The Literary Loft

Nina was once the heiress of the prestigious Summer family in Jelasburg. However, everything changed when a girl named Claire appeared, armed with a DNA test proving she was the true heir. Because of Nina's achievements, the family accepted both her and Claire. But soon after, Claire falsely accused Nina, leading to Nina being cast out of the family. Living alone in a rented apartment, Nina unexpectedly gained the ability to hear animals speak after suffering a high fever. With the help of the clever Squirrel Brothers, she narrowly escaped a murder attempt by a dangerous criminal. Using her newfound gift, Nina started assisting the police in solving cases. The story portrayed a young detective, Nina, who grew, overcame challenges, and bravely took on responsibility—full of wisdom, hope, and courage. The novel had a tight pacing and a well-crafted structure that blended elements of suspense, detective work, and fantasy, delivering both thrilling crime-solving and touching everyday moments. ----------------- "Someone's after you." The voice snapped Nina Summer awake. "Who's there?" she gasped, her heart pounding. She sat up and scanned her tiny apartment. No one was there. 'Maybe it was just a fever dream from last night,' she thought. But the voice had been clear and it was like a kid whispering nearby. 'Is this dump actually haunted?' Nina cursed inwardly and glanced out the window. There on the sill sat Chubby and Coco—the two squirrels she'd come to know as the Squirrel Bros. Their tails flicked, eyes bright. As soon as she woke up, those little troublemakers opened their mouths wide and looked like they were begging for snacks again. Nina knew immediately that the Squirrel Bros were hungry. Her tiny second-floor apartment backed up to a huge old tree, and those freeloaders often jumped from the branches to hit her up for snacks. Nina rubbed her sore forehead and checked her temperature. Her fever had finally gone. Relief spread through her. Nina grabbed some breakfast cookies and handed them out. The bigger squirrel and the smaller one grabbed them right away. Chubby, the little guy, crammed so much cookie in his cheeks he looked like a walking fluffball. "Thanks, Nina!" he squeaked. Nina froze; her mind raced, thinking, 'Wait. Did that squirrel just talk? Has the fever finally messed with my mind?' She tapped her forehead in disbelief. The squirrels kept chatting and snacking. Chubby chirped, "Coco, these cookies smell so milky and good today!" Coco, with shiny, smart eyes, looked worried. "But Nina barely has enough food for herself, and now there's a killer after her. I'm seriously worried." Chubby stopped munching, his face turning gloomy. "What do we do now? Too bad we can't call the cops." Nina's heart skipped a beat. She took a guess, 'So that mysterious 'Someone's after you' voice has come from the squirrels? This is nuts.' She leaned in, blurting out, "Chubby, Coco, what do you mean someone's after me?" The squirrels dropped their cookies, shocked. Chubby made a perfect "O" with his mouth. "Y-You can understand us?" he stammered. Nina nodded, just as surprised. "Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but after the fever last night, I can suddenly get everything you guys say." From then on, the Squirrel Bros' high-pitched chatter translated straight into her mind, like they were speaking her language. "Awesome!" Chubby jumped up and down. "Nina, there's this guy hanging around your building at night, scoping it out." Coco added, "He watches your place, mumbling stuff like 'One more kill this month.' He only leaves when you turn off the lights." Nina felt chills. 'He's been studying my routine,' she thought, heart racing. "Did you see what he looks like?" she asked, voice shaky. Coco scratched his head. "He looks like that guy on the posters stuck on trees in the park." Chubby's eyes lit up. "He must be famous. There are posters of him everywhere." Nina's stomach dropped. 'Posters... could it be a wanted poster?' She pressed, "Where are those posters? What does the guy look like?" Coco set down his cookie. "I snagged one off a tree yesterday and hid it in my nest. I'll get it for you." Coco scurried back to his little tree hole and soon popped out, clutching a crumpled, dirty piece of paper in his mouth. Nina grabbed it, noticing how worn and wrinkled it was. The big, bold "WANTED" at the top nearly made her knees buckle. Panic washed over her. The poster read: [WANTED: Felix Wynn, male, 37, a fugitive wanted. Suspected of multiple brutal murders—extremely dangerous. A $200,000 reward for info leading to capture, offered by police and victims' families.] Nina's heart slammed against her chest. Her skin went ice cold. 