<span style="font-weight: bold">Outside the Record store </span><br/><br/>Dale was unimpressed with James’ recent manner of behaviour. He wondered if he realised that any threats, true or ridiculous and out of this world, were still threats. And thus, punishable behaviour.<br/><br/>“Did you hear that sir?!” Kip demanded, looking to Dale for any command to go back inside and give that kid a piece of his mind. And his fist, for that matter.<br/><br/>Dale was ignoring him. His mind drifted back to the last question James had answered:<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"A short blond Fox, not sure what kind. I was out front having a smoke when she stopped and asked for one, so I handed one to her then we talked a bit then she left." </span><br/><br/>Dale scratched his head. There were many blond foxes in this city.<br/><br/>It was a long shot but he made a note of perhaps asking one of his colleagues, Athena O’shea, if she had popped by at the record store last night. He knew that she had tried to quit smoking several times. However, he wouldn’t be surprised if she had fallen off the rehab wagon again.<br/><br/>“Sir???” Kip had his glaring sunshades on again, looking to his boss “did you hear anything I just said??”<br/><br/>“Schott… pull yourself together…” Dale grumbled “we have what we needed. Some cassette tapes and a possible alibi. Try not to get your boxers in a twist… we need a clear head about this situation.”<br/><br/>“Excuse me…?! We’re you even LISTENING back there?!” Kip asked incredulously “he practically threatened me back there! Looked into the future and said I’d get shot?!”<br/><br/>“Kip… the kid’s a loner…” Dale smirked, starting to walk off down the dawnly painted street with the German Shepherd trying to keep up with him “are you going to mistake some bereaved child for a psychic now???”<br/><br/>“…No but…”<br/><br/>“Listen…” Dale raised his voice, before holding an index finger to his lips to shush him.<br/><br/>“…he is a suspect. And there is something REALLY wrong with him. I’m with you on that rookie. However, now is not the right time to strike. Let sleeping dogs lie… until we’ve collected some other pieces to our… missing mystery…”<br/><br/>The Officers stared at each long and hard. Some contention between the young Officer and the older and wiser one.<br/><br/>“Coffee…?” Dale offered, gesturing towards a nearby café “my treat!”<br/><br/>________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Olive’s Florist store </span><br/><br/>Athena noted that Olive looked somewhat queasy and gave her an inquisitive look for it.<br/>Her eyes widened as she caught the tray of breakfast goods. Namely an assortment which consisted of Cocoa Puffs, and black coffee. With some milk cast aside in a small container.<br/><br/>She couldn’t complain about the latter at all. She needed it. A dose right about now would’ve been great.<br/><br/>“…there’s more food…” Athena heard Olive say, before she was able to answer her question on how Declan was doing.<br/><br/>“It’s fine… this looks great,” Athena reassured Olive, taking the tray upstairs whilst Olive followed her “Declan is awake and looking well.<br/><br/>All thanks to you…” Athena nodded and gave her a look of approval.<br/><br/>The two entered the room and found Declan sitting up in bed. Smiling and waving in a child like manner.<br/><br/>“Thanks so much for all your help flower girl… it’s appreciated!” Declan said straight away.<br/><br/>“…she has a name!” Athena frowned, placing the breakfast tray on the bedside table. She picked up the bowl of coco puffs and handed it over to Declan. Who in turn supported the bowl with one hand and leant the rest against his knees.<br/><br/>“Olive… I mean Olive…” Delan’s eyes widened, gritting his teeth at the prospect of annoying two possibly hot headed females. Athena at the very least would come across that way.<br/>Olive, on the other hand, looked quite queasy at the moment.<br/><br/>“Are you alright…?” Declan asked, eyeing her whilst scooping some cereal out of the bowl and swallowing a portion.<br/><br/>“She’s fine…” Athena replied dubiously, looking to the half panda girl. She figured she might appreciate not having too much speculation on her for now. Maybe she got a phonecall from an angry customer or saw a nasty bill in the mail.<br/><br/>“Anyway… Declan…” Athena narrowed her eyes as she turned to him, sipping some milky coffee before putting it back on the bedside table and folding her arms.<br/><br/>“What happened to you last night?”<br/><br/>“I should ask you the same thing… you weren’t standing where I last left you…” Declan frowned somewhat.<br/><br/>“Well… you took a long time… and I heard a scream- which is why I ran off somewhere… to the docklands peer!” Athena explained. Declan’s brow frowning even more suspiciously.<br/><br/>“You were somewhere else before that.”<br/><br/>“Ok…” Athena laughed incredulously. Was she REALLY being suspected by her close colleague and friend about something.<br/><br/>“I walked over to the record store and talked to a guy,” Athena explained “he was tall. Heavy build. Something seemed off about him…”<br/>She wasn't about to confess she also asked for a cigarette.<br/><br/>Declan ruffled his head a bit. Opening eyes wider as if to beckon Athena for further explanations.<br/><br/>“I can’t explain it!” Athena gritted her teeth, before turning to Olive.<br/>Her complexion hadn’t improved whatsoever.<br/><br/>“Seriously… do you need a moment to lie down? Declan and I can take this conversation back to our office. We really don’t want to overstay our welcome…” she said to Olive.