Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Apartment hunting was something of an adventure when moving to Zootopia and Judy didn’t have nearly as much time as she would have liked to scour the city for the perfect deal, having just graduated from the Academy with her new job as a police officer starting in mere days.

She quickly discovered that most buildings that offered the space for a bunny on short notice had less than favorable reviews. Noise complaints and cramped living quarters were the rule, not the exception. Judy had almost settled on a decent looking complex called the Grand Pangolin Arms until something else caught her eye. Not an apartment but a house looking to be rented out. Stranger still was that it was cheaper than most one bedrooms she had come across with nearly ten times the space. It was also only ten minutes from the police station, came with full amenities like a washer and dryer, and even had a tiny backyard if Judy felt like doing a little gardening to remind her of the burrows. Yes, it was all too perfect, but even an optimist like Judy had to wonder upon her tour of the place.

“What’s the catch?”

Judy’s guide was a small fennec fox with a voice that most certainly didn’t match his body. His chuckle echoed through the entry hall as he showed her inside the modestly decorated space that acted like a nexus to the house.

“The catch?” he repeated while taking a drag from a cigarette. “Is that you gotta take care of the place, rabbit. Keep it clean and make sure that it’s not falling apart more than it already is. A lot of people can’t handle that responsibility and quit for an easier apartment.”

Judy took one step forward and felt the floorboard dip and creak under her small weight. Every step seemed to cause the house to groan, like she was walking inside the stomach of some great beast.

Despite the noises though, the home seemed perfectly charming from her perspective. The furniture was a tad dated but she had seen worse at her Pop-Pop’s place in the burrows. The lights seemed to work just fine. Though the air was a little stuffy inside, that was nothing opening up a few windows wouldn’t fix. Judy tapped at the walls in key places to inspect for mold like her father had shown her to do, but didn’t notice any black dips or foul smells at least on the ground level. The water was clear and tasted fresh. The toilets-which were a little big but just fine for a rabbit her size-all flushed with the pipes rumbling in the walls. The two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs, were pretty clean in general. In fact, the whole house was relatively spotless when Judy expected dust and cobwebs, given the building’s age.

She set her water-testing glass down on the counter as they ended the tour in the kitchen, pondering the supposed catch of keeping it clean with balancing her new job at the ZPD.

“Well, that won’t be too hard,” she decided. “Everything seems to be in great shape, all things considered. Just how old is the house?”

“It was built at the height of the city’s growth, if I recall. When there was that big boom after the war and people were looking to start families. Passed from family to family like that until it got flatout abandoned for a decade. The last people in it was a family of foxes.”

“Would they be related to you, by chance?”

“Nah, though I was friends with the mom at one point. But it’s safe to say this house has some history to it.”

“I’m just surprised that I was able to even find a place like this in the city. I mean, looking around, I didn’t expect to have much but a little shoebox.”

“Heh, well, there’s a good reason for it. I think you’ll have your paws full more than you think, bunny.”

Judy raised an eye and was about to interject when there was the distinct sound of something smashing against the tile floor of the kitchen right next to her. She jumped slightly before noticing that the water glass she had put down had slid from its safe space and onto the floor. As glass went everything, Judy cursed to herself while the fennec fox smirked with his cigarette still in his mouth.

“I would have sworn I put that away from the edge,” Judy muttered out loud as she began to pick up the pieces.

“Like I said,” replied the tour guide. “You’re gonna have your paws full with the place. If you can handle it.”

With only a suitcase to her name, Judy was moved in by the end of the night, claiming the master bedroom with an appropriately wolf-sized mattress that gave her so much space. She almost didn’t mind the stale scent of the room as she went around opening the windows upstairs and turning on the fans. Her parents had told her a lot about managing a house if she was to be a homeowner, or home-renter as it were. Despite the broken glass, there was a small celebration of the new place with a delivery order of carrot and broccoli pizza. Judy offered dinner to the fennec fox tour guide, but he declined saying that he didn’t want to stick around when it got dark.

Before long, Judy was left alone in a big house with more than a little room to fill. All she had to unpack was her clothes, namely her uniform for the big day at the precinct tomorrow.

“I’m going to have to go shopping at some point,” she talked to herself as she placed her shiny new police badge down on the nightstand. “Not used to having so much space all to myself.”

That much was true, given how cramped bunny burrows could be. Judy really felt as if she had stretched out her legs and was exploring the wide open world. The ride into Zootopia had been a moment to remember and seeing the city where she’d be the first months, maybe years, of her time here had left her excited as she climbed into bed, snuggling with the stuffed rabbits that would remind her of home.

Despite the creaks and groans of the old house, which she dismissed as plumbing noises and sounds from the traffic outside, Judy slept peacefully into the early morning.

5 AM was an unholy hour for anyone to wake up, but for the daughter of a farmer Judy had plenty of experience motivating herself to rise, get some breakfast and hop in the shower real quick before work. After all, she was determined to make this big and important day a good one.

Unfortunately, things weren’t starting out that way.

Judy had brought a few vegetables from her family farm with her to serve as small meals, namely a small carton of blueberries as well as a few carrots. When she opened the fridge though, her ears lowered. The food had gone bad somehow.

That was certainly strange enough, as they were fresh picked crops and her parents had insisted she take with her the cream of the bunch as a taste of home. But the carrots had gone all shriveled and dried out, one missing a chunk like someone had taken a bite out of it but decided that the vegetable was not to its liking. The blueberries too were withering like raisins, and strangely enough it felt like there was less in the bucket. Judy gave the items a sniff to confirm that they were, in fact, rotten before dumping them in the bin and settling for leftover pizza instead. Not the healthiest breakfast, but going into the station on her first day without a meal was grounds for all sorts of problems.

So, she ate the rest of her leftovers, knowing she at least had frozen carrots for dinner that night. And with the impromptu breakfast behind her, she decided to hop into the shower before work.

Being so close meant she had the luxury of taking her time in the bath. Hot water was another luxury, as Judy quickly enjoyed the perks of city plumbing and not having to wait two minutes for the water to warm up like on the farm. As the steam filled the upstairs bathroom, she could only imagine what her first day at work was going to be like.

After her shower, towel wrapped tightly around her sopping fur, Judy looked to her nightstand and found...Nothing.

Judy frowned, remembering distinctly that she had left the badge there the night before. Could it have fallen off and rolled under the bed, perhaps? Maybe the nearby subway car had rumbled the house and knocked it off? No, digging under the covers turned up with nothing.

Judy then proceeded to spend the next hour combing through the entire bedroom for the badge. She was certain they had her information on record at the station, but the badge was the one thing that could prove her role to an average citizen. The one thing that showed the world a small bunny could be a police officer. Just when she thought she was going crazy, Judy did manage to find the badge in the waste bin. Across the room from the nightstand.

“How on earth did you get here?” she asked the golden star, like it had a mind of its own to answer.

The entire experience soured her morning, but still she was determined to make the most of it.

With her badge found and an unhealthy meal had, Judy slipped into her uniform, giving herself a slight salute in the mirror before turning to leave to face her big day as the first bunny cop of Zootopia.

Still, something gave Judy an odd feeling as she locked up the house on the front porch. Now that she was outside, there was a strange heaviness that had been lifted from her shoulders. Almost like she had been holding her breath the entire time in the house. Judy frowned as she tried to peer into the dark windows behind the shutters, like she could almost see something. But she shrugged and skipped along.

Today was important and she wasn’t about to let a rough morning get to her, even if she was running later than she would have liked.

Needless to say, Judy’s first day on the force was less exciting than she hoped.

Even after she had finished her first assignment, two hundred and one tickets in a timely fashion before noon, her ego couldn’t help but feel a bit bruised. After all, she had been through so much with the Academy and desperately wanted to help people by doing actual police work.

“It’s only your first day, Judy,” said Clawhauser over lunch. “Don’t take it so hard, everyone goes through the hazing part of the job. I mean, I don’t think I ever grew out of it sometimes…”

Clawhauser was the one friendly face she had met at the ZPD thus far. Or at least the only one who didn’t roll their eyes at the prospect of working with a bunny cop. That might have had to do with him being his own outcast, of sorts. An overweight cheetah was a bit of an oxymoron, though Judy was keeping an open mind in a city that was full of surprises. Though keeping her usual chipper attitude was challenging as the day dragged on. All of this was not what she expected.

“Maybe,” Judy grumbled while she munched on her dried up carrot. “Sorry, Clawhauser. I think I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.”

“Yeah, it took me a while to get used to sleeping in the city too with all the noises. Where are you staying, by the way?”

“Oh,” Judy jumped at the chance to talk about almost anything else but work. “I got super lucky! I was looking at apartments when I found this really cheap alternative. There’s this adorable little house in the Downtown area about ten minutes from here. So long as I take care of the place, the rent is very affordable and there’s so much more space compared to the apartments I was looking at. It even has a little garden in the back that I can’t wait to go digging through this weekend!”

Judy’s hopes were dashed as Clawhauser’s jolly face slowly morphed into a frown.

“I know,” she said. “Showing my farmer roots there, but I figured growing some fruits and veggies could help me save even more money every week.”

“Oh, I have no doubt. It’s just, uh, where did you say this place was?”

“Downtown,” Judy repeated as she recalled the address. “111 Winchester, I think.”

“Uh oh.”

“What? What uh oh?”

“I hate to break it to you, Judy. But that place you’re living in? It’s haunted.”

Judy let out a chuckle, assuming that Clawhauser had been joking. Another hazing ritual for the newbie. But her brow furrowed when she saw he wasn’t laughing with her.

“What?” she asked. “You’re serious? Haunted?”

“That’s just what I’ve heard about the place, yes. Never been to the house, myself. But I hear all sorts of stories…”

“Oh, please. We have haunted houses in the burrows too that we’d all dare each other to step inside as kids. And every time we’d go in, we’d turn up with nothing and just scare ourselves. But no ghosts, no phantoms, nothing. The only thing that’s haunting those places are termites.”

“It’s a bit different with this building...That place has had so many different tenants over the years, all mammals just like you who ignore the fact that it’s haunted. Every time, without fail, we’ll get calls complaining about strange noises but our responders don’t see anything. Then after a few weeks, the tenants will just flat out abandon the house. Sometimes screaming. We found one poor possum traumatized and curled up motionless into a ball in a nearby alleyway, a former tenant who had fled the building in fright. We almost called in for a homicide before she started screaming.”

“You’re having me for a laugh,” Judy replied. “Sure, it’s an old building and I can understand the spooks that go with it. But there’s gotta be some logical explanation to it.”

“Just sayin’. I can pull up the records here if you want.”

As they sat at Clawhauser’s desk, Judy hopped up to the counter and piece over his shoulder.

“Yup. Six tenants, and that’s just in the last year alone. You’ll be lucky number seven. So...Maybe you won’t get scared off?”

Judy just huffed and crossed her arms. Though she could read the public records of the building clear as day, she still couldn’t believe it. The house was perfectly ordinary and charming with just a few strange quirks to it. It almost felt like an added challenge at the end of the day. Another test, like in the Academy, to see if the bunny cop would throw in the towel and quit.

“I won’t,” Judy replied. “Because I don’t scare easily.”

Work proceeded largely uneventfully with Judy trying her best to top her morning record of two hundred and one tickets, succeeding with three hundred before her shift was over. She turned in her meter maid outfit and wished Clawhauser good night before walking home.

It was a lovely summer evening, after all. And the walk allowed her to familiarize herself with the neighborhood. Trotting along Winchester Street, she passed by pleasant home after pleasant home, all warm with the glow in the windows of a family settling down for dinner.

And then she came to the darkened windows of Winchester 111.

As Judy unlocked the door and stepped inside, she was overcome with a sudden chill and she could almost see her breath. The building didn’t have any central air, being old as it was, and lighting the fireplace sounded like insanity when it was the middle of July. So, Judy wrapped herself in a blanket and shuffled over to the kitchen to cook up her carrot for the evening. She was about to start up the microwave when there was a loud thump upstairs, like something had fallen over.

“Hello?” she called out.

But there was no response through the thin walls.

Wrapped in her blanket and with her cellphone as a torch, Judy crept up the stairs and attempted to flip on the lights to find them unresponsive. She was going to have to check the breaker in the basement, though first she wanted to inspect what had fallen over in the master bedroom.

A quick inspection showed nothing, everything had seemed untouched and all of her things were exactly where she had left then that morning. Perhaps it was the pipes in the walls? Some loud groaning that could be misinterpreted as a thump with her sensitive bunny ears. That had to be it.

Judy sighed, unsure if it was in relief or exhaustion. She guessed the latter as now she was going to have to dig around the basement to find the breaker and make sure the power was working so she could have her microwave dinner. Though as she approached the stairs, she paused.

Was she crazy or had there been movement out of the corner of her eye? Going from the guest bedroom and into the bathroom.

It was too dark to see as she shined a light, catching only shadows.

She paused again, trying to listen for noises.

“Hello?” she called once more.

Nothing.

“There’s nothing haunting this building,” she told herself as she commanded her legs to move forward.

What if this was an intruder? She was a police officer. The first bunny police officer. Though only Clawhauser knew about this place, something told her that if she chickened out now she’d be admitting defeat. Even with her heart thumping a mile a minute, Judy stepped into the bathroom to inspect it with her light.

Nothing again.

Judy breathed in deep and held it when she had a new noise.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Her attention was drawn to the shower and the curtain that covered it. But what caused Judy’s ears to stick straight up was the shadow watching her from the stall, the curtain blocking its more noticeable features. Judy stopped breathing entirely as her instincts told her to run immediately while the cop inside her demanded that she pull back the cloth and confront whatever it was. Ghosts or not, Judy Hopps didn’t scare easily. That was all she needed to tell herself before she pulled the curtain back.

An empty shower greeted her.

Judy huffed a laugh as she realized what had been scaring her was literally her own shadow. It was almost funny if it weren’t for her heart beating faster than an engine. To highlight how silly she was being, the lights in the house suddenly went on. Everything that had just been dark or spooky turned immediately mundane and ordinary. That’s all that had happened. The power had been off and Judy was letting her mind play tricks on her.

“It's been a long day,” she muttered out loud as she went over to the sink and washed her face.

Too much stress, too much anxiety from her first day was letting her believe silly stories from Clawhauser. And it had been an extremely tiring day of work. She must have traveled the whole city on her parking ticket crusade. Tomorrow she would confront Bogo about taking on a bigger role, being overqualified for the meter maid position.

Judy expected to see her tired face when she looked up in the mirror after washing up. But instead, she saw something else.

“GET OUT,” was clawed into the glass.

Chapter Text

Judy called the house manager first thing in the morning after a night of inspecting the entire house from top to bottom. She used everything in her police training to scour every nook and cranny of the house, determining that there was no one but herself in the building. Then she checked all the windows and doors, determining no sign of forced entry. It was all in service to present her case to the fennec fox she had come to know as Finnick when he arrived in his van.

Though he continued to look unimpressed as she showed him the mirror with the dark message engraved in it.

“I’ll look into getting a replacement for you by next week,” he said. “But it’s going to come out of your security deposit.”

“My security deposit,” Judy repeated. “You think I did this?”

“If not you then who?”

“Whoever was in the house before I came home last night!”

“There was someone in the house? You have proof?”

“Proof?” she asked, unsure why Finnick was acting so difficult about this. “Okay, how about this? The house was freezing when I came home, like someone had left the windows open all day.”

“All the windows are kept locked for just that reason,” explained Finnick. “There’s a safety mechanism to prevent just the kind of thing you’re talking about. You can open them on the inside, but can’t on the outside. Not without any signs of forced entry. Or unless you happened to leave the windows open on your own.”

“But I didn’t--”

“Then your mystery person ain’t getting in through the windows.”

“The door then,” Judy said. “What if they used the door? I know for a fact that I locked it before I left. What if they jimmied it open?”

“Let me show you something.”

She followed him down to the ground level again where Finnick pulled out a large ring of keys and sorted through them while holding open the front door to show her the lock.

“This here is a state of the art locking mechanism. They’re demanded in the city due to so many different sized mammals living in one place. The lock is sturdy enough that it’s supposed to stop a rhino.”

He then shut the door and turned the lock.

“Try and jimmy it.”

Using all her might, Judy couldn’t even get the handle to budge. It was almost like it was solid metal until Finnick inserted the key and twisted it with ease.

“We take security very seriously around these parts,” Finnick explained. “A home should be your castle. I would trust these systems in the house with my life. And I’m the sort of guy who keeps a baseball bat in my van at all times.”

Judy gulped, knowing that a little guy like Finnick probably had every reason to be cautious in a world where anyone could step on him by accident.

“Look,” Finnick continued. “For the sake of an argument here, who do you think did this? Because right now, I have no choice but to believe you’re at fault. Do you know someone who would try and break into your home and scare you? Or do you think it’s something else entirely?”

Judy fought from speaking the answer that had been on her mind, and another reason why she had been unable to sleep all night.

“...Has there been any stories of unusual activities in the house?” she deflected. “I regret not asking you before I saw the place.”

“A little late now, don’t you think? Your deposit is made and there’s no getting out of that, I’m afraid. Even if you are a cop, rules are rules in the city.”

“I would never…”

“People have their own reasons for leaving. If you want, I can track them down but it doesn’t make much of a difference, I’m afraid. Call any inspector you’d like to have them scout through the house and check the windows and doors. But I guarantee you that they’ll tell you the same thing I just did. No one is getting into this house without a key. And you and I are the only ones with copies, I promise.”

The way Finnick phrased it gave Judy the chills as she hadn’t considered if someone had been in the house the whole time. Without either of them knowing.

Finnick frowned and lit up a cigarette, taking a deep drag before speaking in a softer tone of voice this time.

“...I will say that you’re not the first one who’s had this house make them uncomfortable. Maybe a few of em did leave because of something that made things go bump in the night. I wouldn’t know. I never go on the premises after dark. But if being here really makes you uncomfortable, I can recommend a hotel that’s near here you can stay at for a few days. Real cheap too.”

Staying at a hotel sounded almost like a vacation after the night Judy had experienced. But something inside told her that it would almost be like giving up. It would be like solving a case at work with zero evidence. She shook her head and clenched her paws.

“No. I’m staying.”

Finnick raised an eye and shrugged. “Suit yourself. I just collect the rent and handle maintenance.”

“Might I ask who owns the place then?”

“He’s a busy guy,” Finnick replied with another drag. “Not the friendly sort of mammal either. Likes his privacy. Something tells me you two wouldn’t really get along.”

“Well, can you let him know I’d like to speak with him? I have some questions I’d like to ask.”

“I’ll put in a word. And look into getting a replacement mirror. Hang in there, rabbit. The city’s always rough to newcomers.”

When Finnick walked out the door, the house felt just a bit darker and Judy could feel the crushing dread of the wall around her. If she wasn’t so exhausted from the all-nighter, then she might have been worried about what she was going to do about this. But she had bigger concerns on her plate, like how she was going to handle work today.

Judy had gotten into work so late that she had missed the bullpen and mostly everyone was working on their assigned tasks. Hers being the same as yesterday, parking duty.

She felt the morning drag further from there on as she struggled to do even ninety nine parking tickets before lunch, wishing she could spend her break to nap in the parking lot and catch up on some much needed sleep. But her time had to be used wisely and police resources and computers could only be requested during her shift hours, as were regulations. Thus, it was with great reluctance that Judy forced herself to shuffle into the front desk where Clawhauser was munching from a takeout box. In fact, he almost looked glad to see her, though she was in a hurry.

“There you are!” Clawhauser greeted her.

“Hi, Clawhauser. I’m sorry I missed our morning chat but I was a little late. I need your help with something. I need you to look up the owner and all past renters of 111 Winchester.”

“Well, hang on, Judy--”

“I’ve already done a little research when I could in my spare time,” Judy said as she ran down the list on her phone. “But I have a few names I’ve already found based on a few internet searches--”

“--Jude--”

“--I wasn’t able to get a name on the owner and even though the apartment manager said he’d talk to him, I don’t want to wait around. You were right about some of the past people who stayed there. They’ve given interviews in all sorts of pawcasts and newspapers, but nothing mainstream. I wonder if there’s some sort of report by the city or--”

“Hopps!”

Judy’s ears rose as she looked up at Clawhauser, only then realizing that he had been trying to get her attention the whole time.

“You missed the meeting this morning,” the cheetah said. “The one with everyone at the bullpen today.”

“Well, I missed the bullpen this morning…”

“I know, that’s why I’m telling you now. There’s been a big case, all paws on deck type. The mayor has been pushing the chief to arrest Mister Big, the head of the largest crime family in Zootopia. And last night, just last night, someone came to us with a tip. Big has been peddling catnip.”

Judy thought for a moment. “But Clawhauser, catnip is legal in Zootopia.”

“Only if you buy it from medical professionals.”

“Well, even if he confesses to the crime, it won’t put him away for long. He might not even get a sentence for something so minor if the judge decides or gets paid off.”

Clawhauser shrugged. “That’s why Bogo is so adamant that everyone gets on board with this case. If they can find something else on Big while investigating him for this. Chief isn’t too hopeful but he said that if anyone does find anything, he foresees good things for their future.”

“...Which might mean he’ll take me seriously,” Judy whispered to herself before turning to Clawhauser with renewed energy. “I gotta go talk to him! Like, now! Can you...You know, look up everything on 111 Winchester? When you have the time?”

“Of course,” Clawhauser replied, dumping the remainder of his lunch into his mouth and chewing while he spoke. “I jhust fhinished meating. Knock em med, Mudy.”

Judy was silently glad there was at least one mammal in this city who was looking out for her as she smiled at Clawhauser and ascended the steps to the chief’s office. All she had to do was convince Bogo that she might be an asset in the case. Though first impressions of him were very stern, Judy had to imagine that he would at least hear her out on what she could offer.

“No,” Bogo replied.

“But why?” asked Judy as she stood in the oversized chair before Bogo’s desk. “Chief, you said that this case was all paws on deck.”

“Hopps, you have been on the force for barely twenty four hours. This is going to take the work of veterans in the field who know exactly what to look for. I need my best people on this, given the delicacy of what to find and how hard the mayor would come down on us if we turn up with nothing.”

“Sir, I don’t understand. I went through the Academy, same as everyone else. I graduated top of my class. I know what to look for.”

“And have you thought about the danger that comes with this assignment? Do you really believe that Big is just going to let us snoop around places he doesn’t want us to be?”

“I thought being a cop was accepting that potential danger that comes with the role,” Judy crossed her arms. “Do you think I won’t be able to handle it?”

“I think you are untested and untried. And very small.”

That was almost as bad as calling a rabbit cute. But before Judy could interject, Bogo asked a simple question.

“Hopps, why do you think you’re here?”

“I’m here because I want to be a cop,” Judy answered instantly. “A real cop. Not some token bunny who’s a meter maid. I am here because I wanted to make the world, the city, a better place.”

“And I admire that ideal, but that’s not what I meant. What got you here in this precinct? What got you accepted into the Academy in the first place?”

There was a long pause as Judy pondered where Bogo was going with this until the buffalo sighed and stood up.

“The Mammal Inclusion Act was another one of the mayor’s political gambits to win favor. In theory we accept only the larger mammals into the force, not out of any spite or prejudice but for the sake of safety. Just as an example, we know for a fact that the muscle employed by Mister Big are all large predators. Polar bears with criminal backgrounds and vicious tendencies. One might say savage…”

Judy’s nose twitched as Bogo stopped in front of the window at his office and looked down at the city below.

“We risk our lives everyday just keeping the peace. But when we go actively looking for trouble...There’s not a doubt in my mind that someone might get hurt. I knowingly am sending my officers into that danger. Someone could be maimed. Heaven forbid, someone could be killed.”

Bogo turned to face her with hard eyes.

“How might it look if, after all the posing the mayor did around your graduation, you turned up dead on your first case?”

“...Not well,” Judy replied.

“Besides the storm of controversy around the mayor that would be felt in this department, you might also set back other mammals who could use the honest goodness of the Inclusion Act to get into less dangerous, but often prejudiced, positions around the city. The bill affects other roles besides police officers. And besides all that, the last words any of us want to hear is ‘officer down’ in any context. So, please, for all our sakes. Let. It. Go.”

Judy slumped down into her chair, never once thinking how much her role was a political statement in the grand scheme of things. If she put herself in Bogo’s hooves for just a moment, she could see his point. And she hadn’t done any deeds yet that she could prove she’d be able to handle herself in the city. What could she do?

A smile crossed her face as she found her answer.

“...What if I could get information for you that could help the investigation?”

“Hopps…”

“Hear me out, chief. If you’re set on having me as a meter maid, then fine. But let me use that to our advantage here. What if I...Patrolled near establishments owned by Big to see what they’re up to?”

“ Hopps ,” Bogo warned.

“Too much,” Judy raised her paws. “Right, I understand. But what if...What if I just kept my ear to the ground then? Chances are I’ll see more of the city in a day than any other officer, with my role. I can report any suspicious activity and look around in general. And people talk. Who’s to say what they might blab about near a harmless little meter maid? Would that be acceptable, sir?”

Bogo swallowed her words for a moment before crossing his arms, clearly not happy about it but unable to pick apart Judy’s proposition.

“You are not allowed to say you are a part of the investigation,” said Bogo. “But if you can balance your parking duty with information gathering on the streets...We can keep any leads you find in mind. But only if you stay out of trouble. Agreed?”

Judy smiled and saluted. One step closer to making the world a better place.

“Agreed, sir.”

There was a spring in Judy’s step the rest of the day, despite the crash that came later. She treated herself to some coffee to wake right back up though and continued her ticket generating duties into the afternoon. All the while, she began to ponder exactly how she could help the investigation. What sort of secrets could she hope to find on the streets? There was only one way to find out.

By the time it was dark, she had climbed her way up back to three hundred tickets with a satisfying average. She hummed as she continued the walk back home before stopping at the oak door of 111 Winchester.

“Oh, right. You.”

The rush of doing real police work for a change had almost made her forget about the predicament she found herself living in. This time Judy wasn’t in the mood for games.

She flicked the lights on, discovering that they worked and made a ritual of inspecting every single corner of the house, checking the windows and looking around for any signs of damage or disturbance. Judy breathed easy when everything seemed untouched as she hurried down to the kitchen to figure out something to eat. Microwave carrots were proving to be a tired substitute for the real thing and privately Judy began to miss home. At that moment, she yelped in surprise at the sudden buzzing sensation at her hip.

Call from: Mom/Dad

Of course. She had promised that she’d talk to her partners yesterday to tell them all about her first day at work. Of course, she had ignored that call when she made the discovery of the scratched up mirror for obvious reasons. Judy didn’t think it would be wise to have her parents worry about any potential intruders on her first day, especially after her dad insisted she take the fox repellent which she kept buried in her nightstand. With gritted teeth, Judy put on a fake smile as she answered the MuzzleTime call.

“Heeey guys…”

“ Oh, there she is, Stu, ” said her mother as she ushered her father over. “ Hi, honey! We missed you yesterday! ”

“Yeeeah. I was out on patrol yesterday and let my phone die, like a dummy. By the time I dug up my charger...I just really wanted to go to bed.”

“ Of course, that’s no trouble whatsoever, ” her mother shifted the camera so her father was in shot.

“ Hey, Jude, ” greeted her dad. “ How’s the new place? Looks kinda dark in there. ”

“Oh, you know...Good. Just getting used to it is all. You know how it is with a big, empty house.”

“ Right, and how’s the new job? ”

At that mention, Judy could genuinely smile.

“Really good! I had a huge breakthrough with my boss today and he’s gonna let me help with a big case for the precinct.”

“ Oh, ” Judy could already hear the concern in her mom’s voice. “ That’s great, honey. Is it...Something dangerous? ”

“Information gathering. I can’t really say much more than that because they want to keep it quiet. But I shouldn’t be in any sort of danger. Chief Bogo was quite insistent on that.”

“ Well, that’s gre-- ”

Her mom was cut off as her entire image distorted with random pixels appearing and her voice breaking up into fragments.

“Mom?” asked Judy.

“ --ing well? ” her voice and image came back in an instant.

“I’m sorry, I think I lost you there.”

“ I said, are you eating well, honey? ”

“Oh! Uh, okay, I guess. You remember those carrots and blueberries you sent me with? They must have been a bad batch because they rotted overnight.”

Behind her mom, her father scowled.

“ That ain’t right, ” her dad muttered. “ Just sold a bunch today and they’re all still keeping fine. Maybe your fridge is faulty? ”

“Maybe. I dunno, there’s a bunch of little quirks I have to get used to about this place. But there is a garden though, which I was looking forward to digging through this weekend when I have a day off.”

“ Do you want us to send you some more veggies and seeds to plant? ”

“That would be great, actually! How’s everyone at home?”

“ Oh, you know. There’s bee-- ”

Judy grunted in frustration as the app battled with connecting to her parents. She checked the bars and confirmed that her signal was fine, meaning it might have been something on their end. They were calling from the underground burrow, which wasn’t the wisest decision. But Judy had never seen MuzzleTime do this before. It was almost like there was a glitch or…

“ ...get out… ”

Judy’s blood ran cold. That wasn’t her mother or her father who had spoken that snippet of dialogue that ran through the phone clear as day.

“What?” Judy asked.

“ --I said I’ve been trying to get out more, ” replied the clear image of her mother. “ Trying not to be cooped up in all this beautiful summer weather we’ve been having .”

“Oh,” Judy responded with a shiver. “It’s actually been kinda cold here in the city…”

“ Well, we’ll send up a care package then! Food and extra blankets. How does that sound? ”

“That sounds…”

But Judy was faced with a blank screen that said “Call Disconnected” in blinking red lights.

“...Wonderful,” she sighed.

Judy pushed back her ears as she leaned against the kitchen counter, closing her eyes like she was fighting off a headache when really it was exhaustion. The night before was starting to catch up with her with her particular candle being burned at both ends. She hoped and prayed that this good news with work would let her sleep better. She couldn’t afford any unwelcome distractions barging into her house.

Then there was a loud knock at the front door that caused Judy to jump out of her skin.

Judy tried to control her breathing as she approached the entry hall to answer whoever was visiting this time of night. Another knock prompted her to quicken her pace as she stopped breathing entirely and opened it up…

“Finnick?”

The short fennec fox waved at her from the stoop with a cigarette in his mouth. There was also a large object next to him, bigger than he stood, all wrapped up in brown paper.

“Can’t stay long,” he said after a drag. “But I was in the neighborhood. Got lucky with digging around to find a nice bathroom mirror to replace the scratched one. Real cheap too.”

“Oh,” Judy said, glancing at the bound object which she assumed was the mirror.

“Don’t have time to install it today but it's too heavy to lug around so I’m dropping it off. I’ll come by in the morning, unless you want to take care of it yourself.”

“I can wait,” Judy replied. “I kind of want to get an early night too.”

Finnick just shrugged and rolled the mirror inside, leaving it firmly against the wall before sucking on his cigarette and turning to leave for his van parked outside.

“By the way,” he stopped at the door. “I spoke to my boss about you wanting to meet him.”

“Oh!” Judy’s hopes went up again. “What did he say?”

“Very busy, like I said. But he promised he’d give you a call real soon. Figured the two of you could work from there.”

“Of course,” Judy nodded. “I’ll just wait for him then. Have a good night, Finnick.”

Finnick just frowned as he trotted down the stairs. “...Night.”

Judy couldn’t help but feel very alone indeed as she closed the door behind him.

Chapter Text

Six hours of sleep wasn’t a full night’s rest, but it was everything to a mammal who had pulled an all-nighter the day before. Judy fought off her exhaustion with coffee, never thinking she’d be the kind of mammal who’d have to rely on the stuff. The evening had been quiet at the house, which was almost more unnerving. After giving every room one last look around, Judy finally convinced herself to go to bed only to be greeted by dreams of claws and teeth, which constantly woke her up through the night.

After a sesame bagel breakfast to go with her coffee, Judy limped to the station with fire in her belly. She was determined to make the most of the day, after a rocky start with her new life.

Thankfully, things seemed to be looking upward as she approached the front desk.

“Judy!” Clawhauser chimed as he scooped the remains of his cereal into his mouth. “I’m glad I caught you before the bullpen started! I did a rundown of 111 Winchester’s history, like you asked. Enough to get you a summary and all the names with addresses, anyway.”

“That’s definitely a great start, Clawhauser,” Judy smiled before she caught herself. “You didn’t use your work time for it, did you?”

“No way, I stayed late with the janitors and night crew. Well, late enough that I could get a decent overview of every renter who has been there in the last two years when the house went up on the market. Spared no expense either.”

“Wow. Clawhauser, you didn’t have to use your personal time for it like that.”

“Call it concern for a friend who needs some peace of mind while living in a haunted house,” the cheetah smirked before looking quite guilty. “Though no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find the real name of the owner. It was a literal rabbit hole of dead ends, if you’ll pardon the pun.”

“Dead ends? What do you mean?”

“Well, it says on the real estate records for the city that the guy who owns the house goes by the name of Kirk Klaws, right? But when I search for him in the public database, I end up with a bunch of hits...But none of them seem to be the guy we’re looking for as I don’t think any of them own physical property in the city, though I can reach out to them to inquire about the house. I don’t think I’m going to get lucky though. I mean with a name like Klaws, there’s already hundreds of thousands of mammals alone. Even narrowing it down to Kirk didn’t help. If you ask me, it almost sounds like your building’s owner is using a false name that’s so generic no one would be able to detect it’s false because there’s simply too many Klaws to sort through.”

Judy stood there blinking with her coffee. “Wow. That was very thorough and well thought out, Clawhauser.”

“All in a day’s work, ma’am. I’ll do my best to sort out what Mister Klaws’ deal is, but I have the sneaking suspicion I’m not going to get lucky. You might be better off reaching him through your building’s manager.”

Judy gave a slight hum. Finnick did say that the owner would call her at some point, though he didn’t give any times or dates. The whole situation was rather vague and made her nose twitch. But she did have the addresses of past renters as Clawhauser handed the folder over to her.

“There is one more thing, Judy.”

Judy tilted her head at Clawhauser who was playing with his tail and avoiding eye contact.

“There is?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if I should be telling you this or not. Houses like the one you’re living in the city are usually owned by big names. Upper class mammals who rent them out to people in a sort of monopoly in the real estate game. It’s very rare for someone to just own one house to rent, unless they’re a homeowner and living in it themselves as well. But the guy who owns your building definitely only owns just that one house unless he has multiple false names, which I don’t know why anyone would do that so that’s unlikely.”

“That’s interesting, I guess. But kind of just leaves me with more questions than answers.”

“That’s not the really interesting part. The house passed to a bunch of owners over the years. But before your guy owned it, there was one rich mammal who made a habit of buying up homes in the city and selling them at high prices in real estate to earn big bucks. Can you guess who it was your owner bought the house off of?”

“No, who?”

“Mister Big.”

With the folder in paw, Judy walked down the streets in between her parking duty. She had originally planned on interviewing the various renters in her spare time, but with the relation to the Big investigation Judy decided to make an exception. After all, this now related to work technically and she had already done her hundred tickets for the day. That was good enough in Judy Hopps’ book. And Bogo did say that she could report any leads she might have.

Her first stop brought her to the sweltering desert of Sahara Square where a female middle aged possum lived by the name of Yana Hooktail. The name rang a bell as Judy had recalled Yana had also been one of those renters who had spoken on a series of pawcasts she had listened to involving ghosthunters.

Yana was about what Judy expected when she meekly answered. No doubt a bunny wasn’t the first thing people thought of as a cop, but when Judy explained she was interested in hearing what the possum had to say about 111 Winchester, Yana immediately dropped all speculation.

“When I last spoke to the ZPD, they told me that there was no evidence to support my claims,” she told Judy. “Now they’re retaking my statements?”

“Well, this is more an independent case, Mrs. Hooktail. You see, I’m actually living in 111 Winchester myself right now and…”

Judy lost her train of thought as the possum gave her the most confusing combination of looks, ranging from pity to pure horror.

“Oh, honey,” said Yana as she put a paw on Judy’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry for you. You need to leave and find a better place to live as soon as possible.”

“It hasn’t been that bad,” Judy explained. “I’ve only had one strange incident with a mirror but last night was all quiet.”

“That’s how it starts. It likes to scare you and then pauses to let you soak in the fear, dreading exactly when it might strike again. It waits until dark and when you’re all alone. It begins with the noises around the house, subtle enough that you might think it’s the pipes in the walls. But the night goes on as the house begins to shift. You start to see shadows creeping in the hall. Claws and teeth in the windows. And then the next thing you know…”

Yana hadn’t released Judy’s shoulder. While she ranted, her grip had gotten tighter and frigid until Judy could no longer ignore it as she tried to remove the possum’s paws only to find Yana had gone all stiff. And foam was starting to come out of her mouth as her eyes rolled back into her head.

“Mrs. Hooktail?” Judy asked with concern in her voice as she waved in front of the possum’s rolled back eyes. “Yana?”

The possum started awake, like she had come back to life.

“Sorry, dear,” said Yana as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve. “Just thinking about my time in that house gets the instincts going and I feel compelled to play dead. Perhaps we should sit down.”

“Yes, of course.”

Yana led them into a tiny living room as Judy helped her down onto the sofa, taking a seat in a rocking chair across from her with a notepad out with her trusty carrot pen ready.

“We don’t have to talk about your experiences in the house if they cause you that much distress,” Judy continued. “But even in the interviews I listened to, you sounded convinced that there was something in the house with you. A spirit, I suppose…”

“A wraith,” Yana corrected. “A spirit is too gentle, a lonely soul trapped in a home. A wraith is violent and lashes out against any who trespass in its territory.”

“I see...Surely though some of the phenomenons could be explained. Pipes in the walls, like you said. Disturbance with cell phone activity. A breakin with someone who has something against prey…”

“You don’t believe me yet,” said the possum. “But you will soon enough if you’re the one living there. For the longest time I thought the same thing. That this could all be explained and that I was just going crazy. I’ve lived in apartments my whole life so I thought, at first, this was just some of the quirks that came with living in an actual house. But no…”

Yana shook her head as her paws became rigid again with the claws showing.

“It’s always so hard to explain,” she continued. “Thinking of it now, it all feels like a nightmare. Something that was all in my head with the distance I’ve put with the place. But you feel it when you go inside the house. It does something to your head. It’s almost like the building is slowly suffocating you. The difference is night and day the moment you step outside. You will never get me to go back into that house. Never in a million years.”

Judy swallowed a bit as she finished writing Yana’s statement. There was a sinking feeling deep in her gut. Though she didn’t want to admit it, she knew what Yana was talking about. It came with a creeping dread every time she went home. The house was supposed to be her place of rest, and yet she did not feel safe there in the slightest. It was like there had been an intruder. Something rummaging through her belongings and invading her space. Or perhaps Judy was the one who was invading, given the constant message from the unseen sabator.

“Do you have any idea why this...Thing might be lashing out against you and so many others who lived in the house?”

“It only wants one thing, for people to leave. The house is precious to it, for some reason. Or maybe it’s trapped? Who can say with something so beyond our understanding. They should burn the house down, if you ask me. Down to the ground. It’s the only way to let it pass on for sure.”

“Well, arson is a crime, unfortunately.”

“I’m aware. So, I did the next best thing and moved out. Let someone else handle it. Someone braver than me. You should move out too. Let one of the bigger, bolder mammals handle it.”

Judy frowned but bit her tongue as she wrapped up her notes of the possum’s statement.

“Speaking of big mammals,” Judy continued. “The owner. Did you ever get to speak with him about the place?”

Yana huffed. “The owner never involved himself with matters of the building directly. He always worked through that little fennec fox of his.”

“Finnick.”

“Right. I gave my complaints but they were largely ignored or explained away, same with any police reports. The only people who believed me were the whackos on the internet. One even did a video recording in the house one evening, of course on the night the ghost decided to take a break.”

“Of course. Well, you did say it prefers it when people are alone. How about the house’s history itself? Did you learn about any of the previous owners? Maybe past crimes committed in the building?”

Judy sensed she was reaching a bit or revealing her hidden motives for interviewing the poor possum. But her hopes got raised when an expression of realization stretched across Yana’s face.

“I did hear that the mob used to use several buildings in the city for dirty dealings,” Yana’s face soured as the rest dawned on her. “Oh god. What if someone got whacked in the building? What if they buried him in the garden out back where no one could find him? What if the wraith that’s been haunting everyone is some ticked off gangster who wants revenge on the people who wronged him? What if...What if…?”

Yana’s eyes rolled back into her head as she froze up, foam spraying out of her mouth again. Judy just sighed as she finished up her notes before checking to see if the possum was alright. Though, even after she woke up, something told Judy she wasn’t going to get much more out of poor Yana.

Judy managed a few more interviews with past renters in between her parking duty around the city. Though they weren’t nearly as colorful as Yana had been, their stories remained consistent. Like Judy, they had found the place due to its size and cheapness. Then they’d spend a few weeks contending with a few strange events, before finally getting so spooked they’d determine the house wasn’t worth it and they’d abandon it for a safer apartment building. It sounded almost routine yet because of the price, people kept finding it and trying their luck.

Judy was just the latest in a long line of haunted renters, if she was willing to even admit there was something supernatural at work.

Something about all this was rubbing her the wrong way. It made her nose twitch just thinking about it. The house that she just happened to be staying at because it just happened to be cheap just happened to have a ghost haunting it when it just happened to have been owned by Mister Big at one point. It felt, to her, that there was a bigger story going on in the background. She was just missing a few pieces to explain it all. And that was assuming she even believed in ghosts.

Like she had told Clawhauser, Judy was a skeptic. She had seen her own share of haunted houses, though nothing quite like the one she was living in. When she was outside and working at her job, it was the easiest thing in the world to dismiss all the ghost talk as complete rubbish. Spooks that played on the nerves from living in a big home all by herself. But when it was night and she was alone in the building...The occult suddenly didn’t seem so crazy anymore. There was quite the difference from being an outside observer to experiencing the hauntings for oneself. For all intents and purposes, while on the job there was no such thing as ghosts. But when home alone in 111 Winchester, ghosts were very real indeed.

One thing was for certain, Mister Big definitely had some history with the house. All the interviewed renters confirmed it in some fashion, though they lacked any significant details or proof. Perhaps Judy could shed some light with a more indepth exploration of the building. The weekend was coming up and with it a bunch of tasks Judy wanted to do. She mulled over the events of the day as she finished with her parking duty and walked home, stopping only when she noticed a box waiting for her at the stoop of 111 Winchester.

“Oh!” she chirped as she read the label. “From Mom and Dad!”

Leave it to Judy’s parents to ship everything up in same day delivery. After the dropped call last night, they had been worried as Judy assured them through quick texts that she was fine. Her house probably just didn’t allow for clear calls, despite full bars across the board.

Judy ignored the pit in her stomach as she carried the box inside, the weight of the house on her shoulder as she made her way to the kitchen for a knife.

Inside the box was a treasure of treats from home.

Judy could already smell the freshness of the blueberries as she pulled them out first. There were her favorite kinds of carrots too, of course, as well as the seeds her father had promised along with a small shovel for gardening. Her mother had packed her one of the stuffed bunnies, one that she had made for Judy herself. She had also squeezed in a lovely portrait of both her, her dad, and Judy’s entire litter smiling for the camera. They were all welcome additions that made the home feel less dark as the sun went down outside.

Judy stuck the carrots and blueberries in the fridge before going upstairs with the stuffed bunny, putting on the bed with her others. Out of habit, she checked the upstairs bathroom as well, flicking the light on to see that Finnick had installed the new mirror while she had been at work. It was nice to no longer have to look at a reminder of the spookiness of the place every time she walked in there. A few of the tools and the seeds, she left next to the front door for the moment. That only left the family portrait to hang up.

After scouring the home and placing it at every junction of wall she could find, Judy eventually settled on a good spot right by the entry hall. With a quick hammer and a nail, the picture was hung and she took a step back to marvel at her work.

That was when her phone started buzzing in her pocket.

Judy frowned as she read the words “unknown caller” on her screen before putting it to her ear and answering.

“Hello?”

There was the low hum of static on the other end before the call dropped ten seconds in.

Judy frowned before shrugging. Maybe given the apparent weak signal in the building, something might have happened with the call. It was probably one of those telemarketers or scammers that’d prompt you to call back before putting you on some sort of list. Best to ignore it and turn to more important things. Like what to do for dinner.

The fresh carrots were calling her and Judy was thankful she wouldn’t have to resort to eating frozen food again, deciding that the first thing she was going to do on the weekend was go shopping for some real food to eat again.

She made her way to the fridge and found the carrots right where she left them, but something was odd. The carton of blueberries looked strangely emptier than it had just a minute ago. That surely couldn’t have been as Judy grabbed a carrot and took a step back from the fridge.

SQUISH!

Her foot landed on something soft and small.

She raised her foot and found that it was one of the blueberries she had stepped on, crushed flat and staining the floor.

“That’s...Odd. I could have sworn I put them all away.”

That was when Judy noticed something that made her throat sink into her stomach.

A ways away from where she just stepped was another blueberry. And another. And another. All leading out from the kitchen. She quickly discerned that this was a trail of sorts. But for what? And who had left it?

Judy grabbed one of the tools her father had sent her, a small gardening claw, before taking a deep breath and commanding herself to follow it and see where it led.

Step by step, she was led on a small chase that took her around the house in a big circle before ending at the front door.

For good measure, Judy checked the door and confirmed that she did indeed lock it before settling in for her chores around the house. No one could have gotten in, by Finnick’s promise. And she would have heard the door open and someone creeping around, surely. Bunnies prided themselves on their hearing, after all.

In that moment though, Judy didn’t feel proud at all. Her stomach was a mess, with a carrot in one paw and a metal claw in the other. The house felt a little colder too as she tried to listen for anything, or anyone, that could be in the building besides her.

She almost jumped five feet into the air when her phone buzzed again. Unknown caller.

Judy hesitantly hit the answer button and brought it to her ears.

“Hello?” her voice was shakier than she wanted it to sound.

It wasn’t static that greeted her this time though. Instead she heard a raspy, repetitive noise that grumbled through the speaker like an ancient machine. As she listened closer, she knew exactly what it was. Someone was breathing deeply into the line.

Ten seconds and the call cut off.

Judy felt very exposed all of a sudden, standing alone in the middle of the entry hall. The sun had gone down and the house was getting darker, with the furniture casting all sorts of dark shadows on her. Her eyes darted from door to door, each leading to a different part of the house. Each perhaps hiding a different horror that she couldn’t see, just waiting for her. She felt scared and very, very alone. Like she was a wild rabbit being hunted by a predator.

With nowhere else to go, she walked backwards into the front door. Her spine pressed against the warm oak, just inviting her to open it and perhaps flee into the night. But Judy was too frozen to reach down for the knob.

That was when the knocking started.

It came violently, like someone very large like a polar bear was smashing into the front door with their massive paws. Judy bit down a yelp as she retreated from her only escape and heard a rattling under the constant pounding. The iron knob was jiggling in place, almost begging her to open it. The briefest moment of bravery commanded her to undo the lock and greet whatever it was that was trying to force itself into her home. Judy winced as the door creaked open to reveal...

Nothing.

There wasn’t a soul on the stoop. Only the quiet neighborhood with the occasional car driving by outside.

Judy breathed out deeply, feeling relieved that the violent knocking had stopped. But she was only reminded of the horror by a familiar buzzing in her pocket. This time she wasn’t playing games with whoever, or whatever, this was.

“What do you want?” she snarled into the receiver.

The breathing was again on the other line, this time louder than it had been before. Almost like it was getting stronger with each passing phone call. Seconds passed without an answer from the caller.

“Answer me!”

Judy wasn’t expecting it to. But that only made the fur on her neck stand up when it actually did.

“ Get. Out. ”

The voice was male. At least, it sounded male. Judy barely processed the two simple words it had said let alone the identity of the speaker. In that moment, Judy realized something. She wasn’t scared anymore. It was clear as day what the voice had been trying to get her to do. It was using everything in its power to get her to leave, just like all the others. And something about that thought made Judy absolutely livid.

“Why?” she snapped back.

“ Get...Out. ”

“No. Why should I?”

“ GET. OUT, ” bellowed the voice.

“Answer my questions first,” Judy shot back before she took a deep breath. She was letting the rage build inside her spill too much. And snapping at each other wasn’t going to get them anywhere. “Are you a ghost?”

The voice paused for a moment, as did the breathing.

“ ...Yes. ”

At least it could say something other than “get” and “out”” exclusively. Judy sighed. She still didn’t know if she believed in ghosts, even after everything she had just witnessed. But whatever this thing was, they could communicate. And communication was the first step in coming to an understanding.

“Okay,” Judy replied, this time in a softer voice. “Yes or no questions then. Did you live here once?”

“ ...Yes. ”

“Were you one of the renters? From before?”

“ ...No. ”

Judy didn’t think that was the case, but it was nice to confirm it. At least as far as she was willing to trust an unseenable voice in her phone.

“Were you...An owner of the house at one point?”

“ ...Yes. ”

Judy swallowed as she ignored the unpleasantness in her stomach. Was this really a ghost? Was she actually talking to it and trying to reason with it? She didn’t know. But she did need answers. Earlier that day, she felt as if there was something more to the story. And having an answer on the other line made her too overzealous as she remembered her story from Yana.

“Were you one of the mobsters who used to live here?” she asked. “Did you and your boss used to do business in this house before you died?”

That angered it.

Judy held the phone away from her ears as what sounded almost like microphone feedback blasted into her lobes. Over it all was the rumbling of a thunderous voice.

“ GET! OUT! ”

Then the line went dead.

It took until that moment for Judy to realize that her legs were shaking and her nose trembling. She collapsed on the floor of the entry hall, the door still wide open to the outside. The tool and carrot she had been carrying were dropped to her side, all but forgotten. Still clutching the phone, she huddled into herself, breathing in and out, trying not to tear up. For some reason, in that voice, she felt the same curdling rage she had felt when she had snapped back at it, only much worse.

This was a deeper rage, the kind that lingered and festered like rot in an attic.

And though she couldn’t say who the voice was yet, Judy did feel as if she had an honest to god phone call with a ghost.

Chapter Text

Judy woke up with a splitting headache, the kind that would linger for the rest of the day and for no real reason as she groggily pulled herself from bed. She hadn’t slept well at all again. Not because of any fear or nightmares but because her brain was wracked with feelings and emotions. She just could not silence her head enough to go to bed at a decent hour and spent most of the night staring up at the ceiling until exhaustion claimed her.

A look at her reflection in the bathroom mirror wasn’t a pleasant sight either. Her fur was disheveled and there were black rings forming around her eyes. She just groaned and filled up a glass of water. Mornings like this one made her unpleasant to be around, so perhaps it was a good thing that she found herself stuck on parking duty away from the rest of the precinct.

As she finished her drink to clear her head somewhat, Judy started to brush her teeth. But the second she put the brush in her mouth, her ears detected a thump. And then another. And another. It sounded like someone was walking down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Judy sighed and followed the noises while still brushing her teeth, eyes glazed and disinterested in these shenanigans first thing in the morning.

She was led to the kitchen counter where there was a crumpled up piece of paper next to her carrot pen. Judy opened up the message to find exactly what she had been expecting.

“Get out,” read the note.

She just rolled her eyes and bit down on her toothbrush while both her paws worked to spread out the paper and flattened it down to write on. Then she scribbled down her own response to her apparent roommate.

“No!” Underlined twice.

Judy didn’t remain in the house much longer than that. Nothing made a bad mood worse than spending it with someone who was equally moody. Judy still wasn’t quite sure what to believe in everything that had happened the night before. The mirror incident could be explained as a break-in but with the phone call and the door, this was all either a very elaborate con with unknown motives or she was actually living in a haunted house. And she wasn’t sure what was the more believable option.

When it came to life after death, Judy always figured that she’d cross that particular bridge when she got to it. Preferably with more than sixty five good years first and a rich career with potential family somewhere down the line, perhaps. She didn’t quite subscribe to any beliefs like most of the rabbits in the burrow and often kept a skeptical, but open, mind. Seeing was believing, after all. Though she hadn’t quite seen a ghost exactly, it had certainly made its presence known.

Though it probably wasn’t wise to go chatting about living with a ghost lest people think Judy had gone crazy. That was the last thing she needed on her first week working at the ZPD. In fact, though she loathed to admit it, Judy just wanted to do her parking duty today. It was a beautiful morning in the city and nothing would make her happier than to spend the day walking around the streets and doing something low stress to counter her pounding head.

“Hopps!” came the call the second she stepped into the precinct. “My office, please!”

Judy winced under the roaring voice of the chief. At least he didn’t sound particularly upset, she thought. It was a challenge to tell when everything was about volume, which was not helping with her ailment as she put on a brave face. The other officers all gave her a passing glance and a few snickers as Judy ascended the stairs and walked into Bogo’s room. Fortunately or unfortunately, she wasn’t alone in confronting Bogo as there sat a certain pudgy cheetah in one of the seats before his desk.

“Hi Judy,” Clawhauser said weakly.

“Clawhauser,” Judy greeted with a nod and salute. “Sir?”

“Have a seat, Hopps. This won’t take long.”

Something in how he phrased that made Judy almost prefer contending with the ghost again, as she swallowed and climbed up on the chair opposite to Clawhauser. Bogo hadn’t so much as looked up from his computer since she entered as he hunted on his keyboard for a few painful moments, finally wrapping up after a solid minute of silence.

“You look rough, Hopps,” Bogo commented.

“Sorry, sir. I haven’t been sleeping the greatest since coming to the city…”

“Mm. Change is often stressful. You might find this news to your liking then as it will save you from having to go out and about.”

“With all due respect, sir. It will be a challenge to do parking duty if I’m not out in the field.”

“You won’t be doing parking duty today, Hopps. As of this moment, actually, you and Clawhauser are being assigned to a special task.”

In any other circumstance, reassignment from parking duty would sound like a godsend. Though working with Clawhauser, whom Judy hadn’t seen move from his spot at the front desk up until this point, soured any hopes of actual police work. Chief Bogo only confirmed it as he cleared his throat.

“We may have picked up on a lead with Mister Big. There’s reasonable hints to suggest that he’s committed several instances of tax fraud over the years, though we haven’t had the proof of anything yet, which is where you two come in. One of his former employees at a flower shop came forward with the information that Big had cheated him out of close to several hundred dollars in pay, though he lacked the paper trail to back it. That’s where you two come in.”

“Tax fraud?” Judy asked. “Sir, isn’t that something normally reserved for the IRS?”

“Most people don’t seem to know that, but yes. If we find something, the case would be handed over to them as they investigate further and seize some of his assets. There will be plenty of headlines for the event as he’s taken to court and the mayor will be pleased with the publicity.”

“But he won’t go to jail! Not unless this is just the tip of the iceberg and we find some pretty significant evidence to suggest millions of dollars being embezzled or--”

“I am aware of the regulations of the court, Hopps. And I will be the first to admit that it is highly unlikely you will find anything that substantial. Mister Big has been at the game for several decades and has managed to always stay one step ahead of us all this time. There may have been a few slip ups through taxes over the years but the chances are the impending lawsuit would only put a small dent in his wallet given the fines. But it would be something to keep the mayor happy at least.”

“That’s if we even find something in all his records! There’s gotta be something more we can find on him! If he’s as powerful of a businessmammal as you say then he’s gotta have gotten into some dirty dealings at some point in his career. There must be records of something. Stolen money, drugs, anything!”

“If given time, it’s more than likely we would find something that could do more than the bare minimum of a slap on the wrist,” Bogo admitted. “But we’re going to hold off for now and pick our fights for another day.”

“But why, sir?”

“Clawhauser?”

Clawhauser winced as he reached into his front pocket and pulled out an opened envelope, shakily passing it over to Judy.

“This, uh, this was in the mailroom this morning when I checked…”

Judy grabbed it and opened the letter to find what appeared to be a photocopied list of names. Some of which she recognized around the precinct, though they were slightly off. Next to the names were also addresses all around the city.

“What is this?” Judy asked.

“A threat,” Bogo huffed. “Or at least I choose  to perceive it as one. A few of our detectives must have been digging a little too deeply into Big's personal affairs, I’m afraid. Of course, we can’t pin it on him. Even when we ran it through CIS they didn’t find any physical tracings to tie it to him. Those are a list of personal friends and family related to them, as well as their home addresses. I’ve already taken those officers off the case and reassigned them elsewhere. Still, the message was received. Big doesn’t want us digging into his business without retaliation.”

“So, don’t we just try harder then?”

“That’s not how this works, Hopps. Our officers are not pawns in some twisted game of chess, they’re people with families. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that if everyone committed everything to this, then we could take down Big within a year. But it would come at great cost. So, we play the long game and wait for the right moment. Poke around and try to find something he can’t cheat or threaten his way out of. We have time.”

“I don’t like it, sir.”

“Nor do I,” Bogo crossed his arms. “Clawhauser says that you’ve been doing your own research independently. Something involving Big’s old real estate business practices?”

Judy glanced over to Clawhauser, who was avoiding eye contact with her. Something told Judy that Bogo wasn’t the only one around the office he had gone blabbing to.

“...It was more to do with the home I’m presently living in at the moment, sir. Not this case, exactly. It just so happens that Big used to own the house before my current owner purchased it. And there have been...Strange occurrences in it lately, so I thought I might try and see if I could find a little more information and just stumbled into its history with the Big family.”

“What sort of strange occurrences?”

“Well, folks say the place is haunted…”

Bogo grunted. “We don’t need you using police resources on the grounds of superstitious nonsense, Hopps. Especially when everyone is stressed as it is with this Big investigation now coupled with a threat.”

Judy could feel her ears redden. “Sorry, sir.”

“I know I promised you that you could keep an ear out for leads in regards to this investigation. But this should take precedence and you should both start immediately. Am I clear?”

“Crystal, sir.”

Judy quickly learned two things. One was that the Archives were in the basement, and thus next to the boiler. And two, the Archives were aptly named given the state of the room.

Walking down the steps, Judy’s nose twitched to the scent of stale paper and mildew, like the rain water had seeped in from the ceiling over the years. There was a tiny window in the middle of the room too. A small gateway into the outside that shone a light in on the bunny and the cheetah as they worked together in silence, sorting through the boxes upon boxes of paperwork collected over the years. Apparently, while records these days were collected in the computer network, those from decades ago had yet to be given the same treatment. And no one wanted to take the plunge into digging through the dust and cobwebs, for obvious reasons.

After inhaling enough dust that she could make a living as a vacuum, Judy let out a haggard cough that made her new partner frown in concern.

“You okay?” asked Clawhauser.

“Fine,” Judy replied as she drank from the water she had brought with her. “This paperwork just isn’t helping my headache is all.”

“Well, you don’t look so good. Do you want me to handle this so you can take a break?”

“No…”

Judy knew she was sounding ruder than intended, but the day had been nothing but trouble since the moment she had woken up. From what she knew about the cheetah, Clawhauser meant well but he was one of those mammals that needed to be handled in small doses or with a great deal of patience. Clawhauser seemed to sense that Judy was lacking the latter this very moment as his ears lowered and he continued picking through the records.

Though, regretfully, he also continued speaking.

“I’m sorry I told Bogo about what I found out about 111 Winchester, but...I had to. He had seen me looking up stuff over my shoulder and you’ve seen how demanding he is. It was in relation to the Big case too, technically, so I--”

“It’s fine,” Judy said through gritted teeth. “Clawhauser.”

“Really?”

“Really, really. Just so long as you didn’t tell anyone else about it. Okay?”

The last thing Judy needed was all her co-workers thinking that she believed in haunted houses. Even if she did, or she thought she did, it wasn’t the sort of thing she wanted to go talking about. Sort of like how politics and religion should remain taboo at a dinner table. Only Clawhauser remained silent with a guilty expression on his face.

Before Judy could question what Clawhauser had done, a grey timber wolf walked in the basement carrying a hefty stack of paper. Judy remembered his name at bullpen, Wolfard.

“Hey Clawhauser,” greeted Wolfard as he dropped his load on the table they were working at. “Got some tax documents from the upstairs offices that the boss asked me to bring down for you to sort through too.”

“Thanks, Greg.”

As Wolfard dusted himself off, he noticed Judy on the other side of the work table, shrunken and trying to focus on her half of the work so they could finish before the end of the day.

“Oh hey...Hopps, right?”

Judy fought a wince, not hoping to spark on conversation though she knew she needed to be friendlier with the rest of the team. She had tried once with one of the rhinos, McHorn, on her first day though he didn’t look much for conversation either. It was important to establish a rapport in the group, especially in police work when relying on your team could be the difference between life and death in the field. It was for that reason, and because she’d feel bad about giving the wolf the cold shoulder, Judy forced herself to smile and offered her paw.

“Officer Judy Hopps, yup.”

“Greg Wolfard,” replied the wolf as he shook her paw. “Our first bunny cop, huh?”

“Yessir. Just wish I had the chance to fit the cop part.”

“Hah, you’ll get your chance soon enough. Don’t take it personally but Bogo is always a little protective of his officers, especially the new ones.”

Judy offered a polite laugh but didn’t know where else to take the conversation. By Wolfard’s uncomfortable shifting around, neither did he. Though he had a look that suggested he wanted to ask her something.

“...So, I hear you’re living in a haunted house.”

“I live in 111 Winchester, if that counts as one,” Judy said while she glared in Clawhauser’s direction.

“Oh yeah, we get calls about that place all the time. Folks that say they hear stuff and think it’s a ghost or something. Have you seen anything while living there?”

“Seen?” Judy asked, trying to measure her words carefully. She was a terrible liar, after all. “No, I haven’t seen anything while living there yet.”

“But funny stuff does happen?”

“I guess so…But really it’s nothing that you could say is haunted.”

“What about that thing with the mirror you said the other day?” Clawhauser asked before immediately putting a paw to his mouth.

“Clawhauser…”

“Mirror thing?”

“It’s nothing, really,” Judy replied, still trying to smile. “Someone just thought it would be funny to scratch up the bathroom mirror and leave a spooky message. Probably a previous resident or something.”

“Huh. You know, it’s okay to be a little scared living in a place like that, you know.”

“I’m not scared.”

“I’m just saying, I might be a little spooked too if I were, you know, a small mammal living in a big house like that. The city can be intimidating like that.”

“I am not scared,” Judy said, a little too forcefully.

Wolfard had put his paws up and there was an awkward silence around the table before he continued speaking.

“Right, I get it. You should give me and the other guys a call sometime. It might be fun to hang out and check the place out for ourselves, you know?”

Deep down Judy knew Wolfard was just trying to be friendly. But the slight on her stature, combined with the role Bogo had given her and her splitting headache, everything seemed to be leaving her in a very disagreeable disposition. Her grimace must have been enough to scare him away as his ears lowered slightly.

“Anyway, I didn’t mean to distract you guys. I know this work isn’t the most glamorous stuff but we really do appreciate it. It sucks but it does make all the difference when the Big guy is in court. One day you’ll get to be out in the field. Hang in there.”

Judy felt bad about her encounter with Wolfard the whole day.

Outside of Clawhauser and Bogo, he was the first officer to actually have a conversation with her. She promised she would make things up to him the next day. She just needed to get through the task of sorting through the endless mountain of tax documents all in relation to the flower shop and the various businesses owned by Mister Big. By the end of it, Judy’s paws were covered in papercuts and her migraine had somehow gotten worse. The cherry on top was that the endeavor had proven fruitless thus far.

“We’ll try again tomorrow, Jude,” said Clawhauser as he gestured to the other twenty stacks of paper in the room. “After all, we got a lot of material to work with.”

Judy tried to enjoy the last rays of sunlight as she walked home, thankful to at least have gotten away before dark. Though the shadow of 111 Winchester darkened the pavement as she hastily opened the door only to be greeted by a new horror.

“Oh, come on,” Judy said as she saw the mess. “Really?”

The ghost had been busy all day. Taped on almost every inch of the entry hall walls were copies of the same note that had been left for her that very morning. She just sighed and began taking a few of them down before recognizing that the process would take her too long and she had already handled enough paper that day as she tossed the few fliers she had on the floor.

Dinner came in the form of the remaining carrots that the phantom had thankfully left untouched. It seemed to like blueberries though, as she found the carton emptier than the night before. Did ghosts even eat? How did that work exactly? Too many questions to consider when all Judy wanted to do was just try and relax that evening. But the ghost was behaving something like a child as her ears perked up from the sound of glass crashing in the entry hall.

“What now…?”

Her heart sank as she entered the paper-covered room to find that the family portrait she had hung up the other day had fallen over. Broken glasses covered the floor as Judy gingerly picked up the remains to find that at least the picture itself had remained untouched, though the frame was shattered. Judy clutched the image close to her chest and snarled out into the open hallway.

“Look! You’re not scary, okay? Not even a little bit! So just stop trying to spook me! I know your number now!”

As if to respond to her, a strange gust of wind tore through the room like someone had left a window open in a violent updraft. The notes Judy had tossed to the side swirled around her in a miniature tornado. But Judy was a little too far gone to have any patience for this kind of behavior.

“You’re not scary!” she repeated. “And if your plan is to bring the whole house down then I guess you’re going to be homeless too! So give it up and stop wrecking my stuff!”

As she shouted, the wind slowly died until there were just a few bits of parchment fluttering about the floor. Then there was suddenly silence.

Judy waited a full minute before sighing and fetching the dustpan to clean up the broken glass.

The chores continued and her carrot had gone dry by the time she was finished. She munched on it before deciding to catch an early night. Maybe then at least she’d be able to go into work with less exhaustion as she nursed her pounding head. The shouting she had done certainly hadn’t helped it feel better. And as she ascended the stairs, she noticed a second pair of footsteps tailing her. She was being followed all the way to the bathroom as she stopped at the door.

“What?” she asked the empty hallway. “Are you going to watch me shower now?”

The footsteps did not continue as Judy closed the bathroom door. At least whatever it was had some consideration and manners.

The shower was a brief respite though even that was somewhat ruined by the thought of everything that awaited Judy outside of the steamy bliss. She let the hot water roll over her for a good half an hour, three times longer than she usually liked to bathe, before stepping out and facing the world. It wasn’t even 8 PM yet and all she wanted to do was climb into bed and forget about everything else. As she dried her fur with her HareDrier, she grunted as the whole room suddenly went dark.

“Stop messing with the power!” she shouted at the top of her lungs down the hall.

She waited a full minute before there was no return of electricity before sighing and giving up. She was just going to have to go to bed sopping wet, though she tried to dry herself off with the towel.

By the time she changed into her pajamas and climbed into her bed, Judy was one hundred and ten percent done with everything. Her bedroom door had been left slightly ajar and she heard it creak open, though she didn’t bother to look up from her covers.

“Just leave me alone,” she groaned. “There is nothing you can possibly do to scare me anymore. It’s over. You’re just a harmless, annoying ghost in a house. Now please, just accept that and stop trying. Okay?”

There was a pause followed by the sound of the door closing shut.

Judy sighed and rolled over in bed, peering through the darkness of the room to see the room empty. She listened for a moment before deciding that the ghost had finally, finally given up trying to spook her before closing her eyes and resting on her back.

Whatever it was, a phantom, a wraith, or just a plain old poltergeist, Judy wasn’t the least bit bothered. If it wanted to hurt her, it would have done so already. It certainly had the means to but it wouldn’t. Or maybe it couldn’t. All it could do was manipulate things around the house and do everything in its power to be the most annoying force in the city of Zootopia. Judy huffed to herself as she noticed there was a dim light over her eyelids, which were still closed from her trying to sleep. Had the ghost gone and turned the power back on just to mess with her?

Sighing, she opened her eyes and froze beneath her bedsheets.

It wasn’t the light from the room that she had noticed, but a dim glow hovering just overhead. So faint that her paw could almost pass through it like a rainbow. Only this light was an eerie shade of green and red. Stranger still, it took hard shapes, almost like it was a person.

That was when Judy noticed the two green eyes staring down at her, hovering inches from her own face. Then were two pointed ears, with a sharp shout and even sharper teeth. She had encountered this particular visage once before. A memory of getting bullied by Gideon Grey flashed across her mind as she realized she was looking at a fox. A transparent fox. Floating above her bed, parallel with the floor.

“Alright,” said the fox in a familiar voice she had heard over the phone. “If you’re not going to get scared, then I’ll ask nicely. Please, get out of my house.”

Judy screamed.

Chapter Text

The last hour had been spent with Judy breathing heavily while curled up into a ball in the shower stall, trying to wrap her head around what she had just witnessed. The stuffed bunny her parents had sent her was still clutched in her arms like she was afraid to lose her only shield. Disembodied voices were one thing, dismissable as a trick of the mind. And who couldn’t claim to have a voice in their head every now and then? Judy had thought she was willing to accept that she was living in a house with a spirit. It was quite a different thing entirely to see him hovering directly in front of her face without prompt or warning. Time was needed to mentally readjust and sort through her thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately, this ghost was anything but patient.

Judy’s fur stood up all of a sudden, like a wave of static electricity had passed through her. She looked up and gasped at the sight of a fox’s transparent head sticking through the shower wall, like a gruesome trophy.

“Are you finished having a panic attack yet?”

Any fear Judy had was burned away in an instant by the tiny spark that had been building inside her from the moment she had gotten home from work. She took her stuffed bunny and whipped it at the ghost’s head with all her might. Though it only passed harmlessly through him, the gesture was clear.

“You do not go into the bathroom when I’m in here!” Judy shouted at the top of her lungs. “Ever!”

“It’s been almost an hour and you’re not even using it,” the ghost shot back.

