AWKWARD ZOMBIE

Whitney stared at the footprint casts, frowning. "But if Bud was dragged here after he was killed, why are his footprints here?" she mumbled, perplexed. "This doesn't make any sense...!" Not to mention Joe's footprints being there as well. She shot the bird a suspicious glare, ears lying flat.

Pierce turned to Diana suspiciously.

"Rookie.....there's no signs of forced entry anywhere. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No...if they didn't get through there, there's really no way someone could get in, that I understand. What reason would I have to get rid of my lockpicking set myself?" She looked at him, perplexed. "I needed that...I was thinking of giving it to Whitney." She frowned. "So she wouldn't have to wait for me to do it. She found the book, after all." Diana heaved a sigh.

Pierce looked at the deer for another few seconds and then turned towards the door.

"I'm going to take a look around outside and then head back to the crime scene."

Pierce begins investigating the perimeter of Diana's house, including the front and back yard.

Pierce doesn't find anything out of the ordinary around the general vicinity of Diana's house.

At the Crime Scene

"It seems you've gathered plenty of clues and even have a prime suspect. Now we're all set for TRIAL TIME."

The sirens blare again, getting everyone's attention, and the lights pop out of the trees, only this time, they're yellow. The Villager IDs change color to reflect that aswell.

"As for the suspect... well, upupu..."

bars come out of the ground around Joe and turn into a cage. The two police dogs come and carry the cage off to the Town Hall.

"To think, our Super High Villager Level Archeologist could be dumb enough to immortalize his own footprint in the history of our town, upupu..."

"There will be plenty of time to interrogate him at Town Hall. I'll meet all of you bastards at the front door for the trial, yes?"

It seems the Town Trial will occur soon. But have all of the mysteries been solved yet?

"Guess it's time to go..." Whitney started making her way towards the town hall, going over the questions she was planning on asking Joe. Truth be known, she wasn't actually too interested in the why--she just wanted to clear up the inconsistencies she'd found. Maybe it was heartless of her. Still, she hadn't known either Bud or Joe very well. It was difficult to get upset over things she wasn't emotionally invested in yet.

Pierce started walking towards town hall and caught up with Whitney. He looked a bit disappointed.

"I sure hope you came up with something decisive, hawkeye. I'm afraid I came up a bit empty on my end."

"My idea of using the plaster to make molds of the footprints in the area turned up two sets of prints--Bud's and Joe's." Whitney had a thoughtful frown on her face. "Which caught me off-guard. I don't see how Bud's footsteps could have gotten there if he was dragged, like we originally thought."

Pierce looked surprised.

"What?!? The victim's footprints were there...?"

Pierce took on a puzzled expression.

"But....there was no one near Joe's house at midnight, save for us, right? And the Tom Nook file says he was murdered around that time...."

"Most perplexing, rookie."

Pierce cleared his throat.

"In any case, my investigation at Diana's house turned up empty, which I find strange by itself. There's no signs of forced entry anywhere. And I can't shake the feeling that the stolen items are relevant to the murder somehow."

"Diana had Joe's...big bone, right? Do you think he was the one who swapped the items?" Whitney looked skeptical.

Pierce took a moment to answer.

"....Maybe...but why would he do that? And where's Diana's tool kit now?"

Pierce suddenly looked up at the wolf.

"Oh! That's right! She mentioned she was with you, trying to pick the lock on that book you found, when she last saw the kit. Have you seen it since then?"

"No, I haven't." Whitney fiddled with a lock of her hair. "But I hope it turns up again soon."