"He did WHAT!?" Rebecca was incensed.
"He was sleepwalking," Kit insisted, "he didn't know what he was doing—"
" 'Didn't know' my ass!" Rebecca swore (and Rebecca never swore, so Kit knew she was fuming). She surveyed the wall damage that Baloo's fist had done. Then she surveyed her pilot's navigator, checking him all over for cuts and bruises (much to Kit's constant protest).
"Really Miz Cunningham," he kept reiterating, "I'm FINE!—It's Baloo you should be worried about!"
"Oh, we should be worried about him alright," fumed Rebecca as she stomped downstairs, "we should be worried that I'M going to give him a piece of my MIND—" She stopped short when she saw Baloo hunched over in the armchair—and by the defeated and deflated look on his face, all anger transformed immediately to sympathy. "BaLOO," she stammered as she took deliberate strides in his direction, "what—what HAPPENED here!?"
Baloo just slid deeper into the chair in a poor attempt to block her mire with his pilot's cap over his eyes.
"LISTEN, Mister—" Rebecca wagged her finger like a clucking Mother Hen, "I'd better get an explanation, and I'd better get it FAST! The Inspector's Board is going to be by this coming week and if YOU don't shape up and fly right I'm—"
A knock on the door got them all to their feet—including Baloo who wasn't even sure what to expect at this point—He was half expecting Social Services to come and take Kit away. When the Hound dog who answered the door announced himself as one Mr. Bert Sansby from the Bureau of Investigations, Baloo stumbled backward as though someone had hit him with a hammer. "Mr. von Bruinwald?" Mr. Sansby inquired, "I'd like to talk to you regarding—"
"FINE! Handcuff me—but I already told ya—I already friggin PAID the parkin' tickets!" Baloo bellowed at the top of his lungs. He held both clenched and shaking fists as though preparing himself to be taken off to jail immediately.
"NO, Mr. VonBruinwald," Mr. Sansby softened considerably at the sorry sight before him, "this isn't about parking tickets!"
"Then what's it about!?" moaned Baloo, "if it's about Kit, I—"
"BaLOO!" Rebecca hissed through clenched teeth, glaring dangerously at him, "LET him TALK before you go jumping to CONCLUSIONS!"
"It's about the Deed," announced Mr. Sansby, "to Louie's Place."
"Oh no…" moaned Baloo as he backtracked all the way to the chair and all but fell back into it. "What now?" he groaned skyward, "I'm already givin' up half my freedom to run the joint! Rebecca," he stammered, "am I gonna have to give up the Duck too?"
"So wait a second—" Rebecca pulled up a chair as the Investigator kept a safe distance, "does that mean—you're taking the deal?"
"Yeah…" Baloo had never sounded so defeated. "I don't really havea choice, now, do I?"
"Well—actually—" Mr. Sansby whipped out some legal papers, "if you refused to take it, the establishment could be handed over to one of Mr. Lamont's other potential beneficiaries—but—per Louie Lamont's request," the Investigator smiled encouragingly, "his family is insisting that you take it yourself."
"You mean…" Baloo stared at the man in amazement. "They're not sore at me—?"
"Baloo…" Rebecca shook her head at her pilot in dismay. "Why would they be mad at you? You did nothing wrong—"
"Except—" Baloo shuddered. "-I only just let my best buddy drown…!" He sank into the chair once again with defeat.
"Now Mr. von Bruinwald," Mr. Sansby spoke up to try to diffuse the tension, "This is a one-time-only deal you're taking. We've got to know now: are you taking the deal or not? Otherwise, the Estate might be passed along to—"
"FINE!" Baloo snapped, without getting up from the chair, "I'm TAKIN' it already!"
"Yes sir," Mr. Sansby returned without flinching, "Duly noted! But…Are you sure you are up to the task?"
"Baloo's amazing!" Kit chimed in, "he's up for anything!"
"KIT!" Baloo groaned quietly. But to the Investigator he said, "I'll be fine, Coach, just—" Baloo ground his teeth together in frustration, "Oh—just let me sign that damn piece of paper and get it over with!"
Mr. Sansby did not blink as he handed over the paper. "You are doing the legacy of Mr. Louie Lamont a great service," said Sansby. "To finalize—your presence will be required at Louie's Place first thing tomorrow morning."
"What for?" Baloo whined, shuddering at the prospects.
"To legalize a few joint documents," said Sansby, "with Louie's family and yourself. We want to ensure that you are considered an honorary family—and you will want to have anyone there who can vouch for you as well."
"Honorary family?" Baloo exclaimed, nearly about to faint.
