At the Bin
Duckburg was an old fashioned city. Low rise buildings, wide streets, plenty of green space. It was situated on the somewhat craggy shore of Duckburg Bay. All around the city was the too green countryside of that part of the state.
Scrooge McDuck's money bin was the tallest building in Duckburg. It was the first building Monk and Sharona saw. White building, red dome, with Scrooge's initial gleaming int eh late afternoon sun.
"And you thought it was fictional," Sharona quipped.
Monk's eyes were shut, as Sharona went through the tollbooth and drove across the Duckburg Bay bridge.
"You know," said Sharona, merrily, "When most people travel they want to see the sight."
"This is a criminal investigation."
"There's no law against having fun."
The traffic through Duckburg was relatively light. Monk and Sharona made their way quickly across the city. Disher managed to stay closely behind.
So close, that if it had been San Francisco, and Monk had been on active duty, Disher would be the first person to get a ticket for tailgating from a homicide detective.
The bin got closer, and closer. Finally they were out in the open, the Volvo struggling to get to the top of a steep hill. Sharona put on the emergency brake, as they parked in front of the mammoth steel doors.
"Imagine," said Sharona, "This was full of money. Just a handful . . . "
"And its only a part of his fortune," said Monk, seriously. "He owns banks, steamship lines, railroads, gold mines, fast food restaurants, farms and door-to-door butchers, all over the world."
"Adrian, you can do this!" Sharona told said him. "It's not going to be easy, but if you stay focused you can solve this case. Scrooge McDuck already seems to like you, you do your job, you'll be bigger than . . . Sherlock Holmes. Trudy would be very proud of you."
Monk wondered.
While he was wondering, Disher parked beside them, and got out of the car. He looked every inch a tourist.
More importantly, a short duck in top hat, blue coat, red spats, and wooden cane emerged from the bin. Scrooge McDuck himself.
"Blast me bagpipes," he remarked, greeting Sharona and Monk (Sharona handed Monk a wipe). "It's aboot time you've got here."
"We were delayed," Sharona responded, with a significant glance at Disher.
"I'm Adrian Monk," said Monk, unnecessarily. "This is my nurse Sharona."
"And assistant," she added.
McDuck was getting noticeably impatient.
"Randall Disher," said Disher, pumping Scrooge's hand. "My friends call me Randy. I called you, remember. I promised to solve the case."
"You should attend to your car, laddie"
"How's that?" said Disher, disappointed.
"It's running away from you."
Disher had forgot to put on the parking brake, and his grandmother's Buick was rolling down killmotor hill at a breakneck speed.
Disher ran after it.
Scrooge consulted his pocket watch.
"I've had troubles before," Scrooge explained. "Magica Despell and the Beagle Boys are always trying to get into me bin. But fortunately, me and my wee nephews have managed to save me money and me dime again and again. This time, I need help, and you're the best detective this side of the Atlantic."
They entered the bin. The vaulted hallway, and the checkered black and white linoleum floor glistened with a cleanliness that impressed even Monk.
He started touching the wall panels as they started from the door.
"Lassie, mind stepping away from there," Scrooge told Sharona, who was walking on a red carpet in the center of the hallway. "I'd like to show you my traps."
Sharona obliged. Scrooge removed a remote control from his coat, pressed a button. The floor slid out to reveal a tank of great white sharks.
"Pretty effective," Sharona said shakily. Adrian?"
Monk was clinging to the wall.
Scrooge pushed the button again, and the floor and carpet slid back into place.
"I think I should leave," Monk remarked. "You can give me pictures of the vault."
"Do you know how much film costs these days?" spat Scrooge. "I didn't become rich spending my money foolishly."
"Of course," said Sharona, "Adrian was just joking. Weren't you . . . ADRIAN?"
"Guess I was," said Monk.
Sharona gave him a smile, and went to help him on - still hugging the side of the corridor. She didn't blame him. She knew Scrooge wasn't going to spring his traps on them, but she didn't like walking over shark tanks either.
