Chapter 24: Jung (6)

My heart pounds in my chest as I chase after the shadowy figure, my feet pounding against the pavement in a desperate rhythm. The man is fast, darting through the maze-like alleys and side streets of the dilapidated neighborhood with a fluid grace that belies his sinister intent.I push myself harder, my lungs burning with the effort as I try to keep up with his breakneck pace. The lack of streetlamps makes it difficult to keep track of him, his form melting into the shadows and reappearing in brief flashes of movement.

But I refuse to give up, my determination fueled by the knowledge that this man holds the key to the mystery that's been haunting me. I push on, my eyes straining to pick out his fleeting figure in the darkness.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity of twists and turns, I manage to corner him in a dead-end alley, his back pressed against the crumbling brick wall and his face still shrouded in shadow.

I approach him cautiously, my hand hovering near my gun as I call out to him in a voice that's rough with exertion. "Why were you following me?" I demand, my words echoing in the narrow space between us. "And why did you pretend to be Jung? What's your game?"

To my surprise, the man's demeanor suddenly shifts, his posture relaxing as he steps forward with a friendly smile on his face. "Hey, easy there, officer," he says, his voice smooth and disarming. "I think there's been a misunderstanding. I wasn't following you, I was just out for a walk and got turned around in these alleys."

He takes another step forward, his hands held out in a placating gesture. But even as he does, I feel a sudden chill run down my spine, a sense of wrongness that I can't quite place.

And then, in a flash of insight, I hear Bundy's voice hissing urgently in my mind. "Watch out for his right hand, Park!" he snarls, his words filled with a desperate intensity. "Look at his hand carefully. He's got something in his pocket, probably a knife, and he's about to use it!"

I react on instinct, my body moving before my mind can fully process the warning. Just as the man's hand darts towards his pocket, I lunge forward, my own hand closing around his wrist in an iron grip.

The man's eyes widen in surprise and fear as I twist his arm behind his back, the knife clattering to the ground at our feet. I push him up against the wall, my breath hot and heavy against his ear as I growl out a warning.

I keep the man pinned against the wall, my grip firm and unyielding as he squirms beneath my hands. But even as I hold him there, my mind racing with questions and possibilities, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this story than meets the eye.

"Please," the man gasps, his voice desperate and pleading. "You have to let me go. I need to find Lee So-hyun. I'm begging you, just give me a chance."

His words strike a chord within me, a sense of curiosity and unease that I can't quite shake. Slowly, cautiously, I ease my grip on his arm, my eyes never leaving his face as I reach for my phone with my free hand.

"Dong," I say, my voice terse and urgent as my partner picks up on the other end. "I need backup at my location, now. I've got a suspect in custody, and he's got information about the Lee So-hyun case."

Dong's voice crackles through the speaker, his tone sharp and focused. "I'm on my way, Park. Don't let him out of your sight."

I end the call and turn my attention back to the man, my eyes narrowing as I take in his haggard appearance and desperate demeanor. "Start talking," I growl, my voice low and dangerous. "And don't even think about lying to me."

The man takes a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes flickering with a mix of fear and resignation. "My name is Lim Jingu," he says, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I'm Lee So-hyun's boyfriend. She went missing a few weeks ago, and I've been trying to find her ever since."

I feel a jolt of surprise and confusion at his words, my mind racing to make sense of this new information. "What does Jung have to do with all of this?" I ask, my voice tight with tension. "And why were you at his apartment the other day?"

Lim shakes his head, his expression pained and haunted. "Jung and So-hyun broke up months ago," he says, his voice trembling slightly. "I've been dating her since then. But when she disappeared, I saw Jung at her apartment. I got angry, I wanted to know what he'd done to her."

He pauses, his eyes filling with a desperate, pleading light. "I didn't mean to kill him," he whispers, his words barely audible over the pounding of my own heart. "It was an accident. I just wanted to find out what happened to So-hyun."

I take a deep breath, my mind racing with the implications of his confession. "And when you saw me at Jung's apartment?" I ask, my voice low and probing. "What was that all about?"

Lim looks away, his expression filled with shame and regret. "I was just checking out his place," he says, his words halting and uncertain. "I didn't expect to see you there. And when you said you were a cop, I thought it would be better to play along, to not raise any suspicions."

He takes a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes filling with a desperate, pleading light. "I've been following you because I thought you might lead me to So-hyun," he says, his voice cracking with emotion. "I know I've done wrong, but I can't go to the police. Not until I find her, not until I can say goodbye."

I feel a rush of conflicting emotions washing over me, a mix of sympathy and suspicion that I can't quite reconcile. But even as Lim begs me to let him go, to give him a chance to find Lee So-hyun on his own, I know that I can't let my personal feelings cloud my judgment.

"I'm sorry," I say, my voice firm and unwavering. "But I can't let you go. You need to tell everything to the police, and let us handle the search for Lee So-hyun. It's the only way to make sure that justice is served."

Lim's shoulders slump in defeat, his eyes filling with a dull, hopeless light. But even as he nods his acceptance, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this story than he's letting on.

And as I stand there in that dark, seedy alleyway, the sound of sirens is growing ever closer in the distance.

***

As I step into the office, my eyes heavy with exhaustion and my mind still reeling from the events of the previous night, I'm greeted by the sight of Sue hurrying towards me, a stack of documents clutched tightly in her hands.

"Good morning, Officer Park," she says, her voice bright and cheerful despite the early hour. "Looks like you've been busy even when you're off the clock."

I nod, my throat tight with a mix of fatigue and anxiety. "You could say that," I mutter, my voice rough and gravelly. "It's been a long night."

Sue's smile softens, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and understanding. "I can only imagine," she says, her tone gentle and sympathetic. "But I have something here that might help shed some light on what you've been working on." Searᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

She hands me the stack of documents, her fingers brushing against mine for the briefest of moments. I take the file from her, my heart pounding with a sudden surge of anticipation and dread.

As I flip through the pages, my eyes scanning the reports and witness statements, I feel a sense of both relief and unease washing over me. The man I had chased down the previous night, Lim Jingu, had been telling the truth. Jung, Lee So-hyun's husband, had indeed kidnapped her out of anger and jealousy.

According to the report, Jung had forced Lee So-hyun into his car while drunk, driving her to a remote location on the outskirts of Seoul where he had left her trapped and helpless. Lee So-hyun had suffocated to death, her body hidden away in the trunk of Jung's abandoned vehicle.

But the story didn't end there. Jung, consumed by guilt and a thirst for revenge, had confronted Lim Jingu in Lee So-hyun's apartment, the two men fighting in a violent struggle that had ended with Lim killing Jung in self-defense. Apparently, Lim didn't know the man was Jung at that time.

I feel a rush of conflicting emotions washing over me as I read the final pages of the report. Lim had been telling the truth about his intentions, about his desperate search for Lee So-hyun and his desire to say goodbye before turning himself in to the authorities.

But even as I acknowledge the tragic truth of his story, I can't help but wonder what might have happened if I hadn't caught him that night in the alley. Would he have been able to find Lee So-hyun, to bring justice on his own terms?

It's a question that I know will haunt me for a long time to come, a reminder of the heavy responsibility that comes with wearing the police badge.