Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)
Chapter 410

I was pumped, like I'd just downed a double shot of espresso, hanging on every word of the old lady's story.

"Did you see them carry the person inside?" Logan pressed.

"Yeah, some burly dude hoisted her in. The gal seemed out of it... knocked out, with long hair trailing and swaying below her..." The old lady shivered dramatically as she spoke. "Oh, Lord! It was downright chilling, like something out of a ghost story! But thank goodness you folks are here! You are the cops, right?"

"Yes!"

"Well, then you better get in there quick! By the looks of it, that poor girl is either hurt or... something dire!" The old lady was a chatterbox, yammering on without pause.

Logan turned to an officer and said, "Take care of her!"

The officers immediately took the old lady by the arm and said, "For your safety, ma'am, please come downstairs with me!"

The old lady, sensing danger, obediently started down the stairs, still muttering and casting curious, frightened glances upwards.

Logan looked to Dalton for his opinion and suggested, "We should strike both apartments simultaneously. There's no time to dilly-dally. Moreover, taking them down one after another might tip them off." Dalton nodded in agreement. "Sounds good! But there's one problem."

"Shoot," Logan said, focusing on Dalton.

"This neighborhood's a tough nut to crack. That's why you see, every door here is like Fort Knox. We need a way to get them to let us in without causing a ruckus," Dalton explained. Logan peered at the doors, noting the protective iron bars on each.

"These security bars are a real pain," Dalton said with a sigh.

Logan and Dalton shared a glance and hatched a plan, "Let's claim we're here for an electrical inspection. We just knock and step right in!"

I felt a twist in my gut. Logan's plan seemed foolproof, a trick he'd used to perfection in the past. He probably knew the ins and outs of electrical issues like the back of his hand. "What if they don't open up?" Dalton asked, raising a concern.

Logan thought for a second before replying, "Grab a couple of clipboards, pretend to need signatures, and verify some details!"

Dalton gestured to a fellow officer, who sprinted off and quickly returned with two worn clipboards. I was impressed by their efficiency. After a brief huddle, Dalton signaled the undercover officers, who each drew their weapons, ready for action.

That's when Logan noticed me. His tone was stern. "What are you doing up here? Get down!"

"I want to see her the moment we find her!" I protested stubbornly.

"Don't be ridiculous. Do you have any idea what could happen? Get downstairs!" His face darkened when I hesitated. "Now!"

Hannah, without a word, grabbed my arm and started pulling me away. Seeing Logan's serious expression, I didn't dare argue and followed Hannah back downstairs.

I grumbled to myself. With all these people around, what could possibly happen?

But then I remembered Ronan's cautionary words before I left and swallowed my protest. I understood Logan's urgency; he'd been searching for Catherine for so long.

Luckily, it was an external corridor. From below, we could see the police silently approaching the two doors the old lady had pointed out.

Clutching my hands tightly enough to dig my nails into my palms, I stood at the bottom of the stairs, the pain a comfort compared to the anxiety in my heart. Soon, I'd see Catherine. Hannah and I gazed upward, barely daring to breathe as we watched the two doors intently.

Larkin was leading the charge, gun in hand, pressed against the wall in a pose straight out of a cop show.

Logan knocked on one door while a tall, skinny officer approached the other. Logan, clad in a blue work-shirt and matching cargo pants, really did look the part of a maintenance worker.

From below, we couldn't hear the exchanges, but the door the skinny officer knocked on opened quickly, revealing a woman. Whatever he said to her, the gate swung open, and he stepped inside, covering the woman's mouth and pushing her back as two other officers followed swiftly.

On Logan's side, however, there was no answer, despite repeated knocking.

I swallowed nervously, trying to guess what was happening above.

No answer? What now? I watched as he stepped back and couldn't make out the situation clearly.

Another undercover officer approached, likely to inspect the door. But then, in a heartbeat, I saw him shout something, and the officers scattered. Before they'd even cleared the area, a thunderous boom echoed through the air...