Could This Be Happening? Part 40
Title: Could This Be Happening? Part 40
Author: christykq
Rating: M for language and innuendos mostly, some sex
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, ensemble
Word Count: 6055
Spoilers: Begins with 3.05 and goes through S3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the VM universe, it all belongs to the master RT. I also do not earn a profit from any one of the many brand names named in my story and no copyright infringement is intended. Transcripts from Indigo Mantoya at twiztv dot com.
A/N: Character’s thoughts are italic.
Part 40
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[During 3.19 Weevils Woble But They Don’t Go Down]
[Late May 2007: 33 weeks pregnant]
“Dude, let’s have a poker party.” Dick says as he bites a French fry.
“When?” Logan asks as he watches the cashier, across the food court, handle a long line of customers.
“I dunno. Saturday.” Dick says with his mouth full of food.
Veronica looks up from her book, narrows her eyes and nods negative. “Next week is finals. How ‘bout after finals?”
Logan shrugs from his relaxed position at the table. His legs stretched out under the table with his feet crossed and his arm hangs over the back of Veronica’s chair.
“Honey, could you go get me a frozen yogurt?” Veronica tilts her head at Logan.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Sure, Dear, but you don’t have to do the head tilt. You might want to hold that in reserve for emergencies.” He gets up from the table and points at Dick. “Want anything while I’m up?”
“A buxom brunette goin’ down on me?” Dick says nonchalantly as he shoves another fry in his mouth. Logan ignores Dick’s request and turns to retrieve Veronica’s frozen yogurt.
“Mac.” Veronica says cheerfully when she sees Mac approaching over Dick’s shoulder.
“Exactly.” Dick points to Veronica with his French fry.
“Hi.” Mac says in Dick’s ear and Dick jumps an inch off his seat with surprise.
He smiles warmly at Mac and glares at Veronica when Mac looks away. Dick laughs nervously. “I was just thinkin’ about you.”
“Oh really?” Mac hangs her bag on the back of her chair then steals a French fry from Dick’s plate. “Do tell.”
“Please. Not while I’m eating.” Veronica snarks, not looking up from her book.
Dick and Mac look at her empty tray sitting in the middle of the table and turn their attention back to each other. Dick throws his arm around Mac’s shoulders as they talk quietly and Veronica studies.
In the time it took for Logan to order Veronica’s frozen yogurt, the line for the cashier died down and the cashier was taking the opportunity to read a thick book at her post.
Logan places the cup of frozen yogurt, a bottle of water and over-sized brownie on the checkout counter. He digs in his wallet and addresses the cashier. “Jalisa Jones?”
Jalisa doesn't look up from her book. “That's me.”
“You're the one who discovered the fake IDs, right?”
Logan’s question gets her attention and Jalisa looks up and puts down the book.
“Hearst College must have been grateful.”
“They offered to put a statue of me in the middle of the quad.” Jalisa snides.
“So, what made you think that the names on the cards were aliases?”
With a smirk, Jalisa opens the cash drawer and takes out a sheet of paper from under the tray. She shuts the drawer and hands the paper to Logan.
Logan reads the list. "Niels Bohr, Sylvia Plath, Leonardo Fibonacci, Honus Wagner."
“Just because I didn't go to a school with a water polo team doesn't mean I don't know who Fibonacci is.” She scowls.
“Who wouldn't know...” Logan gestures to the names on the paper, confused.
Jalisa smiles. “Greatest European mathematician of the middle ages.”
“Yeah, of course.” Logan smiles. “Ah, do me a favor, give me a call if any of the other names pop up.” Logan hands her a Mars Investigations business card.
“Sure, but after Sylvia Plath and Honus Wagner got busted, the others stopped coming.” Jalisa looks at Logan’s food items and tallies his bill. “Eight fifteen.”
Logan pays for his food and returns to the table. “I see your buxom brunette showed up.” He hands Veronica her frozen yogurt and sits down in his seat, opening his water.
Mac looks down at her less-than-buxon chest and back to Logan. “Excuse me.”
Logan pushes the chocolate brownie in front of Veronica. “Dick was just sayin’ how he wanted a buxom brune-...”
“...to join him for lunch.” Veronica fake laughs. “A brunette to have lunch with him and, look at that, here you are. Is this brownie for me?” She tries to change the subject. Logan smiles when Dick blushes.
“Uh huh.” Mac doesn’t buy Veronica’s attempt to cover up what Dick said, but she lets it slide and they continue to talk quietly.
“Yes, Sugarpuss, that brownie is for you.” Logan points with his chin. “That cashier is going to call Mars Investigations when more names on her list show up. She’s the one that figured out the names were fake.”
“The Bursar didn’t notice names like Sylvia Plath and Honus Wagner were fraudulent?”
“She’s clueless and her friend in charge of Weevil’s workmen’s comp claim is a complete tool.” Logan steals a bite of yogurt from Veronica’s spoon as he gets his phone out of his pocket. “She did say the equipment that make the cards...” He shows Veronica the picture on his phone. “...is made by Magneta-corp and they only lease to colleges.” He shoves his phone back in his pocket. “If the machine breaks down, it has to be sent back to Marietta, Georgia, to get it reprogrammed.”
“Hmm.” Veronica finishes her yogurt and starts eating the brownie, looking across the food court. “Hey, look.” She slaps Logan’s leg to get his attention and points with her spoon. “Looks like someone got to Gory. The whole side of his face is black and blue.”
Logan barely glances at Gory as he reaches across the table and steals one of Dick’s French fries.
Veronica notices his newly split knuckles. “You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?” She raises an eyebrow at her husband.
“Nope.”
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Weevil looks up from his cell as the door to the holding area opens and Logan and Veronica enter.
Logan pulls a chair up to the bars and helps Veronica into the seat.
Weevil leans on the bars and looks from Logan to Veronica and back again. “So, what'd you learn?
“I learned you're in a battle with Hearst over workman's comp.” Logan states.
“Yeah. They were giving me the run-around, and now that I've been fired, they're refusing to pay altogether.” Weevil says gloomily.
“Any chance you decided to get even by taking what they owed you?” Veronica asks with an accusing tone.
“No!”
“Both witnesses, the bright-eyed, freshly scrubbed types juries love, claim you met them at one in the basement of the history building.” Veronica explains.
“One? That's my lunch break.”
Veronica holds up a pair of crossed fingers. “Which you spend daily with your co-workers, all of whom will eagerly vouch for you?”
“Which I usually spend in my car, napping.” Weevil bows his head.
Veronica drops her hands into her lap. Keith enters the room and Logan, Veronica and Weevil look to the door.
“Sheriff! My bail come through?” Weevil asks, hopeful.
“Yep. You're free to go. Hi, Sweetie. How you feeling?” Keith kisses the top of Veronica’s head.
“Good. Tired.”
Keith opens the cell door for Weevil to exit.
“Excellent.” Eli limps past Keith.
“But I'm afraid I've got some bad news. That machine in the bursar's office? Campus cops just found an identical one in the empty locker next to yours.” Keith says as the trio looks at him, disbelieving. Veronica sighs and Weevil swears under his breath.
“Talk to your public defender, Eli. The best deal you're gonna get is the one they're offering now.” Keith instructs. Logan offers Veronica his hand and they all leave the holding area.
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Logan observes Wallace putting the finishing touches on a large model airplane, from across the table, in a busy workshop.
“This is your end-of-term project? I should have been an aerospace major.” Logan says as he fingers the tiny components on the table.
“A one thirty-second model of an amphibious regional turboprop. I call it the Sea Monkey.” Wallace corrects, working diligently.
“Which would make more sense if monkeys were amphibious... or could fly.”
Wallace continues his work without looking away from the Sea Monkey. “Trust me. It makes perfect sense when you're running on about fifteen minutes sleep in the last week.”
“And here I heard you’ve been sleeping in Mac’s room every night. Secret rendezvous?”
“Shit, the only love life I have is some dude who's always following me around.”
