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Okay. This show has always asked a lot of its audience. Multiple storylines, randomly re-appearing tertiary characters, a likeable Jackie. But this week they may have finally gone one step too far. Aaron Echolls has an Oscar? I'm sure. Getting past it. So Veronica thinks maybe Weevil intended to blow up the rich bitch limo, assuming Logan would be in it. If that was indeed the plan, Weevil fucking sucks as an evil mastermind, no? But, since we're still four episodes before season's end, alternate theories abound. Such as: Kendall Casablancas looking to off her stepsons and cash in on their substantial life insurance policies. Keith is on the case, and, in the process, discovers "Kendall" is really Priscilla Banks, con-artist with a felonious past. He tasks Veronica with asking Logan for his and Kendall's coital schedule on the day of the crash. Sixty seconds of blistering ex chemistry later, Veronica gathers that Kendall was indeed, er, unencumbered at the time of detonation. Meanwhile, Veronica gets asked by a classmate to find the driver of a green Plymouth Barracuda that ran over his dog. Funny he should mention, because Gia tells Veronica that just before the bus crashed, she saw a green Barracuda speed past the limo, pressing some hams along the way, if you get my and the episode title's drift. Gia, also, casually mentions how her dad -- mayor/creep/actual killer (my current guess) Woody Goodman -- called her cell phone right before the bus went boom. After some digging, Veronica finds the car in the garage of a surly old blind lady. She plants a bug in the dash and finds a gun in the glove compartment. Turns out the car is being driven (if not owned) by Liam Fitzpatrick. Veronica picks up the car's signal and follows it to where Liam is picking up Kendall at what turns out to be her bachelorette pad. Too bad Keith found it first, and a heat-packin' Liam is headed inside. A tense little standoff reveals that a) Liam would have totally shot and killed Keith if b) Veronica Mars weren't smarter than me, you, and everyone she knows, and hadn't swiped the bullets back in Grandma Fitz's garage. Keith uncovers Kendall's past relationship with elder Fitzpatrick brother Cormac and thinks she may have gotten the Fitzes to blow up some stepsons for her. Elsewhere, Jackie proves apt at her new job at Java; she and Wallace make prom plans, even though she's bound for Paris after graduation; Weevil uses Thumper's old distribution list to get the PCHers out from under the Fitzpatricks' thumb; and the price of Mac getting her cell phone interceptor back from Clemmons's office is a prom date with Butters. Oh, and apparently, Kendall's shower drain expedition a few episodes ago has borne fruit, as Duncan's hairs turn up on Aaron's (heh) Oscar statue, found buried in the Kane backyard with Lilly's blood on it. The huh? Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Many thanks to Joe R for skillfully covering the recaplet of this week's episode when coverage in my market was preempted. I hope the Nets flame out of the playoffs, because if I have to watch any of the remaining three episodes on a day's delay, I'm gonna be hella pissed. On the other hand, my dad would be interested to know that for the first time since I was a kid, I've got a rooting interest in basketball. Of course, he'd say it's the wrong team and the wrong interest, but if we saw eye to eye about things like that, we'd probably still be talking.
What?
Oh, right, the recap. Cliff pours Veronica a glass of water as an oily voice inquires as to whether she'd like him to repeat his question. She says yes, so he asks whether she actually saw Lilly and Haaron having "intercourse" on the sex tape. Veronica tells him that a sheet was covering them, but that "the motion of their bodies" suggested copulation. There's also the fact that since Haaron's well known to have fucked half of Balboa County's women, it's pretty unlikely that he still engages in much dry humping. Although I suppose his prison stay could have changed his view on that. The examiner, "Mr. Lavois" or some such, inappropriately asks whether Veronica has much experience in that department and, when Cliff cuts in, says that he merely needs to determine whether Veronica knows what sex looks like. It's too bad Veronica's sitting behind a table, because this would be a perfect opportunity for her to smile knowingly and give him a Basic Instinct-esque twirl of her leg. It's noir, baby, and the name for the genre has never seemed more apt than when it's associated with Sharon Stone's nether regions. Anyway, Cliff says that Veronica has completed the required sex-ed class at Neptune High, and Veronica says that she got an A-minus. Considering how she treated her "baby," I wonder how she managed that. I'd suspect grade inflation, if we didn't know that Ms. Hauser hasn't really had a lot of luck with inflation lately. Veronica adds that she watches Animal Planet. The devil's henchman here breathes that statutory rape is a grave accusation. Veronica: "Not to a murderer." I hate to nitpick this late in the season, but this thing with the tapes always bugged me, so here's a question: just because the murder trial is taking this long is no reason to have delayed the statutory-rape trial, is it? I mean, is this hearing concomitant to the murder trial? Because if not, it should have been wrapped up ages ago, which means this is another teetering piece on top of an already wobbly storyline. Mr. Lavois concludes by asking whether Veronica's still keeping in touch with Duncan. Veronica looks scared and confused at the mention of his name. She is not alone.