"Stop," ordered Scrooge, suddenly. "You must step only on the black tiles."
Sharona rolled her eyes. Apparently, Scrooge was obsessive compulsive too.
They maneuvered down the hallway, Scrooge carefully, Sharona annoyed, and Monk almost effortlessly.
"Why are we playing hopscotch?" Sharona asked, as they approached some green laser beams.
"This is why," said Scrooge, tossing a penny onto a white tile.
A steel beam slammed to the floor, and slowly withdrew back to the ceiling. The penny was now the size of a hubcap.
Sharona was frightened, but more for Monk than herself. The shark tank was bad enough, but this . . .
Monk was frozen in place, staring at the penny.
"Adrian? Adrian?"
"What do you think Mr. Monk?" remarked Scrooge.
Slowly, and laboriously, Monk turned his head.
"This is a disaster," thought Sharona. "Maybe if . . . ."
"Laddie," shouted Scrooge, "Watch out."
It was Disher, running full speed. He had recovered the Buick, gotten a ticket in the process, and was now trying to catch up with the others.
"Black tiles," Monk sputtered out.
Disher stepped on a white tile.
"CRASH! BANG! CRUSH ! CRUNCH!
Tens of metal beams came down, all over the hallway. A cloud of broken linoleum and plaster obscured the view. The crush and crunch had seemed especially ominous.
"Curse my kilts!" remarked Scrooge, horrified.
Sharona closed her eyes, not wanting to see what was left of Disher.
"Disher is alive," said Monk.
"Why, I canna believe it!" blurted Scrooge.
Disher had come to a stop on two black tiles.
"Cool," he remarked.
"I expect you to pay for the tiles you broke, you loony laddie," Scrooge answered.
He turned off the trap, and easily stepped on one of the white tiles. Monk kept to the black, just in case. And even with Sharona leading him on, he was very careful.
Scrooge had Disher walk through the light beams, setting off a loud alarm.
"Come on Adrian," said Sharona, dragging him through the spot where the lasers had shone.
They walked to the elevator without incident.
"I thought we'd walk first, before I show you ma last trap," explained Scrooge. We donno want another incident."
He pushed a button, and then tossed his hat down the hallway they had just walked through.
Giant robotic wooden mallets came out of wall, and slammed to the floor at a breakneck speed. The last one managed to collapse Scrooge's collapsible top hat. Scrooge walked to his hat, uncollapsed it, walked back to elevator, and pushed the button turning off all the money bin's traps.
McDuck didn't notice Monk's look of horror.
"I have to go back to San Francisco," Monk told Sharona. "I can't do this."
"We can't go back now," said Sharona, once again giving Monk her glare. "Not until you solve the case."
They rode to the top floor, and walked into Scrooge's office. The enormous vault door took up one side of the room.
"Mr. McDuck, can we sign this first?" asked Sharona. "It's a standard contract . . ."
"Not now, Sharona," Monk complained.
Scrooge McDuck grabbed the contract, and quickly read it.
"You business banshee! You want to take four million dollars from a poor old duck!"
It took ten minutes, but Sharona and McDuck worked out a deal.
"Three and a half million, if you can find me money within four days," said Scrooge.
"Deal," said Sharona. She quickly altered the contract.
"Just like Goldie," remarked Scrooge, signing it.
He had a bitter respect for Sharona.
"But I can't work under a deadline," Monk objected.
"Sure we can," remarked Sharona. "We're looking for three cubic acres of cash. Where are they gonna hide it?"
"They would split it up, and place it in various places," speculated Monk.
"Has to be a lot of different places."
"Hey, with me on the case," remarked Disher, "Your going to find it."
Monk wasn't reassured. But he signed the contract anyways.
"Now," said Scrooge, removing his watch, "I'll show you me bin."
Expertly, he spun the combination dial and opened the vault door.