Logan laughs. “What, like you're being cruised?”
“Yeah. Remind me which color bandana I'm supposed to wear that says I'm straight... but flattered and non-judgmental.”
“I think that’s somethin’ Dick would know more about.” Logan laughs at the thought of a guy hitting on Wallace.
Wallace sees Professor Winkler walking through the workshop. “Dr. Winkler, you ready?”
The professor nods and Wallace and Logan follow him.
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Wallace and Logan are sitting across a desk from Professor Winkler, listening the professor explain the ins and outs of magnetic stripe coercivity.
“Magnetic stripe coercivity? It's a fancy way of saying how hard it is to copy a bank or a debit card. A Hearst student ID is quite simple, actually... provided you work at the CIA and have access to a supercomputer. You know how digital codes work?” Professor Winkler explains.
“A bunch of ones and zeroes and stuff?” Logan clarifies.
“A student ID takes your name, ID number, balance, whatever and stores it on a magnetic strip. But they also insert an encrypted signature that prohibits someone from making a counterfeit or making changes to the card.”
“How super does a computer have to be to crack an encrypted card?” Wallace asks.
“There's one in the physics lab. Of course, they won't let you touch it unless you have a PhD. We lowly mechanical engineers had to build our own, Daisy.”
“So, what are the odds on a maintenance worker with a GED getting time on Daisy?” Logan inquires.
“Wouldn't matter. Someone would still have to write the software and wait for it to run.”
“Even if someone had the machine that made the original IDs?”
“That would simplify things. Maybe you should talk to Leon, one of my grad students. Guy just got a paper published on cryptography.”
“Where might I find this Leon?” Logan asks.
“Here, just not while the sun's up. Leon's part vampire.”
Team Echnell thank Professor Winkler and get up from the desk to leave.
“You know, I used to know a guy that, I swear, was a vampire.” Logan says as they walk back to the Sea Monkey. Wallace looks at Logan like he’s crazy.
“I’m fuckin’ serious. Mick was a cool dude but he never came out in the sun.” Logan insists.
“Yeah, so, Angel, you’re gonna tell Buffy about the supercomputer stuff?”
“I’m headin’ across campus to pick her up now, Xander, I’ll tell Buffy you said hi.” Logan leaves Wallace at his workstation working on his year-end project.
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“Hello, Honey. Where are you?” Veronica asks lovingly.
“I am at the East door of the library, the car is waiting for you, My Love.” Logan says softly.
Veronica pushes the East door open and sees Logan sitting in the Mercedes at the end of the sidewalk. Her face bursts into a huge smile. “Lookey there. Now this is service.”
She always left the library from the East door when she didn’t have a class to get to and Logan took advantage of her routine.
Veronica had to walk a total of fifteen feet to the car from the library door and she was grateful. Her feet hurt and her back ached. She was ready to go home and soak in the tub.
“I can’t have my darling, dear, Sugarpuss overextending herself, now can I?” Logan says from inside the car as Veronica approaches outside the vehicle.
“Hold on, I’ll get the door.” Logan says into his phone and hops out of the car, running around the front to greet his wife on the passenger side.
Veronica can hear him talk but continues to speak into the phone. “Thank you, Sweetie.”
“My pleasure.” Logan opens the door and stands within a few inches of Veronica, staring into her eyes. “I’m going to hang up now and kiss my wife.” He snaps his cell closed, never breaking eye contact and pulls her close to him.
Veronica gasps at his sudden embrace and closes her phone, watching his eyelashes flutter.
Logan’s lips meet hers as his hands gently touch her cheeks. He pulls back slightly and runs his thumb over her lower lip. “Your chariot awaits, Darlin’.” He kisses her forehead quickly and he helps his pregnant, achy wife into the car.
“You have no idea how wonderful your surprise is. I am so tired. All I want to do is go home and soak in a hot bubble bath but I should study.”
“We’ll do both.” Logan smirks and pulls their Mercedes-Benz out of the parking lot.
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“Hey Piz. How you doin’?” Veronica answers her cell phone cheerfully.
“Hey. I was wondering if you were going to see your dad tonight?”
“I wasn’t planning on it. Why? What’s up?” She asks.
“Well, I’m hosting an election special on my radio show tomorrow morning and wanted to know if your dad would want to come down and be on my show.” Piz explains nervously.
“Well, you can call him and ask him yourself.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that.” Piz mumbles.
“His number is 555-1098. What time is the show?”
“Eight in the morning.”
“Okay, well, if I’m on campus, I’ll stop by and cheer on dear ole Dad.” Veronica pauses. “How are you and Parker doing? I don’t see you guys around too much.”
“We’re good. I think Gory is still pissed she broke up with him in the middle of the quad and he pretty much hates me now but other than that, we’re good. How ‘bout you? How’s baby Echolls?”
“Tired but good. We’re on our way home now and it’s like seven-thirty and I’m ready for bed already.”
Piz chuckles. “Alright, well, I better call your dad. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye.” Veronica hangs up and throws her phone in the bag. “Piz said Gory hates him now.”
“I hope Parker’s the real reason Gory is pissed off.” Logan glances as Veronica. “Dealers are paranoid people.”
“I feel bad for him.”
“You feel bad for Gory Sorokin?” Logan questions with astonishment.
“No! No, I feel bad for Piz. He’s a nice guy and I just hope Parker makes him happy.” Veronica shrugs. Logan grabs her hand and squeezes it softly. She smiles and sinks into her leather seat, enjoying the ride home.
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Veronica is asleep when Logan pulls into their driveway. Veronica’s phone rings from inside her messenger bag and Logan fishes for it quickly before it wakes his wife up or goes to voicemail. He has a feeling its probably Keith.
He looks at the caller ID and answers her phone. “Hey, Keith.”
“Hi. What’s Veronica doing that you’re answering her phone?”
“She’s in the passenger seat, right next to me, sleeping. I wanted to answer her phone before it woke her up. What’s up?”
“Just let her know I’ll be on Piznarski’s radio show on campus tomorrow morning. If she wants my autograph, I’ll be available after the show.” Keith laughs at his own joke.
“I’ll be sure to tell her.”
“How was your day, Logan?”
“Fine. I think I proved Weevil didn’t do it. I talked to a mechanical engineering prof. He said it would be impossible for Weevil to program the machine you found in his-...”
Keith groans. “We dusted the box. It's covered with Eli's prints. Only Eli's.”
“Oh shit.” Logan says, frustrated.
“Keep working on it, something will show up.” Keith says in his fatherly voice. “Oh, I called the office earlier. Any reason why the message is different?”
“We bought a digital answering machine. We’re bringing Mars Investigations into this century, little by little.” Logan chuckles.
“Oh. Tell Veronica I called. I’ll see you later.” Keith hangs up.
Logan returns the phone to Veronica’s messenger bag, opens his door and climbs out of the car. He walks around the car, opens the passenger door, throws her messenger bag over his shoulder and lifts Veronica out of the car, shutting the door with his foot.
He carefully carries Veronica through the garage, expertly opens the inside door and continues upstairs, laying his wife on top of the covers of their king-sized bed.
Before Logan can join Veronica upstairs, he has a few chores he has to complete first. Logan feeds Backup and makes a large pot of decaf coffee. He gathers his books from the car and closes up the garage. He checks his emails and surfs the internet for a few minutes before he lets Backup back in the house and takes his books, two large coffees and Veronica’s messenger bag upstairs to their bedroom.
He and Backup pad into the master bathroom. Logan sets the coffees on the counter and starts a hot bath, adding lots of bubbles, while Backup lies on the carpet at the end of the bed. Logan goes into Veronica’s closet and finds her big, fluffy robe then sets it on the hamper next to the tub and lights an array of candles around the bathroom.
Logan hears Veronica rustling around in the bedroom and decides to investigate.
She rolls toward Logan and smiles. “What are you doin’, Sweetie?”
