Chapter 4: Imaginary Friend:
A bell above the diner's door clinked as Nick and Judy stepped inside. The smell of greasy food and hot coffee greeted them, making their stomachs rumble. The interior was brightly light, the evening sun adding an orange glow to it. Most of the customers in back of the diner were eating their meals and engaging in idle conversation, while the ones near the front were observing the male wolf having a conversation with himself, looks of confusion plastered on their faces.
Nick and Judy had seen him from across the street, sitting at the table by the front window. The very table that a photograph of a Carol look alike was taken. They remembered the picture hanging on the wall of Mr. and Mrs. Walters' home. As the male wolf continued his conversation, Judy grew more concerned. She glanced at Nick, who was smirking the entire time. He looked at Judy, motioning with his eyes toward the wolf. Judy gave a nod in response, and they both walked up to him. They stopped a few paces behind the wolf and waited.
"What's up?" he asked his imaginary accomplice. Nick cleared his throat to get the wolf's attention. He turned around, surprise filling his face when he saw them.
"Good evening, sir," Nick said in his classic sly tone. The wolf sighed, now looking annoyed.
"Good evening, officers," he said, "How can I help you two?"
"Well, we were just passing by and couldn't help but notice you were talking to no one," Nick replied.
Daniel cocked an eye at him and turned back towards Carol. Her eyes darted between him and the officers. She met his gaze, looking uncomfortable. Daniel reached over the table and took her hand. She gave him a nervous smile, while Nick and Judy stared at him. Nick bumped Judy gently with his elbow.
"This guy's a nutcase," he whispered.
"Oh shush," Judy replied. Daniel, who'd heard Nick, sent a glare his way. Carol stood up from her chair, Daniel turning back to her.
"I have to go, Daniel," she said.
"It's ok," he said, "Don't worry about them."
"It's not them, I..." she stopped, hesitating for a moment, "I just need to go."
Daniel sighed, "Will I see you again?"
"I might be here tomorrow for breakfast," she replied.
"Alright, I'll uh, see you then," Daniel.
Carol smiled, "Goodbye."
"Bye," Daniel said, watching Carol leave the diner.
She walked past the window, disappearing for view. Daniel sighed again. He couldn't understand why she was so nervous. Were the officers looking for her? Did she do something wrong? He turned back towards Nick and Judy.
"Well, that sure was riveting," Nick said.
"You did completely ignore her, Officer Wilde," Daniel replied, "You were making her uncomfortable."
"Ignored who?" Judy asked.
"Carol," Daniel replied, "She was sitting there the entire time." He pointed to her chair. Nick and Judy shared a glance. Judy took a step closer to him.
"Did you say, Carol?" she asked slowly.
"Yes," Daniel replied, "Carol Walker."
"Walker, huh?" Judy asked. Daniel nodded in reply. Judy hummed in thought. She walked back to Nick, taking his arm and pulling him off to the side.
"What's up, Carrots?" he asked.
"Something's up with this guy," Judy replied, "That table's where that wolf girl was in the picture on the Walters' wall, then he says he's talking to Carol. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
"Maybe he's high or something," Nick replied.
"I don't think so, Slick," Judy said.
"So, how do you want to play this?" Nick asked.
"Well, he hasn't done anything wrong," Judy replied, shooting a glance toward Daniel, "Best we can do is get his name, address, and phone number."
"Alright, let's do this," Nick said. He and Judy headed back to Daniel.
"Anything else, officers?" he asked.
"Can we get your name and phone number?" Judy asked, pulling out her carrot pen and grabbing a napkin off the table.
"Why?" Daniel questioned, his body tensing up.
"Don't worry, you're not in trouble," Judy replied, "It's...just in case." Daniel sighed, running his fingers through the tuft of fur on his head.
"Fine," he said, "I'm Daniel Vincent, my phone number, 505-433-0498." Judy quickly wrote his name and number on the napkin.
"Okay," she said, "Now your address."
"335 Plain View Lane, Apartment 8," Daniel replied. Judy scribbled down his address.
"Alright, thank you, Mr. Vincent," Judy said, "We appreciate your cooperation."
"Sure, whatever," Daniel said, standing from his chair.
"Leaving already?" Nick asked.
"Yeah," Daniel replied, "I need to go to the store, anyway."
"Okay, well we'll be in touch," Nick said.
"Yeah, I'll see you around, officers," Daniel said, walking to the front door.
Nick and Judy watched him as he left. Judy headed to the window, watching him get into his car, and drive out of the parking lot. Judy starting writing on the napkin but stopped shortly after.
"Damn!" she cursed, "I couldn't get his entire plate number."
"It's alright, Carrots," Nick said, "We got his name, address, and phone number. That's enough if we need to find him again."
