Chapter Fifty-Nine

Unable to stand doing anything else or being anywhere else, the men in Veronica's life were all hanging out at the Sheriff's Department. They paced, they pestered, they argued, and they refused to let Lamb get away with not looking for Veronica. Surprisingly, it hadn't actually taken long for him to concede and allow Leo to be in charge of the investigation. If Leo was focused on Veronica, he'd leave the case against Echolls alone and that was exactly what Lamb wanted. His brother had looked like an idiot the last time Echolls was charged with murder, what with two witnesses coming forward giving opposite testimony and all. Don deserved vindication, even in death, and Dan intended to give it to him.

When the phone rang and Inga answered it, nobody even bothered to look up. It had been ringing all day and not a single call had been even remotely regarding Veronica's whereabouts. This time, though, Inga gave Logan an odd look and said in her thick German accent, "Mr. Echolls, the call is for you."

Wallace, Keith, and Leo's eyes all immediately went to Logan. They watched him carefully as he strode toward the phone. His hand already at the back of his neck as he reached for the receiver, he answered with a hesitant, "Hello? This is Logan Echolls."

"Mr. Echolls," came a voice with authority that sounded professional in nature, "This is Mr. Cobbler. I told you I would call if anything came up out of the blue. This is me keeping my word."

Instantly alert, Logan's eyes sharpened and intensified as he waved a hand for some paper and a pen just in case he needed it. "Yes, Mr. Cobbler. I appreciate that. What do you have for me?" he asked, grasping the pen and paper that Inga slid over for him so that he would be ready for whatever he was told.

"I just received a call from my son. Before I tell you more, I need to know that he will be offered leniency for whatever part he has played in all this," said the man on the other end of the line.

Logan's eyes widened, his heart jumping to his throat in panic as he mouthed, "Where's Cliff?" before saying as calmly as he could, "I'm sure something can be arranged. I'm trying to get my lawyer on the line right now."

"I'll take your word that your personal attorneys will serve as my son's defense," the other man negotiated as Cliff entered the room.

"If your information gets Veronica back to me safe and sound, I'll do whatever it takes to show my gratitude," Logan said stiffly, talking to Cliff under his breath, "Cobbler's father. Says he has information. Wants to negotiate."

Cliff waved at Logan to hand over the phone. In his deep baritone, he began before Mr. Cobbler could say another word, "Mr. Cobbler. Cliff McCormack here, attorney at law. I am absolutely ready and willing to make a deal with you and your son if your information proves to be useful in finding Veronica Mars."

"Ms. Mars is missing?" Mr Cobbler questioned worriedly. He seemed to falter for a moment but then went on, "Never mind what I said about my son. If he's in this at this point, it's his own ass on the line. I received a call from him not twenty minutes ago that there was an 'incident' at our cabin just on the edge of Will Rogers State Park. I apparently have no more cabin," he said dryly with an edge of bitterness to his voice. "When he headed to the cabin earlier, he said he was meeting his friend, Mr. Friedrich. It may be nothing but I do know that both boys have had business with Ms. De Ville, excuse me - Ms. Bishop, in the past. And now to hear that my cabin has exploded during their stay there? Something isn't right."

"That's an understatement," Logan breathed angrily before saying aloud, "Can I get an address from you, Mr. Cobbler?"

"Of course," the elder Cobbler replied before supplying the location of his property.

As soon as Logan hung up, he held up the paper with the directions and said triumphantly, "Let's blow this popsicle stand. We've got a tiny blonde dynamo to save."

Outside, they took two vehicles. Leo took his unmarked car. He put the light on top, blared the sirens, and peeled out of the parking lot with Logan strapped into the front seat beside him. Behind them in Keith's Crown Vic were Wallace and Keith himself.

Just as they were getting ready to turn off the PCH onto Chautauqua Boulevard toward the state park, Logan caught sight of something and demanded immediately, "Stop the car. Turn around. We've got to go back."

Leo looked at him like he was crazy until Logan roared, "I JUST SAW MY CAR! Turn. Around. NOW!"

Leo skidded to a halt and swerved, turning them around as safely as he could. Moments later, they passed Keith who caught Logan's eye for a split second. It was enough to make him promptly turn his own car around as well.

The Italian sports car was cruising along, it's driver oblivious of the cars in their pursuit until the passenger tapped him on the shoulder and pointed behind them where Leo was coming up rapidly in full pursuit.

