The Missing Mint Kyrii Ice Cream: Part Three

     "Hi Ana," I said innocently. "I hope I'm not barging in on your little secret hideout bush or anything..."

     "Not funny," my sister muttered as she picked up some shopping bags.

     "Here, let me help," I said, grabbing the two smallest bags that I saw. Then I looked up, and realized what I had to do next.

     A brown Moehog was gobbling down a Raspberry Blumaroo Cone just a few meters away. He stopped licking the ice cream and seemed to talk to himself. Then I looked at the bag he had beside him. Apparently his name was Pratar, since it was printed on the big bag at his hooves.

     Pratar! That was the assistant that Mr. Chipper had talked about. Number two on the suspects list. This was my chance to interview him. As the Ultimate Unofficial Detective Handbook says, a good detective should always solve the case as soon as possible.

     "Sorry about squishing you like a Dirt Pie," I told Anatolia, "but I've gotta get going!" I jumped out of the bush and ran off.

     "What? Dirt Pie?!" My sister sounded quite insulted as I skidded and landed on the Moehog's bag. "Wait!"

     I looked up and the sun blinded me for a second. Then I saw his smiling face. He seemed to be talking to himself about the Ice Cream Stand, since he was muttering things like working hours, pay, stand and ice cream.

     I got up from my undignified position on the bag and noticed that I had two bags dangling from my left arm. Drat. I realized that I had picked them up when I fell on Anatolia, but apparently I had forgotten to return them to her. Well, they weren't that heavy. I'd just have to hang onto them (or rather, have them hang onto me if you look at it literally) until I met my sister again.

     The Moehog named Pratar seemed to ignore my presence. I coughed twice, hoping that it would get his attention. It was time to talk.

     "Excuse me," I said. Pratar looked up at me and I saw that the half-eaten ice cream shivered a little bit. Perhaps we have someone guilty here? But... I remembered all the mysteries that I had read. The criminal wouldn't be so obvious.

     "Y-yes, w-what is it?" the Moehog stuttered nervously. I couldn't help to imagine him to be the guilty one, since he was practically radiating all the telltale signs of one. I looked him in the eyes.

     "I've heard that you are Mr. Chipper's assistant at the Ice Cream Stand, is that correct?" I asked, using my sister's tone. As much as I hated to admit it, Anatolia's behavior was actually useful, even though I didn't like it a lot.

     Pratar nodded. Then he looked down at his Raspberry Blumaroo Cone and looked at me again. "I-If you were wondering where this is from, i-it's a g-gift from Mr. C-Chipper."

     "So, what do you actually do around the Ice Cream Stand?" This time I used my light voice. Pratar was obviously one of those creepy, nervous pets that could break down any minute. I'd have to be careful interviewing him.

     "Well, I help Mr. Chipper to scoop ice cream," he said. "That's a very important job, or so he says." The Moehog muttered something that was too soft for me to hear before he continued. "And I also help him with stocking the ice cream. It's not a very good-paying job, but it's a nice one. Terror Mountain is a little bit cold though, at this time of the year..."

     "Thank you," I said. Well, the shaky, nervous Pratar was gaining confidence as he rambled. It was probably a good idea to let him talk. If he was as careless as I occasionally used to me, there was a chance that he could give me some useful information.

     "That was nothing," the Moehog said as he licked his ice cream.

     "So, why are you here?" The nervous Pratar was back. He jerked his head and looked at me with big, frightened eyes. "I mean," I said in a relaxed tone, trying to reassure him, "Aren't you supposed to be helping Mr. Chipper?"

     "Mr. C-Chipper gave me a b-break," the Moehog said. "I-I was just o-out here and e-enjoying the s-sun and a nice ice c-cream..."

     I nodded. "Well, did you see anything suspicious while working at the Ice Cream Stand?"

     Pratar twitched at the word'suspicious'. There was definitely something suspicious about that Moehog.

     "N-not really," he said. "Well, there were the usual kids playing around... Sometimes they play jokes and stuff, but normally they keep a good distance away from the cart. I think today it was a blue Bruce and a Kyrii."