“I don’t care! We’ll talk when I’m done or we won’t talk at all!”

Judy’s voice echoed through the cramped stall as the fox’s brow furrowed before he disappeared back into the wall. When he was well and surely gone, she sat up and collected her stuffed toy, giving it a hug of apology for tossing it, before she slowly worked herself up out of the shower and towards the sink.

The expression on her reflection was quite peculiar. There was rage, of course. All that shouting hadn’t helped her headache in the slightest, so there was the tinge of annoyance in her brow. But there was also something in her eyes, beyond the black circles that reminded her she still needed to sleep tonight. It was a look of curiosity.

In all her life, Judy had never expected to see a full blown ghost projected right before her. Most people who claimed otherwise, she assumed, were missing a few screws. Pinching herself, Judy couldn’t deny that she felt very sane. A completely sane person who was about to have a rational and reasonable discussion with a supernatural being. There were so many questions she could ask him, about life after death. And the more she thought about it, the less angry she became. Even if she wanted to be.

Judy finished washing up, tucked her stuffed rabbit under her arms, and ventured outside to begin her first real face-to-face conversation with the spirit that had been haunting her. Only when she stepped out into the hall, she found it empty of any trace of anyone, living or dead.

“...Mister ghost?” she called out.

There was no response.

Judy had been conditioned to believe that this was yet another attempt for the ghost to lull her into unease in preparation for a scare as she carefully trotted down the hall and towards the stairs, where the light was on down in the entry hall. What she saw at the bottom of the steps, she wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

The specter of a fox was floating from wall to wall, feet not even touching the ground. It was surreal, like something one might see in a movie special effect or projection, though there was no such thing present. It was a genuine entity hovering about the place and tidying up, collecting the remaining scraps of paper it had taped to the walls and stacking them in a neat pile in the corner. Now that the ghost was in full view, Judy could get a proper look at him.

He was a traditional red fox, or at least he once was. His fur was a fiery crimson except on his paws, feet, and tail where it darkened slightly. It was strange in that though he had a green glow to his whole body, Judy could recognize the colors, like he went beyond color. One thing was for sure, his taste in clothing was beyond tacky. He must have been a ghost from the 70’s, given how vibrant and loud his green shirt and tie were.

And he paused in his chores, noticing Judy staring at him from the stairs.

“What?” he asked. “You weren’t in any hurry to clean this mess up. Bad form for a tenant. Especially in the first week.”

Judy scowled, especially since it was the ghost’s fault that the place was a mess in the first place.

“It’s not like the owner has been very vocal with me,” she said. “He hasn’t even bothered to give me a call when I asked him. And I’ll have words for him about you.”

“You still haven’t figured it out yet? Huh, for some reason I thought you were smarter than that.”

“And just what the heck does that mean?”

“From the badge I threw in the trash bin after you discarded my breakfast. You’re quite the detective, aren’t you? Finnick said someone’s been poking around the records for the house. That was you, wasn’t it? The bunny cop who rolled in from the podunks thinking she can roll in the big leagues, that’s certainly something.”

“Finnick?” everything clicked for Judy in an instant. “Wait a minute. You’re Kirk Klaws?”

“Ding ding ding,” replied the ghost as he floated up to her with his arms crossed and a gloating grin. “Of course, that’s just what the deed says for tax purposes. Never thought that it’d help me when I died too. That’s not even mentioning what I had to do to get the deed in the first place.”

“Are you breaking the law with this house?”

“I’m dead, sweetheart. Did I mention that?”

Everything was happening all at once. The questions that Judy had been asking herself were suddenly being answered at an alarming rate that she almost couldn’t keep track of it all. As crazy as all this sounded, a certain level of it made sense. Especially since she was looking at a genuine ghost that very moment. She just needed to hear it all in order and get a few more answers from the particularly smug spirit.

With her head in her paw, Judy tried again.

“Alright, fine. Let me start from the beginning then. You’re the owner of this house?”

“Bingo. See? I knew you would figure it out.”

“Then who is Finnick?”

“My helper and the building manager who gives our little operation a physical face. It’s not exactly easy to do business as a ghost. See?”

The fox raised his paw and stuck it straight through Judy’s shoulder. Suddenly she felt cold, like a sudden chill had come over here and it only ceased when he removed himself from her. It occurred to Judy that the ghost had just been inside her.

“Don’t do that again,” Judy said, huddling in on herself. “It’s weird.”

“You know, you give a lot of orders for a spooked little bunny. But you’re also the only one who actually said you weren’t afraid of me and my paranormal activities. I’m actually a little disappointed in myself that it was a tiny rabbit like you to force me to stop the usual games and talk, for a change.”

“Forced you? I haven’t done anything.”

“That’s precisely the problem, darling. Most people are having serious thoughts about leaving by now or considered staying in a hotel before they drop the house entirely. I knew you were trouble the moment you tried to talk to me through the phone. Before long we were having a full conversation, much to my annoyance. Only a matter of time before you didn’t find me scary at all, such is the case.”

“You mean...You scared out all of those other renters on purpose?”

“Of course.”

“But...But why?”

“Because this is my house, of course.”

The ghost leaned back into his arms and began floating into the entry hall, swinging his legs around like he was sitting in an invisible hammock.

“Don’t take it personally,” he told her. “It has nothing to do with species or whatever. It’s just business. Funny how little living as a ghost costs. No need for food or really anything at all, like you pesky mortals. But I do need one thing: the house. And maintaining a house isn’t easy when you’re basically a fancy lightshow. Nor is it cheap. So, I worked out my biggest hustle yet. You’re new to the city, but you must have some sort of idea how expensive rent is here, right?”

Judy nodded as she watched the ghost lazily float along the ceiling.

“Everyone’s scrambling to get a place to call their own. Even the small shoebox apartments are a fortune. So, I had an idea. Offer people a cheap house to live in and they flock to it like moths to the flame. That way the building gets to see use and doesn’t get foreclosed. Then we start that rumor that the place is haunted to get them worried. And once the new renters are settled in, all I have to do is play with their fears a little bit. Start with some slow stuff but with enough practice you can get really good at messing with people’s heads. After a month of it, most folks usually give up. They turn tail and run. But since they broke the lease, we get to keep the security deposit and the month’s rent in advance. It hardly matters too because, before you know it, there’s some new poor sap who’s lined up to try their luck in the haunted house. I squeak by with a small amount of money that keeps the house maintained and no one is the wiser. And no one is around long enough to go snooping.”

“You’re telling me you trick people with cheap housing and then scare them off so you can collect security deposits?”

“Yup. And don’t knock it. It worked on you, didn’t it?”

Judy was at a loss at the idea that she had fallen for such an obvious trick. There was no way that a house this large for the rent it was going for was genuine. But there were also a dozen housing laws that such activities were violating, off the top of her head.

“Hardly,” she replied as she stared down at the ghost. “What you’re basically doing is extortion. All of this is against the law.”

“Is it?” the fox put a paw to his lips. “Oh dear, whatever shall I do? I guess you’ll just have to arrest me, officer.”

He then held out both arms in a gesture that said he was expecting to be cuffed. His sarcasm was not lost on Judy, however, and she glared daggers at him as he grinned at her and pulled his arms back.

“Kinda hard to bring someone in when they don’t have a corporeal form, isn’t it? Not that it matters anyway, I couldn’t go anywhere even if you tried. Can’t imagine that your chief or whatever would believe you either if you attempted to arrest a phantom. That’s the kind of thing that would get you a leave of absence for mental health.”

Judy growled. “So, why are you telling me all this then? What do you want? To gloat?”

“Partially. After doing this for years, it’s fun to finally share this with someone so that they can appreciate it. But at the end of the day, there is one thing I want from you. I figured by explaining everything to you, you might be able to hear my side of things and we could come to a bit of an understanding. I’m not actually hurting anyone and it’s just the process I need to keep the house from falling apart and away from curious eyes, else I wouldn’t have a home to live here. Up until now, I’ve had no trouble scaring every single one of the renters who greedily took advantage of my offer. All of them left within weeks. All of them except you.”

The fox wore a different expression now. It was the same one he was wearing when he first revealed himself to her, hovering over her bed in one final scare. It was the look of someone who had gotten so good at something that they had never expected a challenge before, only to have someone finally come around and dethrone them.

“Despite some of my best work with you, you still remained. And then you got me to expose myself when Finnick’s the only one who’s seen me before. What do I want? I just want to keep things going as they were. We made a comfortable business doing all this until you showed up. All I want, Carrots, is for you to leave.”

The fox outstretched his arms, having truly given Judy everything she had asked for in terms of answers. He had been surprisingly candid about the whole thing. Judy looked to the front door down the stairs behind him as she said the only thing she could say after hearing everything he had told her and living through his attempts to scare her the past week.

“Over my dead body.”

The former fox winced as he clutched at his chest. “Ouch. Ghostist there, much?”

“I don’t care. You think you can just...Manipulate and gaslight me this whole time, trying to scare me? I followed your rules and paid to be here. And you didn’t think about that, did you? Having someone living here who wasn’t afraid of you in the slightest?”

“Uh huh. I seem to recall you screaming like a little girl an hour ago.”

“Being surprised is not being scared,” Judy growled. “I feel no dread towards you anymore. You’re just an annoyance now. Nothing more, nothing less. And if you think I’m going to leave as a police officer and let you continue your scheme on poor, innocent people, you got another thing coming.”

The ghost stared at Judy for a solid minute before he put his head in his paw and laughed.

“This is unbelievably funny...Plenty of bunnies in life found me scary as a shifty fox. And now that I’m dead, there’s really nothing I can do anymore that will scare you out. Is there?”

“Nope. And I think you know that already. Why else would you reveal yourself to me?”

“Point taken.”

“I’m not leaving,” Judy glared at the ghost from atop of the stairs. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

He thought about it for a moment before a sly smile crept across his face.

“I suppose, it’s as you said. Be an annoyance.”

“...So, let me tell you about the last guy who lived here. A skunk who claimed that he had his stink glands taken out to Finnick. Weeeell, I guess I must have scared him pretty bad because the entire downstairs living room was just covered in the stench when I finally spooked him out of the house. At least, that’s what Finnick told me. Never thought I’d be so thankful to not have a nose that works as a ghost. I guess that means I can only see and hear without a body. Speaking of bodies, I thought I accidentally killed a possum who lived here once until I remembered ‘hey, possums play dead.’ And that was when…”

Judy buried her head beneath her pillow as the fox kept talking. And talking. And talking.

It was almost like he had been saving the years spent within the house as a silent ghost, only to let everything all out in one gushing fountain. It might have almost been therapeutic for him. But for Judy, it was a denial of much needed sleep. She found herself almost missing the nights where he was but a silent ghost subtly trying to spook her. There was nothing subtle about this performance tonight as Judy stared out from the bottom of her pillow with two bloodshot eyes at the clock, which read 2:13 AM.

“...And then there was the time when--”

Judy let out a primal, almost bestial, yell of frustration as she rose from her bed, gathering her blanket, pillow, and stuffed bunny under her arms.

“Oh boy,” said the ghost as he hovered behind her. “Where are we going?”

“Finding someplace where you can’t bother me,” Judy spat.

“Oh, I’m sorry . Did my talking keep you up? My bad. It’s just when you live in a lonely house like this for so long, you forget what it’s like to have a conversation. But I can stop if you want. How about if I sing instead?”

He then proceeded to sing I’m Henry the 8th, I Am loudly. And off-key. His voice traveled and echoed through every corner of the house as Judy tried to hide everywhere from him, even using the bathroom again. Though he respected her wishes and would not enter, he also did not shut up. In one last bid to escape, she went for the front door.

“Hey, now,” the ghost said, as he hovered behind her. “Giving up already?”

“No,” Judy growled. “I’m going to sleep in the back garden. That’s still not leaving the property, is it?”

“Well,” the fox paused for a moment. “Not technically. But it’s outside.”

“I don’t care. I’m from the burrows, we used to sleep under the stars all the time. And regardless it’s probably better than trying to sleep in here.”

The ghost seemed unwilling or unable to argue with her as she unlocked the door and stepped into the night.

Though the backyard was a prime feature of the building, Judy had only been there during the tour. As there was only the front door in and out of the house, it required her to walk around to the driveway and unhitch the gate to get inside, but at least that put her away from any neighboring traffic. And hopefully annoying ghosts.

As Judy fiddled with the keys in her paw, intending to lock up while napping, she looked up at the ghost with a glare as he lingered in the doorway.

“You coming or what?”

He just scowled and disappeared into thin air. Vanished like he hadn’t ever been hovering there just moments before. Judy huffed, somewhat frustrated that she hadn’t been able to get one last word of contempt in.

“I guess not,” she whispered to herself.

The garden was cold and moist with dew on the grass blades, but it was a more welcome bed than any in the house. Judy wiped at a particularly soft patch of lawn, trying to shake the wetness off before lying flat on her back and throwing the blanket over her body.

There wasn’t much for stars in the city compared to the burrows, where you could see a thousand and one galaxies in the night sky. Clouds of smoke hovered overhead from the neighboring factories and Judy could hear the sounds of cars off of the nearby freeway. But it was all music to her ears and for once, she could rest like she was sleeping in a grave. She was going to smell like dirt in the morning, but that was nothing a shower couldn’t fix as Judy snuggled with her stuffed animal and finally went to sleep, ignoring the thick bump in the ground beneath her.

“Judy? Are you awake?”

Judy stirred from her arm and wiped off the drool that had been rolling down her chin.

Though she had managed to get a few hours of sleep outside in the garden, it wasn’t enough to catch up with the rest of the miserable week Judy had been having. And being trapped in the basement again was far from the ideal situation in keeping awake, with the heat and the darkness.

Comparing her pile to the one Clawhauser had been doing, Judy wagered she must have dozed off for at least half an hour.

“...Sorry, Clawhauser. This really hasn’t been my week and last night…”

“Was it the ghost again?”

Judy bit her tongue as she debated telling him everything that had occurred between her and the ghost of 111 Winchester. Not that Clawhauser wouldn’t believe her, he seemed the type to hold true to spooks. But then she remembered the conversation she had with Wolfard. As much as she was growing to like the chubby cheetah, he just couldn’t keep his mouth closed. Much like a certain phantom.

“No,” Judy replied. “It was...Just the pipes in the house. My manager says they’re working on something in the neighborhood which is leading to loud clanging that makes it hard to sleep.”

“Oh, that sounds terrible. Did you ever manage to speak with the owner, by the way?”

“The owner?” Judy asked, scowling at that thought. “Oh, yeah. He’s a piece of work. Not helpful in the slightest.”

Judy still didn’t know how to take the idea that she was presently the tenant to a ghost, who was renting out his own haunted house to make a quick buck. The idea was almost as insane as it was genius. As much as Judy wanted to launch a full investigation into the matter, where she could probably get Finnick charged for something at least, she couldn’t see any situation where Bogo would take the idea of arresting a spirit seriously. In fact, she wagered that the ghost wouldn’t even show itself if she were to bring anyone to the house, painting her only as crazy in their eyes. He must have been some sort of con-mammal in life.

“Where are we at anyway?” Judy asked, rubbing her eyes. “Have we found anything that we can use?”

“Ah, I haven’t if you haven’t. Mister Big must have the best accountant in the city. Everything is so neat and orderly that there’s not a single record out of line. Even the flower shop guy who made the complaint has a history of being untrustworthy, so we’d have trouble using him as a reputable witness. And any people who can vouch for him were let go or offered bigger positions elsewhere. It’s almost uncanny.”

“Sounds like this Mister Big has thought about everything,” Judy muttered. “And got rid of anyone who can do anything to taint that reputation of his. What is Mister Big guilty of, by the way? I get that he’s a crime lord but no one’s ever filled me in on the details.”

“Oh, a little bit of everything, is what I heard. The story goes that he used to run against a gang of polar bears back in the day when they carved up the city for total control. But now he’s got them working together, apparently. There was a lot of bad blood back then though. People who were involved in that kind of business kinda had to take a side with no one wanting to step off in the wrong direction before they made peace with each other and started working as one organization.”

“So, everyone had to sort of choose a side until Big had them all working together?”

“Yeah,” said Clawhauser with an unusually happy tone given the subject matter. “It was before my time, of course. Chief earned his reputation bringing some of the worst of the criminals. Some of them were even killers. Makes me shudder just thinking about it. Of course, Big doesn’t like to dirty his paws nowadays. Leaves too much of a trail and it's hard to get away with it. Most of those who were murderers have already long since been put away or got killed themselves.”

“And Big wasn’t a killer?”

“If he was, he was darn good at hiding it.”

Judy pondered that little story for a moment. She always knew as a cop, she’d have to confront all sorts of criminals; from the petty thieves to the dangerous big time bad guys. Murder was a rare thing, even in the city, but once and a while it did happen. But times had changed, even in the last ten years. You couldn’t murder someone without leaving some sort of trail while in the past you might be able to get away with it.

“Clawhauser,” Judy said, suddenly feeling a little sober from her nap. “Do you think if we could prove Big was a killer way back then, that might be enough to take him down?”

“I guess it depends on how long it has been since he committed the crime. Even if it was one of his thugs, we could potentially tie it back to him. But, I mean, we’re not going to find something like that in these tax documents.”

“No,” Judy admitted, trying to suppress her smile. “It’s a shame I can’t just ask someone who was there about it though.”

Chapter Text

Within the sleep deprived mind of Judy was the workings of a little theory. After all, she always wanted to be a detective, so why not start with solving the murder of the ghost who was haunting her building? She just needed the proof and a lead to go off of. And how many other detectives could claim that they got to speak with the victim post mortem?

Her theory was borrowing what Yana the possum had told her about mobsters as well as the details about the ownership history that Clawhauser had provided.

If Mister Big had once been the owner of the building, then it stood to reason that he had a use for it. People in power tended to have safehouses all over the city, after all. And if things were as chaotic in the city as Judy heard they were, then there might have been complications. The fact was that the ghost owner seemed to have bought the house off of Mister Big, so there was some sort of connection there at the very least. And then he ended up dead. Judy believed that somewhere along the lines a deal was made that soured. Perhaps Mister Big, being a ruthless mob leader that he was, well and truly iced the owner but couldn’t do anything about the house. Maybe he was even killed inside the house. Regardless, it was a matter Judy had to handle with delicacy.

Given it was Friday, she would have the whole weekend to herself. Two days off to not only catch up on some much needed sleep, in the garden again since it seemed like the ghost couldn’t follow her there, but also a way for her to make a lead in the Big investigation. Even when she was putting in her fair share of the load, it became obvious that they weren’t going to find any sort of paper trail that could lead them to some sort of crime the family had committed. It was funny that through all this, Judy wasn’t even aware what Mister Big looked like or his species and there was nothing referenced to it in all the paperwork. She should be using the weekend to rest or maybe even make some friends around the city like her parents would tell her to do, but she was also determined to follow up on this hunch she had.

First things were first though, Judy desperately needed some food for the house.

She couldn’t live entirely off of frozen dinners and whatever produce her parents would send over in a care package. It was bad form to be living off of her family anyway when she needed to prove she could make it on her own in the city. That was a big part of why she was refusing to abandon the house in the first place.

Thankfully, there happened to be a cute little grocery store on the corner of her street, right on the edge of where the roads connected to Tundratown, that seemed to have everything Judy could need. The kind of shop that might go unnoticed and certainly wasn’t any of the big chains that sold cheaper stuff but supported none of the local farmers. Judy always had a habit of leaning towards those places despite it being more expensive.

It was a time to stock up on items she had been sorely missing. The usuals like bread, butter, and eggs, as well as some healthy looking fruits and vegetables that Judy wagered came from the burrows by the freshness of their smell. It was making her miss home and Judy wondered if she might linger for a little while to avoid going back and facing the fox again.

“...I wonder if he would accept a peace offering?”

Judy did notice the ghost seemed to attach himself to the blueberries her parents kept sending. Though the ones in the store weren’t quite up to the same quality, they were still pretty good as Judy popped a quick one into her mouth for a taste test. She must have made a noise as she processed the flavor as a small voice called up to her.

“Good, huh?”

Nothing should have surprised Judy at this point living with a spirit. But when she looked down next to the fruit rack, there was the tiniest little creature staring up at her. A small shrew, wearing extensions and heavy makeup. Despite that though, she looked about Judy’s age and was smiling at her while she pulled along a basket of strawberries, which was easily like trying to move a warehouse crate for someone her size.

“Oh!” Judy said, not wanting to make it seem like she was stealing the fruit. “I’m sorry, I’ll pay for it! I just wanted to give it a taste before buying them for...A friend.”

The shrew laughed. “Don’t worry about it at all. I sneak a taste sometimes too. How are they?”

“Very distinct,” Judy replied. “And that’s saying something considering where I’m from. They remind me of home.”

“Good things about home, I hope?”

“Definitely. I grew up on a farm in the burrows so you know my endorsement is legit.”

The shrew laughed again. “What brings a country bunny like yourself all the way out here?”

“Following my dream, you could say,” Judy said before deciding to show that country hospitality by offering her paw to the rodent. “Judy Hopps.”

“Fru Fru,” replied the shrew, accepting one of Judy’s fingers with her entire paw as she looked her up and down. “I guess that dream is being a police officer then?”

Judy realized she was still in uniform, having gone straight to the shop before going home.

“Ah. Yes. That was the dream. Well, the dream was to make the world a better place. Not sure I’m doing that yet but, hey, it’s only my first week, right? What about you? Are you the owner of this store?”

“Hah! I wish. I’m just a hired paw, Jude. Just starting out on my own as well, trying to make it by myself in the big city.”

Almost immediately, Judy could feel a level of kinship with Fru Fru. It sounded like the both of them were on their own for the first time, away from their families. Though the makeup she was wearing wasn’t to Judy’s taste, she found herself respecting the hardworking shrew the more they spoke.

“I should get back to this,” Fru Fru gestured to the crate of strawberries.

“Oh! Yes, of course. Definitely. I live just down the street so I’m sure I’ll be popping by from time to time.”

“See you around then?”

“For sure,” Judy replied, scooping up the crate of blueberries she promised to buy. “See you soon!”

The encounter had left Judy with a smile on her face despite her tired eyes as she paid for the blueberries and the other groceries she had collected in her basket. If she could make a friend that easily off of a five minute conversation with a stranger, then perhaps there was hope that she’d be able to do the same with her ghost.

It was long dark by the time Judy finished her shopping and hopped home. 111 Winchester waited patiently for her return as she undid the lock and found the building in a presentable state, at least. And all was quiet too.

“Hello?” Judy called out as she flicked on the light.

No answer. Judy’s eyes glazed over as she made her way to the kitchen and set down her bags on the counter before pausing at the fridge door.

“Three,” she counted. “Two. One.”

The moment she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of the head of a fox resting on the top shelf with his tongue sticking out. She just crossed her arms as she waited for the entity to give up.

“Scared?” the ghost finally asked.

“No.”

“Worth a shot. Where have you been? I was bored.”

“I have to work, remember? In the land of living, we have jobs to pay for things.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, smart bunny. I know your schedule by now, I have little else to do all day. I meant where did you go after work? Ah! Food!”

He hovered past her and began poking his head through each bag.

“What gives? Where’s the junk food?”

“Well, I got rice crackers…”

“That’s pitiful. Pitiful . What about the cookies and the chips? You have got to be the most boring renter I’ve ever had.”

Judy scowled and almost laid into the ghost before she caught herself. If she was going to make friends with this fox and have his very loose lips shed some details that might help the Big case, then she was going to have to be more tolerant of his behavior. As much as she’d like nothing more than to banish him from the house entirely.

“It’s not all bad, is it?” Judy asked as she pulled out the carton of blueberries and held them up to the ghost. “Here. I guessed that you kind of like blueberries, so I got you some of your own.”

The ghost raised an eye as he cautiously inspected the gift. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch. Just figured if you’re a roommate then you might as well have your own food, right? I’m kind of curious how you can even eat.”

“As is? I can’t. But watch my little magic trick.”

The ghost’s paws passed through her own as Judy felt a chill again. The carton held in her paws suddenly levitated into thin air, like it was being lifted by an unsteady force. Judy could see the concentration in the ghost’s eyes as he brought the carton onto the counter. Then he picked out a single blueberry of the bunch and held it up. Time seemed to speed up as Judy watched the once plump and perfect piece of fruit begin to wither and die over the span of a few seconds. When it looked almost like a black raisin, the ghost popped it into his mouth and chewed.

“It needs to be dead for me to eat it,” he explained. “Of course, I don’t need to eat. And it tastes rotten. But it’s better than no taste at all.”

Judy could almost smell the sour mushiness of the berry as the fox swallowed. And she almost felt sorry for him. She tried to imagine herself trapped in a life where there was nothing to existence but being in the same place for all eternity. No feeling. Only sights and sounds. He seemed to be able to touch certain things when he wanted to, but it required an intense amount of focusing. Even when she saw him gathering up the papers last night, he had been doing it with such hard eyes.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

That was when Judy realized she had been staring.

“I’m sorry...I just never really met a ghost before.”

“And I’ll bet you have a lot of questions,” he finished her thought for her.

“Kinda...But if you don’t want to talk about it?”

“Why not?” he shrugged. “We have all night. It will give me some material to work with while I annoy you tonight.”

“Okay then...How can you touch things sometimes and pass through things other times?”

“Well, it didn’t start out that way. When I first died, I couldn’t do anything at all. I could only hover and fly through things. I didn’t have a body anymore. And I couldn’t even be seen. I had to will that stuff to happen, and I’ve had years of practice.”

“You...Will it to happen?”

“You know how you can reach out and touch these blueberries? Without even thinking about it?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I have to think about it,” he reached into the carton again and slowly pulled up another berry. “Every step, I need to believe and focus that my finger will make contact with the berry and provide the necessary force to lift it into the air. I can’t think about it too hard though because then I might realize the truth.”

“What’s the truth?”

The berry seemed to slip from his grasp and fell onto the counter, before bouncing onto the floor.

“The truth is that there’s nothing there. I am nothing. And if I fall into that thought for too long…”

The fox was starting to fade again until he vanished into thin air.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“I’m still here. But I’m also not. Or I shouldn’t be, but I am. And I have been for years now.”

“...Are there other ghosts you have met?”

“Dunno. If there is, I’ve never gotten the chance to meet them. I can’t leave the house, as I’m sure you discovered last night. It’s like there’s a barrier at the door that keeps me from passing through. If I try to walk through it, then I just vanish and rematerialize back inside the house.”

Judy did notice that. When she had decided to leave and sleep in the garden, the ghost had to remain at the door. Even though the garden was part of the property, it was like the house was containing him. He was bound to it.

“I’d imagine there must be though,” the ghost said as he reappeared, this time lounging next to the kitchen sink. “Be other ghosts, I mean. There must be, right? I’m not anyone special. Never did anything too out of the ordinary. Folks say places are haunted all the time. Maybe that’s really just ghosts like me who haven’t quite figured out the tricks to unlife, like I have. I can even see them wallowing in self despair struggling to even convince themselves that they exist long enough so that they don’t disappear completely. I’ve certainly thought about it on the lonelier nights. What might happen if I just stopped caring and let myself vanish into the ether?”

Judy frowned as she debated whether or not to ask her next question. The mood seemed right and she bit the bullet and went for it.

“How did you die?”

The ghost laughed. “Now that is too personal. We’re not nearly chummy enough for me to tell you that sob story.”

“Right,” Judy replied. “Sorry, that was insensitive of me. It’s just...I don’t know anything about you really other than you’re the ghost that haunts my house. I just figured, I dunno, that we might be able to become friends…”

They both let that sentence linger for a moment before the fox chuckled again.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, bunny. I still very much want you out of my house.”

“But why?” Judy asked.

“Haven’t you been listening? This place is my anchor, my connection to the living world. If something were to happen to it then I would have nothing left to bind myself to. I could vanish into the void. Into nothingness.”

“And you think I’m going to destroy your house?”

“I don’t know you. You could be the vindictive type for all I know. You know studies show that people who grow complacent with a place are less likely to take care of it? That’s where the hustle comes in, I get a steady flow of fresh faces all eager to keep the place spotless. And that’s also taking into consideration the security deposits they lose because they break the lease early. It’s a well oiled machine. Why change what works?”

“But isn’t that lonely?”

The ghost paused for a long while.

“I don’t like this conversation anymore. I’m out.”

He then began to float upwards towards the ceiling of the kitchen, escaping Judy as she realized what he intended to do.

“Hey, wait! Come back!”

Just when they were starting to have a real conversation or touch on the really interesting stuff, the fox decided to clam up and take his secrets to the grave. Judy tore through the entry hall and galloped up the stairs into the bedroom, where she caught the ghost hovering towards the ceiling again. She knew there was an attic in the building, as she could see it from the outside. But despite inspecting every corner of the house from top to bottom, she never could find the entrance to it. Perhaps there wasn’t one at all, given how the ghost didn’t seem to need doors to navigate freely throughout the house.

Judy had just been close, so close, to getting some real answers to the mystery of the phantom and his apparent need to haunt the building. And how it tied all together with Mister Big.

“Can I at least know your name?”

The ghost paused in his ascent, with his feet and tail hanging out of the ceiling. His head materialized just above Judy’s as he eyed her with confusion.

“You already have my name. Kirt Klaws.”

“That’s not your real name though. I’ve checked.”

“Of course you did, Carrots.”

“You aren’t going to tell me then? I’m going to just have to call you ‘mister ghost’ for the rest of my stay here?”

“Maybe.”

And with that, he vanished entirely into the unseen room above her. Judy sighed as she leaned into the wall, wondering what she could even do next. There was still food to put away, she supposed. And the weekend off might help her clear her head as she struggled with this strange new life in the city. She should probably focus on dinner soon too, as she realized just how hungry she was with the rumble of her stomach. At least she had plenty to choose from.

“What should I make?” Judy muttered to herself as she turned to leave.

“Nick,” called a voice muffled by the ceiling, though Judy could just make it out. “You can call me Nick, if you have to call me something.”

Judy smiled slightly as she shouted back up to him. “Don’t you want my name too?”

“Nope. No sense getting attached to someone who won’t be here for very long. You are Carrots in my mind, and Carrots you will be for the remainder of your stay.”

“Carrots it is,” Judy whispered before heading back down to the kitchen.

Chapter Text

The ghost that Judy had come to know as Nick was generous enough to give her a full night’s sleep that evening. Even after her dinner of steamed carrots, Judy didn’t hear a peep from her ghostly roommate upstairs. He seemed content to remain in whatever hidden room there was up in the attic. Perhaps it was his sanctum, something he didn’t like sharing with even the renters of the house. Judy couldn’t help but wonder what other kinds of secrets the house might hold.

Judy decided to risk going to sleep in the bedroom that night. As she committed to her evening ablutions and brushed her teeth, she changed into her pajamas in the bathroom with still no signs of Nick anywhere. After speaking with him, she considered that all the talking of the existence of ghosts and how they worked might have left him feeling a little strained. As she pulled off the covers with still no sign of him, Judy called out to him at the ceiling.

“Good night, Nick.”

There was a pause as Judy waited before shrugging and turning off the lights. She snuggled into bed next to her stuffed rabbits, thinking thoughts of the burrow and if she should call her parents in the morning. Even when she was an adult, they always liked to come and tuck her in before going to bed themselves.

It was out of that habit she had called out to Nick, not expecting a reply.

“Good night, Carrots,” called a voice from the ceiling.

Judy smiled as she rolled over in bed and closed her eyes.

The full night’s sleep had given Judy more energy than she knew what to do with, though that may have had to do with the coffee she had slowly been developing a taste for. After stopping by the nearby coffee shop, Judy took the opportunity to make a call home, using the excuse of being out and about. She still wasn’t quite sure how to tell anyone, let alone her parents, that she had a genuine ghost living with her. They’d probably come up the first train into Zootopia and have her come home. She instead kept the conversation focused on other matters until it wound down with the “I love you’s” and “call you soon’s.”

It was a beautiful summer day, with the warm sun beating down on her as Judy walked the streets in her civilian clothes. She even had on a long straw hat for good measure, though she couldn't help but feel a little too country compared to a lot of the other mammals walking around. People were off handling their Saturday mornings with chores to be done. Chores that Judy could relate to as had a bag of carrot seeds her father had sent up just waiting for her near the front door.

That wasn’t the only thing waiting for her there.

“Oh,” Judy said, upon looking up from her cup of coffee. “Good morning, Finnick.”

The small fennec fox seemed almost surprised to see her, having just hopped out of his van parked in the driveway. Though that mood quickly smoldered as he pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and huffed.

“Rabbit. Were you spending a night at that hotel I recommended?”

“Nope,” Judy replied in a cheery tone. “I just ran out to get some coffee and now I’m going to do some gardening on this lovely summer morning.”

“Ah.”

“What are you doing here? Something didn’t break in the house, did it? No gas leak or anything?”

“Mm, come to think of it, I should check out the attic pipes at some point. Thanks for the reminder.”

He then started to climb back into his van before Judy popped the question.

“Were you here to speak with Nick then?”

Finnick paused at opening the door before glancing over to the house, like the windows were staring at him. He then made a silent gesture to Judy, ordering her to join him in the van via the passenger seat. Judy sipped at her coffee and obeyed as Finnick spat out the remains of his cigarette and rolled up the windows.

“So, you met him then. He must like you if you got his name.”

“More or less,” Judy replied. “I sort of forced it out of him.”

“You know, I thought there was something different about you compared to all the others,” Finnick muttered. “Out of all of them, you were the one that didn’t seem spooked. More curious. You must have a death wish, rabbit.”

“Hardly. He doesn’t seem very dangerous at all.”

“He’s not. Nick’s never been the type to resort to violence. Even when he was still alive, he would much rather let his charisma do the fighting. He knew how to work marks like that and was good with people. Just didn’t trust them very much. I did warn him though before all this started, it was only a matter of time before someone like you came along to bring an end to the hustles. And a cop no less.”

He sighed and Judy could smell the tobacco still on his breath.

“So, what now, rabbit? Are you going to bring me in for questioning?”

“I don’t think my boss would even believe it,” Judy replied. “If I told him that there was a hustling scheme involving a ghost spooking people out of a house to collect a pittance in rent, he’d tell me to stop wasting department resources on nonsense. They have bigger things to worry about at the station anyway.”

“This isn’t the first time he’s brought me along on one of his little schemes. Kind of hard to say no too, all things considered. I mean, what are you supposed to do when you go to your friend’s house after a big funeral and you find him just hovering there?”

Judy frowned at the darkness lacing Finnick’s voice. “That sounds quite traumatic. I’m sorry.”

“He didn’t mean to scare me, of course. But I almost crapped myself after running out of the house. Swore I’d never go back except I had dropped my keys. Found them there, hovering in place with him dangling them. Explained to me what had happened and how he was trapped in the house. Couldn’t really figure out how or why, he just simply was. Suppose it was karma and all that given the place’s history.”

“You mean with Mister Big?”

“I don’t know nothing about that,” Finnick patted the wheel. “I always gave Nick a paw in his little schemes to keep an eye on him, but never the stuff that involved that crook. Was always too dangerous to get involved with. Said it would be the end of him. Just surprising when it wasn’t.”

“It wasn’t?”

“You mean he didn’t tell you?” Finnick raised an eye. “Then I shouldn’t either. It’s a personal thing. Probably wouldn’t do you any favors if you went behind his back to look it up either.”

Judy frowned as she had been considering it the moment she had learned Nick’s name, as soon as she got to the police station she could run a search in the obituaries. Though given how reluctant Nick was to part with the information…

“...Yeah, you’re probably right. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t foul play.”

“It wasn’t. Just an accident. A stupid, stupid accident.”

That made Judy feel a little less guilty. Though it also raised a bunch more questions. Her running theory was that Nick had been a part of the Big’s in some way before a deal went bad and he got “whacked” as Yana put it. If that wasn’t the case, then what had happened? She was almost so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice Finnick wiping at his eyes.

“God, stupid sentimental stuff.”

“I understand,” Judy said, remembering that though Nick was still there lingering, he was also very much dead. “It must have been hard to see your friend like that.”

“Just figured I owed it to her , you know? And he worked so hard for that dang house, could never quite understand why. Nothing but bad memories there. Figured he’d just want to torch the place when he finally got the money for it.”

“...Was Nick a part of the family of foxes you mentioned when I first moved into the place?”

Finnick rolled back his ears as he leaned hard into the steering wheel. “Look, rabbit. I’m not in the best mental space to cover the sorry history of 111 Winchester, alright? Can we pick this up later? I promise I’ll tell you everything, but I really wasn’t prepared to go into this this morning.”

“Oh,” Judy said, her ears lowering as she didn’t want to open old wounds. “Of course. If you want to share, I’ll listen.”

“Thank you.”

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. It was heavy as it landed in Judy’s lap.

“That’s what I was supposed to come here for,” he told her. “Just make sure Nick gets that, okay?”

“You got it.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me...I need another smoke.”

Judy excused herself from the car just as the engine rumbled to life and Finnick brought a fresh stick to his lips. She held the letter he had given her close to her chest as she listened to the van back up onto Winchester Street. Then he was gone in a puff of smoke, as Judy felt around the parchment still in her paws. She wasn’t the kind of mammal who would go snooping and opening the letter, but she could determine that it wasn’t just paper inside. Something hard and metal clinked against her claws, though she put it from her mind as she tucked it away in her pocket and finished her coffee.

Gardening was a relaxing break from the heartache of seeing Finnick’s emotional outburst. Though the encounter still clung to Judy’s mind, she allowed herself to breathe new life as she dug into the earth to plant her seeds.

Though she wouldn’t say she had a green thumb, Judy always thought she had a knack for simple plant cultivation and could help around the farm where she needed to. It was certainly more than enough to get a small garden started as she set to start the basics. Finnick had kept the yard largely mowed and clean of weeds, but there were still plenty of overgrown spots that Judy noticed in the vines clinging to the fence. Now that it was daylight, she got a proper look at the small yard wedged between the two other houses on opposing sides. It was a rather cramped feeling compared to the open fields Judy had grown used to back in the burrow. But if she closed her eyes and felt the grass between her toes, she could almost imagine she was there.

Step one to making a perfect garden would be to clear out the mess.

There were loose bricks and heavy rocks all over the yard as Judy began to tug at the vines attached to the fences. She made a pile of debris in one corner of the garden as she rolled up her sleeves and dug into the dirt with her shovel and claws. Even though they were civilized, sometimes the old fashioned way of doing things still worked the best. Her father had taught her that one and it let her feel around the ground to point out areas that wouldn’t damage her new tools.

That was when Judy noticed a strange bump in the dirt.

She recalled sleeping on the spot the night before but thought nothing of it, thinking it was just a particularly large rock that just needed to be removed. However as Judy traced the area around the obstacle, she determined that it was very square for a rock. And very hard.

The distraction became something of a new project for the next hour as Judy carefully worked to extract the object, whatever it was. It was buried a foot in the ground to protect it mostly from the elements as Judy’s claws scraped across its surface. Steel. Whatever it was, it wasn’t put there naturally. Someone had dug a hole to hide it. Judy first thought it might be a power box or some pipe that was part of the city until the object jiggled loose. Whatever it was, she had freed it. She patted around and grabbed hold of what felt like a handle. Judy tugged with all her might, the entire thought of making a garden completely sidelined as she was making a mess of the yard. Something about whatever this was seemed more important than anything else as it finally broke free from its prison.

Judy landed backwards in the yard, covered in mud and with a very heavy box on her chest. It wasn’t a power line or something mechanical. As Judy brushed the dirt from the surface, she found that it looked more like a storage box, complete with a thick and heavy lock akin to the front door.

An unexplainable excitement took over Judy as she cleaned the box off. This was like discovering buried treasure, though she hadn’t been looking for anything in particular. She cleaned off her prize and inspected it all over. The lock was old and weathered from the elements, but maybe she could pick it with the right tools…

Cleaning off the box as best she could, Judy hefted it through the gate and up the stoop, fiddling with the lock before kicking open the door and lugging her prize over to the kitchen. Whatever it was, it was quite heavy and as big as a suitcase. Dirt fell all over the floor, but Judy just told herself she’d clean it up later. Something inside this thing needed to be open. She could feel it as she looked around the kitchen to find some sort of tool to pry it open and--

“What are you doing?”

Judy jumped a little, having forgotten about Nick and everything else. Something had possessed her and she had been so focused, she didn’t even notice the ghost hovering just above her head. Nor how cross he looked.

“Where did you get that?” Nick repeated his line of questioning.

“I dug it up in the backyard,” Judy explained. “I wanted to garden and…”

“You decided to go snooping.”

“I didn’t go snooping! It was just sitting there right in the middle of the backyard! Very poorly buried too, I might add. If you were looking to hide something then you should always bury it at least six feet down. Not on the surface like it was.”

“I did bury it six feet down.”

“No, you didn’t because it wasn’t even up to my waist when I found it.”

Judy glared daggers at Nick as the two of them stared at each other with the big metal box between them. This morning and the last night had gone so well, it tugged at Judy’s heart to know that they were snapping at each other again. He was just so abrasive and secretive that it made having any sort of conversation like walking on eggshells.

“That,” he pointed to the box. “Is mine. And you should not go around destroying the property you’re meant to be taking care of, as per your agreement.”

“I. Was. Gardening,” Judy repeated. “And if it’s yours then just take it back, if it’s so important.”

The box had considerable weight to it, as Judy had discovered lugging it into the house. She basically had to drag the back end of it while carrying it around with both paws. Given how Nick was basically air, she was almost certain that he couldn’t do anything to lift it. It almost came as a complete surprise when he hoisted it into the air with one paw. Though the look of concentration was on his face, it was clear that the weight of the object was nothing to him.

“I am going to hide this thing,” he said. “You are going to go outside until I’m done. Am I clear?”

“Wait. What even is it?” Judy asked as she grabbed hold of one end. “Is it something dangerous?”

“It’s a big, hearty container of none of your business.”

“Would it kill you to just open up a little? We’re going to be stuck together for a long time considering I don’t have any plans of leaving anytime soon. Maybe I can help you.”

“Would it kill me?” Nick repeated.

“Okay, a poor choice of words…”

“Very poor. And inconsiderate. You are a nuisance and I much rather liked it when the house was empty. I don’t need your help and I’ve been getting along just fine until you started tearing apart my house. Now run along, little bunny farmer. Go back to your gardening and maybe you might finally remember your roots and get out of my hair.”

“Not all of us are farmers,” Judy spat. “And I happen to be a cop, you know.”

“As if. You’re doing a tremendous job of that. I’ve seen the meter maid uniform. You really think that they’re going to give you any sort of chance in the city? You’re a token bunny. Nothing more. And you should just go back to where you came from and remember your place.”

Judy scowled and released the other end of the box, allowing Nick to float away out of the kitchen and up the stairs with his prize. She left the house with a huff, slamming the door for good measure. With her morning spoiled, she was in no mood to be gardening now. especially with such a comment from a stranger like that. She had left the city to avoid being seen as just another bunny. Nick’s words had cut her deeper than he probably even expected them too.

As Judy leaned against the front door, unsure of what she intended to do next, she was reminded of a hard indent in the seat of her pants. She reached down and pulled out the envelope Finnick had given her. Though she certainly didn’t want to face Nick now to give it to him. She just tucked it away and sighed, going back around to the garden to clean up the mess of the yard she had made.

Chapter Text

As it turned out, it was easy enough to avoid a ghost when he didn’t want to be seen. Not that Judy didn’t help with that. She spent her remaining Saturday out on the town, taking the opportunity to explore her surrounding area and get a better lay of the land. Though she wore a smile throughout, deep down she was just trying not to think of the little encounter with her ghostly roommate. Or the slip of paper she still kept hidden in her back pocket.

She wasn’t trying to hide it from Nick nor keep a bigger secret. But Judy also didn’t want to see him or his smug face right now. She’d give it to him. Eventually.

But the envelope went forgotten as she returned home to an empty house, Nick nowhere to be seen. Even as Judy listened around the house, she didn’t hear a peep. Not footsteps around the halls nor thumping in the walls. For the first time since she got to the city, she had a completely quiet night with no encounters with anything supernatural whatsoever.

Their game of ignoring each other continued into Sunday morning.

Judy thought she might have seen Nick hovering through the kitchen when she sulked down for her breakfast, but her eyes were still crusty with sleep and nothing came of it the rest of the day. She spent Sunday trying to clean up the mess of the garden she had made, throwing out the loose plant trimmings and covering up the hole she had dug. The seeds which she had intended to plant were left forgotten on the table inside. The rest of the day Judy spent reading on the stoop and listening to the sounds of the city. It was like a whole other world on the outside, rather than being trapped within the deafening silence within 111 Winchester. At least having a quiet roommate meant that sleep came easier, as Judy silently climbed into bed that night in preparation to go to work the next day.

Monday morning came in with the rumbling of a storm passing through half the city. The weather wall did some strange things to the ecosystems of Zootopia, as Judy looked out the window to watch a dark cloud pouring upon a street five blocks away while her own street remained dry as bones before she shrugged and turned to get dressed and ready.

Her paws lingered on her jeans from that weekend as she spied the slip of paper sticking out from it, suddenly remembering the request from Finnick. She hesitated once before sighing.

“Nick?” she called out to her bedroom. “Can we talk for a moment?”

There was no response save the grumble of thunder, though his final words to her still rang in her ears as she huffed again and snapped up the envelope.

“Well, fine. See you tonight.”

She didn’t want to leave the letter in the house all by itself as the last thing she needed was Nick snooping through her things and mistakenly accusing her of stealing from him again . She’d give it to him when he was ready to stop acting like a child. And if he didn’t want to talk to her, then she figured that it was his own fault. That was satisfying enough as Judy nodded to herself and carried on with her morning.

The desire to not remain in the house with a moody ghost had her searching for breakfast elsewhere. With her stomach grumbling, Judy wandered down Winchester Street before passing by the little grocery store she had visited that Friday and paused at the window. She spied a certain little shrew tugging along a miniature cart of sliced pears. Instantly, Judy’s mood was improved as she met eyes with the humble store worker and opened the shop door to the clanging of bells.

“Good morning,” greeted the shrew. “Judy, right?”

“Yup!” Judy smiled widely. “And you were...Fru Fru.”

“Now that’s hardly fair when I have a name tag. I must say, I’m surprised to see you out this early. On your way to work?”

“Yeah, I just wanted to grab something for breakfast since I have a little time.”

“This is where I get to be a little nosy,” commented Fru Fru as she watched Judy sort through the fruit to pick something for her meal. “Sorry, but there’s just little else to do on the morning shift.”

“Hah, it’s alright. Go for it. I have time.”

“I just recognize the look of someone who’s trying to get out of the house early to avoid some unpleasantness. Trust me, I’ve been there before. And I know for a fact you just went shopping for food, so you can’t be lacking any breakfast at your place. Someone at home giving you trouble?”

There was genuine concern in the shrew’s voice and a deeper look in her eyes beyond the makeup. She sounded almost protective and motherly. Or sisterly, given she felt to be around Judy’s age. That thought tugged at Judy’s heart enough that she wasn’t sure what else she could do but laugh a little.

“Ah, no. Not exactly that. Just...Having a bit of a disagreement with my roommate, is all.”

“Oh, I can understand that pretty darn well. Try living next to a shouting nosy couple with paper thin walls. Is it anything serious?”

“I don’t think so,” Judy admitted while her paws stopped at a particularly ripe looking pomegranate. “That’s just it with him though. It’s so hard to get a read on him or what he’s feeling. Especially when he’s implied that he doesn’t want me living there in the first place.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound like the greatest roommate to have in general. Why stick around then? You could find better in this city, I’m sure.”

“I dunno. I mean, you’re right. There’s nothing physically holding me there. Moving would be a pain but I could manage and find someplace solid to live at. But...I feel like I’d be losing something. Or rather might be missing out on something.”

Judy sighed as she looked down at her uniform.

“You know,” she continued. “I know it sounds silly but I've wanted to be a police officer since I was a little kid. Even in school, I’d always stand up to bullies and try to help the other kids. I had the idea that if I tried, I could make the world a better place. And my roommate...He’s not mean for the sake of it. I think he’s been through a lot of horrible stuff that he just doesn’t want to talk about. And I feel like...If I give up on trying to help him then that means I’m admitting that I’m giving up on the point of my dream in the first place.”

“I can understand,” Fru Fru replied, as she leaned against the basket. “But you gotta keep in mind, your own happiness matters too, you know. You got your own life to live and he has his.”

“Somewhat,” Judy chuckled. “I suppose you’re right though. And I won’t stick around if I’m genuinely unhappy. He just said something pretty hurtful the other night and we haven’t really spoken since. I’m supposed to give him this letter too but now I--”

“Letter? What letter?”

Judy pulled out the envelope buried in her belt and held it up for Fru Fru to see.

“Ohhh,” she said, a sudden gleam of mischief in her eyes. “Open it!”

“Now that seems like a huge invasion of privacy.”

“So what? He deserves it for being a stronzo .”

“Not to mention it’s illegal to tamper with someone else’s mail. Not a good look for someone who wants to make the world a better place, don’t you think?”

“Sweetie, they don’t pay me enough to think here. And I may not know the first thing about law and order, but I know how males work. Especially stupid, thick-headed ones who like to bury their emotions until they’re dead.”

Judy couldn’t help but laugh again at that, thinking of how Nick might react to such a tactless statement from the tiny little shrew.

“Still,” Judy continued as she clasped onto the letter a little tighter. “I don’t think it would be a good idea and would probably cause more of a fight.”

“Suit yourself, hon. You’re not gonna make the world a better place without kicking some hornet nests, right?”

“Hah, I suppose. Now if only I could talk to my boss about taking on a bigger role in the precinct than just doing paperwork. Then maybe I wouldn’t feel so bad about the roommate situation on top of all that.”

“Just do what I did to get my job. Pester him about it until he finally gets the picture and changes your shifts to a more reasonable hour.”

“I’m not quite certain that would work…”

“You’d be surprised.” Fru Fru winked up at Judy. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Gotta keep consistent at it or they forget us little guys even exist, right?”

“Right,” Judy could genuinely smile at that thought. “Well, thank you for listening to me whine about it, at least. I’m sorry if I interrupted your shift.”

“Oh, believe me, you’re the most interesting thing to happen this morning. Though if I could talk you into buying two pomegranates, it might go a ways in making my boss think I’m actually doing something instead of gossiping on the job.”

“Heh, of course. I know all about the friendly gossip working at a small town stand. In fact, I could tell you another story…”

The two of them chatted away with each other all the way to the cash register, and even more on the way out the door when Judy realized that she was going to be late. She hurriedly paid for her much bigger breakfast than intended and scurried along, cutting between the long legs of bigger mammals along the sidewalk as she made her way towards the station. All the while, she kept the talk with Fru Fru warmly in her mind. It was nice to have someone a little like her to bounce off of in the city. Maybe they weren’t exactly the same, but she could still feel like the shrew suffered her own hardships that weren’t much different than what Judy had to face between Nick and work.

In fact, she thought about Fru Fru’s advice all the way through the bullpen as she cut up one of her pomegranates and quietly munched on the seeds while Bogo gave the report of the case so far. Bupkis, was the word he so often chose to use. And spirits were a little low around the room as no one felt like they were really getting much closer with the mayor hounding them down. Though he assured them all that it had only been about a week since the case was open. There was still plenty of time to make some sort of leeway against the Big family.

Before long the meeting was over and it was back down into the basement to contend with the mountain of paperwork that awaited them.

Judy had long since finished her pomegranate and was unsure what to do with the other as she considered everything that had been her morning. Though it took a while to build, the advice Fru Fru had mentioned to her continued to roll around in her head just like its namesake as she glanced up at the stairs behind her. Stairs that went to Bogo’s office.

“Squeaky wheels,” she muttered before she put down both the extra pomegranate and Nick’s letter she had been unconsciously holding onto. “Hey, Clawhauser?”

“Yeah?” called the cat. He was busy with his own mountain of unfinished paperwork and didn’t look up at her. Somehow over the course of the weekend, the mound had grown bigger.

“I’m going to go have a chat with Bogo,” she replied, gesturing to the fruit left behind. “That’s for you, okay?”

Clawhauser gave it the barest of glances. “Ooo, thanks! Good luck, Judy!”

Judy climbed back up the stairs but paced a little in the hallway. She had to work herself up to this. She already approached Bogo once about her role in the ZPD and he was unlikely to have changed his position very much. He might even get angry and raise his voice, like he normally did in the bullpen when the crowd was rowdy. So, she took the long way to his office, circling the entire building before lurking outside his door. When she heard voices inside, her heart sank a little. Her little delaying tactic had backfired and now he was in the middle of a meeting with someone.

Should she come back later? No, Judy decided. Not while her nerves had been worked up. She couldn’t just run away and miss her chance. Even if Bogo had a meeting, she was important too. Even if she was small. She had to let herself be known and make him aware she was looking to speak with him, at the very least.

But just as Judy prepared herself to knock on the door, it opened.

“...And I don’t expect any excuses next time, Wolfard,” barked Bogo from within. “We’re on the clock.”

Judy was just thankful that the poor wolf who was walking through with his tail between his legs was too distracted to notice her as she sidestepped him. With her back to the wall, she just barely escaped the gaze of the police chief as he grunted before shutting the door. Somehow, Judy had managed to sneak by unseen and avoid whatever explosion had occurred in the Chief’s office. Even her co-worker’s posture and the sharp words of Bogo echoing through the hall, Judy wagered that whatever happened probably wasn’t good news.

Wolfard slumped over the nearby railing, rubbing at his ears. Judy knew pretty well that a wolf like him should have been able to smell her at this range, but he was too distraught to notice her. And suddenly Judy desired to keep it that way and avoid even more drama. She could very much live without more drama in her life since moving into the city. But something else kept her there as she noticed how dejected Wolfard looked. And how tired he was. Everyone in the station was looking rather haggard as of late, except for Clawhauser being the perpetual ball of cheer. Though Fru Fru might say it was better that Judy look out for herself, she had to be sure as she crept up next to the wolf.

“You okay?”

Wolfard jumped silently before letting out a slight laugh. “Jeez, I didn’t even see you, Hopps. You’re so...Stealthy.”

Judy sensed that wasn’t quite the S word that Wolfard was originally going to use but she shrugged it off and gave him points for trying, at least.

“Well, I’ve been learning how to be quiet from a friend. Tough talk with Bogo?”

“Was it that obvious?” Wolfard asked as he slumped into his paws again. “I messed up really, really bad. And it’s already tough enough after my partner got outed by our prime suspect.”

“Is that what happened with the threatening letter from Big?”

“Technically it’s from ‘anonymous party,’ but yeah. With Fang out of the picture, I had to work twice as hard to try to get something we can work with. So, I had a different approach in mind that the Chief wasn’t too happy about and...Ah, I don’t know how much I should be talking about this…”

“It’s alright,” Judy offered him a smile. “Who am I going to tell? I’m new here, remember?”

“Hah, true. I suppose what trouble could you get into if you knew about it?”

Wolfard cleared his throat and leaned in a little closer to Judy so he could lower his voice.

“We heard a rumor that one of Big’s old compatriots was in the city again, back in the day when the city was still split down the middle with all the different gangs competing for power. They call this guy the Wild Card. He wasn’t a thug though and Big didn’t use him for muscle or anything like that. You went to this guy for information. It was said that he knew everyone in the city and he kept contact with everything. Think of him as the biggest record keeper you ever knew. A hard paper trail that could tie Big in with everything...But then one day he just up and vanished completely. Gone without a trace.”

“What happened to him?”

“No one knows. He was such a private mammal that no one really even knew what kind of mammal he even was. He liked to go out in disguises and such and was quite good at winning people over, so I heard. It was a bit like trying to catch a ghost and no one really knew where he kept all that information. But we know such a record exists. He liked to keep it all in a box that he’d carry around with him, according to witnesses.”

Judy raised an eye as that had been a rather strange detail. Though she didn’t think about it too long as Wolfard finished his little story to her.

“Anyway, I had been putting the feelers out there for this guy. You know, trying to see if we can catch him in his old haunts and maybe work with that. I didn’t expect anything until last week...I had a bit of a lead but then lost it. A friend at a pawn shop said someone had rung him up mentioning Wild Card’s name though he couldn’t give me anything else. Paid for his stuff in cash and asked for the pick up to be handled discreetly. Tried to follow up on that...But the trail went cold.”

“Do you know what was bought?” Judy asked. “Maybe I can keep an ear for it too.”

“Hah, if you’d like to give it a try then the lead is all yours. Bogo thinks it's a waste of time, no sense hunting ghosts. It was a little trinket, of sorts. A family heirloom though. My friend said it would be very obvious that it belonged to Wild Card.”

“Not a lot to go on.”

“It wasn’t a super big lead which was why Bogo was upset with me that I was wasting so much time on it,” Wolfard admitted. “If we had something more definitive that we could catch the Wild Card with then it would be wonderful. But like a lot of things with this case, there seems to be a lot of dead ends. Makes me almost wish I could stick to the paperwork stuff, at least then I won’t have Bogo yelling at me.”

“Trade you?” Judy offered with a smirk.

“Hah, I don’t think he’d like that very much. You’ll get your chance soon enough though. Who knows, if things get desperate enough that might be sooner rather than later. I appreciate the talk though, Hopps.”

Deep down, so did Judy. She always regretted how she left her last conversation with the wolf in a foul mood and chose to look at this as a means to make it up to him, as well as learn something interesting about Mister Big.

“No worries. I better get back to work though,” said Judy as she removed herself from the railing.

“Down to the basement? Didn’t you come up here to speak to Bogo?”

“Who said that?”

“Well, why else would you be all the way up here? I am a bit of a detective, you know.”

“Fair enough,” Judy chuckled. “But given everything you just told me, it might be a good idea just to leave Bogo be at the moment. It’s nothing urgent I have to tell him anyway.”

“Alright, well good luck down there. I meant it before when I said we all really appreciate someone doing the unglamorous work for the case.”

It was nice to be appreciated for her efforts as Judy trotted back down the stairs back to her mountain of paperwork that awaited her. She expected to see Clawhauser munching on the pomegranate that she had left for him but was surprised to see it untouched. Clawhauser looked up from his paperwork as she entered the room sounding chirper as always.

“Judy!” he greeted her. “Thanks for the necklace! But you didn’t have to get me anything when my birthday’s not for a couple of weeks.”

“Necklace?” Judy asked, somewhat confused, before she noticed the scraps of an envelope next to the pomegranate. “Clawhauser you didn’t...Open that, did you?”

“Yeah? That’s what I thought you meant by ‘that’s for you.’”

“I meant the pomegranate was for you.”

“Well, I didn’t know that! And I never mess with other people’s food, Judy.”

Judy put a paw to her head, wondering how they even got to this level of confusion before sighing.

“Clawhauser, that letter wasn’t even mine. It was a message for a friend I was supposed to deliver.”

“Oh. Oops. Well, like I said, it’s not a letter at all. It was a necklace. See?”

Clawhauser held up the shiny golden object at a distance as Judy hopped over to take a closer look at it. She hadn’t intended at all to open the blasted envelope and her mind was racing with ways on how she could pack it back up and deliver it to Nick without him noticing she had tampered with the package.

But as Clawhauser lowered the trinket into her paws, she noticed something else engraved into the hunk of shiny metal. A message.

“To my lovely Wilde Card?” Judy read it outloud.

Chapter Text

Judy kept staring at the necklace all day between the work she was already doing in the basement. Wilde Card. The name had stuck to her almost instantly with the talk she had with Wolfard, but seeing it so soon was almost unbelievable. It was a good thing she had Clawhauser to voice her thoughts with, and a good thing no one ever bothered to go down and check on the two of them as they had the privacy of the basement.

“So, let me get this straight,” Clawhauser summed it up. “You were told to give the envelope to a...Friend of yours by your building manager. And Wolfard just happened to be looking for someone with that same name in relation to the Big case?”

“I know it sounds crazy,” Judy admitted. “It feels too convenient to be a coincidence.”

“What makes you say that?”

“It just explains too much,” Judy sighed. She wanted to tell Clawhauser everything that had been going on with Nick. But given how he had already proven he couldn’t keep a secret, Judy didn’t want to risk anything. “If my building manager knows who Wilde Card is then maybe the owner does too.”

“That would make perfect sense,” Clawhauser said as he munched on the pomegranate. “He already uses a false name to own the building, right? It wouldn’t surprise me then that he was into something like this.”

“Maybe. But something just doesn’t feel right about it.”

The thought had occurred to her that Nick had been this mysterious Wilde Card that worked for Mister Big. Then maybe he met a mysterious end, which was why no one knew what happened to him. But then why had Finnick promised his death was an accident? And why had Nick been trapped as a ghost in 111 Winchester? The mystery made Judy’s head spin as she gripped the golden item tighter, almost like she was trying to coax its secrets out of it.

“Clawhauser,” Judy said. “Can you cover for me today? I really need to get to the bottom of this. And to make sure my building manager isn’t getting into something way too big for him to handle. I'm getting answers. Today.”

“Can do, ma’am!” Clawhauser saluted, almost looking happy to get back into paperwork.

It was simple enough to slip out of the station unnoticed when mostly everyone was focused on their own tasks for the start of Monday. Bogo had them all working hard so that they might meet their quota with the mayor when time was fast running out. No one paid the small rabbit any mind as she darted from the building’s front door and pulled out her phone to contact Finnick.

Judy turned into a quiet alleyway, pocketing the locket so that no one might try and mug her as she took the moment of privacy to listen to the phone.

“ Hello? ” answered a gruff voice on the other line.

“Finnick,” Judy got straight to the point. “We need to talk about Nick. Right now.”

“ Rabbit, I’m kind of in the middle of something… ”

“Who is Wilde Card?” Judy asked, speaking again when there was a long pause over the phone. “And how do they relate to Nick and the locket?”

“ ...You opened the envelope. ”

“It was an accident, but yes. Just like digging up the box in the backyard.”

“ Wait, what box in the backyard? ”

“So you didn’t know about that one. Seems like I’m not the only one he’s keeping secrets from.”

Judy sighed as she looked out from the alleyway at the cars driving by. The whole world was oblivious to the conversation they were having.

“Look, Finnick, I’m worried, okay? I’m worried there was something Nick might have done in the past that’s coming back to haunt him. Literally, in this case. And while he’s a ghost, you’re not. Not yet, at least. And I’d like to keep it that way. I just need some answers.”

“ ...I think we both do. Where are you right now? ”

“Outside of the office, off the street.”

“ Stay right there. ”

Judy patiently waited for Finnick’s painted van to roll up next to her hiding spot. Judy leapt into the passenger seat, noticing something off about the fennec fox. He was wearing a shirt and tie.

“You’re dressed up?” she asked.

“Yeah, well, you kind of called me when I was supposed to be on a date.”

“Oh,” Judy’s ears lowered. “Sorry…”

“Eh, it’s fine. She’s understanding like that, I’ll just have to make it up to her later. Do you have the locket?”

Judy held up the necklace, which she had been keeping safe in her pocket the whole time. Only on the occasion did she bring it out to look at it and fiddle with it.

“It’s strange,” Judy said. “I think you can open it, but I can’t do it. No matter how hard I try.”

“Yeah, the owner of the pawn shop told me the same thing which was why I was able to buy it for so cheap. But the name is why I bought it for him.”

“Wilde Card?”

“Nick’s name, his real name, is Nicholas Piberious Wilde. He was the son of a close friend of mine before she got married to someone of, how shall we say, questionable descent. You know how the world looks at a fox, rabbit? Well, this guy enabled that trend to continue with some of his more dangerous habits. But he had money and a house and that was better than nothing in the city. That was until he gambled it all away.”

Finnick went quiet for a moment as they turned down the street, making a beeline for the house. Judy was starting to recognize the neighborhood.

“Those were some hard times. Of course, I did everything I could to support her and her son. The good for nothing father had abandoned them and left them to their fate. Left them with nothing but his name. Wilde. Dunno what happened to him. Never cared what happened to him. For a while it was just the two of them living in that house. I’d stop by every now and again with the little money I had left at the end of the week while she’d work three jobs to keep the mortgage and food on the table. Eventually, it was all a little too much though and she got sick. Real sick. Nick was eighteen at the time when we had to put her in the hospital. Had to finally sell the house and all the contents just to pay the bills for that. That was the worst day, I think. Watching your whole world get packed up into boxes and auctioned off.”

Finnick sniffed a bit as they pulled up at the house. They parked though he didn’t shut off the engine just yet.

“She couldn’t work much after that, of course. Fell on Nick to support them. What’s a fox to do when you’re young and the only life you’ve ever known is full of hardship? I tried to talk him out of the more dangerous stuff. Ran a few cons with him to keep an eye on what he was doing but no one ever got hurt and they weren’t at all illegal in the technical sense. But none of it made his mom particularly happy to see. I think she didn’t want to see her boy go the same route as his deadbeat dad. They’d fight about it a lot and the visits with her got less frequent. I don’t know what the final straw that broke the camel’s back was though. If I had to guess though, it was this whole Wilde Card business. That was always her nickname for little Nick.”

“Hence the locket?” Judy wondered aloud.

“Yeah. One of the heirlooms they had to give up during the rougher patches. I kept my ears to the ground about any of the pieces as he’d ask me to go looking for them from time to time if we could afford them. No idea why but...Look, just let me do the talking here, alright? This is already becoming a complete mess as it is.”

Judy was reluctant to agree though she knew how moody Nick could be even on the best of days. She nodded silently as Finnick sighed and tugged at his pointy ears before leaping off his booster seat and slamming the door behind him.

She followed him up to the familiar sight of 111 Winchester. For someone of his size, Finnick had a heavy knock.

“Nick? It’s Finn. We need to talk. Now.”

Judy questioned why he would bother knocking when Finnick had a key, but the door crept open anyway without any undoing of the locks. Finnick stepped inside as Judy followed him cautiously.

“I was wondering when you’d show up,” Nick said as he hovered around the entry hall with his back to them both. “I saw you disappear when that bunny--”

He turned and met eyes with Judy in an instant. His playful demeanor soured and Judy felt colder than she ever had before in the house.

“What is this?” Nick’s voice was low and icy.

“An intervention, of sorts,” Finnick grumbled. “The rabbit said that she found a box buried in the backyard when she went digging around.”

“It’s got nothing to do with anything…”

“Nick, what was in the box?

“Nothing important. Don’t worry about it.”

“That’s exactly what you told Marla when she asked about stuff you didn’t want to talk about. Nick, come on. This is some serious stuff if you’re hiding it. And I won’t be a part of anything illegal involving that creep. You need to tell me right now if that had anything to do with the Mister Big stuff you said you finished before the accident.”

“It has nothing to do with anything…”

“Then why did you bury it?” Finnick scowled as the tiny fox sounded a great deal bigger than his companion. “Nick, what were you hiding back there that you didn’t even tell me about? I promised I’d help you keep the house but if this has to do with what I think it does…”

“Then you’ll what? Leave? Fine then. Go. I don’t need you.”

“That’s also what you told Marla, if I recall.”

“Stop talking about her.”

Nick’s voice rumbled like thunder. It was like the whole house was groaning in the floorboards and walls, like it was a living and breathing being. A great beast that had slowly woken in a fit of rage. Despite the awful noise, Finnick continued to glare defiantly up at Nick. It had the air of a confrontation about to turn into violence until Judy could no longer stand back and just watch it all unfold.

“Then what do you want to talk about, Nick?” Judy asked.

“Nothing at all,” he replied after a moment of silence. “I’d like to be left alone.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Judy replied quietly. “If you really wanted to be left all to yourself then you could do it any number of ways as a ghost. You could quietly wait in the background or just leave the house abandoned entirely. But you told me you can’t leave because you’re stuck here.”

“So what?”

“So, do you really think Finnick would still be here if he didn’t care at all about you?”

Nick winced and hovered down from the ceiling until he was on Judy’s level.

“And what do you get out of all this, Carrots? I know you’re a cop looking to make her own splash in the workplace. That’s why you care about all this, isn’t it?”

“I’ve only ever cared about one thing,” Judy said as she handed him the locket. “Helping people. And right now it seems to me that the one who needs help is you.”

Nick glared at the locket before he carefully accepted it, looking at the words etched on the surface before passing it back to Judy.

“What happened to her?” Judy asked, hoping it was the right question this time. “I don’t care about how you died or what you were involved in. What happened to your mother? To Marla?”

Nick breathed heavily out, or what could amount to breathing for ghosts before he hovered about the room in a manner similar to pacing.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “We were butting heads for the longest time over trivial things like the jobs I ran and the work I did to get money we didn’t even really need. We could get by on work that was honest but it wasn’t enough.”

“Wasn’t enough for what?”

“The house,” Nick gestured wide to the space around them. “My dear old dad sold the place to a local gang to cover his debts. I approached the gang leader about buying it but knew it was out of my league when he dropped the price on me. But he must have felt sorry for me. Said he saw some potential and gave me work. Nothing illegal. Just holding onto records and papers that his people were involved in. Never took a close look at them, just tucked them into a safe space to be forgotten. I got good at the job too, considering all the people I knew around the city from the jobs me and Finn ran.”

Nick’s feet dangled as he stopped at the picture of Judy’s family, hung back up. She hadn’t even noticed that the frame had been fixed.

“Eventually, I won back the house and was able to settle everything. It was going to be a surprise for her to break the ice wall that had been growing between us. She had given so much for the place that I thought giving it back to her might cheer her up and mend the bridge. But she couldn’t stand the sight of me. She knew who I had to go through in order to buy back the house and the price tag that came with it, couldn’t do that without some dirty money. She hated that I did the same thing dad did and left angry, saying she didn’t want to see me again. I left pretty angry too. So angry, in fact, that I didn’t adhere to certain rules of the road.”

