Chapter 28: The Fourth Case (4)

As I stand across the street, my gaze is drawn to the warm glow of the cafe windows.Yuri is now on the phone, her face lit up with a radiant smile that reaches her eyes, transforming her delicate features. Her laughter carries through the glass, a melodic sound filled with genuine joy and warmth. It's a stark contrast to the shadows that seemed to cling to her when we first spoke.

Intrigued, I watch as she converses animatedly, her free hand gesturing expressively as she chats. Minutes tick by as I observe, transfixed, trying to reconcile this vibrant, carefree Yuri with the troubled soul who created those unsettling paintings. Who could she be talking to? What could have sparked such a profound change in her demeanor?

Lost in thought, I barely register when Yuri's laughter abruptly cuts off. She glances up, her eyes meeting mine through the window. A flicker of surprise crosses her face, then something harder to read - fear, perhaps, or guilt? In a heartbeat, she ends the call, gathers her belongings, and hurries out of the cafe, vanishing down the busy sidewalk before I can even consider following.

"Well, that was certainly odd," Bundy's voice muses in my mind, tinged with curiosity beneath his usual mocking tone.

"Definitely strange," I mutter, brow furrowed as I try to process what I just witnessed. "She seemed like a totally different person, so carefree and happy. Then the second she noticed me watching..."

"She bolted like a frightened rabbit," Bundy finishes, a hint of dark amusement coloring his words.

I nod slowly, a heavy sense of unease settling over me. What could Yuri be concealing? What truths lie buried beneath that sudden sunny smile and easy laughter?

"Looks like our little artist friend is even more of a mystery than we realized," Bundy whispers, his presence feeling heavier, more insistent.

***

As the first rays of dawn break through the inky darkness, I find myself huddled in the back of a nondescript van parked just down the street from Yuri's apartment building. The air is thick with tension and the acrid smell of cigarette smoke as my colleagues and I prepare for the long day of surveillance ahead.

Inspector Han's face is grim as he briefs us on the operation, his eyes hard and focused beneath the brim of his hat. "Remember, we need solid evidence tying Yuri to the murders before we can bring her in," he warns, his voice low and urgent. "Watch her every move, document any suspicious activity, but do not engage unless absolutely necessary."

I nod along with the others, my heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and dread. I've been on plenty of stakeouts before, but something about this case feels different. Maybe it's the twisted nature of the crimes, or the unsettling aura that seems to surround Yuri herself. Whatever the reason, I can't shake the feeling that we're walking into something far more sinister than we realize.

As the briefing ends and we split into teams, I find myself paired with a young officer from the local precinct, a fresh-faced rookie named Lee. He seems eager to prove himself, his eyes wide and alert as he scans the street for any sign of our target.

"You really think she's the one behind all those killings?" he asks, his voice hushed with a mix of fear and morbid curiosity. "I mean, she looks so... normal."

I shake my head, my gaze never leaving the entrance to Yuri's building. "Appearances can be deceiving," I mutter, thinking back to the haunted look in her eyes when we first met, the darkness that seemed to cling to her like a second skin. "And in my experience, it's the ones who seem the most ordinary that often hide the deepest secrets."

Hours crawl by as we keep watch, the sun climbing higher in the sky as the city comes alive around us. We take turns monitoring the cameras and listening devices we've planted, our eyes and ears trained for the slightest hint of suspicious activity.

But Yuri remains elusive, her movements frustratingly mundane. We watch as she leaves her apartment, dressed in a simple black coat and hat, a sketchbook tucked under her arm. She stops at a nearby coffee shop, ordering her usual tea and pastry before settling at a corner table to draw.

As the day wears on, I feel my concentration beginning to waver, my mind drifting to the dark possibilities of what Yuri could be planning, what twisted inspirations might be taking shape on the pages of her sketchbook.

Suddenly, Lee sits up straighter in his seat, his eyes widening as he points to one of the monitors. "Look," he hisses, his voice tight with excitement. "She's on the move."

As I watch Yuri emerge from her apartment building and make her way down the street, I signal to my colleague in the passenger seat. "Looks like she's on the move. Let's see where she's headed."

We keep a safe distance as we follow her through the winding streets, our eyes trained on her every move. To my surprise, she doesn't lead us to some dark, secluded location or suspicious meeting place. Instead, she walks straight into a busy post office, a small envelope clutched in her hand.

I watch as she approaches the counter, exchanges a few words with the clerk, and then drops the envelope into the outgoing mail slot. Without so much as a backward glance, she turns and exits the building, heading back in the direction of her home.

"She just mailed a letter," I mutter, my brow furrowed in thought. "We need to find out who she's communicating with. It could be a lead."

My colleague nods in agreement, and we wait until Yuri is well out of sight before making our move. I step out of the car and head into the post office, my badge already in hand.

The manager looks up as I approach, his eyes widening slightly as he takes in my official attire. "Can I help you, officer?" he asks, his voice wavering slightly.

I flash my badge, keeping my expression neutral. "Officer Park. I'm conducting an investigation and I need to see the contents of a letter that was just mailed from this location. It's a matter of utmost importance."

The manager's face pales, and he starts to shake his head. "I'm sorry, Officer, but I can't just let you rifle through people's private mail. We have strict policies in place to protect our customers' privacy." S~eaʀᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I lean in closer, looking at his name tag on his chset that reads "Joo Kitae" and say with low and insistent voice, "I understand your concern, but this is a criminal investigation. Lives could be at stake. I don't need to read the contents of the letter - all I need is the name and address of the recipient."

The manager hesitates, clearly torn between his duty to his customers and the urgency of my request. After a long moment, he nods slowly, his shoulders slumping in resignation.

"Alright, Officer. But I'll need to retrieve the letter myself. I can't let you handle it directly."

I nod in agreement, and watch as he disappears into the back room. A few minutes later, he returns with a single white envelope in his hand, Yuri's neat handwriting clearly visible on the front.

"The letter is addressed to a 'Hosu' in Busan," the manager says, his voice tight with anxiety. "That's all I can tell you."