"If that's Bigfoot then I'm a minotaur." Bogo growled after setting eyes on the enhanced image on his private laptop the very next day. "It's obviously a costume."

"Obviously." Nick replied, nodding.

"We have to call the Casel estate and warn them." Judy said. "If the suspect is a member of Veltro, then the same people who committed the terrorist attack on the Casel Corporation's property could be after the Casels themselves."

"We have no evidence that Veltro is involved with both incidents, but all the same I'll call Elgen Casel and tell him about the hidden camera."

"It's too dark to see in the film, but our informant said the camera's been disguised as a small rock on the fence's foundation." Nick pointed the spot on the fence that the strange creature had touched.

Bogo dialed a number on his desk phone. Judging from the conversation that ensued, it was the estate's butler who picked up. Bogo got straight to the point and explained about the hidden camera. When asked about how he knew, the buffalo replied that an anonymous paparazzo had been spying on the estate and spotted the suspect who planted the camera. The butler and his master must have decided to heed Bogo's warning, for he looked more or less satisfied when he hung up.

"Alright, you didn't just come here to show me 'proof' of Bigfoot's existence." He pushed the laptop aside and leaned towards the fox and rabbit sharing a chair before his desk. "What did Forensics have to say?"

Nick opened a very recently updated case file. "The blue traces in the coffee cups are in fact Bellwether's special concoction, which confirms that the source of the poisonings are the assorted coffee shops within the mall. Every single employee connected with those shops and the delivery stores are being questioned right now, and the companies have begun conducting internal investigations."

"The more I think about it, the more ingenious this plan was." Judy spoke thoughtfully. "Coffee is a hot beverage, often so hot that you can't drink much of it right away, and someone used that to ensure that when the attack started the entire mall would be affected. At some point they poisoned the coffee, probably in the coffee seeds delivered to the shops or in the dispensers, focusing on popular chains like Snarlbucks where more coffee would be sold. After buying their drinks, most of the unsuspecting customers would walk out and take the coffee to a different area of the mall. Once the coffee had cooled down enough the victim would drink it, until they ingested enough of the serum to turn savage."

"More than a hundred animals all over the mall fell victim to this trick." Nick added bitterly. "And according to the reports nearly fifty died because of it."

"All the more reason to catch the scum who did this." Bogo replied icily. "Did Bellwether provide any leads?"

"She claims she had no knowledge of the plot." Judy answered. "In fact, she said she had no idea that anything would happen on that day. If she's telling the truth, it supports our theory that the terrorist attack was intended to cause her death."

"That's if the motive had anything to do with Bellwether." Bogo tapped his desk with a pen. "For all we know, the mall attack occurring on the day of the appeal could be a coincidence. We need more evidence than this, Hopps."

"And we will get it, you have my word on that." Judy stood up on the chair, eyeing the buffalo intensely. "What about the mall footage? Did you find anything?"

"Nothing." Bogo admitted. "No-one broke into the mall before the reopening or did anything suspicious with the dispensers and supplies. There was no sign of the footage being altered either."

"Meaning the tampering must have occurred before the supplies arrived at the mall." Nick spoke. "Maybe during the delivery or at the factories or warehouses."

"They're being investigated right now." Bogo replied. "It looks like all we can do for the time being is wait for the results of that investigation." He removed the flash drive containing Honey's copied data from the laptop. "But if you two are desperate for something to do, you can find out who planted that camera at the Casel Estate."

"While you and Benji go fulfill your wildest dreams?" Nick quipped.

Bogo's mouth curled downward. "Not another word out of you, Wilde."

"We'll go over right now, sir." Judy leapt down from the seat.

"No." Bogo stopped her with a raised hoof. "Mr. Casel wants to investigate this himself before we step in. They'll contact you once they're ready to hand in the evidence."

"Is he allowed to do that?"

"He and the ZPD have been on bad terms for a while. I wouldn't advise upsetting him by sticking your nose where it's not wanted."

