Chapter 5: Stay the Night:
The sun had set by the time Nick and Judy returned to their hotel. Judy laid herself on the center of the bed, Nick laying down beside her. They both stared at the ceiling, deep in thought about what happened at the park. After five minutes of silence, Judy spoke.
"What happened back there?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Nick questioned.
"You like...played into his delusion," Judy replied. Nick sighed, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.
"I...think I saw something," he said.
"What do mean you saw something?" Judy asked curiously.
"It was like...I don't really know how to explain it," Nick replied.
"Try," Judy said, "I need to know." Nick let out a sigh.
"It was, like a mist," he said, "It appeared in front of his chest. And I swear I saw a face over his shoulder." Judy was silent for a moment.
"When did this...mist appear?" she asked.
"It was right after he asked why we were ignoring Carol," Nick replied, "I could see he was quite angry, but as soon as the mist appeared, he calmed down."
"I was looking right at him, and I didn't even notice," Judy said.
"It was a little hard to see," Nick said, "I had to really focus to see it." Judy sighed, running her hands over her head.
"I know we agreed he hasn't done anything wrong, but there's something off about his guy," she said.
"Well, what can we do?" Nick asked.
"I guess, like Bogo said, just keep an eye on him," Judy sighed in reply. Nick hummed in agreement.
Both laid on the bed for another five minutes before Nick turned on the T.V. He turned the channel to the news, staring blankly at the screen. Judy hopped off the bed and dug through her suitcase, grabbing her tank top and black sweatpants. She quickly changed her clothes before rejoining Nick on the bed, watching the weather mammal point at a green screened map of Grazer.
Judy, like Nick, just stared at the screen. Her mind was still focused on Daniel, and the encounter in the park. She mulled over Nick's words about a strange mist that appeared, and the apparent face. Judy didn't think Nick was crazy, and he seemed genuinely spooked by what he saw. The more she thought about it, the stranger it was. Combining this with Daniel's assertion that he was talking to Carol, made an irrational part of her mind think that...she shook her head. Judy never believed in the paranormal, and she didn't feel like starting now. It was better to focus on the things that actually made sense.
"Are you okay, Carrots? Nick asked, noticing Judy's intense stare.
"I'm fine, Slick," she replied, "Just thinking about things."
Nick gave a soft chuckle and placed his hand on the top of her head, gently stroking her fur. Judy flattened her ears, leaning into his touch. They both watched the news for another hour before they turned off the T.V. and got ready for bed. Deciding to speak to Sheriff Redding tomorrow, Judy brought up the possibility of mentioning Daniel to him. Nick was hesitant, saying they should leave him alone for a few days, Judy reluctantly agreeing with him. Instead, as they discussed before, they would ask for an update on Randall. After their bust earlier, they hoped this would get their investigation back on track.
Nick turned off the room light, he and Judy cuddling together under the covers. She curled herself into his chest like usual, drifting off to sleep minutes later. Nick, on the other hand, had trouble falling asleep. He couldn't stop thinking about what he saw in the park. The mist appearing over Daniel's chest, the face over his shoulder. What was that? Was it even real?
Nick pushed the thoughts away. He knew he had to get some sleep. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. Feeling his body relax, Nick curled himself up tighter around Judy. The sound of her soft breathing relaxed him further, pulling him into peaceful slumber. At least, until his phone blared its 8 a.m. alarm. He shot up from the bed, his tail puffed out. Judy groaned in annoyance, rubbing her ears. Turning off the alarm, Nick stretched his arms above his head, his shoulders popping with the motion. He leaned forward, popping his back.
"That's nice," He sighed as he stretched.
"Nick," Judy said from the bed, "For the last time, please change your alarm."
"Fine," he said, grabbing his phone.
Judy walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Nick dug through their bags, grabbing a fresh change of clothes for both of them. He noticed their clean clothes were getting low, making a mental note to do laundry soon. Nick joined Judy in the shower, both quickly washing themselves. They'd no time for fun today, their only focus was making up for the lost progress yesterday. Leaving the bathroom fully dressed, they grabbed their phones and wallets, leaving the hotel and getting in their rental. Nick drove them across town towards the Sheriff's Department, arriving twenty minutes later. Nick parked in the same spot he did two days ago before he and Judy headed inside. Ms. Addler looked up from her desk when she heard the door open. She smiled when she saw Nick and Judy walk in. She waited patiently for them as they approached her desk.
"Hopps, Wilde! Welcome back!" she greeted happily, "How can I help you two?"