Nick’s form flickered a little as his head lowered.

“I just remember a hot stomach full of rage and anger as I took a shortcut through the cold streets of Tundratown. You should never ever drive angry. It makes you reckless, especially on roads where the ice is more common than pavement. I wasn’t thinking though and hit a bad spot over the bridge. Went hurdling into the frozen river. Managed to detach myself from the seatbelt and break through the window before everything went black with my lungs on fire.”

The whole house went so silent Judy could hear her own heartbeat as she put a paw to her chest. Finnick, standing next to her, sniffed before he finished the story.

“We never found the body,” he said. “Though they found the car. Making that call to Marla was the hardest thing I ever had to do. We had an empty casket funeral with her holding my paw, weeping. She got really sick and depressed after that while I tried to handle things. Eventually, she just stopped contacting me altogether. I think it was just too much for her to handle with everything that had happened, too many bad memories. Her last call with me was her assurance that she was going to be alright but she needed to do this. To start fresh. Marla was always strong like that, liked to keep everything internalized and shoulder the pain alone. I made her promise me that she’d be okay before I agreed, letting her know my number was always open if she wanted to reconnect. It’s been ten years. Haven’t heard from her since. So, I did what I normally did. Picked up the pieces. Handled the funeral. Went to check on the house and well…”

“...Found Nick,” Judy said as she put the pieces together. “All this time then, you’ve been trying to find your mother?”

Nick flickered again before he sighed. “All my life, this house was everything to me. It was my whole life, all the happiest memories I had were right here. The day we lost the house was the day my world dimmed with each passing day. And mom...She always did everything she could to protect me from the worst of it. I just wanted to see her happy again. See her smile genuinely, like she used to. I thought that buying the house would bring that back. I gave everything for it.”

“And it carried through into death?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea what specifically binds me to this place, Carrots. But if I had to guess why I’m still here, it would be the only thing I still feel. Regret. Everyday I replay the same moments that happened right where you’re standing now. Where mom and I had our fight and our last words with each other.”

Judy looked down at her feet as they stood in the entry hall. If she thought about it, this part of the house always felt the more haunted ever since she arrived at the place. It was the coldest. The darkest. The saddest.

“The way I see it,” Nick continued as he hovered about, faking a more cheery tone. “I can’t let myself move on for two reasons: my mother and my house. So, I’ll remain here until either I finish my business with my mother or the house crumbles into dust. And I’d rather not see the one thing I worked so hard for in life go up in flames. Between keeping the house pristine, Finn has been helping me by finding clues as to where mom went. But she covered her tracks pretty darn good. Couldn’t very well call the cops about her either, else they might dig into my messy past and then she’d get in trouble. So, we remain in a constant stalemate until something changes.”

Judy stood in stunned silence as she processed everything she heard. It had been an informative hour of hearing the entire life story of Nicholas Wilde, the ghost that haunted her home. The fox who was directly involved in the biggest case she might ever have as a police officer, someone who could set her career for life. The fox who had done everything to make his mother happy, missing the point entirely that what she really wanted was him all along.

It was a sad story as Judy wiped her eyes, sniffed and sighed. She made her decision.

“I need to get back to the station.”

“I’m sorry my sob story was that boring, Carrots.”

“It’s not that,” Judy said as she made for the door. “It’s just that I’m supposed to be working right now and don’t want to leave everything on Clawhauser. But I also can’t access the network from here thanks to the crummy internet connection through the house. And I’ll need a private line to keep my searches secure from any prying eyes.”

She then paused at the door frame and looked back at the two foxes.

“So, let me put it another way. I’m going back to work so I can find your mother for you.”

Chapter Text

As soon as Judy arrived back at the station, she apologized to Clawhauser twice in return for the favor she was asking.

“You know the systems inside and out better than I do,” Judy explained. “Remember when I first got here and asked you about the owner of the house?”

“Yeah? But what’s that got to do with anything?”

“Everything. Clawhauser, please. This is much more important than the Big case now.”

And she meant every word of that as Clawhauser’s own ears dropped from the seriousness in Judy’s tone. She more than made up for it by offering to take over his share of the file digging, not that it was proving any more fruitful than it had in the last week.

While Clawhauser typed away at the basement computer to tap into the database, Judy made up for lost time in organizing everything from top to bottom. She moved with a swift purpose, something new was driving her and it mattered more to her than any moment of the Big investigation. She had heard enough that day from a broken house and the two foxes she left behind. Some explaining was in order when she eventually returned.

“Who am I looking for then?” asked Clawhauser as he finished setting up.

“Her name is Marla Wilde.”

“Is that the name of the owner? And does she have anything to do with the locket from earlier?”

“Clawhauser, please. If I could get this all resolved today that would make my whole week. There’s someone looking for her. A friend. And he’s been waiting for a long time. I just need you to trust me on this and not say a word about it to anyone. Please? I’ll tell you the whole sad story later.”

Judy meant every word of that too. She didn’t know what was going to happen if she found Nick’s mother, it almost seemed all too easy of a solution. She didn’t even know what would become of the box, which was undoubtedly related to everything concerning the Big case, though Nick never confirmed it. Judy was actually a little unsure of what sparked this sudden fire in her as she thought out loud while she snipped through old envelopes.

“Do you talk to your mom much, Clawhauser?”

“My mom?” he asked as he continued to stare at the computer screen unblinking. “All the time. After dad died, we kind of only had each other. She’s the one who talked to the Chief about getting me employed with the desk jobs. Dad used to be his old partner after all.”

“Really?” Judy asked. “Huh. She sounds like she was really tough to go through all that.”

“She was. I’d do anything for my mom.”

“Me too,” Judy whispered as her thoughts trailed to home.

“I’m not getting anything on this Marla lady,” Clawhauser spoke up. “I mean, she’s registered in the system and everything. But all the stuff for her public records stopped getting updated ten years ago.”

Judy’s blood went cold. “She’s not dead is she?”

“Nah. I checked the obituaries with her name and there's no mention of it. More than likely she dropped off and changed names, going by something different now. There are certain groups that allow you to do that and protect your identity. Makes it hard to track down if you’re looking to escape a tough situation. I can still find her but it’s just going to take more time to ask the right channels.”

“How much time?”

“I dunno. It depends on how quickly I hear back from them. Problem is agencies that handle these sorts of things tend to employ sloths who are rather...Slow on getting things done? Or is that offensive to say?”

“Sloths,” Judy groaned. “Can you give me some sort of estimate?”

“Maybe several months. Or six?”

“Too long.”

“Well, maybe the Chief would let you do your own investigation of the search if you said it was related to the Big case.”

“Maybe,” Judy glanced up at the clock. “I’d need more time to prepare though. Something tells me he’s not going to let me if I just waltz up on a whim.”

With a paw to her chin, Judy thought as she stared down at the neverending paper mountains before her. Somehow, everytime she looked at it, it always seemed bigger and bigger.

“I’ll work on something tonight,” she decided. “Present the idea to him. Then if he approves it, launch my own investigation into the matter with resources and everything.”

“Oh, that sounds exciting! And it would be your first big case, right?”

“Yup,” Judy replied with her own grin. “It just happens to be personal. Thanks for your help, Clawhauser. Especially today.”

“You’re always welcome, Jude. Thanks for the pomegranate!”

Judy’s mind was cluttered as she trotted home along the sidewalk, picking up dinner from a streetside burrito stand. Unhealthy, but she wasn’t going to care too much with more pressing matters to contend with.

Where could Marla Wilde have gone?

She ran through Nick’s story over and over, each retelling sounding sadder than the last. The tale only strengthened her resolve as she saw the hidden pain in Nick’s ghostly eyes when he had told her everything that morning. She could only imagine the hardship his mother must have felt over the whole thing. It was that thought that made her reach out and dial a certain number on her own phone.

“Hey, mom?”

“ Judy, sweetie, ” her mother responded with the sound of kids shouting in the background. “ I’m just in the middle of prepping dinner for everyone. Is everything okay? ”

“Yeah, sorry. Just feeling a little...Homesick right now, I guess. I had a big day at work that made me think about the burrows.”

“ Of course, honey. Hang on a minute… ”

Judy laughed slightly as she caught the sounds of her siblings all clawing at her mother’s apron and her mother politely asking one of her older sisters to manage the stove while she stepped off into one of the quieter side rooms.

“ Want me to get your dad too? He’s out in the fields. ”

“That’s okay. I guess I just wanted to ask...Do you ever worry about one of us...You know...Passing away?”

“ Oh, honey. All the time. ”

“Right,” Judy huffed a laugh. “Me living in the city.”

“ Not just that. Sometimes your brothers get into such trouble that I’m afraid I’ll see them in an early grave. It’s all enough to make my fur white. At least with you I know you can take care of yourself and won’t starve. Though I do wish you lived in a place where there was less chance of you getting stepped on. ”

“Yeah,” Judy chuckled at the thought as there had already been a few incidents where she narrowly avoided an elephant stomping down the street. “What would you do if, you know, there had been an accident with me?”

“ Come to see you immediately, of course. ”

“And what if I didn’t make it? What would you do?”

That was a long pause on the line. Judy knew her mother wasn’t stupid. Her dad could often miss a hint, but her mom seemed to always know when there was something more at play.

“ ...I’d be sad, ” her mother finally spoke. “ Very sad. It could take weeks or months until I felt anything close to being happy again. No parent ever wants to bury their child. But I wouldn’t despair because I’d have your father and all your siblings there too. We wouldn’t be alone in our grieving. That’s what it means to be a family, Jude. Sharing in the good times and the bad. ”

“Right,” Judy said quietly as her eyes watered. “Of course.”

“ Is everything alright, Judy? This is a little heavier than what you usually like to talk about. ”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Judy sniffed. “Just handling a case where someone didn’t have a family and lost everything. Then she lost her only son. I’m trying to figure out what happened to her after she vanished without a trace.”

“ Oh, ” her mother remained silent on the line for a moment. “ I’d have to really think about that then. That’s a dark place to be. ”

“Of course. Just thought, you know, I’d ask considering you’re a mom. The best mom.”

“ The best mom only gets that way by having the best children. ”

Judy laughed as she wiped at her cheeks. Standing in the middle of Winchester Street was hardly the place to be crying. And she wanted to clean herself up before approaching Nick and Finnick, if he was still around.

“ Are you going to be okay, sweetie? ”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just being my usual emotional self. I want to do this though. This case, I mean.”

“ Well, you can always call us if you need to vent about it. Okay? ”

“Okay. I love you, mom,” Judy thought about last words for a moment. “And tell dad I said I love him too.”

“ Of course, sweetie. We love you very much. ”

“Have a good dinner…”

Judy sniffed again as she looked at her own dinner in the form of a sloppy yam burrito with way too much hot sauce. She took a bite and hid the tears behind the burning pain in her mouth, the meal was spicy enough to get her nose runny. She finished about half of her wrap before trotting up the stoop and unlocking the door of 111 Winchester.

“Have you been crying?” Nick asked.

Judy practically choked on her yams as Nick hovered directly in front of her face the moment she walked into the house. He had dropped down from the ceiling, like he had been watching her from the second floor window the entire time keeping lookout.

“No,” Judy muttered back with a mouthful of mush as she held up her tin foil wrap. “Spicy burrito.”

“Oh…”

“Where’s Finnick?” Judy asked.

“Left shortly after you did. We didn’t have much to say to each other after that little episode. It might be a little while before he shows up here again too.”

“You’ve been waiting here all alone then? I’m sorry…”

Nick shrugged as he floated about the entry hall. “I’m used to it. And he’ll come around. Eventually. Did you manage to find anything in your police records?”

“No,” Judy sighed. “Unfortunately, when you change your name we have to go digging through the proper channels. We’re going to have to wait to hear back from the branches involved which could take some time if it’s just a normal search. However…”

“...However?”

“If I brought up your relation to Mister Big to my boss, it’s possible that he might allow me to pursue the case more directly in relation to the Big case in general.”

Nick’s brow furrowed. “What Big case are you talking about?”

“It’s supposed to be kept under wraps. The mayor is putting pressure on our department to give the public some hope that we’re working towards bringing down the Big family. It’s more for the sake of appearances, but if it were to lead to something bigger than that, it’s possible we could speed along the process of checking for your mom’s background. Or better yet, get the whole station behind the search. If I could get your help in describing her appearance and everything then we could speed this up to the point where we’d find her in a matter of days, maybe.”

“I see,” Nick replied. “Nope.”

“No? What do you mean no--Nick? Where are you going?”

She watched as the fox carelessly floated up to the ceiling, passing through to the second floor. Judy grunted and swallowed the remains of her burrito before following him up, catching Nick before he could slip into the attic.

“Nick, what did I say?” she asked as the fox paused in his ascension.

“I was willing to accept your help if it was just using your resources to discreetly look into the whereabouts of my mother. But I will not help you at all if it goes further than that.”

“I don’t understand…”

“Then you’re not thinking,” he grumbled as he hovered over her and pointed at her head. Though because he was a ghost, his finger passed right through her skull, giving Judy a slight brain freeze. “Is there anything in here? Did you stop and consider what might happen if you involved my mother in your police matters? No?”

“No? It would speed things up and make Bogo more likely to hear our case.”

“In exchange for dragging her into a bigger mess,” replied Nick. “She left because she wanted to escape all this nonsense. To leave her old life behind after I soiled things by taking an offer from Mister Big. And now you want to knock on her door, after she spent years building a new life somewhere, and just pull her into a potentially dangerous case? Do you have any idea what Mister Big might do to her if he discovered she was involved?”

“We have witness protection programs…”

“And he has moles in your office. He has eyes and ears everywhere. The guy is careful to the point of paranoia about protecting his family and his status. If word gets out anywhere that you’re digging around his trash bins, then you’re likely to end up in them yourself, in several different pieces. Know what happens to people who cross Mister Big? They get iced. Can you say with one hundred percent certainty that if you were to drag my mother into this, she would be one hundred percent safe?”

Judy thought back to the letter Bogo had shown her. The list of names of friends and family of fellow officers that had been sent in the mail. Even after a week, there was no explanation for the leak. It was a slim chance, but it was still a chance that the same might happen to Marla. Could Judy take that kind of risk with even her own mother?

“No,” Judy replied. “I can’t…”

“Then we are not doing it that way,” Nick said back. “This isn’t some glory mission for you to get recognition in your department so you’re not some lousy meter maid with dreams of grandeur. This is a real and dangerous gangster you’re dealing with. I know because I collected his dirty laundry for a living.”

“The box,” Judy realized. “There’s gotta be something in there that contains dirt on Mister Big, right? What if we used it on him and removed the danger involving your mom?”

“You’re not listening, Carrots. That box is the past and I buried it for a reason. I don’t even have the key for it and it’s built like the lock on the front door. It’s designed to keep everyone and everything out of it. Lock picks don't work. And if you tried to break into it with a torch, then you’d only succeed in ruining whatever evidence you want itself of it. But I can see that’s what you really want, isn’t it? A boost to your career to drag you out from being the little guy, right?”

Nick disappeared across the hall for a moment before reappearing with the heavy steel box Judy remembered seeing in the garden. He handed it to her.

“Take it. If that’s all you really want. Like I said, it’s useless to you without the key. It’s just the world’s biggest paperweight.”

He then dropped it at her feet as it landed with a thud that rocked the whole house.

Judy could feel her eyes begin to tear up as Nick turned away, giving new definition to the phrase cold shoulder. She could only call out to him.

“Forget it.”

Nick paused. “Forget what?”

“Forget my idea, forget the whole thing. You’re right. It would only endanger your mother and it’s not worth doing that. So, forget it. I’ll find another way to pressure my boss into letting me look for her. Maybe we can fill out a missing mammal report and that might be enough. Maybe. Or maybe we can check reports, I don’t know. I’ll figure something out.”

Judy pushed the box away from her with her foot.

“You can take that back. I’ll forget I even saw it so you don’t have to worry about it. So, just forget about everything and leave it to me.”

Judy turned to leave the room just as the first tear rolled down her face. She went down the stairs and settled on the last step, holding onto herself and feeling the usual chill of the house cut to her bones. It was strange how easily she had gotten used to the quirks of the place. There was an approaching presence behind her which drew her attention.

“...You didn’t leave?”

Nick stood at the top of the stairs looking quite surprised to still see her there.

“No,” Judy sniffed. “Of course not. I said I would help, didn’t I?”

“The last time I had an argument with someone over the box, she left the house crying.”

“I understand,” Judy replied, wiping at her eyes. “But I said I’d help. And I don’t know when to quit. That just has a habit of getting me into trouble sometimes, and I tend to jump in without thinking.”

“I’ll say.”

Judy laughed a little. “I guess I deserve that, a little.”

“Why don’t you leave?” Nick asked as he hovered in front of her. “You gotta have more than enough evidence by now to bring to your boss, even without the box. If this case is as important as you say it is, I’m sure you’d have no trouble getting a warrant and questioning Finn. Tear the house apart from top to bottom. Find all the evidence you’d need to arrest Big and boost your career.”

“That’s why you really scared away people, isn’t it? You were afraid what might happen if the secrets of this place got out.”

“You’ll have to forgive me if I have a hard time trusting people when you've been looked down as a fox your whole life. But don’t ignore my question. Why don’t you do all that and serve your own needs?”

“Because what kind of person would I be if I did all that?” Judy asked. “There’s the law, sure. But I don’t think the law ever accounted for ghosts.”

“So, it’s just because I’m an anomaly then?”

“I mean, you are. But it’s not because you’re a spirit, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m more a fan of believing in the spirit of the law, rather than the letter of it anyway. Besides...I have a mom too, you know.”

Nick’s eyes softened for just a moment before he shook his head and hovered about some more in the more open area of the entry hall.

“Right. So. What’s next, bunny cop?”

“I dunno,” Judy admitted as her eyes dried up a little. “I suppose if we can’t use the Big angle, then the Chief might not be so interested in hearing me out. He’s kind of having the whole precinct focus on it. Even if I proposed that she’s a missing mammal, it might get sidelined until we have the resources to manage it.”

“Your police chief sounds like a real piece of work.”

“I think he means well. I think. I just wish I had the charisma to stand up to him a little.”

“Hmm,” Nick thought for a moment out loud. “What you need is someone over your shoulder, guiding you along. Someone who’s a bit smarter than you, especially with the street smarts.”

“ Smarter ?” Judy asked with an offended tone. “What the heck is that supposed to mean?”

“Give me a moment, I’m thinking.”

Nick hovered around again before turning his gaze upwards to the ceiling.

“I need to go try something. I’ll be back in the morning, so wait for me before you go to work. Okay?”

His ascension paused as he poked his head out from the ceiling and looked down at Judy.

“Oh. And...I’m sorry for making you cry.”

And with that, he was gone.

Judy huffed to herself. An apology wasn’t what she was expecting from the ghost, he seemed more concerned that he had upset her over anything else he had said. But, it was something at least. And she was more than a little curious about what he had in mind.

Chapter Text

Judy didn’t see Nick the rest of the night which led to a quiet, if rather questionable, evening alone. After finishing up her dinner, she decided to boil some tea as a healthier substitute to the coffee she had been regretfully picking up as a habit. Her night was spent with a relaxing mental recovery that was much needed, sitting in the living room and sipping at her drink while reading that one book she had always been meaning to get around to.

The house could be quite nice when it was peaceful. And there was a warmth in her chest all through the evening until she was getting too tired to stay up. With her cup and the first several chapters of her book finished, Judy quietly collected her things and prepared for bed.

A wash of the face and a change later and there were still no signs of Nick.

Judy frowned as she brushed at her teeth. Whatever he was doing, he hadn’t been making a sound all evening. After finishing washing up, she stepped over the box, which had been left discarded in her bedroom as she stared up at the ceiling.

“Nick?” she called out. “Are you still there?”

“Can’t exactly go anywhere. Can I, Carrots?”

Judy smirked as she flipped off the lights and climbed into bed and threw the blanket over her. “Just making sure. Goodnight, Nick.”

“Goodnight, Carrots.”

Wrestling with the sheets, Judy quickly noticed that her stuffed bunny had gone missing from its usual spot. Even lifting up her pillow, she couldn’t find it and it was too dark to go looking for it on the floor. She told herself that she would find it in the morning before slowly drifting off to sleep. It had been a very emotionally draining day and she didn’t want to concern herself with every little thing. Her eyes only flitted open once to look up at the ceiling, before she briefly wondered what Nick was doing up there and hoping that he’d remember to get some sleep.

Of course then she wondered if ghosts even needed to sleep…

Morning came with the singing of birds as Judy rose, having gotten the most sleep she had in weeks. With a solid crack of the neck, she climbed out of bed, did her morning stretching, and hopped down to fetch her breakfast.

It was the perfect hour. 6 AM. The exact time she loved to get up. Not too early, but early enough that she could accomplish a handful of tasks before the actual day started. Munching on some fruit from the kitchen, Judy suddenly had the idea that she fancied a jog. She hadn’t been keeping up with her exercises since she had arrived in the city and today might be the best chance to get back into the routine.

As she finished up and collected her running pants, she called out to her ghostly roommate again.

“Nick? I’m going to go jogging and then I have to get to work. Are you going to be ready by then?”

“That’ll take an hour, right? Yup, definitely by then.”

Smiling, Judy got dressed and skipped to the stoop, doing a few more stretches as a warmup as she readied her headphones to face the day.

The city was as alive as Judy was.

Even with the sun having barely risen, people were all over the streets going about their day. Some were already going to work as Judy hopped in between their legs. She moved with a strange grace and confidence. Today was going to be a good day, somehow she could feel it even though she couldn’t exactly explain why. Perhaps simply because her more recent days had been plagued with all sorts of conflict that it couldn’t possibly get worse. And Judy didn’t believe in jinxes.

Judy had already picked out her route for the morning, a quick run to Rhino Road before she’d double back to Frost Way just as the weather wall engines would heat up and make the street warm to her naked feet. Then she’d wrap up going the long way through Winchester back to home. The city was slowly starting to worm its way in her heart and almost feeling like home. She had been excited before, for certain. But that was before all the mess with the house reared its head and hardships through work. It was the tough sort of love, the kind you had to work for. And, to Judy, that was the best kind. Challenges always excited her as they were walls that she could knock down. They made sense in a world as crazy as the one she lived in. The kind with ghost roommates with connections to mob bosses, evidently.

By the end of her route, she had gotten to her optimal heart rate as planned and was moving at a brisk pace though no longer jogging. A cold shower sounded lovely before work, to cool down with the summer heat about to set in over her part of the city. Outside, other mammals were drinking lemonade already or watering the plants around their stoops. There was a rhythm to the city. A method to the madness that Judy hadn’t noticed before. But now if she listened, she could just make out the beat.

That was when she stopped short at the small shape stepping out from the nearby alleyway. The sudden halt in her running threw off her equilibrium entirely as Judy had to balance herself to keep from tumbling over.

“Oh!” said the tiny being that had crossed her path. “Sorry about that...Wait, Judy?”

Judy had thought that wig and outfit looked familiar as she popped the headphones out of her ears to address the arctic shrew that had wandered out into the sidewalk. She then knelt, both to get to the rodent’s level and to rub at her ankle which had gotten twisted from her sudden stop.

“Morning Fru Fru.”

“Sorry,” the shrew immediately apologized. “I wasn’t really watching where I was going. Is your foot okay?”

“It’ll be fine,” Judy replied with a genuine smile. “I should be walking now anyway to cool down from the running. Avoid pulling a muscle incase I haven’t already. Don’t want to end up with a broken leg!”

From the ground, Judy had a better look at Fru Fru. She was wearing her usual work uniform and style, but the makeup was all off. Upon closer inspection, it almost looked like the shrew’s eyeliner was running, something she might not have noticed from up high.

“You okay?” Judy asked.

“Yeah,” replied Fru Fru as she tucked a small phone into her tiny pocketbook. “Just had a rough phone call with daddy. You know how it is.”

“It didn’t go well?”

“He’s just a brute. And very, very controlling about all things. One of the reasons why I was in such a hurry to leave was that he’s been getting paranoid lately with work lately. I think he was expecting me to inherit the family business or something.”

“Oh yeah? What does he do?”

“Oh, just some limo services in Tundratown and he supports a few other small time gigs all around the city, nothing too fancy but enough that I never had to worry about money growing up. I know what you’re thinking. Spoiled rich girl didn’t want to live using daddy’s credit card her whole life. Nah, there’s more to it than that...But, you don’t want to hear it.”

“I don’t mind,” Judy chimed in with a smile as she squatted down. “You listened to my problems the other day, after all. But maybe we should take this where there’s less through traffic.”

“Right. The street. I really need to remember I’m not in Little Rodentia else I’m going to get stepped on someday.”

And with that the two ushered away back down the side alley Fru Fru had just stepped out of. They were near enough to the grocery store that Judy wagered Fru Fru must have been on her way to work when the call came. There were cigarette butts and trash all over the place, a far more unpleasant view compared to the one Judy had just come from while jogging everywhere. Judy took a seat on a nearby bench, the remains from some bus stop that must have been removed recently. She offered her paw to Fru Fru on the ground, who used it as a lift so she could take the open seat next to Judy.

“Thank you,” Fru Fru replied as she settled in. “Like I said, I think he always expected me to be the one to inherit the family business. He’s always been quite proud of his little empire, no matter how trivial I always thought it was. So, when I started dating this one guy and things got serious, he proposed as one does. Daddy saw that as another competitor to his business and had a little talk with him.”

“Wow. You weren’t kidding, that’s a little paranoid. Should I be concerned as a police officer?”

“I’d rather you didn’t. Besides, he didn’t hurt him or anything. Just scared him real bad. Daddy’s always been good at giving people the evil eye even when he’s all talk and less bite. People probably would walk all over him if they knew otherwise. Anyway, that was when I confronted him about it, when my supposed fiance dumped me. It was this huge thing. Our little family disagreement spread to all corners of the family business and folks suddenly started having to take sides. I didn’t want to cause my daddy anymore stress and had had just about enough of being controlled by him, so I left. Didn’t tell him where I was going either, though I’m pretty sure he still knows where I am. I see his goons still keeping an eye on me from time to time.”

“That sounds terrible. Are you sure you don’t want me to have a talk with him?”

“I don’t think that will go so well,” Fru Fru sniffed, though she was at least smiling now. “Besides, I’m not completely helpless. I managed to swipe a few things from him before I stormed out of the place.”

Judy frowned at that. “You were stealing ?”

“Not stealing! And it wasn’t anything bad like his credit card or jewels. It was just some old junk and stuff that belonged to mom. You know, like her dresses, a few books she used to read to me, and some old key that I had no idea what it goes to but would probably annoy him if he found out it was missing.”

Judy breathed a sigh of relief that she wouldn’t have to bring her new friend into the police station, at least. “That’s...More acceptable, I suppose.”

“Well, I aim to please. Anyway, he didn’t even notice the stuff was gone. His phone call was more about just checking up on me and trying to convince me to come home. As if. I may not particularly like Grand Pangolin Arms, but it’s my home gosh darn it! I’m not going to just give it up because daddy says I shouldn’t lower myself with it.”

Judy chuckled. “I can relate to that with my own place…”

“Yeah! We’re both doing pretty good, right? I mean, out on our own as two girls taking on the big city. We’re strong and independent! Right!”

“True,” Judy smirked. “But I suppose sometimes it wouldn’t hurt to have a little support every now and then. I’m sure your dad means well. Not about everything, of course. The stuff with your fiance sounds pretty rough though.”

“Oh, don't even get me started on him. I could spend all morning talking about that little craven…”

And so Fru Fru did.

At least, that’s almost what it felt like before Judy checked her phone to notice that she had stayed out a good forty five minutes over her intended time jogging and didn’t want to be late for work. Fru Fru took her excuse with stride though, laughing as she waved Judy goodbye.

“I should probably get started on my shift too,” she called out as Judy stretched before getting back home. “Thanks for hearing me whine for an hour, Judy!”

“Anytime! Maybe we should hang out when we’re both not busy sometime!”

“I’ll invite you over! You should meet my landlady, I think she’d like you!”

And with that, Judy started jogging back to 111 Winchester. She was going to have to forego her shower before work, but it was a fair trade for making another friend in the city. It certainly didn’t hurt to have more of those in times like these. She wore a smile at that thought as she unlocked the door  home and stepped inside the cool entry hall.

“You’re late,” said Nick, sounding sarcastically annoyed.

“Sorry,” Judy apologized as she finished locking up the door. “I ran into a friend on the way back and she’s quite the chatterbox apparently, so…”

As Judy turned around, she discovered that the entry hall was empty. Save for her stuffed rabbit, which was on the floor next to the stairs, there didn’t seem to be anyone around at all. No ghosts, anyway.

“Nick?” Judy asked as she stepped further into the house. “Where are you?”

“Here.”

“Where’s here?”

“Down. That’s it.”

Judy slowly looked at her feet to find the sight of her stuffed bunny doll standing up on its plush legs and waving at her. All on its own.

“...What,” was all Judy managed to get out.

“It took me a while to figure out,” Nick explained as the doll paced around the floor. “I’m able to pass through objects and people. But even when I’m doing that, there’s always some sort of connection. I can’t explain it. But I figured it out with practice last night. If I time it just right, I’m able to possess something and move it around like my own body. Of course, I can’t exactly feel anything. It’s more like a puppet with string. But what do you think?”

The doll spread out its arms as if presenting itself to Judy. She squatted down for a closer inspection of the little toy, which barely came up to her shins. She had been wondering where it had gone last night, only to find out that Nick had borrowed it for his own purposes. She wished he had asked her, but then the fox seemed to like his surprises. She was just struggling to find the right words to describe her thoughts.

“...I think that somewhere there’s a toy store missing its stuffed animal.”

“Har har,” Nick replied, arms at his waist. “Look, a stuffed rabbit wasn’t my first choice but it’s the only thing vaguely mammal-shaped that I can think of. I don’t know how you can stand being a bunny. The ears are annoying and you don’t even have a real tail.”

“Well, pardon me for being a bunny. So, what you’re saying is you’re able to do possession now?”

“Looks like it.”

“Does it work on people too?”

“Dunno and I don’t think I want to try it. I may be a hustler, Carrots. But that’s a huge violation of privacy, even for me. Even if they were willing, I’d still feel dirty even attempting it and there would be no way to tell what happens. It might be bad for both of us. We might even merge into one being. Who can say?”

“Point taken. So, what are you hoping this accomplishes then? I don’t see how this is any different than before.”

“Well, whenever I’d try to leave the house as a ghost, I’d be blocked like there was an invisible barrier I couldn’t pass through. My theory is that this is because my spirit is tethered to this place. So, what if I tethered myself to an object instead? With enough focus, I can keep inside this doll and even walk around like a person. Sure, the form might not be ideal. But I can go with you and help on your investigation to find my mother, Carrots. Make sure you’re doing the right thing and not screwing up.”

“I’m not going to screw up,” Judy sighed. “You really don’t trust me yet, huh?”

“Live a little and you’ll learn not to trust people so easily. Let me sweet talk that police chief of yours like this. I’ll run circles around him with my natural charisma.”

“Uh huh,” Judy replied, resisting rolling her eyes. “And are you sure this little possession plan of yours will work?”

“Dunno. I was going to try going outside as soon as you were back home to open the door. So, let’s find out.”

Judy sighed as she stood up and walked over to the door to open it.

She watched as her stuffed bunny doll began to waddle over at a much slower speed. The toy wasn’t built for movement in mind, just being soft and looking cute. And cute Nick did look as he shuffled about in the poorly built body, tripping over once and pulling himself up. It was a bit like watching a baby attempting to take its first steps. For that reason alone, Judy stifled her laughs though this whole situation was beyond ridiculous.

When Nick was close enough to the door, she opened the way and Nick took his first steps out into the bright sun.

For ten years, he had been trapped in the house as a ghost. Judy could only imagine the relief in being able to finally go into the outside world again. Though he couldn’t feel the warmth of the sun or smell the scents of the city, he could at least walk the streets again.

The rabbit doll turned its head in Judy’s direction. Though it didn’t have a mouth, only button eyes, she could swear she saw him grinning.

“Told you it’d work.”

Chapter Text

Thanks to Fru Fru, Judy was on a bit of a time limit with less breathing room than she would have liked to prepare for work. There was no way she could shower, but she had gone days without bathing before on the farm. She just hoped that her co-workers wouldn’t mind.

As she slipped into a clean uniform and ran a can of deodorant all over her body she turned to the bunny doll waiting for her at her bed.

“Do I stink?”

“I can’t breathe or smell, Carrots. Remember?”

“Right. Sorry. What’s all this?”

While Judy had been finishing changing, Nick had been doing his own preparations for work. He had dug out the backpack she kept in her closet with various other things, including the locket around his neck. There were some oddities amongst the bunch too, like a fork and what looked like a large sewing hook.

“My tools,” Nick said. “It’s handy to have this stuff in case you need to break open a locked door.”

“I’m a police officer, Nick. We don’t lockpick doors.”

“Well, you never know, right?”

“And the necklace? Are you sure you want to bring that? The thing doesn’t even--”

Nick’s stubby paws fiddled with the golden object in such a way that it sprung open.

“...Open.”

“You just need the magic touch, Carrots. I figured we could use this in the search. Have a look.”

The stuffed rabbit shuffled over to her and held up the locket, which Judy leaned over to accept. As she expected, there was something inside the necklace. A picture. Judy saw two foxes, a young todd and an older vixen. The vixen was carrying the todd on her shoulders while the young fox laughed. Judy could recognize features from Nick in both of them.

“That’s the only picture I have of her,” Nick said. “So it’s lucky Finn found it when he did. She probably looks older now but it’s what we have to go off of.”

“...Good thinking,” Judy said as she closed the locket and tucked it into her belt. “I’ll keep it safe then. Now, are you sure you want to do this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, this whole possession thing is new for you, right? Isn’t it going to be a little dangerous without testing it first?”

“What’s the worst that can happen? I’m already dead.”

“Point taken. Just didn’t want you to feel forced into it. If you’re sure then get in the bag.”

Now it was Nick’s turn to be confused. “What? Why?”

“What do you mean why? Did you seriously think I was going to carry you around everywhere like a little girl? I have a job to do, Nick. People would never take me seriously with a stuffed animal in my arms.”

“Then why do you own a stuffed animal to begin with?”

“I don’t have to take you with me, you know…”

“Alright, alright. I’m getting in the bag. See? Just don’t close it too tightly, I won’t be able to breathe.”

“You don’t breathe,” she reminded him.

“So, you do pay attention to me when I talk.”

“Sorry, can’t hear you,” Judy replied with a smirk as she hoisted the backpack up over her shoulder. “Now we gotta run or I’m gonna be late.”

Judy had never been more thankful to be as close to the station as she was today. A short jog allowed her to reach it with five minutes to spare before the bullpen started. She was allowed a short moment to catch her breath as she stepped into the entrance of the building. Though it was followed by the sound of a zipper opening behind her back.

“Huh,” said Nick. “You know, I always wondered what it was like inside this place. Of course, I was never incompetent enough to get caught and find out.”

“Get back in there,” Judy whispered. “The last thing we need is people seeing you walk and talk.”

“Judy!” called a familiar cheetah from the desk as he waved her over. “Good morning! Have a moment?”

“Morning, Clawhauser. I gotta run to get to the bullpen, so…”

“It will just take a second,” Clawhauser turned his screen around. “Look, see? When you change your name, you have to post it in the newspapers for legal purposes. So what I’ve been doing is going through all the old papers in the last ten years or so trying to find what became of Marla Wilde. I haven’t found anything yet but I think it’s only a matter of time if we approach it like this.”

“Pretty smart,” Nick said from Judy’s backpack. “But she wouldn’t necessarily want to go the legal way if she didn’t want to get found.”

“Pardon?” asked Clawhauser, who hadn’t been looking up.

Judy let out a cough. “I’m sorry, I said she wouldn’t necessarily want to do it the legal way, Clawhauser. Especially if she was worried that someone would go looking for her.”

“Ooh, yeah. I wouldn’t have thought of that.”

“It was a good idea though, Clawhauser. Keep at it anyway because maybe we might get lucky. But I gotta run!”

“Of course! See yah, Jude.”

Judy waited until she was out of hearing distance before grumbling at Nick.

“Please, let me do the talking.”

“Sorry,” Nick replied as he stuck his head out again. “But wow, that’s a big cheetah. I thought I had seen everything in the city already. Way to prove me wrong, big guy.”

Judy sighed and pushed Nick’s head down as she shut her backpack tighter. She couldn’t very well be angry with him. After spending five years trapped in his house, this was probably all very exciting for him and he didn’t want to stay trapped in a sack the whole time. She paused at a quiet spot in the hall to whisper to him.

“What did you mean by she wouldn’t want to do it in a legal way? I figured she would want to stick to the law, all things considering.”

“Under normal circumstances, she would,” Nick muttered back a muffled reply. “However, I just wanted to weigh all our options. There are plenty of ways for a mammal to disappear in the city, take it from me. And on the long list of crimes, a change of name is probably low on the list. I loved my mother but she wasn’t a saint. None of us are.”

Judy hummed. “Still. Why would she want to disappear like that entirely…”

There was something very strange about Marla’s decision, the more Judy thought about it. Almost like she was running from something. It was a thought that carried with her as she stepped into the meeting room.

As always, the bullpen was rowdy. More so than usual too, given how restless everyone had been over the Big case. Fangmeyer was taking out her frustrations on Higgins, armwrestling the poor hippo and toying with him like she was playing with her food. At least some of the other officers had more productive things to be doing with their time. Judy smiled at Pennington, who was attempting to knit a scarf with her big elephant hooves. Judy took her normal seat next to McHorn as she carefully set her backpack down on the floor. The rhino gave her a small glance and a huff. That brief acknowledgement of her existence was the most progress Judy had made with her fellow co-worker.

They weren’t waiting long for the main attraction. As soon as Bogo stepped into the room, everyone began pounding on the tables as was tradition. Instead of the usual dismissively bored tone, however, Bogo was much more stern with his approach.

“Not today, everyone. Shut it.”

The serious tone was something all the officers knew at this point. A reservation for only the most important of talks. Bogo didn’t give them any hints as to what that could be used for as he cleared his throat and calmly approached his lecture stand, folding through the stack of papers he had been carrying in his hooves.

“Right then,” he said as he sorted through everything. “We’re all present and accounted for today? Wolfard. Fangmeyer. McHorn. Pennington. Hopps. Good, good.”

Judy’s ears went straight up at her name. In truth, this was the first time she had been openingly identified by the chief during one of these meetings. It was strange when, in her first bullpen, Bogo had been so dismissive of her that he hadn’t even bothered to introduce her to the rest of the team.

“I’ve been following all of your reports,” Bogo explained. “In regards to the big case. The Big Case, as it were. Our progress into the investigation has turned up with less than we hoped. Some of you had a few interesting leads, though I’m still not sure about chasing ghosts.”

Across the hall, Judy could sense Wolfard flinch. Little did he know just how close he could have been had Nick still actually been alive.

“And, unfortunately, our hopes in finding a smaller avenue of approach into the Big family through means of old documents has been proven less than fruitful, despite Hopps and Clawhauser’s best efforts. We’re running out of options. And that’s very much what this meeting has to do with today. You see, we have ourselves a little guest. And I expect all of you to be on your best behavior when he arrives. And most of all, I need your help to give him something that can satisfy him or we may be having to look at budget cuts in our near future.”

There was a chorus of murmurs at the mere mention of budget. None of the officers were paid with any life of luxury. Though Judy was a raw recruit, she had done her research and saw that the career of a cop was not something one did for the riches nor the pizazz. It was something that folks did for the sake of making the world a better place, or so she assumed. Budget cuts or not, she would do her job regardless. Though the fearful look on all her fellow’s faces told her that it was more than money that had people spooked.

“Is anyone getting sacked?” Wolfard spoke.

“Not if I can help it,” answered Bogo. “I would sooner lose the billiard table in the breakroom than have to give up any of my officers. But the mayor may not see it that way, unfortunately.”

Judy frowned at that before being distracted by the sound of a zipper being undone. The other officers in the room were a little preoccupied that none of them paid much mind to the fact that there was now a stuffed bunny poking its head out of the backpack below Judy’s chair. Nor did they notice when she ducked her head underneath the table.

“What is it?” Judy asked the toy.

“This is sounding a little serious,” Nick whispered up at her. “Is everything okay?”

“This is normal for the case. Did you think being a police officer meant never having to worry about consequences?”

“More so the whole losing your job thing. You’re a meter maid, right? What happens when the boss decides they need to cut corners and let someone go. You’ll be the first one on the list, right?”

Judy found she couldn’t say anything in response to that as she hadn’t considered it. She was the newest recruit to the ZPD, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. Her welcome hadn’t been the warmest already and sometimes she could swear that Bogo was only tolerating her for the sake of looking good in front of the mayor, though he’d never admit it. Judy was just as surprised that Nick would care about her position as a police officer until he spoke again.

“Just saying. If you lose your job then I lose my in with the tools of the ZPD. That’s when they start asking questions about my mother that they shouldn’t.”

“Thanks,” Judy replied with a growl. “Any ideas that you want to share?”

“I’m thinking, I’m thinking…”

All while the two had been whispering to each other, the rest of the room had been feverishly discussing their own concerns with the supposed shortcomings of the precinct. The buzz was interrupted by the sound of the intercom on the ceiling chiming to life with Clawhauser’s voice on the other end.

“Uh, Chief Bogo? Mayor Lionheart is here and ready to speak with everyone.”

“Thank you, Clawhauser. See him in, please.”

Suddenly, all the tension in the room rose to an even higher degree. The mayor wanted to speak with them all personally? From what they all knew about the mayor, he was a busy mammal. It was almost impossible to get any sort of date set with him without waiting months in advance. For him to throw that all aside for a personal appearance at the ZPD had everyone sitting up straight in their seats, Judy included as she left Nick hanging out of her bag slightly.

She had met Mayor Lionheart once before.

He had been there to personally congratulate her at the Academy graduation and offered her the position in Precinct One in front of the cameras. Of course, Judy figured it out by now that the appearance was to look good in public. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of the large lion as he stepped into the meeting room, suit freshly tailored and mane combed back and a suitcase in paw. Despite the concern shared amongst all the officers, the mayor approached them all with a large smile, though not so large that he’d show them his fangs.

“There they are,” he said. “The best of the best in the ZPD. Precinct one! How is everyone on this fine Tuesday morning?”

There was a collection of awkward utterances that didn’t do well enough to disguise the palpable tension from the gallery. Even Judy had held her tongue, wearing a fake smile as she watched the mayor take Bogo’s place at the stand at the front of the room while the chief resigned himself off to the corner, arms crossed and eyes sharp on his officers like a parent watching their child on the playground closely. Lionheart set down his suitcase next to the podium before he adjusted his tie.

“Now then,” Lionheart spoke as he inspected the papers left behind by Bogo. “As I understand it, the investigation into our little case here has turned up with less than what we’ve hoped to uncover by now. Is my understanding correct?”

A chorus of affirmations were spoken by the same souls brave enough to talk.

“And may I ask why that is?”

Lionheart glanced around the room as no one dared speak this time. His winning smile slowly soured as Bogo became the one to step in. Judy gulped as, for the first time since she got to the city, she felt like small prey in the eyes of the giant lion. That only served to make Bogo look very brave indeed as he stood up to the mayor.

“My officers have all been putting everything they have into this case, Mayer Lionheart. We just need to find the right angle of approach and it’s only been a couple of weeks.”

“A couple of weeks while this crook has been allowed to roam freely for years,” Lionheart scowled before he remembered himself and smiled again. “But you are right about one thing, of course. I can see that you’ve all been working very hard in this case. Though, I have to wonder if your resources have been properly used.”

“I beg your pardon, Mayor Lionheart?”

“You can work yourself to the bone pushing a heavy box up the stairs. But why not just use the elevator, Chief Bogo? Surely that’s the smarter way of doing things. That’s exactly what I mean by not approaching from the right angles.”

“There is an inherent danger to doing things outside the letter of the law, Mayor Lionheart. You should know that.”

“Of course. And I would never go on record for suggesting anything like that. Have any of you folks ever gone fishing before?”

More silence from the crowd.

“No? I suppose that’s more something for predators then. Folks say that it’s all relaxing but that’s only if you’re an amatuer with all the time in the world to kill. Real fishers know that you can’t wait around for the fish to come to you. You need to know the sweet spots and meet the fish there. Feel the river. Or just provide some tastier bait.”

The mayor smiled for a moment as he let his words pass over the crowded room, savoring the anticipation like one of his practiced speeches. Then he cleared his throat and sorted through his papers.

“Now then. I’ve come to you this morning asking for ideas. Forget about the passive approach, waiting for Big to come to us. Instead, I want to find something that will bait him to us. Mammals like him, they’re sharks. They circle around and pretend they’re the kings of the ocean. But even sharks have a blind spot right between the eyes. So, I’ve come to ask you again. Is there anything you very smart and very capable officers can think of?”

The bullpen was like a graveyard with some of the other officers keeping their heads down. Lionheart maintained his smile though he folded up the papers he was holding.

“Very well, then. Perhaps we’ll have to have a closer look then, Chief Bogo, on how our precious resources are getting used. More than a few might have some questionable ties...”

“I, uh, I might have something, sir.”

All eyes in the room turned to the rather timid wolf crouched in the corner of the room opposite of Judy. Wolfard looked like being the center of attention was the last place he wanted to be, though he was also the one who had spoken up before too about budget cuts. With the spotlight on him, his ears were down and his voice lowered.

“It’s, uh, it’s a bit of a long shot though, sir. I came up with the idea before but there were too many obstacles and--”

“That’s fine. Just spit it out, son. Let’s hear it.”

“Well, business-mammals like Mister Big all tend to have record keepers or runners for info amongst potential clients. We have it on record that Big had one guy who did both. Though he was a bit of a strange and private one who was always hard to get a hold of unless you knew him  A, uh, Wild Card as it were.”

“Well, now. That’s certainly something to go off of,” Lionheart said with a smile before he glanced back to Bogo. “Funny how this is my first time hearing all of this.”

“Outside of hearsay, there’s been no proof to the mammal’s existence,” Bogo responded. “It’s chasing a rumor and nothing more.”

“But it is something. And I might know something to that effect as well, come to think of it. The name sounds very familiar to me. Perhaps we can discuss this in private then? What’s your name, son?”

“Uh, Wolfard, sir. Officer Gregory Wolfard.”

“Well, Greg, I’d very much like to have a discussion with you, so long as Bogo doesn’t mind?”

The chief crossed his arms and glared at Wolfard, like he was the cause of all this before relenting.

“Fine then. The rest of us will discuss how to pursue proper police work instead of urban legends from the streets.”

Wolfard shrunk a bit in his chair before he slid to the floor and approached the mayor with his tail and ears still low. Judy’s eyes, however, had turned to the floor as she watched another shape that no one else seemed to notice waddling towards the two mammals.

“Nick,” she hissed at the floor. “Wait!”

But it was far too late for that. Nick either didn’t hear her or pretended not to hear her as he tumbled along on his stubby stuffed feet towards the podium. Judy debated the wisdom in following him before throwing caution to the wind and slipping out of her chair to pursue, snatching up her backpack on the way so she’d have something to put him in. The both of them were small enough in a room full of much larger mammals that they could go by relatively unnoticed.

Judy, however, had a harder time navigating through the legs of the tables and her fellow officers. Nick was much smaller than her and flexible.. It wasn’t long before he was completely out of her reach as he crossed the floor and made his way towards Lionheart’s suitcase. With a push of his stubby hands, he knocked the case open and crawled his way inside before shutting it most of the way just as Lionheart reached down and grabbed it before crossing it completely.

“Well then, Greg. Shall we? What’s a good room to go to for a quick meeting?”

“Uh, the upstairs rooms are generally kind of quiet and no one should bother us there.”

“Splendid. Lead the way then, please.”

Judy ducked under her desk just as the two of them passed her by, completely not noticing her at all.

Judy sighed as she fell back on the floor. What the heck was Nick thinking, diving head first into the fray like that?

Sure it wasn’t his butt on the line if he left a bad impression at her place of work, but with the mayor of all people? The only figure in the entire city who could actually pose any sort of threat to Bogo and the rest of the ZPD? He must have heard his old calling card and immediately jumped to the occasion, trying to involve himself as much as he could. Judy could imagine he’d feel pretty useless as a stuffed animal, so she hoped that was his way of trying to help. If not she was going to be furious with him, not that she wasn’t already going to kill him when she got her paws on him. If he screwed up anything while the mayor was here, even if they didn’t see him move or talk, they’d find a stuffed rabbit in the mayor’s briefcase. A rabbit that could be traced back to her.

Sitting on the ground as Bogo and the other officers rambled on above her, Judy debated her options briefly. Either she could wait around and hope for the best or go in and get Nick out of there. In her mind, there was only one option.

She waited for an opening as Bogo turned around and dashed out under the door, out of sight from everyone.

Once in the hall, Judy scanned everywhere for signs of where the mayor and Wolfard had gone. She still wasn’t sure yet how she was going to explain to the mayor that she needed to see his suitcase but that could come one step at a time. She caught the pair already stepping into the elevator hitting the button to go up to the top floor of ten. Grunting Judy turned to the staircase instead with the hopes of beating them and cutting them off. Unfortunately, her jogging that morning had already taken its toll on her and she found herself to be quite exhausted by the third flight.

Somehow, she summoned the energy to climb all the way to the top just as the two exited the elevator. Judy was only given the briefest of moments to catch her breath before Lionheart and Wolfard turned down the hall towards the upper meeting rooms Bogo normally used for special occasions. She hid against the columns when Wolfard looked her way for the briefest of moments.

She moved to reach the door before they could close it but found she was too late to get inside anyway and stopped for a moment to breathe.

“What am I doing?” Judy gave herself a moment to ask as she leaned against the door.

The situation was far from ordinary and Judy was already too far into it to just politely walk right in and ask to see the mayor’s suitcase, she felt. What was more, after taking a moment to pause and listen, she found that she could hear the pair talking quite loudly, thinking that they were alone on the top floor.

“...This Wild person,” Lionheart thundered out. “Like I said down below, I happened to have known someone by the name, in fact. I seem to recall a faint glimmer of an incident back early in my career several years ago with a fox, a vixen, coming into the offices and causing quite a stir. I remember it very vividly because I was late for an important...Meeting with some other officials. I recall thinking that she was quite disturbed.”

“That’s, uh, an interesting story, sir,” Wolfard replied. “What became of her?”

“Oh, we sent her out, of course. She seemed quite frightened of something or other. I didn’t look too much into it. But it does give me the idea here. This Wild Card, what if it happens to be a surname? Perhaps? Very interesting thought though, no?”

“It is, sir. I…”

Judy heard the sound of sniffing as she stilled her breath.

“Sorry, sir,” said Wolfard as he continued his sniffing. “It’s just...I smell someone out there.”

Now more than ever Judy was cursing herself for not taking a shower when she could. She debated briefly if she should book it or not when the thumping sounds of footsteps approached her. By then it was too late and she was caught in the spotlight at the mayor towering over her from the doorway.

“Can I help you?” asked the lion with more than a sour tone on his lips.

Judy found that she didn’t have anything she could say in return as she stammered from getting caught. It was only by the saving grace of Wolfard that she wasn’t left to be torn to shreds by Lionheart before she could even find her tongue.

“Hopps?” asked the wolf as he rose from his seat. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Hopps,” Lionheart’s entire face changed as he seemed to recognize her name, at least. “Judy Hopps! The first bunny office of the ZPD, of course. Sorry for the scare. What brings you here, Officer Hopps?”

In that moment, Judy was suffering from extreme stress at this increasingly tense situation that she blurted out the first thing that wouldn’t make her seem like either she was spying on the two or here to make a fool of herself. Especially if it was in front of the mayor who was considering making cuts to the ZPD.

“I, uh, I...I’ve come with information regarding the whole...Wild Card lead.”

Judy had heard somewhere that the best lies were laced with a sprinkling of truth. Unfortunately, she had blurted out almost nothing but the truth as the mayor smiled widely and showed her in.

“Truly? Wonderful! Come on in then, we’re beginning to form our own little taskforce it seems.”

Judy swallowed her tongue as she gingerly stepped into the room and eyed Lionheart’s suitcase just sitting on the floor. How would either of them react if she grabbed the case and just booked it out of the room? Unfortunately, she wouldn’t get to find out as Lionheart solidly closed the door behind her.

“So, Office Hopps. Tell us. What do you have to provide to the investigation? Does it happen to do with that backpack of yours?”

Judy’s stomach churned as she remembered that she had been holding the knapsack the entire run up to the top floor. She stumbled with it before opening it.

“Uh, yes, actually. In fact. Here, um, let me see what we have…”

Judy pulled out the lockpicks that Nick had stuffed inside before giggling nervously.

“Uh, how did those get in there? Let’s see, we have this…”

Her paws grasped onto something solid, hard and cold. She pulled it up to reveal the bauble that Nick had given her.

“...This locket,” she answered, finding a little traction. “Remember the other day, Wolfard, when you told me all about the Wild Card?”

“I did?” Wolfard asked. “I mean, I did. I must have.”

“Well, I decided to do a little investigating of my own. Turns out, I remembered seeing something in a local pawn store with that name. Take a look.”

She handed the locket over to the two bigger mammals and hid her paws behind her back as she nervously fiddled with them. Lionheart fiddled with the object with his massive fingers, trying to pry it open, to no avail. Wolfard was also equally unsuccessful which had Judy breathing easier. At least she could protect Nick’s identity well enough.

“It’s locked,” Wolfard commented.

“It is. I’m not even sure it can be opened. But look at the words engraved on the object. See? Wilde Card.”

“Interesting!” Lionheart said as he stood up straight. “Very exciting. Do you think that maybe the vixen that was in my office that one time years ago might have been a lover of the real Wild Card? Maybe they had a bit of a spat with each other and separated. And that was why she was so eager to change her name.”

“Maybe, sir,” Judy gave a fake smile. “It’s certainly a good theory, but we won’t know for sure.”

As Judy drew attention to herself, and away from the briefcase, she noticed that the box was slowly cracking open. Nick’s stuffed head appeared as he quietly inched himself out and onto the floor, behind the desk so he was out of sight. Thinking creatively, Judy began to pace around the room, setting her open backpack down next to the desk as she continued to speak to the two larger mammals.

“Regardless, if there is some connection to all this, it should bear some investigation, at least.”

“Of course,” said Lionheart, clapping his paws together. “I’ll speak with Bogo immediately and tell him that the two of you will be looking into this matter. By my request. I’m not sure what Bogo has been having the two of you do, but you can expect bigger things now.”

Judy continued to fakely smile as Nick slipped back into her backpack. “That’s very kind, sir. But I feel my place is better in the ZPD doing paperwork.”

“Nonsense! You were a frontrunner to the Mammal Inclusion Initiative, Officer Hopps. And Greg here is a veteran officer, so he would be perfect for showing you the ropes if you need a mentor.”

“I am?” Wolfard asked before snapping to attention. “I mean, of course I am, sir.”

“I’ll go speak with Chief Bogo now and tell him you’re both being transferred to this division. You don’t have to worry about any of your current tasks. In the meantime, why don’t you two go debrief and prepare yourselves? You’ll have a busy afternoon ahead of you!”

Judy sighed in relief as she finally managed to walk out of the room with Nick firmly in her arms, within the pack. She and Wolfard both shared an awkward glance, working with each other wasn’t what either of them expected as Judy rubbed at her head.

“I should...Probably go freshen up. I skipped a shower this morning.”

“I noticed,” Wolfard replied before correcting himself. “I mean, I didn’t notice! Well, I did but it’s just ‘cause I’m a wolf and we have our noses that can pick up strong smells. And you just have a strong scent and--oh my god, Greg, shut up.”

Judy awkwardly laughed as the two of them parted ways. She stepped up to the bathroom sink and threw her bag on the counter, having to use the stool to reach it.

“What the heck were you doing?” Nick asked as he came falling out.

“I could ask you the same question,” Judy growled, arms crossed. “Did you want to get caught and ruin everything?”

“You’re doing a pretty good job of that yourself, giving away our locket.”

“I had to do something before the mayor discovered a stuffed bunny in his briefcase and traced it back to me. That was an unnecessary risk.”

“Yeah, but then we wouldn’t have walked away with these,” Nick said, holding up a folder. The words “Mister Big” were stamped in red ink on the cover.

Chapter Text

“I thought I recognized that lion,” said Nick as he poured over the stolen document while Judy washed herself up at the sink. “Leodore Lionheart. Wow. He really hasn’t changed at all since I last saw him. Traded the dirty dealings for a nicer suit though, I wager.”

“Wait a moment,” said Judy as she brushed her ears. “You know Mayor Lionheart?”

“Of course. I know everyone in the city. Or knew, is the operative word now, I guess. I’ve been dead for a while, so it’s hard to say what everyone has been getting up to since then. Maybe safe to say Lionheart’s past came back to haunt him.”

“Why? What did he do?”

“Officially? Nothing. Same as Big, the two prefer to keep their paws clean as they let others do their dirty work for them. But slime leaves a trail and there’s plenty of it concerning those two.”

“Lionheart was the one who gave me a chance in the ZPD. He passed the Mammal Inclusion Initiative…”

“Please. Don’t be naive, something like that is less to do with the rights of smaller mammals and more to do with winning their votes. You know how it works, people tend to vote for their own species because they’re certain their own interests are being catered to that way. A good politician has to pretend to support the pursuits of as many mammals as they can, at least publicly. Why do you think he didn’t recognize you at first? You’re just another rabbit to him until he remembered your name.”

Judy scowled at that as she put the brush down. It wasn’t a shower, but at least she no longer felt sweaty and gross.

“As for what Lionheart did exactly, I’m not sure. I never looked at the paperwork I was given to handle, that’d be too risky. I just kept a lid on it and made sure it didn’t fall into anyone else’s paws. Nice and safe in that little box you dug up. According to this, it sounds like Big and Lionheart had something of a falling out, as of late. Lionheart trying to bury his past and all, Big calling on all favors and threatening Lionheart with exposing his old history if he doesn’t. Have a look.”

Judy scowled and snatched up the paper. It was similar to the letter Clawhauser had shown her before, the one with the list of all the names of family members in the ZPD. Same cut up style with letters from various magazines, photocopied so it wouldn’t leave any traces or handwriting to detect. True to Nick’s word, the language seemed to imply a vague threat with even vaguer details.

“You wanna know the really funny part?” Nick asked. “Big is cashing checks his butt can’t afford. Without the box, that piece of paper is just that. A piece of paper. Sure, he has the key for it. But that won’t do him any good when he doesn’t know where the box is.”

“This must be why Lionheart is so eager for Big to get arrested,” Judy realized. “Or he at least wants us to dig up some dirt on Big for himself to use.”

“Typical politicians. Using the police force as their own private army. Don’t you feel like you’re making the world a better place now?”

Judy frowned at Nick as she tucked the folder and the letter away. The stuffed animal lowered his head.

“Sorry,” he replied. “I know you really believe that. But you need to face the truth that the world’s a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker.”

“Considering I’m having a conversation with a stuffed animal carrying the soul of a dead fox?”

“I mean complicated in the sense that people are never exactly what they seem. I mean, look at you. I never pegged you for a competent cop but here we are.”

“Here we are,” Judy muttered as she patted the folder in between her arms before dropping it into her backpack. “Are you sure that Mister Big is the one who sent this to Lionheart?”

“I mean, who else could it be?”

“You tell me. You were the one who said he knows everyone.”

“It’s gotta be Big. I just can’t see anyone else who would have it out for Lionheart as much as he would. Given their history together, I knew a lot of how the dealings worked between them. We all did. Trust me, Lionheart is as dirty as they come. He’s only looking out for himself which must be why he’s pressuring the ZPD so hard. I’d trust him to throw anyone under the bus if he got really desperate. He was always concerned about reputation and status.”

“Sounds a lot like Big.”

“So, he’d say,” Nick muttered. “But Big had a soft spot for his family that he didn’t like anyone else knowing about. I wonder if this move against Lionheart has to do with his family getting threatened in some way.”

Judy hummed for a moment as she thought back to her own conversations about family lately. It seemed like even mob bosses had hearts for those they cared about. She lifted up her backpack and held it up for Nick.

“Alright. Back in.”

“Come on, Carrots. It’s stuffy in there.”

“Well, thanks to your antics, I now have myself a partner in this investigation into your mother. Like it or not, we’re going to have to work with him. And something tells me he wouldn’t appreciate a talking doll, much less believe it.”

“What’s the problem with that? It doesn’t sound like you care much for him.”

Judy scowled. “And what do you mean by that?”

“It’s in your tone of voice,” Nick chimed. If he had a face, he’d be grinning. “The way you mention him. That dopey wolf talks down to you, huh? Even if he doesn’t mean to. This will be interesting enough that I might be content to sit back and watch…”

Judy sighed as she shoved Nick’s head into the bag and zipped it shut. Though his words had hit their mark well enough as she scooped up the pack and stepped out of the bathroom.

Wolfard had been waiting patiently for her, leaning against the railing as he looked down below at the busy station. The bullpen must have let out as all their fellow officers ventured forth to continue their usual tasks. Though given their cheery faces, Judy guessed that the meeting didn’t go much better from where they had left off.

Wolfard’s ear twitched as he heard Judy close the door behind her.

“Hey,” he greeted, fiddling with his paws as he turned to face the much smaller rabbit. “So, uh, we’re doing this then? Together as a team?”

“Yes,” Judy replied as she put on a professional smile. “Unless you have any reservations or…?”

“Oh, uh, no! Not at all. Just, I’ve never had to work with someone who’s, you know…”

“Know what?”

There was a long awkward silence as Wolfard started to gesture with his paws a suggestion of Judy’s height before he realized what he was trying to say and stopped. The two of them cleared their throats.

“Well,” Judy continued. “You’re the senior officer here. So, I’m happy to follow your lead. What would be our first step, Officer Wolfard?”

“I'm the senior officer,” Wolfard repeated before he jumped to attention. “Right! I am the senior officer here! Uh, well, right now our biggest lead is this Wilde Card fellow and whoever he is to Mister Big.”

“He or she,” Judy reminded him. “Or they. We can’t confirm their gender.”

“Right...Well, you also have that locket, right? Maybe the shopkeeper you bought it from knows more. Or your friend bought it from, like you said.”

“Maybe. Or maybe he knows who sold it to him.”

“What do you mean, Hopps?”

“The shopkeeper most likely only knew it as an item worth its weight in gold, not the name behind it. It’s more likely that the person who sold it to him could tell us more, so they should be the one we ask about rather than anything related to the Wilde Card.”

“Oh. Right, that makes senses. Pretty smart…”

Wolfard’s voice trailed there, like he had more he wanted to say and had bit his tongue hard to keep from speaking further. Judy stared up at him and sighed.

“Do you have a vehicle we can use to get to the shop?” Judy asked. “The only one I have probably won’t fit the two of us.”

“Oh, right. The joke-mobile...Yeah, hang on. Let me go fetch the keys to one of the cruisers and we’ll get started right away.”

Judy watched as the wolf went in the opposite direction of the stairs as she was left with a silent snickering coming from her knapsack.

“Oh,” Nick whispered, undoing the zipper from her bag. “This is already going better than I thought it would…”

Judy passed the time waiting in the garage for Wolfard by giving Finnick a text, using a direct number provided to her by Nick so the fennec fox wouldn’t ignore her. Though she could sense that they were still on awkward terms since their little confrontation, Finnick was more than cooperative with her. He explained that the shop he had visited was on the outskirts of Savannah. The kind of shady place that only people who desperately needed cash would visit.

[That thing was worth more to Marla than anything,] Finnick explained over texts. [Even after the funeral, she kept a close hand on it and never let it out of her sight. So, for her to give it up...Yeah, I had to grab it even if it just about cleared out my savings.]

[It’s a bit strange,] Judy texted back. [Don’t you think?]

[What do you mean?]

[I mean, you said that she wanted to change her name to escape her past, right? Why would she hold onto something that would cause her to remember it for so long? It was something made out to Nick, wasn’t it?]

The conversation went quiet for a long time as Judy’s ears perked up from the sound of Wolfard entering the garage via the nearby lift.

[I couldn’t say,] Finnick finally replied. [Nick always just asked me to look for any signs of her and I found this. What more do you want from me?]

[Alright. Sorry, just putting on my detective hat, I guess,] Judy thumbed at the keyboard before throwing caution to the wind. [Do you want to talk to Nick about it?]

That earned her complete radio silence as Finnick never replied, even when Wolfard stepped up to her swinging his keys around.

“Hey,” he waved. “Uh, all set?”

“Yup.”

“Right this way then. It’s one of the older models and has a few fender benders, but I like it all the same. It’s gotten us out of more than a few scraps before.”

“Us?”

“Yeah, me and Fangemeyer. We’d get into all sorts of trouble like the time we almost drove the cruiser off a tree in the rainforest. Good times.”

“That sounds harrowing,” Judy whispered as she took her place in the passenger seat, which was much too large for her. “Do you still keep in touch with her even though Bogo split you up?”

“Hey, what kind of music do you like?” Wolfard asked almost a little too quickly. “Hope you don’t mind a little bit of hip-hop while I drive.”

“Oh, not at all,” Judy said with a raised eye. “The driver handles the driving so she picks the music, that’s what my mom always told my dad when she drove the family van. Just need to make sure we can hear the radio in case someone goes calling us.”

“Hah, right. Gotta do things by the book…”

Judy could hear some quiet chuckling coming from her bag with her sharper rabbit ears. She was just thankful that Wolfard must have missed it with the music, though the wolf furrowed his brow while she slammed her fist into her bag and smiled politely at him.

What followed was one of the most awkward drives Judy had ever been on.

She gave Wolfard the directions provided by Finnick to the place. He still hadn’t responded to Judy’s last question. Though she was just thankful that Nick wasn’t there to look over her shoulder at her phone to provide even more colorful commentary that was not needed. The air was strangely tense as Judy glanced over to Wolfard.

She had always expected that someday she might get a partner while working at the ZPD. After all, Major Friedkin had hammered into them that they needed to be prepared to work as a team going forward. But Wolfard wasn’t who she expected. If Judy was being honest with herself, he was more than a little condescending to her. Not in a purposeful way, but every conversation they had it felt like he was being delicate around her. Like he was afraid he might step on her or something. Judy blamed herself in some parts, given their first interaction with each other she had been just passingly civil to him. Lack of sleep and the feeling that the whole precinct was looking down on her had been adding up.

Privately, Judy wondered if she should open up a bit more with Wolfard. Show him Nick and explain what she really hoped to gain through this investigation. There was obviously bringing down Mister Big as a priority, and now Lionheart was dragged into it somehow. But beyond all that, what mattered most to Judy was saving a poor soul from an unlife of loneliness and torment. Though Nick hardly seemed the type to appreciate that thought, the ghost had been warming up to her as of late.

She just didn’t like potentially lying to her potential partner. Maybe that was why all this felt so wrong to her.

On the other hand, it was entirely possible Wolfard might throw Marla under the bus if they discovered she had anything to do with this. Judy remembered her promise to Nick as she hugged her bag a little. It was pure luck that the locket hadn’t raised more questions and Judy wasn’t sure what they were going to do yet if they actually found Marla. Judy had to have faith that if this did lead somewhere, Wolfard would be on her side. Despite the condescending attitude towards her, Wolfard seemed like a good cop who just wanted to keep his job. Perhaps a little too much, all things considering but everyone had their reasons for being a police officer. Not all of them had to be noble.

The ride ended with Judy’s silent debate with herself concluding inconclusively.

Wolfard turned down the hip-hop as they pulled into the front of a rather shabby looking building atop a looming acacia tree. It reminded Judy a little bit of the old forts that her dad used to construct for her brothers growing up in the burrows. She noticed that the only way up seemed to be in the form of a series of ladders of various sizes.

“Not very handicap-friendly,” she noted as they stepped out of the vehicle.

“I suppose,” Wolfard said before coughing. “Uh, after you, I guess.”

Judy had grown used enough to climbing in the academy obstacle course that ascending a rickety wooden ladder held together with creaky ropes was nothing. Even with Nick at her back, she arrived gracefully at the door.

Stepping into the shop, her ears were treated to a relaxing chime of a bell and a cool breeze from the air conditioning in the one window of the building. The place was hardly up to code given the state of it. Judy didn’t even notice a security camera in any of the four corners of the ceiling, meaning they couldn’t check for any footage. Not that they would know when they were looking for Marla.

At the counter was a rather grim looking weasel wearing a wifebeater that had various stains. He sucked on a lollipop while reading a newspaper and barely looked up at Judy as she stepped inside.

“Rabbit,” he muttered. “Ain’t got time for trick or treaters today with that costume.”

“ That costume ?” Judy glanced down at her uniform. “Sir, I’m Officer Judy Hopps of the ZPD. We have a few questions for you.”

“Uh huh,” the weasel replied as he rolled his eyes before catching himself. “Wait. We?”

As if on cue behind her, Wolfard finally caught up after getting tangled in one of the rope ladders. He kicked it off his foot as he stumbled into the shop as the owner’s eyes widened with fear when Wolfard’s badge flashed in the light.

“Uh, hi there,” Wolfard said, waving to the weasel. “I'm with her.”

