Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 4: Jack Arrives

Simon could hardly believe it himself.

He had only come because he was worried about his sister’s health—yet somehow, he’d caught a most-wanted fugitive.

And the capture had been effortless, as though Felix had walked right into their trap.

On the floor, Felix bared his teeth in frustration. "So you were waiting for me to show up?"

His voice dripped with unwillingness. "How did you find me?"

Nancy fed Simon’s snacks to the squirrel perched on the windowsill.

"This is what they mean by ‘those who do evil bring about their own destruction.’"

Seeing that Nancy had no intention of answering, Felix spat out curses, but she ignored him. With her capable brother here, she had nothing to fear.

She looked at the A-level fugitive lying at their feet as if he were a plump lamb waiting for slaughter.

"So what do we do with him now? When can we collect the reward money?"

Her eyes were practically shining with dollar signs as she chattered on.

"I need to call and report to my superiors first," Simon said, lips twitching at her little display of greed.

As he pulled out his phone, he explained, "An A-level fugitive has to be handed over to the Townsville Police Bureau. They’ve always treated this case as a top priority."

But before he could dial, his phone rang.

It was his colleague Lewis. "Simon, where are you? Why aren’t you back at the station yet?"

Lewis sounded anxious. "The deputy chief has always had it in for you. Now he’s found an excuse—he says your leave wasn’t properly filed, and he wants to write you up, dock your pay, and publicly reprimand you!"

Simon calmly replied, "Lewis, I’m in Hilltown visiting my sick sister. I can’t make it back right now."

"You went that far?" Lewis groaned. "This is bad. You’ll never get back in time—the deputy chief’s going to crush you with this."

Simon’s voice was even. "Lewis, I caught Felix here."

There was a stunned silence, then Lewis practically shouted, "What?!"

"You’re telling me you went home to check on your sick sister and along the way captured an A-level fugitive? You’re saying this like you bought a head of cabbage!"

"Good timing—the deputy chief’s right here. I’ll tell him myself."

Simon’s lips curved slightly. "Ask him to report it to higher authorities. Tell them to send someone over to take custody of the fugitive. I’ll text you the exact address."

All of Lewis’s panic melted away. "Unbelievable! I knew it—someone with your record doesn’t belong stuck in a township station chasing after stolen chickens. You go home for one night and catch an A-level fugitive? You’re gold, Simon. You’re guaranteed an Officer of the Month at the very least. Just wait—I’ll make sure you get the credit you deserve!"

…

Nancy’s eyes sparkled after overhearing Simon’s conversation. "So catching an A-level fugitive means you might get transferred back to the city?"

She’d seen his swift, decisive moves earlier. With skills like his, staying in some village station to help old folks find their cows and chickens was a complete waste.

At her words, Simon’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Not necessarily."

Nancy, raised in the Summers family where she’d had to read people’s moods to survive, instantly sensed the heaviness in his tone. Clearly, there was more behind his posting than met the eye.

"Well, at least the half-million reward is in the bag," Nancy said brightly, patting his back in encouragement.

Simon chuckled. "True. But tonight, you’re the real MVP."

"No way," Nancy shot back with a snap of her fingers. "It was teamwork. Brother and sister nailed it together."

The wall between the newly reunited siblings had begun to crumble.

Simon stuffed a rag into Felix’s mouth to keep him from biting his tongue. "Now we just wait for Townsville Bureau to send someone."

…

At the Summers family villa, Jack—special consultant to the Townsville Bureau—sat at Ginnie’s bedside, carefully peeling an apple for her.

Looking at her plastered leg, his eyes softened with pity. "Ginnie, you’re too kind. You should’ve pressed charges against Nancy for intentional injury and had her locked up."

On the bed, Ginnie’s hair cascaded down like a soft veil, her fragile figure like a stubborn gardenia braving the rain.

She shook her head gently. "Forget it. Nancy lived with you all for over twenty years. I don’t want to make things too ugly."

Jack’s chest tightened with admiration. "You’re too considerate—unlike Nancy, who grows more unreasonable by the day."

He handed her the neatly sliced apple.

To him, Ginnie’s maturity and gentleness only highlighted how hard life must have been for her, growing up in that poor, parentless household.

Ginnie’s eyes flickered. "What happened with Nancy?"

Just the mention of her made Jack bristle. "She tried to get my attention and force me to bring her back to the Summers family by filing a false police report!"

"She claimed she had information on Felix, the A-level fugitive."

Ginnie’s brows arched in surprise. "How could she do that? She knows how much effort you’ve poured into chasing Felix—treating it like a joke is unforgivable."

Jack’s heart warmed even more at her words. "Ginnie, you always know right from wrong."

Just then, Jack’s phone buzzed.

It was Samson, the captain of the criminal investigation unit, calling urgently.

Jack picked up, his face turning solemn. "Mr. Samson, has something happened?"

"What? Felix has been caught?"

"Alright, I’ll be right there!"

When he hung up, his expression was alight with excitement. "Ginnie, the serial killer I’ve been tracking for half a year has finally been captured!"

"I need to rush to the scene. Stay home and rest—if you need anything, tell me later."

Ginnie smiled gently. "That’s wonderful. Go on. Your hard work these past six months has finally paid off."

Jack drove straight to the address Samson sent, heart racing.

Parking in front of a shabby apartment block in the old district, he frowned as he joined Samson inside.

He muttered, "This rundown place? Was Felix hiding here?"

Samson shook his head. "No. He came here to attack a girl. But her brother happened to be there—he’s a township police officer. Took Felix down on the spot."

"A township officer?" Jack sneered, contempt flashing in his eyes. "Sounds like dumb luck."

They climbed the stairs and stopped outside unit 203.