Veronica Mars: The More Things Change

It looks like they’re serious about putting Mac and Buddy through the wringer.  They have them sitting in good old Interrogation Room 2.  It’s warmer in there than it should be making their faces sheeny.  The room is blank and impenetrable to contemplation; it’s not the place to be when you need think up a good alibi or excuse, and there Mac and Buddy sit.  Neither of them are really aware of what the sheriffs of Neptune County are really up to.  A uniformed sheriff enters the room.
“Would you like a coffee?” she asks Mac.  To Buddy, “How about a soda?”
Mac dismisses her with a shake of her head.
“Coke would be cool,” Buddy answers.
Veronica knows that if Mac had agreed to coffee it would either be ice cold or otherwise undrinkable. Even the coke Buddy may or may not receive will probably be warm; it will likely erupt violently upon opening.  This is a scene of a scripted story that she’s all too familiar with.  She lets the scene play out for ten more minutes before she asks, “Is this really necessary, guys?”
They won’t let her or Adam join Mac in the interrogation room.  They wouldn’t have let them stand in the observation room without a phone call from Leo.  She didn’t enjoy making that call, but it was worth it for her to make sure Mac and Buddy were treated fairly.  Who knows what kind of craziness they’d try to pull if she weren’t there watching?
“Are you really going to ice them like this?  What...you going to leave them hanging in there for an hour.  You think that’ll break them or something?  I’m going to Leo and telling him this amateur hour has got to stop.”
Veronica looks to Adam for some support but he’s in observation mode oblivious to the conversation.  His eyes are focused on his charges and any threat to them that might suddenly appear.  She has no doubt that should some threat make itself seen he would be jumping gun in hand through that one way mirror like a Hong Kong action hero.
A pair of suited detectives consider her words silently then consult with each other with looks.  One just shrugs and leaves the room.
“How about I get in there and help you guys out?”
“Now...now...Miz Mars, Sheriff Leo was especially clear on that point.  Under no circumstances are you to be allowed into the middle of the interrogation.  I hope you recall that.”
Sometimes it sucked not having that badge pinned to her hip anymore.
“You stay here,” he continues.  “You watch.  Nothing more.”
He leaves her alone in the observation room to watch his partner enter Interrogation Room 2.  A can of coke in his left hand and a manila folder in his right, he casually takes a chair opposite to  Mac and Buddy.  He slides the coke to Buddy who makes a sticky mess of opening the can.  To this Veronica can only sigh and shake her head.  Buddy is embarrassed and ashamed; he should have known better.  He looks at his mother for some kind of comfort, but she’s a little preoccupied with her own worries for him to care about spilled soda.
The second detective barges into the room; the door BANGS when it slams open.  And when the detective turns it BANGS when he slams it shut.  It startles both son and mother and each of them sit at the edge of their seats paying complete attention to the second detective.
“We got you kid!” the second detective booms.
The first detective waves his manila folder around.  Veronica suspects there’s nothing in it save for blank papers or maybe swimsuit shots from the last department trip to Mexico, but she can’t do anything about it but watch and wait.
“Eyewitness accounts put you at the scene of a burglary earlier around six.  We’ve got you, and you’re Mommy can’t do anything for you.”
The last sentence is directed at Mac.  Veronica can’t imagine what she’s going through right now.  She could usually count on Mac to sass the cops, but right now Mac’s feeling like her kid’s whole future is on the line.  It’s a vulnerability all mothers share, and these detectives are taking complete advantage of it.  She’s probably running through all the horrible possibilities and just as she’s winding down through the worst of them: Buddy in prison.  The detectives slow themselves.
“But we know it’s not true,” the first detective says sweetly then adds, “Your son is in trouble, but if he just helps us out with this then everything will be fine.  Your family won’t have anything to worry about.”
Mac, like any truly desperate person, knows a lifeline when it’s thrown to her.  Veronica can read it in her eyes, she’s ready to do anything and say anything to put this madness behind her.  Mac’s brain just isn’t working right now and the only thing that Veronica can think of to do is slam her open palm SMACK on the observation window.
