The Ultimate Reborn Heiress (Scarlett) novel Chapter 342

Chapter 342 The Broken House

The person inside clearly wasn’t the one they were looking for.

Lewis came over and whispered, “It’s not Killian. Just a kid—maybe ten or so–with a dog. I’m going in to ask some questions.”

Scarlett said, “I’ll come in with you.”

She might spot something useful herself.

She could read faces well enough to pick up on a few things.

As long as the person inside wasn’t dangerous–wasn’t connected to Killian–they might even be able to gather intel on the suspect’s whereabouts.

Nathan said nothing, but followed them in.

The three of them pushed the door open and finally saw what was inside.

The house had been vacant for ages. Inside, it was almost completely empty–just a few rotting wooden planks scattered around, thick layers of dust coating every surface, and an overwhelming sense of disarray.

A torn mat lay in the center of the room.

Someone lay on it. A dog lay beside them.

The dog was a Shepherd–fully grown, maybe three or four years old–calm and composed. The moment t heard them enter, its ears shot up, and it locked its gaze on them.

A low growl rumbled from its throat–a warning to the person lying beside it.

The person heard the growl and bolted upright from the mat, eyes snapping toward the doorway

The

person who sat up from the tattered mat looked no more than 14 or 15, with short hair.

Seeing Scarlett and the other two, the kid frowned and immediately pulled the Shepherd into a protective embrace, clearly worried they’d hurt the dog.

Lewis, the veteran detective, spoke up right away. “Hey, boy. Don’t be scared. We mean no harm. Just here

to ask for directions.”

Scarlett couldn’t help glancing at him after that.

The kid frowned. “Directions to where?”

The voice was unmistakably a girl’s.

Not a boy at all. A girl.

Lewis felt a twinge of embarrassment. He hadn’t expected that

Chapter 342 The Broken House

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She was thin, with short hair, a bit of grime on her clothes, and sharp features. He’d made an assumption based on first impressions.

Lewis recovered quickly. “We’re looking for the town center. Are there any places to stay? We’re hikers, just passing through. This area’s a bit remote, and we’re not familiar with it.”

He obviously wasn’t going to start asking random locals if they’d seen a kidnapping suspect.

While Lewis talked, Scarlett studied the girl’s face.

Judging from her bone structure, the girl hadn’t finished growing yet.

She stood at about 5’3“, which was average for a northern girl around 14 or 15.

She had narrow eyes but striking features, with a well–defined, deep–set look.

Her face suggested someone bold and decisive, the kind of person who loved and hated with equal

ntensity.

The girl relaxed after Lewis’s explanation.

For some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that these three people had almost no presence–ordinary. Forgettable. Like she’d blink and lose them from memory.

‘Our town’s small. There aren’t many people here. This is the outskirts. Keep going along this road–once you see more houses, you’re headed the right way. The center has a couple of streets. There are a few places to stay. Go to the Safehaven Inn. It’s clean. The others aren’t.”

It really was a tiny town.

The girl clearly knew every inch of it.

Lewis nodded. “Thanks, kid.”

Something about the girl nagged at him. The cop in him kicked in.

Especially the state she was in–dirty, with a dog, staying in this dump.

He spotted the remains of a campfire nearby, along with an empty instant noodle wrapper lying beside it.

He didn’t know the full story, but clearly, the girl and this dog had been living here.

Lewis couldn’t help himself. “Why are you staying in a place like this? Where are your parents? A girl your age shouldn’t be out here alone.”

The girl glanced at Lewis but said nothing. She just stroked the big Shepherd’s head.

The dog nuzzled her hand.

When she stayed silent, Lewis pressed, “Want us to take you home?”

He figured she’d had a fight with her family.

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Chapter 342 The Broken House

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The girl was getting annoyed. She frowned. “Just go find the town center. Why do you care what I do?”

Lewis backed off.

He was weighing whether to ask if she’d seen a van pass through yesterday afternoon.

Before he could, Scarlett spoke.

That Shepherd is a police dog.”

She said it as a statement, not a question.

The dog’s build and bone structure were exceptional.

ts behavior–specific habits, certain postures–all pointed to extensive professional training.

When the girl had been talking to them…

The Shepherd had kept its eyes locked on them the entire time.

But animals were instinctively perceptive.

Scarlett had cultivation energy. She also carried a dagger steeped in dark energy on her back.

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