After washing up Victoria grabbed Melodix and headed outside with a leash on her. She paused, however, in front of the apartment that used to belong to Il Chung and Sandy. The door was now taped with yellow police tape. Pressing her lips together hoping to kill the nostalgic feeling overwhelming her Victoria walked on and started walking Melodix around the neighborhood.

/////

Donghae did not know whether he should be surprised or not to find that Victoria Song had a clean record. Parentless at age 13 she was taken in by her aunt who later died. She probably now lived by herself…with her toy poodle. Sort of reminded Donghae about himself, but at least his uncle was still alive and well. But how would he find out where she actually was two days ago? If he asked her again would she actually tell him?

“I wouldn’t know if I don’t try,” he told himself then got off his chair, “Sasha, I’m heading out for a bit.”

“Up to you,” the woman replied.

A few minutes later Donghae parked his car where he had almost a day ago and walked pass the open gates toward the apartment building. As he headed up the stairs he could still clearly remember coming there yesterday. Had discovering the bodies shocked her? He continued up the stairs and stopped in front of her apartment door and rung the doorbell then listened for the barking of the poodle, but none of it came. He rung the doorbell again and listened but still heard nothing.

/////

“Good girl. Are you happy with the walk we had this morning?” Victoria cooed to the dog she was carrying in her arms massaging her behind the ears, but as she reached the top of the stairs she came to an alarmed stop. The tall, slim, well defined figure of Lee Donghae stood out from everything else. What was the investigator doing there again? Should she turn around and just leave? He wouldn’t notice that she’d arrive and left. Victoria bit her bottom lip and decided there was nothing to be afraid of.

As she neared her apartment he finally turned looking surprised the nodded toward her, “Good morning.”

“Can I help you?” questioned Victoria.

“Did you just get back from walking my girlfriend?” Donghae questioned reaching out to pat the dog. Melodix squirmed in her arms endlessly and she finally put the dog on the ground.

Victoria watched as the investigator stood there silently as if waiting for something then guessed she had no choice but to let him in her apartment again.

Holding the door opened she asked, “Do you want to come in?”

Donghae seated himself in the living room with the toy poodle laying down in front of him panting heavily.

“Melodix, come here!” Victoria’s voice came.

The dog immediately jumped up and ran into one of the rooms before Victoria stepped out of it a moment later closing the door behind her. He could feel her glance at him before walking away again and appeared later after washing her hands. She placed a glass of water in front of him and stood at the end of the couch rubbing her hands. Donghae could tell that she was feeling nervous. She probably knew what he was there for.

“Are you going to sit down?” Donghae questioned.

“No,” she shook her head, “I feel better over here.”

I wonder why, he thought sarcastically. She was definitely nervous about something and he could tell that his sudden appearance was unwelcomed by her.

“Can I ask you again where you were two days ago?” he started.

“Two days ago?” she repeated each word slowly then gulped down her saliva. “I was at a friend’s…”

“Are you sure you want to stick with that statement?” questioned Donghae glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

She seemed to hesitate before answering, “Yes.”

Donghae finally turned to fully look at her, “Well, I can tell you that there certainly was no celebratory party two days ago, Victoria.” He said her name so slowly as if he were telling her she'd been caught red handed and might as well turn herself over.

Victoria could feel her lips go dry and felt speechless for a moment. So, her lie had been found out. What was she going to do next?

“I met with professor Im Jee Sun this morning and she clearly told me that there was no party held for you. Do you want to explain something to me?”

Victoria clenched her jaws. She did not want to tell him of her miscarriage and how she had spent the night in the hospital. It was a memory she wanted to discard, that was clearly her personal life, and she did not want to share it with him.

“I have nothing to say.” Victoria went on. “I admit I lied, but I really was not here the day before…it happened.”

“I can tell you this. I will definitely find out where you were that night and I will find out the reason behind your two friend’s deaths,” Donghae said before getting up.

Victoria could feel herself frown at his back as he began to reach for the doorknob, “You mean to say…someone else did it?”

“I didn’t say that, I meant I’ll find out the reason why they died and why you found them that morning,” Donghae turned around to face her then walked out the door.

Was he actually telling her that she was a suspect? But why? Hadn’t the cops assumed that Il Chung had killed Sandy?

/////

Questions bombarded his mind as he got into his car. If she did actually kill Il Chung why would she do it? Jealousy? Donghae shook his head. Before he would start wondering anything he needed to find out where she’d been two days ago. But who could he ask and where could he start? The knock on his window tossed him back to reality.

“Yes?” Donghae asked as he scrolled the window down.

“Hi,” the small woman bowed, “I just saw you come down from the second floor.”

“I was there.”

“Were you by any chance speaking to Victoria about that man?” she asked in her quiet voice.

“Man?” he repeated.

“Before….the incident happened he had been standing in front of her door.” the woman trailed on with her words. “I thought you were here to speak to her about it.”

Donghae thought for a moment, “Do you by any chance know where she was that night?”

“Well, I’m not a nosey neighbor…” she went on. “She’s been hiding herself a lot these past few months, but during the time I’ve seen her she looked different.”

“How different?” questioned Donghae curious.

“Like she gained weight. I know she’d been seeing someone before but it doesn’t quite make out an answer. Maybe she was pregnant?” the woman seemed to be talking to herself.

“Do you know where she was the night before the murder?” Donghae pressed on anxious to find out the answer. This woman who claimed herself not to be nosey didn’t seem so much like it because he found her extremely nosey. She seemed to know practically everything and he wondered if he was just wasting time talking to her.

“When I saw her heading out I asked her where she was going and she told me her stomach felt weird, so probably to the hospital,” she told him.

“Is that so? Well, thanks,” Donghae said before almost driving off but the woman grabbed the opened window stopping him. “Is there something else?”

“Am I going to get some kind of reward for telling you this?” she questioned.

Donghae smiled impatiently, “I didn’t quite ask you, but you came to me yourself. Maybe not. I’m off now.”

As he came to a red light he allowed the small woman’s words to flow back into his mind. Maybe he should pay a visit to the hospital in town and hopefully it would lead him somewhere.

/////

Victoria found herself packing just minutes later. Folding her clothes into her suitcase and throwing her shoes into a bag. She’d taken down the photo framed certificate and had stuffed it into her suitcase with her many other items. When she’d almost cleared her room she sighed and finally sat down on her bed. Had she really let the investigator’s words spook her? What if he really found out she’d been in the hospital because she’d had a miscarriage? Well, why would that matter if he found out? If she was clearly made a suspect now she’d just be taken off that suspects list if he ever did find out. Victoria gulped and still didn’t regret not telling him the truth.

In a day’s time she’d be out of Incheon and she’d never see any of those cops again.