Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 99: The Riverbank Mystery

Townsville had been developing a scenic belt along the river for some time. However, due to sluggish construction progress, the area remained a half-finished project, lacking proper surveillance and essential facilities. Despite this, local residents still frequented the riverbank for morning exercises and strolls.

This morning, a massive crowd had already gathered. People were craning their necks like giraffes, trying to peek over the police cordon.

The yellow tape cordoned off a stretch of the riverbank where a bloated body lay sprawled on the sand. From the build and facial features, it was clear the victim was an elderly man. Forensic teams were performing a preliminary autopsy, while technicians combed the area for evidence. Simon and the other first responders were waiting for the medical examiner’s initial findings.

As soon as Jack arrived, he began barking orders. "Johnny, contact the victim’s family. Woody, check for any nearby cameras. As for Simon..." He paused, as if only just remembering his presence. "You go handle the perimeter. Keep the crowd back so they don't interfere with the investigation."

Simon gave a slight nod and turned toward the cordon, his expression calm and unruffled. Seeing Simon’s indifferent reaction, the frown lines on Jack’s forehead deepened.

Standing tall by the police line, Simon’s crisp uniform made him look exceptionally sharp. Several middle-aged women in the crowd noticed him immediately and began to inch closer.

"Oh my, what a handsome young officer!" a lady in a floral shirt exclaimed, her eyes beaming at Simon. "My niece works at a bank. Would you like to meet her?"

Simon, who had been looking down at his notes, raised his head and allowed a gentle smile to touch his eyes. "Ma'am, my job involves pulling all-nighters and stakeouts at a moment’s notice. If I went on a blind date, the poor girl would probably think I’m a fraud."

The ladies burst into laughter. The woman in the floral shirt wasn't ready to give up. "Nowadays, girls love a man with a sense of responsibility!"

Simon maintained his smile as he closed his notebook with lean fingers. "Speaking of responsibility, I actually wanted to ask you ladies for a bit of help." He lowered his voice, gesturing subtly toward the scene. "I heard the gentleman over there was an archaeology professor?"

A lady with permed hair immediately perked up, stepping closer. "He sure was! Professor Korbin was quite the local celebrity. He was even on a TV archaeology special two years ago." She suddenly dropped her voice to a whisper. "Such a shame about his luck, though, being stuck with such a troublesome grandson."

"Oh?" Simon played along, feigning confusion. "They didn't get along?"

"Get along? Hardly!" a woman in sandals cut in. "Three nights ago, the whole building heard them fighting. When that boy slammed the door and left, the vibration set off the motion-sensor lights in the entire stairwell."

Simon’s eyes shifted slightly as he made a few quick notes. He asked casually, "Since Professor Korbin was such a brilliant man, why was his grandson fighting with him?"

The lady in the floral shirt added cryptically, "A tree may have many students, but it can still grow a bitter fruit. That grandson of his hates studying. He dropped out in middle school and spends all his time hanging around with a rough crowd. He’s even doing some street dance competition now—rehearsals and training camps all day. What kind of future is that?"

Simon continued his low-key questioning. "Do you happen to know where the grandson usually hangs out? For example... where they practice their dancing?"

The floral-shirt lady answered immediately, "That abandoned factory across the river! A bunch of youngsters are over there every day, jumping around and making a racket!"

Just then, Jack caught wind of the commotion. He shot a cold, disdainful look at Simon and his notebook. "Simon, I told you to maintain order, not waste time chatting."

Once Jack had walked off to check the body, the floral-shirt lady grumbled, "His boss sure has a temper."

Simon calmly closed his notebook and gave the ladies an apologetic smile. "Thank you all for your cooperation. Excuse me for a moment."

"Excuse me, coming through!" Nancy squeezed through the crowd.

Half an hour ago, she had received a call from Simon about the homicide at the river. Inside the cordon, Simon’s ears picked up Nancy’s voice instantly amidst the noise. Seeing her being jostled by the crowd, he immediately ducked under the tape.

His broad shoulders cleared a path through the throng. With his right hand shielding Nancy’s back and his left lifting the caution tape for her, he said softly, "Careful, the ground is uneven here."

Nancy’s gaze fell upon the elderly man on the shore, her brow furrowed. "What's the situation?"

"The victim is Korbin Rand, 67, a retired archaeology professor. His body was found by a morning jogger at 6:47 AM," Simon explained quietly. "There are bruising marks on his neck, which doesn't fit the profile of an accidental fall or drowning. The preliminary assessment is homicide."

Nancy was puzzled. Why would anyone have a grudge against an archaeology expert? "I’m going down to the water to take a look."

She started toward the riverbank, but Simon caught her arm. "Put these on first."