'A fugitive is stalking me,' she thought, trembling with fear. Her survival instincts kicked in. She grabbed her phone to call 911. She hovered over "Alex" in her recent calls, her hands shaking. Alex Summer was the oldest in the legendary Summer family, Nina's "big bro" for as long as she could remember. Recently back from overseas, Alex was already a well-known criminal investigation professor for the Jelasburg Police Department. Officially, he was a special consultant with access to resources most people could only dream of. Nina knew Alex was leading the hunt for Felix, the serial killer. Calling him could bring the Summer family's top bodyguards and the city's major crimes team to her side instantly. But Alex didn't even let the call go through. He slammed the phone down and shot her a cold text: [Stop bothering me. You won't even admit what you've done. I'll never take you back in the Summer family.] A sharp pain hit Nina's chest. A month ago, a girl named Claire Summer had appeared with a DNA test that shattered everything: the Summer family had spent 22 years raising the wrong heiress. Nina was just a stand-in. The Summer family made their fortune in pet medicine and ran a huge chain of animal hospitals. Since she was a kid, Nina's parents pushed her hard, aiming for the top vet schools, clogging her schedule with tutoring. Her dad, Charles Summer, was ruthless. If she didn't come in first, he'd toss her hamster out of their house without a second thought. Nina never let her guard down. Even as a kid, she was always stressed, grinding for top grades. Before her 20th birthday, she was already a top vet and running the family's newest vaccine project, PawGuard. When the real heiress came back, the Summer family didn't plan to kick Nina out immediately. But two weeks ago, Claire broke her leg and accused Nina of shoving her down the stairs. The Summers were pissed off. Alex didn't let Nina speak; he dumped her suitcase outside that very afternoon. Nina sighed, feeling utterly cold and crushed inside. She couldn't believe that her family would be so blind and clueless to Claire's lame excuse. Since Alex had cut her off, Nina tried texting him about the wanted fugitive. But when she hit send, she saw she'd been blocked for good. 'Whatever. Nothing I say will get through to them anyway,' Nina thought, worn out. With no other options, she dialed 911. It took forever before someone finally picked up—a young, kind-sounding operator. "911, what's your emergency?" "Hi, I think I just saw Felix, the wanted fugitive, hanging around my building," Nina said nervously, quickly giving her address and floor number. "He's been checking out the place like he's up to no good." The operator immediately perked up. "Thanks for the tip! We'll alert the officers right now. Can I get your name and contact info?" After hanging up, Nina let out a big sigh of relief. 'At least the operator sounded sharp,' she thought. She looked at her phone; it was already six in the evening; she'd basically slept the whole day away. Her stomach grumbled, but stepping outside wasn't an option. Nina googled Felix's MO—he didn't follow a schedule and wasn't afraid to strike in broad daylight. Running into him now would be walking straight into a trap. "Nina, don't stress," Coco said, noticing her nerves. He tapped her shoulder with a tiny paw. "I've sent Chubby to keep watch downstairs. If anyone sketchy shows up, he'll let us know." Nina's heart softened. 'Who knew I'd have two squirrels watching my back?' she smiled, tossing Coco another cookie. "Thanks, guys!" A few minutes later, her phone rang unexpectedly. Alex's name flashed on the screen. She answered, and his voice exploded through the line. "Well, look at you, Nina. I ignore your calls, and you go and file a bogus police report?" Chapter 2 "I didn't file a fake report! The tip I gave them was real," Nina said urgently. Alex shot back, "Still denying it, huh? The police just called our team—said some informant named Nina spotted Felix near her place." "Lucky they called me first. Otherwise, you'd have the whole squad running around wasting time because of your stunt," Alex said, barely holding in his anger. "I've been losing sleep over Felix's murder case. You pulled this move just to freak us out and force us to take you back, right?" he challenged. Nina felt her heart harden. "Alex, I swear I didn't. How could I joke about something like that?" "Don't call me Alex," he snapped, anger rising. "You're just a fraud living someone else's life. Do you even get what Claire went through all these years? "Your real brother's some nobody stuck at a remote police post, scraping by on peanuts. What help could he possibly give Claire?" His voice softened for a moment. "Claire had to work part-time jobs just to survive in college. Meanwhile, you were living the high life, soaking up everything the Summer family gave you." Nina forced a bitter smile. At least Claire was healthy. The endless pressure and cram sessions the Summer family piled on had wrecked Nina's body. She was sick all the time. 