"Shit!" bellowed the driver, swerving as he tried to both control the car and keep an eye on the rear-view. "What do we do?!"

"Tuck and roll!" cried the other man as he did just that.

The driver was in full panic mode and lost control of the vehicle. He swerved and spun, bouncing off a guard rail back into traffic until they were rolled after being sideswiped by a semi.

The car was dangerously close to the edge of the cliff, teetering toward dropping to the water below when it finally came to a stop back on its original side of the road. Ironically, they were in almost the exact same location that the Neptune High bus crash had occurred.

Before Leo's cop car had even come to a complete stop, Logan was out the passenger door, screaming her name, "VERONICA!"

Rushing to the car, he searched for a way to get in, to get to her. She had to be in the trunk but with the vehicle upside down and on the edge of oblivion, how could he get to her?

"Veronica!" he called again as he knocked against the metal, hoping she was conscious. Hoping she was alive.

Finally, just as Keith, Wallace, and Leo joined him, he heard a muffled and weak, "Logan…" come from the trunk and his suspicions were confirmed.

"We've gotta get her out of there," Logan said, eyes wild and panicked.

"We will, Son," Keith replied, the adrenaline pumping through him making him sound much calmer than he felt. "Honey!" he called, "Hang in there, ok? We're gonna get you out."

"Sean...dead…" they heard through the twisted metal, and, "Norman Phipps...was his...idea…"

"Don't talk, Sweetheart," Keith said soothingly, "You'll waste your air and you're gonna need all you can get."

Leo trotted off to his car and came back with some rescue equipment that he hoped would be enough. Working with Keith, they managed to pry a corner of the trunk open without sending the car over the edge.

Out of the corner of his eye, Wallace saw some movement. Looking between the wreckage and the area he'd seen the movement come from, Wallace took a couple steps back and said, "You guys got this. I'm gonna go check something out."

Logan watched him go and then stepped closer to the car. Peeking into the slightly widened hole in the trunk, he smiled feebly and said, "Hey, Bobcat."

The look of relief on her face twisted his heart and nearly ripped it in two. When she spoke, her words were music to his ears, "Hey Logi-Bear."

Over the next forty minutes, the four men worked to keep the car balanced on the edge of the precipice while also peeling back enough of the metal frame to get Veronica out. When she finally made her escape, she wiggled her way through a Veronica-sized hole until she was safely scooped into Logan's strong arms.

"I love you," she said immediately, cupping his face in her hands, "I love you, I love you, I love you. Always and forever. And don't you ever forget it!"

His eyes gleamed with unshed tears of joy that he blinked back, claiming lamely that he must have had some dust in his eyes. Then, kissing her tenderly and thoroughly, he chuckled softly as he rested his forehead against hers.

"I intend to spend a long, long time showing you exactly how much I love you, Ms. Mars," Logan murmured, his eyes dark flames of need and desire that promised so much more than a physical encounter alone could command.

A thrill shot through her and she was about to respond with a passionate kiss of her own when she heard her father from a few feet behind them, followed by Wallace clearing his throat and Leo coughing.

Veronica laughed and turned in Logan's arms to face the others, still holding his arms solidly around her.

"Thanks, guys," she said with genuine gratitude, her gaze loving and appreciative as it landed on each of the men who had saved her. "Definitely could not have gotten out of that one on my own."

"No problem, V," Wallace grinned as he pointed to the side of the road behind them, "By the way, got one of the bad guys all wrapped up for you back there. Said his name is Norman Phipps."

Logan's gaze sharpened in disbelief. He held Veronica away from him a bit while still holding her so that he could angle to look her in the eye as he asked incredulously, "Norman Phipps?!"

She nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted. Sighing, she said, "Yes, Norman Phipps. He told me the whole sordid tale. I'll regale you in the morning and then Cliff can take it to the judge." She paused a moment before asking curiously, "How'd you guys find me, by the way?"

"Lou's dad gave us a tip on the cabin," Logan said modestly.

"Then your boy there caught sight of his car and it was all downhill from there," Wallace finished, stepping forward and clapping Logan on the shoulder. "Thanks for taking care of our girl, there, man."

Logan gave Wallace a shy half-smile and a shrug. Then, before he knew it, Keith was on his other side. He started with a hand on the shoulder but quickly took them all into a giant bear hug and said, "You save my family, you all become family to me."

Leo was the only one on the outside of the happy Kodak moment. He looked on with a quiet, shy, satisfied smile and knew that he'd done his job and done it well.