She does that two more times in quick session.  SMACK.  SMACK.  The second and third times catch the attention of the room.  If she and her friend Mac could only just lock eyes that would snap Mac out of it.  Veronica is sure of that.  She’s just staring into her friend’s eyes and willing her to snap back to herself.  For some strange reason it works.
Veronica watches Mac turn her head back to the detectives and say one word softly but firmly, “Lawyer.”



The detectives are still staring at their own reflection, but soon enough they’re both on the feet and out the door.  They stomp into the room loud and angry.  Veronica can’t quite follow the threats they’re making: “obstruction this” and “accessory that.”  She just yawns and asks, “Where can I get a cup of coffee?”
When Veronica returns, things have settled some, Cliff has arrived.  She waits and watches until Cliff points to her through the glass and points to an empty seat.  She wanders into the room and greets everyone.  Mac hugs her and Veronica musses Buddy’s hair.
“Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you...” Mac repeats.
Veronica returns her friend’s embrace and soothes her, “It’s fine Mac.  Cliff’s here.  He can handle this.”
She catches Cliff shaking his head.
“We’ll figure this out,” Veronica adds.  “We always do, don’t we?”
“If you didn’t do what you did, I would have...but I could just imagine you on the other side of that glass and I remembered myself.  But it’s not like that’s going to change anything,” she sputters.  “It’s terrible.  Tell her Cliff.”
The two friends disengage and Veronica takes a seat.
“This is bad, real bad,” Cliff starts.  “Sheriff’s got a bug up his butt and he needs to flip someone to close this burglary thing.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that this whole thing’s a OneMex thing.”
Veronica knows that name.  She also knows who she should be speaking to next, but that can wait for now.  For now she needs to hear what Cliff has to say.
“OneMex is all in this.  I got the call just after I walked into the station, and it was a freaking recorded message.  How many times have they made this threat that they need to make a recording of it for their own convenience?  Gist of it is, if Buddy talks OneMex is going to vanish him.  If Buddy doesn’t then the Sheriff’s going to put all of this on him.  I can give you about a day or two, but I’m just stalling.  If this thing doesn’t get fixed, then it’s going to trial because the DA won’t make a deal.”
Veronica can only just shake her head and wonder how did this get so bad so quickly.

Veronica walks up to the house.  She can’t help herself; she’s doing her Fed on a case strut.  She doesn’t even know it.  The house isn’t remarkable.  It’s a well-kept three bedroom on the wrong side of town, but it’s nice enough for the man and his family who lives there.  She’s been by here a few times over the last few years.  Sometimes she was on business and other times she was just there to catch up with an old friend.
“Veronica Mars,” Eli “Weevil” Navarro calls out.
He’s sitting on his porch watching his street the way a shepard watches a flock of sheep.  Sitting there he can ensure the peace and safety of his neighborhood.  After years of violence and turmoil, he’s earned some rest.
“Thought I’d see you at that Casablancas thing next week,” Weevil continues.  “Didn’t think you’d be leaving the comfort of Mac’s guesthouse for nothing.”
“You know me Weevil.  A girl’s just got to get out of the house sometimes.”
Weevil walks up to the gate and opens it for her.
“Come in girl...have a seat and we’ll have a drink.  It’s not like you’re on duty anymore, right?”
Veronica considers that and wonders if he’s busting her chops.
“Yeah, sure Weevil.  That sounds good.  There’s things we need to talk about and a beer sounds like it’ll hit the spot.”
“Ladybug!” Weevil calls out.  Lilly “Ladybug” Navarro pops her head out the front door.
“Yeah pop?” she asks.
“Bring us a couple of brews baby.  You can have a soda and sit with us while we talk.”
“In a bit pop.”
“Lovely daughter you got there,” Veronica ventures.