When the Casel estate called back, roughly one hour later, they reported that the disguised camera had been found and was currently being examined. They also added that while Nick and Judy weren't permitted in the Casel residence just yet, they could still scour the surrounding forest for any trace of the mysterious 'Bigfoot', and that was exactly what they did the second Chief Bogo dismissed them.

It was cold in the forest, even colder than it was in the city. The snow was whiter and more solid here, and the trees were almost black in contrast. Nick and Judy donned thick cotton coats after they parked the police car on the side of the long road that cut through the forest to the Casel mansion, several feet from the front gate. Nick had known that the Casels' patriarch and matriarch didn't live in the city itself, but he didn't think they lived this far out.

Upon exiting the car, Judy pulled out a Pawpad and read one of the documents Honey had duplicated for their benefit. "According to the data Honey collected, the Casel Estate is roughly ten miles in square diameter and was built around the same time as Zootopia's founding." She looked further up the road, where the entrance gate stood. Nick was almost surprised that the metal bars were bronze instead of gilded. "It's actually pretty fascinating, Nick. It's not just one massive house, most of the forest is a nature preserve for birds. There's also a winery, a conservatory and a metal workshop. Heck, there's even a cathedral around here somewhere."

"A what?" Nick stopped in the middle of putting on his mirrored sunglasses.

Judy read a bit more of the document. "The Casels were devout Christians back in the day, so they also had a small cathedral built on the estate. It fell into disuse after the family eventually renounced their faith, and now the map doesn't even show where it is."

"A small cathedral? What, a big chapel wasn't good enough for them?" Nick muttered, putting on the glasses to hide his narrowed eyes. "Mom only ever had a cross and altar in the closet, but did she ever complain?"

"Nick, try not to mouth off like that when we actually meet the Casels, okay?" Judy retorted and put away the pad. "Now whereabouts was the camera planted?"

"They said it was five miles up the west side of the fence. It's the best place to start looking for clues."

"Let's head to the gate first. We should use the intercom to let them know we're here."

Nick kept a couple of feet from Judy as he allowed to her to approach the little intercom beside the gates and press the button. "Hello? This is Officer Hopps and Wilde. We're here to investigate the location where the camera was planted."

After a few seconds someone answered in perfect English. "This is the butler. Please wait there and I will come to escort you to the location."

"Alright, thank you." Judy stepped away from the intercom and return to her partner's side. "Nick, when he gets here I want you to let me do the talking this time."

"Whatever you say, Carrots." Nick kept his eyes on the house on the other side of the gates. Almost the entire western side and part of the southern was enshrouded in frosted ivy, like a green and grey beard. The size alone made him set his jaw. The place must have fifty rooms at least, but only six mammals made up the family that lived there.

"Nick, if it's too cold you can go back to the car. I can check out the fence by myself." Judy offered, having spent the last minute watching him not too subtly twist his face.

"We're partners. I'm not letting you freeze your lucky feet off by yourself."

Judy moved herself in front of Nick and looked him in the eye. "Nick, we're dealing with some very powerful people here. Can I trust you not to tick them off?"

"No." Nick replied before he could stop himself.

"Then get back in the car."

"I told you, we're sticking together. I'm not leaving you alone with these people."

Judy's bright purple eyes stared at him. "I'm not even meeting them, Nick! What's gotten into you?"

"It's nothing."

"Nick, you've been acting like a passive aggressive jerk ever since the Casels got involved in this case. You even suggested that Ben was a moocher right to his face. You have five seconds to tell me why you hate the Casels so much or I'll drag you back to the car and cuff you to the steering wheel."

Nick bit his lip. Judy couldn't possibly understand. Her family wasn't rich but they'd never come close to knowing true poverty.

Then Judy asked, "Did they do something to hurt you?"

Nick swallowed. She had the same face she'd had on the gondola, after he'd told her about the muzzle incident. Now here she was, worrying that she had unwittingly opened some old wounds by bringing him here. Nick sighed. If her three-month long funk after the press conference was any indication, she was just going to keep kicking herself until he set her straight.

Nick put his paw on her shoulder and leaned down to meet her face. "They didn't hurt me, Judy. Not directly, anyway. But those Casels in there? They're entitled fakes."