Instantly the weasel’s entire demeanor changed. “I didn’t do nothing! This shop is a perfectly legal business venture!”

“I highly doubt that given the state of the building,” Judy muttered under her breath. “This entire place feels like it could fall out of the tree at any moment. You’re in violation of various codes and city ordinances. Not to mention that the wood feels like it's full of termites and--”

“What my partner means,” Wolfard cleared his throat. “We’re not here for you. We need information. What’s your name, sir?”

“My name?” asked the weasel. “Duke. Duke Weaselton. What’s it to you?”

“Just trying to establish a rapport. I’m Greg and this is Judy. Can you help us, Duke? We’re looking for someone.”

“I don’t help in finding someone’s,” Duke replied, crossing his arms and glaring down at Judy from his stool. “Only in finding something’s. Are you gonna buy something or just talk my ear off?”

“Make an exception,” Judy replied, opening her backpack as Nick handed her the locket to show Duke. “Recognize this?”

“Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t. You can’t expect me to keep a record of everything that goes through my store, bunny.”

“I could if you were the slightest bit competent,” Judy whispered. “Maybe you have some sort of store ledger or receipts, perhaps?”

“Nope. Don’t use that junk because it’s too easy for nosy people like you to trace. My clients pride themselves on privacy. I keep it all in my head.”

“So, you have nothing? Nothing at all?”

“Not a thing. Now kindly leave my store, please.”

Judy was about to lay into the weasel with all the ways that she could bring his establishment down through illegal or frankly neglectful activity. It seemed like she couldn’t take a single step without tripping over something questionable about the shop. From the foundations to the windows, it all smelled funny. Even the tree shifted around beneath her feet if she so much as moved wrong. But before she could raise the issue to Duke, Wolfard put a paw on her shoulder.

“Can you excuse us a moment?” he asked, all smiles.

Duke just shrugged and returned to his paper. “If you’re not coming with any warrant then buy something or get out of here. And don’t stay too long in one place. You’re making the shop lean.”

Wolfard gently pushed Judy along to one corner of the shop away from the hearing range of the weasel as the building continued to dip closer in one direction.

“We need to say something,” she said. “This place is basically a death trap just waiting to happen.”

“That may be,” Wolfard quietly commented. “But we have bigger things to worry about right now concerning this case we’re on. We’ll submit a report to Bogo and have someone else investigate things further down the line when there’s time.”

“But that will take forever and by then he might pick up shop elsewhere! It looks like he just hired an elephant to drop a box in a tree and called it his store.”

“That’s probably not far from the truth, actually. But we need to stay focused here. He’s a guy who has information and threatening him only works if he’s receptive. And believe me, a long and complicated lawsuit is more trouble than it’s worth. Work with me here, okay? We need to get this guy to our side a little and get him talking about the locket you found. Think for a moment. How did your friend work with this weasel?”

Judy thought for a moment about reaching out to Finnick, but he had ignored her texts since she had sent him the last one involving Nick. They were on their own, as far as she was concerned.

A carefully placed kick in her arms gave her a new idea.

“He said he doesn’t want to talk unless it’s about buying,” Judy reasoned. “What if we offered him something in return?”

“Now we’re talking. Do you have something that may be worthwhile?”

“Do you?”

“Don’t look at me. I walked in with what I got. Unless he wants my badge, but I don’t think Bogo would appreciate that. Nor would my ears after he’s done scolding me.”

“Let’s find out then.”

Judy hopped up to the counter, trying to put on a fake smile when she would like nothing more than to drag Duke down to the station. Though Wolfard had a point, as much as she was reluctant to admit it. If the weasel decided to be difficult with them, there would be only so much they could do before the legal system would kick in. Especially if he kept no physical evidence in the store to ever trace anything back to anyone. He was either brilliantly lazy or horribly genius in that regard. Judy hoisted her pack in front of the weasel.

“Mister Wesselton…”

“ Weaselton ,” Duke sharply corrected.

“Me and my partner would rather not have to go through the paperwork it would take to bring you into the station. All we want is information and we’re more than willing to cooperate with you, in that regard. Since your business is trade, would you be willing to talk in exchange for something we have?”

“That depends,” replied the weasel as he barely glanced from his paper. “Maybe I remember something but most likely I don’t. What do you have to offer?”

“Well, let’s see here,” Judy said as she pulled out her trusty carrot pen. “How about this? It’s more useful than you might think. And see here? It comes with a recording device hidden in it, in case you ever need help remembering something again.”

“Pass. I can get one of those for five bucks at the corner store.”

Judy scowled, considering she had spent fifty dollars on it, before Wolfard jumped in.

“What about money in general? A purchase of goods?”

“And how much you got?”

“Uhh,” Wolfard’s voice trailed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the contents. “$14.78 and a few sticks of bubblegum?”

“If you’re going to waste my time, I might just close up shop early and step out for lunch.”

“Just a moment,” Judy said as she glanced down into her backpack and dug around.

It didn’t help that she had a particularly coy looking stuffed rabbit looking up at her with its arms crossed.

“You’re losing him,” Nick whispered.

“I know,” Judy whispered back. “Don’t suppose you have any ideas?”

“Well, the best thing of value would be the necklace. But you can’t really give that up for the evidence side of things. And I’d haunt you forever if you sold him something belonging to my mother. So...Try these.”

Nick handed her the metal prod and stick that he had insisted on her carrying around. Judy scowled as she handled the objects.

“I am not going to trade him the--”

“...Is that the lockpicking kit from before?” Wolfard asked, noticing that Judy had brought up the object in question a little too far out of the bag.

“Huh?” Judy asked as she tried to hide it but knew she’d fail. “Oh, yes. I, uh, happen to know a little bit of it from practice…”

“Practice?”

“Yeah, you never know when something like that will come in handy…On the farm with such old equipment, sometimes we’d have to…Get creative opening things up.”

It wasn’t a very good lie. Judy sensed that and hated that she had been forced to give Wolfard the wrong impression of her when they were still getting familiar with each other. But she couldn’t exactly tell him about Nick yet and where the picks really came from. And it seemed to satisfy Wolfard regardless.

Across the counter, Duke had put down his newspaper entirely and gestured to Judy. “Let me see that, please.”

Judy hesitated before handing it over. They all watched in silence as Duke inspected each tool over and over with quiet patience.

“These are some fancy tools,” Duke muttered. “Where did you get ‘em?”

Nick chuckled from inside the bag. “This weasel has good tastes.”

“I...Found them in the house I’m presently living in. It’s an older house with a lot of secrets.”

“Lucky bunny. These will do perfectly for our exchange.”

“I really don’t know how I feel as a police officer handing over tools that can be used for burglary…”

“‘Used for burglary?’ Bunny, maybe I should be a bit clearer. These things are collectors items, back from the days when mobsters had the run of the city. This is like…An old war relic in a museum. I wouldn’t use them even if my firstborn was trapped in a burning building with a locked door. More to the point…I can tell you the exact date and time I acquired the locket you keep mentioning. Old lady, right? Bit weather worn and kind of tired. Couldn’t tell what species she was, but she had dark fur around her paws and feet. Looks like she’s in her fifties.”

Inside the bag, Judy could feel Nick shift slightly as if he were hanging on every word. Judy swallowed and measured her words carefully. Wolfard was still next to her, after all. And he didn’t know a thing about Marla yet.

“...That could be who we’re looking for, yes.”

“She came in with a lot of her old junk. Most of the stuff I already sold off, but the locket was tougher because it had been ruined by the engraving. No one wants to touch damaged goods. I thought it was strange because most people don’t need that kind of money in a hurry that they’re barely willing to barter. Gave me everything for a set price of a couple thousand dollars, which was probably a quarter of what it was really worth. Best steal I’ve had in awhile.”

“Do you know anything about her?” Judy asked. “Like any sort of identification?”

“Nope, don’t ask that stuff here. Not important as long as the goods are good. Usually someone with that kind of recklessness is in some sort of trouble though. Might be worried for your missing mammal if I were the caring sort.”

“Think that has to do with a run in with you know who ?” asked Wolfard.

Judy gulped. Mister Big. “I hope not.”

“Might be able to still find a trace of her,” said Duke. “Someone like that is sure to live local enough. Had to have been if she was lugging around that kind of furniture last week.”

Judy blinked once. “Wait, what do you mean by last week?”

“This all happened only a week ago, rabbit,” Duke replied, crossing his arms. “Why? Think my memory is so good that I’d recall something from years ago? She came in last Tuesday and sold me everything without much bargaining.”

“Then this trail is fresh,” Wolfard said, clapping his paws together like he had just figured it out. “Maybe we can ask around in the area to see if other people know who she is.”

“Maybe,” Judy said as she glanced down into her bag where Nick had been silent. “Well, thank you very much for your time then, Mister Wellington.”

“...Whatever. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Stepping outside, Judy found that she could breathe again. Not only had the encounter with the weasel been extremely frustrating but also disgusting. She felt like she needed another rinse off in the sink.

“Well,” said Wolfard as he struggled with the ladder next to her. “That went well. I’ll just, uh, go find the cruiser. If I can remember where I parked, that is…”

Judy let out a sigh but smirked to herself. Maybe Wolfard wouldn’t be the perfect partner for her, but he did understand how to keep focused on the bigger picture and knew the legal system. Though Judy had a mental note for herself to investigate Duke Weaselton fully when this whole business with Marla and Mister Big was put behind them.

“That went well, indeed,” said Nick as he crawled his way out of the backpack. “I guess that little weasel was good for something.”

Judy raised an eye to that. “You know him?”

“I thought I told you, I knew everyone. He was just another guy who’d make his living off of doing stuff slightly less reputable than what an average citizen should. Always careful to cover his tracks, but I read him like a book. If you really want to bust him later, then I can point you in the right direction.”

At that thought, Judy’s smile turned genuine. “Thanks, Nick.”

“Eh, it’s nothing. It’s just useless knowledge sitting there, might as well do something with it, right? There’s a lot of my history there that’s gotta amount to something.”

“Still, thank you. Especially for giving me the idea back there.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replied. “Seriously. Don’t forget, you’re doing this to help find my mother so we can sort all this out.”

“Of course,” Judy replied, rolling her eyes. “Well, the good news is if the information from Duke is golden then we can start to narrow it down and find her. The important thing too is that this all happened recently. Very recently.”

“Makes sense, considering how long I’ve had Finnick looking around for clues. I just wonder why now of all times. You don’t think…?”

“We’ll find her,” Judy assured Nick. “Whatever the reason.”

“I hope so, because if Big got his hooks into her then--”

Nick stopped talking as Judy glanced back just to see his head flop over lifelessly. A fear passed through her whole body.

“Nick? Nick!?”

Chapter Text

It had been a day fraught with so much stress and worry that Judy couldn’t even think about dinner as she hurried home that night. After Wolfard both agreed to pick up their investigation first thing in the morning, Judy practically sprinted from the ZPD building and headed straight for 111 Winchester, making no stops and even jaywalking much to her chagrin.

Upon arriving at her home, she fumbled with the lock before prying open the door, not even bothering to close it behind her as she called out to the empty hall.

“ Nick! ?”

Her voice echoed across the walls, leaving a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. For the first time since arriving at Zootopia, it truly felt as if no one was in the house but her. And that thought left her with a sick feeling, like she had lost something extremely important.

“Nick,” she tried again, going for the stairs first.

She began her search in the upstairs bedroom, scouring every corner for any clue or inkling of her phantom fox. But there was no trace, not that there would be anything physical of him left behind. Then she went to the kitchen, which also turned up with nothing. The living room. The guest bedroom. Even the bathrooms. All empty with no signs of him.

Judy clasped herself around the shoulders, shivering as she came to the upstairs hallway for the third time. Though it was the middle of the summer, her entire body had run cold. Worse than whenever Nick was doing it to scare her. Part of her still thought that this was all an elaborate prank again. Another attempt to spook her just for a laugh, only it wasn’t funny in the slightest.

Judy mentally pummeled herself. She knew that there had to be some sort of risk to Nick going out of the house, outside of his boundaries as a ghost. What if something happened to him and the connection severed? What if the experience tore his soul asunder? You couldn’t kill a ghost, but what if something even worse than dying happened to him? And she didn’t stop him. It was the heavy weight of guilt in the pit of her stomach.

That was when the sound of the door shutting caused her to jump.

“Nick!”

Judy fumbled through the upstairs hallway and galloped down the stairs towards the source to find that the front door did indeed close itself. Though it could have just as easily been a strong breeze from outside.

Judy’s run came to an abrupt halt as she found something on the floor. A toy duck with four wheels for rolling, like a child’s toy. Judy knelt down to pick it up and inspected it before a cold needle ran down her spine.

“I know you were raised in a literal barn,” hissed a familiar voice. “But I’d appreciate not inviting robbers into my home, please and thank you.”

Judy practically jumped out of her fur at the sight of the red fox floating just overhead. She didn’t know if she wanted to punch him or hug him, though she supposed she couldn’t do either given his non-corporeal nature. She opted for clasping her chest in pure and utter relief.

“Thank goodness you’re alive!”

“Well, I’m not,” he replied, arms crossed.

“You know what I mean! What happened? You were just in the middle of a conversation with me and then you just suddenly went limp like you...Like you....”

“Died?” Nick finished. “Yeah, I guess that explains why you’re so emotional right now. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Well, not like that at least.”

“So, what happened?”

“I dunno. One moment I’m speaking with you, the next I’m literally right back in the house. Right in the main hall. It was almost like it had pulled me back without my permission. Like waking up from a dream.”

“You mean you had no control over that?”

“Nope. I guess my little possession trick has a time limit. Or maybe my soul simply wasn’t compatible with the body of a stuffed rabbit. Who can say? I don’t think there’s an exact science to this ghost stuff, Carrots. I simply ran out of time and ended up back here. It was almost like being in a video game and respawning, if that makes any sense.”

“Kind of,” Judy replied. “What about when I was calling you just now? I looked all over the house for you and you never responded.”

“Because I wasn’t in the house, you dumb bunny. I was taking a little walk outside.”

Nick gestured to the toy duck in Judy’s paws.

“You were possessing this thing?” Judy asked. “Why?”

“I finally found a way to go outside for the first time in years and you’re asking me why I would want to go outside for a bit? I was only gone for an hour and I came right back. No one even saw me, I’d just stop moving when anyone walked close. Then I found you had left the door open and we’re having this conversation.”

“Right, right,” Judy replied. She couldn’t fault him for wanting to get some fresh air. Or whatever ghosts breathed. “Why didn’t you try and contact me to let me know you were alright?”

“I don’t know your number and I figured you’d be home by the end of the day anyway. How am I supposed to work a phone as a ghost, Carrots?”

“I know for a fact you were messing with my calls with my parents before…”

Nick began to gesture wildly. “Don’t even get me started on how that little trick works. Besides, I didn’t want to interrupt your investigation after our little shakedown with the weasel. Speaking of, how did the rest of the search go?”

Judy frowned, knowing that she didn’t have the answer Nick was looking for.

“We looked around the general area. And we made sure to ask the locals if they saw anyone that fit her description. But there wasn’t anything. No one even knew any foxes in that district. We’re going to expand the search tomorrow but had to call it quits when it was getting dark.”

Judy could see the disappointment in Nick’s face. The truth was that she was equally annoyed by their lack of progress too. They had a solid lead with the eyewitness account from Duke but it meant little unless they found her. Duke claimed he thought his customer was local, but it was entirely possible she wasn’t and Marla was covering her tracks thoroughly. The city was a big place. There had to be at least a million foxes in Zootopia alone, narrowing it down and there’d still be a thousand different potential matches to the vixen they were looking for.

Still, Judy would investigate them all if she had to. And she hoped that Nick knew that too.

“Oh, well,” Nick said with a shrug. “It can’t be helped, I suppose. Finn has been looking for years. Can’t expect to just miraculously find her on the first day, right?”

“We will find her,” Judy replied. “I promise.”

“Don’t get all mushy on me now, Carrots. Just do your job and we’ll get along fine.”

As much as Judy had every intention to, her growling stomach said otherwise. She had been so concerned with Nick’s disappearance and so focused on the investigation, that she hadn’t even bothered to get lunch. Even when she had to stomach listening to Wolfard chew on his mayo and tuna sub in the cruiser.

“What’s for dinner then?” Nick asked.

“Well, I hadn’t even thought about it,” Judy replied. “And what does that mean, anyway? Do you expect me to cook for you too?”

“Why not? I just got my first taste of the outside world for the first time in years. I suddenly have a hankering for pizza. There was one particular place around the corner…”

Judy allowed herself to be coerced into splurging in a full sized pizza pie on the condition that she got to pick the toppings. She was, after all, the one who was paying for the dish. All while waiting for the driver to arrive, she got the pleasure of listening to Nick talk about the good old days in the city. It was actually very interesting to hear about how Zootopia had changed, given Nick had lived there for over thirty years.

“I was surprised,” Nick commented. “So many of the old houses are getting knocked down and replaced by fancy new apartments.”

“Well, some of the houses do lack the basics. You’re just lucky Finnick has been able to take such good care of the place. And fortunate that we don’t need AC with you haunting the premise. I’m sure not all the old houses have their own ghosts.”

“Hey, you never know, right?” Nick replied as he grabbed his own slice of carrot and broccoli pizza. In an instant, the slice began to shrivel up and the crust blackened into a moldy mess of cheese and vegetables. “It’s just a little depressing, I guess. This used to be one of the smaller neighborhoods growing up. So, to see it get all bought out by the sharks in the suits then bulldozed to make way for the bigger and better buildings...I dunno. It makes the city lose some of its charm. But I suppose it’s always been like that. Zootopia, the pinnacle of mammal invention and progress. It was a very enlightening day, all the same.”

Judy hummed as she munched on her own, less rotten slice of pizza. Her eyes trailed to the toy duck that she had left on the counter.

“Where did you get that, anyway?” she asked.

“What? The toy? From an old chest in the attic. There were a few to choose from, but I figured something with wheels might be better than trying to wobble around on stubbly rabbit legs.”

Judy stuck her tongue out at him. “When do I get to see the attic, then? I’ve looked through this place from top to bottom and never did see any stairs or even a hatch.”

“And if I had my way, it would remain as such.”

Nick quietly munched on his husk of a pizza slice before he also shared her gaze at the toy duck.

“My mom gave me that when I was a kid,” he said, gesturing with his free paw. “See? You can kind of make out the words she painted there on the side.”

Judy squinted and, upon closer inspection, there were some faded letters there in black.

“...I will love you forevermore?” Judy read aloud.

“That was sort of our thing to say to each other,” Nick replied. “Every night before bed, I’d tell her that I’d ‘love her forever.” And then she’d always say back ‘I will love you forevermore.’ It was stupid.”

“It’s not stupid at all.”

Judy attempted to reach out to him and touch his arm, but of course her paw passed right through him. Though he pulled away from her, the slight smile she caught was proof enough that he appreciated the gesture.

“Anyway,” Nick continued as he shoved the rest of the disgusting pizza into his mouth. “The attic has a bunch of embarrassing stuff like that in it, so I’d rather it remain secure from the likes of you. Don’t need you to go digging around there.”

“Would there be something up there that might be able to trace back to your mother?”

“I’d have already given it to you if there was. Believe me, I’ve had several long years to sort through everything with Finnick. If we had something to go off of, we wouldn’t be having this investigation would we?”

“Fair enough. Is the only way to get up to the attic by phasing through the ceiling?”

“No. You can always try climbing up the side of the building, if you’re so darned curious.”

Judy imagined herself climbing on the rickety sides of 111 Winchester only to fall over backward and snap her neck on the ground, bringing an unfortunate and embarrassing end to her career as a police officer. That was enough to silence any thoughts she had about trying to break in.

“...There is a secret passage,” Nick admitted. “How else do you think I got the box up there? But it’s hidden away in someplace safe. I will say that you’ve come nowhere close to finding it yet.”

“Or maybe I have and you just want to lure me off the trail.”

Nick shrugged and helped himself to a second slice of pizza, though he didn’t even get to rot this one away before there was a heavy knock at the door.

In an instant, Nick vanished into thin air, causing the slice of pizza to land with a wet thud on the floor. Judy grunted in return, stepping over the mess she was going to have to clean up later before making her way to the entry hall, calling to her surprise guest.

“Coming, coming…”

Judy had already changed out her police vest and was barely in uniform anymore, with her badge back in the kitchen. Needless to say, however, she felt as though she might need it as the figure waiting for her at the front door left an imposing silhouette. Judy found herself looking up at the hulking mass of white fur under a jet black suit. She barely even came up to the polar bear’s shins as he stood on her stoop.

“Can I help you?” Judy asked, her nose twitching.

“Good evening,” growled the bear as he lowered his head to acknowledge Judy. “Are you Miss Judy Hopps?”

“I am…”

“I represent my employer who humbly requests your audience. Just a moment of your time, please.”

“Right now?” Judy asked. “I mean, it’s rather late for this, isn’t it?”

“Please. My employer is a very busy mammal and this won’t take more than fifteen minutes. Just a short drive around the block or two.”

The way he was phrasing it made it sound less like a request and more like an order.

The polar bear stepped aside and gestured to a rather large, black limousine parked at the side of the street. Judy swallowed, wondering just who this person was that was asking to speak with her. Surely she hadn’t done anything to merit that kind of attention in the city yet. Was this about her investigation into Marla, perhaps? As if on cue, Judy felt the toy duck still in her paws shake slightly. At the very least, she wouldn’t be alone in this.

“...Alright, I suppose I can spare fifteen minutes.”

Judy knew enough about abductions to be cautious. When the bear turned around, she pawed at her cellphone looking for a good opportunity to perhaps take a picture. Though this didn’t feel like a kidnapping, per say. It felt too upfront and personal. And when the door was opened to the rather frigid interior of the limo, Judy couldn’t help but feel like she was being buttered up for something instead of forced against her will.

The entire vehicle was filled with all the bells and whistles of wealth and extravagance. The large crystal mugs, all polished like diamonds, promised only the finest of whiskey or wine as the polar bear joined her in the seat opposite from her. Everything was so large and big that Judy wasn’t even able to buckle herself up as she hugged Nick’s toy duck for her only comfort to keep from shivering. It wasn’t just nerves either. The entire car was chilled to frozen levels around Tundra, making Judy wish she had grabbed a coat despite it being the middle of summer.

As the polar bear settled in, he gave a knock at the driver window and the limo silently started.

“This the bunny?” asked a voice that seemed to come from nowhere.

“Yes, boss,” replied the polar bear.

“Thank you, Raymond. I’ll see her now.”

Raymond the polar bear reached over to a side compartment on the door next to him. He then leaned in close to Judy with cupped paws before revealing the contents.

Staring up at Judy from the palm of Raymond’s paw was a rather wrinkly old arctic shrew. His eyebrows were so bushy that Judy couldn’t even see his eyes, though she did notice the very formal business attire he was wearing.

“I apologize if Raymond scared you, my dear,” spoke the shrew with a much kinder voice than the one he used on the polar bear. “But trust me, he has a very gentle disposition once you get to know him.”

“...It’s alright,” Judy replied once she had a moment to collect her thoughts. It was then she realized she had been clutching onto the duck toy like her life depended on it. “I’m sorry too. I’ve just had a rather...Stressful couple of weeks moving into the city.”

“Ah. So, you’re new to Zootopia then? Well, allow me the pleasure of introducing myself. You, my dear, can call me Vito. And I understand you’re a friend of my daughter’s.”

“Your daughter’s?” Judy asked as she accepted Vito’s paw with a finger. “Wait a moment. A limo from Tundratown...You’re Fru Fru’s dad.”

Vito laughed. “Indeed. You’re quite the detective, aren’t you Miss Hopps?”

“Somewhat,” Judy replied with a slight blush in her ears before she remembered herself. “Not wishing any sort of offense, sir. But last I heard from her, she was pretty upset with you. And how do you know about me? Has she mentioned me?”

“Not...Exactly. You’ll have to forgive me, Miss Hopps. You see, I’ve been having Raymond keeping an eye on Fru Fru for quite some time now. Just making sure she’s alright. You know how a father has to worry about his daughter.”

“I suppose. But isn’t that a huge invasion of her privacy? It’s no business of mine, but she did leave home for a reason, you know.”

Vito winced like Judy’s words had struck him straight through the heart.

“Family has always been a business of mine, Miss Hopps. That’s very much why I wanted to speak with you. It’s all very ironic, in some way, and I don’t mean to trouble you anymore than I already have. Believe me, I’ve learned my lesson with what happens when I let others get involved with my family. The reason why I wanted to speak with you tonight was to humbly ask you for a small favor.”

Judy took a moment to glance out the window as the limo silently hummed along through her neighborhood. It was late enough that most people in the area were back home, settling down for dinner. The cheap pizza she had messily devoured churned in her stomach as Raymond offered something from a richer palette in the form of a glass of what smelled like blueberry wine.

“No thank you,” Judy shook her head at the offer of a drink. “What kind of favor are we talking about, sir? I’m afraid, no matter your disagreements, I have to side with my friend on this one.”

“Of course, I completely understand Miss Hopps. Fru Fru has always been strong willed much like her mother was. She’d have been so proud to see her daughter make it off on her own like she has, as well as meeting wonderful and loyal friends such as yourself. While I would appreciate you putting in a good word for me, that’s not the nature of our business tonight. Though it is at the crux of the matter, if that makes sense.”

“Not really, I’m afraid…”

“Then allow me to explain,” Vito cleared his throat as he accepted his own, much tinier, glass of wine from Raymond. “After handling that mess with Fru Fru’s fiance, I needed to know that our...Empire was in capable paws. My business is something I’m immensely proud of and I’d like to keep it so that my family is secure when I eventually pass away. Did Fru Fru tell you anything about what we do?”

For some reason, that last question felt like it had a great deal of weight to it.

Judy cleared her throat. “She mentioned you run a limo company and own a few small businesses around the city.”

“More or less,” Vito took a satisfied sip from his wine. “It’s probably for the best that we don't go into specifics. You should know that I regret the whole event terribly. It ended with Fru Fru storming out, slicing up all her old credit cards, starting her own life out from under my protection after taking a few things from her mother with her. Risking it all on her own silly dreams but starting small as a grocery store worker in the meantime. That’s where I was hoping you’d come in.”

“...You were hoping that I could try and convince her to come back home?”

“No. I couldn’t be more proud of her and what she’s set out to do. I may not be happy but I understand her, my dear. I’ve also been young and hot-headed before, a chip on my shoulders and eager to prove myself. My father used to always tell me that you can’t make it big without starting small, despite our namesake. But I digress. The issue I was hoping you could solve isn’t that she left but rather what she took with her.”

“Her mother’s things?” Judy frowned. “I did warn her that stealing wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“While I cherish the idea of having my beloved items returned, I trust they’re in good care with Fru Fru. But there was something else that’s very important to my business that she took with her, perhaps by mistake.”

“What is it?”

“A key,” replied Vito with a more serious voice. “A very old key. Solid steel, so it’d be unlikely to have been damaged in any way.”

“A key?” Judy asked. “Come to think of it, she might have mentioned having a key before. But surely it’s not that important is it? I mean, couldn’t you just hire a locksmith if you needed something desperately opened?”

“Alas, my dear, the specialness of that key cannot go understated. It’s one of a kind and there’s no locksmith alive that could open the lock it could belong to nor replicate it. I cannot say more than that, I’m afraid. Too private, you must understand.”

Judy really didn’t. But she was already familiar with locks that were forever shut as she squeezed the duck toy again.

“If that’s all you want from her,” continued Judy. “I don’t see any harm in asking her about it.”

“That would be wonderful. As I said, I would be extremely grateful if you were able to return it to me. A favor from me would go a long way. And I certainly know a lot of people in the city to help out an aspiring young bunny such as yourself.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Judy replied with a slight chuckle.

A rich business mammal certainly wasn’t a bad friend to have in the city. And it was entirely possible that his favor might include something regarding the search for Marla.

The remainder of their ride was short as the pair of them continued the basic pleasantries, particularly regarding family. Vito had a specific interest in hearing all about Judy’s family in the burrow and if she missed them. Before long, they were nearing their stop and Judy found herself almost saddened that she was going to have to say goodbye. Despite what Fru Fru told her about her father, Vito seemed like a nice shrew, when all was said and done. Extremely polite and very accommodating, despite the imposing demeanor with the polar bear behind him at all times. Though even Judy found herself growing used to Raymond as she thanked him for helping her out of the vehicle as it came to a stop.

“I look forward to seeing how it goes,” Vito continued as he gestured to his aide. “Raymond, my card. Feel free to contact me at any time, Miss Hopps. I’d love to invite you over to dinner when all this business is squared away.”

“Thank you,” Judy said as she accepted the card without looking. “And please, call me Judy.”

“Judy...Now that’s a name I wouldn’t mind having for a future granddaughter someday. Buona notte then, Judy.”

Judy waved to the limo as Raymond returned to the seat with his boss in paw and the door shut behind them. From the outside, Judy could feel the fanciness of the vehicle clash with the more modest houses around her. That only made her more respectful of Fru Fru for having the determination to turn down such a life of comfort for a rough job at the grocery store and a small apartment. Still, Judy couldn’t help but be pleased with both of them. Small mammals making names and a living for themselves by stepping beyond what society saw them as. A few bunnies in the burrows could learn something from them, Judy told herself as she stepped inside her home.

She had almost forgotten about Nick until his wispy body swirled from out of the duck toy’s mouth, still clutched in her paws.

“That was way too close,” he said. “You didn’t tell me you knew Fru Fru, Carrots.”

“Close?” Judy asked, somewhat caught off guard by Nick’s sudden behavior. “I mean, I guess. And how do you know Fru Fru?”

“I told you, I know everyone. And don’t dodge the question. How do you know her?”

“We just happened to meet on the street the other week. She works at the local grocery store and we’ve been talking to each other. I guess Vito must have noticed.”

“Small surprise there. You’re lucky to be alive.”

“What? Why?”

“You don’t have to play dumb. He’s gone now,” Nick hovered about for a bit, studying Judy’s confused look. “No...You really have no idea, do you?”

“No idea of what? Nick, come on, just tell me.”

“I don’t have to. Why don’t you take a good look at the business card you’re holding there.”

Judy had given it but a glance but hadn’t taken the time to properly read it as she brought the card into the light. It had all the things she expected. A phone number. An address. A title. But it was the name that captured Judy’s attention immediately as she had read it in a few places already.

Vito Angelo Roberto Big.

Chapter Text

Judy read the card over at least a dozen times to confirm that her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. She only glanced up at Nick once, her eyes pleading with him to convince her that she was being deceived in some way.

“There’s just no way…”

“You seriously didn’t know?” Nick crossed his arms. “I thought you were a police officer. What kind of cop are you that you don’t even recognize the guy you’re supposed to arrest when you meet him face to face?”

“Well, I’ve never seen a picture of him before! All we have to go off of in the records are just reports of stuff he’s done. And I always imagined Mister Big to be...To be…”

“Bigger?”

Judy winced as she glanced over to Nick, expecting to see a very annoyed and disappointed expression. She was hardly inspiring confidence in herself and her promise to find Marla. Let alone any of her own personal biases that showed her own roots, much to the chagrin of the ghostly fox. For some reason, Judy felt she had let him down on a deeper level. Like she had frayed the trust that had been slowly building between them over the course of the day.

“The city comes with mammals that are all shapes and sizes,” Nick continued. “Even the most dangerous mammal in Zootopia is barely the size of a mouse. Bit of hypocritical thinking there to assume otherwise coming from the rabbit who wants to be a cop.”

“I get it,” Judy growled, though more in annoyance at herself. “Even with that Duke fellow today...I shouldn’t let my assumptions color my judgment ahead of time.”

Nick hummed as if he was agreeing with her though still barely containing himself. Judy knew that he would just love to verbally spar with her over a silly little mistake like this. But he didn’t.

“Regardless,” he said. “It all worked out, if miraculously. You didn’t know him and he didn’t know you. I highly doubt he would ask a cop to help him out with a personal problem. If you had known who he was ahead of time, he might not have been so comfortable enough to trust you.”

“Are you saying he was testing me back there?”

“He liked to do that with people. Bring them up close and personal, intimidate them with his polar bear guards. See what they’re really made us. To that end, you did good not showing you were afraid of him. For a rabbit. Of course, I don’t doubt that you wouldn’t have been sweating bullets if you had gone in knowing who he was.”

Judy resisted snapping back at Nick because, deep down, she knew he was right. She was a terrible liar, if the poker games in the academy had taught her anything.

“The favor he wanted though,” Judy continued. “A key. Why would he want that?”

Nick hummed again as he floated about, only it was a very different sort of tune. Like the song of someone who wanted to change the subject but didn’t know what else to say.

“You know why, Nick.”

“I might,” Nick continued with a sigh. “Remember the locked box you found buried in the backyard?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, the key might belong to that. Maybe.”

“Maybe?” Judy asked in more annoyance. This time it was with the fox. “You mean you don’t know ?”

“I do know. It’s the key to the lockbox, alright? It’s just...Complicated. And I don’t know how much I can explain it to make sense. Especially since finding it might bring some...Trouble.”

“Nick...What did you do?”

“Only what was asked of me,” the ghost replied with a huff like he had genuinely been offended by the bunny. “When I worked as Big’s information broker, he first came to me and asked me to come up with a system that was completely safe. Even from himself. That’s when I came up with the system of the boxes.”

“You mean the box?”

“No, boxes . There was more than one.”

“More than one,” Judy muttered as she tried to process the fox’s logic in doing such a thing. “But why would…?”

“Because it was a very complicated situation, Carrots. The District Attorney at the time was hounding down all the gangs of the Zootopia, Big’s included. He needed a place that kept his records so safe that even if he was compromised, they’d never be able to get the dirt on him with any solid proof of his misdoings. I was given a solid budget to work with and sent on my merry way. Never told exactly what I was hiding, only that it was extremely confidential and I was better off not knowing.”

“But you said you knew Lionheart back at the station today.”

“From prior meetings. Give me some credit, Carrots. I knew to keep tabs on who was a player and who wasn’t when it came to dealing with Big. I was always careful and never did anything that was illegal, so don’t worry your pretty little head.”

Since this had all begun, Judy had often wondered exactly how much of this was all moral as a police officer. She told herself that she had the technicality that Nick was dead anyway. It wasn’t like anyone was going to believe her that a ghost told her a bunch of details that she had no business knowing. It could be worse than that. She could be actually working with the dangerous mobster to crack a case. Judy privately worried if it would be even moral to do that for the greater good before shrugging off such what-if-isms.

“So, you had two boxes made to hide his information?” she asked.

“Three, actually. And only one of them was left with the actual information inside of it. The others were dummies meant to mislead anyone who would go looking for them. One was given to Mister Big’s most trusted lieutenant for safe keeping. Another I kept on my person, specifically in the trunk of my car. The idea I pitched to Big was that we would keep both boxes separate from each other so that anyone looking for them would never tell the difference. He left it to his wife to hold onto the key, the one person he did trust. But what I didn’t tell him was the truth. The third one buried in the backyard actually had all of the documents in it while the two he knew about were bogus. It was the one good thing I ever learned from my old man. Always have a backup plan.”

“A backup plan?” Judy asked, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Do I look stupid to you, Carrots? Do you think I didn’t know at the time that working for Mister Big was a terrible idea? If he ever got tired of me or decided to turn on me, I needed some sort of leverage on him. Hence the hidden third box.”

“That’s incredibly dangerous, Nick.”

“Well, I did a lot of things I’m not proud of for this house…”

The two stared at each other for a time before they looked away. The argument with Finnick was still fresh on the brain.

Judy wished she had a notepad to record all the details as she listed them in her head. There were three boxes. The one that Mister Big had, the one that Nick had, and the true one kept buried in the backyard. Mister Big was looking for the key to them, for reasons unknown. Judy was guessing that it had to do with the pressure Mayor Lionheart was pushing on him but there was no way to be certain. Everything up to that point was clear except one detail.

“What happened to the box you had?” Judy asked. “Not the buried one. The fake one you kept in your car.”

“Well, it was with me in the accident, I’d wager. Finnick told me that they found it with the wreckage when they towed it up from the river. Mom had to identify it. Chances are if it’s not in the house, and it’s not because I’ve had plenty of time to look, then it’s with her. If she still kept it.”

“Then we have a problem,” Judy explained. “What’s going to happen when Big gets his key and opens his box to discover it’s empty?”

“I dunno. He’ll probably want to find the other one then.”

“Which is with your mother.”

Nick’s eyes widened as he recognized the inherent danger in that statement.

“Yeah,” Judy confirmed his expression. “She’s going to get involved. He’ll only need to have to do a little digging to figure out what happened to the box. Does he know about this house?”

“No,” Nick replied. “I used the false name while purchasing it from him, remember? And I hired someone to pass as me for any of the face to face stuff. That’s probably one reason why he wasn’t suspicious of you in the first place. That and he had so many properties that he probably doesn’t even remember owning this place.”

“Then he’s definitely going to go looking for her if he gets what he needs.”

“We cannot let that happen,” Nick spoke in a stern tone. “You cannot give him that key under any circumstances.”

“What am I supposed to do then? I already agreed to speak to Fru Fru about it and it sounds like he’s following me.”

“Then you lie to him. You can lie, can’t you?”

“Not really,” Judy replied. “I mean the biggest lie I did was that I once fibbed the truth as a kid about knocking out my brother’s front teeth.”

“And? How did that go?”

“...I broke down crying and got grounded for a day after paying for my brother’s replacement dentures.”

“Oh, great. That’s just great. He’s completely going to see right through you. Big is like a lie detector. He knows how to wield intimidation and use it to twist the screws enough so you eventually crack on your own. If you’re not one hundred percent confident, it’s just not going to work.”

“Well, calm down for a moment. Are we one hundred percent sure your mother even has the box?”

“What do you mean? Where else would it be?”

“Remember, she’s been selling off a lot of her old stuff lately, hasn’t she? It’s entirely possible that in that phase, whatever caused it, she might have gotten rid of it too. Even if no one can open it, it still might be worth something.”

Nick visibly calmed down a little. “Maybe.”

“So, all we have to do is just keep doing what we’re doing. We’re already trying to track her down through the stuff she’s been selling. We might get lucky and get the box ahead of Big. Then we can work out what to do about the key.”

“And what are you going to do about actually getting the key?” said Nick with his arms crossed. “Big knows where you live. If he finds out you’re a cop, it’ll be all over for you. And if you hand the key over to him, then he’ll go after mom.”

“That’s not going to happen,” replied Judy. “No matter what happens, even if he has to torture me for it, I won’t put him on the trail to your mother. He didn’t give me a deadline for when I’m supposed to ask Fru Fru, so there’s still time. I don’t know what we’re going to do yet, but we’ll think of something. I promise.”

Nick stared at Judy for a moment as she remained stern and focused on her determination. Her vow to protect the very person he held most dear, even though she had never even met her before. Then Nick glanced at the grandfather clock in the main hall.

“It’s getting late,” he said. “You’re right. We have time to think of something, so we can do it in the morning. You should get some rest. You look exhausted after today.”

Judy hadn’t even thought about it, but she could feel the weight of the world lift off of her shoulders at Nick’s words. It had been a grueling day, perhaps the longest she had had in a while with all the running around with the mayor, Wolfard, and now Mister Big. Somehow she had gotten to meet all the biggest players in the city and all within twenty four hours. It was enough to make her head spin if she stopped to think about it. As she nodded and walked along, she stumbled a little and started to fall to the floor. Only to be caught by a gentle force.

“Careful,” said Nick, his ghostly arm had grabbed her own.

He had never grabbed her before as Judy briefly pondered for a minute what it felt like to be held by a ghost. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation. Though there was the chill that came with being in his presence, Judy had strangely gotten used to it the longer she remained in the house. Now it was like a pleasant cool breeze on a hot summer day before she got her footing back and he released her.

“Sorry,” continued Nick as he moved his arm away from her. “I didn’t mean to rough handle you like that.”

“You didn’t,” Judy replied. “Thank you. I guess I’m more exhausted than I thought.”

“Do you need help up the stairs?”

“Hah, I’m not that fragile, you know. It’s just been a very long and exciting day. It makes me wonder what awaits us tomorrow. I definitely should get some rest, right after a long shower.”

“Okay...Good night, Carrots.”

“Good night, Nick.”

There was a long and awkward silence before Nick nodded and vanished entirely, though Judy could still feel his presence close enough. Even as she carried herself up the stairs and into the bathroom, she had to wonder what that was all about as she stepped into the steamy hot shower.

Nick didn’t reappear to her for the remainder of the night, even as Judy went to bed. She wondered what the fox had been doing, but she wasn’t one to pry especially when it seemed like there was something on the ghost’s mind. He had already wished her a good night and that was enough to send her to sleep as she cradled her arm before drifting off into slumber.

She awoke a further empty house, though more rested. The nights had been much easier since befriending Nick and Judy had begun to adjust to the noises of the building. Not the haunted sounds but the little things, like the groan of the pipes in the walls and the hum of traffic in the distance. It was all a far cry from the utter silence of the burrow, but Judy found she quite liked the ambience. It gave the home more character.

She tried not to let Nick’s disappearance bother her too much as she had breakfast and coffee, deciding not to exhaust herself further with jogging today.

As she waited for the pot to perk, a chill ran down her back.

“I don’t think I’ll be joining you today.”

Judy turned to find the somehow tired expression of Nick staring back at her, eying her coffee rather enviously. Surprise held her tongue for a moment until she politely smiled at him.

“Sure,” she replied before drifting her tone. “Is everything okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I just had a bit of a thought last night. Or a flashback, I guess, and I needed space.”

“A flashback,” Judy repeated.

Though Judy was curious, as was her nature, she didn’t want to pry into Nick’s intentions. He had left them vague for a reason. The most she could do was let him know she was there to chat if he wanted to.

“I understand,” she continued. “It’s probably going to be more of us searching around for clues today anyway. When you’re feeling up to it, we can go together to shops and maybe look for more of your mother’s things. Maybe even this weekend.”

“Sure, that works for me. Have a good day at work.”

Judy frowned as Nick proceeded to float up to the ceiling and disappear. Whatever he was moody about, it wasn’t about her specifically else he wouldn’t have been so civil about it. But something was bothering him, it was plain as day. Perhaps she might come up with something later that night. She decided to pour herself in on a more pressing matter. Like how she was going to slip past Fru Fru without being noticed.

When once their meetings were a happy happenstance, today Judy was none too eager to cross paths with the shrew. Try as she might with thinking about it, she couldn’t think of a good way yet to broach the subject on what to do with Big. And if she reported it to the rest of the ZPD, not only might Fru Fru be in danger but Judy herself might too with a mob boss angry at her. It was a good thing, Judy decided, that she remained on Mister Big’s good side. If he didn’t know that Judy was a cop then perhaps she should keep it that way until the secret was out. Though her name was reported in the academy, perhaps Mister Big didn’t look into things like that. For once in her life, Judy was relieved to be a small and unnoticed bunny.

Still, it sounded like Big was having his people keep an eye on Fru Fru. He would know if they crossed paths and demand an update. As Judy stepped outside, she debated taking the long way around to work in order to avoid the grocery store but was met with her own surprise at a parked van in the driveway, almost like it had just arrived. The window rolled down to reveal a familiar fennec fox with dark shades over his eyes.

“Hey,” said Finnick. “Glad I caught you. Spare a moment? I’ll drive you to work as compensation.”

Though not the relief she was looking for, Judy took the opportunity for what it was. A convenient way to say she could avoid Fru Fru for the day, even if it meant stepping feet first into more potential drama.

“Sure, what’s up?”

The van reeked of more cigarettes than usual as Judy spotted a few empty packs in the cupholders, though she tried not to say anything. Finnick was at least being courteous enough not to light one up in front of her as he pulled out onto the street with his tinted windows rolled up.

“I wanted to apologize yesterday for coming across as a little cross,” he said, not breaking eye contact with the street as he drove. “Truth is I appreciate what you’re doing. For Nick. For Marla. Me having a little bit of a spat with him at the moment is no excuse for rudeness. Especially with someone just trying to help.”

“Well, it is my job to help,” Judy replied. “Keep in mind, I am a police officer.”

“Yeah, well, let’s just say you don’t feel like one. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. Most of the ZPD keep a level of detachment when dealing with folks like me.”

“Folks like you?”

“I’m aware that I carry a bit of an image. Little guy who lives in a van and smells like cheap beer. And a predator to boot, there is that. You were uneasy about me too, at first. I can tell, don’t ask how. But the difference is you’re trying to be better and that has to count for something. We both are, I think. So, this is me trying to do better. Sorry you’re just caught in the middle of this mess. I’m annoyed with Nick right now, but I do want to help you out so you’re not alone.”

“Actually, I wasn’t alone,” Judy laughed slightly before she caught herself. She didn’t know yet how Finnick might take Nick’s little possession trick. “I, uh, managed to convince a partner at work to help me out. Since Nick’s past dealings coincide with Mister Big, we’re looking into it by searching through all the shops. But we can’t pin down where exactly she might live.”

“Playing a dangerous game there. Though I suppose so long as Marla didn’t get involved with Mister Big herself, which I know for a fact she didn’t, it won’t harm her too much. As painful as it will be to bring up that stuff. Bad for her health and all that.”

“Did she have health problems?”

“Mm, nothing hereditary. But I think she developed something chronic over the course of wearing herself thin taking on too many jobs at once. There was one incident actually where she took a nasty spill in front of Nick and had to be in the hospital for several days.”

“Really?” Judy’s thoughts drifted back to that briefest of moments from last night. “Nick...Never mentioned that before.”

“Yeah. I think that was the moment when he realized he wanted to do this for her. The whole thing with Big, I mean. Earning enough money for her to be taken care of and all that. There’s a reason why a lot of folks from a particular demographic turn to crime. Simply don’t have a choice. Though I’m sure you know all about that as a cop.”

Judy certainly did as a criminal psychology class was a requirement in her schooling. Ninety percent of recorded crime in the city was done by those who were near or below the poverty line. It was something many police chiefs vowed to do something about, but without a strong leader in the politics championing the idea, nothing would ever come of it. Medicine, in particular, was a big reason why families would find themselves in financial ruin and turn to crime. And if it was something chronic then of course Nick would want to make sure his mother was well cared for.

Judy thought for a moment as an idea came to her.

“What kind of chronic illness was she battling?” she asked. “And do you happen to know what doctor she was seeing?”

“Osteoporosis and a little bit of asthma. Though it mostly had to do with her bones being brittle as a result of her poor nutrition over the years of struggling to put food on the table by herself. Why do you ask? You don’t think you can track her through that, do you?”

“Patient confidential records are sealed,” Judy explained. “But if it was a specific disease like osteoporosis then we might be able to narrow her location in the city down further. Especially if it requires a specialized doctor. There’s probably only a dozen or so practitioners who focus on that disease and who allow foxes in their office...Sorry, if that sounds offensive.”

“No, not at all,” Finnick grinned at her. “It’s good thinking.”

“Of course, we won’t find her directly that way but we’ll at least know where we can start looking. I can’t imagine she’d want to travel very far especially with brittle bones.”

The two of them shared a smile as it became clear to them that their time was almost up, with Precinct One in sight and only a couple of redlights in between them.

“Thanks, Finnick,” Judy said. “That was very helpful. It’ll give me a good place to start looking today.”

“Don’t mention it. Just trying to help where I can.”

“Well, I do appreciate it. I’m sure Nick does too.”

“Hah. He sure better appreciate it. Though I suppose he’s always been the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to emotions and stuff. He likes to pretend it all doesn’t hurt him, but if you look closely enough then you’ll see the cracks. For example, he’s soft on you.”

For some reason that made Judy’s laugh sound more nervous than she would have liked. “I don’t know about that…”

Finnick just shrugged. “You’re the first person he’s ever allowed to remain in the house since the accident. He wouldn’t even accept me staying there with him. Too many memories, I guess. We’d both have gotten sick of each other after a while anyway. But sounds to me like he’s watching over you. As a friend, I mean.”

Judy thought back to the scene again where he had caught her slipping over. It was a far cry from their first encounter with him trying to spook her out of the house. For a while she felt as if he might have finally accepted her. Never once did she think there might be more to it than that.

Friends with a ghost? How utterly ridiculous of a concept. And yet Judy couldn’t think of any other word to describe Nick, outside of a housemate.

As Finnick parked his van next to the sidewalk, Judy thanked him for the ride.

“You should come by sometime,” she said to him. “Inside, I mean. When you feel up for it.”

“Well, if you keep working with him, I might just consider it. He’s gotta work on that stick his rear is sporting though. Or just sweeten him up a bit. Let him know that the world’s not all lonely like that and there’s still some good out there. People who care about him and all.”

“Right...Thanks, Finn.”

“Thank you , rabbit.”

The way he said rabbit didn’t sound quite so sarcastic as she was used to. Somehow, Finnick had found a way to make it sound dignified. Like a title or a badge.

Judy waved to him as he pulled off into the morning traffic of Zootopia before a thought possessed her as she dug around her pocket for her cellphone. It was a risky call given that the bullpen would be happening soon, but she could spare a few minutes. And if it was just her mother, she knew she’d make it quick.

“Hey, mom?” Judy asked as the line picked up. “I need a small favor…”

Chapter Text

The morning bullpen was largely uneventful with Bogo inquiring for updates from everyone, thankful that there wasn’t the mayor now breathing down his neck. Though he made sure to consult Judy following the updates in private. Wolfard was strangely missing that morning.

“Hopps, I know this assignment might be too much for a new officer,” said Bogo. “Let alone someone who’s so…”

“Small?” Judy asked, doing her best to mask sounding offended.

Bogo huffed through his snout as if sensing Judy’s objection. “I only want to do what’s best for all my officers. The mayor seems to confuse having a tip to volunteering to lead an investigation. If this proves too much for you, I just want you to know that you can say the word and I’ll have someone else reassigned to take your place.”

“I appreciate it, Chief. But I feel like I’m in my element here.”

“Your element being chasing ghosts?”

“In some sense,” Judy had to fight giggling at Bogo’s unintentional joke. “I just mean that I’ve been doing my own bit of research in the meantime with this whole Wild Card business. They led an interesting life.”

“A dangerous one is more likely. And desperate. Big had a habit of recruiting folks who needed money badly to handle his more dangerous jobs. I have no doubt in my mind that this Wild Card suspect was more of the same.”

Judy frowned at that. It was amazing how close Bogo was to the truth of it, but then again he had been a police officer for a long time.

“Well, I’ll be careful,” said Judy. “Any ideas on where we can look? Besides where we already are, I mean.”

“Even if Big paid well, it’s unlikely that they would be able to afford anything too fancy unless they were really smart. You’re looking at pawn shops for where they could have traded their personal items. That says to me that they had a particular need for money. Check close to the lower income residences.”

Judy nodded. Between Finnick’s tip about Marla’s health problems, narrowing down the pawn shops, and keeping close to the poorer sections of the city, Judy was confident that today they would find at least a clue to her whereabouts.

“I’ll do that. Thank you, Chief.”

“I took the liberty of commissioning a seat height enhancer for one of our unused cruisers in the garage. That will give Wolfard a break from driving considering his tardiness today and give you access to a proper police vehicle, should you ever need it.”

Judy thanked Bogo again though quietly sighing to herself. A seat height enhancer was nothing more than a politically correct way to say a booster seat. Though at least the Chief was trying. Somewhat.

Judy collected her new cruiser key from Clawhauser, who was still up to his eyeballs in research though still had time to give Judy a pleasant greeting.

As Judy made her way down to the garage and sat in her brand new car, she was met with a rather sullen face looking at her through the window.

“Oh, hey Wolfard.”

Judy resisted telling the hapless wolf that he was late. Considering it was an hour since the bullpen ended, he very much well had to know and it didn’t bear repeating. He looked as bad as Judy felt during her first nights spent in Winchester 111, yet something told her that he didn’t have a ghost that was keeping him up all night as he slunk into the passenger seat.

Judy explained to him her plan of attack today. With the destination in mind, Judy started her new cruiser as Wolfard silently sat beside her, staring out the dashboard and not making a sound until they were well on their way to being stuck in morning Zootopian traffic. He didn’t seem angry with her or anything that would make him unpleasant. He looked more sad than anything else as he finally broke the quiet with a question.

“You’re a lady, right Hopps?”

Judy was taken so off guard by the sudden inquiry that she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Gee, what gave it away?”

“Sorry,” Wolfard replied with his ears folded on his head. “I just...Don’t have many lady friends in the precinct. So, I don’t know how to talk to one.”

“Is that you attempting to flirt with me, Officer Wolfard?”

“What?” Wolfard looked horrified as he realized what it sounded like. “No! I mean...Not that I’m saying you’re not worthy of being flirted over...Or anything. Or...Or not like that. I mean…”

Judy was laughing now. “I get what you mean, Greg.”

“Well, case in point, I’m bad at speaking to ladies.”

“Mm, I wouldn’t say that. You talk to me just fine. You’re just a little awkward. Sometimes ladies like that in a guy.”

“Is that what you like in a guy?” he asked. “At the risk of sounding like I’m flirting again. I’m not. I’m just curious.”

“I think I like a guy who’s more confident in himself and has figured himself out. Someone who’s different from all the bucks around the burrows. Though at the end of the day he has himself a heart of gold and would do the right thing. But then again, I never really bothered with romance much growing up. So, what do I know?”

“Really? You never kissed anyone before or nothing?”

“Oh, I’ve kissed a few boys before. We’re rabbits, after all. I just never took a relationship far enough to the point where we could be considered steady. Never held an interest for me for very long. Something tells me I might not be the best for advice for what sounds like lady trouble.”

“Yeah. I mean, I dunno. I’ve just been having problems with just that, I think.”

“You think?”

“Figuring myself out, I mean. I know how it is with rabbits and you know how it is with canines. We’re wired funny where we seek companionship even though most of the time we’d rather keep to ourselves. But I think all of us just want to keep to a pack, you know? Not be social butterflies but still have a close knit group of friends whom we can rely on and confide in when times are tough. And it gets even more complicated when you factor in having a mate.”

Judy always thought it was funny the way canines seemed to refer to their significant others as mates instead of boyfriends, girlfriends, or partners like a lot of the other mammals in Zootopia did. That was until she learned from one of her friends in college that a mate was something far stronger than just a boyfriend or girlfriend. Even stronger than a husband or wife, in some cases. It was her timber wolf roommate that had taught her that it basically meant, in her own words, “someone you would die for without a second thought.” It didn’t necessarily have to be romantic, but it often was if the mate reciprocated the feelings. It was just someone who was beyond a friend to a canine. Her roommate described it as impulse, something that was like instinct that couldn’t be controlled much like how that same roommate would devolve into howling if someone ever started. Judy also learned that lesson the hard way one evening before exams.

Judy tried to beat the redlight but eased on the brakes as she made the connection Wolfard was trying to get to in his ramblings.

“Is this particular problem you’re having about your mate?”

You’d think she had stepped on the poor wolf’s tail the way he winced like he knew he had said too much.

“Sorry,” Judy backpedaled. “TMI, I gathered. And I don’t mean to pry.”

“No, it’s just...You hit the nail on the head. I just...I told her recently that these were the things I was feeling and she didn’t take it very well.”

“Well, it does sound like a lot of pressure to be under, speaking as someone who’s not a canine.”

“That’s just the thing, Hopps. She’s not a canine either.”

Judy’s mouth circled into a big “oh” as it hit her all at once exactly what trouble her police partner was in. She could only imagine the confusion both parties had to be feeling, were it her who had been on the other end of the confession.

“Okay then,” she continued after some slight mental preparation. “Walk me through it. So, you were feeling natural mate feelings towards this...Lady who is decidedly not canine. You explained to her these feelings in the best way you possibly could…”

“And she freaked out,” Wolfard finished with a frown. “I think she was worried that it would ruin our friendship entirely even though I explained to her that it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re anything but friends. I would even be fine with it if she went and pursued other people. It’s just all biology and instincts. I figured it out one day while on the job and that was when I realized that I probably would take a bullet for her without even second guessing myself.”

“Ah. So then, she’s a member of the ZPD too?”

The look of slowly dawning horror on Wolfard’s face as he realized Judy had picked up on that detail in his rambling was almost priceless.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” he replied. “I should not have said that. Bogo has rules about these sorts of things and if word got out…”

“I’m not going to tell anyone,” Judy assured him. “Besides, who am I going to tell?”

“I dunno. Clawhauser? And I love that cat, but he’s got a big mouth on him. Both in terms of eating food and jabbering.”

“Fair point. But I’m not going to mention it to anyone, so don’t stress about it. You have enough to worry about from the sounds of it. So what if you have feelings for someone on the force. I like to think that that’s a good thing. Comradery and bonds.”

“Distractions too,” Wolfard added. “That’s sort of why Bogo is such a stickler for that sort of thing. You know who his old partner was before he became the chief?”

“No, who?”

“Agatha Clawhauser. Benji’s mom.”

“No way…”

“No offense to Clawhauser, but how do you think he got into the ZPD otherwise? Like I said, I love the guy but he’s really not suited for the actual police work. Bogo was able to get him the desk job instead. Folks said that he was always sort of looking out for him ever since his mom died in duty and his dad passed from cancer before he was even born. You didn’t hear it from me but I always sort of wondered if there was more than a thing between the two of them. Bogo’s more like a dad than a boss to Clawhauser anyway.”

“Maybe,” Judy couldn’t help but wonder but the more she thought about it, the more it made perfect sense as to why Bogo was so protective of his officers. “Wow. I just never would have guessed.”

“Bogo plays things close to the chest,” Wolfard said with a slowly fading smirk. “Makes me wonder if I should start doing that. We already got split up due to this Big business. Plus I needed the space anyway to clear my head. It’s why I ended up without a partner and then here with you, not knocking you.”

“Of course not. Well, I appreciate the honesty, Greg. But it sounds like it’s still getting to you if you’re showing up late to work. Probably means that it’s not going away anytime soon. How long did you say it was since you told her? And how long have you two known each other?”

“Couple of weeks. Right before you showed up, actually. And since we joined the force together around the same time. About six years ago.”

“My mom used to say to get over heartache, you need to double the time spent with the person to be completely over them.”

“I don’t know if I can wait over a decade for that, Hopps. It’s distracting me from my job.”

“What did she say exactly when you told her then?”

“A whole lot of confusion is the best way to describe it. She’s...Well, let’s just say the exact opposite of a canine. We’re pack animals and she’s more...Solitary. Sorry, I don’t think I want to betray her trust entirely by telling you who it is. So I can’t give you more to go on than that.”

Judy had already put the pieces together on her own, if she was half the detective she thought she was. Still, she nodded knowing full well not to push Wolfard more than that. Especially if they were in the middle of establishing a rapport. It was nice to have a partner who would actually share this sort of thing with her even if she didn’t know exactly what she could tell Wolfard to do. With Nick, it had always been like pulling teeth trying to squeak something out of him.

That was when Judy had a thought.

“Well, it’s hard for me to say exactly what you’re going through,” she said, pursing her lips. “But I happen to have a friend who’s also a canid. Maybe he has some helpful advice he can share with you.”

“Would he? Can I meet with him then?”

“Ah, I don’t think he’s very open to visitors,” Judy tried to imagine how introducing Wolfard to a ghost would go. “Why don’t you let me explain your situation to him and see what he says? I’ll even keep you anonymous, if you’d like.”

“You’d do that? I don’t want you to go through any trouble for it.”

“Hey, we’re partners, right? Even if it’s only temporarily while we find this Wild Card. Speaking of, we should probably start checking the shops around here.”

One thing was for sure, after their morning talk in the car ride the relationship around Judy and Wolfard seemed to improve. There was less tension in the air as Wolfard could relax a bit more around the rabbit, showing a little bit more of his personality instead of trying (often not succeeding) in being the serious ZPD cop that Bogo expected from all his officers. As it turned out, Wolfard had a bit of a sense of humor about him and a practicality that came from someone who had grown up in the city.

While he wouldn’t say he knew everyone, like a certain other fox, Wolfard did know the streets well enough to point out the occasional shortcut and save time as they went from shop to shop asking for clues. He even knew a few owners from previous cases, which resulted in smoother questioning and speeding them along so they could go down the mental list Judy had made.

However, the results were less than fruitful of finding Marla but Judy knew that it would only take one lead to change everything. And she preoccupied herself with more on what she was going to say to the vixen when they did find her. That and asking the right questions to the various mammals she got to meet during the day. This was certainly one way to get familiar with the city and it beat doing parking duty any day. Thinking back to her first week, Judy couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of having to fill out another parking ticket even if it did allow her to do her own little investigation with the history of 111 Winchester.

The irony of that memory didn’t dawn on Judy until they arrived at one particular pawn store outside of Sahara Square. Bits and Baubles.

Judy expected the visit to go like all the others until she walked in and locked eyes with a familiar possum. The same possum she had met the very first week of her arrival in the city.

“...Officer Hopps?” asked the possum as she leaned up from her counter.

“Oh,” Judy replied as she searched for a name. “Hi...Yana, right? How are you feeling? When I left your apartment you sort of…”

“Fainted,” Yana replied glumly before she held up an orange prescription bottle that she produced from her pocket. “I’m on my meds today while I work though, so you don’t have to worry about that as much. Else I’d never get anything done. Tell me, were you able to get anything more done about the house? Or were my statements still not enough?”

“The house?” Wolfard asked, giving Judy a somewhat confused look. “What statements?”

Judy let out a nervous laugh as she tried to think of a good way to steer this conversation in another direction. The last thing she needed was Wolfard thinking she was some sort of ghost-believing nut after making her first strides to being a real friend with the wolf. And while ghosts certainly did exist, that was besides the point.

“We, uh, we’re actually about other business today, Yana,” Judy tried dragging the conversation back on track. “This is in regards to your...Lovely little pawn shop, actually, that I’m just now realizing you owned.”

Judy cursed herself mentally for not looking ahead of time more closely at all the names of the owners of the various stores they were supposed to look into. Sure enough, on the list of Bits and Baubles was the name Yana Hooktail. Judy was wondering why it seemed like a familiar area of the city...They were on the same block where she had given her interview with Yana.

Judy continued. “We’re looking to see if you happened to have any clients recently. Specifically a female fox who was in her fifties.”

“Foxes again? Like the building manager we spoke about?”

“Okay,” said Wolfard with his arms crossed. “There’s a story here and I’m kind of curious to hear it. You just started a couple of weeks ago, Hopps. When did you have time to take the statements of someone? Did Bogo really put up a newbie, no offense, to that?”

“It was an independent thing,” Judy tried to explain. “Look, to summarize it: I live in the same house she had lived in previously. I had some strange goings on and was curious about its history, so I contacted a bunch of people who also had these experiences.”

“And you both think the house is, what, haunted?”

Judy remained silent as Yana answered for them both.

“Of course we do, young pup.”

Wolfard snorted. He looked like a pufferfish trying not to laugh while he glanced towards Judy, seeing if she might offer anything to suggest otherwise. But Judy, in good conscience, just couldn’t deny the truth. She felt that after all she had been through with Nick, to deny such things as ghosts at this point would be disingenuous. Instead, the look Judy offered him was pleading with him just to drop it as his ears lowered.

“...Alright, I’ll let you handle this one then,” he finally said. “I’ll be waiting outside getting a head start on the reports.”

Judy nodded as the wolf slunk away out of the door into the blazing heat of the district. Judy felt as if the goodwill they had built up with each other that day had just gone up in smokes. Her parents always told her that the one thing never to discuss with new friends was politics and faith. If believing in ghosts wasn’t faith, no matter how true Judy knew it to be, she didn’t know what was.

“He’s just like all the others,” Yana said, crossing her arms. “I take it you hadn’t told him about it? Or managed to get anything done about the house?”

“No,” Judy replied. “I mean, who would believe it?”

“Nobody. That’s why I’m all the more surprised to hear that you’re still there, hon.”

“We’ve kind of come to have a rapport. The ghost and I, I mean.”

“You’re kidding,” Yana looked gobsmacked. “You mean you actually managed to reason with it?”

“Him,” Judy corrected almost automatically. “And to an extent. I think he’s been lonely for a really long time. Of course, why he’s haunting the place is another story entirely.”

Judy was surprised at how easily it all came flowing out. She realized in that moment that, outside of Nick and Finnick, she hadn’t told anyone about living with a ghost. Let alone someone who was basically a stranger. Though the possum had a way of making it sound like what Judy was talking about wasn’t so crazy.

“Well,” continued Yana. “Good for you, I guess. Cheap house for cheap rent, if you don’t mind the noisy roommate. Any idea of what’s keeping him grounded to this realm then?”

“I don’t quite follow.”

“His burdens, hon. He’s dead, remember? There may be a fine line between the world of the dead and the world of the living, but it exists for a reason. The dead weren’t meant to linger in our world. Most of the time they tend to lose themselves in the process. Their old selves fade away until there’s nothing left but emotions surrounding whatever has tied them to this realm. Is he a phantom? Or a spector, perhaps?”

“There’s a difference?”

“Oh, honey, there’s all the difference in the world,” Yana replied before she corrected herself. “Sorry, sometimes I forget this sort of thing isn’t common knowledge. After I determined that the house was haunted, I went on something of a binge into the supernatural with ghost hunters, including picking up all their terminology. It all has to do with whatever binds them to this plane of existence.”

Yana then began to list them all on her paw.

“You have your orbs, of course. Those are less entities and more strong emotions tied to a place that have lingered on, that’s why you’ll usually see them around gravesites where there has been a lot of grief. A poltergeist is a basic form of ghost that usually happens shortly after a person dies. It’s a spirit that hasn’t quite accepted it's time for it to move on yet and they usually fade on their own. A mare is where things get more malleolus. Mares latch themselves onto mammals, usually out of anger or rage, keeping their victims from sleep. For the longest time, I thought that our friend in 111 Winchester was a phantom, a ghost that’s tied to a particular location. But a part of me wonders if that’s not entirely the case and there was something more...Sinister at work.”

Judy had been listening intently, wishing she had had the sense to be taking notes faster. “What do you mean?”

“Well, all these ghosts are capable of doing different things. This is in part because they’re all tethered to one thing in the mortal realm or another. It could be a person, a place, an emotion, or simply wanting to cling onto life itself. But how the ghost is capable of interacting with the mortal realm varies depending on these categories, which is why ghost hunters thought them up. Our ghost is much more slippery than that. He’s clever. He’s capable of interacting with both the house and even people within it, but he can also do so much more than that.”

Judy thought to Nick’s possessing trick. She hadn’t thought about it at the time, but it did seem strange to her. People died everyday. And yet she had never seen ghosts before, much less ones who were quite as “lively” as Nick was, for lack of a better word. Were it not for being bound to the house itself, he could almost completely pass as a living being.

“I know that look.” Yana grinned at Judy. “You’re thinking about it too, aren’t you?”

“I just never considered it before,” Judy replied. “If all ghosts were like him, you’d think we’d see one everyday. But we don’t. He’s special for some reason. Or the house is.”

“My thoughts exactly. So, I had done a little digging to find the origin of the house. I had maybe considered that it was how it was built or where it was that had something to with it. Perhaps it had been constructed on top of some sacred site by mistake or something. That turned up with nothing. So, I turned to the ghost categories again for helpful advice. And I found that there is one category that might fit our phantasm friend the best. A wraith.”

Judy scowled. Something about that word sounded foul and dark. “And what is special about a wraith?”

“What’s special is that all the other ghosts form naturally from the pains of living a mortal life. But a wraith doesn’t naturally form. A wraith is made. The conditions for one are rare. Someone needs to perform a foul act of pure hatred and vengeance. Simply put, it’s a curse built upon the ugliest emotions known to mammals.”

“What does the person have to do to summon one exactly?”

“I don’t know,” replied Yana. “And truthfully, I’d rather not know. Even the thought of it is making me feel weak and if I were not on my meds I’d probably faint. What I do know is that a wraith is forever tethered to our world so long as the emotions of the person who summoned them hold true. And they’ll haunt whatever or whomever they’re conjured to hate forever. It’s a curse meant to destroy.”

Judy gulped at that thought. All of that sounded nothing like Nick and yet there was a nagging fear in the back of Judy’s head that told her she was missing something.

“Is there any way to know for sure if they’re a wraith?”

“Intuition, mostly. There’s no visual clue outside of the signs associated with each category of ghost. Wraith’s, however, are particularly powerful and violent. They’ve been known to be able to stop a mammal’s heart out of fright, if you give them reason to. I suppose you could try asking the ghost himself.”

“He wouldn’t know,” Judy replied.

“Then it’s a simple matter of knowing the signs,” Yana’s voice softened as she recognized the look of concern. “Here’s the thing though. I thought our ghost was a wraith simply because everyone who has ever lived in the house has suffered the same vengeful fate, including me. But you say you’ve come to an accord with the ghost. That says to me that perhaps he’s not a wraith. Perhaps he’s something different altogether.”

“Something different?”

“Yeah, it’s not a science, after all. No matter what the most serious ghost hunters would say. They would never admit it but the real reason they chase after these spirits is because of the fear of the great unknown. The greatest unknown that any of us will ever face. Perhaps putting a ghost to rest is what gives the living hope and courage to face the end when the end inevitably comes for us all. But life is strange. It's vast and complex and ever changing. If people can change as often as the traffic lights outside then so too can spirits. So, I believe that you shouldn’t worry about what the ghost is. Instead how you might help him finally find rest.”

