FUN FRIDAY! Monster Truck Kitties 🐾🏁⛟

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1:04They feel so soft, breathable, and, ugh, just special. Upgrade your bedding with Quince, go to quince.com, slash short stories for free shipping, and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too, that's q-u-i-n-c-e.com slash short stories for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com slash short stories. Kitty Cat Island was a beautiful place of emerald green tree-covered mountains, long, golden beaches, and amazing views across a deep blue sea. Everyone that lived on Kitty Cat Island was, unsurprisingly, a kitty, and they all lived peaceful lives amongst their friends, families, and neighbors. Because it was a quiet place, with little trouble, the entire island was protected by just

2:04three police officers. Lily, Nora, and Nash. There was just enough happening each day to keep the three of them busy from locating lost items to helping cats down from trees. In fact, that last one seemed to happen a lot. But when things were quiet, they could relax at their beach front headquarters, and enjoy the sand and surf just like everyone else, which was exactly what they were doing when a call came in. Kitty Cat Island police, officer Lily speaking, announced Lily. She listened for a moment, occasionally nodding her head. Both Nash and Nora could see she was listening intently. What is it? Nash, Nora, as Lily hung up. There's been a robbery, she replied. A robbery, repeated Nash and disbelief. On Kitty Cat Island, oh, there's never been a robbery on Kitty Cat Island before. Well, according to Misty Pufflepout, there has been now, said Lily.

3:07She says her diamond necklace has been taken. Nora, who had been laid out soaking up the sun, got to her feet. And we'd best go check it out. But my guess is that it's fallen down the back of her couch or something. Maybe, said Lily, let's go and investigate. Their police vehicle was a dark blue monster truck, which allowed them to get just about anywhere they needed to go on the island. It was in this enormous truck with its gigantic tires that they pulled up outside Misty Pufflepout's rooftop home. ''Nice house,'' said Nash, as he climbed down from the monster truck cab and settled his hat between his pointy ears. Misty Pufflepout had seen them arrive and was now dashing down the path from the house in a pink-flowing robe. ''Oh, darling, thank goodness you're here, it's horrendous, terrible, I tell you, I've been robbed!'' ''Now, now, Mrs. Pufflepout, let's not be hasty,'' said Lily.

4:07''Let us take a look so we can be the judges of that.'' Notting furiously, Misty led them around the back of the house, to our folding glass doors overlooked an outdoor pool. One of the doors had been forced open, buckling the frame and shattering the glass, which covered the ground and sparkling shards. ''Oh!' said Nora. This wasn't what I expected.'' ''It really does look like a robbery,'' said Nash, putting his hat back on his head. ''You'd better show us more.'' insisted Lily. Misty Pufflepout then took them inside to her bedroom, where the drawers of her dressing room had been pulled out and overturned. ''It was a dreadful mess.'' ''Take it, my necklace!'' she sobbed. ''My beautiful diamond necklace!'' The necklace's case lay open and empty upon the floor. Just then Lily's phone rang, she stepped outside to answer it, leaving Nora and Nash with the upset homeowner. ''Who could have done such a thing?'' asked Nora.

5:10''Well, I'm hoping you can tell me that.'' sniffed Misty. ''Why am I the only one that this has ever happened to?'' ''Not the only one,'' said Lily, poking her head into the room. ''There's been another.'' After taking some details and asking Misty not to touch anything, Lily, Nora and Nash bundled back into the monster truck and raced further along the coast road. This time, heading down into a little fishing village, and the island's most famous seafood restaurant, something fishy. The restaurant's owner and head chef, Ricky Sphinx, was waiting anxiously for them outside. ''Oh, thank goodness you're here!'' he cried as they pulled up. ''Never in my life have I seen such a thing. Febes broke in and took our takins!'' ''You'd better show us right away!'' said Nora. Ricky took them through to the office at the back of the restaurant. A window had been broken and the safe forced open. ''Every penny is gone!'' he said.

6:12''Hah, Maroon!'' ''Well, this is a right-head scratcher,'' said Nash. ''Years and years with not a single robbery on the island, and now two in the same day?'' ''Something fishy has gone on in something fishy,'' said Lily. ''And I don't like it!'' she took a closer look at the window and surrounding floor, just as a commotion began outside. ''I'll see what that's all about,'' said Nash. ''What are you looking for?'' Nora asked Lily, who was now inspecting the safe. ''Not looking,'' said Lily. ''Sniffing! It's a smell I'm not used to!'' ''You too!'' called Nash from the door. ''You'd better come out here!'' they headed into the daylight to find a young cat on an electric scooter. ''I was coming to find you and I saw your monster truck up on the coast road,'' he said. ''Find us for what?'' asked Lily. ''Well, you're not going to believe this, but there's been a robbery,'' announced the young cat. ''Oh, I think we might believe it,'' answered Nora.

7:16''You better lead the way. On the south eastern corner of the island was a large old house, with a wide, neatly kept lawn. They followed the young cat on his scooter through the automatic gates and down the long, gravel driveway to the house. ''I know this place,'' said Nash. ''This is the home of Slavanka Snoshu, the cat in it, millionaire!'' he stopped the monster truck before the tall pillars of the entrance where a housekeeper stood waiting. ''This way, please,'' she said, leading them all inside. They were taken into a large room where Slavanka Snoshu herself was laying across a couch with a cool cloth draped over her forehead. ''Thank goodness you're here,'' she said with a purr. ''I'm in such frightful shock!'' ''A robbery we hear,'' said Nora. ''Mmm, indeed. Oh, and on Kitty, cat, island,'' said Slavanka, sitting up abruptly. ''Is the end of the world as we know it?''

