3.07 "Of Vice and Men"
Aired Nov 14, 2006
Details
[Note: You'll notice some scenes are a little...underwritten. This is due to someone not yet sufficiently recovered from their hangover to turn in their copy. If everyone yells really loudly, you might wake her up in Oz.]
Mars' Apartment: Veronica sneaks into the apartment. Making as little noise as possible, she goes into her bedroom and packs a bag with some clothes. She creeps to the door to make her get away but Keith appears out of his bedroom door and asks her where she stayed the night. Veronica doesn't respond, so Keith says he called Logan who said he didn't know where she was either. Veronica coldly says that she didn't come home last night, just like he didn't come home the night before that. Keith realises this is about Harmony and ask if they could talk about it. Veronica doesn't think there's anything to talk about and says that Wallace is letting her stay at his dorm room while he and his roommate study at a motel. She then sarcastically says that she thought Keith would be happy since he's free to have his married girlfriend over and go "crazy". Keith tells her not to make jokes and that it's his life, his choice. Veronica says this is hers, and without another word, she turns and leaves.
Wallace and Piz's dorm room: Hair wet and dressed in only a t-shirt and short pants, Veronica searches through the closet as her voiceover says that since every male in her life has let her down, she's here to seek sanctuary, where no one can find her. Oblivious to the fact that Piz is standing at the door, watching her. He clears his throat. Veronica jumps in surprise and whirls around asking him how long he's been standing there. He quickly replies that it was only 2 seconds. She asks him what he's doing there instead of cramming at the motel with Wallace. He says that Wallace went a little psychotic about the studying and then curiously asks her why she's crashing in their room. She doesn't answer, and starts getting her bag saying she'll leave. Piz says she's welcome to stay. Veronica stops packing, quizzically looks at Piz and considers the proposition.
Hearst Dorms: Meryl is sitting on the floor outside Sully's room, leaning against the wall, when Moe walks by and asks if he can help her. She tells him that she's waiting for her boyfriend, but he's not there yet, and Moe offers her tea. Meryl gives him a strange look, but presumably accepts.
Wallace and Piz's dorm room: Veronica is staring intently at her computer screen. Piz is "reading," but keeps sneaking not-so-subtle glances at Veronica. A knock sounds, and Piz answers the door to find Moe and Meryl, who is drinking tea. As Piz greets Moe, Moe looks past him to see Veronica lying on Wallace's bed, still in her pajamas, working on her computer, and Veronica hastens to inform everyone that it's not what it looks like. Moe winks slyly at Piz and then asks if Piz has seen Sully. Moe introduces Meryl and asks if Sully knew she was coming to visit. She tells them that Sully was supposed to pick her up at the airport, and insists that something happened, since he's not usually one to flake out. Everyone looks at Veronica, and she agrees to help out.
Opening Credits – we used to be friends...
Sully's dorm room: Moe opens the door and Veronica enters. Piz asks Moe if he's got keys to all the rooms. Moe says that all R.A.s do. Veronica makes a comment about all the posters on the wall of scantily-clad women. Meryl says that they belong to Sully's roommate. Veronica, as well as Piz and Moe, starts searching the room. Piz searches through a toiletry bag and says that toothbrush and razor are still there. Moe finds beer and says that it's not allowed. Meanwhile Veronica finds a Freshman Facebook, with a picture of a girl named Scarlett Reyes circled in red. She shows Meryl and asks if she knows who Scarlett is. Meryl says she doesn't but that Sully didn't circle it because his circles are more perfect. Veronica gives her a sceptical look. Meryl then says that she appreciates all their help, but that she's just going to wait in the room for Sully to show up. Veronica says she has a class but will check on Meryl after that. Veronica turns to go but spots something in the bin, she removes a credit-card receipt and says she'll check if Sully is out spending money.
