Seeing Henry Stark and Kyle Morgan head over, Zachary Conway and Levi Hollis also walked up quickly.

The officers all showed their badges at the same time.

The other diners were stunned when they saw this.

"Wow, there are so many police officers!"

"They’re catching a thief in the middle of a meal? That’s Zenvia’s police for you!"

"That’s amazing. It makes you feel so safe living in a country like this."

Shannon’s face lit up with joy.

She had a feeling that her gold bracelet would definitely be found.

Pip, on the other hand, watched Renee Jennings’s group with terror and anxiety, inwardly cursing her bad luck.

’To run into a whole squad of cops!’

Before the security footage could be pulled up, Pip said hurriedly, "Wait a second, I was just playing a prank on Shannon."

As she spoke, she unzipped a small compartment in her purse and took out a red velvet pouch. "The gold bracelet is here. I was just messing around with Shannon."

Shannon immediately snatched the velvet pouch. Seeing the gold bracelet inside, she finally felt a wave of relief.

Clutching the gold bracelet tightly, she looked at Renee Jennings gratefully. "Thank you. I really can’t thank you enough!"

Otherwise, she would have been out sixty thousand dollars today for nothing.

That was half a year’s salary, and it had taken her a full year of saving to buy it.

"Don’t thank me." Renee Jennings’s eyes softened with a smile as she looked at Husky the poodle. "You should thank Husky. You’ve raised a very smart dog."

Shannon scooped Husky the poodle into her arms, overjoyed. "Husky, thank you! You’re my little good-luck charm!"

Seeing that everyone’s attention was on Shannon, Pip tried to find a chance to slip away.

But the moment she took a step, someone grabbed her by the collar.

"Pip!" Lynn yelled, grabbing her collar, her voice laced with fury. "You’ve disappointed me so much! I can’t believe you’re this kind of person!"

Pip quickly tried to explain. "I was just messing around with Shannon. Why are you getting so worked up?"

"Messing around?" Lynn’s face flushed with anger. "And to think I actually defended you just now! I can’t believe you really did steal Shannon’s gold bracelet!"

"What do you mean, ’steal’?" Pip retorted, annoyed. "Why do you have to make it sound so ugly? I told you, it was a joke! I gave it back to her, didn’t I? I was planning to remind Shannon to check her bag after we finished eating!"

Lynn sneered. "If the police weren’t here, would you have given the bracelet back to Shannon? And what about all that jewelry I’ve lost? Did you steal that too?"

Every so often, she would lose a piece of jewelry or two but could never figure out where, so she’d just had to write it off as bad luck.

Thinking about it now, it seemed like a piece of jewelry went missing every time Pip visited her house.

"Don’t you dare make baseless accusations!" Pip shot back, showing no sign of guilt. "Do you have any proof? If you don’t have proof, then shut your mouth." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Lynn was furious. "I’m such a terrible judge of character!"

She looked over at Shannon, her eyes filled with remorse. "I’m so sorry, Shannon."

"It’s okay," Shannon said, shaking her head.

"Tch." Pip rolled her eyes and turned to leave, only to be blocked again.

Kyle Morgan said impassively, "Excuse me, ma’am. You are suspected of grand theft. Please come with us to the station."

Pip’s face darkened. "What are you talking about? It was a joke, and I already gave the bracelet back to her! You have no reason to stop me!"

As she spoke, she reached out to push Kyle Morgan aside.

The next second, a cold, silver handcuff snapped around her wrist.

Pip’s head snapped up.

Zachary Conway grinned at her. "Ma’am, congratulations on your brand new silver bracelet."

Pip: "..."

Shannon and Lynn also needed to go to the station to give their statements.

As they were leaving, Shannon found Renee Jennings again to express her gratitude.

"If it weren’t for you, I might never have gotten my gold bracelet back." She gripped Renee Jennings’s hand tightly. "Could I have your address? I’d like to send you a gift to thank you."

"That’s not necessary," Renee Jennings said with a light chuckle. "It’s my job."

Seeing that she truly had no intention of accepting a gift, Shannon didn’t insist. She bowed several times in gratitude before leaving with Lynn.

As for Pip, even though she had returned the stolen item, she showed no remorse whatsoever. Even if she avoided a prison sentence, she would still face detention and a fine.

When Renee Jennings got home, Slider the turtle asked curiously, "How did it go? Did you solve the case of the body in the flowerbed?"

"We got to the bottom of it."

Renee Jennings sat down on the sofa and rubbed her shoulder.

Seeing this, Pippi immediately leaped onto the sofa and started gently patting her shoulder with its little paws. "Renee, let me help."

Renee Jennings glanced at her other three furry companions, who were lying around lazily, and raised an eyebrow.

’Is this what it means to be aware you’re living under someone else’s roof?’

She scooped Pippi into her arms, ruffling the fur on its head. "Pippi, you’re so sweet."

Pippi replied obediently, "When Stella used to get tired from her homework, she’d have me give her a massage."

"That’s great." Renee Jennings’s eyes crinkled with her smile. "Do you miss Stella?"

Pippi immediately started nodding vigorously. "I do!"

"Let me see if Stella is free for a video call." Renee Jennings took out her phone and sent Stella a message.

A few minutes later, a video call from Stella came through.

Renee Jennings answered the call, said a quick hello to Stella, and then held the phone in front of Pippi. "You two have a nice chat. I’m going to take a shower."

Stella, on the other end of the screen, quickly thanked her. "Thanks, Renee."

"Don’t mention it," Renee Jennings said as she walked to the balcony to grab her clothes.

After she finished her shower and went out to the balcony to hang her underwear to dry, she found Coco the Sparrow waiting for her on the protective railing.

"Coco, is something wrong? Why are you here so late?" Renee Jennings asked, leaning closer to the little creature.

Coco the Sparrow’s voice was frantic. "Renee, it’s terrible! One of my bird friends was captured by a group of humans! Can you help rescue them?"

Hearing this, Renee Jennings’s expression turned serious. "Come inside and tell me in the living room."

"Sue and I were playing by the river tonight when suddenly a net was thrown over her! Then they just took Sue away!" Coco the Sparrow was so frantic it was on the verge of tears. "What do we do, Renee? Can you please save Sue?"

"Sue?" Renee Jennings asked, puzzled. "Is she a bird, too?"

Coco the Sparrow: "Sue is a white stork."

Renee Jennings did a quick search. White storks were a Class II state-protected species.

She frowned. "Did you happen to hear the humans who caught Sue say anything?"

Coco the Sparrow tried its best to recall. "I think they said they were going to sell Sue to make some money and find some hot, busty girls to have fun with."

"I understand," Renee Jennings said. "Tomorrow at dawn, I need you to show me where Sue was captured."

Coco the Sparrow asked anxiously, "Will we be able to get Sue back?"

Renee Jennings pressed her lips together, silent for a moment before answering, "I’m sorry, Coco. I can’t make any promises."

"Sue..." Coco the Sparrow lowered its head and sobbed mournfully. ’You have to be okay.’

Seeing the little creature’s crestfallen state, Renee Jennings’s heart ached with sympathy.

It reminded her of Annie the macaque, who had been heartbroken after losing her baby.

’I wonder if there’s been any progress on that case...’