Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 387: Clues In The Sand

Before leaving, Master Crow flapped his wings and volunteered for duty. "Boss, I am going to scout the area. I will ask around and see if any witnesses saw who buried them. With so many animals in the desert, someone had to see the commotion of burying three bodies."

Nancy raised an eyebrow. "Well, look at you. Usually, getting you to work a night shift is like pulling teeth. Why so diligent today?"

Master Crow puffed out his chest. "I am a beacon of justice! Solving crimes cannot wait!" Then he lowered his voice, his beady eyes gleaming. "Plus, I am looking for dunes that fit the movie requirements. Thirty thousand dollars! Think of how much shiny stuff that buys!"

When they finally arrived at the desert resort later that night, the prosperity of the place surprised Nancy. Modern luxury blended with desert charm, and the area was buzzing with people.

Back in her hotel room, Nancy sat on the bed with a notebook. Simon walked over with a glass of water. "What are you working on?"

Nancy pushed the notebook toward him. She had sketched a simple map connecting a camel and a bundle of linens with a giant question mark.

"Look at these two things. Bleached hotel linen and the smell of camel feed. They don't seem to have anything to do with each other."

Simon stared at the sketch for a moment before setting his glass down. "Let's go talk to the front desk."

He led Nancy down to the lobby and approached the staff. "In a hotel like this, what kind of employee would have access to both the linen room and the camels?"

The girl at the desk looked up, momentarily dazed by Simon. A light blush crept across her face. But when she saw him flash his badge, her smile vanished. She turned nervous, terrified the hotel was in trouble.

She thought for a moment. "Someone who handles both? That would probably be the tour guides who partner with the hotel. They take guests out on camel rides and sometimes help us move supplies."

Simon nodded. "How many guides does the hotel work with?"

"A lot." She started counting on her fingers. "Our hotel has over a dozen long term partners. Between all the hotels and guesthouses in the resort, there are probably over a hundred guides in total."

Nancy’s face fell. "Over a hundred? How are we supposed to narrow that down?"

Simon patted her shoulder. "Don't get discouraged. This is a huge lead. At least we have a direction now. The killer is likely hiding among those guides. The hardest part of a case is having no direction at all. Now that we have a clue, we just investigate one step at a time."

He took her luggage as they headed back toward the elevators. "Get some rest tonight. You need to recharge."

After dropping Nancy off at her room, Simon helped her settle in. Nancy cleaned Snowball’s paws and picked up the sleeping ermine, burying her face in his soft fur.

"Look at him, Simon. How can he be this white and soft?"

She rubbed Snowball’s head, lost in thought. Suddenly, she turned the ermine toward her brother.

"Simon! Snowball said the victims have been dead for about two weeks, right? Can we check if any guides quit or disappeared around fifteen days ago?"

Simon nodded. "Good thinking. A killer has a high probability of fleeing right after the crime."

He reached out to scratch Snowball’s chin. "It looks like Snowball is a lucky charm for this investigation."

Snowball held his head high and rubbed against Simon’s palm. "Exactly! Simon is the best! He is way cuter than that grumpy Barry who is always scowling!"

The ermine patted Nancy’s hand. "Don't you notice? Simon never has that scary aura the monster has. Being near him always feels warm."

Hearing Snowball mention Barry, Nancy wanted to defend him, but with Simon right there, she kept quiet.

Simon could not understand the words, but seeing the ermine’s display, his expression softened. He pulled out his phone. "I will contact the Raventown police and have them check for any guides who left recently."

Early the next morning, as soon as Nancy opened her window, Master Crow landed on her shoulder like a black bolt of lightning. His claws scratched at her sleeve in excitement.