbearably excited, and he positions himself quickly at her entrance, whispering hopefully, "Yes?" She nods, closing her eyes, and he thrusts into her wetness. With two quick strokes, he's in her fully and moving quickly, barely able to control himself. "God, Veronica, you feel so good."
"Yes...Logan, god, fuck me," she replies breathlessly.
He tries to slow down but fuck he's excited...his cock has a mind of its own right now. He maneuvers her up on the bed a little, trying to get a better angle. "You're okay? You're okay?" he pants, trying to hold his body weight up off her, desperate for more friction. She angles her legs a little differently, and he moans gutturally as he goes a little deeper.
"Yes...yes...please, god, love you, Logan," she groans as his cock slides in and out. "Logan, Logan, Lo— ah!" He's frenzied now, trying so hard, moving faster, flailing, pumping, trying to find her clit between them, feeling the nub—right there, right THERE—and her urgent response, her throbbing walls clasping him tightly, her legs pulling, urging, her hand wildly pulling at his hair. "Logan!" she cries suddenly, and he thrusts hard, again, again, again, into the sudden tension and release of her body as she lets go...and he follows her, his vision blackening, his muscles uncontrolled and spastic, his cock pulsing and turbulent, with every nerve ending in his body firing intensely. Somehow, he manages to roll onto the bed, pulling her over with him to keep his weight off her even in his incoherence. His heart racing, he breathes wildly, trying to gather enough oxygen again. He hears the sharp exhalations of her own aftermath as the pounding gradually recedes in his ears.
When he can breathe again, he opens his eyes to look at her. There are tears running from the corners of her eyes, and he quickly pushes up onto his elbow. "Hey! Hey, what's wrong? Veronica...talk to me!"
"No, I love you...I'm fine."
"You're crying, you're not fine," he whispers as he traces his thumb over the wetness on her temples.
"We're alive," she chokes out. "I...I thought we were going to die. I love you so much...I was so afraid that...Logan, I didn't think we'd ever do this again. I thought we were going to die."
"I knew you'd save us," he says simply. He brushes her hair, messy and damp, from her forehead. "I believed in you, Veronica."
"Oh god, don't say that," she sobs.
"What? Talk to me, Veronica." He lays down beside her, focusing on her as he caresses her stomach gently.
"I can't do it anymore. I'm not going to be an investigator anymore. I'm going to change my major. No more PI work, no FBI." Her voice is desolate but resolute.
"Veronica, that's crazy! There's no one better than you at this."
She turns to him in shock. "I thought you'd be happy. You don't have to worry about me anymore." She looks back up at the ceiling. "I'm not going to put the people I love at risk anymore."
"Veronica...give it some time. Don't make any decisions now. You've been through so much these last few weeks," he begs.
Her breath hisses in frustration. "I can't believe you! For years, you've been telling me I'm not invincible and how it made you crazy when I took chances! And now I'm ready to give it up, and you're still arguing with me."
"I love you, Veronica, not some girl who sits at home afraid. It took me a long time to realize it, but I love all of you, even the part of you that takes crazy chances. That's the girl I fell in love with." Logan tenderly touches her cheek with the back of his hand.
Veronica sobs helplessly, "That girl doesn't exist anymore. I'm afraid, okay? I can't do this anymore. I'm afraid."