Chez Mars. Veronica's popping something in the microwave, when Keith arrives home and is all, "Prepare to have your mind blown." Considering how close it is to the end of the season, that's good advice for all of us. Veronica cutely says that she was born ready, so Keith tells Veronica that Big Dick was using the life-insurance policy he took out on his sons as a tax shelter. Boy, Keith, if you want to blow people's minds, I'd stay away from any sentence with "tax" in it that doesn't also include the word "refund." Anyway, the point is that the payout on the policy is over eight figures, and that if the brothers die simultaneously, Kendall would receive the money. I get why both of them would have to die, because it seems logical to think that if only one of them died, the other brother would be the beneficiary. However, the thought of Dick's life being worth anything to anyone other than lube manufacturers and porn distributors is an idea that's really blowing my mind here. Well played, Keith. Veronica sighs that the "wicked stepmother" trying to off her husband's kids sounds like a Disney movie, and she'll get no argument from me on that point. Keith says that while Kendall certainly had motive, he's not sure about her capability, but Veronica demurs: "She went from Spandex to cashmere pretty fast." Veronica's got a point, especially if Kendall hit both those sartorial choices without ending up on Go Fug Yourself. Keith says that he'll poke around and find out what Kendall was up to the day of the crash.
Neptune High. The teacher calls roll, as VMVO tells us that random locker searches are a bummer for the students caught with loot, and over Veronica's shoulder, we see one such search in progress. When the teacher gets to Weevil, he tells him it's his turn to feed "Buddy."
Cut to Weevil picking up a large rat by the tail. I'd wonder whether that could hurt the thing, but that's not really going to seem relevant for very long. Weevil carries the rat past the length of a glass tank containing a large constrictor, and after a good "Mmm, dinner!" shot of the snake, Weevil drops the rat in. After a couple of off-camera squeals, Weevil appreciatively says that someone was hungry, and I'd wonder whether the snake could have suffocated the rat quite that quickly, but I'll let it go in appreciation of the fact that at least I didn't have to see it. Veronica, without looking up, snarks that "someone is baby-talking a python," Weevil tough-guys that he and Buddy have a "special connection," since they're both "top of the food chain," and Weevil has "no problem sacrificing a rat." Veronica looks shocked that she's spent the year participating in growing Buddy to twelve feet just so he could be used as a clumsy parallel. I mean, the rat died from constriction, and Thumper died from construction. And if "My Mother, The Fiend" taught us anything, it's that one letter can makeallthe difference.
Veronica walks away from her locker and notices that a heavyset kid is staring questioningly at her. She moves on to Mac, but in a nice bit of blocking, as she reaches her, you can still see the guy staring at her. Knowing what I know about his targeting skills, let me just get him out of frame before I pause. Anyway, "Mac Attack," as Veronica cutely calls her, is literally beating her head against her locker, and when Veronica asks what's wrong, she says that her locker was searched, and Clemmons took her cell-phone interceptor and won't give it back until the end of the year. At which time I expect he'll be buying one of his own, because I'd imagine that once you get hooked on the seedy drama that happens all around Neptune, it's impossible to get off it. Not that I'd...I mean, "he'd" want to. Mac begs Veronica to get the interceptor back: she borrowed it from a friend at Radio Shack to listen to Beaver's cell-phone calls. Mac manages to throw in that she's acting like a "psycho ex-girlfriend," and while that's true, I'll give her points for admitting it. (Of course, that's probably only because it's Mac, but don't tell anyone.) At the ensuing silence, Mac concludes that Veronica's judging her. Veronica: "Nope! I'm judging myself. Why don't I have a cell-phone interceptor?" Hee. Mac cautions her to respect the business model -- "I do the gadgets, you do the actual espionage." I think there's room for some crossover there, not that I want to argue with someone who's probably paid for college with her skills already. (Note to Veronica: what a concept!) Veronica agrees to see what she can do.
An alarm sounds, as a woman hustles out of the administrative office past Veronica. VMVO tells us that she set off Clemmons's secretary's car alarm, which was "pure Bond." If the secretary doesn't take lunch at the same time as Clemmons, as indicated previously (but which I can't say I really bought then, anyway), I wonder how Veronica got past her last week. I doubt the typical Bond/Moneypenny interaction would have worked, not that I wouldn't have loved to see Veronica give it a try. Anyway, Veronica tries to get in, but the lock's been changed. VMVO gripes, "Man, he's gotten paranoid!" Hee.
Veronica waits outside a classroom until Butters appears. He looks none too pleased to see her, although the fact that she calls him "Vincent" should have been the first clue that she wants something. I will not be calling him that, despite the fact that I'm awfully quick to drop nicknames. Veronica gets right to the point, asking Butters for help in getting to the box of confiscated stuff on Mac's behalf, and saying that this is a good opportunity for Butters to stick it to his dad. Butters says that he gets to do that plenty, no doubt referencing the radio show. What Butters doesn't know is that Clemmons, like everyone else, gave up "Ahoy Mateys" after Krunk died with a disgusted "That Imitation Crab is such a tool." Just as well -- Butters has enough self-image problems as it is. Anyway, in return for the office access, Butters wants to go to prom with Mac. Veronica mischievously agrees, "I think that can be arranged." See, Veronica, now you're thinking. Pimping could totally pay for your college education! Butters tells Veronica to meet him in his dad's office after the last bell: Clemmons has "bus-circle duty," whatever mindless, soul-sucking job that might be...
