Dangerous Investigation Diary

Ep. 35 ° Family Arson Murder Case (6)

I took a taxi hailed by the police officer and arrived home, just in time for the old man to be home. I took a deep breath before entering the house, worried that if he caught the day-band on his cheek, there would be chaos. I planned to just go straight to my room.

하여주 [28]

"I'm back...!"

윤도운 [35]

"Oh, rice."

하여주 [28]

"are you okay!"

윤도운 [35]

"Please, stop there."

하여주 [28]

"Ugh..."

The man's firm words made me stop in my tracks. He sat on the living room sofa, strode over, grabbed me from the stairs, and dragged me to the sofa. He sat me down on the sofa, lowered his waist, and stared intently at me, so I avoided eye contact.

윤도운 [35]

"Did you think I wouldn't know?"

하여주 [28]

".....that is..."

윤도운 [35]

"You made such a fuss and even disciplined me, did you think I wouldn't listen?"

윤도운 [35]

"Or did you think you could hide it?"

하여주 [28]

"...It's nothing. I got treatment and..."

하여주 [28]

"As a result, I ended up getting disciplined...!"

윤도운 [35]

"Please do. Is that important now?"

하여주 [28]

"No, that's..."

윤도운 [35]

"...Ha, please."

윤도운 [35]

"If something like this happens, tell me."

윤도운 [35]

“Every time you do this, I become helpless.”

윤도운 [35]

"I sent you to the BU police station so that whenever you get hurt or someone is harassing you, you can tell me and get help."

윤도운 [35]

"If you do this, I..."

하여주 [28]

"Oh, I'm sorry, mister... Don't cry..."

My uncle rarely cries, so seeing him cry was my weakness. It felt like the first time I'd seen him cry in years, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness when I realized it was because of me.

윤도운 [35]

"...Are you okay? See."

하여주 [28]

"It's okay... Mister, don't cry..."

윤도운 [35]

"Oh, sorry..."

윤도운 [35]

"Look at the ball. I'll change the band."

The man, seeing me with concern, apologized and carefully wiped away the tears that had gathered in his eyes. He took out the first aid kit, changed my day bandage, and applied fresh ointment. Watching his sad eyes, I felt the urge to ask him a favor, even if it was shameless.

하여주 [28]

"...mister."

윤도운 [35]

"Huh? Why, where does it hurt?"

하여주 [28]

"No. That's..."

윤도운 [35]

"Speak comfortably."

하여주 [28]

"Excuse me... Can I ask you a favor?"

윤도운 [35]

"ask?"

Since I'm not usually the type to ask for things, the man looked at me with a surprised expression and then nodded as if to tell me to speak. Still, I hesitated a bit, so he urged me to say whatever, and thanks to that, I was able to open my mouth.

하여주 [28]

"This case... has become a little difficult."

하여주 [28]

"If I ever need to borrow the broadcasting station's power later, can you help me?"

하여주 [28]

"Just... a big headline, or a public wanted notice or something..."

윤도운 [35]

"Of course. What can't I do?"

윤도운 [35]

"Please continue to do this in the future. Understood?"

윤도운 [35]

"Don't hesitate."

하여주 [28]

"Yes... thank you."

So many people trust me, so what on earth made me feel so insecure that I let this officer's words hurt my self-esteem? Yeah, what's wrong with me? I just need to work harder at what I'm doing. As long as I can prove it, that's all that matters.

Today, for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'll be able to sleep soundly and dreamlessly. Unlike before, when I'd have nightmares once or twice a week and the dread of falling asleep was palpable, I kept feeling like today, at least, I'd be able to get through it peacefully.

Thanks to a really good night's sleep, I arrived an hour early and reviewed similar case precedents. Being the first person to open the office door felt refreshing. Around 7:30, Superintendent Kim, who seemed quite a bit more reserved than I was, entered the office.

He was surprised to see me and asked when I arrived. When I told him I was there at 7 o'clock, he patted my head as if I was glad and sat me down. After I sat down, I saw Superintendent Kim still burying his face in his hands, unable to shake off the fatigue, and then I offered him a coffee candy.