"Nick."

"It's true, Carrots. Elgen Casel only made 'contributions' to the city because he wanted to take over. He says he saw right through Bellwether, but it's not like he's any better."

"Wasn't that because one of his kids assaulted Chief Bogo and disgraced the family?"

"Obviously. Reputation means everything to these people. They act like Bruce Mane and Prince Charming on the outside but inside they're as sleazy as Mayor Quimby and that guy from Family Goat with the colossal chin. I've seen it before, and I guarantee that in our line of work you'll see it too."

Judy scowled half-heartedly. "Nick, I'm sure not all the super-rich are like that. Gazelle is nowhere near like that. You saw how she defended Ben the other night."

"It's not the same. She's what they call 'new money.' She got an agent and worked her way up. These guys? They were born with it. If and when you finally meet them you'll see what I'm talking about."

Judy glanced at the mansion. "Alec isn't like that. When he showed up at the mall, he definitely was more upset that Ben was hurt than that his store was destroyed on its first day open. The fact that he showed up at all must mean something."

Judy had a point there, Nick had to admit, but he'd lived in this city far longer that she had. The gates slid open as the butler, a perfectly groomed horse, finally showed his face. Before the horse could come within earshot, Nick leaned further towards her. "The point is, it's not you or Donuts. It's me, and I've got a feeling that one way or another, the Casels are the key to solving this case."

Judy nodded in agreement. "Speaking of Ben, have you given him his present yet?"

She frowned at the sudden smirk on her partner's face.

"Oh my gosh... what did you do?"

Benjamin had gone all out in order to make himself look presentable for Gazelle. He'd groomed and washed his fur. He'd sprayed breath freshener in his mouth. He'd staved off donuts for the entire morning to ensure that there were no sprinkles in his fur.

And Bogo? Bogo just put on a fresh red shirt.

"That's the first time I've seen you wear red, sir. You look nice." Benjamin praised when they met up in the precinct's parking lot. In his personal parking park sat the unmarked car they would be borrowing.

"So do you." Bogo replied, taking in the cheetah's shiny fur and smelling the subtle cologne. "If only you made this much effort at the station."

Benjamin paused to think on it. "Nah, too much work. Besides, it's substance that matters more than style, right?"

"Right. I'm surprised you're not freaking out over this." Bogo himself was struggling to remain professional. After all, they were still in the precinct and he had a reputation to uphold.

"Well, would you want a fan going crazy on you in your dressing room after what happened the other day?"

"Fair point. Have you spoken to Alec since that night?"

"He came to see me soon after I was treated. He's a little upset about the store, but he's happy I'm okay."

Bogo hesitated. "Did he mention his father per chance?"

Benjamin's mood visibly dampened. "Mr. Elgen's not happy about the mall. That's all Alec said."

"I imagine he wouldn't be. How're your ribs?" Bogo asked as they finally made for the car. Benjamin confirmed that other than a twinge every now and then, they were okay. He handed Bogo the keys as they stopped on either side of the vehicle.

"Good." Bogo replied as he opened the driver's side.

A snake leapt out at him, maw open wide.

The buffalo's heart skipped a beat and he leapt back with a shout, quickly losing his balance from sheer shock. He fell back on his rear and felt the serpent head-butt him in the stomach. Benjamin called Bogo's name from the other side of the car as the snake's long body followed its head out the car and draped itself over the stunned police chief's legs. Bogo didn't pause to think. He grabbed the snake by the neck and tail and flung it away... right towards Benjamin as he ran around the car to see what had happened.

"Ben!" Bogo yelled in horror at his mistake, yanking out his weapon and aiming towards the...

Bogo froze like the ground beneath him...

Towards the large yellow felt spring snake in Benjamin's paws.

Benjmain stared down at the joke toy he was holding in astonished silence for a few seconds before breaking into a fit of giggles.

Bogo lowered his weapon, barely aware of the frost on the ground melting and dampening his pants. "What. The heck. Is that?"

