Private Detective Axel Collins leaned back in his chair and took a long drag of his cigarette as he scanned the note that had been left in his mailbox. It was written in tiny, dainty letters and read. I'm sorry to bother you, Detective Collins, but I hear you're the best detective there is. I have reason to believe my husband has been murdered. I went to the cops, but they didn't take me seriously. I don't have much money to pay you, but you're our only hope. Sincerely, Mrs. Honeycake. Axel twirled the card in his fingers. Business had been slow for the past couple of weeks. "A murder case could be fun," he muttered.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAVQ0enRm93U
...
264Please respect copyright.PENANAmZxiw8FnvA
The next afternoon, Axel arranged a meeting with Mrs. Honeycake. He stared up at the clock as time ticked away. She should be here by now. He thought to himself, Maybe this is all some kind of prank. Just as he was about to leave, he heard the sound of a tiny pitter-patter approaching his office. He got up to see what was making the sound. To his shock, he saw a raccoon standing on two legs wearing a floral Easter bonnet and carrying a basket of muffins. He blinked twice to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. She was undoubtedly real. "Um, there are no pets allowed in here! Axel shouted down the empty hallway.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAuaO0fWobYx
"I'm not a pet!" The Raccoon said indignantly.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAhuFaKtBQN6
Axel pretended not to understand her.
264Please respect copyright.PENANATEsXJSuLDs
"You can't fool me, detective. The weasels downtown told me all about your ability to communicate with animals."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA6O4HUJgvZ6
Axel silently cursed himself. That's what he gets for trusting weasels. "Yeah, well, my therapist says this all in my head, so..."
264Please respect copyright.PENANApRyTL8guvR
The Raccoon shook her head disapprovingly. "You know, humans think they're the smartest creatures on this planet, but they sure are ignorant about a great many things."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAhoRDmM2U5r
Axel massaged his temples and let out an exasperated sigh. "What do you want from me?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANA6Z1v6a0hBz
"I am Mrs. Honeycake. I left you a note about my husband."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAcRkV0WU2tF
Axel pulled the note out of his pocket. He glanced between her and the note. "I didn't know raccoons could write."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAqhnlXnYtqi
"Of course, we can! We don't have opposable fingers for nothing."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA5UYw7FiAk3
Axel fought the urge to bang his head against the wall. This was just his luck. Of course, yet another animal needed his help. He wanted to tell her to leave. Nothing good had ever come from him helping animals.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAWpH7zn4Itc
He grew up in a small hunting town up north. He was born with the terrible curse to understand animals. It's nothing like the movies. There's nothing magical or whimsical about it. Every day he could hear the animals beg for mercy followed by the sound of gunshots. The memories still made him shiver. Sometimes he'd sneak out at night and free animals from the local hunting traps. At the time he'd thought he was a hero, but now he knew better. They wouldn't last long with those injuries. He only prolonged their suffering. Everything came to a head when he staged a jailbreak at the fur factory. He successfully managed to free several of the foxes, but security apprehended him before he could make his grand exit. He can still taste the blood from the beatings he received when the town discovered what he did. "My apologies, Mrs. Honeycake, I can't help you."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAIHamidz2l6
"What? I came all this way, and you're not even going to listen to me?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANATbnwnB4ph1
"I'm sorry, I can't do this."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAc5M28TQL0J
"But you said you'd help!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAli9aNROEc0
"That was before I knew you were a raccoon."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAOSsXZD7rIF
She crossed her arms. "Do you have something against raccoons?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAf8zHd3f04B
"No! It's not that! Everyone back home thinks I'm crazy, I don't want to be a pariah here too. I'm trying to start over."
264Please respect copyright.PENANATUp1SsgDot
She set down her basket and gripped his hand in her paws. "Listen to me detective, You are the only one who can give us animals a voice. If you don't help us no one will. All I want is closure, can you do that for me?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAhHOo0oRKk5
He pursed his lips into a thin line and sighed. "Fine, I'll hear you out, but I can't promise there is anything I can do."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA09BwyuEwcB
"That's all I ask."
264Please respect copyright.PENANARzgf8waEWR
...
264Please respect copyright.PENANApAB0hPAi0m
He led her into his office and hoisted her onto the tall chair across from his. He flipped open his notebook and took a bite of one of her famous cranberry orange muffins, savoring the delectable mix of sour and sweet. Who knew raccoons could bake so well? He swallowed his bite and then spoke. "Tell me everything."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAFEkAQIk2tt
"It all started with the lawnmowers. It's all their fault!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAifoJH1lzfu
Axel scribbled down Lawnmowers? Into his notebook. "Can you please elaborate on that?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAKbnUqmxwaV
"Are you familiar with Lawnmower Supply Corporation?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANA7OJyZd1uQj
He twirled his pen. "I've heard of them."
