A/N: Thanks for your continued interest in this story. This chapter marks the beginning of the MaDi, which I believe some of you have been eagerly awaiting. And some of you maybe not so. But...it's here, it's more than I planned, and I won't be taking it out or adjusting what the characters are telling me to do. I hope you enjoy it. AND...I hope you enjoy my own original character that I am a bit obsessive about (just ask Bondopoulos, she knows.)I really hope you like him as much as I do. Also, huge thanks to Bondopoulos for her hard work at the Betaing of this story. I'm working hard to repay my debt to you.

Chapter 7 The Veronica Whisperer

Damn Veronica and her crazy schemes.

The second set of knocks on her door was more persistent than the first. Standing up, Mac checked her reflection nervously and then looked at the clock on the wall.

Right on time.

She heaved a sigh and made her way to the front door of her apartment. Peeking through the peephole, Mac saw Dick Casablancas standing outside, waiting to be let in.

Time to let in the Big Bad Wolf. No sense in waiting, she thought as she opened the door, he knows you're here. He won't leave.

Tall and lean, Dick had changed little since college. He wore his hair shorter now, but he still favored board shorts and t-shirts with idiotic phrases. The one he wore today had a picture of Big Foot holding a six-pack with the caption, "Big Foot is my Stunt Double." Sunglasses perched on the top of his head and he had a laptop case tucked under his arm.

His eyes swept the length of her body, and then met her stare. She gulped, feeling the heat that she always felt when he looked at her. Deciding that denying the existence of such feelings was safest, Mac stepped to the side of the door to let him through, and said, "You got the memo, too, huh?"

"'Yeah, I guess so. Did they happen to tell you where they're shacked up?" He queried as he stepped in from outside.

Dick's enormous presence made Mac's little apartment felt even smaller. The modest entryway was wide enough for two people, but he made no effort to move when Mac shut the door, which forced her to brush against him. When her shoulder hit into his arm lightly and her hip swayed dangerously closer to his body, she didn't even try to hold back the agitated glare she threw his way. She didn't trust his innocent smile.

"Well," she said, doing her best to ignore how shaky her voice sounded, "I'd think if they want you to know, you'd know, right?" She motioned for him to follow her to the kitchen. Over her shoulder, she told him, "They're somewhere safe, that's about as much as I know."

"Hunh. Sure didn't take Ronnie long to wrap her hands around Logan's balls. Poor Schmuck."

She should have known that she could count on Dick to piss her off right from the get-go.

They sat down at the table. Between them on the table sat her iPad and the small case that Dick had come to pick up.

"Have you talked to Sean yet?'

"We're meeting tonight at the reunion, yeah."

"Good. Did you bring the money so I can show you how this works?"

"Of course." Dick smiled and unzipped the laptop bag. "I'm being stealthy." He took out a stack of crisp twenty-dollar bills that were banded together with a bank-issued paper label. He slapped it down on the table and pulled out another stack, throwing it down beside the first. "Show me your magic, baby."

She reached over and grabbed the first stack. "It sure must be nice to have cash like this just sitting around."

"Well, this is Logan's investment. I'm just fronting the money till he gets back to town. But what's a little cash between friends when there's fun to be had?"

"Fun." Mac echoed. She opened the case on the table and pulled out a smaller glass container that looked like a clear jewelry box. Inside that, Mac took the attached tweezers and withdrew a minute microchip.

Dick eyed it with interest. "You always did have the fun toys."

She smiled, intent on her work. "I guess nothing's changed."

***Break***

Mac had spent the two hours before Dick arrived rushing to and from Kane Software to get the tracking devices and bugs that they would need. She'd had just enough time to install the necessary apps to her iPad and send the links to Veronica. What those two hours had not allowed time for, however, was any serious contemplation about Dick meeting her here, in her home.

So it only made sense why at this very moment, Mac was feeling rattled and completely unprepared regarding how to deal with the tall Casablancas sitting at her kitchen table.

Mac shied away from making eye contact with him while she applied the microchip to the banded money. She found his unrelenting stare unnerving. She was pleased that he remained silent while she worked, but she was afraid that once she finished with the delicate task he'd try to talk to her in an attempt to soften her up. She wasn't willing to be softened, not ever again by Dick Casablancas.

She'd made that mistake once before and she wasn't about to ever again.

