Chapter 17: Outrunning - a True Impossibility
Introducing Lady Cutthroat
“I can’t just show you something like that, Haru.”
She leaned in between the two front seats of the car, focusing her attention on the detective who just denied her request so easily. If it was Yongguk, he wouldn’t have been so hard to persuade. “Why not?”
“Because I said no.”
Is he really giving her such a parental answer? With a glare, she sits back into the back seat and pulls out the blue ball from her jacket. A few minutes later, Yongguk returns to the car from his mini patrol of the neighborhood.
“Nothing seemed out of place.” He reveals while taking his seat inside. “Do you think it will happen today?”
Youngjae managed to convince the Chief that they had some strong leads but he couldn’t convince him that today may be the day for another robbery. As it so appears, they received no permission for back up.
“There were no patterns with their other hits so I’m unsure as to when the next one would be.” After replying, Youngjae looks into the rearview mirror and finds Haru staring at him unhappily.
Not meeting his eyes for long, she turns her head to look out the window of the car.
Youngjae deduced that two of the houses in this neighborhood would most likely be the next sites and after finding out that house 0206 would be empty in the next few days, they picked this house to observe. It was a gamble with house 1015 a block or two away. If they chose one, it left the other one vulnerable.
“This watch will drag into the late night, Haru.” Yongguk looks over his seat to see her.
“That’s fine – I’m on break this week.”
“Don’t you have to go to work?” Youngjae questions, still with his attention out to the streets.
“I never told you about my schedule.” She stares at the back of his head.
“You don’t need to.”
…Did he do a background check on her? How much did he dig up? Knowing Youngjae, he wouldn’t have done a surface search. She wanted to desperately ask but she didn’t want to open up a can of worms. Unknowingly, she was squeezing the blue ball in her hands harder and harder, seemingly reflecting the state of her mind.
As the sun finally sets, the moon predictably takes its place and Haru only notices that the day is gone with the street lights turning on one by one.
Was this night going to be an unproductive one?
The longer it drags on, the more convinced Haru was that it would be. The time of 2:00 AM flashes on her phone screen and Haru begins to wonder if she would also watch the sun rise.
Lost in her thoughts, she stares up at the lights that illuminated the quiet street. She blinked in surprise when she sees the lights blinking off and on. “Can’t a rich neighborhood get these lights fixed?”
“Their motion detecting to save energy.” Youngjae responds.
“How nice.” Yongguk says in awe while observing the street lamps.
With their brief conversation ending, the car is filled with silence once more. Haru leans her head against the window’s cool surface. Breathing hot air upon the glass, she drew smiley faces over and over again to waste time.
Wouldn’t it be funny if the robbery did happen today but at the other home?
If it were her, she would target the one that pisses her off more.
The thought made Haru silently laugh before an idea struck her. Sitting up, Haru sticks herself between the two front seats once more. “You said the owners of these homes made legal settlements?” She looks at Youngjae. “Can I see the list?”
Hesitating for a moment, Youngjae gives in. Handing over the folder, he watches her turn on the light in the car to read the list inside.
Like Youngjae said, there were legal settlements.
But, there was a difference.
House 0206 was found guilty in court for their unlawful requirements in their contracts whereas house 0115 settled with their plaintiffs with no persecutions.
“Hey.” She closes the folder and calls for Youngjae’s attention to repeat her question. “If I catch these guys, will you let me see the database of gangs in Seoul?”
While waiting for his answer, she looks out of the windshield of the car far out into the neighborhood. Yongguk, who had been spending a lot of time with her, have started to notice the little habits Haru had. From the expression and tone of her voice, he knew she figured out something.
“Can’t we let her see it, Detective Youngjae?” Yongguk
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