하여주 [28]

"Please eat some, Inspector."

김석진 [32]

"Uh... thank you."

하여주 [28]

"Did you not sleep well last night?"

김석진 [32]

"Uh, a little..."

김석진 [32]

"Did you get some sleep, Officer Ha? Are you feeling okay?"

하여주 [28]

"Yes, I'm fine!"

김석진 [32]

"Yeah... that's fortunate."

As Superintendent Kim wiped his tired eyes with his hand and nibbled on the coffee candy I'd given him, Superintendent Min entered the office. He looked just as tired as Superintendent Kim.

민윤기 [31]

"Officer Ha, you're here early."

하여주 [28]

"Yes... Are you tired too, Officer Min?"

민윤기 [31]

"Uh... I had a hard time sleeping last night."

하여주 [28]

"Inspector Min, would you like a coffee candy too?"

하여주 [28]

"I gave it to Inspector Kim too."

민윤기 [31]

"Oh, okay... thank you."

As the other seniors arrived and looked at their condition, I noticed that Superintendent Kim and Superintendent Min looked particularly tired. As leaders of a team, they must have felt a deeper sense of responsibility because of yesterday's events.

김석진 [32]

"Are they all here?"

Today, everyone arrived on time, without a single latecomer. Superintendent Kim stood up and walked over to the whiteboard. He seemed to have spent the day brainstorming solutions. As expected, his sense of responsibility, even to the point of sleep deprivation, was the epitome of an ideal team leader.

김석진 [32]

"I thought about it a bit at home."

김석진 [32]

"I think it would be less confusing if we exclude our parents from the suspect list for now."

김석진 [32]

"We have a second option in mind."

전정국 [27]

"Collect the cell phones of your family members?"

김석진 [32]

"Yeah. There's bound to be evidence left on the phone."

김석진 [32]

"Let's take a look at that."

박지민 [29]

"great."

김석진 [32]

"Detective Kim, please contact me."

김석진 [32]

"Please collect my cell phone."

김남준 [30]

"all right."

김석진 [32]

"And during that time, we will summon Ayoung and interrogate her again."

민윤기 [31]

"Ayoung? If you make another false statement..."

김석진 [32]

"Let's take advantage of that."

김석진 [32]

"I think we need to find out if they really don't know anything by scaring them with the words, 'If you lie twice, you'll be in big trouble.'"

김석진 [32]

"For Ayoung to have fabricated a false statement on her own... it's too high-level and clever."

김석진 [32]

"Sergeant Kim, do you know what I mean?"

김태형 [29]

"...Yes. But, can I ask you one thing?"

김석진 [32]

"Yeah, tell me."

김태형 [29]

"I pressured Ayoung too much last time..."

김태형 [29]

“I thought Ayoung might be afraid of me.”

김태형 [29]

"How about assigning a different referee?"

김석진 [32]

"Well... wouldn't it be better to put someone who is scared and make them more frightened and speak more honestly?"

김태형 [29]

"There's a chance it might backfire and you might not be able to say something important."

김태형 [29]

"As much as possible, in the direction of Officer Park or Officer Ha..."

김석진 [32]

"Okay... then."

김석진 [32]

"Sergeant Park, Officer Ha. What do you think?"

박지민 [29]

"...I'm scared too. I don't show much affection."

김석진 [32]

"How about Officer Ha?"

하여주 [28]

"I... rather, am not good at putting pressure..."

김석진 [32]

"We'll be by your side anyway, so what?"

하여주 [28]

"...I don't know if I can do it well."

하여주 [28]

"I... couldn't find any false statements during the last interrogation..."

김태형 [29]

"Why are you so unconfident, Officer Ha?"

As expected from Chief Kim, who's skilled at reading people's minds, he immediately sensed my recent decline in confidence and self-esteem. It wasn't just that Chief Lee had said something that undermined my self-esteem, but also because my interrogation skills weren't what they used to be, my confidence had plummeted.