Finished, Mac slid the stack of money across the table toward him. "This should do it. Just use this as payment and he'll never know he's being tracked."

He nodded, fingering the stack. "You can't tell anything's in there."

"No; and that's the point." Mac grabbed the iPad and scrolled through its apps. "The tracker is attached to an app." She tapped an icon of a red-eyed rat, with its tail wrapped tightly above its ear, "I've already sent the link to Veronica, so she'll know exactly where the money is in real time." She handed the tablet to him. "You can see here that it's tracking the device right now. Since we want to follow the money and not just Sean, Veronica thought this would be the best way."

Actually, Mac had been the one to suggest it, but she didn't want Dick to know that. What Veronica had originally proposed was to track Sean's car only. Mac had had to remind Veronica that she'd been assigned to Kane Software's Covert Intelligence Department. Her division of the company had been testing various tracking devices and bugs for the government for years now. There were many prototypes at Kane's Software's lab that were left forgotten or, despite being top-of-the-line for Joe Consumer, were already considered obsolete to its developers. The microchip she'd 'borrowed' from the lab was one of many lying around that had been tested and tossed. It wouldn't be missed.

Veronica had been elated at the prospect of following the money exactly where it went. And Mac had been eager to help. But that was before Veronica had enlightened Mac that it would be Dick to make the deal with Sean, and that they would have to work together. Mac had felt her eagerness flit away that very moment as dread blasted her full-force. But she'd readily agreed; she knew what was on the line and how dire the situation was. There was no room for Mac to use her own emotional baggage as a reason to opt-out.

"Cool," Dick said, bending over the iPad to get a better look as he tapped through the app's options. "Did you come up with this thing?"

"Uh…" Mac blinked. "I was on the team, yeah." She reached over and grabbed the tablet out of his hands, swiping closed the menus that he'd inadvertently opened. "But you don't need to worry about that part. Just make sure that stack of money leaves with Sean."

"Don't you worry about Friedrich. I promised him green; he won't be leaving without it. My question is: what next? What if he skips out to Vegas and bets it all on some boxing match?"

"We know that Sean isn't conjuring drugs out of his ass," Mac countered, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but, if memory serves, both you and Sean failed high school chemistry. He has someone supplying him with the drugs, and that someone is going to want their cut."

"You remember how I did in Chemistry?" Dick pressed a hand to his chest. "Be still my beating heart."

"It was kind of hard to miss your exam stuck to the fridge with the bright red 'D' plastered on the top of the page."

"Ah, yes, I forget how you and Beav used to revel in my failures," Dick said wistfully, "He had that one laminated."

Mac looked at Dick sharply. "Well, the point is that Sean is the middle man. If you imply that you'll be a repeat customer, he'll take that news straight to the top of the food chain. Mark my words."

"Done deal, man. I'm his new biggest client."

"Excellent. While you're schmoozing with him, I'll throw a tracker on his car. And," she held up a small wire, "You'll go in wearing this."

Dick took the little microphone and held it between two fingers. "Covert. Nice. I like it. Are you and I gonna meet up later for little one-on-one time? Make sure the deed is done… maybe do a little deed doin' of our own?" He waggled his eyebrows. "People might talk if we don't play this just right, you know."

"And that matters why?"

"Come on, Mackie, you know no one will believe that you and me are just there catching up on old times." Dick rapped his knuckles on the table. "We weren't exactly chummy back in the day. But…your hot little self," his eyebrows jumped up and down flirtatiously. "No one would suspect if I chased your tail for a little piece of that."

She bit back her laugh at his nerve and audacity. "Dick, stop being crass."

"What? You know it's true! You and me, baby! Come on!" When she didn't respond, Dick said a bit more seriously, "If we don't make some kind of a plan, and people see me in the corner with you, a known friend to Veronica Mars…I don't know, but to me that seems like what they call a 'conflict of interest.'" He said the last bit with air-quotes and then sat back and crossed his arms as he looked at her with a satisfied grin.

She hated that he was right. She stared at his cocky grin, so sure of himself. Well, frak.

***BREAK***

A fence had been erected around the entire perimeter of Carrie's property. Logan walked the length of it, double checking for any weakness. He was reassured when he found that every inch of it in good working order. The check had taken him more than two hours, but he wished it would have taken even longer. He'd needed to get out of the house and away from the temptation to throttle Veronica.