Judy remained solemn and quiet for a long moment. She had been so caught up in the excitement of the mystery behind Nick and his relationship with Mister Big that she never considered where it might all lead. If she did help him finally find peace, if they found his mother, then what might become of Nick himself? Would he be gone forever then? Or would he still linger in the house only to slowly fade with the rest of his memory? Perhaps that was the case for everyone who had ever lived and had yet to live. Though she was young and still had a, hopefully, rich life ahead of her full of trials and joys, Judy couldn’t help but wonder what the end might be.

And perhaps comforting the lonely spirit in 111 Winchester had helped to put that unspoken fear to rest.

“Then again, I’m also a novice when it comes to these things,” said Yana as her paw shaked while she opened her pill bottle. “And all this talk of death is giving me the willies. It sounds like this wasn’t what you first came in here for.”

“Oh!” Judy snapped to suddenly remembering the task in the moment. “Yes! Actually, it has to do with the ghost himself. We’re looking for his mother, in fact. For an unrelated reason, of course.”

“She’s not in trouble with the law, is she?”

“It’s a long story,” Judy explained as she thought of Mister Big. “And I don’t know if it’s something I should be telling you for your safety. But he’s been helping with it. He feels called to make amends with her, so our interests overlap. Just don’t go saying anything about that, please.”

Yana shook her head as she swallowed a pill whole. “Honey, who am I going to tell? The ZPD already sees me as a ghost believing nutcase. More to the point if our friend happens to actually be a wraith, the last thing I would want to do is upset him.”

“True enough, I suppose…”

“And you’re going around asking pawn shop owners because you found some of her things for sale.”

“How did you know?”

“A lucky guess. And you’d be surprised how often people like that do things where they come to me with old junk for sale.”

“What do you mean by people like that?”

“The amount of mammals who have walked through my door dropping all their items from their past lives is staggering. See, when I first moved into 111 Winchester, I thought I would be able to handle it even despite the ugly rumors about the place. I deal with ghosts all the time in my business. Not the spiritual kind but the people who are just trying to forget the past.”

Yana thought for a moment, her paws still shaking, before she took another pill from the bottle and swallowed it.

“People like that pretend they’re alright on the outside. But on the inside they’re torn up. They barely eat. They can’t sleep.”

“That wouldn’t be good for her,” Judy muttered with a worried tone. “She already has known health problems.”

“Then she couldn’t live alone,” said Yana. “Going by how long the house has been up for grabs, it’s had to be at least six years, probably more. Dealing with grief for that long would take its toll. If she was still working, she’d pick a job that surrounded her with people to keep an eye on her. It might also help her to forget the past a little by moving forward with a new future. Of course, I’m no detective.”

“Then you haven’t seen an older vixen come in any time?”

“Wish I had, honey. I’d probably be able to pick her out in an instant though. Who did she sell her things to?”

“A weasel named Duke.”

Yana grimaced. “That scoundrel. He’s only in the business to make a quick buck. But if she did pick him...Then she probably wanted to avoid attention. I’m sure you know that Duke has a rather colorful record.”

“And shoddy business practices. We thought she might have been trying to spread it out across the city going to several less than favorable shops.”

“Do you have a name?”

“Not one she’s currently using.”

“You’re looking more for someone who was looking to get a quick deal with as few questions asked as possible. That being said...I can see what I can do. I know a few vendors who fit that kind of lowkey profile.”

“That would be wonderful, if it’s not too much trouble of course.”

“Not at all. I want to see this whole thing with our ghostly friend resolved as much as you do. It’s nice to have a friend who doesn’t roll their eyes at how crazy this all sounds, for a change.”

The two shared a grin with each other, even Judy could feel the same as she glanced to the door over her shoulder.

“Speaking of sounding crazy...I should probably go check in with my partner. Here’s my personal contact information if you do manage to find something.”

“Of course. Best of luck, Officer Hopps.”

Judy smiled as she stepped out into the sauna that was the Sahara. The sun was starting to dip in the sky and with the orange sand below, it was already starting to turn red. Though they hadn’t made nearly the sort of progress she had hoped for in the day, Judy could be content in that they had another ally in the search. It felt like only a matter of time now. Even if there was still the matter of Mister Big and Fru Fru to contend with. She couldn’t afford to put that off for too much longer without drawing suspicion.

“Yo, Hopps.”

Then there was still the matter of Wolfard as Judy tried to retain a personal decorium hoping they might be able to just move past the subject of ghosts entirely.

“She doesn’t know anything, but she does know all about our weasel friend. Said it’s likely our mammal vendored a bunch of stuff to separate stores to cover her tracks more. So, she’ll put the word out to various vendors she does know who handle the lowkey business. Saves us time while we wrap up our own search. It’s unglamorous work but we’re getting closer, bit by bit.”

“Ah. Well, that’s good. And she’s a credible source of help then?”

Judy sighed. “She’s not crazy, if that’s what you mean.”

“Oh, no. I didn’t mean it like that...Just in her line of work can we count on her?”

“Just as much as you can count on me.”

Wolfard was slow but he eventually took Judy’s meaning as he rubbed the back of his head and glanced away.

“I didn’t mean to offend you in any way,” he replied. “Sorry if I sounded dismissive back there. It just surprised me. I didn’t take you for the sort of mammal who would believe in...Stuff like that, you know.”

“I do,” Judy replied.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry if I offended you. I’ll do better to watch what I say in the future. It’s Zootopia and you should be able to believe what you want without being ridiculed for it. But what she said, is it true? Your house is really haunted?”

“Yes…?” Judy’s voice lingered as she wondered where he was going with this.

“Wow. I mean, you always hear about condemned houses, especially in Old Town. But I’ve never actually been inside one.”

Judy raised an eye as she noted Wolfard’s tail wag slightly. Was he...Actually excited about the idea of a real haunted house?

“...Is that a hint that you’d like to go inside?” Judy asked, crossing her arms.

“Oh, uh, I don’t want to impose or nothing. Just you can’t help but be curious about that sort of thing, you know?”

The faintest smirk appeared on Judy’s lips before she hid it. She did know about that curious itch when she was first settling down in the place and learning about Nick. And maybe then Wolfard might actually believe her.

“I suppose we could always take work over there and order some dinner. Though if we do that, we have to set some ground rules first…”

Chapter Text

Judy arrived home with a heavy sigh as the weight fell from her shoulders. They had done so much walking around the city that, even with the new cruiser, her feet were still throbbing as she tarried up the steps of 111 Winchester. Though she had been plagued with many thoughts over the course of the day about ghosts and Marla, she couldn’t help but feel an immense sense of relief when she saw Nick waiting for her in the main hall. Even if she had to hurry that pleasant greeting along.

“You were late today,” Nick said, arms crossed. “Any luck?”

“Slower progress than I would have liked,” Judy responded. “But progress all the same. We’re getting closer to finding her. It’s only a matter of time now with all the angles we’re coming in from.”

“Well, there’s still the problem of Mister Big and the key. That kind of puts a time limit on things.”

Judy was trying not to think about it. That was one reason why when Wolfard asked to come over for a visit, she insisted that he go back to his place and change first before his arrival. And why Judy had left her own vest and badge at the station. If Big was watching her house, like she feared, the last thing she needed was him questioning why a cop in uniform had dropped by. Though she couldn’t delay the talk with Fru Fru for much longer, depending on how patient of a mammal Big was.

“We’ll make it. I’m sure of it. She’ll be safe, Nick. I swear it on my life.”

Nick frowned at that as Judy sped past him for the stairs. She could feel him follow her to the bedroom.

“Listen, Carrots, I’ve been thinking about that and--”

“Sorry,” she interrupted him. “Can this just wait for a minute? I need to get changed and order takeout.”

“Huh? What’s the rush with that?”

“So, promise you won’t get mad,” Judy stopped at the bedroom door as she then barreled through the exposition. “I bumped into one of your old tenants today by chance. She was someone who I had originally questioned about this house when we were still on bad terms. And she sort of...Brought up the haunted house angle again. And that got Wolfard interested enough to ask if he could come over and work on the case together. As well as see a real haunted house for himself.”

The look of horror on Nick’s ghostly face was almost priceless. “What?”

Judy grinned nervously as she shut the door on him in the attempt to stifle the impending fireworks display on the other side. That and to get moving because Wolfard said he would be dropping by any minute and they had been running late with traffic dropping off the cruiser.

“I’m sorry,” Judy spoke through the door as she fumbled with her belt and shirt. “I couldn’t convince him otherwise though without sounding insane.”

“Carrots, this is my house. I don’t like it when people just barge into it.”

“Would you say it makes you feel wrathful?” Judy curiously asked as paused mid-taking her shirt off.

“That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it? This is my family’s home. I’ve been trying to keep it safe and protected to honor the memories here. I just don’t like the idea of some dopey wolf tromping about the place. And there’s also the matter of something else about wolves too.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hard to describe but canines in particular have a good sense for the supernatural. One of my previous tenants was a jackal and she would just know where I was sometimes even if I was invisible.”

“How could she do that?”

“Well, I couldn’t exactly ask her, could I? I barely even had to scare her before she noped out of the place without so much as a word to Finnick. But even if I was going unseen and unmaterialized in a room, she would stare right at me like I was right there, ears all on end like she was listening to me. We had one particular staredown that lasted for hours.”

Judy wished she knew that before she had given Wolfard an open invitation.

“Wolfard doesn’t seem to believe in ghosts,” she tried to argue. “So it might be fine. Maybe. All you have to do is keep in the attic while he’s here and that should be enough, right?”

“I would normally agree with you. But there is a small matter of a certain something I wanted to discuss with you before you dropped this on me. And probably something we should take care of before he arrives. You know the box you dug up in the backyard?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, it’s currently resting in the kitchen. I brought it downstairs.”

“What?” Judy asked just as she started changing into her civvies. “Why would you do that? I thought it was safest upstairs.”

“It was but that was the thing I wanted to talk to you about. I brought it downstairs while you were at work.”

“Well, it’s no problem,” Judy said as she slipped into her plaid shirt. “We’ll just have to get it out of sight before Wolfard arrives and--”

She was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Both her ears drooped.

“Great,” said Judy as she opened the bedroom door to the concerned Nick. “You need to get that box out of sight while I distract Greg and try to pull him away from the kitchen. If he sees it, he’ll ask what it is and I don’t want to lie to my partner.”

“And we both know how bad you are at lying,” replied Nick with his arms crossed as he hovered behind her. “Also, Greg? Really?”

“What? We’re trying to get friendlier with each other. It’s part of the ZPD guide book for building better teamwork in the workplace.”

“Something tells me you slept with that guide book under your pillow in the academy,” Nick muttered as he vanished from sight. “Just keep him away from my route and I’ll take the box upstairs to your bedroom. He won’t go there. I hope.”

Judy wasn’t left with time to question what Nick even meant by that as she reached the door and opened up to her waiting guest. Wolfard stood in a blue hoodie and jeans, looking very casual and relaxed compared to his usual tie and uniform. Especially compared to Judy’s country style, which was only missing the straw hat.

“Sorry about that,” said Judy. “Was just finishing getting changed upstairs.”

“Hey, no worries. I actually had a thought on the way over here about the case. Maybe we can talk about it over dinner.”

“Dinner,” Judy repeated. “Right. Shoot. I forgot to order the food. Well, are you hungry right now?”

Judy was answered by the sound of a growling gut.

“A little,” Wolfard sheepishly replied. “I skipped lunch since we were so invested in the search and didn’t grab anything before I left home. But if you’re not hungry yourself, I’m fine with waiting…”

“No, no, no,” Judy replied, remembering that she also had to be an accommodating host as well as keep Wolfard distracted. “I’ll go ahead and order something. Uh, I left my cell phone upstairs and the landline is in the kitchen…So, please come in.”

Judy could only hope that Nick had gotten started on moving the box, not knowing how long that would take considering it was pretty heavy to begin with. As Wolfard wiped his feet at the doormat Judy decided to play a tour guide to perhaps buy the fox a few more precious seconds.

“So, this is it,” she gestured around the main hall. “111 Winchester. The most haunted house in Zootopia.”

“Hah, bold claim,” replied Wolfard as he rubbed at his biceps. “It's a bit chilly here for summer, isn’t it?”

“Is it? I don’t even notice it anymore. And I wouldn’t make the claim if it wasn’t true.”

“Come to think of it, I do seem to remember reading a few police reports over the years about odd goings on in this place. That or Clawhauser mentioning it being haunted. Never did get to see it for myself though. Gotta say it’s pretty charming, all things considering. I was expecting peeling wallpaper and cobwebs all over the place.”

“You don’t think I would keep the place clean? It would upset the ghost if I mistreated the place. The paintings all start to watch you if you do harm to the building.”

“Hah. Good joke. You are kidding, right?”

Judy just laughed in response as she took her time slowly showing Wolfard to the kitchen. Luckily he seemed more interested in looking at all the various paintings on the wall, trying to catch if they had any wandering glances. Enough of a distraction that he didn’t even notice the box hovering out of the other end of the kitchen just as they entered.

“What are you feeling tonight?” Judy asked as she picked up the landline. “Pizza? Bug Burga? Food bowls?”

“Tacos, actually,” Wolfard replied. “Maybe it’s the chill in the air but I’m craving something spicy.”

“I don’t know any places nearby.”

“Right, you just moved in. No worries, I actually have a place I go to all the time with...Fangmeyer.”

Wolfard frowned at that as he pulled out his own phone. Internally Judy was cursing at herself for not even considering that they could have just used his phone and not gone to the kitchen. The sudden surprise of his visit and the stakes Nick had given were making her sloppy and not thinking things through. All the while, she could only politely smile as Wolfard dialed the number and brought his phone to his ear.

“So, what would you like from the place? They do some terrific wraps that are pretty spicy. Plenty of good prey food too and--”

Both their ears perked up as a sudden thump through the walls alerted them both to the main hall, specifically the stairs.

“...Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Judy tried to lie before laughing nervously.

“That noise. Tell me you didn’t hear that.”

“Oh, that? This building is so old that the pipes in here make all sorts of noise, especially with the hot water on.”

“Well, I don’t smell any tap water running,” Wolfard replied with a sniff. “And I’m getting a funny feeling. Don’t tell me that’s the ghost.”

“It’s not, trust me,” Judy tried to stop him before he turned around and headed back to the entrance. “Wait! Believe me, if you jump at every little sound you hear in this place, you’ll never catch your breath. Let’s just order dinner and then we can go on a ghost hunt if you really want, I’m hungry too.”

But Wolfard seemed fixated as if he was on the scent, following his nose as he pointed it forward in every direction. When they both arrived in the entrance hall, Judy was almost relieved to find nothing. No sign of Nick and no sign of the box either. That was until she looked up.

“Weird,” Wolfard commented, not even noticing the shadow hovering over his head. “It was like for just a second there, I felt some sort of presence like there was a person standing here. It made my fur all bumpy and standing up on ends. That ever happened to you?”

“Um,” Judy replied, trying not to glance at the box which was hovering ten feet off the ground above them both. “Sometimes, but you get used to it. You just try not to be observant and you can rest easier. You know how some people claim they see faces in objects?”

“Yeah, I have heard of that. They call it pareidolia, right? I’m sorry, it’s just so weird. My nose has never failed me before and I was sure there was somebody standing right here. Then they just up and vanished into thin air. I know we were just going to order dinner, but this is going to drive me nuts. And I’d hate to invade your privacy but do you, um, mind if we go upstairs? I got this feeling that wherever it's gone it’s up as a general direction.”

“Up, you say?” Judy allowed herself one glance as the box continued to freely float like a balloon. “I guess not. There’s nothing up there that I’m particularly trying to hide.”

Judy found that it was a little easier to tell white lies by keeping a bit of truth to them, so subtle that Wolfard didn’t even notice. With that, the two of them ascended the stairs, Wolfard continuing to follow his nose. When he got a little too close to noticing Nick, Judy would quickly change the subject.

“So, um, I can’t help but notice you have quite a sharp nose.”

“Oh, for sure. In fact, that’s sort of what I wanted to talk with you about with the idea I mentioned earlier. Ever hear of the memory of smells?”

“The memory of smells? Not really, is that a canine thing?”

“In some sense, I guess it is since we’re so reliant on it. I guess how you might best describe it is how certain smells can trigger nostalgia. Like, say, how fresh baked cookies might make you think of home. It goes even deeper than that though. After all, smell is only particles that linger in the air from an object and everything has a habit of collecting pieces along the way. Back in the day, wolves used to track folks even if their scent was weeks old. It’s gone out of practice since then. With the wonders of technology it’s not very hard to find someone in an easier way. Really, anyone is capable of smelling and triggering a memory. But canines can take it to a whole different level. We can take a smell and read its history.”

Wolfard cleared his throat as he looked around the upstairs hallway as if sensing something.

“For example,” he spoke up after a long moment of silence. “This house...Beyond the mustiness of the building has a lot of history in its scent. The wood is from the western forests, near the great redwoods where a lot of the lumber from Zootopia came from around the year this place was built. Given how faint the scent is, I can judge that this house can’t be more than seventy years old, even without looking at the architecture. I can smell where the water is coming from and from what part of the city if I really focused. I can smell the wires as the electricity burns through them. And…”

Wolfard gestured with a single paw at the ceiling.

“...I can smell that there’s something up there,” he said, sounding the most serious Judy had ever heard him. “Another room, like an attic. Only it’s older. And much more hidden away. In fact, I’d say that no one has been inside of it for years. There’s something in the walls.”

“...Wow,” Judy replied, all the more startled Wolfard could even sniff out Nick’s private sanctuary. A place that Judy had not even been in. “You can tell all that by smell?”

“It takes a lot of focus and it isn’t one hundred percent. But I can definitely work out where the placement of things are if we’re in the general area of something. That was my thought. What if we don’t need to find Wilde Card? Instead, what if we just found something that belonged to them?”

“Like the amulet?”

“The amulet is no good. That little trick I just did with the hidden room in this house because the room has been so untouched that no one else’s more recent scents have grazed it. No offense to you, Judy, but the necklace has been handled too much. It’s got your scent overpowering it. Though I am getting a little trace of someone else, it’s been overwhelmed by you.”

“Sorry…”

“Hey, you had no way of knowing. Even if you did, with the shopkeeper it could have passed through so many paws that we would have lost the scent anyway. But it got me thinking about how we could use scent as a way to track this person down directly.”

“It might work if we had something new…”

In that exact moment, Judy could hear her phone buzzing on the nightstand of her bedroom. Wolfard jumped slightly like it was the ghost that had suddenly revealed itself.

“Ah, that’s my phone,” she assured him. “Sorry, I’ll get it.”

“Smell might be our strongest sense,” Wolfard clutched at his heart. “But our hearing isn’t bad either.”

Judy couldn’t help but chuckle as she made her way inside the bedroom and grabbed at the phone to see it read as an unknown number. While she might normally let something like that go to voicemail, it would be a good enough distraction from Wolfard as well as a way to buy Nick some time to hide the box downstairs, considering their original plan had been shut down by the wolf’s nose.

“Hello?”

“ Is this Officer Hopps? ” asked a familiar voice. “ I typed in the right number, didn’t I? ”

“Yes...Who’s speaking?” before it clicked in Judy’s head that this was the same voice as this afternoon. “Wait, Yana?”

“ Sorry. I wanted to let you know that I did just as you asked and rang up a few of my fellows about any strange clients who might have visited their stores recently. Sure enough, one of them had such a customer. They sold him a particularly rare vintage toy for cheap before they took off. Didn’t even haggle for it. ”

That story sounded very familiar to one Duke had told them. Wolfard, standing next to Judy, had his ears already perked up. No doubt he too remembered Yana from that very day.

“That’s great!” Judy said with a genuine smile. “Actually, this is perfect timing. Can you tell your friend to hold onto the item for us and do whatever he can to not touch it? As well as provide us with any video or evidence he might have of the customer in question?”

“ Are you kidding me? He already put that thing in a case as soon as he got it. ”

“Well, the ZPD will be more than happy to compensate him for what the toy is worth. If you can give me his contact information, we’ll be stopping by in the morning.”

Yana did so as Judy wrote out the details on her trusty notepad. As she thanked Yana for all her help, as well as well wishes for dealing with the ghost, Judy hung up and faced Wolfard with a big grin.

“This is it! We have our big lead. See? I knew today would pay off!”

“Right on,” Wolfard grinned in return. “And if it has even a bit of scent still on the toy, we can track down Wilde Card and see whatever they have on Mister Big.”

Their shared grins were interrupted by echoes of two growling stomachs. Wolfard put a paw to his and was the first to speak.

“...I think that’s enough ghosthunting for now. If I wait to eat any longer, I might turn into one myself.”

Judy was a little concerned coming back downstairs to whatever she might find with Nick hiding the box. But she was more than surprised to not see nor hear any trace of him. It was almost like he and the box had completely vanished even with the wild goose chase that Wolfard had put them on. She thought it best not to go looking for him though and focused more on getting dinner, picking out the carrot wrap while Wolfard tempted himself with the fish burrito.

The rest of the dinner was spent planning their course of attack for the next day. They looked up the address of the shop and learned that it and its owner were far more reputable than Duke was.

“Seems a bit odd that they would pick such different vendors,” Wolfard muttered as he chewed on his dinner. “So much for the theory that they were desperate. This all almost seems random. They’re on completely opposite sides of the city.”

Judy did think that was a little strange, especially in how there didn’t seem to be any doctors nearby that would match Marla’s medical needs.

“Maybe it has less to do with Wilde Card and more to do with that weasel,” Judy theorized. “You saw his shop, it was falling apart. Maybe he’s been migrating all over the city peddling his wares and that’s why we came up with nothing.”

“Perhaps...I suppose we’ll find out tomorrow. Bright and early. No being late this time. Speaking of, I don’t suppose you managed to speak to your canine friend about my, erm, little problem.”

“Haven’t gotten the chance. But I will by tomorrow, I promise.”

It was already getting closer to nine in the evening, about the time Judy would consider settling down for the night with her early mornings at the station. Wolfard yawned too and said his goodbyes but not before admitting that Judy’s house might be haunted. Though Nick had gone completely silent during the visit, he couldn’t deny there was something strange about the room in the attic that couldn’t be reached.

Judy waved Wolfard off at the door, stomach full of good food and somewhat eager to see what would await them together in the morning the next day.

It was only after she finally shut the door that she heard a loud thud coming from the kitchen.

“It’s about time,” Nick called out to her. “I thought he’d never leave.”

Judy hurried back to find Nick sitting on the box on the kitchen floor, right next to the table. At a glance, it was clear what Nick had done. Being in the kitchen there was only one place he could hide the box without it being seen, under the dining table. He had been levitating between the legs  the whole time while Judy and Wolfard had been happily chatting away with each other, unaware of what was going on directly beneath them. While a ghost didn’t have muscles to strain, Judy could only imagine that doing that trick for so long probably required a lot of focus and energy.

“I’m sorry,” Judy apologized. “But once we got that tip, I just got excited, I guess. And we couldn’t stop planning then to how we would approach it and--”

“Carrots, it’s fine,” Nick waved her off. “I know you were only interested in doing this to find where my mother is. I’m not going to get in the way of you and your wolfy boyfriend.”

“Wolfy boyfriend?” Judy couldn’t help but laugh at the very thought as she put her paws on her waist. “We’re partners, Nick. Police partners. You were listening to us the whole time, right?”

“Yup. Right below you without either of you noticing. He must have been so excited his nose wasn’t working properly. I heard all about his little ‘canine problem.’”

“Because of the person he’s actually interested in,” Judy replied. “I said I’d help him with it because he’s not quite sure what to do about asking a fellow officer to be his mate. And while I’m ninety nine percent certain it’s really Fangmeyer he’s into, I am one hundred percent certain it’s not me.”

“Really?” Nick replied with a certain inflection in his voice followed by a tail wag so subtle that Judy almost didn’t notice it. “I guess that makes sense then…”

Judy crossed her arms and grinned. “Are you jealous of Wolfard?”

Now Nick looked somewhat miffed. “Jealous? Me? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then why were you acting weird earlier when I mentioned Wolfard would be coming to visit?”

“I told you. Because I would have appreciated the heads up. He almost caught me, you know. I had to direct his attention to the attic just to get him off my case. Besides, I think you’re confusing jealousy with…”

Nick went silent for a long moment before looking away from Judy. She frowned and tried a gentler tone with him.

“...With what?”

“I dunno,” Nick replied. “Envy, I guess. He’s about my age before I bit the bullet. The prime of his life, chasing girls. Starting his own pack. Something I never got to do.”

“Oh…”

Judy could feel her ears lower as she looked to her feet. Despite everything, it could be a challenge to remember Nick was dead whenever she spoke with him. When they talked, it was like he was alive. Full of energy and still able to manipulate his surroundings. It was only when she really thought about it, she could imagine how hard it must be for him to do that. How much practice and focus it would take to move something being nothing but a spirit. He was like the gust of wind knocking the leaves in a tree.

Judy found herself curious for more questions as she met his eyes again. “Did you ever, you know, want to be with someone?”

“Nah,” Nicked replied after a pause. “I was too busy supporting mom to think about settling down. And then the job with Big happened, it would have been too dangerous to even consider starting a life with someone else. Not only for me but for whoever caught my eye too. So, I buried anything with anyone. Figured I would always have time to start again later in life when things were more settled and I never had money to worry about. Jokes on me, I guess.”

“I’m sorry, Nick.”

He shrugged. “I’m still here, at least. I’m just afraid I won’t have much advice for puppy love boy when it comes to prospective mates. Though I can understand what he’s going through, in some sense. I’m assuming he told her his feelings and she didn’t take it very well?”

Judy shook her head at Nick. He then chuckled a little as he floated along in the kitchen, tail flapping along as he rubbed at his chin. It was almost like he was deep in thought.

“Tell him this next time you see him,” Nick finally said. “Life is short. But there are always second chances too. He can’t spend his life waiting around for her to make up her mind. But what he can do is reach out to the people he does care about. So long as he has that solid base, no matter what happens, he’ll pull through.”

There was a familiar sense of weight to Nick’s words as he nodded with a smile, satisfied with his answer.

“Thanks Nick,” Judy replied before her gaze then turned to the floor where she noticed the box still sitting there. “What did you want to talk about with the box?”

Nick’s smile slowly vanished as he put his paws in his pockets.

“Tell you what,” he said to her. “With the news that we finally have a lead on my mother, let’s put a pin on this until tomorrow. I kind of want to prepare myself for what I’m going to say to her first.”

“Say to her? You mean you’re coming with me?”

“Of course I am. Just try and stop me.”

“No, that’s not it at all,” Judy slowly smiled. “I just think it’s a good idea. If we’re on the trail then you can help us to find what we’re looking for. It’s going to be a busy day.”

“And then we can deal with this box business with Big. Once you clear things with my mother. Any idea what you’re going to say to your partner yet? Or to Fru Fru, for that matter?”

“I’ll think of something.”

Chapter Text

Judy found herself woken up in the kitchen, having slumped over the table of evidence they had acquired thus far as well as some embarrassing drool stains. As she blinked into existence, she stared up at the transparent fox hovering overhead.

“Wolfard called,” Nick told her. “I listened to the voicemail. He said that he was going to pick you up in an hour. After he mentioned the plan to the mayor, the mayor spoke to your boss and he’s having you go directly to the store instead of the station.”

“...That’s a lot of information to process first thing in the morning,” Judy replied with a big yawn.

“Well, you were staying up late pouring over the details, so I thought you’d only want to know the plan.”

Judy had to laugh at the phantom doing a pout as she rose from her chair with a stretch. “No, I do appreciate it. Thanks for waking me up, Nick. Guess there’s no time to do a workout but plenty for breakfast and a shower.”

“Also, there was a package delivered.”

“A package?”

“From Bunnyburrow,” Nick replied. “I didn’t open it since I figured it was from your home.”

“Oh!” Judy felt the sudden jolt of excitement that served her better than any cup of coffee. “Wow, that was fast! Mom didn’t have to rush it and pay for express mail…”

“Rush what?”

Judy didn’t answer Nick as that would ruin the surprise. He hovered behind her as they went to the main hall where a small cardboard box was waiting for her next to the front door. Nick must have been practicing her possession trick in order to grab it, which was ironic considering what was inside. That made Judy pause from ripping it open as she turned to Nick and smiled.

“It’s actually a gift for you,” Judy said as she offered him the box. “I figured you were tired of posing as a rabbit, so this’ll be perfect for the search today.”

He gingerly accepted the box, focusing to keep it levitating in place as his other paw used his claws to puncture the tape. His eyes widened as he opened the box. Judy stood on her tippie toes to get a better look at what was inside.

“Oh, wow. It came out better than I thought it would considering I had to be vague with the details over the phone.”

“...Carrots, what is this?”

“My mom is super into crocheting, so I asked if she could do me a favor for a friend. It’s just a little doll of you based on my description of you to her. Isn’t it cute?”

Nick held onto the perfect imitation of himself in miniature, from his red fur right down to the gaudy green shirt and tie. By his expression, Judy could tell that he was somewhere between resisting giving a smart comment and being genuinely touched by the gesture. Or perhaps he understood deep down that every line was stitched with love and care, just like any mother’s work. Judy couldn’t help but wonder if Marla had ever knitted him anything.

“...Thank you,” he finally replied. “It definitely suits me better than being a stuffed rabbit. A bit odd for a bunny to be carrying around a stuffed fox though, wouldn’t you say?”

“Well, I guess that means you’ll have to be careful that no one sees you inside my backpack this time, doesn’t it?”

“Carrots, I am the soul of caution.”

A quick shower followed by a quicker breakfast was all Judy needed to hop into shape for the big day. She had decided to treat herself to cinnamon toast, much to Nick’s amusement as he waddled around on the tabletop.

“Better watch what you eat, Carrots. You’re going to start putting on weight if you keep at it. One good thing about being dead, I suppose.”

Judy had to stifle a giggle as she looked down at the miniature Nick doll. Though it was certainly more fitting for him than the bunny toy, it was still a comical sight to listen to such a voice coming from his small mouth.

“Maybe you should sell that as a weight loss plan then,” she shot back with a smirk.

“Hah. I don’t think that would go over well. Want to maintain your weight and figure? Drop dead. No, seriously. Drop dead. Food will literally go right through you.”

Judy couldn’t help but laugh at that. She was in a good mood this morning. For all intents and purposes, this felt like the conclusion to something big. After spending days tearing through the city for this vixen, she felt like they would finally see the end of it. To that end, she had to go over things with Nick and talk seriously for a moment.

“Speaking of dropping dead,” she segued. “Do you have any idea what you’re going to say to your mom when you see her?”

“Well, that’s the tricky part, isn’t it? I can imagine considering the police are involved, there’s going to be a priority in questioning her first. Though we can predict what she’s going to say.”

“What do you mean?”

“Put yourself in her fur for a moment. You’ve broken away from your old life trying to forget everything that had transpired because your son was into some shady business. Then, out of the blue, a couple of police officers arrive and start asking questions. Questions that you don’t really know the answer to because you were never involved with it at all.”

“So, she’s not going to know anything regarding Mister Big.”

“And that will probably discourage your wolfy friend,” added Nick. “But that’s for later. There’s something else that needs resolving too. Remember the third box?”

“We need to get it back,” Judy concluded. “That way Mister Big doesn’t go looking for your mother.”

“There’s really two objectives today,” Nick continued, crossing his crocheted arms and leaning against Judy’s tea mug. “First will be to find my mother and confirm she’s safe. Once we have that and you have done your police thing, we’ll need to secure the box. That’s where I figured I can come in and do my little sneaking trick that you’re familiar with.”

That much was true. Judy had seen firsthand how easy it was for Nick to get himself into trouble while as a doll. While she and Wolfard had Marla distracted with questioning, he could easily find where the box was and secure it. Maybe even move it without Marla even noticing. There was one problem with that plan that troubled Judy.

“While you’re moving the box though, won’t that eat into your time that you can spend talking with your mother?”

“Eh, don’t worry about it.”

“Nick, that was really the whole point of this. To give you closure.”

“I would feel much better speaking with her once I was completely sure that she was out of danger from Mister Big. Besides...What would I even say to her like this?”

That much was true. She’d probably think she was going crazy talking to a doll, let alone having a bombshell dropped on her that it carried the soul of her dead son. No matter how Judy placed it, she couldn’t see a delicate way to handle the situation as they were.

“It would be best just to know she’s safe for now,” Nick continued. “Resolve the whole matter with Mister Big and put that particular fear to bed. Maybe once I see her with my own eyes, even if they’re made of buttons presently, I can put together exactly what I want to say to her. Maybe we can even invite her over to the house if she’s willing.”

“If you’re absolutely sure.”

“I am. But thank you for considering me.”

She smiled at the small doll and somehow knew that if he had the capacity, Nick might be smiling back at her.

“Don’t forget,” he added with a cough to break up the awkward moment of silence. “You had the promise to keep with Mister Big too. That was sort of what I wanted to discuss with you last night.”

“There’s still time to figure something out with how to approach Fru Fru. She might not even have the key anymore.”

“But if she does,” continued Nick. “After today when we find my mother, I’d like you to have the box and all its contents.”

“Nick...Are you sure?”

“I am. That’s sort of why I had brought it down last night so we could have it ready. If this clue to my mother hadn’t shown up, I was going to give you the box anyway. It would be better to bring down Big than risk him going after my mother. Even if there are incriminating documents, I’d imagine that bringing in Big would be the priority and they might overlook any involvement of a certain fox in favor of putting the more dangerous criminals behind bars. I trust you enough that you’ll do the right thing and keep my mom safe.”

Judy knew how much those words meant as she lowered her head in thanks. It seemed almost patronizing to take Nick’s paws when he was stuck in doll form, so she settled for a soft smile and looked him straight in the eye.

“Thank you. I won’t let you down.”

“Nor will I. We both got our work cut out for us today. It’s going to be a busy day.”

“I’ll even have to stop by Fru Fru’s job to speak with her at the end of it. The sooner the better now that we have a plan of how we want to handle the key situation.”

A sudden knock at the door followed by some grumbling and the sound of a doorbell alerted Judy to the fact that they were out of time. She once heard that canines didn’t much care for the sound of doorbells as it triggered something primal in them. It was something she’d have to remember to ask Nick about later as she answered the door to a very tired looking Wolfard with his own cup of coffee in his paws. His eyes walked up and down to see Judy was in uniform.

“Oh, good,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. “You got my message. Ready to roll?”

“Yup!” Judy shot back. “Let me just pack my bag and we can split.”

“The mayor actually wants to see us if we find Wilde Card today,” said Wolfard.

“That’s a bit strange,” Judy replied. “Don’t you think? Almost like he expects us to report to him, in a way.”

“Mm. I don’t get paid enough to think about politics, Hopps. The mayor was the one who is having us focus on this case, even if that’s made public. And if you think about it, he is the one who signs our checks at the end of the day. So, technically he’s above Bogo. Something I think he likes to remind everyone in the precinct. That was one reason I was so nervous when I got volunteered for this role.”

Judy hadn’t been in the city nearly long enough to pretend to know how the city council worked. She only knew that Lionheart was heavily involved when it came to Mister Big and that Bogo reported to him every month.

“Still,” continued Wolfard. “It is a bit strange that he’d want us to report directly to him first.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it sounded like he was hoping to bypass Bogo first. I mean, he didn’t outright say as much. I just sort of got that implication. Truthfully, I’ve been having a funny feeling about him this whole case but never had the nerves to bring it up to anyone.”

Judy frowned and bit her tongue. She still hadn’t told anyone about the note Nick had found in Lionheart’s briefcase which suggested the personal level the mayor had with the case outside of looking good for the public. It was possible that the ZPD had no knowledge that Lionheart had some involvement with Mister Big in the past. Maybe he had used a different name entirely back then as she always felt Lionheart was a bit on the nose for the lion. Like it was a PR approved title to go with his leadership role. Though she suspected that whatever Lionheart’s past entanglements with Big were, they would reveal themselves with the contents of the box like Nick had promised. They had bigger fish to fry than focusing on a potentially crooked mayor.

“We should probably just keep focused on one thing at a time,” she decided out loud. “Find Wilde Card and discover their connection with Mister Big, then the rest of the house of cards will fall. If Lionheart is dirty then the truth will come out. Besides, I don’t plan on keeping anything from Bogo, do you?”

“Never,” Wolfard smirked.

“Then let’s keep our eye on what’s ahead of us. When we find Wilde Card, I have a feeling it will all make sense.”

“You mean if we find them.”

“Well, I’m feeling lucky today.”

Judy sat back in the passenger seat and patted her bag. Inside she could feel Nick ruffling about, signaling to her that he was listening in on their conversation. Judy felt like she should be nervous about this. Her first big case and the first major breakthrough that came with it. Yet she felt calm and collected, especially knowing Nick was there with her.

The store they were headed towards fit all the checkboxes for clues thus far. It was in the district of Happytown, a location not exactly known for its wealthy inhabitants. In fact, research had told her that it was in the top five most likely places for a fox of any species to make their home in Zootopia. Judy had confirmed that a doctor’s office that could handle Marla’s medical conditions was within a mile of the place, close enough to be in the same area. And the store owner, at least according to Yana, was accustomed to accepting items with no questions asked if required, though they were professional enough to keep cameras and recordings of all their clients.

Upon their arrival, Judy and Wolfard stepped out to be greeted by a tanuki wearing a large blue apron and a pleasant almost perpetual grin on his face as he rubbed his paws together while waiting outside his shop’s door.

“You must be the police officers Yana told me about,” said the tanuki with a rather sly voice.

“Yes, sir,” Judy replied. “I’m Officer Hopps and this is my partner Officer Wolfard. Thank you for meeting with us so early in the morning.”

“The pleasure is mine, Officer. And I much prefer we handle this before store hours so I insisted on the early meeting with Yana. No offense to either of you, but having a pair of police officers lurking around the place is bad for business. Shall we begin?”

“After you,” Judy whispered to Wolfard as the wolf followed the shop keeper inside.

Judy lingered for a moment due to the movement she felt around in her pack, signaling that Nick had something to say to her.

“This guy is real slick,” he whispered to her, barely poking his head out. “He’s clearly been in this business for a long time and will be in a hurry to see you out of here. Try using that to your advantage.”

While Judy didn’t much care for the idea of manipulating the poor tanuki, the run in with Mister Big was all the experience she needed to know that appearances could be deceiving. While Yana had insisted that the shop keeper was her friend, Judy knew that everyone in the city was looking out for themselves in the end. It would be bad for his reputation if the store owner had purchased something from a major criminal. That was probably the only reason he was willing to play ball with the cops, given how valuable the item in question sounded.

As Judy finally followed them inside, she was greeted by a glass display of a doll on the counter of one the more orderly pawn shops they had visited in recent days. Given the price tags and the quality of the items on display, the tanuki was clearly a veteran of the business. And the number attached to the doll was no exception.

“Does that say what I think it does?” Wolfard asked, staring at the number in awe. “That’s more than I make in a quarter of a year!”

“Indeed,” replied the tanuki as he fiddled with his paws some more. “Thus I hope you can understand why I’m eager to cooperate with you kind officers. This particular item could help trim my numbers for this month. It would be a shame to discover that it was stolen and have to return it to its rightful owner.”

“We don’t think it was stolen,” Judy replied as she reached around her pack for her notepad. “But can you start with the identity of the customer who brought it in?”

“Truthfully, I don’t quite know what species they were. They wore a medical mask over their face and spoke in a hushed voice, like they were ill. I’m sure the footage I have will provide you with more clues.”

“I can check that out,” Judy told Wolfard. “Maybe you can catch a scent we can use?”

“Maybe,” Wolfard replied with a thumb to his lips. “I’ll do that and take a better look at the doll. Though we should probably hear the rest of his story first.”

“Yes, of course,” continued the tanuki with a bow. “Though, truthfully, there is not much else I can tell you. Our business transaction was quick and professional, nothing out of the ordinary at all. We come across plenty of these types looking to make a quick buck off of whatever treasures they’ve found by cleaning house or following a dead relative.”

Judy felt her ear twitch. “Did you stiff the customer on the bill then?”

“Oh, no! Not at all. In fact, they were pretty stern on what they were willing to part with for it. It was a fair price and I got the sense that they weren’t willing to haggle and I knew of a few buyers who might be interested, so I agreed.”

“How long ago was this?” asked Wolfard.

“Oh, it couldn’t have been more than a week ago.”

So soon. It was the same as it was with Duke and the locket. Something really must have shaken things up for Marla to suddenly part with all her items in such a quick fashion. Judy could feel Nick shift in her backpack. Had Big already tried to get to Marla and she was forced to abandon her items to try and hide herself? If that was the case, they needed to hurry.

“I’d like to see that video now,” said Judy.

“Absolutely! Right this way, I took the liberty of setting it up ahead of time since I know you police officers enjoy examining the evidence immediately.”

Judy was led behind the counter and through what appeared to be a storage area followed by a small side room with a desk and a computer. She guessed it served as the tanuki's main office, though it was rather cramped. Even with the two of them in there, it was starting to feel claustrophobic.

“I have the video maximized on the screen already,” said the shopkeeper as he jostled the mouse to wake up the computer. “There! Now, I should keep an eye on your friend. Don’t want him accidentally breaking something. The customer arrives at about 4:23 PM.”

With that, the tanuki hurried out of the office, leaving Judy, and Nick, alone.

Judy set down the backpack on the desk, allowing Nick to crawl out and watch as she proceeded to skim through the footage until she arrived at the designated time. The two of them studied the screen in silence as Judy let it play out in real time.

The camera provided a full view of an empty store. The tanuki was just waving off his previous customer, an armadillo lady, and settling in with it being so close to closing time. Judy saw the tanuki perk up as the store door opened again. There was no sound, though she could almost hear the merchant give a cheerful greeting to his new customer.

As the tanuki mentioned, the customer was wearing a medical mask which disguised more of their features, though Judy could still tell there was a long snout underneath belonging to a predator. Their body shape was also masked by a large coat the customer wore, which gave them a more spherical appearance and impossible to tell if that was their actual body shape or they were just wearing a series of heavy layers despite it being the middle of summer. The customer was a slow walker though as they approached the counter with the doll in paw.

There was very little out of the ordinary with the encounter. By all accounts, it appeared to be a standard transaction that lasted under five minutes. Throughout the whole video, Judy continued to stare at the customer looking for some sort of clue they could use.

“What do you think?” she asked as the footage finally concluded with the customer stepping outside.

“It could be her,” Nick said, though not sounding certain. “The heavy coat doesn’t help with identifying her. It could have just been a really thick layer of jackets or she gained a lot of weight though. There is one thing I noticed though. Go back a bit to when they’re negotiating. I can’t work the control with these paws so I’ll tell you when to stop.”

Judy rewound and slowed down the video frame by frame to the incident Nick had been referring too, her finger ready to pause the clip again at a moment’s notice.

“There! Stop!”

The customer had just turned away from the camera slightly, revealing their sleeve. Judy squinted to notice that something seemed to be on the figure’s arm, like a logo.

“There’s something there,” Judy said. “Though I can’t tell what it is with this resolution.”

“I can,” Nick replied as Judy gave him a look. “What? I told you before, I know everyone. I got pretty familiar with the streets growing up. That there is a logo. A logo I’ve only seen once and, even when I was a kid, it was out of business.”

“You can narrow it down that much?”

“Of course. It’s gotta belong to the ice skating rink that’s in Happytown right on the border of Tundratown. Rinky Dink’s Rink. It used to be an old haunt for me and the other kids in the city when we were looking for someplace cool to chill out since the ice remained refrigerated inside. It was condemned a long time ago because the floor was unsafe.”

“That would explain the heavy clothes in general,” Judy observed. “You don’t think she’s living there, do you?”

“Normally I’d hope not, Carrots, since that’d be bad for her health. But if this is really her then we have to check it out. We can find out why she’s there later.”

Judy agreed, scooping Nick up and dropping him in her bag. She wasn’t sure why, but it felt like every second of delay was a chance they might miss as she hurried out of the office, leaving the computer behind.

Wolfard hopped in the car after Judy a short time later. He had lingered behind for a moment to collect a portion of the doll’s scent after hearing where they were going.

“A condemned building is all sorts of dangerous,” he said as he buckled up into the driver’s seat. “And in an old ice rink too, talk about unstable footing. You brought your flashlight, I’m hoping?”

“Of course. I always come prepared.”

“Well, let’s hope this is the final clue we need. Don’t need a warrant if it’s an abandoned building, thankfully. Saves us some time.”

And with that, they hurried off, skidding down the road straight towards Tundratown.

Judy could feel Nick shuffling around inside her bag again, jittery with nerves. Not that she could blame him. If Marla really was living in a condemned building, then they’d have to take her in as that was grounds for a fine. Not including the questioning she’d go through concerning connections to Wilde Card. Both of them had been expecting an apartment or some sort of proper home for Marla to be living in. Living in a condemned building while working off the street made sense considering her previous status in life but it was a bitter pill to swallow.

It was a short drive to the ice rink, as would be expected. Even from the outside, Judy could tell just how far the building was from its former days of glory. By the lettering and design of the building, it was a relic of decades past when life was simpler and kids didn’t have the internet to keep them busy. Curiously enough, she got the same chill she had previously when she had first moved into 111 Winchester. By the shiver from Wolfard, he could sense it too.

“This place gives me the creeps,” he muttered as he rubbed his paws together.

“We’ll just have to make sure we stay together,” Judy replied as she tossed her backpack onto her shoulders. “You got the scent?”

“Yeah, gimme a minute…”

The two of them crossed through the metal fence, which had a neatly sliced opening in it that could easily fit both of them. The green on the yard leading up to the building was thin in a sort of path that seemed to guide them away from the front entrance. A quick jingle on the doors told Judy why.

“Locked,” she muttered, dusting off the windows and peering inside. “Looks like someone chained the doors together from the inside.”

“Makes sense to deter looters from ransacking the place. Doesn’t stop them though.”

Wolfard wandered around the yard for a moment, breathing in through his nose deeply a few times until his eyes opened with a sharp almost instinctual glare to them.

“I got something,” he said. “Around the back.”

They wandered around the building, passing through the overgrown shrubs that once had been trimmed into decorative shapes as they passed by the Rinky Dink sign with the cartoon rat as a mascot, arms opened wide as if to welcome them to the more sinister area of the property.

The closer they came to the building, the more the chill struck Judy deep in her gut. Behind her, she could feel Nick struggling inside the bag. Thankfully, Wolfard was too absorbed in his scent searching to even notice the slight noise as they came upon a small loading dock with a large metal door that rolled up. The tracks in the dirt seemed to point in that general direction.

Being the bigger mammal, Wolfard stepped up to the door and hoisted it up. The gears in the walls grinded to life with a spine chilling creak as he grunted. Despite being so old, it was quite heavy and Judy hurriedly slid under the opening into the dark of the building’s interior. She immediately turned on her flashlight before opening Wolfard to hold up the door so he could roll under behind her.

“Looks like some sort of garage or warehouse,” Wolfard said as he shined his own torch around the immediate area. “Probably where they kept a lot of the food and supplies. Though it seems like it's been picked clean, no surprise there.”

“That explains the stench,” Judy replied as they passed by a box of rotten cheese curds that made her hold her nose. “Can you still smell where we’re going?”

“Yeah, I can. What we’re looking for is deeper in. It’s a fairly straight shot into the building’s center, where I’m assuming the rink is. Maybe we should have gotten plans for the structure before doing this. I can give Clawhauser a call and--”

Even with Judy’s eyes not being suited entirely to darkness, she could still hear something slither across from them between the shelves of the warehouse. Though all she could make out was a dark shape before it vanished deeper into the building entirely.

“...What was that?” Wolfard squeaked.

“I dunno,” Judy shone her flashlight in the direction of where the thing had gone. “This is the ZPD! Show yourself!”

Her demands were met with silence.

“C’mon,” she told Wolfard. “Whoever or whatever it was, I don’t want it slipping out any back entrances. And I need your nose to find it.”

Wolfard trailed behind her a few steps as the two of them crept further into the ancient building. Judy bravely led the way, even though her heart was going a hundred miles a minute. She was most certain what she had just glimpsed was a person. But she couldn’t shake that feeling she had in the pit of the stomach. The presence of something unnatural, like they had entered a beast’s lair. It was all too familiar to the aura of 111 Winchester, even if she hadn’t felt it in many days. And she couldn’t very well consult Nick for advice, though she could feel him shifting around trying to get a look for himself.

The floor creaked under their combined weight as they passed through the warehouse and into the back offices of the building, complete with overturned desks and paper strewn everywhere. They rustled like leaves, blowing in the wind like something had passed through there in a great hurry. Something they had to follow, even though every step Judy took made her feel like she was going to fall through the floor.

Next they arrived in the locker rooms and were overcome by the most awful stench that made Judy gag.

“I can barely breathe,” she whispered to Wolfard. “Can you smell anything?”

“Maybe,” Wolfard remained quiet with his ears and tail down low. “I think...I think I smell rotting meat.”

Wolfard took a step and something snapped under his foot, causing him to jump.

“What was that?” he sounded panicked as he leapt into the air. “Bones!?”

Judy guided her light to where the wolf had been previously standing to find an old hockey stick cleanly crushed in two like a stick. It was resting in such a way that Wolfard must have accidentally walked on it. Though it did sound an awful lot like broken bones, Judy took a deep breath and faced Wolfard.

“Will you please relax?” she asked him. “You’re starting to freak me out too.”

“Don’t you believe in ghosts? How can you be so calm about all this?”

“Just because I believe in ghosts doesn’t mean I panic at the first sign of something strange. I’m scared just like you are. But we have a job to do here. So, can you keep a cool head until we can at least figure out what’s what?”

Wolfard took a minute to sit back on the bench to collect himself while Judy followed her nose, in addition to her ears. There was the distinct sound of running water that was drawing her attention and it seemed to line up with whatever the smell was. And it was leading her towards the showers.

Judy turned the corner and gagged on sight.

“...I think I found your rotten meat smell,” she called to Wolfard.

He hurried over and shined his light on her discovery. The entire shower area was coated in soil and what appeared to be plants growing along it like fungi. One in particular looked quite exotic amongst the bunch with thick red leaves and a wide hole at its center, like it was a gaping maw.

“What the heck is that?” Wolfard asked, holding his nose.

“Amorphophallus titanum,” Judy answered him. “Also known as the corpse flower. It emits a smell akin to rotting meat to attract flies. The thing is, it’s supposed to be native only to the deep jungles of the world.”

“These pipes must take water from the Tropic District,” Wolfard observed at the leaking and rusted pipes along the ceiling. “The filters on them are long expired, so it’s possible it might have carried over seeds or spores of some exotic plants that just took root here.”

“That explains why you smelled meat,” Judy replied as she turned away from the shower to breathe again. “Even something so foul smelling as this can find a home in the most unlikely places.”

“I’m thankful possession doesn’t allow me to smell now,” Nick whispered at her through the bag before she tapped it to keep him quiet.

“This is why I don’t think we’re dealing with ghosts,” Judy continued, shining her flashlight at Wolfard. “Everything can be explained so far. We know someone is supposed to live here and we’ve essentially broken into their home unannounced, which is why they would be running away from us. If we both start panicking then we’re liable to make a mistake and someone might end up hurt. So, I need you to keep it together.”

“You’re right,” Wolfard replied, lowering his head to match his ears. “I’m sorry. I should know better as your senior officer too…”

“Do you think you can safely lead us on now?”

Wolfard nodded and took point this time with newer resolve not to be outdone by his junior officer.

They quickly left the smelly confides of the locker rooms to a more open area of the building. There was a new chill in the air, though Judy recognized that it wasn’t anything to do with the supernatural either as they stepped forward towards the cold. There was a barricade and, climbing on top of it, they saw that it gave way to an entire ice rink.

“I think this is the central area of the building,” Judy stated as she got a sense of just how big the space was. Big enough to accommodate a few hundred medium sized mammals, at least. “How’s the scent?”

“It’s here,” Wolfard muttered. “But down a level. It’s like it’s traveling up from the bottom of the ice.”

“There might be a basement then. It’s a miracle that this ice is still even intact after all these years.”

“Maybe there’s some sort of generator in the building? Or does it still have power somehow?”

“If that's the case, we might be able to find a light so I’m not stumbling around in the dark. And maybe the light will help us find some stairs to take us down a level. It looks like this rink is just one giant circle. Let’s split up and meet in the middle. See if we can find any switches in between there. Sound good?”

Wolfard gave a determined nod as the two split up with their flashlights in paw. Though it was too dark to see, Judy could at least keep an eye on Wolfard’s light as she listened to their shared footsteps around the ring. The briefest moment alone allowed for her to finally consult Nick.

“What do you think about all this?” Judy whispered to him as he peaked out of her pack.

“Hard to say,” he whispered back. “There’s definitely something here but it’s difficult to say what without flying around like I usually can. And seeing as I’ve never left the house until recently, I can’t say for certainty what it feels like to be in the presence of another spirit. But it’s like there’s an oppressive weight here. It makes me feel sluggish and slow.”

Judy didn’t know if it relieved her or not to hear that there might be something supernatural at work.

“What about that figure we saw at the beginning of all this? Was that a person or a ghost?”

“I dunno. I didn’t get a good look. I think you might be able to say for yourself just by looking at this place whether a person could live here or not.”

Judy gulped silently.

Their whole time in the rink, there was nothing to suggest any signs of life. Even if the building was abandoned, one might think that there would be a fire or signs of bedding somewhere. Instead, all they had found was a whole lot of nature retaking the structure and dust that made it hard to breathe.

Judy realized she had been walking for quite some time already as she looked out over the rink to see no signs of Wolfard’s light. That fact caused her to stop in her tracks.

“Greg?” she called out over the rink across from her, where her partner would roughly be.

No response.

Judy’s breath stopped short and she struggled to listen. It felt like something was encroaching on her personal space, a crushing sensation not all this dissimilar to the one Nick had mentioned.

“I’m right here,” Nick whispered in her ear, having fully climbed out of her bag. “Stay calm. You don’t get scared, remember?”

Judy nodded, trying to offer a smile. “Maybe Wolfard just found something in one of the side rooms…”

“Keep that positive attitude. It would be best just to sit tight. You guys have your radios, right?”

In their haste once inside, Judy had forgotten all about their personal police radios, which had kept mostly silent during the day save for the emergency frequencies. Judy popped hers off of her belt and held it close as she called out on the local channels, starting with the first one.

“Wolfard, do you copy? I lost sight of you.”

Silence followed. Judy changed to the next one.

“Wolfard, I’m on the other side and lost your light. Do you copy?”

This time there were the faintest traces of static. If Judy listened closely, she almost swore she could make out a few shattered words. She decided to hone in on the frequency to the best of her abilities.

“...big..pay...both...will…hate…”

“You’re not doing that, right?” Judy asked Nick. “And more importantly, you can hear that, can’t you?”

Nick nodded. “I could only play with your phone back then because you were inside my domain. I can’t very well do that out here when all my focus has to be on maintaining form in the doll. I definitely hear it though. It sounds...Angry to me.”

“Angry,” Judy repeated as she tried to focus on the signal again only to lose it entirely. “Carrotsticks...It’s gone. Maybe if I move around a bit?”

“Be careful…”

Judy turned her attention to the section next to the rink. It appeared to be a series of wooden stadium seats for the audience to watch from back in the day. Judy ascended the staircase that peeled off to each section of rows. The wooden steps creaked fiercely under Judy’s passing as she held out the radio in search of a better signal to the broadcast she had randomly picked up.

Judy was getting closer. She knew she was as the static increased again sounding closer to words. It seemed to get better the closer to the center of the stands she was, and so she continued walking. The wood beneath her feet sagged from her weight as she pressed onward, struggling to hear any sound at all.

“...To hell,” cracked the voice from the radio.

That was followed by a violent snap beneath her.

Judy didn’t even have time to look before her entire body felt weightless and she realized what had happened. The floor had split from where she was standing. And she was tumbling into darkness.

She might have screamed if the fall was any longer than it was. Instead, she landed hard on her side on some cold ground. There was an awful SCRUNCH as all her weight plowed onto the cement floor. Though the rush from the fall had mostly numbed the pain, she could tell something was off from how she had landed.

The radio had gone flying from her grasp entirely as Judy fumbled with what she still had with her, being too afraid to move from the rubble she had landed with out of fear she had broken something. It was then she realized that her pack was missing.

“Nick!” Judy called out to darkness, now trying to stand but finding it difficult to move. “Are you alright?”

Judy was answered with a blinding light that knocked any remaining sense out of her as she shielded her eyes. It was like she had suddenly stepped out into the sun.

Her vision slowly returned as she looked up to see that she was in some sort of old basement and the overhead lights had turned on. There was a gaping hole in the ceiling, where Judy guessed she had slipped through. And, more importantly, there was a dark figure standing in the corner of the basement, holding onto Judy’s backpack with Nick’s doll form slumped over like he had lost control of his possession.

Though Judy was concerned for her friend, it was the figure that drew her gaze. They wore the same coat and face mask as the one of the camera in the tanuki’s thrift store. The very person they were searching for.

Judy stammered for a bit. The pain from her fall was now starting to hit her.

“Who are you?” she asked the figure.

It responded by lowering its face mask, revealing a predatorial snout complete with missing teeth.

“Name’s Honey,” replied the figure. “Honey Badger. Now, what’s a police officer doing with a haunted doll?”

Chapter Text

“What makes you say it’s a haunted doll?” Judy asked as she slowly pulled herself from the ground on her good leg. She was scared to try to put any weight on the one that had landed hard on the floor.

“Sweet thing, don’t even try to pass this off as anything but haunted,” Honey said, holding Nick up by the collar. “I’ve been around the block before to know when something is occult. And I’m quite good at my job.”

Judy shared a long glare with the badger before Nick shifted in her grasp.

“Guess there’s no sense in trying to hide it, huh?” he asked.

Honey jumped slightly and dropped Nick on the floor, clasping the paw that had held him like it had been infected by something. She stared down at the doll moving on its own, rubbing its nose because Nick had fallen face first on the hard cement.

“Ow.”

“...Well, I suppose there’s a first time for everything,” Honey said when she found her voice. “It’s not haunted. It’s just possessed.”

“What’s the difference?” Judy asked.

“That could take too long to explain,” Honey’s eyes shot up the ceiling at the sound of footsteps creaking along the wood. “Time that we don’t have. It sounds like your partner found the stairs. Makes sense since he managed to find the generator switch for the place.”

Judy had wondered where Wolfard had wandered off to when they circled around the rink together. He must have found the generator in one of the side rooms and broke from the path to activate it. Though Judy still had so many questions, like why the radio had picked up such a strange frequency before her fall.

Judy started to speak. “How did you--”

“There’s no time,” Honey said as she picked up Nick again and stuffed him into the front pocket of her overcoat to muffled protests. “You’re different, even if you are a police officer. You must be here for a reason, meaning I’ll probably be taken to the ZPD. We’ll speak in detail there when we have a private moment.”

The moment she finished her sentence, Wolfard wandered in with his tranquilizer already drawn. He must have expected the worst given he heard voices and detected the smell of Judy.

“Hopps!” he shouted as he kept his weapon trained on Honey. “Are you alright?”

“I’m pretty sure I messed up my leg when I fell through the ceiling,” Judy said as she tried stepping on her bad foot. A searing hot wave of pain coursed through her bones. “I’m fine otherwise.”

“That’s a relief,” Wolfard said. “Who’s your friend?”

“I think who we’re looking for. Or who we thought we were.”

“Is this Wilde Card?”

“Wilde Card?” Honey gawked, her voice had changed to sound more loose than the serious tone she used around Judy. “I got no idea what you’re talking about, hun. I’ve just been standin’ around here only to watch this poor bunny come falling through my ceiling.”

“I don’t think she is,” Judy replied. “On account of she’s a badger, Greg.”

“Right. That would make a deal of sense.”

“You can lower your weapon now, Wolfard.”

“Oh,” he said, only now realizing that it had been pointed at Honey the whole time and she, in turn, had her arms raised. “Yes, sorry about that. Though we are going to have to take you in for questioning. Right after taking a look around.”

“And an ambulance,” added Judy as she finally admitted her worst fears. “My leg’s definitely broken.”

A quick scan from the paramedics confirmed Judy’s assertion. She had suffered a minor fracture from the fall, though it was right on her femur and thus a danger with internal bleeding. The healing process would be something that would take months. And, worse, it would put her out of commission on field duty for some time. She was not looking forward to telling Bogo that when they handed in their report for the day.

In addition to the ambulance, Wolfard had called for backup to bring Honey to the station. Two cars were sent as Wolfard stayed behind to make sure Judy was going to be alright.

“I recommend you get to the hospital immediately,” said the hedgehog patching up Judy’s leg with a makeshift cast and some crutches. “This needs proper treatment in order to begin the process of healing.”

“It can wait,” Judy said as she hopped up on her new tools to move. “First things first with the interrogation.”

“Suit yourself,” the hedgehog shrugged as they took off in their ambulance.

“Should we really be rushing this?” Wolfard whispered to her as they hurried back to their own cruiser. “I mean, your health takes priority, right?”

“I’ll be fine,” Judy assured him. “Believe me, if you grow up on a farm you’re used to breaking a few limbs on the equipment or mucking around in the woods.”

“That’s a rather gruesome depiction of farm life.”

“Just the consequence of being a small mammal in a big world. Now let’s drive. I have some questions for Honey.”

Procedure took precedence as the two finally returned to the ZPD. Judy was hoping to keep her injury as quiet as possible, though she should have known it was all too unlikely as Clawhauser immediately saw her while looking up from his duties in paperwork.

“Great,” Judy whispered to Wolfard as she gave a forced smile to Clawhauser and an assurative wave. “I forgot about Clawhauser and his mouth. The whole precinct is going to know by lunch.”

“You might have some time,” Wolfard replied as he pointed to Bogo’s office at the top level. “Looks like the Chief is busy with someone. Must be pretty important if he has his windows closed up too. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes.”

“Then let’s put it to good use.”

Honey had been a curious suspect as far as interrogations went. Though this was Judy’s first time using the rooms, by the appearance of the badger, she could tell something was off. It was like she had been here many times before and the situation didn’t bother her in the slightest. Even McHorn seemed plenty familiar with her as Judy and Wolfard came up behind him, holding a fat file and staring into the interrogation room.

“Honey Badger,” he grunted. “Brought in several times on account of minor theft and accusations of loitering outside of major businesses. All charges were dropped when the items were returned. But she’s a strange one. Especially considering her prior history.”

“She has prior history beyond all that?” Judy asked.

“Apparently she used to own an antique store,” Wolfard continued after helping himself to McHorn’s report while the rhino excused himself from the room. “A rather well to do place too that had a lot of business and success until it suddenly didn’t. No one knows why, but she evidently just shut it down out of the blue around twenty years ago and with it her main source of income. She’s been living off of the streets ever since, gathering junk as she comes across it. That might explain the basement and what we found there.”

Considering Judy was hurried out of the basement to have her leg looked at by the paramedics, she didn’t have time to fully examine the room. Wolfard had gone back and reported that there was a massive pile of items off in one corner. He described it like a dragon hoard of gold, only with a pile of trash. However, he had also explained that being there for so long had given him the creeps like he couldn’t describe. His nose had led him directly to the pile, after all.

“So, she just goes around gathering junk?” Judy asked. “I don’t really get it. Is that normal in the city?”

“Mm, once and a while you’ll see a homeless person with a shopping cart of various items they deem worthy of keeping. Sometimes it's junk, sometimes it's cans they can sell to recycling plants to make a quick buck. I’ve never heard of anyone hoarding junk in the basement of an ice rink though. Not to mention the weird feeling I got from the stuff.”

“Well, I suppose we should really be asking her these questions.”

“Right. Do you want to be the bad cop or good cop?”

“She’s a harmless little badger, Greg. Let’s just be polite and direct.”

Judy hadn’t mentioned Honey’s little aside to her before Wolfard had stomped down the stairs to find her in the basement. She was still wondering how she would get a private moment with the badger to ask more direct questions. It was going to be all about finding the time for that, after all they weren’t recording anything given there didn’t seem a need to.

As they entered the interrogation room, Judy limped in first. Wolfard trailed behind her with the various items they found on Honey’s person, including Nick’s lifeless doll body. Judy couldn’t tell if he had released the possession at this point or if he was still hanging, acting like a stuffed toy so that Wolfard wouldn’t get suspicious. Wolfard also had the locket on paw, which they planned to ask Honey about, including a picture he had thought to snap of the doll that they had traced to her in the tanuki’s shop. His experience in cases did come in handy at times, Judy wouldn’t have thought to do something like that as he joined her in the seat next to her, depositing the items in front of the badger.

“Officers,” Honey put on a cheery demeanor before she glanced at Judy and frowned. “How’s your leg, bunny girl?”

“I’ll be just fine,” Judy replied. “But thanks for your concern. It’d be great if you could help us to ensure that my fall actually meant something for all our trouble.”

“Well, I’d be happy to help you out. I just don’t know this Wilde Card you keep mentioning.”

“So, why don’t we start with something you do know?” Wolfard asked as he held up the picture of the doll. “Last week, we have it on record that this doll was sold to a specific vendor who allowed us to view the footage of its purchase. Your silhouette matches the customer on the video and, as a canine, I was able to trace the scent back to the building we found you in.”

“Well, I don’t deny any of that,” Honey replied. “I absolutely did sell a doll to one of the local thrift stores, I’ve forgotten which at this point. I’ve also been selling a lot of items lately. Does that relate to your case?”

“We believe that the items in question belonged to a person of interest,” Judy stepped in. “Someone with the codename Wilde Card, as my partner mentioned. Given this amulet, we suspect they’re a fox.”

Judy held out the necklace for Honey to examine. The badger raised a paw over it before she hesitated and winced, like something painful had struck her. Then she pulled away.

“So,” Honey replied. “You think I know something about Wilde Card, given the circumstances? I suppose that’s mighty reasonable to assume. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you. The truth is that I don’t have any sort of connection. To me, the things I was vendoring were junk. Junk that I had stumbled across years ago in a landfill.”

“So, you weren’t selling the items on behalf of anyone?”

“Of course not. You saw my pile in the basement, didn’t you, honey bunny? I’m a hoarder. Always have been always will be. Some stuff is only valuable if you wait on it and let it sit a bit, like drinking a fine wine. It tastes better with age.”

“Do you remember how long ago it was when you came across the items in question? Or where it was you found them?”

“Lands sakes, dear. It had to be almost nine years ago, at least. And I found them in the same place I found all my trinkets. In the local dump in Central. That’s where you get all the good stuff from folks in higher places looking to get rid of a few items of worthlessness to them. But one person’s trash is another’s treasure, as they say. And I’ve been doing this kind of treasure hunting for years, nothing special about it.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” said Wolfard as he crossed his arms. “An ice rink is a bit of a strange place to keep all that junk, wouldn’t you say?”

“A lady has got to have her safe place, my dear. That ice rink was the last place any potential thieves might think to look.”

“And just how are those items in there of any real value? I swear I saw a blender in the pile.”

“You’ve read my file, I’m assuming. I used to be in the antique business, my boy. I’ve developed an eye for quality when folks might otherwise miss it.”

Wolfard huffed, clearly unconvinced by the badger’s retort. Yet he couldn’t very well question it either. Thus far, Honey had been answering all their questions on point. And worse still, nothing that could tie her back to Marla. However, Judy couldn’t shake the feeling that Honey was also hiding something. It had to do with her behavior and how she had recognized Nick immediately for what he was. Somehow, this badger was tied to the realm of the supernatural. Though she couldn’t begin to continue that line of thought with Wolfard in the room, lest he’d think they were both crazy.

Fortunately or unfortunately, a distraction came in the form of a growl over the intercom.

“ Officer Wolfard and Officer Hopps, please report to my office. Immediately. ”

Bogo had a voice that could scare a sinner into priesthood when he was angry. And he did sound angry. Judy could feel her fur stand up on its ends like it did whenever her mother wanted to give her a scolding. Wolfard seemed to know that all too well as his ears lowered.

“Great...I suppose it was only a matter of time before he heard about your fall. Still, this feels a little too soon.”

“And we’re in the middle of our interrogation,” Judy’s voice trailed before she had an idea. “Can you stall him for a bit? I’d like to speak with Honey on my own for a while. At least we might be able to have something to show for the accident.”

“I’ll do my best,” Wolfard replied. “God, I hope he doesn’t kill me.”

“That’ll be the last thing he’d do to any of us. Which is the scary part.”

Wolfard let out a pained laugh as he rose and exited the interrogation room, finally leaving Judy and Honey alone. The badger waited for a few moments before letting out her own chuckle.

“Good partner you have there,” she said to Judy. “Complains about it, but still does his job. He’d make a fine husband to someone someday.”

“Can I now ask why you wanted to speak to me in private?”

“Well, not fully in private at least,” Honey said as she slapped the fox doll that was also on the table next to her. “Come on. Up and at ‘em, ghost. You’ve been listening to us the whole time too, haven’t you?”

Nick slowly rose from the table like a zombie as he stood up and stretched his nonexistent bones.

“If I had to guess why in private,” Nick said as he looked up at the two. “It would have to do with me.”

“In a way,” Honey replied before she turned her gaze to Judy. “The fact that you have a doll like this tells me all I need to know about what you believe. You’ve been ‘touched,’ in a sense, by the supernatural. Anyone else I’ve talked about this with would have laughed the fur off my ass. But you know the truth. And the relationship with this spirit here is all the proof I need to know that I can trust you.”

“Name’s Nick, by the way.”

“Sorry. Nick it is. How long have you been possessing that doll for?”

“What time is it? 11:36 AM? Then about four and a half hours.”

