Monk Solves the Case
Disher was unshaven and red eyed, Monk was the same as usual.
"You think the servants could of had a hand in it?" suggested Disher. "Ever heard of 'The Butler did it?"
"95 times out of hundred," Monk explained. "The butler doesn't do it."
"We've gone over El Capitan, again," Disher groaned. "The High Priest of Garbabble, Dangerous Dan of Dawson City, the entire Explorer's Club, The Beagle Babes, Sharky, the twin brother of the Count of Montedumas, Captain Pietro, Sharky, Filariid Brushmoor, Fardarad the Leprechaun . . ."
"He's a midget, not a leprechaun," Monk corrected.
"Loudmouth, the crooked reporter; Professor Bluebottle, Monsieur La Ribbit, the Beaver Boys, the Druids . . . ."
Disher ran out of breath.
"We've gone over everyone Mr. McDuck has ever identified as having ever fought him, and we have no leads," Disher finished. "Maybe we should go over the main suspects again?"
"The nephews told me that if you can't find any suspects, to look over the ones you already ruled out."
Sharona walked into the room.
"How'd your date go?" asked Disher.
"Don't ask," said Sharona, also retiring to a nearby chair. "You sure Launchpad wasn't duped into it? You know, the Beagle Boys once got him to rob several of Mr. McDuck's banks."
"We ruled him out," Disher said. "Before Duckworth, and right after Mrs. Beakley and Webby."
"You thought Mrs. Beakley did it?"
"We already went through everybody else," Monk explained. "Besides, 'Once you eliminate the impossible, no what's left, no matter how improbable, might be the truth.'
"And we've already eliminated the impossible," Disher commented.
"You sure you didn't eliminate too much of the impossible," Sharona said. "After being with Launchpad, I'm not so sure anything's impossible anymore."
She told them the details of her 'date.'
"What about these people wearing black masks and placards," Disher commented.
"Were they all dog faced?" Monk asked.
"They sure didn't have beaks," Sharona told him.
"They must have . . ." started Monk.
There was a loud crash from somewhere outside
The three of them ran out of the room, out into the foyer, to meet a befuddled Duckworth, an excited Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and a furious Mr. McDuck (in nightshirt, cap and cane), at the front door.
"Burst me Bagpipes," fumed Mr. McDuck. "Right into me door."
It was Launchpad, who had crashed into the front doors with his helicopter, the aircraft remains lying partway in the lobby.
"Hey, Mr. McD," Launchpad said, jumping out of the wreck. "I saw the Beagle Boys."
He showed Mr. Monk a glove he had taken from the beatnik pilot. "Big House," was the name of the manufacturer.
"They sabotaged him," Monk put in, already righting some of the toppled furniture. "Wrecked his plane, pushed him into a dessert trolley, and blasted his car into Duckburg Bay. And tried to kidnap him."
"What would they want with him?" scoffed Mr. McDuck.
"He's right," said Sharona. "I was with him."
"You believe me?" asked Launchpad.
"Sure," said Sharona.
They shook hands.
"Mind cleaning up this wreck," complained Mr. McDuck, looking at the ruins of his front door. "This wood is genuine mahogany. It'll cost a fortune to replace."
"Hey, I can fix it," Launchpad offered.
"It'd take a magician to do that," said Mr. McDuck, using his cane to poke at the shards of wood.
Sharona looked at Monk. He had the look in his eyes.
"Mr. McDuck," said Monk. "I know how your money was stolen."