Thanks for the awesome reviews everyone!! They absolutely make my day, and they make me update quicker. Though it is funny how many story alerts you get and then half as many reviews... moochers...
"I'm just saying, if she can put 'fergilicious' in the dictionary, why isn't 'funner' a word?" Shawn explained between sips of his pineapple smoothie. Since Gus had stopped by to get him one on the way back from his Dad's, his mood had significantly improved.
"It's a matter of grammar, not-."
"Hold on. What do we have here?" Shawn grinned, looking down the street where red and blue lights danced dizzyingly across the block. "Dude, pull over!"
"Shawn-."
"Gus, this is our chance for a payday! Come on, party pooper, let's go."
Gus really couldn't argue this one. Shawn was right, they did need the money. He pulled off to the side of the road and parked behind a familiar red vehicle.
Shawn was out before the blueberry had even shifted into park. Smoothie in hand, he slid between a gap in the barricades and bounded onto the scene, effortlessly taking in every minute detail before Gus had even joined him.
The police milling about were concentrated on the driveway of a large, Mediterranean-style home. The lawn and flower beds were neatly manicured, not an autumn leaf on the ground. The side yard sported a chain-link gate instead of the dark-stained wood common to this area.
The psychic detective duo made their way closer to the area of interest unobstructed. The way Shawn waltzed into places and acted like he owned it left officers to believe that he did. Most knew who he was anyways and let him be. If he wasn't supposed to be there, it was a certain head detective's job to get him to leave.
Now with a better view of the driveway, Shawn stopped slurping noisily through his straw to nudge Gus. "Dude, we are so totally getting on this case."
"You got something already?" Gus should stop being amazed at his friend's ability, but even after 20 some-odd years, it hadn't happened yet.
Shawn was interrupted from answering by a familiar voice. "Gus, I think I heard Ellen DeGeneres. This must be her house! No wait…Chief!" He whirled around to see Vick standing only a few feet away, giving him her I'm-secretly-amused look.
"Mr. Spencer. It's been a while. I certainly didn't expect to see you in the middle of a crime scene when I hadn't called you." She said pointedly, knowing he wouldn't acknowledge the hint even if he got it.
"It's good to see you, Chief. How have you been? You're looking fabulous." Shawn said seriously. The twinkle in his eye and the slight lisp were the only indicators that he wasn't.
"What are you doing here?" Chief Vick asked with a smile that said her patience was running thin.
"I was drawn, Chief. The spirits told me Timmy was stuck in a well…no that's not right…it's Lassie! Lassie is in trouble!"
"Oh no." Detective Lassiter's traditional groan had Shawn grinning wildly.
"Speak of the mutt!" He cried, turning to see Lassiter and Juliet approaching. "Hello, Jules." He added with a far too charming smile.
"Shawn." Juliet nodded, fighting to keep her polite smile from splitting into a tooth-bearing grin.
"Detective Lassiter is fine I'm sure, Mr. Spencer." Vick said with a slight roll of her eyes.
Not missing a beat, Shawn went on. "Aside from that strong Irish hairline receding and the Rogaine, I'm sensing you're right, Chief. It must be another Lass…"
Lassiter tried not to look flustered and fumbled over a denial while Juliet raised an eyebrow at her partner, smirking slightly.
He was cut off as Shawn was thrown into the depths of another 'vision,' his fingers at his temples, eyes shut tightly. "I'm getting a clearer image now…" He started barking, which sounded more like a puppy's cry. "It is a dog…a collie…not Lassie, but…Flopsy? Cottontail…Peter? Bunny!" His eyes snapped open. "The dog's name is Bunny…but I'm getting something else-." He continued, ignoring the shocked look on the detective's faces and Vick's expression of amusement. Shawn started strutting between them, swinging his hips and striking a pose. "Why am I channeling Gus…America's Next Top Model? Model…I got it!" He snapped his fingers and pointed triumphantly. "Bunny was a show dog."
Vick was smiling smugly. "Impressive, Mr. Spencer."
Lassiter scoffed. "Maybe he watches animal planet."
"Only for Steve Irwin reruns…It helps me cope…" Shawn said, hanging his head for a second before jerking it up again, two fingers at his head. "But Bunny isn't here…she's missing and that's when Timmy was killed- no…not Timmy, she's hot actually…attractive blonde, maybe 5' 8"."
"Congratulations, you're on the case." Vick shrugged.
"Chief-." Lassiter tried to protest.
"Why don't you go and show him the crime scene, Detective?" She interrupted.
Shawn skipped after his favorite detectives, the smoothie obviously adding sugar he didn't need in his blood stream. "Lassie! Aren't you excited to be working together again? What have you been up to? Porsha…no, what was her name, Gus?"
"Polly Smith." Gus smirked.
"That's right! How is your lover, Carly?"
Lassiter rolled his eyes and didn't answer, annoyed that his partner was still fighting to hide a smile.
"Oh no, Gus, it seems as though this is a sensitive subject for Lassie." Shawn feigned concern.