"Okay," Judy said with a sigh.
"Come on, let's get some food," Nick said.
He and Judy went up to the counter. Nick ordered himself a smoked salmon bagel and a coffee while Judy ordered a salad and an orange juice. They sat at the same table Daniel and 'Carol' sat. They ate mostly in silence, both deep in thought over their encounter with Daniel. He appeared too young to be involved in her death, but the fact he mentioned her name made them suspicious. They would definitely be keeping an eye on him.
Across town, Daniel pulled into the parking lot of Wooler's Market. Turning off his car's engine, he let out a heavy sigh as he thought about his encounter with Officer Hopps and Wilde. He couldn't understand why they had ignored Carol. It had obviously made her uncomfortable, yet they refused to acknowledge her. Daniel groaned and rubbed his eyes.
'What the hell were they after, anyway?' he thought.
He shook his head, getting out of his car and going inside the store. He grabbed a shopping cart by the entrance and walked through the aisles. He grabbed some coffee grounds, a couple boxes of cereal, a gallon of milk, bagels, cream cheese, and his favorite, smoked salmon. Not in the mood to talk to anymore mammals, he paid for his groceries at the store's new self-checkout lane, then returned to his car. He placed his groceries in the trunk, then drove to his apartment.
Once he arrived, he grabbed his groceries from the trunk and shuffled up to his apartment. He opened his front door, slamming it shut with his foot and turning the lock. He looked at the clock on his stove, seeing it was only 7:30 p.m. He put away his food and made himself a bowl of cereal before plopping himself on his couch and turning on his T.V. He flipped through the channels before stopping on a cooking show.
"This'll do," he said in a bored tone, shoving a spoonful of soggy cereal into his mouth.
He thought back to Carol, hoping she hadn't been too hurt by Officer Hopps and Wilde's antics. He wished she hadn't left, leaving him alone with the officers. Though they told him he wasn't in any sort of trouble, the way they looked at him, and asked for his personal information. Something was off about the whole thing, but he shrugged it off for now, instead distracting himself with the cooking show.
Back at Harry's Diner, Nick and Judy had just finished their dinner. Judy went to the front door while Nick placed a few dollar bills on the table for a tip. He and Judy left the diner and headed back to their hotel. Once back inside their room, Judy grabbed her laptop and turned it on.
"Whatcha up to, Carrots?'" Nick asked.
"I'm gonna add our friend to my notes," Judy replied.
"You really don't think he's involved, do you," Nick asked, "He looked no more than like, twenty-five or somethin'."
"I know," Judy replied, "But you saw him, talking to nobody, then he tells us he was talking to Carol. There's just something off about him. I can't explain it."
"Didn't Mr. Walters say the same thing about Randall?" Nick asked, scratching his ear.
"What do you mean?" Judy questioned, typing Daniel's info into her laptop.
"He said that there was something off about him, that he couldn't explain it," Nick replied. Judy stopped typing as the realization hit her.
"You're right," she said, "You don't think...?" Nick cocked an eye at her.
"What?" he asked, "That Daniel is actually Randall?"
"Well, now that you say that it does sound pretty ridiculous," Judy said, continuing her typing.
Nick chuckled and sat down on the bed. He grabbed the remote for the T.V. and turned it on. He cycled through the channels before stopping on some sitcom. Judy finished typing on her laptop, then pulled out her phone.
"Who're you callin'?" Nick asked.
"I was thinking of calling Bogo," Judy replied, "I was gonna have him look into Daniel for us."
"I don't think we should bother him anymore today, Carrots," Nick said.
"You're right," Judy said, setting her phone down, "I shouldn't rush this."
"I know you're eager, but let's not jump the gun on this guy," Nick said, "He could just be lonely."
"Well, talking to yourself in public is not a good remedy for that, Slick," Judy countered.
Nick chuckled, "Yeah, you got me there."
Judy hopped up on the bed and sat next to him. Nick laid down and rested his head in her lap. Judy stroked his ears, Nick purred softly as her hand brushed his fur. She giggled at him before reaching down and scratching his chin. Nick rolled slightly and stretched his neck, giving her better access. Judy watched the sitcom while continuing to scratch his chin. As the mammals on screen rambled on about their unfaithful partners, Judy's mind was focused on Daniel.
While Nick was right in that they shouldn't accuse him of wrongdoing, Judy's intuition told her something wasn't right. Why was he acting so strange. Why did he say he was talking to Carol? She didn't know, maybe she was just overthinking things. She looked down and noticed Nick had fallen asleep. She smiled and rubbed his cheek. She moved his head from her lap and climbed off the bed. She went to the window, lifting the curtain slightly. The sun had mostly set by now, a small line of orange in the distance was its only presence. The streetlamps had turned on, casting orange light onto the sidewalks.