“It seems I’m full of surprises today.” He smiles and sits on the edge of the bed, rubbing her arm with his fingertips.
“What do you have up your sleeve, Mr. Echolls?”
“Why don’t you get naked and I’ll show you, Mrs. Echolls.”
She grins and slides off the bed as he takes her hand in his and leads her to the bathroom.
Veronica sees the bathtub filled with bubbles and lined with candles, a large coffee on the counter and her robe near the tub.
“Honey, I have to study tonight.” Veronica whines.
“I know, but first we are taking a bath and relaxing. Come on, before the water gets cold.”
They quickly undress and Logan steps into the tub sitting against the back wall and offers his hand, for her safety, to get into the tub. She leans on his body and gets comfortable in the very hot water, moving bubbles to cover their bodies. Logan reaches over the edge and picks up the two large mugs of coffee. “Here. This will keep you awake when it’s time to study.”
“Mmm. Thank you.” She smells the cup and sips it carefully. “What’s with two nice surprises in one day, Snookums?”
“Well, you’ve had a hell of a day and I read in the book that the little things a father can do for his pregnant wife can make a world of difference and we all know when wifey is happy, we’re all happy.” He lays his hands on her belly, lightly rubbing his fingers on her skin.
“Ain’t that the truth.” She smiles and snuggles into this chest, closing her eyes.
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Team Echnell are talking to Leon in a very dark, dreary workroom. Logan can’t stop comparing this student with the guy he knew in L.A. a few years back. Pale: check; never go in the sun: check; big fang teeth: not so much; drinks blood: don’t think so. He laughs at his thoughts and tunes back into the conversation between Wallace and Leon.
“...You want to know if someone could make a counterfeit Hearst student ID?”
“Possibly, but that someone would need an awful lot of smarts. Here. Umm...” Leon pushes back from the desk and his chair rolls to the filing cabinet next to it. He opens one of the drawers. “You're more than welcome to look in my-...” The drawer is empty. “What the hell?”
“What is it?” Logan asks.
“All my research materials, they're gone. Someone stole them.”
Wallace and Logan share a look and Logan sighs.
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Weevil limps across campus, muttering under his breath. Wallace walks along side of Weevil, thinking.
“If we're assuming someone's framing you, they had only twenty-four hours-...”
Weevil cuts Wallace off. “Whoa, if we're assuming? If we're not assuming, then I guess we're assuming that I did it, which means that I hired Veronica to get to the bottom of my own crime? That's a pretty dumb assumption, don't you think?”
Wallace rolls his eyes. “Touch-y. I'll rephrase. Whoever framed you had twenty-four hours to get your fingerprints on the ringer ID machine. V said we need to retrace your steps. Try and remember everything you touched the day before you got busted.”
Weevil laughs. “A day in the life of Weevil's hands, huh? Let's see. I woke up, I hopped in the shower...”
“Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Fast-forward to your day on campus?”
“No problem. Uh, first call was the radio station. Deejay blew a fuse.” Weevil begins the story of his day.
“Did you happen to see this?” Wallace holds up his phone, showing the forwarded picture Logan took earlier of the box on the bursar's desk. “It's the ID machine they found next to your stuff.”
“Well, that box does not look familiar.”
Wallace sighs and puts away the phone. “Let's take a little field trip, see if we can't jog your memory.”
“Fine, but you're gonna have to slow your ass down.” Weevil limps a few steps behind Wallace.
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Weevil led Wallace all over campus, retracing his steps of the day he allegedly stole the ID maker.
They popped into the campus radio station during Piz’s interview with Keith Mars and Vinnie Van Lowe. Weevil checked under the console, where he changed a fuse, much to Piz’s dismay, but found nothing changed and they quickly headed to their next destination.
Weevil butted into Russ Marchant’s office, without explanation, and described his actions of the day in question. Before they left the workmen’s compensation officer’s area, Weevil added some untrue details to his story to make the smarmy college employee squirm. Satisfied with his torment, Weevil escorted Wallace to two cute girls’ dorm room.
Weevil made small talk with the one girl, Lauren, before checking under their sink. All of the cleaning supplies that were there when Weevil worked on their drain were gone. Realizing, Weevil’s prints were probably lifted from the items under the sink, Wallace glanced around the dorm room for anything else that looked suspicious. Wallace didn’t notice anything unusual but Weevil recognized Lauren’s roommate, in pictures, as the cute girl from Veronica’s criminology class. They quickly left the room and called Veronica.
Veronica’s cell phone rings while she studies at the help desk in the library. She doesn’t bother looking at the caller ID. “Yeah.”
“Hey V, I think Weevil and I found something.” Wallace says anxiously.
“Papa Bear, you better stop solving all these crimes or I’m gonna have to start payin’ you.” Veronica smiles with pride.
“I’m countin’ on it to be retroactive.”
“Ha! Don’t hold your breath.” She laughs.
“Weevil retraced his steps throughout campus and when we got to these two smokin’ girls’ dorm, where he fixed their drain, everything he moved out from under the sink was gone.”
Veronica perks up and finishes Wallace train-of-thought. “So they got his prints off the stuff he moved and, wah-lah, he’s magically left prints on the ID maker box do-hickey.”
“Yep.” Wallace nods. “The one hot girl was a girl Weevil flirted with in your criminology class. Jennie somethin’.”
“Huh.” Veronica thinks over this information.
“How do we prove it was Jennie?” Wallace asks looking at Weevil.
“Was there anything in Jennie’s room that may suggest she had helpers?” Veronica asks, tapping her fingers on her cheek.
“She had a ton of pictures all over her room.”
“Bingo.” Veronica smiles. “We have to get back into that room and find a connection between Jennie and the other fake ID people.” She pauses anticipating Wallace’s next question. “I just happen to have a copy of Hearst’s master key set and I can pick a lock like nobody’s business.”
“How did you... no wait, I don’t want to know.” Wallace shakes his head.
Veronica turns to her library computer and types on the keyboard masterfully. “There are two Jennifer’s in my criminology class.” She clicks the mouse a few times. “Oh shit. I can’t get in. Okay, I need to talk to Mac to find out Jennie and her roommates schedule so Logan and I can get in that dorm room and look around. Good work Wallace. I’ll be in touch.” She hangs up.
Wallace hangs up his phone and looks at Weevil. Weevil is leaning against the hallway taking pressure off his bad leg. “V said she has a master key set.”
Weevil shakes his head in disbelief. “Blondie probably copied my keys when I went away for my cousin’s wedding. What she need them for?”
“She wants her and Logan to get into their dorm room...” Wallace nods in the direction of the dorm they just visited. “...try and find Jennie’s helpers.”
Weevil nods in understanding. “Now what?”
“She’s going to talk to Mac to get the girls’ schedules and she’ll get back to us. I’ll call you when she calls me, I have to go class in a half hour.” Wallace turns and walks down the hallway.
Weevil yells down the hall toward Wallace. “What the hell am I supposed to do until you and V get your shit together?” He rubs his hand over his bald head and sighs.
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Veronica hangs up with Mac and is concentrating on the computer screen when Logan walks up to the Library help desk.
“I can see smoke coming from you ears, you shouldn’t have to think that hard.” Logan jokes as he puts his books on the desk in between him and his wife and presents a single red tulip to Veronica.
She tears her attention from the computer screen and smiles at her husband. Her smile grows when she sees his gift.
Veronica takes the somewhat limp tulip in her fingers, smells it and looks up at Logan’s face. “Did you just pick this from a flower garden in the quad?”
He smiles. “Maybe.” She laughs.
“I was just going to call you.”
“You need some Logan lovin’?” He smirks.
“Wallace and Weevil caught a break with the ID case. You better watch out, Team W...” She crinkles her face in puzzlement. “Team W... um...”
“Fenarro?” Logan asks with a raised eyebrow.
Veronica snaps her fingers and points at Logan. “Team Fenarro, yes. Team Fenarro are a tough team. Watch out Team Echnell has some competition.”