“She sure is.  Kinda reminds me of you when we were at Neptune High.  So sassy and spunky,” Weevil responds.  “I’m happy you get to teach her some of your reporter moves.  I know it won’t help keep her out of trouble, but if she can learn from the best...that eases this father’s worries.”
Veronica laughs some of that off as she pulls up a seat at a small table that sits on Weevil’s porch.
Ladybug arrives carrying drinks.  The beers she places in front of her father and Veronica.  She takes her soda and sits next to her father.
“So how’s everything V?  You settling back into Neptune alright?”
“Just about.”
Weevil gets quiet now and eyes Veronica fiercely.
“You okay there Weevil?  You having a stroke or something?”
“Always the smartass V.  Always a smartass,” he says.  “Fine...let’s just get on with it then.  You’re not here for the smalltalk.  You’re here about Mac’s kid Buddy.”
“Just as clued in then are we?  Nothing gets past you.”
“Let’s just say lots of little birds have my ear.”
“Then you can make this go away then?  The Walther-Mackenzies would very much appreciate this going away.”
“Believe me nothing would give me more pleasure than to help Buddy out.  My Ladybug has got nothing but good things to say about him.”
“Pop!” she interjects.
“Shush Ladybug.  You’re here to listen and learn.  If you have something to contribute we can talk about it after.  For now just listen,” Weevil admonishes his daughter.  “I would love nothing but to help out an old friend like Mac, but I have agreements and commitments to consider.”
“So you’re hooked into this burglary thing?”
“Not particularly.  But let’s say...a friend of a friend has asked me not to interfere in this matter.  My hands are tied.”
“And me?  What if I choose to interfere?”
“Let’s suppose I gave you a stern warning not to interfere?”
“Warning like that sounds like a challenge to me.”
“Not the way I intend it to.  Really what’s the harm?  Cliff’s a good lawyer.  Buddy pleads out on a first offense and he gets probation.  Doesn’t sound like much to me.  The alternative isn’t something I want to consider.”
“That would be fine if the DA were being cooperative but there’s no deal for Buddy,” she explains.  “So this is how OneMex works then?  Intimidation and strong arming?”
“OneMex...can’t say I’ve ever hear of it.  But I have to respect the agreements I’ve made to ensure the peace of Neptune.”
“And some guy can’t abide by those agreements?  They ‘vanish’?”
“Not sure what you’re getting at there Veronica.”
“Neptune’s a pretty safe place these days,” she notes.  “No one gets hurt or killed.  Somehow they just disappear.  When a body turns up they’re found conveniently just across the county line.  I remember someone telling me that OneMex would be best for Neptune.  I just can’t remember who said that to me.”
“Believe me V, considering the alternatives, OneMex is better for Neptune then anything else out there.”

This is it; it’s the culmination of a long struggle between two fierce orders.  And it’s right and fitting that it ends here in the deep desert away from Neptune at a lonely three room shack.  The only thing that keeps it standing are the rusty nails and sand that buttress its thick planks.  A flickering light can be seen by the three cars that approach it.  Who can say how many people are there plotting and conspiring their next move?
The cars form a u-shape around the shack and shadows emerge from them.  They carefully keep themselves under their car’s cover and out of the line of sight of the shack.  Ten of these shadows consult with each before taking their strategic places to await the end of the Fitzpatricks.
“Liam!” Eli yells.  “We know you’re in there.  Nobody’s got your back anymore.  You and yours come out here and let’s finish this.”
A smaller shadow approaches Eli and asks, “Jefe.  We have them here.  Let’s just rush them already.”
“I ain’t your Jefe.  I’m not your boss.  We’re doing this because it’s got to be done.  We can’t have a monster like Liam Fitzpatrick running things in Neptune anymore.  I’m sick and tired of the blood he’s let spill on the streets and all I really want to do right now is end this without getting any more of you killed.  So we’re going to be patient, and we’re going to let this play out.  That way I won’t have to lie to your mother about what’s happened to you.”
There’s some noise and action behind the walls of the shack.  No one can see anyone moving but they know they’re there.  If they knew exactly where there was they might be shooting at it already, but Eli’s left strict orders.  No one shoots until he starts shooting.
