I was in my cabin looking at the forensic reports of the second victim, who fell in the age group of 50 and 60 and was a male. After studying the reports, I started looking for the missing person report with the given criteria, but after three hours of relentless search, the results were none.
I was getting frustrated by the results. No one reported these missing persons, either they didn't have any family or their families didn't care. As I was thinking hard about it, my phone vibrated on my table. I picked up my phone and saw the caller was Min Ji.
"Min Ji, any positive news?" I asked her with eagerness.
She sighed on the other line and replied," No Soo Min, I checked the database in every small hospital, there were people who matched the criteria, I contacted each one of them. Either they died years ago or they are alive and well."
I massaged my forehead to alleviate the beginning of a headache.
"Okay come back to the office, let's wait for Jin Ho's call," I said and cut the call.
But suddenly the thought of the victim not going to the hospital popped up. What if the victim never received treatment? What if I am thinking in the wrong direction?
As I was in deep thought, I got a call from Jin Ho. I immediately picked up the call and answered.
"What is the status?" I asked him with urgency.
"I did get a few records of people who matched our victim's profile, but none of them are alive now. And I have a doubt. What if the victim never came to a hospital for treatment?" he asked with curiosity.
"Exactly, that's what I was thinking about before you called," I said while sighing with frustration.
"Min Ji also has found nothing, you come back to the office we will find out something," I told him and cut the call.
I put my hands on my forehead and kept massaging it to relieve myself of the beginning headache. If they are homeless, they won't be included in the database, then moving our case forward will be very difficult. Suddenly an idea popped up in my mind. I immediately opened my computer, opened the database for solved cases and entered the profile requirements, and initiated a search. It kept loading and was 20% through the cases. If my hunch is right, then we will be able to move this case forward, I am hoping it is right. The search was over by 90% and still, no profiles matched; finally, at 98% one case popped up, and the message on the screen read 'Perfect Match'.
I opened the case and looked through the details when the word I was searching for came. Bingo! I finally got it.
Just as I was celebrating my success the door opened and both Min Ji and Jin Ho entered with tired faces. I felt guilty that they had to search the whole day at the wrong place, but that's the job.
I immediately went toward both of them and pulled them into a big hug. They both were surprised at my excited state and confused too.
"Guys I found out a vital clue! Now we can move the case forward. I am so sorry for making you guys do such a hectic task" I told them with excitement and guilt.
"Hey, it's okay. But what did you find out?" Min Ji asked me after we broke the hug.
I took them to my computer and made them sit in front of it. I told both of them to read the case on the screen. As they started to read the case, the confused looks on their face slowly started to morph into one of realization.
"Oh my god! This is very much possible! Why didn't we think of this option before?" Min Ji asked in an excited voice.
"I know right! Finally, we have a vital clue and we can move to the next step" Jin Ho said with a sigh of relief.
"Should we- "before Jin Ho could finish what he was about to ask, my phone rang.
I picked up the call and the news delivered by the person made me shocked.
"WHAT?" I asked with disbelief
"Ok I will come immediately," I told him and cut the call
"We have another body," I told them with a serious face.
We immediately scurried towards the door taking our belongings and rushed to the car. Once we reached the fields, the crime scene was already filled with forensic technicians and police officers. We went to the place where crime scene tape had been put as a boundary and went past it. The body was in the same condition as the previous victims, except there was a letter squeezed into the palms of the victim. The body was curled like a fetus and the hands were curled into the chest. The letter looks like it was kept after the body was burnt.
I wore a pair of latex gloves and used tweezers to pick up the letter. I immediately put the letter in a plastic pouch and handed it to the forensic technician and asked him to label it as an emergency.
The Gyeonggi police officers were standing near the place the victim was lying. Once they saw me coming toward them, they bowed to show their respect.
"Have you identified who he is?" I asked one of the officers.
"No ma'am, only after the autopsy I guess we can if we get any clues" he answered.
"Okay. I want you to identify the first two victims. How you may ask? I will tell you all the details. In an hour meeting in the presentation room, be there on time" I said and turned to leave along with Min Ji and Jin Ho.
$
We reached the police quarters at six pm and we went to my cabin. We collected the required papers and my laptop and went to the presentation room. About 15 mins later the other three officers entered the room, but I wasn't expecting the chief to enter the room too.
"Chief?" I asked surprised.
"Soo min, you should have told me you are organizing a briefing for these gentlemen here. Since I heard about it, I thought of giving a visit and seeing the progress your team has made" he said as he took a seat comfortably in the first row.
"Sorry sir, I thought I will brief you tomorrow, once I had everything organized," I said as I looked at him.
"It's ok. Now start with your briefing" he said as he put his right leg over his left leg and crossed his arms over his chest. His intimidating look wasn't helping me in any way. I took a deep breath and turned on my laptop and the screen came to life.
"As of now, we know only the gender and age of the two victims and the other information we know about the second victim is, that he had Bursitis in his shoulder. With the information from the second victim, we investigated both big and small hospitals, but we got no results. We also searched the missing person database, but no one fitted the profile. So, we guessed that the person might be homeless or an orphan, who has no one to report them missing. If that is the case, identifying the victim isn't possible, but I also have another hunch or I could say a clue. So based on my hunch, I searched the solved cases database with the clue and I did get something the same as my hunch. My hunch is, what if the victims aren't from this time but either from the past or future?"
The chief's face changed into one of shock.
"What?! How is that possible?" he asked with a shocked tone.
"Yes sir, it is possible. There are two cases which happened last year, where two girls from the past were brought to the present and killed. So, I think it is a possibility that our victims might also be from the past" I said as I looked at the chief.
"So, what do you- "before the chief could ask the question my phone rang and the caller ID read, Kang So Min. I excused myself and immediately picked up the call.
"Hello, So Min?" I asked with a desperate voice.
"Hello ma'am, I have the letter ready. I have done the required testing on the paper. I have scanned it and sent it to you through the mail. Please check it out" she said in a polite voice.
"Thank So Min. I will check it out" I told her and cut the call.
I opened the mail from So Min and opened the attachment she had sent. While the file was downloading, I had this unsettling feeling, like something was wrong. I didn't know why I was feeling that way, but I didn't like it one bit.
Once the file was downloaded, I opened it and when I read the letter, I felt my blood run cold. A shiver ran through my spine and I understood why I got a bad feeling. This letter was from the devil, and I just knew this was the beginning.
'Hello Soo Min, congratulations on finding out that the victims belong to the past. When you time travel, say hello to your father. I had fun talking to him but unfortunately, I had to kill him, ha-ha. See you soon, Soo Min.'
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