Logan rolls his eyes. “So, you were going to call me for naughty naked time and...” He motions to continue with his hand.
“...And you and I have to go search a girl’s room to identify her partners in crime.”
Logan is about to butt in but she holds up her hand and continues. “I am the only one that can ID Sylvia Plath and hot Jennie from my criminology class. You will be there to make sure I don’t over do it. You can be the muscle...” She waggles her eyebrows at Logan with a smirk. “…and the eye candy.”
“The burden I bear.”
“I’m finished my shift in ten minutes, you want to go to the dark, third floor for some naughty naked time until we can get into hot Jennie’s room?”
“Like you have to ask.”
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“Oh. Oh. Here comes hot Jennie. Kiss me.” Veronica says as she fists Logan’s shirt and pulls him toward her.
Logan is leaning against the wall with one arm supporting his weight and closes the space between him and Veronica, memorizing her features. He plays the part of kisser and touches her lips with his mouth lightly, cupping her cheek with his hand. He quickly deepens their kiss and presses Veronica up against the wall.
Veronica releases Logan’s shirt from her grip and pushes on his chest. “Whoa.” She breathes heavily and wipes her mouth. “That was some kiss. I think hot Jennie’s gone now, you disguised us well.” She chuckles and steps out from under his arm and over to Lauren and Jennie’s dorm room, checking for unwanted witnesses.
Logan follows Veronica to the door and leans his shoulder against the wall to cover her as she picks the door lock. “You don’t have a key to this door?”
Veronica expertly picks the lock and turns the knob, hearing the latch click open. She stands and walks in Jennie’s room. “I do but not with me. Plus, I can pick a lock quicker than I can use a key.”
The couple enters the room and Logan shuts the door behind them. “What are we looking for?”
“This.” Veronica glances over most of the photos and sees a photo of Jennie with a bunch of friends skiing.
Logan swiftly looks over the room and turns to see what caught Veronica’s attention. He steps closer to analyze the ski photo.
“There's our Sylvia Plath.” She points to the girl she and Mac saw in the food court. “Hot Jennie.” Veronica points out Jennie then points to the guys in the picture. “I bet one of these guys is Honus Wagner.”
“Not that guy, that’s vampire Leon. He reprograms the cards. Wallace and I got the whole scoop on cryptography until he noticed his files were stolen.” Logan backs away from Veronica and looks at the other pictures in the room. “Funny, I didn’t hear about any robberies targeting mechanical engineering students.” He focuses on a photo of Jennie in a bikini. “Honey, why do you always call this girl hot Jennie?”
Veronica takes the photo out of the frame and lays it flat on the table to take a picture of it. “Weevil was flirting with her while I was doing my Criminology presentation. She’s the one that heard Weevil’s tales of gang-life.” Veronica snaps the picture and replaces it in it’s frame, like it was untouched. “Wallace made the comment she was smokin’ hot.”
Veronica looks around the room, satisfied they have what they need and shoves Logan out the door.
“I’m not seein’ it.” Logan says softly as Veronica closes the door behind them and they leave the area without being noticed.
“That’s because you only have eyes for me, Dear.” She smiles and laces her fingers with his.
“Now, hot Veronica, how we gonna ID the others?”
“You leave that to me.”
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Dick is sitting by Logan and Veronica’s pool, dangling his foot in the water, enjoying the cool California night, a cold beer and a freshly rolled joint.
Big Dick’s presence in Neptune has not been easy for Dick. Every time he looks at his dad, he’s taken back to memories of his childhood of torturing Cassidy and with each memory, Dick feels more responsible for his brother’s death.
Logan walks down the stairs with Backup at his heels and rounds the corner into the kitchen to get a cold beer from the fridge. As he shuts the refrigerator door, something catches his eye outside. All of the lights on the first floor are turned off with the exception of a few nightlights, the house is dark and something is moving out by the pool.
“Backup, what’s out by the pool, Boy?” Logan whispers, walking to the back door.
Backup leads the way to the door and starts barking at the movement poolside.
Logan sees the dark form of Dick when he approaches the door and hushs Backup. “It’s Dick, Backup. Quiet.” He leans down and pats Backup’s side. “Good boy.”
He opens the door and Backup bolts out to greet Dick with a growl and a sniff then lies down next to the blonde surfer.
“Dick? Whatcha doin’ out here? You scared the shit outta me.” Logan says and sits down near Dick on the patio.
“Sorry, Dude.” Dick says solemnly, offering Logan the roach of his almost finished joint.
“No thanks. You alright, man?” Logan asks cautiously.
“Yeah. My dad’s in town, you know, and he’s such a prick.”
Logan nods in agreement, letting Dick vent.
“I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about Beaver. Dude, I miss him.”
“I do too, Dick.”
“The night he jumped off the roof, did you, like, try and stop him?”
Logan is silent, trying to gather his thoughts but Dick continues.
“I duct-taped him to his bike, his feet to the pedals. He was maybe ten, and I just left him out there on the cul-de-sac. Forgot about him for hours. I went outside, and there he was, still riding around in circles.” Dick sniffs, wiping tears away from his eyes.
Logan doesn’t know what to say to make Dick feel better. He sips his beer and listens to Dick sniffle in the quiet of the night.
After a few minutes, Logan playfully punches Dick in the arm. “Tomorrow, we'll catch a few waves. We'll get you back on a board. You'll see things clear.”
“Yeah, okay. That sounds sweet.”
“Where’s Mac tonight?”
“Where else? Studying.” Dick says and finishes his beer. “This summer, Dude, I’m gonna get her on a board again.”
“She’ll probably pick up surfing like that...” Logan snaps. “...and surf us both out of the water.”
“Dude, that would be fuckin’ hot.” Dick grins wide and looks at Logan.
“Yeah.” Logan grins and clanks his bottle to Dick’s beer bottle in agreement.
VMVMVMVMVMVM
Wallace walks up to the Library help desk and slaps a printout of hot Jennie’s photo on the desk dramatically. “You know, I didn’t think you and Logan left the bedroom when you went to Aspen this winter.” Wallace says with a big grin.
“No, we left the bedroom but that was just so we could christen the living room and the kitchen and the dining room table...” Veronica teases.
“Stop! Stop right now!” Wallace covers his ears and makes a sour face.
Wallace lowers his hands from his ears and Veronica continues. “...the bear skin rug...”
“V! STOP!” Wallace says loudly and shhhhhs can be heard from every direction. Veronica smiles with glee.
“I guess you saw my latest creation?” She points a highlighter at the photo lying on the desk. Its Jennie’s photo of Aspen under the title ‘Do You Know These People?’ with a caption at the bottom ‘I met this great group of people from Hearst skiing over Christmas break, but I didn't get their names, and I'd like to track them down. If you know who they are, please e-mail vmars at aol dot com.’
“How could I miss it? Did you tape them to every surface on campus?”
“Was it too much?” She smirks. “I think I’m making some people very nervous.”
“I’m nervous and I didn’t even do anything.”
Veronica looks over Wallace shoulder. “Don’t look now but I think your stalker is checking out your ass.”
“What?” Wallace whips around and sees his possible stalker act like he’s looking for a book. “That’s it. I’m gonna tell him I’m not interested.” Wallace stomps over the stalker, irritated.
The stalker shoves the book on the shelf wherever there’s a spot and tries to hurry away but Wallace grabs his arm before he can leave the aisle.
“Do I know you?” Wallace asks impatiently.
The stalker guy stares at Wallace blankly. “Um...” He looks around to make sure they can’t be overheard and lowers his voice. “Are you familiar with the Castle?”
“I've heard of it.”
“Wallace Fennel, I've been authorized to inform you that you've been tapped for admission. If you tell anyone, your invitation will be rescinded, and there will be consequences. Do you accept?”
Wallace stares at him.