...but now it must be going on, as Veronica, Mac in tow, slowly knocks on Clemmons's door three times. Butters answers the door, and disgustedly asks, "That was your secret knock?" Veronica: "The genius is its simplicity." I'm hoping that's what I'm going to be saying at the end of the season, but I'm sensing that's not going to be the case. Butters points Veronica to the box and says that they have exactly eleven minutes, and this isn't exactly The Great Train Robbery, kid, so chill. Mac gratefully tells Butters that this is "way cool" of him, but Butters starts babbling that he's an excellent dancer but that they totally don't have to dance and that he doesn't want to get the wrong corsage and whatever. He's actually somewhat nervously endearing here, which is too bad, because I doubt that they're going to let Mac go to the prom when she's awaiting trial for braining Veronica with her laptop. Seriously, I do think that Veronica just made a judgment call that Mac would take the unpleasant evening over not getting the interceptor back, but it is kind of crappy for her not to have said anything about it, particularly since she clearly talked to Mac about this meeting, and, therefore, had the opportunity. Also, considering the fact that this break-in would no doubt cause Veronica to lose the precious Kane Scholarship, it might behoove all of them to take this conversation outside. But Veronica first asks Butters (I guess he's the first person Clemmons will suspect with the locks changed) whether she can return a copy of The Anarchist's Cookbook she found in the box to Weevil, like there's any reason he would have been keeping that at school instead of at home. I mean, as much of a bad-ass as he may be, it would be just a bit imprudent for him to read that in Chem lab, right? Butters is amazed that Veronica knows Weevil's locker number, but she shows him that it's "333": "Who else would brag about meeting Satan halfway?" One, since when can students pick their own lockers, and two, that's awfully heavy-handed and Smurfy. I mean, Weevil indirectly, but intentionally, caused a hail of concrete to rain down on Thumper. Weevil is a bad-ass. Do we need to belabor the point? Anyway, Butters agrees, and then turns to Mac: "I'm thinking white limo. If that's cool." Hee. Mac looks down defeatedly, but at least she's got her interceptor back to remind her of all the sex she's not having.
Veronica's hanging on Weevil's car when he shows up and makes one of his usual inappropriate sexual comments, or "banters," if you will. Veronica asks him whether he's run into Thumper, since nobody's seen him in weeks (really?), and tells Weevil that if Thumper doesn't show up soon, he'll miss prom. Weevil: "I'm sure he's crushed." Hee hee. It's not so much the line as Capra's shit-eating grin that sells it, not least because he totally thinks Veronica approves of his actions. And I don't think he's completely wrong, there. (The timing of the grin also suggests that Capra might have broken character in the take, and they just decided to go with it.) But Veronica gets to the point about the Cookbook, saying that it was confiscated from his locker the first week of school. You know, another point that may seem nitpicky is that I can't imagine Clemmons intended to return this book to Weevil at all, so why keep it around? "Here you go, kid -- now that you're out of the school system, make all the bombs you want." Of course, if Clemmons is an evil genius, he could have used the book himself. I guess the lesson would be not to put ideas in a previously powerless factotum's head. Anyway, Weevil gets all warm that Veronica's accusing him of blowing up the bus, and Veronica in turn suggests that he wasn't on the PCH by accident. Well, considering that he was the leader of the PCHers, I'd think he'd have to meet certain quotas to keep his position. But Veronica's point is that he could have detonated the bomb unbeknownst to Veronica, since he knew when it would be in the right position. I'm getting a little tired of Veronica chasing these theories without thinking them through. I mean, Veronica, from her reactions and later descriptions, obviously wasn't actually in view of the bus when the bomb went off. So, why would Weevil, if he knew he was taking on this operation that required rather delicate timing, consent to give Veronica a ride? I mean, she might have seen him reaching for his cell phone. When you're pressed up that close against someone, it's hard to get away with using the phone. And it can get you in some serious trouble if you're caught. Also, I can't believe Weevil wouldn't have risked not being in visual range of the bus before detonating the bomb. But anyway, Veronica's idea is that Weevil and Cervando intended to take out the limo, but that because of the whole Dick's bag switcheroo, they took out the bus instead, and put the stinky rat on the bus to drive the rich kids into the limo. If you believe that Liam's comment to Thumper about the duct-tape was significant, you know this isn't true. Weevil asks what Veronica thinks his motive could be, and she says that he intended to kill Logan, who was supposed to be on the trip. Well, the good news is that this finally settles the meaning of Logan's famous "I'll miss you" line. He was going to go on the trip, but seeing Veronica and Duncan all kissyface made him change his mind. Don't completely blame him, there. But if Veronica hadn't lost me already on this theory, the idea that Weevil would kill Logan puts it over the edge. I mean, Felix-killer or not, who else is Weevil going to comparecojones with? Seriously, though, I can't believe Veronica could really give any credence to this theory. The execution of the crime, especially given the collateral damage, is just completely unlike Weevil, in my opinion. (Yes, I know he did some good planning in "Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough," but STILL.) But we can't let that get in the way of Veronica's snarkily dismissing Weevil into the opening credits.
