The atmosphere in the back booth at the Tip Top diner was festive, with Frank, Al, Liam, and Nick crowded on both sides by several other animals celebrating their first get-together with the fox who killed Mr Big. They were cautious in their choice of words but enthusiastic in their drinking and it was on the fourth round that Al checked his watch and threw an arm around Nick. "Forty-five minutes, buddy. I have to admit, I didn't think you'd go through with it."
"Al," said Liam warningly.
"I know, I know." The jaguar lowered his voice. "Let's go over to my place. We've been here long enough."
"Just a minute." Frank was on his cell phone, frowning. "Okay, I just wanted to check in. See you tomorrow." He hung up and looked uneasily at the others. "That was the watch commander. He said everything's quiet."
Liam leaned forward and said softly, "Maybe the timer was a little slow."
"Or maybe the bomb didn't go off." Judy Hopps was standing at the table, flanked by Chief Bogo and a large rat with a badge pinned to her tweed blazer.
They all froze, staring at the bunny in disbelief. Except for Nick. The fox closed his eyes for a moment, then pushed out of the booth and seized her, holding her as if he would never let her go. Chief Bogo scowled. "Wilde. Wilde!"
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Nick released Judy and they both stood at attention as more officers came into the diner and began cuffing the group at the table. They went quietly, so dazed by the sudden reversal that they were still in shock at the ZPD when Bogo came in with Nick and Judy to question them.
The four recruits were disposed of quickly. They were rookies, enticed by the older officers with promises of heroic action against criminals the law was powerless to touch, and they readily made statements implicating Frank and Al and Liam before being taken to the lockup.
The rhino and jaguar and okapi were a different matter. Unnerved though they were at the sight of Judy and the knowledge that Nick had tricked them, they were seasoned police officers who had been on the force for a number of years and when Bogo came into the interrogation room where they were being held, Al found the bravado to sneer, "Don't you know better than to keep suspects in the same room?"
The cape buffalo held the door for Nick and Judy, who were followed by the rat in the tweed blazer and a beaver in a police uniform. They all seated themselves at the table across from the prisoners and Bogo said mildly, "Normally I would follow standard procedure and seperate you, but you should know exactly where you stand and I don't care to repeat it three times. You know Officers Wilde and Hopps. Allow me to introduce Officer Hetty Radan, Internal Affairs." The rat in the tweed blazer smiled tightly as Bogo indicated the beaver. "And this is Wally Weaver, our best radio technician."
"There is no point in bugging this room," said Liam. "Whatever we said, you can't use it."
"We didn't bug the room," replied Nick. He looked straight at Frank. "I gave you my word not to talk about you and your friends, remember?" The rhino nodded, a sick expression spreading over his face as the fox continued blandly, "I didn't give you my word not to wear a wire. Wally here is a genius with that sort of thing."
"We have almost everything on tape," said Judy. "Except, of course, your kidnap and attempted murder of me. Nick wasn't expecting you to show up at the garage today." She looked fondly at the fox. "You took him off guard but he still managed to pass me a key to the cuffs. I had them unlocked and the bomb disarmed before you even got to the diner."
"The kiss?" Frank asked in disbelief. Judy blushed as Chief Bogo looked narrowly at her and Nick and the rhino snorted. "I gotta hand it to you two. You had me completely fooled."
Al was lashing his tail furiously but Liam was more controlled. "We were all fooled. I'd like to know how you did it."
Nick said quietly, "It all began the night I found Finn beaten within an inch of his life. I called for an ambulance and when Judy met me at the hospital, the doctor took us to Finn's room…"