Episode 7: The Not-So-Great Bank Robbery (The Misadventures of Felix Bright and Dr. Moira Keys)

The Setup

Felix Bright was in a rare state of calm, lounging at the café next to their office with a plate of scones and a notebook full of scribbled ideas for their next case.

“Moira,” he said, mouth half-full, “we need to branch out. Jewel heists are so last week. Maybe we should go undercover at a circus. I’ve always wanted to wear a top hat.”

Moira rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee. “For the last time, Felix, I’m not investigating a missing elephant.”

Before Felix could respond, a man in a crumpled suit stumbled into the café, clutching a newspaper. He looked around wildly before his eyes landed on Felix and Moira.

“You’re detectives, right?” the man asked, out of breath.

“That depends,” Felix said, leaning back. “Does this involve intrigue, danger, or an opportunity for me to wear a disguise?”

“It’s a bank robbery!” the man exclaimed, thrusting the newspaper toward them.

Moira grabbed it and scanned the headline:

"Daring Daylight Heist at Midtown Bank—Thieves Vanish Without a Trace!"

The Investigation

The duo arrived at Midtown Bank, which was still in chaos. Police officers, employees, and customers buzzed about, recounting their stories to anyone who’d listen.

A detective stopped them at the door. “Sorry, this is an active investigation.”

Felix flashed his most charming smile. “We’re here to help! Felix Bright and Dr. Moira Keys, private investigators.”

The detective frowned. “We don’t need amateurs interfering.”

Felix leaned in conspiratorially. “What if I told you I solved a jewel heist just last week?”

The detective didn’t look impressed, but Moira’s no-nonsense glare softened him.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “But don’t touch anything.”

The Clues

Inside, Felix and Moira examined the scene. The vault door was open, and the floor was littered with loose bills and scattered documents.

“Look at this,” Moira said, pointing to faint scuff marks on the marble floor. “Heavy equipment. They must have used a cart.”

Felix picked up a crumpled piece of paper from the counter. “A shopping list,” he said, reading aloud. “Rope, masks, and... glitter?”

“Glitter?” Moira repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Clearly, these thieves know how to make an exit,” Felix said with a grin.

A bank teller nearby chimed in. “It’s true! They threw glitter everywhere when they left. It was blinding.”

“Fascinating,” Moira muttered. “What else can you tell us?”

“They wore animal masks,” the teller said. “A lion, a rabbit, and a fox. Oh, and they had a strange accent. Maybe Eastern European?”

The Suspects

Felix and Moira began questioning witnesses, piecing together a timeline of the robbery.

“They were in and out in under ten minutes,” a security guard said. “Disabled the cameras, cracked the vault, and vanished.”

“That’s not amateur work,” Moira noted.

“They also left this behind,” the guard added, holding up a business card that read:

“The Fantastic Foxes—Entertainment for All Occasions!”

Felix burst out laughing. “They’re literally branding themselves. Bold move.”

“Or reckless,” Moira said. “Let’s find out who these ‘Fantastic Foxes’ are.”

The Chase

The business card led them to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town.

“Classic hideout,” Felix whispered as they crept inside. “All they need is a villainous monologue.”

The warehouse was filled with theatrical props—costumes, fake jewels, and… glitter.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the building. Felix and Moira ducked behind a stack of crates as three masked figures appeared, pushing a cart loaded with money bags.

“The glitter worked perfectly,” the lion-masked thief said. “Those fools will never find us.”

“Wrong,” Felix said, stepping out with a dramatic flourish. “The game is up, Fantastic Foxes!”

The thieves froze, then bolted in three different directions.

“Split up!” Moira shouted, taking off after the rabbit.

Felix chased the lion, who hurled a bag of glitter at him mid-pursuit. “Why is it always glitter?” Felix coughed, blinking through the sparkles.

Moira tackled the rabbit thief near the exit, while Felix finally cornered the lion in a prop closet.

“Let’s make this easy,” Felix said, panting. “You surrender, and I won’t make you clean up this glitter.”

The Wrap-Up

Back at the police station, the thieves—unmasked and decidedly less glamorous—confessed to the heist.

“They used their entertainment company as a front,” Moira explained to the detective. “They performed at events to scope out wealthy targets, then pulled off their heists in costumes to throw people off.”

“And the glitter?” Felix asked, still picking sparkles out of his hair.

“A distraction,” Moira said. “Annoyingly effective.”

The detective sighed. “Good work. But next time, leave the chasing to us.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Felix replied with a grin.

As they walked back to the office, Felix turned to Moira.

“Admit it,” he said. “That was thrilling. Glitter and all.”

Moira smirked. “It was... entertaining. But next time, you’re cleaning up the evidence.”

Felix grinned. “Deal. Now, what do you think about a mysterious disappearance for our next case?”