There were fewer mammals out now, most having gone home for the day. The ones still out were making their way to a bar across the street. Judy looked left, seeing a small antique shop and a coffee house. Looking right, she saw the gas station and the sign for the Bug Burga. In the distance, she could just make out Harry's Diner. She'd bring this up to Nick tomorrow, but she really wanted to go there in the morning to see if Daniel would show up. Judy shook her head. After today, he probably wouldn't show up.
"Even if he did, he'd just leave when he saw us," Judy muttered.
Maybe Nick was right. Daniel could just be a very lonely man. But still, she couldn't shake the feeling some more was going on. He'd been adamant that he was speaking to Carol, even getting angry at the fact she and Nick refused to acknowledge her. While it wasn't possible for him to been involved in Carol's murder, the interaction at the diner made him a person of interest. Judy left the window and returned to the bed. Nick was now laying in the center, curled up in his signature fox ball. Judy smiled; she'll never get tired of seeing him sleep like that. She hopped back up on the bed and curled up next to him, snuggling into his chest. She let his gentle breathing slowly will her to sleep.
Back in Daniel's apartment, he had just finished his dishes and was now in his bedroom. He was on his laptop, finishing his homework. Daniel's home life had mostly been occupied by his online college class. He was taking business classes with the hopes of one day moving to Zootopia to start his own business. As such, he spent most of his time off work studying and writing papers, rarely going out.
He'd might go out this weekend, all this time spent cramped in his apartment was making his stir crazy. It didn't help the fact that there wasn't much to do in Grazer. That's what kept him focused on college. He'd spent all of his twenty-three years here, and that made him realize it was time to leave and make something of himself. But he knew he shouldn't spend all his time locked in his books. The thought of seeing Carol again occupied his mind more than his assignment. He really hoped he'd see her again, and that Officer Wilde and Hopps hadn't scared her away. He'd have to talk with her the next time they met. If anything, at least assure her he's not a wanted criminal.
He spent the next few hours finishing his assignment before emailing it to his professor. He saw the clock on his laptop read 11:00 p.m. He yawned as he shut down his laptop. He stripped down to his boxers before climbing into bed. Daniel set his phone's alarm for 8:00 a.m. before laying his head on his pillow, slowly drifting off into slumber.
Nick and Judy's hotel room, 7:00 a.m. (Short Lemon.)
Nick's phone blared its alarm, scaring him and Judy awake. Nick grabbed his phone and shut off the alarm, grumbling in annoyance.
"You should change that alarm," Judy said, brushing her fur.
"I'm guessing bunnies aren't fans of air raid sirens?" Nick asked.
"What mammal is?" Judy grumbled.
Nick chuckled, climbing out of bed. Judy went into the bathroom, emptying her bladder before turning on the shower. Nick came in moments later, carrying a fresh change of clothes for both of them. They both removed their clothes and got into the shower. The warm water flowed over them, their flattening against their skin. Nick grabbed the small bottle of body wash, squeezing a dallop on his palm. He rubbed the wash on Judy's head, massaging it into her scalp. Judy moaned at the feeling of Nicks claws gently scratching her skin. Nick slid his hands to her ears, gentling rubbing them with his thumbs. Judy backed into him, pressing her butt against his crotch. Nick felt his shaft slide in between Judy's cheeks. The warmth of her soft fur made his cock stir to life, stiffening as it filled with blood.
"A little early for that, Carrots?" Nick asked, adjusting his cock so it slid up and down her crack, his precum sticking in the fur of her lower back.
"It's never too early," Judy replied, pressing her butt more firmly against him.
Nick responded by squeezing her cheeks. He took his member with his forefinger and thumb, lowering it down her crack. He brushed the tip against her anus, coating the tight, pink orifice in his precum before moving it from her butt and slipping it between her thighs, her pussy soaked with excitement. He moved his hips back and forth, his cock getting coated in her fluids. Judy sighed in pleasure, her pussy tingling.
"Nick, please," she moaned.
"As you wish, Carrots," Nick said, lining his shaft with her vagina.
He slowly pushed his cock inside, letting out a moan as it was engulfed by intense, wet heat. His pushed himself inside as far as he could, then slowly slid his cock out till the only the tip remained inside, before giving a firm thrust.
Judy gasped as Nick's cock forced itself back inside her. Nick thrust his hips in a steady rhythm, Judy's warm, vaginal walls gripping his cock tight. Judy moaned in pleasure, Nick beginning to pant. She placed her hands on the walls to brace herself. Nick wrapped an arm around her chest, bracing himself with the other. His thrusting sped up slightly, the tingle in his shaft getting stronger as his climax approached.
