The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Nina’s phone suddenly vibrated, signaling a new email from Tommy. She quickly unlocked the screen and opened the message, her heart skipping a beat as she read the words.

The email began: “Dear Dr. Summer, your reputation as a compassionate and skilled veterinarian is well known. You even founded an animal rescue charity that has earned widespread respect. Forest Isle Zoo is hemorrhaging money, and I simply cannot keep it afloat any longer.

Most of the animals are ill, and no other zoos are willing to take them in. Honestly, I’m at a loss. I can’t stand to watch these creatures starve or perish. I heard you’re searching for work, so I’m offering you Forest Isle Zoo—completely free of charge.

If you can’t take it, these poor animals will be left to fend for themselves.”

Nina blinked, trying to absorb the weight of the message. She thought to herself, “So, Tommy’s broke and can’t manage the zoo, but he can’t just abandon the animals either. He knows I’m soft-hearted and good at nursing sick animals back to health, so now he’s passing this huge responsibility to me? At least he’s showing a hint of conscience… barely. It feels like classic guilt-tripping.”

Before she could mull over it further, Alex’s sharp voice cut through the tension as he barked orders to his team. “Find the missing head. Now.”

His gaze then swept over the paying crowd with a cold, hard stare. “Forest Isle Zoo is officially closed. No visitors allowed until we catch the killer. Lock it down. No one in or out.”

He added without even glancing at Nina, “Round up all staff for questioning.”

Nina looked up, her mind still reeling from Tommy’s email. According to him, the zoo’s lease didn’t expire until next year. That meant she had a whole year to run the place rent-free. She had already made up her mind to take the risk.

With a $200,000 reward for capturing the fugitive, combined with her rare ability to understand animals, she believed she had a real chance to turn Forest Isle around. She could secure enough funds to treat the sick and nurse them back to health.

And if, after a year, things still didn’t improve, she could reach out to her network in animal welfare and find safer homes for the creatures elsewhere.

But now, with Alex shutting the zoo down until the killer was caught, Nina felt a surge of frustration. “Seriously? Does that even make sense?” she thought, torn between disbelief and irritation.

From what Alex had said, this killer might be the same one from last year’s unsolved case. And that person was still out there, roaming free. If this continued, Forest Isle Zoo might end up closed for good.

Unable to hold back any longer, Nina voiced her concerns. “How long do you expect us to wait while you hunt down this killer? What if it takes a whole year? You want Forest Isle Zoo to just sit closed the entire time? How is it supposed to survive?”

She gestured toward the giraffes, who had already stripped a nearby tree bare, and the thin tiger pacing restlessly in its cage. “These animals still need to eat.”

Alex gave her a frosty glare. “If the animals go hungry, that’s on you. My job is to catch the killer. What happens to the zoo isn’t my problem.”

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