264Please respect copyright.PENANACWBOh9VUNg
"They bulldozed our burrow to build their new location downtown, and we used our fundamental right to protest."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAxyTVLeOtpj
"I don't believe the United States Constitution protects raccoons."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAkeeIuH2pSK
"Well, it should!" She huffed. "We weren't just going to sit there and let them steal our home from us, so we tried our best to inconvenience them. Nothing serious, just leaving paw prints in wet cement and hurling moldy tomatoes at their construction site, nothing that justifies murder."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA0GmxdCWW9R
Axel gave an understanding nod and jotted that down in his notes. "Tell me more about the night of your husband's murder."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAUSO10xPXE2
"We were scavenging for dinner in the dumpsters at KracDonald's when I heard the sound of scraping, followed by my husband's scream. I rushed over to see what was the matter, but when I got there, he was gone."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA03l4dwy350
"You suspect foul play from the Lawnmower Supply Corporation?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAu7pEatWdUz
"I know they did! After my husband was taken, I saw one of their trucks race out of the parking lot."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA7n2C3VcPB6
"Interesting. I'll go to the scene of the crime and see what I can find."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAgM0tiijEUZ
...
264Please respect copyright.PENANAWRp5XuMeRs
The scent of fryer grease and soggy fries clung to his nostrils as he investigated the alleyway behind KracDonald's. He seldom ate here due to their overall lack of vegetarian options, and he was even less inclined after sifting through their moldy garbage. He shined his flashlight around the dumpster, searching for any signs of a scuffle. Sure enough, the dumpster's interior was covered in jagged claw marks and clumps of grey and black fur. He hopped into the dumpster to get a closer look at the evidence.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAOZgFrYgBFr
"Excuse me, sir. This is a reputable community, and we don't permit dumpster diving here. Why don't you go to the city instead, I'm sure they have much better garbage there."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA4aCaB0FesU
Axel turned around to confront the voice. "I'm not dumpster diving, I'm just looking for something."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAi0SCGce3st
"Well, whatever you're doing, it's not allowed here." The man softened when he spotted Axel's badge. "Oh, you're a detective. Are you here to finally round up the vandals that have been sabotaging the local land development?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAwJ9ZsUKkUC
"My business is confidential," Axel replied as he climbed out of the dumpster. Axel finally got a good look at the person who'd interrupted his investigation. It was a middle-aged man with overly-gelled hair and teeth that were just a little too white, his appearance was almost unsettling, but Axel couldn't place why. There was a small logo embroidered on the left pectoral of his polo shirt. Lawn Mower Supply Corporation. Next to it was a name tag that read: Ronald. Axel probably should've lied and said he was here to catch the vandals. Maybe then this man would be more forthcoming with any information on Mr. Honeycake.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAFQVFhpuiFt
Ronald let out a dissatisfied grunt, clearly not used to being told no. "Get out of the trash, son." His harsh, commanding, tone sent a jolt of panic down Axel's spine. It made him feel small, like he was a child again.
264Please respect copyright.PENANA2q9rsm75YO
Axel gritted his teeth. "I am not your goddamn son!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAbLEsIYEhy4
"Woah there, it's just an expression. There's no reason to get upset."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAD7f3TJhKKs
"I'm sorry, I suppose I overreacted," Axel mumbled.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAK67jPwMdoz
The man let out a long sigh. "I've got to get back to work." He glanced back at his green truck with the words Lawnmower Supply Corporation pasted to the side. The back seat of the truck had been torn to bits, and stuffing was falling out of every crevice.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAe9NaOdjPCw
"What happened to your backseat?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAOmfX8ZoQdv
Ronald chuckled, but he couldn't keep the perturbed edge out of his voice. "You're a nosy one, aren't you, Detective Collins?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANA3z8y8iGYcR
"Answer the question."
264Please respect copyright.PENANApzWDgTH7ev
The man raised his hands in surrender. "If you must know, I had some trouble getting my cat to the vet."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAJR8sJTS1yQ
Axel raised a skeptical eyebrow but didn't question him further.
264Please respect copyright.PENANARc20XBmU6G
"I really must be going now."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA1jGgO2l3an
"I think I'll swing by and do a quick sweep of the store if that's alright with you."
A look of panic flashed through his eyes, but he fought to keep his expression neutral. "You should come with me; I'll give you a ride, and I can give you a personal tour."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAgMuw5ORHmZ
"That's not necessary."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAEnOELrmwks
The man grabbed his wrist. "I insist."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAvcJgjanmny
...
