Chapter 497: His Daughter Went Missing Before
Chapter 497: Chapter 497: His Daughter Went Missing Before
"Meow? Other people?" The white cat thought for a moment, shaking its head. "No one else showed up."
Renee Jennings frowned and asked, "Then where did that young lady go?"
"That young lady fell asleep," the white cat answered.
The orange cat asked in shock, "Meow? She fell asleep while taking a bath?"
The white cat replied, "I wouldn’t know about that. Anyway, that’s what I saw."
Renee Jennings: "Did the old man take the young lady away?"
"He did," the white cat replied. "The old man put the young lady in a car and drove away."
Renee Jennings frowned, turned to Director Leto, and repeated the story. "That man didn’t call the police. He took Addie away."
A grave expression came over Director Leto’s face as well. If that was true, then Addie Sutton was in a very dangerous situation—a young woman alone with a strange man.
Renee Jennings asked again, "Little white cat, did you see which direction the car went?"
The white cat tried hard to remember. "I’m sorry, miss. I wasn’t paying attention."
"It’s okay," Renee Jennings said softly. "You’ve already been a huge help. Thank you."
The white cat declared, "From now on, I’ll be sure to observe everything carefully!"
The orange cat and the tabby cat meowed at the same time, "Us too!"
Renee Jennings’s lips curled into a slight smile. ’How cute,’ she thought.
"Quack?" Ducky stretched its neck to look at her, curious and expectant. "Miss, did you find Dee?"
Renee Jennings’s smile faded. "Not yet," she said with regret.
Ducky instantly shrank back, dejected.
Director Leto was on the phone, ordering an investigation into all vehicles that had appeared near Leondis Street in the early morning two nights ago.
Twilight slowly crept across the sky, growing deeper and darker. Renee Jennings, holding Ducky, walked to the railing by the river and looked down at the water’s surface.
’Just how desperate must Addie Sutton have been to make the heartless decision to end her own life?’
Just as Renee Jennings was thinking this, she suddenly felt a tug at her pant leg.
She looked down and saw a skinny little yellow dog.
The little yellow dog looked up at her and took the initiative to greet her. "Hello, miss."
Renee Jennings’s gaze focused on it. She raised an eyebrow. "Hello there, little yellow dog."
"Are you asking about the young lady who jumped in the river?" Goldie asked.
Renee Jennings’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes! Did you see her jump?"
"I saw," Goldie said. "And I also know which old man took her away."
"That’s wonderful!" A look of joy appeared on Renee Jennings’s face. "Can you tell me where she was taken? I can give you food."
Unexpectedly, Goldie shook its head and said, "I don’t want food. I just want to ask you for a favor."
"Okay." Renee Jennings agreed immediately without asking what the favor was.
’The requests from small animals are always simple.’
"The old man took away the lady who jumped in the river." Goldie barked. "I know where that man lives. I can take you there."
"Okay." Renee Jennings brought the dog back to Director Leto. "Director Leto, this little dog might know Addie’s whereabouts."
Hearing this, Director Leto looked at Renee Jennings, then at the little yellow dog. "Well then—we’ll have to trouble the little dog to lead the way."
Goldie let out a "WOOF!" and trotted ahead on its four legs.
Raleigh found it all so surreal, like he was in a cartoon.
First a pet duck, then stray cats, and now a little yellow dog volunteering a clue.
Goldie walked ahead to lead the way, its gait appearing steady and reliable.
It led Renee Jennings and the other two through streets and alleys, finally stopping in front of a tenement building.
Goldie looked back at Renee Jennings. "We’re here. This is the place."
It thought for a moment, then added with a bark, "But I don’t know which apartment the old man lives in. We’ll have to look for him."
"Okay, you’ve already helped us so much." Renee Jennings bent down and ruffled the fur on Goldie’s head. "Will you come upstairs with us and help us identify which man it is?"
"I can do that," Goldie nodded.
The tenement building had a security door. Just as Raleigh was about to ask a nearby shopkeeper if they knew anyone who lived in the building and could let them in, someone happened to come downstairs.
Raleigh held the door open, letting Renee Jennings and Director Leto go inside first.
Just as Renee Jennings was about to step inside, she heard Goldie start to bark. "WOOF~ That’s the one! Miss, we don’t need to go upstairs, it’s him!"
Hearing this, Renee Jennings changed direction and caught up with the old man in the white undershirt.
"Hello, sir. Could I ask you something?"
The man looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with salt-and-pepper hair. He stopped when he heard her voice and turned his head to look at Renee Jennings. "What is it?"
Renee Jennings asked, "Sir, were you at Leondis Street in the early morning two nights ago?"
"No," the man shook his head. "I didn’t go there."
Hearing this, Goldie immediately started barking. "WOOF! The old man is lying! He was totally there! I saw him take away the lady who jumped in the river!"
"Are you sure?" Renee Jennings frowned slightly.
The man nodded. "I’m sure. I didn’t go there. I was at home taking care of my daughter two nights ago! My daughter was sick."
"Sir..." Renee Jennings wanted to say more, but the man waved his hand impatiently, grumbled something, and walked away.
As the man walked, he muttered to himself, "My daughter is hungry. I need to go buy groceries and cook for my daughter."
Renee Jennings was about to chase after him when she heard a voice from the fruit shop next door.
"Uncle Victor’s not all there in the head," the proprietress of the fruit shop said, walking to her doorway. "His daughter went missing a long time ago, and he’s been a bit touched ever since."
Renee Jennings turned her head to look at the woman. "His name is Uncle Victor?"
"That’s right." The proprietress looked at her curiously. "Who are you? What do you want with Uncle Victor?"
Renee Jennings said flatly, "There’s just something I wanted to ask him."
The proprietress glanced at Director Leto and Raleigh standing nearby, her eyes filled with a certain curiosity. "Is there news about Uncle Victor’s daughter?"
"No," Renee Jennings shook her head gently. "It’s about something else."
Seeing that her lips were sealed and she couldn’t get anything out of her, the proprietress just said, "Oh," and went back inside her shop.
Director Leto stared at the retreating figure and said to Raleigh, "Find the landlord and ask for information on that Uncle Victor."
"Right away," Raleigh nodded in agreement.
A little while later, Uncle Victor returned carrying a bag of vegetables and a bag of meat, a smile on his face. He was still muttering, "Bought veggies, bought meat, going to cook for my daughter."
Renee Jennings stepped forward to block his path again. "Uncle Victor, are you heading home to cook for your daughter?"
"That’s right!" Uncle Victor said. "My daughter loves it when I make stir-fried zucchini and pork!"
"That’s so nice," Renee Jennings smiled. "Uncle Victor, you’re a really good father."
When Uncle Victor heard this, the smile on his face suddenly vanished. He stared at her blankly, his eyes turning slightly red, and shook his head forcefully. "No, I’m not a good father. I didn’t take good care of my daughter."
He had lost his daughter.