"Hi, can you tell me if Meg manning has been moved from the intensive care unit?" "And what are the visiting hours?" "Thank you." "Can I help you?" "I need to hire a detective." "Right place, wrong day we're not open on sundays." "This is kind of an emergency." "I need to investigate my boyfriend or, I guess, my potential fiancé, now that I found an engagement ring in his gym bag." "You found it in his...?" "I need some serious, serious answers." "I can take down your information and make sure Mr. Mars gets it first thing." "His name is collin nevin." "Okeydokey." "Start with the basics our standard package, your garden-variety background check, criminal record, aliases." "I need way more than that." "Well, there's our premium package" "Mr. Mars will "get to know" a few friends, chat up an ex or two." "Which is what I'm afraid collin's doing." "Look, collin lives off a trust fund." "He has a lot of free time." "I'd like to know how he spends it." "Well, there is our silver package." "What's the silver package?" "Premium package plus surveillance phone records, e-mail monitoring." "It's basically an all-access pass to what he's doing when you're not looking." "I'll take it." "Oh." "It's him." "He thinks I'm at yoga." "Great." "Well, Mr. Mars will review your case, ms." "Block, and he'll be in touch tomorrow." "Ah, the man of the hour." "Keith Mars, Julie block." "Looking forward to working with you." "Huh." "Jumpy potential fiancé, with cash to burn." "She practically handed me a blank check." "You're organizing the office, not soliciting clients." "Maybe you haven't noticed I'm running for sheriff." "I can't even get to the cases I already have." "Maybe I could help... just with the little stuff, nothing that requires body armor." "You don't work here." "You work at java the hut." "Yeah, that tip money's gonna pay for stanford." "No." "But the Kane scholarship will, so use your nights to study." "Please, call miss jumpy and tell her I can't take this case." "Julie, hi." "It's Veronica from Mars investigations." "I'm really sorry, but Mr. Mars is unable to take on any new cases at this time." "Recommendation?" "Uh, Nick Harris detectives is always good." "If you're looking locally, Vinnie van Lowe is a respected detective." "I'm really sorry about this, Julie." "I hope it all works out." "We wish you the best." "The only way I'd ever make 2 grand in a week working at the hut is if they installed a pole." "Dad might be too busy for miss bright-side, but I can pencil in some time to make a couple quick g'S." "Mr. Mars thought that, due to the nature of your case, it might be beneficial for you to have a detective of the female persuasion." "Aren't you awfully young to be doing this?" "It's amazing" " I never get tired of that question." "Julie, why do you suspect that collin is up to something?" "My family is wealthy... like very." "I tend to fall for guys who nail the girl who's teaching my spin class while letting me pay his rent." "Money isn't supposed to matter, so I'm letting collin think I'm regular old middle class." "I see." "Well, is there something that's prompting your concern right now?" "Phone calls at late hours, lame excuses for getting out of the house." "Lately, it's tennis." "There is a framed photo of a woman on his bar." "Okay." "Uh, got it." "I'm on it." "Thanks." "Wallace?" "Do you have a shift at sac-n-pac tonight?" "Nope." "Hottest girl in school asked me for help with trig." "I'm gonna give her a hand." "You need help with trig." "In fact, I might give her both hands." "Are you hittin' that?" "Ooh-hoo-hoo!" "Darrell!" "Sync by vNaru" "Hi, Julie." "Find out anything?" "You can rest easy." "He's on his eighth lap." "And I'm on my way to starbucks, 'cause I gotta say... spying on collin... little boring." "I looked up his caller I.D. History." "He's had 20 calls in the past 6 days from the same number." "Don't you think that's odd?" "It's worth looking into." "What's the number?" "I'll..." "I already sent it to you." "Don't forget... tomorrow he has tennis." "Knock, knock!" "Tell me that's a ham and cheese sandwich." "And I almost went for the chicken salad." "Oh, you just fulfilled one of the top-10 male fantasies." "Oh, yeah, a guy dreams his whole life of a beautiful woman bringing him a sandwich." "Do you have a spare gun I could borrow?" "That