Winchester-Nabu Detective Agency Year Five:
Case File No. 41-249
AMBER LOVE 21-FEB-2022 Find out how all this began. Catch up on Year One, Year Two, Year Three, Year Four and previous Year Five cases at the Winchester-Nabu Detective Agency.
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Where We Left Off:
Oliver, Gus, and the biographer had unpleasant but necessary trips to their doctors.
The Long Wait:
At the tail end of January, Gus surprised the rest of us at the detective agency with a confirmed kill after three squatters escaped our captivity. He and Oliver wanted to get the Bloody Burrow Gang out of our house! After case file no. 37-245, the boys didn’t give up. They split shifts at key locations to conduct stakeouts. Long nights of staring and listening.
skritch-skritch-squeak
We were hearing the squatters day and night inside the walls. It was so loud, I wondered if it was something besides a mouse. Something larger. Or perhaps, more dangerous.
This ruthless gang living a luxurious life under our roof has to go. Wild animals get thin and hungry in the winter. Not these rodents. They live a good life here. Wasteful. Debaucherous. And constantly willing to flaunt their rule over the bootlegging crawlspaces between the walls from attic to cellar. It’s constant frustration for Gus who has been cooped up and itching for his outdoor adventures to get rid of his pent up energy in the trees. Gus was on edge. He was hypervigilant. He was going to get those bastards.
The second week of February, we celebrated The Butler’s 50th birthday quietly with some presents after the work day. The Cook made an outstanding banana cream pie (of which I ate half). The sun was finally rising earlier and it wasn’t completely pitch black by 4pm anymore (sunset is only 5:15pm, but still, it’s an improvement). I had gotten that booster shot at the beginning of the week and was still hurting even on Thursday. I had taken a pill for the pain and slept quite well for me.
At 0600, Oliver and Gus came barreling into my bedroom like a tornado. It felt like they made a few laps and leaps within a minute. I looked over at the clock. I saw the sun rising higher. I was immediately impressed that those two crime fighters were involved in something indoors during daylight. I recognized the sound Gus made. I knew he had a mouse.
*Eliot Spencer voice*: “It’s a very distinctive sound.”
By the time I sat up and watched them, the target was tired and covered in spit. Gus chased the super sized mouse through Oliver’s office. A column fell. A pedestal inside was knocked over. I still haven’t assessed for further damage. The new koi pond and cat grass features were still okay. I could see those from my position on the bed.
Oliver stalked from the front side of the office/tavern building. Gus somehow looped around inside and exited the main doorway where he proceeded to drop the target on his back. As I looked at him lying belly-up (supine), I thought maybe Gus had another over-zealous kill, but the subject righted himself.
I let out a Keanu “whoa” and got out of bed. I fetched the witness transport unit and delivered it to Gus and Ollie. The perp hadn’t dashed away in the meantime which was another miracle of this particular capture. Seriously – first they managed this at a reasonable hour of the day and then the perp didn’t escape when he had the chance. Things were looking good. Real good.
“I’m tired,” Oliver said.
“I’m hungry,” Gus said.
“You’re always hungry.” Oliver gave his partner some side-eye.
“So are you, chonk.”
“Hey! No fat shaming in this house.” Oliver was well aware of his bouncy figure and didn’t care what the doctor said about it.
“Well done, guys. I need some pants. Then I’ll take this fella for a long walk.” I searched for some fuzzy leggings, socks, slip-on shoes and would add my flannel, safety vest, and hat once I got down the stairs. Needed to grab the Mag-lite and get the phone ready to record the witness relocation which I do in a way that I hope no one can identify any of the landmarks.
The Cook was up of course. She warned me that it was supposed to be icy outside and freezing rain.
Fuck.
I was grateful and relieved that when I stepped off the curb, the shiny black asphalt seemed to be only wet and not icy. I wasn’t looking forward to another fall especially with my hands full.
There were cars out already, but not many. The sunrise was a gorgeous indigo sky with a band of flaming orange at the horizon. I could barely the pond through the trees. I wondered if the bobcat was out there watching me.
At first, the perp didn’t want to leave the transport unit. I don’t blame him. He had no idea where the hell he was. But fortunately, once his feet touched down on the ground, he felt a sense of empowerment and took off like no other perp has ever done. They’ve always been a bit hesitant and explore slowly. I’m pretty sure I heard this one scream, “FREEDOM!” Braveheart style as he bolted towards the decrepit former home of Little King Meth House (trash panda).
Back home, Oliver and Gus were waiting for their rewards. In between bites of dried chicken, they filled me in on the details needed for the case file.
Case Findings:
The target had been the subject of an intense round-the-clock surveillance operation. He is none other than Mr. Clyde Barrow! The notorious criminal! Clyde had been all kinds of bootlegging trouble and petty thieving. Even when he got caught, his records were wiped clean. Maybe some other judges and crime fighters were taking sweet, sweet payoffs to make that happen. Anyway, Clyde became quite the kingpin here where the living was good. Now that he has been released across the border, we hope he stays away, but with Clyde, you can never know where he’ll show up.
Case Status: Closed
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.