Chapter 118: You Are Not Annie

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: You Are Not Annie

At fifty-three, Lucas Callahan was rather displeased with the attitude of these two young people.

He frowned and said in a low voice, "Captain Stark, this is Forest Park. Whether the macaques can see outsiders is my call."

"Alright," Henry Stark said. He didn’t waste any more words on the man, turning to Renee Jennings. "Let’s go."

Although Renee Jennings was very worried about Annie’s condition, she still followed Henry Stark out of Lucas Callahan’s office.

She walked beside him, asking in a hushed voice, "What about Annie?"

"Don’t worry." Henry Stark glanced at her fair, anxious face and said comfortingly, "He’ll be begging us to come back in a minute."

"Huh?" Renee Jennings looked up slightly in confusion.

Henry Stark turned his phone screen for her to see.

Renee Jennings saw that the phone was dialing Frederick Wyatt.

"The mayor?"

"That’s right."

The call connected, and Henry Stark explained the situation.

Listening from the sidelines, Renee Jennings was a little surprised.

’Henry Stark knows Frederick Wyatt that well?’

Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Henry Stark hung up and explained, "He’s my maternal uncle."

Renee Jennings instantly understood.

’So they were family.’

The two strolled along casually for a stretch, until a shout came from behind them. "Captain Stark, Consultant Jennings, please wait!"

Lucas Callahan ran up, his face slick with sweat. He put on a smile, his features looking a bit crumpled. "We can discuss the matter with Annie. Please, have a seat and some tea. I’ll have someone make the arrangements."

Renee Jennings and Henry Stark stopped. Henry calmly said, "Then I’ll leave it to you, Director Callahan."

Seeing Henry’s nonchalant expression, Lucas Callahan pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away his sweat. "Not at all. It’s my duty."

’He hadn’t expected the man to have such powerful connections.’

The two returned once more to Lucas Callahan’s office. On the coffee table, disposable paper cups filled with scalding tea sent up curls of white steam.

Lucas Callahan was on his phone, making a call.

The person on the other end must have used Annie’s health as an excuse to refuse them, because Lucas Callahan was suppressing his anger as he said, "What’s wrong with Annie? Consultant Jennings is right here, she can take a look."

The person on the other end demurred again, and this time Lucas Callahan couldn’t contain his anger. He roared, "I told you to arrange it, so just do it! Cut the crap! Get it done, right now!"

He hung up the phone, raised a hand to push up the glasses that had slid down his nose, and smiled at the two of them. "It’s been arranged."

"Alright." Renee Jennings nodded, lifting the paper cup to take a few small sips of tea.

Five minutes later, Lucas Callahan made another call. "Is it arranged?"

The tension in his face eased slightly. He put down his phone and said, "Captain Stark, Consultant Jennings, it’s all set. Please, follow me."

The Monkey Manager said Annie wasn’t feeling well and was resting in an isolation room at the rescue center.

When Renee Jennings and Henry Stark arrived at the rescue center, they saw the lonely silhouette of a macaque in the isolation room.

It sat on the floor, its head tilted up, gazing at the window.

The Monkey Manager, Zane Wagner, sighed. "Annie’s been acting up lately. She refuses to eat. She’s practically starved herself sick."

"Annie," Renee Jennings called softly from the doorway.

The macaque in the isolation room gave no reaction.

Renee Jennings frowned, feeling a pang of concern.

She was very worried about Annie.

’She must still be thinking constantly about Yumi.’

Renee Jennings turned her head and asked, "Has Annie been in this state ever since she came back?"

"Yes." Zane Wagner nodded, his face etched with worry. "I’m very concerned about Annie’s condition, so I brought her to the isolation room. I’ve been keeping her company whenever I have time."

"Annie, it’s Renee Jennings. I’m here to see you," Renee called out again. "Are you thinking about Yumi?"

Hearing the name "Yumi," a flicker of something passed through Zane Wagner’s eyes. He asked in confusion, "Who’s Yumi?"

"You don’t know Yumi?" Renee Jennings met Zane Wagner’s confused expression, her gaze hardening. "Yumi is Annie’s baby. As the Monkey Manager, how could you not know about this?"

Lucas Callahan was also shocked, exclaiming, "Annie had a baby?"

Renee Jennings’s brow furrowed deeply, and she turned her head to exchange a look with Henry Stark.

Henry Stark’s voice was cold and low. "Annie gave birth to a baby macaque, and Forest Park didn’t even know?"

Zane Wagner looked as if he’d seen a ghost. "What kind of joke is this, officers? I see Annie every day. I never noticed she had a baby."

Lucas Callahan was also completely confused. "Captain Stark, Consultant Jennings, could you be mistaken?"

"Impossible." Renee Jennings’s voice was cool and clear, her tone firm. "Annie’s baby is named Yumi. She was stolen a while ago, which is why Annie came down from the mountain and abducted a human child."

’The police had been investigating this matter in secret, yet the people in charge of Forest Park somehow didn’t even know of Yumi’s existence?’

’It was simply too absurd.’

Renee Jennings’s expression turned frigid. She said to Zane Wagner, "Open the isolation room door. I need to speak with Annie face-to-face."

"Absolutely not." Zane Wagner immediately shook his head. "That’s too dangerous. Annie’s temperament has changed drastically, and she doesn’t know you well. She could hurt you. We can’t take responsibility for that."

Renee Jennings repeated coolly, "Open the door."

Zane Wagner looked to Lucas Callahan for help. "Director Callahan, can you please talk some sense into her? A macaque might look small, but you must not underestimate its aggressiveness."

Lucas Callahan’s brow was locked in a frown as he weighed his options.

"Open the door. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility." Henry Stark’s thin lips barely moved, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Since Henry had spoken, Lucas Callahan knew better than to argue.

"Sunny, do as Captain Stark says. Open the door," he ordered.

Zane Wagner had no choice but to open the door to the isolation room.

He watched Renee Jennings’s back as she pushed open the door and went inside, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes.

"Annie, it’s Renee." Renee stood behind the macaque and spoke softly. "Are you thinking about Yumi?"

The macaque that had been staring out the window turned its head.

It stared at Renee Jennings, its round eyes filled with hostility, and bared its sharp teeth.

When Renee Jennings first met Annie, the monkey’s eyes had been filled with wariness. But even after her baby had been stolen by humans, she had never shown this level of hostility.

Intuition told Renee Jennings that this was not Annie.

She frowned and said, "You’re not Annie. Who are you?"

The macaque, poised to attack Renee Jennings, froze when it heard her words. The ferocious look on its face instantly morphed into curiosity. "Whoa, how’d you know?"

Renee Jennings glanced back at Zane Wagner, then said to the macaque, "I’m friends with Annie. Of course I’d know."

"Heh, that dumb monkey actually has a human friend?" the macaque said, its tone dripping with contempt.

Renee Jennings’s eyes narrowed. She asked softly, "My name is Renee. What’s yours?"

"I’m Millie. What do you think? It’s a beautiful name, isn’t it?" The macaque, Millie, was incredibly narcissistic. "Way better than ’Annie,’ right?"

"Yes," Renee Jennings said, playing along. "Your name is very elegant."

"Of course," Millie the macaque said, puffed up with pride. "My name is the prettiest of all the monkeys."