8:18''Not quite,'' said Lily. ''Although this is very serious, what appears to have been taken?'' Slavanka gestured towards the French doors behind her where a glass panel had been smashed. ''The pounders came through there,'' she said. ''Then took Gregory!'' Gregory asked Nash. ''Who's Gregory?'' ''My golden statue of my late husband, can't you see? It's not upon the mantelpiece!'' Slavanka said, pointing to a gap between a vase of flowers and a framed photograph of a kitten. ''I see,'' said Lily patiently. ''Or rather, I don't, but we'll investigate this just like the others.'' ''You mean to say that it have been more robberies?'' ''Gasp, Slavanka. ''You're the third,'' said Nora. ''The third? Oh, my goodness, it's a crime spree!'' Shrieked the cat. ''What are you going to do about it?'' ''So far, not a lot,'' said Lily. ''All we seem to be doing is arriving just after the robbery has taken place.''

9:21''It's almost as if the thieves are operating just ahead of us,'' said Nora. ''Yeah, making their way around the island on the coast road,'' pointed out Nash. ''Which means, if they're going to strike again, it will be somewhere along the east coast.'' ''Well then, we need a way to catch up with them,'' said Lily. ''And I think I know a way!'' Back in the monster truck, Lily got Nash to turn off the coast road and head up into the mountains. ''Are you sure?'' he said as they powered along a dusty path. ''You'll see,'' said Lily. She guided them onto a mountain track that snaked above the tree line of the eastern side. Looking down, they could see the various homes and communities that speckled this half of the island. At the binoculars out, Nora started looking at the coast road. ''What am I looking for?'' she replied. ''Anything out of the ordinary?'' Lily said as her phone began to ring again. She answered it, listening for a moment. Nora looked towards Silver Shores.

10:22This was a small group of houses around a semi-circular bay, a short distance from the coast road. ''Okay, found Silver Shores,'' said Nora quickly. ''A wait! There's a dark red truck driving away fast! It's heading for the coast road!'' ''I'm on it,'' said Nash, putting his foot down to send up a spray of stones and dust behind them. Lily finished the call and hung up. ''It's another robbery!'' The record producer, Maggie Ronson, has just had all his awards stolen. ''And chances are, this red truck contains the culprits,'' said Nora. Her gaze still firmly fixed through the binoculars. They were ahead of the red truck, which was only now joining the coast road. They gave them the chance to intercept it. ''Hold on to your hats!'' announced Nash. ''Things are going to get bumpy!'' He wrenched the wheel sharply to send them bounding down a rubble-filled track. Nora lost sight of the villains almost straight away as the monster truck was now under the cover of trees.

11:25But if Nash could keep this speed up, they stood a good chance of coming out onto the coast road, just as the red truck passed. ''Tree!'' yelled Lily, pointing to a fallen trunk across that path. ''No time to go around it!'' said Nash with determination. He was trusting in the monster trucks gigantic wheels to get them over. They positively flew across the obstacle, bouncing several times as they hit the ground on the other side. For a few hair-raising seconds, Nash had to keep control. ''How much further?'' asked Nora. But before anyone could answer, they powered out from under the cover of the trees, skidding sideways as Nash fought to bring them safely onto the coast road right behind the red truck. ''We've got him!'' grin Nash, flicking on the lights in siren. In front, the red truck swerved awkwardly. In front, the red truck swerved, then began to accelerate. ''It's definitely our suspects!'' said Lily. ''They're trying to run!''

12:26''Hah! Well, we'll see about that,'' said Nash, as he floored the accelerator. The powerful monster trucks surged forward, closing the gap between the two vehicles. ''They're panicking,'' said Nora. ''But there's nowhere for them to go until we reach North Town!'' To their left was a dark swamp, and to the right was a sandy beach. ''She'll I give them a nudge?'' asked Nash, having closed the gap to a cat's whisker. ''Just a little one!'' smiled Lily. The huge front left tire of the monster truck bumped into red trucks behind, and that was all it took. The escaping vehicle lost control, swerving first towards the sand, then sharply left. It sailed off the road into the murky waters of the swamp. Nash broke sharply, bringing the monster truck around to stop where the red truck had left the road. ''Two figures were groggly pulling themselves through the windows to the safety of the truck's roof. ''Rats!'' said Nora.

13:26''They must have sneaked over by road from Rotina Island!'' said Lily. And planned to escape back to it before they were caught, added Nash. Well, they didn't factor in having to deal with us, did they? ''Better fire up the winch,'' said Lily. ''We've got a truck to pull out, two rats to arrest, and some stolen property to return.'' Later that evening, Lily, Nora and Nash were back at their HQ with all their tasks completed. The rats were locked up, their boat located, and impounded, and the island peaceful once more. ''Good job, everyone!'' smiled Nora. ''Well, wait!'' said Lily, as her phone rang. She answered, then listened with a serious expression on her face. ''Surely not another robbery?'' asked Nora and dismay. ''No,'' said Lily. ''It's Ricky's finks from something fishy. He's inviting us over for dinner!'' ''Then what are we waiting for?'' shouted Nash, as he waved the keys to the monster truck.

14:27''I'll drive!'' ''The End.'' ''The End.''