Detective Zander showed up late at his office/home. Jessica had arrived earlier and was glowing, actually positively glowing from her skin when he walked in. Her skin stopped glowing except a slight shade of pink around her cheeks and her tail twitched.

"What has you so happy, Jessica?" asked Zander as he scoured in her desk for a packet of instant coffee.

She opened the second drawer down and gave him a pack.

Zander ripped it open, dropped it in a coffee stained cup and filled the cup with cold water from the tap. The liquid popped and sizzled then settled into a proper glass of coffee with steam coming from it. Zander burned his tongue on the first sip.

"You're supposed to wait a minute to let it cool. What has you looking like a month old towel?"

"Case came in last night. Could you change your door code. Seems it's comprised."

"A case? Why don't I have any notes."

"Because the case showed up unannounced when my receptionist was at home sleeping. I was hoping to solve this thing quick but honestly don't know where to begin. I have been to every animal shelter, zoo, pet store in the station. Private collectors. Asking around at coffee shops."

"For a skowjam? They're illegal anyway."

Detective Zander swirled a sugar cube into his coffee along with powdered creamer. He swirled the spoon slowly and blinked his tired eyes and yawned. After a moment longer than he'd care to admit, he asked, "How'd you know I was looking for a skowjam?"

"Good guess I suppose. I heard about the missing creature. I'm sure I saw a flyer about it. I could make some phone calls.But they are horrendous creatures. You should let this case go. A missing pet. It's beneath you."

"Yes. But unfortunately I can't. It's a Hoshaness that is looking for his pet. Seemed like he was very attached to the creature and wasn't afraid to toss around a few threats."

"Hoshaness? Come on boss. I thought you were above stereotypes. Let it go. The Hoshaness is bluffing, he's just using his species reputation to unnerve you. It's a lost pet."

"Maybe you're right. Besides, I don't have any other leads. You can head home today, after you change your code. I'm going to catch up on some lost sleep and collect my thoughts." Detective Zander kicked off his shoes and headed towards his bed to catch some Zzzs. His head hit the pillow and he barely stirred when the door closed as Jessica left.

He stirred when the alarm went off. Someone had tried Jessica's old code. That triggered the system into an amber system and not directly sending the police. Truthfully he had all miscoded attempts trigger an amber setting but the code flashing across his ceiling in his view showed the alarm code entered match Jessica's old code. The camera display joined the text floating in his face. At least the security projector worked.

Johnny Jesse Jame's was pounding on his door. Behind the Hoshaness the image blurred and the security system marked the distortion as a threat. Detective Zander tucked his pistol under his armpit and approached the door.

The Hoshaness knocked again.

Detective Zander placed the pistol and the door and cracked the door open. "Johnny, I know it's regular business hours but you need to book an appointment. You can't just use the secretaries code and expect that to do."

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"Stand down Franky. The good detective doesn't mean to insult me." Johnny pushed on the door.

Detective Zander pushed down on the doors emergency lock. "I took the case but have no leads ... yet ... I have no leads yet."

"Oh, I was informed that you were dropping the case."

"You heard wrong. Give me something to go on. I haven't even seen the crime scene."

"You need to come on over to my house? That can be arranged, you only needed to ask." Johnny flexed on the door, bending it further and cracking the window. "Only seems I can't quite get in. You're a stickler for protocol. My mother would be impressed. Come by my place at eight sharp. You wan't protocol that can be arranged."

The force on the door dropped away and Detective Zander had to knock his shoulder into the door twice before the emergency lock would disengage. He opened the door to an empty hallway. Pounding on the wall was followed by a floating hand; a thick Gunk's hand pointing its crooked index finger at Zanders chest. The hand dropped back into its cloak disappeared down the hallway.

Zander looked at his watch--six thirty. He used the remaining hour and half flexing his door back into shape enough it would close followed with a quick shower then headed to Johnny's pad. Everyone who ever had a fine dinner in the station knew where it was. Detective Zander took the elevator up to the third from highest floor. The top-most floor he was allowed to go to. The restaurant receptionist politly returned him to the elevator and scanned an emerald green card and pressed the next floor up.

A gunk assistant greeted Detective Zander with a nod and motioned to the chair by a front room. Johhny's place had the refinement of well Detective Zander couldn't place the style or designer. He wasn't sure if the chaotic color choices were meant to clash in a funky or abstract way or if the alien species responsible for such decor saw the universe very differently than humans did. But it was all expensive. Lights, chandeliers, tables. Expensive.

"Maybe the pet ran away to get a better view," Zander mumbled under his breath.

The door opened and a Kohask hand welcomed him into the dimly lit room."

"Excuse me. I'm here to meet Johnny and see his pet's fish tank."

"Not until after I get some measurements."

Dective Zander dropped his hand down to his empty waist. He'd left the pistol and doubted the plastic single shot strapped to his ankle would do anything to a Kohask or a Hoshaness but he had known security scanners and check points would look down upon him being armed. Zander walked into the room and the Kohask pulled his arms out straight straining on his shoulder sockets. "Not so. Look if you want my arms up just let me know."

"Now in front as well. And don't slouch. Head up. That's good."

Lasers scanned across Detective Zander. "I'm clean. I didn't bring my pistol. Hell I'm not even wearing my coat."

"Don't care. Stand up straight. Your posture is very poor. Very weak back. That's better."

The laser scanned him again.