Author's notes: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and support. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Jane and animals are fun to write about.
"Dognapping! What are you on about Jane. We're here to judge dogs."
"Yes. An important job and I'm sure you have a worthy winner in mind, but we can't have one, or even more, being dognapped, can we?"
"Well no, but what makes you think there are dognappers here? This is just a local show in a park."
Jane takes a sip of his tea.
"The dogs told me."
"Oh come on Jane."
"No,no they did. They were all lovely dogs, dogs that are pets and only pets, with owners that love them very much. But there was one, a ringer. Obviously a pedigree and the handler, certainly didn't own, or care about the dog. The dog's been stolen and has been brought here to this local dog show to get an idea of its value. I mean if it can't win here, where will it win."
"You're talking about the Husky aren't you?"
"Voila! Got it in one! I bet you had him down as the winner?"
"No."
"Lisbon?"
"All right yes, it's a beautiful dog."
"So we need a plan."
"Hey I have one. Why don't we just tell the local cops and they can arrest them."
"Meh, boring Lisbon and it wouldn't work. They'll be long gone before the cops have enough evidence on them to arrest them."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Get them to confess."
"Of course."
"It'll be easy, I promise."
Lisbon groans.
The porters sister approaches the table.
"Mr. Jane?"
The poor woman goes a deep shade of red when Jane gives her a beaming smile.
"That's me."
"It's time to judge the small animals now."
Lisbon interjects.
"I thought we were judging dogs."
Jane stands up and moves over to Lisbon and takes her by the arm to help her out of her chair.
"We are Lisbon, we have the small dogs to judge later but before then it's the small animals."
He looks over to the woman.
"Lead us to the rabbits, hamsters and mice"
"Not mice Jane."
"It'll be fun Lisbon and I promise, you won't have to touch a mouse, or anything like them."
"There you go with those promises again, it's almost as unnerving as 'trust me'."
The small animals are under a canvas canopy, which, to Lisbon, looks full of mice cages. She can't stop a slight hesitation at the entrance. Jane turns and gestures for her to follow.
"Come on Lisbon."
Jane is fearless with any and all the animals. He picks them up and allows them to scurry over him. Lisbon's beginning to hate all small animals and can't take it any longer. She can feel each one of them running against her own skin. She nudges Jane.
"I have to go Jane."
Jane sees the slightly green tone to her face and nods.
"Stay out of trouble"
He shouts after her retreating form.
One boy brought in three baby hamsters and Jane takes all three out at once. He's created a following and everyone is laughing as he playfully tries to bring them under control. When he finally puts them back in the cage there's only two, one is missing. Jane turns out his pockets and allows the young owner to pat him down but the there's no sign of the animal. Suddenly it peeks it's head out from under the shirt of a boy in the crowd. Everyone burst into applause. The porter's sister is pushing her way through the crowd.
"Mr. Jane what's going on here?"
Jane turns towards her with a puzzled expression.
"I'm judging the animals."
She indicates the crowd.
"It looks like you're causing a stir, Mr Jane."
Jane puts his arm around the shoulders of the woman and whispers in her ear, but loud enough that the people nearby can hear.
"I'm with the police Ma'am and I'm causing a distraction while my colleague gathers evidence."
Her eyes go wide.
"Evidence of what?"
He places his finger on his lips.
"Now that I can't say. I've probably said too much all ready."
"Oh, oh, I won't say anything Mr. Jane."
"Good"
Jane looks around at the people close by, they murmur their accent, but Jane can all ready hear the news going through the crowd. Within moments he see a woman peel off from the edge and make her way out of the tent, pulling out her phone as she goes. Jane claps his hands together as he watches her.
"I'm all done here, time to go and deliberate."
He quickly follows in the woman's wake.
Outside the tent he catches a glimpse of the woman in the distance, and hurries after her. Unseen by him a man falls in behind him.
After leaving the small animals, Lisbon wasn't sure what to do, so she headed towards the tent nearby which announced itself as the craft tent. It seems that the people of Half Moon Bay baked. The stalls mainly comprised of food and judging by how busy they were, the people liked to eat it as much as they like to bake it. Lisbon enjoyed herself walking around the stalls and trying some of the samples, which were delicious and she bought some shortbread which she thought Jane would enjoy with his cup of tea. She's surprised when she looks at her watch and half an hour as passed. She makes her way out of the tent certain that Jane must be finished by now. In the small animals tent there is no sign of Jane. A boy nearby beckons her over.
"You're the cop lady, with Mr. Jane."
"How do you know that?"
"Mr. Jane told us, said you were getting evidence on something."
Lisbon stomach tells her that this isn't good.
"Do you know where he went?"
"He followed a lady out of the tent. He went that way."
The boy points towards where the large dog competition took place.
Lisbon takes out her phone and calls his number, but all she gets is the answering machine. She tries again as she heads in the direction that the boy showed her. She shoves the phone in to her pocket after the third time and breaks into a run.