He didn't know how much longer he could handle Veronica's prickliness. Her defensiveness was getting on his nerves. The questioning and prodding about Carrie had only been the beginning.

***Flashback***

He stared at her, mentally willing her to quit interrogating him about Carrie. He couldn't go there with Veronica, not yet. It wasn't any of her business anyway.

In an effort to change the subject, Logan said, "I talked to the security company that is the contracted to protect this place."

She folded her arms. "Security company?"

"Yes," Logan said slowly, ignoring her frown. "Security. The company that monitors the gate, the house, the property. Security."

"What did they say?"

"Actually, I know the owner. I worked with him a few years ago, in the Navy."

"You know him? Is that safe?"

Logan's hackles rose along with his voice, "Veronica, not everyone I know is a murdering, conniving ass hole! Bunk is perfectly safe!"

"Bunk?" She repeated. "If you gave away our location he sure as hell had better be a lot more than just 'safe'!"

"I wouldn't have called him if I didn't trust him, Veronica. His firm is reputable and he's already on his way."

"His way? Here? Why would you do that?" She demanded, alarm and distrust etched on her face. "How do you know that he can be trusted?"

**END FLASHBACK***

Instead of calming her, the information had only managed to stir her up even more. Logan had grown frustrated with her cynicism.

Her words burned at him. It was just as much Logan's life on the line here as it was hers and Keith's, and yet she still had the audacity to imply that his judgment was subpar. He'd stormed out of the house without another word and set off through the woods in search of the fence. He couldn't look at her one second longer.

Nine years had passed and she was still as controlling as ever. It was as if she was intent on not trusting anyone besides Mac and Cliff. Logan had only been able to talk her into getting Dick involved because Sean wouldn't question Dick's request for drugs. Sean wasn't the brightest bulb on the tree but to have someone like Mac approach him would be a red flag. Dick, on the other hand, whose inner circle had come to Sean for product regularly anyway and whose inner circle had been significantly reduced in number over the past month…well, Logan was pretty sure that Sean would fall for the ruse. Veronica had reluctantly agreed.

Currently, Logan was making his way up a wooded incline toward the house. His arm was beginning to ache again and so was his head. He could see Veronica out on the porch, swinging slowly on the swing. From this distance, she looked serene and calm, but Logan knew better. For her, being stuck in this house was like sitting idle, with so much going on out of her control. It was likely driving her crazy. He was glad that she'd taken some time to relax, though. Maybe it would do her some good.

It was mid-afternoon now; Bunk would arrive in a few short hours. Perhaps by then she would have simmered down enough to be civil to his friend.

Drawing closer, Logan wondered what he could say to her that wouldn't lead to a shouting match. They both were on edge and itching for a fight. His injured arm and head were making him short-tempered and irritable; he knew that without a doubt. He felt badly about it, but being in pain, on top of having to defend himself constantly was draining. He had no energy left to be kinder to her if she wasn't willing to at least meet him half way.

***BREAK***

Veronica was frustrated that she couldn't be with her dad. Cliff had called to confirm of the name change on Keith's records, but the hospital would not allow Keith to be moved at this time. They'd informed Cliff that unless the building itself was burning down, Keith would have to remain there. Apparently, he was still too unstable.

Veronica wanted to be there to see that Keith was still alive with her own eyes. It killed her that she wasn't able to.

She was frustrated, too, that they were sending Mac and Dick on what felt like a blind mission.. But there wasn't much she could do about that; the two of them were in Neptune and they had the resources to get the job done. Mac had access to the surveillance equipment and Dick had the connection with Sean. It was too dangerous for Veronica to show up at the reunion. So instead, she was left as the puppeteer, pulling the strings from off-stage, forced to wait. There was no guarantee anyway that Sean would lead them to where they needed to end up

And to top it all off, she was stuck in a compound with freaking Logan Echolls. No amount of square footage was enough for her to forget it.

The only way she knew how to deal with it all was to lash out. Unfortunately for Logan, he was the only target within firing range.

She heard the snapping of feet on twigs and turned to see him approaching her now. She remained silent as she watched him trudge up the front porch steps and stop hesitantly in front of her. She knew what he was thinking: that she was still angry and he was right.

Hell, yes, she was angry.

"Have a nice stroll?" she enquired, her tone harsher than she intended. She cleared her throat and attempted sound more congenial. "You've been gone a while."