depends." "Who do you intend to shoot?" "The guy who called out to me in the club in chicago..." ""cher. " He was my old boyfriend, and "cher" was his nickname for me." "When we were in chicago, I asked you..." "I know." "He caught me completely off guard." "We dated almost 20 years ago, before I was married." "And I was young and naive... and he was crazy." "So, where does the gun part come in?" "He drove by my house yesterday morning." "He's tracked me down." "There's no way I'm letting you take a gun you don't know how to handle to a house with a 7-year-old." "So I'll give you something a little safer to curl up with at night." "What?" "You?" "What do we tell the kids?" "Nothing." "I think I cooked these too fast." "I got a late start this morning." "Mom, you okay?" " Uh-huh." " Why don't you just sit down and eat?" "Oh." "Nice surprise." " Good morning." " Hi." "I was out early doing some surveillance." "Thought I'd stop by, say hi, and send the Fennel men to school with a bellyful of sugar." "Mmm." "Keith Mars for sheriff." "My dad spend the night at your place?" "Yep." "He do the A.M. Doughnut fake-out run?" "Want one?" "Get back, ladies... he's mine!" "You really are a basketball star, aren't you?" "I'm not smacking the ass of some dungeons and dragons geek?" "Oh, he's a star." "Just ask him." "Come on." "Let's go." "Smile!" "Oh, yeah, work it!" "Work it!" "You're gonna be pulling that camera out your..." "The light's much better where you're standing." "Keith Mars... former sheriff, private detective, author." "Wow." "Carl morgan... three years lompoc, assault and battery, cocaine possession, intent to sell." "We should really give our publicists pats on the back." "I expected you to become a problem at some point." "There's a flight to chicago leaving san diego at 4:45." "You need to be on it." "The next time I shoot you, it won't be digitally." "Unless I hit you in the finger." "Then we'll laugh about it." "Your old lady took something of mine." "I'm not leaving till I get it back." "She's not my old lady." "She's my special lady friend." "Hospitals wig me out, but I've put this off for too long." "It's time I see Meg." "Veronica?" "Duncan?" "I didn't know you were... how's Meg?" "You again?" "Why do you come here every day?" "How many times do I have to tell you?" "We never want to see you again!" "Stay away from our daughter!" "And you" " I mean, how can you come here?" "Don't you know your presence is upsetting to us?" "We care about Meg." "Mom, he... quiet." "If you really cared about Meg, she wouldn't have been on that bus." "You didn't tell me about... what?" "That Meg was important to me?" "About her parents." "You want to go eat or something?" "Can't" " Work." "Gotta go watch a tennis match." "Well, this isn't a tennis court." "What are you up to, collin?" "No good, it appears." "What is it with men?" "Never where you expect them to be." "Hello?" "Julie, it's Veronica." "Can you check your e-mail?" "I'm sending you some photos right now." "And do you know anyone who lives at 8520 Primrose lane?" "No." "Why?" "I'm afraid I've got some bad news and some more bad news." "First, collin's not playing tennis." "And second, that number that showed up 20 times on his caller I.D... yeah?" "That number belongs to whoever lives here on primrose lane." "It's where he goes instead of tennis." "Did you get the photo yet?" "Do you recognize the woman?" "Oh, no." "Oh, no." "Julie... no, no, no." "No." "Julie, listen to me." "Do not panic, okay?" "I'll call you as soon as I know anything." "Okay?" "Okay." "All right, bye." "All right, collin, just give me what I came for... you and your hot little number, deep in the throes of..." "A hebrew lesson?" "Julie, no!" "Oh!" "Oh!" "Julie, stand down." "He's not cheating on you." "He's with a rabbi." "A rabbi?" "He's not jewish!" "I'm jewish!" "Are you there yet?" "Every day that's what Meg's dad said." "What's Duncan doing at the hospital?" "Do you think he still loves her?" "I don't know." "What?" "Who is this?" "It's Julie." "The photo of the woman on the bar?" "She's got to be an ex." "If he's keeping her close, do you think he still loves her?" "Whoa... if I'm pondering the same question about my boyfriend, does that make me crazy, too?" "Julie, it's 2:27 in the morning." "The silver package has its perks, but post-midnight girl