Part 41
Author: christykq
Rating: M for language and innuendos mostly, some sex
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, ensemble
Word Count: 6055
Spoilers: Begins with 3.05 and goes through S3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the VM universe, it all belongs to the master RT. I also do not earn a profit from any one of the many brand names named in my story and no copyright infringement is intended. Transcripts from Indigo Mantoya at twiztv dot com.
A/N: Character’s thoughts are italic.
Part 40
VMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVM
[During 3.19 Weevils Woble But They Don’t Go Down]
[Late May 2007: 33 weeks pregnant]
“Dude, let’s have a poker party.” Dick says as he bites a French fry.
“When?” Logan asks as he watches the cashier, across the food court, handle a long line of customers.
“I dunno. Saturday.” Dick says with his mouth full of food.
Veronica looks up from her book, narrows her eyes and nods negative. “Next week is finals. How ‘bout after finals?”
Logan shrugs from his relaxed position at the table. His legs stretched out under the table with his feet crossed and his arm hangs over the back of Veronica’s chair.
“Honey, could you go get me a frozen yogurt?” Veronica tilts her head at Logan.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Sure, Dear, but you don’t have to do the head tilt. You might want to hold that in reserve for emergencies.” He gets up from the table and points at Dick. “Want anything while I’m up?”
“A buxom brunette goin’ down on me?” Dick says nonchalantly as he shoves another fry in his mouth. Logan ignores Dick’s request and turns to retrieve Veronica’s frozen yogurt.
“Mac.” Veronica says cheerfully when she sees Mac approaching over Dick’s shoulder.
“Exactly.” Dick points to Veronica with his French fry.
“Hi.” Mac says in Dick’s ear and Dick jumps an inch off his seat with surprise.
He smiles warmly at Mac and glares at Veronica when Mac looks away. Dick laughs nervously. “I was just thinkin’ about you.”
“Oh really?” Mac hangs her bag on the back of her chair then steals a French fry from Dick’s plate. “Do tell.”
“Please. Not while I’m eating.” Veronica snarks, not looking up from her book.
Dick and Mac look at her empty tray sitting in the middle of the table and turn their attention back to each other. Dick throws his arm around Mac’s shoulders as they talk quietly and Veronica studies.
In the time it took for Logan to order Veronica’s frozen yogurt, the line for the cashier died down and the cashier was taking the opportunity to read a thick book at her post.
Logan places the cup of frozen yogurt, a bottle of water and over-sized brownie on the checkout counter. He digs in his wallet and addresses the cashier. “Jalisa Jones?”
Jalisa doesn't look up from her book. “That's me.”
“You're the one who discovered the fake IDs, right?”
Logan’s question gets her attention and Jalisa looks up and puts down the book.
“Hearst College must have been grateful.”
“They offered to put a statue of me in the middle of the quad.” Jalisa snides.
“So, what made you think that the names on the cards were aliases?”
With a smirk, Jalisa opens the cash drawer and takes out a sheet of paper from under the tray. She shuts the drawer and hands the paper to Logan.
Logan reads the list. "Niels Bohr, Sylvia Plath, Leonardo Fibonacci, Honus Wagner."
“Just because I didn't go to a school with a water polo team doesn't mean I don't know who Fibonacci is.” She scowls.
“Who wouldn't know...” Logan gestures to the names on the paper, confused.
Jalisa smiles. “Greatest European mathematician of the middle ages.”
“Yeah, of course.” Logan smiles. “Ah, do me a favor, give me a call if any of the other names pop up.” Logan hands her a Mars Investigations business card.
“Sure, but after Sylvia Plath and Honus Wagner got busted, the others stopped coming.” Jalisa looks at Logan’s food items and tallies his bill. “Eight fifteen.”
Logan pays for his food and returns to the table. “I see your buxom brunette showed up.” He hands Veronica her frozen yogurt and sits down in his seat, opening his water.
Mac looks down at her less-than-buxon chest and back to Logan. “Excuse me.”
Logan pushes the chocolate brownie in front of Veronica. “Dick was just sayin’ how he wanted a buxom brune-...”
“...to join him for lunch.” Veronica fake laughs. “A brunette to have lunch with him and, look at that, here you are. Is this brownie for me?” She tries to change the subject. Logan smiles when Dick blushes.
“Uh huh.” Mac doesn’t buy Veronica’s attempt to cover up what Dick said, but she lets it slide and they continue to talk quietly.
“Yes, Sugarpuss, that brownie is for you.” Logan points with his chin. “That cashier is going to call Mars Investigations when more names on her list show up. She’s the one that figured out the names were fake.”
“The Bursar didn’t notice names like Sylvia Plath and Honus Wagner were fraudulent?”
“She’s clueless and her friend in charge of Weevil’s workmen’s comp claim is a complete tool.” Logan steals a bite of yogurt from Veronica’s spoon as he gets his phone out of his pocket. “She did say the equipment that make the cards...” He shows Veronica the picture on his phone. “...is made by Magneta-corp and they only lease to colleges.” He shoves his phone back in his pocket. “If the machine breaks down, it has to be sent back to Marietta, Georgia, to get it reprogrammed.”
“Hmm.” Veronica finishes her yogurt and starts eating the brownie, looking across the food court. “Hey, look.” She slaps Logan’s leg to get his attention and points with her spoon. “Looks like someone got to Gory. The whole side of his face is black and blue.”
Logan barely glances at Gory as he reaches across the table and steals one of Dick’s French fries.
Veronica notices his newly split knuckles. “You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?” She raises an eyebrow at her husband.
“Nope.”
VMVMVMVMVMVM
Weevil looks up from his cell as the door to the holding area opens and Logan and Veronica enter.
Logan pulls a chair up to the bars and helps Veronica into the seat.
Weevil leans on the bars and looks from Logan to Veronica and back again. “So, what'd you learn?
“I learned you're in a battle with Hearst over workman's comp.” Logan states.
“Yeah. They were giving me the run-around, and now that I've been fired, they're refusing to pay altogether.” Weevil says gloomily.
“Any chance you decided to get even by taking what they owed you?” Veronica asks with an accusing tone.
“No!”
“Both witnesses, the bright-eyed, freshly scrubbed types juries love, claim you met them at one in the basement of the history building.” Veronica explains.
“One? That's my lunch break.”
Veronica holds up a pair of crossed fingers. “Which you spend daily with your co-workers, all of whom will eagerly vouch for you?”
“Which I usually spend in my car, napping.” Weevil bows his head.
Veronica drops her hands into her lap. Keith enters the room and Logan, Veronica and Weevil look to the door.
“Sheriff! My bail come through?” Weevil asks, hopeful.
“Yep. You're free to go. Hi, Sweetie. How you feeling?” Keith kisses the top of Veronica’s head.
“Good. Tired.”
Keith opens the cell door for Weevil to exit.
“Excellent.” Eli limps past Keith.
“But I'm afraid I've got some bad news. That machine in the bursar's office? Campus cops just found an identical one in the empty locker next to yours.” Keith says as the trio looks at him, disbelieving. Veronica sighs and Weevil swears under his breath.
“Talk to your public defender, Eli. The best deal you're gonna get is the one they're offering now.” Keith instructs. Logan offers Veronica his hand and they all leave the holding area.
VMVMVMVMVMVMVMVM
Logan observes Wallace putting the finishing touches on a large model airplane, from across the table, in a busy workshop.
“This is your end-of-term project? I should have been an aerospace major.” Logan says as he fingers the tiny components on the table.
“A one thirty-second model of an amphibious regional turboprop. I call it the Sea Monkey.” Wallace corrects, working diligently.
“Which would make more sense if monkeys were amphibious... or could fly.”
Wallace continues his work without looking away from the Sea Monkey. “Trust me. It makes perfect sense when you're running on about fifteen minutes sleep in the last week.”
“And here I heard you’ve been sleeping in Mac’s room every night. Secret rendezvous?”
“Shit, the only love life I have is some dude who's always following me around.”
Logan laughs. “What, like you're being cruised?”
“Yeah. Remind me which color bandana I'm supposed to wear that says I'm straight... but flattered and non-judgmental.”
