Someone special in Zootopia

24.- Unfolding the secrets

"Now that you say it... I know something..." Ryan looked back at Vol, to which the fox responded with a curious and confused look, willing to know more.

"What do you know about her?"

The kangaroo tried to remember. "When I was in that house, she would call a lot, and they usually would be to the same number... at least that's what I think. I remember hearing... her saying, 'Okay, do you have the money?' followed by 'Fine, we'll meet you at Tundra Town at 5pm. Let's see how much we can earn.' I also remember... sometimes, she would comment on something about unusual animals, she seemed to be interested. The weird thing is, she never talked about money and rare species in the same call, it could be another job. I stayed longer because I thought my life would improve with that money... but everything was the same as always." He lamented and got crestfallen again.

Vol thought about the story Ryan told him, sympathizing with him and feeling how he was feeling. "Okay, we'd need call-logs to look into it, but we can't break into her home if there was no demonstrable crime. Were you able to get any graphic evidence?" Ryan shook his head. "Don't worry, that's a good way to help us and start this case. I'm going to go to the computers' room with Nick and Judy to investigate all three cases. Will you come or do you prefer to stay?"

"But I've been forbidden to leave from here." The kangaroo raised his head, surprised and with his eyes wide open at the question.

"You were forbidden to leave the ZPD, but you can be in another part of the building." The fox smiled. "What do you say?" Ryan agreed and escorted Vol to the computers' room. Nick and Judy were waiting for their partner, but they didn't count on Ryan. Still, it didn't matter much that he was there, he stayed by the blue fox's side.

Judy started talking, taking the lead. "Okay, let's start with the cases. I'm going to the lab to see what they found about the earphones Ryan was wearing. Vol, investigate about Gloria Clinton. Nick, take on the kidnapped children case." They both nodded and she left to the lab.

Vol sat down and searched for news of Gloria Clinton. Relating to what Ryan said, there seemed to be no data, it only came out that she was a woman who amassed a fortune and she seemed loved by many people. Something didn't add up, people had a good opinion of her, but in the ZPD she was another mammal: Hateful, manipulative and insulting. Wass she playing a character for the public?

Nick turned around in the computer chair. "Hey, I just found out about something." Vol turned to him as well. "If Ryan was one of the kids that was kidnapped by that stranger and, aside from that, every of them seems to have turned into thieves, shouldn't we put the two cases together? I mean, the kids thieves and the kidnapper."

"That's how it should be... Now that you mention it..." Vol looked at the kangaroo. "Ryan, you told me that you weren't controlled, were you able to know what the kidnapper was like?"

The young marsupial put his paw on his head, trying to remember it. "He was... dark... I just saw that he was dark... He had claws and... Ugh... I don't remember anything else, sorry." He wailed, trying to force his memory and dropped his head, feeling disappointed with himself.

Vol put his paw on Ryan's shoulder. "It's fine, I think it'll be helpful. You're helping us a lot, I appreciate it." The kangaroo showed a smile, raising his head again. Vol turned to his partner. "Nick, look into anything related to Ryan's description."

"It'll be difficult, but I'll try." He began typing in the data on the search for suspects.

"There's nothing here about Gloria Clinton and her relationship with unusual species. What can we get out of it?" The blue fox asked.

Ryan took a step forward. "Let me use the computer for a bit. I think I have an idea." Vol stepped aside, and the kangaroo bowed to begin a specific search on that case. Even having a limited access to some stuff like computers, the self-confidence that the boy had while typing was of one that has been using those machines for a long time. Some knowledge he could have about their handling if he could do such a specifical search.