Nana Bernardine who made a spectacle later, dancing like a March hare in Madame Mystique's tent?"

"Y-yes," said Judy. "The same. Why?"

"Well, call it conjecture," said Nick. "But…do you think maybe…just maybe…"

Nick paused for a moment.

"What if she didn't commit the crime?"

"But Nick…the camera…"

"I know, but hear me out. What if she didn't commit the crime willingly? What if someone made her do it? She says she doesn't remember anything. Nobody in your hometown believes she could have done it either. Well, what if she was sleepwalking, and someone made her commit the crime in her sleep?"

"In her sleep?" the thought had not occurred to Judy. "But how…"

"What if she was hypnotised?"

They both went silent. The silence was so intense they could hear a kettle whistling in an apartment across the street.

"But…who could…?"

"I think we both know someone," said Nick.

Immediately, a face came to Judy's mind. A black-and-white face heavy with makeup.

"Madame Mystique?"

"It's a longshot, I know," said Nick. "But…what if she somehow put Nana Bernardine under her spell?"

"But…Madame Mystique is at the carnival here, Bunny Burrow is two-hundred and eleven miles away."

"Like I said, it's just speculation. But there may be a connection."

Judy thought of what Nick said. Nana Bernardine did seem to be genuinely hypnotised inside Madame Mystique's tent. Judy seriously doubted Nana Bernardine and Madame Mystique had any previous agreement for her to act like she was in a trance. And the way she danced…

"Nick, do you think she really can hypnotise people?"

"I am not discarding that possibility."

"She made you juggle," said Judy. "And you can't juggle, can you?"

"I could try, but I'm afraid I'd have to pay for the broken mugs."

Judy finally grasped a thought.

"Nick…we have to question her."

"We have to watch her first," said Nick. "Before we jump into conclusions, we have to keep an eye on her. But we have to do it carefully. Right now, we have nothing on her, and if she is indeed the culprit and suspects we're onto her, she might dash and then we'll never know for sure."

"Watch for anything suspicious, right," said Judy. "Act natural and keep an eye out."

Nick could see that she was feeling better. Now she had something on her mind that could be a lead, and could arrange her thoughts better. A little doughnut and some coffee can work wonders sometimes.

"Refill, Officers?" said the kindly Mollie as she came to their table with a fresh pot of coffee.

"Yes, please."

Judy was typing a report at her desk later that afternoon when suddenly a large hoof set a paper beside her keyboard.

"Sign it, Hopps," said the voice of Chief Bogo. "Your leave is tomorrow. I managed to work it out sooner rather than later."

"Tomorrow?" said Judy, taking her pen and signing. "That's great, Chief."

"You can catch the midnight train and be at your hometown early tomorrow," said Bogo. "Do everything you have to do and then catch the evening train and be back tomorrow around midnight."

"Yes, that works."

"I've put McHorn on carnival patrol in your stead," said Bogo, taking the signed paper. "I want you here bright and early on Friday, Hopps."

"Yes, sir!"

As Bogo left, Judy quickly sent her mother a text message.

"Will be there tomorrow. Must look into Nana Bernardine case."

The midnight train was five minutes away from departing. A few late-night travellers boarded the train and found their seats, opening magazines and listening to music through their headphones. Judy stood with her overnight bag in front of Nick on the platform, with an expression of confidence on her face.

"I'll find out as much as I can," said Judy.

"I will too," said Nick. "Luckily I'm on carnival patrol tomorrow and the day after, so I'll keep an eye on Madame Mystique. We'll get to the bottom of this."

"We will," said Judy, admiring her handsome partner and feeling a surge of gratitude towards him.

She reached over and took his paw in hers. They looked at each other in silence until the loudspeaker announced that the train would be departing soon.

"Well, that's my call," said Judy. "Wish you could come along."

"Holidays," said Nick.

"Yeah, of course," said Judy. "It'll be a happier occasion."

She fell silent. Nick smiled and opened his arms.