Veronica's eating outside, when the big dude from earlier skulks up behind her. Without turning around, she intones, "You've been following me." I guess having PreviousNext
gi?show=139&story=7982&page=11">a murderer pop up in your back seat will make you a little more sensitive to scary people behind you. The dude says that he hears Veronica can "find stuff," and, undeterred by her mention of a fee, says that he needs her to find the owner of a car -- one that ran over his dog Apache right on his front lawn. Veronica fairly neutrally says that she's sorry, and knowing how Kristen Bell feels about dogs from her Punk'd appearance, she's even a better actress than I thought. (Joe R and I love her so much on that. "My boyfriend and I are animal lovers!" Awesome.) After a couple of tears, the guy asks what Veronica's fee would be, and she says that it depends on the work involved. Dude: "Is there any way I can pay you in meat?" I think I'll just leave that one alone. It's a new experience for me.
Cut to the dude, who clarifies his meat comment by saying that he hunts, showing Veronica a picture of the type of car that did the awful deed -- it's a Plymouth Barracuda, which he says was green. Veronica says that's good news: "You don't see a lot of 'Cudas except on Nash Bridges reruns." I'm going to have to take her word for it. They're in the computer room, so Veronica sits at a machine and logs into "PryingEyes.com" (heh) to see how many Barracudas are registered in Neptune. The answer is none, causing the dude to growl, "But you'll keep looking." After a million years contemplating exactly what she's getting into, Veronica agrees.
Journalism room. Some guy complains about another guy, "Bob Patton," owing him a story about the high price of graduation. Perhaps he's busy catching up on old episodes ofBuffy by way of research. He asks Veronica to dig up some stock photo to replace the hole in the layout, and Veronica counters by discovering that it would cost forty bucks to cover the space with an ad. She must really hate grunt work.
Jackie, sporting pretty new straightened hair, catches Veronica at her locker and asks her to put in a good word for her at Java The Hut: she's applied for a job there. Veronica thinks the wages aren't going to be what Jackie's used to, but on the plus side, Jackie will get all the macchiatos she can drink, and on her own timetable, too. Jackie explains that her family's assets have been frozen, and that the only people at home are repossessors. One would think Jackie might have seen this situation coming when her dad took off, but I guess ATM daily limits exist for a reason. Veronica genially agrees to Jackie's request. And that sentence shows that if TV as a whole needs a motto, it should be "You just never know."
At the place of employment in question, Veronica asks her manager about Jackie, saying that she's a friend, and is told by way of some bad dubbing that Jackie has no experience and has never had a job. Veronica presses the point, though, and when the manager ascertains that Veronica will vouch for Jackie and will be the one to fire her if she doesn't work out, she tells Veronica that Jackie can start the day. Well, that was easy. (That was the runner-up in the motto contest. Some days you're in a better mood than others.)
Veronica arrives home to find Keith half-asleep. After she jokes about South Beach, Keith asks whether she has any idea why Logan would have gotten three calls from Kendall the day of the crash. I agree that three seems a bit excessive, but then again, that could be why she needed someone in high school. No, Veronica has to explain that the Latin term is "coitus sordidus." Heh. Keith, somewhat disbelievingly, notes that that was weeks before Big Dick fled the country. Oh, Keith. Don't ever change. Veronica notes that Logan "may be a little fuzzy on the Commandments." And let's not even get started on Leviticus. After ascertaining that Veronica didn't know about the sordidus as it was happening, Keith asks if Veronica could stomach discovering whether Logan was actually with Kendall at the time of the crash, and Veronica hilariously looks like that is indeed asking a lot of her gastric system. Do me a favor, Veronica: if you do feel the need to hurl, aim for Logan's car.
Speaking of which, Veronica is waiting in the Neptune High parking lot, as Logan appears from around his vehicular monstrosity and says that he likes to start the day with a hot blonde waiting for him. Veronica says that she does too, and when Logan counters that he's not blond, she adds, "Or hot." It's nice to be reminded of Veronica's real age once in a while, because when she gets a little older, she'll realize that protesting like that doth betray her true feelings. Veronica gets to the point, and Logan asks whether he should start carrying around a webcam. I'd point out that using a webcam to document Logan's sexual exploits has already been done, and take it a little further by wondering if that's how Beaver got all that investment money together. I've seen worse business models, that's for damn sure. Anyway, Veronica subtly appeals to Logan's friendship with Dick by revealing Kendall's motive for possibly wanting Dick and Beaver gone, and while Logan isn't convinced of Kendall's ability to plot a murder, he does tell Veronica that Kendall kicked him out "before the sheets were dry," although given that any of the Casablancas males could have come home at any time, that's hardly incriminating evidence. Logan then starts in on other sexual exploits he's had, and, as Veronica rides a gigantic eye-roll on out of there, asks whether any of that is relevant, and whether he should make a list. I'd say not to bother -- nothing you come up with will rival the fanfic that went up before you even finished your sentence.