"Hey, Ms. Adler," Judy greeted in return, "Is Sheriff Redding in today?"
"He is," she replied, "He should be in his office. If he's not there, check the breakroom."
"Okay, thank you!" Judy said.
"You're welcome, Ms. Hopps!" Ms. Adler said. Nick and Judy walked further into the department, looking into the breakroom as they passed. Not seeing the sheriff, they continued to his office. Arriving at his door, Nick tapped it with his knuckles.
"Come in," Sheriff's Redding said from inside. Nick opened the door and the stepped inside. Sheriff Redding looked up from his desk and gave them a small nod in greeting. Nick and Judy stopped in front of his desk.
"Welcome back," Redding said, "What can I do for you two?"
"We were wondering if you had an update on Randall's whereabouts," Judy replied.
"Kind of," Redding said, "I found a report saying that a wolf fitting his description was seen in Podunk about a year ago."
"How far is that from here?" Nick asked.
"About two and half, three hours to the west," Redding replied.
"That's, pretty far," Judy said.
"And, like I said, that was about a year ago, so he might not even be there anymore," Redding said. Judy crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her foot as she thought of something else. After a few moments, her eyes lit up.
"Would you happen to know any of Carol's friends?" she asked.
"Not personally," Redding replied, "I think most of them left town after her death."
"We tried looking for them yesterday," Nick chimed in, "We may have come to that conclusion, too."
"I can check if any of them are still here for you, if you want," Redding said, lifting their spirits a little.
"That's great!" Judy said, "Thank you, sheriff!"
"No problem, just give me a moment," Redding said, typing on his keyboard. He stared at his screen for a few minutes, his finger occasionally rolling on the scroll wheel on his mouse. His eyes moved across the screen, reading words Nick and Judy couldn't see. Finally, he spoke.
"It's looks like a friend of hers named Janice still lives here," he said.
"Great!" Judy exclaimed, "What's her address?"
"It's 558, Herd Street," Redding replied, "It's at the far end of town."
"Got it. Thanks sheriff," Judy said.
"You're welcome, officer," he said, "Come back if you anything."
Will do," Judy said before she and Nick left the office.
They walked back to the front door, waving to Ms. Adler as they passed. They returned to their rental, Judy putting Janice's address into her phone. She placed her phone in the cup holder, the directions present on the screen. Nick drove from the parking lot and down the main road, heading towards the far side of town.
Bob's Hardware Store, same time:
"Keep it goin'!" James shouted to the driver of the delivery truck, who was slowly backing up to the store's roll up door.
Daniel and Rick stood nearby, watching the truck back up to the store. Once it was close, James stopped the driver and opened the trailer door. The driver climbed from the cab, Daniel meeting him to sign for the delivery while Rick helped James unload the truck. Once the trailer was emptied and the paperwork was signed, the driver returned to the cab and drove away from the door. Rick pressed the close button and the roll up door slowly drove itself closed, the metal rattling loudly as it went. James loaded the boxes onto the dolly and rolled them to the storage room. He, Daniel, and Rick stacked the boxes next to the door.
Their boss came and inspected the boxes, making sure they had everything they ordered. Satisfied, he told the group restocking could wait until Monday, something they were thankful for. The boss returned to his office, leaving them to their devices. James departed towards the breakroom, leaving Daniel and Rick alone. Daniel sat down on the floor, Rick sitting down beside him.
"Ugh, I feel like we're stuck in a loop or something," he said, resting his head against the wall.
"That's 'cause we are," Daniel said, his eyes closed. Rick chuckled at him.
"Yup," he said, "So, how was your walk in the park?"
"It was good," Daniel replied, "I met Carol there, and Officer Hopps and Wilde." Rick's ears perked up.
"Again? Are they following you two?" he asked.
"Officer Wilde said they weren't, but I didn't believe him for a second," Daniel replied.
"Shit man, that's nuts," Rick said.
"It is," Daniel said with a sigh, "And they ignored Carol again. Don't know why. But they did say they'd leave us alone from now on."
"Do you believe that?" Rick asked.
"No, but I'll accept it for our sake," Daniel replied.
"If you say so," Rick said standing up and brushing himself off.
He strolled towards the bathroom, leaving Daniel alone. He pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocking the screen. He was about to go into his contacts but remember that he never asked Carol for her number, again. He leaned back and rested his head against the boxes, wishing time would pass faster so he could see her.