"Oh fuck!" Nick moaned, "I'm getting close!"
"Me too!" Judy moaned in reply.
Nick parted his muzzle and gently bit down on Judy's right ear. His thrusted his hips faster, his climax imminent. The wet slap of his hips slamming against Judy's butt echoed through the bathroom. Judy arched her back, her orgasm fast approaching.
"Nick!" Judy moaned, "I'm about to-!"
Before she could finish, intense pleasure slammed though her body. She grunted through clenched teeth, her toes curling as she climaxed, her vaginal walls contracting around Nick's cock. He let out a low growl as he reached his climax, his shaft flaring, sending thick ropes of semen inside her. They both stood motionless for a moment, slowly coming down from their highs. Nick released her ear and slowly pulled his shaft out of her. Judy moaned as his cock slide from her vagina, globs of his seed falling on the shower floor, getting washed down the drain by the still running shower head.
"Feel better, Carrots?" Nick asked.
"Yeah," Judy replied, "Much better."
Nick grabbed a small bar of soap and carefully washed his crotch. Once finished, he handed it to Judy, who washed herself off as well. A few minutes later, they left their passionate shower, drying themselves off. They left the bathroom, getting dressed as they went.
"Where do you wanna go get breakfast?" Nick asked, buttoning up his shirt.
"About that," Judy replied, "I wanted to stop by Harry's to see if Daniel comes back."
"You sure he's gonna come back, Carrots?" Nick asked, "I don't he will after the way he acted yesterday."
"I was thinking last night, if he did, he might just leave if he sees us," Judy replied, "But we'll see."
Nick shrugged, putting his phone and wallet into his pockets. Judy grabbed her phone before they left the room and headed to the diner, arriving five minutes later. They saw 'Carol's' table empty, no sign of Daniel anywhere.
"Guess he's not coming," Nick said.
"Guess not," Judy agreed, "Let's get food anyway."
Nick pushed the door open, and they went inside. Like yesterday, a small bell rang as the door opened. There were more mammals present than the night before, a long line snaking from the register to the front door.
"Damn, lotta mammals here, today," Nick said.
"The pamphlet in the hotel said this was the most popular place for breakfast," Judy said. Nick sighed and they stood at the back of the line, awaiting their turn.
Daniel's Apartment, one hour earlier:
Daniel stirred awake, cracking his eyes open. He reached up and rubbed his eyes. At the same time, his phone's alarm went off, the loud ringing assaulting his eardrums. He grabbed his phone and shut off the alarm. He climbed out of bed and went to his bathroom to shower. Twenty minutes later, Daniel returned to his bedroom and quickly dressed in his work uniform. He headed to his kitchen, making some coffee and a quick breakfast, leaving his apartment shortly after. He walked through the parking lot towards his car. He left the parking lot moments later, driving towards Harry's.
Daniel pulled into the parking lot of Harry's ten minutes later. He parked his car, then headed to the front door. Walking by the window, he saw Carol wasn't there. He sighed heavily, a twinge of anger filling him. Before he walked inside, he saw Officer Hopps and Wilde standing in line, chatting with each other. Wilde looked his way, giving him a smile and a small wave, Hopps looking his way when she noticed, her eyes locked on his.
"God damn it," he groaned before turning away and walking back to his car.
He should've known they'd be there. Why'd they come back; he didn't know. But what he did know, was that he wasn't in the mood to see them again. He got back inside his car and drove to the hardware store; he hands gripping his steering wheel tightly the whole trip. Back at the diner, Nick and Judy stared awkwardly at the door, stunned by Daniel's abrupt departure. They shared a glance, questioning what they had witnessed.
"Guess you were right about him leaving as soon as he saw us, Carrots," Nick said.
"Yeah, I was," Judy said, "He certainly didn't look happy to see us either."
"I agree with you now that something's off about him," Nick said.
"I'm gonna call Bogo when we get back to the hotel," Judy said.
They stood in line for another fifteen minutes before they were able to order their food. They both got a couple of croissants and a cup of coffee, taking their food back to the hotel. Once inside their room, Judy pulled out her phone, dialing Bogo. The phone gave a few rings before he answered.
"Officer Hopps," he said, "You have more information for me?"
"No, um...I was wondering if you could look up someone for us," Judy replied.
"Hmm, is it someone related to the case?" Bogo asked.
"We don't think he is," Judy replied, "But his behavior was suspicious, and me and Nick decided to keep tabs on him."
"Suspicious how?" Bogo asked.
"Yesterday me and Nick went to this place called Harry's Diner," Judy began.
"Oh, Harry's," Bogo said, "I know the place."
"When arrived there," Judy continued, "There was a male wolf sitting at table by the window, talking to himself."
"That's...weird," Bogo said.
