Victoria, Virginia and Justyn were visiting Dawn and Caitlyn one fine Saturday in Autumn. As new arrivals they were in awe of the detective duo that formed the original members of the C&D Detective Agency. They were also aware that Dawn was a story teller of note and were hoping that they could persuade her to slip in a few anecdotes about "the good old days". But they had also pestered Caitlyn to tell them the story of the first case that they broke. "The Case of the Missing Budgie".

Caitlyn thought for a moment, staring into the distance, composing herself for the tale ahead. Dawn leaned back contentedly and listened, remembering those early days with fondness. "We had just moved our offices into the Carruthers Building and were full of hope that we could make the agency work. Dawn and I had just completed our Detective Silver Grade qualification and were now fully fledged Gumshoes. Unfortunately the area where we were based was in steady decline and Carruthers was fast on its way to establishing a new pinnacle of decrepitude. I was in my office one morning, it had been almost a month since we had moved in and the only detecting we had done was to help Brenda to find the key to the Little Twinns Room. She had an office next to ours and Dawn had almost given her a heart attack when she leaned too far over in her chair and her arm had broken through the wall of Brenda's office."

Dawn chuckled at that memory, "Yep, I havent seen Bren move so quickly in ages."
"We had been canvassing the area for work using flyers and posters and so far it hadn't born fruit. The wolf was at the door, and he wasnt asking us to find 3 little pigs either. Frankly we were about to go bust and unless some work came our way we would have had to shut the doors permanently. I was busy trying to write a letter to the Police offering our services when there was a knock at the door and a little old lady came in. "Good morning, I seem to have lost my budgie. I saw your flyer and I thought maybe you could help find him."

"The first of many budgies, umbrellas and poodles to be found". Dawn said.
"I took down her details and opened up a file and promised the old lady we would look into it.
When she left Dawn and I discussed strategy and then we both hit the road. Dawn went North and I went South, scouring the highways and byways, trees, bushes and shrubbery for the missing Pretty Boy. I was walking along when suddenly I saw a cat jump out from behind a bush. "Have you seen a missing blue budgie around here?" I asked him.

He assured me that he hadnt, but something about that cat made me suspicious. Then I questioned the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker. But Pretty Boy was nowhere to be seen. Then I spied this huge car trundling down the road, and in its path was the missing Pretty Boy. He was about to be mashed into one very wide and flat budgie. I dashed into the road, scooping up the bewildered budgie, the car missing us both by a hairsbreath."

Victoria, who was very nervous at the best of times gasped. "But Cait, you could have been squished, you could have ended up in ward 1, 2 and 3 of the Twinn Hospital! You are so brave!"
"Oh yes Caitlyn, you should get a medal for saving that poor budgies life." Virginia said.
"Caitlyn, you are my heroine!" Justyn said admiringly.
Dawn laughed, "She is pulling your legs. What really happened was that Cait was so busy looking up into the trees that she walked into a pole! Fell down and was almost run over by truck.

When she stood up, she whistled in amazement and the budgie flew down from the tree and sat on her hand and made a mess on her shoe!"
"Shush Dawn, I do have a reputation to uphold you know. Call it artistic licence."

Dawn laughed, "I know Cait, and If you hadnt found that crummy budgie we wouldnt have had enough money to pay the rent for the next 2 months."
"That budgie was our first case, and it started C&D in business. The old lady was very grateful and paid us enough money to tide us by until our next big case came along."
"You mean the case with Madame Heel in it?" Justyn asked.
"The very same. And once we had cracked that case we were made, and that's why C&D is still going today."
"But why did you call it C&D Detective Agency Cait?"
Caitlyn put her arm around Dawns shoulder, "It stands for Caitlyn and Dawns Detective Agency, we are the C&D in the name."

"Aaah, that's a great story. Dawn, when are you going to tell us about the missing umbrella mystery? you did promise." Victoria asked earnestly.
"One day soon Victoria, but first we need tea and biccies. Everybody is supposed to know that Caities cannot tell a story without having a good cuppa first. Come on Justyn, it's your turn to make us a pot 'o tea."

And so Justyn hurried off to make the tea so that Dawn would tell them the story of the missing Umbrella. But that's another story. Tea anyone?