Lies and Misdemeanors: Epilogue
Title: Lies and Misdemeanors: Epilogue
Words: 1,516
Author's Note: Finally! It's done!
Epilogue
Veronica stood back and surveyed the small, two-room office. A wooden desk sat facing the entry from beneath a large window overlooking Downtown Neptune. A nearby file cabinet held a fax machine and printer, while shelves filled with penal code books, framed diplomas and Veronica’s P.I. license lined the walls.
A small alcove housed a dorm-sized refrigerator and cafe table as well as a coffee maker and microwave. To the right of the desk, another door led into a private office where two smaller desks stood face-to-face.
The bell above the entry chimed and Veronica turned to see her friend pushing open the door, holding a box of computer parts under one arm, a paper bag in the other.
“Need help, Q?” she asked, rushing to help Mac.
After deciding to officially reopen Mars Investigations and setting-up shop in an actual office, Veronica was surprised when Mac offered to share the space in exchange for her computer and technological expertise.
“I’d like to venture out on my own, but I need a little more seed money, so I’ll do a few consulting jobs on the side until I can quit Kane Software for good,” she explained. “Besides, I like the jobs you give me - they’re pretty fun.”
The women spent the next several hours unpacking boxes and settling into their new office. When they were done for the day, they sat at their desks munching on pizza.
“How’s Logan doing?” Mac asked between bites.
Veronica shrugged. Although it had been weeks since the showdown at the abandoned house and Dohanic’s subsequent arrest, they had yet to move in together. She’d been staying with him most nights, but she hadn’t wanted to push the issue in light of everything that had happened.
“He’s been … broody,” Veronica said, frowning as she gazed out the window. “Dad has been keeping us posted, and I’m not sure that’s been a good thing. Logan’s taking Sean’s death pretty hard.”
According to Dohanic, Delgado had killed his nephew just a few days after the confrontation at Logan’s school.
“Apparently, Sean had been asking too many questions about Stephen and Christian. They met while Sean was at Hope House for a week after his grandmother died, and they’d stayed in touch,” Veronica explained.
“Once Delgado realized he was getting close to Logan, he was afraid Sean would spill the beans.
Dohanic had been singing like the proverbial canary. He’d been the right-hand man for the center’s shadier dealings for the better part of two decades. In addition to confessing to killing Richard and Elena Delgado because they’d both grown suspicious of the center, Dohanic also admitted to shooting Anna Campos.
“Did you ever figure out what that third picture - the one of the beach - was about?”
Veronica nodded. “The Mannings hired Dohanic to find Duncan and kidnap Lilly. The beach was in Mollymook, not far from Duncan’s home.”
When the FBI had raided the group homes, they found they’d all be wiped clean of evidence, just as Veronica had feared. Computer hard drives were erased, papers shredded and burned.
“The good news is, Dohanic is willing to turn over his files to make a deal with prosecutors, so there shouldn’t be a problem with those sticky rules of evidence,” Veronica said.
They’d been right about the Levi Stinson Center and several of its affiliates being a distribution hub for human trafficking. While some children had been sent to legitimate foster homes, the ones who had no family to come looking for them had been vulnerable to men like Woody Goodman. Many of the monetary donations on the list they’d found had also turned out to be from well-intentioned donors, and the FBI was kept busy tracing the origins of every dollar.
She’d also given her dad the photo of Richard Delgado and Darian’s father. Quietly, with some help from Mac, she’d done a little more digging on her own. It turned out, Luther Cross was every bit as enigmatic as Levi Stinson. Where the religious leader’s life suddenly left off, the rising Hollywood producer’s story began.
The FBI’s computer experts had stumbled upon a few jumbled references to the two mysterious men and were now secretly pouring over financial statements as they investigated Cross for fraud, human trafficking and murder.
Logan made sure the press knew how Sean had died while his uncle had been under surveillance by the FBI.
