What Goes Down (Part 10): Stolen Moments
Title: Stolen Moments
Fandom: Veronica Mars
Pairing(s): Lamb/Veronica
Word Count: 1533
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Veronica tracks down the Theta Betas' stolen car wash money.
Notes: Tenth in the What Goes Down series. AU from episode 3:2 - My Big Fat Greek Rush Week; almost entirely AU after episode 3:9 - Spit & Eggs.
Previously: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9
Veronica squealed, and turned her water pistol on Hallie as the other girl laughed. Hallie threw her sponge at Veronica, who ducked, and looked up guiltily as she backed into someone.
"Cute bathing suit."
Veronica could feel herself blush as Lamb looked her up and down. She shivered at the cool breeze on her wet skin, Lamb's gaze making her all too aware that she was barely dressed.
"So, is this some kind of Veronica Mars undercover sting operation?" he asked. "Blowing the lid off water conservation?"
Veronica smiled at him. "It's a fundraiser," she said. "We're raising money for the Theta Beta Snow in California dance."
Lamb looked amused, and Veronica suddenly couldn't help herself as she turned around, grabbing her bucket and tipping the water over his head. She had expected him to be mad, but instead he grabbed her, whirling her around and backing her up against a nearby car. When she looked up at him, he was smiling, but there was something else besides amusement in his eyes.
"My car could use a wash," he said after a minute, and Veronica thought it was impossible that he had made something so mundane sound so suggestive.
"It'll cost you," she said, and for a moment, she wasn't even sure that she knew what they were talking about any more.
And then he smiled, and it all came rushing back. "Am I invited?" he asked.
"Invited to what?"
"To the dance." Lamb backed up a little, but his hands were still on her hips, and Veronica didn't push them off.
"I'm surprised you haven't been already," she said, and she thought that was a yes.
-
"Hey, Shania," Veronica said when she showed up at the Theta Beta house later. "I think I left my bag here. Can I come in and take a look?"
"Sure." Shania stepped inside, and after a minute, Veronica saw her bag near the couch. She picked it up, and when she turned around, Marjorie was standing in front of her.
"Veronica," Marjorie said seriously. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure," Veronica said as Marjorie pulled her aside. "What's up?"
"It's about the money from the car wash," Marjorie said quietly. "It's missing."
"Missing?"
Marjorie nodded. "We had it earlier, but when I got back here it was gone. I asked around, but nobody knows what happened to it."
Veronica looked at her. "Do you know who had it last?" she asked.
Marjorie shook her head. "We really had that money."
Veronica smiled. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll find it."
-
"Hey there."
Veronica looked up as Wallace sat down, and smiled. "Hey yourself," she said. "So, how's Hearst's newest basketball star?"
Wallace shook his head. "I can't even believe they're letting me start this semester."
"Believe it," Veronica said. "Wallace Fennel defies all laws of probability."
"Yeah, including the ones in my math course."
Veronica took another bite of her pasta. When she looked up, Wallace was smiling at her. "What?" she asked. "Do I have something on my face?"
"Are you going to ask me?"
Veronica frowned. "Ask you what?"
"To the Theta Beta party. Come on, don't you have some bad guys you want me to catch? Drunk college girls to babysit? Fun I'm not allowed to have?"
Veronica's frown deepened. The Theta Beta winter party. The same one she had invited to Lamb to. "Are you sure you want to come?" she asked.
Wallace just looked at her. "A bunch of sorority girls, and I'm Hearst's newest basketball star? I'm already there."
Veronica nodded reluctantly, and then looked up across the cafeteria. "I've got to go," she told Wallace apologetically as she picked up her tray.
"Hallie!" Veronica slid in across from the Theta Beta, who looked up.
"Oh, hey, Veronica," she said.
"Did you hear about the car wash money?" Veronica asked her, and Hallie nodded.
"Yeah," she said. "I can't believe it. This dance is going to suck if we don't get that money."
"So you don't know what happened to it?" Veronica pressed.
Hallie shook her head. "I have no idea. I think Shania was in charge of it the last time I talked to her."
Veronica nodded. "Thanks," she said.
-
"Shania," Veronica said, as Shania opened the door of the Theta Beta house. "Just the person I wanted to see."
"Hi, Veronica," Shania said. "Come in."
