Dangerous Investigation Diary

Ep. 33 ° Family Arson Murder Case (4)

After a 20-minute drive with Officer Jeong, Team 1 arrived at Yujeong University Hospital. They found out at the information desk where Ah-young and her family were admitted: General Ward Room 502. Before entering the room, Team 1 barely managed to calm their nerves by looking at the patient list posted next to the door.

김석진 [32]

"hello-"

전규현 [55]

"who..."

김석진 [32]

"I'm sorry I couldn't contact you in advance."

김석진 [32]

"This is BU Police Station Violent Crimes Unit 1."

김석진 [32]

"This incident at your home is not a simple fire, but is suspected to be arson..."

전시아 [22]

"Huh? Arson...?!"

김석진 [32]

"Yes... So we started investigating in earnest."

김태형 [29]

"Please cooperate with the investigation."

Even after what had just happened, Officer Kim greeted the family members with a smile as usual, while the other team members prepared for the interrogation, setting up cameras and recorders. Meanwhile, Officer Kim was already having small talk with the family.

김태형 [29]

"Have you all had lunch?"

김태형 [29]

"You'll feel stronger if you eat a hearty meal."

전서준 [25]

"I ate around 12 o'clock."

김태형 [29]

"Oh, really? Is the hospital food here good?"

전시아 [22]

"It's... okay, I think."

At that moment, Officer Min's instructions to begin the interrogation came through the earpiece worn by Officer Kim. Officer Kim adjusted the earpiece, mentally preparing himself to allow the conversation to naturally transition into an interrogation. Even though he had moments of vacillation, Officer Kim remained a true professional.

김태형 [29]

"Actually, there aren't many places where hospital food is delicious~"

김태형 [29]

"Are you all good at cooking?"

전시아 [22]

"I'm okay!"

전서준 [25]

"What did Jeonsia say?"

전시아 [22]

"Oh, you want to go back?"

김태형 [29]

"Haha, what do your parents think?"

전서준 [25]

"Uh... I don't know."

전서준 [25]

"I've been eating out a lot, so it's been a while since I've had a home-cooked meal."

김태형 [29]

"I see... When was the last time you had a meal with your family?"

전규현 [55]

"I remember it was a month ago."

김태형 [29]

"It's been quite a while."

김태형 [29]

"Is there anyone in your house who smokes?"

전규현 [55]

"No, there isn't."

김태형 [29]

"...okay."

김태형 [29]

"Mom, what has Dad been up to lately?"

임소정 [52]

"I... quit my job and am doing housework."

전규현 [55]

"I'm working at a company. I'm also preparing for business."

김태형 [29]

"Son, has your daughter become independent?"

전시아 [22]

"I'm working and preparing for independence."

전서준 [25]

"me too."

김태형 [29]

"Oh, do you go to work?"

전서준 [25]

"I work for a small to medium-sized company."

전서준 [25]

"Sia is working part-time."

김태형 [29]

"I heard you're 25, but you're already working."

전서준 [25]

"Oh, I... didn't go to college."

전시아 [22]

"I also dropped out of college after one year."

김태형 [29]

"Um... Okay."

김태형 [29]

"Shall we conclude the interrogation here?"

임소정 [52]

"thank you-"

김태형 [29]

"Let's go."

김석진 [32]

"...Can I believe it?"

김태형 [29]

"Of course, who am I?"

Yes, Officer Kim had a modest amount of interrogation experience, but his interrogation skills surpassed those of his seniors. He led the interrogation with a style different from his usual style, but his team members trusted him and left the hospital room without saying a word.

Back at the office, the members of Violent Crimes Unit 1, excluding Superintendent Kim, sat around the conference table. Superintendent Kim had been organizing the interrogation in his notebook since he left the car and walked to the whiteboard. The members of Violent Crimes Unit 1 also waited patiently until Superintendent Kim had finished organizing everything.

김태형 [29]

"Okay, let's begin!"

김태형 [29]

"First of all, the question of when was the last time you had a meal with your family was to check the harmony in your family."

김태형 [29]

"All the family members, including Ayoung, looked so unhappy."

김태형 [29]

"It's been a month since we last had a meal together, so I guess everyone is busy or not on good terms."

김태형 [29]

"It also seems like the children and parents don't care much about each other..."

김태형 [29]

"The relationship between parents and children doesn't seem very good."

김태형 [29]

"It seems like Jeon Seo-jun and Jeon Si-ah are on good terms."

