Cyril looked up and saw Cedric standing there. He had taken off his glasses, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Cedric!" Cyril shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"The game was cancelled," Cedric said. "But I think the more appropriate question is the one I just asked. What are you doing?!"

"Cedric, trust me, it's not what it looks like!"

"I knew you didn't like Sophia, Pop, but I never would have thought you'd . . . . ."

"I didn't! I swear I didn't!"

Knowing his father, Cedric didn't believe a word Cyril had said. He helped Sophia to her feet, and guided her up the stairs. Sophia was a wreck. She dug her fingers into Cedric's arm, buried her face in his shoulder, and just cried out of fear and pain.

The next morning, Cedric came down into the kitchen with Forest. Cyril was looking through the business section of the newspaper, trying to see what was new in the stock market. Maybe he would take some of Silas's advice.

"Morning, Cedric," he said, acting like nothing happened the night before.

Cedric didn't answer. He knew it was just like Cyril to act as though nothing happened. He was still angry with his father. Forest gurgled and reached out to Cyril, but Cedric put him in his high chair, and gave him some Cheerios to nibble on.

"What, are you not speaking to me now?" Cyril asked.

"How can you sit there and act as if nothing happened last night, Pop?!" Cedric shouted.

"I know what it looked like when you walked in, but I had nothing to do with what happened to Sofa Girl. It was Silas who attacked her. You can ask her yourself!"

"I tried. Sophia doesn't want to talk about it, and I don't blame her."

"Believe what you want, Cedric, but I'm telling you, I'm innocent!"

Cedric sighed, and rummaged around the kitchen to get his own breakfast ready. Forest just sat there and nibbled on his Cheerios. Cyril went back to reading the paper. All in all, it was pretty quiet.

"So is Sofa Girl gonna get up today?" Cyril asked, not looking up from the paper.

"Probably not," Cedric said, somewhat tensely.

Another somewhat awkward silence followed. Neither Cedric nor Cyril looked ready to talk about anything. Snag wandered into the room, looking for his breakfast. Forest giggled, and threw some Cheerios down to him. Snag practically vacuumed them up, and looked at Forest expectantly. He threw some more Cheerios at him.

"Forest, why do you always throw your food?" Cedric asked.

Forest just giggled, and clapped his hands. Cedric sighed. He wasn't sure if he would ever get the hang of Forest's mannerisms. At least not by himself. Sophia was in no condition to look after the baby herself. And Cedric had lost all trust in Cyril completely, although Cyril had absolutely nothing to do with Sophia's attack. Cedric wasn't going to leave the baby with Cyril.

Everything seemed to go as normal in the Sneer mansion. Cyril was in his office, ordering the Pigs around. Cedric was spending time with Forest out in the backyard. He was tossing the soft baseball to him. As they were playing, Bert, Ralph, and Melissa came by.

"Hey Cedric!" Bert shouted. "What do you say we head over to the park and throw around the ol' baseball?"

"I can't," Cedric said. "I've got to watch Forest."

"Is something wrong with Sophia?" Melissa asked.

"She's not feeling well today," Cedric answered.

"Why can't you just leave him with your dad?" Ralph asked.

"Frankly, Pop's the last person I trust with Forest right about now," Cedric replied.

"Uh oh, what happened?" Melissa asked.

"Well, I don't know exactly," Cedric admitted. "But . . . . well . . . ."

Cedric then explained to the Raccoons what he saw when he returned home that night. Needless to say, the three raccoons were shocked beyond words.

"WHAT?!" they shouted in perfect unison.

"I don't know if Pop's telling the truth about him not having anything to do with it or not," Cedric said. "But I don't think I should take any chances."

"He's probably lying about it anyway," Bert said. "Everyone knows he doesn't even like Sophia! This is something he'd do!"

"I'll admit, Cyril Sneer is a mean guy," Ralph said. "But actually attacking Sophia . . . . I kind of find it farfetched."

"So do I," Melissa admitted.

"Come on, you guys, think about it," Bert said. "How long have we all known Cyril Sneer? He's ruthless, he's conniving, he's a sneak, he's a liar . . . . ."

Ralph, Melissa, and Cedric just stared at Bert. They weren't exactly sure about this at all.

"How's he acting now?" Bert asked.

"Like nothing happened," Cedric said with a shrug.

"He's guilty, then."

"How are you so sure, Bert?"

"Easy! The perps always act like nothing happened when they're guilty! It happens on the time on TV!"

Ralph and Melissa rolled their eyes. This was typical of Bert. While the boys threw the baseball around, Melissa went inside the house and up the stairs. She found Sophia in the bedroom she shared with Cedric, curled up in the blankets, as if she were hiding from the world.

"Sophia?" Melissa asked.

"Go away," Sophia said, softly. Her voice was barely audible, but very tearful.

"Sophia, it's me," Melissa tried again. "Can I come in?"

"I guess."

Melissa walked into the room. She noticed that the shades were pulled down, and there was no light coming into the room.

"Cedric told us what he thought happened last night," she said. "I was just wondering if it was true. Did Cyril attack you?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Sophia said.

"Sophia, please, it's important. Did he or did he not attack you?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it! Now, please! Just go away!"

Melissa was slightly taken aback. She had never heard Sophia sound so harsh before. Melissa finally started to leave the room.

"Okay," she said, softly. "I'm sorry, Sophia. I was just worried about you, that's all."

Sophia said nothing. Melissa sighed, and started to think that Cyril definitely was guilty. She was on her way out the back door to join the boys when she met up with Cyril in the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" Cyril asked.

"Cyril Sneer, you are a heartless beast!" Melissa found herself shouting. Cyril took it in stride.

"Been talking to Cedric, eh?" he said. "Well, I'll have you know I had nothing to do with what happened!"

"Then why don't I believe you?"

"Because you and your stupid raccoon friends are prejudiced!"

Melissa glared at Cyril and then practically stormed outside to the others.

"Cedric, I hate to say this," she said. "But I'm starting to think that Cyril's guilty. I tried to talk to Sophia about what happened, but she wouldn't say anything."

"I told ya so!" Bert shouted.

"So what do we do about it?" Cedric asked.

"I think the best thing to do is notify the authorities," Ralph said, somewhat timidly.

"What?!" Cedric shouted, shocked that Ralph would even think of that. "You mean have my pop arrested?!"

"I don't think there's another choice, Cedric," Melissa said. "If Cyril is guilty, what makes you so sure he won't try to hurt Sophia again?"

"But what if he's innocent?" Cedric asked. "What then?"

"Are you willing to take that chance, Cedric?" Ralph asked.

Cedric was about to say something, but didn't. Ralph had him there. He heaved a sigh, picked up Forest, and started inside the mansion.

"I guess you're right," he said. "But I don't think I can bring myself to actually call."

"I'll do it!" Bert shouted, a little enthusiastically. "I always knew Cyril Sneer would end up in the slammer one of these days!"

And with that, the Raccoons left. Cedric immediately regretted this decision. Bert seemed a little too enthusiastic about notifying the authorities about what happened, but he didn't want to risk Sophia being hurt again if Cyril was guilty.