For once Harriet thought she'd found a case that didn't involve getting dirty. It had been a tedious investigation, finding who'd stolen her client's diamond ring. By process of elimination, she'd ruled out the staff and customers at the restaurant where it had gone missing. That left one possibility, which was why she was in the lady's rest room with an arm down the drainage pipe of the sink.

"Let me have it" Harriet demanded of the sink.

Suddenly there was a gurgling sound and the ring came free. But alongside it came a torrent of grey gunk which shot out of the sink and directly into Harriet's face. And the stream of foul-smelling liquid continued flowing until the poor investigator was covered from head to toe.

* * *

After returning the ring, Harriet had managed to get showered before returning to the office. She was just in time for her meeting with her next client, a representative of a federation of small business owners. He explained that they had been experiencing a higher than usual concentration of counterfeit money and wanted someone to investigate the matter on their behalf.

Many of the businesses were pointing accusing fingers at a travelling wrestling promotion, whose presence in a town usually heralded the increase in "funny money." Unfortunately, the police were unable to act on the federation's suspicions without any supporting evidence.

"What do you know about these wrestlers?" Harriet asked.

Rather than responding the client instead took out a folder from his briefcase and handed it to her. Harriet quickly scanned through it, the first part included a schedule of the company's performances alongside numerous reports of counterfeit cash from various shops, hotels, and other businesses. It was pretty evident that somehow the wrestler was to blame.

Next in the folder were some promotional for the company. It seemed this wasn't just a wrestling company but instead one dedicated to female mud wrestling. Harriet's heart sank as she just knew that taking on the case would almost certainly end up with her getting messy, but she needed the money and so reluctantly agreed.

"Any suggestions how I can infiltrate the company?" she inquired.

"Well, they're always looking for new performers" her client suggested.

* * *

Harriet had taken her client's suggestion and applied via the company's website using a fake identity. Within an hour of applying, she been offered a try-out at one of their weekly shows which happened to be the following evening. So, the following day she found herself driving to the event wearing her black one-piece swimsuit under her blouse and cutoff jeans.

After parking she made her way to the entrance and after giving her name to the guy at the door was allowed into the venue. Inside the place was vast and Harriet could see a couple of men setting up what appeared to be a pool. As she watched she was approached by a slender blonde with what Harriet guessed were some of the most pert tits that money could buy.

"Here for the try-out?" the blonde asked.

"Yes, I'm Hannah" Harriet responded.

The blonde, whose was called Gemma, gave her a brief tour explaining how things would look once the construction work was finished and the crowd present. She also pointed out the barrels of clay which would be emptied into the pool before the show began. She then took Harriet backstage to meet some of the other wrestlers and await her turn.

Harriet excused herself for a few minutes and went over to the now open merch stalls. Luckily, there weren't too many people shopping, so she managed to buy a t-shirt and action figure and pocket the change before returning to the women's changing room. She just had time to strip down to her swimming costume when Gemma reappeared.

"Your turn honey" the blonde declared.

Walking out into the now full arena was somewhat intimidating especially dressed as she was. In front of her she could see the now full "mud" pit but what she didn't see was her opponent. Then without warning someone grabbed her from behind and launched her towards the pool.

Harriet landed face first in the thick brown clay to the cheers and laughter of the watching crowd. She managed to pull her head from out of the pool only for her unseen opponent to jump on her and force her face back into fake mud. This time she kicked out, catching her foe off guard before getting up and turning to face her bikini clad red-haired opponent.

"So, you have some fight in you" her opponent taunted.

"More than enough to handle you" Harriet countered.

The audience applauded the trash talking between the pair but were even more enthusiastic when they hooked up and began to wrestle one another. Harriet thought she would have the upper hand with all the self-defence training she'd undertaken for her career. But unfortunately, she'd never fought on such slippery footing before, and it was that which did her in.

Within minutes Harriet was back face down in the mud with her opponent sitting astride her. She tried to wriggle free from the hold she was in, but she couldn't get free. In the end she had no choice but to tap out and surrender to the redhead.

* * *

Harriet made her way back through the cheering crowd whilst her victorious opponent took her bows. She was feeling even more embarrassed than when she'd first walked into the arena especially as she noticed some of the men gawping at her clay covered body. As she walked into the back area, she passed Gemma who looked to be on her way to fight.

