Just Another Day

III

"Here you go." Ben says, handing Judy a folder. She opens it and starts scanning.
"Well, this is more information than I had last time." I chuckle. "I think we should start with some of the animals who've gone savage, maybe they were innocent bystanders, but maybe they had something to do with the Howler gang. Bye, Ben." She still has the file open, and she reads it as she walks out the door. She's still reading it as she walks directly into a telephone pole. I snicker, waving goodbye to Ben. I walk over to where she fell and crouch.
"Need help?"

She glares. "You could've warned me, you know."

"And where'd the fun in that be? Need help?" I scoop the file into my paw, out of her reach. She leaps to her paws.
"No." She tries to snatch the file away from me, but I hold it over my head.
"C'mon, Carrots. Let's get to work." I head over to a squad car.
"Alright, partner."
"Just don't expect me to start singing."

~~•~~

Nick quickly slips into the drivers seat. "Can't let you kill us before we solve this case." He shoots me a sidelong smirk. His smirking capabilities are the stuff of legend.
"So. Where to first?" He flips through the file. "Should we talk to some of my AHEM, friends on the streets?"

"That's a great idea. Who first?"

"Hmm. I know this tortoise who goes to a naturalist club..." He looks at me, face laughing before his moth does. I shove him. "Nick. C'mon. Be serious."
"Sorry, sweetheart. Never learned how. But we can skip the tortoise." He turns the ignition and we pull out into the road. "Who are we going to see, then?"
"A friend of mine. Calls himself Slash."
"He sounds... friendly."
Nick gives me a sharp toothed grin. "Oh, he is."

~~•~~

"Nick, where does Slash live?"
"He lives underground, running a giant mob gang. If anyone knows about a new gang, he will. His ear is always out for news of possible rivals. Oh, and he's extremely territorial."
"WHAT is he?" I can tell by her expression that she's thinking if Mr. Big. I'd secretly loved surprising her like that.

"He's a jackal. He'd eat a fluffy bunny up for dinner and enjoy every bite." I look out the window so she won't see my face, then turn my eyes back to the road.

"Oh." She's very quiet after that.