“I think that’s somethin’ Dick would know more about.” Logan laughs at the thought of a guy hitting on Wallace.
Wallace sees Professor Winkler walking through the workshop. “Dr. Winkler, you ready?”
The professor nods and Wallace and Logan follow him.
VMVMVMVMVMVMVM
Wallace and Logan are sitting across a desk from Professor Winkler, listening the professor explain the ins and outs of magnetic stripe coercivity.
“Magnetic stripe coercivity? It's a fancy way of saying how hard it is to copy a bank or a debit card. A Hearst student ID is quite simple, actually... provided you work at the CIA and have access to a supercomputer. You know how digital codes work?” Professor Winkler explains.
“A bunch of ones and zeroes and stuff?” Logan clarifies.
“A student ID takes your name, ID number, balance, whatever and stores it on a magnetic strip. But they also insert an encrypted signature that prohibits someone from making a counterfeit or making changes to the card.”
“How super does a computer have to be to crack an encrypted card?” Wallace asks.
“There's one in the physics lab. Of course, they won't let you touch it unless you have a PhD. We lowly mechanical engineers had to build our own, Daisy.”
“So, what are the odds on a maintenance worker with a GED getting time on Daisy?” Logan inquires.
“Wouldn't matter. Someone would still have to write the software and wait for it to run.”
“Even if someone had the machine that made the original IDs?”
“That would simplify things. Maybe you should talk to Leon, one of my grad students. Guy just got a paper published on cryptography.”
“Where might I find this Leon?” Logan asks.
“Here, just not while the sun's up. Leon's part vampire.”
Team Echnell thank Professor Winkler and get up from the desk to leave.
“You know, I used to know a guy that, I swear, was a vampire.” Logan says as they walk back to the Sea Monkey. Wallace looks at Logan like he’s crazy.
“I’m fuckin’ serious. Mick was a cool dude but he never came out in the sun.” Logan insists.
“Yeah, so, Angel, you’re gonna tell Buffy about the supercomputer stuff?”
“I’m headin’ across campus to pick her up now, Xander, I’ll tell Buffy you said hi.” Logan leaves Wallace at his workstation working on his year-end project.
VMVMVMVMVMVM
“Hello, Honey. Where are you?” Veronica asks lovingly.
“I am at the East door of the library, the car is waiting for you, My Love.” Logan says softly.
Veronica pushes the East door open and sees Logan sitting in the Mercedes at the end of the sidewalk. Her face bursts into a huge smile. “Lookey there. Now this is service.”
She always left the library from the East door when she didn’t have a class to get to and Logan took advantage of her routine.
Veronica had to walk a total of fifteen feet to the car from the library door and she was grateful. Her feet hurt and her back ached. She was ready to go home and soak in the tub.
“I can’t have my darling, dear, Sugarpuss overextending herself, now can I?” Logan says from inside the car as Veronica approaches outside the vehicle.
“Hold on, I’ll get the door.” Logan says into his phone and hops out of the car, running around the front to greet his wife on the passenger side.
Veronica can hear him talk but continues to speak into the phone. “Thank you, Sweetie.”
“My pleasure.” Logan opens the door and stands within a few inches of Veronica, staring into her eyes. “I’m going to hang up now and kiss my wife.” He snaps his cell closed, never breaking eye contact and pulls her close to him.
Veronica gasps at his sudden embrace and closes her phone, watching his eyelashes flutter.
Logan’s lips meet hers as his hands gently touch her cheeks. He pulls back slightly and runs his thumb over her lower lip. “Your chariot awaits, Darlin’.” He kisses her forehead quickly and he helps his pregnant, achy wife into the car.
“You have no idea how wonderful your surprise is. I am so tired. All I want to do is go home and soak in a hot bubble bath but I should study.”
“We’ll do both.” Logan smirks and pulls their Mercedes-Benz out of the parking lot.
VMVMVMVMVM
“Hey Piz. How you doin’?” Veronica answers her cell phone cheerfully.
“Hey. I was wondering if you were going to see your dad tonight?”
“I wasn’t planning on it. Why? What’s up?” She asks.
“Well, I’m hosting an election special on my radio show tomorrow morning and wanted to know if your dad would want to come down and be on my show.” Piz explains nervously.
“Well, you can call him and ask him yourself.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that.” Piz mumbles.
“His number is 555-1098. What time is the show?”
“Eight in the morning.”
“Okay, well, if I’m on campus, I’ll stop by and cheer on dear ole Dad.” Veronica pauses. “How are you and Parker doing? I don’t see you guys around too much.”
“We’re good. I think Gory is still pissed she broke up with him in the middle of the quad and he pretty much hates me now but other than that, we’re good. How ‘bout you? How’s baby Echolls?”
“Tired but good. We’re on our way home now and it’s like seven-thirty and I’m ready for bed already.”
Piz chuckles. “Alright, well, I better call your dad. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye.” Veronica hangs up and throws her phone in the bag. “Piz said Gory hates him now.”
“I hope Parker’s the real reason Gory is pissed off.” Logan glances as Veronica. “Dealers are paranoid people.”
“I feel bad for him.”
“You feel bad for Gory Sorokin?” Logan questions with astonishment.
“No! No, I feel bad for Piz. He’s a nice guy and I just hope Parker makes him happy.” Veronica shrugs. Logan grabs her hand and squeezes it softly. She smiles and sinks into her leather seat, enjoying the ride home.
VMVMVMVMVMVMVM
Veronica is asleep when Logan pulls into their driveway. Veronica’s phone rings from inside her messenger bag and Logan fishes for it quickly before it wakes his wife up or goes to voicemail. He has a feeling its probably Keith.
He looks at the caller ID and answers her phone. “Hey, Keith.”
“Hi. What’s Veronica doing that you’re answering her phone?”
“She’s in the passenger seat, right next to me, sleeping. I wanted to answer her phone before it woke her up. What’s up?”
“Just let her know I’ll be on Piznarski’s radio show on campus tomorrow morning. If she wants my autograph, I’ll be available after the show.” Keith laughs at his own joke.
“I’ll be sure to tell her.”
“How was your day, Logan?”
“Fine. I think I proved Weevil didn’t do it. I talked to a mechanical engineering prof. He said it would be impossible for Weevil to program the machine you found in his-...”
Keith groans. “We dusted the box. It's covered with Eli's prints. Only Eli's.”
“Oh shit.” Logan says, frustrated.
“Keep working on it, something will show up.” Keith says in his fatherly voice. “Oh, I called the office earlier. Any reason why the message is different?”
“We bought a digital answering machine. We’re bringing Mars Investigations into this century, little by little.” Logan chuckles.
“Oh. Tell Veronica I called. I’ll see you later.” Keith hangs up.
Logan returns the phone to Veronica’s messenger bag, opens his door and climbs out of the car. He walks around the car, opens the passenger door, throws her messenger bag over his shoulder and lifts Veronica out of the car, shutting the door with his foot.
He carefully carries Veronica through the garage, expertly opens the inside door and continues upstairs, laying his wife on top of the covers of their king-sized bed.
Before Logan can join Veronica upstairs, he has a few chores he has to complete first. Logan feeds Backup and makes a large pot of decaf coffee. He gathers his books from the car and closes up the garage. He checks his emails and surfs the internet for a few minutes before he lets Backup back in the house and takes his books, two large coffees and Veronica’s messenger bag upstairs to their bedroom.
He and Backup pad into the master bathroom. Logan sets the coffees on the counter and starts a hot bath, adding lots of bubbles, while Backup lies on the carpet at the end of the bed. Logan goes into Veronica’s closet and finds her big, fluffy robe then sets it on the hamper next to the tub and lights an array of candles around the bathroom.
Logan hears Veronica rustling around in the bedroom and decides to investigate.
She rolls toward Logan and smiles. “What are you doin’, Sweetie?”
“It seems I’m full of surprises today.” He smiles and sits on the edge of the bed, rubbing her arm with his fingertips.