Zootopia Police Department, Precinct 1:
Chief Bogo scrolled through the files on his computer's screen. There had been a spike in petty crime in recent days, nothing to severe, but Bogo saw it as both a waste of resources and his officer's talent. He closed the files he was looking through and opened up the notes for Hopps and Wilde's Investigation. He read through the notes again, checking to see if he missed anything the first time.
Finding nothing, he read the notes on Randall. He remembered that Randall was questioned after Carol's murder, and that he had a solid alibi. Something about that didn't sit well with him. Randall seemed off to him, but he couldn't place why. That also held true for his friend. But there was nothing to tie those two to the crime, so all that could've been done was the questioning. But with Martin dead and Randall somewhere unknown, there wasn't much he could do. Sheriff Redding had called him earlier, saying he found a report that he'd been seen in Podunk, but that was a year ago, so who knew if he was even still there. Redding also told him he'd found one of Carol's old friends still living in Grazer, and that Hopps and Wilde were on their way to interview her. That was something he supposed.
Bogo closed Hopps's notes and the other files he was looking through. When he got to the last one, he realized he had Daniel's file still pulled up from yesterday. As he stared at the file, he mulled over what Hopps had told him. Both she and Wilde had apparently seen this mammal talking to himself, with him claiming he was talking to Carol. Bogo had no idea what to make of it. He knew Daniel wasn't involved, but his odd behavior couldn't be ignored. Especially after mentioning Carol. Does he know what happened to her? Or maybe it's another Carol and they're just overthinking it. Bogo sighed and stood from his chair.
"I need a coffee," he muttered, leaving his office, walking to the breakroom.
He glanced over the railing, watching the officers milling about on the ground floor. Some of them were escorting mammals in hand cuffs. Bogo shook his head when he saw Duke Weaselton being brought in. That mammal never learns. Would be nice if they could just lock him away forever.
Arriving at the breakroom, he strolled over to the coffee maker. He smiled when he saw it was filled with fresh coffee. He poured himself a cup with a little cream and sugar. Taking a sip, he welcomed the feeling of hot coffee going down his throat. He left the breakroom and returned to his office. Sitting himself behind his computer, he opened his own notes he wrote during the initial investigation of Carol's murder. He carefully read through it, wondering if there was anything more that could have been done.
Janice's House, Grazer:
Nick parked the rental against the curb in front of Janice's house. They excited the car and walked up to the front door.
"Let's hope this goes well," Judy said.
"Mr. And Mrs. Walters opened up, maybe she will, too," Nick said.
"Fingers crossed," Judy said, ringing the doorbell. They waited for a moment before they heard the door unlock and open. An ewe stood in the doorway, dressed in a plain t-shirt and light grey sweatpants. She looked them up and down.
"Yes?" she questioned.
"Hi, I'm Officer Judy Hopps and this is Officer Nick Wilde, ZPD," Judy greeted, "Are you Janice?"
"I am," Janice replied, "How can I help you two?"
"We're working on a case, and we're hoping you can help us," Judy replied.
"Um...okay, uh, come in," Janice said uneasily. She motioned them inside, closing the door behind them. The front door led into the den, where a ram was sitting on the couch watching T.V. He looked towards the door, his eyes widening slightly when he saw Nick and Judy.
"Janice, babe, who are they?" he asked.
"Officer Hopps and Wilde from the ZPD," she replied.
"ZPD? Why're they here," he asked, looking tense.
"We're working on a case," Judy replied, "We just wanna ask your wife a few questions and then will be on our way. Don't worry, you two aren't in trouble."
"Oh, okay," he said, his shoulders relaxing.
"Let's go in the kitchen," Janice said, walking towards it with Nick and Judy following. They sat at the dining room table, Janice bringing a glass of lemonade for all of them.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked.
"Um..." Judy hesitated, thinking for a moment before she spoke again.
"Do you remember Carol Walters?" she asked. Janice tensed at the name. She cast her gaze to the floor, letting out a heavy sigh. She stayed silent, making Nick and Judy worry. She returned her gaze to them, speaking in a soft voice.
"Carol was one of my closest friends," she replied, "I'll never forget what happened to her."
"That's why we're here," Judy said, "Chief Bogo gave us the case, to finally put Carol to rest."
"Bogo huh?" Janice questioned, Judy nodding in response, "I remember Bogo, he was rather interesting guy."
"Yes, he is," Nick said with a smirk, earning an elbow to the ribs, Janice chuckling at their antics.
"When me and Carol met him at a job fair, he was a little awkward, but a very nice man," Janice said, "It really hit him hard when she was killed."
"We wanna right that wrong," Judy said, "Is there anything you could tell us? Like anything weird before her death?" Janice thought for a moment.
