Zootopia: ZPD Mysteries - Case #1: The Blackout at Steel Mountain Manor

Chapter 7: The Truth Revealed

Chief Bogo wasted no time in sending Judy and Nick back up to investigate the scene of the crime, identified by Dr. Killdeer as the master bedroom, which had been converted into a small showcase for when the whole mansion was being transformed into a museum.

As the two of them dashed up the grand staircase, Judy turned her little fuzzy head to interrogate Nick.

"All right, Nick," she began, "what went on in the ballroom while I was upstairs?"

Nick recalled the situation that happened in the ballroom and explained it to her.

"So you got a look at the kidnapper?" Judy asked, violet eyes open wide.

"Yes," Nick said, "and I saw something interesting that should make him a bit easier to find: both of his horns—"

"Or her horns," Judy cut him off.

Nick rolled his eyes.

"—or her horns," Nick corrected himself, "are both broken off. I saw it for a split second, but I'd recognize broken horns anywhere."

"You've seen animals with broken horns before?" Judy asked.

"You'd be surprised at the unsavory types of animals you meet when you're a con artist," Nick replied, brushing off her question.

"Oh yeah?" Judy asked, a smirk on her face. "Like who?"

"Like that scuzzy weasel Weaselton," Nick said, giving an example, "and a few others I'd rather not remember."

Nick was finished with his conversation, but Judy clearly had a few more questions she wanted to ask about his personal life.

At last, the two came to the top of the stairs, and, soon discovered Officers Grizzoli and Snarlov standing outside of the door to another large, circular room directly across the hall from the staircase's summit. The two officers nodded respectfully to their new lieutenant and her sidekick as they passed through the impossibly tall dark oak wood-framed doorway.

"Wow," Nick said in wonder as he cast his gaze in all directions around them, "the Killdeer family really went all out on a place to hit the sack, haven't they?"

Judy nodded as they stepped into the luxurious antiquated room.

The majority of the old master bedroom was roped off by a thick dark rope suspended between several brass-plated posts. The rope itself was interwoven with golden cord that made it look as though it were glowing from within. Faded blue-and-white leaf-print wallpaper stretched upwards to the slightly domed ceiling, where a rather cozy-looking orangey-yellow light emanated from another pinecone-shaped chandelier. There were two luscious green fainting couches off to the two's right, flanking a small, round, wooden coffee table to create a comfortable seating area. Judy immediately took notice of a huge, towering desk full of drawers designed exclusively for elk, looking very stately next to the matching dark green swivel chair. The spacious, luxurious bed lay beneath a massive canopy. It was antiquated and yet still looking amazingly comfy. The wooden posts, with their carved, winding vines, stood like ramrods at the four corners of the giant bed, holding up the silk canopy. Well-made, fancy, ornate, pretty-looking ramrods to be sure, but ramrods nonetheless. The canopy was covered in floral designs, and wrapped in velvet fringe. It looked like something out of a rather old movie.

Once they stood in the center of the plush room, Judy clapped her paws (which were still enclosed in her latex gloves) together, as a way to get Nick's attention.