Unable to respond to Officer Kim, I bit my lip and picked at my fingernails. Officer Jeong, sitting next to me, grabbed my hand. It was a silent pressure to stop. He also added, "I told you not to bite your lips." It seemed like Officer Jeong had become a bit more pushy since yesterday.

김석진 [32]

"Officer Ha. To boost my confidence, I need to lead this interrogation."

김석진 [32]

"Can you do it?"

When I hesitated to answer, speechless at Inspector Kim's firm question, Inspector Kim nodded a few times and changed the subject, saying, "Let's talk later." Ah... Why am I like this?

김석진 [32]

"Sergeant Kim, have you contacted us?"

김남준 [30]

"Yes, the investigators are leaving for the hospital."

김석진 [32]

"Then, please contact Ayoung to summon her."

김남준 [30]

"all right."

김석진 [32]

"Officer Ha. Let me see you for a moment."

하여주 [28]

"yes..."

As I stood up at Inspector Kim's words, Officer Jeong let go of my hand, which had been holding me back from biting my fingernails. The worried looks on my seniors' faces as I left the office spoke volumes about my condition. Even though I slept well last night, my low self-esteem and confidence hadn't recovered.

The place Superintendent Kim brought me to was an empty conference room. Having only been a police officer for a month, it was a completely new space for me, but Superintendent Kim, with aplomb, turned on the lights, locked the conference room door, and drew the curtains. I sat quietly in my conference room chair, unable to do anything.

김석진 [32]

"Officer Ha."

하여주 [28]

"Yes, Inspector Kim."

김석진 [32]

"How's the police work these days?"

김석진 [32]

"It's already been a month since you came."

하여주 [28]

"...There was a time when I had this fantasy."

하여주 [28]

"There's nothing like that anymore... I think I'm just working with a certain level of satisfaction."

김석진 [32]

"An illusion... what illusion?"

하여주 [28]

"I always had this dream of becoming a police officer who just wears a cool uniform and is good at solving cases."

하여주 [28]

"Right now... it's a bit far."

김석진 [32]

"Really? If that's what you dreamed of, I think you've achieved it."

하여주 [28]

"I still have a long way to go compared to my seniors."

김석진 [32]

"...Officer Ha."

하여주 [28]

"Yes, Inspector Kim."

김석진 [32]

"I understand why you're so discouraged and avoiding work right now..."

김석진 [32]

"Our team really needs you."

김석진 [32]

"You may not have known, but when you're out with an injury, it's a huge loss for our team."

김석진 [32]

"There was a time when the seven of us did well, but without you, we became incompetent."

김석진 [32]

"If you take charge of this interrogation, I'm sure we'll be able to finish this case well."

김석진 [32]

"We know your abilities better than you do."

김석진 [32]

"I guarantee it. If it doesn't work out, blame me."

I flinched at the sight of Inspector Kim, who smiled faintly and met my gaze with a confident gaze. I hadn't realized my seniors thought of me this deeply. Was I truly that important to this team? What did I say?

하여주 [28]

"...Really? I..."

김석진 [32]

"Why would I lie? Huh?"

하여주 [28]

".....I'll try it once."

하여주 [28]

"Really... I'll do my best."

김석진 [32]

"Okay, thanks."

김석진 [32]

"Shall we go out? Let's go and get ready."

하여주 [28]

"yes."

I didn't trust myself, and I thought I'd never trust myself again, but I'm going to try to trust myself one last time. My seniors trusted me, so I thought I should trust myself once more. I wondered if the abilities I'd been trying to ignore would shine through in this interrogation.

Meanwhile, the victims' families' cell phones were collected and handed over to the police as evidence. The team, excluding Superintendent Kim and Officer Ha, gathered in the office, unlocked the phones, and began examining them. They collected text message records, transaction history, and notepads.

전정국 [27]

"Sergeant Kim, please unlock this."

김남준 [30]

"Locked? I thought it was all unlocked."

전정국 [27]

"Because the app itself is locked."

김남준 [30]

"Oh, really? Give it to me."

The phone that Officer Kim unlocked and handed over to Officer Jeon belonged to Jeon A-young. Upon accessing the locked text messaging app and checking the logs, he found, strangely enough, no records of contact with family members.