     "Was there anything else?" I asked, looking him in the eyes again.

     "N-no."

     "Thank you for your cooperation," I said, leaving the poor, nerve-wrecked Moehog behind. There was no use to pump more information out of him, since he was too scared to reveal anything.

     I remembered my little plan and started walking towards Terror Mountain. I still had to check the information that I had gotten from the suspects with Mr. Chipper. Suspects... Mr. Chipper...

     The books said that anyone could do anything. That meant... Mr. Chipper was a suspect too! But what would he get out of stealing his own ice cream? I doubted that ice creams were insured, and a thief stealing from the Ice Cream Stand was bad publicity. He also had a good and honest nature from the way he talked about the suspects... I shook my head. There was no way Mr. Chipper would've stolen his own ice cream!

     I walked into Happy Valley and a pile of slushy snow. After a few loud complaints, I managed to get up again. However, my fur was now soaked and the chilly winds that were here made me freeze. Honestly, I felt like an ice cream.

     Imagining and shuddering at the horrible life an ice cream had, I walked right into the Ice Cream Stand (for the second time). Fortunately the poor cart didn't fall down, but the depressing broken umbrella dangled in front of my eyes.

     And then I remembered what I was here for. Mr. Chipper looked at me with that sad look of his.

     "Um... Mr. Chipper?" I asked, wondering how I could make up for my clumsiness this time.

     "Yes?"

     "I have a few questions..." I trailed off when I saw his confused look.

     "Excuse me, but who are you?" the blue creature asked.

     "I am Sandra," I said, surprised.

     "Oh..." And then he got it. "Super Detective Sandra? Did you solve the case yet?" The moping expression on his face was replaced by an excited, almost childish grin.

     "Not just yet," I said. As hard as it was, I decided to tell him the truth. "You see, I'm not really that great, not really a super detective. Just a normal pet trying out this business..."

     "That's okay," Mr. Chipper said. "You seemed to be pretty good and it and you're a good kid."

     Kid? I was a tall as him! Now, really... I reminded myself that I was here for a reason.

     "Mr. Chipper, did you see any suspicious pets around the time when the ice cream was stolen?" I asked.

     "Not really... Just those kids playing around like usual. I doubt that they could've snuck and stolen something since I didn't leave the cart for more than one minute or so."

     "Did you leave the cart?"

     "Yes, but it was only to get some ice cream... The storehouse isn't far away from here, just a short walk. Pratar was helping me to get the ice cream, so he couldn't possibly have stolen it right then. Nidelbawr was at the Stand, eating her ice cream, and she would've seen any suspicious pets..."

     "I see." This was confusing. I was sure that Pratar was pretty suspicious, but if he was with Mr. Chipper... Perhaps he snuck back during his break and stole it? Or maybe it was Nidelbawr who wasn't telling the truth? I hadn't told any of the suspects of the missing ice cream, so maybe Missy Needleball hadn't told me everything she knew...

     "How did the interviews go?" Mr. Chipper asked kindly.

     "I got some information," I said. "But they're both suspicious..." I had think, but I knew that only thinking wasn't going to solve this case. I had to do something else too...

     I racked my brains, trying to figure out what a good detective would do. Of course! Looking around the scene of crime and trying to find more clues!

     "Mr. Chipper," I said, "Do you mind if I look around here for clues?"

     "No," he said. "Go ahead. I just hope I can get that ice cream back..."

     Having received his permission, I started looking around Mr. Chipper's cart. There was nothing suspicious on it. No such things as fingerprints or forgotten memos. (As if forgotten memos would be a clue...)

     But there were some steps leading away from the cart. I followed them, but they soon disappeared into the mass of other footprints on the slushy snow. I sighed. It was useless.

     I returned to the cart, this time checking the umbrella. Nothing. Then I looked at the area around it, but there weren't any clues. Exasperated, I stomped my foot on something, slid forward and fell flat on my nose.

     "Stupid thing," I muttered to the purple sheet of paper that had caused all this trouble. And then I realized what it was. A clue!

To be continued...