"Yeah, me and Nick thought so too," Judy said, "So, we went inside and talked to the wolf, and this is where it gets even weirder."
"How so?" Bogo asked.
"Um...when we asked him who he was talking to, he said he was talking to Carol," Judy replied. There was silence on the other end of the line. After a few moments, Bogo spoke again.
"You said no one was there, correct?" he asked.
"Yes, chief," Judy replied, "That's what struck us as odd."
"Did you mention that to him?" Bogo asked.
"Yes," Judy replied.
"What happened next?" he asked.
"We asked him for his info," Judy replied, "And since he seemed annoyed by our presence, he left right after."
"Why was he annoyed?" Bogo asked.
"He said we made Carol uncomfortable by ignoring her presence," Judy replied.
"Okay, I've heard enough," Bogo said, "What's his name?"
"Daniel Vincent," Judy replied. She could hear the clicking of a keyboard through the phone's speaker.
"Address 335 Plain View Lane, Apartment 8, phone number, 505-433-0498, correct?" Bogo questioned.
"Yes sir," Judy relied, "That's what he gave us."
"Alright, I have his information pulled up here," Bogo said, "He doesn't have a criminal record, and according to this, he's twenty-three years old, which makes him too young to be involved with Carol's murder."
"That's what me and Nick thought, too," Judy said, sparing a glance at Nick. He was sitting on the edge of the bed next to her, listening in on the call. He brought his coffee to his lips, taking a sip.
"But like I said, we thought his behavior was odd, and wanted to keep tabs on him," Judy said.
"Well, since he's not involved, I wouldn't recommend you focus all your time on him," Bogo said, "But definitely keep an eye on him."
"Will do, chief," Judy said with determination.
"Give me a call if you need any more help," Bogo said.
"Alright, bye chief," Judy replied.
"Bye," Bogo said, and hung up the line.
Judy placed her phone down on the bed next to her. She picked up her coffee, finishing it in one gulp, Nick watching in amusement. He stuffed the rest of his croissant in his muzzle, wiping his hands on his pants.
"So, what now, Carrots?" Nick asked.
"I..." Judy began, stopping to think. Nick could practically see the gears turning in her head.
"Carol was in college at the time of her death, right?" she asked.
"Yeah," Nick replied.
"I think we should go to her college," Judy said, "See if any of her teachers still work there. Maybe they could tell us something."
"Alright, let me get the directions here," Nick said pulling out his phone. He tapped on the screen several times. Nick's ears dropped slightly after a moment.
"Uh...it says here the college closed down a couple years ago," he said.
"Are you kidding me?" Judy asked, resting her head in her hands.
"Nope," Nick replied, "Enrollment slowed after Carol's murder, and it never recovered. It looks like a new college opened in Woodland."
"Where's that?" Judy asked.
"It's not far from here," Nick replied, "It's about a thirty-minute drive. Should we go?"
"I don't know," Judy replied, "Unless the old professors moved over, it might be a waste."
"Well, we could walk around town some more," Nick suggested, "Maybe try and find some of Carol's old friends." Judy thought for a moment.
"Yeah, that's sounds good," she said, "Let's go." She stuffed her phone back in her pocket. She and Nick left their hotel room and headed out into the town.
Bob's Hardware Store, ten minutes earlier:
Daniel walked into the store, the chill from the A/C making his fur tingle. He strolled through the aisles, heading to the back of the store. He pushed the door open with his hand, going towards the breakroom. There, he found Rick sitting on the couch, watching the news.
"Hey Dan," he greeted.
"Hi Rick," Daniel greeted back.
"You alright, Dan?" Rick asked.
"Not really, no," Daniel replied, sitting himself at the desk.
"Wanna talk about it?" Rick asked.
Daniel sighed, "Yeah sure." Rick sat up straighter on the couch, giving Daniel his full attention.
"So, last night I met Carol again at Harry's," Daniel began, "And..." Rick leaned forward in anticipation.
"And then Officer Hopps and Wilde showed up," he said.
"Hopps and Wilde, huh?" Rick questioned, "What're they doin' out here?"
"I don't know," Daniel replied, "All I know, is they showed up, completely ignored Carol, which made her leave, and then asked me for my personal info."
"Oh shit!" Rick exclaimed, "Are you a fugitive!?"
"No, Rick," Daniel responded with frustration. Rick put his hands up defensively.
"Hey, I'm just jerking your chain," he said.
"I know," Daniel said with a sigh," But Carol wasn't at the diner this morning, and I'm afraid they may have scared her off."
"Scared her off?" Rick asked, cocking his head to the side.
"You know, made her think I was a fugitive," Daniel replied.
"I don't know, maybe your just being paranoid," Rick said.
