The Polar Chuck Thief

      Before he could relax, he checked the weather conditions in all over Neopia. 'Ugh. Raining everywhere today. Just like it was yesterday.' As he sat back in his recliner chair, hands resting on his stomach, Swhi came running up to him. Swhi was a Robot Kacheek, and always gave Relyane the company he needed. Relyane ran a detective business, and he helped solve crimes and problems whenever his friends needed him.

      Swhi said, "Hurry! I need your help! I can't seem to find my Polar Chucks."

      "Just tell me when and where you last saw them," said Relyane in a reassuring voice.

      "Well, I put them on my Meowclops Coffee Table in my Neohome, but it's not there anymore!" said Swhi, panting for air.

      Swhi led Relyane into his Terror Mountain Neohome, and Relyane began to investigate. Relyane asked Swhi questions, like who had visited, what they did, and how long the Polar Chucks had been there. Swhi gave the names of all three Neopets who had visited the previous day. All of them had marveled of how stylish the Polar Chucks were.

      "Their names are: Typeb, Cloudic, and Bagelio," said a worried Kacheek. "I got the Polar Chucks as a present from my friend, and if I don't find them, they'll be furious."

      Relyane couldn't find any evidence of someone breaking into the house, so he went to interrogate the three suspects. He started with Typeb.

      "I have no idea where it is!" exclaimed Typeb.

      "Well, what were you doing at Swhi's house?" questioned the Chomby.

      "I was... helping Swhi decorate his house. He just bought tons of furniture from the Neohomes Superstore, and he needed help bringing everything in."

      "Okay. Did you notice his new Meowclops Coffee Table?" asked Relyane.

      "No. I had to leave early. That was the last piece of furniture, so I thought Swhi could handle that himself."

      "Where did you go to?"

      "I had a Water Faerie quest that was very urgent. You see, since I can't use the Shop Wizard, my friend found me The Great Cybunny Theft. She neomailed me after I posted it on the Neoboards. I mean at a bargain of 920 neopoints, who wouldn't want to get it? So, I had to leave promptly before anyone beat me to it."

      "Okay. Thanks. Bye," said Relyane.

      _______________________________

      Relyane left Typeb's house and went to visit Cloudic's house. Cloudic was in the garden, planting starberries and loveberries.

      "Hi, Relyane!" said Cloudic cheerfully. Cloudic was a Spotted Kiko who loved to work in the garden.

      "Hi. I just stopped by to ask what you were doing at Swhi's house yesterday," said Relyane.

      "Oh! I had a splendid time with Swhi. We were reading and discussing books. As you know, I simply love reading books. My favorite is Kiko Pop-Up Book, and that's what we read first! You should have joined us!"

      "Yeah, I was busy yesterday. Did you happen to notice Swhi's new Polar Chucks?"

      "Yes. Don't you think their awesome? I gave them to Swhi as a late birthday present. Wait! Why are you asking me this? What happened to them?"

      "What? Oh nothing did. I was just wondering, uh... where did you get them?"

      "Are you sure nothing happened to them?"

      Relyane hated to lie to Cloudic, but if this case received too much popularity, the thief would hide. So, Relyane said, "yes."

      _______________________________

      Relyane was devastated that he had no new leads to follow up on. He finally went to his last stop of Bagelio's house. Bagelio, who was a green Cybunny that loved to try on new accessories and clothing styles, lived in the Lost Desert, so Relyane was sweating by the time he got there. At Bagelio's house, Relyane knocked on the door with his Chomby paw. Bagelio looked relieved to see Relyane.

      "Hi! Come inside and have a seat," said Bagelio happily.

      Relyane walked in and sat on Bagelio's beach chair.

      "What were you doing at Swhi's house yesterday?" asked Relyane, clearly tired.

      "Oh... I uh, I was visiting," said an obviously nervous Bagelio.

      "Yes, I know, but what exactly were you doing there?" said a suspicious Relyane.

      "I... well. Swhi and I were... sunbathing," blurted Bagelio.

      "You didn't have to scream."

      "Sorry..." Bagelio said.

      "Give me the Polar Chucks," Relyane said.

      "What? I didn't take them! How could you think so?"

      "I know you're lying. Give them now before I tell Swhi!" exclaimed Relyane.

      Bagelio hopped back to his living room and reappeared with the Polar Chucks.

      "How did you know?" Bagelio said gloomily.

      "You'll figure out. I have to run. Bye!"

      "Finally! You're back! Did you figure out who took my Polar Chucks?"

      "Of course I did!" said the relaxed Chomby.

      "Who did? Who did? I'm going to get them for this!" said the Kacheek, hand cupped around his fist.

      "Well, let me just tell you what they all said, and you tell me if they were lying. The first person I visited was Typeb. He told me that he was helping you with the furniture. Right so far?"

      "Uh-huh."

      "Then, he said he had to leave immediately. Why?"

      "Oh, he said that he was on a Water Faerie quest and his friend found him the book.

      "Okay. So he wasn't lying, I would assume."

      "Cloudic said that he was reading and discussing books with you. Which book did you read first?"

      "Oh! We read Cloudic's favorite. I think it was called Kiko Pop-Up Book?"

      "So, if they both were telling the truth, that means..."

      "Bagelio? How could he have done that? I mean we were having a great time, playing video games and all."

      "That's why I brought you back this."

      Relyane handed Swhi back his Polar Chucks he had been hiding behind his back.

      "Thank you so much! I have a question though. How did you know before confirming everything with me?"

      "Well, you know how you said you put it on the Meowclops Coffee Table? If Typeb wasn't there for that, he couldn't have taken it. He did make himself sound suspicious, though. He said he needed the book The Great Cybunny Theft. I trusted him on that, anyways. So, only Cloudic and Bagelio could have done it. When I was talking to Cloudic, he told me something interesting. He said he got you the Polar Chucks. So, he was definitely not it. Why would he take it again? Then, Bagelio said that you guys were sunbathing. That seems definitely out of the question. First of all, your house is in Terror Mountain. Isn't that too cold for sunbathing, even in the summer? Second, I checked the weather report in the morning. It said that everywhere it was raining yesterday. So, cold or not, you couldn't have sunbathed."

      "Thank you so much Relyane!" said Swhi. "Without you and your smart thinking, I would have never gotten my Polar Chucks back."

      "No worries, Swhi. If you ever need help again, you know who to ask," Relyane said as he smiled.

The End