brightly, wondering what the otter had meant by 'his family'. She didn't remember meeting this otter before. "That's what we're here for. Mister…?"

"Otterton," said the otter. "James Otterton."

Judy's eyes opened wide when she heard the surname. And just then, the door to the room opened. And in walked…

"Jimmy!"

Judy turned around to see Mr Emmitt Otterton and his wife, and the two Otterton boys, walking in. Then she realised it: James Otterton, Emmitt Otterton's brother.

The Otterton family entered the room and Mr Otterton hugged his brother with tears streaming from his eyes.

"Oh Jimmy, when I heard…"

"I'm alright now, Mitt. And the two officers standing next to me are the ones to thank," said James.

"Oh, Officer Wilde," said Mr Otterton, turning to them. "How can I ever thank you? You and Officer Hopps just keep saving my family and loved ones. You truly are our guardian angels."

"Aww, shucks, Mr Otterton," said Nick. "Just doing our duty."

They all exchanged hugs. Mr and Mrs Otterton hugged Judy and Nick, the Otterton children did the same. It was a very emotional reunion.

After lots of thanks and hugs, the Otterton children gave their uncle the get-well cards they had made. James Otterton smiled and stroked the heads of his dear nephews as the whole family gave thanks for his safety.

Nick gave Judy a glance, and she understood.

"Well, we'll be on our way now," said Judy. "It's so good to see you in good paws, Mr Otterton."

"Officers, thank you once more," said James. "From all of us. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough."

"You can thank me by getting lots of rest and sampling some of the first-class food they serve in this hospital," said Nick with a wink. "I hear the applesauce is deee-licious."

"Will do, Officer," said James. "Thank you once again."

Nick and Judy said goodbye to the Ottertons, who all thanked them once more.

The duo walked out of the room, down the corridor and into the elevator. Judy pressed the button and shortly the door opened with a pleasant 'ding!' and they walked into the lift.

As they stood in the elevator, Nick's expression changed, from his warm smile to a look of sheer determination.

"I'm all ears, Carrots," he said.

"Heh, that's my line, slick," said Judy with a sideways grin.

Nick couldn't help chuckling as Judy took out her phone and showed him what she had recorded the previous night.

Chief Bogo rested his chin on his steepled hooves. He watched the video for a third time before saying anything.

"And this…mole…was in both crime scenes…?"

"Yes," said Judy. "Well…one crime scene and the other suspected crime scene."

"Or both suspected crime scenes," said Bogo roughly.

Nick sat in silence beside Judy as she stood on the chair with her phone in front of Chief Bogo, showing him what she had recorded.

"We have to look into this, Chief," said Judy. "If we don't, there could be more crimes..."

"Or accidents," said Bogo, moving his hoof to the side of his desk and picking up a newspaper. On the cover of the paper, the headline read: GAS LEAK EXPLOSION BLOWS GROCERY STORE SKY HIGH.

"Gas leak!?" said Judy.

"That's what the papers are sticking to," said Bogo. "And that's what the press will be sticking to. And by tomorrow, the headline will be different, maybe some brighter one like 'Finalists for Miss Zootopia Speak Up' or something daft like that."

"Chief…we have to look into this!" said Judy.

Bogo sighed deeply and spoke slowly.

"I know exactly how this is going to play out, Hopps," said Bogo. "We'll show them this recording, they'll say there is no evidence to suggest that the mole had anything to do with the explosion. He was probably running away in fear. It will be dismissed. Then the very next day, a very angry telegram will arrive from the lawyer of the distinguished President of Terra Firma Incorporated. He will be pursuing legal action for defamation. Whoever suggested his involvement in the explosion will have to retract her or himself, and that's where it will all end."

Judy was thunderstruck. But it was true. She and Nick knew that they had nothing. The enemy held all the aces.

"I wish it weren't this way, Hopps," said Bogo. "But that is the way things are. This conversation can serve no further purpose. You are excused."

