The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 81

**TITLE: Dreams Rise Again by Braxton 81**

**Chapter 81**

Nina looked puzzled as she tilted her head slightly. “Fishing up jars? What on earth are you talking about?” The question hung in the air, thick with confusion.

A nagging thought crept into her mind. *Could it be something illegal, like smuggling?*

Meanwhile, the Spokesbird, blissfully unaware of its slip, continued its animated chatter. “They’re jars with handles, and they look pretty heavy!”

*Jars with handles?* Nina’s mind raced back to history class, where they had studied ancient artifacts. *That sounds just like those bronze or pottery vessels we learned about.*

“They also mentioned that water tombs are way harder to crack than land tombs,” the Spokesbird added, its voice filled with excitement.

Nina’s intuition kicked in, sensing that those terms—water tombs and land tombs—were likely some sort of secret jargon. She relayed the bird’s words to Simon, her heart racing with curiosity.

Simon froze, his expression shifting from casual interest to serious contemplation. “That’s tomb-raider code. Water tombs refer to underwater burials, while land tombs are simply graves on dry land.”

Nina’s eyes widened in disbelief. “So, you’re saying the people who killed Professor Lee were tomb raiders? Did he stumble upon something shady by the river, and that’s why they had to silence him?”

Simon nodded gravely. “That’s very likely the case.”

The Spokesbird kept on chattering, “According to the rest of our flock, those guys have been loitering around the river for quite a while, but they only started fishing up those jars a few days ago.”

“They also mentioned that their boat is too small, so they have to do it in batches,” it added, oblivious to the gravity of the conversation.

The young Night Heron, realizing the Spokesbird was a total blabbermouth, quickly flapped its wings to cover Nina’s ears. “You can’t listen! This is premium content!”

Nina nearly burst into laughter. *These birds’ first instinct is to cover my ears, not to silence the Spokesbird!*

Unable to resist the urge to tease the feathered creatures, she pointed her index fingers at her ears and grinned. “I heard it! I heard it all!”

Finally, the Spokesbird snapped back to reality, its tuft of feathers ruffled in indignation. “Damn it, you sly human!” it squawked, flustered.

The young Night Heron, in a sudden panic, exclaimed, “Boss, we totally forgot to ask for her upfront payment! What if she just listens to everything and skips out without giving us the fish snacks?”

Nina chuckled, trying to reassure them. “Relax, we’re officers. We don’t engage in any shady business.”

With that, she reached into her bag and pulled out a fresh batch of bird crackers, this time in fish and shrimp flavor. The waterbirds would surely love them.

She placed the snacks directly in front of the Night Heron, a gleam of mischief in her eyes. “Here’s a little appetizer for you guys. As soon as we wrap up all the clues, the fish snacks are all yours!”

“What? Not just tiny fish treats—there are bird crackers too?” the Spokesbird blurted out, utterly astonished.

Every Night Heron nearby stared at her in disbelief, their eyes wide.

“Wow, we must’ve hit the jackpot with this human!” one of them trilled, excitement bubbling over.

In a flash, the fish and shrimp-flavored bird crackers disappeared—the Night Herons devoured the entire stash in record time.

The elderly Night Heron savored each bite, letting out a contented sigh. “Whoa! I can’t believe something this crispy and tasty actually exists in the world!”

The Spokesbird continued munching loudly, still in awe. “Seriously, who came up with these bird cookies? They’re absolutely addictive!”

The other Night Herons chimed in, their voices filled with enthusiasm.

“Boss, she doesn’t look shady at all,” one of them piped up, beak gleaming with crumbs.

“This is hands down the tastiest thing I’ve ever eaten!” another squawked, practically dancing with joy.

Seeing the Night Herons so delighted with their meal, Nina seized the opportunity. “Hey, did you see where that boat headed off to?”

The Spokesbird shook its head, its feathers ruffling in frustration. “Nah, they sailed way out—beyond our flock’s neighborhood. After that, no fresh scoop for us.”

The young Night Heron chirped quickly, “But they’ll be back tonight!”

Nina perked up, glancing at her phone; it was nearly 11:30 PM. “When do they usually show up?”

“During our second snack break!” the Spokesbird replied eagerly.

“Night Herons are most active about an hour or two after sunset, and then again two to three hours before sunrise,” Simon explained, his tone matter-of-fact. “Those are their feeding times.”

Nina quickly pieced it together based on the Night Herons’ routine. “So these guys probably make their move around 1 AM.”

The Spokesbird wiggled its little tuft of feathers, impressed. “Wow, you really know us!”

Nina grinned, “It’s almost meal time for you guys, huh? How about we hand out some thank-you treats first?”

The Spokesbird’s eyes caught sight of the little bamboo basket slung at Nina’s side.

With its beak practically pressed to the basket, it chirped eagerly, “Are the little fish hiding in here?”

Nina hugged the basket to her chest and took a few steps back, a playful smile on her face. “No way, there are way too many fish to fit in such a tiny basket!”

She shot Simon a frantic look, her eyes pleading for urgency. “Simon, go get the fish, quick!”

Simon dashed off to fetch the bucket, his footsteps echoing in the quiet night.

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