“That you Weevil?” Liam Fitzpatrick yells.  “Thought for sure I got you last time at the Body Shop.”
“You did...I was wearing a vest you crazy bastard!  You ready to talk about it now?  We can grab a beer and talk about you leaving Neptune and never coming back.”
“Me.  Leave Neptune?  Never!  I’ll be pissing on your gravestone when I’m old and gray.”
“I hate to break this to you Liam, but we’ve got you outnumbered.  How many guys you got in there?  Four...maybe six tops?  We’ve got ten out here.  I hoped you told your guys this is going to be your last stand, right?   None of you will be getting out of this desert alive.”
“Hear that boys?  This guy thinks we’re going to be the ones dying here tonight,” Liam yells then starts to laugh and laugh.  His cackling and the sound of the wind blowing past them are two things that test the already strained nerves of Eli’s people.
Eli knows they can’t stay out here all night.  They’ve spent the whole day running Liam to ground.  His guys won’t last through sun up, and he won’t risk a frontal assault.  Reasoning with the crazy bastard that Liam’s become isn’t working either.  Maybe if he can get the rest of Liam’s crew out of that damned shack he could just set the whole thing on fire and watch Liam have a good old Viking’s funeral.
“Any of you in there want to watch the sun come up tomorrow ought to come out right right now.  My word you won’t be hurt if you do that right now.”
Eli imagines he can hear the discussion happening in the shack, but that’s just an illusion.  He doesn’t have any idea what’s going on in there or what’s going to happen next.
Two empty hands appear along the edge of the door’s jamb.
“I’m coming out.  Don’t shoot!”
“No one fires!” Eli tells his guys.  “I’ll kill you myself if you screw this up.”
The hands become a person and Eli sees it’s just a boy.  He can’t be more than sixteen.
“Keep your hands up and turn around,” Eli directs him.  “Walk straight backwards until you hit one of the cars.  We’ll take care of you from there.  You try anything though and you’re dead...”
BANG.
Eli doesn’t even see the muzzle flash.  He hears the BANG and watches the kid fall dead to the sand and dirt.  His guys don’t seem to know what’s going on, but their discipline holds.  Unfortunately Eli’s doesn’t.
“You crazy mick!  Liam you freaking bastard.  He was just a kid,” Eli laments.
All Liam does is laugh and laugh and laugh.
Something in Eli snaps.  He’ll never remember this moment himself, but his people will.  The memory will haunt their dreams until they take it to their graves.  Eli bounces to his feet presenting a perfect target to anyone in the shack.  He rushes past the kid’s body to the door.  In the shack proper now he sees three or four faces staring at him.  Something in Eli’s expression keeps them in check.  They don’t raise their weapons to fire.  Liam’s laughter is a beacon and Eli follows it to the back room where Liam has his gun pointed up at Weevil who closes the distance to Liam.  They struggle while Liam fires his gun until it clicks empty.  It’s now hand to hand and Eli proceeds to beat his enemy until he can’t tell if the blood on his hands is Liam’s or his own.  His knuckles bare and raw are cut and oozing red.
“It didn’t have to be like this.  We came to you.  We told you that this had to stop.  Did you stop?  No!  You didn’t.  You killed him.  Your brother was a priest and all he wanted was for the violence to stop.  He was a good man for a Fitzpatrick.”
Liam is still alive breathing shallow labored breaths when Eli announces loud enough for everyone inside and outside of the shack to hear, “Take that kid and get out of here!  If I hear any of you running wild like Liam here I’ll do this to you too...then I’ll do it to everyone you’ve ever loved or cared about.  Neptune’s not a battleground anymore.  This war is over.”
His guys let Liam’s former crew out of the shack in peace.  His people come to him after all of this.  Some of them are whispering to each other in Spanish and others are just praying under their breaths.  All of them are in awe of what they’ve just seen.
“You all heard me?” he asks them.  “This war is over.  We won.”