Judy and Nick knew that when Bogo said those words, there was nothing further to discuss. They hopped off their chair and walked to the door.

"Hopps."

They turned around and once again saw Bogo with that unreadable expression that was somewhere between empathy and pity, two adjectives that we as far removed from the persona of Chief Bogo as possible.

"Some enemies cannot be taken down by conventional means," said Bogo. "This isn't some street burglar or bank robber. If what you say is true, and for the record, I believe that you are right about what you suspect…these people are well-connected and cover their tracks. If you're going to investigate this case, do so from the shadows. Do not expose yourself. Understand?"

Judy and Nick looked at each other and then at Bogo, and nodded.

"And that goes for you too, Wilde," said Bogo. "These people know how to cover their tracks. And you must do the same. I don't want to be the one to fish your bodies out of the bay because you weren't careful enough. I don't want to be the one to have to write letters of condolences to your families. Truth be told, I was never very good at writing letters."

Bogo stood up and walked around the desk towards the door. He opened the door for them and spoke in a low tone.

"As far as I'm concerned, we never had this conversation. And you two are on leave, gone dancing or parkouring or whatever it is you youngsters do nowadays," said Bogo. "But if you are right about this…just know that I am behind you one hundred percent."

They all looked at each other and nodded in complete understanding.

"Now clear off," said Bogo. "It's too wonderful of a day to be stuck indoors."

Judy's apartment was the closest. By two blocks, at any rate.

"It smells like a cover-up to me," said Judy over the tap-tapping of her keyboard as she Zoogled the news. "The grocery store that was attacked…Madame Mildred's One-Stop Shop."

She Zoogled Madame Mildred's. It had been around since the 1920's.

"I'll bet you a bucket of blueberries and an apple that she refused to sell out to Terra Firma, and this explosion was a consequence."

Nick nodded as he watched her work, standing beside her chair with his paws lightly on her shoulders.

"It's too big of a coincidence," said Judy as she Zoogled Terra Firma, Inc, and brought up several articles.

"There are no coincidences," said Nick. "Only connections."

"Right, and that mole is definitely connected," said Judy, clicking on a video in her results list.

The title of the video was 'President of Terra Firma, Inc. inaugural speech.'

Judy watched as Mayor Mousawitz spoke a few words and then introduced the President of the Company. And then…she almost fell back.

"He…he's a…rabbit!"

And so it was. The rabbit's name appeared at the bottom caption: Preston Keyes, President of Terra Firma Incorporated.

Judy watched with her jaw open as the president delivered a silky speech with an oily voice and captivated the press. He had them eating out of his paw. The video ended and Judy turned to Nick.

"Did…did you know?"

Nick nodded.

"But…why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it mattered," said Nick.

"Didn't matter?!" blurted Judy. "Nick, what do you mean…?"

"Judy…"

She stopped. Her heart skipped a beat. She blushed. Nick only called her by her name when he was serious, very serious with nary an atom of playfulness or snark.

"It doesn't matter who he is. What matters is what he's doing, and the people he is hurting," said Nick slowly. "You grew up with sheep all your life. They're kind and fluffy and helpful. Totally harmless. And yet, who was behind the night howler debacle?"

A smiling bespectacled face came to Judy's mind. A cute, fluffy bespectacled and benevolent face…which turned out to be the mastermind behind the biggest crime in Zootopian history, one that almost tore the city apart.

"You grew up believing foxes were untrustworthy, conniving and mean brutes," said Nick. "And yet…"

He fell silent. Judy stood up and hugged him tight, pressing her face into his chest and inhaling his lovely, welcoming scent.

"Oh Nick….I'm so sorry…"

Nick hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. Then his smooth, cheeky smile returned.

"Aww, come on, don't get all weepy with me, Carrots," he said jovially. "We got a case to solve and a villain to bring to his knees."

Judy sniffled and wiped two little tears on Nick's shirt.

"Come one, deep breath…there, let it go slowly…let's see that bunny smile…show me those teeth," said Nick as he held up

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