Chapter Nine:

Case Closed

Sometime later, back at Dorlock Homes's flat on Beeker Street, in place of the smug grinning portrait of Owen DeCassle was a newspaper clipping, featuring a photo of Queen Webster appearing to knight Dorlock and his partner Dr. Watkins for their bravery. The main headline read, "QUEEN HONOURS DETECTIVE", and the sub-headlines announced, "QUEEN PRAISES DETECTIVE DORLOCK HOMES, MEDAL TO BE GIVEN" and "Time Runs Out for Owen DeCassle."

Dr. Watkins stammered in awe, "To be th-t-th-th-t-th-thanked by the Q-Qu-Q-Q-Qu-Q-Queen herself! Oh, how very thrilling, eh, D-D-D-Dorlock?"

Dorlock, now fully recovered after his fight on Big Ben and back in his red robe, was putting the portrait of Owen DeCassle in the fireplace to destroy it, knowing his arch-nemesis was now gone. "All in a day's work, Doctor," he gleefully said.

Clyde Bunnersham and his father Bugs were also at the flat. "Oh Dr. Watkins, you were wonderful!" Clyde gushed as Watkins gave a bashful chuckle.

"Indeed," Bugs grinned before noticing the time on his pocket watch. "Oh my, we have to catch our train. Come along, Clyde." He began stepping out of the flat.

"Yes, father," Clyde answered. He then embraced the duck detective that saved his and his father's lives. "Goodbye, Dorlock," Clyde sniffled. "I… I'll never forget you."

Dorlock Homes leaned down, put his hands on Clyde's shoulders and said with a bittersweet smile, "Nor I you, Mr… Mr. Bunnerhunner."

Clyde stared for a bit, but then shook his head with a smile, knowing Dorlock couldn't resist the running gag of misnaming him one last time. Watkins also commented with a chuckle, "W-w-wh-w-whatever."

"Goodbye, Dr. Watkins," Clyde said as he shook the doctor pig's hand.

"G-go-g-g-goodbye, little boy," Watkins stammered.

Clyde started out the front door but turned back one last time to whisper to the two, "Goodbye…" before finally leaving and closing the door.

"Well, um…" Dorlock started and then sniffled. "Not a bad little kid, actually."

"N-n-not at all," Watkins said as he put his derby hat on, getting ready to leave as well. He sighed and explained, "Well… it's t-t-ti-t-time I was on my way, too."

Dorlock was surprised. "But, um… but I thought…" he began.

Buttoning up his jacket, Watkins added, "Well, t-th-t-th-th-the case is over, and, er, perhaps it's b-b-be-b-be-b-b-b-best I found my own place to live."

"But…" Dorlock started, but a knock at the door interrupted him. "Oh, now who can that be?"

Watkins opened the front door and found Lola Bunny standing there, looking clearly upset. "Is… is this the home of the now-famous Dorlock Homes of Beeker Street?"

"Ind-d-d-d-deed it is, miss," Watkins stuttered as he tipped his hat, but then his expression changed when he noticed Lola's face. "You look as if you're in some t-t-t-trouble."

Just hearing that made Lola more upset. She sobbed into her handkerchief, "Oh, oh I am… I am!"

"Then you've c-c-co-c-c-c-come to the right place," Watkins said.

Dorlock Homes zipped right up to them and introduced his friend to Lola, "Ah, allow me to introduce my trusted associate, Dr. Watkins, who I do all my cases with!" Then he looked right at Watkins and added, "Isn't that right, doctor?"

"What?" Watkins asked in surprise. Suddenly feeling more upbeat, he shook Dorlock's hand and said, "Oh, why, y-y-y-ye-y-y-yes, of course!" He was glad that he was going to stay with Dorlock Homes, even if the duck detective was a little crazy.

Dorlock enjoyed the sentimental moment as he tugged as his robe collar a bit, and then went right to work as he walked up to Lola and grabbed her right hand, saying, "As you can see, Watkins, this young lady has lost a beautiful emerald ring that was on the third finger of her right hand, given the ring dent there. Now my lady, tell me your story, and please give exact details…"

As he spoke, Marc Anthony the bulldog listened from right outside the front window of Dorlock Homes's flat and nodded approvingly. At the nearby lamppost, Wile E. Coyote was playing a beautiful violin solo, as Dr. Watkins wrapped up this story with his parting words…

"From t-t-th-th-t-th-that time on, Dorlock and I were a close team, and over the years w-w-w-we had many cases together. B-b-b-bu-but I'll always look back on that first one with t-th-th-t-t-th-the most fondness; my introduction to D-D-D-Dorlock Homes of Beeker Street… the G-G-G-Great Duck Detective."

THE END

…

Back in the nice library, Wile E. Coyote had just pulled his smoking jacket back on and he places his violin next to his easy chair, sitting back down and speaking to the camera to close out our presentation…

"Dorlock Homes sure solved the case. Did you manage follow all the clues and figure out what Professor Owen DeCassle was up to? Well, we hope you enjoyed going along with the mystery…"

But then a tall patsy-faced man in a business suit and holding a briefcase comes up to Wile E. Coyote, with two thugs following close behind (both resembling Crusher)…

"Mr. Wile E. Coyote, The Great Mouse Detective is a registered trademark and copyright of the Walt Disney Company. You made a big mistake, Coyote. You're heading for a major lawsuit, and NOT one with the ACME Corporation!"

Wile E. gulped and said, "But I'm just an actor in this case! Take it up with the executive producer and the writing staff of Warner Bros. Animation on all this."

"Very well then," the lawyer said as he summoned his thugs and they walked out of the library.

Grinning and chuckling nervously at you readers, Wile E. Coyote said, "This concludes tonight's mystery presentation. I'm Wile E. Coyote saying good day, and good luck…"