"Uh...now that you mention it, Carol was acting strange before her death," she said, "But whenever me or her other friends would ask what's wrong, she'd just say everything's fine."
"We spoke to her parents two days ago," Judy said, "They told us the same thing."
"Yeah, she became kinda distant after her breakup" Janice said, "It wasn't even a bad breakup either."
"Can you tell us more about the breakup?" Judy asked.
"Sure," Janice replied, "Her boyfriend, Randall, cheated on her and she was quite upset about it. She didn't have it in her heart to destroy this guy, so she just told him they were done."
"Do you know how he took it?" Judy asked.
"Not really," Janice replied, "Do you think he did it?"
"We can't say for certain, but he's our only lead," Judy replied.
"I don't know, he didn't seem like that kinda guy to me," Janice said.
"So we've been told," Judy said.
"I don't know if you were told, but he left town a few years ago," Janice said.
"Yes. Carol's parents told us," Judy said, "We've got both the sheriff and Chief Bogo trying to find him."
"Let's hope you find him," Janice said, "When Carol died, everyone pointed the finger at him. He tried to ignore them, but eventually he just up and left."
"The sheriff told us he was cleared, though," Judy pointed out.
"Yeah, well, everyone else thought he was guilty," Janice countered.
"Trial by newspaper?" Judy questioned.
"Pretty much," Janice replied with a sigh.
"Is there anything else you can tell us before we leave?" Judy asked.
"Not that I can think of," Janice replied.
"Okay, we'll give you our contact information so if you think of anything else, give us a call," Judy said, pulling out her phone. She and Janice exchanged their phone numbers.
"Thank you for your help, Janice," Judy said.
"You're welcome, Officer Hopps," she said, "Sorry I couldn't give you more."
"That's alright, we'll work with what we got," Judy reassured, "Well, we'll see you around."
"You too, officers," Janice said.
Nick and Judy got up from their chairs and left the house. Climbing inside their rental, Judy dug through her purse and pulled out her carrot pen and notepad. She spent the drove back to town writing down everything Janice had told them. While it wasn't much, it did reinforcement the fact that Carol had been acting odd in the days before her death. They needed to find Randall now more than ever, as he was the only one who could give them anything substantial.
Judy's rumbling stomach reminded her that she and Nick hadn't eaten breakfast. Nick decided to stop at a coffee shop near the edge of town. Judy had suggested Harry's Diner, but after yesterday, Nick told her it was best to stay away from there for a few days. The last thing they needed was another run in with Daniel, especially since their last encounter didn't go so well.
With the food and coffees ordered, they sat a table by the front window and talked about where to go from here. They had gotten as much as they could from the town, now they were just waiting on Randall. This made Judy frustrated, as she didn't want their investigation to stall so soon.
"There's not much we can do, Carrots," Nick said.
"I know, I just wish we had more to work with," Judy sighed.
"Maybe in a perfect world," Nick said.
"Yeah. Too bad we can't have that," Judy said, staring out the window.
"Hey, we solved the Night Howler Case with less. We can do this, Carrots," Nick said. Judy giggled at him.
"Are you really Nick?" she asked, "Usually I'm the one giving the pep talks."
"Hey, I have my moments," he said with a smirk.
They finished their breakfast, with Nick buying another coffee, before returning to their rental and driving back into town. Nick made a pass of Harry's Diner, just to see if Daniel was there. Not seeing him, Nick parked back at the hotel. He and Judy went back to their room. Judy grabbed their dirty clothes and headed back downstairs to do laundry.
While he was alone, Nick began to think more about the encounter with Daniel yesterday. He focused on the mist that appeared behind him, trying to make out anything distinct about it. Part of the mist that appeared over Daniel's shoulder definitely looked like a face, the muzzle giving it away as canine. But what did it mean? It couldn't have been a ghost, could it? Nick tried to think rationally about this. He remembered watching a documentary years ago about mammals that could supposedly speak to spirits. Nick didn't believe any it, thinking it was made up for entertainment. However, the encounter yesterday made him question it. Daniel had been insistent that he was with Carol, could he really be seeing her ghost? If is there was even a remote possibility of that being true, it's not like they could just use it in their investigation. Chief Bogo would just call them insane and take them off the case.
Nick sighed and laid down on the bed, watching the ceiling fan blades spin. His ears perked when heard shuffling outside the door. He got up from the bed and walked to the door, looking through the peephole. Judy was just outside, the bag of laundry next to her. She was digging through her pocket for their room key. He opened the door, her eyes widening with surprise.