“What do you have up your sleeve, Mr. Echolls?”
“Why don’t you get naked and I’ll show you, Mrs. Echolls.”
She grins and slides off the bed as he takes her hand in his and leads her to the bathroom.
Veronica sees the bathtub filled with bubbles and lined with candles, a large coffee on the counter and her robe near the tub.
“Honey, I have to study tonight.” Veronica whines.
“I know, but first we are taking a bath and relaxing. Come on, before the water gets cold.”
They quickly undress and Logan steps into the tub sitting against the back wall and offers his hand, for her safety, to get into the tub. She leans on his body and gets comfortable in the very hot water, moving bubbles to cover their bodies. Logan reaches over the edge and picks up the two large mugs of coffee. “Here. This will keep you awake when it’s time to study.”
“Mmm. Thank you.” She smells the cup and sips it carefully. “What’s with two nice surprises in one day, Snookums?”
“Well, you’ve had a hell of a day and I read in the book that the little things a father can do for his pregnant wife can make a world of difference and we all know when wifey is happy, we’re all happy.” He lays his hands on her belly, lightly rubbing his fingers on her skin.
“Ain’t that the truth.” She smiles and snuggles into this chest, closing her eyes.
VMVMVMVMVMVM
Team Echnell are talking to Leon in a very dark, dreary workroom. Logan can’t stop comparing this student with the guy he knew in L.A. a few years back. Pale: check; never go in the sun: check; big fang teeth: not so much; drinks blood: don’t think so. He laughs at his thoughts and tunes back into the conversation between Wallace and Leon.
“...You want to know if someone could make a counterfeit Hearst student ID?”
“Possibly, but that someone would need an awful lot of smarts. Here. Umm...” Leon pushes back from the desk and his chair rolls to the filing cabinet next to it. He opens one of the drawers. “You're more than welcome to look in my-...” The drawer is empty. “What the hell?”
“What is it?” Logan asks.
“All my research materials, they're gone. Someone stole them.”
Wallace and Logan share a look and Logan sighs.
VMVMVMVMVM
Weevil limps across campus, muttering under his breath. Wallace walks along side of Weevil, thinking.
“If we're assuming someone's framing you, they had only twenty-four hours-...”
Weevil cuts Wallace off. “Whoa, if we're assuming? If we're not assuming, then I guess we're assuming that I did it, which means that I hired Veronica to get to the bottom of my own crime? That's a pretty dumb assumption, don't you think?”
Wallace rolls his eyes. “Touch-y. I'll rephrase. Whoever framed you had twenty-four hours to get your fingerprints on the ringer ID machine. V said we need to retrace your steps. Try and remember everything you touched the day before you got busted.”
Weevil laughs. “A day in the life of Weevil's hands, huh? Let's see. I woke up, I hopped in the shower...”
“Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Fast-forward to your day on campus?”
“No problem. Uh, first call was the radio station. Deejay blew a fuse.” Weevil begins the story of his day.
“Did you happen to see this?” Wallace holds up his phone, showing the forwarded picture Logan took earlier of the box on the bursar's desk. “It's the ID machine they found next to your stuff.”
“Well, that box does not look familiar.”
Wallace sighs and puts away the phone. “Let's take a little field trip, see if we can't jog your memory.”
“Fine, but you're gonna have to slow your ass down.” Weevil limps a few steps behind Wallace.
VMVMVMVMVM
Weevil led Wallace all over campus, retracing his steps of the day he allegedly stole the ID maker.
They popped into the campus radio station during Piz’s interview with Keith Mars and Vinnie Van Lowe. Weevil checked under the console, where he changed a fuse, much to Piz’s dismay, but found nothing changed and they quickly headed to their next destination.
Weevil butted into Russ Marchant’s office, without explanation, and described his actions of the day in question. Before they left the workmen’s compensation officer’s area, Weevil added some untrue details to his story to make the smarmy college employee squirm. Satisfied with his torment, Weevil escorted Wallace to two cute girls’ dorm room.
Weevil made small talk with the one girl, Lauren, before checking under their sink. All of the cleaning supplies that were there when Weevil worked on their drain were gone. Realizing, Weevil’s prints were probably lifted from the items under the sink, Wallace glanced around the dorm room for anything else that looked suspicious. Wallace didn’t notice anything unusual but Weevil recognized Lauren’s roommate, in pictures, as the cute girl from Veronica’s criminology class. They quickly left the room and called Veronica.
Veronica’s cell phone rings while she studies at the help desk in the library. She doesn’t bother looking at the caller ID. “Yeah.”
“Hey V, I think Weevil and I found something.” Wallace says anxiously.
“Papa Bear, you better stop solving all these crimes or I’m gonna have to start payin’ you.” Veronica smiles with pride.
“I’m countin’ on it to be retroactive.”
“Ha! Don’t hold your breath.” She laughs.
“Weevil retraced his steps throughout campus and when we got to these two smokin’ girls’ dorm, where he fixed their drain, everything he moved out from under the sink was gone.”
Veronica perks up and finishes Wallace train-of-thought. “So they got his prints off the stuff he moved and, wah-lah, he’s magically left prints on the ID maker box do-hickey.”
“Yep.” Wallace nods. “The one hot girl was a girl Weevil flirted with in your criminology class. Jennie somethin’.”
“Huh.” Veronica thinks over this information.
“How do we prove it was Jennie?” Wallace asks looking at Weevil.
“Was there anything in Jennie’s room that may suggest she had helpers?” Veronica asks, tapping her fingers on her cheek.
“She had a ton of pictures all over her room.”
“Bingo.” Veronica smiles. “We have to get back into that room and find a connection between Jennie and the other fake ID people.” She pauses anticipating Wallace’s next question. “I just happen to have a copy of Hearst’s master key set and I can pick a lock like nobody’s business.”
“How did you... no wait, I don’t want to know.” Wallace shakes his head.
Veronica turns to her library computer and types on the keyboard masterfully. “There are two Jennifer’s in my criminology class.” She clicks the mouse a few times. “Oh shit. I can’t get in. Okay, I need to talk to Mac to find out Jennie and her roommates schedule so Logan and I can get in that dorm room and look around. Good work Wallace. I’ll be in touch.” She hangs up.
Wallace hangs up his phone and looks at Weevil. Weevil is leaning against the hallway taking pressure off his bad leg. “V said she has a master key set.”
Weevil shakes his head in disbelief. “Blondie probably copied my keys when I went away for my cousin’s wedding. What she need them for?”
“She wants her and Logan to get into their dorm room...” Wallace nods in the direction of the dorm they just visited. “...try and find Jennie’s helpers.”
Weevil nods in understanding. “Now what?”
“She’s going to talk to Mac to get the girls’ schedules and she’ll get back to us. I’ll call you when she calls me, I have to go class in a half hour.” Wallace turns and walks down the hallway.
Weevil yells down the hall toward Wallace. “What the hell am I supposed to do until you and V get your shit together?” He rubs his hand over his bald head and sighs.
VMVMVMVMVMVM
Veronica hangs up with Mac and is concentrating on the computer screen when Logan walks up to the Library help desk.
“I can see smoke coming from you ears, you shouldn’t have to think that hard.” Logan jokes as he puts his books on the desk in between him and his wife and presents a single red tulip to Veronica.
She tears her attention from the computer screen and smiles at her husband. Her smile grows when she sees his gift.
Veronica takes the somewhat limp tulip in her fingers, smells it and looks up at Logan’s face. “Did you just pick this from a flower garden in the quad?”
He smiles. “Maybe.” She laughs.
“I was just going to call you.”
“You need some Logan lovin’?” He smirks.
“Wallace and Weevil caught a break with the ID case. You better watch out, Team W...” She crinkles her face in puzzlement. “Team W... um...”
“Fenarro?” Logan asks with a raised eyebrow.
