Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 13: The Abandoned Site

When Simon heard what Nancy said, he suddenly remembered the night they caught Felix—

That time, Nancy had claimed a squirrel warned her someone was coming upstairs.

Turned out, the squirrel’s warning had been dead-on.

His little sister always seemed to have an uncanny sense for animal-related things.

Was this the gift of a top-tier veterinarian?

Simon glanced at the crow hopping on the ground. "So… should we follow it and see?"

Nancy nodded. Having a brother who didn’t spoil the mood was wonderful.

The crow flapped into the air, its black feathers nearly vanishing into the night, leading them deeper toward the abandoned construction site.

The siblings passed through a narrow alley and stepped onto a forest path hemmed in by dead trees.

The deeper they went, the darker it became.

Simon kept Nancy close behind him, shielding her every step.

After what felt like ages, the ruins of the site finally appeared.

Weeds grew wild, thrusting up through cracks in the cement like skeletal fingers clawing at the air.

Cold moonlight spilled down, turning the lifeless buildings into a chilling, ghostly sight.

A shiver raced up Nancy’s spine, goosebumps rising all over her skin.

The crow suddenly folded its wings and landed silently on the ground, tilting its head. "Ma'am, the basement’s around here."

With money on the line, and payment not yet in its claws, the crow’s tone was suddenly sweet.

"I’ll scout ahead first."

Nancy nodded. "Be careful."

Simon watched the crow chattering with his sister, suspicion narrowing his eyes.

Once the crow flew off, Nancy said, "It told us to wait here while it checks things out."

Simon’s pupils shrank. "You can understand it?"

Nancy knew she couldn’t hide it anymore. She drew a shaky breath, her fingers knotting in her clothes. "It sounds crazy, but ever since that fever broke, I can suddenly understand animals."

Her lashes trembled uneasily, afraid her brother would think she’d lost her mind.

"You were sick for two days? Why didn’t you call me?"

Simon’s brows furrowed, his eyes dark with fear. "What if it left lasting damage…"

"It didn’t. If anything, it turned out to be a blessing."

Simon rubbed her hair gently. "Now you can communicate with your patients without barriers."

Pride softened his expression. "As expected of the youngest veterinary specialist."

Nancy’s eyes stung. Her brother was too good to her.

Just then, the crow returned, wings flapping wildly. "Director! There’s someone in the basement! Besides the killer who cut up the body, there’s a woman tied up!"

It ruffled its feathers. "She’s gagged with a rag, making muffled cries the whole time."

With its sharp night vision, the crow saw everything clearly through the gloom.

Nancy’s skin prickled. She grabbed Simon’s arm. "The crow says the killer’s in the basement—along with a woman tied up!"

Simon’s face hardened. "So he’s taken a new victim. Is he about to kill her?"

Nancy’s blood went cold. "What if… what if he’s going to do it right now?"

The crow added, "Most likely. I saw him sharpening a knife through the basement window crack."

Nancy had planned to confirm the missing head before calling the police. Instead, she’d stumbled right into the killer preparing to strike again.

Her hands and feet were ice. "What do we do? If we call the police now, they might not make it in time."

Simon clenched his fists. "We’ll call, but also let the crow lead us closer. If he’s about to kill her, I’ll stop him myself."

Nancy nodded, worry flashing in her eyes.

Together, they followed the crow while Nancy dialed the hotline number listed on the wanted notice.

She lowered her voice. "Hello, I found Mandy’s missing head. I found the killer’s hideout. He’s holding another woman and might kill her soon. The address is—"

This time she’d called the dedicated line. The response was immediate: police were on their way.

On the way toward the basement, Simon picked up a steel pipe from the rubble, gripping it tightly.

By then, the siblings and the crow were almost at the basement.

The crow slipped into the air vent, its small body vanishing into the dark.

Moments later, it shot back out, cawing frantically. "Bad news! The killer just dumped a bucket of water on the unconscious woman to wake her. Now he’s reaching for the knife!"