Chapter 10: A Secret Relationship.


Judy returned to the living room accompanied by Nicholas to move on to the next suspect, Mary Gazelle. The young gazelle wore a red dress hidden under a brown coat. She approached the table before sitting down and answering the rabbit's questions.
Judy Poirot: Miss Gazelle what were you doing last night after dinner?
Mary Gazelle: I was in your old compartment while Monsieur Michel was preparing the one you occupied last night. I was reading one of my favorite novels: Around the World in 80 Days. Around 9 p.m. Miss Bellwether came back after talking to the other rabbit, she told me that she had offered her some aspirin. Then I got ready for the night and went to bed, but I heard Miss Bellwether come out and when she came back she told me she had gone to get some aspirin.
Judy Poirot: And did any of you come out of the compartment?
Mary Gazelle: No, none of us came out.
Judy Poirot: Have you heard of the Armstrong case?
Mary Gazelle: Yes I heard about it, it was a case that made the headlines. But why are you asking me this question?
Judy Poirot: Casseti the kidnapper of little Cotton Armstrong, is the person who died yesterday.
Mary Gazelle (a little annoyed): So that bastard got what he deserved.
Judy Poirot: How did you know Colonel Bogo?
Mary Gazelle: We met on the train to Chima Kingdom. We just chatted a bit before we got on the ferry where I met you.
Judy Poirot: And what did you think of him?
Mary Gazelle: He seems like a good person to me.
Judy Poirot: Excuse me, miss, but I see you're not telling me the whole truth.
Mary Gazelle: I don't know what you mean?
Judy Poirot: I overheard a conversation between you two on the ferry and you were going to be close.
Mary Gazelle: I am sorry Miss Poirot, but there is no law that forbids my silence.
Judy Poirot: Miss Gazelle if you don't answer my question and I can't find the culprit then, by reading my report the police could arrest you as the main suspect.
A loud voice echoed through the living room, and Detective Judy saw Colonel Bogo in a light gray suit with a dark orange shirt with a black tie, burst into the interrogation.
Colonel John Bogo (annoyed): Leave Miss Poirot alone, if she has nothing to say then she has nothing to say, as she told you nothing prevents her from being silent.
Judy Poirot: Colonel Bogo I caught you on the ferry and you called her Mary, that shows you knew each other well. You were going to kiss her but she pushed you away saying ''No John not now, when it's all over nothing will get in the way of us''. What were you both waiting for when Casseti died?
Colonel John Bogo: THIS CONVERSATION WAS PRIVATE!
Mary Gazelle (addressing Bogo): John please calm down. (turning back to Judy) Miss Poirot, it's true that John and I knew each other well, but what we said to each other on the ferry was about a matter that only involves the two of us. And unfortunately I can't say anything, I'm sorry.
Gazelle left the room.
Colonel John Bogo: Listen to me Miss Detective, I advise you to leave Mary alone or I will settle your score.
At that moment a scream echoed in the train, which caught Judy's attention.
Judy Poirot: That scream is from the Zootropolis car.
And with that she left the living room and went to the Zootropolis car, where she saw Mrs. Hubbard's compartment door open where she found Nicholas trying to comfort the rabbit.
Judy Poirot: What happened to you Mrs. Hubbard?
Bonnie Hubbard (In shock): I found the dagger in my toilet bag.
Judy saw the knife on the bed and sent Michel for Dr. Constantine and a brandy to calm Mrs. Hubbard.
A few minutes later Dr. Constantine arrived on the scene with Michel who brought a glass of cognac which he gave to Mrs. Hubbard. Judy showed the found object to the doctor.
Judy Poirot: Doctor Constantine do you think this is the murder weapon?
Dr. Emmitt Constantine: Given the size of the blade, it's similar to the wounds on the body.
Nicholas Bouc: The culprit had to hide it here so they could get rid of it, when it broke into Mrs. Hubbard's compartment.