Benjamin examined the snake. It had a simple, cartoon like head with big plastic eyes and a wide-open red felt mouth. "He-he-he..." He kept giggling as he procured a small card that had been attached to the snake's mouth and read it. "Sir, promise me you won't flip out."

"Clawhauser, what is that thing?" Bogo could already feel his blood beginning to boil.

Benjamin let out one last giggle. "It's the joke snake I asked Wilde to get me."

Bogo released a cloud of mist from his nostrils. "I'm going to shoot him." He holstered his dart gun and got to his feet. "I'm going to shoot him and demote him and promote him and decorate him and shoot all his medals."

"Oh come on, sir. He obviously meant to get me with this!" Benjamin held the snake by the head so it faced his boss. He smiled innocently up at him just above the snake's overly shiny false eyes, his own genuine warm brown eyes gazing at Bogo almost pleadingly. His fingers pushed on the snake's jaw, and he spoke for it in a comically high voice. "'It's Chwistmas, Mr. Powice Chief! Can you find it in your holly-staked heart to cut that silly dum-dum fox a bweak? Pwease?'"

Bogo wished he could stay angry, but he couldn't. He exhaled loudly and brushed stray snow and frost off his pants. "Text Wilde and Hopps and tell them Wilde will be spending the entire New Year's Day writing parking tickets. Now get that thing in the car before I claw its eyes out."

Halfway to the location where the camera had been planted. Judy felt her phone vibrate. She quickly read the text, scowled, and looked to Nick. "Nick? Bogo got caught by your prank. You're dead."

"Rats."

Outside the dressing room, Benjamin was welcomed with open arms. Gazelle hugged him loosely, having likely been informed of his ribs, but was so excited that she had slipped into her mother tongue as she expressed her happiness at seeing him again. Bogo watched with mild envy, well aware that Benjamin deserved every second of this.

"I'm glad you're okay too, Gazelle!" Benjamin replied, looking a little pink in the cheeks from his idol's affection.

With a leg in bandages, Gazelle had donned a pair of sleek black leggings to go under her red sequined skirt. "I'm been worried about you since you were taken away in that ambulance." She breathed after letting go. "I see Cohen got my invitation to you okay."

"Yeah. How're your other dancers doing? Are Ian and Barry okay?"

"Yes, but I'll have to perform this year's Christmas concert with two dancers, I'm afraid. And this must be Chief Bogo."

"I'm honored that you invited me as well, Gazelle." Bogo spoke as calmly as he could, feeling almost giddy in the presence of the celebrated singer.

Gazelle offered a hoof and he shook it. "I want to personally thank you for rescuing us, Chief Bogo. I know you and your officers took a lot of risk coming into the building."

Bogo held up a hoof, inwardly appreciating her gratitude. "Just doing our jobs, ma'am."

Gazelle smiled coyly and eyed his shirt. "I've heard a lot about you. You know, for a mammal with a supposed heart of stone you look rather dashing."

Bogo's heart leapt and his ears grew hot. He must have had a very amusing look on his face, for Benjamin was quaking on the spot as he fought down another giggling fit. Having succeeded in breaking the ice surrounding the normally stony-faced buffalo, Gazelle chuckled.

"Come inside." She opened the door and led them into her dressing room. The room was expansive and warmly lit, with a soft red carpet and a mirror framed by round light bulbs. In a circle of leather sofas sat two mammals; Ombidia, Gazelle's Manager, and the doe that had accompanied Alec Casel to the mall.

"You?!" Benjamin gasped and pointed at the doe.

"You've met?" Gazelle looked between the two.

"I met her in the mall right before the incident. She threw a fit after a reporter badmouthed you on TV."

"He could have led every tabloid reporter and Veltro member right to her." Christine replied and got up from the sofa with a non-alcoholic cocktail in hoof. "Alec has told me a lot about you, Mr. Clawhauser."

"Alec?"

"Officer, this is Christine Antlaire, an old friend of mine." Gazelle moved to Christine's side. "She's been dating your friend since moving back here from France two years ago."

"You're Alec's girlfriend? Alec has a girlfriend?" Benjamin's jaw dropped. "Why didn't he tell me?!"

