Veronica Mars

Previously on "Veronica Mars"...

It just went straight off the cliff. They're all dead.

This isn't your fault.

If it wasn't for me, Meg would've been in the limo.

She wouldn't need a machine to breathe.

You met Jackie, right?

I didn't realize you were lunch buddies.

I like her, okay?

- Hey, Veronica. - Hey, Jackie...

and random dude.

This is Veronica, the girl I was a total biatch to.

Hey, check this out.

Mr. David "Curly" Moran.

You've never seen him before?

I have seen this man before.

Why would this man have my name magic-markered across his hand?

What was it Aaron wrote to Curly on that picture?

"All these years still on 'The Long Haul, '"

"featuring a stunt performed by David 'Curly' Moran."

The bus crash...

it was meant for me.

Hey, Cher!

You know that guy?

No.

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. Bloch, and he'll be in touch tomorrow.

Ah, the man of the hour.

Keith Mars, Julie Bloch.

Looking forward to working with you.

Huh.

Nice.

Jumpy fiancé?

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!

- 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.