“Such a short time,” Honey replied with surprise. “Interesting. This isn’t your tether to this world then, is it?”

“How do you know that?” asked Judy.

“It all has to do with how spirits work, my dear. This is why I didn’t want to talk about it with mister wolf back there. All of this would sound absolutely insane. But you don’t work with haunted items for as long as I have without learning what makes them tick.”

“Haunted items,” Judy muttered as she made the connection. “Wait. Then does that mean that those items you have stored in the ice rink…”

“All haunted,” Honey finished with a smirk. “I heard you playing around with the radio a bit before your tumble. You heard them, didn’t you? The voices through the intercom? Sometimes folks can pick them up if they’re nearby, so I had to find a spot out of the way to hide ‘em. Someplace no one in their right mind would stumble into, save two cops evidently.”

“So, you collect haunted items then?” Nick asked, crossing his stitched arms. “Hardly sounds like a gig with a good retirement plan to it.”

“Well, you’d be right about that, Nicky boy. But it was never about money. At least, it stopped being about cash when I stumbled across my first haunted piece in my antique store.”

“You were given a haunted item?” Judy questioned.

“It was bound to happen in my line of work. I heard from veterans all the time that once in a while they’d stumble across a particular piece that had a lot of negative energy to it that they couldn’t wait to be rid of. Some even toss it as soon as they figure out what it is. For me, my first piece was a haunted mirror.”

“Well, that sounds all sorts of creepy,” said Nick.

“Indeed,” Honey replied with a laugh as she patted Nick on the head. “Most spirits aren’t as well behaved as you are and they tend to lash out in their attempts to communicate with the world of the living. You can’t very well blame them either. One moment they’re alive, the next they’re dead and in between worlds with no one to offer them an explanation. My friend in the mirror was no exception. It took a great many months before I was able to even get him to stand still for a moment to look at me. More often than not, he would just lurk in the background of whomever viewed the mirror. That was why the original owner chose to be rid of it. I was encouraged to sell it too, but something about it drew me in. I couldn’t explain it other than it felt like there was a lonely being trapped inside. Someone that needed my help.”

Judy couldn’t help but relate to the badger more after hearing that. Her experiences with Nick had more or less been the same.

“What happened to your friend in the mirror?” she asked.

“Well,” continued Honey. “With patience and understanding, we came to an agreement. I came to learn that what kept him trapped within was a grave regret from his past life. The mirror had simply belonged to a great love of his in his past life. A love he was separated from with the mirror all that remained of her after a horrible fire that consumed their family home. After enough digging, I determined that I could bring him closure if I brought the mirror back to its rightful place in the ruins of the building. And...I was correct. When we arrived, my friend thanked me before he disappeared entirely. No matter how long I stared into the glass, he never returned.”

“That sounds quite sad, if you ask me,” said Nick.

“Is it? We’re all short for this life, Nicky. We cling to things because they matter to us, when even on the grand scale with time they’re more like pieces of junk. It was in helping my friend that I realized what my true life’s calling was. I could make a difference in the unlife of a great many people whose items had stumbled in my shop. Even at a detriment to the cost of doing so.”

“But you lost your store over time,” added Judy.

“Well, I learned a little too late that living selflessly doesn’t exactly bring wealth. But I got by through the kindness of others. Families I had helped along the way offered me places to stay and I made plenty of friends. But eventually I lost the shop and eventually had to go searching for items rather than wait for them to come to me. Thus began my junk diving days. Ran into trouble with the police more than a few times, hence my record. But, given the choice, I would do it all over again.”

“How many spirits have you helped lay to rest?”

“Off the top of my head?” Honey thought for a moment. “A hundred, at least. Maybe more than that. Too many to count, that’s for certain.”

Judy couldn’t help but feel some admiration for the badger, devoting her life to helping others. Perhaps not making the world of the living a better place, but making the unlife of others less of a hardship. Bringing peace to them.

Nick, however, did not seem so impressed.

“Doesn’t sound like a good way to live for yourself, if you ask me,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like you can say your life has dramatically improved since you began this mission of yours, can you? If anything, I’d say it’s gotten worse.”

“I won’t ever deny that,” she responded with a sad smile. “But I will stand by my choice. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I hadn’t done it. To know there were those suffering in the space between living and dead. When I’m dead and gone, perhaps someone with a kind heart might do the same.”

“Well, agree to disagree,” Nick said as his eyes trailed to the photographs on the table. “You weren’t lying to wolfy boy earlier, were you?”

“I was not. The truth is that I did stumble upon these items of yours while digging through junk in my usual route. What I didn’t tell him was that I’ve developed a calling over the years. I can feel when I’m near an item that is tied to the spiritual. You can sense it too, can’t you bunny girl?”

Judy winced and nodded. She wasn’t sure if Nick could understand what it was like, no longer having a body. The pricks in the skin she’d feel coupled with the chill that ran down her spine.

“As you’ve figured out by now,” said Honey. “Ghosts no longer are tied to the physical. They remain here because something binds them, whether that be anger, regret, love, or any number of emotions. These items that they unwittingly bind themselves to are what are called phylacteries. The type of binding and how to undo it is dependent entirely on what type of ghost they are.”

“You mean like poltergeists or phantoms?” Judy asked.

“So, you are a little familiar with this,” Honey smirked. “The trick to helping a spirit pass on is to learn exactly what it is first. That can be the long part, having the patience to listen and getting the spirit to trust you enough that you can open a line of communication, if possible. Sometimes even that is a series of guesses. But there is always a phylactery at the center of it. And if you destroy the phylactery, you in effect destroy the spirit and there is no afterlife for them. Hence why they’re often so protective of it even to the point of lashing out.”

“This is all very fascinating,” said Nick as he tapped his stuffed feet. “But how does this relate to my mother’s items?”

“Your mother’s items,” Honey’s voice trailed as she glanced away from the fox toy. “You see...This is where I must make my confession, which is in part why I ran away when you first entered my domain. I could feel the presence of Nicky here on you the moment you stepped foot in my storage building, where I’d often keep phylacteries that I have not figured out yet. You see...Sometimes the emotions tied to a phylactery are so strong, they grow beyond just the one item. In theory, the bigger the feelings behind the death of the person, the more objects can be affected. Such was the case, or so I assumed with the items I found from your presumed mother.”

“So, what are you saying?” Nick asked. “Because for the longest time, I assumed I was just tied to the house. I still can’t leave the place when I’m just a spirit.”

“But you can leave it when you possess an object from within, yes?”

“Well, yeah. Feast your eyes.”

“If that’s the case, then the house is definitely your phylactery. But as for the rest. I’d have to see for myself to be certain. There’s something very strange about you. For one, you’re the most coherent spirit I’ve ever come across. Why, you’re practically alive from where I’m standing. And I’m led to believe that those pieces originated from the house itself, correct?”

Judy and Nick both nodded.

“Well, the reason I had to get rid of them was--”

“ Hopps, ” growled the intercom. “ To my office this instance. Do *not* make me come looking for you… ”

Judy sighed, though her voice trembled a bit. She hadn’t yet seen Bogo’s anger firsthand but she had certainly heard stories around the office. Whatever awaited her upstairs, it wasn’t good. And it certainly wasn’t worth delaying any further.

“We’ll have to pick this up later,” Judy said, rising from her seat as Nick hopped into her bag. Judy then tore out a piece of paper from her notebook and scribbled some information on it. “There will most likely be someone sent to continue the interrogation and I doubt we’ll get another moment alone while you’re still in the building. Since you don’t have any information for the case, you’ll probably be let go soon enough outside of a ticket for trespassing. Contact me afterwards and we can discuss the matter of spirits in private. In the meantime, could you collect the items that you think belong to Wilde Card for us?”

“I shall do my best,” Honey answered with a smile as she scooped up the slip of paper. “Good luck to you both.”

“I’m actually going to have to head out too, Carrots,” said Nick as he settled into place. “I’m starting to feel fuzzy, like before. See you back at the house.”

Judy didn’t like the idea of having to face Bogo alone, but she nodded to Nick as his doll body ceased moving altogether. At least she would have Wolfard there to back her end. Or so she hoped as she limped out of the room.

Judy expected both Bogo and Wolfard to be waiting for her upon her arrival, but was surprised to see a third guest sitting in one of the office chairs as she pushed her way into the massive oak door. Mayor Lionheart casted a rather concerned look down at the bunny and her new cast. He must have been the person Bogo had closed his office doors to meet with. Bogo sat at his desk, arms crossed like he was not surprised in the slightest to see the extent of Judy’s injuries. Wolfard sat in the corner with his head down like he had been scolded already.

“I’ve already heard Wolfard’s report,” Bogo growled as Judy closed the door behind her. “Charging into a dangerous situation without calling for backup was reckless, Hopps. Especially with who this case is dealing with. What if this had been some sort of trap laid out for you by Mister Big?”

“It wasn’t, sir,” Judy replied. “And I was confident enough of that. All that happened was poor footing in a dilapidated building.”

“So, you were careless then? On your first real investigation?”

Judy winced though she couldn’t very well make an argument against it. She could have explained that it was to investigate the strange frequency her radio made that picked up voices, but that was hardly any excuse that the Chief would want to hear. So, she just lowered her head and remained silent.

“What about Wilde Card?” Lionheart asked. “Was there any information connected to them? Officer Wolfard here was just getting to that part of the story.”

“We did manage to find items we believe are connected to Wilde Card,” Judy admitted. “But no connection to Wilde Card themselves. We believe that they were all abandoned in the city dump. That was why Miss Badger was able to find them, though she claims that she also discovered them almost ten years ago, so it’s highly unlikely that we’ll be able to trace anything. And with the dump open access to the public without any sort of records…”

Judy was really hoping that Honey would give her something that she could use to soften the blow a bit, instead of announcing that they had come to a deadend. And with not many places to look further, they were running out of options in the case. By the calculated look on Bogo’s face as he sat at the desk with his hooves crossed, he seemed to sense that too.

“Now, now,” Lionheart said, breaking up the sour mood. “All hope’s not lost yet. Tell me, Officer Hopps, what sort of items did Miss Badger procure?”

“What sort?” Judy asked as she looked to Wolfard for aid, having not seen them herself.

“We’re going to have to run through inventory,” answered Wolfard as he rubbed the back of his head. “Priority was getting Hopps’ leg treated and the ice rink is a complete mess, so it might take some time to search through it all to be sure.”

“How about a key? Did you perhaps notice a particular key in the mess?”

Judy raised an ear at that, as she suddenly thought back to Mister Big.

“A key?” Wolfard replied. “I dunno about that. It’s entirely possible though. The whole collection Honey Badger had in there was a giant pile of junk. It could be buried beneath it, if it were small enough.”

Lionheart looked pleased enough with that answer, though Judy had to interject.

“Pardon me, sir. But what would a key have anything to do with the investigation on Wilde Card or Mister Big?”

“Why, it’s just an assumption, of course,” Lionheart replied, keeping a straight face. “Keys tend to lead somewhere, don’t they? If this Wilde Card person was disposing of all their items, like it sounds like, a key might be a valuable thing to have. Who knows what it could open?”

“Like a box of important documents?” Judy asked.

“Perhaps…”

“I’m already having a crew comb through the building, sir,” said Bogo as he interrupted the miniature standoff. “If we manage to find something of value in the rink, then you’ll be the first to know. In the meantime, Hopps, have you concluded your interrogation of Miss Badger?”

“I have, sir. Her story checks out, despite her colorful past. And I don’t see her having any reason to lie to us. I believe we should let her go as it sounds like a case of a hoarder happening across items that pertain to this case.”

“I fully agree with your assessment. And I am placing you on leave from this investigation, as well.”

“What?” Judy asked. “Sir, is this about my leg?”

“That’s a big portion of it. Coupled with the fruitlessness of this search. In the unlikely event that we do find something worthwhile in Miss Badger’s hoard, investigation into it will be reassigned to a more experienced team.”

“But, sir, if something does turn up then shouldn’t I be on board to consult with the team, having the most experience with the case?”

“If that were the case then you can file a report out for the new team. This investigation was as much a test for you, Hopps, as it was a shot in the dark. The trail is going cold and you ended up getting hurt. That’s more than enough reason for me to pull the plug on this here and now.”

“I’m sorry to say but I might have to agree with Chief Bogo here,” Lionheart spoke up with his arms crossed. “You did your best, Officer Hopps. But frankly, I can’t see anything else valuable you can add to this case.”

Judy was trying to think of a way out of this. Perhaps Wolfard might be able to make a case for her after the rapport the two of them had steadily built over the last couple of days. She turned to him as if to call for help but Bogo cut her off before she could even get a word out.

“Wolfard will handle the rest,” continued Bogo. “In the meantime, I am sending you home early with the intention of making sure you get proper rest after going to the hospital. If there is an issue where your expertise can be a benefit, you will be contacted. Consider yourself on vacation until otherwise.”

Judy was at a loss for words. She knew that Bogo hadn’t approved of her coming on board with this case from the start, but to bench her entirely? Without her position in the case, her chances of finding Marla for Nick were slimmed to almost zero. And with the now broken leg it was unlikely she could even get far if she were to approach this search in her spare time. Even Wolfard gazed at her with sorrowful eyes. He had no doubt been in this chair enough to know that there was little give to Bogo’s whims especially when they came to officer safety. Though Judy still had to try.

“There must be something I can do,” Judy protested.

“Hopps, I’m truly starting to believe you don’t know when to quit,” Bogo groaned. “If you promise to behave yourself and take the rest of this day off then starting tomorrow you can continue to work with Clawhauser on paper duty, provided you are confined to a chair the whole time.”

Paper duty was almost worse than being stuck at home all day. Though a new thought occurred as she remembered Nick waiting for her back home. And a certain other locked box waiting for her.

“And what if I found something that would warrant bringing attention to the Wilde Carde case again? Would you let me back on the case?”

“Tentatively,” Bogo replied with a raised eyebrow. “But that would depend on the manner of what was found. It would have to be pretty massive to make me reconsider calling someone who is injured back on the force, Hopps.”

“It would be,” Judy whispered under her breath. “Am I dismissed then?”

Bogo nodded as he and Wolfard moved to help Judy up from her seat. She wouldn’t let them get the chance though as she landed on her good leg and effortlessly set the crutches down to continue her determined march out of the office. First to the hospital and then back to 111 Winchester where Nick awaited her. She had some debriefing to do with the ghost, after all.

Chapter Text

The moment Judy arrived from the hospital, she told Nick everything that he had missed.

“You’re off the case?” Nick asked. “And here I was wondering why you came home so early. But I suppose it’s not much of a surprise given what happened at the ice rink. For what it’s worth, I am sorry about your leg, Carrots. I should have warned you.”

“Don’t be sorry, it was my stupid fault to begin with that I fell through the bleachers from not paying attention anyway. I’m just sorry that this will put a damper on finding your mother now.”

The two of them sighed and slumped into their respective chairs.

The living room was a place Judy seldom visited, despite its name. Perhaps it was simply due to the fact that she never had much of a desire to watch television growing up, always preferring to play outside in the summer. Even the colder seasons in the burrows had her sledding and snowbunny crafting. Though she had to admit, she hadn’t given the living room its due.

With an ornate fireplace and several bookshelves filled with dusty old tomes of various famous titles from Zootopian authors, Judy reasoned that perhaps she might have to take some time one day to read one over a roaring fire in winter. The two chairs they were sitting in were made of fine substitute leather and were extremely plush which helped with her leg. She didn’t even stop to ponder why Nick had bothered to manifest himself as sitting in the chair when he often seemed to prefer floating around. The situation must have also left him feeling grounded.

“So,” Nick finally said after a moment of thought. “What’s our next move then?”

“Well, Bogo said I’m allowed to continue to help Clawhauser with the paperwork so long as I behave myself. And we still have to wait for Honey to be released from custody. She said she’d come to see this place, if you remember.”

“I do. But if she doesn’t have any connections to my mother at all, do you really think we might get some answers from her?”

“It’s worth a hope,” Judy replied with a shrug before she leaned on her knees. “But there is one thing we can do that Bogo doesn’t know about. You said that Lionheart once had connections with Mister Big. How deep did those connections go?”

“I told you, it was never my business to know. Those were scary times in the city and information like that was valuable enough to get you killed. Why do you ask?”

“I have a theory,” Judy continued, biting at her thumb. “I just can’t prove it yet, but it would make a great deal of sense as to why the mayor has been so adamant as to why he wants to see Big arrested.”

“You mean the dirt Big might have on him?”

“I don’t think it’s the kind of dirt you’re thinking of. I think--”

They were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing through the whole house. Nick was the first to fly up from his seat as he hovered in place.

“That was quick!” he said with a smirk. “If there’s one thing I can give the ZPD credit for, it's moving fast on the nitty gritty details.”

Though Judy wasn’t so sure she should be hopeful. She expected that Honey would have contacted her cell phone the moment she was released before simply inviting herself over. It was for that reason alone that she couldn’t be surprised when she opened the door to find a rather familiar, if intimidating, polar bear standing at attention with his paw outstretched. Sitting there in a comfortable armchair was a very familiar arctic shrew.

“Miss Hopps,” squeaked Mister Big with a smile. “Might we come in?”

Under normal circumstances, having the most infamous crime boss suddenly knock at her door might cause Judy a world of worry. Though she wasn’t all alone in this as she felt Nick float behind her before disappearing out of sight. Though she couldn’t see him, she knew he was there, lying in wait in case the mobster actually came to try something.

“I know why you’re here,” Judy replied, crossing her arms. “I’m late on speaking with your daughter about the key.”

“Well, yes. But seeing your broken leg, I can tell that you’ve had other priorities. Though I’d much rather not discuss this out in public. If you don’t mind?”

Judy winced, feeling an unbearable pressure as the polar bear looming over her grunted. “I don’t know how comfortable I feel welcoming a stranger into my home.”

“My dear, I’m not in the habit of whacking people in their own homes,” Mister Big stated plainly. “And lately I’ve been in the business of icing folks, instead. I promise you, you have no fear of that tonight from me.”

When before, Mister Big’s conversation had been vague and subtle, now he was sounding far more forthright. Even if it was violence he was suggesting, it was rather relaxing. After all, if someone was bringing a knife to a meeting, Judy would much rather have the knife in plain sight than hidden away and guessing if it even existed. Though still, she hesitated.

“Vladmir,” said Big in a less gentler tone than he was using for Judy. “Lower me into Miss Hopps paws. Then wait for me outside.”

Though reluctant, the polar bear bodyguard did just that, bringing the shrew low enough for Judy to cup her own paws and take him. It suddenly occurred to Judy that she had the most dangerous mammal in the whole city in her literal grasp. Yet, somehow, it felt as if she couldn’t do a thing.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll hurt you?” she couldn’t help but ask him as the polar bear closed the door on them.

“My dear, I couldn’t have survived in my line of work if I were constantly afraid of being hurt by someone bigger than me. In this city, there are very few who aren’t bigger than me which was why I decided on my name. A small reminder. And besides that, I’m a fair judge of character. You aren’t the type to maim and have a gentle disposition. And I know for a fact that you’re aware of being the small mammal in a world of the big. Your Chief Bogo has seen that fairly well.”

Judy winced as she carried Big to the living room where they had been sitting. “When did you know I was a cop?”

“Oh, from the very beginning. You don’t think I would have approached someone in this delicate matter with Fru Fru without doing extensive research on their background, did you? You might be new to the city, Miss Hopps, but you’ve already left quite the trail to follow. I’m always one to follow the news. And besides all that, I have my ways.”

Judy had hoped she was being sneaky with Mister Big and her police career, but she should have guessed that he might have known already. He had been just so polite with her on their first meeting that she didn’t think twice.

“And you?” he asked. “When did you know who I really was?”

“Shortly after our ride together,” Judy answered as she gently set Big down on the coffee table before the fireplace. “Very shortly after. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been so hesitant to help you, if I’m being honest.”

Judy’s eyes trailed up to overhead. Nick had materialized again, wearing a cold expression. The coldest she had ever seen from him. He looked at the shrew beneath him like he was so small and with such disdain that it was almost distracting as Judy tried to remain focused. Big, of course, didn’t notice a thing happening overhead.

“I appreciate the honesty. That’s a part of the reason why I decided to trust you with this matter.”

“You’re still trusting a cop. Knowingly. Isn’t that dangerous considering the ZPD is currently out to get you?”

“Extremely so. But you befriended my daughter. And I know for a fact that you didn’t do that to get to me, it showed in our last meeting. And besides all that...I’ve decided to trust my daughter’s judgment of character once again.”

Judy’s eyes softened. “You really are trying to smooth things over with her, aren’t you?”

“I am. Just as I also respect her decision to go off on it alone. But this is why I’m forced to rely on you. The task I asked of you was not for my sake. But for hers.”

“You mean the key,” Judy said. “Whatever it opens, you’re worried it will make her a target for someone.”

Mister Big nodded. “You’re very perceptive, Miss Hopps. Bogo is making a mistake keeping you off the case.”

“You don’t care that I would take the key and be forced to bring it into ZPD possession then?”

“It would still be in safer paws than it would be with her.”

“I don’t understand then,” Judy said. “You were the one who was threatening the mayor in the first place, weren’t you? Why start a war with someone if you weren’t prepared to fight it to the bitter end?”

“Threaten the mayor,” Big muttered with a slight laugh. “Yes, I heard a great deal about that already. You know how long I’ve run this city, Miss Hopps?”

“Ten years,” Judy replied. “After the big gang war.”

“Ten years of peace. It was a pact I made with the powers that be to keep things nice and quiet. For certain, there would still be crime. But when is that ever not the case? The point was it was all controlled and relatively harmless. Accidents were the exception, never the norm. The biggest extent of my crimes in the last ten years is my trade on catnip. And you ask any doctor how much of a harm that is on mammals.”

Mister Big finally sat up in his chair for the first time as he paced around the coffee table.

“Despite all appearances, I am not a violent mammal. I abandoned those ways in the distant past and laid it to rest with the other gangs who had all fallen apart. I won’t pretend to be some sort of saint, but I was the lesser of the two evils. It was organized. It was good for business. You tell me then, why would I want to go ahead and disrupt the peace? What use would there be to break the machine I spent so long finely crafting?”

“But I saw the letter you wrote to Bogo,” Judy replied. “I saw the threat it implied. The families listed and their addresses.”

“I swear to you on my honor as a father, I never sent any such letter to the ZPD. In fact, I’m just as much a victim in this as you all are. For the longest time, I believed that it was that upstart Lionheart attempting to win favor by disposing of me for political clout. Though recent events have made it abundantly clear that we’re both being misled on some wild goose chase by a third party. I know Lionheart and he’s a tenacious beast, but he doesn’t have the intelligence to plan something to this extent like a true mastermind.”

Judy frowned at hearing that and debated asking a specific question, something that had been plaguing her head all day since Lionheart’s commentary at her recent dismissal. She realized that she might never get a better chance before throwing caution to the wind.

“Mister Big,” she started with the easy part first. “Lionheart...He used to have prior connections to you, did he not?”

Big’s particularly fuzzy brow furrowed even further as he paused in his tracks. “I’m not sure who told you that, but I won’t deny it regardless.”

Now go for the kill. “Was he, at one point, your number two mammal?”

Big stared at Judy for a long time before huffing a laugh. “You are certainly a better detective than even I gave you credit for. There was indeed a time when I took the little kitten under my wing, starting from the streets as an urchin. He eventually rose through the ranks not through brute force like some of my other family members, but through his charisma. Lionheart may not be very smart, but he has a good tongue on him. And that was very valuable to me. Valuable enough to make him my second in command and help to establish my businesses, which remain to this day.”

Floating above Big, Judy could see the look of surprise on Nick’s face. He didn’t know that either. And, of course, Lionheart being the former second in command could only mean one thing. Lionheart was the one who had Mister Big’s box.

“What happened to him?” Judy asked without thinking. “I mean, if you were such good partners together who built your empire?”

“Ahh, the little kitten’s ego was too big to be kept trapped under my thumb. Even as a boy, Lionheart had hungry eyes. He wanted something more than I could ever give him, so we parted ways. On good terms, of course. I was the one who helped him establish his new identity and new name.”

“New name?”

“You didn’t seriously think that he could get into politics with his real name dirtied from consorting with me, did you? It’s very easy to take on a new identity if you know how, especially in the old days of Zootopia. I let him create this persona he’s kept for himself for these past ten years as a champion of the city to fight the very muck he had helped to create. I was more than happy to, after all. He focused his ire on my remaining enemies and gave the illusion of cleaning up the streets, all the while knowing that I had the tibbit of knowledge hanging over him in case he went barking up the wrong tree. Like I said, Miss Hopps, it was a tenuous peace. The best kind of peace.”

“And then someone decided to shake things up,” Judy muttered under her breath as she bit at her thumb. “Who though? Can you think of anyone it might be?”

“My dear, I have more enemies than I can count, even ones that aren’t behind bars. Any number of them could have the drive to do something like this to both me and Lionheart. But I will say one thing, this feels far more personal than that.”

“What do you mean by personal?”

“I’ve been in the game to know when someone’s doing something out of a petty and emotional sense of revenge or because they’re cold, calculating, and ruthless. This was unprompted and out of nowhere at the worst possible time for me. When my daughter ran away with my very important key. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that someone has been waiting years for this opportunity, to see us destroy each other. And at this point, I don’t rightly care much about what happens to my empire. Recent events have reminded me that what’s important, what truly matters to me, is my family.”

Judy thought that making friends with a ghost might be the strangest thing to ever happen to her. She never thought she’d see the day when a crime boss actually pulled at her heart strings. Though her police instincts told her to be careful in case Big wasn’t being genuine, Judy had the feeling he was being nothing but forthright with her in this meeting. He wasn’t dodging any questions. He even knew she was really a cop.

“I understand,” Judy said, lowering her head. “Thank you for trusting me with this.”

“You’re a good cop, Miss Hopps. But more to your point, you’re a better person. The key is yours to do with what you will. If you want to give it to Lionheart then that’s your business. I just want it out of my daughter’s paws. And whatever happens, happens. I’ve come to peace with my affairs. Just tell that little kitten that I don’t plan on going down without a fight.”

Judy nodded. What to do with the key was a thought for later. At the very least, what mattered was unmasking exactly who was behind this with a priority of keeping Fru Fru safe.

“I’ll meet with her first thing tomorrow,” Judy said. “I promise.”

“You’d best be careful too,” Mister Big said as he glanced at Judy’s cast. “Regardless of whoever the mastermind is, Lionheart is also someone you should watch out for. I raised him, I know exactly what he’s capable of if he’s ever backed into a corner. He’ll burn down the whole city if it means protecting his secrets. Not that I’m trying to dissuade you, but you’d best remember that when the time comes.”

Judy nodded again. More thoughts for later.

“Now,” continued Big as he sat back down in his chair. “As much as I’d like to stay, I don’t think being in your home for much longer is a good idea for either of us. Remember though, if you do need my help, you have my card.”

Judy carried Big out to the main hall and opened the front door to find Vladmir waiting patiently for his boss. They traded paws as Big was passed along, wishing Judy well as he left. Judy pondered if she could do the same. This alliance with Big, if she could even call it that, felt wrong considering she was supposed to be a cop. But she could also see that he was a father first before being a mobster. When push came to shove, Judy knew that she would bring him down, unquestionably. Though that didn’t stop Nick from materializing as soon as the door was shut.

“You do know that he’s the bad guy, right?” Nick asked.

“I know,” Judy replied.

“So, what’s with the look like you feel sorry for him? That mammal dug his own grave as much as I did with the life he led.”

Nick was correct. Judy only had to look at the ghost to see where Mister Big’s action led for a lot of people, not just Nick. For certain, Big hadn’t directly killed Nick. But he did tempt the fox into a life of crime which destroyed his family. Even despite all of that...

“As much as I don’t like him,” Judy said. “He did give us some important information.”

“Lionheart,” Nick sneered. “He’s even worse. There’s nothing more bad than a politician and he’s one with the stink of a shady past all over him. Big is right. He’s dangerous. Maybe not right now because he thinks he’s ahead of the curve. He thinks he has the right box.”

Nick then took a deep, empty breath.

“What are you going to do?” he asked.

“Get the key, of course. I don’t have anything else to do tomorrow. And now I have all the more reason to if Big doesn’t expect me to hand it over to him.”

“That’s not what I meant. I said I would give you the box and I meant it. But Big and Lionheart are both dangerous. Too dangerous to let the information you find slide. I don’t care what Big says, I knew the mammal once upon a time. And he said it himself, he won’t go down without a fight.”

“Well, maybe whoever this third party is won’t let that happen,” Judy pondered that particular revelation. “Do you have any idea who it could be?”

“I know everyone in this city, Carrots. And I can say with certainty that there’s more than a few who would want some sort of revenge on both the mayor and the mobster. However, there is something that does bother me and that’s how much they seem to know.”

“What do you mean?”

“Knowledge is power, Carrots. And whoever is pinning them against each other knows exactly how to exploit them. Meaning they knew about Lionheart’s past and Big’s own shady dealing. They might even know about the key and the box.”

“So, you’re saying that whoever it is might be a part of their inner circle?”

“Maybe,” Nick grunted as he crossed his arms. “I just...Worry how my mother might get caught up in all of this. Big was rightfully concerned about his own daughter. So, if mom were to also become a focus of this unknown third party…”

“We’ll protect her,” Judy said definitively. “When I find her, we’ll see to it that you never have to worry about her again. And then when the dust has settled and either Big or Lionheart or both of them are in jail, you can finally have your heart to heart with her and be at peace.”

Nick kept quiet for a long moment before he smiled. “You seem awfully confident about that. As I recall from this morning, we seem to have hit a deadend with the search for the elusive Wilde Card.”

“Not entirely. I still have faith that our talk with Honey might bear some sort of fruit.”

The afternoon continued on much quieter than the morning as Judy struggled to figure out what she could do with herself. It was bad enough that her leg was beginning to ache as her skin beneath the cast itched incessantly. Nick was at least some help as he aided her by carrying things around the house when Judy figured she might as well do chores to pass the time.

“I’ve been so distracted lately, I’ve neglected the cleaning,” Nick commented as he helped Judy put away a few books on the top shelf. “And Finnick hasn’t been around since our spat.”

“I’m sure he would visit if you asked him to.”

“Hah. That would be a sign of weakness. This is a war of attrition that I intend to win.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Is it?” Nick smirked as he floated carelessly around the main hall. “I have all the time in the world. One advantage of being dead. You can’t double die, can you?”

Though Judy smirked upon hearing that, she couldn’t help but think back to what Yana had told her about ghosts combined with what they had slowly been learning from Honey. She hoped they could come to a bigger conclusion by the end of it. Though such thoughts proved to be a distraction as she missed her footing while descending the ladder, forgetting just how unwieldy her new cast made things.

Though it wasn’t a long drop, it most certainly would have hurt to hit the bottom as Judy winced, preparing to slam into the floor. Though the impact never came.

“You certainly can though,” said Nick.

Judy opened her eyes to discover that she was no longer falling nor had she landed. It was like she was floating at the bottom of a swimming pool, her legs just out of reach of the ground and her whole body weightlessly drifting around a good foot from the floor. It was then she realized that Nick was holding her from her back, though she couldn’t feel his touch at all. The fox had been so quick she almost didn’t expect to be caught.

“Really, Carrots,” he said as he continued to hold her. “You are being too reckless with your body. You need to take care of it. And I already feel bad enough about you breaking your leg.”

Judy’s ears drooped. “I’ll be more careful…”

“Nope. Too bad. I can’t trust you enough to walk. So I must carry you from now on.”

Judy didn’t have a moment to question what he meant by that before they were off together like a rocket car. It was surreal to be moving through the air like a plastic bag. There was no momentum or weight, she truly felt like she was gliding slightly off the ground, like on a swing set as Nick carried her off into the main hall. Perhaps it was for that reason that she started laughing.

“Enjoying the ride?” he asked her. “Call it payback for carrying me around in your bag all day. Where are we going next then?”

“I should probably start making dinner soon,” Judy giggled. “Sorry, this is just so strange. I almost feel like I’m flying.”

“Flying, huh? That kind of makes me want to try something. Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then don’t panic. I only got to do this the one time with Finnick, speaking of him, and he never let me do it again. Don’t worry. I will never let you fall.”

Judy almost didn’t have time to question what Nick meant by that before she felt a rising  sensation, the floor drifting completely out of reach as she ascended another foot in the air. Then two.

Before long, it occurred to her that she was now truly floating in midair, high enough for the ceiling to be almost within reach. Despite that, Nick had a firm grasp on her. Or, at least, that’s what she felt like. Though she couldn’t detect his touch anywhere on her, she could still sense that he was behind her as she outstretched her arms and laughed again.

“It’s too bad we don’t have more space than this,” Nick commented. “Else I could try zip you around.”

“This is amazing,” Judy said as he hovered her over the stairs and furniture. “But how are you doing this?”

“Same way I do it is like anything else. I just picture myself carrying you and it happens almost like magic. No muscle or mass though. What are people if not bags of meat and bones, after all? I was sorely tempted to do it to Big earlier. It probably wouldn’t have accomplished much anyway and you’d just get blamed for it if he got hurt or maimed.”

“Well, thank you kindly for not doing that.”

“It is a little weird to be carrying someone else though,” Nick said. “I never wanted to do it without someone’s permission, even when I was trying to scare them out. It seemed wrong somehow. But it's odd to touch someone and feel their life. Much different than moving around objects which are just static and motionless.”

“I could almost fall asleep up here,” Judy replied, lying back with her arms folded behind her head.

“Or I could just drop you. I might not have muscles but that’s pushing it.”

Judy didn’t have time for a clever retort when they were interrupted by another guest at the door. This time and expected one, judging by the shape in the window.

Nick slowly lowered Judy to the floor, letting her catch her footing before releasing her entirely and disappearing. He still wanted to be safe in case they were mistaken this time. Luckily, that wasn’t the case as Judy greeted Honey Badger, looking quite tired from the long day at the station.

“It’s nice to see the ZPD hasn’t changed a bit over the years,” Honey grumbled before showing herself in without Judy’s permission. She then removed her overcoat for Judy to take. “There’s only so many times I can repeat the same thing over and over to them.”

“Sorry about that,” Judy replied, folding up the jacket to hang up on the nearby coat rack. “Thank you for coming, all the same.”

“Oh, believe me. I would swing by even if you hadn’t offered the invitation. Where’s Nicky boy? I can feel him in the room.”

Nick materialized in front of the stairs with his paws in his pockets, almost like he was trying to pass off the moment the two of them had just shared before they were interrupted. There would always be time later for flying, after all.

“There you are,” Honey put her own paws on her hips as she looked Nick up and down. “I’ll be. The doll you were possessing certainly was a good likeness, wasn’t it? That’s probably why you were able to stay in it for so long. That and any emotional attachment to it you might have had.”

“Well, it was a gift,” Nick answered. “You were saying something about the house being my phylactery when we last spoke. And how that ties into my mother potentially.”

“Nick, don’t be rude.”

“Actually,” added Honey. “I’d much rather jump right into it, so this is perfect. Because I’ve had all day to think it over as well.”

“Well, I can at least be a proper host and offer you something.”

“If you’re offering, I would take tea. And maybe biscuits. I haven’t had anything to eat the whole day.”

The three of them continued onto the kitchen as Judy set to work preparing the setting for their guest, letting the kettle go while she took the preparations to make a little something that would serve as a dinner for the two of them. Three of them if Nick wanted to join in, though he seemed only interested in speaking with the badger. While Judy worked at starting the stove for some heated noodles and veggies, she listened to the conversation between Honey and the ghost at the table.

“I felt it as soon as I walked in here,” Honey quietly muttered over her empty tea mug. “The same sensation as I felt on your mothers things when I found them. It’s strong and big. And evil.”

“Evil?” Nick had to laugh. “That’s a bit of a strong word, don’t you think?”

“More perverse, I should say. And given my lifestyle, I think that should be saying something to the two of you. That was why I had to get rid of them in the first place, you see. Emotions leave an impression on the things around them. Particularly strong emotions like sadness. Or anger.”

“What are you saying then?” Judy asked as she returned with the kettle, struggling with its weight a bit.

“I’m saying you’re not here by your own emotions,” Honey said plainly. “Or at least that’s my theory. There’s a certain type of ghost that’s quite rare in the spiritual world, if only because of how ugly it is to create one. You see, it comes from a curse. And that kind of curse is destructive enough to ruin both the bearer and the giver. It’s the sort of thing that no one wins.”

“You’re not talking about a wraith, are you?”

The word sounded dark and vile coming from Judy’s lips, especially by the solemn nod that Honey gave her. Nick crossed his arms with his brow furrowed.

“Keeping secrets from me now, Carrots?”

“No,” Judy replied. “It’s nothing like that. I had just heard about it and didn’t want it to be true. I wouldn’t even know where to begin on how to classify something like that.”

“But I do,” answered Honey. “There are telltale signs that come from such a curse. It manages to destroy everything it touches eventually and carries over for as long as the curse remains, you see.”

“Well, as you can see, the house has been fine for ten years,” Nick answered somewhat defensively. “And it will remain fine for much longer than that. I gave up my own life to keep it and I’ll be damned if any old curse would take it from me.”

“You say it’s the whole house,” Honey replied. “But in my experience, that’s never exactly the case. A haunted house is usually limited to just one room or location where the feelings that tether the ghost remain the strongest. So, Nicky, can you think of anywhere that might fit that description the best? You would know over anyone else.”

“I might. But I don’t think I’d care to show you who’s a complete stranger.”

“Please, Nick,” asked Judy with wide eyes. “This is important. If not her, can you show me, at least?”

The last thing she wanted to see was a curse afflicting the friend she had slowly grown attached to. And by Nick’s hesitation, he was reluctant to say no either. He stared a bit at Judy, trying to barter with her sad gaze before relenting with an angry huff.

“Follow me…”

He then floated up and out of his seat towards the ceiling. Judy and Honey shortly followed him with their mugs of tea left behind.

He had lured them both to Judy’s bedroom. They found him waiting by the wall near Judy’s dresser. He gestured to it with a finger.

“Behind there.”

With Honey’s help, Judy managed to move the furniture without straining her leg. She was expecting to find some sort of door but was surprised when they were met only with a plain wall covered in the same flower print wallpaper as the rest of the room. Judy looked to Nick for guidance.

“You gotta press here,” he gestured to the nearby window. “On the knob under the sill. And then push.”

Judy nodded and did what was asked. There was a clicking that could be heard through the walls, like the grinding of gears that hadn’t moved for quite some time, even if Nick had opened the way up before since Judy’s arrival. The way was opened to a small crawl space, something that would barely suit a small mammal or a child. Judy could only hazard a guess where the secret passage led.

Honey grunted. “I’m too old to be climbing through things like this. Likely to get covered in splinters.”

“Is there another way?” Judy asked.

“Nope,” Nick replied. “This was my hiding space when we used to live in the house. A place where I could go to escape my dad. Mom would take forever to coax me out of there for dinner. It was a space just for me.”

“That’s gotta be it then,” Honey said as she pulled Judy in close. “You need to go on ahead and look for me, small as you are. Keep your eyes peeled.”

“What am I looking for?” Judy whispered back.

“You’ll know it when you see it. Pay close attention to the sights. And the smells.”

With that, Judy gulped and got on the floor.

Using her good leg, she was able to push her way through the tight space. Even then, it felt like the whole house might collapse on top of her the deeper she moved in. The space was so tight she could barely breathe between it and the dust. Her only solace came in the form of Nick, who was projecting a small ball of green light ahead of her at all times.

Thankfully, the passage wasn’t that long and Judy could breathe again as she pulled herself out of the tunnel and into a narrow hallway with some stairs.

“There used to be a way to the attic when the house was first built,” Nick explained as he rematerialized. “But it was deemed unsafe by new Zootopia building standards so the previous owner had it removed and the attic closed off.”

“And your mother let you wander around in it anyway?”

“Safer to wander around the house then wandering around on the streets,” Nick replied with a shrug of the shoulders. “I was going to show you this place soon anyway. No one living has been up here in at least ten years.”

That much was clear as the steps gave a violent creek from Judy’s ascension. With the broken leg, she had to be extra careful than usual as they rose up a level. The heat was what she noticed first. Being closed off from the rest of the house and without any windows to open, there was a dry warmth to the level that made her palms sweat. Everything had a thick layer of dust that clouded up with every step she took. Judy had to put a paw to her mouth to keep from breathing it all in as they at last arrived.

The attic must have looked like quite something in its glory days. It was shaped to be the perfect hideout for a young todd, complete with shelves filled with old toys, some twice Nick’s age. Nick pointed them out first.

“Mom was a serial garage sale shopper,” he explained. “It’s the cheapest way to get new things, even though they aren’t so new. Still, I’m not surprised some of these are worth a fortune. Like buried treasure.”

Judy turned to the piles of old pillows strewn about on the floor. The passage being so slim, it was unlikely that Nick could fit any furniture through the tunnel outside of what was already there, so he had obviously taken to making a nest of sorts instead, though it too was coated in dust. There were ancient and yellow magazines all over the floor atop of comic books and hardened bits of chewing gum. There were even a few posters of various rock bands and superheroes stapled on the wall. One of which was actually an old classic that Judy’s brothers used to read. The Bionic Bunny. It drew her attention almost immediately.

It was like an ordinary hideout for a boy. A place to call his own in the craziness of his own life and a sanctuary where he could hide away during the darkest of times.

Nick smiled as he seemed to sense her appreciation of the place. “Does this really feel like the place of some sort of curse to you, Carrots? This is just a museum of memories to me. Childhood wonderment, not the source of something evil. Do you really think I’m capable of being...Whatever you called me before? A wraith?”

“No,” Judy replied as she patted the poster. “Not by choice, anyway.”

That was when Judy noticed her paw hadn’t brushed against something that wasn’t quite as solid as the wall. Fear struck her as instinct caused her to slowly reach up to the top of the poster and grab its peeling edge. Nick was too late to stop her.

“Carrots, wait--”

RIPPPPPPP

The paper was torn out of the rusty staples still holding it in place. Judy held her breath as a revolting stench overpowered her nose. Her eyes were greeted by blackness Blacker than the shadow she had crawled through to get her. It was a slimy and wet darkness, like ink and it left her paw soiled from where she had brushed against it.

Judy could feel Nick hovering over her as she touched the mess that had been hidden away again. It seemed to have come from inside the walls, like the festering blood from a wound that had been thought to have healed long ago.

“Nick,” Judy slowly said as she faced him. “The house is rotting.”

Chapter Text

Morning came with its own set of aches and pains that were all too familiar to Judy as she rose from her bed. Alone. The dresser had since been moved back and the passage covered, left behind like the discussion of what they had discovered and, more importantly, what it meant for Nick.

Mortality was something that all mammals eventually had to face. But this was something else entirely. Especially when Judy had asked the question yesterday to Honey Badger. She could replay their conversations in her head like they had just happened.

“What happens when a ghost’s phylactery gets destroyed?”

“The ghost itself is destroyed,” she replied. “Turned to nothingness. That’s why I make it my business never to destroy them. Sell them and send them away, for certain. But even if the ghost has been properly exorcized and passed on, I like holding onto them for safekeeping. Just in case. That was why I had to sell your items with such regret to shadier businesses than I normally would. I simply couldn’t keep a hold on them without risking damage to the other phylacteries. And you’ve seen for yourself the corruption. The rot on one’s soul.”

Nick remained quiet and aloof upon their return. Judy suspected that he very much just wanted to disappear altogether, though he perhaps remained to give her some sort of comfort. She could only imagine what he might be feeling. Anger. Sadness. Fear. Perhaps one jumbled up ball of all three?

“The corruption has spread deep through the bones of this house,” said Honey as she patted a nearby wall. “I can feel that much from here. It’s like a bad mold. You might be able to ignore it for a few years, a few good years. But in the end, it will consume the house and bring it to ruin. That is the true horror of the curse laid upon you.”

“But why?” Judy asked. “Who would do such a thing? And how?”

“My mother might be willing,” Nick finally spoke up, startling the two of them. “All these years of searching for her, I never thought about why she might not want to be discovered. Why she ran away from this life in the first place. I hurt her badly. And then I died over something stupid and hurt her again. Who wouldn’t be angry about that?”

“Nick,” Judy placed a paw to her heart. “I’m certain that’s not the case.”

“She’s the only one I can think of who would be capable of doing this,” Nick glanced at Honey with a cold demeanor. “Badger. How does one go about bringing about a...What did you call me? A wraith? Into existence?”

“It’s a spell placed over someone’s death,” replied Honey. “A vow of revenge and anger, usually.”

“That settles it then. My mom is the one who placed the curse.”

“You don’t know that, Nick,” replied Judy.

“You didn’t see her that day, Carrots. The night we had her fight. She had never used that tone of voice with me before. She had been so afraid, so angry, and so full of grief. It wasn’t helped much by my own words spoken in anger. She probably sought to punish me, one last time.”

“That may not entirely be the case, Nicky boy,” replied Honey. “It’s possible such a thing happened by accident, unknowingly. No matter the reason, I can’t see a mother willingly placing such a horrible curse on their own child. Perhaps it was never even intended for you. Grief over a death can make a person do horrible things.”

“Maybe,” Nick replied before he looked away. “But don’t be so sure. I spent so much time and money on this place, this house in order for it to be a surprise for her. I should have known that it would have been a place of horrors for her. Bad memories with my father, of sickness, of starvation. It’s only fitting that she would curse it to bring the whole place down.”

“How do we fix it?” asked Judy, trying to change the subject. “How do we spare the house?”

“Well, that would be up to the cursebringer themself. Whatever the curse is for, it must be fulfilled. Only the cursebringer can say what must happen. And the longer the curse goes unfulfilled, the more damage it wrecks on all those around it.”

Honey Badger left the house shortly after that, which gave Judy and Nick plenty of time to think but little desire to actually speak with each other. Nick vanished almost immediately, venturing back up to his sanctuary in the attic if Judy had any guess. Perhaps to check the extent of the damage the corruption had wrought right under his nose. It being based all within the walls, perhaps Nick never bothered to look.

Evening came and went with Judy not in very much of a mood to eat but forcing herself to anyway to help heal her leg. The rest of the night was spent quietly reading in the living room. When she eventually carried herself up to bed, she made sure to pause at the attic entrance.

“Good night, Nick.”

She was answered only with silence, followed by a few taps on the wood above. His message was clear enough. He didn’t want to speak, but he also didn’t want her to think he was angry with her.

Then came morning.

As Judy sat up in her bed and began to comb her fur, she tried to listen closely for any traces of Nick scuttling around above her. He was making his presence felt gone inside the house. Judy couldn’t explain it other than something like an emptiness within the halls of their shared home. It was like he was trying to make himself feel scarce. Ten years adjusting and accepting the fact that he had died, only to be brought another, worse fate. She could only imagine what he had been feeling, just like she couldn’t fathom what she could even do for him. Or say to him.

As she carefully limped downstairs towards the kitchen to serve up some breakfast, her morning ritual was interrupted by the sound of some knocking at the door.

“Finnick?” Judy asked as she answered it.

“Bunny,” grunted the fennec fox as he lingered in the door frame like he wasn’t willing to go in. “I had heard you got hurt in your search. I just wanted to swing by and make sure you were alright.”

“Me?” Judy replied. She might have been touched by the fox’s concern if there wasn’t already a lot on her mind. “Thank you so much for that. But I’m perfectly fine, really. Just took a bad fall while we were searching around an abandoned building.”

“He’s not making you do anything dangerous, is he?”

Judy quickly stepped outside so she could speak with Finnick in private, shutting the door behind her. Not that she thought Nick would snoop, but he had enough on his mind without worrying about his fight with his former friend.

“Nothing like that,” Judy replied. “It was my own fault. I was being careless and paid the price for it. Got me removed from the investigation too, so I’m taking a day for myself.”

“I had heard about that too,” replied Finnick before Judy gave him a look. “What? Nick asked me to keep a close ear to the ground on all things related to Marla. So, I’ve been using those connections to keep an eye on you instead. Not like it was spying or anything like that. Just making sure you don't need any backup in case things go sour somewhere. I’m pretty mean with a baseball bat.”

That brought the first real smile to Judy’s face since the other day as the two of them sat on the stoop to watch the traffic go by.

“So, how is he?” Finnick finally asked.

“He was doing good. Real good. We found a way to bring him out with us on the investigation and that seemed to really excite him. And we made a lot of progress and learned a lot of things. We’ll be one step closer before you know it.”

“You keep using the past tense there, rabbit. What happened?”

“Nothing,” Judy lied before she realized Finnick wasn’t going to buy it in the slightest. “We had a lead that became a deadend…”

It wasn’t long before Judy was explaining everything to Finnick, starting with what happened the day before.

It was refreshing not to have to keep secrets for a change about Nick and Marla, like she would have to around Wolfard and Bogo. She could be frank with Finnick and he would listen, never once interrupting as she spun her tale. And when she was finally done speaking, for almost a half an hour straight no less, Judy found she much desired a cup of coffee.

“So, I leave for a few days and the house falls apart,” Finnick summed up.

“It’s more than that,” Judy explained. “This curse, Nick feels like it's from his mother. He fully believes that she would be willing to do something like that to him.”

“Of course he does,” Finnick replied as he sat up from the steps. “Because he’s an idiot, that’s why. He might not like to show it, but he’s always been an emotional kid. Always assumed the worst because that’s all life has given him. Last thing we need is him moping around in death too.”

Before Judy could respond to Finnick, he had already leapt up to open the front door. She could only follow him as he stomped into the main hall, shouting at the top of his lungs.

“Nick, get your red tail down here this instant. We need to talk.”

Like Judy, he was met with silence. But unlike Judy, Finnick wasn’t so kind as to let that slide.

“Nicholas Piberious Wilde, if you don’t come down here this instant I’m going to recite all the times you’ve wet the bed. Starting with that one time when you were in the seventh grade and had the dream about the clown. On the count of three. One. Two.”

“Alright, alright,” Nick materialized instantly before Finnick. Though he was much taller than the fennec fox, in that instance he looked quite small in comparison. “What do you want?”

“To talk,” Finnick growled. The two had a familiar, angry tone that only best friends could share, which Judy knew to stay out of. “What’s this nonsense I hear about you being all depressed about the house falling apart? News flash, kid. This old home has always been breaking down. It was only because of me that it didn’t crumble to dust a long time ago. Lost some of the best years of my life, but I did it happily.”

“Don’t I know it…”

“So, what’s the problem?” Finnick asked. “Have you ever heard about the story of the ship of Furesus? That old boat that they kept in the Zootopia Natural History Museum?”

“What about it?”

“That old ship was falling apart too. So, they had to keep replacing it. Every time a plank fell apart, they put a new one in bit by bit. Eventually there wasn’t a single old plank remaining. But it was still the same ship.”

“What’s your point?”

“We can do the same with this house, if that’s really what’s bothering you. Every plank of wood that gets rotten, we can replace. We can rebuild. This house isn’t just the wood and nails, Nick. It’s about much more than that. The memories. The family.”

“It is more than that, Finnick,” Nick snapped back.

“Right. This whole moody act is more about Marla, isn’t it?”

Judy was almost certain that if Nick had physical paws, they would be trembling with rage right about now as the ghost glowered down at the older fox. Despite their differences in height, Finnick didn’t appear bothered by the deathly look in the slightest. No doubt, he had experienced physical threats a great deal while living in the city due to his size. Something Judy was adjusting to herself. Deeper than that though, she knew Nick at this point that he wasn’t the type to just physically lash out at someone. He was the more subtle kind of ghost. Though not as subtle as he would have liked as Finnick let out of an unimpressed huff.

“Thought so,” he said. “You really think that after all you put your mother through, she would really knowingly do something like that to you? That whatever is keeping you lingering here, be it a curse or unfinished business, you think this was all about you?”

“Then what else could it be?” Nick snarled back. “Because I’m having a little trouble seeing how this can be painted as anything but that.”

“Nick, it tore Marla’s heart out to have to bury you. If there was any anger she had, it was more to do with herself. But it was never to do with you. She would have given everything for you, you dumb fox. If anything, she was worried she was more a burden on you, holding you back. That was why she was so upset about you buying the house in the first place!”

There was a line of silence between the two foxes, like a line had been crossed that neither of them even knew existed. Nick gingerly spoke up first, confusion painted on his face.

“What are you saying, Finnick?” he asked. “Mom wanted to give up the house so it wouldn’t hold me back?”

“Obviously,” Finnick huffed. “The house itself was never her greatest treasure, Nick. You were. You always were. She never worked herself to the bone to keep the house, she did it to protect you in the hopes that you would be able to eventually move on from the past. To eventually become a better mammal than either her or especially that deadbeat father of yours. She wanted you to have a better life. No one who gave that much love to their own child would ever curse them, even in death.”

For a long moment, Nick didn’t have anything to say. He couldn’t. All he could do was put a paw to his face and grimace. Sniffing as he spoke up.

“...You’re right,” he finally responded. “Mom would never do that to me. God, I can’t even cry even if I wanted to.”

“There’s been plenty of tears already over you,” Finnick replied. “You don’t have to.”

Nick huffed a laugh and sniffed again. “I just have always had this burden over me. I always felt like it was up to me to make things better for mom given the rough life we had when dad walked out. Like I had to fill his shoes, especially when her health started going.”

“You both cared so much about each,” replied Finnick. “Too much. In the end, that meant not seeing the same things. If it wasn’t for your accident, I’m certain that you would have both patched things up. She loved you forever, after all.”

“And I loved her,” Nick repeated with a sniff. “Forevermore. I’m sorry, Finnick. Sorry for yelling and sorry you had to put up with all this.”

“I’m here by choice, you got nothing to be sorry about.”

“Are you okay?” Judy asked Nick when he had a moment to collect himself.

“Yeah, quite a bit better,” he replied. “Now that I had a moment to think and not be overly emotional, like a certain bunny.”

Judy smirked, at least his sense of humor was back.

“Finnick,” Nick asked. “You and mom were both there at my funeral, right?”

“I don’t like to think about it, but yeah.”

“Do you remember her saying anything over my grave? Anything at all?”

“I don’t know,” Finnick admitted. “She seemed like she was trying to keep to her own space during that and I didn’t want to intrude. There was a large period of time where she was left completely alone. Why?”

“Just collecting the facts,” Nick replied. “It might have happened like you said, by accident. But I don’t know if that’s all there is to it. When I woke up in this house for the first time as a ghost, I didn’t know what time it was or what day it was. I had to count the days until Finnick arrived. When did you come by to check on the house exactly?”

“That was four...No...Five days after the funeral.”

“And how soon was the funeral after my death?”

Finnick pondered for a moment. “We had to wait for them to search the river to attempt to find your body. By then, Marla wanted it done as quickly as possible, so we settled for a quiet affair that could be finished within a few days. It was five days after your death.”

“So ten days in total,” Nick put on a genuine smile. “Interesting…”

“I don’t get it, why is that so interesting?”

“According to everyone I’ve spoken to about wraiths, they’re created by a strong curse placed on the person’s grave which they’re for,” Judy explained. “Meaning Nick could only have returned as a wraith if it happened directly after the funeral. So, he’d have been by himself for five days. Nick, how long were you trapped in the house for until Finnick showed up?”

“Ten days. Ten long, agonizing days.”

“That settles it then,” Judy slammed her fist into her paw. “You can’t possibly be a wraith cursed by Marla because you were a ghost long before she would ever have gotten the chance to.”

“Isn’t that being a little too technical with the whole afterlife thing?” asked Finnick. “From everything I’ve seen, there’s no hard and fast rules to death.”

“Yana once told me that the supernatural and things related to them are just another science that we don’t understand yet,” pipped Judy. “We need to look at the patterns and find the truth within them. Just like a proper detective would.”

“Would that explain why the house is rotting then?” asked Finnick.

“No,” Nick answered. “But it’s a start to making sense of all this. Carrots, did you get a good look at the things that Honey had collected?”

“I hadn’t really, why?”

“They all belonged to my mother,” Nick said with a serious tone, like he was deep in thought. “I don’t mean like they were once a part of this house, they all were. But they were things she had specifically owned. Do you remember what Honey also told us? Items affected by negative emotions can have an effect on other items or spirits around them. I keep plenty of my mother’s things up in the attic where no one can touch them.”

“So, what are you saying then, Nick?”

“What if...What if mom died and became the wraith?”

“She ain’t dead,” Finnick grunted. “I haven’t spent years hunting for her for it to come to that. I know she’s still out there, Nick.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Finnick. I can deal with it. It’s better to just accept that possibility if that were the case. It all makes sense. That would be the reason why we can never find her. That’s why the house is rotting. That’s why I can’t find peace.”

“Except you’re forgetting the very thing you just told me,” Finnick replied. “A wraith requires that a person curse someone on their death. If Marla became this thing you’re talking about, this wraith, then who would have done that and, more importantly, why?”

“I don’t know,” Nick admitted, shoulders slumping in defeat. “It was just a theory. Not saying I wanted it to be true or anything. It would have just made the most sense. And I’d...I’d really want mom to still be alive too. I refuse to accept that she’d just be gone after everything we’ve done to find her. And I want...I want to see her again.”

Having run the emotional gambit of more than his fair share in the past day, Nick was in rare form. Broken and beaten, he reminded Judy more of a lost child just looking for his mother. But he was in good company, at least.

“You and me both, Nick,” Finnick said in a softer voice that almost didn’t fit him. “You and me both.”

Judy suspected that if the two were capable of hugging it out, they might consider it at that moment. Though something told her that even in life, Nick wasn’t the embracing type. Still, she couldn’t help but smile slightly. Though they were now lost more than ever, at least they had mended one particular bridge in the form of Finnick. And he had given them something almost more important than another clue. He had given them a hope in a moment where they almost couldn’t find any. The least Judy could do to help the two hardheads was to gently nudge them in the right direction.

“Do you mind staying a while to watch the house, Finnick?” Judy asked. “I do have some business to attend this morning.”

“You mean the thing with Fru Fru?” asked Nick. “You’re still going to get the key?”

“It might be the one thing we can still do. You said that the box contains a wealth of information, right? Maybe it has some sort of clue to finding Marla.”

“That’s a longshot,” muttered Finnick.

“Maybe we can also play a game to coax either Big or Lionheart into helping,” offered Nick. “But the box will be yours when you get the key, Carrots. I trust you completely with it to do the right thing. Whatever that happens to be.”

It felt nice to have that trust again.

Judy left the boys alone downstairs as she showered up in the attempt to make herself look somewhat presentable. She wasn’t even certain that Fru Fru would actually be in as it had been quite a few days since they had spoken and she wasn’t certain about her hours. Regardless, it would be nice to get out of the house and give Nick and Finnick some space, as she sensed they had some catching up to do and it wouldn’t do to hover over them. Even though Nick tried to offer his help.

“I can come with you, you know,” he whispered in her ear as she packed her water bottle in preparation to leave. “Just say the word and I’ll get the doll.”

“You stay here,” Judy ordered with a stern tone and a hidden smile. “I may have a broken leg, but I can take care of myself. Besides that, I’ve already gotten the worst of my worries mostly off my back with Big no longer as a physical threat.”

“I still don’t know if I trust him. Or Lionheart for that matter.”

“Well, we can discuss what we’re going to do with the key when I get back with it. That’s if I can even find it.”

“Just be open and honest with her. It’s what you're good at. And don’t try to hide that you’re here on her father’s request, something tells me that won’t end well.”

Judy did appreciate the social advice Nick had to give on the matter, as how she was going to broach the subject with Fru Fru had been a topic that had consistently plagued her from the moment Big had made his request. But Nick was right, in the end. So long as she was being honest with her friend, then there couldn’t be anything she thought would go wrong. After all, what was there to even lie about?

Fully prepared now, Judy set off out the door, leaving the boys to talk.

Grand Pangolin Arms was the destination as Judy set off via a bus. Normally, it wouldn’t be that much of a walk but she promised Nick that she wouldn’t strain herself with her leg. And besides that, most of the traffic was going in the other direction of the city, away from the living districts. She had thought about living in Grand Pangolin, once upon a time, so she couldn’t deny that she was at least a little bit curious about what she might find. And hopefully Fru Fru was home.

A ten minute ride and she had arrived at the closest bus stop, enjoying the moment for a walk. Though she didn’t get nervous until she was face to face with the door. The building wasn’t anything unique. In fact, it shared a lot in common with the other apartment complexes nearby, suggesting to Judy that it was a part of a chain. Though she was a little bit at a loss to say, despite her reassurances to Nick.

“Just be honest,” Judy muttered as she hesitated before reaching for the doorbell. Then she pushed it.

She could hear the sound of an old-fashioned ringing going out. She guessed that the building was too small to have a lobby and not modern enough to even have a callbox. Someone had to physically come to the door, leaving Judy with more time than she would have liked to sweat it out.

Fortunately or unfortunately, she had a distraction in the form of a buzzing in her pocket. She had a call incoming from a certain other friend she hadn’t spoken to in a while.

“Clawhauser,” Judy answered the phone, beyond the call she could hear approaching footsteps at the door. “I’m kind of in the middle of something, can I call you back?”

“ Oh, I’m sorry, Jude! ” crackled the cheetah’s voice through the speakers. “ I just wanted to see if you were alright. I heard you broke your leg from Wolfard. ”

“I’m fine,” Judy forced a smile that Clawhauser couldn’t see but she did it anyway. “Still working on the searching case and I’d like for Bogo to not know that. So, if you don’t mind…”

“ Oh, speaking of! I didn’t get to tell you yesterday, but I actually had a mini breakthrough the other day about that! We’ve been looking at this all wrong. See, there’s more than one way to change a name, though it’s not strictly legal. But it’s something someone might do when they’re making a fresh start. ”

The footsteps had reached the door and Judy could hear the locks come undone. Though she was now unsure of what she should be more focused on.

“ See, if someone died way back when and a person stole their identity, they wouldn’t have to apply through any proper channels to change anything, especially if the one they were replacing had no immediate family. I got the idea from watching a crime movie with some friends. Isn’t that silly though? I mean, that’s a bit extreme and an illegal way to hide oneself, but it’s actually a thing people do! ”

The door opened as a rather tall and slim red figure greeted Judy, with no warm expression on their face. Judy quickly deduced two things. One, it was a lady. And two, they were a vixen with more than a little grey in her fur. Her glare could sour milk as she looked down at Judy.

“Young lady,” she said sternly like a school teacher. “It’s very rude to talk to someone while on a phone call.”

“...Benji, I’m going to have to call you back.”

Chapter Text

Under normal circumstances, hearing that Fru Fru was out at the moment, Judy might not have been inclined to wait around for her. Especially if the landlady had no idea when she was supposed to return. Though there was something else that had drawn the bunny to remain in the building as she waited patiently in the makeshift office of the vixen as she continued to file paperwork.

“...Didn’t your parents ever tell you that it's impolite to stare?” asked the fox with a sour tone to her voice.

“Oh,” Judy replied as she returned her attention to her phone. “Sorry.”

She had been trying to get in touch with Finnick for a while now through text messages. She couldn’t very well call him, not without leaving and she wasn’t certain that the fox would let Judy back in if she left. She had only relented in the first place after Judy insisted that it was important to speak with Fru Fru, but even that was only half the truth.

Judy wasn’t one to believe in coincidences, but after meeting Nick she felt as though she was ready to believe almost anything. And maybe it was just a coincidence that Fru Fru’s landlady looked just like the fox in Nick’s locket. But she couldn’t explain it. Judy somehow knew that the vixen sitting across from her at the desk was definitely Marla. Even if the nameplate on the desk said otherwise.

Janet Klaws.

Judy had to keep herself from staring too closely at the vixen, she was being impatient enough with Judy as it was. Somehow her behavior did remind Judy quite a bit of Nick when they first met. Equally annoyed by Judy’s presence and equally eager to just be rid of her, though reluctant to use force. When Judy had mentioned her own name to Janet, the vixen had finally relented on the condition that they wait for Fru Fru together in the office. An office which amounted to little more than a repurposed kitchen space. The whole building, infact, felt like someone had taken what had been an average-sized home and used each individual room to spread out the tenants as much as possible. Perhaps she could start with that. Maybe even learn a little more about Janet Klaws in the process.

“So,” Judy started with, trying to smile. “How long have you been living here?”

“The city?” Janet asked without even looking up from her paperwork. “My whole life.”

“I meant the building. I’m guessing you probably live in one of the rooms too, don’t you?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Just asking,” Judy replied, doing her best to keep the attitude from deterring her. “I once looked at living here when I first moved into the city, so I was only curious.”

The vixen grunted but didn’t say anything more in response.

A big part of Judy just wanted to blurt out Nick’s name or even just mention she was living at 111 Winchester, though something told the bunny that such an outburst might backfire horrifically.

Thankfully, Judy’s needling did pay off as the vixen finally put down her pen and crossed her arms and returned Judy’s stares. No doubt she was none too pleased that these questions were interrupting her work.

“If it keeps you from staring at me, I’ve lived in this building a long time. An old family friend named Dharma allowed me to remain on the condition that I helped her keep the tenants happy and the apartments clean. Eventually, she retired and decided to pass the business onto me in exchange for payment. It’s very challenging work and a lot of people living here get upset with me when I don’t do my job. So, if you don’t mind?”

“I see,” Judy digested the answer to her original question.

Though she did note that Janet hadn’t told her precisely how long she had lived there, her general story would fit with Marla’s who would have nowhere to go after leaving. Judy would have to ask if Finnick or Nick knew of this Dharma person later.

“Klaws is a very common last name, isn’t it?” Judy tried again.

“I don’t think I care for your tone,” Janet replied before looking back down at her paperwork. “Please either remain quiet or leave.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry or anything.”

“You’re not prying. You’re interrupting. All these leases need to be proofread for any mistakes by the end of the day. Observe how the number of finished documents have not gone up upon your arrival.”

She definitely had Nick’s sarcastic bite to her tone. Though she was most certainly growing weary of dealing with Judy and looked prepared to kick her out of the building. Of course, she might change her tone if Judy revealed that she was a cop. But that might also open a whole new can of worms and silence the vixen entirely. She seemed to be avoiding a few subjects of conversations altogether, but a slow drip feed was more than nothing at all. Judy attempted to think of a new avenue of approach, but they were interrupted by a soft knock at the office door.

“Sit,” Janet ordered Judy, her voice like the crack of a whip.

Janet then quickly made her way over to the door and opened it to reveal no one. No one until the two of them looked to the floor.

“Hi, Miss Klaws,” said Fru Fru as she stepped into the office. “I saw your note you left on my door. There’s someone to see me or--Oh! Hi, Judy!”

“Hi Fru Fru,” Judy nervously waved from her seat.

“So, you do know her, Fru Fru,” Janet replied in a slightly warmer tone of voice. “Here I thought she was a troublemaker just up to no good.”

“Judy? No way. Is everything alright, Judy? What happened to your leg?”

“Oh, it’s a long story,” Judy chuckled as she grasped the original intention for her visit. “I, uh, I spoke with your father…”

“Oh,” Fru Fru’s voice ran colder than Janet’s had been. “I see. Daddy got to you, huh?”

“If you ladies don’t mind,” Janet said, clearing her throat. “I have a lot of work to do today. You’re welcome to keep your guest in your room, Fru Fru. The master key should work for both doors.”

“Thank you, Miss Klaws. This way, Judy.”

Judy carefully excused herself from the office space, giving one last look to the vixen before she slammed the door on them.

It was a short walk to Fru Fru’s side of the apartment complex. Judy was greeted to a small room that was almost as large as the upstairs bathroom in 111 Winchester, complete with miniature furniture to properly accommodate Fru Fru. Judy had to watch her step as she was hurried inside, the floorboards creaking underfoot. Even the door into the room had a smaller door at the base of its frame for Fru Fru to open, which unlocked the larger door for Judy to push open as well. It was the strangest blend of sizes Judy had ever seen in a home before.

“I’m sorry about all this,” Fru Fru said as she hurried to the tiny refrigerator set up in what appeared to be the ‘kitchen’ area of her space, complete with black and white tiles. “This is actually one of the smaller rooms they had in the building. Technically I was supposed to get something even smaller until Miss Klaws cut me a better deal for the same price of rent. But that doesn’t mean I had time to go out and get proper furniture for any guests I might have. You would be the first, actually.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Judy said as she took a seat on the floor, her back pressing against some rather sticky wallpaper. “I don’t mind one bit and can understand not feeling at home yet. I still feel like I’m moving in myself.”

“Still,” Fru Fru continued as she returned with two soda cans the size of thimbles, offering one for Judy. “I feel terrible about it with your broken leg. I’ve told daddy a thousand times that he’s not allowed to hurt my friends.”

“Oh,” Judy made the realization instantly. “You think he’s the one who...No, my leg wasn’t because of him. This was an accident while doing my job recently. I fell through the floor and landed on cement.”

“Oh, my. Well. That makes me feel a little better, at least. Not that it’s good to hear you were injured while working, I mean. It’s just that, well, daddy’s business is very cutthroat and…”

“It’s okay, Fru Fru. I know who he is.”

“Right,” the shrew gave an uncharacteristically deep grunt. “Of course you do. As much as I told him to stay away from me and my life, he just had to go and approach one of my friends. I just hate to know that you had to find out about my family. I would have told you about my...Connections when there was a good time to.”

“I understand,” Judy replied with a nervous laugh. “We both have our secrets. I just don’t want you to think that I only befriended you because of your relations with your dad. I only knew the truth when he introduced himself to me. And that was only a couple of days ago.”

