The day was dragging on, escpecially since Judy wasn't her normal, perky self, and that bothered Nick. Not that it was because he wanted to tease her, but just because his partner was usually the optomistic one in the pair, and if she was down, both of them were down, which did not help their work.

Thankfully Bogo seemed to realize this, and being his normal, sympthetic self (who was Nick kidding, Bogo was just feeling slightly better today) he let them go early, there being no cases. The pair had noticeably sighed at that, and after Bogo dismissed them, they made their way to their parked car.

Only as they arrived, Nick realized he forgot the keys, and just stood there, whistling.

"Nick, where are the keys?" Judy finally asked, after looking in her pockets.

"Ahh, I thought you had them?" he asked playfully, taking his sunglasses off.

"Nick, go back and get them. Now," and that he did, not wanting to make Judy any more angry than she was.

He raced up the stairs, mind flashing at where those darn keys were. He briefly remembered going to the interrogation rooms, where they held suspects in custody, and then remembered resting his jacket on a bench while he waited.

They must have fallen out, he thought, well, I will just go there, seeing that I have no idea where they could be other than there.

So he made a sharp turn left, heading through a small hallway, over to the interrogation rooms, which, in his mind, temprorary jail.

He burst through the doors, startling Wolford who was right there. With a swift apology, Nick raced over to the room where he was last.

28, 29… 30!

There they are! Nick puffed out in relief, thankful Judy wouldn't have his neck after all. He turned around, when a suspect caught his eye.

She was being led in by McHorn, who seemed to be getting really irritated. She was another red fox like him, except a bit younger and with slightly darker fur, a bit shorter than him, a slightly white tip on her tail other than black, more black on her ears. Nick looked at her face, and realized with a start that she was muzzled, other than cuffed, her paws behind her back. She was also wearing a turquoise T-shirt, with dark blue jeans, and a dark grey hoody.

And she looked furious.

So, without thinking, he walked over to the two, just as McHorn had uncuffed the vixen, and thrown her into the cell.

"Ah, hey McHorn, how's it going?" Nick asked casually, walking over to the rhino, who turned around, "Listen, you seem tired, why don't you go have a break, I will interrogate this suspect, afterall, I don't have anything else to do,".

"Fine. But be careful, she's a sneaky one, sharp tongue. She was accused of conning a goat, mid-forties, into buying an IFur for two times the price. Try get the truth out, you may have more luck than I would," the large officer replied in a gruff voice, turning around to stomp away.

Nick gave a victory smirk as he watched the officer leave, and turned around to the young criminal.

He almost instantly regretted taking over, as he returned the vixen's harsh glare, her eyes narrowed, as she sat on a seat in the cell. Her tail was whipping around furiously, ears twitcing slightly, as Nick opened the cell to go in, resealing it.

"So, honey, what did you do to get in here?" he asked casually, sitting next to her.

"What's in it for you?" was all she said, still staring at him venomously.

"Huh, I am up against myself, aren't I? Ok then, let's start with your name," he asked, trying a different tactic as she instantly set up a wall for his previous question, "unless you want me to keep calling you names," Nick added with a smirk.

The vixen knew she was cornered, and answered him with a mutter.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that," Nick said with an exaggerated motion, bringing his hand up to his ear, leaning into the vixen a little.

"Pawera! Ruby Pawera," she replied, shouting a little as she dwindled. She turned her head around, so she didn't have to look at the startled fox.

"Hmm, classic fox name. Pretty,"

"I would change it if I could. Now since I have told you my name, don't I get to know yours? Not like I have the power here," she said, turning back, holding his gaze. Nick took note that her eyes may be brown, but they were really shiny and bright. Argg, focus Nick!

"Wilde, Nick Wilde," he replied, a bit soft, more gentle. He knew that when handling a girl he should be more gentle, escpecially the aggressive kind of woman.

Nick held out a paw, and after a few seconds, Ruby hesitantly held hers out and shook his.

"See, that wasn't hard. Now, maybe you could tell me why you were brought here in the first place," he said, pulling his paw back as she did the same. However, as he asked that, she was immediately defencive again, any gentleness gone in a flash.

"They accused me of conning an IFur, but I didn't! I sold it for the proper amount! And they muzzled me, for no reason! I, may have tried to bite an officer, actually…" she confessed, her silky ears going back.

"Mhmm. Well, to tell the truth, I used to be a con-artist too. I used to, con people into buying pawpsicles," Nick said, leaning back in the cell, as Ruby whipped to face him in astonishment.

"Really?! I mean, how did you manage to become a cop, after?" she asked, putting her guard back up quickly.

"Well, I did help solve the Night Howler case along with Judy," Nick replied casually, as a look of shock over came the vixen's face. Man, he loved those reactions the best of all.

"You helped in the Night Howler case! Wow…" Ruby said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. All of her anger seemed to have faded. Perfect.

"Yes, but enough about me. Did or didn't you con that IFur," he asked, even though it was a bit sudden. He did feel guilty, though, as he watched her reaction from the corner of his eyes.

Poor vixen, she must have had the hard yards too.

"Ok, fine, I did. I just needed the money!" she confessed, crying out.

"Alright. You do realize that you will have to pay a fine, but after, you will be released. Thanks for actually telling me," Nick said, resting his hand on the vixen's shoulder.

"Yeah, well, you would understand a bit more tha those stupid oafs out there," Ruby said, giving a tiny smile, through the muzzle. Oh man, she still had the muzzle on!

"Here, since there is no use for this," Nick said, getting up and reaching for the muzzle buckle, and unbuckling it," I will take it off," the muzzle fell to the floor, making Ruby blink a couple of times to make sure.

"Thanks," the vixen said, looking up at the smirking fox.

"Yeah, don't mention it. There really is no use for this trash," he said, kicking it away, making Ruby give a little chuckle.

"I understand how freaky muzzles are, I had to deal with one once, and it was not nice. Welp, I better get going. My partner is probably waiting for me, ready to kill me at about any second and-"

"Oh I am," a voice sounded, making both foxes freeze, with Nick still standing, and Ruby still sitting.

Yay I posted the first chapter! I admit, I have been busy lately, well. today, and I finally got around to starting it. Now don't worry, I won't go to far concerning Ruby and Nick, she is just there to help them.

I know, I didn't say much in this first chapter, but it is getting started. I will write more about the actual crime in the next chapter, and will tie a few plot holes right up.

So anyway, thanks for reading this first chapter, and please comment on any idea that you may have (I may or may not use them, so sorry about that), and any advice. Until next chapter, May the Carrots be with you!