He quirked his eyebrows. He looked at her as if she were a bear about to pounce "Only as far as my feet would take me." When she raised her eyebrows in response, he explained, "I walked the perimeter of the property to make sure it's all fenced in; it is. Bunk said as much but I wanted to make sure."

"Bunk said?"

"If you would have listened, you would know that Bunk's company is a top-notch security company, with clients that range from foreign dignitaries to lowly actors and actresses. His background in the Navy has made him very sought after. His reputation is impeccable, Veronica. He is known in the business for his discretion." The words came out quietly, but Veronica could hear the edge in his voice.

He was still mad about her for questioning this Bunk's trustworthiness.

Well, too damn bad. Her dad's life was on the line.

She really was in no mood to argue. She gnawed at the inside of her cheek to stop the snarky comeback that was on the tip of her tongue, and instead asked, "Are there neighbors close by? I couldn't see much last night."

"Not close by; Carrie chose this place for that reason. The properties are all pretty spread out."

She nodded thoughtfully. "I did a Google Earth search for this place…it's really hard to find. From overhead, you can't even see the house because it's so dense here."

Owlishly he blinked at her, face blank.

Grudgingly, she admitted, "This was a good place to hide."

"I can be trusted. What a concept," he remarked disparagingly before running his good hand through his hair. He began brushing the dust and leaves off of the front of his shirt. "I'm going in for a shower before Bunk gets here."

An image of Logan under the spray of water flashed through her mind without warning. She bit her lip. "Do…do you need me to bandage your shoulder better so it doesn't get wet?"

Logan looked tiredly down at his shoulder and blinked at it as if he'd forgotten about his injury. "Oh. No, that's all right. It's still pretty snug. I'll keep it out of the water."

Or I could just join you, a traitorous voice in her head suggested. Mortified by her own thoughts, Veronica fixed her eyes straight ahead at the scenery and pushed her feet back and forth to start up the swinging motion once again. What the hell is wrong with you, Veronica? You've spent the whole day pissed at him, now you want to jump him? The reminder helped draw the anger back and she said, "I hope no one follows Bunk out here."

"He's not stupid, Veronica. No one's going to follow him."

"How do you know for sure, Logan? This Bunk person doesn't even know what the hell is going on!"

"I've told him enough!" Logan's voice rose to match hers, "And I've told you enough! Bunk isn't going to lead anyone out here! Drop it." More calmly, he said, "Bunk might surprise you, Veronica. He's smart. He's careful. He's ex-Navy."

He left her then, stepping through the storm door and letting it slap loudly behind him before making his way through the house.

Veronica sat staring at the sky a long time.

***Break***

Bunk wasn't at all what she'd expected.

First of all, he was older than she had pictured, possibly older than her dad. Second of all, he was enormous, built like a tank, with short, tightly coiled black hair and kind brown eyes. He had an imposing air about him, but as soon as Logan introduced them, Bunk shook her hand and pulled her into him for an unexpected bear hug. Because he was massive, she was easily swallowed up in his arms.

"Bunk! Give her some breathing room!" Logan objected from the doorway.

Veronica couldn't keep a laugh from escaping when Bunk pulled back in mock chagrin. With a wink, he conspiratorially said to her, "Logan never used to like it when I stole the ladies out from under him. Not like it's hard to do, him being a such prude and all."

Logan's mouth opened to protest and Bunk raised a hand, "Now, Echo, don't even try to deny it."

"How can I deny something that isn't true, you delusional old man?"

"Ooh, delusional he says," Bunk said with a boisterous laugh, cuffing Logan on the shoulder. "I've seen this boy talkin' nonsense, and he says I'm the delusional one?"

She looked at Logan to ask just what Bunk meant, but Bunk turned back to her and said, "Now, Veronica. I hate to cut right on past the chit-chat, but from what Logan told me about you, you don't like idle talk, anyway. Let's get down to the most important thing. Your dad."

At the mention of Keith, the fear that had put Veronica on edge all day immediately flared back to life. She frowned, folded her arms across her chest and stepped into the mouth of the hallway, away from both men. Carefully, tonelessly, she replied, "What about him?"

Logan leaned against the door, watching them, eyes hooded, with one foot propped behind him. He made no move to step between Bunk and her; in fact, he seemed frozen in the spot, as if waiting for a cue from one of them of how to proceed.

Veronica slid her eyes back to Bunk.

