that van," said Nick. "Who knows? Maybe we can get some prints. If we get a match with Old Todd or Madame Mystique…"

"…that will be enough for a warrant!" said Judy excitedly. "Way to go, Nick!" she playfully punched his arm.

"Now let's get back to the city," said Nick. "Finnick will have kittens if we hang onto his bro-mobile any longer."

Judy and Nick took turns sleeping on the park bench in front of Lupus Rex Suites, waiting for Fangmeyer to return. Judy was fast asleep, snuggled up against Nick, who had his arm around her. He looked down at the sleeping bunny and thought how cute she looked. Judy smiled in her sleep and murmured something unintelligible. It was the most adorable sight ever.

Nick bent his head over her face and kissed her softly on her forehead. Judy snuggled closer to him in her sleep.

It was 5:00 AM when finally Fangmeyer walked across the park and crossed the street towards Lupus Rex Suites. Nick followed him with his eyes and waited a few minutes until Fangmeyer was up in his apartment.

"Well, this is it," said Nick. "He's probably back in his bed by now."

He turned to Judy, who was still asleep beside him. It pained him to wake her, but duty called.

"Carrots," said Nick, giving her a kiss on her nose. "It's time."

Judy stretched her paws and yawned, flexing her little pink tongue as she warily opened her eyes.

"Mmm….Nick…what time is it?"

"Just past five in the morning," said Nick. "You know, staying out late in the park isn't so bad after all."

"Mmm…I'd take a nice comfy bed with a thick quilt and fluffy pillow right about now," said Judy.

"You'll get your wish soon, Carrots. Come on, let's go and check on Fangmeyer."

They got up and walked across the street, climbing up the steps and entering the building.

The lobby was mostly empty, just a sofa and a coffee table and a front desk with a pig clerk sitting and looking at his phone.

"Hey!" said the pig, looking up and seeing Nick. "Wrong building. Get lost, fox!"

Nick winced at the comment and immediately flashed his badge. The pig went pale, his eyes wide.

"Uhh..uh…Officer!"

"As you were," said Nick sternly as he and Judy walked past him and got into the elevator.

"You have a quiet job here, Porkins," said Judy, reading the pig's name tag. "It would be a shame to lose it."

"Y-yes, Officer!" said Porkins nervously as the elevator door closed.

The elevator door opened on the third floor. Judy and Nick walked down the corridor until they reached Number 306.

"Shall we ring?" asked Judy.

"I suppose so," said Nick, ringing the doorbell.

They heard footsteps inside, and keys jingling, and the door opened. Their colleague Fangmeyer was stading there in his pyjamas, his fur was tousled and his eyes were sleepy like someone who had just gotten out of bed.

"Wha…Hopps? Wilde?" he said half-asleep. "What are you doing here?"

"We have to talk," said Judy.

"Can't it wait till tomorrow?"

"It is tomorrow."

"Huh?"

Fangmeyer looked behind him at the clock and saw that it was almost time to get up.

"But…I just went to bed…arrg….I need to sleep earlier."

"You didn't do much sleeping, Fangmeyer. You've been on quite an adventure," said Nick.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's get inside and we'll explain," said Judy.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"If it is, you're not gonna like the punchline," said Nick, taking out his phone.

He played the video of Fangmeyer at the bank, running with a big bag of money into a blue van. Fangmeyer looked, and it didn't register at first…but then…

"Wait a minute…that's ME!"

"Shh…let's get inside. We'll explain," said Judy.

Finally, Fangmeyer opened the door and let them in. The expression on his faced was awestruck.

The three of them sat and drank coffee as they watched the video again and again. Fangmeyer could not believe his eyes.

"But…I never left my room."

"Where's your baby chick plushie?" asked Judy.

"In my room with the others," said Fangmeyer. "I mean…urr…"

"Go get it," said Judy.

He left the room. Nick and Judy looked at each other. They knew what the other was thinking.

"It's gone!" said Fangmeyer from his room.

"Yup," said Nick.