전정국 [27]

"...Did you erase everything?"

민윤기 [31]

"What."

전정국 [27]

"There's nothing in Ayoung's text message history about her family."

전정국 [27]

"I think I erased everything, I don't know why."

민윤기 [31]

"...I see. Let's put this on hold for now."

정호석 [30]

"I... this."

정호석 [30]

"A threatening text message came from Jeon Seo-jun's cell phone."

김태형 [29]

"On Jeon Sia's cell phone too."

민윤기 [31]

"Really? Mr. Jeon Seo-jun, read the content first."

정호석 [30]

"I think I've been receiving constant threats from my parents about living expenses since April."

정호석 [30]

"Both Mr. Jeon Gyu-hyeon and Ms. Im So-jeong requested living expenses as their family's financial situation became unstable."

정호석 [30]

"There are threats such as saying that if you don't pay your living expenses, you will commit suicide, steal the money yourself and go to jail."

민윤기 [31]

"Ms. Jeon Sia."

김태형 [29]

"Well, Miss Jeon is similar. It seems like the couple agreed on the terms of the threat to collect living expenses."

민윤기 [31]

"Is there anything else? A crime plan, a hint, something like that?"

김태형 [29]

"I don't think it's there. It might have been erased."

김태형 [29]

"If this is the case, we can't rule out the possibility that Ayoung Yang is also an accomplice."

김태형 [29]

"They may have planned the crime together and deleted the text messages."

김남준 [30]

"Did Ayoung say she was annoyed by her parents' nagging?"

민윤기 [31]

"Yeah. That's what remained as a lump."

박지민 [29]

"Then, should we summarize the cell phone investigation to this extent?"

민윤기 [31]

"Okay, let's do that."

As the members of Team 1, the five cell phones back in their ziplock bags, stood up from their round desks, the lobby call bell rang loudly. The bell was located at Sergeant Kim's desk, so he went to his desk and answered the call.

김남준 [30]

- "Yes, this is Detective Kim Nam-jun from the Violent Crimes Unit 1."

김남준 [30]

- "...Huh? Who are you?"

김남준 [30]

- "Ah... yes."

김남준 [30]

- "Hey, did Jeon A-young go into the interrogation room?"

김남준 [30]

- "Interrogation Room 1? Yes, I understand."

김남준 [30]

- "Please send him up to the second interrogation room."

김남준 [30]

- "thank you-"

Sergeant Kim hung up the receiver and looked at his team members with a complex and tense look in his eyes. When the team members, who were focused on his call, asked what was going on, Sergeant Kim tore a notepad from his desk, wrote something on it, and handed it to Sergeant Kim.

김태형 [29]

"What? What is it?"

김태형 [29]

"Seong Ye-jun, 25 years old, Jeon Seo-jun's friend...?!"

김남준 [30]

"You go to interrogation room 2."

김남준 [30]

"There is someone here who has something to say about this incident."

김남준 [30]

"We'll go to interrogation room 1 and listen to Ayoung's statement."

김남준 [30]

"Finish this quickly and come to Interrogation Room 1. Understood?"

김태형 [29]

"Yes... You must be up by now, right?"

김남준 [30]

"Yeah. Can you do it?"

김태형 [29]

"Of course~"

박지민 [29]

"Take your gear."

김태형 [29]

"Can I go with Officer Park?"

민윤기 [31]

"as you please."

김태형 [29]

"Oh yeah~ Officer Park, get your gear~ I'll go first!"

박지민 [29]

"what!"

민윤기 [31]

"Let's go too."

전정국 [27]

"yes."

Under Superintendent Kim's persuasion, Officer Ha confidently leads the interrogation. Superintendent Kim goes to listen to the testimony of the person who will shed new light on the case. And even the members of Violent Crimes Unit 1 stand by. It was a moment when everyone was truly invested in this case.

I think it's going to be longer than I thought 🥺 Still, please keep running until the end! Thank you for watching today too 💓

_ Number of characters: 6386