Nick lost sight of Judy when Belinda Brown came up to him. "Really, Officer Wilde, this is hardly appropriate. I told you the divorce was off, I don't understand why you and your partner are here."
"We're here because whether or not you're getting a divorce, your attorney was still murdered and your husband is still an animal of interest," said Nick mildly.
The ocelot tossed her head. "Claret would never hurt anyone."
"Yes, well, until we finish our investigation, we don't know that, now do we?" Nick leaned against the wall, his paws in his pockets. "Speaking of our investigation, did you ever find that number in your hundred purses?"
"I did." Belinda's eyes flashed. "I gave it to your partner. You'll see, it'll just be an old bank account like Claret said."
"Of course." The fox smiled, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "In that case, I'll find Officer Hopps and we'll be on our way."
"Fine!" The ocelot stalked off.
Nick shook his head as Belinda went to Simpleson and cuddled up against him. "Celebrities." He started looking for Judy, at first casually, then more determinedly as he couldn't find her. Finally he took out his cell phone, got Judy's voicemail, and out of sheer frustration activated the app that would ping her phone using a GPS code. The signal showed the phone in the penthouse, and he dialed it again, letting it ring until he found it in the hallway by the service elevator. Frowning, he pocketed both phones and went straight for Simpleson. "Where's Judy?"
The mountain lion looked down his nose at the fox. "I have no idea. She looked mighty fine in that dress, maybe somebody took her home for the night."
The animals standing around laughed and hooted and Nick's temper boiled over. He tackled Simpleson, knocking the surprised actor to the floor. The mountain lion was approximately three times the fox's size but his tough screen persona didn't carry over into real life and he cowered, screeching, "Get him off me!"
Two bears grabbed Nick and hauled him off the mountain lion while Belinda threw herself on her knees, cooing, "Are you all right, honey?"
Simpleson sat up, glaring. "I'll have your badge for this, Wilde!"
"Go ahead!" the fox spat. "I'll have your head if anything happened to Judy."
The mountain lion sprang to his feet. "Call Chief Bogo!"
Most of the guests had left by the time Bogo arrived but the bears who had pulled Nick away from Simpleson were still restraining him. Bogo's eyes narrowed at the sight of his officer in the grip of the two animals. "Let him go." They hesitated and the cape buffalo's voice turned silky. "You really don't want me to ask twice."
They released Nick and Simpleson blustered, "I want him arrested! He attacked me!"
Bogo regarded Simpleson until the mountain lion backed down, then asked, "Just what is going on here, Wilde?"
"He did something to Judy," said the fox urgently. "We arrived together and now she's not here." He held up the bunny's cell phone. "All I could find was this. She's been taken, sir."
"I don't know anything about that!" exclaimed Simpleson. "I've been here the whole time."
"Where's your lawyer?" snarled Nick. The mountain lion blinked, taken aback, and the fox pressed his advantage. "He was here, he's been joined at the hip to you since this thing started, and now I don't see him anywhere."
"What about it, Mr Simpleson?" asked Bogo. "Is your lawyer here or isn't he?"
"Well, I…" Simpleson licked his lips. "I don't know."
"Call him!" snapped Nick.
"I can't." The mountain lion spread his paws. "Tab doesn't have a cell phone. He's eccentric, says he doesn't like feeling tied down to an electronic device. I'm sorry but I have no way to reach him."
"That's enough!" Belinda Brown strode forward. "You and your partner have been harassing my husband and even when I gave her proof Claret was innocent, you're still picking on him."
"What proof?" asked Nick.
"That bank account number you wanted so much," said Belinda triumphantly.
Simpleson grabbed her arm and jerked her around to face him. "I told you that account wasn't important! Why did you give her the number?"
"To prove you didn't do anything wrong, honey." The ocelot pulled on her arm. "What's wrong?"
The mountain lion pushed her away. "You stupid...spotted...bimbo."
"What did you call me?" she shrieked. She hit Simpleson across the face and Bogo grabbed her.
"That's enough of that." The cape buffalo glowered at the actor. "You're in pretty deep already. If Officer Hopps comes to any harm, you'll never be incarcerated enough."
Simpleson wilted. "I didn't do anything to her. Tab and me saw Belinda give her a paper. We thought it was the account number and he said he was going to take care of it. That's all I know! I swear!"
Nick bared his teeth. "What did he do to her?"
"I don't know!" Simpleson held up his paws. "He left and I haven't seen him or Officer Hopps since."
Bogo pulled out his phone. "Clawhauser? Send an investigative unit to the penthouse at the Lunar Resort." He pulled out his handcuffs and fastened Simpleson's paws behind his back. "I'm arresting you on suspicion of kidnapping and assault on a police officer. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up this right…"
Nick lost track of what Bogo was saying as he went over to one of the few guests remaining. "Yax, you have to help me find Judy."
"She's gone, Nick," the yak whined. "I told you, and I told her, and neither one of you would listen, and now she's dead."
The fox said softly, "She's not dead. She can't be dead. Now we're going to find her, do you hear?" He took Yax's arm and hustled him out, calling to Bogo, "I'm going for Judy, sir."
The cape buffalo looked as if he might object to Nick's departure, but realizing there was no holding the fox back, he nodded and waved him out, whispering, "Good luck, Wilde."