They all agree.
“Good,” he says.  He finally pulls his gun and puts a bullet into Liam that ends all of his madness and suffering.  “Burn this place down to ashes.  I’m going home to read a story to my baby girl.  I think I’ve earned that much.”
Eli exits the shack and hops into one of the cars and drives out of the desert as the shack begins to burn.  He really should be thinking about what comes next.  He should have had plans in place, but for now he’ll just enjoy the peace he’s earned.

Somewhere out in the ocean, somewhere between the borders, a guy kayaks his way North under a jet black sky in pitch darkness.  Anyone with any sense who sees such a thing might say that this guy is crazy to leave himself so vulnerable to the elements and to the darkness.  Others with more sense might think that something funny is going on.  And if Veronica Mars could see the scene unfold, she’d just say this guy’s smuggling something.
The kayak moves North making steady progress.  It’s hard to say just how the guy navigates his craft in the darkness; maybe it’s GPS or perhaps it’s just experience.  Somehow he finds a route avoiding any real obstacle.
SPLASH.  SPLASH.  SPLASH.  The rhythm of his oars beats out.  The sound itself is drowned out by the wind and the low hum of waves crashing on the nearby shore.  This guy in the kayak is undetectable and invisible.
Unless you are in a boat sitting directly in its path, you’d never note its passage.  If you were on that boat, you wouldn’t be able to see him.  Unless you had a good pair of night vision goggles, you’d never see his heat signature like a roaring campfire on a black desert night.  And if you had some sort of bad intentions, if you wanted to intercept him and steal whatever valuable items he is transporting, you wouldn’t be able to to hit him with a bullet while aboard that boat.  Unless you were a trained sniper with a gyroscopic platform to shoot your rifle from.
BANG.  BANG.  BANG.
Quickly the boat makes its way to the kayak.  There’s a very small window of time before the kayak disappears into the ocean’s maw.  A grapple and hook is thrown and the kayak itself is recovered, but the body is lost somehow.  The killer whose face is just a shadow shrugs and examines the contents of the kayak before he starts the boat up and heads for shore.
“Half a job...that’s not gonna cut it,” he mutters to himself as the harbor lights come into view.

Frustrated, Veronica Mars is not sure of what she should do next.  For much of the day, she’s been lightly investigating around the edges of Buddy’s case.  She’s not afraid so much for herself; she’s far more concerned of making matters worse.  A different Veronica, a younger Veronica would have jumped into the middle of the mess consequences be damned.  That Veronica would have poked and poked until the sheer chaos broke the case open, then the bad guys would go to prison and the good guys would save some innocents from terrible fates.  Of course in the process someone would invariable die or be irreparably harmed in some way, but that’s just how the old Veronica Mars closed her cases.  That Veronica Mars is dead; she died one morning after opening a package she thought was from her father.
This Veronica Mars is careful.  She picks her spots now.  If there is one thing she has learned from all the tragedy of the past two years it is fear.  Of course all that care and fear won’t help her crack this case.  She can’t quite track down the Sheriff’s supposed “witness”.  That could wait; by the time the trial rolls around she’ll have all the information she needs to dig and dig until the truth reveals itself.  Unfortunately that won’t help Buddy or Mac, by then the media will be in a frenzy and everyone will think that the eldest son of Max and Mac Walther-Mackenzie is just another spoiled rich brat.  Buddy would likely survive that storm, but the process would be painful for everyone involved.
Veronica ponders the situation; with her eyes closed she focuses on all the information she has available.  She lets her mind wander around all the various possibilities and choices, but they’re all blind alleys.  Eventually when all the options have been exhausted, she realizes that she herself has no real choice.  The path before her is clear and fraught with terror.  She reaches inside herself looking for that old Veronica Mars; she’s been put in a box and locked away for months now.  Naturally she’s reluctant to open that box.  It took some effort and will to put that part of herself away in the first place.  To put it back into that box again might prove impossible.  That might just be a choice she’ll have to live with.
