Nick and Judy ON THE CASE (p. 2)

Judy felt a little whiff of Nick's tail on her leg- the two stood side by side. Chief Bogo was sitting in his chair, staring the two of them down.

"So you're telling me...." He began, his gruff voice already making the two wince. "That you were chasing a suspect after the accidental death of Bearson, who you believed to somehow be involved, and then he... summoned the winds..." The Chief soured those words. "..And escaped capture."

"Yes, exactly." Nick said, giving a little fist to the air towards the police chief. Judy looked up at him through the corner of her eye. Judy wasn't a pushover when it came to dealing with Bogo, but she also couldn't believe the attitude Nick ALWAYS put on when they spoke to him. He seemed always the same, cool and collected, even cracked jokes to the strictest bovine in Zootopia? She worried for him.

Chief Bogo rubbed his temples, obviously very irritated. "And you think this story is a good enough report for a case involving a mammal death? You think this is probable cause for the manhunt on this bobcat fellow you mentioned? This story?"

"That's what happened." Nick said flatly. Bogo responded by puffing his eyes out, gritting his teeth.

"Everyone knows that downtown's weather system is set for very specific and constant cycles of low wind movement to keep pollution away from one place and to eliminate scents from the more territorial mammals. So then how could the wind pick up and throw an over 200 pound BOAR off a roof?"

"It's what happened, sir." Nick said, with the tiniest dab of mocking in his voice. Judy winced.

"Wilde!" Bogo yelled, standing up in a huff. He got right over to him and stared him down. "Judy, wait outside."

Judy got wide eyed, not wanting to leave Nick alone with the police chief. He seemed so angry he was ready to hit the smug fox. Maybe Bogo never hit her because she was a girl and a prey animal, but she had doubts he would hold back on the vulpine.

"Psst- Judy, it's ok." Nick hissed at her. He looked back and gave her a smile, though Judy didn't replicate it. She trudged her way to the door, worried for Nick. She thought he might just get fired right now, but she solemnly left the office and sat besides it, waiting.

In the next few minutes, Judy heard the slight pounding of voices and hooves against a desk in the office, but couldn't make out the words. She didn't think Nick ever shouted though, he wasn't the kind of guy to get angry like that. But Bogo certainly was. Eventually, Nick left the office, looking at the floor. He looked dejected. Judy feared the worst.

"Did he fire you?!" Judy asked, both her hands on the chair's arm rest as to give herself more boost to look Nick right in the eye. Nick looked over at her, shocked.

"No! No. I mean he threatened to but... You know." Nick gave a weak smile, but Judy could tell he was upset. He never opened up to anyone or showed anyone how he felt except for her.

"Nick, do you want to talk abo-" Judy began to offer, but was cut off.

"No! Judy, please. Let's just figure out our next move." Nick said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Judy dropped it, but sighed to herself. She felt like Nick, even though he was her partner, was keeping his feelings from her. She knew she couldn't press the sly fox, but she wished he could talk about it. The both of them were about to exit the police station, without a clue or a lead except the escaped cat, but another cat interrupted them by talking to them. Clawhauser. He sucked the last little bit cream off his drink, before smiling and putting his hands under his chin, like he always liked to do.

"Hey Nick! Hey Jude, Jude the dude!" He said, with Judy wincing. Clawhauser overheard Judy's father calling her that, and now he wouldn't stop using it. "Why you guys look so bummed?"

Judy was about to speak, but Nick suddenly spoke first and interrupted her. Maybe he was trying to cement his persona again.

"We're just at a dead end with our Bearson case, Clawhauser. Our only lead died and the other got away." Nick said, giving a sarcastic frown to the dispatcher, putting his elbows up on the counter and holding his head in his hands. Judy smiled at the silly fox.

"Bearson? You mean at the museum?" Clawhauser said, taking another sip of his drink. Nick wanted to ask what he meant but then the obese officer had to chug and finish his drink, forcing Nick to wait. Judy was similarly impatient and tapped her foot.

"Museum? What are you talking about?" Nick asked, only for Clawhauser to put up a fat paw.

"Nick please, I ADORE museums, I was planning to go to this one, been on my mind all day." Claw stated, pulling out a small magazine advertisement showing a collection of silver jewelry in a case. Judy snatched it and took a closer look.

"The Zootopia Museum of history proudly presents the Bearson collection... The wealth and riches of Zootopia's first inventor, philanthropist, explorer and playboy. All exhibits donated from the Bearson estate after the passing of Mr.Bearson himself... Nick look!" Judy said, pointing her finger so hard on the paper it almost broke through. Nick looked close.

"Nice bling there carrots, you know what a fox like me could get for-"

"No, look here. It's an amulet! Isn't that what the boar was looking for in the pawn shop?" Judy asked, her ears perking up.

"Yeah, I think you are right!" Nick said, looking confused after a moment. "But why was the boar looking for it? How could he be related?"

"Maybe he was adopted? Distant family relation?" Clawhauser suggested. "Or maybe he was trying to claim the property by taking on the name? Bearson just died a few weeks ago."

Judy nodded, looking between the two men next to her. "This means we have a led! Thank you so much Clawhauser!"

"We're back in business baby! To the museum!" Nick yowled excitedly, taking the paper and rolling it up into his pocket before running to the squad car. Judy was about to run too, but Clawhauser's whining stopped her. He looked aghast.