"Oh! Thank you, Slick!" she said, grabbing their laundry.
"No problem, Carrots," Nick said as she walked inside, closing the door behind her.
Judy dumped the laundry on the bed and began folding their clothes. Nick sat on the bed and grabbed some of the clothes to help her. After ten minutes, they finished with their clothes and began talking about lunch. Nick looked through his phone for a new place, while Judy took that time to add their interview with Janice to her notes on her laptop. Nick, meanwhile, found a small restaurant a couple blocks from their hotel. Judy shutdown her laptop, joining him as he left the room. They walked down the street for few minutes before they saw the restaurant. They went inside, not noticing Daniel's car driving by.
Bob's Hardware Store, twenty minutes earlier:
Daniel stretched his arms above his head as he walked through the main floor. He sat down on a bench by the front entrance, waiting on Rick. He looked around the store to pass the time. James was at the main register, the raccoon scanning a few tools for a cougar. A ram employee stood by the self-checkout, watching the mammals pay for their items.
Getting bored rather quickly, Daniel pulled out his phone and opened one of his games. He played for several minutes before he heard footsteps approaching. He looked up from his phone and saw Rick walking towards him. Daniel put his phone away and stood up from the bench.
"What took ya?" he asked.
"Had to make a stop," Rick replied.
"Where?" Daniel asked.
"The toilet," Rick replied.
"Again?" Daniel asked.
"Yeah, uh, I had Mexican last night, uh, l-let's just go," Rick said with a sigh. They left the store and headed to Daniels car. They climbed inside and Daniel drove them from the parking lot. Rick shuffled in his seat, looking more like a pup than an adult.
"So roomy in here," he said.
"It sure is," Daniel chuckled.
He drove down the main street, heading towards downtown. He glanced at the shops as he passed, driving to the pizza place Rick suggested earlier. Passing a coffee shop, he saw Hopps and Wilde walking inside. Luckily, they did not see his car as he drove by, something he was thankful for. He parked in front of the pizza place five minutes later. He and Rick walked inside, the smell of tomato sauce and dough greeting them. They stood behind a few mammals, waiting for their turn. Once it was, they ordered several pizzas for the store. Picking a table, they both sat down and waited.
The pizzas were ready twenty-five minutes later. Grabbing them from the counter, they returned to the store. They dropped the pizzas off in the breakroom, grabbing slices for themselves, sitting at the table in front of the T.V. Rick stuffed the pizza into his muzzle, loudly chewing on the slice. Daniel stared at him with an unamused look. He quietly ate his slice, trying to ignore his friend's poor manners, sending the occasional glance to the clock. He was eager for his date with Carol, hopefully one that wouldn't be interrupted.
Nick and Judy's hotel room, one hour later:
Judy sat behind her laptop, looking over Podunk on Zoogle maps. Nick was looking over her shoulder as she scrolled over the town. She was searching for any places of interest in the town, maybe something that could them a clue where Randall had been seen. They looked over all the gas stations and general stores they could find. After a few minutes of searching, Judy handed the mouse over to Nick, seeing if his criminal background could give them some insight, but he didn't have much luck either. As Podunk mostly resembled Grazer, they figured Randall was probably just passing through. Judy shutdown her laptop, resting her head in her hands.
"This is hopeless," she said.
"It's okay, Carrots," Nick said, trying to comfort her, "We'll find him eventually."
"Yeah, eventually," Judy said, "That's bad if we only have twenty-eight days left."
"We solved the Missing Mammals Case in two," Nick pointed out, "We'll find him."
"I know," Judy said. Nick rubbed his chin, a thought coming to him.
"The sheriff and Bogo said Randall had a friend who lived here, right?" he asked.
"They did," Judy replied, "But they said he died remember?"
"I remember," Nick replied, "But I think we should look into him, you know? See maybe if his was involved."
"Involved how?" Judy questioned.
"Maybe helped him or something," Nick replied. Judy pondered Nicks words for a bit.
"Bogo said his friend vouched for Randall's alibi, right?" she asked.
"Yeah, he did," Nick said.
"I think I get what you're suggesting, Slick," Judy said, turning her laptop on again, "Let's see if we can find an article on his death."
Once her laptop booted up, she opened her browser and went back onto Zoogle. She typed in Grazer and went to the town's archives. Scrolling through the list of notable crimes, she quickly found an article on Carol. She skimmed through it to see if it mentioned Martin. Halfway through, she spotted Randall's name. Randall Powell, star player of the Grazer Community College's baseball team, friendly, outgoing, not someone you'd expect to be a murderer. Judy looked further down the article, spotting Martin's name.
