Chapter: 23 Murder Mystery
Things return to normal, well except for the jokes. When the other officers learned what we had done, the sexual innuendos flew at us fast and furious. Some one had a piece of cardboard taped to our cubical wall with a hole in the shape of binoculars, mammals could look at us through the hole. We also got a gift of a rubber tree. Not a real tree, it was a steel frame with condoms hanging off of it. We took all the jokes good naturedly and laughed with them. Eventually they stopped. Because of this we knew we were accepted as cops.
We spent the next six months on patrol with Lily and Ralph, we learned a lot from them. The next shoot out we were involved in, Lily and Susan stumbled on. Ralph, Delgato, and I were their back up. It was a gang war, in broad day light. Between the five of us we managed to tank all the perps on both sides. It took all of the wagons to pick them all up, Booking was kind of crowded that day.
We looked at more missing mammal files going back a few more years. We tied many mammals missing to murdered mammals. Some were domestic violence, but some we could tie to nothing, those hurt the most. We put them on the back burner, we would look at them again later. We ran across a strange missing mammal; she looked like mom and was born on the same day. She was in our missing and murdered file. We went and collected the files from the file room. When we laid it out on the table, the file said she was an only child, her brother had been still born. We had a DNA profile and we ran it for her parents and for any siblings. The original DNA profile was only run looking for her parents. After about an hour we got a beep from the computer, we had a sibling match, the match was a one-hundred percent match to her twin sister, mom. We called mom and dad and they said they would stop by before the end of the day.
When they came in late in the afternoon, they could tell something was up. "So, what's up Daniel"? she said with a smile on her face". Well mom, sit down please". "Daniel your scaring me". Dad and mom sit down. "Mom how many brothers and sisters were in your litter group"? "My mom had eight of us". "Are you sure"? "Yes, Daniel I'm sure". "How many of them looked like you"? "None Daniel, why"? "And how many of your siblings have your eye color"? "None Daniel, why are you giving me the fourth degree"? In answer I hand her the missing file. She looks at it, reads it, and hands it back. "Well I admit she does look like me, but I don't know her". "Mom she was the same age as you, and was born the same night as you. She was born in Bunny Burrow at the hospital". "So? That's just a bunch of coincidences". "Mom it's more than just coincidences, she was a one-hundred-percent DNA match to her twin sister, you mom, she was your twin sister".
Mom just sat there in shock, dad wrapped his arms and tail around her. He just held her as she processed all the info. She looks up at me, "Daniel you keep speaking of her in the past tense, Why"? I hand her the second file. She reads it and starts to cry, then gets mad at me. "Could you not have left me in the dark Daniel? I didn't need to know all this". "Mom this is a cold case, this is what Susan and I do". Susan and I go over and hug her with dad. Eventually she stops crying, and getting out her phone calls her parents.
Stu answers the phone. "Jude the dude, to what do we owe this call"? "Dad would you like to tell me what happened the night I was born"? "Nothing happened, your mother had a normal delivery". "Dad I have a file in front of me, that says I'm not your biological daughter". "Oh scat", says Stu. "Judy I will not discuss this with you over the phone, if you want to know the truth you will have to come and get it in person". With that Stu hangs up the phone. Mom just sat there in shock her dad had never hung up on her before. "So, what do we do now"? asks mom.
We get lieutenant Lister involved. "Susan and Daniel, I believe this is your case you should investigate it, Nick you are lead, Judy I can't let you be involved in this; you are just to close. Judy I'm giving you stress leave, I don't care where you go, as long as you are not involved in this case. Now your stress leave begins now, and will end when I say it does". "But sir". "No buts Judy, you can't be involved, so go and do what ever you like to relieve your stress". Mom opens her mouth, but dad steps on her foot. Mom looks at him with murder in her eyes. "Good, I see you understand me, Daniel, Susan, I'll tell chief Bogo you are working for me for the next few days. Go on, get out of my office".
"Nick you are so dead when we get home". "Wow" "the lieutenant was right you really are stressed, fluff". Mom punches dad lightly on his arm. "I'm not stressed, I just don't know what to do with myself for the next couple of days". "What, you're not coming with us"? "But"? "He gave you stress leave, and told you to go where you like to relieve your stress. As long as you aren't involved, I don't see why you can't be there to listen". "Nick you devious con mammal, when do we leave"? In the morning love, no sense rushing at the end of this day". Susan and I just smile, that was totally the lieutenant's intent.
We leave the next day, Susan and I are in uniform, mom and dad are in civvies. We take mom and dad's new cruiser. We pack some overnight bags, no telling how long this will take. Mom is silent for most of the trip, she does answer questions, but her answers are very short. The closer we get to Bunny Burrow the more antsy mom gets. "Nick I can't do this; I don't really want to know". "Yes, you do love, I don't believe it was anything sinister, but you won't know unless you ask, besides I know this will eat you up inside until you find out". Dad pulls over. "Nick"? asks mom. "Daniel you drive, Judy I need you in the back seat". We all switch places, and mom and dad cuddle and speak softly to each other in the back seat the rest of the way to Bunny Burrow.