talk is not one of them." "What if I get an upgrade?" "What comes after silver?" "Psycho." "What?" "Gold." "Julie, it's $3,000." "What does it include?" "Uh... we dig deeper." "Three months of internet activity, heavier surveillance." "We talk to consultants to set up a temptation scenario and see if he responds." "That's perfect." "That's exactly what I need." "With the gold package, can you find out who that is in the photo on the bar?" "We can find out." "But if you want my opinion," "I'd say there's a fine line between looking for a problem and creating one." "Good night." "Who let you into my office?" "That's funny" " I was wondering the same thing." "I thought you might want to catch a bad guy or something." "That's carl morgan, drug dealer." "He's wanted for questioning in chicago on an armed robbery." "Drug dealer?" "For me?" "It's not even my birthday." "He's buddies with a dealer I'm tracking." "There's no bounty on him, nothing in it for me." "Nothing but the joy of giving." "It's not a present, sheriff." "It's kind of your job." "For now, anyway." "Hope you're having fun." "Yo, martha." "I head you took a ride downtown behind the 187." "So, did you flop for the cops or did the local wapner hook you up with some ankle bling?" "You know the deal, cuz." "Every time a kitty cries in this town, one-time tries to put a case on me." "Speaking of bling, what's up with the hoops?" "If I rub your head, do I get three wishes?" "You rub my head, and you might want to make seeing tomorrow your first wish." "Missing an earring?" "You need to be alone for a second?" "Where's that disco ball you usually wear?" "It's probably deep in some chick's shag carpet." "You think?" "Yeah." "I'm guessing an evidence bag in the sheriff's office." "Out with you, dog." "My question - and I'm betting it's the sheriff's... what was your earring doing at the road hog in the last place Curly Moran was seen alive?" "I don't even know what earring you're talking about, so... the one you're wearing in your yearbook photo." "Hmm... sheriff's department, speed dial... if this doesn't get me out of that jaywalking ticket... hello, inga." "Okay." "A couple weeks ago, a few days before Curly beached, I got this weird call... some guy saying Curly was behind the bus crash." "You don't know who it was?" "They just said Curly was hired by the fitzpatricks to get back at cervando." "As in the "fighting fitzpatricks"?" "Uh-huh." "My dad put five of the fitzpatricks in chino." "They're irish catholic." "For every 5 you put away, there's 10 more at home." "Cervando had been bragging about how he hustled leon fitzpatrick out of a few grand down at river styx." "That's a lot of info for an anonymous call." " What'd you do?" " Nothing." "I'm sure." "The fitzpatricks are meth-head lunatics, but they're not gonna kill a bus full of kids over 3 grand." "Their problem with cervando would have been solved in an alley with a baseball bat." "Give me your cell." "I called the mystery guy back." "All it does is ring." "Look, should I be expectinga visit from lamb?" "If I know I'm being brought in, I'll put on good underwear." "You should really do that anyway." "Hey, buddy." "Whatcha doin'?" "Veronica, are you in immediate, life-threatening danger?" "At this precise moment, no." " Then I'm hanging up." " Wait!" "Wait!" "My go-to temptress just canceled on me, and I need an A.V. Wizard to be my eyes and ears for a scenario" "I've got going down at 4:00." "Hey, I'd love to help, but I've got my own scenario going on right here." "Wallace, if you're getting all that Jackie love with $2 in your pocket, imagine what you'd get with, say... $200." "You didn't ask how high." "What?" "Didn't goldilocks say "jump"?" "It is not even like that." "What's it like?" "We're friends, Jackie." "If she needs me, I'm gonna come through, like she would for me." "Right." "I guess you have different rules here." "Where I'm from, the girl you make out with is the one you do favors for." "I may have to have a chat with miss pixy stick." "I wouldn't do that." "She's not somebody you want to piss off." "Yeah neither am I." "Sorry I'm late." "Whipped-cream fight at the sorority house." "Can you hand me a mic?" "You got someplace to hide it?" "Do you own those clothes or did you just make a stop at dirty-coeds 'r' us?" "Ha ha." "And I need to be