Rascally Raccoon Riot: A Cozy Animal Mystery (Ruff McPaw Mysteries Book 9) by Max Parrott

Author:Max Parrott [Parrott, Max]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-09-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

The morning air was brisk as Ruff and Angela made their way to Michelle’s office at the Hummings Hollow Gazette. The Gazette, nestled in the heart of the town, always had a buzz of activity around it, but today it seemed especially busy.

Upon arriving, Angela nudged the main door open and navigated to the door boasting the editor-in-chief placard. The office was a clutter of papers, coffee mugs, and the faint hum of a computer. Michelle was sitting behind the desk in the center of the room, surrounded by a flurry of documents. When Ruff barked softly, she looked up and offered a quick nod. “Hey, guys. Right on time. Bobby should be here any minute.”

Angela set the laptop on a cluttered desk, its screen reflecting the overhead lights. She glanced around just as Bobby came in, his eyes flickering as they landed on Ruff.

“Hey, Bobby, thanks for coming. Do you think you can help us trace this IP address?” Angela asked.

“Sure thing, Angela.” Bobby ambled over, his gait awkward yet eager as he dropped onto the couch.

Ruff trotted up to Bobby, his tail swishing the air behind him. Bobby couldn’t help but smile as he reached out to scratch behind Ruff’s ears. “Hey there, buddy,” he mumbled as Ruff leaned into the impromptu massage.

As Angela opened the laptop, Ruff nudged Bobby’s hand with his nose. Bobby laughed, giving Ruff a final pet before turning his attention to the screen. His fingers flew across the keyboard with practiced ease, the clicking sounds filling the small office.

“The emails... they’re from Geoffrey Thorne, an art collector,” Bobby announced after a few minutes. He turned to Angela and swiveled the screen so she could see. “He’s a bit of a mystery, but his name’s popped up here and there. Ring any bells?”

Michelle approached, leaning over to get a better look at the screen. “Geoffrey Thorne? He’s quite the enigma. Collects art and, apparently, secrets, too.”

Angela mulled it over. “Good to know. I’ll definitely look into it. Thanks.”

“Anytime, Angela. Good luck.”

Michelle walked Bobby out and Angela dialed Chief Helbar. “Chief, it’s Angela. I found Sterling’s laptop and a thread of emails. We were able to trace the IP address back to an art collector named Geoffrey Thorne.”

“Interesting,” Chief Helbar replied. “What do we know about him?”

“Michelle and Bobby didn’t find much information on him, but it’s a start. I think we should pay him a visit.”

“Agreed. Let’s meet up in half an hour. That’ll give me enough time to track down the address, and then we can head over there together.”

“Sounds good. See you soon.” Angela hung up and glanced down at Ruff, who was now watching her with curious eyes.

Half an hour later, Angela pulled up to the address the chief had texted her and found herself surrounded by towering trees and lush gardens, hiding a long and narrow cobblestone pathway that led to Geoffrey Thorne’s secluded estate. Angela took a deep breath as she stepped out of the car, the scent of flowers and freshly cut grass filling her nostrils.

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