Chapter 15
A lake outside Seoul.
There were two men looking at the wide lake. They were Hyunsoo and Inspector Yoo.
“She threw it…… here?”
Inspector Yoo, looking around the lake with his mouth wide open, shook his head.
“Is she lying? To buy time?”
Inspector Yoo's head turned sharply.
“Even that notebook can't be direct evidence, something like a recording of the criminal plan is a lie and she is just trying to drag it out until she is released.……!”
It made sense. However, Hyunsoo shook his head.
Because of Kim Seoyeon's confession that he heard in the interrogation room a while ago.
“There's a small lake on the outskirts. I threw it away as soon as I left the police station yesterday morning. I thought everything went well……. I don't want Jung Taeyoon to find out that there was a recording later.…….”
Kim Seoyeon, engulfed in the sense of betrayal against Jung Taeyoon, said she couldn’t die alone, adding clues to the evidence of his accomplice.
“Anyway, because of that traitor bastard…….”
Not only in her words but also in the scene that passed through his head, Hyunsoo had seen the cell phone that Kim Seoyeon was holding tight in her hand.
Hyunsoo, who confirmed this, even recorded Jung Taeyoon's voice to stimulate Kim Seoyeon. So, from the standpoint of possibility, it was clear that the evidence was here.
“It must be here, I'm sure.”
“Yah, even if there really is, how can we find it here? When will the two of us finish going through this place? No, we can't find it even if I bring all the people from Seongri Station…….”
Inspector Yoo sighed heavily. However, Hyunsoo's expression was bright.
“Who said there were only two of us?”
“……Then? Is there anyone who can come and help us?”
It was then.
“Wh, what?”
Baaang!
With a loud klaxon ringing in the eardrums, several vans stopped side by side on the side of the lake.
At the same time, Inspector Yoo rolled his widened eyes around.
“Detective-nim!”
The assistant seat of the van at the front opened, and a man approached Hyunsoo with his hand raised. Then Inspector Yoo, who was clinging to Hyunsoo's side, whispered in a trembling voice.
“Do, do you know him? Just by looking at him…… He looks like one of those guys who use their bodies frequently*.”
Hyunsoo patted Inspector Yoo on the shoulder as he swallowed dry saliva. Then he spat out a friendly voice towards the man who approached.
“You sure come quickly, President Park?”
“Of course, we are the ones who do as much as we have been given.”
“Everyone swims well, right?”
“Eyy, are you worried that people like us will drown in this lake?”
“But if anyone can't swim, make sure to wear a life jacket.”
“Well, if you want. Yes!”
The mischievous loyal man swung his body toward the line of vans.
Then.
“Everyone, get off!”
At his words, the doors of the van opened one after another, and men began to get out. At a glance, there were more than 30 people.
“She threw it away at dawn yesterday, so it wouldn't have gone far. The model is a 19-year-old model from L company, pink.”
“All right, let's go in, guys!”
Soon after, the men rolled up their pants and sleeves one by one and began to enter the lake.
“Yah, yah…….”
At some point, Inspector Yoo, who was standing behind Hyunsoo with his shoulders crouched, tapped Hyunsoo on the shoulder.
“Are they the ones you called?”
“Uh. It doesn't make sense for the two of us to look all over this wide area.”
“What are they doing for a living?”
“What…… A lot of things?”
Inspector Yoo's eyes narrowed at Hyunsoo's words.
“Are you…… are you looking after them?”
“What? What are you talking about? Why would I look after them?”
“No, you know. Just looking at it, they look like they've been in and out of the prison once or twice, so why are they helping the police? Unless you have some dirt on them……. I really didn't think you are like that…….”
Hyunsoo whispered quietly in his ear at the suspicious look of Inspector Yoo.
“It's not like that, just business.”
“Just busin…… What?”
“It's business. If I pay, they give me labor force.”
“Can, can you do that?”
“There's nothing to argue about whether it's possible or not. We use everything we can and can't use.”
To prosecute those demons, a notebook with the criminal plan was not enough.
A recording of the criminal plan with the voices of Jung Taeyoon and Kim Seoyeon. It was absolutely necessary.
Even if Kim Seoyeon confessed, Jung Taeyoon was likely to be released unless there was solid evidence.
“They're the ones who intentionally killed that child. It's also because of the greed for money.”
If it was to catch them, Hyunsoo was willing to do anything. Whether that was what the police could do or not.
Inspector Yoo nodded quietly at Hyunsoo's words. Then Hyunsoo opened his mouth.
“Let's go, they'll contact me when they find it.”
* * *
“Salute!”
After a while, in front of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Police Officer Kim Yoojoon, who popped out of nowhere, saluted Hyunsoo.
“Uh, Police Officer Kim.”
“Inspector-nim, just now, a case has been transferred from Seongri City…….”