"Can I come too?! Please???" Clawhauser begged. Judy smirked up at him.

"Whenever Chief Bogo puts you back on the streets." She said with a grin, turning tail and using her bunny legs to carry her to the squad car in a bright blur. Nick was already waiting for her. Without another word they started the cruiser and turned onto Zootopia's roads; ready to solve this case.

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Down at the museum, Nick and Judy explored the first floor, now bustling with activity. The fox turned to go look at an exhibit on the wall, but Judy grabbed his arm and twisted him around.

"Nick- Look." Judy said, her bright eyes looking to the side prompting for Nick to look too.

Down below them was a large pit, filled with plants, dirt, and little models of animals in various stages of hunting and running. Nick recognized it almost immediately. It was the place where he pretended to be feral and 'attack' Judy. That was the place where they set up and caught Bellweather.

Nick gulped, just now remembering this place. Now it was being shown to children as an educational playground. He shook his head, looking down at Judy. The rabbit's ears were perked up, and she was smiling. But suddenly her ears pivoted from hearing something.

"...And on the second floor is the Bearson's collection."

Judy turned and grabbed Nick again. "It's upstairs, let's go." She said, dragging Nick along who was just about to enjoy some of the exhibits. He sighed but had to hurry to keep up with his bunny partner. Taking the stairs and turning to the left, they saw a rather small exhibit, more of a side room, with a simple banner over the top announcing it was the collection. There weren't very many people at this part of the museum. Nick and Judy pensively stepped inside, looking around at the jewelry.

Nick leaned over to his partner, whispering in her ear.

"A whole person's life... In one room." He hissed, Judy turning her head to give him a confused look. She never took him for the philosopher type. Judy was about to speak, but Nick raised a finger.

"Two million, for the whole thing." He then said, a smug grin growing on his face, rubbing his thumb and index finger together. Judy rolled her eyes and pushed him away, "Alright, one and a half! Final offer!" Nick cracked, Judy chuckling in response.

Eventually, the two of them found a glass display case with a large silver medallion, the center of which was inscribed with the head of a snarling bear. This is probably it.

The two of them banked around the display examining it closely. Nick and Judy rotated around the piece of jewelry examining it closely, looking for any significance. The sound of someone clearing their throat stopped them. It was another bunny woman, though she was middle aged compared to Judy, and was wearing a labcoat.

"Can I help you, officers?"

Nick stood up first, but Judy spoke fire. Nick let Judy talk, maybe bunny talking with bunny can make this smoother.

"Yes! We are currently in an investigation and this amulet is part of it. Is there any way we could see it closer?"

The bunny lady nodded her head. "Absolutely, let me go ask the museum director if I can open the case." The woman said, turning tail and briskly walking back through an employee's only door. Nick and Judy meanwhile hung around the case and the amulet, musing on it.

"Why is this thing so important anyway?" Judy asked, eyeing it. "Just looks like a trashy piece of silver to me, I can't imagine why that boar would want it."

Nick smirked and responded by placing his hand on top of the case. "I wasn't kidding earlier when I told you what I could fetch for it, carrots. Not only is it an antique and made of silver, but it belonged to someone famous."

"Come on, YOU'VE never heard of him before today!" Judy said with exasperation.

"Well yeah, but that's a selling point." Nick said with a grin, pointing a finger-gun at Judy. "And that's why you'll never be a con man."

Judy crossed her arms. It's not like she WANTED to be a con man, but at the same time that kind of hurt her feelings. But about then the museum lady returned with her keys. She asked both of the ZPD officers to put on some gloves, and they did, before fetching the jewelry from the case.

The specialist brought the amulet closer to Judy and Nick, turning it over with her hands before allowing them to handle it themselves. Nick inspected it closely, unsure of what to do look for.

"Oh! I should mention. That was something unusual we saw on the amulet- here." The bunny lady stated, pointing to a ridge on the underside of the amulet. There, in the silver metal, was a scratched series of numbers. It was small and hard to read, but it was definitely something.

"Let's see;" Judy said, peering close. "It looks like... 45, 60, 15. Those are the numbers."

"It sounds like a safe combination." Nick said, snapping his fingers. He smiled knowingly, it was obvious now that he framed it as such.

"But what safe?" Judy asked, looking up at Nick. He also didn't seem the know the answer.

"You know..." The bunny custodian began to speak up. "Bearson died about a month ago, and his house was being renovated and objects within it donated to the museum. But he was a paranoid old man, so he probably had vaults in his house to store some of his valuables?" The bunny explained, crossing her arms. "Just an idea."

Nick nodded at the bunny lady, shaking her hand. "Thank you for all your help!" He said excitedly, grabbing Judy and nearly shaking the amulet out of her hands. "Come on, let's go!"

Judy looked scared at first by his sudden behavior, but then looked annoyed. "Nick! Why are you in a hurry all the sudden?" She asked, pulling her arm away from him and gingerly giving the artifact back to the museum staff.

"Listen, Carrots. This means there's a safe our suspect wants, and he probably killed Bearson- or the boar, to get it." He leaned in closer, to whisper to her. "Besides- I want to see what's inside that safe before he does. Let's go!"

Judy grabbed on to Nick's tail and tried to stop him, but he ran with such speed and force that she was drug along for the ride.

"Thank you!" Judy yelled after the helpful museum bunny, the two back on their whirlwind adventure.