“He came to you knowing you were a cop?” Fru Fru asked, arms crossed like she was in stunned disbelief. “He must have. Daddy doesn’t do anything carelessly, especially when it comes to me, as much as I regret saying that.”

“I think he was trying to prove something to you.”

“Well, good for him. He better not think that means I’ll come back home. What did he even want you to do for him? He must have wanted something from you if he would approach you as a police officer. Unless it was to threaten you, which he wouldn’t be above doing. Even for someone on the ZPD.”

“He asked me to speak to you about retrieving a certain key that belonged to your mother. He said that you might have brought it with you by accident.”

“Or on purpose,” Fru Fru as she sipped her drink.

“Did you really?”

“I might have. Don’t see what the big deal is. When I left the house, I took everything that belonged to my mother with me. The only thing she wanted from me before she passed away was to see me get married. You can bet I’m a little pissed that daddy would use his power and influence to scare away my former fiance.”

“Well, knowing what I know now, you can’t exactly blame the guy for being a little nervous around the biggest mob boss in the city, can you?”

“It’s just always been like this with him. He can never just trust me to take care of myself. When I left, I had nothing. No friends. No support system. And that wasn’t from my lack of trying either. Daddy liked to control everything to make sure I was safe. Even my supposed friends were only bought with his influence. I can guarantee you if, like, a giant boulder came rolling out of the sky at us, they would abandon me to save themselves.”

“Well, you’ve certainly come a long way from that life. I mean, I’m here. Even despite your father, I’m not about to go running away at the first sign of danger. And I’m sure you have other folks here in the building too. You seem to have built up a rapport with the landlady.”

“Miss Klaws, you mean?” Fru Fru smirked a bit as she sat back on her couch facing Judy. “I don’t know if I could have even made it my first week without her help.”

“I thought you two seemed friendly with each other. Well, relatively. Goodness knows, I tried to speak with her while we were waiting for you but she wouldn’t even give me the time of day.”

“Yeah, she’s like that with a lot of people. Even the other tenants in the building. It makes me surprised that she was always so kind to me. Tired and overworked, for certain. But she was never rude about it. You should see her speaking to my neighbors, Bucky and Pronk, about noise violations in the evening. This apartment would have been a very different place without her, I think.”

“Do you know anything about her personally?” Judy pushed a little.

“Not much besides the bits and pieces I’ve picked up whenever I visit her office. I know she reports to the building’s real owner every month and works hard to make sure the complex is in a worthy state. Everyone in the building knows that she nags out of care, she’s never angry without good reason to be. Though there is certainly anger there that’s hard to explain. Like something happened in her past that she doesn’t like talking about.”

Judy was almost on the edge of her seat before Fru Fru changed the subject.

“But enough about her. Why does daddy want the key back?”

Judy bit back her sigh by giving a sip of her soda can. The orange drink was half finished with a single lick.

“I think he wanted me to do it as a form of bridge building,” Judy explained. “Have me approach you about it in an unrelated way to get the key back. Prove he’s trustworthy.”

“And he proves that by spying on me to see who my friends are and going behind my back?”

“I don’t think he wanted me mentioning it to you, but I’m not about to lie to a friend.”

“Well, I appreciate that. I still don’t see what the big deal is about the key. Do you?”

Judy considered the implications of lying to Fru Fru before remembering Nick’s advice. And what kind of home life Fru Fru was probably leaving where her father would have to constantly lie about his job to her face. The answer was obvious at that point.

“Something important,” she told Fru Fru. “Something he wanted to protect you from. Something that quite a lot of dangerous people in this city might want to get their paws on. That’s why I wanted to see you so urgently. I could tell you what I believe it's the key to, but would that be something you’d want to risk the quiet and safe life you’ve built for yourself here over?”

Fru Fru thought it over a long sip of her drink. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious. But I see your point. I’ll admit, daddy has been good to his promise on keeping our boundaries with each other, limiting our contact to our weekly calls. This must really be important to him to breach that agreement.. What do you think I should do about him?”

“He’s your father,” Judy answered. “I come from a family where we’re all close knit and simple farmers. I’m probably not someone who can give you helpful advice on how to handle him.”

“Hah, you’re probably right about that…”

“I do think he cares though,” Judy replied the more she thought about it. “In his own bad way. I don’t think there’s a parent who would ever willingly endanger their child with their own business. I refuse to believe that. He must have had his reasons to do what he did, and what he still does.”

“If he had any sense at all, he’d have quit the business long ago and left it to his subordinates. How many mobsters get to say they’ve retired? But I suppose he’s always been like that. Probably what led mom to an early grave.”

Judy frowned at that as Fru Fru waddled along the floor with her canned drink.

“Now...Where did I put that key?”

“Can I help you find it?” Judy offered. “Or will I knock something over?”

“No, no. It’s a pretty big key. At least, big for me. Probably pretty large for someone with your paws too. That’s what made it such a pain to drag around, it was designed for something that was built with larger mammals in mind. Funny how that works, right? The bigger something is, the easier it is to forget about it.”

Judy huffed a laugh as she looked around the room. Curiously, there seemed to be a few shelves leftover from when the apartment was designed for a larger mammal in mind. Judy strained her neck to see a dull glimmer of something bronze and heavy. She reached up and grabbed the hard metal of the strangest key she had ever seen, given that its teeth were far from ordinary. They seemed laser cut and precise, despite the key feeling ancient, and had the most unnatural and peculiar shape.

“Is this it?” Judy held the key down for Fru Fru to see.

“I’ll be. There it is. Huh, wonder how it got up there? Don’t think I’ve even been to the top shelves, though they would probably make for a good view of the room. Actually, now that you’re here, we can discuss how I would redesign this space. I was thinking of adding a pulley system for…”

After the heavy talk about her father, Judy was almost glad for the light hearted banter with her friend again. Fru Fru was almost like her old self again. Speaking about Mister Big had left her feeling cold and angry, at him perhaps. Though Judy wondered if there was something more to it, knowing that she should probably leave it at that.

They continued speaking until the afternoon, where Fru Fru offered to take Judy out for lunch, something which she put a raincheck on after desiring to check in with Nick and Finnick. Judy privately wondered how they might interpret Judy’s encounter with the landlady. She imagined Finnick would want to see her and confirm it, though that might not be the best reintroduction.

To her great relief, Judy found that Finnick’s truck had gone out of the driveway upon her arrival.

It was almost lunch as Judy had skipped breakfast due to the morning activities. This was coupled with her leg beginning to ache from spending so much time on it without crutches, something Bogo would pull his fur out over. She was supposed to be relaxing, thus Judy privately convinced herself to do just that for the remainder of the day. Even with the eager fox waiting for her at the front door.

“ There you are!” Nick said with his arms crossed. “I had half a mind to possess my doll and waddle down there to check up on you.”

“Sorry,” Judy apologized. “She was out when I arrived and I stuck around. Then she got to talking and…”

“Say no more. Big’s wife was rather infamous for being a chatterbox when I worked for him, it wouldn’t surprise me if that gift extended to his daughter too. Did you get it though?”

Judy gave a weak smile as she made her way to the armchair in the living room and held up the odd shaped key she had kept tucked in her front pocket. She had to keep it particularly close to herself all the ride home, not that she thought anyone would steal it. But it was a valuable thing in this particular case. Though not as valuable as what Judy was trying to figure out how to tell Nick about as he hovered behind her. She let him snatch the key from her paws as he looked at it like a jeweler might a rare diamond.

“This is it,” he said. “Hot dang, this is it . Never thought I’d see this again. Never thought I’d have to. With this, you can nail the coffin on both Big and Lionheart. No one besides us knows that this thing might be the most dangerous thing in the whole city!”

“Hence why we had to get it away from Fru Fru as quickly as possible,” Judy replied as she knew what she had to do. “Nick, there’s something else too…”

“What is it? You didn’t run into trouble, did you?”

“No, nothing like that…”

“I should have come with you, shouldn’t I?” he said. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to clear the air with Finnick since this was the first time we had a big fight like this. But if you hit some sort of block, you only have to tell me, Carrots. I’m ready and raring to go.”

“I know you are,” Judy’s smile turned genuine. “And I’m not mad that you wanted to sort things out with Finnick. That was more important. I just...Ran into someone on the way to see Fru Fru.”

“Someone? Who?”

Judy opened her mouth and closed it a few times, struggling to find where to begin. She didn’t want to get Nick’s hopes off in case her hunch was wrong. But if it was right…

“...What do you remember about your mom?” Judy asked. “I mean personality wise.”

“Mom?” Nick asked somewhat confused. “I dunno. She was just...Mom. Hardworking, almost to the point where she’d worry me even as a kid.”

“Was she strict? Did she get upset easily?”

“No, but she could scream pretty good sometimes if I was really acting up. Not that I ever did...Too often. Why? What’s this about, Carrots?”

“I don’t want to get your hopes up,” Judy continued as she stared into the empty fireplace. “Though I don’t know if I want to be right either. When I went to Fru Fru’s, I met her landlady. An old vixen by the name of Janet Klaws. Nick...I think I found her. I think I found your mother by complete accident.”

There was a long silence of disbelief as Nick let the key drop to the floor before leaning over to pick it up.

“...For real?” he finally spoke up with the key in paw again. “Like, seriously, you think it’s her?”

“I’m like...Eighty percent sure. More sure than any lead we’ve had so far, at least. I’m going to need to talk with Clawhauser to clear it with him, he’s the one who gave me the idea of how she might have managed staying hidden in the first place. She’s working as the manager of the building Fru Fru lives in. What little background I could get from her matches your story of when she left, if the timeframe works out. Again, I don’t want you to get too excited until we know for sure. But...Yeah.”

To say Nick looked overwhelmed would be an understatement. Judy knew he didn’t have physical legs to stand on, but it was probably taking all his willpower just to remain materialized as he floated in the middle of the living room. Stunned and silent.

“I know this might be a bit much,” Judy continued. “After all, you just smoothed things over with Finnick. But you’re my friend and I figured you should be the first to know. I didn’t want to keep it to myself for long.”

“No, you did the right thing,” Nick said as he looked down at the key. “It’s just...If it is her…”

“...You don’t know what you’ll do?”

“What would I even say? Just yesterday I thought she might have been responsible for all this with the ghost stuff. To know she’s alive and within walking distance? What would she say if she saw me? Would she even want to see me?”

“Of course she would,” Judy said, deciding not to tell Nick now that Janet seemed a particularly bitter mammal. “We don’t have to do anything right now until you’re good and ready. We know where she is and that’s enough, isn’t it? There’s no reason to rush a confrontation unless that’s what you really want to do.”

“Thanks,” Nick replied with a heavy sigh. “I just don’t know if it’s what I really want to do or it’s what I’m expected to want to do, you know?”

“Family is hard. Yours especially. But you have Finnick. You have me. I’ll go to Clawhauser tomorrow to confirm my hunch. After that we have all the time in the world to approach it at your own pace. However you want to do it.”

Nick nodded as he glanced at the key once again. “What would help would be focusing on Big and Lionheart, now that we know my mom is alive and safe. If we can remove those two then...Maybe I will feel more comfortable with approaching her. Let’s open the box.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I made a promise to you. You found my mom, you got the key. The box is yours. Hang on.”

Judy watched as Nick vanished entirely and the key dropped to the floor with a bounceless thud. She sat up and picked it up as she listened throughout the house. Nick had moved the box under her bed after Wolfard had visited, just for safekeeping. He didn’t feel the need to keep it in the attic anymore. That made it quick to reappear as Judy heard the steady thumps of the box dropping down each stair in the main hall. Before long, Nick had returned and dropped the metal container on the coffee table in front of it.

“Have at it,” Nick said as he crossed his arms over her. “There’s a great deal of paperwork in there, if memory serves. You’ll be quite busy just sorting through all of it.”

“Maybe I should order lunch in the meantime,” Judy muttered as she leaned forward and found the keyhole. “Is this the right place?”

“Just stick it in like a normal key then twist left. Then right until you hear a click.”

Judy did as commanded, hearing the inner workings of the box as the gears keeping the locks in place shook off the excess dirt and dust that had built up from years kept underground. A part of her was excited, like any person about to open up a present. When she couldn’t twist left anymore, Judy turned the key right until the room was filled was a satisfying click. The lid had loosened enough that she could grip both sides and open it with a creak that would put any door in a haunted house to shame.

“Nick,” said Judy as she stared at the box’s contents. “You said that you had gotten three boxes, two empty and one with the real documents inside, right?”

“Right,” Nick said as he hovered over her shoulder.

“Well, this box is empty.”

Chapter Text

Nick immediately returned to the attic upon their discovery, perhaps in the vain hope that he might have misplaced something somehow all the while Judy inspected the contents. Besides the dust, there was absolutely nothing inside. In fact, Judy wondered if there had ever been anything in its contents at all given how unused it felt. There wasn’t even a single scuff or marking on the interior of the box.

“This is bad,” he said, rather frantically and out of character. “This is really bad. I don’t know where it all went!”

“Let’s calm down for a moment,” Judy offered. “And think things over. You’re sure that you never peeked inside the box?”

“How could I? I never got the key. And I never bothered looking inside as a ghost.”

“And you’re absolutely sure that the box you kept was supposed to be the real one.”

“Doubly sure,” Nick said as he crossed his arms. “I don’t do these things on a whim, Carrots. I was very good at my job because I was always careful and slick. As soon as I put the documents in the box, I buried it out back. There it stayed until you dug it up.”

“To your knowledge,” Judy corrected him. “You couldn’t leave the house as a ghost, remember? There’s a chance that someone could have dug it up without you even knowing it.”

“Who would even know something was buried there in the first place?”

“I don’t know, but let’s look at all the facts first before we go on a tangent. You had three boxes. You buried one with the documents in the house’s garden. You gave one to Big, who gave it to Lionheart. What happened to the third one?”

“I told you, it should have gone with my mother and the rest of my things after I died.”

“Then that’s what we can check,” Judy said as she pulled out her phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling a friend.”

Nick hovered over her patiently as she dialed. Judy didn’t want to bug Honey so soon after they had invited her over, but she was the only one who had any of Marla’s things. Judy hadn’t even thought to look for a box when they had encountered her hidden supplies.

“ Hello? ”

“Honey? It’s Judy. Sorry to bother you but this is kind of an emergency. You know all those items you’ve collected from Marla over the years? Would there happen to be a box among them? Like a steel case that you couldn’t open?”

“ A box,” continued the badger. “ Sorry, I’m a little distracted at the moment, hun. That wolf friend of yours came by this morning. ”

“Wolf friend?” Judy questioned as she realized who she was talking about. “You mean Wolfard?”

“ That’s the one. He came by with a handful of these ZPD officers to inspect my stash in the ice rink. Or at least, I think they’re officers. They’re not in uniform, that’s for sure. He’s currently digging through the piles of junk and taking anything he deems as evidence, whatever that means. I did try to warn him that some of the stuff is cursed, that seemed to give him pause. But then he continued anyway. ”

“I thought the investigation was being suspended regarding looking into Wilde Card,” Judy pondered out loud. “Did he say what he’s doing there or why they’re still looking into it.”

“ I didn’t get to ask questions, I'm afraid. He just came with some other canines and explained that this was a continuation of yesterday where they wanted to look through all the items I had collected to confirm nothing was stolen. Given the nature of their acquisition, I couldn’t exactly say no to them, especially since I’m trespassing to begin with. In terms of a box, I don’t recall seeing such a thing but you saw the pile yourself. It could very well be buried beneath. It’s likely that if it is, your friend and his goons will end up finding it. ”

Honey’s explanation only left more questions for Judy than answers. Bogo had made it extremely clear the other day that the investigation regarding Wilde Card was all but canceled. And there was something in the way Honey and mentioned those who were with Wolfard too that rubbed Judy the wrong way. Especially if they weren’t in uniform. Something fishy was going on down at the ice rink and somehow Judy placed it back to the strange feeling she got around the mayor during their debriefing.

“Well, if you do manage to find a box, can you make sure to hold onto it? Somehow?”

“ I’ll do my best, hon. But I’m not in a position to deny them if they ask for it.

Judy muttered something about cheese and crackers before thanking Honey and hanging up. Nick, who had been listening over her shoulder, only got concerned when Judy attempted to stand up.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Going back to the ice rink,” Judy replied as she limped her way to the front door. “Something funny is going on and I need to talk to Wolfard.”

“I think you’ve been on your feet enough for today. Didn’t you say your boss told you to take it easy? You were already stressed enough from this morning and talking with Fru Fru and potentially meeting my mom. That’s more than enough for one day, Carrots.”

“What if they find the box, Nick?” Judy asked. “This is the one link we know absolutely for sure ties in with your mother. The last two people who should have the box are Big or Lionheart. If the mayor gets it...Well, I don’t know what will happen but it certainly won’t be good.”

“That’s assuming it’s even there,” said Nick as he put his paws on Judy’s shoulder. He was using a solid grip. “If they find a box, then they can’t do anything with it because we have the key. There’s no reason to get yourself worked up over it and strain your already strained health. The last thing I want to see you do is kill yourself over this case. Legs are supposed to be important for a bunny, right?”

Even just standing upright in the hallway, Judy could feel a twinge deep in her bones as the cast hugged closely to her thigh. On a logical level, Nick was right. All this running around wasn’t doing her body any good. And if she pushed herself too hard then she might seriously injure herself.

“Besides,” continued Nick. “There’s still the matter regarding Janet Klaws. We foxes have an old saying, you know. If you try and hunt two rabbits at once, you’re sure to catch neither.”

Judy gave him a hard glare.

“Okay. Bad phrasing. But you get the point. Lionheart and Big can’t do anything with the box without the key. All we have to do is keep that close and make sure no one can find it. Then you can focus on confirming Janet’s identity. If she’s really mom or not…”

“You’re right,” said Judy as she crossed her arms. “But there might be a faster way to do that, you know. Bring you with me to the apartments. See for yourself if it’s really her or not.”

“It would be faster,” Nick admitted. “But...I don’t know if I’m ready to accept it’s really her or not. It’s been ten years and I’ve chosen to remember her a certain way. I don’t know if I want to potentially ruin that image of her in my head just yet.”

Hearing that, Judy immediately thought back to the sternness of the landlady and how it soured her overall visit and soiled her chances in learning more about the vixen. She couldn’t exactly blame Nick knowing that.

“Give it a day,” continued Nick. “Let yourself rest and then tomorrow you can approach your friend at the police station in regards to confirming her identity. Can you do it for me as a personal favor?”

If he was willing to go that far, Judy couldn’t exactly say no as she sighed.

“Alright. As a favor to you. Sitting still has just never been my strong suit, especially when there’s work to be done.”

“Thank you, Judy.”

It was rare to hear Nick actually use her name for a change, rarer still for him to show such concern over her health. And judging by how he awkwardly floated around the main hall, he seemed to have more to say.

“Was she...Healthy?” Nick asked.

“I got the sense that she was older than she appeared to be,” Judy answered. “Especially given how many responsibilities she seemed to manage at the building. Fru Fru said she handles a lot of important maintenance things, like inspecting the rooms for water damage or even repairs if necessary. But she had a lot of energy too. Maybe with the job, she was finally able to get some help with her health concerns.”

Nick looked relieved at hearing that as he carefully tip-toed around Judy and towards the fireplace.

“I guess Finnick might have told you about that,” Nick said. “I was afraid she’d end up in an early grave from overworking, not the other way around. And there were times when I’d be alone in this house and wonder if she might have already passed on without me getting the chance to say goodbye. Even though I have this second chance to see her...I still don’t know if I’d be able to.”

“You’re afraid of how she’d react?”

“Well, look at you when you finally met me. Your screaming practically woke up all the neighbors.”

“I did not!”

“No? I seem to recall someone hiding herself away in the bathroom because she was so spooked at the sight of me.”

“That was to collect my composure,” Judy shot back as she crossed her arms and grinned. “How do you think you’d feel if you opened your eyes to see someone with your ugly mug hovering over you?”

“Ooh. Ouch. I can already feel my body rolling over in its grave from that one.”

Judy chuckled. It was nice to laugh again when things had gotten heavy all at once. As she sunk into the chair, she wondered if Nick was right. Perhaps she could use the day to relax.

“What was she like?” Judy asked. “What you remember her being like, I mean.”

“I seem to remember we had a similar conversation like this before,” added Nick. “Besides, if you’ve already apparently met her…”

“Stories then. What was your favorite story from living together?”

“Oh, that’s an easy one. That would be the time I hammered a hole in the wall of the downstairs bathroom one summer. See, I had found my way into dad’s tools when I was little and…”

Talking with Nick helped pass the time and before Judy knew it, it was already dinner. It was certainly some much needed levity though. For both of them. Even behind the smiles, Judy could sense the urgency on Nick’s face. The anxiety of the thought of seeing his mother again, alive and apparently doing well, even though she was one of the more unpleasant mammals Judy had bumped into in Zootopia. They only needed the proof.

She had managed to convince Nick to let her send out one work email on the reasoning that to otherwise do so would mean potentially more waiting the next day. Searching for someone through every database in Zootopia took time, after all. If she could ping Clawhauser and give him the name of Janet Klaws to look up, then it would hopefully mean that she could walk into the precinct tomorrow and take what she needed. And hopefully that would be the end of it. They could confirm Janet was Marla and worry about the rest later.

They shared a lovely dinner together with Judy being home long enough to cook an actual meal. Nick was surprised to see that she actually had the skills, which she chastised him for. While it was true she was never the most motherly of rabbits, she soaked up everything her parents taught her, from farming to the basics of sewing to cooking. One had to pull their own weight in a family of almost three hundred bunnies, after all. Sometimes a Hopps would even be expected to feed themselves and if she didn’t want to get fat eating chips and ice cream every day, she had to learn how to cook up some vegetables.

Broccoli mixed with oil and garlic powder was the primary dish tonight, served over some rice which Judy made due with even despite not having a rice cooker. Nick could only float by and stand impressed with her performance in the kitchen.

“You know,” he said. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wish I was alive. But watching you cook almost makes that wish painful.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Judy shot back as she fiddled with the frying pan. “You’re welcome to have some, by the way.”

“It would almost be a shame to ruin it by having to decay the dish. I love Finnick almost as much as I love my mother, but he can’t cook up anything to save his life so I never cared about his dishes. Besides, it’s not like I need to eat. It’s only something I do when I feel I must be polite. Or if I want to mess with the current residence of the house.”

“Maybe we should discuss all that,” Judy said as she served herself her plate. “About living in the house as a permanent resident, I mean.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, say Janet really is your mother and we solve all the other mysteries to boot. That would mean that your business in life is fulfilled, right? Am I free to keep living here?”

“I mean, of course. If you still want to live in an old place like this when it’s all said and done.”

“I’ve grown attached,” Judy said as she played with her broccoli a bit. “It’s a nice building. Maybe we can fix it up a little bit better. I know Finnick does his best, but he’s still only one mammal. And there’s only so much someone of his size can do, no offense.”

“I’d imagine you’d be free to do whatever you wanted with the place, Carrots.”

Judy frowned upon hearing that. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if we do find my mother and we’re able to undo whatever is binding me here, I guess that  would be it for me, wouldn’t it? I can pass on content with nothing holding me back now, can’t I? I mean that’s how it should work if all those old ghost stories and that Badger lady are to be believed.”

“So, you’ll just...Disappear?”

“I don’t know,” Nick replied, wearing his own frown. “I can’t imagine it will just be like a poof and I’m gone, right? We seldom get to choose our deaths. Maybe that’s what keeps spirits like me tethered to this place. That unfinished farewell, the second chance to do whatever still needs doing. Maybe I’ll get to choose when I go this time. Or maybe I’ll simply fade away over the years. I don’t know what awaits me.”

“Does that scare you?”

“It used to. But spend a few years trapped in a house with nothing to do but scare other people and ponder life’s existence. I was never satisfied with my lot in life. We lived in borderline poverty for most of it, despite having a decent home that we could just barely maintain. There has to be more than just that, isn’t there? It can’t just all end all of a sudden. It’s so pointless. I suppose there’s an afterlife. And the idea of getting a new life, like it’s all some sort of circle, is appealing too. But to me, it doesn’t feel like an end. Not anymore. I feel like I’ve been waiting in the door between two worlds for the last ten years, unable to move from this spot. At this point, I just want to make a decision to go in or out.”

“If you could choose to stay here, would you?”

Judy realized the selfishness of her question the moment she asked it and quickly filled her mouth with more broccoli. Nick looked at her blankly for a moment, like he had never even considered that. And why would he? So much of his unlife had been spent trying to find rest. Judy could imagine that it was almost like trying to fall asleep and being unable to. Still, he humored Judy enough to ponder over it.

“...I suppose it depends,” he answered after a long moment of careful thought. “There really isn’t much keeping me tethered here. The business with my mom, Finnick, this house...And now you, I suppose.”

“Me?” Judy said with a mouthful of vegetables. She couldn’t help but feel her ears redden at that.

“Is that really so much of a surprise? You’ve been helping me a lot with this, even if we started off rocky. You didn’t get scared off like the rest of them. You actually listened and cared. That’s more than a lot of people ever gave me. Heck, that’s more than my father did for me. I don’t believe in fate or anything silly like that, but I can’t help but wonder if I was destined to meet you somehow.”

“I don’t know about that,” Judy said after finally swallowing. “I’m sure someone would have listened eventually. There are good people in the world who care for spirits. Look at Honey.”

“I suppose you’re right. It’s just funny. I never had any friends in life, Finnick was more like my uncle. There’s a bitter irony to thinking that my first real friend would be made in my unlife. If I was allowed one more regret, it’d be that we couldn’t meet when I was still alive. Though something tells me you wouldn’t really like the person I was then. Mom certainly didn’t.”

“...Is that what you’re afraid of?” Judy carefully asked. “That she might see you only as the person you were in life?”

Nick didn’t answer her and instead turned his attention to the remains of the broccoli in the pan on the stove. “You know, maybe I will help myself to some of this grub. Since you’re not eating it all anyway…”

Judy understood immediately as she gave the ghost’s back a sad smile. “Thank you for telling me, at least.”

“It’s nothing,” he replied with a wave of his paw. “Get stuck in a house for ten years, you’ll find that a lot of things just slip out because you have no one to speak to. If it weren’t for Finnick, I would have lost my mind a long time ago. Makes me feel bad for other spirits who never get that chance.”

He turned around, floating the plate over to the table before sitting across from Judy.

“I don’t know what the future holds. What will happen after I speak with my mother and resolve things without any loose ends. But if that’s to be the end, then I think I could be happy spending those last moments with a friend.”

“I see,” Judy felt her own lip quiver. “Thank you, Nick.”

“Don’t get all emotional on me now. What about you, anyway?”

“What about me?”

“Well, assuming that I’m happy and have moved on, you’ll have an empty house to live in all by yourself. The deed goes to Finnick and I know for a fact that he won’t hold onto it for too long, but he’d be willing to handle the upkeep for you if I asked him. Would you continue staying here or would you find something bigger and better?”

“I mean, why wouldn’t I stay?” Judy asked. “I told you I’ve grown attached to the place. It grows on you. As for the rest, who knows? Learning that ghosts are not only real but are all over the place certainly shakes up my world view on more than a few things, of course.”

“Naturally,” said Nick as he pickled up his fork and carefully stabbed at a piece of broccoli. “Of course, not all of them can be as refined as me.”

“I have my job at the ZPD, but maybe as a hobby on the side I can go around and help Honey out with her mission. Helping other spirits get laid to rest before it’s my own time.”

“Heh, maybe you can be like a spirit detective.”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far. I’d have a hard time convincing Bogo I was being genuine about it anyway.”

“Well, then maybe I’ll just have to stick around and ‘convince’ him. Do a little dance while possessing the doll or slap him around until he understands.”

“I think I understand why ghost stories are laughed at now,” said Judy. “We don’t want to think about regrets and things we leave behind when we’re gone. If it can happen to a ghost, it can happen to us too. So, we try to ignore it like we do the inevitable end.”

“Don’t get all philosophical on me, Carrots,” said Nick as he pointed the fork at her. “Though I would like to stick around for as long as I can to see what you do. If there’s anyone I ever met who can do some genuine good in this world, it’d be you. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I’d love to help in some way, if I’m able.”

“I’ll hold you to that then. Your doll would look cute wearing a little police officer uniform.”

“Over my dead body.”

It was a rare restful evening, as talking with Nick helped to put some of Judy’s growing concerns to rest, until morning at least. She awoke at dawn out of habit, it was her usual day for jogging, after all. Of course, she wasn’t able to run as she rose from her bed on her sore broken leg. It felt like it was healing, but it was the slow kind that would take months before it felt close to normal. And in the meantime she felt cramped inside the cast, like her leg was bursting to get out.

With her promised day of rest behind her, Judy proceeded to get dressed in her uniform to meet with Clawhauser bright and early. There was still also the matter about Wolfard.

“I think it’s better if you don’t question it,” Nick told her as they got ready together. “Call it a funny feeling, but this doesn’t sound like a Bogo move to me.”

“You think Greg’s been working for Lionheart this whole time?” Judy asked.

“Couldn’t tell you. Maybe the mayor went to him in private. You could get him into a lot of trouble if you go confronting him about it. And it sounds like you weren’t meant to know. No one expected you’d keep in contact with Honey, right?”

There was a lot Judy had been keeping from Bogo and the others, most of it relating to ghosts. Judy told herself it was for the best, but she had to admit that she was more than eager to be done with this. Confirm that Janet was Marla and then work on planning the confrontation with her and Nick. There were no rules in the ZPD against doing that, especially if this was a missing person case Judy had filed out weeks ago before this whole thing with Big even began. And she wouldn’t be alone this time as Nick hopped into her bag.

Judy arrived probably the latest she ever had at the ZPD, some traffic via the transit and being slow moving with crutches didn’t help matters much as she hobbled along towards the building. By the time she stepped into the precinct, the center was empty. She could almost hear Bogo’s gravely voice in the distance going over matters in the bullpen. The only one who didn’t appear to be in the back rooms was Clawhauser, who was busy chewing on a doughnut before he noticed Judy and waved her over.

“Mm! Jude! Long time no see! How’s the leg?”

“Hey Clawhauser,” Judy said as she joined him behind the counter. “The leg is healing. I took a day for myself yesterday and it helped a lot. About yesterday though, did you manage to look up anything on Janet Klaws?”

“Of course! This should just take a moment.”

As the cheetah happily typed away into the keyboard, Judy looked down at her bag and smiled. Nick was inside and peeked his head out of the zipper for just a moment. Though his current body lacked expression, she could almost feel him smirking. Soon they could confirm everything.

“Actually, I’m glad you showed up today,” said Clawhauser as they waited for the computer to run its search. “After Wolfard called in sick over something, I was afraid you two had some sort of scuffle or disagreement.”

Judy frowned at hearing that. “He called in sick?”

“Yup! Pretty rare for the guy too. He didn’t really sound snuffly over the phone. Bogo has been too busy with the Big case to give it much attention though and let him have the day off, no questions asked.”

Judy hummed to herself though her ears had perked up. Someone was approaching them from behind, though they weren’t being subtle about it. Their claws clacked against the hard marble floor.

“Benji,” spoke a feminine voice. “Can I borrow Officer Hopps for a moment?”

“Oh! Hey, Jasmine!”

Officer Fangmeyer was someone that was always sort of in the background for Judy ever since her arrival at the ZPD, though the tiger could certainly make her presence known when she felt like it. She towered over the two of them, noticing what they were doing on the screen.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all,” Judy spoke up first before Clawhauser could say anything. “Benjamin is just helping me...Search for some connection with that list that was sent to us in the mail. The list of names.”

“I was?” Clawhauser asked before Judy elbowed him. “I mean, I was!”

Fangmeyer scowled. Judy certainly hadn’t gotten any better with lying since having her small lessons with Nick, she had just said the first thing that had come to mind and wasn’t really caring if it made sense or not. Though something else about it seemed to perturb Fangmeyer.

“Interesting you’d say that,” replied the tiger. “Considering my own name and family is on it.”

Judy cursed at herself for not remembering that. Did that make her lie sound too strange?

“Anyway, I’d hate to interrupt your...Search, but I wanted to speak with Hopps about something. If you can spare five minutes.”

“Sure,” Judy replied as she cautiously rose from her seat. She looked down at Nick, but opted to leave him behind. “I can come along.”

Judy couldn’t help but have a bad feeling as she followed the tiger. Fangmeyer had never even spoken with Judy directly before, to the point where she wasn’t even sure if the tiger knew she existed. The only thing that Judy knew was that Fangmeyer and Wolfard used to be partners, and their relationship was complicated. Had Wolfard said something and mentioned Judy by name at some point? He didn’t seem like the type to rat her out, he was more loyal than that and seemed to own his mistakes. It came to Judy’s attention that they were approaching the interrogation rooms.

“So,” Judy tried to open dialogue. “What did you want to talk about?”

But Fangmeyer just pressed a finger to her lips and motioned her inside the very same room that Judy had spoken to Honey in the previous day. Judy obeyed the gesture and walked inside, with Fangmeyer shutting the door behind her and leaning against it like she was guarding it.

Two things occurred to Judy at that moment. One was the memory that the interrogation rooms were soundproof with no recording unless specifically activated by the officers using it. And two, there was someone’s cell phone on the table. The second Judy sat down at the seat, it had begun to ring. An unknown number came up on the screen.

Judy looked to the door again, wondering if it was Fangmeyer’s intention to let Judy answer the call. No other commands had been given, yet Judy couldn’t help but feel the order was being implied. Judy gulped and picked up the line.

“Hello?”

“ Good morning, Officer Hopps, ” spoke the familiar, jolly tone of Mayor Lionheart. “ I apologize for this attempt to be subtle, but I do believe you have something I need. ”

Chapter Text

“ Officer Hopps, I know you’re there. Please, respond. I’d rather not talk to myself this whole conversation. It’ll speed things along for both of us if you choose to cooperate. No one else can hear us. Jasmine at the door has seen to that. ”

Judy bit her lip. This wasn’t the same fabricated pleasantness she had gotten accustomed to over the course of their several meetings. The smile that spoke volumes of the mayor’s political savviness. Like when a predator bared their fangs when speaking, Lionheart sounded different here as Judy held on the open line before speaking.

“...I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“ Oh, I think you do. I’ve already had Officer Wolfard scour the badger’s trove with the help of a few of my more ‘trusted’ helpers. There’s no denying it. This was the stash of Wilde Card. Or, at least, his mother, wasn’t it? ”

Judy measured her words very carefully. “You told Bogo to drop the case.”

“ I told Bogo everything he needed to know. You, on the other paw, seemed to have picked up exactly what I was really searching for. So, let’s not waste time dancing around each other, Hopps. I wasn’t sure what your relationship was with Wilde Card until I did a little digging of my own. He was very careful in covering his tracks, but I will never forget a face. Especially when his mother came into my office that fateful morning ten years ago, ranting at me. Who do you think it was who gave Officer Clawhauser that idea to search the long deceased records? So, what’s this really about? Has Big already approached you? ”

Judy remained silent, unsure of how she could respond. It was bad enough that a cop would have any sort of interaction with the most wanted mammal in the city. Lionheart had her dead to rights.

“ Your silence speaks volumes, Hopps. I didn’t get where I am today by not being observant. And I know how the old geezer likes to think, by now. He appealed to your good nature, didn’t he? Did he use the excuse that he regrets his past life as the biggest crime boss in the city? Do you have any idea how dirty his record is? ”

“I have an idea of how dirty yours is too,” Judy replied.

Her retort was followed by Lionheart’s now silence.

“ So, he told you about me, did he? Shame. Though I suppose it’s meaningless. No one is going to listen to a rookie cop who believes in ghosts and gets injured on her first assignment. Wolfard told Fangmeyer all about you, you know. You’ll find that I’m very well informed. ”

“How did you get Wolfard on your side?” Judy asked. “I know him. He’s a good cop. He wouldn’t lower himself to working on shady assignments from you of all people, going behind Bogo’s back.”

“ He would if the one he cared about was in a particular sort of danger, ” Lionheart replied. “ You’d have to be blind to not notice the connection he and a certain tiger have with each other. Bonds like that are always problematic, especially if you’re looking to give someone else a way to exploit them. All you have to do is put a little pressure on them and poof. They fall like a house of cards. ”

“You’re extorting a police officer?”

“ On the contrary, Hopps, I’m doing my civic duty. Did you know that the ZPD has had a long history of dealings with Mister Big? Some of it goes back to decades of bad blood. The old geezer loved to have his spies everywhere and collected information. Take Fangmeyer, for instance. A decorated police officer in her own right, being a cop runs in her family’s blood. Her father was an honored member of the ZPD throughout his life before he passed away some time ago. He was a curious tiger who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. No one ever suspected that he would have been one of Big’s biggest agents back in the day. He’d work on the inside of the police force and guide them to bring down Big’s enemies in exchange for extra money to put his daughter through school after his wife had passed away. Dirty money for the dirty cop. ”

“How do you know something like that?”

“ I have a very good memory, Officer Hopps. Especially from my past, I was sure to take notes to know who was who in the Big business. Fangmeyer had plenty of time to bury her feelings about the matter with her father as well, eventually becoming an excellent police officer in spite of him. But we all must eventually contend with the past. One suggestion to Bogo about her father’s involvement with Mister Big and his name would be tainted forever. Unless, of course, she helped me resolve the case in a private way. Still legal, mind you. But it’s useful to have a few pawns to leverage over the dirty work with. Wolfard was all too eager to confront me on the matter. She must have felt sorry enough for him to tell him the truth. So, he offered himself with his direct involvement with the case. I was more than willing to accommodate him. ”

Judy had wondered how Wolfard’s mate issue had resolved itself, though it seemed to go in a direction neither of them could expect. Of course Wolfard would offer to help Fangmeyer. From what Judy knew of the wolf, he was more than eager to step up when push came to shove. The result was Lionheart acquiring two pawns through which he could access the resources of the ZPD while going behind Bogo’s back.

“ He was protective of you too, you know, ” continued Lionheart. “ Too noble for his own good that it leaves him riddled with exploitations… ”

“Better that than the alternative,” Judy replied. “So what do you want then?”

“ You know what I want, Officer Hopps. The trail led you straight to the remaining items which belonged to the Wilde Card’s mother. And I have it on good authority that he left everything to her before she died. Including a valuable key to a particular box .”

“Big’s information box…”

“ I’m surprised he told you about it, but yes. I know you have it because there is only one place it could be. The old badger was very thorough in the items she found. Perhaps she was an old family friend, but it doesn’t matter. I know she had the key. No one would think twice about throwing it away, especially without being sure what it led to. And the contents of the box are too important to just leave out in the open where someone might be able to stumble upon. For too long I’ve had to keep this box containing all the dirty deeds of the biggest players of the city. It’s time we opened it and disposed of it. Properly. ”

“Then why not just burn the box itself?” Judy asked, though she already knew the answer to that question.

“ Just because it's dangerous, doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. Like I told you, I enjoy using pawns when I have leverage over them. And Big had dirt on the biggest players in the city, not just the two of us. The difference between us is that the old geezer never saw the worth in using his hidden treasure. After I destroy what I deem is too dangerous, I’ll sort out what I think is worth keeping and work to make the city a better, safer place. ”

“You’re just trying to keep yourself in power,” Judy growled. “It was never about anything that could actually help Zootopia. None of it was. Even bringing me on the force and on the case…”

“ A valuable investment, though you’re quickly proving to be more trouble than you’re worth. I never dreamed Big would approach you and win you over to his side. Though the items in there are equally incriminating to him. He’ll be the first one to feel its effects once we bring the documents to court. He should have never threatened me. None of this might have happened if he did. ”

“But Big never wanted to start a fight with you,” Judy replied. “He told me so himself. He thinks that there’s some third party involved that’s trying to get you both to destroy each other!”

“ And you believed that? ” Lionheart chuckled. “ I gave you more credit than that, Hopps. What third party? The only people who even knew about the boxes are either already involved or dead. You can count yourself amongst them, though you picked the losing side. Big gambled and he lost. I know for a fact that he’s never been the same since his wife died and he’s always had complications with his daughter. Perhaps something snapped and he finally lost his marbles and attacked me. I’m the victim here. ”

Judy shook her head. None of that sounded right. While she would be the first one to be suspicious of a mobster claiming to speak the truth, Judy did believe what Big said. There had to be a third party somehow with motives to make Big and Lionheart hurt each other.

“ Regardless of what he intended, ” continued the mayor. “ He’s lost. And this decades long duel of ours can finally come to an end. This lie he’s told you is just him trying to backtrack. But even if he was sincere in calling a truce, I would refuse. Not with so much I stand to gain with him out of the way. For years, we’ve managed to achieve a balance playing off of each other, like light and darkness. Two sides of the same coin. But the good guys always win in the end, Hopps. And that’s because history is written by the victors .”

“You’re making a mistake…”

“ Not as serious a mistake as yours if you insist on these delaying tactics. I know you have the key. Big left it with Wilde Card and he must have told you some sort of trick to recognizing it. I have the box, Wilde Card had the key, and Big was the only one who knew which was where. ”

Judy bit her tongue. It was a good thing Lionheart couldn’t see her face over the phone to know when she was lying. The mayor had fallen for the very trick Nick had hoped to achieve with the boxes. Dirty dealings must have always resulted in blood, Judy guessed. Though the situation was not largely improved by Lionheart thinking Judy had the key instead. Big must have lied to the mayor in the past, it would still be ideal in ensuring that Lionheart would never gain access to the box’s contents. It was only ironic then that Judy had stumbled across the key through other means.

But that still didn’t solve the problem she was facing now, Lionheart still knew she had the key even if he went the roundabout way of coming to that conclusion. At least Marla was safe, or who they assumed was Marla. There came the bigger problem with what Lionheart might do if he opened the box and discovered it was a fake. The only solution was to play for time

“Say I do have it,” said Judy. “The key, that is. What would you do if I didn’t give it to you? If I ensured that neither you nor Big had access to the box’s contents. Continue the stalemate.”

“ Then you would only paint a target on yourself, ” Lionheart replied plainly. “ Not just from me or Big, of course, though we would be your primary worries, I’m sure. There are plenty of individuals in this city who would kill to have it. You can expect my word to go a long way here in this city. There are simple, legal ways to make your life difficult. Plenty of ways to discredit you too, even if there might be some pushback being the only rabbit police officer. All we need is a good scandal. I can think of an easy one if you’ve been in contact with Mister Big already. It wouldn’t take much to sway the press, or even Bogo, on my side. ”

“Bring it on then,” Judy replied. “If you try anything, I’ll just tell everyone about the contents of the box. Even if they don’t see it, it would be enough to make your own political situation complicated, wouldn’t it?”

“ You’re not incorrect. But it is also my word against yours. And you’ll find the mayor’s word carries a lot of sway, even if it’s false. ”

“I stand by what I said. I can weather any storm you send my way.”

“I was worried you would be too young and idealistic to see reason. Fortunately, I have a solution for people like you too. Ask your friends Wolfard and Fangmeyer what it is. ”

“Don’t even try to threaten my family,” Judy replied. “Bunnyburrow is far out of your jurisdiction as mayor. And if you hurt them…”

“ Oh, please. We’re well past the stage of barbarism that came with the era of Big, where the mob liked to threaten people with physical violence. However, there is something I can do in the form of a simple act of closure in our deal. Or foreclosure, to be more apt. ”

“What are you playing at?”

“ Why I’m talking about the house, of course. What was the address again? 111 Winchester? ”

“...How do you know about that?” Judy asked.

“ A word from your friend at the front desk, actually. He let slip that you’ve been staying in a haunted house, so I was curious. Especially when I had you assigned to the taskforce for finding the final fate of Wilde Card. I did a little digging of my own, it wasn’t hard to get the public records as the mayor, after all. Quite the interesting history. I thought it was curious that no tenants stayed for too long, almost like someone was driving them out to keep them from overstaying their welcome. The owner was impossible to get in touch with, of course. I’ve encountered this sort of fake identity trick before, even when I wasn’t the mayor. I dug a little deeper into the house’s history. One owner stuck out to me. A John Wilde almost thirty years ago. A most curious name, given the circumstances. ”

For once, Judy didn’t have an answer to the mayor or anything sort of plan. She could only remain silent and pray that her reaction hadn’t given away just how precious the house itself was. More than the mayor could even realize.

“ By your silence, I’m sensing some attachment to the place, ” continued Lionheart. “ Very curious. Might there be more to it than that, I wonder? ”

“It’s only a house,” Judy replied, trying to control the quiver in her voice. “An old house, not unlike many others in the city.”

“ You’re a terrible liar, Officer Hopps. Too honest for your own good. It’s painfully clear to me that you’ve made that place personal, for whatever reason I couldn’t say. Maybe when this was all over, Mister Big promised it to you. It certainly would be a fair prize. It doesn’t matter, in the end. In Zootopia, we see buildings like that all the time. Plenty of older ones lack foundation to make them appeal to the more modern mammal. Worse still, they can be deathtraps if left unattended to. Proper inspection crews are required to look at homes that pose a threat of collapsing, because that can damage neighboring houses and do untold destruction to an entire street. In a worse case scenario, we end up having to condemn the building entirely. Close it to the public and have it bulldozed down. ”

“You can’t,” Judy spoke up. “You have no idea what that would do…”

“ And you have no idea the secrets that key is keeping from me. Is it worth it, Hopps? Big will get his punishment, swiftly and decisively. He’ll be too busy in court to pay you any mind. All you have to do is hand over what I want and step aside. Look the other way. ”

“I can’t do that either…”

“ The choice is yours, ” Lionheart replied. “ Someone will be coming by the building tonight, either to inspect it or to collect. If you value the house, then you’ll be on my side. And I’ll remember favors, Hopps. You don’t want me as your enemy. ”

Judy was at an utter loss at the mayor’s ultimatum. If only she had been paying closer attention to him and heeded Nick’s bad feelings about Lionheart, then she might not have been on such a backfoot. And with the house on the line, the very thing that kept Nick bound to this world, the situation felt hopeful. Honey had warned exactly what would happen if it was destroyed. No more Nick. Not even death. There would be nothingness. A void, just like the emptiness on the other end of the phone.

Lionheart hadn’t even told her what to do with the cell phone she had been talking with. Judy assumed it was a burner phone and her suspicions were proved correct as she exited the room Fangmeyer had already prepared a black plastic bag, opened wide for Judy to deposit the device in. As she did, Fangmeyer casted her a pitying glance. There wasn’t a point in questioning how much Fangmeyer knew of the situation, in fact it might be better if she wasn’t involved. It might only create more problems.

Judy couldn’t go to Bogo on the matter either. That would only lead to an investigation that would get her, Fangmeyer and Wolfard in trouble. Judy could handle the pressures on her own career, as she had been prepared to the moment she realized it was Mister Big’s daughter she had been associating with. She might even be able to convince Bogo to overlook that detail on her behalf, though he certainly would have a hard time trusting her after that. But as far as Wolfard was concerned, or even Fangmeyer for what little Judy knew of her, there were no guarantees. It was safer to keep all this to herself lest the whole department get caught up in a huge scandal.

There was one person she could speak to on the matter. And, in that moment, she much desired to confide in him as she and Fangmeyer parted ways like they had never seen each other.

“There you are, Jude,” said Clawhauser as he spun around in his seat to face the bunny. “Everything good with Jasmine?”

“Huh?” Judy asked. “Oh. Fangmeyer. Yeah. We...Just were discussing maybe carpooling in the future.”

“Carpooling?” Clawhauser asked with a blank look on his face. “But she lives on the complete other side of the city from 111 Winchester.”

“That’s because...She’s staying with her uncle for a time, who’s sick. Look, it’s not important, Clawhauser. Can we just talk about what you found?”

Judy glanced over to the bag she had left behind. Somewhere along the way, Nick had unzipped it so he would have a window for himself to watch Clawhauser’s search on the computer. Judy could just barely see his stitched ears poking out.

“Oh! Yes! Quite a bit, actually. Well, much more than we had before anyway. It only took a little digging to confirm that there was a Janet Klaws at one point in the distant past, maybe forty five years ago. Only she passed away at a very young age from a disease that had gone around the city.”

Clawhauser rolled his chair over so Judy could see the screen as she limped over and overturned the empty trash can to take a seat on.

The monitor displayed the usual amount of data for someone entered in the systems for Zootopia citizenship. All the data looked correct by Judy’s understanding, the correct name and a date of death followed that indeed was decades ago. The date of birth suggested that the poor girl had been only four years old at the time. Her parents had to have been heartbroken. The most standout detail was the image, old as the information itself, of a young fox girl smiling and wearing dated clothing to match the time period she was from. If she was still alive, she would be in her fifties by now.

“Any immediate relatives?” Judy asked.

“None living,” Clawhauser replied. “Apparently she was raised by a single mother during the hard times in the city, who died ten years later from natural causes. Like I said, there was a bad flu that had gone around the city, which hit certain districts harder than others. A lot of predators in particular got sick and many who couldn’t afford the healthcare had to make some pretty extreme choices. It’s sad to think that they were probably alone in the world in terms of blood family. But that doesn’t mean she lived alone.”

“What do you mean?”

“When you live in a place like Zootopia, especially if you’ve moved away from your real family, it’s common for you to develop your own sort of ‘group.’ Some people like to call it a found family, of sorts. A collection of lonely people who aren’t so lonely together anymore. So, maybe they weren’t as alone as we think they were. Maybe they found their own pack to help them through the hardest times. Or, at least, it’s more comforting to think of it that way.”

“Well, this means that your theory could be correct,” Judy said as she brought a paw to her lips and whispered to herself. “At least that’s some good news.”

“Yup! Now, if you’ll excuse me, can you do me a favor? All these late nights doing paperwork has made me very tired. Pennington suggested I try coffee with my doughnuts and, while that does help me keep awake, it also kickstarts my bowels. Could you watch the front for me while I spend a good, maybe, ten minutes in the bathroom? Please and thank you.”

Judy waved the cheetah off as he hurried from his seat and rushed to the nearby restroom. She didn’t mind it as it might even give them some time to analyze the data. And at least they could now speak with each other as Nick crawled out from Judy’s bag and got a closer look at the screen. Judy did her best to climb up into Clawhauser’s seat, despite her broken leg.

“Do you know this girl?” Judy asked Nick.

“No,” he replied as she stared up at the image. “Mom never told me about anyone like this, though the name Klaws was standard enough that I even borrowed it myself. Maybe...They were friends of the family? Finnick would know as he came from that era too.”

Judy hadn’t even thought to ask Finnick, though she was also beginning to question who they should drag into this further. One thing was for certain with all this though. Janet Klaws was legally dead, which made the fox Judy had encountered at Fru Fru’s apartment a liar in some form or another. She would have to be confronted. And that was still saying nothing of the missing box with Big’s documents in it. Judy’s leg was already starting to act up again as she rubbed at it while hunched in the seat of Clawhauser’s chair.

Nick seemed quite taken with the image though as he continued to stare up at the screen, like he was watching a movie. Or like something long lost had been found that he wasn’t even aware was missing. It pained Judy to break him away from whatever moment he was having, but she had to keep him in the loop.

“Listen, Nick,” she began. “We might have a bit of a problem with Lionheart…”

Chapter Text

Judy told Nick everything that had transpired over her call with Lionheart as Nick sat there almost like a real doll. When she was done, Nick rose from his spot in the most determined way a stuffed animal could.

“I need to speak with my mother,” said Nick. “Right now.”

“Are you sure?” Judy asked. “I know you said before that you wanted to give it some time.”

“That was before the mayor started making threats,” Nick replied as his button eyes turned to her. “I’ve been thinking about what we talked about last night. About permanence in my existence. When I might have to go, how long I’ll remain lingering behind even if I break the curse. If Lionheart threatens to undo everything after ten long years, I have no choice.”

“What if we gave him the key?” Judy offered. “It might be enough to pacify him.”

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that the box Lionheart has isn’t the right one. Somewhere along the line someone switched the boxes with the real documents inside, like a street con artist switching out the balls beneath the cups. But Lionheart is too invested now, he’s played his hand. When he discovers his box is empty, he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. If he doesn’t come for you, he’ll come for the next likely candidate.”

“You don’t think...You don’t think that your mother does have the box, do you?”

“I don’t know what to think, Carrots. Until recently, I believed that my past with Big was safely buried beneath the earth where no one would ever find it. Even if this landlady doesn’t have the box, Lionheart might think she will.”

“It sounds like he thinks your mother is dead though.”

“If we managed to track her down, Lionheart will too. Even besides being the mayor, he’s had experience with the shady underside and has the resources. And even if he doesn’t...He might still make good on his threat to destroy 111 Winchester. And me with it.”

Nick let out a heavy sigh, which didn’t fit his fluffy appearance at all as he hung his head low and spoke softly.

“Even if I don’t feel ready, perhaps it’s for the best. Perhaps I’ve simply been evading this because it was easier to just not know the truth. But that’s all changed. I need to speak with her. We need to speak with her. As soon as possible.”

“If you’re sure,” Judy said as she glanced over to the restroom. Clawhauser was just stepping out, looking very refreshed, as Judy gathered up her backpack and opened it wide. “Quick, get in.”

As Nick scurried into his hiding place, Judy thought up a quick excuse. Of course this couldn’t wait until after work, not when time was running out.

“Listen, Benji,” she started. “Can you cover for me? I need to go, I have, uh…”

“An appointment?” Clawhauser offered her. “Is your leg acting up?”

“Yes,” Judy latched onto that suggestion before feeling guilty about it. “Well, no. It’s just really important and I need to leave work to do it, okay? Can you just not tell anyone and come up with some sort of excuse for me? I don’t care what it is.”

“I think I can do that,” Clawhauser replied as he looked over his shoulder at the bullpen. “Better hurry though. They’re letting out soon.”

Judy managed to scurry out of the ZPD just before bullpen ended. She was moving as fast as a broken leg would allow her to, limping along before calling a cab and directing him straight to Fru Fru’s apartment. When she could finally settle down, she peered into the bag to speak with Nick. The cab driver would probably just think she was talking on a wireless headset.

“Do you have any idea of what you’re going to say to her?” Judy asked him.

“None,” Nick replied in an equally low voice as hers. “I suppose winging it has always worked wonders with me, though I don’t know what she would even say to me. I mean, who would believe in ghosts?”

“I’m pretty sure a talking doll would be enough to convince anyone of anything. And there are things only you two would know.”

“Whatever will be said, she needs to be warned,” said Nick in a most serious tone. “We need to keep her safe.”

“We will, Nick. I promise you that much.”

Her words seemed to relax both of them as they arrived at the apartment complexes near the train station.

When the cab stopped, Judy practically jumped from the car and hurried to the front door before ringing the main office. Janet would be there shortly. Judy looked down at her open bag with Nick hanging out slightly as if he had been reaching for her.

“Are you ready?”

But there came no reply, only the sluggish movements like a toy that was slowly losing battery.

“Nick?” Judy asked nervously. “Are you alright?”

“...I’m losing control,” said the doll weakly. “It’s happening much faster this time.”

“You mean you’re losing possession of the doll?”

“It’s the same feeling I had when we were in the ice ring,” Nick explained as quickly as he could. “Only stronger. Darker. Like it’s pushing me away. I can’t hold on.”

“Should we come back then? Or…?”

But Nick’s body went lifeless again as the doll stumped back into the darker parts of the bag, completely out of sight.

“Nick? Nick!?”

Judy knew she shouldn’t be worried, the same thing had happened before though it was no less distressing to see her friend suddenly go quiet like he had died again. It was made only worse by the sound of the front door knob turning and a particularly sour looking vixen standing there to greet her.

“What?” croaked Janet as she folded her arms. “You again? Don’t you know Fru Fru works on Thursday? You’ll have to come back in the evening.”

With or without Nick, Judy couldn’t let this matter wait as she stuck her rock hard cast in the door just before Janet could close it. There was no time to wait and no time to think. Something had to be done before Lionheart got his paws on the key.

“Wait,” she begged. “Please. This has nothing to do with Fru Fru. We need to talk, just you and me.”

“And why would I want to speak with you? I don’t know you and I don’t care to know you.”

“It’s important,” Judy replied, there was so much to explain that she didn’t know where to begin. “It’s very, very important.”

“I have a mind to call the police on you, you know.”

“I am the police,” Judy added as she held out her badge. “This uniform isn’t just for show. Are you Marla Wilde?”

The force of the door lessened for just a moment before an angry eye peered out from the open crack.

“I don’t know anyone by that name.”

“I looked into the records,” said Judy. “Janet Klaws passed away at a very young age from a fever. It would have taken someone close to her to keep her birth certificate and even social security card. I can’t prove it definitively, but I think you’re Marla Wilde.”

“Marla Wilde is dead,” replied Janet. “Dead and buried. I made sure of that. Who are you, exactly? If you’re a cop then are you trying to see if I’m impersonating someone?”

“The opposite,” Judy pressed her body against the door as if she could feel the vixen on the other side. “I know how this sounds. I know you might be scared and you’re definitely angry. But I have no intention to arrest you for anything. I came here as a civilian.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“Because I live at 111 Winchester,” Judy replied. “I’ve met Finnick and spoken to him about you. I’ve sorted through hundreds of different profiles just to find you. I’ve searched the house. I’ve seen your son’s hidden space and sorted through the things you left behind for him. The toys and the old pictures. I know you cared about him and I need to know the truth. There’s a shadow left on the house. A terrible feeling of resolved conflict. I never believed in ghosts or spirits before moving there. But these past few weeks have changed everything for me. And you’re the key to everything.”

“Was making friends with Fru Fru a way to get to me too?”

“I didn’t even know Fru Fru knew you until I came to visit,” Judy replied. “It was a complete accident. Please, just understand. You’re in danger.”

“You’re damn right I’m in danger. Ten years to disappear only to be found by a nosy rabbit claiming to be a cop. You heard the whole story from Finnick, huh? Me leaving behind that life for ten years.”

“I did.”

“Then did you ever once consider why that was?”

It was a matter Judy always pushed to the side. Though Nick and Finnick always assumed it was because she had suffered too much grief, Judy privately wondered if there was more to it than that.

“That house,” Janet growled. “That place is a deathtrap. It should have been burned to the ground years ago. I would have done it myself if it wouldn’t expose me. But I had an important job to do, thanks to that damnable box.”

“The box,” Judy realized. “You knew where it was hidden?”

“Of course I knew. I raised my own son, didn’t I? I know how he thinks and where he would put the most valuable thing in the world to him, never considering the danger it might pose. What if Finnick had found it? Or what if someone had finally bought the place and stumbled on it by accident? It would ruin lives, like it ruined my son’s. I had to take it and I had to run.”

“Then you are her,” Judy said. “You are Marla.”

“Marla is dead,” replied Janet as she opened the door wide. “And if we’re going to discuss this, we can’t afford to do it in a public place. Are you really insisting you be pulled into this mess?”

“I told you, I’m already involved with it. More than you probably realize.”

“Then follow me,” sighed the fox as she showed Judy down the hall to her office. “And you can tell me the rest of your story, bunny.”

And so, Judy told her everything, excluding the parts about ghosts.

“It sounds to me,” said Janet after hearing it all. “I had done the right thing in moving the box to begin with.”

“Then you have it,” Judy realized. “The real one, I mean.”

“I do,” Janet replied with her arms crossed. “And I’m keeping its contents in a safe place and there it will stay. That thing has already done enough damage. Let’s just say you aren’t the only one who’s managed to stumble upon her own share of misfortune because of it.”

Judy was too busy grappling with the realization that Marla had actually stolen the box that she missed the meaning of the fox’s words, at first.

“Did you...Open the box?”

At that moment, Janet looked ashamed as she glanced away from Judy.

“For ten years, I managed to keep it under control. For ten years I managed to resist temptation and leave it forgotten. I don’t think I was ever happy with my new life, but it wasn’t a life worth not living, at least. But that all changed when a certain tenant arrived…”

“You mean Fru Fru?”

“Yes, Fru Fru Big,” explained Janet. “Naturally, I knew who she was given her last name. Though she was a child, an innocent. She had no control over what her father did and I could never blame her for it. But I was compelled to act and offer her a place to stay at far cheaper than one of my normal tenants would pay. At first, I thought it was because I was making amends. Letting go of my hate. When I learned what she carried with her, however…”

“The key,” Judy realized as she stood up from her seat. “You learned she had the key to the box.”

“It was by accident,” Janet replied, though her eyes were cast at the floor. “We had enough pleasant conversations that she had invited me to her room during the few times I wasn’t busy with my job. I saw it sitting out in the open like it wasn’t the most important thing in the world. I had a long debate with myself whether I should dispose of it or use it.”

“Use it?” Judy asked as she connected the dots before looking straight at the fox. “You opened the box. You found what was inside. If you used it then that means...You are the one who sent those letters to Mister Big and Lionheart. You’re the third party.”

At that, Janet wore a faint smirk. “I have no illusion of what I am. I’m a poor fox from borderline poverty in the city of Zootopia. No matter what I did, even with seven lifetimes, I would never be able to harm mammals like Big and Lionheart. They would always be too powerful, even if I had real power, I could never destroy them. But if I could turn them against each other. Have them destroy themselves…”

“I can’t believe this. You sent all those letters. You even sent the one to the ZPD. Why? So we would investigate them? As a warning not to get involved?”

“A warning? Yes, actually. Who do you think were the names on those lists?”

“Names of officers and their family’s addresses.”

“Correction. Names of officers and their family connections to both Big and Lionheart. Mammals who were only self interested or too dangerous to be involved with any of the cases. I sent it to your police chief so he could sideline them and make it so they wouldn’t interfere internally. So they would keep out of the way while Lionheart and Big went at each other. I did it to keep officers like you safe.”

Judy was so floored by the revelation that she collapsed back into the chair, staring up, bewildered at the vixen as Janet continued to find the ground more interesting to look at.

Everything Janet had told her, it all made sense on some level. Here Judy had come expecting to warn the fox about the impending fire, never once did she consider that she may have been the arson. It wasn’t even a matter of if what she was doing was legal or illegal. It was blackmail, but it was also targeting two mammals who had more dirt on them than a mudslide. Judy knew how Janet had done what she had done, but there only remained the last question. The motive.

“But why?” Judy asked. “Why would you do something like that after waiting ten years? Why turn the city completely on its head?”

“Have you taken a look outside? The city is not in chaos. The only ones who are scrambling are the mayor and the mobster in their pointless little game that never mattered to anyone but the players. That was why I did it, bunny. Because I knew that the two of them would stop at nothing until they had an advantage over the other. And, lo and behold, I was right. The city would be better off without those two. The city never needed those two. They’ve only just convinced themselves that they’re required.”

For some reason, Judy thought back to her last interview with Mister Big. The shrew had been very blunt and honest with her, and didn’t seem at all interested in the idea of maintaining power. For that reason alone, Judy knew that Janet was wrong, on some level. On another, thinking about Big’s care for his daughter triggered the next revelation.

“This is about revenge,” Judy announced. “This is because Nick died working for them. You blame them for Nick’s death.”

Janet winced like a hot barb had struck her in the side. “Don’t speak that name again.”

“But that’s not what he wants,” Judy said. “That was never what he wanted from you. Everything he did, he did to give you a happier life, never to make you more miserable. I know he’d never admit it out loud, but I think deep down he blames himself for everything.”

“And don’t speak for him like you presume you knew him,” the vixen snapped.

“I do know him,” Judy replied. “I got the pleasure of knowing him these past weeks living in 111 Winchester. He might not be here right now, but I know this isn’t what he would want. If only he was here to tell you so himself.”

Janet grunted as she folded her arms. “Nick is gone. I’ve had to accept that. And I will never not blame the mammals who helped to put him in that early grave. And now that you know the truth, I suppose it’s time for you to arrest me.”

“I told you, that was never my intention.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I’m here in place of your son,” Judy replied. “And to also find answers. If he could see you right now, would he be proud to know what you did? And under the banner of supposed justice? This...Vengeful act of wrath you’ve committed.”

Judy made another realization at that very moment.

Acts of pure hatred lingered, like grudges that would last for decades, rotting the foundation of anything good at its core. Janet had been quite insistent that Marla Wilde was dead. Could she have…?

Though there was a burning reminder in Judy’s pocket, like a heated key. The clock was ticking and Lionheart would make his own move soon. The location of the real box only changed where he would start to go looking when he realized that his own box wouldn’t have any of the secrets he so sorely desired.

“I need to take you to 111 Winchester,” Judy decided. “You need to speak to him and we’re running out of time if we want to save Nick.”

“Save Nick?” Janet huffed. “Bunny, you’re a decade too late. I don’t know where you get off pretending you know him but that’s a cruel joke.”

“It’s not a joke,” Judy snapped back at the fox. “I do know him. I’ve spoken to him many times. And you’re obviously not going to believe me. But you need to speak with him too and the only way I can think of to do that is to bring you to 111 Winchester.”

“If you think I’ll ever step foot in that place again, you have another thing coming.”

“Then I’ll need to call someone who can convince you.”

Janet didn’t stop Judy as she reached for her cell phone and dialed one of her more recent numbers. It was almost like the vixen was looking for a reason to be convinced. Even as cold and bitter as she had become over the years, in her green eyes there was the shred of something longing, wishing for closure. It was the same expression Judy had seen in Nick’s eyes many times as she called the one living person she knew who might be able to convince Janet to come to the house.

Finnick picked up the phone after only a few rings, almost like he was expecting her.

“ Hello? ”

“Finnick,” Judy glanced over to Janet and witnessed her scrunch her nose up at the mention of his name. “It’s Judy. I have someone special who I need to give a lift to back to the house. Can you spare a moment to pick us up?”

“ It might have to wait, bunny. I’m kind of in the middle of my own delivery. Nick’s orders. ”

“Nick’s orders?” Judy asked, blinking. “When? How?”

“ He’s always had a gift of working the phone lines and getting himself in trouble. I guess he knew enough how to tap in somewhere and call me. Asked me to pick up someone and bring them to the house. Didn’t think I’d have to grab you too. ”

“Someone else is coming to the house? Who?”

“ I’m not the one to ask. Given how frantic he was about it, I didn’t question it. Might be quicker just to head here yourself than wait for me to get around to you. He did tell me to tell you that he was fine though. But you might want to head back. ”

“I’ll try. Thanks, Finnick.”

Of course. If Nick had been sent back to the house on the cusp of meeting his mother, he wouldn’t be content to just sit around and wait for Judy to return. He would want to try and do something to help given how short on time they were. Though Judy couldn’t imagine who he was having Finnick fetch or why. Judy had plenty of her own problems as she scowled at the bitter old vixen sitting across the table, arms still folded like she was looking to be impressed by Judy.

“We need to go to 111 Winchester,” Judy explained. “We can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way.”

“I don’t have to go anywhere.”

“Even if it was for Nick’s sake?”

Janet’s brow twitched at the mention of her son’s name again. Judy sighed as she leaned into her folded paws, training her gaze directly at the vixen.

“You’re hurting,” Judy said. “And you’re angry. I get that. I really do. In any other circumstance, I would be the first person to opt for a slow healing of something as old and as painful as your history with that house. But right now, the house is in danger. And unless we fix all this soon, you may be too.”

“I accepted the consequences of my actions the moment I stole the key and opened the box,” Janet answers. “I lived a long and painful life. If it means the end of me, so long as I get to watch those two burn in hell, then it was all sorely worth it.”

“And what about when Fru Fru gets involved?” Judy asked. “You really think Lionheart or Big are going to be content to just destroy each other? When they’re done, they’ll come after you and with that everyone else who was involved. How long do you think would take either of them to realize that Fru Fru lived in your building? How long until they connect the dots?”

Janet remained silent though her eyes softened ever so slightly. Judy was reminded of the old mantra her father had told her once. No mammal was an island, even if they liked to be. Try as they might, they were still animals who lived in a society. Even if they had given up on everything.

“I don’t see how this is going to accomplish anything,” Janet finally said. “But fine. For Fru Fru’s sake.”

“Come with me then.”

Without a ride, Judy had to call a cab back to home, which she had to pay for. Janet didn’t so much as offer after complaining that she’d have to close her office early and insisting they take their time to do so. She didn’t so much as say a word to Judy on the ride, which left Judy more than content to just look out the window. She didn’t know how to feel about the fox anymore. On one paw, she understood her and her pain. But to act on such an ugly emotion like anger and hate for ten long years…

By the time they arrived, Finnick had already beat them with his van waiting outside in the driveway. Judy paid their fare as Janet continued to stare angrily up at the building.

“I never wanted to come back here,” she said, not caring whether Judy was listening or not. “I swore to myself that the next time I’d be here would be the day I could burn it to the ground. Finnick is here, isn’t he?”

“Among other guests,” Judy said, realizing that Nick would also be waiting for them. “Maybe I should go in first. Just to give them a little time.”

“And you’d trust me not to go running?”

“I think we both know you have nowhere left to run.”

Janet huffed something bitter before launching herself into a coughing fit. When Judy tried to check on her, she was shooed away as the fox took a seat on a nearby bench. She watched as Janet took out a packet of cigarettes and popped one into her mouth.

“I don’t have all day,” she told Judy. “You have until I finish this cigarette. Then I’ll come in.”

“That should be more than enough time,” Judy replied before whispering under her breath. “I hope.”

Truthfully, she wasn’t sure what to expect as she stepped up to the front door and let herself inside, though not before giving Janet one last look as she sat on the bench. She didn’t even appear to be enjoying her cigarette and given her health conditions, Judy was surprised she would even keep the habit. Though she wasn’t nearly as surprised as she was at seeing who awaited her in the main hall.