Veronica snaps her fingers and points at Logan. “Team Fenarro, yes. Team Fenarro are a tough team. Watch out Team Echnell has some competition.”
Logan rolls his eyes. “So, you were going to call me for naughty naked time and...” He motions to continue with his hand.
“...And you and I have to go search a girl’s room to identify her partners in crime.”
Logan is about to butt in but she holds up her hand and continues. “I am the only one that can ID Sylvia Plath and hot Jennie from my criminology class. You will be there to make sure I don’t over do it. You can be the muscle...” She waggles her eyebrows at Logan with a smirk. “…and the eye candy.”
“The burden I bear.”
“I’m finished my shift in ten minutes, you want to go to the dark, third floor for some naughty naked time until we can get into hot Jennie’s room?”
“Like you have to ask.”
VMVMVMVMVM
“Oh. Oh. Here comes hot Jennie. Kiss me.” Veronica says as she fists Logan’s shirt and pulls him toward her.
Logan is leaning against the wall with one arm supporting his weight and closes the space between him and Veronica, memorizing her features. He plays the part of kisser and touches her lips with his mouth lightly, cupping her cheek with his hand. He quickly deepens their kiss and presses Veronica up against the wall.
Veronica releases Logan’s shirt from her grip and pushes on his chest. “Whoa.” She breathes heavily and wipes her mouth. “That was some kiss. I think hot Jennie’s gone now, you disguised us well.” She chuckles and steps out from under his arm and over to Lauren and Jennie’s dorm room, checking for unwanted witnesses.
Logan follows Veronica to the door and leans his shoulder against the wall to cover her as she picks the door lock. “You don’t have a key to this door?”
Veronica expertly picks the lock and turns the knob, hearing the latch click open. She stands and walks in Jennie’s room. “I do but not with me. Plus, I can pick a lock quicker than I can use a key.”
The couple enters the room and Logan shuts the door behind them. “What are we looking for?”
“This.” Veronica glances over most of the photos and sees a photo of Jennie with a bunch of friends skiing.
Logan swiftly looks over the room and turns to see what caught Veronica’s attention. He steps closer to analyze the ski photo.
“There's our Sylvia Plath.” She points to the girl she and Mac saw in the food court. “Hot Jennie.” Veronica points out Jennie then points to the guys in the picture. “I bet one of these guys is Honus Wagner.”
“Not that guy, that’s vampire Leon. He reprograms the cards. Wallace and I got the whole scoop on cryptography until he noticed his files were stolen.” Logan backs away from Veronica and looks at the other pictures in the room. “Funny, I didn’t hear about any robberies targeting mechanical engineering students.” He focuses on a photo of Jennie in a bikini. “Honey, why do you always call this girl hot Jennie?”
Veronica takes the photo out of the frame and lays it flat on the table to take a picture of it. “Weevil was flirting with her while I was doing my Criminology presentation. She’s the one that heard Weevil’s tales of gang-life.” Veronica snaps the picture and replaces it in it’s frame, like it was untouched. “Wallace made the comment she was smokin’ hot.”
Veronica looks around the room, satisfied they have what they need and shoves Logan out the door.
“I’m not seein’ it.” Logan says softly as Veronica closes the door behind them and they leave the area without being noticed.
“That’s because you only have eyes for me, Dear.” She smiles and laces her fingers with his.
“Now, hot Veronica, how we gonna ID the others?”
“You leave that to me.”
VMVMVMVMVMVM
Dick is sitting by Logan and Veronica’s pool, dangling his foot in the water, enjoying the cool California night, a cold beer and a freshly rolled joint.
Big Dick’s presence in Neptune has not been easy for Dick. Every time he looks at his dad, he’s taken back to memories of his childhood of torturing Cassidy and with each memory, Dick feels more responsible for his brother’s death.
Logan walks down the stairs with Backup at his heels and rounds the corner into the kitchen to get a cold beer from the fridge. As he shuts the refrigerator door, something catches his eye outside. All of the lights on the first floor are turned off with the exception of a few nightlights, the house is dark and something is moving out by the pool.
“Backup, what’s out by the pool, Boy?” Logan whispers, walking to the back door.
Backup leads the way to the door and starts barking at the movement poolside.
Logan sees the dark form of Dick when he approaches the door and hushs Backup. “It’s Dick, Backup. Quiet.” He leans down and pats Backup’s side. “Good boy.”
He opens the door and Backup bolts out to greet Dick with a growl and a sniff then lies down next to the blonde surfer.
“Dick? Whatcha doin’ out here? You scared the shit outta me.” Logan says and sits down near Dick on the patio.
“Sorry, Dude.” Dick says solemnly, offering Logan the roach of his almost finished joint.
“No thanks. You alright, man?” Logan asks cautiously.
“Yeah. My dad’s in town, you know, and he’s such a prick.”
Logan nods in agreement, letting Dick vent.
“I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about Beaver. Dude, I miss him.”
“I do too, Dick.”
“The night he jumped off the roof, did you, like, try and stop him?”
Logan is silent, trying to gather his thoughts but Dick continues.
“I duct-taped him to his bike, his feet to the pedals. He was maybe ten, and I just left him out there on the cul-de-sac. Forgot about him for hours. I went outside, and there he was, still riding around in circles.” Dick sniffs, wiping tears away from his eyes.
Logan doesn’t know what to say to make Dick feel better. He sips his beer and listens to Dick sniffle in the quiet of the night.
After a few minutes, Logan playfully punches Dick in the arm. “Tomorrow, we'll catch a few waves. We'll get you back on a board. You'll see things clear.”
“Yeah, okay. That sounds sweet.”
“Where’s Mac tonight?”
“Where else? Studying.” Dick says and finishes his beer. “This summer, Dude, I’m gonna get her on a board again.”
“She’ll probably pick up surfing like that...” Logan snaps. “...and surf us both out of the water.”
“Dude, that would be fuckin’ hot.” Dick grins wide and looks at Logan.
“Yeah.” Logan grins and clanks his bottle to Dick’s beer bottle in agreement.
VMVMVMVMVMVM
Wallace walks up to the Library help desk and slaps a printout of hot Jennie’s photo on the desk dramatically. “You know, I didn’t think you and Logan left the bedroom when you went to Aspen this winter.” Wallace says with a big grin.
“No, we left the bedroom but that was just so we could christen the living room and the kitchen and the dining room table...” Veronica teases.
“Stop! Stop right now!” Wallace covers his ears and makes a sour face.
Wallace lowers his hands from his ears and Veronica continues. “...the bear skin rug...”
“V! STOP!” Wallace says loudly and shhhhhs can be heard from every direction. Veronica smiles with glee.
“I guess you saw my latest creation?” She points a highlighter at the photo lying on the desk. Its Jennie’s photo of Aspen under the title ‘Do You Know These People?’ with a caption at the bottom ‘I met this great group of people from Hearst skiing over Christmas break, but I didn't get their names, and I'd like to track them down. If you know who they are, please e-mail vmars at aol dot com.’
“How could I miss it? Did you tape them to every surface on campus?”
“Was it too much?” She smirks. “I think I’m making some people very nervous.”
“I’m nervous and I didn’t even do anything.”
Veronica looks over Wallace shoulder. “Don’t look now but I think your stalker is checking out your ass.”
“What?” Wallace whips around and sees his possible stalker act like he’s looking for a book. “That’s it. I’m gonna tell him I’m not interested.” Wallace stomps over the stalker, irritated.
The stalker shoves the book on the shelf wherever there’s a spot and tries to hurry away but Wallace grabs his arm before he can leave the aisle.
“Do I know you?” Wallace asks impatiently.
The stalker guy stares at Wallace blankly. “Um...” He looks around to make sure they can’t be overheard and lowers his voice. “Are you familiar with the Castle?”
“I've heard of it.”
“Wallace Fennel, I've been authorized to inform you that you've been tapped for admission. If you tell anyone, your invitation will be rescinded, and there will be consequences. Do you accept?”
Wallace stares at him.
Part 41