Martin Barter was the owner of a gas station just outside of town. The article didn't specify the relationship he had with Randall, but it did say they hung out a lot. He even hung his neck out for Randall when he was accused of murdering Carol. Near the bottom of the article, Judy found what she was looking for. It was only a small portion, but it confirmed what Bogo said about Martin being killed in a robbery, the shooter being arrested three days later. It also revealed that Randall had left town in 2013, and he hadn't been back since.
"2013, huh?" Nick muttered, "Got a five-year head start."
"Looks like it," Judy said, "Not much on Martin, though. We'll have to ask either Sheriff Redding or Bogo to tell us more about him." Nick hummed in agreement.
"So, you wanna call them now?" he asked.
"I think we'll wait till tomorrow," she replied, "I wanna go through everything we have so far again, to make sure we didn't overlook something."
"Okay, Carrots," Nick said.
He sat down next to her as she opened her notes again. They spent the next few hours going all their notes, including their earlier interview with Janice. All and all, their notes were spot on with everything they've been told so far. Eventually, they would have to expand their search beyond Grazer. Maybe try the new college in Woodland like Nick suggested yesterday. Or bite the bullet and drive to Podunk. They checked the time, seeing it was nearing five.
"Wow. Almost five already," Nick said.
"Yeah, and we didn't really learn anything new," Judy said.
"Well, we can hope tomorrow that the sheriff has something for us," Nick said.
"Fingers crossed," she said, turning off her laptop.
"You wanna go to the park again?" Nick asked.
"The park?" she questioned.
"Yup," Nick replied, "Aside from our encounter with Daniel, the park was actually really nice. Plus, we could use some fresh air and sunlight."
"Sounds good, Slick," Judy said, stretching her back, a few pops heard. She and Nick then left their hotel room and headed to the park.
Bob's Hardware Store, same time:
Daniel quickly walked to his car, a smile on his muzzle. Tonight was his first real date with Carol, and hopefully one without Hopps and Wilde showing up. He'd put his foot down yesterday, and they seemed to get the message. Though, Wilde's behavior was rather strange, his face looking like he'd seen a ghost or something.
Filing those thoughts away, he waved goodbye to Rick before he got in his car and drove across town to the park. He parked his car in the same spot as yesterday and walked inside. He figured Carol might be waiting for him at the fountain, so he decided to head straight there. And sure enough, he saw her sitting on the same bench in front of the fountain, watching the clouds lazily float across the evening sky. He made his way over, her ears twitching when she heard him. She turned and greeted him with a smile.
"Hey Daniel!" she said, her tail thumping against the bench.
"Hi Carol," Daniel said, giving her a wave, "Been here long?"
"No," she replied, standing from the bench, "Maybe thirty minutes." She walked to Daniel and wrapped him in a hug, which he eagerly returned.
"Ready to go?" she asked, releasing hum from the hug.
"Ready," Daniel said.
She smiled and extended a hand. He took it and they both walked through the park, watching the sun set behind the nearby buildings. The entire time, Carol spoke of the pastry shop they were going to. She told him about the first time she went there. Though she was only five, the shop left a lasting impression on her. Daniel listened intently; her happiness was quite infectious. As such, he was so invested in her story, he didn't notice Hopps and Wilde observing him in the distance.
Nick and Judy Grazer Park, five minutes earlier:
Walking through the park's entrance, Nick and Judy passed the sandwich shop the visited yesterday. They glanced at the table Daniel and 'Carol' had shared, today being occupied by a deer family. The father noticed them and gave a small wave. They waved back and continued further into the park, headed towards the fountain. Before they got there, Nick held up his arm. Judy peeked around him, seeing what made him stop.
In front of the fountain was Daniel. Like usual, he was speaking to his imaginary friend, even hugging them. Despite being the third time they saw this, it was still awkward to watch. After the hug, Daniel turned and began walking through the park. They followed him, all the while keeping their distance. Once Daniel disappeared behind some small trees, they decided to abandon their pursuit. They turned around and went back to their stroll, purging Daniel from their minds.
Daniel and Carol, Grazer Park, present time:
"We're almost there!" Carol said, her pace quickening as she tugged Daniel's arm. He laughed at her giddiness.
"It's not going anywhere," Daniel said through his laughter.
"You never know!" she said.
