Laura plans a sting operation

I inspected the pictures of the Queen latest victim, Amanda Pella, the up and coming local tennis star. Chosen because apparently she refused to admit that the brand of racquets she sponsors are made in Vietnamese sweatshops. Thanks to a clever application of super glue in her shampoo and a custom made itching powder soap bar, she ended up publicly fondling a metal rod like it was her lover.

The poor thing, being naked in public in front of all those people was bad enough, but doing that little pole dance too? Jikes, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy… ok, actually I totally would, but that’s beside the point. The photos were all over the net, albeit not in the same scale as Rena. Ironically, they pushed her popularity outside the city to new heights, making her racquets sell like ice cream on the desert.

Unable to glean any new intel from the pictures, I went to talk with Amanda. Aside from adding her to the ever growing list of clients that want me to capture the Queen, she didn’t have any useful information. When I asked her about what happened after she returned to the locker rooms, she just told me that she didn’t want to talk about it; though she did add that the glue wore off after a couple of hours. I talked to the rest of the tennis players that were in the showers at that time. They all averted their gazes and answered the same thing: “I don’t want to talk about it”. I had no new clues, not even after inspecting the scene of the crime.

It’s was obvious to me that if I really wanted to capture the Queen of Pranks, I needed to take the initiative.

“You know? When you asked me if I could pose as a human target, I expected that you were dealing with something serious like a mugger or at least a pickpocket. But a serial pranker? I swear you have the stupidest cases.”

Sitting in front of me was Detective Rebecca, my friend on the police. Tall, slender and with precious wavy auburn hair, she was the most beautiful cop in the whole precinct, or at least she became so after I quit the ****. Wearing a plain white shirt, jacket, tie and blue jeans, the only thing that betrayed her career in law enforcement was the police cap sitting on her head.

We were downtown, in a small coffee shop that overlooked a nearby park. I’m not proud of it, but my plan to capture the Queen was hiring her to prank my friend and then catch her in the act. I would tail Rebecca all day and be ready to intervene when necessary. She was surprisingly quick to accept being my bait. She is usually not one to underestimate a criminal, no matter how petty his crimes.

“Becky, you are not taking this seriously! I showed you what she can do, who knows what she has planned? Do you want a repeat of the strip club incident? Because that what’s going to happen if you keep underestimating her.”

“Pffff, she is probably some college dropout with way too much time on her hands. I mean for god’s sake, she calls herself the Queen of Pranks, how lame is that?” Rebecca stood up and adjusted her hat. “Don’t worry I can handle any wannabe joker that comes my way. I won’t even need your help. Just stay here, relax and by the end of the day she’ll be in my custody.”