'Honestly, I'd trade all this for just a normal, healthy life,' Nina thought, pain hitting deep. 'Instead, I'm always burning up with fever, coughing, and passing out. And now I can't even afford my own medical bills or decent food.' "If you cook up fake clues again, don't blame me if I get the cops involved. False reports could land you in jail," Alex warned before hanging up cold. Nina rubbed her temples, hot tears spilling over in frustration and anger. 'Who does Alex think he is? Acting like he owns the right to call the cops? What a jerk,' she fumed. 'If something really happens, I'm totally screwed...' Just then, a soft, fluffy tail brushed her cheek. It was Coco, gently wiping her tears with his bushy tail. "Nina, I just washed my tail today. Super clean. Hope you don't mind," Coco said, trying to cheer her up. Her tears fell harder. 'It hurts more than I can say. Those I've cared about for over twenty years mean less than a squirrel I've known less than twenty days,' she thought, feeling a deep ache. 'What am I even supposed to do now?' Panic flared. 'That idiot Alex is messing this all up for me.' Suddenly, a thought hit her. 'Wait a minute. There's still someone else I can ask for help.' Nina's real brother, Simon Reed, was a small-town cop about 20 miles away. They hadn't actually met yet; reconnecting was still new. For now, all she had was his contact info. When Simon found out Nina had been kicked out by the Summer family, he asked someone to help her find a place to stay. 'Maybe he's not so bad after all...' Nina thought, a flicker of hope sparking inside her. Nervous, Nina dialed Simon's number. The call connected right away. "Hey, Simon?" she said, her voice shaky. "Nina? What's up?" Simon replied, voice calm but with a hint of surprise. Before she could say more, Simon jumped in, "You sound wiped out and hoarse. You sick or something?" She hadn't expected him to notice so fast. Her chest tightened. "Yeah, I had a fever yesterday," she admitted, and then quickly shifted gears. "Simon, I'm being stalked by a wanted fugitive. Can you help me? I'm really scared." Her voice trembled as she told him everything, except the Squirrel Bros' secret warning. Her voice was low. "No one believes me, and honestly, I don't know who else to turn to..." Instead of pressing for details, Simon's voice stayed steady. "Don't worry. Stay home and lock every door and window. I'm coming." She could hear stuff rustling in the background, like he was grabbing his gear. "If you get scared, don't hang up. I'll stay on the line the whole time," he added. Nina froze, voice thick with emotion. "Okay." She never thought someone she'd never met would drop everything and rush over from 20 miles away just because she called. Curious, Nina looked Simon up online, not expecting much. She knew that small-town cops usually just deal with petty stuff. But what she found blew her away. One article after another showed Simon was a top grad from the National Police Academy—the most prestigious police school. He was a national martial arts champ, already racking up awards as a sophomore. 'If he's that impressive, why's he stuck in some nowhere town?' Nina wondered, stunned. 'Did he piss off someone powerful? Or did I get the wrong guy?' Simon's voice pulled her back. "Nina, have you eaten yet?" "No. I was gonna grab some food, but now I'm too scared to even order delivery," she mumbled, curled on her bed. "Hang tight. I'm on my way," Simon said, his tone firm but reassuring. After that, all Nina heard was wind rushing through the phone. Weirdly, it calmed her down and made her feel safer. Half-dreaming, half-awake, she thought groggily, 'If Simon really is that badass, maybe we actually have a shot at catching this fugitive tonight. And if we pull it off, there's a $200,000 bounty on the line!' Too tired and hungry to do anything else, Nina curled up and drifted off, her mind slipping into dreams. She didn't know how long she'd been out when Chubby's urgent voice snapped her awake. "Nina, someone's coming!" Nina jolted upright, a cold shiver running down her spine. Outside, it was pitch black. Living in an old, rundown part of town meant terrible lighting; night swallowed up everything beyond her window. The apartment walls were thin, and footsteps echoed down the hallway, filling the room with tension. Her heart pounded until she heard Simon's voice, both on the phone and right outside her door. "Nina, I'm here. Open up." She let out the breath she'd been holding and scrambled to unlock the door. The second it swung open, she froze. Standing there was a tall guy, ridiculously handsome, with tanned skin, and sharp features. His eyes were serious, commanding, and full of authority. He looked like he'd stepped right out of a poster for a national hero—the perfect heartbreak material. 