The cab pulled to a stop outside a scraggly, reddish-brown brick building. The rain had started up again and beat down like an angry drummer. Buck hurried under the entrance awning and took a moment to shake off the excess rainwater and give his hat a few sharp taps against the brownstone.

  Inside the lobby, he immediately spotted the squirrel from yesterday, trapped in conversation with an geriatric fox.

  "…and that’s why I told him to keep his nose out of my business, but no—" The fox jabbed his cane at Hazelnut for emphasis, oblivious to her fixed smile and glazed eyes. When she noticed Buck, her tail flicked in surprise.

  Buck stepped forward to interrupt the rant. "Excuse me, sir. I'm Buck Piper, Private Investigator. I understand the Murrays live here? Do you-"

  The old fox swiftly switched targets with the cane and resumed his verbal onslaught. "Piper. Yeah, I know you. You let that murderer get away at the diner while the whole police force was just right down the street! Why haven't you stopped this killer yet? My family is in danger, you know. I'm in danger too! People are getting COOKED out there! You wanna know why you haven’t caught him yet? I'll tell you why. It's cuz your generation is too damn lazy to—"

  Hazelnut tugged on Buck’s sleeve, whispering, "They're upstairs. Follow me." She hurried to the stairwell, beckoning him to follow.

  The old fox's tirade followed them as far as he could muster. "—get off your tail and take care of business like I used to back in my day. Bunch of lousy rotten kippers…"

  "Thanks for that," Hazelnut started as they climbed, "Don’t worry about Carl. He likes to complain in whoever’s ear he can bend. I’m Hazelnut."

  "From the diner. I remember. Hard to forget someone who saw me at my worst."

  A short laugh escaped her. "Not exactly the warmest first impression, no. But you didn’t try to cuff me, so you can't be all bad." Her expression darkened. "Why do you want to talk to the Murrays?"

  Buck flipped open his notebook. "I was hoping to ask them about their son. They’re the only lead I haven't followed up on. I'm hoping they can shed some light on my case."

  Occupied by the study of his notes, he didn’t notice the squirrel was no longer walking next to him. He looked back to see she’d stopped short. "Something wrong?"

  Her ears dipped. "I'd rather you didn't bring it up," she said softly. She approached a door between them and opened it gently without knocking.

  Inside, a groundhog sat in a comfortable-looking recliner, watching TV. A colorful afghan was draped over his knees and an oxygen mask was pressed to his face. The scene made him look twenty years older than Buck's notes suggested.

  Hazelnut placed her hand on the groundhog’s shoulder. "Mr. Murray? I'm going to help Pearl get your lunch ready. This is a friend, Mr. Piper. He just came for a visit." Her voice was gentle but carried an edge—felt more like a warning than an introduction. She joined a woman in the kitchen washing dishes and began to chop up some vegetables.

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  The groundhog placed the oxygen mask aside and offered a shaky hand with a faint smile. "Nice to meet you Mr. Piper. Call me John. What is it you do?"

  Buck shook his hand and found a stool to sit on. "I'm a detective, sir. A private investigator. Gemineye Investigations." He offered his business card and spared a glance towards the kitchen. Hazelnut had a tense eye and ear in his direction.

  John read the card aloud with a chuckle. "Buck Piper. Private eye. Do you chase hooligans down dark alleys and swoop down on them from the fire escape?" His laugh collapsed into a cough that made Pearl glance over in alarm. He waved her off and took a few slow breaths under the mask.

  Buck understood Hazelnut’s hesitancy now. The family's grief was immense. Still, if he was going to prevent this from happening to anyone else, he had to find out more while he had the chance. "Yes, sir. Wouldn’t be the first time. I was hoping to ask you about Brandon."

  A sharp gasp was punctuated by the shatter of glass in the sink. Pearl stood rigid, her chin held high and strong as she gripped the side of the sink.

  Hazelnut stormed around the corner with a red hot glare, ready to throw Buck out on his ear. John held out a hand to stop her. "It's all right, Hazel. Detective Piper and I are just talking." His tone was somber but steady. "I imagine you’ve already seen the police report. I don't know what else I could share."

  Buck breathed a quick sigh of relief. "I have, but I'm more detail oriented. Was there anything that struck you as odd? Even the slightest bit?"

  The groundhog studied the rat intently and took a deep, haggard breath. "You’re serious about this. About going after him." Buck silently nodded in response. John turned and rooted through a nearby dish of keys. "You’re a fool, but better a willing fool than an obvious one. I still don't understand why they found him near that flashy district. The one with all the lights and noise."

  "The Razzle Dazzle?" Buck asked, perplexed. "Your son worked at a pharmacy in Caverlock. The entertainment district is on the other side of the city."

  John selected a key with a painted yellow letter 'B'. "He lived in Caverlock too. The police told us they would bring us his belongings but we haven't heard from anyone. Maybe you'll find something that could help." He placed the key in Buck’s hand and began to cough again but regained composure on his own.

  Hazelnut snapped to Buck's side and grabbed hold of his arm. "WE'LL go for you, John. We'll bring you his things, won't we Buck?" Her iron grip gave Buck the impression he didn't have much choice in the matter—but it also meant he didn't have to break in through the fire escape for once. A welcome change.

  "Absolutely, Hazelnut. Mr. Murray. Ma'am." Buck nodded to each of them in turn. Pearl now stood in the kitchen doorway, tears bright in her eyes. "I’m sorry for your loss. I won’t let there be another."

  The rat and squirrel made their way downstairs and outside the building. The rain had stopped so they both stood at the curb waiting for a taxi to roll by. Hazelnut hugged her arms tight against her chest, her fingers picking at a loose thread escaping her sleeve. "Thank you, Buck. I'm sorry if I got a little overprotective but the people here? They’re… my family. Everyone in that building." Her voice cracked, and she glanced away toward the end of the street. "When Brandon… when he died…"

  She stopped. The damp street shimmered slightly beneath her eyes.

  "It felt like one of the lights in the hallway went out. Just—gone."

  Buck had seen that kind of grief too many times. It never got easier. "I understand," he replied, flagging a cab. "Despite what you may have seen yesterday, I'm not an asshole. I just want this killer stopped."

  The taxi rolled to a stop and Buck opened the door for her. "Yeah, well I want him stopped too. For good." She slammed the door shut, forcing Buck to go around. The finality of the statement resonated with him. She was hurting and the best remedy he knew was to focus on the clues. He gave the driver the address in Caverlock and settled in for the drive.