Veronica stepped inside, and Shania closed the door behind her. "I heard what happened to the car wash money," Veronica said. "Bummer, huh?"
Shania nodded. "Tell me about it. We've already ordered the decorations and everything, and I don't even know if I'm going to be able to cancel them."
Veronica looked at her. "I heard you were the last person with the money?"
Shania looked away for a moment. "Not exactly," she admitted finally.
Veronica waited.
"I gave it to my boyfriend. We were inside the car wash, and I had the money. I wanted to go talk to Siobhann, so I left it with him."
"What's your boyfriend's name?" Veronica asked.
"Roger Felton," Shania answered. "Why?"
-
Veronica stood across the street, staring at the car wash. The trip to see Roger Felton had been a bust; he said he'd had the money, but had left it in the office after he was 'distracted,' and Veronica thought he was telling the truth.
She looked up as somebody moved beside her.
"You know, usually people take their cars into the car wash. Or are you just hoping the guys will get their gear off?"
Veronica smiled at Weevil. "Is that what you're doing here?" she asked.
Weevil looked away, then back at Veronica guiltily. "Nah," he said. "I just really hate this place."
"So you're here why exactly?"
Weevil pointed at the side of the building, where graffiti was scrawled. He shrugged.
"Petty vandalism?" Veronica asked. "And here I thought you were above that."
Weevil shook his head. "Like I said. I just really hate this place."
Veronica smiled, then, and Weevil looked at her suspiciously.
"What?" he asked.
"Do you hate it enough to break in?"
"Why?"
"Just curious," Veronica said. "I think a friend might have left something in there."
-
"Ooh, twenty-three! Bad luck." Veronica gathered up the cards with a smile. As the two guys at her table left, she turned towards Alan.
"You must do all right with this place," she said, and he smiled.
"Yeah, I do okay."
"Ever gone bust that you know of?"
Alan looked at Veronica, and shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of."
"Are you afraid that you will?" she asked. "I mean, because that would suck."
He shrugged. "We're covered."
Veronica looked at him curiously. "Covered?"
Alan nodded. "Yeah. When Mercer started this place, he needed capital, you know? Someone to cover his ass if it failed."
"Do you know who you're covered by?"
Alan thought for a moment. "I don't ... wait yeah. It's something like, Executive Corporation?"
"Executive Corporation?" Veronica repeated.
He shrugged. "I think so. I don't know, exactly."
Veronica nodded. "Thanks. Anyway, I'm off."
Alan nodded at her as she left. And ran straight into someone standing outside the door.
"Weevil!" Veronica exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Weevil shrugged. "You're not the only one who knows how to find people," he said, and handed her a bag.
Veronica took it. "What's this?" she asked.
"A few grand, by the looks of it." Weevil smiled. "And no, I didn't take any."
"Where did you get this?"
"At the car wash," he said. "Still sitting in the bastard's desk."
Veronica smiled. "Thanks," she said.
Weevil shrugged. "Hey, no problem. Good to know I still have the touch."
-
"Veronica, thank you so much," Marjorie said, for what Veronica estimated to be at least the sixth time. She gestured around the room. "None of this would have been possible without you."
Veronica smiled. "No problem. It's what I do best."
Lamb came up to her, then, and handed her a drink. "It's just coke," he assured her, and she took it with a smile. Marjorie left, and she and Lamb wandered across the living room in silence. When he put his arm around her shoulders, Veronica didn't object.
Until she saw Wallace.
She pulled away, glancing up at Lamb, and imagined that he looked almost hurt.
Wallace looked from Lamb to Veronica as he approached.
"Wallace, it's not -" Veronica began, but he interrupted her.
"What are you doing?" he asked, and Veronica couldn't tell if his voice was more angry or confused.
She paused, maybe for a beat too long. "This really isn't -"
"You're dating the Sheriff?" Wallace asked incredulously. And loudly. Shania wandered over from nearby.
"Your boyfriend's a cop?" she asked, looking at Lamb with newfound admiration.
Veronica winced.
"Boyfriend?" Wallace asked, raising his eyebrows.
He's not my boyfriend. The thought popped into Veronica's mind instinctively, but the words never came. She looked at Wallace, and then at Shania, and at Lamb. She didn't say anything.
When Wallace left, Veronica - barely - resisted the urge to run after him.
"Boyfriend?" Lamb asked her, and Veronica looked up at him sharply.