“Veronica!” Mac calls.
The sound of her friend’s voice saves her from having to make an immediate decision.  She meets Mac in her foyer where she is told that they are expecting a visit from Eli Navarro.  Before either can say anything else, the doorbell chimes.  Mac opens the door and invites Eli and his daughter into the house.
“Mac, it’s always a pleasure to see you even under these circumstances,” Eli starts.
“Of course.  Please come into the living room and sit.  I hope you have good news for us.”
“What’s this about Weevil?” Veronica asks.
Ladybug shoots her a dirty look as Veronica calls her father by his nickname, and Eli soothes her anger rubbing her shoulders.
“Please,” Mac insists.  “Let’s settle and get comfortable before we discuss anything further.”
To this Veronica and Eli nod; they follow her into the living room.  There they settle into the couches and Mac offers everyone refreshments.
“I’ll help you Mrs.  Walther-Mackenzie,” Ladybug volunteers.
“Please call me Mac,” Mac tells her.  They leave for the kitchen.
“Now Weevil!  What’s going on?  Last I left you...you were rather insistent on making Buddy take all the heat for this.”
“Well, I checked things out and you’re right.  The DA’s not going to back down on this.  He’s on a tear and wants to send a message to all the ‘09ers.’  I really don’t want to see Mac’s kid go down on this, but I couldn’t think of any way around it.”
“So you’re here to tell Mac that there’s nothing you can do about it?”
“I wouldn’t be here at all if Ladybug didn’t have a great idea.  I swear Veronica; she’s smart like you were.”
“So what’s the great idea then?”
Mac and Ladybug reappear carrying a selection of refreshments that they hand out to everyone.  Once they’re both settled again, Eli continues.
“It’s not the best solution, but it will solve Buddy’s problems.  Please let my daughter explain.”
All eyes are on Ladybug, but she doesn’t even blink under the burden of everyone’s attention.
“Okay,” Ladybug starts.  “Way I see it is Buddy can flip on the guys who did this, but then he’d be held to the laws of the street.  If he doesn’t flip, then the courts will fall on him.  What if Buddy didn’t have to worry about either the street or the courts?”
“Just how would Buddy pull off that miracle?” Veronica asks.
Before Ladybug can explain further, Buddy wanders into the living room calling for his mother.
“Oh...hi everybody?” he says.
“Good.  Perfect.  Have a seat Buddy.  You should be here for this,” Eli says.  “When it comes down to it, this decision has to be yours and yours alone.
“With all due respect of course to your mother Mac,” Eli directs to Mac.
“So as I was saying.  Buddy’s in a tough spot.  I was thinking to myself that if Buddy were with us then he wouldn’t be in no tough spot anymore.  When you’re with us we take care of stuff like that.”
“What do you mean by ‘with us’?” Mac asks.
Eli and his daughter whisper in each other’s ear conferring about how much and what they should say to answer her question.
“I would like to extend an invitation to your son to join my organization,” Eli says carefully.
Mac and Buddy both give him a confused look, but Veronica just gets mad.
“You want him to join your gang?” she asks incredulously.  “Buddy joins your gang and that will solve his problems?”
Now it looks like Eli might blow his top, but he takes a moment to breath and he calms down before he says precisely, “It’s not a gang.  We ensure the peace in Neptune.  And that’s about as much as I can say about that.”
“So you’re like the cops,” Buddy asks.
“Sort of,” Ladybug answers.
“I don’t know...” Mac repeats softly.
“Like I said earlier, it’s a solution to your son’s problem.  I don’t imagine it’s the best one, but it will take care of everything,” Eli confirms.
“You won’t be picked on anymore at school.  You won’t be ignored.  You’ll have respect,” Ladybug tells Buddy.
“If you want this to happen, you have to choose right now.  We’re having our initiation in two hours,” Eli says.
“How can we choose this?  We don’t even know what it really means,” Mac complains.
“I promise you your son won’t be hurt by this by us.”