Up ahead, the facade of the pastry shop appeared. The outside dining area had a few mammals seated at its tables; their plates filled with various baked goods. The smell of fresh cookies and cakes made Daniel's stomach rumble. They walked through the front door, gazing over its interior. The store was brightly lit, with surprisingly fancy chairs and tables for a pastry shop in a small town. Next to the register was a glass display filled with cakes, cookies, and donuts. Next to the desserts where savory pastries filled with fish, cheese, vegetables, and bug patties. There were even a couple of pizzas on the shelf under the sweets.
Daniel and Carol stood off to the side while she explained what the best items on the menu were. Once she was done, Daniel went to the register and ordered an éclair for Carol, and a bug bake for himself, as well as a couple bottles of water. They sat at a table near the back of the shop, where few mammals were present. Carol took a bite of her éclair, the cream filling coating her whiskers. Unlike Rick, she actually used a napkin to wipe it away. Daniel bit into his pastry, savoring the flavor of the bug patty and gravy.
"Wow, that's good!" he said with his mouth full.
"I know!" Carol said giggling, "Told you this place has the best pastries in town!"
"You were right!" Daniel said, taking another bite of his pastry.
Carol stuffed the rest of the éclair into her mouth, taking a drink of water to wash it down. Daniel finished his pastry around the same time. They spent the next hour talking about their days. Carol spent some time on her college class, leading Daniel to mention his plan to start his own business in Zootopia. Carol found his dream intriguing. She herself had never been to the city, maybe Daniel could take her one day.
An hour later, they left the shop and returned to the park. The sun had fully set by then, and small lamps were now lighting the path. Passing by the fountain, they saw colored lights illuminating the streams of water, the color changing every few seconds. Continuing through the park, they arrived at Daniel's car.
"Thanks for inviting me," Daniel said, "That was great!"
"You're welcome, hon!" Carol said, Daniel's tail wagging at the word hon.
"So, any plans for tomorrow?" he asked.
"Not really," Carol replied, "Probably just gonna relax."
"That sounds good," Daniel said, "I could use a quiet weekend after a boring week at the store."
"The monotony," Carol said with a giggle.
"Yup," Daniel said, scratching his ears, "You need a ride home, or you got someone picking you up?"
"Oh, um, no one's picking me up," Carol replied, "I was just gonna call a cab or something." Daniel shook his head.
"No need. I'll take you home," he said. Carol's eyes widened, her tail wagging.
"You will?" she asked.
"Sure!" Daniel replied, "Hop in."
He opened his passenger side door and Carol hoped in. He walked around to the driver's side and got inside. Starting the engine, he handed her his phone to type in her address. Getting his phone back, he was surprised to see she lived in the outskirts of town, a little distance away. Shrugging it off, he left the park, turning onto the main road before heading out of town. The drive was mostly silent, with Carol resting her head against the window and Daniel staring blankly down the road, asphalt illuminated by his headlights. Fifteen minutes later, he spotted Carol's house.
The dull white, two-story home was situated in front of a large, open field with a wooden fence in front of it. A tall streetlight cast an orange glow onto the driveway. The windows were dark, meaning either no one was home, or they were asleep. Daniel parked his car at the end of the driveway, shutting off the engine. He and Carol left the car and walked hand in hand to the front door. Carol unlocked the door with a key from her pocket. She opened it, then took Daniel's hand and walked him inside, closing the door behind him. She flicked on a light in the foyer before locking the door. She then led him into the den, turning on the light as they entered. The den was quite large, practically half the size of Daniel's apartment. A large leather couch was in the center of the room, a wooden coffee table a few feet in front of it. The far wall had a window, the curtains covering the view outside. The most curious thing in the room was the old tube T.V. on a stand in front of the couch.
"Wow," Daniel said, his eyes looking over the room.
"Nice, isn't it?" Carol asked.
"It is," Daniel replied, stepping further inside.
"You can sit on the couch," Carol said, "I'll get us some water."
"Thank you," Daniel said. He walked to the couch and sat down, the leather creaking as he did.
He stared at his reflection in the T.V. screen for a moment before looking at the pictures hanging above it. They showed a family of wolves at an ice cream parlor. Two adult wolves were sitting across from each other, a wolf pup was sat between them. Upon closer inspection, Daniel could see the pup was Carol. He smiled at how adorable she looked, clutching an ice cream cone that was almost too big for her.
Carol walked in seconds later, carrying cups of water. She set them down on the table and sat down next to him. She picked up the remote and turned on the T.V. She switched through the channels, stopping on one playing a cheesy western. She scooted closer to Daniel, placing her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, resting his chin between her ears. They stayed like this for a couple hours, watching the cowboys on screen running around in mock gunfights and dying exaggerated deaths. Daniel checked his phone, seeing it was nearing eleven. He yawned, setting his phone beside him.