paid up for tonight." "Gotta make a little peace with my woman." "Are you sure she's your woman?" "'Cause I saw her at java the hut the night after our double date, and some guy was all over her." "Like a couple weeks ago, when we only had like two dates." "So what?" "So it's progressed?" "Yeah." "It's progressed." "Have you seen her with another guy since?" "No." "See, when you assume, you really just make an ass out of you." "Just stay as tight as you can." "Just go lolita his ass." "Let me do my thing." "Can I help you with something?" "Please." "That would be so great." "Wait." "Do you have an accent?" "Yeah, I'm scottish." "Really?" "Like, from scotland?" "That's so awesome." "Foreign men are so much sexier than regular men." "Oh." "Sorry." "I hope I'm not bothering you." "It's just, I got a flat." "And my cellphone's dead, and I can't find my AAA card." "Do you think you could give me a hand?" "I tried real hard." "I just couldn't get the nuts off." "I think they're just too tight." "But I did just put lotion all over my hands, so they're kind of slippery." "You do know you've got to jack the car up first, right?" "Oh, yeah." "Do you have a jack?" "Oh, you" " Uh... you've got, um... oh." "How cute are you." "No, keep it." "Listen, we could be out here all day with me doing this." "So why don't I go in and call you a tow truck?" "Do you have a computer in there?" "Because I kind of need more than a tow truck right now." "I go to ucsd, and I have this midterm that, if I don't turn in, in about 10 minutes... all right." "Come on." "Okay, come on." "The accent?" "Are you, like, the catch of the year or what?" "Hardly." "Please." "My girlfriend paige would love this place!" "She's not my girlfriend-girlfriend." "She's just my friend." "I mean, we share a dorm room, so, whatever." "It's college, right?" "Oh, she would really love this place." "I mean, who wouldn't want to wake up to this view?" "You should really let me know if you want to party with us." "We're fun... double the fun." "I don't have too many parties." "I'm a pretty mellow guy." "Really?" "You seem kind of..." "I don't know... wild to me, like a caged animal kind of thing." "You'd have to ask my girlfriend about that... my actual girlfriend." "We're not just dorm-mates, if you get my drift." "I bet she'S... pretty." "Drop... gorgeous." "Can I ask you something?" "Sure." "What about me?" "I mean, if the range were pretty to drop-dead gorgeous, where would I fall?" "You'd fall under "knows she's gorgeous but likes to hear it anyway."" "Don't forget about that midterm." "Veronica... this is really sweet of you." "I owe you, like, the biggest favor ever." "Seriously, you can ask me for anything." "Somebody's a big movie buff, I see." "Quick" " Favorite movie of all time." "Don't think about it." "Just answer." "Oh, I don't know." "That's a hard one." "This really isn't my place, actually." "I'm just housesitting for my friend." "Your friend a big Nicolas Cage fan?" "My friend is Nic Cage." "Really?" "Nic Cage." "That's hot." "Would you excuse me a second?" "Hello." "Uh, hi." "Would you like to help the hungry, starving children of... the world?" "I'm sorry... are you selling something?" "Yes." "I am." "I'm selling, um, pens and... candy." "I'll take a couple of boxes of candy." "All I got is this box." "That box is opened." "You want a couple pens?" "I e-mailed the paper and called aaa." "Thanks for your help." "Your karma's golden." "Ciao!" "Whatcha doin'?" "I'm cramming for that latin quiz." "Can't forget about the Kane legacy." "Have you had dinner?" "No, I'm tired of room service." "Then may I suggest "dim sum and then some"?" "I got the "don't wait up" callfor the second night in a row." "And if dad can work all night with Mrs. Fennel, then..." "What if we start the evening with "and then some"" "and work our way back to the dim sum?" "It's officially under consideration." "Can I ask you something first?" "Yes to costumes." "No to props." "Does that cover it?" "Why didn't you tell me how often you'd visited Meg since the accident?" "Chinese food it is." "You want one egg roll or two?" "Mental note... don't mention partner's ex-girlfriend if one expects to fool around." "And while we're on the subject of men I failed to seduce today, time to see what collin likes to google." "What dirty secrets are lurking in