"You are also a witness in this investigation," remarked Mr. Sansby, "and otherwise this would be an unfortunate implication in the proceedings. However, since Mr. Lamont wrote you into the will himself, we have waived any consideration that you are a suspect in his….demise," the Hound dog rephrased for lack of better words. "This is a big deal, and we are pleased to be doing business with you!"
"Baloo," Rebecca said once the door had closed, "I'm going to need copies of the Deed for my paperwork—"
"Louie's family!?" Baloo groaned as he tugged his cap over his face. "Beckers, that's gotta mean—Aunt LOUISE is gonna be there—!" he gulped, "I—I can't face them Beckers—I-I just can't—"
"Aw Poppa Bear," Kit pat his side understandingly, "you've got nothing to worry about! You can do anything you put your mind to," his navigator added far too convincingly, "remember?"
"Kit…" Baloo was astonished that the boy had forgiven him so quickly for his blunders. "You…really think I can do this?"
"Somethin' to shoot for!" winked Kit with a grin.
And Baloo was never so grateful for his navigator as he was right then.
"Baloo…" Rebecca paced the Higher for Hire docks. "Are you sure you're up for this—it's a HUGE undertaking and—I'm not sure if you're exactly—er—stable—"
"Hey," Baloo glowered at her as he entered the Sea Duck, "what're you tryin' to say? I'm Looney Toons'?"
"If the way you were behaving towards Kit is any indication—" Rebecca began, but Baloo halted her in her tracks waving his hand.
"Kit's already forgiven me," Baloo declared (though he knew why she was concerned; it was why he was leaving in the first place). "Right buddy?" he nodded at the kid who was already in the navigator's seat, ready for takeoff.
"Sure!" Kit nodded eagerly. "C'mon, I wanna make us some Krakatoa Specials as soon as we—"
"KIT!" Baloo stared at him aghast. "Louie's Place is closed for at LEAST a week—it's a crime scene! Now—yer only going so you can vouch for me as Louie's tried-and-true friend," Baloo noted, "right?"
"Right," Kit grumbled as he slouched in the seat. "But I really do want a Sundae—"
"And same for you Beckers?" Baloo looked behind at Rebecca, who was seated between them on a crate. "You're comin along to vouch for my sanity—right?"
"I suppose," Rebecca sighed, "if it helps with the business—and that will vouch for my sanity!"
"But Baloo—" Kit hesitated, "are you sure you're up for this? The doctor said you might still have a concussion—"
"Hey now," Baloo half-chuckled almost good-naturedly, "I've hit myself on the head before and lived to tell the tale!"
"Yeah," Kit muttered, "and you almost permanently forgot how to fly—"
"Hey," Baloo retorted, "I got it back, Jack! Just like ridin' a bicycle! Plus," he smiled wistfully, "I had a great teacher…Mr. McGee!"
Kit scowled at him petulantly. "And how do we know you didn't hallucinate him the whole time?"
Baloo couldn't help himself but laugh out loud. "HA! AND his flying school and all its contraptions?"
Kit didn't have a good enough retort to that. They were already airborne by then, but Baloo was definitely taking his time flying to Louie's Island.
"Baloo…" Rebecca hesitated. "How many employees does Louie—" She caught herself. "Did—Louie—have?"
Baloo cringed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the wheel tighter. "Er—I dunno Becky—" he stammered. "About a hundred—?"
"You're going to have help," Rebecca noted, "but we're going to have to hire someone…temporary….to take the cargo," she added. "While you're…adjusting to…life at Louie's."
"What!?" Baloo nearly lost control of the plane. "You're spinning my propellers, Becksters! NO one is gonna drive MY PLANE!"
"Well," said Rebecca, "then we're going to have to hire SOMEONE to help out with Louie's that KNOWS the business of running a nightclub." At Baloo's stricken expression she added, "Temporarily," and winked. "You're going to have us out of commission for at least a week, Baloo," she added crossly, cutting him off before he was about to protest, "and you can't do it all on your own—"
"Now listen for just a moment Lady!" Baloo thundered, not realizing that he was also in the process of coming in for a landing—
"BALOO!" Kit and Rebecca braced themselves for impact—as the Sea Duck nearly landed on the docks of Louie's Island, swerving to an abrupt halt mere inches from smashing the docks themselves to smithereens.
Kit and Rebecca managed somehow to stumble out of the hull after Baloo, who was walking as though he were drunk and muttering to no one in particular that anyone else could see, "Sorry, ma'am, we're all out of Krakatoa Specials—" before nearly splatting his face on the hard flat ground.
"Well that's too bad, honey!" a female voice rang out, "because I'M all quarters!"
Baloo opened his eyes to find himself staring up at what he hoped was an apparition—but he knew better. "L-l-LOUISE!?"
