Chapter 162

The early morning sun slowly rose from the horizon, casting a warm glow over everything.

The golden sunlight made the old, run-down building shimmer.

Simon clenched his jaw and said, "We can't wait any longer. Call headquarters and get a squad car over here!"

Just then, my phone lit up. I quickly checked it. "Hold on, hold on! Paula just messaged me!"

Everyone froze, anxiously looking at me.

With trembling hands, I opened Paula's message.

She had sent me another location, this time more specific, down to the building and apartment number. But she still hadn't said a word.

I showed the police, and they quickly identified the exact location. "It's just ahead. Let's go!"

We all walked to the building.

When we arrived, we realized the building had six floors, with two apartments on each floor. We couldn't tell which one it was. If we knocked on the wrong door, we might alert the kidnappers.

I was physically and mentally exhausted, leaning against the iron gate, gasping for breath.

Savannah looked at me with concern. "Ms. Sharp, you should stay here. We'll go. Don't worry, we'll get Ms. Patel out."

I shook my head. "She's probably terrified right now, so I have to go with you."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I just need a moment to catch my breath."

Many of the apartments in this building were vacant, with a thick layer of dust at the entrances. This was our breakthrough point.

Simon whispered, "Check the footprints at the door. If there are many and they're messy, it's a key suspect. If the footprints are single and clear, it's just a regular resident. Be careful not to alert the kidnappers. We don't want them to do anything drastic."

The teams nodded and dispersed upstairs.

Simon went up with them.

Downstairs, it was just me and Savannah. She was there to protect me, and I didn't dare go up, fearing I might become a burden if something happened. It was better to stay put.

Soon, Savannah's walkie-talkie crackled. "There's something on the top floor. Top floor."

Savannah and I exchanged glances and hurried upstairs.

The other officers also got the message and gathered on the top floor. Despite the crowd, no one made a sound.

Strangely, both doors on this floor had messy footprints, making it impossible to determine which apartment Kathy was in. If we entered the wrong one, Kathy could be in danger.

Simon stared at the two doors for a long time before finally choosing one.

He signaled for everyone to hide, while he stood at the door with two officers out of sight.

Savannah and I hid downstairs, holding our breath.

Simon knocked lightly on the door, his tone sharp. "Anyone home? Water meter check!"

There was some noise inside, and after a while, a stranger opened the door. "What water meter? We haven't used any water."

Simon glared at him. "No water? My records show you have, and you need to pay the bill."

The man, clearly irritated by Simon's tone, pushed the door open. "What are you talking about?"

At that moment, the hidden officers rushed forward, pulling the door open, and Simon swiftly kicked the man in the head.

As the man fell, the officers stormed into the apartment.

Savannah and I watched from the stairs, hearing various noises from inside.

The most terrifying was the sound of gunfire, leaving us clueless about what was happening.

We exchanged worried glances, fearing something had gone wrong inside.

After several more gunshots, the apartment fell silent.

Simon emerged, carrying an unconscious Kathy.

I breathed a sigh of relief, rushing to her. "Kathy, Kathy, can you hear me?"

She didn't respond. Simon said, "We need to get her to the hospital immediately!"

I nodded, and Simon carried Kathy downstairs.

But just then, a police officer shouted, "Run! There's a bomb!"

Savannah tackled me to the ground, and a deafening explosion echoed through the building.

The iron gate was blown open, black smoke billowing from the apartment, and several officers ran out.

The explosion drew everyone's attention, and residents downstairs fled, calling 911.

Savannah and I were at a safe distance, but the blast knocked me out. When I came to, I pushed Savannah off me. She was unresponsive.

Terrified, I shook her. "Savannah, Savannah!"

She remained limp, but I felt her breath and knew she was alive. I stood up, draped her arm over my shoulder, and helped her downstairs.

Some officers were injured, and others carried the wounded out while securing the scene. The kidnappers were all dead.

I got Savannah downstairs, and the ambulance arrived.

Simon, hearing the explosion, rushed over. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine, but Savannah passed out. Some officers are injured too."

Simon nodded. "Get them on the ambulance. We'll follow in the squad car."

The injured were loaded onto the ambulance, and I got into Simon's car. He floored it, following the ambulance to the hospital.

At the hospital, Kathy, Savannah, and the injured officers were rushed into the ER.

The ER was bustling, so we waited outside, anxious.

I was worried about both Savannah and Kathy. They were in danger because of me, and I felt incredibly guilty.

Simon's face was grim as he made frequent calls, clearly dealing with unresolved issues.

"Caroline, I have to go. We need to identify the bodies at the station. Take care of things here. I'll be back as soon as I can."

I nodded, urging him to go.

I could handle things here alone.

Unexpectedly, I saw Joanna at the hospital. She approached me.

"What happened?"

Knowing she was aware of the situation, I quickly explained.