We can see lots of farming activities as we approach the Burrow. The carrots, celery and peas are being harvested. We park the car and head into the small kitchen. Stu joins us in a few minutes, he grabs a coffee and comes over and sits down at the table. He rolls the cup around in his paws before he starts to speak. "How did you find out"? "Dad…". "Judy no speaking, you are not really here, remember"? Says Nick. "Right". Mom crosses her arms, and leans back in her chair. "Sorry Stu, Judy is on stress leave, she is not supposed to be here, Daniel, Susan and I are heading this investigation". "What investigation"? "Stu, I'm sorry, but we can't divulge any information to you, you are involved in this murder investigation". "Murder investigation, who was murdered"? Sorry Stu we can't tell you, but it all starts when Judy was born". Stu deflates a bit, "ask your questions I won't hide anything". Dad pulls out a small recorder, and we all go through the formalities for the investigating.
Bonnie come into the kitchen at this point. "Stu you didn't tell me family was coming for a visit, I'm not prepared". Stu looks at her, "sit down dear, this concerns you as well". Judy jumps up and hugs her mom. Bonnie hugs her back, and they both sit down. "Stu what's going on"? she looks around the table, "Alright I'm sitting, what's going on"? Nick speaks up, "Bonnie we are here on an official investigation, Daniel, Susan and I are heading this investigation". "What are you investigating Nick Dear"? "Bonnie we are investigating a murder that happened nine-yeas ago". Bonnie's paws fly to her muzzle. "This investigation actually has earlier roots, that's why we are here. It all started the night Judy was born".
"Stu"? "Bonnie do you remember much from that night"? asks Stu. "Not really, you know there were complication, and I was very loopy. What does a murder have to do with that night"? Stu sighs, "I was out in the waiting room, they had just takin you into surgery, and I was distraught, we had lost one of our kits in the delivery. I was holding him, and the nurses were trying to get me to let him go, so they could take care of him". "Stu I only had eight kits I distinctly remember that". Yes, you did dear". But we brought eight kits home with us". "Yes, we did. While I was in the waiting room still holding him and crying my eyes out, another bunny came in that I had never seen before, she was holding two little girl kits in her paws.
I saw through my tears that she was crying too. She had street clothes on, and I could tell she was getting ready to leave. She sat down beside me, and showed me her kits. They were perfect grey bunny girl kits. I don't know what she was thinking at this time, still don't, but she took our son from my paws, and laid one of her girls in my paws. As I marveled at the cute bundle of joy in my paws, she ran out of the waiting room. I was so shocked, by the time I got up to chase after her, she was gone. I went back into the waiting room; the nurse was waiting for me to hand over my son. I handed you Judy to them, well they were shocked that you were alive, and put you immediately into the bassinet with the rest of our kits. I told no one of what really happened. Have you never wondered why I called you "Jude the Dude? "No one was aware of the switch", Stu looks at Judy, "I Have loved you like any of my other daughters, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Judy, I have kept silent since that night, and I'm sorry Bonnie love, I have hurt you too". Stu just hangs his head and cries.
"Stuart Henry Hopps, don't you ever be sorry for what you did, it wasn't right, but I don't regret what you did". Judy jumps up, and rushes around the table to hug her dad. "Dad, my beginnings may not have been very good, but you are my dad, and I love you for it". The three of them join in a group hug. Dad throws Susan and I the keys for the car. "Go, you need to check out the hospital". "Right sir, on our way". Dad just shakes his head, and reaches in to hug all three. I hand the keys to Susan as we exit the door. She cocks her head in a quizzical angle. "I dove part of the way here, your turn to drive". She smiles as we get going, I stick my head out the window, it's a canid thing.
We arrive at the hospital, and head for the main office. The hospital administrator assistant agrees to meet with us. "So, what can I help you with today officers"? "We are looking into a murder that happened nine-years ago, with ties to this hospital thirty-five years ago". "A murder investigation"? "Yes ma'am, the person was born here thirty-five years ago, and we were wondering if we could see the birth records for then"? "I would really like to help you officers….". "Wilde ma'am, Susan and Daniel Wilde". "Right officers Wilde, but they are sealed records, we can't allow just anyone to see them". "Aren't birth records public"? "Sorry the hospital has a strict policy on birth records". "Yes, ma'am we realize that, but this is a murder investigation, and that kind of trumps privacy". "do you have a warrant"? No ma'am we don't but we could get one, but we only need to see Two nights". "And what nights would that be"? "March twenty-fourth and march twenty-fifth nine-hundred and ninety-two". She thinks for a minute, and calls the administrator. She talks for a few, and when she hangs up, smiles at us. "The administrator agreed to let you see those records, but you can't take them with you. The administrator says that they weren't copied to the new computer system". "Fair enough ma'am, we will be as discreet and confidential as we can". "right follow me".