Judy Poirot: All we have gathered so far is that we have two mysterious passengers on board, a sheep driver and a woman in a red kimono, we don't know who they are. Maybe it's one and the same person. Or they are two and it can be a man and a woman. We haven't always found the uniform and the red kimono.
Nicholas Bouc: I'll take care of finding those two pieces of clothing.
Judy Poirot: Alright, if you pick me up I'll be outside, I need some fresh air to get my little gray cells working.
Judy returned to her compartment and put on her brown jacket before exiting the train. Outside the sky was dark, the young rabbit looked at the mountains on the horizon, before heading towards the locomotive. She was walking between the two rails in front of the locomotive before hearing a noise coming from behind. She turned around and saw Colonel Bogo approaching her.
Judy Poirot: You came to settle my account?
Colonel John Bogo: No, I was looking for you because I wanted to talk to you. First of all excuse me for my behavior earlier. Let's keep walking a bit, so we'll be alone to talk.
Judy Poirot: Well let's continue to discuss.
Colonel John Bogo: As Mary told you, we have something personal between her and me. I am ready to tell you but I do not want it to be put in your report, all of this must remain secret.
Judy Poirot: I don't mind keeping that to myself and not putting it in my report until it's implicated in Casseti's death.
Colonel John Bogo: You see I have been married for eighteen years but soon found out that my wife was cheating on me so I want a divorce. I met Miss Gazelle and we quickly fell in love with each other. But if my wife finds out about our relationship, she might file for divorce and take anything I can give Mary. That was what we were talking about on the ferry.
Judy Poirot: I will keep your secret. Now since you're the last passenger I haven't interviewed yet and we're both alone, maybe you could answer my questions.
Colonel John Bogo: I'm listening to you miss.
Judy Poirot: Were you in Mr. Finnick's compartment that night?
Colonel John Bogo: Yes I was in his compartment, we discussed the regime of animalism that took hold in Russia, we discussed a lot on this subject because we are both precise in the details, we have Had a drink or two and we left around 2am.
Judy Poirot: Colonel since you had been in the army, had you known Colonel Armstrong?
Colonel Bogo began to reach into his pocket and took out a pipe which he began to fill with tobacco before lighting it.
Colonel John Bogo: I must have known 2 or 3 Armstrongs, that's a pretty popular name.
Judy Poirot: I'm talking about Colonel Stuart Armstrong.
Colonel John Bogo: I didn't know him personally, but I heard a lot about him. He was quite a good soldier, he was even decorated with the Victoria Cross. I overheard your conversation with Mary and found out that Mr. Doug, whose name was Casseti, was the man who killed his daughter. I don't know who did this but if I wanted to kill him, I would have reported him to the police so that he could be judged before being sentenced to death.
Judy Poirot: So you're more of a person who prefers legal retribution to personal revenge.
Colonel John Bogo: If we're settling scores by killing people ourselves, then what good is a jury of 12 or 13 people?
Judy Poirot: And I see you were smoking a pipe, Colonel Bogo.
Colonel John Bogo: Yes I smoke a pipe why are you asking me that question?
Judy Poirot: We found a pipe cleaner in Casseti's compartment, and you're the only person smoking a pipe on this train.
Colonel John Bogo: Getting on the train I lost my pipe cleaner, someone must have taken it and put it in the victim's compartment to blame me. But as I told you I was in Finnick's compartment when the crime was committed.
Judy Poirot: Your alibi is solid and holds up well because Mr. Finnick certified it to me. And I think you didn't find your colonel tie pin.
Judy took the pin out of her pocket.
Colonel John Bogo: I'm sorry but I don't wear a tie pin, because since it makes holes, for me it damages the tie
Judy Poirot: If you say so, I think we should come back to the car.
Colonel John Bogo: I agree with you miss.
Judy and Bogo turned around before getting back into the Zootropolis car.

Zootopia character belongs at Disney and Murder on the Orient Express belong at Agatha Christie and the picture belongs at Kendall Colins and the animalism bellngs at George Orwell Chima belong at Warner Bros and the world turn on 80 days belong at Jules Verne