264Please respect copyright.PENANAECHvscFmvZ
They drove to the store in uncomfortable silence. Axel kept one hand on the pistol concealed in his jacket, in case things went south. With his free hand, he jotted down the truck's license plate number from memory.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAWhQI82WAaT
Ronald glared at him through the corner of his eye the entire drive, but Axel refused to be intimidated by him.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAKRz2c8aHUe
When they reached the store, the driver slammed the brakes a little too hard, sending Axel lurching forward. "We're here, he announced, stepping out of the vehicle.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAw6TpTSQoBs
Axel quickly trailed behind him into the store. The first thing that caught Axel's attention as he entered the store was the sweet, earthy smell of hay and oats drifting from the hefty bags of feed. If he knew one thing about raccoons, it was that they never leave a snack untouched. If Mister Honeycake did manage to get in here, he would've gone for the food first. He squatted beside the food bags to see if they had been tampered with in any way.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAAiRDwrNdaT
"Hey, Gus! Get over here!" Ronald shouted across the store.
264Please respect copyright.PENANA0LGQmWvQ4Q
A frazzled-looking young man with thin wire glasses and long curly hair he kept tied in a low ponytail came jogging toward us. He wore a white Lawn Mower Supply Corporation polo shirt with a grease stain on the front. "Good afternoon, sir. What can I do for you?" He panted.
264Please respect copyright.PENANA74S3AOlPVq
Ronald slapped Axel on the back a little too hard. "This is Detective Collins he's interested in looking at some lawnmowers today. Why don't you give him the tour?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAx5ZDGQUdLK
"Wow, really? No one ever wants to take my tour!" Gus exclaimed.
264Please respect copyright.PENANApQsZYMBo6V
"Make sure he gets the chance to see everything," Ronald said with an impish grin smeared across his lips.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAX724TlC5Um
The tour went on for a grand total of three hours. Gus rambled for an eternity about everything from spare tractor parts to the difference between every single brand of fertilizer. With every passing second, Axel felt his soul die a little bit more. If he had to listen to another overly detailed description of a lawnmower, he was going to commit arson right there and then. He suspected this was intentional. Lawnmower Supply Company wanted him to leave and never come back. Which was exactly why he was going to do the opposite. If they were trying this hard to deter him he must be getting close to something they didn't want him to find. He stood there patiently and forced a grin throughout the entirety of the tour.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAb8rO93tCcN
When they reached the gardening section, Axel heard a strange noise coming from the vent. He pressed his ear up against it, and sure enough, he heard the distant echoes of something scratching and chittering.
264Please respect copyright.PENANATsIgFPykEa
"Please don't touch that," Gus warned. "Ronald will be mad."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAOysmjBGFIQ
"Oh yeah, what's he hiding down there?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAuWTQRrHIRs
Gus's face flushed bright red. "Um, nothing! Why would there be anything down there? That's ridiculous! Ronald hates it when customers get their germs all over the vents, that's all. I promise!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAv42NDrpQvO
"Oh sorry, my bad," He said, unhanding the vent with every intention of coming back to investigate later.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAIaCWpIiLVH
Gus appeared to silently congratulate himself, thinking Axel fell for his obvious lie before continuing his tour.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAglCbYUYvOZ
When they finally reached the end of the tour, Ronald was there to greet them at the front door. "Well, hello there Detective Collins. I hope you enjoyed your tour," he said.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAYmHs2bx4nm
"It was delightful," Axel replied through clenched teeth.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAXRGK7guE7b
"Have you decided which lawnmower you're going to buy? We're having a big sale today."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAJMAR3odOei
"I live in a city apartment, so I don't have any use for one, sorry." He wasn't sorry, not even a little bit, but Axel didn't want to further anger the powers that be at the Lawn Mower Supply Corporation.
264Please respect copyright.PENANA0LIjezd0lU
"Then you're in the wrong place, friend. All we sell here is equipment for lawns and gardens, and if you don't have either, I'm afraid there's nothing for you here." Ronald practically shoved Axel out the front door. "It was nice meeting you, Detective Collins. Have a nice life." Ronald ushered him outside and slammed the glass door behind him, leaving Axel alone on the sidewalk. He had to suppress the urge to scream. Ronald may be the most aggravating human being on planet Earth. Very few people had the power to rile him up like this, but Ronald was far too reminiscent of the people from his hometown who always made him feel less than.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAuTbqGTzQ1a
Axel slumped down on the curb in defeat; there was no way he could investigate while Ronald was breathing down his neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a fox wearing a green striped scarf, watching the chickens through the window with a ravenous look in its eyes. A drip of drool slid out of its mouth as it panted loudly.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAEcvoFPgfq6
"Hey! Can you salivate a little quieter? I'm trying to think!" Axel snapped.
264Please respect copyright.PENANA19NS85maY0
The fox huffed. "Humans are so rude."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAXdbuohInHj
"I'm sorry, I'm just really stressed right now."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA5q948p9HOj
The fox squinted, assessing him closely. "You can understand me?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAPjqwbXheZm
"Yeah, I can. It's a unique quirk of mine. I've been able to do it ever since I was a kid.
