The Fire Triangle -- Part II, Oxidizer

The Fire Triangle: Book II - Chapter 25

To the fox's surprise, someone answered him; he had addressed the question to no one in particular. "That's Charlie Bintrongo; the Cowboy Detective; he helped take down Butch Catsidy and the Wild Bunch."

Turning around, Nick saw that the speaker was not the goat behind the reception desk but a much younger animal; a badger in shirtsleeves and suspenders. Nick sized him up at once as a new hire, more than likely an intern.

But, as long as he had everyone's attention, it was time to put on his most professional air. "Oh, good morning; I'm Detective Nicholas Wilde of the Zootopia Police Department." He pulled out his police badge, making certain to display it long enough to quell any and all doubts as to its authenticity. Returning the badge to his pocket, he replaced it with the business card Claudia had given him. "I was hoping to talk to Detective Martin Pennanti this morning." Laying it on the reception desk, he tapped it with a finger. "Is he in today, by any chance?"

The she-goat picked up the card and scrutinized it with the corners of her mouth pulling back and downwards. "Ahhh, that's hard to say Detective Wilde," she told him, passing it back, "Detective Pennanti's kind of a hard mammal to pin down; comes and goes as he pleases, if you know that I mean."

Nick knew; he'd already heard it downstairs...but before he could respond the badger spoke up.

"Well, if he is here, he'll be at his desk; I can go check, if you like."

"Yep, newbie," the red fox decided, "just so eager to please." He switched his expression to an ingratiating smile, and proffered the card to the young intern. "Oh, that'd be great, could you?" And then, disguising his words as an afterthought he added. "If you do happen to see him, can you tell him Claudia Nizhang sent me? And oh..." There's nothing like a little irony in your diet; now he really had remembered something else, "And tell him, 'Justice does not descend from its own pinnacle.' He'll know what it means."

"Will do," the badger replied, taking the card and disappearing like a shot through the door to the offices beyond—while Nick could only smile.

"Hrmph, I know beavers who aren't that eager."

His amusement was destined not to last; in less than three minutes the young badger was back—and the expression on his face said it all.

"I'm sorry Mr....er, Detective Wilde; Detective Pennanti isn't in today."

He sounded not unlike a mechanic, mournfully informing a customer, "I'm sorry, but that part is no longer available."

Oh well, it wasn't as if this turn of events was unexpected.

"Okay," Nick nodded, "I understand; ummm, when might he be expected to return?"

The badger shot his gaze up into the ceiling lights, as if they had unexpectedly begun to flicker. And then, he looked uncomfortably at his visitor again, "Not for at least two...uh, three more days; according to his assistant, he's out of town right now."

"Ohhh, darnit...that's too bad." Nick snapped his fingers in disappointment. What he wanted to do was subject the badger to the third degree; where, exactly, had Detective Pennanti gone on his assignment?

And what he really wanted to do was grab this kid by the collar and get right in his face, "Go ahead and lie to me, but DON'T insult my intelligence!"

He'd already had enough of that from the ZYPD.

"I'm truly sorry Detective," the badger informed him dolefully, holding out the card that Nick had given him like a peace offering.