Striding across the quad at Neptune High, Veronica inhaled deeply, trying to calm her butterflies. Over the years, she had visited Wallace here many times – for coffee or cases or to break the news that she was once again pregnant with "not Piz's" child – and each visit gave her little pangs of anxiety.
One day, her children would go here. Would they have an easier time than she did? Would the other kids know they were the descendants of the infamous Aaron Echolls? Would the fact that she and Logan chose to live a decidedly middle-class lifestyle, and not the 09er life Logan's savings account could easily allow them, cause them trouble?
Stopping by Lilly's fountain, she exhaled. Would they have to explain about Lilly and Logan and her and Duncan? Pressing her palm to the cool, black marble, she closed her eyes, momentarily hoping her kids would have have happy, normal, drama-free lives.
With one last glance at the memorial, Veronica turned and hurried towards Wallace's office inside the school.
The student behind the desk, flashed her braces at Veronica warmly as she approached.
"Maybe I help you?" the young brunette asked, eagerly.
"Yes, I'm here to see Principal Fennel," Veronica smiled, trying not to giggle at Wallace's title.
"Don't worry about buzzing for me Suzy," Wallace said with a chuckle, leaning against the door frame to his office. "I can sense trouble coming a mile a way."
Veronica shook her head and laughed, walking around the desk to give Wallace a warm hug.
"Hello stranger," he said, releasing her from his arms, adjusting his glasses on his face.
"Hello to you!" she said happily, walking into his office. "And not stranger! We just saw each other on New Year's Eve at my dad's place."
Wallace nodded and closed the door. "Vee, that was nearly three months ago."
Veronica stood near a chair on the other side of his desk. "Wow. Has it been that long already?"
"Yes," Wallace said with chuckle, taking a seat in his chair behind his desk. "So how's everyone keeping?"
Veronica sat, resting back in the chair comfortably. "Good. Busy. Lexie and Linc are in soccer. Jack loves preschool this year. Logan's booked solid with cases. And, oh, I'm pregnant again."
Wallace's lips formed a thin line and he shook his head at her. "Damn, girl. Aren't you two done yet?"
Veronica held her palms up and shrugged dramatically. "Guess not."
"You know, Piz sent me the cutest picture of Matilda at Christmas," Wallace added, a smirk twitching on his face.
Veronica rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he and his girlfriend, Sarah, are very happy with their one child, living their bohemian existence in Greenwich Village. How many languages does little Matilda know now? Seven or eight?"
Wallace chucked. "Why do you have to be like that?"
Veronica crossed her arms. "Why do you have to be like this?" she countered.
Wallace let out a sigh and pulled a thick envelope from his drawer and dropped it on his desk.
"I just gotta make you work for this information a bit first," he replied with a small laugh. "For old times sake."
Veronica stared at the envelope, making no move to pick it up.
"So, what's your professional opinion on Chantel and Emily? Good kids, bad crowd?"
Wallace leaned forward on his desk and sighed.
"They were smart. Really smart. Like, straight-A students. But they had a bit of a wild side. Both were reprimanded in Junior high for climbing the side of the school to the roof, on a dare. And a couple of times, they got in trouble with me for with their antics."
"Like what?"
"Like setting off a smoke bomb in the boy's locker room, so they guys were forced to run out, half-naked," Wallace said, shaking his head. "Or when they stripped another girl's new car of its tires."
"They did that stuff and they weren't suspended or expelled?" she asked.
"Could never 100% prove it, so they walked," Wallace chuckled. "Kind of like you putting the bong in Logan's locker, all those years ago."
A tight smile pulled across Veronica's lips. At the time, planting the drug paraphernalia in Logan's locker was the perfect payback for his constant teasing. It wasn't until a few years later that she heard about the beating he took from Aaron over the incident. Now, the memory invoked a deep sadness in her.
"How about the rumours of their partying?" Veronica continued. "Or that they may have been involved with prostitution?"
Wallace scratched the back of his salt-and-pepper hair.
"I don't think they partied any more or less than the other kids in this school. And I highly doubt the other things they are saying. The rumours I hear on Monday mornings, about what went on during the weekends, would make you want to send your kids far away to a lovely boarding school."
Once again, Veronica pushed the thought of her kids surviving high school in Neptune out of her head.
"What about their home life? Anything out of the ordinary?" she continued, trying to stay on topic.
"Not really," Wallace shrugged. "Emily's dad pilots private planes for the 09er crowd and her mom owns a little shop, downtown. Chantel's parents both work for Kane Software."
"Along with most of the city," muttered Veronica.
"I did talk to Amy last night, and she told me something interesting," Wallace said, leaning closer to Veronica.
"Guess it helps to be sleeping with the school guidance counselor," Veronica stated with a smirk.
Wallace scowled at her. "You want to know this or not?"
"Yes. Fine. Sorry," she remarked, leaning forwards. "You know that snark is my natural first response."
"Amy said that Chantel was ditching last class on Fridays. So Amy intervened, and on Monday, Chantel told her she and Emily had found after school jobs, bussing tables," Wallace stated.
"So, lots of teenagers get jobs," Veronica said.
"Not at The River Styx they don't," Wallace hissed.
A chill ran down Veronica's spine. "They were hanging out with the Fitzpatricks?"
Wallace leaned back into his chair, his arms crossed. "Yep. Amy said that Chantel thought it was 'cool' and she was meeting 'interesting people'."