"Maybe she dumped him." Gus suggested loudly.
"OR- maybe she joined Jessica Chan in the Witness Protection Program…Ow!" Shawn rubbed his arm where Gus had punched him.
Lassiter continued to ignore them and stopped in front of the body of a petite blonde sprawled across the ground next to a Mercedes M class with the back door hanging open. A smeared red patch stained the concrete under the woman's head. "This is Ashton Thiel. Daughter of Robert Thiel."
"The congressman?" Gus gaped.
"One and the same- which is why the Chief is here. He's out for blood and all for cutting the Police Station's resources."
"Good thing I'm here." Shawn said, nodding seriously.
"I doubt psychics are any higher on his list, Spencer." Lassiter snapped. "We want this clean and quick. That means none of your antics."
"I can't control the spirits, Lassie." Shawn sighed exasperatedly. "You should know this by now."
"Well then, try to make sure they possess you away from prying eyes and ears, alright?" The detective said in a low tone, bearing down on the fake psychic who just smiled. Blood boiling, Lassiter stepped back and faced the crime scene again, motioning for his partner to go on.
"Body was found around 7:30 pm by a neighbor walking their dog. COD looks like a hit to the head. No witnesses. And unfortunately, the rain probably washed away any useable DNA evidence we might have been able to collect otherwise." Juliet explained.
Shawn was listening with one ear, taking in the contents of the car and the state of the body. It was next to the driver's side door, and yet the trunk had still been opened…
"So what's this have to do with the dog?" Gus asked.
"She was the dog's owner, but had someone else as a handler during the shows. They had been competing overseas and were just getting back. I believe she was attacked and the dog merely escaped in the process."
"Lassies don't run away when their owners are in trouble." Shawn scoffed.
Lassiter rolled his eyes. "It's a dog, Spencer. A mindless animal."
"You wouldn't be saying that if it was a horse." He shot back with a sly smile which faded quickly as he threw out his hands. "But I'm sensing something different here…Bunny was the target, not the woman."
"You're saying that someone killed Thiel to steal her dog?" Juliet raised an eyebrow.
"A dog like that could go for thousands of dollars." Gus interjected. "She's won top breed 2 years in a row."
"Oh, Gus. Not another one." Shawn groaned. "First it was the spelling bee, then the comics…and now a dog show? Dude…"
"You look into that while the real detectives work up actual motives, like the political status of her father." Lassiter clapped Shawn on the shoulder and walked off.
Juliet made to follow him when Shawn stopped her. "Jules, hold up." He walked closer, discreetly trying to block Gus out. "So…how's it going? Your cats are alright?"
Juliet blushed slightly, but the red tint in her cheeks was drowned out by the ever flashing police lights. "My cats are fine, Shawn. Oh, by the way, thanks for the pineapple." She smiled.
"Oh you got that? Good. Make sure Lassie gets some." Shawn grinned and glanced around, awkwardly swinging his hands together. "Any plans this week?"
"I'm going to be pretty busy with this case I guess."
"Right, of course, the case. Yeah, me too." Shawn nodded slowly and then stood in an uncomfortable silence, his eyes darting every which way.
"Did…you want to ask me something?" Jules asked, raising one eyebrow as she studied the pseudo -psychic.
He seemed to snap out of his daze. "Um…Yeah, yeah, just…um…d-…Was Ashton into anything… bad?"
Juliet was slightly startled by this question but tried to cover her surprise. "Um, not really, just some protests and rallies she participated in. She and her dad weren't much on speaking terms actually. I'll get you a copy of the report tomorrow."
"Thanks." Shawn nodded, standing there awkwardly for another few seconds before abruptly turning and pulling Gus along.
"What was that?" Gus laughed, his expression far too mirthful for Shawn's liking.
"What? Nothing." He shrugged it off, rubbing the back of his neck.
Gus's eyes narrowed, but he decided to let it go…for now. "So how did you know about the dog in the first place?"
"Ms. Thiel nearly ran me off the road a couple months ago because she apparently thought the dog was capable of driving. She had a trophy glued to the dashboard like a bobble head. Tonight, I recognized the car, caught a glimpse of the report, and drew some conclusions …same ol'." He sighed tiredly, the sugar rush apparently over.
Gus nodded in approval. "Nice." He climbed into the car, watching Shawn heavily settle in beside him, placing the now empty smoothie container in the cup holder. He looked slightly nauseous. "You drank that too fast, didn't you?"
Shawn groaned, slumping down in his seat. "No, that would be a brain freeze…I think this has something to do with my Dad's fish…"
"You barely ate it- Hey, don't be throwing up in this car, Shawn." Gus warned sternly before backing up.
"That's your job, Gussy, don't worry. Can you even remember the last time I ever did?"
Gus nodded emphatically. "Yeah, the time you entered the milk chugging contest-…gross, now I'm feeling sick."
"Just drive, Burton." Shawn grinned.
A/N: Oh now we get to the fun stuff. PLEASE drop a review!! I love to hear what you guys think.