김태형 [29]

"Then the question is, are there any smokers?"

김태형 [29]

"I asked to confirm because using a lighter is a common way to light oil."

김태형 [29]

"The absence of smokers suggests that the lighter was purchased separately or lit by some other means."

김태형 [29]

"I think you can check the purchase history."

김태형 [29]

"Next, I looked into what they do to find out what their family's finances are like."

김태형 [29]

"My parents' jobs are a bit unstable. My mother quit her job, and even my father is running a risky business."

김태형 [29]

"My father is working at a company, but he is approaching retirement age, so I am anxious."

김태형 [29]

"I think that's why both Jeon Seo-jun and Jeon Si-ah didn't go to college and went out to earn money early."

김태형 [29]

"It makes sense that you're obsessed with Ayoung's grades, since she's the only one who has any hope of getting into college."

김석진 [32]

"Yeah... Good work, interrogating her naturally."

김태형 [29]

"What~"

김남준 [30]

"Then... what direction should we take for the next investigation?"

민윤기 [31]

"First... we need to summon the most likely suspect first."

민윤기 [31]

"Mr. Jeon Gyu-hyun and Ms. Im So-jung, how are you?"

정호석 [30]

"Both of them inhaled a lot of smoke from the fire, but they are getting better with treatment."

정호석 [30]

"Although he suffered second-degree burns on his arms and legs, his life does not appear to be in danger."

정호석 [30]

"There are no signs of amnesia, and it doesn't seem like he's mentally unstable enough to lose his sense of judgment."

정호석 [30]

"At this point, I think I can get permission to summon you."

김석진 [32]

"Okay. Officer Kim, please upload the permit."

김남준 [30]

"all right."

김석진 [32]

"I'll go to the police station and get a warrant, so you guys go back to the hospital."

김석진 [32]

"Oh, I'm a little lonely by myself, so come with me, Officer Ha."

김태형 [29]

"Huh?! Officer Ha, you have to go with us!"

박지민 [29]

"Oh, that's fine. Officer Ha will get hurt if he gets near the criminal, so this is better."

김태형 [29]

"No, what..."

김석진 [32]

"Hey, hey, that's enough. Get out of here quickly-"

Superintendent Kim kicked everyone out of the office, including the grouchy Superintendent Kim, leaving only Superintendent Kim and I in the office. We ended up arriving a little late because we happened to stop by the Superintendent's Office with Superintendent Kim.

Inspector Kim, who was humming a tune while finishing packing his equipment, suddenly stopped humming and looked at me, who was standing there dumbfounded, and said.

김석진 [32]

"Officer Ha, would you like to go to the superintendent's office first?"

김석진 [32]

"I think I need to go and organize some more paperwork, sorry."

하여주 [28]

"Oh, yes. It's okay."

김석진 [32]

"Can you come back? Then I'll wait."

하여주 [28]

"No, you can go and come back."

김석진 [32]

"Okay, go to the police station and wait on the first floor."

김석진 [32]

"Let's go to the hospital together."

김석진 [32]

"If something happens, you know?"

As he spoke, Superintendent Kim tapped his ear, where he was wearing the earphones. It was something not only Superintendent Kim, but all my seniors always did when I was out on the scene. In the past, I would have wondered why they'd do that when they were just going to the superintendent's office for a bit, but after hearing about their pasts, I understood.

하여주 [28]

"I'll be back-"

This seems like my first time at the police commissioner's office. Aside from the last time I saw him for the first time, I asked for his contact information and asked for a favor as part of a deal. I've never spoken to him or even seen him before.

하여주 [28]

"Sir, this is Officer 1 of the Violent Crimes Unit."

경무관 [43]

"Ah, Officer Ha. What's the matter?"

하여주 [28]

"The prime suspect in the arson case currently under investigation has come forward, so we have come to obtain an arrest warrant."

경무관 [43]

"As expected from Team 1, you're quick at getting things done. Just sit down and wait a moment."

하여주 [28]

"Yes. Oh, and... Commissioner."

경무관 [43]

"huh?"

하여주 [28]

"Well... thank you for what happened last time."

하여주 [28]

"It was urgent and desperate, but I was in the hospital..."

하여주 [28]

"I tried to do what I could."

하여주 [28]

"I asked so suddenly, but thank you so much for accepting."

하여주 [28]

"I conveyed your message well."

경무관 [43]

"Oh, then? You don't have to be too sorry, it's okay."