“And if you happen to get into a beef with some other crew?” Veronica asks.
“Conflict is something we try very hard to avoid, but when it is unavoidable we do not run away from it.”
“You’re going to put a gun in my son’s hands and tell him he has to kill like he were a soldier?” Mac asks.
“It may be necessary someday in the future, but for now the most we’ll ask of him is to help tutor some of the initiates his own age,” Eli says.  “Like my daughter here who can’t seem to figure out Chemistry.  I know your son is very smart and Ladybug can learn a lot from someone like him.”
“A little bit of tutoring today and ten years from now it’s a drive-by?” Veronica demands.
This time Eli doesn’t relax nor back down.
“That is not what this organization is about,” he says firmly and flatly.  “We don’t go looking for trouble, but when trouble finds us we don’t hide from it either.
“Besides, it’s not your decision Veronica.  It’s up to Buddy to choose for himself.  Don’t mistake this for anything than what it is Buddy.  This is a lifetime commitment to people who will be as close to you as you are to your brother and sister.  This is not something you should choose to do lightly.  I wish you had the time to seriously think and consider this but you don’t.  It’s now or nothing.  If you’d like to discuss this privately, my daughter and I can wait in another room.”
“Veronica, if you could show them to the patio.  I think I need to speak with my son.”
Veronica leads them out to a luxurious patio where they sit in silence until Ladybug speaks.
“Ms.  Mars please believe that this is a sincere offer.  We want to help and this is the best we can do.”
“I appreciate this Ladybug.  Really I do, but I can’t help but feel that it’s wrong somehow.”
“Let me be honest with you V,” Eli confesses.  “I would have tried to recruit Buddy anyway.  I was only waiting to see if he’d mature into a man with discipline and inner strength.  I know he’s young, but I expect he’s exactly what my organization will need someday: a strong and smart man who is very well connected.”
“I appreciate the honesty Eli,” Veronica says, “But I have to wonder if you’re not telling me something.”
“I could also add,” Eli says.  “My daughter here is sweet on the boy and I just can’t say “No” to my Ladybug.”
“Papa!” Ladybug chimes.   Eli just smiles and shushes her.
“It’s not that at all,” Veronica continues.  “Look me in the eye right now and tell me that you didn’t set this up from the very beginning just for this.”
Eli quickly looks at his old and dear friend and says, “I’m not behind any of this.  None of my guys are behind this.”
Veronica considers this, but before she can tell one way or another Mac appears to lead them back to the living room.  When they’re seated again, Buddy speaks.
“I talked it over with my Mom and I’m thinking I should accept your offer Mr. Navarro.”
There’s a long pause before he continues.  
“But I think my Mom would feel a lot better about this if Ms. Mars gave this whole thing her approval.  She trusts you so much and if you can say for sure this is the way to go then she’ll be a little less worried.”
Veronica turns to Eli and stares him down.  Eli just answers her stare.
“Look me in the eye and tell it to me again Eli.  Tell me my best friend’s oldest boy won’t be hurt by this.”
“V.  I’m not behind this, but if it’ll make things right I’ll look into who is.  I won’t lie about your boy’s safety Mac; this thing of ours isn’t for babies.  We are men and we take risks.  Sometimes we get hurt, but we take care of each other.  The most I can promise is we won’t hurt him and if anyone else does we’ll make them regret it.”
Veronica’s trying to make a deep read, but it’s not giving her any real certainty about Eli’s honesty.  When her intuition fails her, the best she can do is to trust her old friend and hope for the best.
“I think Eli is for real, but you better believe that if Buddy gets so much as a hangnail I’m looking into it.  And if I find out that this is anything more than what you’ve described then I’m coming after you Eli.  And you know what happens to the people I come after, right?”
“Believe me V.  You are the last person in the world I would want to make my enemy.”
“Take him then,” Mac says.  “Bring him back in one piece.”
Eli and Ladybug lead Buddy out the front door.  Once that door closes, Mac falls apart.  Nothing Veronica says or does can console her at all.