'No way... is this really my brother Simon?' Nina thought, totally blown away. Chapter 3 Simon was juggling a bunch of bags but managed to free one hand to brush Nina's forehead. "Your fever's gone," he said. Nina nodded weakly, still feeling spacey. Simon shut the door behind him, his voice full of genuine concern. "Why are you acting so out of it? Did that fever fry your brain or what?" Nina's face stiffened. 'Man, he never beats around the bush,' she thought. Simon was dressed in a dark blue tracksuit. His broad shoulders and slim waist looked huge in her tiny apartment, and his black cargo pants just added to his solid frame. "Come on. Let's eat," Simon said, setting down food he had brought, and then tossing a big bag of snacks onto the table. Nina, starving after a whole day without food, grabbed her fork and dug in like she hadn't eaten in weeks. Simon watched her scarf down her meal, guilt flickering in his eyes. "Sorry. I should've been taking better care of you." It'd been a month since Simon realized Nina was his real sister, but he'd never reached out before. Claire, the girl Simon had raised since they were kids, always looked down on him for not making enough money. They barely spoke except when it was about money, sending her allowance or bailing her out from maxed credit cards. Nina had spent twenty-two years living it up with the wealthy Summer family. Simon always wondered if she'd be like Claire and treat her broke brother like dirt. When Claire accidentally spilled the beans, Simon found out Nina got booted from the Summer family. Nina looked up, surprised by his apology hesitation. After a beat, she said, "Simon, don't apologize. We just met for real; we barely know each other. Besides, you've got your own stuff to handle." Simon let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. At least Nina didn't mind having him around. "Alright, let's eat." They ate quietly, the mood heavy and awkward. Afterward, Simon got to work. He packed up Nina's messy suitcase with practiced moves, grabbed a rag, and started scrubbing every surface until the place looked spotless. By dinner's end, the cramped apartment felt like a new place. Nina was a little stunned that Simon was such a cleaning pro. She figured that after their parents died, Simon raised Claire alone, hustling scholarship money and part-time jobs. No wonder he'd become the go-to brother at home. When Nina finished, Simon cleared the table quickly and set some gear by her bed. Nina blinked. "What's this for?" Simon looked serious. "It's an electric livestock prod, the kind folks in town use for herding pigs. Trust me; it's perfect for self-defense and totally legal." Nina couldn't help but snort laughing. "Only you would come up with something like this," she said, grinning. Simon expected Nina to roll her eyes at the stuff he'd brought over from the countryside, but surprisingly, she just went along with it like it was no big deal. That little moment really helped ease the awkwardness between them. They weren't really close, but the tension started to fade. Simon popped open a bottle of milk and set it in front of her. "Nina, walk me through how you spotted Felix," he asked. Nina took a moment to collect herself. "Last night, I went downstairs to take out the trash and brushed past this guy. Something about him felt off. He looked a lot like Felix from the wanted posters. "Then I remembered, a few nights back, when I was closing the window screen, I saw someone standing downstairs staring right up at me." Simon kept eye contact, noticing her eyes flick briefly to the right—a classic sign she might be fudging the truth. But he didn't call her out. Nina looked rattled, and Simon decided it didn't matter if the story was half true or not. He made up his mind that he'd stay and keep her safe. Since there was no way she could admit she actually understood what the squirrels were saying, Nina just winged it. "It's their walk—it's the same. I think he's been watching me the past few days," she said, throwing Simon a nervous glance, hoping he bought it. Simon hesitated, and then shrugged off his jacket by the door and plopped down on the floor. "Relax. I'll keep watch tonight. Go get some sleep." Nina tried to protest but caught herself. There basically wasn't a spot for him to crash anyway. Seeing her guilty look, Simon smiled softly, "Don't worry