"HI there!
Welcome back.
You are in the mood for another story from my casebook and I am ready with one that you will like--though at the time of the story I thought that it was NOT so very much fun!
I call the case "The Haunting of Heavenly Abode".
When the case began it was winter and the weather was not pleasant. In fact it was a good day to stay indoors with a good book--which is where I was--when there was a knock on my door.
...
So that is how I found myself carrying a coffer of black diamonds out of the abandoned pier and into the sunlight of the beach.
There was a growing crowd of curious bystanders waiting. I spotted Chief Bigelow and a lot of police walruses--(that is what was drawing the crowd)--but I could also see Starry and Edgar Allan Crawfish--not too close together and mingling with the other creatures in the crowd.
There was nothing to do about the Crawfish--I hadn't CAUGHT him doing anything illegal and I was pretty sure he would disappear from our neighborhood.
I would go to the Sea Breeze Hotel and set CC's mind at rest. He would not be bothered by odd messages about birthday parties again.
I had a feeling no "rightful owners" of the black pearls would ever be found so some charity would have a windfall of needed funds.
My job was done. This "Crayfish Caper" case was closed. I felt good.
...
"They are beautiful pearls, Leo. But they are stolen--so what do we do next?"
"Look, Constable--their reputation is: STOLEN PEARLS, but I am not even sure about WHO these pearls were stolen FROM. The path of these baubles to my paws was long and crooked and shrouded in mystery--even if I WANTED to return them to their "rightful owner" I wouldn't know where to look."
"You have a reputation too, Leo. Are you going to FIGHT the police walruses to keep these pearls?"
"Nah. I have everything I need and I don't think I have to defend my reputation any more--that I am a thoroughly bad and dangerous seal is too well documented."
"Do you trust me, Leo?"
"Crab, you are about the squarest shooter I have ever come across in my long, and busy life of crime. Oddly enough, I DO trust you."
"Then let me have the pearls. I will turn them over to Chief Bigelow. We can trust him to either return them to their rightful owner--or if they cannot be found--sell them and give the money to some charity, then YOU will be off the hook and I will guarantee that no charges will be filed against you."
"Why not? I got to own them and to admire them for a few days . What in the heck do people DO with these silly treasures anyway? Take em! Give 'em to Bigelow and I hope he can use them to help somebody who needs help! I got too much on my conscience already to want any more!"
...
I followed the harbor seal a few paces into the old pier's wreckage into a cleared space.
There was a table in the center of the space and behind the table, the awesome, dangerous bulk of Leo the Leopard Seal.
"Crab. Constable Crab." he said in his familiar, deep, resonant voice. "How have you been?"
"Fine, Leo. You look well."
"Can't complain,Constable. I suppose you have surrounded the pier with police walruses and your usual help?"
"They should be here any moment."
"Always the cautious Crab, eh? Ah, well. The life of crime is not what it used to be. Sending that ignoramus of a Jellyfish on a man's job..."
"You could always change, Leo."
"It's not easy to try a new career at our age, is it Constable? Ah, well. Come closer--you see this pretty coffer on the table? Open the lid--it's hinged--and take a look inside."
I followed his directions. The cover of the well-made small coffer opened easily and revealed a mass of glittering, black bead-like objects.
"Pearls, Crab. More black pearls than you will ever see again in one place."
...
The old abandoned dock was a gloomy place.
All normal creatures avoided the rotting piles and collapsed wooden structures which irresistibly attracted criminal types .
Entering the area I expected to be met by some of the low-lifes that hung out there and I was not disappointed.
As soon as I was in the shadow of the ruin a sleek harbor seal stuck his pomaded snout out from behind some crates.
"Ahoy matey." he said, "You can STOP right there because no one is allowed to visit these premises--they are off limits to browsers."
"My name is Constable Crab." I said, "And I am here to speak with Leo the Leopard Seal."
"Constable Crab, is it?" sneered the harbor seal."Well you ARE a cheeky sneak..."
"Let him in!" roared a voice from somewhere inside the maze of fallen timbers, "I have been expecting him."
With a mock show of politeness, the harbor seal led me into the ruined dock and I was soon confronting the fearful bulk of one of the most ruthless residents of the sea, Leo the Leopard Seal.
...
"But we are going to need some SERIOUS back-up, Barney! SO fly down to Police Rock right now and tell Chief Bigelow what is going on.
Ask him to bring a squad of police walruses and be at the abandoned dock pronto if he wants to catch Leo and the Spiny Lobster, Edgar Allan, and confiscate the shipment of stolen black pearls!
I will go down directly myself --I am SURE Starry will be there too!"
"Sounds good, Constable. I'm on my way!"
...
As soon as I reached the beach there was a flutter of wings and Barney Sea Gull appeared before me.
"Ahoy, Shipmate! How's the weather up there?" I smiled.
"Perfect visibility, Constable! I could see your meeting with the jellyfish and the two crawdads and I could easily guess what happened when I saw you all split up. Now--what's the move?"
"You sea gulls certainly don't miss much! I think my client, CC is out of danger--and I think we should carry the battle to the enemy."
"You mean go after the kingpin and the loot?"
"Right, Barney! I think we can apprehend Leo the Leopard Seal and the shipment of stolen black pearls."
"Constable, I happen to know that Leo is staying in his (ahem) secret office under the old abandoned dock. And I suspect he still has the black pearls somewhere near. Maybe we could catch him when he tries to pass them on to the pale blue fence of whom we know--Edgar Allen Crawfish by name?"
"You've read my mind, Barney, and Starry is tailing that slippery crawdad right now!"
...