"But where…why…how…" Fangmeyer came back to the kitchen with a dazed expression. "What the heck is going on here!?"

"We don't know, but for the moment I suggest you turn yourself in," said Nick. "Just go and talk to the Chief and explain it to him."

"Explain what?! I have no idea what happened!"

"Explain that somebody framed you and made you rob the Lemming Brothers Bank in your sleep," said Judy. "Do it before the surveillance tape of the bank gets to the station and they come and take you in."

Fangmeyer was thunderstruck. He had no idea what was going on. It was like a bad dream, but there was no waking up from it.

"Well, you know what to do," said Judy, getting up. "We'd better get a move on."

She and Nick said goodbye and left, leaving Fangmeyer sitting at his kitchen table staring into his coffee.

The briefing room was packed and noisy, as usual. Everyone was present. Judy and Nick sat down at their usual seat. Fangmeyer was with the Chief, explaining as best as he could what Judy and Nick had told him.

Chief Bogo walked in and took his usual spot at the podium.

"Alright, settle down! SHUT UP!"

Everyone fell silent. Bogo briefed them on the situation.

"Pay attention everyone! This is the third case in a week! The circumstances of the robberies are all the same. The perpetrators are people with no previous records and no motive. They somehow have their memories tampered with and remember nothing of the events! I want everyone to stay alert! As of this moment, all off-days and leaves are cancelled. I want everyone alert and on-call, 24/7. We will not rest until we catch whoever is behind this. Your assignments…"

The blue van from the Lemming Brothers Bank heist was tracked down and turned out to be owned by the dingo who was behind the wheel. He was an Outbacker who worked at City Hall. The van was brought in along with the owner.

The lab results of the van were a tad disappointing, though. Prints were identified, but they belonged to the four who robbed the Lemming Brothers Bank and nobody else. Judy and Nick's hopes were dashed when the lab found no prints besides the ones they already expected.

"These guys are experts," said Judy as she and Nick watched the surveillance tape of the bank heist for the third time at her cubicle. "They leave no signs that they have anything to do with the crime. All the blame goes to the people they manipulate into committing the robberies, who can't remember anything but nonetheless are responsible for the actual crime. Cotton rot! Why can't we just get one good piece of evidence?!"

She played the video again.

"Fangmeyer wasn't even at Madame Mystique's tent and he still fell under her control," said Judy. "How does she do it? If she does it at all. That's the worst of it. All our speculation could end up being just that."

Nick was silent. He watched the screen without moving a muscle. After a while, Judy turned from the screen and looked at him.

"Nick, have an opinion," said Judy.

"Do I have to?" asked Nick.

"Yes. Your bunny lord commands it," said Judy.

"Well…I noticed something strange," said Nick. "Can you play the surveillance tape of the Maison du Bison again?"

"Okay," said Judy, clicking on the video.

"No, no, the other one," said Nick. "The outside camera."

Judy switched videos and they watched. It showed the three perpetrators of the attempted robbery walking into the building. The coyote girl was holding a baby chick doll.

"That's when they walk in," said Judy.

"Yeah…wait a minute…" said Nick. "Keep watching the screen."

They watched. Nothing happened. The camera was pointed at the entrance. They could see a bit of the street and the front entrance, and that was it.

"There," said Nick finally, after about four minutes.

"What?" asked Judy.

"Go back a bit."

Judy did, and Nick pointed at something on the screen.

"That van," said Nick. "Granny Mae's Flower Boutique."

"Aha."

"Does that ring any bells?"

"No. I never heard of Granny Mae."

"Exactly."

Judy paused the video and looked at Nick, who looked back at her.

"Now, switch to the Lemming Brothers surveillance camera," said Nick. "The front entrance."

Judy did. They watched for about six minutes until…

"There is it again," said Nick.

"It's the same van!" said Judy.

"Yup. Suspicious?"

"Hmmm…yes."

"Ah, but it gets better," said Nick. "Open the video from my phone."

Judy's heart raced as she did. This could be their ticket to finding the real



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