“After Mark botched the case and let Delgado slip through his fingers, Fineman took him off the case,” Veronica said. “So that’s good news. There’s a pretty decent chance Darian’s dad will actually get prosecuted.”
Mac nodded. “The funeral was … nice. I know that’s a weird thing to say, but it was a nice tribute,” she said.
As if the death of a twelve-year-old boy wasn’t heartbreaking enough, Sean’s body had lain in the morgue unclaimed for a week. With no next of kin, the coroner’s office would have turned it over to the county for a pauper’s burial, but community leaders protested as they scrambled to raise the money for a funeral. Then out of the blue, the director of Neptune’s finest funeral home took responsibility on behalf of an anonymous benefactor.
Sean Delgado was laid to rest a few days later in a Los Angeles cemetery next to his parents and grandmother.
“Excuse me, I’ve got a delivery for Veronica Mars.”
Startled, she looked up to see a man holding out a clipboard for her to sign with one hand, the other clutching a potted plant which he set on the counter.
She gasped in pleasure as she pulled away the tissue paper wrapping. A single orchid blossom balanced delicately on a thin stalk, its violet black petals contrasting darkly with the plant’s broad, green leaves.
"Very unique - very you," Mac observed.
Veronica knew immediately who sent the lovely gift, but she was still pleased when she saw the card.
I thought a Venus Fly Trap was more fitting, but the florist didn’t have any.
Go figure.
Happy sleuthing in the new digs.
Love, Logan
Laughing to herself, she resisted the urge to call him knowing he was probably in class, and resolved instead to close early so they could have a nice, quiet dinner at home together. A few hours later, Mac had gone home and she was alone studying a canister of orchid food, frowning as she read the instructions, her back to the door.
“Try not to kill it,” a low masculine voice drawled. “I think we’ve had enough bloodshed, don’t you?”
Smiling, she turned around to see Logan leaning against the doorjamb. As he pushed away and strode over, his words sparked an idea and her grin widened.
“It’s beautiful. I love it.” She turned her attention back to her boyfriend and wound pale, slender arms around his warm neck. “You made my day.”
He smiled softly. “How ‘bout I make your night, too? Maybe a celebratory dinner with your dad at that fancy French place you like so much?”
“Only if there’s dessert - you know, afterwards.”
“Definitely,” he said with a chuckle, bending to capture her lips. When they broke apart, he lifted his head and drew back to meet her eyes, his expression serious. “Listen, I’m sorry I’ve been such a bear lately … I haven’t scared you away, have I?”
“I don’t scare that easily.”
He nodded slowly, searching her face. “Does that mean you still want to move in with me? ‘Cause I’m gonna have to do some serious spring cleaning to make room in my closet for all your stuff.”
Leaning forward, she nuzzled her nose against his. “Better start cleaning then.”
Later, after dinner with Keith, they lay naked in bed, their bodies spooned together, his arm draped over her hip. He was drifting off to sleep, when he heard her voice.
“Did you know the Cote D’Argent in France has 160 miles of virtually uninterrupted sandy beaches?”
“… Wow,” he mumbled sleepily, his voice muffled in her hair.
“You can get there from Paris on a train that goes right through the Loire Valley, which is famous for its castles.” She turned to face him, and he stirred to burrow further into the down-filled pillow, still refusing to open his eyes. “I was saving up for an apartment and most of it went into the office instead, but there’s a little left over and, well … I happen to know school gets out for the summer in exactly six weeks.”
One gold-flecked eye popped open and peered at her. “Got something in mind?”
“I think we should take a trip together.”
“Finally! A plan I like.” He propped his head up on an elbow, boyish excitement in his eyes. “So, are we bound for France?”
“Maybe, unless you have another idea. Just as long as it’s not Canada, or Mexico …”
“Gotcha - someplace off-continent.”
“Exactly.”
Logan studied her for a moment. “What prompted this sudden wanderlust?” he asked, lightly brushing her cheek.