"Getting sleepy?" Carol asked.
"Yeah. It's almost eleven," he replied.
"Damn, really?" she questioned.
"Yup," he replied, standing up and stretching his back, "I should probably head home."
"You don't have to," Carol said quickly, "I mean, um, you can stay the night. My parents are, uh, on vacation, they won't be back for a few days."
"Alight," Daniel said, "I'll stay."
Carol smiled and wrapped him in a tight hug. He hugged her back, gently nuzzling her with his muzzle. Afterwards, she grabbed the remote and turned off the T.V. She led Daniel from the den, turning off the light as they left. She turned on the light to the stairs and guided him up to the second floor, leading him down a short hallway. Stopping outside a door, Carol grabbed the knob and opened it, switching the light on as they entered. Inside was a bedroom, a bed on one end, and dresser on the other. A small desk was on the wall next to a large window, curtains similar to the den's covering it.
"This is my room," she said, "We don't have an open guest room, so you can sleep here tonight." Daniel noticed a small blush on her muzzle when she said that.
"There's a bathroom there," she continued, pointing to a door next to the dresser, "There's another one down the hall."
"Okay," Daniel said, taking off his jacket. He set it down on a small chair next to him.
"Um, I don't spare men's clothes," Carol said, "But maybe you can borrower some of my dad's."
"Will he be fine with that?" Daniel asked.
"What he doesn't know won't hurt," she assured, "Follow me."
She and Daniel walked down the hall to another room. Inside, Carol went to the room's closet and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a t shirt. She handed them to Daniel, then pointed to a dresser next to the closet, informing him her father kept his underwear in the bottom drawer. Forcing the awkwardness of wearing someone else's underwear, he dug through the drawer and grabbed a pair.
'At least it's clean,' he thought.
He met Carol at the door, who apologized about it. Daniel assured her it was okay, saying it was better than going without. They walked back down the hall, stopping when Carol showed him the bathroom. Daniel thanked her and went inside. He set the clothes down on the counter and turned on the shower. Once the water was warm, he stripped off his clothes and stepped inside. He scrubbed his fur, borrowing the shampoo that was sitting on the shelf. He stayed under the warm water for another ten minutes before shutting it off and leaving the shower. Drying himself off, he quickly dressed and returned to Carol's room.
She was sitting on her bed, waiting for him. She had changed into a white night gown, her long, black hair draped over her shoulders. His nose picked up the scent of clovers, the smell coming from Carol. She stood from the bed and took his hand, pulling him inside. She then closed the door and opened the curtains to the window; the pale moon was the only thing that could be seen in the darkness of the night.
"Ooh. Full moon tonight," Carol said, "Really bright huh?"
"Yeah," Daniel agreed, "I don't think I've ever seen the moon so bright."
"I've seen it a lot," Carol said, "When you're away from the lights of the town, you'll get a brighter moon. And you can see the stars. So many stars."
"Maybe you can show me some time," Daniel said.
"Tomorrow evening good?" Carol asked.
"Sounds perfect," he replied.
She gave him a smile before moving to the bed and pulling back the blanket. Daniel stepped by the door, resting his finger on the light switch. Carol gave him a nod and he switched off the lights, standing still for a moment while his eyes adjusted, the full moon speeding up the process. Carol climbed in bed, Daniel joining her. She shuffled close to him, burying her face into his chest. He smiled and curled himself around her.
"Goodnight Daniel," she said in a whisper.
"Goodnight Carol," he said, matching her tone.
He rubbed his muzzle against her cheek, moving closer to her. She molded into his touch, the light of the full moon reflecting off her fur. She couldn't have looked any more beautiful. Her breathing slowed as she fell to sleep. Daniel closed his eyes, letting Carol's warmth relax his body, quickly joining her in slumber, their steady breathing the only sounds in the room.
Author's Note: Here's chapter 5! At 7350 words, this is now the longest chapter. (I don't know why this site always adds a hundred words to the count when you save the first time.) Things are going to start picking up in the next chapter. I'm not sure how many chapters this story will have, but I will say we're approaching the halfway point. Chapter 5 of MHWA is about two thirds done, and I hope to get it uploaded before Christmas, it is going to be a longer chapter. I managed to get chapter 1 of Hell Freezes Over done quicker than anticipated, so it'll probably be uploaded soon, along with chapter 1 of Redemption. Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Constructive criticism welcome.