"Maybe," Daniel sighed, "I just can't help but feel-"
The door to the breakroom opened, interrupting Daniel's sentence. In walked their boss, the beaver carrying a cup of coffee and a box of donuts.
"Morning boss," Rick said.
"Morning gentleman," he said, "I got some donuts if you guys want some."
"Thanks boss!" Rick exclaimed, his tail wagging as he practically ran to the box. He pulled a maple bar from inside and stuffed it into his muzzle, the glaze sticking to his whiskers. He ran his tongue around his lips, licking the glaze off his fur.
"Use a napkin, Rick," Daniel deadpanned.
"Have you guys seen James?" their boss asked.
"Not yet, sir," Daniel replied.
"Alright, I'll give him a call," their boss said, "After you guys have breakfast, empty the boxes we got last night, and make sure the shelves on the floor are stocked. Anything leftover goes in the storage room."
"Yes sir," Daniel said, getting up from the desk.
"You don't want a donut," his boss asked.
"Not thanks, sir," he replied, "I ate before I left home."
"You feeling alright, Daniel?" his boss asked, a look of concern present on his face.
"Yes sir, I... had a long night," Daniel.
His boss nodded and took a sip of coffee. Daniel walked out of the breakroom, heading towards yesterday's shipment. He lifted the top box off the stack and set it on the floor. Cutting the tape, he opened the box, finding it filled with work gloves and reflective vests. Daniel cocked an eye. He knew they sold gloves, but not vests. He shrugged and closed the flaps. He pulled a second box from the stack right as Rick left the breakroom. He grabbed dolly from the closet next to the room and rolled it over to Daniel. He then helped him open the rest of the boxes, placing their contents on the dolly. James arrived a few minutes later, taking the dolly out into the main store where he and two others placed the products on their respective shelves. While that happened, Rick and Daniel disposed of the empty boxes in the dumpster behind the store before returning to the breakroom.
Rick sat back down on the couch, staring at the T.V., which was now playing a cheesy game show. Daniel grabbed a donut from the box and sat back at the computer desk. He pulled out his phone scrolled through his apps. Halfway through them, a thought came to him. Why hadn't he asked Carol for her number? It would've made it easier for them to stay in touch. And clear the mess with the ZPD. Now, he was stuck with only the hopes of seeing her again.
"You good, Dan?" he heard Rick ask.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied.
"Well, you're staring quite intensely at your phone," Rick pointed out, "Waiting on a call from Carol?"
"I wish," Daniel replied, "We never exchanged numbers."
"Damn, that sucks," Rick said.
"It sure does," Daniel deadpanned, putting his phone away.
He turned on the computer, logging in when it booted up. He opened the web browser, going to the ZPD's website. He dug around for a bit, checking the public cases that they had posted. He scrolled through the list, trying to find which case Hopps and Wilde had been assigned to, maybe get an idea on why they were here. Not seeing their names anywhere, he assumed it must be a high-profile case. He left the website and opened Zutube, submersing himself in low budget, terribly acted videos. After an hour, Daniel's eyes began to burn. He rubbed them a few times before standing up and leaving the breakroom.
"Where're you goin'" Rick asked.
"To stretch my legs," Daniel replied from the door.
"It's almost lunch time," Rick said, "Wanna come with?" Daniel thought for a moment.
"Sure," he replied with a shrug.
"Great!" Rick exclaimed, hopping up from the couch, "I'll clear with the boss, see if the guys want anything, and then we'll head to The Docks!"
"The Docks?" Daniel questioned.
"The new seafood place on 3rd Street," Rick replied, joining him at the door, "I've heard good things about them, and wanted to give them a try."
"Okay," Daniel said, following Rick to the boss's office.
He waited outside while Rick spoke to the boss. He came out of the office a minute later, then he and Daniel went through the store, asking the other employees what they wanted, then headed out into the parking lot. Rick led Daniel to his car, hopping in the driver's seat. Daniel squeezed himself into the passenger's side. Being a larger mammal, it was quite a tight fit.
"Maybe we should've taken your car," Rick said with a laugh.
"Just drive," Daniel grumbled.
Luckily the restaurant was a short drive away. Going through the drive-thru, Rick ordered everyone's food, then parked in a space nearby. Daniel got out of the car while they waited, stretching his legs and back. Their food arrived ten minutes later, Rick placing it in the back seat. Daniel squeezed himself back inside the car, and they returned to the store. Giving everyone their lunch, they went back inside the breakroom, James and Fitz, a cashier, joining them. They took their time eating, since business was rather slow today. After lunch, Fitz and James went back to their jobs, while the boss had Rick and Daniel reorganize the storage room. Flicking on the light, they were met with a mess of poorly stacked boxes, plastic bags filled with hardware, cluttered shelves, and a pile of floorboards.