"Now is not the time," she warned him.
Next: Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18
Fandom: Veronica Mars
Pairing(s): Lamb/Veronica
Word Count: 1533
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Veronica tracks down the Theta Betas' stolen car wash money.
Notes: Tenth in the What Goes Down series. AU from episode 3:2 - My Big Fat Greek Rush Week; almost entirely AU after episode 3:9 - Spit & Eggs.
Previously: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9
Veronica squealed, and turned her water pistol on Hallie as the other girl laughed. Hallie threw her sponge at Veronica, who ducked, and looked up guiltily as she backed into someone.
"Cute bathing suit."
Veronica could feel herself blush as Lamb looked her up and down. She shivered at the cool breeze on her wet skin, Lamb's gaze making her all too aware that she was barely dressed.
"So, is this some kind of Veronica Mars undercover sting operation?" he asked. "Blowing the lid off water conservation?"
Veronica smiled at him. "It's a fundraiser," she said. "We're raising money for the Theta Beta Snow in California dance."
Lamb looked amused, and Veronica suddenly couldn't help herself as she turned around, grabbing her bucket and tipping the water over his head. She had expected him to be mad, but instead he grabbed her, whirling her around and backing her up against a nearby car. When she looked up at him, he was smiling, but there was something else besides amusement in his eyes.
"My car could use a wash," he said after a minute, and Veronica thought it was impossible that he had made something so mundane sound so suggestive.
"It'll cost you," she said, and for a moment, she wasn't even sure that she knew what they were talking about any more.
And then he smiled, and it all came rushing back. "Am I invited?" he asked.
"Invited to what?"
"To the dance." Lamb backed up a little, but his hands were still on her hips, and Veronica didn't push them off.
"I'm surprised you haven't been already," she said, and she thought that was a yes.
-
"Hey, Shania," Veronica said when she showed up at the Theta Beta house later. "I think I left my bag here. Can I come in and take a look?"
"Sure." Shania stepped inside, and after a minute, Veronica saw her bag near the couch. She picked it up, and when she turned around, Marjorie was standing in front of her.
"Veronica," Marjorie said seriously. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure," Veronica said as Marjorie pulled her aside. "What's up?"
"It's about the money from the car wash," Marjorie said quietly. "It's missing."
"Missing?"
Marjorie nodded. "We had it earlier, but when I got back here it was gone. I asked around, but nobody knows what happened to it."
Veronica looked at her. "Do you know who had it last?" she asked.
Marjorie shook her head. "We really had that money."
Veronica smiled. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll find it."
-
"Hey there."
Veronica looked up as Wallace sat down, and smiled. "Hey yourself," she said. "So, how's Hearst's newest basketball star?"
Wallace shook his head. "I can't even believe they're letting me start this semester."
"Believe it," Veronica said. "Wallace Fennel defies all laws of probability."
"Yeah, including the ones in my math course."
Veronica took another bite of her pasta. When she looked up, Wallace was smiling at her. "What?" she asked. "Do I have something on my face?"
"Are you going to ask me?"
Veronica frowned. "Ask you what?"
"To the Theta Beta party. Come on, don't you have some bad guys you want me to catch? Drunk college girls to babysit? Fun I'm not allowed to have?"
Veronica's frown deepened. The Theta Beta winter party. The same one she had invited to Lamb to. "Are you sure you want to come?" she asked.
Wallace just looked at her. "A bunch of sorority girls, and I'm Hearst's newest basketball star? I'm already there."
Veronica nodded reluctantly, and then looked up across the cafeteria. "I've got to go," she told Wallace apologetically as she picked up her tray.
"Hallie!" Veronica slid in across from the Theta Beta, who looked up.
"Oh, hey, Veronica," she said.
"Did you hear about the car wash money?" Veronica asked her, and Hallie nodded.
"Yeah," she said. "I can't believe it. This dance is going to suck if we don't get that money."
"So you don't know what happened to it?" Veronica pressed.
Hallie shook her head. "I have no idea. I think Shania was in charge of it the last time I talked to her."
Veronica nodded. "Thanks," she said.
-
"Shania," Veronica said, as Shania opened the door of the Theta Beta house. "Just the person I wanted to see."
"Hi, Veronica," Shania said. "Come in."
Veronica stepped inside, and Shania closed the door behind her. "I heard what happened to the car wash money," Veronica said. "Bummer, huh?"