Veronica shrugged, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Just something you said … a long time ago.”
Words: 1,516
Author's Note: Finally! It's done!
Epilogue
Veronica stood back and surveyed the small, two-room office. A wooden desk sat facing the entry from beneath a large window overlooking Downtown Neptune. A nearby file cabinet held a fax machine and printer, while shelves filled with penal code books, framed diplomas and Veronica’s P.I. license lined the walls.
A small alcove housed a dorm-sized refrigerator and cafe table as well as a coffee maker and microwave. To the right of the desk, another door led into a private office where two smaller desks stood face-to-face.
The bell above the entry chimed and Veronica turned to see her friend pushing open the door, holding a box of computer parts under one arm, a paper bag in the other.
“Need help, Q?” she asked, rushing to help Mac.
After deciding to officially reopen Mars Investigations and setting-up shop in an actual office, Veronica was surprised when Mac offered to share the space in exchange for her computer and technological expertise.
“I’d like to venture out on my own, but I need a little more seed money, so I’ll do a few consulting jobs on the side until I can quit Kane Software for good,” she explained. “Besides, I like the jobs you give me - they’re pretty fun.”
The women spent the next several hours unpacking boxes and settling into their new office. When they were done for the day, they sat at their desks munching on pizza.
“How’s Logan doing?” Mac asked between bites.
Veronica shrugged. Although it had been weeks since the showdown at the abandoned house and Dohanic’s subsequent arrest, they had yet to move in together. She’d been staying with him most nights, but she hadn’t wanted to push the issue in light of everything that had happened.
“He’s been … broody,” Veronica said, frowning as she gazed out the window. “Dad has been keeping us posted, and I’m not sure that’s been a good thing. Logan’s taking Sean’s death pretty hard.”
According to Dohanic, Delgado had killed his nephew just a few days after the confrontation at Logan’s school.
“Apparently, Sean had been asking too many questions about Stephen and Christian. They met while Sean was at Hope House for a week after his grandmother died, and they’d stayed in touch,” Veronica explained.
“Once Delgado realized he was getting close to Logan, he was afraid Sean would spill the beans.
Dohanic had been singing like the proverbial canary. He’d been the right-hand man for the center’s shadier dealings for the better part of two decades. In addition to confessing to killing Richard and Elena Delgado because they’d both grown suspicious of the center, Dohanic also admitted to shooting Anna Campos.
“Did you ever figure out what that third picture - the one of the beach - was about?”
Veronica nodded. “The Mannings hired Dohanic to find Duncan and kidnap Lilly. The beach was in Mollymook, not far from Duncan’s home.”
When the FBI had raided the group homes, they found they’d all be wiped clean of evidence, just as Veronica had feared. Computer hard drives were erased, papers shredded and burned.
“The good news is, Dohanic is willing to turn over his files to make a deal with prosecutors, so there shouldn’t be a problem with those sticky rules of evidence,” Veronica said.
They’d been right about the Levi Stinson Center and several of its affiliates being a distribution hub for human trafficking. While some children had been sent to legitimate foster homes, the ones who had no family to come looking for them had been vulnerable to men like Woody Goodman. Many of the monetary donations on the list they’d found had also turned out to be from well-intentioned donors, and the FBI was kept busy tracing the origins of every dollar.
She’d also given her dad the photo of Richard Delgado and Darian’s father. Quietly, with some help from Mac, she’d done a little more digging on her own. It turned out, Luther Cross was every bit as enigmatic as Levi Stinson. Where the religious leader’s life suddenly left off, the rising Hollywood producer’s story began.
The FBI’s computer experts had stumbled upon a few jumbled references to the two mysterious men and were now secretly pouring over financial statements as they investigated Cross for fraud, human trafficking and murder.
Logan made sure the press knew how Sean had died while his uncle had been under surveillance by the FBI.
