Author's Note and Disclaimer: I have taken so long to update this story, and I apologize a million times. The usual disclaimer applies- I don't own Veronica Mars, nor do I own NCIS. But I own Gran Mars. Or at least her personality, since we never met her in the show. Please read and review.

Chapter 6:

Veronica paced in front of the whiteboard, as she read Ziva's notes. Carter Fletcher. The dead girl. Tadd Wilson. It was all connected. Someone wanted her on the East Coast for a reason, and that reason was someone wanted her dead. And she could think of one person for sure who wanted her gone- Aaron Echolls. She pulled out her cell and looked at the number she had preprogramed into her phone.

He'd told her to call, but she didn't know for sure if she needed him. She needed to know for sure Aaron was in jail and he was only one who could ensure the safety of her friends. She sighed, and pocketed her cell phone. She needed to do one thing first. See her gran.

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Veronica tapped her fingers on the dashboard of the red Camarro. She had started to sneak out of the bullpen but DiNozzo had seen her and had insisted on gluing himself to her side. She'd even borrowed a disguise from Abby- a black wig, a coal-black business suit, low heels, and dark eye liner. She had drawn on a beauty mark, and her lips were a shiny scarlet. DiNozzo couldn't stop glancing at her at every stop sign and red traffic light. She finally shot him a glare and told him, "If you would keep your eyes on the road, we'd get there much faster."

He kept his mouth shut, returning his eyes to the road, and they finally reached their destination. As he parked in front of the little pink house, he asked, "you want me to come in with you?"

She shook her head, "Not a wise idea."

"Why not?" he asked.

Veronica just laughed and shook her head. She reached the door, and knocked as loudly as she could.

The door opened, "Who are you? Want to you want? I have a taser, ya know?"

"Like grandmother, like granddaughter." Veronica said, pulling off her sunglasses.

"Oh Roni, my little Roni!" The slender and sturdy older woman hugged her tightly, her height barely topping Veronica's.

"Gran, no one's called me Roni since I was five. It's Veronica now"

"Veronica, why don't you invite you're handsome friend in?" Veronica knew her Gran wouldn't give up so she gave in. Veronica turned and waved for DiNozzo to come in. She smiled at his long-suffering look as he came up the walk.

"Gran, this is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, of the NCIS. DiNozzo, this is my gran, Cassandra Mars."

"Mrs. Mars."

"Agent? Veronica, honey, what are you doing with a federal agent? Bad enough your daddy was a lawman, but a federal agent in my home?"

"Gran, it's a long story, but basically, I think Aaron Echolls may be trying to kill me long distance. I wanted to see you and find out if you had heard anything through your contacts. Also Dad says hi."

"Come in, come in." Gran issued the order, while looking out at the neighborhood. "At least you had the Come in, come in." Gran issued the order, while looking out at the neighborhood. "At least you had the sense to use a car that doesn't look like a federal agent's."

Veronica grinned at DiNozzo's surprise at her gran's attitude. Her grandmother's distrust of the government and the law stemmed from her time crossing state borders with bootlegged alcohol for the local speakeasies and clubs in the 20's and the depression in the 30's. That distrust had skipped Keith's generation and Veronica had a light distrust of the law, only because of Don Lamb, because her father had run a pretty tight Sheriff's department in his day.

Gran still hung out with her cronies and managed to build a network of people who would know about Aaron Echolls looking to hire a hit out. That was what she needed to do before she called Clarence Wiedman. He'd offered his help if she needed it when they heard that Aaron Echolls was still screaming his innocence and had given her his personal cell number after they had found Amelia DeLongpre's body and they had worked together to find out where her murderer had gone. He only left her a message after finding the murderer; he had thankfully kept out the details. It was short- if you need me, call me (and the number).

But she seriously hoped her gran might have the information she needed. She did not want to call him. Because, frankly, he scared her.

She watched her gran make a couple of phone calls while she sipped iced tea with DiNozzo in the kitchen. Her gran had also made snickerdoodles, and she and DiNozzo powered through a half dozen each.

Gran finally hung up the phone.

"Nada, darling. No one has heard anything about Echolls' hiring a hit on you and I have called every contact I know who might have heard about a hit traveling this far east."

Veronica nodded, her shoulders slumped. She had hoped different, but that is what she kind of thought. "DiNozzo, would you mind leaving me alone to visit with my gran for a few more minutes?"

DiNozzo nodded, scooping up three more cookies, "I'll be on the porch, catching up on the case." He headed out, knowing this situation involved more than a granddaughter visiting her gran, but like Gibbs, he trusted his gut.

She waited until the front door shut behind him, and pulled out her cell. She dialed the number in her contacts, and let it ring. It went to voicemail, and she quickly said after the tone, "It's Veronica Mars. I need your help. Would you check on Aaron Echolls? And find out if he has put a hit out on me? And protect my friends just in case? Call me when you have information."

She grimaced. She hated being frightened of a guy like Clarence Wiedman, but he had a powerful personality and by powerful, she meant killer. She took a deep breath, brushed a kiss over her gran's cheek and said, "Thanks for the tea and cookies."

"Honey, take some back for later." Her gran had packaged a few into a sandwich bag while Veronica was on the phone.

Veronica smiled, and gave her another hug. "Bye, Gran, I'll try to stop in before I go home."

"Call first this time." Veronica nodded, striding over to the hallway mirror. She replaced the wig, and lipstick. She winked at her gran as she slid the sunglasses back on and she walked out the door just as DiNozzo hung up his call.

"Perfect timing. We've got a crime scene."

VMARS- breakline - NCIS- breakline

Author's Note: whew! Another story updated. I'll try to update soon and again.