264Please respect copyright.PENANA5vx7viKeKv
The fox extended their paw for him to shake. "My name is Pip Foxberry, it's a pleasure to meet you, kind sir."
264Please respect copyright.PENANACAs0OWgPsu
"Detective Axel Collins," He introduced himself.
264Please respect copyright.PENANApVQbleB9XN
Pip spun around in excited circles! "Oh, my God! Really? My friends are never going to believe this!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANASiAAeVVdWZ
"You're acting like I'm a celebrity or something."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAl03VWSLu5M
"To us foxes, you are! You're the one who staged the breakout at the fur factory. You're our hero. There aren't many kind humans left in this world. Thank you for being one of them."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAbbm4j2Gh2G
Axel had never thought of it that way. He'd always assumed his crusade was worthless, and all the foxes were killed anyway, but if what Pip is saying is true, at least some of them made it free. Maybe all the beatings weren't for nothing. It can be so isolating when you're the only one who cares for others, but perhaps it's worth it to stand up for what's right, even if you're standing alone. "Hey Pip, are you willing to do a favor for your favorite hero?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAx9ETgzW5GC
Pip let out a thoughtful hum. "I could be persuaded to assist you if you purchase me a Krappy Meal from KracDonald's."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAzHaID75zGd
"Deal."
264Please respect copyright.PENANA2jAdyyIRvw
They returned under the cover of the night, right before the store closed. They waited patiently until Ronald's truck pulled out of the parking lot before hatching their grand scheme. Axel threw on his hood to obstruct his face as he entered the store with Pip tucked snugly inside his jacket. He kept his head down as he slunk past Gus and the other employees and made his way to the vent in the gardening section. Sure enough, when he placed his ear against the vent, he could still hear the sounds of whimpering and claws against metal.
264Please respect copyright.PENANADN5hvGB7Id
"You were right! There are animals trapped down there!" Pip's muffled exclamations could be heard from inside Axel's jacket, causing a family of shoppers to give him a wary side-eye.
Once the family had moved on to another aisle, Axel pulled out a screwdriver from his left pocket and unlatched the vent. He fastened a night-vision camera around Pip's neck and hoisted him into the vent. "It's your turn to be a hero now."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAgCHhUF5pp5
Pip shimmied through the vent in the direction of the sounds, before popping out on the other side.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAWaeerquQ8i
"Alright, Pip. What are we looking at here?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANA2a22vdxJRd
"I'm in the basement furnace room. There are these huge cages lining all the walls."
264Please respect copyright.PENANADwqNAdltFS
"Do they have animals in them?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAvaWOdJQOkz
"Most of them do," Pip said as some feral cats hissed in the background.
264Please respect copyright.PENANApBRDIBI0Em
"Do you see any raccoons?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAbe49t1OSJq
"Let me see..." Pip replied, creeping closer to the cages. "Yes! There's one right here!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANArgOfW3hH5c
"Great! Ask them if they are Mister Honeycake," Axel instructed.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAb04ipr9gXb
"Hello there, are you Mister Honeycake by any chance?"
264Please respect copyright.PENANA0s66ne3jXm
"I am. Who the hell are you?" A gruff voice responded.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAgtVpgLEiN7
"Your wife sent us," Axel explained. "We're here to break you out."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAEUewARjNTD
"I always knew the Missus would pull through."
264Please respect copyright.PENANAlH9jkZDzIn
Their celebration was cut short by the sound of footsteps approaching.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAkC2838qsCt
"Hurry up, Pip!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANA1pO1pmJTtv
"I'm trying," Pip whined as they tried to finesse the lock with their teeth. "Got It!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAuwlKW7aHbZ
Axel let out a sigh of relief. "Amazing job! Now come back to me!"
264Please respect copyright.PENANAu28uIJHAB1
The two critters scurried into the vents and climbed to meet Axel on the ground floor. Mister Honeycake's chubby body didn't maneuver through the vents as easily as Pip's did, but they both managed to reach the top. Axel grabbed one of them in each arm and sprinted out the front door, abandoning any sense of stealth he previously had. He didn't stop running until they were safely in his car with the doors locked. He slammed on the gas and sped out of the shopping plaza. Once they were on the road, he finally took a moment to breathe.
264Please respect copyright.PENANATaRJI3HliE
"Are we really going to leave all those animals trapped in there?" Pip asked.
264Please respect copyright.PENANAsyJX2bA7fQ
"I'm sorry, Pip. It's too risky to go back for them now, but thanks to you, we have camera footage, so we can report them for illegally capturing wild animals. We will bring them justice for their animal cruelty, I promise." Axel meant every word he said. This wasn't the end, he was going to do whatever it took to keep these animals safe, but first, he had a couple of raccoons he needed to reunite.
ns216.73.216.85da2