Lecture hall: Professor Landry tells the class that for their Term Research Paper they have to plan the perfect murder and it's up to them who the victim is. Veronica's voiceover woefully notes that this is coming from her would be mentor who can't even plan an affair with the dean's wife. She mentally adds him to her list of men who disappoints. As the class leaves, Landry calls Veronica aside to speak to her. He tells her that he's recommending her for a summer internship at the FBI since a friend of his runs the program. He gives her the application, requiring 1500 words on why she'd benefit from the program, and says he'll accept this in lieu of the ‘plan the perfect murder' paper. Veronica's voiceover surmises that all she has to do for this dream internship is keep her mouth shut.
Hearst College: Veronica comes out of class and finds Logan waiting for her. She assures him she's on the case, but Lamb won't let her see Mercer until the morning. Logan responds that he's not there to talk about Mercer but to make things right between them. Veronica points out that he told her Mercer couldn't have raped a girl because he was with Logan the day of the August rape, but he won't tell her what he was doing or why he can't provide an alibi. Logan says that he hoped her desire to find the real rapist would outweigh her desire to drag him over the coals. He asks her to trust him, because it's better if the secret stays one. Veronica asks how bad their alibi is if Mercer would rather stay in jail for rape than tell it to the Sheriff. She points out that maybe she doesn't want to know what they were doing. Logan angrily asks her when she hasn't wanted to know something. He then changes the subject, telling her Keith woke him up the night before wanted to know where she was. Veronica tells him it's better if the secret stays with her, and then she walks away.
Sully's dorm room: Veronica knocks on Sully's door, and Meryl opens the door expectantly, but the excited look on her face fades when she sees Veronica. Meryl says that she wants to go to the police, but Veronica dissuades her, since it hasn't been 48 hours, and Lamb would laugh her out of his office if she took the matter to them so soon. Veronica says that there hasn't been any credit card activity, but asks Meryl if she knows his cell phone PIN number. There are twelve new messages — the first two are from Meryl, waiting at the airport, and the third is from Scarlet, the girl circled in the Freshman Facebook, wanting to confirm a meeting. Meryl asks what Veronica makes of that, and Veronica looks at her like she's an idiot.
Sheriff's Department: Veronica visits Mercer's cell, which he's sharing with two other guys he's not too keen on getting to know. Veronica makes a few penitentiary jokes at Mercer's expense but then gets to business and says that she's there because Logan told her he had an alibi for the both of them on August 13th , the night of the third rape. Mercer confirms the alibi for that night but has no idea for the nights of the other 3 rapes. Veronica asks him what he and Logan were up to that night. Mercer says that Logan has good reason to not tell her but assures her that Logan is a solid guy. Veronica asks if there's anything that he can tell her to help clear him. Mercer says that GQ had a sample of his cologne in its back-to-school issue so he's hardly the only guy at Hearst who owns clippers and subscribes to GQ. Veronica asks about the GHB. Mercer says that it's not his and says he thinks someone who owes him money is setting him up — Pi Sig president Chip Diller and dean O'Dell. Veronica accuses him of lying about the dean. Mercer replies that the dean is a big boxing fan who gets a student aide to place the bets for him. Veronica says she'll look into it.
Sully's dorm room: Veronica enters Sully and Glen's room, asking if Meryl has had any luck. Meryl tells Veronica that she's called the hospitals and talked to his professors, but no one has heard anything. She then goes on to tell Veronica that Sully was working with lasers in his physics class, and wonders if he's invented a laser cannon and is running from sinister forces. Veronica asks if Meryl has ever heard of Occam's Razor, which she explains is the theory that the least complicated option in a set of explanations for a phenomenon is the one that should be embraced. In this case, that means that the space laser is probably not the answer, but Sully trying to break up with Meryl might be. Meryl says that she hopes that's it, because at least she'd know he was okay. The door opens, and a grungy guy walks in. Veronica asks if he's Glen, and after some bad flirting, he asks where Sully is. Sully had asked Glen to leave while Meryl was visiting, and the last time Glen saw Sully, Sully said he was going surfing, which throws Meryl off, since Sully doesn't surf. Glen reveals that Sully and Meryl had a huge fight the night before Meryl came to visit, and Veronica confronts Meryl with this piece of news.
