Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 283: The Pink Jewel Collar

Penny paused her snacking and tilted her head up. "But I am the cutest cat in the world! My human says so every day!"

The Tabby King was speechless. I can't deal with narcissists.

Nancy ignored the banter, her mind locking onto the timeline. Owen had collapsed immediately after holding the cat. It was highly likely the killer had tampered with Penny. But how? If they had used a contact or inhaled poison, why was Penny still running around perfectly fine? She wondered.

"Penny, I need to check your fur," Nancy said, pulling on a pair of medical gloves. "Did anything strange happen at the pet shop? Did anyone unusual touch you?"

Penny thought for a moment. "No. It was just the usual lady who grooms me. She has great technique."

"What about the ride back?"

"I stayed in my carrier the whole way. My human picked me up the second I got home."

Nancy frowned. It didn't add up. If there was poison on the cat's fur, the groomer or the staff at the estate should have been affected too. As her gloved fingers moved toward Penny’s neck, she noticed it was bare.

Abyssinians look like ancient temple cats, and wealthy owners often deck them out in jewel-encrusted collars to lean into that pharaoh aesthetic. A man like Owen probably had a different gemstone for every day of the week.

"Penny, do you usually wear a collar or a necklace?" Nancy asked.

Penny nodded eagerly. "Of course! My human swaps them out every day. He even takes me to auctions to pick out the stones. But since he’s in the hospital, no one has put one on me today."

The collar.

When Owen leaned in to sniff the cat, his nose would have pressed right against the collar. If the poison was hidden in the leather lining or a hollowed-out gem, that would be the primary point of contact.

"Penny, where is the collar you wore back from the shop yesterday?"

"Lily took it off when she brushed me last night. I think she put it back in my jewelry box." Penny tilted her head, looking puzzled. "It was weird, though. Lily was wearing gloves when she took it off."

Nancy went still. "Does she usually wear gloves to handle your collars?"

Penny shook her head vigorously.

There it is.

Nancy felt a surge of adrenaline. The collar was the key. Either the poison was coated on the surface, or something inside a decorative piece was leaking.

After getting a description of the pink sapphire collar from Penny, Nancy messaged Roger. "Captain Roger, I need you to find out who Lily is. She's one of the maids. Also, have your officers check the cat’s jewelry box for a pink jewel collar. If it’s there, bag it as evidence immediately."

Roger didn't understand why they were suddenly investigating feline fashion, but he didn't argue. A few minutes later, he called back.

"Ms. Nancy, we found the collar. It’s in the evidence bag now. Lily Holt is one of the housemaids here. Are you saying she’s our killer?"

"No, she’s likely just an accomplice," Nancy explained, laying out her theory about the contact poisoning.

Roger sounded like a lightbulb had just switched on over his head. "My God. We never thought to investigate the cat. We’ve been focused on the food, the drinks, and the victim's personal items. We’ve wasted so much time... Ms. Nancy, you’ve given us an entirely new lead!"

He sounded breathless with excitement. "I’ll have my team bring Lily in for questioning right now. The collar is going to the lab for an emergency screen."

Nancy was just as energized. "How long for the lab results, Captain?"

Roger’s tone dampened slightly. "That depends on how complex the toxin is, and if Lily tried to clean it off. In Lindtsville, we don't have the high-end provincial labs you have in Townsville. It’ll take at least eighteen hours."

"Eighteen hours?" Nancy repeated.

What? 18 hours?