Inside, Veronica has just walked through the metal detectors (ConYay!) when Gia catches her and shows her the ad Veronica placed, which asks for information about the car that killed Apache. Gia tells Veronica that someone in that car mooned her on "September 13th, 7:00 PM, Pacific Coast Highway" -- minutes before the bus crash. Rarely do we go to commercial mid-scene on this show, but I can't really imagine how this scene could have been written to place the DUN! at the end.
When we're back, Veronica asks Gia what the guy in the car looked like. Gia: "All I saw was his butt." Hee. Oh, that reminds me -- the episode title pays homage to the Sex Pistols's album Nevermind The Bollocks. Gia adds that the guy gave her a "pressed ham," and if Veronica wasn't willing to get paid in meat before, I'd think this would settle the issue. Also, Gia was the only one who saw it, because she was the only one in the limo "facing in that direction," which could mean about eighteen thousand different things that have all been covered in the forums, so moving on. Gia figured it was just some stupid college kids, because they had a sticker of some mascot on their window. Also, Gia claims not to be a car person -- so I guess she hasn't been to The Woodman's hangar lately -- and she was on the phone with The Woodman only a few minutes before the crash, since he was checking to make sure that Gia could pick up her brother Rodney after his piano lesson. Besides the obvious bus-crash-related DUN! there, that revelation makes me shudder at the idea that poor Rodney was probably late getting home that day. His mother is...tough.
In another hallway, Wallace borderline adorably/"let it go, horndog boy"-ly hits on Jackie, saying that Jane's got a date for the prom, so he and Jackie should go, especially since being labeled a homewrecking maneater would be nothing compared to her established reputation as "that girl whose dad blew up the kids." Jackie, wounded, thanks Wallace for breaking it down, and leaves, as Wallace calls, "Come on! You know what I'm trying to say." Well, what I heard is that Butters is about a million times more sensitive a prom date than you, Wallace, but a small part of me doubts that that was the intended message.
Veronica parks in front of a suburban house and rings the doorbell, as we sadly note a plastic doghouse shaped like an igloo on the front lawn, so I'm guessing Apache was a Husky. Also, there's a chain to it, so I guess the poor thing really never had a chance. Some kid (looks about fourteen) with a black eye answers the door, and I hope this doesn't mean that he's related to the Mannings. That family's done enough this season, thanks. The kid recognizes Veronica from Neptune High, and after badly trying to hit on her (in a well-acted manner, though), and amusingly getting flicked in the face as a result, he directs her out back.
In the back yard, Veronica discovers "Harry" practicing shooting arrows at a target on a plastic deer. Veronica: "I hate fake deer too. Every time I see their stupid fake-deer faces I want to grab a shotgun and go all Cheney on 'em." Sure, but since fake deer don't talk, they won't be able to apologize for all the mental anguish they caused you by getting shot. And that's really the most satisfying part of the whole exercise. Anyway, Harry doesn't look away from his alarmingly accurate target practice with his alarmingly state-of-the-art-looking bow. Upon being questioned about the presence of the sticker on the car's window, Harry says that it was pretty dark, so he doesn't know. He says, though, that he really wants the guy found, as he lets fly an arrow that hits the target square in the eye. As cues to leave go, Veronica, that one's pretty, um, pointed.
Weevil's working under a car when he sees a pair of feet approach. You'd think he'd be a little more careful about being taken by surprise, but then again, he is a bad-ass. Weevil slides out to see Hector. He gets up, but he might as well not bother, because despite the fact that they stand a good distance apart for most of the scene, Hector is still to Weevil as Logan is to Veronica. (Okay, not like that.) Anyway, Hector has come for help: the Fitzpatricks are treating his boys like "their bitches." Weevil guesses that that's because they are, but he fails to add a comment about what Hector is crying like. Insult to injury, Weevil -- it's easy if you remember the formula. Hector goes for the heartstrings, saying that Arturo, "that freshman you wouldn't let join up," missed a payment and got a cigarette lighter to the face, as a result: "People are gonna die, Weevil. Your people. Thought you should know." Hector withdraws, leaving Weevil to wonder whether he really did such a great thing getting rid of Thumper. Well, no use crying over spilled support beams.
Mars Investigations. Veronica's checking a used-car website when Keith arrives with a yearbook. Veronica says that she's seen his yearbook, and that while the feather-haired Rick Springfield look worked for Keith, she doesn't need to see it now. I feel safe in saying she'd be outvoted on that matter, by a margin of the current population of the world minus one to one. Anyway, Keith says that it's Kendall Shiflet's yearbook, and when Veronica opens it to the relevant page, she learns that Kendall Shiflet doesn't look anything like our Kendall; however, an older student named "Priscilla Banks" does. This is all very Body Heat, and given the parallels, I'd suggest that Charisma Carpenter take good care of herself, because the last time I saw Kathleen Turner...well, let's just say anyone who feels getting to sleep at night is too easy should perhaps check, um, "her" out these days. Moreover, our Kendall killed the real Kendall in a car accident. Veronica: "The lengths a woman will go to to shave a few years off her age." Now if we find the other two people Kendall must have killed, we'll really be in business. Keith demurs, saying that Kendall probably changed her name because of the six months she spent in prison for "wire fraud."