Christine gently held her glass with both hooves, looking slightly forlorn. "We've been keeping it a secret. Alec and I thought it would be best if we waited until his family sorted itself out before we told them. They're been under a lot of strain since..." She glanced at Bogo. "The incident."

Benjamin seemed to visibly deflate and he slowly sat down on the sofa opposite Ombidia, who was in the middle of texting on a shiny silver phone.

Bogo sighed, feeling a very slight ache from the thin scars on his eyebrow and snout. Of course they are.

"Anyway, it's good to meet you, Officer Clawhauser!" Ombidia leaned across the glass coffee table and shook the cheetah's paw. "I heard that you were of some assistance to my star the other night."

"Er, I..." Benjamin swallowed and didn't fully reply, still feeling down. Gazelle and Christine sat down beside the bison, the doe looking upset herself.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Clawhauser. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Benjamin mustered a smile. "Just Ben, thanks. Gazelle didn't mention that I would be meeting you too."

A smile returned to Christine's face. "Actually I'm here on Alec's behalf. He would have given it to you himself, but he's got a lot on his plate between his family and the loss of his store."

"I bet he would- wait, what 'it'?" Benjamin asked.

Christine procured a white and gold card from her handbag and gave it to him. The longer Benjamin read the words on the card, the wider his eyes grew. When he was done, he stared at Christine. "You're inviting me to a Christmas party weekend?"

"At the Casel estate, yes." Christine nodded. "The entire family's going to be there."

Bogo crossed his arms, drumming his fingers on his forearm. "The entire family?"

"You know what I mean." Christine replied with the smallest of scowls. "Oh, and Gazelle will be there too."

Benjamin looked at the card again. "It says it'll be a costume party."

Bogo looked over the cheetah's shoulder. "And it's two days from now. Isn't that a little on short notice?"

Gazelle and Christine glanced at each other. "It is." Gazelle acknowledged.

Bogo looked at them both, his eyes narrowed as his police instincts kicked in. "Gazelle... why did you really bring us here?"

Curiously, Gazelle appeared to be relieved that he had caught on. She gestured towards the empty cushion beside Benjamin. "Sit down and I'll explain everything."

Ombidia scowled, pausing in the middle of a text. "Gazelle, are you sure about this? If the news gets word of it your image could..."

"I'm not changing my mind, Mr. Ombidia." Gazelle replied sternly as Bogo sat down. "Christine, could you get the box out, please?" Christine got up and strode to a cupboard.

Benjamin looked at her with worry. "Miss Gazelle, what's wrong?"

Gazelle took a long sip of tea. "I'm just going to get right to the point... I'm being stalked by Veltro."

"YOU'RE BEING STALKED?!" Benjamin leapt to his feet, then immediately gasped in agony and dropped back down, clutching his torso. There were a tense couple of minutes while Bogo made sure that pain was the only thing Benjamin had inflicted on himself. "You're being stalked?" He repeated softly but with the same outrage.

"Yes."

"You're sure it's not just some reporter overstepping his bounds?" Bogo asked. Personally he wasn't very surprised; a celebrity being stalked was a stereotypical but unfortunately very real problem.

"I thought so too at first, but then these letters started coming."

Christine sat back down with a small box in hand. She lifted the lid to reveal a small cluster of letters with the words clearly cut out of magazines.

"May I?" Bogo asked. Gazelle nodded, and he took some of the letters out the box to read them. He soon found one thing they so far had in common. "I can see why you think Veltro is doing this. In every one of these letters the sender is demanding that you withdraw your support of the Tirari Town project and to change your mind about retiring from singing to become a full time politician."

"It's not just that." Gazelle replied quietly. "I sometimes get photographs of myself along with the letters, taken without my knowledge. They're in the box as well, as you can see."

"Did these letters come in envelopes?" Bogo asked upon noticing that said envelopes were absent.

"No. They've been showing up outside my dressing room once every two weeks, ever since I announced my support of Tirari Town, so I'm certain it's Veltro."