Veronica shook her head. "They had no clue, did they?"
"Nope," Wallace said. "Amy found out last week and had an appointment to speak to Chantel's family about it on Friday."
Veronica squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, her mothering instinct kicking in.
"So they took up with the Fitzpatricks for shits and giggles? What were they thinking?"
"Veronica, I don't think they knew what they were getting themselves into. They were two middle-class teenage girls, with way to much time on their hands, to indulge some crazy made-up drama," Wallace said.
"So were they involved with drugs?" she asked.
"I honestly don't know. But I'll tell you this, in my experience, if you're looking for where this began, get Mac to check their email and texts. Dollars to donuts, those girls were lured into the Fitzpatricks' world, online."
Veronica cringed. A year ago, Mars Investigations was hired to track down an 09er teen from Neptune High, who ran away with someone she met online. Logan found her in L.A., drugged up and being pimped out by the 45 year old man who lured her with the promise of making her a movie star. Veronica was still not sure how Logan managed to not beat the guy to a bloody pulp, before he turned him over to the police.
"Thanks. I'll get Mac to start running those checks ASAP," she said. "So, which one of their friends can I talk to?"
Wallace shook his head. "Nope. Not going to happen, old friend."
Veronica sat forward in her seat. "What? Why not? You said last night –"
"Vee, Amy made a good point when we talked about it," he began. "I could lose my job for giving you this info. Amy could lose her job for giving me the info I just gave you. If I let you interrogate a student –"
Veronica held up her hands. "Say no more. I will thank you for the conversation – and the info that did not come into my possession through you - and say good-bye."
Wallace smiled, pushing the envelope towards her. "I will say this, having kids has made you less combative."
Veronica reached for the envelope a smirk crossing her lips. "That's actually Logan's influence, but thanks for noticing the personal growth."
Wallace let out a chuckle. "Fine. So the guy has a few good qualities."
Veronica stood and shoved the package in her messenger bag. "Never going to get over it, will you."
Wallace stood and walked around his desk toward her.
"Get over Logan stealing you from your best friend?" he said. "No. No I won't."
A sharp pang of regret sliced through Veronica's heart. While Logan was serving his last tour, Wallace was there almost every day, helping her with the twins. When Logan returned, the family slipped into a blissful haze of quiet domesticity, leaving Wallace behind. She didn't mean to ignore her best friend; life just seemed to get in the way.
"It was never his fault," she replied quietly.
"It never is," Wallace said as he walked to open the door for her. "Take care, Vee. See you at the next kid's birthday party."
Veronica lips tightened into a firm line. "Take care, Wallace. Say 'hi' to Amy for me."
Taking a sharp breath, against the tightness in her chest, Veronica hastened back to her car. Once inside, she closed her eyes tightly, letting a few tears fall. Some days, she missed Wallace so much. But with her business and the kids and Logan, it always seemed that there was never enough time for anyone else.
As she started the engine, her phone rang. Pressing the Bluetooth button on the steering wheel, she answered.
"Hey." Logan's voice filled the cab.
"Hey," she replied, wiping her face. "How was preschool, Jack?"
"Jack's not with me," Logan replied with a cough.
"What? Where is he?" Veronica gasped, panic washing over her.
"Your dad picked him up," Logan said. "I got a call from Dick's lawyer that his bail hearing is this afternoon."
Veronica frowned. "But it's Thursday. Dad has physio on Thursdays."
"Yeah," Logan said slowly. "He's going to drop Jack off at the office to hang out with you guys this afternoon."
There was a slight pause as Veronica comprehended the magnitude of what Logan was saying to her.
"So, you're telling me," she began, her anger starting to rise. "That you're breaking our hard and fast rule not to let the kids come to the office."
"Veronica –"
"A rule that you came up with, and we agreed on, before you last shipped out," she spat. "A rule that, when combined with our 'no nannies' rule made me almost lose my mind trying to juggle my career and two infants while you were gone."
"Ver –"
"A rule -" she yelled. "That was put in place for our children's safety, so clients wouldn't see them, and so the kids wouldn't get involved in what we did!"
"I get why you're mad," Logan said quickly, trying to get a word in edgewise. "But I'm sorry! This was the only solution. I have to be there for Dick."
"To do what?" Veronica replied. "Drain the kid's University funds to bail out a potential murderer?"
"I have more than enough money to do both," he shot back.
"Oh, that's right. You do."
Logan's deep sigh filled the space. "Don't be like that, Veronica. You know what I mean."
Veronica covered her eyes with her hands and shook her head. "What am I supposed to do with Jack? I have clients this afternoon."
"Give him my iPad and let him watch Peppa Pig on YouTube, in Mac's office with her," he said.
Veronica dropped her hands, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. "That's some stellar parenting advice. Thanks a lot."
"Fuck, Veronica! I'm trying!" Logan's voice echoed through the car.
She paused, tears coming to her eyes again.
"Fucking pregnancy hormones," she sniffled, wiping her face once more.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to –"
"Fine…just…whatever," she said, choking back her tears. "I gotta go."
"Veron –"
Veronica disconnected the call before he could say any more. Glancing at the dashboard, she immediately regretted her actions, but made no move to call him back.
"Stay safe," she whispered, before putting the car in gear and starting her journey to the office.