"Well, this looks fun," Rick said.
"Let's just get this over with," Daniel said.
They pulled out everything inside, stacking it outside the room. They dug through the boxes, tossing away anything that was broken or rusted. Once that was done, they reorganized the miscellaneous hardware into bins on the shelves and stacked the floorboards against the back wall, then stacked the boxes in front of them. The task ended up taking the rest of the shift, given the amount of stuff that was inside. Rick and Daniel were both drenched in sweat when they left the store, the cool evening breeze providing much needed relief.
"That was a load of shit!" Rick said, sounding unusually angry.
"It was that bad, Rick," Daniel said, surprised by his anger.
"I know," Rick said with a sigh, "You know, I was the worst offender of throwing random shit in there. Maybe this was Karma."
Daniel chuckled, "Could be. I threw my fair share of stuff in there."
Rick laughed, "Fuck us then, huh?"
"Yup," Daniel replied.
"You gonna check Harry's for your girl today?" Rick asked.
"Not today," Daniel replied, "I'm gonna give her some space. I'll probably just head to the park."
"Okay," Rick said with a chuckle, "See you tomorrow, nature boy."
Daniel waved him goodbye, going to his car. Starting the engine, he drove out of the parking lot and headed for the park. It would usually take about five minutes to get there, but afternoon traffic turned it to forty. Daniel parked his car at the park's entrance, then headed inside. The park was not crowded, being late evening, which he was thankful for. He walked along the path that led toward a fountain in the center. He spotted it moments later, and with wide eyes, saw Carol siting on a bench in front of it. Without thinking, he jogged towards her. Carol's ears perked up when she heard his footsteps. She turned her head, a smile appearing on her face when she saw him.
"Daniel!" she said, her tail wagging.
"Hey, Carol," Daniel said panting. Carol stood from the bench and walked towards him.
"You look exhausted. Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine. I was uh...moving stuff around at work," Daniel replied. Carol giggled, wrapping Daniel in a hug.
"It's to see you again," she said softly.
"It good see you, too," he said, wrapping his arms around her, "Sorry about yesterday."
She released him from the hug, "It's okay. I just wasn't expecting to see those two here."
"Me neither," Daniel said, "Thought they might've scared you away, made you think I was a wanted criminal." Carol giggled.
"I didn't think that," she reassured, "I wasn't able to stop at Harry's this morning."
"That's fine," Daniel said, "I saw them there this morning, so they probably would've bothered us again."
"Yeah, maybe," Carol said, "Come on, walk with me." She extended her hand, which he took, then they both strolled through the park. They happily chatted away, all while watching the setting sun. Daniel's stomach rumbled, reminding him it was time for dinner.
"Hey, Carol," he began.
"What's up?" she asked.
"Um...do you want to grab some food with me?" he asked.
"Sure," she said, "There's a small shop that sells some delicious sandwiches back that way."
"Let's go," Daniel said.
Carol led him back through the park. Just inside the other entrance, a small building sat against the fence, surrounded by small tables and chairs. A few other mammals were present, too focused on their meals to notice them. They walked up to the cashier, Daniel ordering two fish sandwiches and two bottles of water, getting a strange look from the pronghorn the entire time. They sat at a far table, away from the other mammals. Daniel took a large bite from his fish sandwich and was quite surprised by the flavor.
"Wow!" he said, "This is amazing!"
"See? Told you they were delicious!" Carol said.
"Definitely," Daniel agreed, "I had a fish sandwich from that new fast-food joint for lunch, but this is so much better!"
"And how much do you recommend it?" a familiar voice asked.
Daniel had to fight a growl from escaping his throat. He turned to his left, seeing Hopps and Wilde.
Nick and Judy's hotel room, one hour earlier:
The lock to their hotel room clicked and the door opened. Nick and Judy stepped inside, exhausted from a long day of walking. Nick closed and locked the door. Judy laid herself down on the bed, Nick joining her. Their walk around town was a bust, none of Carol's friends still lived here. This set back their investigation.
"Well, that was a waste," Nick said with a sigh.
"I was really hoping we'd find something," Judy said in a defeated tone.
"So, what do want to do now?" Nick asked.
"I think we should just relax. We're done for the day," Judy replied. Nick nodded in agreement.
"We'll have to figure something out for tomorrow," she continued, "Make up for lost progress."
"Maybe call for an update on Randall or something," Nick suggested.
"Yup," Judy replied.
They laid on the bed for a while, resting their legs. Their room was silent, only the muffled sounds from the town outside could be heard. The silence was soon cut by their rumbling stomachs.
"We never ate lunch, did we?" Nick asked.
"No, I don't think we did," Judy replied.