Shania nodded. "Tell me about it. We've already ordered the decorations and everything, and I don't even know if I'm going to be able to cancel them."
Veronica looked at her. "I heard you were the last person with the money?"
Shania looked away for a moment. "Not exactly," she admitted finally.
Veronica waited.
"I gave it to my boyfriend. We were inside the car wash, and I had the money. I wanted to go talk to Siobhann, so I left it with him."
"What's your boyfriend's name?" Veronica asked.
"Roger Felton," Shania answered. "Why?"
-
Veronica stood across the street, staring at the car wash. The trip to see Roger Felton had been a bust; he said he'd had the money, but had left it in the office after he was 'distracted,' and Veronica thought he was telling the truth.
She looked up as somebody moved beside her.
"You know, usually people take their cars into the car wash. Or are you just hoping the guys will get their gear off?"
Veronica smiled at Weevil. "Is that what you're doing here?" she asked.
Weevil looked away, then back at Veronica guiltily. "Nah," he said. "I just really hate this place."
"So you're here why exactly?"
Weevil pointed at the side of the building, where graffiti was scrawled. He shrugged.
"Petty vandalism?" Veronica asked. "And here I thought you were above that."
Weevil shook his head. "Like I said. I just really hate this place."
Veronica smiled, then, and Weevil looked at her suspiciously.
"What?" he asked.
"Do you hate it enough to break in?"
"Why?"
"Just curious," Veronica said. "I think a friend might have left something in there."
-
"Ooh, twenty-three! Bad luck." Veronica gathered up the cards with a smile. As the two guys at her table left, she turned towards Alan.
"You must do all right with this place," she said, and he smiled.
"Yeah, I do okay."
"Ever gone bust that you know of?"
Alan looked at Veronica, and shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of."
"Are you afraid that you will?" she asked. "I mean, because that would suck."
He shrugged. "We're covered."
Veronica looked at him curiously. "Covered?"
Alan nodded. "Yeah. When Mercer started this place, he needed capital, you know? Someone to cover his ass if it failed."
"Do you know who you're covered by?"
Alan thought for a moment. "I don't ... wait yeah. It's something like, Executive Corporation?"
"Executive Corporation?" Veronica repeated.
He shrugged. "I think so. I don't know, exactly."
Veronica nodded. "Thanks. Anyway, I'm off."
Alan nodded at her as she left. And ran straight into someone standing outside the door.
"Weevil!" Veronica exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Weevil shrugged. "You're not the only one who knows how to find people," he said, and handed her a bag.
Veronica took it. "What's this?" she asked.
"A few grand, by the looks of it." Weevil smiled. "And no, I didn't take any."
"Where did you get this?"
"At the car wash," he said. "Still sitting in the bastard's desk."
Veronica smiled. "Thanks," she said.
Weevil shrugged. "Hey, no problem. Good to know I still have the touch."
-
"Veronica, thank you so much," Marjorie said, for what Veronica estimated to be at least the sixth time. She gestured around the room. "None of this would have been possible without you."
Veronica smiled. "No problem. It's what I do best."
Lamb came up to her, then, and handed her a drink. "It's just coke," he assured her, and she took it with a smile. Marjorie left, and she and Lamb wandered across the living room in silence. When he put his arm around her shoulders, Veronica didn't object.
Until she saw Wallace.
She pulled away, glancing up at Lamb, and imagined that he looked almost hurt.
Wallace looked from Lamb to Veronica as he approached.
"Wallace, it's not -" Veronica began, but he interrupted her.
"What are you doing?" he asked, and Veronica couldn't tell if his voice was more angry or confused.
She paused, maybe for a beat too long. "This really isn't -"
"You're dating the Sheriff?" Wallace asked incredulously. And loudly. Shania wandered over from nearby.
"Your boyfriend's a cop?" she asked, looking at Lamb with newfound admiration.
Veronica winced.
"Boyfriend?" Wallace asked, raising his eyebrows.
He's not my boyfriend. The thought popped into Veronica's mind instinctively, but the words never came. She looked at Wallace, and then at Shania, and at Lamb. She didn't say anything.
When Wallace left, Veronica - barely - resisted the urge to run after him.
"Boyfriend?" Lamb asked her, and Veronica looked up at him sharply.
"Now is not the time," she warned him.
Next: Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18