12:39 p.m.

"Booker, can I talk to you for a second?" Copper strolled casually into the wishing well plaza, pulling his cap down to keep out the brilliant sunlight.

"Sure, Copper," Booker carefully set the massive clump of tangled wires he'd been trying to sort through and waddled over to where Copper was standing.

"Booker, have you seen a pink and white panda today? Goes by the name of Pinky, works for the state department of law enforcement?"

"Sure enough, Copper. I saw her a couple times, heading over to police station, then to the mayor's. I saw her leave Nook's shop 'round eleven or so. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I can't prove anything just yet, but I've got a sneaking suspicion she may have been involved with what went down here last night."

Booker's eyes widened, "You mean, Sven? You think she killed Sven?"

Copper scowled, "I don't know. I was thinking about it and I realized she'd gotten here amazingly quickly. She was waiting for me back at the station when I got back from the crime scene. She'd said she's gotten a train from Calistan, but when I asked Porter he told me she hadn't passed through the train station."

"Wow, that is pretty stange. What do you think she's hiding?"

"I don't know. She must've come from the island, which is where I think Nosegay went, because Porter hadn't seen her either. There's something mighty fishy going on on that island, Booker."

"I agree. What should we do?"

"I'm going to have a chat with Mayor Tortimer, I want you to stay here and keep an eye out."

Something suddenly struck him.

"Booker?"

"Yeah?"

"You said you saw Pinky coming out of Nook's around eleven?"

"Yeah. She looked pretty peeved."

"Yeah, that's what Porter said. Hmm."

"What's the matter?"

"I assumed she'd be heading back to the state office. She told me to send her the prints from the scene at her office."

"This just gets stranger and stranger. Maybe she stopped by Nook's to get some new duds before she left. It's pretty muddy around here."

"Maybe. In that case, she should be on the island now. But, if you see her, try and keep an eye on her. Be discreet, and if she talks to you, be polite. Don't make her wary, understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Ok, as you were."

Copper walked quickly back to the station. Once there, he sat at his desk and picked up the phone, dialing the Mayor's number with the push of a single pre-programed button.

12:45

"Hello?" Nosegay said, hitting the speaker button and shoving the rest of the BLT into her mouth.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Mmmph mmmmph?"

"I'm sorry?"

She downed the last of her Michelob and sat up, "I said, 'Who's asking?'"

"This is Officer Rusty Copper, Lemon P.D. May I speak to Mayor Tortimer?"

"He's not in, pig."

"Excuse me? Who in the hell is this?"

Nosegay lifted the reciver and blew a massive raspberry into the mouthpiece before slamming it back down again, "What a shithead. I hate the fuzz."

She stood up, absent-mindedly tossing her plate over her shoulder. It shattered on the expensive carpet.

"La da da," she hummed, plucking an antique glass knome from the bookcase and shoving it in her pocket. Christ, what a shithole, she thought.

"Ah, this is nice." She's stopped at a beautiful painting hanging on the wall. It was the Mona Lisa, a replica, but an exact and very old one. She wiped her greasy fingers over the canvas, then punched a hole through the center of Mona Lisa's face.

"That'll teach you to smile, bitch. GOD i'm bored!"

Nosegay flung herself onto the sofa and reached for the remote. Why were the fuzz calling, didn't they know there was a big town meeting? She's heard on the radio it'd been rescheduled for one o'clock.

She settled on a documentary about the migration habits of Canadians and closed her eyes. It'd been a long day, she needed some sleep. Withen minutes she was snoring loudly.