"Not a bad first showing" Gemma commented.

As soon a Harriet reached the changing rooms, she stripped out of her soiled swimming costume and hit the showers. When she returned to her clothes, she found an envelope sitting atop them. Opening it up she discovered a small amount of cash and a probationary contract to wrestle for the company which she hoped never to have to do again.

Making sure there was no one around, Harriet examined the money from the envelope. It looked to be genuine. Then she remembered the change she'd received earlier when buying merchandise and got it out. Almost instantly she noticed inconsistencies with it such uneven lettering and smudges where there should be sharp lines of the notes.

"Bingo" she muttered to herself.

She now had the evidence the business federation needed that the wrestling company was using their retail outlets to distribute counterfeit money. So, after getting dressed she made her way from the venue and immediately called her client with the good news.

* * *

Harriet learnt that thanks to a tip off from the federation the police had raided the wrestling company the day after the show. Unfortunately, despite a search of both the building and the company's trucks they failed to turn up any funny money. So, a couple of days later Harriet found herself on a call with her client.

"We need to catch them red handed" he stated.

"Which means me getting messy again" Harriet sighed.

After putting down the phone she picked up the contract she'd been given and after reviewing it, signed and sent it back via the post. Now all she needed to do was find the dirtied swimsuit she'd been planning to throw out and give it a thorough clean.

* * *

Once again Harriet had bought some merchandise as she wandered through the venue before heading to the changing room. This time the change she'd received was genuine which was disappointing as her client had arranged to be on hand in case, she discovered something. So instead, she'd changed into her swimsuit and waited for her match to begin.

Harriet was surprised to discover two things when the announcer had called her out. The first being that she was facing Gemma, who was dressed in a tiny white bikini that did little to cover up her obvious assets. The second being that they'd be wrestling on mats rather than in the mud pit which was a pleasant surprise.

"Let's have a clean match lady" the official stated.

Gemma stepped forward and held out her hand. Harriet naturally went to shake it but at the last moment Gemma moved her hand and slapped Harriet across the face. Harriet was stunned at this unexpected attack and was as at a loss, especially when moments later Gemma put an arm around her neck and placed her in a headlock.

"We know it was you who called the cops" Gemma whispered into Harriet's ear.

Harriet realised she was in trouble as Gemma began to take it out on her with one painful move after another. These included arm locks, choke holds and even a full boston crab. But whenever Harriet was about to tap out and surrender, her opponent would release the hold.

Whilst Gemma played up to the crowd, Harriet took a moment to gather her wits. She had to remember that unlike last time she wasn't fighting in mud and her footing was secure. But thinking about it why weren't they fighting in the mud, surely that was what the fans wanted. But Harriet didn't have time to think further as Gemma rushed her.

"Not this time" Harriet exclaimed.

Harriet stepped to the side at the last moment and Gemma went flying towards the mud pit, only managing to stop short at the last moment which to the disappointment of the crowd. As Gemma began to extricate from her precarious position, Harriet suddenly realised where they must be hiding the counterfeit money and threw herself at her opponent.

"Noooo!" Gemma screamed.

The pair of them entered the mud with an enormous splat. Gemma immediately sought to escape the pit, but Harriet was having none of it and pushed her face first back in. As the pair rolled around the thick clay Harriet felt something lumpy and plastic wedged against the side of the pool. Taking hold of it she pulled a large bag loose and swotted Gemma with it.

The bag exploded knocking Gemma out and showering most of the watching crowd with counterfeit money. Initially they celebrate the influx of cash, but it wasn't long before they discovered it was fake and began to complain loudly. Harriet spotted her client taking photos for evidence as she made her exit from the ring covered once again in mud.

* * *

Harriet learnt from her client that the policed had been called to the wrestling venue and conducted a number of arrests including Gemma. The federation of small businesses had not only promptly paid her fee but also sent a special thank you in the form of an extra-large cream pie which her assistant was carefully removing from its box.

"At least this time no one pied me" Harriet said.

"Didn't what?" Jackie asked, not hearing her boss.

"Pie me" Harriet repeated.

Jackie didn't argue with her boss and promptly did as instructed, smashing the pie into Harriet's face. Harriet simply sat there dumbstruck as her assistant shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "I only did as what you asked." Harriet sighed and endeavoured to be more careful with her words in future.

The end.