Mars Investigations: Harmony drops by to visit Keith. Keith expresses his moral dilemma about continuing their relationship but Harmony tries to ease this by telling him that she's in a loveless marriage and that she'll leave her husband once he gets back from his business trip. Keith tries to dissuade her by reminding her that she has a child to think of. Harmony says she understands this is complicated and invites him on a weekend away to figure it all out. Cut to moments later, Harmony exits Keith's office and is startled by Vinnie, who, to her surprise addresses her as Mrs Chase. Cut to Keith's office, Vinnie enters and says that he want to make a deal. He says that the Fitzpatricks have hired him to find where Kendal Casablancas has hidden the money she owes them. He offers to split the retainer with Keith if he tells him where Kendal has hidden the money. Keith says he doesn't know where Kendal is. Vinnie happily accepts Keith's answer and gives him an envelope. Keith opens it to find pictures of him and Harmony in her hotel room. Keith looks at the pictures and asks Vinnie how much he wants. After humorously praising himself for his handy work, Vinnie drops the humour and says that he wants $4,000 which is double what Mr Chase is paying him to prove that his wife is cheating on him.
Hearst Cafeteria: Veronica and Meryl enter the cafeteria, and Veronica finds some plants to hide behind. She chides Meryl again for not telling her about the fight, but Meryl says that it was just the long-distance stuff getting to them. Veronica incredulously asks if Meryl is suspicious, and then turns her attention back to the crowd and sees Scarlet. Meryl tries to go talk to her, but Veronica holds her back, not wanting to spook Sully if he's coming to meet Scarlet. Meryl insists — still — that Sully is in trouble, and goes to Scarlet's table. Veronica follows. After introductions, Veronica begins interrogating Scarlet, then moves on to questioning Scarlet's wardrobe choices for a study date, and then attacks Meryl's space laser theory. Meryl protests, and Veronica shoots back that she's not going to be made a patsy of anyone, then leaves the table to talk to Landry.
Landry invites her to sit with him, then asks how her application is going. Veronica tells him that she's decided not to apply, and when he questions why, Veronica tells him that she doesn't want to feel bought off by the program and the internship feels like hush money, especially since she was never planning to tell anyone about his affair in the first place. Landry insists that the internship has nothing to do with anything except the fact that she's his strongest student, and that she should just take it for what it is. As he leaves, Veronica stares after him dumbfoundedly, and then turns back to her table, where she sees Scarlet and Meryl hugging, and becomes even more confused.
Wallace and Piz's dorm room: Veronica's working on her computer when Piz comes in and notices Meryl sleeping in his bed. Veronica tells him that it took a double-dose of cold medicine to get her to sleep, and Piz is noticably unimpressed with this feat as he asks Veronica where he's going to sleep. She offers him the floor, and he's even less impressed as he grabs a crate of records and gets ready to leave again to cover Mercer's slot at the radio. Veronica leaves with him.
Hearst Radio Station: At the radio station, Piz logs onto the computer, pulling up the schedule for all the deejays. Veronica looks it over, pulling up the nights of each of the rapes, as Piz looks over her shoulder. The schedule shows that Mercer was working when both Stacy and Parker were raped, and when Veronica wonders if he could have taped his show, Piz informs her that Club Flush is a call-in request show.
Logan's hotel room: Veronica wakes up Logan in his hotel room. She tells him she has the alibi Logan needs to get Mercer out of jail, but only if he tells her where they were that night. He again asks her to trust him. With tears in her eyes, she explains she can't; she's not built that way. Logan points out that she's blackmailing him before he explains he was in Tijuana. They partied all night and went back to their rooms. Mercer was making drinks where you set the top on fire. He accidentally set fire to his room. He explains he was in his room the entire time, and at Veronica's prompt, he confirms he was alone. Veronica points out he's not much of an alibi. Logan says they were in adjoining rooms, and the door between was open, so he could hear Mercer and the girls with him. The fire was spreading, so they ran. Veronica is shocked they didn't stick around to help. Logan explains they did what nine out of ten guys in their situation would do. He says it's better Mercer stays in jail for a crime of which he's innocent, than to give his alibi and go into a Mexican jail. Veronica tells Logan that Lamb should check the log book at the campus radio station and then leaves.
