Disclaimer: I don't own HTF.
AN: Okay. Time to reveal the murderer. It's too late to turn back now (This chapters been ready since before I added the last one). As always thanks everyone for all the reviews.
Chapter 8: Best Kept Secrets.
Giggles gasped, her voice tailing away into complete silence. Cuddles just backed slowly away, mouthing words silently, he had lost the authority he had only a second ago. Giggles just tried to get her mind under control, "What?" She turned to Cro, desperately searching for a smile of humour on his face. But of course she found none, "You can't be saying..." He just stared at Cuddles with a stern look on his face.
The yellow bunny backed away still further, "B-but, you promised." He stuttered, "Y-you said you wouldn't tell her!" His voice faltered under Cro's gaze.
"Um, I-I can't do this." Giggles turned to Cro, "No I... But... O-okay," She continued, anxious now that she was aware of every eye being on her, "Um, a-as you know the museum predates the curse. W-we also learnt, um, that Handy's business built the museum." She stuttered slightly, "Um, that means that someone employed there would have known about the..." She listened again sighing, "About the tunnel beneath it. Assuming they worked there since the museum was made."
A look of fear spread across Cuddles' face, he moved forwards slowly, "Please Cro, you said..."
Giggles frowned at Cro's reply, "I'm really sorry Cuddles, Cro said that we'd investigate all the paths, no matter how uncomfortable." She listened again, "I can't say this Cro... Okay," She slumped slightly, sitting back with a sad look on her face; a knot was tightening in her stomach, "T-this is the only way we can catch the m-murderer and that is what I intend to do."
The colour drained from the yellow bunny's face and he slumped, sitting against the wall he looked up at Giggles in desperation, "Please."
Giggles just shook her head sadly, by now the hall had descended into silence, recognising perhaps the effort it took for Giggles to continue, they let her talk uninterrupted, "Y-you used to work for Handy, correct Cuddles?..." Cuddles shook, dumbly he nodded. Giggles paled but continued, "I t-thought so. You showed expert knowledge of..." She trailed off, realising what she had just said. "Of the museum, but that means."
Cuddles looked up desperately still, his eyes searching for any sign of support in the crowd, "He's... he's lying." He turned to Giggles, "He promised he wouldn't tell you." Giggles looked down at him now, she could feel her voice wavering with every syllable.
"Um, Y-y-you also gave Nutty t-that candy remember? You were..." She chocked back the knot that was forming in her throat, "also at the scene of every murder or there shortly afterwards."
Cuddles backed still further, but there was nowhere else to go, he curled into a ball, pleading as best he could, "I didn't. You gotta believe me Giggles, Cro," He turned to the two others, "you know me, I'd never."
But Cro continued, Giggles felt the knot form again, but she couldn't just stop now. She needed to get to the bottom of this murder, if she didn't she would just end up with more unanswered questions. "I'm sorry Cuddles but I have to finish... T-t-this is just one of the things that incriminates you. I-it is, is, s-s-so obvious that you are guilty that..." She stopped, raising her head with a look of disbelief on her face, "that, it couldn't possibly be you." A look of shock spread across her face. Followed by a nervous smile.
Cuddles eyes opened in disbelief, he sniffed and gave a sigh of relief. But the look on his face turned quickly to one of deep hurt, "You said you wouldn't tell her, you used me."
Giggles frowned, Cro couldn't be right, Cuddles couldn't be that old... The museum was ancient, the curse was ancient. But then again, no one aged in Happy Tree Town, so maybe... She was interrupted as Cro continued, she picked up where she had left off, somewhat shakily but definitely more confident, "Therefore we have to move on to another suspect..." Her eyes scanned the hall and settled on an empty seat, her eyes widened as she recognised who it belonged to and a large saucepan hit her in the back of the head, sending her reeling to the floor. As she blacked out she only had one thought... And then she had none.