“After Mark botched the case and let Delgado slip through his fingers, Fineman took him off the case,” Veronica said. “So that’s good news. There’s a pretty decent chance Darian’s dad will actually get prosecuted.”
Mac nodded. “The funeral was … nice. I know that’s a weird thing to say, but it was a nice tribute,” she said.
As if the death of a twelve-year-old boy wasn’t heartbreaking enough, Sean’s body had lain in the morgue unclaimed for a week. With no next of kin, the coroner’s office would have turned it over to the county for a pauper’s burial, but community leaders protested as they scrambled to raise the money for a funeral. Then out of the blue, the director of Neptune’s finest funeral home took responsibility on behalf of an anonymous benefactor.
Sean Delgado was laid to rest a few days later in a Los Angeles cemetery next to his parents and grandmother.
“Excuse me, I’ve got a delivery for Veronica Mars.”
Startled, she looked up to see a man holding out a clipboard for her to sign with one hand, the other clutching a potted plant which he set on the counter.
She gasped in pleasure as she pulled away the tissue paper wrapping. A single orchid blossom balanced delicately on a thin stalk, its violet black petals contrasting darkly with the plant’s broad, green leaves.
"Very unique - very you," Mac observed.
Veronica knew immediately who sent the lovely gift, but she was still pleased when she saw the card.
I thought a Venus Fly Trap was more fitting, but the florist didn’t have any.
Go figure.
Happy sleuthing in the new digs.
Love, Logan
Laughing to herself, she resisted the urge to call him knowing he was probably in class, and resolved instead to close early so they could have a nice, quiet dinner at home together. A few hours later, Mac had gone home and she was alone studying a canister of orchid food, frowning as she read the instructions, her back to the door.
“Try not to kill it,” a low masculine voice drawled. “I think we’ve had enough bloodshed, don’t you?”
Smiling, she turned around to see Logan leaning against the doorjamb. As he pushed away and strode over, his words sparked an idea and her grin widened.
“It’s beautiful. I love it.” She turned her attention back to her boyfriend and wound pale, slender arms around his warm neck. “You made my day.”
He smiled softly. “How ‘bout I make your night, too? Maybe a celebratory dinner with your dad at that fancy French place you like so much?”
“Only if there’s dessert - you know, afterwards.”
“Definitely,” he said with a chuckle, bending to capture her lips. When they broke apart, he lifted his head and drew back to meet her eyes, his expression serious. “Listen, I’m sorry I’ve been such a bear lately … I haven’t scared you away, have I?”
“I don’t scare that easily.”
He nodded slowly, searching her face. “Does that mean you still want to move in with me? ‘Cause I’m gonna have to do some serious spring cleaning to make room in my closet for all your stuff.”
Leaning forward, she nuzzled her nose against his. “Better start cleaning then.”
Later, after dinner with Keith, they lay naked in bed, their bodies spooned together, his arm draped over her hip. He was drifting off to sleep, when he heard her voice.
“Did you know the Cote D’Argent in France has 160 miles of virtually uninterrupted sandy beaches?”
“… Wow,” he mumbled sleepily, his voice muffled in her hair.
“You can get there from Paris on a train that goes right through the Loire Valley, which is famous for its castles.” She turned to face him, and he stirred to burrow further into the down-filled pillow, still refusing to open his eyes. “I was saving up for an apartment and most of it went into the office instead, but there’s a little left over and, well … I happen to know school gets out for the summer in exactly six weeks.”
One gold-flecked eye popped open and peered at her. “Got something in mind?”
“I think we should take a trip together.”
“Finally! A plan I like.” He propped his head up on an elbow, boyish excitement in his eyes. “So, are we bound for France?”
“Maybe, unless you have another idea. Just as long as it’s not Canada, or Mexico …”
“Gotcha - someplace off-continent.”
“Exactly.”
Logan studied her for a moment. “What prompted this sudden wanderlust?” he asked, lightly brushing her cheek.
Veronica shrugged, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Just something you said … a long time ago.”