“I know, I transferred it.”
“Inspector-nim did?”
Hyunsoo moved his steps and nodded.
“Uh, so, first of all…….”
It was then.
“…….”
“Team Leader Heo?”
Team Leader Heo Insung stood in front of Hyunsoo with an expression as if he had eaten sh*t.
“…….”
“Do you have something to say?”
“Ehem…… That.”
Heo Insung, who had been frowning and loosening his face for a long time, uttered a hesitant voice.
“You know I did it all for you, right?”
“Huh?”
“This…… life is, full of ups and downs, and hardships, and you have to face it to make life lively.”
“What b*llsh*t is that all of a sudden?”
“Bull……! N, no. Yeah, I was talking nonsense. I'm sorry.”
Hyunsoo's eyes furrowed at the sight of Team Leader Heo Insung slapping his mouth.
‘What, why is he like this?’
It was clear that he had eaten something wrong or had an ulterior motive. There was no way he was doing this for no reason.… At that time.
“Co, Commissioner-nim!”
Team Leader Heo Insung bowed toward the person behind Hyunsoo.
“……Salute.”
Hyunsoo, who turned around, raised his hand in a hurry.
“Uh, all right, all right. That's enough.”
A middle-aged man standing, showing off his shiny forehead as if he was experiencing hair loss.
He was Commissioner Kim Taek, the commissioner of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
“You're…… Inspector Lee Hyunsoo, right?”
Hyunsoo, whose eyebrows flinched at the words of Commissioner Kim Taek, lowered his hand.
“Yes, that's me, Sir.”
“Okay, okay. Let's take a picture first.”
“Pardon?”
Before Hyunsoo could even be surprised, a flash went off in front of Commissioner Kim Taek, who held Hyun-soo's shoulder.
“?”
Soon after, Commissioner Kim Taek snatched Hyunsoo's hand, raised it, and continued.
“I heard you did a great job this time.”
“……Pardon? What…….”
“Arrested a terrible criminal, despite external pressure, with solid evidence!”
“Ah, you're talking about Park Seokhyun.”
“Yes! Very good! I didn't know, but you've done great things like this before, right?”
Commissioner Kim Taek's laughter was followed by an awkward tone.
Hyunsoo's gaze turned to his side.
‘Reporter…….’
The man who set off the flash. It was clear that he was a reporter.
He didn't know if Commissioner Kim Taek was originally this kind of person, but through his attitude, Hyunsoo knew.
That the media's attention was on him now.
“And I'll apologize for that.”
“Pardon?”
“Your superiors didn't recognize your great sense of justice and asked to hold a disciplinary committee.”
Heo Insung, who was next to him, lowered his head.
“Don't worry though, I canceled it right away. What disciplinary committee! Even with a special promotion, it's not enough! Isn't it? Hahahaha!”
In line with the laughter of Commissioner Kim Taek, people around him began to laugh.
Of course, Hyunsoo was looking at Team Leader Heo Insung, who had a look of ‘Of course, that's right’ on his face.
‘It was because of this…….’
How simple a man is.
Since the disciplinary committee was canceled, he came to make an excuse for turning his back to Hyunsoo right away.
It was then.
Jiiing-
Hyunsoo's cell phone rang.
It was a text message from President Park.
“Then I'll go first.”
“Uh? Are you going?”
Commissioner Kim Taek, who stopped laughing, looked at Hyunsoo with absurd eyes.
“Yes, please continue to laugh to the end.”
However, Hyunsoo had no intention of wasting his time on media play for such a commissioner, even if he was the commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Even if the commissioner was the one who prevented his disciplinary committee.
“Well, I have to go now.”
As Hyunsoo lowered his head slightly and walked away quickly, the embarrassed Commissioner Kim Taek's eyes rolled here and there. And Team Leader Heo Insung looked at him while bowing his head.
‘Haa, that crazy…….’
No matter how stupid you are, you act the same to the commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency without exception.…….
‘No, you never know. With that attitude…… I can even ask to hold the disciplinary committee again!’
Team Leader Heo Insung's face, full of anticipation, turned to Commissioner Kim Taek.
However.
“Hahaha! As expected, he’s a real police! He doesn't care if it's his superior or what, he’s going to catch the culprit! Good, very good!”
Commissioner Kim Taek applauded with a high voice.
Team Leader Heo Insung, whose pupils were shaking as if he was dumbfounded, nodded and added.
“Right? Hahaha! I'm a senior, but I have a lot to learn from him!”
“That’s right! I like it, what a great police! Isn't that right, Reporter-nim? Hahahaha!”
In this way, the parking lot of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency was filled with laughter from Commissioner Kim Taek for a while.
__________
*Inspector Yoo is implying that President Park is a bad guy here.