"Get in here, you."

Judy set her bag down and they hugged warmly, sharing their hope and warmth in a tender embrace.

"I'll see you Friday morning," said Judy.

"Say hello to everyone for me," said Nick.

"Will do," said Judy, and with that, she boarded the train.

Judy sat down beside the window and watched Nick as the train moved slowly. At the last minute, he blew her a kiss, which she returned just as the train sped out of the station and picked up speed towards her hometown.

Just as Zootopia disappeared behind her in the dark night, Judy's phone vibrated. She got a text message.

She checked it and giggled. It was from Nick, and it was a single line:

"U know U luv me."

"I'm so glad you decided to come, Jude," Stu Hopps said as he drove Judy to the police station in Bunny Burrow. "Nobody has any clue about what to do."

Judy was munching on a sandwich and sipping tea as they drove. She had arrived an hour earlier and her parents had picked her up at the Bunny Burrow Station.

"Maybe, with your expertise, you can shed some light on all this," said Stu.

"I hope so," said Judy.

They arrived at the Bunny Burrow Police Station, a modest building manned by a pawful of police officers. Small town police stations rarely saw any action. Small towns remembered crimes from ten years ago and still talked about them from time to time. Something like this bank robbery was unheard of in a peaceful hamlet like Bunny Burrow.

"Well, here goes," said Judy and she stepped out of the truck and walked into the police station.

It was almost like a living room with desks inside the police station. The front desk was occupied by Old Ben, a shaggy dog police officer who had been on the force for as long as Judy could remember.

"Why, hello there, little lady!" said Old Ben jovially. "If it isn't the star of the county, young Officer Judy Hopps!"

"How are you, Mr Ben?" said Judy.

"As well as a well, little lady," said Old Ben.

"Is the sheriff in? I really need to speak to him," said Judy.

"Oh, he's in alright," said Old Ben, turning around in his chair to face the door behind him. "Hey Shep! Judy Hopps is here to see you!"

"Tell her to come on in," said the voice of the sheriff behind his office door.

Judy walked into the sheriff's office, which was almost like a picture gallery, the walls lined with photographs of the sheriff's family, his friends and colleagues. A few trophies stood in a cabinet next to the window, a water cooler, and the desk.

"Little Judy," said the sheriff, Donovan Shepard, a middle-aged sheepdog.

"Good morning, Sheriff Shepard," said Judy.

"My, how you've grown. I remember you skipping about with your brothers and sisters on your pop's farm. And now look at you. You're a perfectly beautiful young lady. And a full-fledged police officer in the grand city of Zootopia. Who would have thought of it?"

Judy smiled and sat down in front of the sheriff's desk.

"It's always nice to come back home and catch up with old friends," said Judy. "I wish I could have come under brighter circumstances."

"You and me both, darlin'," said the Sheriff.

They fell silent for a moment until Judy spoke again.

"Mother told me the news," said Judy. "I couldn't believe it when I heard it."

"Nobody could believe it. I was the one who took the call," said the Sheriff. "I had Dotty the banker repeat it to me three times over the phone before I was sure. She said Nana Bernardine had walked into the bank, pointing a taser at the manager, told them to put the money in a bag and then she took it and drove off in her station wagon. When we got to her house to arrest her, the poor gal was asleep, and she swore up and down that she had never moved from her bed."

"And she had the weapon and money with her?" asked Judy.

"That's the weird part, Judy," said Shepard. "The weapon and the money are nowhere to be found. We've searched the house inside out, and nothing. Her station wagon is empty. We've searched every nook and cranny along the way, and nothing. And she can't tell us anything. It's like she really was asleep all along and never committed the crime."

"Sheriff," said Judy. "Do you believe she committed the crime?"

Shepard sighed and opened a drawer in his desk.

"No," he said. "Nobody does. But I'm afraid what we believe won't hold up in court. Here, I'll show you."

Shepard took a flash drive from his drawer and plugged it into his computer. In a moment,

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