about me. I'm not planning to sleep." After finishing up her resume and scrolling through job sites for a bit, Nina felt her eyes grow heavy. She washed up, and climbed into bed. Simon carefully tucked her in before mixing some cold medicine for her. She hadn't slept well in days, so after taking the medicine, she quickly fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. Simon switched off the lights and settled quietly by the door, determined to watch over her through the night. Well past midnight, Coco hopped onto the windowsill, scratching the screen with tiny paws. "Nina, the guy's back. He's coming up the stairs." Nina bolted upright in bed, a cold shiver running down her spine. Her eyes met Simon's worried gaze across the room. He had definitely noticed the squirrel, too. Nina stayed silent and quickly typed a message to Simon: [I've been feeding that squirrel since I moved in. He's super smart. If he's scratching at the window like that, something's definitely wrong. The killer might be upstairs.] Simon read the message and didn't hesitate. Without a sound, he slipped behind the door and texted back: [Hold on to the prod and stay sharp. I got this.] He tucked his phone away. The moonlight caught the cold glint of handcuffs on his belt. Nina shrank back on the edge of her bed, clutching the electric prod until her knuckles turned white. The room was so quiet that she could almost hear her heartbeat thudding. Minutes crept by, dragging like forever. Then a faint sound came from the lock; someone was picking it. Nina tensed. With a click, the lock gave way. A shadow slipped inside. Simon moved like lightning. In one smooth move, he grabbed the intruder's arm, twisted it behind his back, and snapped on the handcuffs. It was like a stunt straight out of a movie. Nina was speechless; Simon was seriously cool. "Nina, hit the lights," Simon said, holding the guy in place. Nina flipped the switch, flooding the room with light. Simon yanked off the man's mask and hat. The light fell across his face—pale skin, round nose, and a dark mole on his left earlobe. His sharp, hawk-like eyes were wide with shock. It was Felix. The infamous fugitive from the wanted posters. The prod clattered to the floor as Nina stared, wide-eyed, at the guy on the floor. Her head spun. "Holy crap, 200 grand! Simon, we just scored 200 grand. We're gonna be rich." All the fear drained away, drowned out by excitement. Even though Nina grew up in the Summer family, Charles kept her on a tight leash with money, afraid she'd go wild if she had cash. Her spending was always on tutoring and cram school. She'd suffered through all the pressure but never got to taste the perks of their wealth. And after getting kicked out, the Summer family didn't even pay her for the vaccine research she'd done. Now, she was basically broke. Nina had heard that catching a fugitive could earn a medal. She was totally pumped. "Simon, does this mean you're finally gonna get that big promotion and a fat raise?" Chapter 4 Simon was shocked. He only stopped by to check on Nina's health but somehow ended up catching a wanted criminal without even trying. It was like Felix handed himself over on a silver platter. Felix lay sprawled on the floor, baring his teeth. "You guys just waiting for me to show up, huh?" he muttered, frustrated and refusing to give up. "How did you even find me?" Nina was sharing the snacks Simon brought with the Squirrel Bros by the window. "Serves you right; karma's a bitch," she said coolly. Seeing Nina wasn't giving him any answers, Felix snorted and muttered curses under his breath. Nina ignored him. With her badass brother Simon right there, she wasn't scared of anything. To her, this so-called top-tier criminal sprawled on the floor looked more like a fat bounty. "So, what are we gonna do with him now?" Nina asked eagerly, her eyes practically flashing dollar signs. "When do we get our reward?" Simon smiled at his little money-hungry sister, "First, I've gotta call my boss." Pulling out his phone, Simon said, "Criminals like Felix have to be handed over to the Jelasburg Police Department HQ. They're treating this case as a priority." But before Simon could make the call, his phone buzzed. It was Larry Cheney, his co-worker. Larry sounded stressed and out of breath. "Simon, where the hell have you disappeared to? Why aren't you back at the station yet?" "The deputy chief finally dug up some dirt on you, and he's not letting it go this time," Larry said, panicking. "Says you took time off without a real excuse, wants to cut your pay and slap you with a formal warning, the whole nine yards." Simon sighed, "Larry, I'm out in Longridge District visiting my sick sister. There's no way I can rush back right now." Larry