Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 292: The High Life

Nancy pulled the Tabby King closer. "You must be wearing catnip. He never ditches me that fast."

She looked down at the cat and tapped his head. "You nearly gave me a heart attack. Don't run off like that again."

The Tabby King looked up. "I smelled Star from the other end of the hall. I thought I was imagining it, so I had to go see."

"Ms. Nancy!"

Star lunged toward her, pulling Barry along on the leash. The dog rubbed his head against Nancy’s leg. "We actually ran into each other! What are the odds?"

Nancy patted the dog. "Pretty slim, I’d say."

Star looked at her with wide eyes. "The Tabby King told me everything. You’re the detective who cracked the case. My human saved Owen, and you caught the guy who poisoned him!"

The dog’s tail was a blur. "You two make a great team!"

Nancy cleared her throat and looked at Barry. "I heard what happened. If you hadn't taken the lead, Owen wouldn't have made it."

"It’s my job," Barry said. "Finding the killer was your work."

He gave her a slight nod. "Honestly, I think you had the harder task."

Nancy raised an eyebrow. "A compliment from Barry Goodman? I should probably get that in writing."

Jorgan checked his watch. "Sir, the overseas clients will be at the office in two hours."

"Heading back to Townsville?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah," Barry said. "It's on the way. You want a lift?"

Nancy shook her head. "No, I’ve got my car here."

Jorgan stepped in, holding out his hand for the keys. "Give those to me, Ms. Nancy. We’ll have someone drive your car back. If you take the helicopter, you’ll be home in thirty minutes. There’s tea and food on board."

Nancy hesitated. "Thirty minutes is tempting, but helicopters are loud. I don't want the cat to freak out."

Star jumped in. "Don't worry about that! They have noise-canceling headsets for us. They’re great!"

The Tabby King’s ears perked up. He put his paws on Nancy’s shoulder. "We’re going. I want to fly. I’m going to be the first cat in the neighborhood to see the clouds from above. Don't ruin this for me."

Nancy sighed, trying to keep the cat still. "Fine. You win."

Barry gestured toward the elevator. "Let's go."

Nancy handed her keys to Jorgan and followed them into the executive elevator. When the doors opened on the roof, a black Airbus H135 was waiting on the pad. It looked sleek, expensive, and ready to move.

The Tabby King’s eyes were like saucers. "Woman! I want one of these. Buy me a flying toy!"

Nancy squeezed his paw. "In your dreams. I’ll buy you a plastic propeller and you can pretend."

But as she spoke, she thought about the deeds in her bag. A hundred retail shops in prime locations meant she could build something real. Clinics, high-end pet stores, a whole brand. If she played this right, a private helicopter might actually be a possibility one day.

Barry walked over and slid a pair of professional headphones onto her.

"Let's move."

He helped her into her seat, reaching across to pull the harness tight and clicking the buckle into place.