Chapter 10. Puzzle & Pieces.

“Captain Jin Goo.” Jihyo push a key on the keyboard and the huge screen on the wall in front of them show a picture of a decent looking man in full navy attire. “Or should I say, ex-captain Jin Goo. Dishonorably discharged from Korea Naval Force five years ago over a murder charge. 99% DNA match with the blood on Kwon Jiyong's knife.”

“Ex-Navy with murder charge.” With her arms crossed, Taeyeon leans in to see better. “Can we see if he had a connection to admiral Lee? Part of his men in FF 953 Chungnam maybe?”

“No apparent connection to Admiral Lee.” Jihyo pushes another key and arrays of information come up on the screen. “He did spent most of his service in Gyeryong though.”

“Seems like a temperamental man.” Taeyeon adds after reading a few lines. “Was discharged for punching a man to death in a bar fight.”

“I dug up the case file. The fight was brutal. Apparently the victim tried to flirt with Jin Goo's girlfriend and then literally got beaten into pulp.” Chanyeol shows his grimacing face from behind the computer scree. “One more thing, he didn't return his service weapon upon discharging, claiming someone stole it in that fight.”

“Let me guess, said service weapon is standard Daewoo K5?” Bambam adds from where he's standing by Taeyeon's side. “This could be our guy.”

“Could be.” Jihyo glances at Taeyeon. “Looks, reported for several violations against code of conduct too, all have something to do with violence.”

At Jihyo's words, Taeyeon's heart sinks. She reaches for her phone, walking to the corner of the room to give Detective Yang Hyunsuk a call.

“Senior-”

“What do you call me for, detective Kim?” The person on the other end is clearly not interested in being cordial. “Checking on my work? Don't worry, I will be here 24/7 tailing your suspect , cleaning after your mess because you can't handle a simple work.”

“Senior.” Taeyeon takes a deep breath. “There's an indication that the suspect you're tailing can be the next victim of the killer.”

“So? Killer becomes victim. Victim becomes killer. Nothing new.”

“I think we need to provide better security for Kwon Jiyong.”

“We?” Hyunsuk's laugh rings in Taeyeon's ears. Somehow, it sounds like an endless mockery. “There's no “we” in this Detective Kim. This is me and my team holding your wobbly legs up, understand?”

“Yes, senior. I'm sorry. But-”

“No need to tell me how to do my job either. JB and I, despite the lack of sleeping, are in our car tailing the cab that taking your suspect to wherever his destination is. My team is ready to go undercover once we know where he's heading. 24/7 Detective Kim. Me and my team will keep our eyes on him 24/7. Satisfied?”

“Yes. Senior, thank you.”

“Good. Now, Detective Kim. I heard that this guy lives in the same apartment with you? So tell me, if he ends up going back to the apartment, can we crash in your place instead of sleeping in our car?”

“Senior,” Taeyeon gulps down her antipathy toward the seasoned detective. “I'm-”

“Geez. I was just teasing you, Detective Kim. Anything else you want to say? Do you want us to babysit your suspect? Bottle-feed him perhaps? Why do you care so much about him anyway?”

“I just don't want another victim on my list, Senior. Excuse me, I have another suspect to chase.” Taeyeon cuts the call before Hyunsuk gets a chance to get on her nerves. She turns around, facing her three coworkers. “Do we have this Jin Goo guy's current address?”

“Yes.” Bambam's hold up his note. “Let's go.”

“Let's go.”

The address directs them to the slum at the skirt of the city, where shoddy flats crammed together on both sides of narrow pavement. Behind the small housings, there are even smaller shacks that shows contrast with the apartment complex rising in the background.

Taeyeon, who often expresses how ugly her apartment is, suddenly see why she has to keep on being grateful. She clearly lives a better life than people who stay in those shacks. One thing that she's also grateful of is her partner, Bambam the junior detective who's quietly listening to her rant. Her rant about Yang Hyunsuk. Her rant about the menacing killer. Her rant about how she's worry for Jiyong's safety.

“Do you want me to check on JB? See if he can give us update on Kwon Jiyong's whereabout?” Bambam offers as he struggles to park a few hundred meters before their destination.

“Can you?”

“Well, Senior Yang might be vile and annoying but JB and I spent three months on the same training ground some years ago. He'll answer to my text.”

“Please do. Tell JB not to let Hyunsuk knows I snoop in his work again. He won't be happy.”

“He is never happy.” Bambam takes out his phone then start texting.

Taeyeon gets out of the car, smiling at the old lady who's busy gathering cardboard into a cart a few meters after her. The four officers in civvies who follows them also get out of the other car then gather around Taeyeon.

“Our target is supposed to be in that blue flat ahead of us. Taeyong, Doyoung, you both in charge of perimeter.” Taeyeon starts the briefing as Bambam also comes to her side. The young detective informed her of Jiyong's current whereabouts and Taeyeon feels at ease for a moment.

“Mark and Ten will follow us inside. Suspect might be armed so stay alert. Open fire only when he fires first. Many people live here so watch where you aim, understand?” Unlocking her gun, Taeyeon ends the briefing.

The five men nods, each checking their firearm before tucking it behind their backs. The old lady with the cart stares at them suspiciously but quickly walk away when Taeyeon shows her badge. Drawing a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever coming her way, Taeyeon leads her men to the flat.

While two officers stay on the ground, Taeyeon, Bambam and the other two proceed to the third floor via the rusty stairways. They move stealthily, fast yet quiet, arriving at the designated flat nearly without sound. Taeyeon signals the two officers to take cover while she comes to the door. Bambam has his weapon ready, standing a little bit to the left.

Taeyeon knocks with her free hand. No answers.

“NPA!” Shouting, Taeyeon holds her semi-automatic with both hands. “Open the door.”

Still no answer.

She takes a step back, taking aim as Bambam gets into position and kick the door. It flings open on the first try, clearly not locked well.

The flat is quiet but no letting their guard down for Bambam and Taeyeon, they enter the first room with their service weapons at the ready. Mark and Ten enters the premise after them and Taeyeon gives the two officers signal to search the kitchen area.

“Noona, look.” Bambam tilts his head toward the bed where the sheet is clearly stained with blood. There are bloodied gauze on the bedside table too. “I think Kwon Jiyong got him bad.”

“And I think we've found our real suspect.” Half a dozen of green water bottles sit on top of the desk as if parading themselves in front of Taeyeon's eyes. “The mysterious bottles.”

"Great.” Bambam opens a drawer, sighing at its content.

"What's in it?"

"Photographs. Blue Prints. Notes. He stalked the victims."

“Call Crime Scene Processing unit.” Taeyeon is about to kneel to check under the bed when a loud thud comes from the kitchen. Mark yells. Ten shouts. Then she hears the distinct sound of bull