Chapter 486: Chapter 486: Blatant Revenge
Medical personnel entered the bedroom to check on Jenson Marsh and Amanda Lynn.
Zachary Conway looked at Jude Sherman and asked curiously, "Director Stone, what did you just say about me having it tough?"
Michelle Fullerâs cheeks flushed red. She cut in before Jude Sherman could speak, "Itâs nothing. We werenât badmouthing you, no need to be so tense."
"Oh, is that so." Zachary Conway nodded. "As long as you werenât badmouthing me, Iâm relieved."
"Of course," Michelle Fuller said. "Who would dare badmouth a police officer?"
"Thatâs true, I guess." Zachary Conway grinned.
The paramedics quickly checked the vitals of Jenson Marsh and his wife. After confirming that all their indicators were stable and ruling out any immediate, life-threatening risks, they carefully carried the two downstairs on stretchers.
"Weâll need to run more detailed tests at the hospital to know for sure," one of the paramedics explained.
"Thank you!" Melody Marsh quickly thanked them, following the stretchers downstairs.
Renee Jennings and the others went down to the first floor as well.
Renee Jennings accompanied Melody Marsh in the ambulance to the hospital, while the others followed in the van.
Renee Jennings paid the medical fees upfront. She sat with Melody Marsh on a bench outside the emergency room. "Melody, once your parents are settled, youâll need to go to the police station to give a statement."
"Okay!" Melody Marsh nodded emphatically. "Iâll definitely go."
Shadow and Mimi were left in the van. Michelle Fuller and the others sat a short distance away, watching them quietly without disturbing them.
Renee Jennings raised her hand and stroked the top of the girlâs head, asking softly, "Are you still scared?"
Melody Marsh gazed into those bright, gentle eyes and didnât answer right away.
After a few seconds, she slowly began to speak. "Iâd be lying if I said I wasnât scared. My whole life, not a single boy has ever even touched a hair on my head..."
By the end, her voice was tinged with tears.
"Iâm sure you were terrified." Renee Jennings put an arm around her shoulder. "Iâm sorry I didnât get here sooner."
âShe was actually a bit upset with herself, feeling that she was still too immature in handling these matters.â
âShe had been reflecting on it ever since it happened. If she encountered a situation like this again, what could she do to minimize the harm?â
"Renee, you really donât have to be sorry." Melody Marsh grasped her hand, her expression sincere and earnest. "Iâm the one who should be thanking you. Your arrival was like a ray of light, pulling me out of the abyss."
"I was just really frightened, thatâs all." Melody Marsh quickly calmed down. "I wasnât violated. Iâm very lucky, because I have you, Shadow, and everyone else."
Renee Jennings was stunned for a moment. âIf she had encountered something like that herself, she would have completely broken down.â
The girlâs voice quickly pulled her back from her thoughts.
"Renee!" Melody Marshâs young face was taut with seriousness. "Iâm so, so grateful to you. Itâs no exaggeration to say youâre my savior. From now on, Iâll respect you the way I respect my own parents!"
"Huh?" Renee Jennings felt like she understood every word, but the way they were put together was just bizarre. "Melody, what are you talking about?"
**
Jenson Marsh had been drugged and was in a light coma. The doctors gave him a shot to help him wake up and kept him in the observation room, requiring him to be woken up every half hour.
Amanda Lynn had passed out from drinking. She was also kept for observation, given a glucose drip to help metabolize the alcohol faster.
Zachary Conway asked the nurse on duty to wake Jenson Marsh every thirty minutes, then took Melody Marsh to Draken Police Station to give her statement.
Renee Jennings and Zachary Conway also gave their witness statements about the scene.
"Did they confess?" Zachary Conway asked Shaw, the officer who had led the response team earlier.
"Nope," Shaw said, shaking his head. "Theyâre tight-lipped. The couple keeps saying they didnât know anything."
"What about the other two guys?"
"Theyâre also sticking to their story that they just wanted to be friends with Melody Marsh."
"And Theo Yates?"
"He says he doesnât know anything."
Zachary Conway frowned slightly. "He canât possibly not know. He was the one blocking me and Renee Jennings! Heâs young, he probably wonât be able to hold out for long."
"Understood, Officer Conway." Shaw acknowledged. "Iâll go interrogate him again now."
"Go on." Zachary Conway turned to find Renee Jennings. "Itâs getting late. Should we find a hotel and get some rest first?"
Jude Sherman had already booked a hotel, but it was quite far, so the group found a hotel nearby to stay for the night.
Melody Marsh stayed with them too.
Jude Sherman got his own room. Renee Jennings and Michelle Fuller shared one, and since neither Hilary nor Melody Marsh wanted to stay alone, they shared a twin room.
The next day after breakfast, Jude Sherman called a car and took Shadow and Mimi to Caelus Zoo, leaving Hilary and the van with Renee Jennings.
Hilary was thrilled.
Last night, she had experienced something that usually only happens in TV dramas.
âIt turns out Renee Jennings can not only communicate with small animals, but she can also save people from danger.â
âSheâs so amazing!â
After a nightâs sleep, Hilary admired Renee Jennings even more.
"Renee, I feel like the way Hilaryâs looking at you today is a little weird," Michelle Fuller whispered, leaning close to Renee Jenningsâs ear.
Renee Jennings hadnât noticed. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "How so?"
"The look in her eyes is just like..." Michelle Fullerâs mind churned for a moment, then something clicked. "Just like how Green Hat looks at you."
Green Hat...
The image of the Green Iguanaâs two lantern-like eyes immediately popped into Renee Jenningsâs mind. She then looked over at Hilary.
âDo they look alike? Not at all.â
Just then, Hilary also leaned close to Michelle Fullerâs ear and whispered, "Michelle, Officer Conway is staring at you again."
Michelle Fullerâs back instantly stiffened.
âRevenge. Blatant revenge!â
The group drove away from the hotel and headed to the hospital.
Amanda Lynn had woken up. Realizing she was in the hospital, she was beside herself with panic.
She borrowed a phone from a nurse and tried calling Jenson Marsh, but no one answered.
The nurses had already changed shifts that morning. The nurse on duty now didnât know Amanda Lynnâs situation, so she just took the phone back and left.
Amanda Lynn sat dazedly on the bed, unable to recall what had happened last night, why she was in the hospital, or where her husband and daughter were.
It wasnât until Renee Jennings appeared in the observation room with Melody Marsh that Amanda Lynn exclaimed agitatedly, "Melody, what happened last night?"
Only after speaking did she notice other people standing with her daughter. Her gaze fell upon a delicate, vaguely familiar face, and her heart seemed to skip a beat as an ominous premonition washed over her.
"You... You are..."
"Iâm Renee Jennings." Renee Jennings smiled slightly. "Ms. Lynn, hello. We meet again."
Recalling what she had said on the phone, Amanda Lynn trembled all over, her lips quivering. "You... Melody... You guys..."
"Mom, are you okay?" Melody Marsh asked with concern. "Are you still drunk? Does your head hurt?"
"I..." Amanda Lynn suddenly couldnât meet her daughterâs eyes. "Melody, whereâs your father?"
"Dadâs in the next room," Melody Marsh explained. "I havenât gone to see him yet. Last night, he was drugged and knocked out by Jasper Yates."