Chapter 114: The Tenth Case (14)

I clutch the phone tightly, Ko's words hitting me like a punch to the gut. "What do you mean he's been released? That can't be happening, Ko. Not now."

Ko's sigh crackles through the line. "I know. Believe me, I'm as frustrated as you are. But the rule is the rule. We couldn't hold him any longer without more substantial evidence."

I run a hand through my hair, pacing next to my car. "But he's still a suspect, right? We're not just letting him walk away?"

"Of course not," Ko assures me. "He's still very much on our suspect list. We'll keep monitoring him closely. But legally, our hands were tied."

I take a deep breath, trying to center myself. "It might be more than that now, Ko. We might need to act fast."

There's a pause on the other end. "What do you mean? What did you find out?"

"I think we need to get in touch with the Busan police," I say, my mind racing ahead. "We need to collaborate with them, and quickly."

"Busan?" Ko's confusion is evident in her voice. "Why Busan? What's going on?"

I lean against my car, gathering my thoughts. "It turns out Kim does have a child, Ko. A daughter. And I strongly believe he values this child, just like I suspected from the crime scenes."

"Okay," Ko says slowly, processing this information. "And the child is in Busan?"

"Yes. With her aunt. Ko, think about it. Kim's just been released, he knows we're onto him. He's cornered. I believe he's going to head to Busan to do something about his kid."

There's a long pause. When Ko speaks again, her voice is skeptical. "That seems a bit far-fetched, don't you think? We don't even know if he's aware of the child's existence."

"I know it sounds crazy," I admit. "But I have a strong feeling about this. Kim's whole MO, the hesitation we've seen in some of the crime scenes when children were involved - it all fits. He's going to make a move, and it's going to be towards his daughter."

Ko sighs. "You know, Han mentioned something about your 'gut feelings'. Said sometimes they're eerily accurate. Is this one of those times?"

I nod, even though she can't see me. "Yes. I'm certain of it, Ko. We need to act on this."

There's another pause, then Ko's voice comes back, sounding resigned but determined. "Alright. I trust your instincts. But you should know, historically, Gwangju and Busan police haven't exactly been on the best terms. They're often reluctant to cooperate."

"That's fine," I say, feeling a surge of hope. "Technically, I'm not part of the Gwangju team, remember? I mean I'm here temporarily. And I've worked with Busan before. All I need is your approval as the supervisor. Can you give me the green light on this?"

Ko doesn't hesitate this time. "You've got it. Take whatever team members you need. I'll stay here and keep monitoring Kim's known locations in Gwangju, just in case we're wrong about this."

Relief washes over me. "Thank you, Ko. I'll keep you updated on everything."

"You'd better," she says, a hint of her usual dry humor returning. "And be careful. If you're right about this, Kim's going to be desperate. That makes him even more dangerous."

"Understood," I reply. "We'll be on our guard." Discover tales on m_vl_em_p_yr

As I hang up and start to make preparations for the trip to Busan, I can feel adrenaline coursing through my veins. We're racing against time now, with a child's safety hanging in the balance. But with Ko's support and my team behind me, I'm determined to stop Kim before he can do any more harm.

I quickly dial the numbers of the team members I want to bring with me. As I brief them on the situation, I can hear the mix of surprise and determination in their voices. They understand the gravity of what we're facing.

Within an hour, we're on the road to Busan, the city lights of Gwangju fading in our rearview mirror. As I drive, my mind is filled with images of the smiling girl in the photo Hong-sook showed me. Min-joo. An innocent child who has no idea of the danger that might be heading her way.

***

As we pull up to the Busan Metropolitan Police office, I can feel the tension radiating from my team. The drive from Gwangju had been long and quiet, each of us lost in our own thoughts about the case.

I think back to the phone call I made to Han during the journey. His gruff voice had been a welcome comfort.

"Han, I need your help," I had said, quickly explaining the situation.

"Busan, huh?" Han had replied. "Tricky bunch down there. But I know a few people. I'll put in a good word, grease the wheels a bit. Just don't expect a red carpet."

Now, as we're escorted through the building by a stone-faced officer, I silently thank Han for his assistance. We're led to a small conference room where a handful of junior officers are gathered, looking a mix of curious and skeptical.

"Thank you all for meeting us on such short notice," I begin, surveying the room. "I'm Detective Park Minjun from the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency. We're investigating a series of kidnappings that we have reason to believe may have a connection to Busan."

I launch into a concise briefing about the case, outlining Kim Su-chul's suspected involvement, his recent release on bail, and our theory about his daughter in Busan.

"Our immediate priority is the safety of Kim's daughter, Min-joo," I explain, producing the photo Hong-sook shared. "She's living with her aunt, Lee Jae-eun, here in Busan. We have the address, but we haven't been able to make contact with them."

One of the Busan officers, a young woman with alert eyes, speaks up. "Have you tried calling the aunt recently?"

I nod, pulling out my phone. "We've been trying, but let's give it another shot."

I dial the number, putting it on speaker. The room falls silent as we listen to it ring... and ring... and ring. Still no answer.

"This isn't good," I mutter, ending the call. "We need to move now."

I turn to the room, my voice firm with urgency. "We're heading to Lee Jae-eun's address immediately. I need a team to come with us. The rest of you, I want surveillance set up at all major entry points to the city - bus stations, train stations. If Kim is on his way here, we need to know."

The Busan officers exchange glances, clearly unused to taking orders from an outsider. But the gravity of the situation seems to sink in quickly.

"Any questions?" I ask, looking around the room.

Silence.

"Alright, let's move," I say, already heading for the door.

We pile into the cars ad start speeding through the streets of Busan. I clutch the piece of paper with Lee Jae-eun's address, hoping against hope that we're not too late.

As we pull up to the apartment complex on the outskirts of Busan, the reality of the neighborhood hits us. What looked merely rundown from a distance now reveals itself as a place teetering on the edge of poverty.

"Only you and I will approach," I tell Officer Shon, one of the Busan officers who volunteered to come along. "The rest of you, stay alert and be ready to move in if needed."

Shon nods, his hand instinctively checking his holster as we exit the car. The air is thick with humidity, and the smell of overflowing garbage bins wafts towards us. Graffiti covers most of the visible walls, and several windows are boarded up.

"No working CCTVs here, I bet," Shon mutters, echoing my thoughts. Searᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

We enter the dimly lit lobby of the apartment building. The fluorescent lights flicker ominously, casting strange shadows. I pull out my phone and dial Jae-eun's number one more time, hoping against hope for an answer.

As the phone rings uselessly in my ear, the elevator doors slide open with a rusty groan. A man and a child step out, both wearing hoodies pulled low over their faces. They're dressed for a casual outing - shorts and trainers - as if heading out for an evening walk.

Something about their body language sets off alarm bells in my head. As they pass by us, a chill runs down my spine.

"Excuse me, sir," I call out, my voice echoing in the empty lobby. "Could I have a word with you?"

The man freezes mid-step but doesn't turn around. The child beside him goes still as well. The tension in the air is suddenly thick enough to cut with a knife.

I take a step towards them, my hand hovering near my weapon. "Sir, I'm with the police. I just need to ask you a few questions."

In that split second, several things happen at once. The man's hand moves in a blur, reaching into his pocket. I see a flash of metal - something sharp and glinting in the dim light.

"Knife!" I shout to Shon, diving to the side as the man lunges at me, the weapon - a large hunting knife - slashing through the air where I had been standing.