Animation Infestation

The Return Adventures of Nick St. Bohr, quantological detective

If you peek into the box, Christmas disappears

…continued from yesterday

NICK ST. BOHR PUSHED JACK’S MAGIC BEANS across his desk, secured in a canvas bag. Minus his share of the beans, half of which he’d already planted in his garden. The zits on Jack’s face almost exploded from his awe at the detective’s prowess, even though he had no clue how Nick cracked the case. Despite Nick’s explanation.

Truthfully, Nick doubted Jack had a clue about much of anything. How much confidence could you have in a teenager who loses thousands of beans overnight?

Jack gathered the bag to his chest. “Geez, thanks, Mr. St. Bohr. I’ll put them somewhere safe as soon as I get home.”

Nick had suggested at least six times that Jack stash the beans in a more secure location, for instance, a safe deposit box. He held his piece this time. After all, if the kid forgot where his beans were again, he might come back to Nick and Nick would earn another commission.

Serenda parked her cheek on his desk, a succulent cheek from which extended a long, shapely leg dangling a red pump from her toe. The red pumps she wore when she planned to meet someone after work for a date. “Spill the beans, Nick. How did you solve it?”

Nick flicked the first ball on his Newton’s cradle. Unlike other Newton’s cradles, Nick’s balls collided at random, sometimes skipping bumps, sometimes swinging sideways. “Too many characters,” he told her. “A revolving door of characters. Like The Maltese Falcon, but with elves, wolves, toons, and even Daleks. And where do you find such a weird assortment?”

Serenda parked her cheek on his desk, a succulent cheek from which extended a long, shapely leg dangling a red pump from her toe. The red pumps she wore when she planned to meet someone after work for a date. “Spill the beans, Nick. How did you solve the case?”

Serenda placed her hand over the cradle to stop the balls. “Disney?”