Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 264: The High-stakes Consultation

"Chunk! Fellas, move in!"

"On it!" Chunk banked hard, letting out a sharp pulse.

A second later, the air filled with the sound of a thousand wings. A black cloud of bats surged through the window, swarming Randall's face.

"What the hell are these things?!"

Randall was blindsided. The noise and the wings left him dizzy, and he hit the floor clutching his head. The backup officers didn't waste a second. They swarmed in and pinned him down before he could blink.

The bats retreated as fast as they had come, vanishing into the night and leaving behind nothing but a few stray tufts of fur and a terrified suspect.

Quiet returned to Lightville Compound as the hitman and Randall were hauled off in separate cars. Nancy let out a long breath and pulled a piece of chicken from her pocket, stroking Snowball’s head. "If you hadn't smelled that guy in the cabinet, this would have ended very differently. You’re the hero tonight."

Snowball grabbed the chicken with his paws and squinted in bliss, curling into a little white ball. He let out a satisfied purr while he chewed.

Nancy watched the car carrying Randall. She was certain she’d seen that face at the Summers estate years ago. The man who used a kite to start a fire was the same one who used to slip into Chandler’s study. He was clearly the man Chandler used for the jobs that needed to stay off the books.

She caught Simon’s sleeve. "Simon, Randall is involved in more than just arson. I'd bet on it."

"I know," Simon said, nodding. "Leave it to me. Go home and get some sleep. You did a hell of a job."

He reached out, gently scratching Snowball’s neck before looking up at Chunk, who was still circling. "And you, our sharp little detective. That sonic attack was impressive. You’ve got those bats under control."

Snowball puffed out his chest and nudged Simon’s palm, while Chunk did a shy mid-air flip. "It was nothing, really!" the bat squeaked, though he made sure to spread his wings as wide as possible.

…

With the arsonist and the hitman in custody, the investigation moved fast. From the bits and pieces Simon shared, everything was pointing in one direction: Chandler Summers was now the primary target of a deep-dive inquiry.

A week flew by.

The Townsville International Convention Center was hosting a world-class horse show. The stables were packed with million-dollar horses, their coats gleaming under the lights.

Nancy arrived in sharp black riding gear and tall boots. She had her dark hair pinned back in a braid. Her eyes scanned the arena from the glass bridge as a waiter led her toward a private lounge.

"Miss Nancy, Mr. Callum will be with you shortly. Please make yourself comfortable."

Mr. Callum was the billionaire client Barry had mentioned. He owned a fifty-million-dollar stallion that was suffering from a mystery illness.

Barry was running late. Nancy sipped her tea, trying to settle her nerves. Barry had done so much for her; she had to figure out what was wrong with this horse.

Business at the zoo had been booming since the open house, but the influx of tourists meant they were at capacity. They needed to expand. Between that and the costs of vaccine research, Nancy was feeling the burn in her wallet. She needed this contract.

As she was wondering what the tycoon would be like, a man in traditional white robes stepped out. Walking beside him, laughing like an old friend, was Chandler Summers.

"Rest assured, Mr. Callum," Chandler said. "Summers Corp has already assembled a team of experts."

Chandler turned, and his face instantly soured when he spotted Nancy in the VIP suite. "Nancy? What are you doing here?"

He turned to the waiter. "You must have made a mistake. My daughter’s name is Ginnie. Why is this girl in here?"

Nancy started to speak, but her phone buzzed. It was a message from Simon.