groaned, "Seriously, you went all the way out there? You're screwed, man. The deputy chief is gonna come down on you hard." Simon said lightly, "Larry, I just caught Felix here." Larry's voice cracked as he shouted, "Wait—the Felix? You just went to visit your sick sister and ended up nabbing a wanted criminal? How do you drop bombs like that casually, like you just grabbed groceries?" Simon smirked. "Since the deputy chief's there, could you tell him? Let him know to report up the chain and get someone to pick Felix up. I'll text you the address." Larry's panic vanished instantly. "Simon, you're incredible. With your skills, it's ridiculous they've got you stuck handling small-time stuff out here. "Now you swing by home and bag a criminal? Real talent shines no matter where you are. You're headed places, man. That merit medal is basically yours. Hang tight. I'm reporting your win to the higher-ups right now." After Nina heard Simon's phone call with Larry, her eyes lit up with excitement. "So does this mean you can finally transfer back to the city now that you've caught a wanted criminal?" She'd just seen Simon in action. His skills were way beyond helping villagers find lost cows and chickens out here in the sticks. Simon barely flinched at the mention of the transfer. "Not so fast," he said flatly. Nina, having grown up walking on eggshells around the Summer family, had a knack for reading moods. She caught that little change in Simon's tone right away. 'Work's definitely more complicated than I thought,' she thought. "Well, at least we're getting that $200,000 reward today," Nina said cheerily, giving Simon a pat on the back. Simon smiled, "Yeah, you were the real MVP today." "No way." Nina snapped her fingers. "It's all about the sibling tag-team. We're a solid duo, right?" That night, any awkwardness between the reunited siblings melted away. Simon stuffed a dirty rag into Felix's mouth to stop him from hurting himself. "All that's left is to wait for HQ to send someone." --- Meanwhile, at the Summer residence, Alex, the oldest sibling and a special consultant for the Jelasburg Police Department, sat by Claire's bedside, peeling an apple. Seeing Claire's leg in a cast made Alex's eyes soften. "Claire, you're way too soft. Honestly, you should've pressed charges on Nina for trying to hurt you." Claire's hair fanned out behind her like a delicate gardenia in the rain. She shook her head gently. "Alex, let's just drop it. Nina's been part of this family for over twenty years. I don't want things to get ugly." "You're too kind," Alex said, handing her the apple. "Unlike Nina. I swear she's been stirring up trouble lately." Alex thought Claire must have suffered a lot to have become such a thoughtful person, especially given that her adoptive parents died when she was young. Claire gave him a curious look. "What happened with Nina?" Alex's face darkened. "She filed a fake police report today just to get my attention and make me bring her home. She claimed she had a lead on Felix, the wanted serial killer." Claire blinked, surprised. "Nina did that? She knows how much you've poured into the Felix case. How could she mess around with something so serious?" Alex smiled, appreciating her understanding. "Exactly. You get it." Just then, Alex's phone buzzed. It was Grant Cole, head of the Detective Squad. "Captain Cole? What's going on?" Alex asked seriously. He froze at the news. "Wait—Felix? They caught him?" Jumping up, he said, "Alright, I'm heading there right now." Alex hung up, barely able to contain his excitement. "Claire, the serial killer I've been after for six months got caught today! I gotta get down there. You rest up, okay? Holler if you need anything." Claire smiled brightly, "That's awesome! Don't worry about me. I knew all those nights digging for clues would pay off. Looks like today's the day." Heart pounding, Alex rushed to the address Grant sent him. --- Alex parked outside a rundown neighborhood in the city's inner core, frowning at the shabby surroundings as he made his way upstairs with Grant. "Is this dump really Felix's hideout?" Alex asked. Grant shook his head. "Nope. Felix was about to attack a local girl here. Her brother, a cop from some rural station, happened to be nearby and took Felix down before he could do anything." "A rural cop?" Alex scoffed, a flicker of disdain in his eyes. "Sounds like he just got lucky." They chatted as they climbed until they reached apartment 203 on the second floor. Chapter 5 Felix was already secured in the police car when Alex and Grant arrived. The officers on site quickly introduced everyone. "Captain Cole, Professor Summer, this is Nina Summer from Apartment 203, and her brother, Simon." Alex froze when he saw