"There was a park we passed hours ago," Nick said, "It had small restaurant."
"Do you really want to walk some more, Slick?" Judy asked.
"I don't. So, let's just take the car," he replied.
They both got up from the bed, leaving their room. Walking into the parking lot, Nick unlocked their rental with the key fob. Once they climbed inside, Nick drove them across town towards the park, arriving twenty minutes later. They parked their car near the restaurant, walking towards the counter, glancing at the mammals in the outdoor dining area. A familiar mammal made them stop in their tracks.
At a far table was Daniel, again talking to himself. Nick and Judy glanced at each other. After their brief encounter this morning, it was clear Daniel didn't really want to see them, but his unusual behavior couldn't be ignored. Making a decision, Nick and Judy walked to him. As they got closer, they could hear him talking about his food to his imaginary accomplice.
"Definitely," he said, "I had a fish sandwich from that new fast-food joint for lunch, but this is so much better!"
"And how much do you recommend it?" Nick asked.
Daniel's ears lowered slightly, his body tensing. Judy could tell by the small movements of his muzzle he was trying not to growl. He turned his head towards them.
"What is it now, officers?" he asked, irritation present in his voice.
"We're just stopping by," Nick replied, unlike yesterday, kept his face neutral.
"Just stopping by, huh?" Daniel asked, obviously suspicious.
"Yup," Nick replied.
"Were you guys following me?" Daniel questioned.
"No, Mr. Vincent," Judy replied, "We just came here to grab some food, and just happened to see you here talking to yourself, again." Daniel stood up from his chair, taking a step towards her. Nick moved closer to Judy.
"I'm not one to lose my temper," Daniel said slowly, "But this is the second time you two have completely blown Carol off. Why?"
"Um...well," Judy began, not sure how to answer.
Nick meanwhile was closely watching Daniel. He could see that he was quite furious, restraining himself from lashing out. Then, Nick saw his body relax slightly. Nick looked down from his face and saw a small, dull white shape appear in front of his chest. They almost resembled a pair of arms wrapping themselves around him. Nick looked back up to his face, his eyes widening. What looked like a face was peering over his shoulder. The face was staring down at Judy, then Nick swore it turned toward him. Like the arms, the face appeared almost as a dull white mist, and was kind of hard to see unless you were really looking.
Nick cleared his throat. "Mister Vincent," he began, "We're sorry for interrupting your dinner with Carol," Judy turned to him, giving a questioning look.
"I know it seems like we aren't acknowledging her," he continued, "But she looks pretty shy, and we didn't want to make her uncomfortable." The look on Daniels face said that he didn't believe him, but he seemed to accept the explanation anyway.
"It's fine," he said.
"Well, uh...we'll leave you be," Nick said, "Come on, Judy." They turned and headed back towards the counter. Daniel let out a heavy sigh, reaching up and taking Carol's hands, which were still on his chest.
"I'm sorry about that," he said softly.
"It's okay," Carol whispered in his ear, "Come on, let's finish our food."
She and Daniel sat back down and finished their sandwiches, talking about their days. By the time they were done, Daniel was in a much better mood. They left the table a bit later, Daniel giving one last look over the dining area. Nick and Judy were sitting at a table near the counter, both eating and chatting with each other. Daniel turned away, walking hand in hand with Carol back across the park to his car. The sun had disappeared beyond the horizon, casting an orange glow against the purple sky. Arriving back at the park's main entrance, Daniel turned to Carol.
"Leaving?" she asked.
"Yeah," he replied, "I would love to stay longer, but I have schoolwork to do."
"So do I," Carol said.
"Will I see you tomorrow at Harry's?" Daniel asked.
"Not tomorrow," she replied, "I won't be able to make it. I'll be here around five, though." Daniel smiled.
"That's perfect!" he said, slight wag in his tail.
"I know a nice place that sells pastries," she said, "We can grab food there."
"Okay, uh," Daniel said before wrapping her in a hug, "I'll see you tomorrow, Carol."
"I'll see you too," she said, planting a small kiss in his cheek. Daniel rubbed her with his muzzle.
They released themselves for the hug, Daniel waved goodbye to Carol, then got in his car. He reached up and touched the side of his face where she had kissed him. He smiled to himself, backing out of the parking space. He then left the lot and headed back to his apartment, a wide smile present on his muzzle.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, but here's chapter 4. At over 7100 words, it is the longest chapter so far. Like with MHWA, I will try to keep the chapter lengths around 6000-6500 words minimum, so expect delays between releases. Chapter 4 of MHWA is complete and in the editing stage, I hope to get it released this weekend, NLT Monday. After that will be the release of chapter 1 of You Can't Keep Me Here. In the meantime, enjoy chapter 4! Constructive criticism welcome.