At this moment, Veronica gets an IM from someone (we never do find out who, for the record) saying that he knows where the green Barracuda is, and that if she PayPals him the reward, he'll send the address. Keith proudly tells her to admit it: "The old man's got some PI chops." Without looking up from the computer (as she asks the guy for his email address), Veronica nods, all, "Yes, Timmy, that drawing made from your own snot is lovely. Now go play with your imaginary friend." This is one weird father-daughter relationship. Keith deflates, as approval is denied, and then Veronica rushes out the door. Well, I thought you did great, Keith. Have a cookie.
Veronica pulls up to a somewhat seedy-looking apartment complex. Cut to Veronica anxiously knocking on the door, as VMVO notes that bringing a bat or a large stick might have been well-advised. Or some sort of protective attack dog -- too bad you don't have one. An oldish woman with dark glasses answers, and Veronica hesitantly asks about the car, prompting the woman to show us her milky eyes and claim that she hasn't seen anything since her cataracts came back. The woman, with a hint of an Irish accent, goes on to say that the car is hers, but that it belonged to her dear departed husband, and it's staying in her garage until she croaks. She excuses herself, as she's missing "Vanna and Pat." VMVO wonders what enjoyment the blind get out of Wheel Of Fortune. I'll leave aside the somewhat unenlightened viewpoint to opine that the blind are going to take a bigger and bigger share of Wheel's audience, if the way "Pat" is aging is any indication.
Veronica enters the garage and finds the car. She quickly uses a spray to discover that there once was a sticker of what looks like a leprechaun on the window. She gets into the car and plants a tracker, and then opens the glove compartment to discover a silver pistol inside. She stares at it, all, "what does a blind person need with a gun?" as we head into another commercial break.
Mars Investigations. Keith calls Kendall's dad, pretending to be someone from her high school, and quickly learns that he only knows she's in Neptune because she sent her mother a get-well card a few months back with no return address: "You find her, you mind tellin' her her ma passed on?" Keith doesn't respond, probably wishing he'd farmed this one out to his daughter...
...who's out in the front room studying when Weevil enters. Veronica: "You here to confess? Is that your tail I see between your legs?" Weevil: "No. But I could see how you might get confused." Wow. That must make riding a motorcycle kind of hard. Weevil demands that Veronica let him into Clemmons's office. Weevil tells her about Thumper's paddle, of the existence of which Veronica is already aware, but she smoothly plays dumb. If the online hold 'em tournament I enter shows a "VMars" on my screen, I'm switching to another table. Weevil explains that he saw the paddle when he dumped the carnival cash; he tells her that Thumper was dealing for the Fitzpatricks, speculating that the license numbers on the paddle represent Fitzpatrick clients to whom Thumper was delivering, and that Thumper made it as an insurance policy. Veronica: "How's that working out for him?" Well, I doubt anyone's gotten eight figures off it. Weevil tells Veronica about Hector's revelations, and says that the paddle could be serious leverage. Satisfied on that front, Veronica asks why Weevil was following the school bus on the day of the crash. Weevil says that it was because of Cervando, who was book smart and street dumb. You might wonder what the attraction was, then, of the PCHers for Cervando, and vice versa. And if you do, you wouldn't be alone. Anyway, as we already knew, Cervando shot his mouth off about hustling Liam Fitzpatrick, but what we didn't know is that the word was out that Liam was looking for him. This, of course, conflicts with what Weevil told Veronica about not believing the Fitzpatricks would kill a busload of kids over three grand, but who can keep track of things that happened so many episodes ago? On an unrelated note, aren't you glad hyperlinks are free? Anyway, Veronica buys Weevil's story by way of a comment about his "Maybelline lashes" (heh), and then Keith heads out by them with an "Eli," "Sheriff" exchange. Aw. Weevil rises and asks for the key, which Veronica supplies (off a ring with more keys than your average custodial worker sees in a lifetime, heh), but tells him that it's worthless. She doesn't let Weevil get too het up, though, before she produces the copy of the paddle numbers she made. Weevil opines that she's unbelievable, and, pleased with herself, Veronica suggests that they find out who some of the clients are. I'd think it should be a bigger deal that she no longer thinks one of her friends is a mass murderer, but if she celebrated every time that happened, it would probably put a strain on the local bakery's resources.
Java The Hut. Veronica observes Jackie capably handling her tables, as VMVO notes that it's "nice to see all those Manhattan ballet lessons finally pay off in the service industry." I don't usually have occasion to say this when you talk, Veronica, but: huh? Cut to Veronica finding Jackie and telling her that "Table 8" requested to sit in her section. Jackie heads over to said table to find Wallace, who apologizes for his earlier behavior, and tells her that if she really doesn't have feelings for him, he'll respect that. Jackie replies that she likes him, maybe too much, but that she's been accepted to the Sorbonne (you'll remember she's big into French). Not sure how she's going to pay for it just by earning $6.75 an hour over the five weeks, but I haven't checked the exchange rates lately. Wallace thinks that's great: he really enjoys a good Sorbonne between courses. Jackie has to clarify that it's the Sorbonne in Paris, and she's leaving in five weeks, so the timing doesn't seem ideal: "There's no happy ending out there for us." Well, don't feel too bad, Jackie. I mean, if Mac and Beaver couldn't hold it together, what chance did you two have?