Bunk smiled; it was a kind smile that reached his eyes. There was a twinkle there that only kind people seemed to have,. As much as Veronica did not want to trust him, she did. Somehow she knew that whatever he was about to tell her would be the truth. Veronica couldn't help it; she liked the guy.

"You know, Echo here," Bunk pointed at Logan, "always told me you we're a suspicious little thing."

"Bunk…"Logan cautioned, clearly uncomfortable.

"Relax, Echo, I won't spill nothin' that doesn't need spillin'." Bunk said to him before returning his attention to Veronica to say, "But I want you to know, Veronica, you don't need to be suspicious of me." With that, he bent to the messenger bag that he'd set at his feet and pulled out a stack of paperwork. "I sent a rep down to Mr. Cliff McCormick, and we're working with him on getting Mr. Mars moved out of Neptune Memorial as we speak. From what your attorney implied, the hospital won't cooperate without your signature and also, the doctor won't release him, is that what you've been told?"

Flummoxed, Veronica sputtered, "Yes…"

"We've sent in a nurse that we trust to stay with him twenty-four seven until he can be moved." Bunk handed her the paperwork, "I need some signatures so that we have everything on file, but rest assured that Keith is safe. Nothing will happen to him while we're there."

"How did you…" she trailed off, her eyes cutting over to Logan.

Bunk did not notice the look that passed between the other two and continued, "Well, Echo said that short of the security here, the most important thing was keeping Keith Mars safe."

Logan said that Keith was the most important thing?

She felt ashamed at having spent the bulk of the day angry with Logan for bringing in Bunk just because it hadn't been her idea. She'd spent the entire time furious that he was doing things behind her back, yet what he'd been doing was trying to protect her dad.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Logan shrugged, pushing his foot off the door to stand on both feet. His eyes met hers. "Would you have listened?"

It seemed like he still knew her pretty well.

***Break***

Bunk had brought real food with him. He'd stopped at a grocery store somewhere along the way and now he asked if Logan would mind helping him haul it inside.

"Only a pansy would let a little bullet to the arm keep him from bringing a little ol' bag of groceries in," Bunk had teased with a laugh, but Logan had recognized the worry that lined Bunk's features as he'd said it.

Alone, the two men unearthed the bags of food and the various gear stowed in the trunk.

"How is the arm anyway?" Bunk asked, handing Logan a black computer bag before leaning farther into the trunk to retrieve a grocery sack. "I can't believe you didn't call me sooner."

"When would I have called you?" Logan countered, taking the bag and gingerly slinging it over his good shoulder before taking the groceries Bunk handed him. "This all happened in like a three-day time span."

It was dark and Logan couldn't see Bunk's face clearly, but he imagined Bunk wore a look of utter disbelief.

"For starters, you should have called my firm the minute that car got bashed in. I don't want a phone call days after the fact only to find out I could have been on ground zero, fighting the good fight. "

"Well, you're here now, aren't you? I did call."

"Only because coming out here and seeing Integral's sticker on the door reminded you that I exist," Bunk bit out derisively. "I know I'm not on your speed dial, but, hell, Logan, you're like a son to me. Someone should have called me. You should have called me."

They stood facing each other, the light from the porch casting an iridescent glow on the concrete. Bunk wore a mask of disappointment, and Logan felt like a chided teenager. His friend was right; Logan hadn't even given Bunk a second thought during this past week of hell. He'd carried the whole burden of it alone like he'd always had to.

Ashamed, Logan dropped his eyes to the ground and mumbled, "I'm sorry, Bunk. You're right. I'm not used to anyone caring…I just didn't think."

Out of everyone Logan had met in the Navy, Bunk had been the first and only one to get to know Logan on a more personal level. He was the only one that knew of Aaron's true nature and about Lilly's murder; he knew about all of Logan's upbringing and turbulent high school years. He knew all about how Logan had spent his senior year pining for Veronica and even knew of their tumultuous relationship in college. He knew Logan's reasons for joining the Navy and his reasons for being with Carrie.

But despite everything that he knew, Bunk had never once uttered a word of it to anyone. Not one rumor reached Logan's ears about himself. Because of that, Logan trusted Bunk implicitly.

"Bunk," he started, searching for the words to explain, "This wasn't about me until two days ago. Somehow I've become the target; I just was trying to leave town yesterday and, inadvertently, became more of one. It wasn't that I didn't think of you; it's that I thought I could handle it."