She leads us to the records room in the basement. "I hope the records you are looking for, were not damaged in the flood six-years ago, we had to redo a lot of records from that time of the flood, lots of people put in a lot of over time, copying them on to the computer system before they fell apart". She unlocks a door, and leads us into the records room. She searches the shelves for the year in question. When she finds it, she pulls it down, and takes it to a table on one side of the room. She tries to take the lid off, but it falls apart. Inside is just a lump of paper. "Oh dear, I'm sorry, it appears like the pages are all stuck together, I'm sorry this won't help you". "May we see it"? Susan and I look at the mess, and using power start to separate the pages. "How are you doing that"? "Sorry ma'am, that's classified information".
She huffs and goes and sits down in the chair in the room, and just watches us. We separate most of the mess, and find the birth records we were looking for. Eight kits born to Stu and Bonnie Hopps, five girls and three boys. There were lines through the numbers, one was subtracted from the boys and added to the girls. We search the rest of the records for our mysterious mother, we find her on the bottom of the pile, Thelma F. Hopton the two girls' names were Gwen and Genie. No father was listed on the record. We take discreet pictures of the file, and after separating the rest of the pages, give her back the file box. "Just leave it on the table, I will transcribe them later onto the computer". "Thank you very much for your help ma'am, we do appreciate it". "Your welcome officers, glad I could help, and thank you for separating all the pages, that makes my job a lot easier".
We then head over to the sheriff's office to see if we could get a lead on our mysterious mother. As we walk in the door, a buck is sitting behind the reception desk, with his feet up on the desk, and with a southern draw, asks us what we need. "Sir we need some information, on a Thelma F Hopton who lived around here about thirty-five years ago". He moves his hat off to one side and scratches his head. "Well, you'll have to wait for the Sheriff, that's before my time. If you don't want to wait, he's over at the diner having lunch". "thank deputy, we'll do that". As it is lunch time and we are hungry, we decide to head for the diner. As we walk out the door we hear, "Damn city cops, who do they think they are"?
We enter the diner, and immediately spot the sheriff, Susan and I only saw him once, but it's hard to not forget the mammal. He's making small talk with the waitress, when we walk over. "Sir, can we have a few moments of your time". He looks us up and down and gets a puzzled look on his face. The waitress, goes back to the counter and gets us some menus. "Do I know you two from somewhere? You are awfully familiar to me, have we met before"? "Yes sir, we met about six-years ago at the Hopps Burrow". "Was it during the kidnapping"? "Yes, it was, we are two of the rescued kits". He gets a shocked look on his face, then it turns hard. "Just what are you playing at, if you are the kits that were rescued you should be a lot smaller, and not be wearing police officer uniforms". "Sir, we are the rescued kits, most of our back story is classified, but I can tell you I'm Daniel Wilde, and this is my partner -Susan Wilde". "Let me see your badges". We pull our badges off, and show them to him. The waitress come back at this point, Susan and I give her our orders for the hot Veggie medley.
"Alright I concede that these badges are real, but I'm still having doubts about you two". That's understandable sir, we get that a lot". "So, what are you doing in town, and what can I help you with"? Sir we are here on a murder investigation, this investigation has ties to this mammal from thirty-five years ago, we were hoping you could tell us something about her". With that I show him the name Thelma Hopton and birth record for the girls. "Wow you don't ask for the easy ones do you". "Sir"? "Thelma was a single mother, her mother and father brought her in to give birth, and on their way home, they left the road doing a high rate of speed, neither survived. Thelma had just given birth, when someone finally told her, her parents were dead. She had to be sedated, but she woke up from the sedation, and before anyone could stop her, she ran out the door with her kits. No one has seen her since, was she murdered too"?
"You think her parents were murdered"? "Well thinking it, and proving It, are two different things". "Why do you think her parents were murdered"? "the road their car left, was as straight as an arrow, there were no skid marks, and their seat belts were not on. I know for fact Herb Hopton never drove anywhere without his seat belt on, all the passengers in any vehicle he drove were forced to belt up, or the car wouldn't move. so yes, I believe he was murdered". "Very slim evidence, sir". "Yes, it is, that's why it's listed as an accident. If you can prove my suspicions, I would be grateful, Herb was a good friend". "We'll do our best sir". "that's all I can ask". "Do you know her mother's maiden name"? "Let me think, Terry? Theon? Theodore? Theisen? Yes, I believe it was Beth Theisen". "Thank you, sir, that helps". "Do you know what Herb did for work"? "Not sure, I never asked him, I think he was some kind of scientist". "Do you know Who the father of her kits is"? "Well I have some suspicions, but again no concrete proof. They did not get out much, pretty much stayed to themselves. It could have been one of the Harris boys, but they moved out of town about twenty-years ago". Our lunch was eaten in silence, but we were thinking very hard.