Elsewhere in the Hut, Veronica buses some cups, and then sees on a video monitor she has surreptitiously set up that the Barracuda is moving. She quickly asks Jackie to take her tables, and Jackie, covering her emotions from the conversation with Wallace, smiles and agrees. I always love to see actors improve, and Tessa Thompson, you've come a long way, baby.
Veronica pulls over and waits until the Barracuda comes speeding by on a cross street, and then turns and follows it. She tunes in to the audio from the tracker, and hears the driver jauntily singing along to "Treat Her Like A Lady," which, heh. We see the driver's hands, the left one of which bears a Claddagh ring, but I can't really see if the heart's pointing toward the driver or away from him. Which is just as well, because given how heatedly the point was debated in the forums, it had to have been pointing both ways simultaneously. Anyway, the car pulls over on a nice street, and a woman who looks like Kendall gets out of a car in front and hops into the Barracuda. She tells the driver that an intruder is still in the house, explaining that she saw a flashlight, and we hear that she also sounds like Kendall. And if it looks like Kendall, and sounds like Kendall, it must be Priscilla. The driver asks her to hand him his gun out of the glove box, prompting Veronica to put down her camera and call Keith. She tells him she thinks someone's going to get shot, and upon learning where she is, Keith tells her to pull up to the house and wait for him with the engine running, but to hightail it out of there if she sees anyone but him coming at her. Veronica asks what's going on, but we flash to inside the house: Keith is around the corner from the front door, which opens. Keith's forced to hang up, as the driver enters the house, and Veronica keeps saying "Dad?" to a dead line as we go to the last commercial break.
Back from break, Veronica gives up and starts her car.
Inside, Keith walks around, like WHERE IS YOUR FUCKING GUN, MR. "SHERIFF"?
Outside, Veronica pulls up a few car lengths behind the Barracuda.
Inside, Keith is heading for a window when the driver tells him to stop. Keith turns, and a chuckling Liam emerges from the shadows with an overdelivered line about the luck of the Irish. Keith basically begs for his life, but Liam isn't having it, and shoots -- but the chamber's empty. Keith flinches, but I'm sure that even the biggest stickler would let him off for this one without the requisite two punches. He recovers to tackle Liam.
Outside, Kendall stalks out of the car and confronts Veronica, demanding to know who's in her house, and what the hell is going on. The answer comes in the form of Keith and Liam crashing through the front window. Keith manages to land a few vicious elbows to Liam's face. Well, Liam, at least with all your Irish luck, the Tooth Fairy's bound to be extra generous tonight. Keith rushes to Veronica's car, and Veronica snarls to Kendall, "Move, or you're a hood ornament!" Kendall complies, probably because she's already got that job covered on her extensive résumé. Veronica peels out, and Liam staggers over to Kendall, who intones that the former sheriff breaking into her house is bad. Liam offers to track Keith down and ask why he was there. Kendall: "That would be worse." I just got scared for Beaver.
In the car, Keith dumbly notes that Liam's gun wasn't loaded. It might seem cheap that Veronica sounded so urgent on the phone when she knew that she'd taken the ammunition out of the gun, but for all she knew, Liam could have noticed and reloaded, so no problem there for me. Veronica tells Keith that the bullets are in the ashtray, and Keith pulls one out and takes a close look at it. He then looks long and hard at his daughter, and wordlessly strokes her hair, and if we needed a moment that's completely opposite in spirit to the one in "Donut Run," where Keith told Veronica he could never trust her again, we've got it. He conveys the realization that this is who Veronica is, that he had a hand in making her this way, and he now sees that all of that is a good thing, all with that one look. Lovely work from Enrico Colantoni. Anyway, Veronica asks whether this means Kendall has a secret house, and the answer's yes. Keith wearily produces Kendall's hard drive, and Veronica grins. There's your approval, Keith.
Later, at Mars Investigations, Mac has hacked into the drive. Veronica, tending to Keith's facial cuts, thanks her, but Mac says that she isn't speaking to her: "Butters asked if he should rent a room for prom night." Gross, although I doubt Butters would even get the rental pants off before the evening came to an abrupt end. Okay, that's even grosser. Mac asks whether there's anything else she can do for Keith, and he smiles and asks her to print all the emails and documents. Mac: "Your wish is my shift-command." At the "..." looks, Mac explains that it's computer humor, and Veronica playfully says that she liked it better when Mac wasn't speaking to her. We'll see exactly how much of a fiasco prom is, Veronica.
