Collide (Impact Book 2) | h.s. | complete

27. Upsidedown

~Harry~

After a long flight from New York to Los Angeles, we pulled up to the apartment building and I watched as five cop cars pulled up behind us. A man in a white dress shirt tucked into his pants waved at Matt as he got out and I followed him.

"Hi, I'm detective Sherman, I've been helping Mr. Melbourne with the case against Hope for a few months now."

"I'm Harry," I said, shaking the detective's hand. Instantly noticing the gun attached to his belt loop.

"We're told that you have a few things you'd like to get off your chest before we take Hope in. Her apartment is in the back of the building, there's a staircase that leads to a hallway and you'll have to walk all the way down to the last apartment on the right hand side. You'll be tailed by a team of officers and, for safety, we're going to need you to wear a wire." I nodded, taking in all of the information. An officer came over with a small box and a microphone wire and began to attatch it to my body under my shirt. "The officers will escort you up the stairs, from there you're on your own to her door. Once you're in you'll need to use the phrase "I've been better," and we'll know it's safe to proceed without her knowledge and station ourselves outside her door, understood?"

"Yes, understood."

"Are you ready?"

"Yea," I said, glancing at Matt who nodded.

"I'll be waiting in the tech van listening to the wire feed, okay?" He said, watching my face carefully.

"Sounds good." I said, looking at the apartment determinedly.

"If anything goes wrong, all you have to say is 'all clear' and we'll storm the room, just stand clear of the door if possible. And if the wire feed goes out, we're going to come in right away."

"Got it." I said, nodding. "I'm ready, lets go." As I walked up the stairs, flanked by at least eight policemen, I felt as if I were moving in slow motion. My brain was at it's peek concentration and I felt more prepared for this than I had for anything else in my life, but as I got to the door, finally on my own, my mind went blank and I had no idea what I was going to say.

"Harry?" Hope said as she opened the door, slightly at first then all the way. I wedged a foot in discretely incase she tried to close it.

"Hey, I came to talk to you, can I come in?" I asked, peeking through the door.

"Of course," She said, swinging the door wide. I walked in and draped my coat over the back of a chair and was surprised by her apartment. It was large, bright and neat, where I expected it to be some sort of a stalker cave, dark and gloomy with pictures of me tacked to the walls and strings connecting them by location like you see in the movies, but there was no sign of any of that. "How have you been doing, I've been afraid to call..." She started, gesturing for me to take a seat.

"I've been better," I said, signaling the cops to proceed, "Just got out of the hospital actually," I began and her eyes widened.

"Are you okay?" She asked, staring at the bandages on my arm.

"I will be soon," I said, smiling to myself.

"Well I'm happy you're here, it means you've finally taken my advice and let her go. Im surprised though, considering the whole b-"

"I haven't let her go, Hope," I said, "I've come to let you go."

"What are you talking about?" She asked slowly and I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers.

"Waiting just outside your door is about a dozen police officers, ready to arrest you and take you in for questioning. I had them wait until I could come up here and have a word with you before they locked you up."