"Sir, can you take us to see the place where they lived"? "I could if it still existed, it burnt down about nineteen-years ago". Can you show us where it was"? "Sure, follow me, do you have a car"? "Yes sir, that mustang over there". "that appears to be a detective's car, how do two patrol officers have a detective's car"? "Sir, we are here with the detective leading the case". "Do I know him"? "Yes sir, you do it's Nick Wilde, my father". "Well talk about keeping it in the family, alright follow me". He takes us to a small clearing about five-miles out of town, we can see the old foundation where the house stood, and the overgrown fields behind it. The sheriff shakes our paws, and wishing us a nice day, heads back into town. We walk the yard, looking with power to see if we can find anything. Susan and I can see a power pool behind the house in the over grown clearing. In the old foundation behind some burnt boards, and a fake brick wall, we find a hidden safe.
We call the Sheriff back with his forensic team. He sees the safe after we take the false brick wall down. The dial is rusted, and won't turn. Forensics works on removing the safe from the wall. They get it out, and take it to the Sheriff's office. They are getting ready to break it open, when I step in. "Sir I might have a better way to open it, but it is classified on how I do this, can everyone leave the room for a minute"? He looks at me very skeptic like, but does as I ask. Susan and I link, and pour power into the locking mechanism we manage to break the lock, and turning the handle, open the safe. We hear a commotion out front. "Sherriff, we have it open". The sheriff, mom and dad walk in. Mom crosses her arms, and goes to stand in the corner of the room, she watches us all.
"Well Junior detectives, what have you found"? "Don't know dad". I say as I pull on a pair of gloves, and pull files out of the safe, along with a gun, and some money. I immediately unload the gun, and put a trigger lock on it the sheriff had handed to me. We spread the files out on the table. Most of it was in some sort of code, kind of useless to us. But two things stand out, the title "Operation Renew", and the ZCIA classified stamp. "Sheriff can we take this back with us? We know a code breaker who might be able to crack it". "By all means, it's kind of useless to me the way it is". "Thank you, sir,". "You'll keep me informed as to what you find"? "yes, we will Sheriff". The sheriff photographs every thing, we then pack it up and put it in the trunk of the car. We then go to the country office for a copy of the birth certificates of the children of Thelma Hopton. We find them, but one of them is a boy, and no father is listed again. We then all head for the Hopps farm. It's to late to start back today.
We all sit back down in the small kitchen after supper is done, "So, it's been a long day what did you find Susan, Daniel"? asks dad. "Well dad, Daniel and I found several inconsistencies, in the story so far, but the only constant we could find is Thelma gave birth to two kit girls, but on the county records she had one girl and one still born boy. The hospital records state two girls as well. We feel this is some sort of cover up, to protect one of her kits. Her parents die in what appears to be an auto accident, on the night she gives birth. We find that very strange. Also, the safe with coded files, what were they into? Hopefully Mavis can break the code". "So, what your telling me is we stumbled into some sort of murder mystery". "It appears so dad, we're sorry mom we can't give you any answers at this point". "It's ok Susan, I'm sure you and Daniel will figure it out". "What about me? I am the lead after all". Judy hugs Nick, "its their show slick, we are just baggage". Alright what's next"? "Not sure dad", I answer, "any ideas"? "Several, but I believe we are done in Bunny Burrow for the time being". "Susan and I agree with you dad, I think we should hit the hay, and get an early start in the morning". "Right, night you two". We split up and head for the guest rooms.
The next morning Stu apologizes again, Bonnie just wraps a towel around and around in her paws. Judy grabs them both, and brings them into a hug. "Guys I know your not my biological parents, but you are my mom and dad, and I love you both". They hug for a bit, Judy kisses them both, and we all move for the car.
Mom and dad go back to work in the afternoon, Susan and I do our regular work in the afternoon, we scan all the files and give them to Mavis to decode. We take a closer look at the murder file, looking for any inconsistency. We find a weird one, her left paw had been cut off, and was not found with the body. We search the name on the file, a Sandra Kelle, but we find nothing about her, she's a ghost. the person who reported her missing a Cecile Theisen, is a dead end too. She appears to have moved with no forwarding address. Sandra has no sin number, no drivers licence, no address, we are at a bit off a loss. We try just her mother's maiden name, and have one-hundred hits. We try to narrow it down by age, birthday, height, eye color, species, when we use mom's birthdate, our search goes down to ten. We hand this list to mom and dad to check out. Dad smiles at us, and hands it back telling us to check it out ourselves. Lieutenant Lister agrees with dad, and sends us on our way.