Out at the site where Thumper had Weevil beaten up, the PCHers wait in a line as the Fitzpatricks arrive to collect their cash. Hector, the obvious new leader of the PCHers, throws Liam an envelope, which Liam notes is thin, and unlike with the Stanford letter, that's not going to lead to any surprise good news. Long story short, Liam picks out a kid who just happens to be Harry's little brother, who he says has been short two weeks in a row. It looks to me like he's been short a lot longer than that, so maybe by stringing him up, they're doing him a favor. No, turns out they just want to use him as a punching bag until the other PCHers cough up enough cash for Liam to be satisfied, and worse, the tough he sends over to do the dirty work does not seem to think that punches are meant to be pulled. The cash starts flowing freely, but what actually gets Liam's attention is Weevil pulling up in his car. After some grand speechifying on both sides, Weevil produces the license-plate list, which he says has some big-shot clients on it -- "lawyers on speed, coked-up pro athletes, celebrities' kids rolling on E. Ask yourself this question -- exactly how much business did Heidi Fleiss do when her little book went public, huh?" Heh. Weevil adds that he's got copies of the list everywhere, and that the day he goes missing is the day they go public. I'm sure Thumper would be all, "I should have thought of that" if he could see this, but brimstone isn't the most transparent of substances. Liam tries to laugh off his defeat, but is unconvincing, probably because if it doesn't involve bloody knuckles or bare ass cheeks, it's not fun in Liam's book. The Fitzpatricks withdraw, as the PCHers sing Weevil's praises. Until, that is, Weevil tells them that they're on their own, and drives off. Say what you will about his morals, but he is certainly nobody's bitch. (Sorry, Logan!)
Mars Investigations. Veronica and Keith have clearly been in research mode for a while, and Veronica enters to tell Keith that the cataract woman, "Mary MacDonald," is Liam's maternal grandmother. Well, if "Gun Moll" comes up on Wheel, Mary will probably be the first to get it, bad eyes and all. Veronica also informs Keith of what she learned about Liam's grudge against Cervando, noting that Liam had access to explosives through his cousin, Danny. Keith, for his part, informs Veronica that Kendall was in contact with Liam's brother "Cormac," who's in San Quentin for fraud. What's more, Cormac and Kendall were partners -- "grifters, working the long con. She was his roper." This is looking worse and worse for Beaver. Kid is in over his head, not that that's difficult. Keith adds that Kendall took the rap for Cormac with the wire-fraud thing to save him a third strike: "I'd say the rest of the Fitzpatricks owe Kendall a big one." They speculate that Liam might have followed the bus on Kendall's behalf: "Kendall could have made the call that blew up the bus while sipping margaritas by the Casablancas pool." And if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a...ooh. Bad analogy. Also, Veronica relays what she learned from Logan. The "relevant" parts, that is.
Java The Hut. Jackie finds Wallace waiting for her at a table, and with all the associations that's starting to bring up, I just pray he doesn't order a donut. Anyway, Wallace says that they should be together, even if it's only for five weeks, and asks her to prom. She kind of adorably accepts, and Wallace goofily says that he'd better get down and grab some formalwear, since he hears "those top hats and those canes go quick." Jackie giggles as she realizes that Wallace has a monopoly on her heart. (Sorry. The things allergy medication will do to a recap.)
Chez Mars. After watching a special report on the news, Keith calls Veronica out to the living room. Veronica might associate this with being in trouble, and while that's not exactly the case, the crappy anxious feeling is right on target. Keith tells Veronica that a construction crew found Haaron's Oscar statue buried in the grounds of the Kane estate. Veronica expresses her belief that the ashtray was the murder weapon, but is happy that it seems to help their case against Haaron. But Keith informs her that both Lilly's blood and Duncan's hair were found on the Oscar. I would like to believe that there's some plausibility for this framing scenario. I really would, which is why I'll overlook the fact that knowledgeable posters in the forums pointed out that there's no way weeks-old hair taken from Duncan's drain would provide solid DNA evidence. But seriously, as about a billion posters asked, how did Lilly's blood get on the statue? Also, what criminal would go to the trouble of burying the statue without washing the DNA evidence off it? They might as well have found some Kane shit on the statue, because that bodily product is what this storyline brings to mind. (I should add, though, that some posters speculated that Haaron is trying to make it look like Logan framed Duncan, which is intriguing, and would make the clumsiness of the frame job less problematic. Still doesn't explain the blood, though. It also doesn't explain how Haaron won an Oscar, but as an astute poster pointed out, it's not like every choice the Academy has made over the years has exactly been beyond reproach or stood the test of time.)
Veronica returns to Harry's house, noting a new motorcycle in the driveway. When the brother answers (now with two black eyes), Veronica lets the truth spill, saying that Liam killed Apache because the kid was late with his payments. The kid begs Veronica not to tell Harry, since Harry isn't afraid of anyone and will kill Liam: "I'm asking you not to tell anybody so my brother doesn't spend the rest of his life in prison." You know, I just realized that this kid reminds me a little of Scott Wolf. A little weightlifting and an alcoholism storyline, and he's in business. Harry calls down to "Billy," and Veronica heads up the stairs, as VMVO notes that all she has to do is give up Liam's name, and he'll die: "He's a killer. And there's a good possibility that he's responsible for the deaths of everyone on that bus. I, for one, wouldn't miss him." Veronica reaches Harry's room, and he asks her whether she knows who ran over his dog. Veronica takes a long moment, and then: "No." Awesome. I forgive some of the contrivances about Veronica's perception of Weevil because of the lesson about moral ambiguity; I think if it wasn't likely to cause Harry's death or incarceration, Veronica totally would have given up Liam's name, and that revelation is making her realize that she and Weevil aren't so different after all.
time: lots of The Woodman and Gia. Creepy crawlies for everyone!