"We all think we can handle things that we have no power to control," Bunk said softly. "But the hell of it is, kid, you don't have to do things alone."

Now that was a concept Logan was not used to.

**Break**

Cliff answered on the first ring. "Talk to me, V."

"I hear you've been talking with Integral Securities."

"It's all set up, V; everything's great. They're working on getting a picture of Keith, so we can see him. Everything's smooth."

Relief flooded her. "You didn't worry it was a shady deal?"

"After everything we talked about last night, I knew what to look for. Plus, Logan's been a client for a few years. He's talked about Bunk before."

"Logan's your client?"

"Well, now, V, that's client-attorney privilege, shit, I just said too much as it is. But sure, I know about Bunk."

"Huh," Veronica's hand tightened on the receiver. Logan was all sorts of surprising. "Why didn't you call me about what was going on?"

"Your phone's been down, V, and, besides, you said you'd call me. Since this morning's call, it's been crickets all day."

"Guilty as charged, Cliffie. I've been working on the case."

"Yeah, about that, V. You say you have access to MI's anonymous tips email account? I've forwarded some stuff that Keith and I discussed, some fishy cases I've had the displeasure of not winning. Maybe you can link them."

***Break***

Feeling better about her dad and his safety than she had since Mac had first called her in New York, Veronica finally felt able to let her guard down a little bit. Bunk was in the kitchen, slicing and dicing up a gourmet meal for them, and the smell of meat simmering was wafting down the hallway, making Veronica's mouth water.

The two men were talking in a low, serious tone when Veronica joined them.

Logan avoided her gaze, but poured her a glass of wine and slid it toward her, quickly withdrawing his fingers from the stem when she reached for it.

"Thanks," she murmured, taking a small sip.

The red wine was drier than she preferred and it burned when she swallowed it. Feeling like it was a lifeline she took a larger sip and rolled it on her tongue. It numbed her and she relaxed, stretching her neck to ease the stress of the day. When she opened her eyes, she found Logan watching her and she blinked once before awkwardly taking a third sip.

A smile played at his lips for a brief moment.

"So, Veronica," Bunk said conversationally, "Logan tells me you live in New York."

New York. It felt so far away, and yet it was her present. "Uh, yeah, I…I do, live there. For now. I don't really know." She met Logan's questioning stare and she felt herself flush. "With Dad…hurt…rehabilitation is going to take some time. He's gonna need my help."

"There are places he can live…you don't have to stay here," Logan suggested, "What about your life there? You're just going to give up work and everything?"

"He's my dad." She told him simply.

"What do you do in New York?" Bunk asked.

Tearing her gaze from Logan's, Veronica answered, "Actually, I'm supposed to take the Bar in a few weeks. I've been interviewing at different firms. To be honest, I turned down a position just this week."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Bunk said, "But that's very ambitious, I'm impressed. That takes a lot of dedication."

"More like determination," she told him.

"Hmm, well, do you regret being so determined?" The older man asked. His eyes remained on the skillet while his hands kept busy adding spices and stirring.

She watched him at his work, but her mind was on his question. "You know, there were a lot of years I didn't allow myself to ask if it was worth it. I couldn't let myself think about the ifs and the whys, you know? Because if I did…" she realized suddenly what she was saying. Veronica straightened. She cleared her throat. "I love New York. It's busy and is always going. The opportunities there are like nowhere else I've ever been."

Bunk seemed to jump on that, asking her, "Where else have you been?"

**Break***

Logan watched the master at his work.

He'd often wondered why Bunk had become so important to him over the years, but watching the older man in action made it clear.

Bunk had a way with people; a way that immediately put them at ease to the point that they would tell him just about anything he wanted to know.

Logan sat listening to Veronica talk about her years after college, about the transition from Stanford to D.C., and then ultimately to New York. It was the part of her history that he knew very little about, the part that Logan had always wondered about and obsessed over.

He listened to the way Bunk eased her into giving more away about herself that even her good friend's ever could, and Logan marveled at how comfortable she seemed while giving it. Bunk had a sixth sense, like a horse whisperer did, with the way he understood their type.

Because Veronica and Logan were the same type. And Bunk knew how to handle them.

Logan was suddenly very glad that Bunk was here with them.

A/N: I so hope you all like Bunk. Let me know! I'm a little nervous to bring in new players; but Bunk is essential. I hope you agree.