경무관 [43]

"By the way, do the kids know now?"

경무관 [43]

"You're involved with high-ranking officials."

하여주 [28]

"Yes... I blew it up around the time the joint investigation with Team 3 was almost over."

경무관 [43]

"Yeah, that was a bit harsh for Detective Choi."

경무관 [43]

"Team 3 kids, you won't be able to touch them for a while."

경무관 [43]

“If something like that happens again in the future, tell me.”

하여주 [28]

"thank you."

경무관 [43]

"Okay, take the warrant."

하여주 [28]

"Thank you, I'll take my leave..."

경무관 [43]

"Oh, that's right. Officer Ha."

하여주 [28]

"yes?"

경무관 [43]

"Sergeant Ha, what did you want to do most when you became a police officer?"

하여주 [28]

"...What do you want to do most?"

경무관 [43]

“There is always a reason why dreams arise.”

경무관 [43]

"What are your thoughts on investigating this case?"

하여주 [28]

"I wanted to create a better world."

경무관 [43]

"...a better world."

하여주 [28]

"I don't have any happy memories in my life, except for now."

하여주 [28]

"I thought it would be good for the next generation to live in a better world."

하여주 [28]

“I wanted to contribute, even if only a little, to creating that world.”

경무관 [43]

"...I see."

경무관 [43]

"Okay, thanks for answering."

경무관 [43]

"Go quickly. I'll see you again when the case is over."

하여주 [28]

"Okay, I'll be going now."

As I left the police commissioner's office, a thought suddenly occurred to me. What image of a police officer did I want to have? What aspirations led me into this job? Was my answer truly the right one? It was the first time in a while that the police commissioner had asked a question that made me ponder. Perhaps it was a question without an answer.

Feeling a little late because I was talking to the superintendent, I hurried down to the first floor with the arrest warrant. Judging by the lack of radio communication, it seemed Jeon Gyu-hyeon and Im So-jeong hadn't been arrested yet. Superintendent Kim hadn't come down yet either.

I was standing in front of the lobby on the first floor, in my neat uniform, waiting for Superintendent Kim when someone rushed into the lobby. And it was a young-looking girl. Oh, wait...

하여주 [28]

"...Ayoung?"

전아영 [19]

"Oh, I, I know you...!"

하여주 [28]

"Uh... what's going on here?"

전아영 [19]

"sorry..."

하여주 [28]

"Huh? Suddenly? What's going on, Ayoung?"

Ayoung ended her apology with nothing more to say, and just cried. He quickly knelt down on one knee, brought himself to Ayoung's level, took a handkerchief from his inner uniform pocket, and wiped Ayoung's tears away. He then asked,

하여주 [28]

"Did your parents threaten you?"

하여주 [28]

"They would have gone to arrest me anyway."

전아영 [19]

"That's not it..."

전아영 [19]

"I lied... I'm sorry..."

하여주 [28]

".....uh?"

전아영 [19]

"My parents never did that, I lied..."

After another bombshell, all I could do was hug Ayoung, who was crying and unable to continue speaking. I couldn't even fathom what she was saying. A lie... why? For what reason? I pondered this for a moment, then pressed the earbuds in my ears.

하여주 [28]

@ "Ms. Jeon A-young revealed a false statement."

하여주 [28]

@ "Please stop all arrests and return to your homes."

I hung up the radio without even hearing my seniors' response. I felt like crying too. Why couldn't I have recognized the lies in their statements? Why would someone like me be considered a good interrogator? And then, suddenly, the Black Rose murder case flashed through my mind, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

It was miserable. Inspector Kim's urgent voice, coming down to the first floor, couldn't be heard clearly, but rather, it was ringing in my ears. Ah... What should I do?

It's been a while 🥺 I'm back after finishing my midterms as a K-3 high school writer hehe... 🥹 I'm sorry for the short amount of content because I'm just finishing up what I've been writing in my spare time 🙇🏻‍♀️

And I'm so, so grateful that I was selected as Editor's Pick the year before last, and this year again! I'm getting to be featured in the May Fanfic of the Month 💞 I'll work hard to become an author who can show you even better works in return for all the interest and love you've shown me! I love you all 🥰

Then, cheer up and see you next time for a more exciting episode! 🙌🏻 + Oh, and by the way... This case is going to be longer than the 'Puppet Suicide Case'... So keep going hard until the end! 🏃🏻‍➡️

_ Number of characters: 5449