your browser history?" "Escort agencies?" "Bootycall." "Com?" "Neptune swingles?" "Well, look at that." "Julie was afraid to tell collin about her family's money." "Apparently, he's figured that out all on his own." "Oh my God, it's my dad." "Who is it?" "It's lizzie." "Um, I really need to talk to you." "H" " Hang on a sec." "What is Meg's sister doing here at 2:00 A.M.?" "Oh, sorry." "Should I hide in the bedroom, like a hooker?" "!" "Perfect!" "Sorry." "I didn't know where else to go." "Is Meg all right?" "She didn't wake up or anything." "My parents got a call from the school." "They're going tomorrow to clean out Meg's locker." "She kept this at school." "It's got everything on it." "I'm sure Meg told you that my parents aren't real big on privacy." "They go through our rooms, our cars, our backpacks." "So you want me to hide it for her?" "Well, whatever genius called from the office told my parents about this computer." "Meg has a laptop my parents didn't know about." "They're gonna want to see what's on it." "I don't have the password, but we have to get her personal stuff off this computer and put it back by morning." "Okay, so what do you want me to do?" "You're the son of a computer visionary." "Can't you do something?" "I can burn a cd." "All I know is if my parents see what's on there, they'll pull the plug on Meg tomorrow." "Can I use your bathroom real quick?" "Uh, uh... n" " Not really." "Hi, lizzie." "Okay, so, apparently, looks really can't kill." "I'm sorry." "I didn't want... did you hear us?" "Yes." "And if you'll let me, I know someone who can help." "I have to say, it is a little comforting." "I haven't snuck out of my house at 3 am in a while." "Nice to know I still have the chops." "And I'm in." "This is the hard drive." "You want all the e-mails, right?" "Mm-hmm." "You must have some nosy-ass parents." "And this goes to you?" "Right?" "Yeah, I guess." "Are you crazy, Duncan, leaving this out in the open?" "Do you leave heroin out when iggy pop spends the night?" "Hello, Julie." "Was it awful?" "He was a consummate gentleman." "He didn't try to flirt." "And, in fact, he just told me how great you were." "Okay." "I guess this is the moment that I officially became a jealous freak." "Hey, Julie, can I call you back later?" "It's lamb." "I'm thinking I might have a boot for you, too." "Any ideas where I can put it?" "Hey, you started it with your "I found you a wanted man" B.S." "You send me in to arrest carl morgan, A.K.A. Nathan woods." "Chicago cop." "Big-time decorated detective." "Did you think I wouldn't check up on the guy, keith?" "His record is one phone call away." "How stupid do you think that I am?" "I know it's awful if you wouldn't tell me over the phone." "After a thorough investigation, collin appears to be a loyal, committed partner, without a criminal record." "And his friends and exes both speak very highly of him." "The bad news must be really bad?" "The house he currently lives in and the car he drives aren't his." "He's housesitting... for Nicolas cage." "That's lisa marie in the framed photo on the bar." "And, finally, it appears as though he did do some research into your background, and he is aware that your family is wealthy." "He went digging for information on me?" "I should have known." "He told me he had a trust fund." "He totally let me believe that house was his!" "I have some of his internet history on my computer if you want to..." "Mr. Mars." "I thought you had the kiwanis banquet." "Miss block, I need to speak with Veronica for a moment." "Would you mind?" "Sure." "I need to go stand in traffic for a while, maybe jump off a pier." "Another satisfied customer?" "Here." "Can you file this under:" ""cases I don't have time for"" ""that my disobedient daughter can take behind my back"?" "I'm really sorry." "For what?" "Taking the case or getting caught?" "Okay, for both." "I just thought it was crazy to pass up that amount of money, and I thought I could handle it." "You always think you can handle it, Veronica." "Believe it or not, at 18, you can't handle everything." "And you don't get away with it all either." "I know." "Whether it's playing "I spy" after school or staying out all night at your boyfriend's hotel room," "you're just not quite as clever as you think you are." "Hello?" "Julie, I just thought of