Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 417: The Silent Trap

The squirrel brothers darted into the trees with fluid agility.

Before long, Corry returned with a gray squirrel in tow to report. "Nancy! Gray says he heard that bad man on the phone!"

Gray gestured frantically, his tail twitching with agitation. "That man is trying to hurt someone!"

"He said... 'Has the tea been delivered to Devon yet? Remember to watch him drink it... humph, ungrateful brat!'"

Devon?

Nancy’s heart skipped a beat.

Was this the same Devon Greene who had just swept every major acting award in the country?

She quickly pulled up a news search. The latest entertainment headline flashed on her screen: "Devon Greene's contract with Neo Summers Corp nearing expiration; future remains a mystery."

So he was an artist under Neo Summers Corp. Given the cold, venomous tone Anders had used on the phone, this was definitely not a social call!

Gray puffed out his tail, mimicking the man’s arrogant sneer. "The bad man also said, 'I think once he drinks that tea, he won't be able to say a word, let alone nail an audition!'"

Nancy’s blood ran cold. It was clear now. The tea was spiked with something meant to damage Devon’s vocal cords. Anders wanted him silenced so he would miss a career-defining audition.

She had to contact him immediately. Looking through the encyclopedia, she found that Director Ramsay Donovan had worked with Devon before. He would definitely have a way to reach him.

She dialed Ramsay immediately. After a brief explanation of the situation, the director handed over Devon’s private number without a second thought.

Thanks to Ramsay’s heads-up, the call was answered almost instantly.

A voice came through the line, weary but polite. "Hello?"

Nancy did not waste time with pleasantries. "Hello, this is Nancy Summers, a specialist consultant for the police."

"Miss Nancy?" Devon sounded surprised. He had clearly heard of her reputation. "Is my luck finally running out? Am I actually involved in a case now?"

The man certainly had a sense of self-awareness. Nancy gave him a silent nod of approval.

"Do you have tea with you right now? Or were you planning on drinking some today?"

Devon went silent. It was common knowledge in the industry that he had a ritual of drinking a specific herbal tea before every major audition to soothe his throat.

His breathing hitched. "I do. My assistant just went to brew a pot. It hasn't been served yet."

"Do not drink it," Nancy said, her voice firm and absolute.

Devon’s breath caught in his throat. He was a veteran of the industry's dark side, and he could smell the danger in those four words. He covered the mouthpiece, his voice dropping to a sharp whisper. "Is the tea... compromised?"

"Yes," Nancy confirmed. "It contains something that will cause you to lose your voice. We are still tracing the source."

Devon was quiet for two seconds. When he spoke again, his voice was deathly calm. "Understood. How do the police need me to play this?"

By now, the guard had confirmed Devon’s location via cell tower triangulation: The Wonder Hotel.

As Nancy’s car sped toward the hotel, she mentally mapped out the situation. The conflict centered on Devon’s refusal to renew his contract. He was clearly done with the company, which was why Anders had called him ungrateful.

Given Anders’ greed, Neo Summers would not want to destroy Devon permanently; that would be equivalent to cutting off their own source of income. The tea was likely designed to cause temporary vocal paralysis, just enough to make him miss this one critical audition. It was a warning shot meant to pressure him into signing, and there were bound to be more moves to follow.

And that next move was exactly where they would slip up.

The strategy crystallized in her mind. She spoke into the phone with cold precision.

"Mr. Greene, if we grab the person who delivers the tea now, we will likely only catch a scapegoat. The real hands behind this will stay in the shadows."

She laid out the core of the plan.

"They think they are the ones hunting, but we are going to flip the script. The audition room is a black box; no one outside will know what happens in there. I want you to go in and perform as if nothing is wrong. But the moment you step out of that room, I need you to act as if you have lost your voice. Show them pain, show them shock. We wait for them to think they have won and make their next move. That is when we tear them out by the roots."

Nancy left the final call to the professional. "This requires flawless acting and perfect timing, but it is the fastest way to find the person at the top. What do you think?"

Devon did not hesitate. His voice held the quiet confidence of a man who had spent his life under the spotlight. "Great idea!"