"That announcement was months ago. Why didn't you come to us sooner?"

"Mr. Ombidia advised me to ignore the letters, since I've received strange letters before and nothing came of it. But over the last month the letters have become more threatening. This last letter came the day of the mall's reopening, just after I got home from the hospital..."

She picked out one of the letters that Bogo hadn't yet read and showed it to him.

"'You've ignored us for the last time, Gazelle.'" Bogo read aloud. If that wasn't a death threat he didn't know what was. "If we can confirm that these letters came from Veltro, then they've just implicated themselves as suspects of terrorism. We'll need to take these letters to have Forensics look at them."

"Of course." Gazelle took back the letters, put them back in the box and handed the whole thing to Bogo.

"Do you know of anyone else who might have sent these letters? Do you have any enemies other than Veltro?"

"None that I can name." Gazelle replied nervously. "After that last letter, I know it's only a matter of time before they make good on their threats. With the Casel estate being so isolated, it would be as good a place as any."

"Is that why you want me at the party?" Benjamin asked.

"I suggested to Mr. Casel that we have an officer or two attend the party to keep an eye out for trouble." Ombidia spoke. There was a faint whoosh as he sent another text. "Considering Officer Clawhauser's history with both Gazelle and the Casels, I thought he would be the best option."

"Clawhauser hasn't been out in the field in years." Bogo replied. "I strongly recommend that you have more officers present during the party. I can recommend two more."

"Wait, would Mr. Casel be okay with that?" Benjamin asked.

"I'll text Alec now. His parents may not approve of having cops running around their estate, but they won't refuse." Christine spoke, quickly typing and sending a text on her own phone. "If anything happens to Gazelle on his property, his reputation probably wouldn't survive."

There was a sudden sound, like a vacuum cleaner powering down, as the lights suddenly went out.

There were a few small gasps and curses of surprise in the pitch darkness, until one by one they turned on the lights of their phones, filling the room with beams of white tinted light.

"Alright, which idiot forgot the electric bill?" Bogo demanded once his own flashlight was activated.

"Must be a blown fuse." There was a rustling as Ombidia got up from the sofa. "I'll go find a maintenance worker."

"I'll go with you. The rest of you should go find a room with windows to wait this out." Christine got up with him. With their phones to guide them, they crept out the dressing room.

"Gazelle, where's the nearest room with windows?" Bogo asked, recalling how the corridor outside was all doors.

"That would be the staff room. I don't think they'll mind. Follow me." They left the room as Gazelle called Christine to let her know where they were going.

In the darkness and silence, the corridor was more unsettling than when they'd last walked through it. Bogo and Benjamin walked side-by-side, keeping Gazelle between them. "Stay between us, Gazelle." Benjamin spoke a little shakily. Bogo couldn't blame him, considering what had happened the last time he'd been in a dark corridor. They heard distant footsteps from up ahead, probably just Christine and Ombidia.

There was a jingle from Gazelle's phone. "Christine says she'll meet us in the staff room. Ombidia's just sent someone to check the power room, so the lights should come back on soon."

The instant Gazelle finished speaking, Bogo's ear twitched. It wasn't so much a sound as it was a sixth sense. All he knew was that there was something coming at them from behind. Like a person. Like an attacker. He didn't think twice before sending a spinning back fist flying over the heads of his two companions.

His fist struck the bone of a furry wrist. A metal object as cold as ice bounced off his arm. Hurried footsteps faded away into the darkness as something small and thin clattered on the floor.

"Sir?!" Benjamin turned round to see why Bogo had just thrown a punch, but it was too dark. He looked down and knelt to see what had fallen. "Oh my gosh, this is a knife!"

Gazelle clapped her hooves over her mouth, looking like she'd just witnessed a murder.

Bogo knelt down besides Benjamin. "Are you okay, you two?"

Gazelle nodded wordlessly. Bogo shone his phone's flashlight on the knife. It was clean, sharpened to perfection, and bore a very familiar crest on its glossy black handle.

"Oh my gosh." Benjamin repeated numbly when he also spotted the crest. "This knife... it's Alec's."