This one's a short chapter, but the next one's a fun one. :)
Chapter 4
"Wh…What do you mean I can't leave?" Dizzy stammered, standing petrified before the brown tanuki.
Tom Nook seemed thoroughly unconcerned with Dizzy's plight. He let out another chatter of laughter and adjusted his tie. "No, no, don't be ridiculous. You just got here. Try giving Taytown another week or two before packing your bags, hm? The moving process is a long and hard one!"
"Please," Dizzy begged, "I'll pay you double! And I'll…I'll take you out for dinner too! How can you say no to that?"
A greedy gleam appeared in Nook's eyes for a moment. But he quickly blinked it away and gave his client a friendly smile. "I'm so sorry, terribly sorry. I am. But…well, I just don't think I can do it…" He trailed off.
Dizzy's gaze turned hard. He lowered his voice and asked, "Is TayTay behind this?"
"Mayor TayTay?" Nook's eyes flew wide and he shifted uncomfortably. "Ah, no, of course not. Why would you assume so?"
Before Nook could lie his way out of it, Dizzy stormed out of the shop. He could hear the tanuki calling for him to come back, but he charged down Main Street before anyone could stop him. Nook is under orders from TayTay not to let me go. Dizzy thought wildly, What can I do? Where can I go?!
His feet brought him to the train station. He marched straight up to Porter and demanded to be let on a train. But the monkey hesitated in the same way Nook had. Dizzy waited for his answer with bated breath.
Please just let me go. I don't care about the house or the furniture. I just want to escape with my life. Let me on a train so I don't have to ever come back.
Finally, Porter shook his head. "Can't let you do that, Dizzy. Eek eek! Sorry."
This time, Dizzy didn't bother arguing. He left the train station and began heading south. There was only one other way to get out of town, aside from learning how to climb steep cliffs. He could ride a boat out onto the ocean. An old kappa, fittingly named Kapp'n, often ferried villagers from the mainland to a tropical island where summer flourished all year round. But when Dizzy requested he take him to the next town over, Kapp'n denied him. Just like everyone else.
"Arr, what be troublin' ye, laddie? This town no longer suit yer fancy?" The kappa grunted, squinting at Dizzy curiously.
Dizzy remained mute and stumbled away, panic beginning to course through his veins.
He had nowhere else to go. He was trapped.
For some reason, he found himself wishing to speak with Monique. She had alerted him to all of the dark happenings in Taytown. Maybe she would know what to do. Gasping raggedly, he made a beeline to her house. He hadn't exercised like this in months; his stomach was full of cramps by the time he arrived. He doubled over with pain, groaning. After a minute of panting and recollecting his energy, he lifted his head towards Monique's house.
Only…it was gone.
Dizzy was instantly on his feet, staring at the plot of dirt where her home once stood. As always, his mind raced to make up some sort of excuse. Maybe he had taken a wrong turn back at the café. Maybe he was lost again—he was still getting used to this town.
But he couldn't deny it forever. He walked around for a while, willing Monique's rooftop to appear over the trees. But it never did. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of Agnes's house. She was closer to Monique than anyone. She would know where to find her.
He knocked on the door. A few seconds later, it opened. Agnes peered at him morosely through a slim crack. She gave a long sigh and pushed the door wider, saying, "Good morning, Dizzy. Is there something I can help you with, snuffle?"
"M…Monique," was all he could manage to say.
The look on Agnes's face was answer enough. She bowed her head and reached into the pocket of her diamond-patterned shirt. Then she pulled out a crumpled pink letter and handed it to him. Dizzy unfolded it and scanned the page hungrily.
It was from Monique. She had moved away without a trace.
"She didn't even give any indication she wanted to move." Agnes said sadly, eyes lowered, "She didn't even come say goodbye in person. And here I thought we were friends."
Dizzy was too shocked to feel any sympathy for the distressed pig. Sweat made his hands slick, causing him to lose his grip on the letter. But he barely noticed it fall to the ground. He looked at Agnes, pupils dilated in horror. "TayTay must have killed her. Monique tried to warn me so she killed her!" He burst out feverishly.
"Don't say that!" Agnes cried, tears streaming down her cheeks, "What Monique said—she was just spreading gossip! That's what she lives for!"
"No, she wasn't." Dizzy retaliated, "I saw the axe murderer last night. I saw his…or rather her eyes looking at me, through my window. Right before she went off to kill Monique! And Monique said she was next herself. Don't you see?"
"NO!" Agnes screamed, backing away. "It's not true!"
Dizzy whirled around and stampeded out of the house before Agnes could argue with him anymore. He knew what he had seen. She was just in denial. He had to prove TayTay was guilty of her crimes! He would show the police his proof and they would lock her up. Then the residents of Taytown could live in peace.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts; he didn't see the figure standing right outside Agnes's house. He crashed right into them. "Ouch! Sorry!" He gasped, pulling backwards. "I wasn't watching where I was—TayTay!" His voice caught in his throat and he emitted a strange choking sound.