Nina. "Nina... it's you?" he blurted, stunned. Suddenly, everything clicked in his mind. "So the tip about Felix was legit. No way..." His face drained of color as the crazy coincidence sank in. Nina was giving her statement when she spotted Alex by the door. She seemed totally unfazed; she'd been waiting for him. The officers exchanged knowing looks, sensing something was going on. They guessed that Nina and Alex were family since they shared the same last name. Grant turned to Alex. "Professor Summer, do you know Nina?" Alex, the police's special consultant, had never mentioned having a sister. His expression darkened as he nodded. "She was switched at birth with my real sister and lived with my family for 22 years." The room buzzed like a drama about to spill; everyone wore that "tea-spilling" look. Before Nina could say anything, Simon stormed over and grabbed Alex by the collar. "Why'd you try to stop Nina from calling the cops?" Simon's fists were clenched so tightly that his veins stood out. He was biting back the urge to lose his temper. If not for the rules, Alex might've ended up flat on the floor. Simon snapped, "If I hadn't shown up when I did, Nina might've ended up dead at Felix's hands!" Simon was lightning fast; Alex didn't even get a chance to speak before he was yanked forward. Nina watched Simon step up for her and thought, 'Man, Simon is so badass!' Grant and the other officers looked shocked. Alex was a martial arts national champ, but Simon, who was just a local beat cop, handled him like it was nothing. They hurried to pull Simon back. Grant asked, "Simon, what happened here? How did Alex try to stop Nina from calling the police?" Nina sensed Grant's serious vibe and quickly pulled out her phone to expose Alex. "Captain, someone's been watching my apartment these last few days. "When I took out the trash, I saw his face close up. It looked exactly like Felix. So I called the police. But when Alex got the dispatch, he called me all worked up, basically accusing me of lying just to get his attention." Thanks to her old work habit, Nina's phone auto-recorded calls. She hit play for everyone. Alex's voice played. "Well, look at you, Nina. I ignore your calls, and you go and file a bogus police report? If you cook up fake clues again, don't blame me if I get the cops involved. False reports could land you in jail." Each word hit Alex like a slap. His cheeks burned crimson. A criminal investigation PhD and professor, he was getting his pride shredded in front of the whole squad. The officers who'd respected Alex now eyed him with doubt. Grant's chest tightened with anger. "Professor Summer, how could you be so reckless? Grant, the veteran, didn't mince his words. "If Simon hadn't dropped by, Felix could've added another victim to his list. Six months chasing this guy... almost wasted." Alex's face went pale. "Captain Cole, I'm not just jumping to conclusions. Nina... she's a compulsive liar. I never know what's real with her." Grant cut him off firmly. "Enough. The fact is that Nina's tip was spot on. Luckily, Simon moved fast and caught Felix. After six months chasing this guy, we can finally close this case." Grant looked at Simon with genuine respect. "Simon, you really knocked it out of the park this time. That merit medal is definitely yours." Alex saw how much Grant admired Simon and clenched his fists quietly, frustration simmering beneath the surface. Grant gave Simon a firm pat on the shoulder. "Your whole town squad gets to share the glory, too." The officers from Jelasburg Police Department Headquarters overheard Grant's words and immediately looked sour. If Alex had taken Nina's lead seriously, their entire unit would've gotten the credit. They'd been tracking Felix for six months, only for some small-town cop to swoop in and steal the spotlight. All their hard work disappeared, leaving them bitter and their resentment was now aimed squarely at Alex. Nina was thrilled to see Simon praised. Batting her eyes at Grant, she asked, "Captain, your wanted poster says there's a $200,000 reward for tips. Is any of that coming to me?" Grant chuckled warmly. "Absolutely. Your tip's on record, and you helped catch the guy. That money's yours. Just hang tight. Once the paperwork's done, the cash should hit your account within a month." Since they had to question Felix overnight, the team started heading out. Alex was the last to leave Apartment 203. As he passed Nina, he shot her a sharp look. "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. Don't count on your luck holding up again." Then his gaze shifted to Simon. "A fugitive, huh? Congrats on the lucky break. But is that really something to brag about? No matter how hard you try, you'll always be something low."