Chapter 706: "My Name is Andrea Hayes.
Chapter 706: Chapter 706: "My Name is Andrea Hayes.
"Chirp? Find out about what?" Little Sparrow asked, confused.
Renee Jennings opened her palm, revealing the millet. "This is for you," she said softly.
"Chirp~ Thank you." Little Sparrow fluttered its wings and landed on her hand. It lowered its head to peck at the seeds a few times before asking again, "Chirp~ You still haven’t said what you want to find out."
"An alpaca lives on the fourth floor of this building. Do you know about it?" Renee Jennings pulled up a picture of an alpaca on her phone to show the bird. "It looks like this."
Little Sparrow peered at the screen intently for a few moments. "Chirp. Oh, that one. I’ve seen it."
"You have." Renee Jennings’s lips curved into a faint smile. "What about the humans who live with it? Have you seen them?"
Little Sparrow bobbed its head. "Chirp~ I’ve seen them too."
Renee Jennings’s eyes lit up. "That’s wonderful," she said, pleasantly surprised.
"Chirp? Are you looking for them?" Little Sparrow asked.
Renee Jennings explained, "Yes. A murder happened in their apartment the other day. I’m here on behalf of the police to find out what really happened."
Little Sparrow chirped in surprise. "Chirp? Wow, are you a police officer?"
"Sort of," Renee Jennings replied.
Little Sparrow chirped, "Chirp chirp chirp? Do you want to know how the alpaca’s owner committed murder?"
Renee Jennings nodded. "Yes. Did any of you see what happened?"
Little Sparrow tilted its head and thought for a moment. "Chirp chirp chirp~ I think I heard something about it, but I’m not one for gossip, so I wasn’t really paying attention."
"Could you please ask your friends for me, then?"
"Chirp~ Of course!~" Little Sparrow agreed readily.
A smile touched Renee Jennings’s eyes. "Thank you."
Little Sparrow thought for a moment, then asked, "Are you going to wait for me here?"
"Yes, I’ll wait for you right here."
"Chirp~ I’ll just have a couple more bites and I’ll be full."
A smile spread across Renee Jennings’s lips. "It’s alright," she said softly. "Take your time."
Little Sparrow quickly finished eating. "I’m off. Wait for me to come back."
With that, it flapped its wings and flew off.
Renee Jennings walked back to Sheryl Sawyer and the others. "That little sparrow went to ask its friends for me," she explained.
Carmen Lane looked at her with admiration. "Consultant Jennings, I’m so glad you’re here. We’d be completely lost otherwise."
"I haven’t done much yet," Renee Jennings said, shaking her head gently.
Carmen Lane said earnestly, "You have. You’ve been a huge help."
’She was confident this case would be solved and closed soon.’
As Renee Jennings waited under a tree for Little Sparrow, a ginger cat ran up to her feet and gently rubbed its fluffy little head against her leg.
"Oh, it’s you, little ginger cat." Renee Jennings crouched down and stroked its head. "Did you need me for something?"
The ginger cat said shyly, "MEOW MEOW MEOW~ Sister Cherie, there’s a human lady I really, really like. Can you help me ask her if she’d be willing to be my owner?"
"You’ve picked out an owner for yourself?" Renee Jennings asked, raising an eyebrow.
The ginger cat nodded. "Meow~ Yes. The human lady is here feeding everyone. Sister Cherie, can you please go ask her for me?"
’Sounds like the girl comes here to feed the strays.’
"Of course," Renee Jennings agreed readily. "Is it far from here?"
The ginger cat replied, "MEOW! Not far, just right up ahead!"
Renee Jennings raised an eyebrow. "Alright then, lead the way."
"Meow~ Okay!~" the ginger cat chirped.
Renee Jennings looked at Carmen Lane. "I’m going to go help the ginger cat with something."
The skinny ginger cat was already trotting ahead, leading the way.
"Okay." Carmen Lane looked at Shawn Cheney. "You go with Consultant Jennings. I’ll wait here for Little Sparrow."
’Director Archer had promised Director Lowell he’d guarantee Consultant Jennings’s safety.’
Shawn Cheney’s mission for the day was to protect Renee Jennings.
It wasn’t far at all. They arrived after passing two buildings.
The ginger cat said, "MEOW! That’s the human lady I like!"
Renee Jennings looked up. A young woman was crouching a short distance away, her long, straight black hair draped over a dusty-pink down jacket. She wore a pair of dark gray jeans, giving her a simple, clean look.
The girl was reaching out to pet a calico cat. Her profile was soft, and a gentle, faint smile played on her lips, giving her an air of quiet contentment.
The ginger cat let out a small "Meow~."
The girl heard the sound and slowly turned her head.
Her gaze first fell on the ginger cat. After a few seconds, she noticed someone behind it, and her eyes slowly shifted to Renee Jennings’s face.
When she got a clear look at her face, the girl froze for a couple of seconds before abruptly standing up. "I know you!" she exclaimed, delighted. "You’re Host Jennings, the one who can understand animals!"
Renee Jennings thought the girl looked a bit familiar, too.
She thought for a moment but couldn’t place her. "I’m sorry," she asked hesitantly, "have we spoken on a call before?"
"No." The girl shook her head, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. "I’ve never managed to get through when I called."
"Oh, I see." Renee Jennings nodded, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Well, we’ve met now. If you have any questions, you can ask me directly."
"Really?" The girl’s eyes lit up, her face full of delighted surprise.
Renee Jennings replied, "Really. I’m right here in front of you."
The ginger cat’s gaze darted between the two of them. Finally, it gave a soft reminder, "Meow meow? Sister Cherie, could you ask the human lady for me?"
At this, Renee Jennings looked down at the ginger cat. "Alright," she said soothingly. "I’ll ask for you right now."
The girl blinked, a note of confusion in her voice. "Is there something the little ginger cat wants?"
"He came to me about something just now." Renee Jennings walked closer to the girl and explained in a gentle voice, "This ginger cat likes you very much and wants to know if you’d be willing to be his owner. He says he’ll be very, very good and won’t destroy your home."
The girl froze, clearly not expecting to hear such a thing.
"The little ginger cat... wants me to be his owner?" she asked hesitantly.
Renee Jennings gave a slight nod. "Yes. Are you able to have a cat where you live?"
"I actually already have a cat at home," the girl said. "And he has a bit of a temper. I’d be willing to take in the little ginger cat, but I’m worried my cat at home won’t accept a newcomer."
"That’s definitely something to be concerned about." Renee Jennings was very understanding. After all, Blueberry had also been very resistant to a new member joining the family at first.
After a moment’s hesitation, the girl said, "Host Jennings, how about this? Could you explain to the little ginger cat and ask him to wait a couple of days? Then maybe you could help me talk to my cat at home, and if he agrees, I’ll come back and take the little ginger cat home."
"Okay." Renee Jennings looked at the ginger cat and relayed the girl’s predicament.
The ginger cat was very understanding. "MEOW MEOW MEOW! It’s okay! If it’s too much trouble for the human lady, then never mind. She’s already been so good to me!"
Surprised that the ginger cat was so understanding, the girl’s gaze softened with a mix of pity and affection.
’Such a good little cat, yet he has to live as a stray...’
"Then should we add each other on WeChat?" Renee Jennings asked softly. "Then when you get home, we can do a video call and I can talk to your cat."
"Add you on WeChat?" The girl’s eyes widened in shock. "Is that really okay?"
Renee Jennings said with an amused smile, "Of course. I’ll scan your code."
The girl gleefully pulled out her phone. "My name is Andrea Hayes."