TayTay stood before him calmly. Her eyes were narrowed and contained no trace of friendliness. "I know what you're trying to do." She said flatly.
"I…what?" Dizzy stammered, still stunned at her sudden appearance.
TayTay took a step forward, squaring her shoulders to his. She leaned up until she was right in his face, her breath tickling his trunk. "You can't leave." She repeated in a whisper, putting emphasis on each word. "Not after I worked so hard to get you back."
Dizzy wanted to start crying. Confusion and fear overwhelmed his mind. Yet, somehow, he found his voice. "What are you talking about?" He squeaked, sounding more like a mouse than an elephant.
TayTay drew back, her face smooth and serious. "I'll let you figure it out." She said softly. With that, she turned and trotted away, disappearing among the trees.
Dizzy let out a huge breath. Someone must have told her I was planning to move, He thought, But why is she doing this to me? Does she hate me? She must want me to die of a heart attack. If I don't, she'll kill me with that axe of hers.
Suddenly, a flame of determination lit inside in heart.
Well, bringing down Dizzy the elephant is going to be no simple task! I'll surround myself with friends. She'll never be able to touch me!
Without wasting a second, Dizzy headed off to Marshal's house. He shivered upon passing TayTay's gigantic home, but immediately felt relief when he saw Marshal milling about, watering her flowers.
"Hey, Dizzy." He greeted casually, absorbed in his work. "Out for a stroll?"
"I guess so." Dizzy replied. If running around like a fried chicken with its head cut off can be defined as such. "What are you doing?"
Marshal smirked. "Just keeping Taytown beautiful. But I've done enough." He set down the watering can and brushed off his tiny paws. "Wanna hang out?"
Dizzy paused. "Um…actually, if it's not too much to ask, I was wondering if I could stay at your place tonight? Mine's sprung a leak and all the rain last night—"
"Sure you can!" Marshal said cheerfully.
Dizzy let out an inward sigh of relief. He felt terrible for lying, but it had to be done. His life was hanging in the balance. And so he spent the rest of the day under the protection of a little white squirrel. It seemed pretty ridiculous, but he felt there was strength in numbers. TayTay wouldn't harm him if someone else was around. It would completely destroy her shroud of mystery.
Lunchtime came and went. Before they knew it, a layer of darkness began to settle upon Taytown. The sun peeked teasingly over a distant mountain. The next second, it vanished.
They spent an hour or so eating dinner on Main Street. Marshal relayed the usual gossip to Dizzy, this time about Monique leaving town. Dizzy tried to ignore his foreboding and focus on his parfait, but it was fairly difficult.
"Hey Marshal…" He said quietly, casting a paranoid glance around the restaurant, "You don't think Mayor TayTay has anything to do with the disappearances do you? Monique wouldn't have left town like that. Maybe the mayor did something to her."
"No way." Marshal answered instantly. "I know TayTay. That girl doesn't have a single bad bone in her body. She may be childish, but she's a good friend and a trustworthy mayor."
Dizzy forced a smile and nodded in false agreement. You're a loyal friend, Marshal. But murder is where I draw the line—I don't want anything to do with TayTay.
"Don't get me wrong," Marshal went on, "I'm not saying TayTay's slow just because she acts like a kid. She's a little out there, but who can blame her? Asprin's death was tough on her."
"Asprin?" Dizzy said sharply. The mere mention of this unknown person dragged Dizzy right back into the conversation. "I thought he was her imaginary friend."
Marshal frowned at his coffee. "Oh, no. He was very real. TayTay never went anywhere without him."
"What can you tell me about him?" Dizzy said, egging Marshal on. His curiosity was eating him alive. Was Asprin a friend? A love interest? Just another unsuspecting villager, like him?
But Marshal shook his head. "No. I don't want to upset TayTay by talking about it."
"Please, tell me—"
"No."
Dizzy snapped his mouth shut. She's not even here right now! He wailed inwardly. But he didn't want to push Marshal, especially since the squirrel was letting him stay over that night. So he changed the subject to something else—either food or fashion, he couldn't remember. While his mouth moved on its own, answering Marshal's inquiries, his mind flew to other places.
Monique's disappearance and the mysterious Asprin were just two more pieces of the puzzle. At the center of this puzzle: the mayor herself.
Mayor TayTay probably has piles of dead bodies hidden in her basement.
You know, I'm inclined to believe that I'm next.
You do know you have a target on your back, don't you? TayTay picked you out specifically…
Monique's words tumbled through his mind like clothes in a dryer. Now, she was gone and she couldn't give him the answers he was looking for. Marshal and Peanut were too close to the mayor to be of any help. He was on his own.
Tonight, He swore to himself, tonight I'll get to the bottom of this. I'm going to uncover the secrets of Taytown no matter the cost!