Sully's dorm room: Veronica is asleep when Meryl shakes her awake, telling her she has to listen to a phone message. She plays it, saying that she didn't recognize the voice at first, and Veronica asks which number he called from. Meryl says he used his cell, but it just rings and goes to voice mail, which Veronica says is good, because that means she can still trace it. As Veronica steps over a sleeping Piz to get to her clothes, he wakes up and asks her to bring back an egg sandwich. She offers one to Meryl, too, and Meryl smiles, relieved.
Mars Investigations: Veronica searches through the filing cabinets for the cell phone tracer, finds it and puts it into her bag. Keith greets her and says that he knows she's disappointed but says he wants to explain. Veronica says that they're all adults so there's nothing to explain. Keith says that it isn't just a fling, and what he has with Harmony is something special. Veronica scornfully says that this is what every John says when caught with his pants down and bitterly asks Keith if it was okay when her mother and Jake Kane had an affair. Keith tries to reasons that Harmony is leaving her husband, but Veronica has had enough and tells him to do what ever he wants because she's worked there too long to be surprised by anything anymore. Keith says that she's not that jaded. Veronica regretfully concedes that she didn't use to be when she had him as her shining example. She turns and goes, leaving Keith on the verge of tears.
Neptune: As Veronica and Meryl are driving, Veronica informs Meryl that Sully's card was used the night before in this neighborhood, at places such as Circus of Liquors, Crazy Girls, and World of Cigarettes. Meryl gets a disgusted look on her face before optimistically saying that at least he's okay. They follow the signal around a corner, pulling up in front of the River Styx. Meryl tries to jump out of the car, but Veronica holds her back, calling the sheriff instead. While Veronica is on the phone, however, Meryl gets out of the car and begins running toward the door. Veronica looks exasperated and gets ready to run after Meryl.
The River Stix: Meryl asks Danny Boyd if he's seen Sully. Veronica rushes in and grabs Meryl's arm. Danny realizes he knows Veronica and puts his arms around them both. Danny says she's always dropping by the Stix looking for people, and asks what gives her the idea Sully stopped by. Veronica points out the box Danny is leaning on and takes out her cell phone. She asks Danny to get the call and phones Sully's cell phone. A phone on the boxes begins to ring. Veronica sarcastically asks if Sully was in there tending the bar, and Liam Fitzpatrick comes up behind her. He grips Veronica tightly around her waist and picks her up. Veronica pleads with him to let her go, as Liam tells her that it was not enough for her dad to put half his family in jail. He says he has a problem, as Keith helped Kendall leave town with millions of dollars of Liam's cash. Veronica struggles, saying she can't breathe, and Meryl picks up a bottle to use as a weapon. Danny casually takes it from her. Just then a drunk Vinnie Van Lowe stumbles up to them, brandishing his cell phone. He takes a picture of Liam assaulting Veronica and drunkenly slurs that Keith will love the picture. Liam snatches it and throws the phone away before walking off. Veronica and Meryl run out.
Neptune: Vinnie runs after her, now acting sober. He makes Veronica laugh with a joke about her car. He asks her what the hell she was thinking, being in a place like the Stix. Veronica tells him it was unintentional. She asks if he really sent the photo to her dad, and Vinnie reveals that the phone didn't even have a camera on it. Vinnie goes on to tell them that Sully stopped by the Stix the night before, very drunk, and he couldn't even remember his name. Danny took his wallet and said he'd help him get home, but he took Sully on a wild shopping spree. They got bored of him afterwards and kicked him out. Veronica asks where he is now, and Vinnie suggests the drunk tank.
