Special InvestiGator Cronkite Lockjaw, Wetland Precinct 13, had just arrived on the scene. Some rundown Victorian-style joint the tenants had been too stubborn to give over to the city as the surrounding area was swallowed up and converted to seedy clubs and 24-hour liquor shops some years back. The hour was late and the streets markedly bare for a holiday weekend, but then monsoon season will do that to the mammalian night life.
Their loss.
Despite the weather, no doubt flash flood status for the rodent district, he noted 2 officers sopping wet and doubled over on the stoop, with one more close on their heals, a sickly green painted across the lot. Given the nature of case he specialized in this was hardly unexpected. On approach, though, he raised an eyebrow at the quantity of chevrons adorning his fellow brothers in blue. Not like the seniority to display such low constitution, warm blood or no. This initial insight was compounded when, after some effort breaking the lead officer's eye contact away from his regurgitated lunch, little more than a haphazard wave was made in lieu of even the facade of a formal scene turnover. "It's all yours, Cronk." was the most he got.
Instinctive disposition aside, 10 years of prying into the torn and bloodied gutters of his follow reptilians' baser burrows had done much to anneal the already steel nerves provided his ilk. Nonetheless, the air of this scene had him tuned in in a way that was far departure from his usual route manner. You seen one shredded ball of fur and viscera, you seen them all. That is, barring something more... creative.
The old crocks eyes went from half lidded to full bore, first time in a month, as he came into the kitchen and began to take in what his associates would not, could not, give him in words.
Before him was a simple, innocuous pie tin, filled, freshly baked, and cooling neatly on the red-and-white checkerboard table cloth of the room's central furniture piece. The ingredients were not difficult to identify. Draped across the top, acting now as skin of a different stripe, was the face of now former up-and-coming Detective Judy Hopps, ZPD Precinct 1. Even with her celebrity status as the poster-child of ZPD, at-a-glance ID was trivial given the clear skill that went in to the... extraction. Even the stretching and distorting of the pie making process did not detract from key features. A disturbingly curated expression of characteristic optimism had survived, or rather been made to endure the baking process. The effect was so striking, the likeness so well preserved while also distorted to hideousness, that it was possible the late star detective would have mistook the crust as a carnival mirror. Would have, not for lack of presence but for now lack of said matching features. Seated at said table, propped as if to partake of this horrific desert, was the Rabbit of the hour herself, sans skin, suit, and soul.
Across from her, with equal rapt inattention, was who could only be the star detective's close partner, Nick Savage. Despite efforts to the contrary on the killer's part, the fox's expression had not been made up near as well as those of the rabbit, though his face remained otherwise untouched. A grimace locked in at the moment of death was still apparent, though one of gleeful famish had been attempted. As Cronk's eye lowered, the cause was not difficult to surmise. A gaping cavity existed where once vital organs lay, scooped out piecemeal whilst the mammal still lived. Closer inspection would reveal restraining injuries consistent with such desperate torment, as severe as fractured bone and torn ligament, but that would come later. Three guesses where those guts ended up. First two don't count. Pureed and poured into the tin, what was once much of the fox now lay staring out of his partner's gaping sockets and deep into the soul of any who should chance upon that terrible visage.
Taking this in, Cronk swallowed hard and produced a set of dark sunglasses for just such occasions.
I'm almost disturbed by this. But since I've been on the internet (and this site) for a while now, I'm just impressed at how well it's written. Good job!