It was a warm, calm night. The kind that makes even the most wide-awake cars drowsy. Or in my case, humans. You see, I'm not from this universe. I'm from a completely different one… and we're getting off track.
Let's just focus on that night. It was really warm, which was surprising. Usually, the nights in Radiator Springs, Arizona are enough to make me shiver and huddle closer to Fillmore. Why this one was so warm struck me as odd. Granted, it was summertime, and the day had been warm, but still.
I looked across the table to find Sheriff, the Mercury police cruiser, nodding off, his cup of joe nearly empty, mine likewise.
"Hey, Sheriff."
No reply.
"Sheriff, they've got doughnuts for free." I whispered. He started awake, and I smiled.
"What is it, Foxy? I was nearly asleep."
"Yeah, I know. That's the problem. Anyone could drive in here at any time, and what good would it be to have you fast asleep in front of a potential client?"
Sheriff sighed, gave me a look, then went back to fiddling with his CB radio. He had picked it up from Mater, but couldn't get the thing working.
I rolled my eyes towards the ceiling, then continued to look through that day's paper. In case you're wondering, we're private investigators. And as you've discovered, Foxy's the name. Just Foxy.
Y'see, lots of strange things have been happening out here, and Sheriff hadn't been able to handle the swamp of calls coming in, so he had hired me. I'm beginning to think it was only to keep him awake. All I did was read the paper, and fetch the two of us coffee, and keep him awake. He always grumbled that I was the cause of his grumpiness, but I knew that he was still glad for the company.
He had just gotten a blast of static and garbled sounds out of the radio when she rolled in, as quiet as a whisper.
Her iridescent green paint seemed to shimmer in the dull light in our office, almost like a lizard's scales. "Are you two private investigators?" She asked, her melted-chocolate brown eyes pleading and worried.
"Sure are. How can we help ya?" Sheriff asked, turning to face her.
The woman's eyes widened with a gasp. "John?"
"Mary?" Sheriff's eyes grew as wide as the woman's.
I sat in the wooden rolling chair behind the desk, thoroughly confused.
"Oh, John, it is you! How have you been?"
To my surprise, Sheriff chuckled and gave her a grin. "Pretty good, yourself? I see ya got that paintjob ya wanted."
The Chevy Bel Air smiled, a light blush creeping over her hood. Sheriff chuckled, his gentle gaze resting on the car's own eyes. I cleared my throat, making both of them look over in my direction.
"Got a case of missing identity, theft, or carnapping? No case is too big or too small for Sheriff and Foxy's Private Eye services!" I gave her a grin, and she laughed quietly at the cheeky introduction I had come up with when I had first started.
"Actually, yes. I came to you two tonight because my beloved kitten went missing this morning."
"Photographs of said kitten?"
"Yes, here they are." The Chevy placed several photos on the desk, and I pulled them closer, looking them over carefully.
"Name and nicknames of this Calico please?"
"Goodness, you don't waste any time. Penny."
"Sheriff?" I tried to get his attention, then showed him the pictures.
"Cat like that shouldn't be too hard to find. What with her folded ears and unusual colored coat. We'll be sure to find Penny, Mary. Don't ya worry your head gasket over it." Sheriff gave her a smile, and she returned it.
"Thank you so much, John. I knew I could count on you two the minute I rolled in here!"
"Not a problem, Mary. Ya stayin' someplace? I could escort ya over to Sally's motel for the night."
"No, I'm not, and thank you John."
The two drove out of the office, and I watched them go, my elbow on the desk as I set my chin in my hand, and eyebrow arched. Didn't Sheriff know that we had a case to work on, and that he couldn't just go chasing after chrome-edged fins? I sighed with irritation, shook my head, then got back to looking over the pictures of Penny. She was a pretty cute cat, one that looked extremely curious. I couldn't help but smile at her one green eye and her one blue eye. The two colors were as opposite as Sheriff and I. The facts on this case were slim, but we had to be able to work with what we could.
BWAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, I just had to upload this. It's supposed to be like one of those old black-and-white mystery things, only funnier. And I decided that Sheriff's first name is John after John Wane. XD And This has got to be my favorite story that I've written, so check it out! I don't own any of the characters except Penny, Foxy, Mary, and the mentioned Thunder that comes later on in the story. Don't steal, review, and read? Thanks, Liz! :D