Sheriff's department: Lamb tells Meryl and Veronica that they picked Sully up last night still in his wetsuit. He was too drunk to know his own name and didn't have any ID. This morning he still couldn't remember his name so they're taking him to the hospital to get the bump on his head, which he probably got whilst surfing, checked out. Lamb take them to Sully's cell. Meryl thanks Veronica for helping her find Sully. Veronica apologises to Meryl for jumping to conclusions but Meryl dismisses it saying that if she hadn't been in love before she would have jump to the same conclusions. Sully seemingly regains his memory when he sees Meryl and they have a tender reunion. But its short lived as Lamb deliberately interrupts and says they're taking Sully to the hospital. Lamb, acting uncharacteristically generous, tells Meryl that she can tag along.
Veronica makes her way out of the Sheriff's department, but sees Mercer being led to a cell. She calls to him why he's still there. Mercer thanks her for getting him off the hook but says that good old Lamb has decided to keep him as long as he's allowed to under law, despite Logan already telling him the radio show alibi.
Mars Investigations: Harmony comes to pick up Keith for their weekend away. Keith tells her he can't.
Mars Investigations/Logan's hotel room: Keith is moping when Logan phones him. Logan asks where Veronica is because he thinks she's hiding from him. Keith suggests Wallace's dorm room.
Hearst cafeteria: Veronica carries her tray to her table and puts it down. She looks at the food before she picks up the plate, leaving the tray with her drink on it, and walks back to get her food exchanged because it has a hair in it. Veronica goes back to her table and gets out her cell phone. She has a list of missed calls from Logan and some voice mails. She eats and drinks as she listens to them. Logan asks her to call him back, and in the second message he asks her if everything is all right and asks her again to call him. In the third message he sounds annoyed, and asks where she is. The forth message is from Keith, asking her to come home. He tells her he's ended things with Harmony, and he'd like to see her. She looks happier, until suddenly the room begins to sway. It goes back to normal, and she looks confused.
Wallace and Piz's dorm room: Piz sits in semi darkness on his bed about to play his guitar. There's a knock on the door. He answers and it's Logan. They stare at each other for a moment and Piz greets him by name. Logan looks confused, gazes pass Piz into the room and says he's looking for Veronica. Piz answers that she was there earlier but that he hasn't… Logan cuts him off and asks if she's with Wallace. Piz says that Wallace is in a motel studying. As Logan absorbs this information, Piz smiles undiscernibly. Logan starts to say that Keith thought Veronica was staying with Wallace but trails off midway to look into the room again. Piz remains quiet and looks at Logan steadily. Logan then asks Piz to tell Veronica to call him if he sees her. Piz nods his assent. Logan thanks him, takes a final look at the room and leaves.
Hearst: Veronica slowly walks down some steps, her world swaying. She reaches the bottom just as she realizes she's been drugged again. She gets her keys out as she walks towards her car. She blurrily makes out a dark figure standing nearby, and she tries to open her car door before she collapses to the ground. She reaches out as the person walks over and hits the car alarm panic button. Logan, who is walking across campus, looks over at the sound of the alarm and sees Veronica's car lights flashing. The person, wearing latex gloves, reaches down and switches the alarm off. Logan runs down the stairs, calling out Veronica's name. He finds her lying on the floor and turns her over, cradling her in his arms. She manages to ask him to take her home, and as he lifts her, he spots some of her hair on the ground. He pulls the back of her hair up and finds a large shaved patch.
Mars' apartment: Veronica wakes to Keith and Logan standing over her. Keith gives her some medication the doctor recommended, and she complains it's nasty before she passes back out again. She wakes up later to find Keith asleep on the arm chair and Logan asleep at the end of the couch, hugging her feet. Her voice over says that they've all learned a valuable lesson about faith: you should give it to the people you love, but the people that really deserve it are the ones that come through even when you don't love them enough. She smiles and falls back asleep.