Criminal of the Day - Murderer!

"Yes, it was me," shrieked Ms. LePlume. "I spent my entire professional life serving that ant! I fought my way up from lowly zoo bird to highly party bird! For what? To have it all ruined with the invitation of DISGUSTING satyrs and filthy Leprechauns! Shame! Oh, shame!"

"Tell it to the Squid-Judge," said Noseworthy.

Ms. LePlume ran to the window and jumped, "Never!"

A strong gust caught her under the belly. It seemed, at first, as if it might carry her straight to the Land of Glitter that she always imagined was just beyond the horizon. But this was folly. She could no more fly then her peacock cousins could swim.

Atop the lighthouse, Manfred the Pelican watched Ms. LePlume tumble onto the rocks below. As the tide washed her broken body out to sea, he wondered absently when he was scheduled to teach his first class of the semester at the university.

The Culprit!!!

Noseworthy opened the door atop the lighthouse, guns drawn and senses a-flutter. And it was there, they found the creature that hired Canny Marcel for his foul work...

Or, as Noseworthy would later quip... his "fowl" work!

Animal of the Day - Raccoon

Gerald had only been hired as the lighthouse watchman two days earlier, so he didn't know what the proper procedure was when the police demanded entry. Ultimately, he didn't put up much of a struggle. The job was only a means to an end so he could pursue his passion for the sousaphone.

Friday Mythical Creature of the Day - Hydra

Charles-Frank-Steve-Mark-Dave-Henry-Lance had grown bored with the question of who had killed Auntie Clerq. His/their attention had turned to the "Back to School" sales which were going on.

Charles-Mark-Dave wanted to sign up for a Latin class this fall, while Henry-Lance-Steve was/were more interested in Poly Sci. Frank, of course, just wanted to watch television.

Animal of the Day - Bonnet Macaque

Canny Marcel the assassin found himself surprisngly relieved when Noseworthy finally caught up to him. He had grown weary of his life of paranoia and criminality, and yearned for a long rest. He agreed to cooperate with Noseworthy in exchange for full immunity for all admitted crimes. Noseworthy said that this would all depend on what Canny Marcel had to say...

He had indeed killed Auntie Clerq, crushing her with a rock while posing as a delivery monkey. But he had not done this of his own volition. A mysterious person or persons had paid him handsomely. In fact, he was scheduled to meet his employer for payment at the old lighthouse by Lake Overcoat.

The meeting was in a matter of hours. Noseworthy had little time to waste.

Animal of the Day - Blue Jay

Simon at first tried to play the hardcase, but this was not in his nature. Faced with even the most remote chance of incaceration, he immediately told Noseworthy all that he knew.

An unidentified individual had contacted him shortly after Auntie Clerq's party had begun, asking to be put in touch with someone who could "get things done". That thing, in this case, being murder!

Simon had facilitated the meeting, for that is what he did best. While the identity of the client remained hidden and anonymous, he certainly could provide the name of the assassin he had paired them with: Canny Marcel, formerly of the circus.

Animal of the Day - African Bush Elephant

The notorious crime lord Olympus Mons took his time coming into the foyer to see Inspector Noseworthy. He did not, as a matter of principal, move particularly fast for anyone. At first Mons pretended not to see the Inspector, but as the Inspector could not himself see Mons, it made for an awkward attempt at awkwardness.

Olympus Mons was suspected of a savannah's worth of crimes, from trampling, to goring, to grand theft peanut. But he considered himself a Businessphant above all else. And the Inspector presented him a wonderful opportunity to strike a blow to the competition.

He informed Noseworthy that he was not involved in Auntie Clerq's sad ending, pompous and trifling though she was. But a little birdie told him that a little birdie told a little monkey to drop a big rock on a little ant.

The elephant suggested that Noseworthy speak to the second little birdie, which could lead him to the little monkey.