Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 139: A Masterclass In Acting

The Tabby immediately became suspicious.

Snowball, acting as the designated spokesperson, poked his head out from Nancy’s arms. "Miss Nancy was just acting, just pretend you don't know her! She needs to stay here to stake out the situation, and see who's living here."

The Tabby caught on instantly. He bared his teeth and hissed at Nancy, putting on a show of intense impatience. "Wait here. I’ll take my subordinates and keep watch on this house for you. Go take a break and get some water before you ruin your throat from all that shouting."

After speaking, the Tabby flicked his tail arrogantly and slipped away without looking back. His performance was worthy of an Academy Award.

Nancy felt a warm glow in her heart, but she continued to play the part of the heart-broken girl. She murmured with a sob in her voice, "Even the stray cats won't help me..."

Brendan’s lackeys laughed even more uproariously. One of them, a guy with bleached yellow hair, slapped his thigh in mockery. "Oh man! Is this for real? Some naive little princess thinks she can handle a demolition? This is gold!"

Another man with tattoos joined in the sneering. "Seriously, do you think you’re in a fairy tale? You actually expected a stray cat to negotiate for you? What do they know how to do besides dig through trash cans?"

A third, heavyset man added gleefully, "Go home and get some sleep! This isn't a job for a little princess like you. If you hang around any longer, a stray cat might scratch that pretty face, and you'll be crying for real!"

Because this had escalated into a major criminal investigation requiring a full demolition, Simon was spending a significant amount of time coordinating the logistics and dispatching the right teams.

By now, dusk was settling in, and the light was fading. The concrete house standing in the middle of the demolition site looked even more sinister in the twilight.

Just as Nancy was reaching the ninety-minute mark of her "search," two cars pulled up at the site. One was the black car Brendan had taken to the hospital earlier; the other looked like an official government vehicle.

Brendan stepped out of the first car, having changed into a fresh set of clothes. He scrambled over to the government vehicle to open the door for the passenger in the back. A middle-aged man stepped out. He had a refined, authoritative air and wore metal-rimmed glasses. This was Director Roberts, the official in charge of the redevelopment project.

As Brendan eagerly led the way for Roberts, he began playing the victim, filing a complaint before anyone else could speak. "Director Roberts, you have to be the judge here! This new relocation coordinator you sent isn't here to work—she’s just here to cause trouble!"

Director Roberts saw Nancy in the distance with her red, watery eyes and frowned. "How much trouble could a young girl possibly cause? Did your men bully her?"

Brendan’s voice jumped an octave. "I wouldn't dream of lying to you! She’s here to sabotage us! Have you ever seen anyone show up to a job site with pets? I was trying to be helpful, teaching her how to talk to the owner and what to watch out for."

He pulled out a hospital receipt and a diagnostic report from his pocket. "And look what she did! She got annoyed with my advice and let that white weasel of hers spray me in the face! Look at this—I had to go to the hospital!"

Brendan’s lackeys swarmed around to back him up.

"Director Roberts, we can testify to that! This newcomer has been here all afternoon and hasn't even knocked on the owner's door!"

"She brought a cat, lost it immediately, and spent the whole afternoon looking for it!"

"Exactly! She even tried to make us help her find it. She's completely stalling the project!"

Brendan delivered the final blow with a look of mock heartbreak. "Director Roberts, with all due respect, sending someone this unprofessional is just sabotaging the demolition timeline!"

Director Roberts looked at Brendan and his employees with a hint of suspicion. He found it hard to believe that the young woman Captain Simmons spoke so highly of would act so absurdly. He had heard she was a specialist who could communicate with animals. If she had lost a cat, surely someone with her skills would have found it quickly.

Given how many strays are around this site, could 'searching for a cat' actually be a cover for gathering intelligence? Roberts wondered.

He didn't take a side immediately. Instead, he walked over to Nancy and pulled her aside to speak privately. Recalling what Simmons had told him about her unique abilities, he felt a spark of hope. Perhaps she had already sent a cat inside the house as an undercover agent?

He lowered his voice and asked, "Have you heard anything about the owner's true intentions? How much money will it actually take for them to budge?"

Nancy shook her head.

"Then... have you negotiated with the owner at all? Even just a word or two?"

Nancy shook her head again.

Director Roberts pressed on, unwilling to give up. "At the very least, do you know why they refuse to move? Is the compensation too low, or is there some other demand?"

Nancy remained silent and shook her head.

"Then surely you know how many people live in that house? Are there elderly residents or children? You must have gathered basic information like that?"

When Nancy shook her head for the fourth time, Director Roberts’ expression darkened. The hope in his eyes was rapidly replaced by deep disappointment.