something." "You know, you think you're dating prince charming." "But you're really dating prince charming's kato." "I just called him." "I ended it." "It's over." "As soon as he checks his messages." "You broke up with him on his..." "Julie, the internet search that collin did on your family was dated five days ago." "Yeah." "So?" "So you found the ring like two weeks ago." "He checked into your family after he bought the ring." "He was probably looking to find your father so he could ask for his approval." "I'll bet he didn't even know about the money." "He lied about the house." "He told you it was his?" "It was implied." "He probably lied about the trust fund, too." "You didn't exactly tell him the truth either." "It's one thing to lie and say you're not rich." "The other way around is way less cool." "I think I get it now." "Money matters." "Of course it matters." "Alicia?" "Alicia?" "Anybody home?" "When your mom's an alcoholic, you spend a lot of time looking at bottles." ""Julie, I wanted you to have these." ""Everything patrick collin nevin told you was true." ""He does have a trust fund..." ""perhaps bigger than either of us imagined." ""The enclosed article mentions" ""that he hates to flaunt his wealth"" "or his celebrity friendships." ""You both wanted to be sure "you were loved for who you really were." "And it seems that one of you was"." "Keith Mars." "Mr. Pascal, yes." "Uh, I know." "It's been a little busy here." "Um... here we go." "I'm sorry, sir." "It looks like your wife is, indeed, having an affair." "Your uncle?" "Missing persons case?" "I'm very sorry, sir." "It's a little filing mix-up." "You were stuck inside Mr. Pastorelli's file." "Your uncle al is alive and well in a retirement home in waikiki and, as far as I know, completely faithful." "I have his number right here." "Okay." "Maybe I can use your help around the office... a bit." "I'm sorry." "Come again?" "You're never gonna tell me what happened to prompt this." "Nope." "Now, I'm just talking about a little help with research, filing, the phones." "I do give good phone." "Just a couple days a week." "And you're keeping your job at the hut." "Of course, I'll be needing a raise." "Since talking to Weevil, I've been dying to track down this mysterious tipster." "Who knows if Weevil - or the tipster, for that matter... was telling the truth." "Maybe Curly Moran was part of a plot to retaliate against a P.C.H.Er." "And maybe that's exactly what someone wants us to believe." "That call could've come from anywhere... a business line, a pay phone, or... oh, my god." "Okay." "God, I just can't take the begging." "I'll relent, just once." "But no cuddling after, and I won't call you in the morning." "Saturday, september 24th, there was a 2-minute and 23-second phone call on Weevil's cellphone, made from your house." "The caller claimed that Curly Moran was responsible for the bus crash... the same Curly Moran who's friends with your dad." "Any explanation?" "Oh, my day is complete." "Veronica Mars has accused me of evil." "Where to start?" "Oh, yes" " Who the hell is Curly Moran?" "And how do you know he knows my dad?" "And what conspiracy theory have you pulled out of your ass this time?" "The fact, evidenced by the poster in your house, is that Curly Moran was the stunt coordinator on "the long haul,"" "starring Aaron Echolls, circa 1982." "Now, september 24th?" "Like I have any idea w... wait." "I think I do remember that night." "That was the night of my "life's short" party." "Of course." "A group of lower-middle class students plummet to their death, and the 09ers throw a party." "Hence the "life's short" part." "It was in their honor." "And in the end, it wasn't just your social betters." "In fact, your pal Weevil and his biker boys crashed it." "Oh, and, uh..." "Lamb and a half-dozen deputies came by to break it up... or, at least, collect the kegs." "There are five numbers registered to your house." "This call came from a number I don't recognize." "Gee whillikers." "It sounds like you're onto something." "Maybe the pool boy did it." "Well." "You don't have anything?" "Not under "woods" either?" "By 1987, she was going by Alicia Fennel." "Yeah, she does." "What?" "Are you sure?" "Wallace?" "Yeah." "Who are you?" "Take a look." "Am I supposed to know you?" "You sure are, Wallace." "I'm your father."