A particularly hard to forget possum.

“Oh, it’s you,” said Yana, looking a little more jittery than she had been at their last meeting. “Come on, the others are in the kitchen.”

“The others?” Judy asked as she followed Yana. “What do you mean? What are you even doing here, Yana? And where’s…?”

Judy’s voice trailed off as she found her kitchen filled in every seat around the table. There was Nick sitting at the head, or acting like he could sit given his ghostly demeanor. Finnick was next to him, using a stack of books to see over the table. And then there was another friendly sight in the form of Honey Badger, who looked as if she had just been interrupted midconversation by Judy walking in. Yana had already taken her seat again and was trying not to stare at Nick as she rocked in place slightly.

“Welcome home, Carrots,” said Nick as he rubbed his head. “I, uh, may have invited a few friends over.”

“More than a few,” Judy replied. “What is all this?”

“Well, it started with a simple phone call to Finnick. When I got knocked back to the house, I knew something was fishy and there was only one real person I knew who could help us on figuring out what. So, I asked him to find Honey, which he did. But as it turned out, Honey had a guest of her own.”

“Yana came to me with a bad feeling,” continued Honey. “We all did, given our connection to the house and its items. Did something happen?”

“Well, yes,” answered Judy. “Though it’s kind of hard to explain everything right now. And there’s still some things we need to figure out.”

“It is her then,” said Nick with a solemn tone.

“Her who?” asked Yana, as she nervously eyed Nick.

“Marla,” grunted Finnick. “Nick’s mother and one of my oldest friends.”

“I see,” Honey pondered out loud by rubbing at her chin. “This situation is more complicated than we thought. Something in regards to this Marla must have disrupted Nickie’s hold over possession.”

“Well, she’s waiting outside to come in,” explained Judy.

“It shouldn’t be a danger to Nicky here. We’re in his element now, the heart of his phylactery. He should be able to remain here, if he’s willing to face her that is.”

Nick stifled a whine as he looked down at the table. “I thought I was ready when we went to her about the danger she was in. Evidently, I wasn’t prepared enough. Carrots, did you warn her, at least?”

“I did. And I learned a lot more while speaking to her. Stuff that might be a little hard for you to hear.”

“I need to speak to her myself then. We need to speak face to face.”

“You and I both,” added Finnick as he folded his arms. “I can understand her wanting to leave her old life behind her, but there are consequences to face. I’ll need an awful lot of convincing if she wants to be included in our lives again.”

“I don’t think she does,” said Judy. “Wants to be included, that is. She doesn’t even want to go by the name Marla anymore. We were right, Nick. Janet Klaws is a fake name.”

“Janet Klaws,” Finnick huffed. “I never thought in a million years that she’d use the name of her best friend in childhood as a disguise. She must have been truly desperate to get away from it all. Definitely something more to talk about.”

“We’re not here to fight her,” Judy continued. “Though believe me, that’s not the worst of it.”

“Exactly,” Honey rose from her seat as she took over. “What’s happening with this house is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen, though I suspect you have an inkling, bunny girl. I suspect that the emotions between these two parties, between Nicky and Janet, have molded together to create something dangerous. Did she say anything about Marla Wilde to you, Judy?”

“She said that Marla Wilde was dead.”

“So then you do know what I’m talking about, honey.”

“What?” Nick asked, sounding concerned. “What’s this talk of my mother being dead? She's waiting outside, isn’t she?”

“Nicky, honey, the lady that you once knew as your mother is gone. The person that will walk through that door will probably be someone you don’t even recognize anymore. A bitter soul that’s only been going through life with regrets and anger. It wouldn’t surprise me that she’s only still alive through spite alone.”

“She’s not all bad,” Judy tried to soften the blow for Nick as he flinched in his seat. “She still cares about one person, at least. Enough that she was willing to come here, for her sake.”

“Then we have hope,” continued Honey. “Though I would need to see her for myself to know exactly what we’re dealing with. And I suspect you all have other priorities concerning her, though that might have to wait.”

Honey then turned to Nick and attempted to reach for his paw, only to pass right through him.

“Nicky boy, I’m certain that all of this is going to be difficult for you. If you feel the need to disappear then I wouldn’t blame you.”

“No,” Nick replied. “I need to stay and resolve this...Though I might wait in the kitchen for a moment, if that’s okay with you.”

“Of course. We’ll call for you when the time is right. But the choice is yours to show yourself or not.”

Nick’s body flickered in and out like he was a lightbulb. Judy frowned, she could almost feel his anxiety. He had always been so confident when it came to many things. But his mother was always his biggest weakness, even in life. To hear all this, and knowing what Judy knew about Janet’s involvement with Big and Lionheart, none of it would be easy for Nick to hear or accept. He still saw her as Marla, his infallible mother.

Everyone but Nick stood at the sound of the doorbell. Judy took a deep breath as she went to answer the door.

“Thanks for waiting,” she greeted the stern vixen on the other side. “Please, come in.”

Though her expression was cold, Judy did notice the look of nostalgia in her eyes as Janet stepped into the main hall smelling of cigarette smoke. She gazed around the ceiling before her eyes laid on the four in front of her, starting with Finnick.

“Finn,” she said quietly. “Long time no see.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Finnick replied with a grunt. “Taking Janet’s name now, I see.”

“She never seemed to mind when we’d trade places as little kids. I figured that she would let me use her name even if she was still with us. And who are the rest of you then?”

“I’m Yana...Just Yana, ma’am.”

“Honey. Honey Badger. I’m quite familiar with your work. This is going to take a lot of cooperation if we want to save your son, miss.”

“Saving my son?” Janet sighed. “The rabbit said something similar. You’re ten years too late for that. He’s gone.”

“Not completely. A large portion of him still lingers in this place, you’ll find. A piece that we were all drawn to, which is why we’re all here.”

“I suppose I’m not one to call you all crazy when I’m here myself. This is...What then? Some sort of seance?”

“Of a sort. Though it’s also a bit more complicated than that. I sense a great deal of anger in you. Something old and dark that threatens to destroy everything it touches. Perhaps that was one of many reasons you decided to hide yourself away from the world, wasn’t it?”

Janet said nothing as she put her paws around her arms and shivered. “I don’t know what this is all about, or how you’re all involved, but I suppose I owe the bunny here a bit of patience for not arresting me immediately. She insisted that this was more important than either Big or Lionheart.”

“It is, in some sense. Nicky, honey, why don’t you come out? Now’s the time.”

All eyes turned to the hallway leading into the kitchen as they collectively sensed a chill moving through the house. Nick appeared, passing through the wall. His green eyes full of sorrow as they looked in confusion at Janet. The fox who was his mother but also not anymore. Janet, on the other hand, only shook her head.

“Is this a joke? I don’t see anything at all.”

Chapter Text

Judy waited outside the bedroom door with Honey behind her, the others had decided to wait in the kitchen until they were finished with this last trial.

“Anything?” she asked through the door.

“No,” replied Janet. “I really don’t understand what I’m supposed to be seeing. Or hearing for that matter.”

“I was talking to Nick, actually.”

“No luck on my side either other than the most awkward staredown I’ve ever had with someone, Carrots. Normally, I wouldn’t mind not being seen by someone but I don’t think I’ve ever been able to not control it at all like this. Even when I try to say something, it’s like she can’t even hear me speak.”

“Can’t you possess something?” Judy questioned as she crossed her arms. “Or even move something around? I don’t know, something so that she doesn’t think we’re all crazy.”

“Believe me, it’s far too late for that,” said Janet.

“I’m trying to reach out to her,” Nick replied, sounding just as tired and irritated as his mother. “It’s like when we went to visit her earlier. Something just seizes up my powers and I can’t really do anything but just stay here and float. It’s like she’s an overwhelming presence. Even when she first entered the house, it was like something changed. Like a weight dropped in the pit of my gut. I feel useless.”

Judy sighed and rubbed at her temples. This day was getting worse and worse. They only had a few more hours before Lionheart’s goons came knocking for the key. In that desperation, she turned Honey.

“Have you ever heard of anything like this before? I mean, I know most people don’t see ghosts. But we can all see and hear him clear as day.”

“I believe I may have mentioned before I had one instance with a wraith,” said Honey as she pawed at her chin. “It carried with it such negative energy that I had to bury it deep in the woods. It’s such a dark and overwhelming force that it oppresses everything around it. The being I encountered was a long dead entity that was barely even a mammal at that point. More instinct than a person. Never in all my years did I think I’d see a wraith who is still living.”

“So, you think she’s the real wraith,” Judy said with a sigh.

“Here’s what I think happened. Nicky boy here passed away but carried with his death much regret about the house and what it meant to him in his life. To him, this house is a place of good memories and warmth. Janet, on the other hand, saw it as the exact opposite. When Nick died, she had lost everything that tied her to her life as Marla Wilde, which is why it's reasonable to say that Marla Wilde died. For what is death but when the person ceases to be? When we’re haunted by the echoes of shadows past? The universe has a very loose interpretation of these things, so we might as well do the same.”

“Okay, so Marla Wilde died and Janet Klaws remains. But how does that tie into the house rotting?”

“Like I said, wraiths have an effect on the objects sensitive to the supernatural through tainting them. Though I assume you’re really asking ‘why the house in particular?’ Wraiths get phylacteries too, my dear.”

“So, the house is a phylactery for both of them? Can that really happen?”

“I’ve never seen it before but nothing is impossible. Maybe it has to do with Janet still being alive while Nick is dead, two sides of the same coin. Life and death. It sounds like the negative energy of the house affected Nick for the longest time until you woke him up, especially from what Yana told me. We’re not sure what bonds a person’s soul or place outside of a strong connection. For Nick, this house is a place of happy memories of his childhood and his mother. For Marla, this place is what killed her son and where she probably suffered greatly beforehand as well.”

Judy hadn’t gotten into the details of Nick’s childhood and family drama, though she could only imagine some of the hardships.

“If we know for sure she’s a wraith,” Judy continued. “Then we can start to do something. How do you cure a wraith?”

“I can hear you both, you know,” Janet said as she opened the door. “Even though I barely understand a lick of what you’re saying, I get the gist of it. Someone could put you all in a ward for this nonsense you’re spewing.”

“No luck,” Nick added as he followed his mother from behind, his head hung low. “I’ve tried everything. She’s too strong. There’s too much darkness.”

“We know what’s keeping Nick tethered here,” Judy said to Honey. “His desire to speak with his mother. Whereas her’s…”

“Wraiths desire destruction above all else,” answered the badger. “They desire harm unto the others who have wronged them. You wished that on someone, didn’t you Janet?”

Janet glared at Judy, perhaps wondering if the rabbit had already gone blabbing about her discovery. Judy hadn’t, of course. Honey was just very good at her job when it came to spiritual matters.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” Janet snapped. “I came here to put that behind me.”

“That’s a start.”

“And I’m not this...Wraith that you keep calling me either. I’m angry, that much is certain. But I’m no evil spirit.”

“Are you?” Honey asked with a raised eyebrow. “When’s the last time you’ve been anything but angry? Anger and rage are emotions and like any emotions, they’re fine unto themselves. It’s when we get trapped by just one for too long that they become dangerous. Is that how you want to go through the rest of your life? Angry at an unfair world?”

“It’s none of your business whether I want to or not.”

“Not mine, perhaps. But are you going to risk potentially damning your son to an eternity of suffering?”

Janet scowled but said nothing more.

“How do you help a wraith find peace then?” Judy asked. “Yana spoke to me about it. She said it was like a curse on a person.”

“Yes, Yana was certainly an interesting character when I met her. She seems to have an interest in the supernatural, despite the effect it has on her nerves. But that’s a talk for later. To answer your question, a wraith only finds peace two ways. Easier they bring about the misery they seek upon those who wronged them or they manage to let go of their hate before it consumes them completely.”

Judy frowned, remembering what Janet had told her. The vixen had been content to live her life, if bitter and alone, with relative peace and quiet. That was until Fru Fru showed up and she felt compelled to strike out against those she felt had wronged her son.

“Considering our wraith is still living,” continued Honey. “I wonder if a direct confrontation is in order with those who wronged her and Nick.”

“You want me to speak with them?” huffed Janet.

“These bonds are built through strong emotions. Unless you seek to destroy your enemies, but my morals won’t allow me to be a part of that.”

“Nor would mine,” said Judy firmly.

“There is something we might be able to do about the entangled phylactery,” Honey added. “At the very least, we may be able to separate Janet from Nick. Though I would require time to achieve that.”

“How much time?”

“A day of research, at least. It’s going to require me digging around the library and contacting some old contacts. Though an extra pair of paws, like from Yana, might go a long way.”

“That would be a start,” said Judy. “What else? After we separate the two from the house, there’s still the matter of Nick’s own unresolved regrets.”

“It’s likely to have to do with having a conversation with his mother here. And from what I can tell, her presence is overpowering his own. Perhaps when we separate them from the house then they’ll be able to talk. Therefore, that should be our first goal but you shouldn’t be waiting around for us either, given it feels like we’re running out of time.”

“If we can’t help Nick then we might as well help Janet.”

“Exactly. It sounds like she has an unspoken history with one of her tenants. Perhaps going to her and resolving the matter might do something?”

“Would that really work?”

“I don’t know. I’m as new to this as you are, hun. But given my experience in calming spirits, this seems like the best approach. We just have to do everything fast forward when I’d normally spend weeks or months on it. We’re just fortunate enough that these two are so coherent.”

“Coherent,” Janet repeated the word as she scowled. “I’m not some sort of test subject, you know.”

“I never said you were, hun.”

“And you really want me to speak to Big and Lionheart?” Janet turned to Judy. “After everything I told you?”

“Maybe not Lionheart yet,” Judy muttered. “But Mister Big was at least the more reasonable of the two. I wouldn’t normally directly approach him but, like Honey said, we’re short on time. And we’ll have to wait for Fru Fru to finish her shift. She’ll be the most direct route to getting to Big and having an honest conversation with him.”

“This is the best plan we’ve got,” Honey said with paws on her waist like she was prepared to go to work. “I’ll take Yana with me to the library. Perhaps we’ll find a spell or incantation. Bunny girl, you should take Janet here to speak with Mister Big. I don’t know what you’ll be looking for, but she should know it when she sees it. That little fox, Finnick, could be a handy driver given he seems to know the city well enough to find me in the first place.”

“I’m having a hard time following any of this,” Janet muttered to herself, though loudly enough that everyone else could hear her.

“What about me,” Nick spoke up. “What can I do to help?”

Judy admittedly almost forgot he was there, hovering in place. Next to Janet, his usual presence was being overpowered until it was almost faint. Judy frowned at the concerned look on his face, knowing he wouldn’t like what she was about to suggest.

“Nick...You should just stay here. Given Janet’s effect on you, it’s probably safer for us to separate.”

“You’re kidding,” he replied.

“She’s right, Nicky boy,” added Honey. “We’re venturing into unknown territory here, even for a veteran like me. Besides, you are bound here, right?”

“Yes, but I can still possess things! I’m not powerless! After years and years of searching for my mom, she’s finally here and I can’t do anything ! There’s gotta be something I can do!”

Though Nick had started to yell, the words rang hollow. Judy winced and glanced away. She knew this was for the best, but she couldn’t help but feel Nick’s pain. To be trapped waiting seemed like the worst his curse could offer.

Nick looked between the three of them and showed his teeth in a snarl.

“Fine,” he spat. “I’ll go at it alone.”

And then like the flickering light of a candle, he vanished in an instant.

Judy spent her time waiting for Fru Fru’s shift to conclude searching for her friend. No matter how long she called for him, Nick never bothered to show himself again. And she was starting to get worried.

Even when Janet finally left the house to go wait inside Finnick’s van across the street, Nick’s presence was simply gone from the house entirely. Judy was almost worried he had left the property somehow, with Honey even offering to stay with her to help search. Judy declined.

“We’re too short of time,” she told them. “Go to the library with Yana. Find what you need to find. This is for his own good, ultimately…”

That was what she told herself as the hours ticked by.

Before long, it was dark and she had torn every inch of 111 Winchester apart. Even the attic, which she searched several times over. Nothing. Not a sign of him, no matter how much she pleaded with him. In her heart, she knew that no matter how much pain this caused, Nick was the one hurting worse. Though it wasn’t helped by the fact that time was running out. Judy had not forgotten the demands of a certain lion, after all.

Around seven came the chime of the doorbell as Judy prepared herself for the worst.

Judy was expecting more of Lionheart’s goons at the door, timber wolves who wore heavy trench coats that practically disguised their long snooping snouts. Though it was one wolf in particular who lightened the dour mood late in the evening. If only briefly.

“...Greg?”

“Hey, Hopps,” Wolfard replied, nervously scratching at the back of his head, clearly no happier about everything than Judy was “I, uh, I assume our mutual benefactor discussed the terms with you?”

He had, and Judy knew very well why they were here. To collect the key or she’d suffer consequences. She just hadn’t had very much time to consider Wolfard’s involvement. She knew he was only trying to protect Fangmeyer and her family legacy, as well as her future career. Though something still stung about his apparent betrayal. Her bitter glares sent Wolfard wincing.

“I know,” he said to her as the rest of the goons were let into the house. “I’m not happy about this either. But I couldn’t just do nothing. He had been threatening Jasmine this whole time, right under the Chief’s nose. I couldn’t let him ruin her life and I didn’t see any better alternatives.”

“It’s alright,” Judy replied in as neutral a tone as she could manage. “You did what you thought was best.”

“Your glaring brow tells a different story.”

“There’s nothing I want to say to you right now, Greg.”

“I can understand that...But can you just let me explain myself?”

“We don’t have time for this,” spoke one of the timber wolves. “Where’s the key before one of your neighbors sees us?”

Before Judy could answer him, the entire house went pitch black.

Judy hadn’t noticed, but since the afternoon there had been overcast throughout the city. At the end of the day, it finally all came to a head with the low rumble of thunder in the distance and the patter of rain on the rooftop. Instinctively, Judy reached for her cellphone and turned on the flashlight, frowning. This sudden bout of darkness was...Unusual.

Even the timber wolves noticed something was wrong.

“Strange,” said one of them. “The worst of the storm is not even close to here, maybe a few miles away.”

“It’s an old house,” Judy shone a light at the one who spoke. “Stuff like this happens all the time.”

All ears perked up at the sound of something shuffling along the hall upstairs.

“Did anyone else hear that?” asked one wolf.

“Do you have someone else who lives here?” questioned another as he glared at Judy.

“Maybe she has backup to get the jump on us.”

“What?” Judy asked. “No, why would I even try it?”

“It wouldn’t make much sense, Jim. Rabbits aren’t so good at fighting, and this one has a broken leg. She couldn't even run for it.”

Judy began to fume before Wolfard put a heavy paw on her shoulder to calm her down. Perhaps he too had sensed the familiar feeling that was passing through the building. This was just like when Nick tried to scare her in the past. Wolfard must have realized it the exact moment Judy did as he put a finger to his lips. His three companions began to ascend the stairs to investigate, without Judy’s permission.

Judy relented, if only because it had been the first sign of Nick in hours. Perhaps he intended to have some fun with the wolves to blow off some steam. Even at a distance in the dark, Judy could tell that they were all tense, tails low while their ears were raised high, the only sources of light being the windows and their phones. Cautiously, Judy and Wolfard trailed behind the goons, just out of range in case anything happened.

There was a noise like the scraping of nails in the hall.

“What the hell was that!?”

“What? I didn’t see anything.”

“Something just moved across the floor...Into the bathroom!”

“Well, go in and check it out, Jim.”

“Me!? I ain’t doing anything like that, are you crazy?”

“Why don’t we all go in then? Nothing can spook us that way, can it?”

Judy watched from down the hall as all three of them piled into the bathroom, one by one. She kept her ears focused, trying to detect where Nick was before the wolves noticed something. Wolfard, standing next to her, was already alert as his nose followed a point on the ceiling as it moved towards the bathroom door.

“There? See? Nothing here. Not even under the toilet seat.”

“I swear I saw something move, you guys. It was big...And red, I think.”

“You’re crazy. Now come on, let’s just do what we came here for.”

Their bickering was interrupted by a loud slam of the door followed by a loud howl, like the sound of the wind wailing through the house halls. Judy waited as the lights flickered on and off and she listened as a chorus of screams. The door handle jiggled violently like someone was trying to break their way out from the inside. Sensing what was about to happen, Judy stepped to the side, pulling Wolfard along with her just as the bathroom door flew open like someone had kicked it down.

The three timber wolves piled out, almost falling over each other as they scrambled out of the restroom, their eyes panicking like they had seen something truly horrific. If Judy hadn’t moved, they would have been trampled by the rampaging canines as they barreled down the stairs and into the night, leaving the front door ajar. The moment they left the house, the lights flickered back on and remained active as Judy and Wolfard were left to absorb what had just happened.

“...Jeez,” Wolfard spoke first. “You’d think those guys had seen a ghost or something.”

Judy hummed as a reply, limping down the stairs and towards the still open front door. Wolfard followed her closely behind.

“They didn’t just see a ghost?” he asked her. “Did they?”

“Maybe they did,” Judy replied as she shut the door. “Would that be so strange?”

The fur on Wolfard’s tail stood straight up as he awkwardly paced the room. Nick was still nowhere to be seen, but at least Judy could feel him again.

“Well, I guess that settles that,” Wolfard said, rubbing the back of his head. “Lionheart is still going to expect his key though. And I guess it’s up to me to get it to him now.”

“Then I’ll fetch it for you, so you can leave,” Judy then turned and limped back up the stairs, towards the bedroom where she had left it.

“I know you’re angry,” Wolfard said as he followed her. “Believe me, I’ve run the emotional gamut doing all this already. But it’s Lionheart. You know how hard it is to say no to him from the start and he wasn’t having me do anything illegal. He told me that the key is no one’s property, it was just a part of some junk. I don’t even know what it goes to.”

Truthfully, Judy didn’t know what she could have expected from Wolfard either. A big part of her knew that she was being unreasonably angry with him. He was just trying to protect his mate, after all. His friend. And in the end, Judy was trying to do the exact same thing.

“I suppose you’re right,” Judy muttered as they headed towards the bedroom. “But you could have always said no. Tried to expose Lionheart holding that over Fangmeyer. Bogo would have gotten your back.”

“He was threatening to leak it to the public. Even if Bogo supported Jasmine, it would have been a bad look for him. People would have asked for his resignation. It would have been a mess that more people would have been dragged into. More jobs on the line. The whole station would have to pick a side. Protect Fang or protect their careers. I was trying to avoid all that, shoulder it all myself and report to Bogo later. And more to the point, I wanted to show Jasmine I cared. You know, follow your advice a little.”

“That’s great and all, Greg. But did you ever stop and consider why Lionheart was willing to do all this? He’s playing with our lives like we’re a part of a game. Why would Lionheart go through so much just to get a rusty old key?”

“I don’t know. Could it have to do with that fancy box he’s always carrying around with him?”

Judy’s ears perked up as she turned to listen.

“Come on,” Wolfard said, crossing his arms. “Give me a little more credit than that. Just because he’s having me do his dirty work doesn’t mean I don’t know to pay attention. All this stuff is under the radar and off the book, so it’s obviously got to be something big. And if he’s expecting the key, it must lead to something important. Something that he’d stake his whole career on. His objective has always been to take down Mister Big, but there’s more to it than that, isn’t there? There’s something in the box that threatens his own career, isn’t there?”

Judy raised an eye at Wolfard as he just shrugged.

“What’s that look for? I’ve been a police officer longer than you have, remember? Don’t make me pull rank on you.”

“I think we’re well past that, at this point,” Judy replied with a sigh.

“So, if the key goes to the box, he’s won. You seem to know that already, but you’re giving it to him anyway. I’m willing to guess that something about it has to do with this house.”

Judy supposed Wolfard really did pay close attention to the details. He might have even been a good partner if things had gone differently. Though could she trust him with this much? It wasn’t like Lionheart wouldn’t know anyway, eventually.

“There’s more to it than you’re thinking,” Judy explained. “The box Lionheart has...It’s a fake. Or rather, he’ll open it to find it empty.”

“Then where’s the real one?”

“I have a lead on where it is but I don’t have the time to get it and hold onto the key. If Lionheart doesn’t get his trinket, we lose regardless. If he gets his key, he’ll start coming after the person who does know where the real box is.”

“That’ll be trouble, I reckon,” Wolfard said with a slow nod. “I’ll do my best to throw him off your trail until you can resolve matters.”

“There’s even more to it,” Judy said. “I need to meet Lionheart and speak with him. Directly, if possible. Only directly, actually.”

“Well, that’s a bit complicated but maybe I can arrange something. With all the running around I’ve been doing, Lionheart will feel like he can trust me. What do you need, exactly?”

“Five minutes alone with him. At some point in the next twenty four hours or so. And if he doesn’t suspect my involvement then all the better.”

“I’ll think about it,” said Wolfard. “Maybe I’ll mention it to Fang. She might have some ideas on how to pull something like that off. In fact, she’s probably the best person to go to. She’ll know just how to push the mayor’s buttons after spending so long under his thumb.”

“Is it wise to tell her about this?”

“She doesn’t like Lionheart any more than us. She’s just been forced into it due to her family history, something she’s tried to bury. And Bogo always expected the best from her due to the respect he had for her father, never knowing the truth. It was always about proving that she was fit for the job.”

Judy’s brow softened. Though her interactions with Fangmeyer were limited, she felt as though in another life they might have been able to get along.

Judy glanced over to her nightstand, within which was a particular key. The same one Wolfard had come all this way for.

It would be too much to ask Wolfard to stall for more time, though she sensed that he might try his best anyway. Now Judy had to do her part. Tonight would be as much about resolving Janet’s trauma as it would be earning her trust. She had to convince Janet to give her the box. And Judy felt a heavy burden as she lifted the weighty key and handed it to Wolfard.

“Good luck,” she told the wolf.

“You as well,” Wolfard said, tucking the key into his pocket. “And tell your ghost friend thanks for scaring off my escorts and giving us a moment to talk. For what it’s worth, you’re a good partner. I’ll keep it safe and keep in touch.”

Judy showed Wolfard back to the door and waved him off. As she watched him walk down the street, a strange weight was lifted from her shoulders. Like the burden had been passed to him instead. Judy glanced across the street to see Finnick still in his van waiting for her, she had her own job to do. But first, she should say her farewells.

“Alright, Nick,” she announced. “He’s gone. You can come out now.”

She was met with silence and a strange emptiness to the house.

“Come on, Nick,” Judy tried again. “Look, that was a cute trick you did with the goons but for real. I’m going to confront Mister Big and I just want to say goodbye in case it goes poorly. Not that I don’t think it will but I want to be prepared. And as much as I’d love to take you with me while you’re possessing something as a comfort, I don’t think…”

Judy’s voice trailed as a very different sort of chill ran down her spine. The house, indeed, felt empty. But it was a very different kind of empty. For all intents and purposes, in that moment 111 Winchester felt like an ordinary home. One without a ghostly inhabitant. And that key Judy had just handed to Wolfard had felt awfully heavy…

Judy limped to the door to try and catch Wolfard, but it was too late. He had already disappeared into the night. And with him, Nick.

Chapter Text

There wasn’t time to despair at Nick’s departure, Judy could only keep her head forward and focus on the task at hand and hope that he would make it home in one piece. She was going to confront the biggest mobster in the city, after all.

She had already pulled out Mister Big’s card that he had originally provided her and gave him a call. And, after much back and forth with the bear on the line, Judy had determined one vital thing about their search.

“Big’s gone into hiding,” she said as she leapt into Finnick’s van. “Evidently he seems worried that Lionheart is about to make some big moves and he’s trying to cover his bases.”

“Good,” said Janet, who sat in the passenger seat. “I find it hard to care that a criminal like him is suffering from his own actions. Let his past catch up to him.”

“While I might normally agree with you, where does that leave folks like Fru Fru?”

Janet remained silent to that and glared out of the window.

“We gotta find her and tell her what’s happening,” continued Judy. “Even if she can’t help us, we need to at least warn her that Lionheart is on the move and he may come after her if he discovers the box he has doesn’t have what he’s looking for.”

“This might be a bit easier if you would just hand over the box, Marla,” said Finnick as he put the van into gear and pulled out onto the street.

“Will it?” Janet asked. “I find it hard to believe that returning this box and talking with these mammals will just magically solve all our problems. We need only look at Lionheart to see what they’re willing to do to acquire it. The box’s location is to remain a secret that will die with me, if I can help it.”

“It very nearly did, you know,” Finnick grunted. “Years of worrying what happened to you and it turns out you’re in the middle of this mess? Do you have any idea what Nick has been through?”

“Nick is gone, Finnick,” Janet replied with a bitter tone. “And it took me years to even accept that. I don’t know what the rest of you are thinking. Look at it from my perspective. This could all very well be some sort of trick to get me to hand over the box.”

“That’s a very roundabout way of doing it, don’t you think? I know we liked to run hustles in the past, but this is a bit much.”

“You used to run hustles with each other?” Judy asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the more argumentative topics.

“Of course. Nick never told you? Marla and I were street foxes who grew up in hard times together, along with her husband. Even the real Janet Klaws. Family friends, basically brother and sister. It’s not uncommon for a lot of predators to form their own packs with each other, especially in the city. Sometimes even different species end up connecting like that. We were one of those groups. Just a bunch of foxes with little to no parental guidance who hung out in some condemned tailor shop down in Happytown. We grew up together, even if only because we had no one else in our lives to grow up with.”

Judy frowned and thought back to the likes of Gideon Grey and even his lackey Travis. When she had been a kid, it had all been simple bullying. But now that she was older and had even befriended a few foxes, she could see some of the own hurt Gideon had been experiencing. He was his own outcast who took advantage of others' shortcomings to boost his own failing ego. Judy couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing now.

“It wasn’t anything illegal,” said Janet. “Before you get the wrong idea. We were just kids. The worst we had ever done was swipe a few sodas from a vending machine or graffiti the walls of some abandoned buildings.”

“Though it did lead to a few questionable careers for some of us,” Finnick grunted. “The ones that are left, anyway.”

“You said Nick’s dad was a part of that group, right?” asked Judy. “What happened to him?”

“I don’t know nor do I care,” Janet replied coldly. “He walked out on the family a long time ago and left the city altogether. It was better that way. Nick didn’t need John’s influence growing up, though his shadow did hang over both of us. Sometimes I wonder if he had the right idea, leaving it all behind and never looking back.”

“Easy enough to say that, right?” Finnick growled. “It's really easy to just give up entirely rather than stick it out through thick and thin.”

“What would you have me do, Finnick? After Nick passed away, what was even left for me to stay for?”

“The house maybe? Maybe we wouldn’t have been in this mess in the first place if you had just stuck around a bit longer. If you hadn’t run away. You don’t know how long and how hard we looked for you. Or maybe you did. Wouldn’t surprise me that you’d have known we were trying to find you and you just chose to ignore it, right? You couldn’t even let any of us know that you were still alive. Maybe if you had, things would have been different.”

“So, you’re blaming me for this mess?” Janet asked, coldly.

“You’re keeping the box a secret, aren’t you? What else could you be hiding, huh? You’ve changed, Marla. We were ride or die when we were kids. You didn’t have to be so alone. You could have trusted us rather than choose to run away and take it all on yourself. That’s all I’ll say.”

Judy frowned as the two foxes huffed and faced opposite directions from each other. Her nose wiggled as she tried to weigh in her own thoughts.

“Maybe she was keeping the box a secret so no one would suffer the same fate Nick did,” Judy reasoned. “And if she was really running away, why did she stay in Zootopia? She could have gone anywhere, right Finnick? But she kept to the city. She kept close to home, just in case.”

Finnick just grunted, though his eyes softened in the briefest of moments.

“And Finnick did work very hard these past years,” Judy continued. “I know you can’t believe that Nick is really there and think that we’re all in on it. But you saw the house. You saw the good condition it has been kept in. He cared a great deal about you and your family. And I think he still does.”

Janet kept looking the other way, though her frown deepened slightly. Eventually she let out another angry huff like the puff from a steam engine.

“Family,” Janet repeated the word. “Given all that we suffered through, sometimes I wonder if the idea of family was ever worth it. Living on my own without those burdens was fine by me, whatever your badger friend might say.”

“Always have to be the contrarian,” Finnick muttered.

The Friday night traffic rush impeded them slightly. It didn’t help that they had to be careful in case any more of Lionheart’s men were keeping an eye on them, leaving Judy to insist they park a fair distance away from the apartment itself. When Judy and Janet exited the van, Finnick remained behind in the driver seat.

“Don’t worry about me,” he told Judy, patting a baseball bat he kept near the stick shift. “I’ll make sure our ride is kept nice and safe. Just shoot me a text when you’re done.”

“Thank you, Finnick.”

Janet certainly didn’t wait for Judy, she had to limp faster to catch up with the vixen.

“We should discuss how we’re going to approach her,” said Judy as she finally managed to keep pace with the fox.

“Discuss?” asked Janet. “There’s nothing to discuss. I went with you to the old house and saw everything and met everyone. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve upheld my end of the bargain. This business you have with Fru Fru is yours and yours alone. If the mayor or the mobster wants to come looking for me then they know where to find me. I’ve kept my ties clean all these years for a reason and I’m not about to ruin that yet.”

“Fine,” Judy bit back her sigh. “Can you at least let me into the building so I can speak with Fru Fru?”

Janet rolled her eyes and held open the door after working her master key on it. Though the apartment was a different sight than the last time Judy had last visited.

For one, there seemed to be a slight crowd forming in the hallway. Curiously enough it seemed to be the same floor where Fru Fru’s room was located. Janet had already lost all her patience for the day and was in no mood to fight a mob of a dozen or so mammals of various sizes as she worked her way through.

“What’s all this?” she asked the crowd. “Come on, make way, make way.”

Being smaller, Judy had to keep close to Janet so that she wouldn’t get swept up in the crowd. Though when Janet stopped suddenly, Judy could tell that something was wrong. The various flatmates all had hushed whispers to their voices, like they were gossiping. It wasn’t all too different from a crowd of mammals standing by to watch a car accident. When Judy made her way to the front, she could finally see a door broken off its hinges. Janet had her paws to the floor, inspecting something white before pocketing it.

“...Who did this?” Janet immediately snapped, facing the various flatmates before turning to a pair of antelope. “Bucky. Pronk. You two are the neighbors. What happened?”

“Why are you asking us?” replied the kudu.

“We just got home from work,” added the other. “Chunky here wanted to get Bug Burga’s for dinner so we were a lot later than usual.”

“Hey, you were the one who wanted a yak milk shake!” cried the kudu. “Shut up!”

“No, you shut up!”

“No, you shut up!”

“Both of you,” Janet snapped with all the strictness of a school teacher. “No more arguing. Did you see anything? Anyone at all?”

“The door was kicked in when we got here. We didn’t see anyone nearby or inside.”

“And Fru Fru?”

The two shook their heads and looked down at their feet, as if to avoid eye contact with the landlady. The rest of the crowd followed suit, perhaps not wishing to incur the wrath of the elder fox as she scanned the group for anyone who might know something. Given their silence, Judy had to guess that they were as in the dark as the rest of them. Given the concerned expressions on their faces, Judy sensed that there was some genuine care for who was probably the smallest member of their apartment complex.

“Look through the building,” Janet ordered them. “We need to make sure Fru Fru is safe before we file a report to the police. Make sure she didn’t hide away anywhere, perhaps in one of the vents. Canines should use their noses if possible. We need to find her.”

The crowd all nodded in sync and dispersed in various directions of the hallway until it was just Judy and Janet left behind, staring into the open apartment room. Now that there was room to breathe, Judy could get a better look at the damage.

It appeared to be that the door was kicked in with significant force, given that the intruder had managed to bust both the lock and the deadbolt out from the wooden frame. There were splinters everywhere and the room itself looked disheveled with the cabinets pulled open and everything dumped onto the floor. Even the floorboards were scratched up as Judy examined the claw marks on the floor. They looked distinctly predator in nature.

“We can’t call this in,” Judy determined. “If the ZPD get involved then the mayor will have free reign to investigate this. Even if he was the one who did this.”

“Maybe,” Janet muttered, keeping her back to Judy. “I thought you gave the key to the mayor.”

“I did. But Fru Fru is the daughter of his biggest enemy. And the mayor isn’t the kind of mammal to leave room for error. It’s possible he just wanted to get a hold of her so that he could have a backup plan in case the original plan of using the contents of the box fell through. But to attack her so directly…”

“They’re monsters. Both of them. She never wanted to be involved with any of this business. She told me so herself.”

“Is that why you borrowed the key from her?” Judy asked. “You should have known this would have forced both of their hands. And without her father’s protection…”

Though with Janet’s wince, Judy stopped herself. Reminding her of past mistakes wasn’t going to solve the current problem. Though originally they had wanted to use Fru Fru to get into contact with her father, now it seemed that the shrew herself needed to be found. Considering the circumstances had changed, and remembering all the worried faces on Fru Fru’s flatmates, Judy pulled out her phone again and redialed the last called number.

“What are you doing?” Janet asked.

“Attempting to appeal to a parent rather than a mob boss,” Judy replied as the line picked up on the other end. “Hello, Vladimir? It’s Judy again…”

“ Miss Hopps, ” rumbled the voice on the other end. “ I understand that Mister Big gave you a number you could contact him with but understand that the circumstances have changed. ”

“That’s precisely why I’m calling you,” Judy continued. “I’m at Fru Fru’s apartment right now and there’s been a break in. Fru Fru is nowhere to be found.”

Judy’s reply was met with silence, though the line hadn’t gone dead so Judy remained holding the phone to her ear for a good thirty seconds. When noise returned on the other end, Judy was met with a very different voice compared to the booming one of Vladimir the polar bear.

“ Judy, ” squeaked a softer male voice dripping with a thick accent. “ Remain where you are. We’ll be coming to pick you up momentarily. ”

Ten minutes of searching provided little fruit to bear. Judy wouldn’t expect Fru Fru to get very far if she was attacked. And considering the lack of struggle, Judy expected that her friend was no longer in the building itself. If they were lucky, she would have been on her way home from work like the rest of the building tenants when she discovered her room broken into. But then where would she have gone? Judy didn’t have any ideas. The hope in calling Mister Big himself was to maybe find a clue to the whereabouts of her friend. Their original mission could wait for now, though that didn’t stop Janet from lingering behind Judy on the stoop.

“I know he’s a monster,” Judy told her. “As shady as he is, I strangely feel like I can trust Mister Big as far as his family is concerned.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Janet shot back with her arms crossed. “But if he can help track Fru Fru down then he’s useful. That’s the only reason why I’m even here.”

“You don’t have any idea where she could be at all?”

“No,” Janet replied with lowered ears. “When we spoke, most of it was about how she was eager to escape her father’s clutches and make something of herself on her own. I suppose a part of me admired her for that.”

“Maybe you saw a bit of yourself in her.”

“Regardless, I don’t believe for a second that Big truly cares about her,” continued Janet, shutting down the topic entirely. “He only cares about one thing and that’s his empire, which is crumbling down around him. Fru Fru is just a loose end that he needs to make sure can’t bite him in the butt down the line. You’ll see. She’s just a game piece for him.”

“Maybe,” Judy admitted. “I’m not about to go up to bat for a mammal like him, but maybe you’ll be surprised.”

“And don’t you go expecting me to forgive him or whatever such nonsense you were spouting earlier.”

“I’m not forcing you to come,” Judy muttered as she glanced down the street at the approaching limo.

Big’s automobile had less flash and polish than the last time he had given Judy a ride. Perhaps the situation merited a lack of presentation given that they needed to hurry if they wanted to find Fru Fru. Judy tried to keep a pleasant face despite the mood as Vladimir stepped out of the vehicle and showed her in before pausing at Janet.

“She’s with me,” Judy told him.

“It’s fine, Vlad,” croaked a voice from inside. “This is no time to be making enemies. Not when so much is at stake.”

Despite the simpler design of the vehicle, it still had all the internal flair of the previous limo. Judy sat back in the plush seating built for someone of polar bear status, sharing the seat with Janet who remained with her arms crossed the entire time. Tense, Judy guessed. Given what she had done with the boxes, Judy couldn’t very well blame her. There was a time when the rabbit had considered Mister Big to be truly dangerous. Yet the shrew was nothing but courteous with both ladies as his driver started up the car. Though Judy never once dropped her guard.

“I would like to thank you, Judy,” said Big as he played with an empty glass of wine. “Things are tense enough as it is with the mayor hounding my business. I hear from the grapevine that he’s discussing making some arrests soon and that has my people feeling jumpy.”

“People like the Fangmeyers?” Judy asked, putting on a stern face.

Big winced and reached for the nearby bottle to pour himself a new glass. “It’s regrettable that her father’s services were even required. They were different times, though I won’t make excuses for myself. This is very much a case where I’ve reaped what I’ve sown and the reaper has come to collect. You can only do what I do for so long until either you’re dead or someone worse comes along to take the throne from you. I had just hoped to stall Lionheart with our uneasy truce.”

Judy kept her eyes focused on Big, resisting the urge to glance over to Janet. Given how the vixen had shifted in her seat, Judy could feel the discomfort in the air. And yet Big had never bothered to ask who she was or pay her much mind at all.

“I’ve made peace with my fate,” Big continued, sipping his glass with a shaky paw. “Involving Fru Fru, however, changes things quite a bit.”

“I don’t think either of us expected Lionheart to sink so low.”

“You believe my claims then?”

“I’ve seen it firsthand,” Judy replied. “He threatened me. And when that didn’t work, he threatened the people I care about like a thug. He needs to be taken down.”

“Did you manage to get the key from my daughter?”

“I did,” Judy answered, lowering her head. “But he took that from me too.”

“Then that explains his brash moves. It was something he learned from me, I’m afraid. When the cards are in your favor, you strike hard and quickly. Always make your opponent react and never be on the offensive.”

“There’s still hope,” Judy said, careful not to reveal the third box that would implicate Janet.

“I admire your determination, you truly are worthy of being a police officer in this city. But I’m too old to continue this fight. As I said, I’m prepared to accept my due. All that’s left is to save Fru Fru.”

“Of that we can all agree,” Janet spoke for the first time, though she refused to keep eye contact with the mobster. “Do you know where she is?”

“I do,” Mister Big replied. “The trouble is getting to her. I’ve always been prepared for occasions like this and took the liberty of creating various safehouses throughout the city. Several of which are only known by my family. I once instructed Fru Fru that in case she ran into any sort of trouble where her life was in danger, she should go there immediately and hide. Before you called, I was alerted by the device that I have to monitor each base that one of them was in use. I now know why.”

“That sounds simple enough,” said Judy. “Why is the trouble going to be getting to her?”

“Because the safehouse in question is too safe,” Big replied. “Even from me, the owner of the room. I had this one designed in particular to let no one else inside once it’s in use.”

“There’s no master switch or emergency override?”

“No. There is only a steel door and a camera. And trying to force it open would only draw attention from the ZPD, the last thing we need right now.”

Big put his head in his paw as Judy slowly made the connection where they were headed. And more importantly, why Big was taking them there.

“You want us to try and talk with her.”

Big winced and slowly nodded. “I’ve already tried calling her from inside but she ignored me entirely. You’re both familiar with her. While she is safe in there for the time being, it’s only a matter of time before Lionheart knows where she is. And he would stop at nothing to get his claws on her. Perhaps in some effort to hurt me or gain leverage, I don’t know. Nor do I know what to do in this situation.”

Judy frowned. Knowing all that she knew about Mister Big and his reputation, it was almost sad to see him in such a state. The myth was bigger than the mammal, in this case. And he looked so small now sitting in his extended limo seat and sipping on expensive wine. Surprisingly, it was Janet who was to speak up next. She sat up straight and looked Big in the eyes.

“What will you do if we manage to coax her out?”

“Send her far away,” Big answered. “The safehouses aren’t safe enough if Lionheart controls the police. She needs to be out of Zootopia. Out of harm’s way. It’s for the best.”

“Maybe,” Janet replied. “And what would you do if you lost her from all this though? If the mayor got to her first?”

“It would tear my heart out. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.”

For a moment, Judy feared that Janet might say “good” and exit the vehicle. Yet she looked troubled somehow. She sighed and rubbed at her snout, looking similar to how Nick did whenever he was facing a difficult situation and thinking. Eventually, she came to some sort of decision.

“We’ll help then,” Janet said. “But we’re going to need you to do something in return.”

“Anything you want. Just name it.”

The limo skidded along the ice as its tires struggled to keep traction until it came to a complete stop. Judy braced herself for her first step on the slick surface, being careful to use her good leg to keep herself anchored as Vladimir shut the door behind them. Judy kept her paws in her pockets to try and ignore the snap cold that came with crossing over into Tundratown She also tried not to move excessively.

“I’ve already let Finnick know where we’ve gone and he’ll come meet us outside to pick us up,” Judy said as she turned around to see Janet stepping around the parked vehicle. “Are you ready?” 

“As I’ll ever be,” the vixen muttered, bundling up with her sweater as best she could. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Judy let Janet lead them onwards, if only because she didn’t want to slow them down with her careful steps across the slippery concrete. While most structures in Tundratown came with the modern convenience of heated sidewalks to keep the snow and ice from sticking, the location they had ended up in had no such luxury. Judy hadn’t been able to pay much attention during the drive but by the smell, they had entered the harbor near some sort of shipping container storage area. The pair trudged through the forest of metal and steel with boxes bigger than even the limo they had arrived in. A limo which was driving away per Janet’s conditions.

Judy could only hope that Fru Fru would listen to them, if she was actually there and they didn’t run into more traces of Lionheart’s meddling.

Janet remembered the directions well enough as the fresh snow crunched beneath their feet. Dock 52, Section 31, Crate 257.

On the outside, the container looked indistinguishable from any other in the harbor. But Big had explained to them that ships coming into Zootopia could only carry up to two hundred and fifty four crates per load. The spot in this section of the dock had been specifically reserved by him. And while the reinforced steel plating on the side made it quite the decent mobile safehouse, it wasn’t impenetrable. Judy’s ears picked up the sound of workers all around the area and heavy lifting machines whirling like she was on some construction site. Big had picked a very public place to create a hiding space, though Judy supposed that had its certain advantages as they approached a camera near the hatch into the container.

“Fru Fru,” Janet spoke up first. “It’s me. I brought your friend with me as well. We came to make sure you were alright. Can you let us in? It’s freezing out here.”

Given how motionless everything about the crate was, Judy half expected their request to go ignored. She practically jumped from surprise as the hatch on the container creaked open. Janet huffed through her nose and stepped on through the opening, leaving Judy to limp in behind her.

Instantly, the chill of the harbor was replaced by artificial heating, though not enough that Judy still didn’t wish she had brought a jacket with her. It wasn’t helped by the fact that most of the interior was darkened with only the illumination of computer screens on the walls lighting up the space. Watching a few of them, Judy could see the limo they had arrived in, and Vladimir with it, exiting through the gate that barricaded the section of harbor from the street.

“Daddy sent you, didn’t he?”

Judy glanced over to a nearby desk where an elaborate array of ramps was arranged like a castle of cards. Fru Fru stepped up to the railing, still wearing her work uniform and looking either extraordinarily tired or cross. It was difficult to tell, especially in how Fru Fru’s glares seemed focused specifically on Judy herself. It was almost like she could smell her father on Judy’s person.

“This is the second time he’s used you to get to me,” Fru Fru stated factually but sounding hurt. “I thought you were my friend.”

“I am,” Judy replied almost automatically before she approached the desk with both her ears and pride lowered. “Of course I am, Fru Fru. We found your apartment broken into and got worried. We didn’t know who else to turn to, so we had to contact your father.”

“And what was the cost of that help? I know how daddy works by now. What does he want from me when I’ve been perfectly safe here?”

“He’d like you to leave the city entirely,” Judy said, lowering her head. “Zootopia is too dangerous for you to remain here. And given everything I’ve seen the mayor do, I’m inclined to believe him.”

“Even though I’ve just finished making a life for myself I’m just supposed to pick up the pieces and try again somewhere else? Run away to somewhere else? Where does it end?”

“I understand your frustration,” Judy tried to keep her tone pleasant. “Believe me, I do. But it’s for your safety.”

“I knew you’d say that, as a cop. I know that you’re just trying to look out for me. You’ve been good to me, I know you have, Judy. But you’re not seeing the full picture here.”

“Curious thing about polar bears,” Janet spoke up as she reached around her inner pocket. “They’re big, for certain. A lot of strength to them that’s perfect for intimidating people or kicking down doors that might otherwise be impassable to other mammals. But they do have unique fur that makes them pretty easy to track.”

Judy glanced over to the strands of fur Janet held up with her paw. Pure white hairs that were indeed almost too distinct to mistake them for any other mammal.

“Where did you get that?” Judy asked.

“On the floor outside Fru Fru’s room,” said Janet. “And before you ask, no. I don’t have any polar bear tenants.”

“I don’t understand,” Judy replied. “Mister Big had his own thugs break into Fru Fru’s apartment? And you knew the whole time?”

“It was a bit curious that he didn’t once ask questions about the crime scene,” replied Janet. “He said it himself. He’s been busy setting his affairs in order. That’s mobster talk for when they’re doing something shady they don’t want to talk about it.”

“But why would he do that?”

“You can ask him yourself, you know. I don’t suppose there’s any more reason to hide it.”

Judy could feel something shift uncomfortably in her pocket as she reached down inside for her hidden hitchhiker. This had been a completely different outcome than what she expected when Janet had demanded that Big had come along himself to see Fru Fru. Never did Judy expect that Janet had every intention to use his appearance against them as she watched Fru Fru’s face curl in disgust at the sight of her father being lowered onto the table with her.

“...Hi, honey,” said Big.

In that moment, Fru Fru felt like the biggest mammal in the room as she huffed and puffed herself like a volcano getting ready to burst. Thankfully, Fru Fru’s ire didn’t seem directed at Judy in the slightest as she glared eyes of fire at her dad.

“You weren’t even going to tell them, daddy?” she asked in an accusing tone that could curdle milk. “You weren’t going to mention how you sent Vladimir over to collect me and when I denied him, he broke the door down while I escaped through the floorboards? This is just like everything with Evan all over again!”

Big winced before lowering his head. “I don’t have anything I can say that would make it right. I told Vlad that he was to use any means necessary to get you to come with him. I can only imagine how frightening that must have been for you.”

“Frightening?” Fru Fru huffed a laugh. “Daddy, please. I’ve been around Vlad my whole life to know that he’d never do anything to hurt me even if he was ordered to. And you don’t know what I’ve been through these past months. I’ve had to handle more than my fair share of angry customers that would give even a giant polar bear a run for his money. You’ve never had to work in retail before, so you wouldn’t know. What hurts me the most is that you lied to my friends here. And that you tried to subvert my choice in the matter! Again!”

Judy wondered what she could even say in this situation as she looked across the room to Janet for guidance. That’s when she found that the vixen looked quietly pleased with herself, like she had planned this from the start. That was when Judy realized.

Janet knew that Fru Fru had been safe all along by the polar bear fur. She had only brought them all here solely to watch Mister Big get chewed out by his own daughter. Judy could only kick herself for not seeing this coming.

“You’re right,” said Mister Big, who had fallen to his knees at this point. “I broke my promise to you and failed you again. I was just so worried about what could happen to you if you remained in the city. Lionheart is hunting for me and I know him well enough that he won’t just stop with my head. He’ll want to burn the whole city down. My business. My money. My family.”

“So, you admit you’ve been using Judy to try and get to me, haven’t you?” Fru Fru asked.

“No,” Judy spoke up. “I helped because I genuinely wanted to help you.”

“It’s fine, Miss Hopps,” Mister Big said solemnly. “You don’t have to come to my defense. I dug my own grave in this.”

“How noble,” Fru Fru said, crossing her arms like she was trying to look down on him. “I wish you had shown a shred of that dignity when you scared off Evan before our wedding. He won’t even speak to me anymore.”

“Evan?” Judy asked, somewhat confused. “Who’s Evan? Your fiance?”

“Yes,” Fru Fru hissed. “I already told you that whole story, Judy, didn’t I? I even told Janet all about it. He didn’t trust Evan to marry me, so he had a little talk with him that ended our engagement entirely. Evan left the city and I never heard from him again.”

“And you probably never will,” Big said, solemnly. “You wouldn’t believe the whole tale anyway.”

“I remember the story,” said Judy. “And I’m curious. I never did hear his side of it.”

Judy’s instincts were tingling about something. Big was with too much remorse for his actions, yet he didn’t seem to regret scaring away this Evan character. Perhaps it was the detective in her, but something told Judy that there was more there. Something the patriarchal shrew hadn’t told anyone. She leaned in closer to Big until they were just about eye level.

“Can you tell us?” Judy asked him. “Please, Mister Big?”

Fru Fru huffed an angry laugh. “I don’t see how that’s supposed to make things better.”

“I agree,” Janet replied, looming over Fru Fru like an angry shadow. “What are you playing at, rabbit?”

“I only want the full picture,” replied Judy, trying to seem as neutral as possible. “Please, Mister Big. If you would?”

Big hesitated before relenting, lowering his head further into his chest.

“I always liked Evan,” Mister Big began. “Which is a strange thing because I’ve learned to trust no one in my line of work. There was something captivating and charismatic about the way he spoke to you and he was always so polite around me. He even got along with all of my staff and was fast to make friends with just about everyone. No one I knew had a bad thing to say about him and he seemed quite shrewd, a good thing to have in a shrew. I thought he would be a perfect match for Fru Fru and was prepared to give them my blessing during one of our summer parties with the whole family present.”

Then Big sighed.

“I should have guessed sooner that things were too good to be true when I caught him with one of Fru Fru’s cousins down in the wine cellar. Evan had been close with just about everyone in the family, so I never realized how odd he behaved around her in particular. I got to listen to their moment of passion as he sweet-talked her with all sorts of horrible promises. He told her that the only reason he intended to marry my daughter was to inherit my business. He intended to befriend everyone and use my people to usurp Fru Fru’s claim to the family, discarding her when he was done. To him, it was all a game to gain more power. That’s when I realized what he was. He was a perfect predator. And I had invited him into my home.”

“That’s awfully convenient to say,” Janet said. “Without proof, of course.”

“I almost didn’t want to believe it myself until Vlad came to me with the audio recording on the...What do you call them...smart phones? All it took was a little digging to confirm that whenever he and Fru Fru’s cousin were in the same location, they’d both occasionally disappear together.”

“What did you do when you found out?” Judy asked.

“I had fallen to his charms all too well,” said Big. “I confronted him about it. Asked what his intentions were and gave him an ultimatum. Either he would leave of his own accord and tell Fru Fur what he had done or I would have to tell her myself. He seemed to repent at that moment. But I should have known better than to trust him one last time…”

Big turned to Fru Fru, who had been watching him in an angry silence the whole time.

“I know you have no reason to believe me, honey,” he said softly. “But do you remember who first told you about Evan leaving?”

Fru Fru kept quiet for a moment before delivering her answer. “Cousin Rina did.”

The penny dropped in that moment for everyone in the room, especially Judy who pounded her fist into her paw.

“She was the one who Evan was having the affair with.”

Big nodded. “It’s not unreasonable to think that a mammal with my temperament would scare off someone interested in marrying my daughter. While Evan was busy packing his bags, he had his lover Rina spread the lie all around the family. I knew that even if I protested it or even tried to correct it by force, that would only give the lie more credit. If you silence a mammal, you only prove to the world that you’re afraid of what they’ll say. She had even managed to delete the recording off the phone. So I accepted the lie and your ire so long as it meant that Evan would be out of our lives forever. And, to his credit, he has.”

“You expect Fru Fru to believe that story?” Janet asked. “That still doesn’t excuse what you did and your other actions to control her.”

“It doesn’t,” Big admitted. “But I love my daughter with all my heart. And even if it burns me to do it, I’ll do what I have to in order to keep her safe.”

It wasn’t Janet’s or even Judy’s business to decide what to make of Big’s story. But seeing the old shrew pour his heart out made Judy think of her own parents. He was still a villain, but he was also a father.

“I’ve done many things I’ve come to regret in my life,” said Mister Big. “Hurt many people. But it was never my intention to hurt you, my love. Even when your mother passed, I swore I’d keep you safe.”

“And how many people have you hurt, Big?” Janet questioned again as she turned to Fru Fru again. “Can you really trust him with all that he’s done, Fru Fru? Even if he’s telling the truth, he’s hurt many more people that he’s helped. Can you forgive a mammal like that? Think carefully here. If you accept him then you’re opening yourself up for more pain in the future. He’s in the business of pain and pain is all he’ll ever give. Even to those he loves. How many loved ones has he taken away from others?”

Fru Fru looked at Janet for a long time, her eyes softened like she had just realized something herself. Then she looked at her father with a deep frown. Never had the mobster sunk so low as he turned to face the vixen this time.

“Ma’am, I don’t know who you really are,” he said. “But I can’t help but feel like I’ve wronged you in some way. If so then please, hear me for a moment. I’m not looking for forgiveness from either of you. I know I’ve done some horrible things in the past, that was why I had tried to handle the situation with Evan as non-violently as possible. Even if it ended up making matters worse for myself. What I seek is atonement. That is my reason for coming here today. Same goes for you too, Judy. There is a great deal I’ll have to make up to you all as well when this is over. But I can’t atone if there’s no one to atone to. I was scared. I see that now. And I’ve failed to see just how grown up my daughter has become. Most people would have buckled after a month out of their own with nothing to their name. And yet she was able to make a life for herself.”

In his final act, Big lowered his head entirely to the floor and submitted himself to all of them.

“I’ll accept whatever punishment suits me from you three, because I know it is justified in all of this. My past has come to haunt me and I don’t want to see any of you dragged down in it with me to the pits of hell. Let me do this much, at least. And then none of you have to ever hear from me again. If Lionheart has his way, then you may never see me again regardless. Please. Let me do this much for you.”

They were words that came from the deepest parts of Big’s soul. And, perhaps it was the fact that Big did have no idea who Janet was, that finally swayed the fox enough that she turned away from him, heading out the door.

“You can do as you wish,” Janet replied bitterly. “But you can’t change what was done.”

“I know. I can only try and move forward.”

Judy stood in the middle, unsure of who to follow. Thankfully, Fru Fru made it easy.

“Go with her,” she quietly begged. “I need to speak with my father, alone.”

Judy stepped out into the cold once again, shivering as she left the two shrews alone with their privacy. While she wasn’t sure if Fru Fru would forgive her father, something told Judy that the conversation had given her a lot to think about. Family was always messy. Judy was just thankful that she was born into one that was so caring and whole. She had seen how angry someone could be if they threw away everything.

Outside the hidden container, Janet hadn’t wandered far. She had already pulled out a cigarette and was lighting it up by the time Judy approached. There wasn’t anything Judy could think of that she could say to brighten the mood as the lighter glowed up the vixen’s face. She then leaned back after taking a deep drag.

“It was easier to hate him before I met Fru Fru,” said Janet. “But when she came to my doorstep in search of a home, starting a life away from everything her father had built, I couldn’t say no to her. I saw too much of myself in her. We were two outcasts that had thrown away everything we ever knew and we were angry about it. Though even then I knew that she wasn’t ready to throw everything away forever.”

“You think she’ll forgive him then?” Judy asked.

“I think forgiveness isn’t something that’s given. It’s something you earn. You atone for it, like the old shrew said. Given I’ve seen his record, I know that it will be many years before he’s even worthy of it. But when I looked at him, I didn’t see the monster I had built up in my head all these years. That was my first time meeting him face to face, you know. He’s not what I expected.”

“I thought the same thing when I met him too.”

“He does care about her,” Janet replied. “Even though I had convinced myself he didn’t. It’s not a healthy sort of caring, but if he’s genuine at all about this then he can learn. I didn’t need the proof to know that the story about her fiance was genuine, at least. The Big I thought I knew would have destroyed Evan. Maybe the mammal I’ve sought revenge against has been dead for a long time.”

Janet let out a long puff of smoke as she stared out into the harbor.

“You said my son’s soul is hurting from this vendetta of mine?”

“Yes,” Judy said, remembering the reason they had been searching for Big in the first place. “Honey said that you have to forgive Big in order for Nick to heal.”

“I can’t forgive him,” Janet said, taking another drag. “But I won’t attack him any further. Whatever fate awaits him is punishment enough, as far as I’m concerned. It’ll have to be enough.”

“I think it just might be,” Judy said as she watched Finnick’s van skid into the dock.

Chapter Text

Judy’s stomach growled as she watched Finnick fill up his van with fuel. Janet was content to go off on her own, standing outside the gas station restroom in the fresh snowfall of Tundratown with a fresher cigarette in her mouth. Judy had been keeping her eye on her in case she went running, though something told her Janet wouldn’t anymore. Even if Fru Fru was safe.

“So, what happened back there?” Finnick grunted as he struggled with the hose. “She’s awfully moody about the whole thing.”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Judy admitted. “The mission was accomplished, I think. She was willing to let go of her hatred for Mister Big, though not outright forgive him. Which I can understand given the circumstances. But we’re dealing with ghosts and curses here. It’s kind of hard to tell what works and what doesn’t.”

“Uh huh. And when’s the last time you checked your phone?”

Judy pulled it out of her pocket and her ears lowered when she was met with a black screen. So much had been going on that she had neglected to charge the device. It must have powered down without her noticing during the encounter with Fru Fru.

“It’s alright,” Finnick muttered as he held up his working, albeit older, phone. “I’ll fill you in. Honey wanted to get in touch with you over our little group chat. Said she’s figured out a way to remove the curse on the house, she thinks.”

“Well, that’s more than we had just a second ago,” Judy replied, rubbing her eyes. “I still don’t know how we’re going to get Janet to see Lionheart yet. Wolfard said that he’d help but we’re kept waiting until he can pull through. And time’s running out until Lionheart realizes his box is a dud.”

“We’ll hold out and endure. If there’s one thing Nick is good at, it’s enduring.”

Judy bit her lip. She hadn’t yet told any of them about Nick’s disappearance from the house, it just felt too distracting from their own task. She knew that she should bring it up but a part of her was really hoping he’d be back by the time they got back to 111 Winchester. Judy instead turned her attention to the vixen, leaning on the nearby wall and coughing from the cold.

“...Is everything alright with you two?” she asked.

“It won’t be a problem until we’re done here,” Finnick shrugged her off. “Don’t have to worry about that, rabbit.”

“That’s not what I mean. I care about you as a person you know, Finnick.”

“Sorry,” he sighed. “I know you care. No one else would dive headlong into this mess willingly. Truth be told, I’m a bit angry at myself. Turns out I guess when you disappear for ten years, there’s a lot of buried resentment.”

Judy nodded, guessing that had something to do with it. Though he spoke about diving headlong into the mess, Finnick had been Nick’s side the longest. From the very beginning, he had watched over Nick. He probably even got to see Nick grow up, the more Judy thought about it. Sort of like a surrogate uncle, much in the way the two discussed their own past lives. He got to see Nick go from a baby, to a kid, to a young fox who met an unfortunate end. Then he got to watch him suffer alone in the house he grew up in for ten long years.

“I never thought to ask you this,” said Judy as she joined Finnick in sitting on the open door of the van. “But...Do you blame Marla for what happened to Nick?”

Finnick’s huff was more bitter and cold than the snow around him.

“Right to the heart of the matter, huh?” he asked. “You sure don’t pull your punches, do you rabbit?”

“Sorry...Forget I said anything.”

“Nah. If you’re asking that then it’s obvious at this point. I’m just angry at myself because I don’t see the point in being angry about it to begin with.”

“What do you mean?”

“Watching Nick suffer for all these years has left me wanting to blame someone for it all. I think that’s one reason why a lot of folks choose to believe in something like god. It’s easier to pass the buck for bad things happening off on one person. Marla makes a perfect target, in that regard.”

“I think you would be right to be angry,” said Judy. “I still don’t know how to feel about her myself.”

“As easy as it would be to devolve into that thinking, I’m trying hard not to. Because when I look into her eyes, I don’t see the person I’m expecting to blame. Instead I see someone who doesn’t blame anyone more than herself for this whole mess.”

As if summoned by their gossiping, Janet put out her cigarette in the snow and joined the pair.

“If you’re both sitting around, I take it we’re ready to go?”

“Yes,” answered Judy. “Back to the house. Honey has some good news to share. And I think we all could use a little bit of rest.”

“Don’t know how much rest you expect me to get in that place,” Janet muttered. “But I suppose if I’ve come this far, I might as well see it through to the end.”

111 Winchester was quiet and dark when they arrived. Judy had neglected to turn on any lights before leaving. That made the two ladies skulking around the front steps a suspicious sight as they looked into Finnick’s headlights brightening their nocturnal eyes. Honey remained planted on the steps like a rock while Yana quickly scuttled to the van door as Judy climbed out with her broken leg.

“Thank goodness,” Yana whispered as she fiddled with her shivering paws. “She was about ready to break into the place before you got here. I had to talk her out of it…”

“I can hear you,” Honey called from the porch. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to slip into an old house unnoticed anyway. Lighten up. The only reason I didn’t was because I see that someone upgraded the windows to be those nasty impenetrable ones all those slick modern buildings have these days. That’s some nice additions for a haunted house like this.”

Finnick gave a pleased grunt at the one person who admired his handiwork as Judy approached the front door with the keys. Everyone piled inside behind her. Finnick then left for the kitchen to grab some drinks while the others remained behind, kicking off the remains of snow from their shoes.

“What did you find?” Judy asked once everyone had settled in the main hall. “Good news, I hope?”

“More or less,” Honey replied as she pulled out a massive tome that looked like it belonged on the set of a fantasy movie. “I had to do a fair bit of digging. Can you believe they have this book just lying around in the basement of the public library?”

“You’re just lucky I’m friends with the janitor to let us in,” added Yana.

“Regardless, what’s happening in this house is that two vastly different spirits with a solid connection to each have tangled themselves together in one giant mess.”

Janet grunted, helping herself to the nearby liquor cabinet that Judy didn’t even know was there.

“So,” continued Judy. “How do we untangle them?”

“Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it? We’re going to need some supplies. And we get to be a little artistic.”

Given the artwork on his van, Judy didn’t know why she was surprised to find that Finnick had a good paw for drawing, even if it was with table salt.

Judy had a few containers of the stuff in her cabinets but much more would be required to trail through the whole house as Yana left to head to the nearby gas station with a few hundred dollars and orders to bring home the entire store’s worth as well as a few dozen candles. Honey, in the meantime, set to purifying the salt, chanting what could only be described as a spell in a dead language Judy had never heard of before. Judy acted as the middle-mammal, passing the blessed containers of salt from Honey over to Finnick. Finnick would then draw out the runes Honey pointed out in the old tome they had found to cover the entire ground floor of 111 Winchester in one giant circle. Janet continued to sit by and drink, watching the assembly line with something of a bemused look as she drank straight from the bottle.

“What exactly is this supposed to do?” Judy asked as she examined the runes. “It looks like you’re trying to...Summon something.”

“In some sense,” Honey replied. “Salt has traditionally been a purifying agent in the means of the supernatural given how it can do the same for clean water. And haven’t you ever heard the phrase ‘the salt of the earth?’ It’s a means to ground the negative energy around this place. That’s just step one though.”

“And what’s step two?”

“The burning of dried herbs. Specifically aconitum napellus.”

“Aconitum napellus,” Judy repeated as she searched her collective memory of plant husbandry from her time on the farm. “You mean Wolf’s Bane? Isn’t that poisonous?”

“Yeah, probably not a good idea to go breathing it in. We can keep the windows open though so we don’t suffocate ourselves. The purpose is so that the negative energy of the house can get absorbed by the smoke. Wolf’s Bane has always been another natural object connected to the spiritual or the supernatural.  We don’t need a lot. Just a little bit to burn at the very center of the house which happens to be...Right there.”

Honey dragged a finger over to Janet’s seat on the bottom steps of the stairs. The vixen grunted as she took another sip from her bottle and rose from the comfort of her makeshift chair.

“Don’t suppose you’ve given any thought as to how you’re going to get monkshood at this hour,” Janet asked the pair. “Have you?”

Judy bit her lip. Janet had a good point. Running out for more salt was one thing when you could find it at any 24 hour grocery store. Judy doubted that a flower or herb shop was open at this late hour of night.

“In the garden,” Janet muttered as she took another sip. “There was a particularly nasty patch of monkshood that would always grow back no matter how often I pulled it out. Enough that I would have to tell Nick to stay away from it. Unless Finnick burned the backyard down, it should still be there if it’s as stubborn as I remember.”

Judy bowed her head in thanks to Janet and hurried out the door, limping her way to the backyard after turning on the outside lights. Though her eyesight and her nose weren’t suited to searching through the dark like a predator, she did remember a patch of some purple plant when she had gone digging weeks ago. Sure enough, upon closer inspection, Judy could determine that the unknown plant was in fact monkshood, with it’s deep blue petals. Judy was careful to wear gloves and break only a single flower of the stuff before washing her paws very carefully upon returning inside.

Finnick dug out an old mortar and pestle while Honey stuck the flower in the oven briefly for it to dry out. They wouldn’t have time to hang it out from the ceiling and let it do so naturally.

By the time Yana had returned and helped to coat the house with salt, the base of the runes were in order and the monkshood was crushed into a dry powder for burning. All that was left was finishing touches and embellishments that everyone could help Finnick with. Before long, the house looked like it was some sort of strange portal with small white lines weaving all around and underneath the furniture like chalk on a blacktop. Judy did note that there were conveniently five larger circles throughout the main body.